The Longest Road to Nowhere (Maria/Leo)

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Magpie had been dreaming quite peacefully, her mind imagining running through a snow covered forest filled with flickering fireflies. And, of course, in her dream, her best friend, Rio, was right beside her running through the woods... But the dream ended abruptly as Magpie awoke with a start. She'd rolled out of bed.. again. She looked up at the ceiling of her room and yawned softly as she got to her feet.

She dusted off her jammies and groggily made her way to the door, down the corridor and into the kitchen. She didn’t notice her dad or the other woman at first. She walked right to the fridge to pour herself a glass of orange juice, drank it rather quickly, shut the fridge door and put her glass in the sink.. Her hair was a complete disheveled mess. The girl was such a rough sleeper.

She was heading back out of the kitchen, but the moment she placed her hand on the door, she stopped and looked at the woman, shot a confused look at her dad and looked back at the woman. She looked familiar but it was too early in the morning for her to bother with trying to sort all that nonsense out. So what did Magpie do? Very plainly and abruptly, she asked in not the most polite of ways “Who the heck are you?” She immediately went to stand beside Leo, taking his arm in a tight hug and shot the woman a look as if to say 'I don't trust you one bit'

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Maria could only smile as she enjoyed a steaming cup of coffee. It had only been a good couple of hours since she accidently landed on Leo, and about an hour since they figured out how they felt about each other. About now, Leo was cooking breakfast.

She brushed her fingers through her hair, fixing her already messy hair up into an even messier ponytail. When the door to the kitchen opened, and a small dark haired little girl with two different eye colors, stepped into the kitchen. She walked straight to the fridge and got a glass of Orange juice.

Maria recognized her from the last time she saw Leo. The night she hit him with a stick, cause she thought he was going trying to kill her future companion. That's when she found out Leo actually had a child, with a bit of a push. So to speak. Her name, was Maggie. Or was it Magpie?

Maria was brought out of her thoughts by the strange feeling of someone watching her. So she looked up towards the person in question, seeing Maggie. She smiled at the child, noticing the look that Leo got. Immediately, she felt that something was going to go wrong.

“Who the heck are you?” Maggie asked as she went to stand by Leo, hugging his arm.

And there it was, the look that made Maria cringe a little inside. The look that just said, 'I don't know who you are, I don't like you, and I don't trust you.'

Maria gave a bright smile after taking a sip of her coffee, just to buy a bit of time before replying. "I'm Maria, we've met before. A while ago, in Africa. You're Maggie right?"

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After a couple hours talking to Maria and discovering the feelings they had for each other. Leo went to work to prepare breakfast for not just him and Magpie but for Maria as well. But first he gave Maria a steaming hot cup of coffee, walking to the fridge he got out some eggs, slices of bread and bacon. Setting everything on the counter he looked to the door as Magpie walked into the room, "Good morning Magpie." Leo said warmly. When he got no response he took it as Magpie was still a little sleepy and probably did not sleep well.

The child took the orange juice out of the fridge and poured some into a glass, "Breakfast will be in about ten minutes sweet heart." Leo said as he turned to look at Magpie.. who appeared to be giving Maria a certain stare that made even the Time Lord dread it.

“Who the heck are you?” Maggie asked as she went to stand by Leo, hugging his arm.

Leo looked down at his daughter, "Magpie.. this is Maria.. Daddy's friend remember? You met her back in Africa with Rio.. Don't you remember?" He kneeled down and rubbed Magpie's back, "Can you please be nice to Maria? She is a good friend." He was not going to tell her just yet that the two Time Lord's have strong feelings for each other, not yet.

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Once Magpie had rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she just stared at Maria. Her father clarified for her who she was and she made a rather sour face "Yes, I remember you now... You tried to kill my dad with a huge stick... And it's Magpie.. Only Rio gets to call me Maggie" she huffed indignantly.

She clung to Leo's arm, almost protectively, half expecting the woman to brandish another stick. But when her dad made mention that Maria would be eating with them, she looked up at her dad as if to say 'Are you serious??', letting go of his arm and stepping away "I'm not hungry." and stormed out of the kitchen.

She stormed into her room and slammed the door. Almost hard enough to rattle the whole TARDIS. Magpie threw herself onto her bed and pulled the pillow over her face and groaned. It had just been her and Leo for three years.. Perfect Father/Daughter team.. And now someone else was joining in? Magpie wasn't sure how she felt.

