Chapter Eleven
Everyone filed out into the console room so they could walk the half mile to the village. The Doctor held back watching everyone. He watched Shoji interacting with his parents. They didn't seem upset that he had one arm but he reasoned they were probably thankful he was alive at all. Still, something had been gnawing at his mind for a few hours now. He glanced at Rain up near the door and mentally asked her to come to him. She turned and made her way back through the crowd.
"Yes, love?"
"Can I talk to you privately for a moment? I'm in a bit of a quandary and I need your opinion."
"Of course."
He took her hand and led her through the back door.
"Thete, what's wrong?" Rain asked when she saw the anguish on her husband's face.
"I feel so conflicted, Latara."
"Why?"
"Because I can help Shoji. I can help him and yet, I'm not sure I should."
Rain put a hand on his chest.
"What do you mean, love?'
"My TARDIS could make Shoji a new limb. A prosthesis, but it would look and feel and move like a real one."
Rain's face brightened.
"He could get his hand back!" she said.
"Yes. But love, here's my dilemma. They didn't have artificial limbs at this point in history. If I give it to him I risk changing history. So here I am in this TARDIS that could make a limb that could help him and yet, I don't know if I should."
Rain thought.
"Would it look fake?" she asked him.
"No, the TARDIS can make it match his arm exactly and make it fit so perfectly that no one would be able to tell even with his shirt off. It would move naturally. It would even sweat like a normal limb."
"Can you explain to Shoji what it is and ask him to keep it to himself? I mean he seems to have accepted the TARDIS without much of an explanation and if his parents think you're kami then he could just say you gave him a new arm and that would satisfy them."
"But what if someone gets a hold of it and sees it for what it is?"
"Thete, it's 1510. People here don't have big laboratories where they could examine it and take it apart and duplicate it. I doubt they even know what a gear is, let alone know all the parts it would have inside it."
The Doctor paused and considered that.
"Yes, my love," she said, nodding when she saw realization dawning, "if someone does find out about it, what are they gonna do? They can't do anything except realize it's a fake arm. Unless another alien or time traveler comes along and builds a similar arm, that's as far as it goes and then when he dies, the arm goes with him. So why not help him so he can keep on being a farmer and support his family and possibly Harumi?"
He took hold of her arms.
"I knew it was a good idea to run this by ya," he said.
She kissed him.
"What's a wife for?" she said, shrugging.
"Okay, I'll give him a new arm then."
She grinned at that.
He took her hand and led them back into the console room. They found Shoji near the front and he and Rain walked up to them.
"Shoji, can we talk to you for a moment?" he said.
"Of course, Doctor-san," he said.
"Please follow us," he said.
While he led him back to the laboratory, he mentally told the rest of his family what his plans were. He smiled when he felt the joy they had at hearing that.
"I'm going to help you out, Shoji, but you must promise me that you'll keep my gift to you a secret, alright?"
"Yes, Doctor-san."
"I want you to have a normal life and be able to farm without assistance so I'm going to give you a fake arm and hand that will move like a real limb and allow you to farm and do all you need to do to be successful in life."
Shoji was stunned.
"You can make me a new hand?"
"Yes, I can," he said, smiling.
"I…I don't know what to say. I am in your debt, Doctor-san."
"There's no need, Shoji, just have a long and happy and prosperous life, that's more than enough repayment for me."
Shoji bowed his head deeply.
"And if I were you, Shoji, I'd tell your parents that the kami magically gave you your hand back."
"Yes, I think that's exactly what I'll tell them."
"Good, I think they'll accept that more than what I'm really going to do."
They entered the lab and the Doctor escorted Shoji over to a machine that had a large hole in the front. There was a stool in front of it and he asked him to sit down.
"Now, I want you to put your hand and lower arm into this hole and let me analyze it. Don't be afraid, it's completely painless."
Shoji nodded and did as he was asked. The Doctor hit a few buttons and moved a dial while the TARDIS analyzed his arm for duplication. Rain stood nearby with her hand on Shoji's shoulder keeping him calm while her husband did his work.
