Dear readers,

I thank you all for your beautiful reviews which means so much! The story is doing so well because of inspirational fans like you! I also thank those who had help keep my muse ablaze to be able to keep writing. I do apologize that the chapter is so short but I do promise that the next chapter will be worth it. Please keep up the oncoming love that I return to you. Enjoy.

DJ Vivian

Emma finished decorating the TARDIS with the Christmas lights that she found within the console. She stood admiring the tree on the wall that she made out of lights. Of course, the grief of not having her family there tried to rear its ugly head. Something else seemed to overpower her grief. Though her family had been taken from her, Emma still had that feeling of being surrounded by family. The Doctor had that affect on those who travelled with him.

Rose had told Emma that Rose always thought the Doctor was running from something but Emma was beginning to think that he was searching for something. Emma got the feeling that the TARDIS knew it and took the Doctor where he needed to be. Emma, herself began to feel more connected to the TARDIS. But Emma didn't object to it though. It was comforting and Emma began to see the true connection that the Doctor had with his ship.

Worry began to show itself, while Emma waited for Hermione, Harry and the Doctor. She began to wonder if something terrible happened to them. But she reminded herself that the Doctor wouldn't have let anything happen to her or her friends. It still worried Emma, knowing how brutal Death Eaters could be.

Suddenly the door creaked inward and the Doctor, Hermione, and Harry appeared. Their expressions seemed to say volumes. Harry appeared quite troubled, Hermione worried, and the Doctor...his jaw was set, but other than that he didn't appear to look disturbed at all. Which usually meant that he was bothered about something.

"I got a bit bored and decided to decorate for the holiday. I figured we could still have some kind of Christmas. Lucky for you that the TARDIS is able to keep the hot chocolate warm," Emma joked trying to lighten the mood, "I was beginning to wonder if you had become frozen icicles out there." She laughed softly. "The cookies are fresh as well," Emma said, smiling. The Doctor sighed knowing that she was finally happy again and in moments it was all going to disappear again,

"We managed," muttered Hermione tensely. She kept looking between Ryder and the Doctor. Hermione glanced between Emma and the Doctor before she said, "I think I'll go read," It would have been a typically Hermione thing to say if she didn't sound as if she'd be too distracted to read, which was extremely uncommon a thing where Hermione was concerned.

"What is wrong? Hermione, are you alright? What happened?" Emma said, worriedly watching the girl. What had happened outside between the three. Emma swore that the air had become thick with tension.

Hermione turned but with a somewhat forced smile, "I'm all right," she said brightly. "Just need to look up something is all," She reassured Emma as Hermione turned again and disappeared through the doorway.

Emma looked at Ryder in confusion of Hermione's actions and of the look on the young man's face, "I better take her some hot chocolate and some cookies," Emma said, gathering up a plate.

The Doctor leaned back against one of the support beams in the console room. "We'll be here when you get back," he said softly, not looking at Ryder or Emma but glancing off into the distance.

Everyone's behavior had quickly become very offsetting to Emma. More so when Harry walked over to her grimly. He laid a hand on the plate and took her hand. Emma became more confused and almost scared. His eyes were sorrowful but he had only seen his parents' graves minutes before.

"It's all right, nothing bad happened," stated the Doctor, still not looking at anyone but speaking to Emma. "Just trust him."

Ryder pulled her away from the console. Something was very wrong, Emma could now sense it. "Do you trust me?" He asked Emma with some terseness. Emma picked up on the slight pleading tone in his voice.

"You know I trust you, Harry," Emma said more confused by his demeanor, "Right now you are scaring me…" She tried to read the secrets his eyes held. He gave her a faint reassuring smile.

Gently, Ryder placed his hands on both her elbows, "Good," Ryder looked straight into her eyes, his expression serious. "I have to explain something to you. Remember when the Doctor said about the watch? Not to open it?" Emma nodded now noticing that the watch and his glasses were both gone. "It belonged to someone else…"

"Who?" Emma asked now more curious to where this was going. Ryder glanced over his shoulder at the Doctor to see a look of reassurance to tell her.