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"Magpie.. this is Maria.. Daddy's friend remember? You met her back in Africa with Rio.. Don't you remember?" Leo was being rather sweet, which was one of the things she really liked about his personality. Among other things. "Can you please be nice to Maria? She is a good friend."

She felt oddly tempted to wave and smile at the girl. That is... Before she spoke.

"Yes, I remember you now... You tried to kill my dad with a huge stick..." Maggie.. Magpie said rather bitterly.

Maria knew right there, that she was never going to live down that moment in her life. "Well. you got to understand Maggie-"

Magpie cut her off before she could finish her defense. "And it's Magpie.. Only Rio gets to call me Maggie"

"Alright then. Magpie." She started again. not sure what to think of this child. "I only did that because I hadn't realized it was Leo, and I thought he was going to strangle Rio. It was an honest mistake, really."

She had rather hoped that her explanation would have solved the issue that Magpie was having with Maria. It hadn't. And When Leo mentioned Maria was going to be eating with them. It became all too clear how much Magpie disliked Maria.

"I'm not hungry." She stated before walking out of the kitchen.

There was a moment of silence, to which Maria was about to ask Leo if she had done something wrong. When a loud bang sort of sound came from down the hall.

"I think I did something to upset her." Maria thought outloud, her tone soft and more than a bit worried. After all, if this was how the girl was reacting to her eating with them. How would she react when she found out she was going to be staying with them.

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"Yes, I remember you now... You tried to kill my dad with a huge stick..." Maggie.. Magpie said rather bitterly.

Maria knew right there, that she was never going to live down that moment in her life. "Well. you got to understand Maggie-"

Magpie cut her off before she could finish her defense. "And it's Magpie.. Only Rio gets to call me Maggie"

"Alright then. Magpie." She started again. not sure what to think of this child. "I only did that because I hadn't realized it was Leo, and I thought he was going to strangle Rio. It was an honest mistake, really."

Leo made Magpie face him, “Maggie, you must understand that Maria did not know it was me at the time nor what I was doing when she hit me with that stick.. I would have done the exact same thing if I was to be put in Maria’s position. I am more than certain you would have as well.”

When Magpie stormed out of the room that the child did not like Maria.. The Time Lord turned around and went back to cooking. Leo wondered what he and Maria could possibly do to encourage Magpie to like Maria.. no love Maria as much as he does.

There was a moment of silence, to which Maria was about to ask Leo if she had done something wrong. When a loud bang sort of sound came from down the hall.

"I think I did something to upset her." Maria thought outloud, her tone soft and more than a bit worried. After all, if this was how the girl was reacting to her eating with them. How would she react when she found out she was going to be staying with them.

Leo looked over to Maria, “No, no Maria, you did nothing wrong at all.. I am pretty sure that all children react this way.” He put some finished pancakes onto a large plate and covered them up to keep them warm as he got the next batch cooking.

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Maggie rolled over on her bed and stared up at the ceiling with a sigh. She realized she sounded like a complete brat. But that wasnt her fault, right? Maria just showed up, unannounced and made herself all comfy cozy.

But.. she couldnt be a bad person, right? Daddy seemed to like her.. and her best friend, Rio, had called her.. his sainte? Her fingers curled into her short hair as she remembered her green eyed friend. She sat up with a sigh. Well, if Daddy liked her and Rio trusted her... She had to give her a chance, right?

Magpie scrunched her nose at the idea of sharing Leo's attention. This.. was going to be a really long day. Rather than waltzing back out there in her jammies, though, she took a moment to get properly dressed, pulling on a light teal colored tank top, a pair of khaki shorts and a head band to keep her hair out of her face since it was still too short to tie back. Since they were still in the ship, she didnt bother with shoes, kind of liking the cold feel of the floor.

She returned to the kitchen and immediately sat in one of the tall bar stools and looked down at her lap and mumbled an apology before looking at Maria. It wasn't quite the distrustful glance as before, but there was a tension in her stare. "Soooooooo.. How long will you be staying?"

