A/N This is my one and only Doctor Who story, as I much prefer writing Torchwood. It is short, but hopefully sweet.
The Doctor had faced many terrible things in his long lifetime, but none as fearsome as Nana Tyler. He and Rose had been enjoying a carnival on the planet Jargis when Jackie phoned. Pete's mother was coming for a visit and was insisting on seeing Rose.
So here they were. The Doctor had been parked on the sofa next to Nana Tyler. He had a cup of tea in his hand but hadn't managed to drink any yet. Every time he raised the cup to his lips, Mrs Tyler hit his arm to emphasise whatever point she was making. At the moment she was waxing lyrical about her precious, dead son. According to her he was an extremely successful business man. She had no way of knowing that Rose and the Doctor had met Pete. The two of them and Jackie were well aware of Pete's failings in business.
Over in the armchairs, Jackie and Rose could barely keep their faces straight as Mrs Tyler once again gave the Doctor a thump on the arm. This time, some of the tea spilled and landed on his lap. Luckily, by this time, it was fairly cool. He glared at Rose when she snorted at the spectacle.
"What was your name again?"
"Erm..," said the Doctor, startled by Mrs Tyler's sudden question. "I'm the Doctor."
"That's not a name," she snapped back. "It's a title"
The Doctor sighed. Why did some people set such store by his not having a name? Most people were quite happy to simply accept 'Doctor'.
He was suddenly subjected to a scrutinising stare. He'd gone through scanners which were less intense. Mrs Tyler leaned close to his face and peered intently into his eyes.
"When I was a very young girl," she began. "I was one of a group of children who lived on the streets. It was during the Blitz."
Rose and the Doctor looked sharply at each other. Jackie saw it but couldn't read its meaning.
"We came across a man who called himself the Doctor," Mrs Tyler continued. "I'm not saying it was you of course, you're far too young. Besides, you look nothing like him. He had shorter hair and huge ears."
Realization dawned on Jackie. They had met Rose's grandmother during the war. Come to think of it, Pete's mother had always said that Rose reminded her of someone but couldn't work out who. Now it was obvious to Jackie, Rose reminded her of Rose. It was weird to think that if Rose hadn't met the Doctor, Nana Tyler may never have survived the war.
The Doctor seemed to have cheered up immensely. He rarely got to see the chance to see the future results of his actions and this time the result was personal to him. He put his cup on the coffee table and, without warning, planted a massive kiss on Mrs Tyler's forehead. For the first time in a very long time, she was speechless. The Doctor grinned manically and finally took a sip of his tea.