"My son, Ryder," the Doctor said grimly. Emma heard the hidden pain in the man's eyes. "The watch belonged to him but this isn't my place," He said, giving Ryder a look that said it all. Reminding Ryder of Dumbledore.

Ryder swallowed, then ploughed forward. "The Doctor told me what happened to his son all of those years ago…He then said that I was his son's human self… If I opened the watch my original DNA as his son would return to me…" He paused waiting for Emma to respond. Her silence began to scare him. They had bonded so much over the past months. He decided to finish his story, "Yes, I was angry to know that my life was not what I knew it to be but…standing at the Potters' graves…the sacrifice that they made to protect their son because of their love for him. I realized that I had to make the same for those I care about.."

"I'm...I'm not entirely Harry Potter anymore…I've been Harry Potter for a while, but apparently it's not who I've always been," he concluded, Emma stepped back in disbelief of his confession.

"What do you mean you're not Harry anymore? Are you a Death Eater? Are you one of those Carrionite creatures that the Doctor was talking about? What happened to Harry?" Emma said, frightenedly. "What did you do Harry?" He took her hand in trying to comfort her…his best friend…

"No no! I'm still Harry! I'm still the boy I've always been," Harry explained quickly, he was hoping to calm her nerves, "It's just...before I became Harry, I am Ryder once more." He took a breath. "Harry Potter is my...adopted name, I guess you could say. I was born Gallifreyan. Like my dad," Ryder shared a look with the Doctor.

"Each Time Lord has an alias mine is John Smith," the Doctor said emotionlessly.

Emma stared in Ryder's eyes, the young man saw the coldness returning to her eyes. Harry grew nervous. Emma hadn't been cold to him in some time. This did not bode well. He decided to go on hoping that she would be understanding to him.

"No, you aren't, you are just like the Doctor now. Did you think of Hermione, Ron, even Ginny. She loves Harry and you took him away from her," Emma said harshly.

His shoulders sank, but he tried to fight off his disappointment, "I'm still Harry, Emma. I'm the same person I was before. I'm just...more...now. And...and I have more responsibilities..." he trailed off, thinking of all that he would have to do in the coming days.

"You are selfish like the Doctor. Harry put his friends and loved ones first. This was just a cop out," Emma said, ripping out of his embrace, "The both of you will just run away from your cowardly choices. You'll travel around and then toss your "companions" away! Never caring about them!"

It felt like he'd been slapped in the face. "Is that what you think?" he asked, just the tiniest edge of anger in his voice. "Do you really believe that my father collects his friends like some Chocolate Frog cards and then gives them up like they're nothing? Fine. Well, maybe I can't speak for him, but I can certainly speak for myself. I love all my friends and I wouldn't give them up easily. Vol-...the Dark Lord could threaten me within an inch of my life - he and the Master - and I still wouldn't give up on you." Silence came over the two of them. Emma seemed shocked by what Ryder had said.

Hesitantly he took a step closer to Emma and spoke in a quiet voice. "I care about you - so much - that I would keep you with me forever if I could. But I would leave...if it was in your best interests," Ryder closed his eyes. He didn't want to see Emma reject him.

He kissed her forehead before placing his forehead against hers'. Emma stood with his forehead against her own. She wanted to hate him but something stopped her. He was still her best friend, wizard or Time Lord,

Ryder wondered if this meant that she had forgiven him. Ron might be the thick one of the group, but it wasn't as if The Chosen One had a heck of a lot of experience with women's emotions to be able to tell what they were feeling all of the time. And they were confusing, too! But he thought that maybe she wasn't all that upset with him anymore. He patted her back and sighed.

"Do you mean it?" She said like a whisper, wanting to valid it to herself, "Because Right now, I want to scream, hit you…" Emma kept her voice steady and stared into his eyes.

Ryder dropped his chin onto her head. "I mean it. I want you to come with me - always. But I'll take care of you, even if that means I have to leave. Someday that might hurt you...but let's not think about that now." The Doctor watched the interaction between them. He saw Rose there in Emma's place. Promising the innocent girl the very same thing.

