A/N - Cliffhangers? Nah, don't believe in them! :)

CHAPTER TEN

Alan walked into the kitchen just as Sarah finished making a cup of tea. 'Would you like one?' Sarah asked, offering him a mug. 'I made enough for four.'

Alan gestured back towards the living room. 'The Doctor made a beeline for the TARDIS. Sue went to go talk to him.'

'Ah, so you've been drafted as the designated representative to talk to me?'

'Not exactly. We're friends, Sarah Jane. We were even before I met Sue. I know it's not been an easy day for you.'

They sat down at the table. 'Well, that's one way of putting it. I never saw things turning out this way.'

'What do you mean?'

'There's a part of me that feels like I came so close to losing Sue today. I don't have a lot of experience as a parent, but I know that I can't imagine anything happening to either her or Luke.'

'I know how you feel. We want to protect our kids, even if it means throwing ourselves in the firing line.'

'I think I finally know how you felt when you learned that Maria was involved my extra-curricular alien activities.' Sarah reached over and put her hand over Alan's. 'I'm really very sorry I put you through that.'

'That's water under the bridge. Ultimately, that's what brought Sue into my life, so I'm certainly not going to be sorry for that.'

Sarah laughed, 'I would hope not!'

'I am concerned about Harry's reaction though. I'm surprised he left.'

'I think he was overwhelmed. It happens to the best of us.' Sarah took a sip of her tea before continuing. 'Harry has been functioning as Susan's father her whole life, taking care of her when no one else could. Today he felt surplus to requirements.'

A confused look crossed Alan's face. 'The Doctor isn't trying to push him out of the way, is he?'

Sarah shook her head. 'Oh no, it's nothing like that. Harry and Sue have a very close relationship, and the Doctor wouldn't do anything to come in between them. Harry is also a bit frustrated, because he would like me to make a decision, but it's not something I can think about right now.'

'What do you mean?'

'Harry has always been a very dear friend of mine, and an excellent father to Sue. And now even Luke thinks of him as a father. After everything that's happened, I think he wants us to be more of a family, but I can't give him anything more than friendship. At least right now.'

Alan nodded understandingly. 'Because of the Doctor?'

'It's daft, isn't it? I mean, the Doctor's an ancient Time Lord, and I'm just a human.'

'Sarah Jane, may I make an observation?'

'Of course.'

'Ever since Maria and I met you, you've had the stars in your eyes. You've taken everything we've ever seen in stride. Some of it you'd seen before, some not, but you didn't panic, you didn't have to have a plan or an agenda, just took things as they came and used your gut instinct to do what was best.' He took a deep breath. 'And now, based on what you were saying earlier, you're not quite human, so the "just a human" comment doesn't quite wash.'

'No, I guess not, not anymore. I have been exposed to too much over the years. Things have never been simple, that's certain.'

Alan smiled. 'You realise, Sarah Jane, that this does explain quite a few things.'

Sarah laughed, 'Yes, I suppose it does.'

'Let me ask you this. What do you want?'

'Other than wanting to take away everything that happened to my daughter today.' She quickly added, 'Not the wedding, but the Gentaris, I mean.'

'Right, of course. I actually meant where Harry and the Doctor are concerned.'

Sarah sighed and drank more of her tea. 'I've known them both a very long time. I care for them both, but honestly, I think friendship is the only thing I can ever give Harry.'

'Why?' Alan asked.

'Does it matter?'

'It does to you. Sometimes it helps to put your feelings into words, I'm just an impartial observer.'

Sarah nodded. 'You're right, about words, that is. Words are my weapon of choice, that's for sure.' Closing her eyes, she thought for a moment before speaking. 'Harry and I have always been friends, but we see the Universe in completely separate ways. Harry is a realist. His entire life has to have all the t's crossed and the i's dotted. I appreciate that about him, but in another sense, it drives me crazy.'

'It certainly doesn't match up too much with your personality. You pretty much roll with the punches.'

'It's part of what the Doctor taught me. You improvise and it throws off those that have plans and it's what makes us better. I also can't forget that Harry knew about Sue's second heart, and never told me. Which is something he and I still need to talk more about. He knew that Sue was the Doctor's daughter, but he didn't tell me.'

