Author's Note: Hello again! It's hard to believe we're in December already. Just to give you a heads up, I'm already working on a "Christmas Special" for this story and I'm excited to see how it turns out.

Hope you enjoy the chapter! Thank you all for your fabulous reviews. I love that you are enjoying this story.

It was a few hours before Ace let Rose leave ACE. She had no idea about how much the Doctor's former companion had done to help her home planet. She would have to make sure that the Doctor knew. She imagined he'd be proud.

Her phone rang as she stepped back out on the streets of New York.

"Hello again, Sarah Jane."

"Can you come by?"

Rose slipped into an alleyway and focused and transported herself across the pond and into Sarah Jane's attic. Sarah Jane was standing in from of Mr. Smith still holding her phone to her ear.

"You rang." Rose slid her phone in her pocket.

"You had some mail arrive." Sarah Jane smiled before heading downstairs. Rose followed her, officially curious and saw that a spare bedroom had a dozen boxes stacked around. Opening one, Rose couldn't hold in a gasp as she saw more photo albums of her and Jonathan.

"Oh, my stuff from Pete's world."

She opened a couple of others and found clothes and some other keepsakes that part of her had regretted not being able to bring. Photo albums, jewelry that Jonathan had given her, pictures of her mom, Pete, and Tony. "I wonder who brought all of this? Come here, Sarah Jane."

She pulled her wedding album out and sat on the bed. Sarah Jane sat down beside her. "This was a little over two years after The Doctor left us there. It took us a couple of months to figure us out. Jonathan wasn't quite the Doctor, the metacrisis had left a bit of Donna in him as well, and I had to sort out my feelings. There also was the fact that we had to create and establish his identity. But then we dated, got engaged and 9 months after that we got married. Mom had a field day and wanted to make sure all the traditions of both worlds were checked off for my special day."

Flipping through the pages, she could remember how excited she was to finally get to marry the man she loved, even if it wasn't quite the way she'd imagined.

"I love your dress."

"I searched for a month to find it. New York, London, Paris."

"The trim matches the TARDIS." Sarah Jane smiled at her. "And you look fantastic in it."

"Thanks." Rose turned the pages to see them at the alter, another page showed them cutting their cake. She hesitated over a family picture. Her, Jonathan, her mother, Pete, and little Tony. Oh how she missed them. "He talked about all of you, all the companions. I think he wanted to prepare me for coming back."

"He knew?"

Rose shrugged. "From the letter he wrote me, not until we noticed I wasn't aging anymore. But do you mind if I keep this here for a while. At least until I figure out why I get this feeling that I shouldn't be looking for the Doctor yet."

She got up and stared out the window. Night had fallen and she could see the lights of the different houses. "You said, that some things are worth getting your heart broke over."

"I did."

"Something's coming." She turned to Sarah Jane. "Something's coming and I don't know what it is."

"Well, we'll figure it out. You've been back in this universe less than two weeks. Before that you were trapped for almost a century. You can't think you'll know all the answers. Now tell me about Gallifrey. The Doctor didn't often talk about it."

Rose smiled and began to tell Sarah Jane about her adventure on the Doctor's home planet. Sarah Jane was captivated while Rose told her about the orangish-red sky and the dome that covered the Citadel of the Time Lords and the silver leaves on the trees.

"I think I need to go back there. There are a few people I promised I'd rescue for The Doctor." Rose got up. "You know, this did help to clear my head."

"Glad I could help. Stay safe, and if you need anything…"

"I'll be sure to stop by. See you soon." With that, Rose made her way back to the planet where her Doctor had spent his growing up years.

The planet was very different from what it had been when she had been there a few weeks earlier. Before, it was a time of peace for the planet of the Time Lords but now Rose could clearly see that it was in the middle of a war. There were over 3 billion children on this planet and there was nothing Rose could do about it.

The scattered, messed up, severed, and otherwise dismantled timelines almost made her sick and she was quickly realizing why it was called a time war. And she was understanding why The Doctor had done what he had.

Making her way towards the Citadel she noticed the guards straighten when they saw her approaching figure. She got to the gate and smiled when she saw the familiar face of Berit. "Come with me, Berit."

Nodding, Berit followed her into the Citadel. "How may I assist you, today?"

"Remember that promise I made to you all those years ago?"

He nodded as they walked around some of the rubble. "This is what you meant, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm going to recruit you for another job for the foreseeable future."

"Anything."

Rose smiled. What was it about this planet that made her feel every inch the shop girl she used to be? "We need to get a few more people, I need them for my quest to find Time's Champion."

