It turned out that Rose had to lead the Doctor and his two new companions back to the Tyler Estate. She suspected that he knew the way but was letting her have control. She briefly wondered why he didn’t suggest using the TARDIS, which she still hadn’t set eyes on. Rose wasn’t certain she would really believe if any of what was happening was real until she saw it, or set foot inside it. But then, she had had so many dreams she had thought were real only to wake to disappointment that she was scared to let herself even dare to hope what she was experiencing was real.

At some point during the relatively short trip, Rose found she had slipped her hand into the Doctor’s as they walked. Whether it was instinct or he had reached for her, she didn’t know. Neither had uttered a word about it, and, if she was honest, she hadn’t really noticed until she tripped on the pavement and the link between them kept her from falling.

“Careful,” the Doctor murmured under his breath.

Tara and John were pacing steadily along behind them, arms linked, as silent as the two they were following. Both tried to pretend complete disinterest in the behaviour of the Doctor and the new blonde woman, but neither could deny their curiosity. He had mentioned the name ‘Rose’ several times since they had known him, but that had been nearly four years now and he had never gone on about a blonde girl he used to know. He had, however, displayed a few long minutes of absolutely manic behaviour, most of it thankfully in the TARDIS, once he had realised where they were.

“I’m okay,” Rose mumbled. She looked up at him and suddenly felt nineteen all over again. She was thirty-six now. His new companions appeared to be in their early twenties. He seemed to have barely aged. God, he really was timeless.

“Is this it?” Tara peered between them at the large building up ahead.

“You said nothing about knowing a millionaire,” John commented, amused.

Rose nodded, “This is my parent’s place. I suppose it’ll split between my brothers and sisters and me when they’re gone. They’re not exactly millionaires…” she frowned, “They just…have a lot of money…lots and lots of…okay, I guess maybe they are…”

“Quite the change of fortune for you, ‘ey Rose?” the Doctor tried another smile.

“Money can’t buy happiness,” she stared straight ahead. She decided to leave ‘and believe me, I’ve tried’ off the end. Rose glanced at her watch and suddenly stopped dead, meaning John nearly crashed into her. She quickly apologised and seemed to stare at the three surrounding her for longer than was necessary. So far, nobody on the streets had been staring at her for holing hands with an imaginary person. And, if this was a dream she had conjured herself, she wouldn’t have invented two new friends for him. Well…she might have, probably would have, just so the Doctor wouldn’t be lonely, but she was pretty certain that Tara and John weren’t the creations of her own mind.

“Rose?” the Doctor frowned.

She fidgeted on the spot, almost uncomfortable for a second, “…School’s out now. They shut my brother and sisters’ one for the day, teacher training and all. But Jack’ll be home, or coming home…”

He nodded, slowly, unsure quite how to react. Which was a rare occurrence for him.

“Don’t…” she began. She sighed and tried to find the words, “Don’t…tell him anything if you see him. Please,” she looked back up at him, “For me. You can’t…I mean…it won’t…you won’t…’Time Lord’ him if you get to see him, right? He won’t…change…”

The Doctor shook his head, “No, nothing works like that… He’s part Gallifreyan, would be, technically is…could be, if things ever turned out that way, the last Time Lord…but my being one doesn’t seal his fate.”

Rose nodded, absorbing the information. So far, she had passed off any unorthodox medical treatment as a biological defect, as far as Jack was concerned. She had no idea how to introduce the Doctor to her son if he saw him. Her mum and dad might expect some connection between father and son to be forged. She wasn’t sure how to handle that.

The Doctor took her hand in his again, “Come on then,” his attempt at reassuring confidence failed when his voice shook a little.

“What about all these rifts this Torchwood place has caused?” Tara asked.

“We seal them,” he replied.

Rose shook her head as they approached the main entrance to the house, gravel crunching beneath her feet, “No, its not your duty. They screwed up…!” she could remember sealing the rift on her Earth as if it were yesterday. She wasn’t prepared for something like that to happen again. And despite all the pain her actions had caused her, she knew she would never be able to forgive herself if the opportunity to save lives and do the right thing arose and she chose herself over others. Even if it meant sealing herself away from him again forever. Or what was supposed to be forever.

“Half the scrapes I get into aren’t my duty, but I still try and fix them,” the Doctor said softly, “and I don’t, who will?”

“Some overpaid idiot beind a nicely carved Torchwood desk and me, I don’t know. I’ll fix it, I will, I’ll make sure they do,” she shot back. Rose had never behaved so horribly to him before. Well…perhaps once…twice. Maybe she was seeing how far she could push him…waiting for someone, somewhere to lose patience and reveal the grand trick they were playing.

“Idiot and Torchwood go well together,” he commented, “so there you have it in one. I wont let their stupidity cost so much again.”

Rose nearly asked what he meant, but he tightened his grip on her hand and she suddenly understood all too well.

“Jack, quit it!” a young female voice rang out from round the corner of the mansion.

“Respect your elders!” a laughing, rumpled, teenage boy emerged from round said corner, tripping into a stumbling run, trying to balance himself on the uneven gravel.