While he was doing the analysis, Alan and Rose came in the lab.
"I'm so glad you're doing this, Brother," he said. "Do you need any help from us?"
"No, I've got it. I'm just allowing the TARDIS to get a look at his arm and hand for duplication."
They walked up behind him while he adjusted a dial and stared at a tiny monitor on the top of the machine.
We told everyone we had a delay so Donna and Jenny made them comfortable on the jump seat and everyone else got them tea," Rose said.
"Good. Shouldn't be too long here," the Doctor said, glancing at her.
He smiled when the analysis was complete. He let Shoji take his arm out and he stood with the others while the Doctor walked over to a large metallic box nearby. He glanced at another monitor on the side of it while they heard a strange hissing coming from it and saw a tiny amount of steam leaking from a seam running around the middle of it. It did that for about three minutes and then the top half of the box lifted up revealing a realistic arm. The Doctor took it and examined it while the box closed back up. He pinched the fingers and moved them back and forth, then moved the wrist and finally the elbow before he nodded to himself.
"Here you are, Shoji, a new arm," he said, walking to him.
He smiled when he saw the stunned look on his face.
"You are amazing, Doctor-san."
"Weeeeell, just want to help out a new friend is all," he said.
He instructed Shoji to hitch up the sleeve of his kimono and he slipped the open end of the arm onto his stump. There was a suction sound and the end molded itself around the stump. It was such a perfect fit there was no visible seam. Shoji stared at it in wonder.
"Now, try to move your fingers," the Doctor said, pointing to it.
He stared at the hand and tried to move the digits. He let out a gasp and everyone grinned when the fingers began to wiggle. He held the hand up to his face and wiggled them again, hardly daring to believe his eyes. The Doctor looked at his family and they grinned. He looked around and saw a beaker on a nearby counter.
"Shoji, try to pick that up," he said, pointing to it.
Shoji nodded and walked over. He put the hand around the beaker and grinned when it closed and he picked it up. He turned and held it aloft triumphantly while everyone clapped and cheered. He turned, set it back down and walked back over.
"You are amazing, Doctor-san, I cannot say that enough. You have done more for me than any man has ever done. You are truly a brother in my eyes."
The Doctor blushed.
"I'm honored by that, Shoji," he said. "Now that you have your new limb, let's get going so you can see your family again."
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His parents were equally thrilled to see Shoji's new arm and the Doctor accepted their grateful thanks for his and his fellow spirit's mercy for their son. After they had gotten through thanking him, everyone walked out and escorted them towards their sisters' houses. All the way there the Doctor and his family grinned at Shoji who kept staring at his new arm in wonder and touching the realistic skin.
When they reached his families' houses, Shoji invited them all in to meet everyone and begged them to stay for supper. They agreed and all of them sat on the floor in the front room of the house of his sister, Megumi, while she, her sister Reiko, Harumi and Shoji's mother prepared the meal. Shoji introduced all of them as kami since he had to explain his arm being cut off to justify why he was there and he told them the new arm had been magically given to him by the Doctor, the senior kami. Once they heard that, the family treated them with reverence which made the Doctor and his family uncomfortable but they bore it silently knowing it was part of the ruse. After an hour and a half of talking, the meal was ready and the family gave the Doctor the head of the table out of respect. Everyone else sat around them and enjoyed a meal of fish, rice, soup and various vegetables along with hot tea. The meal was delicious and everyone continued to chat while they ate. The Doctor used what he knew about Japanese culture and folklore to answer any kami questions that were directed his way. The Doctor loved Shoji's family. All of them were extremely friendly and he could tell they were loving towards Shoji and especially towards Harumi who they readily accepted as one of their own. He hoped that perhaps she and Shoji would marry someday since he knew they needed one another. There were times during his travels that he often wondered what became of the friends he had made and then reluctantly had to leave and he knew that he would think of these two often and do the same thing. He wished them both all the luck in the universe.