"You need to right the wrongs." Berit's voice was filled with awe.

"I do." Rose walked quickly. "Plus, you know the part about the paradoxes I carry in my wake?"

"Everyone here does, ma'am."

"Got to take care of some of those too. And I'd prefer we do this quickly. The messed up time leaves a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"It's making some of the new initiates sick. They don't know what to do with the messed up time. I'm guessed your heightened senses are feeling the affects worse than we are."

They made their way towards the council chambers where she knew a coup de teat was being staged. Bursting in, she saw Rassilon trying to have Lady President Romana restrained. The council was torn at the unfolding events and the entire room froze when she entered. At once, they all took a knee. Nodding to the room she took a deep breath before addressing the High Council of Galifrey. "Before you allow your newly appointed," she had to spit out the word appointed, "leader lead you further into this war, I require you to turn the former Lady President over to me."

She walked up onto the dias that the two were sharing and she stared down Rassilon "Proceed with caution, Rassilon. You do not know the path you are setting them down on."

"I must protect the Time Lords for the safety of the universe."

"Just make sure the cost is not more than you can pay." Rose turned to Lady Romana and curtsied. "Lady President, I would like you to accompany me."

"Of course." Romana returned the curtsy. "It would be my honor."

Rose turned to face the High Council of Galifrey who were viewing the scene with a mix of confusion, awe, interest, and surprise. "High Council of Galifrey, I know the path ahead of you will be hard one. And I cannot spare you from that for it is the choices you have made that have brought you to where you are today. Take caution, Lords of Time that you can handle the consequences of the actions you agree to take here. You might find that the cost will surprise you."

Turning away, she nodded to Berit and Romana. "We have a couple more people to get."

"Leela is in my study awaiting my return. I had no idea that Rassilon would stage a coup like that."

Rose sighed. "Unfortunately, the events ahead are already in motion. But I can insure that I help The Doctor out with what comes after."

"He's Time's Champion, isn't he?" Roman looked at her, chuckling slightly. "I suspected as much when you appeared on his TARDIS all those years ago."

Rose smiled. "Yes. Now let's get Leela and Ace and get out of here."

It was a quiet group that made its way through the Citadel towards Romana's quarters. They arrived to find Leela pacing back and forth. "Romana, you're okay?"

"Thanks to the Goddess of Time."

"The one from the child's story? I though that was just a campfire tale?"

Rose laughed. "Apparently not. And it's just Rose when we are alone like this. You too, Berit."

Berit looked uncomfortable at the idea but nodded nonetheless. "Yes, ma'am."

Rose raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, Rose."

"Romana, where is Ace?"

"At the CIA. If a coup was staged."

"I'm not sure who's going to win that fight."

Romana nodded at Leela's statement. "Ace is not going to go quietly."

"Well, let's rescue her." Rose held out an arm and placed a hand on Berit's shoulder. "Take hold."

Concentrating, Rose encompassed all of them into the vortex and moved them across the citadel to where the CIA was based. The arrived in the middle of the coup to find Ace bickering with someone as she tried to ride a motorcycle, the very one Rose rode a few weeks ago, into the lift.

"You'd better let me out of here because I'll unleash my Nitro-9 on you and ride my bike out and report you to the Lady President."

"Lady President Romana has charged. The Age of Rassilon begins again."

Ace looked surprised at those words. And turned. Rose smiled at this earlier version of Ace, feeling glad that for once, she knew more than her newfound friend. "Ace McShane, I need you to come with me."

"And why would I do that, Blondie?"

"Because I am going with her as is Leela." Romana steeped around Rose. "We have more important things to do than to deal with a lost cause."

"Let's get out of here." Rose eyed the Time Lords who where kneeling out of respect but given the current politics of the planet, she wasn't sure how long this arrangement was going to last and she wasn't particularly in the mood to test them today.

Putting a hand on the bike, she nodded to the group who made sure to have at least one hand on her. The more Rose thought about it, the more she was feeling like a taxi. "You too, Ace."

Ace looked at the group before nodded and putting a hand on the one Rose was holding onto the bike with. Focusing, Rose teleported them all back to the Torchwood Hub. It's underground location felt less exposed than Sarah Jane's house and she also needed to check on Jack and the gang.

It was quiet in the Hub when they arrived and Rose turned to Ace. "Please tell me that that bike is more than a bike and I don't have to add yet another thing to my ever growing to-do list."

"Don't worry, she can already do space and time. The Professor-"

"She means the Doctor." Romana rolled her eyes.