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"No, no Maria, you did nothing wrong at all.." Leo said in response to her own comment. "I am pretty sure that all children react this way." Although he might have been trying to reassure her that it wasn't her pressence on his TARDIS that made the Magpie upset. Maria really didn't feel all that assured.

"I suppose." She agreed, if only partly agreed. After all, she had met several children over her lifetime, and she was fairly certain they weren't so upset that she was there. Then again... She hadn't hit their fathers in the head with a stick. Luckily, there was pancakes to look forward too.

It didn't take long for Magpie to rejoin them, fully dressed, apart from shoes; and ready for the day's adventure. Or that was how Maria took it to be. She watched the young girl as she took a seat in one of the bar stools across from the table. Maria couldn't help the soft smile that grew on her lips, as she heard the quiet apology.

"Soooooooo.. How long will you be staying?" The Magpie asked.

Maria looked over at Leo for help with that question. They hadn't actually discussed if she was going to be staying with them or not. Also, she felt a little bad for dropping in on them.

"Well, it depends on a couple things I suppose." She tried to explain as her gaze returned to Leo's daughter. Then tapped the Vortex Manipulator on her left wrist. "How long it takes this to charge, and how long you and your father can stand being around me." Maria thought this was a fairly simple acceptable answer, as she took another sip of her coffee. Well... She hoped so anyway.

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"Soooooooo.. How long will you be staying?" Magpie asked.

He looked to Maria as Magpie spoke, locking his gaze with hers, Leo could not think up a reply to his daughter's question at all. He did not want to say something that will just get the young girl upset again. The Time Lord looked back to the pancakes for a moment as he put the cooked ones onto a stack on the plate next to him, then put the rest of the batter onto the pan he was cooking with. He wanted to be sure to make enough, he was not sure how much Maria would eat. Leo could eat about six and Magpie about three or four although he has noticed Magpie has had an increased appetite lately.


"Well, it depends on a couple things I suppose." She tried to explain as her gaze returned to Leo's daughter. Then tapped the Vortex Manipulator on her left wrist. "How long it takes this to charge, and how long you and your father can stand being around me."

Leo put two full plates in front of Maria and Magpie, "Oh you know that I love having you around Maria. You can stay for as long as you want. You know that I am not the type to throw people out the door.. unless they are evil or on my bad list." He said, giving the Time Lady a quick wink before looking to Magpie, "Make sure you eat that Sweet Heart." He put together his own plate and set it down in front of him, across from Magpie and Maria.

He glanced at Maria as she ate, looking back down at his own food and stuffed some food into his mouth before Magpie or Maria looked at him. He did fancy Maria, although he guessed that Magpie does not like Maria at the moment.

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"Well, it depends on a couple things I suppose."

Maggie tilted her head curiously as Maria tapped the strange contraption on her arm. She'd never seen one and, well.. She was named Magpie for a reason, now wasn't she.. She reached across the table to poke at the item, even though it was still on Maria's arm. "Depends on what?" she arched that brow at her before leaning back in her chair.

"How long it takes this to charge, and how long you and your father can stand being around me."

Maggie was about to make some snarky comment about not bothering to get too comfortable before Leo chimed in.

"Oh you know that I love having you around Maria."

Maggie just rolled her eyes as Leo seemed to get all sentimental. But Maggie had to remind herself, she promised to try and behave. But Maggie couldn't help but be a tiny bit jealous. This was her dad, after all. And even though she was a friend of Rio's, Maggie always got shy and standoffish around strangers. Being possessed by a homicidal alien for four years kinda did that to a person.

"You can stay for as long as you want. You know that I am not the type to throw people out the door.. unless they are evil or on my bad list."

Maggie smirked as Leo spoke. She had to admit that her dad had a pretty good judge of character. She gave Maria another quick look over, as if analyzing her a bit more closely. She didn't seem like a bad person.. In fact, that sheepish smile reminded her of her own. The thirteen year old grinned at Maria just then.

"Make sure you eat that Sweet Heart."

"I will, Daddy." she chirped in a sing song tone. She took up her fork and began to dig into her pancakes. She ate relatively quickly and wiped her mouth with her arm before pushing the now empty plate at her dad and then grinned as she hopped down from the stool.

"Daddy! I'm kidnapping Maria!" she declared as she suddenly gripped the woman by her wrist and tugged on her eagerly trying to lead her out of the kitchen.