Once they were finished eating, they talked for another hour before the Doctor told them with regret that it was time for them to leave. They stood up and everyone in Shoji's family bowed so deeply they were parallel to the floor. The Doctor and the others did a shallower bow since the deep bow was a sign of their perceived rank and status and it would be an insult to bow lower than them. After that, they escorted them to the door, everyone put their shoes back on outside and with a wave and a chorus of goodbyes, they headed back to the TARDIS.
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They took the TARDIS back into the vortex while Jenny and Mingxia sat on the jump seat.
"Guys, I was thinking, I wanna go visit Jack and the others and Sarah Jane and also Wilf and introduce Jenny to them, plus I want to give Donna the chance to see Wilf, so how about that? You lot wanna go see Jack and the gang?"
They smiled and nodded and the Doctor set a course for Torchwood.
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Martha let out a tired sigh as she and the others shuffled back into the Hub. It had been a long day for all of them. A man who lived just outside Cardiff had been digging in his garden and accidentally unearthed a tiny fire breathing dragon that had been hibernating. The little beast proceeded to fly around making a nuisance of itself and bothering him and his neighbors. The frantic man had phoned the police who in turn had phoned them and after a lot of chasing and ducking to avoid being barbecued, they finally caught it and put it in a special fireproof enclosure. Jack was the one who had that and he came inside carrying the little purple skinned dragon in its clear Perspex cage that had been coated with the special flameproof chemical.
"I think we need to get this little guy up to the lab so we can study it," Jack said. "I just hope to God there aren't more of em lying dormant in other people's fields. One fire breathing hellion is quite enough for me."
They paused when they heard the sound of the TARDIS.
"And now he chooses to come when we could have used his help with scaly here," Jack said dryly.
Mickey took the cage from Jack so he could go meet them. He waited until they finished materializing in a corner of the room. The door opened and the Doctor stepped out. Jack stared at his kimono and hakama.
"Samurai night at the local cinema?" he said, gesturing to the outfit.
"No, we just got back from 1510 Japan."
Jack nodded.
"I just about got my hands burnt off catching a dragon, fun night for all," he said.
The Doctor made a face.
"Anyone get hurt?" he said concerned.
"Other than tripping over rocks and falling on our asses trying to outrun a fire breathing mini dragon while it chased us through a bunch of fields, no, we're perfectly fine. How's the family?"
"Well, we found another member."
"Another? How many you got in there now? I thought you were a bachelor and now here you are gathering family left and right. Are you trying to start an interstellar commune or something? Who's in there now? Rain's great-step-cousin's niece third removed or something?"
"Nope, my daughter."
Jack's eyes bulged.
"Wow, didn't take you long to have a kid with Rain, did it?"
He laughed.
"Actually no, Rain adopted her but she's not hers. Just let us come out and we'll explain it to everyone. I want you all to meet her."
"Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable and I'll make some tea for everyone."
The Doctor nodded and he walked back into the TARDIS while Jack hurried to the kitchen.
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"JENNY! OH MY GOD! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Martha screamed when she saw her.
"Martha!" Jenny said, running to her.
They embraced tightly.
"Oh my God, how?" Martha said.
"I don't know, I just woke up and I was lying on this table. After that, I ran to a rocket and left the planet."
"Oh God, Jenny, I'm sorry. We didn't know. We thought you were dead and…"
"It's alright, I understand. I'm not angry. I know you thought I was dead. Dad was the same way."
Martha hugged her again.
"I'm so glad to see you and know you're still alive."
She turned to the other members of Torchwood who were staring at her silently. Martha introduced them and Jenny waved when they waved back and said hello. Then she sat on the couch beside Martha while the Doctor leaned against the wall beside it and told them the story.
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Everyone sipped their tea and listened in stunned silence while the Doctor told them what had happened on Messaline and how they found her again. Everyone except Martha was shocked by it. Martha was shocked when he told about the condition they found her in and her heart ached, wishing they could have stayed a little bit longer when she had been so eager to get home again to her family and Tom. He looked at her and could tell she was thinner and she thanked God they had found her before the slave catchers or anyone else did. When he was finished, Jack got up and crossed to her.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm glad your dad found you again and you are most certainly welcome here anytime you want to come."
