Hey everyone! Here comes a shiny new Doctor Who fanfic! Before we get going, I'm going to let you know that this story will contain triggers, namely mentions of abuse. I'll try not to get into too many details, and write these details into the filler chapters as opposed to the actual "episode rewrite" chapters, and of course will put a warning at the beginning of any chapter containing such details.

Right then! Let's go! Allons-y! (Whoops, wrong Doctor)

Chapter One: Little Girl Lost

A young girl with light brown hair and hazel eyes took off down the street, trying to hold back tears. As much as she hated it at home, being kicked out was something completely different and far scarier, and she had no idea what to do.

I need a policeman, she decided. A policeman will be able to help me. But where would she find one? She had no idea where the nearest police station was.

After what was probably only thirty minutes but felt like hours of running, she stopped in an abandoned lot to take a breath, and then she saw it. A big blue box, with the words "POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX" in white letters that almost seemed to glow.

Maybe there's a policeman in the box, she thought, and so she ran up and knocked on the door. "Hello? Hello? Is there a policeman in there? I need help! Hello?"

She was about to turn away in defeat when there was a slight creak and the door swung open.

"Hello?" she called out again, and she walked inside to be met with a room that seemed to be far, far larger than the box outside.

"What on earth?" she asked. She ran out the door and around the box, and then back inside. Sure enough, it was somehow… bigger on the inside. And it was absolutely beautiful. The room was round, like a dome, with little hexagonal designs on the walls, and lit with a soft golden glow. Coral-like structures seemed to grow out of the floor, and in the center of it all was some sort of circular control panel lit up in turquoise blue. She felt as though she could stay there forever. But there was a part of her that felt like she couldn't. So, feeling sadder than ever, she walked out of the box and bumped right into a man wearing a leather jacket.

"What the hell were you doing in there?" he nearly shouted.

"I-I'm sorry, sir," the girl said nervously.

"Get out! Go! Go home!" He was clearly furious, bright blue eyes nearly stabbing her. She would be absolutely terrified, but… those ears.

"I'm going," she said quickly. "Honestly, I'm going. But first, could you please tell me where there's a police station?"

"A police station?" he asked.

"That's right, sir. That's the only reason I went inside the box - 'cause it said POLICE on it. I thought there'd be a policeman inside. 'Cept there wasn't. But now I'm going."

"What did you need a policeman for?" he asked.

"I thought one'd be able to help me, sir," she explained. "My mum and dad kicked me out, so I was hoping a policeman might find me somewhere to go."

His piercing gaze softened. "How old are you?"

"Ten years old, sir," she replied. "Eleven in June."

"You're ten years old, and your parents kicked you out." It wasn't a question. "You're ten years old, and your parents kicked you out."

"Th-that's right, sir," she stammered. "C-could you please tell me where the police station is? I really do need a policeman."

"Sorry, I have no clue," he said apologetically.

"Right, well, I'll be going then," she said sadly. "Sorry for going inside your box. It's beautiful in there." She turned and began to walk away.

"Isn't she just," the man called after her. "You could stay, if you like."

She turned around. "What do you mean, stay?"

"In my box. You could stay in my box." He cracked a smile. "It's more than just the one room in there," he said. "It's where I live. You can live here too, if you want."

The girl took a few steps forward, but then stopped. "Hold on. Why should I trust you? They always say, don't trust strangers, 'specially grown men."

"Who's they?" he retorted. "Your parents? The ones who kicked you out? People who'd kick a ten-year-old kid out of the house aren't very trustworthy, are they?" She nodded, tears starting to form. "Come here," he said gently, holding his arms out. "I promise I won't hurt you."

She hadn't been held in so, so long…

"That's it," he murmured as she flew into his arms and began sobbing into his shirt. "I've got you. You're safe." There was still a part of her that didn't trust him, but it was swept and washed away by the fact that this man was hugging her tightly, stroking her hair and murmuring soothing nonsense.

After a few moments, she dropped her arms and stepped back to look up at him.

He really did have huge ears.

"So," he grinned, "are you staying?"

"I don't even know who you are," she replied.

"I'm the Doctor," he said.

"'The Doctor?' Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor." He had just a hint of an exasperated look on his face, as though he had given this explanation hundreds of times. "What's your name?"

"Chloe, sir," the young girl said, her face just starting to break into a smile. "Chloe Amanda Donnell."

"Oh, stop it with the sir," the Doctor sighed. "Just Doctor. Sir makes me feel like I'm in the military, and God knows I've had enough of that." His face fell as he said this, and Chloe instantly felt sorry. Her friend Lucy's dad had been killed in action a year ago, and she knew how hard it had been on her. The sad face vanished quickly, however, to be replaced by a bright - albeit clearly fake - smile. "Well. It's far more fun inside than it is out here." He pushed on the door of the box and it swung open. "Chloe Amanda Donnell, welcome to the TARDIS."

"TARDIS?" she asked as she walked inside, eyes widening once again as she took in the sights of the bigger-on-the-inside room. "Is that what the box is called?"

"That's right. T-A-R-D-I-S. Stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space."

Chloe looked at him quizzically "What's that mean, time and relative dimension in space?"

His grin grew, if possible, even wider, stretching from ear to giant ear. "It's a ship, Chloe. It can travel anywhere in time and space."

She had a thought. "So that-" she pointed to the control panel in the center "-big control panel thing, with the green light, is that how you fly it and things?"