'I get the impression that Harry sees things completely in black and white.'

Sarah nodded. 'He does, which is why it surprises me that he wouldn't have been honest about Sue. Certainly I had a right to know.'

'Maybe, maybe not.' Alan considered his next words carefully. 'If someone told me that I wasn't Maria's biological father, I'd assume that Chrissie knew, and that she was just trying to keep it from me. I don't know that I'd say anything, and certainly wouldn't say anything to Maria, because it doesn't change how I feel about her.'

'It's not the same thing though, Alan.'

'Isn't it? Remember how you felt with the Slitheen pretended to be Luke's parents and took him from you? It didn't change how you felt about him.'

Sarah shook her head, but still felt her insides constrict as she thought about what she went through and felt during that time. 'That was different.' She pondered it for a moment. 'Actually, maybe it really isn't, but I can't think that Harry would think that I would take Sue away from him.'

Alan shrugged, 'I can't speak for Harry, that's something you'd have to ask him.'

Sarah stood up quickly. 'Right. No time like the present.'

~!~!~!~

Susan and the Doctor walked into the console room of the TARDIS. The Doctor glanced over at Susan. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

She ran a hand gently over the console before looking up at him. 'Sorry, just having trouble focusing there for a minute.'

The Doctor quickly took a penlight torch out of one of his pockets and began to shine it in Susan's eyes. 'Your pupils keep dilating and contracting. Fairly common for Time Lords post regeneration.' He quickly pocketed the torch, 'Still, nothing to worry about.'

'But that's not what happened to me, is it?'

'Well, not technically, in that what you went through wasn't as traumatic as a full regeneration, but the whole thing with your hearts, and the increased telepathic abilities forming does lend itself to some post-regenerative side effects.'

Susan stared down at the console again, watching various dials and settings. 'The TARDIS could do with a recharge. You ought to park her in Cardiff for a bit.' She glanced back up at the Doctor. 'Doctor, how long will this last?'

The Doctor stood beside her and stared down at the same dials. 'You're right, she could do with a recharge. The effects for you could last another day or two, possibly as long as four, should be no more than that. Biggest thing will just be the weakness, and possibly some dizzy spells.'

Just then, Susan's mobile rang. Before Susan could answer it, the Doctor made a gesture for her to hook it to the TARDIS speakers. 'Call it intuition,' he said softly at her questioning look.

'Hello?'

'So, Human. You still live.' The voice of the Gentaris now echoed through the TARDIS.

'Kreix, so nice to hear from you again,' she said quickly, her voice laced with sarcasm. 'What do you want?'

'Call off your UNIT troops. They continue to search for our ships.'

'I have no control over what UNIT is doing at the moment, Kreix.'

'I disagree, Female. I think you will find that your ability to control the situation becomes much larger when the lives of your father and brother are at stake.'

Susan grabbed the console and glanced over at the Doctor. The Doctor gestured for her to keep them talking as he ran out the door.

The Doctor ran through Sarah's living room, heading directly for the kitchen. Alan stood up as the Doctor bolted through the doorway. 'What's wrong, Doctor?'

'Where's Sarah?'

'She went to Harry's.'

'What?' The Doctor quickly ran a hand through his hair. 'The Gentaris are threatening Harry and Luke, so my guess is going they know where he lives, which means Sarah is danger as well. We'll take the TARDIS.'

Alan quickly followed and they bolted for the TARDIS. As they entered, Susan was already spinning around the console, throwing switching and pulling levers. 'The coordinates are set, Doctor, let's go, no time to waste.' She looked at Alan, then at the Doctor. 'Where's Mum?'

'At Harry's.'

She inhaled sharply, then looked back at the Doctor as a sad smile crossed her features. Barely above a whisper, she asked, 'Allons-y?'

~!~!~!~

As soon as the TARDIS landed, the Doctor, Susan and Alan burst through the doors. The Doctor noticed Sarah's car in the drive. Just as they headed for the front door, an explosion knocked them all to the ground.

~!~!~!~