Jenny smiled.
"Thanks, Jack," she said.
"No problem. I'm sure Martha will want to see you often now."
Martha nodded. Jenny frowned.
"How come you're not traveling with dad?" she asked.
She smiled.
"Because I couldn't do that anymore. It was time for me to leave and stay here on Earth. Actually, I wasn't going to come with him when we went to Messaline but the TARDIS trapped us inside, so I had no choice. I'm engaged now and I have a job here at Torchwood. This is where I belong now. Although, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy seeing you and the Doctor and everyone else now and again, so don't be strangers."
She looked at Donna.
"I phoned Wilf the other day and checked up on him for you, Donna. He's fine, just misses you terribly."
"Thank you, Martha. I appreciate that."
"No problem. I'm happy to keep an eye on him for ya, being you're my best mate and all."
"So where are you headed next?" Mickey asked.
"Well, we wanna pop in and say hello to Sarah Jane and then Wilf so Donna can see him, after that, I'm not sure. We just got back from Japan in 1510 so we'll have to see."
"Can I ask a favor of you?" Jack asked him.
"Yes?"
"I need a component for one of our alien tech scanners. It's a karros transductor hypermodulator. I was wondering if you could give me a lift so I could go get one and finally fix the thing."
"Sure, I can take you to get one. I know a shop on Xerxes in the Vega system that sells inexpensive ones."
"Thanks, I appreciate it, buddy."
"As long as you don't mind a few meet and greet stops beforehand."
"I don't mind. I wouldn't mind saying hello to Sarah Jane and Wilf."
They chatted for another hour before they finally decided to move on. They gave everyone hugs.
"Keep out of trouble, guys," Jack said. "I'll probably be back in two seconds or so."
"Have fun, Jack," Gwen said.
"Be careful," Ianto added.
"I will. If I don't get back right away, look after the place and keep an eye on scaly."
They waved one last time before Jack followed everyone into the TARDIS. The Torchwood team stepped back, watched while they vanished and when they didn't reappear after a minute, began taking the dirty cups to the kitchen.
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Sarah Jane stood in her kitchen fixing supper while Luke, Rani and Clyde sat at the table working on homework. She was making them bangers and mash while the three of them helped each other with their science assignment.
"Now Luke, don't help them with all the questions. Let them figure some of it out," Sarah Jane chided when she heard him giving them another answer.
"I will, mum."
Their heads rose up when they heard the sound of the TARDIS. Sarah Jane smiled.
"Rani, honey, can you mind this for a moment while I go greet the Doctor?" she said, gesturing to the food on the stove.
"Sure, Sarah Jane."
Rani got up from the table while Sarah Jane hurried to the door. They heard her greeting the Doctor warmly and a few minutes later she led them all into the kitchen. The three teens greeted them and everyone waved back. On the way over, all of them had changed back into their normal clothes and the Doctor put his hands in his brown trouser pockets while he glanced around.
"Where's the other girl? Um…Maria, was it?"
"Yes, Maria's her name. She lives in Washington D.C. with her father. She was just visiting for the weekend when you were here."
He nodded and took Jenny's hand. He introduced her to everyone and she waved.
"Whoa, she's well fit," Clyde muttered to Luke.
"It's nice to meet you, Jenny. Would you like to come into the living room? I'm finishing up supper at the moment. Have all of you eaten?"
"Yes, we have," the Doctor said as everyone nodded.
"Okay, well come in the other room and we can talk while it's cooking," she said.
The three teens followed them into the living room. They sat down and the Doctor told them the same story he had told Torchwood. Luke was stunned.
"So, she was created like I was?" he said.
"Yes, she was."
"Wow, you're not the only one then," Rani said to him.
"She's lovely, Doctor," Sarah Jane said when he finished. "I'm so glad you found her. Your little family just keeps growing by the minute."
"I know," he said as his family laughed.
"Let me check the food right now while there's a break in the conversation. Excuse me," Sarah Jane said, getting up from her chair.