"It's called the console," the Doctor explained, "and the green light is called the time rotor."

"Alright, and how does it do the bigger-on-the-inside thing?" she asked. "Is it magic? No, not magic. It's a time machine and a spaceship, so science… Alien! It's gotta be alien technology! Are you an alien?"

"Yes," the Doctor nodded.

"That's so cool!" she said excitedly, jumping up and down a bit. "What kind of alien? Where are you from?"

"I'm a Time Lord," he replied.

"Time Lord," Chloe tried. "That's a strange sort of name for an alien. Thought it'd be more like… a Beezlebub or a Fnargl or something like that."

"Nope. Time Lord. And I'm from the planet Gallifrey."

"Gallifrey," she repeated. "Where's that? Can you take me there?"

"No," he replied stoically. "Now, it's getting late. I'd say it's high time that you get some sleep. Go on then. Off you go. Through that door, and the TARDIS will show you your room. She likes you."

"She likes me?" Chloe asked. "Is she alive?"

Hello, little one, a gentle female voice rang out. It didn't seem to come from anywhere; in fact, the voice seemed to be inside her own mind.

"Hello," Chloe said hesitantly, "you like me?"

Very much so, little one, the TARDIS replied. Why else would I have let you in earlier? I don't open up to just anyone, you know.

"That was you," she realized. "The door opening when I knocked… there was nobody inside… you opened the door for me!"

Indeed. It almost felt as though the TARDIS were smiling in her mind. Now, I know that you're tired. How about you see your room, alright?

"Okay," she said. "Goodnight, Doctor."

"Goodnight, Chloe," he replied. "Sleep well."

Chloe looked at the time rotor and addressed the TARDIS, "Alright, how do I get to my room?"

Like this, the TARDIS said, and in a flash of light, Chloe was standing in a bedroom.

"Wow," Chloe whispered as she looked around the room. It was possibly the most incredible bedroom she could imagine, all in lavender and white, with a great big bookshelf and a comfy little chair for reading and a closet and- "Is that a bathroom?!"

I hope you don't mind that you get your own, the TARDIS said somewhat playfully.

"I love it!" she exclaimed, jumping on the bed. "Thank you!"

My pleasure, little one.

"Hey, what's this?" she asked, holding up a little device hanging off her bed. She tapped it, and suddenly it seemed that she was no longer in her bedroom, but floating in space, a thousand stars in front of her. "Wow," she whispered again.

I can show you whatever you want to see, the TARDIS told her. Just tell me what you want to see, and I'll show you.

"Okay," Chloe grinned. "Show me… Oh! Show me Gallifrey! I really want to see it."

Sorry, no can do.

"Why not?" she asked. "The Doctor won't take me there, but I want to see it. I want to see where he's from."

I can't, the TARDIS said, and somehow, there was a bit of grief in her voice. I'm sorry, Chloe, but I can't show you Gallifrey. I can show you a hundred million beautiful things, but not Gallifrey.

"Fine," she pouted. "This is pretty. I think I'd like to keep looking at this." She laid back and then realized something. "I don't have any clothes or a toothbrush or anything," she said. "And I can't go back home-"

Look in the closet, the TARDIS said. She ran to the closet and opened it to see scores of the bright, sparkly outfits and fluffy pajamas she'd always wanted but was never allowed to have.

"Yay, thank you!" she squealed. She grabbed a set of pajamas and was about to put them on when she said, "Wait… you're going to see me change…"

I'll turn away, the TARDIS assured her.

Chloe changed as quickly as she could and then fell back on the bed, kicking her small bare feet in the air. "I'm done!" she laughed. "Is there a toothbrush and stuff in the bathroom, too?"

What do you think? The ship's tone was clearly facetious, and she chuckled as Chloe ran to the bathroom.

Chloe came back a few moments later and sat down once more on her bed, looking out at the stars in front of her. "Well, I think I might go to bed now," she decided, snuggling under the covers. "You might want to, I dunno, cover your ears or whatever it is talking spaceships do to block out noise, and tell the Doctor to, too, 'cuz I might scream - I do most nights these days. Nightmares and all"

Oh, that won't be necessary, the TARDIS said. No nightmares tonight.

"It's not like I can control them," Chloe argued. "They just happen."

Shhhhhhh, the TARDIS said gently. The lights in the room slowly faded, leaving nothing but the soft starlight. Just sleep, my little one.

Chloe closed her eyes, the bed underneath her feeling particularly soft and comfortable, and just when she thought things couldn't get any more soothing, she heard singing. "Are you singing?" she mumbled sleepily.

Sleep, my little one, the TARDIS cooed, and, even though Chloe wanted desperately to know who was singing, she couldn't stay awake any longer.

Hey everyone! Here's the first chapter of "Home!" Hope you guys like so far!

"Chloe Amanda Donnell" is not a name I pulled from thin air. Our heroine is actually named after three of my chosen-sisters, whom I love with all of my heart and soul.

Also, a special shoutout to the newest member of the Lone Shippers, RosetheOwl (Rose)!

Remember to follow the What the Fluff Project!

And, as always, love and ducks to ALL of my beloved Lone Shippers (which now includes myself, Rachel, Emma, Seraphina, Mary, Rachel, Rhian, Lucy, Ellie-Mai, Meg, Fedrogen, Caitlin, and Rose), hugs to supporters, thanks to Eleonora, Noe, Hanul, and Kizzie, shoutouts to my sisters, and cookies for all!

Love,

Ofelia xxx