A/N: This was a fun chapter to write... I hope that you all find that it's fun to read, too.

As always, none of this is possible without the beta goddess that is TheWheelWeaves. xoxoxo

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Chapter 8

It took quite a bit of convincing, but Jackie finally managed to talk Mycroft into allowing her to go back home to pick up some items for rehearsal. Of course the compromise that they struck involved one of his drivers accompanying her to Baker Street, but there were worse things that could have happened; he could have insisted on chaperoning her instead.

As the car pulled up to the house, Jackie was pleased to see that the TARDIS was still parked across the street from the front door. She briefly debated whether or not she could make it to the time and space ship before her bodyguard could catch her, but then promptly decided against it. If she was late for today's dress rehearsal it wouldn't do her any good. She would have to wait and talk to the Doctor later.

"I'll only be a few minutes," she said, stepping out of the car door as the driver held it open for her.

"Sorry, miss. I am to accompany you inside and wait," he replied.

"I won't tell Uncle Mike," she tried, knowing full well it was a lost cause. Even if she didn't say a word - which she wouldn't - Mycroft no doubt had eyes on her right now. So instead, Jackie held her head up high, looked around for a moment until she saw the security camera over the deli, and promptly stuck her tongue out at it before pulling her key out and opening her front door.

"Mum!" she called, rushing up the stairs. "Mum! Have you seen my- UGH!" Jackie groaned as she barged into the sitting room, only to discover her parents where they had… fallen asleep the night before. Turning her back to the pair on the sofa, Jackie crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "I swear! You two are like bunnies. Do you have to do this every time I leave you alone?"

"'Morning to you too, sweetheart," Rose smiled, pulling Sherlock's discarded shirt on and doing up the buttons as she stood.

Sherlock stretched and rubbed his neck, grunting slightly when it finally cracked. Perhaps he was getting too old to actually sleep on the sofa. "What?" he asked when he saw Rose looking down at him, a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

She shook her head and tossed his trousers to him before heading into the kitchen. "Come on, Jax. Let's get you some breakfast before rehearsal."

Five minutes later, Jackie dropped her ballet bag on the floor next to the coffee table and accepted the plate of toast and a mug of tea from her mother. Frowning slightly, she set the food down on the table and deftly flipped a sofa cushion over before taking a seat, all the while pointedly ignoring her father's smirk.

Before Rose could return to the kitchen for her own tea, there was a knock at the front door followed by the sound of it opening. She stepped into the hall, expecting to see John walk in and was surprised to instead find one of Mycroft's yes men standing in the foyer and answering the door on their behalf, denying entry to the Doctor and River no less.

"It's quite alright, David," Rose called, rolling her eyes.

The man turned to look up at her and immediately averted his gaze. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Holmes. But Mr. Holmes gave me specific instructions-"

The Doctor looked offended at the very thought. Would Sherlock stoop to this level? "Now listen here, I highly doubt that Sherlock-" He cut himself off when his gaze fell upon Rose, who apparently was only wearing a man's oxford shirt. Suddenly he found himself unable to remember what he had been trying to say.

"David, you know perfectly well that Mike has no say in what happens inside this house," Rose admonished the one while smiling and shaking her head at the now silent Doctor. "Now come upstairs, the lot of you. There's coffee in the pot and tea in the kettle, whichever you prefer." With that, she returned to the sitting room. "You could have mentioned that Uncle Mike sent David."

"Just as well I didn't, it was bad enough that I walked in on the two of you. He doesn't need to witness that as well…"

"Oh, the cheek on you," Sherlock said before kissing the top of her head and stealing a piece of toast from her plate as he passed, earning a glare in return. "Good morning, David," he added as the others joined them in the sitting room. "How is my dear brother this morning? I trust Mycroft hasn't started any new wars that we need to be made aware of?"

David simply shook his head and accepted the cup of coffee that Rose brought over to him. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Rose."

"Rose."

Rose grinned triumphantly. "And you, River? Doctor? Some of mum's tea maybe?"

River remained in the doorway observing the scene before her as the Doctor blinked rapidly and mentally shook himself at being addressed by Rose when she was wearing… Forcing his eyes to refocus, he was horrified to realize that he had been staring at her legs. A nervous giggle escaped his lips, but to his relief, it was drowned out by a teenage groan.

Climbing over the coffee table as her father so often did, Jackie carried her dirty dishes toward the kitchen. "Can't you just wear clothes like a normal person?" she hissed to her mother as she passed.

"Watch it," Sherlock warned, his mouth twitching up into a smile as he saw Rose turn and wrap her arms around Jackie.

"Oh, you don't mean that, my love. You love your mummy and wouldn't ever change me."

Jackie couldn't help but laugh as her mother assaulted her with kisses, which was of course what Rose had planned. "Mum, stop! I have to go," she whined, wriggling out from Rose's grasp. "Final dress starts at 11, and I need to get ready."

"Go on, and don't forget the hair pin."

"That's what I came home for in the first place," Jackie called, running upstairs to her bedroom.

"And here I thought it was for me..." Turning back to the main room with a mug of tea now in her hands, Rose noticed the Doctor looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. "Too domestic for you?"

"What?"

"You're staring, Doctor."

"Wha- no. Sorry. You just reminded me of... Of Jackie. Tyler, I mean. Your mum. Which you would know, that's who I-"

"Yeah?" Rose asked softly, stopping his rambling.

He smiled and nodded. "Without a doubt. She'd be so proud of you, Rose."

Before she could second guess herself, Rose engulfed the Doctor in a hug - the first proper hug the two had shared in nearly 20 years for her, and who knew how many for him. "Thank you," she whispered into his chest.

The Doctor held Rose tighter to him, relishing in the fact that she was once again in his arms and trying his best to ignore the fact that he knew both Sherlock and River were watching them. To Sherlock's credit though, he said nothing - choosing to simply watch the two of them over the top of his newspaper. River, however, was another story entirely. Her eyes narrowed and she was about to snap at the Doctor when Jackie burst back into the room.

"Mum, think fast!" she yelled, throwing something at Rose.

Pushing back from the Doctor, Rose turned and caught the item: a pair of yoga pants. "Oh, ha ha, sweetheart. Now go or you'll be late."

Jackie ran over and kissed Rose on the cheek before doing to same for her father.

"We'll see you tonight," Sherlock said.

"What's tonight?"

"Our Spring Gala with the Royal Ballet," Jackie answered from the doorway. "You will come, won't you, Doctor? River?"

"Of course they will," Rose assured her.

"Wouldn't miss it," River added, pasting a smile on her face.

"Cheers!" Jackie grinned. "Oh, and I borrowed some money you left on the table," she added, flying down the stairs.

"That was evidence!" Sherlock yelled after her, but to no avail.

Jackie laughed as she ran down the stairs and out the door to where David was now waiting by the car. Unfortunately, as she did so she flew right into someone walking up the front steps.

"Careful now," John said, catching her before she fell.

"Hi, Uncle John! Bye, Uncle John!" she grinned, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before jumping into the car. "See you tonight!"

John simply smiled and shook his head at the girl, watching as the car window opened. "Be careful up there," she warned. "They were alone all night."

"Thanks for the heads up," he replied, chuckling.

Confident that her work at Baker Street was now done, Jackie closed the window and faced the driver. "David? Can we make a quick stop before heading to the theatre? I want to pick something up for Uncle Mike..."

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

A/N: Typical plea for reviews. Maybe just a little one? pleasethanksbye.