A moment later, she called for the teens to come and fix their plates and they headed into the kitchen. All four emerged a moment later with plates and glasses of milk. They settled back down and ate while all of them chatted. The Doctor told them what they had just done, being sure to leave out the gory details of Shoji's dismemberment since they were eating. The teens were in awe.
"Wow, samurai, that sounds ace," Clyde said. "Wish I could have seen that."
"I'm glad you were able to rescue them and get them to safety," Sarah Jane said. "That poor man. That was absolutely unconscionable for them to do that to him. I'm glad you gave him a prosthetic arm."
"Yes and history seems to be unaltered so I guess I didn't make an error in judgment doing that," the Doctor said.
"Where are you heading to next?" Sarah Jane asked.
"We're going to see Wilf next. Then we have to go to Xerxes for Jack. He needs to pick up a part for a scanner. Then we'll take him back and I'm not sure where we go from there. We might just hang out in the TARDIS for a bit and rest before deciding."
"Can I ask you something?" Rani said.
"Sure," the Doctor said, smiling.
"I'm relatively new to all this so I'm sorry if I'm a bit thick but have you done this awhile, this time traveling?"
They laughed.
"Oh yeah," he said as they laughed harder. "Almost a thousand years."
Her eyes popped out while the two boys went, "Whoa!" in unison.
"So, you've been almost everywhere then?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Not absolutely everywhere but I've seen a fair chunk of the universe."
"And how long did Sarah Jane travel with you?"
"Blimey, Sarah, how long were you with me? Help an old geezer out, will ya?" he said as they laughed.
She smiled.
"Four years, you silly old thing," she said fondly.
"Ah yes, four years, thank you. Yes, she traveled with me in my third and fourth lives."
"What life are you on now?" Clyde asked.
"My tenth."
They stared at him and then looked at Sarah Jane.
"You didn't see him for six lives?" Rani asked.
She shook her head.
"But that's different for him and for me. It's been decades for me, centuries for him," she said as he nodded in agreement.
"How many people have you had traveling with you?" Luke asked.
They laughed when his eyes bulged out.
"It's a lot, trust me, Luke, "Alan said. "By companion though, do you mean people who have traveled with him more than once or just anybody who helped him out because if it's the latter, I don't think we can even begin to count how many it was. I would say…close to forty or forty five regulars over a thousand year span, that sound right, brother?"
"I think so," he said, glancing at him. "It's definitely been more than thirty."
"And these are the latest ones?" Rani said, gesturing to his family.
"Well, I consider these people my family more than just traveling companions but Rose, Jack and Donna traveled with me before I met Awinita, Rain, Jenny and Mingxia and Alan traveled with me technically since he was a hand but I wouldn't consider him a companion at that point. And Jack doesn't travel with me full time anymore; he's just hitching a ride so he can go get the component for his machine. He's more like a part time traveler now."
"Yeah, I have my own companions to look after, mine and some I adopted from him. I love traveling when I can with the Doctor but I can't do it full time, not with the responsibilities I have. I'm sure Sarah Jane's the same way."
She nodded.
"Yes. Plus, I'm too old to go around time and space full time. It's rough enough managing things on Earth. Although, I'm the same way. I wouldn't mind a trip now and then but full time again, no."
She paused a moment and looked at the Doctor.
"Listen, I just baked a fresh batch of chocolate chip biscuits for the kids but I have a ton left over. Would you like some?"
The Doctor's family laughed when he shook his head vigorously.
"You are speaking my language, Sarah," he said.
"I thought so," she said. "I'll put them in a container for you, excuse me."
She took her empty plate and glass and headed back into the kitchen. She emerged a few minutes later with fifteen biscuits in a plastic container.
"Ah, thank you, Sarah, much appreciated."
"You're very welcome."
She gave him a kiss on the cheek and took his hand.
"Now, before you go running off again, I want to ask you if you'll bring the family for Christmas this year?"
They glanced at each other.
"I think we can manage that," he said to her.
She looked at Jack.
"And that includes you and your friends, Jack. I promise I'll make more than enough food for everyone."
"I'll be there with bells on and so will the rest of us."
