The Doctor didn't know what to expect when the TARDIS landed. All the monitors were clear. His parent's TARDIS was still disguised as a quaint little house, complete with shutters and window boxes. Theoretically it should be 1974 outside – a nice quiet year for the general public if memory served. It was a lovely spring afternoon by the looks of it. Petunias were just starting to fill out in the boxes, grass was all green and in need of a good clipping, a half put together whatnot was in the middle of the yard…in other words, it looked like home.

Domestic. It was terribly, horribly, awfully, domestic.

The Doctor took a deep breath and looked at Rose. She was dressed for the time period in a simple buttoned frock, perhaps a little old fashioned for the 1970's on Earth, but a good serviceable piece with sensible shoes. Time was when Rose would have never walked out of the TARDIS in something that plain, but enough running-for-your-life adventures and she'd figured out flat shoes and sturdy cloth was more important than a bit of glam. Sometimes he missed his pink and yellow jeopardy friendly companion, the child Rose had been.

Rose broke through his nostalgia and smiled at him, waggling her fingers in invitation. His hand was in hers before he consciously made the decision to move and she squeezed his hand tightly. "Allons-y?" she asked softly and he nodded.

The TARDIS door opened and Rose looked around wide-eyed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Normal. It's all normal."

"Except for the half destroyed Lakertyan toaster oven in the yard." The Doctor answered a little self-consciously. "That's been there since I was 12. Mother decided to use it for a planter."

Rose smirked. "Yeah, like I said, normal." She squeezed his hand again. "So, do we knock?"

"I don't know." The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "I suppose so. I mean, it has been a millennia since I lived here. Might be a bit impolite to just walk in. Of course, mother doesn't know it's been a millennia…"

Rose shook her head and pulled him to the back door where she rapped twice.

An older woman came to the door with a dish towel and plate in hand, looking a little confused. "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in whatever it is you're selling and how ever did you get in my back yard…" She trailed off suddenly, her eyes going large as she caught sight of the Doctor and the TARDIS standing behind him. It took a moment for her to make the connection and recognize the faint hint of TARDIS travel on the air. The dish fell from her hands and smashed against the tile. "Theta?"

"Hello mum." The Doctor said softly. "Sorry I didn't call ahead but…"

The door banged open as the woman launched herself at her son, nearly knocking the Doctor to the ground as she hugged him. "wmwedee hodmek…." The Doctor's voice was muffled and unintelligible as he tried to speak from where his face was buried in his mother's graying hair. "newefg."

"You're home!" Elizabeth Berkowicz cried as she finally let go of the Doctor. "How in the world did you get them to change their minds!"

The Doctor pulled back and looked rather guilty and his mother's face clouded. "Theta, you didn't break the rules to see us did you? I don't know what they'll do to you…"

"They can't do anything to me, mother. It's…let's just say that in my timeline things are…less complicated when it comes to the Time Lords." The Doctor smiled sadly. "May we come in? I really need to talk to you and father if he's here."

Elizabeth snorted. "Where else would the lay about be? He's tinkering with some worthless scrap he found out by the river. I mean really. 'Stay undercover, Elizabeth. We can't be seen, Elizabeth. No alien technology, Elizabeth.' All that and he's building some inter-dimensional whatnot."

Rose chuckled. She took an instant liking to the older woman.

For her part, Elizabeth held the door open and eyed Rose critically as they moved into the kitchen. "Theta, you haven't introduced me to the young lady."

The Doctor again looked guilty and his mother raised her eyebrow in question.

He cleared his throat. "This is Rose Tyler, my companion. Rose Tyler, this is my mother, Elizabeth Berkowicz."

"Please to meet you, Mrs. Berkowicz." Rose held her hand out and Elizabeth took it slowly. "I've heard so much about you."

Elizabeth eyed Rose suspiciously. "Call me Elizabeth. Exactly when did you hear about me?"

Rose bit her tongue to keep from laughing at what was obviously a test. "Oh, hard to tell in the Vortex. I'd say he fessed up about a week ago." She turned to look at the Doctor. "What do you say, Doctor? Was it a week ago my time or more like a month?"

The Doctor turned red and made a noncommittal sound. Elizabeth relaxed instantly. "So you're a Time Lady? You don't have the look about you."

Rose sighed. "That would be because I'm not. It's a rather long story; most are when it concerns him."

"It should have to be." A deep male voice answered from behind.

Rose turned and found a stern gentleman standing in the inner doorway, his arms crossed and a sour expression on his face. "Theta, what is the meaning of this?"

The Doctor's hands found themselves firmly lodged in his trouser pockets while he rocked back on his heels in what Rose knew was false bravado. "Hello father. I wasn't sure I should expect you." The Doctor's eyes hardened. "Did you happen to miss a call lately?"