Disclaimer - Don't own them, they belong to the BBC.

In which Jackie Tyler runs into the First Doctor and Susan and she introduces them to a wonderful thing called Tea.

Earth Hospitality

It had been a complete accident, and if she had known she probably wouldn't have done what she did. But it didn't matter now. It was too late to fix, but she knew that she could keep things...safe if she kept her mouth shut.

It had started only a few short minutes ago, when she had bowled the poor man down in her rush to get to the bank before it closed. Rose had called, wanting some money for lunch and groceries for the week. It wasn't too often that Rose called her instead of it being the other way around, and they both didn't like the way the Doctor could walk up to an ATM and steal the money inside.

So, occasionally, she put some money directly into Rose's account. It sounded to her like Rose had gone crazy shopping not too long ago, since it had only been a week since last pay.

She had not been watching where she was going, and had bumped into the man, sending him and his cane falling to the ground, a girl with him had ran to his side, shouting out "Grandfather!" before Jackie came to her senses and helped the old man up.

"Oh, I'm sorry mister. I wasn't looking where I was going. My fault."

He had looked up at her, his expression rather severe as he dusted himself off and collected his cane from where it still lay on the ground. "Hmm, yes, quite. Come along Susan."

He had started walking away, the teenage girl trotting happily by his side. She didn't know why she had done it, but she had sighed, and called out to them, picking up her pace a bit to catch up. "No, really, it's my fault. And I'd like to make up for it. Do you like tea? I have fresh tea at home."

They had looked at her like she had grown a second head, and it was a testament to how crazy her life had been since the Doctor had come into her life, that she actually checked to see if she had.

"Oh, can we grandfather?" the girl asked, looking up at the man with huge doe eyes and she saw the frown lessen, as he sighed.

"Very well. Tea then." He had waved her in front of him with his hands and seemed content to follow her the short distance back to the Powell Estates. By the time they had climbed the stairs, he had needed a bit of a rest anyway, so armed with tea, biscuits and a smile, she had sat her guests down in the lounge room, and had gone back into the kitchen to grab some coasters for the coffee table, though she usually didn't bother with them.

She had overheard a conversation between them and had frozen for a few seconds. They were discussing fixing a TARDIS, in low voices they probably thought she couldn't hear. And then she had heard the old man ask a very odd question to the girl. "Why Susan? You could choose any name."

The young girl was silent for a few seconds and Jackie could practically hear the smile in her voice. "I think it's a nice name. And you said choose something human. Haven't thought of a last name yet though...do you think I should have one?"

Taking a deep breath, picking up the coasters from where she dropped them, she went back into the room, her smile still in place, as she put them down on the table.

They stared at her, the man frowning, the girl curious. She cleared her throat and had the oddest thought. Had they ever been to Earth before? Oh god, was she helping them through their first time here? It made her smile more real. It was a rather amusing thought.

"They're for the tea cups, so they don't damage the table. Heat can put rings on the surface."

And like that, the severe expression was gone from the old man, and his face lit up and he positively sparkled for someone who looked like they were getting on in years. "Ah, yes, of course. Silly me, I should have realised."

Jackie couldn't help it, his enthusiasm was catchy. "Nah, it's alright. Please, enjoy." She picked up her own tea and took a long sip from it, the warm liquid heating her insides up and she sighed happily. "'S good for the brain I hear. Tannin. Free radicals. Something like that. Tea's important. One day it might just save the world." She smiled fondly at the time her tea was spilled in the TARDIS and had saved the Doctor, who in turn had saved the Earth.

Her guests laughed quietly and drank their tea. She even managed to keep a straight face at their reactions. To the taste, to the heat, to the utter sheer joy of doing something new. Tea. Whoever would have thought? She would have to give some to him so he could keep on making it.

They had then went about attacking the array of biscuits next, each of them trying all the different kinds she had gotten out. Taste testing. It was marvellous. They were so...new and even though he was old and huffy, there was something so young about him.

She supposed it came from knowing two different versions of this man. And he had never mentioned once that he had kids, let alone grandchildren. And then she remembered the War that had taken everything and her smile faded slowly, before she had an idea.

"This isn't something I normally ask of strangers, but would you mind if I took your picture? I've got an old Polaroid camera somewhere. You can keep a photo. Keepsake."

They had looked around at the photos of Rose that she showed them, explaining who the girl in the pictures were, and how she was off doing some travelling with an old friend. They had agreed. Though it took a bit of convincing to get the man to have one taken with his arms wrapped around Susan.

She ended up succeeding, taking several photos of them, giving them most, and keeping the one that was so reluctantly taken. She had smiled again, before running off into the kitchen, grabbing the rest of her tea bags, and a small tinful of tea leaves and handing it to him. "Here. Hot water and add the bag. A tea strainer for the leaves would be good. It'll get the taste but not leave nasty huge dregs in the bottom of your cup."

Susan hugged her and smiled widely. "Thank you. You're kind to let us take this with us. And for the pictures."

She shook her head and laughed. "No, not at all. Truthfully you looked kind of...lost there, on the street, and I was a bit rude then, knocking people over and everything."

And the Doctor laughed. Not either of the laughs she was used to, but there was still something familiar about it. "Oh, no, my dear woman. We have no idea of our destination, or where we will end up next. So there's no possible way we could be lost."

And that was when she realised that some things really didn't change about him.

Jackie shook her head and chuckled. "Yeah. True that. Don't ever forget it either."

They had left a few seconds later, not another word passing between them, but she was sure that some of what she had said or did would stick.

She'll truly be able to tell if he remembered her from 'before' when she spoke to him next time he and Rose come back for a visit. She had photographic proof too. And more importantly, she knew that the Doctor didn't have any of the other photos. Maybe he had let Susan keep them. Or maybe they had just crumbled from age after hundreds of years.

She didn't want to think about them being destroyed along with everything else. But even if they had, she now had something of his old life. In a way, she would be giving him his granddaughter back.

And that alone made her know that what she did had been important. That she was important.

Right then, it meant the world to her.

She knew it would mean even more for him.