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January 10th, 2013.
David always wanted a big Family or at least one as big as his had been, with a new baby on the way, that’s exactly what he would have. A Family in the same size as the one he grew up in.
He looked in his mailbox and found three letters and one package. He walked slowly inside his house, threw the keys on the coffee table and his coat over a chair. He went to the kitchen and left the letters on the counter.
He ran his hand over the box, almost caressing the name of the person who sent it: Catherine Ford.
It said it was to David and Georgia McDonald, but for some reason he knew it was for the best to open it by himself and show it to his wife later on, when she got home. Anything related to Catherine was better if he took in by himself first, or he could break for everyone to see.
He ripped the box open, but somehow her name kept intact.
He picked up the baby clothing and brought close to his nose and it somehow smelled of Catherine; there was one letter attached to it and reading it brought a weird closure and memories that had been buried. In a way, to David, it felt like the beginning.
March 26th, 2008.
That was the last week of shooting the fourth season of Doctor Who, in a few days, Catherine would be done with Donna Noble and David would be in for shooting his last episodes as the Doctor.
It was their last day off before shooting the last scenes non-stop for the next three days.
“I’m so happy for Billie,” beamed Catherine as they, David and her, walked down the street. The day before, Billie had told them she was pregnant.
“Me too,” exclaimed David trying to sound as happy as possible, but the words sounded flat.
“Mind sharing with the class?”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t sound too happy with the news.” She stated. Catherine had always wondered if anything had happened between David and Billie.
“You will think I’m silly.” He mumbled, scratching his chin.
“Look, it’s always weird realizing an ex-moved on.” She said matter-of-factly.
“What?” he asked before laughing.
“It’s not funny!”
“It is a bit, did you think me and Billie…” he giggled in that high pitched way and she blushed.
“I just assumed… Stop!” she slapped his arm and blushed more. “You do have a type, all your exes are blonde and petite, I am not crazy for assuming…”
“I don’t have a type!”
“Right…”
They stayed in silence for a while before he explained, “I seem to attract a type of women, and it doesn’t mean I only have interest in said type…” He looked into her eyes and she had to take two steps back and a deep breath before saying anything.
“That’s so completely out of the original topic…” she said playing with her hair. “Why don’t you sound so happy with Billie’s news?”
“I want a family.” He answered; his voice full of emotion and small.
“You will have one.” She muttered. “I’ve always wanted more children but… I don’t want to go through all that again.”
She didn’t need to finish that sentence, to explain herself. He held her hand and they walked in a baby store looking for something to buy.
They lost themselves in baby shoes and toys. Catherine lost herself in things she missed when her daughter was a baby as David lost himself in everything he wanted.
They settled for onesies and a teddy bear.
As they walked into Catherine’s hotel room, David grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him. He simply whispered “I’m sorry” and then kissed her.
January 5th, 2013.
Catherine heard the news through Adrian, he said he had seen in some website that David and Georgia were expecting.
She sat in her bedroom, on the floor, unmoving for several minutes. Tears streamed down her face as the news sunk down on her, he had what he had always asked for: A family.
They had parted their ways, wanting more, wanting everything, but they parted as it happens sometimes (above any logical explanation or feelings left behind).
Then something clicked inside her, shifted, broke, and she knew what she had to do. She stood and got a box hidden behind other boxes in her closet, there were many baby things, onesies, hats and overalls.
She held a Star Trek Blue Uniform Onesie in her hand and went to get some paper and pen to write a letter. It felt like it was time.
“Dear David,
How pathetic is it to start a letter like that? Oh well.
I have a lame memory for most things; I can’t remember details of my roles or simple words, or people’s names. But I seem to have perfect memory to everything related to you.
I remember the day after Billie told us she was pregnant, back in 2008, everything about that day is clear as if it had happened just yesterday. I remember you saying you would dress your children as nerdly as possible, and how you always wanted to have three children.
Look at you, David the married man, soon to be father of three children.
I have to apologize, just like you did that day but for other reasons. Reason fails me when it comes to us, and I can’t gather enough emotion to actually feel sorry about it.
I loved you, and you know that, sometimes everything works against what we feel and I don’t regret the time we had together, especially during our time in Much Ado About Nothing.
There is so much I never told you, things I love and hate about you, things I admire in you, and things I went through without ever telling you one word about it.
I bought this Onesie because I remember you told me that any parent who ever dressed their child with the red one is insane. I bought this for me, for a child that was never born and no one ever knew about.
One day I dreamed of a family just like you did, but my brain always played against me with chemistry and things I can’t explain. And my body always cheated me, as did my heart.
I wish you everything I could never have and could never give you. I wish one day, we are both in a happy place where we can be friends again.
I am happy for you, really, incredibly, happy for you.
I Love you,
Catherine.”
In a way, to Catherine, it finally felt like the end.