“That’s respect your betters!” Kathryn was in hot pursuit, bleach blonde hair flying behind her.

The boy laughed louder and grinned, “If you insist!” he stopped running and dodged the girl who was technically his aunt, grabbing her as she passed him and swinging her round, “Give up?”

“Never!” she shrieked with laughter.

“Jack Tyler, you put Kathryn down this instant,” Rose raised her voice.

Both kids stopped dead at the sound of an adult voice of authority.

“Hey, Mum,” Jack greeted. He loosened the tie of his school uniform with a grimace, “How’s it going?” he realised his mother was clinging to the hand of a man who seemed to be around her age, “Hi, I’m Jack,” he greeted.

The Doctor managed to stop staring and nodded curtly, “Nice to meet you, Jack Tyler.”

Tara smiled, “I’m Tara, this is John,” she frowned when it came to naming the Doctor, “and this is-“

“Oh my god,” the astonished voice of Jackie Tyler came from the main door to the mansion, “Oh my god,” she repeated. She couldn’t tear her eyes from the Doctor.

“Nan?” Jack glanced over his shoulder to give her a bemused look.

Jackie looked from the Doctor to her grandson, then back again. Her gaze settled back on the Doctor, “Its you,” she stated, managing to keep her voice mostly neutral.

He nodded, “Its me.”

Rose suddenly burst into action, approaching her son with a smile, “He’s an old friend,” she told Jack, “haven’t seen him in years,” she stopped beside him, “What did your teachers say about your GCSE’s today?”

“Predicted grades?”

“Yeah.”

Jack shrugged, “Science still says double A, not so great for English. She says I’ll get a C, but won’t have trouble passing the exam to get it.”

She smiled again, standing in front of him, overly protective, “Well, can’t be good at everything.”

“The kids said you sent them home early,” Jackie spoke only to her daughter, “…I can see why.”

“You can see…?” Rose questioned, subtly requesting reassurance that she wasn’t mad.

“Oh, I can see alright.”

Jack was staring past his mother to the figure in the long brown coat who seemed almost nervous, “What’s he called?” he asked his mum, quietly.

Rose looked back at the Doctor, “Well…”

He stepped forward, “I’m the Doctor,” he said.

“Doctor?” Jack repeated. He looked back to Rose, “…I don’t need another doctor, I’m fine.”

“Its his name. Sort of,” she explained, “Parents name their kids all sorts’a things these days,” she laughed softly, uncomfortable.

“I’m here to help your mum with a project at work,” the Doctor began. Not so far from the truth, he supposed. The boy had his eyes. He had a son… He had been a dad once, but that hadn’t been…that hadn’t been quite the same as actually-

“How’d you do it?” Jackie asked from the door, voice surprisingly soft. If all she saw was true, she was delighted for Rose. But it all also meant she could very well lose her daughter again…or she could get hurt more than ever.

“I didn’t,” he replied, “Torchwood.”

“Mum says they call in specialists all the time,” Jack grinned broadly, “You must be one of those really smart guys.”

The Doctor found himself mimicking the smile almost perfectly, “You could say that…”

“God, where’re my manners? I’ll never get the hang of this hostess thing. Look at me leaving you all out here like strays,” Jackie shook her head, “Sorry loves, I didn’t get your names?” she beckoned to Tara and John, who quickly supplied their designations.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and glanced at Rose, who couldn’t help but grin back. Getting her husband back, in a manner of speaking, had certainly mellowed Jackie Tyler considerably.

“Well, you’ll be staying then, ‘least til morning when Rose goes to work,” she glared at the Doctor as if to say ‘don’t even think about timing it to tomorrow morning in that police box of yours’, “I’m sure amongst our several hundred bedrooms and nigh off a million bathrooms, there’ll be somewhere to stash you. I swear I still haven’t spent more than five minutes in some of the rooms in this place…” Jackie paused, “Or is the world coming to an end?” she tried to make the question sound jovial.

“It might,” the Doctor answered, “But I’m sure it can wait ‘til morning.”

“Mum, I’m hungry,” Kathryn complained.

“Alright, alright, go find something,” Jackie said, “Jack, give her a hand, would you?”

He nodded, “Yeah, Nan,” he headed after his blonde aunt.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Jackie approached the Doctor, “What’s going on? Why didn’t you get here sooner?” she demanded.

“Mum!” Rose shouted, a little shocked.

“I didn’t do this on purpose, Jackie. None of it. Any of it,” he insisted.

“You’ve hardly aged…” the Tyler matriarch mused aloud. She shook her head, “Let’s get you all inside then, come on.”

“…I’m gonna…” Rose waved her hands in an inarticulate fashion, “Go for a wander round the grounds, yeah?” she headed off.

The Doctor stared after her, uncertain whether to follow or not.

“You two hungry?” Jackie asked Tara and Jack, “Come on, let’s find something to eat.”

He was still staring after Rose.

“Well, go on then,” Jackie prompted.

The Doctor nodded and headed after the mother of his son.