"Good, I just wanted to make sure you knew you were welcome to come before you go disappearing on me again. You know you're a very hard man to get in touch with."
"Do you have a mobile?"
"Of course."
"Let me see it. I'll give you universal roaming and if we are in this universe you can call me anywhere from time and space and we can talk."
"Oh! Thank you, Doctor. I'd love that!"
He smiled while Sarah Jane went to retrieve her mobile from her purse. He brought out his screwdriver.
"You gonna do that for me too?" Jack asked him.
"You gonna be reasonable about calling me?"
"Yes!" he said as they laughed. "I'm not gonna bother you 24/7. God!"
"Just havin' ya on, Jack. Calm down," he said.
Jack reached into his pocket and gave him his mobile.
"I'll do this for Wilf too, Donna, so he can contact you rather than wait till you contact him," he said to her.
"Thanks, Doctor, he'll appreciate that."
The teens glanced at each other and came forward to watch with fascination while the Doctor used the screwdriver to give Jack universal roaming.
"And Sarah Jane really will be able to call you even if you're somewhere back in time?" Rani asked.
"Yup, anywhere…well, wait… there was one time it went out of range with Rose."
She nodded.
"Yeah, but that was the only time. I've never had a problem with it before or after that," she said. "I've called my mum from the year 5 billion before."
The teen's jaws dropped open.
"Can we come with you sometime?" Clyde asked.
"Yeah, I wanna go to the year 5 billion," Rani said.
The Doctor handed Jack's mobile to him and took Sarah Jane's.
"It's fine with me, but I think Sarah has the final say," he said.
They looked at her.
"Not today because he's busy helping Jack run an errand and he's probably exhausted from being in Japan but maybe one day you can take a quick trip."
They grinned at each other while Sarah Jane smiled and shook her head.
"Better watch it, Sarah Jane, "Awinita said. "They may get the time traveling bug."
"I think they already have that just listening to him and me talking about it," Sarah Jane replied.
He finished with her mobile and gave it back to her.
"Do you have my number?"
He shook his head.
"I'll give it to you, wait a tic."
She went over to a secretary desk and got a pad and pencil. She jotted down the number and handed it to him.
"Thank you," he said. "Um…"
He reached into his jacket pockets, got his pad and pencil and jotted down the number for Martha's mobile.
"Mister Smith probably already has this in his database but just in case you're out and about and need to reach me…" he said, handing it to her.
"Thank you," Sarah said.
She went and put it in her purse along with her mobile.
They chatted for another hour before they decided to leave so the kids could finish their homework. Sarah hugged all of them tightly and hugged Jenny tightest of all.
"I'm so glad he found you. Please come back and see me and pester your dad to come back here for your first Christmas so you can have a proper celebration with family and friends."
She smiled.
"I will, Sarah Jane."
"Take care."
"You too and look after Luke and his friends."
"Oh, I will, trust me."
She took the Doctor and Alan's hands.
"Come here a moment," she said to them.
They followed her to her study. She pointed to the wall and they saw their family portrait hanging above her computer.
"That has a place of honor and I look at it all the time and think of you," she said. "And if you decide to get another one so you can include Donna and Jenny then please let me have another so I can replace it."
They smiled and both hugged her tightly.
"Oh, be careful, my beautiful boys, and look after that gorgeous family of yours," she said.
"You too, Sarah," the Doctor said.
"Please be careful, fighting aliens and monsters. We worry about you just as much as you worry about us," Alan said.
She hugged them tighter and they did the same in return. She gave them kisses on their cheeks and smiled when they pulled away and kissed her cheeks in return. Then taking their hands, she led them back out to the living room.
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After saying their goodbyes there, the Doctor went over to Chiswick. Wilf met them at the TARDIS door and they ushered him inside. He hugged Donna and kissed her cheek.
"Sylvia's still not talking to me, I take it?" the Doctor said, closing the door.
Wilf shook his head.
"I've tried to talk to her, Doctor but there's no convincing her. I doubt she'll ever accept you."
The Doctor shook his head.