"The Professor helped me fix it up the last time he visited me on Galifrey." Ace patted the bike affectionately. "I think he was trying to make up for my Hand of Omega powered baseball bat that he broke. But who are you?"

"Rose?" Jack came out of his office and eyed the delegation that surrounded her. "You could have at least warned me that you were bringing more friends."

"It was a last minute decision to go to Galifrey. I just let the vortex take me to where I was needed. She turned to Ace. "I'm Rose, by the way. I've heard a lot about you from The Doctor. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'd love to ask you about some of your adventures someday."

Ace eyed her. "You know The Professor."

Jack snorted. "You could say that."

"She's the Goddess of Time."

"That story ain't real. It's like our fairy tales here on Earth." Ace crossed her arms. "You know, I wasn't sure I'd ever make it back here."

"The story is real alright" She turned back to Jack. "I'm not sure how long they will be staying but maybe I present Lady President Romana of Galifrey."

"Former Lady President."

Rose shrugged. "We'll see. This is Leela and Ace McShane, former companions of The Doctor from before either of us met him. And last we have Berit, a member of the Galifreyian Royal Guard. He's assisted me once before and I have recruited him to help you keep our friends safe here."

"Wait, Galifrey? You've been to Galifrey?" Jack looked at her and then chuckled. "Of course, you have. And of course you fond the Doctor's friends."

"Did you expect anything less of me?" Rose smiled. "Now how are things here?"

"Settling down. The gang are getting used to each other and I think we'll be back to being fully operational in the next week. Well, we were before you dropped this little surprise on me."

"Sorry, I needed to get them off of Galifrey as Rassilon was taking power again. The Last Great Time War…" Rose trailed off. "Something is telling me there's more to the picture than the two of us know but I haven't quite figured out what it is."

She shook her head. "But everyone, this is Captain Jack Harkness head of Torchwood and a dear friend of mine and former companion to The Doctor. Jack, we need to make sure that everyone stays safe. Ace, I have a few jobs for you. Berit, you are to remain here and help keep an eye on the Lady President."

"It would be an honor to protect the Lady President of Galifrey." Berit did a sweeping bow.

"Jack, a package just arrived for Rose as I was arriving for the day. When you see her…" Ianto walked into the Hub and stopped when he saw all the visitors standing around. "I didn't realize we were having company this morning. Should I put some coffee on?"

"That would be great, Ianto." Rose smiled as he quickly made his way out of the room.

Opening the package, she was surprised to see that the envelope on top was addressed to Ace. Handing it to her, she examined the contents of the box. She didn't recognize the contents and held it out for Ace to see. "I think the whole box is for you."

Ace peeked in the box and pulled out all the papers Ace would need to restart her life in her proper place in the timeline and get ACE started. Taking the letter, she sat down on a couch and began to read. Romana and Berit were still standing near the door, both unsure of what to do in this unfamiliar setting.

"I'm sorry for our abrupt departure from Galifrey. But I did need to make sure that Rassilon didn't do something to you that I'd later not be able to undo. The Doctor would be brokenhearted if an old friend met a fate like that when it could be prevented. Though I'm sure right now he thinks you died."

"Jack, when Ianto is done, send him out for clothes for everyone. They need to be able to blend in a bit more."

"Rose!" Mickey walked in hand in hand with Martha Jones. He stopped when he spotted all of the new people. "Who are they?"

"Friends of mine and The Doctor's. I had to get them off Galifrey before Rassilon took control of the planet and launched it irrevocably into the Time War."

"Wait, Galifrey?" Martha looked at them sharply. "You're saying they're Time Lords like him."

"Time Lady." Romana corrected.

"This is Lady President Romana and Berit is part of the Galifreyian Royal Guard."

"Lady President."

"Elected Lady President of the High Council of Galifrey." Romana smiled. "I take it since you know of my home world that you too travelled with The Doctor. It is a pleasure to meet a woman that could put up with him besides the Goddess."

"What did I say?" Rose sighed.

"Wait, what does she mean, Goddess?"

"I might be considered the Goddess of Time on Galifrey." Rose smiled sheepishly at her old friend.

"Rose," Romana emphasized the use of her real name, "graciously rescued us so that we can join you in your task her on Earth."

"For the time being. I'm trying to figure something out. It's like, you know when you know the answer to the question but then you can't actually remember the answer."

"Good luck." Mickey wandered over to his station and Martha made her way to the medical bay.

"Looks like I've got enough to keep me busy for a few years. I'll be seeing you, Blondie. Hey Captain! What's the best way to get my bike out of here?"

AN: Thanks for reading!