Tavi and Vi

by Master Koschei

Chapter 21

I look around the room I’m in, and wonder why I’m here. I know the Doctor told me it was very important that I came, but I don’t remember why. I notice a poster hanging on the wall with the picture of a smiling woman on it. It seems to be advertising something, but I can’t make out the tiny words.

I turn to face Dash, who seems to be very anxious about something. Scootaloo also seems to be excited, her foot tapping quickly on the floor. The quiet woman in the yellow sweater with them was gently stroking Scootaloo’s hair to try to soothe the child. There are also a couple of grown ups that I don’t recognize, but they seem vaguely familiar. A part of me tells me that we’re all here for the same reason. But I still can’t remember it.

“Should it take this long?” Scootaloo looks up at Dash with a nervous expression. Dash simply smiles down at the girl.

“Everything’s ok, bud,” she said, tousling Scootaloo’s hair. Scootaloo smiles weakly, then goes back to her foot tapping.

I turn to face the Doctor and tap him on the shoulder to get his attention. When he’s looking at me, I ask him, “Why are w-we here?”

“Vinyl’s about to have her baby, Ditzy,” he tells me. Part of me knew that. I feel like I’ve already been told this several times; I know I’ll forget soon enough.

“H-how long has it b-b-been?”

“About six hours,” he says, looking at his watch to be sure. “Hopefully it won’t be too terribly much longer.”

I nod slowly, smiling. “I c-can’t wait t-to m-m-meet him!”

The Doctor laughs. “The baby’s a girl, silly.”

I knew that. Why did I say him?

I smile wider and slap myself in the forehead. “I knew that! I was j-just testing y-y-you.”

He smirks at me. “Oh really now? Then what was her name, miss Smartypants?”

I think hard. And I continue to think. And I think some more. “V-Vinyl?”

The Doctor shakes his head. “Nope.” He pokes me on the nose. “Her name is Key, remember? Vinyl is her mother.”

“That w-was another t-test!” I try to hide a blush.

However, before the Doctor can say anything else, a man walks in through the door to the room we’re in. He smiles down at me, then looks at the Doctor. “Would you and Ditzy like to be the first to meet little Key?”

The Doctor nods as he stands up, unlocking my wheelchair and pushing me behind the tall man. I look up at the Doctor. “Who is that a-again?”

The Doctor smiles down at me. “That’s Tavi. He’s Key’s father.”

I nod. “I knew th-that.”

We pass several empty rooms, eventually coming to a closed door. Tavi pushes the door open and stands to the side, letting the Doctor and me in first before stepping in himself, closing the door behind him.

Vinyl is lying on the bed, tear streaks visible on her face. “Hey there, guys,” she says, shifting around a little bundle in her arms. “We want you to meet someone. C’mere.”

The Doctor wheels me next to the bed, then steps beside me, smiling down at the bundle. “She’s got her mothers nose.”

Vinyl giggles. “Thanks, David. I always wanted to share my nose with a tiny human.”

“Would it be alright if I held her?” The Doctor tentatively reaches his hands out to the bundle. Vinyl nods, carefully passing the thing off to him.

“Mind her head,” Vinyl mutters as the baby switches possession.

The Doctor chuckles quietly. “Already an overprotective mother, are we?”

“Oh, hush,” Vinyl says with a smirk.

The Doctor turns to face me, bending down to show me what is in his arms. “Look, Ditzy,” he says quietly, carefully pulling back some of the blanket.

I look in his arms and see a face. She is sleeping soundly, her tiny hands balled up near her mouth and her feet scrunched up against her belly. I turn my gaze to Vinyl. “W-why is she s-so balled up?”

“She just came into the world, Ditzy,” Tavi answers. “That’s the position she was in while she was in Vinyl.”

I look at Tavi and smile. “R-right. I knew th-that.” I look down at the baby again. “H-hey there, K-Key,” I say softly, reaching a shaky hand out to her. I gently touch the blanket she’s wrapped up in, noticing her shift slightly. “I-I’m Ditzy.” Maybe I imagined it, but I swear I saw the corners of her mouth turn up into a smile for just a second.

The Doctor slowly stands back up with her, carefully handing her off to her mother. “She’s simply lovely,” he says. “You must be so happy.”

Vinyl nods, smiling warmly. “We are,” she replies, taking Tavi’s hand.

“Thank you both for being out here with us,” Tavi continues. “It means so much to us, and I hope it was worth it.”

“I’m glad you told us,” the Doctor replies, grinning. “I know Ditzy wanted to be here no matter what, and I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”

Tavi smirks at the Doctor. “We certainly have come a long way from the night we caught you, haven’t we?” The Doctor laughs nervously, scratching the back of his head. Tavi laughs as well. “I’m messing with you, David. I’m glad we have a good friend like you around.”

I suddenly let out a big yawn, stretching my arms over my head before pulling gently on the Doctor’s jacket sleeve. “D-Doctor?”

He looks down at me. “What is it, Ditzy?”

“I’m s-starting to g-get sleepy,” I mumble, rubbing my eyes. “C-can we g-g-go home?”

He smiles at me kindly, and I smile back. “Of course we can. What do you say to Vinyl and Tavi?”

I look to the couple. “G-goodbye! I-I’ll see y-y-you later!” I wave at them, and they wave back. The Doctor says his own goodbyes, then we turn and head back out into the hall.

As we walk back down the hall, I see Dash and Scootaloo heading back the way we came. I look up at the Doctor. “W-where are th-they going?”

“They’re going to see Key, Ditzy,” he tells me, pushing the button for the elevator.

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Vinyl and Tavi’s baby,” he says, pushing me onto the elevator.

“R-right,” I say with a smile. “I knew th-that.”

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoy this chapter! I have some plans for how to end this story, and I'm already thinking about another sequel if you guys would like that. I have several scenarios that could play out in the next story, but I have to finish this one first. A year and a half later, I hope the ending will be worth the wait.

Comments

[Pinceau]

I can't talk for everybody but I'll gladly read more of you ^^ I like how you write Ditzy, it feels very realistic

[Master Koschei]

7926335 Thank you very much for those kind words; I'm glad you enjoy my work as much as you do