"Normally, I wouldn't care but this is Donna's mother and in the interest of family peace, I wish she'd just accept us the way Rose and Martha's mothers did."
"I'm sorry, Doctor. I really am. I've tried to get through to her…"
"You might as well not bother, Wilf. I appreciate you trying to mend fences between us but some people can't change their minds. At least Donna can see you though and if you want to see your mum, Donna, we'll wait here while you do that."
"I don't know, would she even want to see me?" Donna asked.
"She loves ya, sweetie, she really does. But she's still angry now so I wouldn't risk it. You'll get an earful if you walk through that door."
She shook her head.
"I can't understand her. I have a better life now than I ever had as a temp. But then again, she always was a bit jealous of people who did more than she ever did. Anyway, it's good to see you, Grandad."
"You too, sweetheart. Where's the rest of the family?"
"Back in the back and we have a new member we want you to meet."
"Another one? My, my you're just picking them up left and right," he said as the Doctor and Donna laughed.
He followed them both towards the living room.
He sat on the couch and the Doctor told him the same story he had told everyone else while he gave Wilf universal roaming. Wilf kept glancing at Jenny and smiling at her while he listened.
"So there's another one that's been cloned from your hand," Wilf said when he finished. "I think you better start keeping your hands to yourself, Doctor."
They laughed and the Doctor nodded.
"Yes, I seem to keep creating these new people from my DNA and then adopting them as family members. You're right; I will have to curb this nasty habit."
He gave the mobile back to him.
"Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate this."
"You're welcome. Now, it'll only work in this universe so if you can't reach her we're probably across the void somewhere. But keep trying because I'll try to keep coming back over here as much as I can."
Wilf nodded and put the mobile in his pocket.
"So, what have you been doing since the last time we talked?" he asked.
They chatted with him filling him in on their adventures. Wilf shook his head when they finished.
"I have to tell you, I'm just in awe of each and every one of you for doing this because I know I couldn't. Donna, you have a lot of guts to do this, face all these monsters and evil people and come back for more."
"Yeah, but that's only a small part of it. It's beautiful out there, Grandad, wonderful beyond belief. That's the part that keeps me wantin' more."
He looked at Jenny.
"And are you the same way?"
"I love it," she said as she leaned against the Doctor's legs. I love traveling, seeing all the different sights. It was interesting when I was alone but it's fantastic being with my dad and my family and seeing it. I'm definitely the same way. And Japan was the first trip I had back in time and I definitely want more of that."
"Okay, we'll take you back to the formation of the Earth and set you down between two steams of lava and turn ya loose!"
They laughed when Jenny looked at Alan.
"I don't think I wanna go there then," she said as Alan pinched her cheek affectionately.
She pointed up to him.
"He's so unlike dad, it's amazing," she said.
"I know, because I'm like ginger gal over there!" Alan said, pointing to Donna.
Wilf looked at her.
"Do you feel weird knowing that he grew outta you?"
"YES!" she said as they roared with laughter. "A male alien clone that's half me is very weird and it took awhile to get used to it. Ah, but he's a sweetie and hilarious as hell and I couldn't imagine life now without him in it. He's the entertaining side of the Doctor."
"I'm entertaining," the Doctor said incensed while they laughed.
"Not as entertaining as me," Alan said.
"Yeah, you're right about that," he said while they laughed harder.
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Donna hugged Wilf tightly.
"I'll try to be home for Christmas," she said to him. "Sarah Jane wants us to come round to her house and I'll pop by and say hello."
"I'll keep my eyes open for ya, my shining star. Be careful and keep these two in line," he said, winking at the Doctor and Alan.
"Oh, always!" she said as they laughed.
Wilf went around, hugging the women and shaking hands with the men. He got to Jenny and hugged her tightly.
"Nice to meet ya, sweetheart. Take care and I'll see ya when your dad comes back this way."
"Thanks, Wilf, I'll look forward to seeing you again as well."
He broke away and waved goodbye while he walked out the door. The Doctor stood at the door watching until he got in the house safely and then closed it.
"Okay, on to Xerxes then?" he said, slapping his hands together.