“Where are you going on your summer holiday?” one of Meriel’s schoolfriends asked her. “We’re going to Disneyland for two whole weeks!” It was the end of the last day of school and the girls were making their way to the bus stop, where they’d part ways.

“Is that the one in Florida or California? I always get Disneyland and Disney World mixed up.”

“How should I know? My dad books everything. I just go and have fun. We went to Majorca last year. So, where are your dads taking you?”

“I don’t know. We might not go anywhere, my dads are busy with work, and the twins are only four. They’re such a handful it’s hard enough dealing with them at home, never mind at a hotel or whatever.”

“That sucks for you. If I’d known, I would’ve asked dad if you could come with us. I mean, your dads would’ve had to pay for you, but I bet mum and dad wouldn’t have minded.”

“That’s nice of you, but I don’t really mind if we don’t go away. We’ll still have day trips, and I’ll get to hang out with my friends, and help with the twins.”

“You spend too much time looking after them.”

“Only because I want to. My dads never make me, it’s just, they’re little terrors but I love them anyway.”

“I guess you’re lucky. I don’t mind being an only child, but sometimes I think it might be nice to have a sister or brother. No so little as yours though.”

“They’ll be starting school this year. Maybe we’ll go away someplace next year.”

When she got home, Meriel asked her tad if they were going on a summer holiday.

Ianto sighed. “Two adults, three kids, and three Fluffs no one else is supposed to know about.” He smiled ruefully. “It limits the places we can go, sweetheart. We could leave the Fluffs behind, I’m sure they’d appreciate a break from the twins, but I don’t think the twins would appreciate a break from their Fluffs.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” Gareth and Jenna were well past the clingy toddler stage, but they still relied a lot on their Fluffs for comfort.

“Anyway, your dad is looking into possibilities, so don’t give up hope. We may be able to manage a week or two away somewhere, if he can organise something.”

“You’re letting Dad organise a holiday? Is that wise?” Even at twelve years old, Meriel understood that her tad was a lot better at organising things than her dad. Ianto always took care of planning day trips and holiday activities.

“He’s been in touch with your uncle.”

“Uncle Doctor?”

“Yes.”

“So we might go to another planet on holiday? That would be so cool! I know I wouldn’t be able to tell anyone, but still…” Meriel grinned. “I’ve always wanted to go somewhere in the TARDIS.”

“Don’t get your hopes up too high, it still might not happen. You know Uncle Doctor’s timing isn’t the best.”

“He is pretty awful at showing up on time,” Meriel agreed. The Doctor had shown up six months late for her tenth birthday, with a balloon that read ‘Sweet Sixteen’, but it was thought that counted.

Nevertheless, three weeks later, the family, Fluffs included, stepped out onto the surface of an alien world, where a large bungalow stood at the top of a grassy slope leading down to a beach of white sand at the edge of an unfeasibly turquoise sea. The water was shallow, there were other islands visible in the distance, but this one was their home for the next month. The Doctor had promised he would get them all back again two days after they’d left, and Ianto could only hope this time he’d get it right. After all, he’d brought them back a year early from their honeymoon.

Piling out into the bungalow’s living area, parents, kids, and Fluffs scattered in every direction, exploring, claiming bedrooms, investigating the kitchen… Meriel stepped out onto an enclosed veranda, gazing out towards the crystal-clear water.

“Oh, this is wonderful!”

“Isn’t it?” Ianto agreed, joining his daughter.

Twins and Fluffs exploded through the open partition that separated the veranda from the living area, followed at a slightly slower pace by Jack.

“Well, here we are! What are we going to do today?”

Ianto raised an eyebrow. “We only just got here! We should unpack first.”

“Why? We can do that later, after the sun sets. We should get outside and enjoy the sunshine. What’s the point of wasting it?”

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to leave the unpacking for a little while,” Ianto agreed, a bit reluctantly. “But no one can go in the water until I’ve found our bathing suits.”

“We can paddle though, can’t we?” Meriel asked hopefully. “If we only get our feet wet, they’ll dry in the sun, so we won’t even need a towel.”

Knowing he was beaten, Ianto nodded. “Fine. Paddling it is. Shoes and socks off, everybody.”

“Yay!” the twins yelled, flopping down onto smooth, warm tiles, tugging their trainers and socks off and tossing them aside so the Flufflets had to collect them, setting them neatly to one side of the entrance. Meriel and Ianto placed their own footwear neatly at the other side, and Jack simply dropped his, leaving them for Nosy to deal with. The long, green, furry, snakelike Fluff huffed a resigned sigh and tidied up after its friend.

“This is WAY better than Disneyland,” Meriel said as the warm ocean lapped around her feet, and a breeze that smelled like spiced honey combed through her long, brown hair. “My friends will be so envious that I spent my summer holiday on a tropical island. I won’t tell them it was on another planet, or course.” She grinned suddenly. “I’ll just say it was out of this world!”

Behind her, three Fluffs basked on the beach in the sunshine, while the twins splashed in the shallows. Perfect!


The End