The Time Ring

That night Mousy couldn't sleep; again. She tossed in the bed for a few hours until she could finally find some peace and close her eyes. However, the Doctor was too curious about that lab to stay in bed and be kicked in the stomach by a very childish girl who had nightmares from the past while actually being there. He grabbed his coat and walked silently out of the room. He stopped outside the library door and looked around. When he figured it was safe, he entered and moved the shelf.

"Done with that, now" He stuck his hand out and patted the metal door. He was getting annoyed when he finally found some small button on one side. He pushed it and the door opened slowly. He went into the elevator and down into the lab. There was no one in sight so he chose to wander around. He went to the big computer and turned it on. Surprisingly it still worked without a password. This time, however, it didn't open directly a file. The Doctor started looking through Patricia's projects.

"This woman is insane" He stated. On that computer were files about a lot of projects. She even worked for the government until they found out she was using people for her own failed experiments. She was searching for a new body to use for her current project. There, on that file was something that shocked the Doctor.

Mousy was sleeping profoundly until someone opened the door loudly and started to shake her. She groaned and opened her eyes groggily. The person shaking her was actually herself.

"Amanda, what's wrong?" She asked, still tired. The child had teary eyes and her lower lip was trembling.

"Daddy left" Mousy's eyes opened more and looked sadly at her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure he had a very good reason" She nodded. "Did he leave you something?" She shook her head. Mousy eyes hardened. "Amanda, did daddy leave you something before he left?" She shook her head again.

"No" Mousy's eyes widened and got off the bed. She took her own small coat, put her shoes on and walked out the door. She saw Jonathan, the oldest and friendliest servant there.

"Have you seen the Doctor? He's a tall man, skinny, wears a suit" He nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. He's downstairs with Madame" Mousy nodded and thanked before running downstairs, in the dining room. The Doctor stopped listening to whatever her mother was rambling about and looked at her. Patricia didn't see her though. She was with her back towards the door and continued talking.

Mousy pointed to her and the door. The doctor furrowed his eyebrows together. He was glancing at the woman who was talking to him from time to time so she could not realize that Mousy was behind her. The 25 years old version of Mandy was pointing at the door and at herself. She also mouthed 'dad' so the Doctor figured it was about her father's departure. She pointed at her and at her ring. The Doctor nodded. Mousy continued to point at the ring and made an 'x' sign. The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows again, not understanding. She slapped her forehead and sighed. She pointed again at the ring and made another sign with her hands. The Doctor was still in a maze. She rolled her eyes and mouthed the word 'no'. The Doctor nodded. She pointed at the door, meaning her father left and then at her ring and mouthed the word 'no'. The Doctor's eyes widened and nodded. Mousy left the room and went in the living room. Not long after, the Doctor got out too.

"So" Mousy didn't let the Doctor say another word.

"Dad left, he will die and he didn't leave me the ring!" She started pacing, angry and worried. "If there's no ring then there's no me. I won't know anything about aliens, I won't be safe anymore and I won't meet you!" The Doctor grabbed her shoulders.

"Everything's going to be alright, Amanda" Mousy glared at him and shook his hands off.

"Don't call me that name. Just mom used it" He backed off slowly, thinking that it was better for her to have her personal seemed pretty angry so it was a clever decision for his safety, too.

"What do you mean with safety, anyway?" Mousy sighed through her greeted teeth and sat down, roughly.

"This ring helped me through rough times. Two times I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." She shook her head and placed her head between her hands. "If it wasn't for that ring, I wouldn't have lived more than ten months after I've been tested on" The Doctor looked pressed. He remembered what he read that morning in the lab.

"Why didn't your father leave it? He was pretty sure he will give it to you" Mousy was still thinking, both of them were when they heard Mandy scream.

Mousy straightened and listened once more. It was her voice. She glanced worriedly at the Doctor and both ran out the house. There she was, in the arms of an anonymous man.

"Amanda!" Mousy yelled after her younger self. She ran after her. The Doctor right behind, when the man opened some weird thing that looked like a portal.

"Mousy! Doctor!" The noise stopped when the portal closed behind them. Mousy stopped running and fell on her knees.

"No" The Doctor was shocked too. Who was that man? And why did he take the five years old Mousy?