The man shook himself out of wishful thinking, "Here," The Doctor said, tossing a slender object to his son. Who caught it in one hand.

Ryder opened his hand and stared at the object. It was black and blue with buttons and a white light on the tip. He thought he knew what it was, but just to be sure... "What is it?" He asked curiously and excitedly.

"Well, you're a Time Lord now. So, a wand isn't going to do you any good anymore," the Doctor said, smiling, "You're very own Sonic Screwdriver."

For the first time in a long while, Ryder smiled - a genuinely pleased smile aimed right back at the Doctor, lighting up the boy's eyes and taking away the gloom. "Really? I...thank you." He held the Sonic Screwdriver out, turning it at different angles to inspect it and get a good grip on the handle. Peeking at the colored light shining from the top of the device. "Brilliant."

"Isn't it? Just a pity that it can't do wood," the Doctor said in amusement of watching his son's joy, "And it isn't Christmas until everyone gets a gift." He said, tossing something small to Emma. She caught the object in both hands

Suddenly energized, Ryder leaned back against the console and crossed his ankles. "Go on, open it!" He was quite curious what the Doctor had come up with. It wasn't every day a 900-year-old Time Lord gave one a present.

Slowly she opened her hands to reveal a small key, "A key?" Emma said, confused looking at the tiny key in her hand, "What is this to?" Both Time Lords smirked knowingly amongst one another.

Ryder actually grinned this time. "In just one guess? I'd say...the TARDIS," Ryder looked up happily at the older Gallifreyan, instantly understanding what this meant. "He's saying that he wants you to come travelling with us. You're stuck with us now."

"Companion package deal," the older Time Lord said excitedly, "That also means free universal calling…" He nodded to his son as Ryder took her phone. Aiming his screwdriver at it.

"What about the Tylers?" Emma asked a bit concerned with always leaving the only family that she knew for the longest time. After listening to Rose's stories about travelling through time and space, it became Emma's ambitions to do the very same. She was now living her dream…what is worth leaving so much behind? Ryder seemed to sense her muddled thoughts. It saddened him a bit but he understood her conflicting emotions.

"It's not easy leaving everything behind but one can't live in fear everyday. Dangerous things always happens. The Tylers know that the best," Ryder said, smiling as he handed back her newly sonic'k phone.

The Doctor turned to Emma again with his tone dropped to one of complete sincerity. "Don't worry about them, Emma; the Tylers are going to be fine, just fine. They've made it through some incredible adventures and you, my dear girl, it's your time to have a few of your very own!"

"Yeah and maybe…someday…" Ryder started as he looked down at his traniers and ran an uncomfortable hand through his hair.

Emma softly giggled at his awkwardly adorable shyness, "Be your companion?" She said slightly teasingly. He looked away to hide his blush.

"Well…no I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend but companion is nice too," Ryder said, regaining his energetic tone back and also teasingly. Emma laughed as she playfully punched his arm. They shared a look briefly, which the Doctor saw many times himself.

"I see you have my charm," the Doctor said, causing the two to blush crimson, "Back to the forest!" the Doctor grinned. He dashed around the console, pulling levers, twisting dials and pressing buttons.

His mercurial mood and switched to, 'exuberant' as he flitted around, bouncier than a child who'd had too much sugar. "SAY IT WITH ME!" he yelled. "ALLONS-Y!" Emma watched as Ryder dashed to the opposite side of the console. Both seemed so content in their element. Father and son together again, all darkness for one brief moment disappeared.

"Think you can fly her?" the Doctor said smirking at Ryder who returned the smirk.

"I think I can, Dad," Ryder said, flipping a couple switches. The TARDIS began to rev up, Ryder's eyes lit up as he became more connected to the TARDIS.

"Now this is how Christmas is supposed to be! Hot Chocolate, Jammy Dodgers, and adventure straight ahead!" the Doctor said excitedly. Happy for once that Christmas had gone right for him. He had his son back, now he could focus on catching the Master. One thing did concern the Doctor though.

Would Emma disappear for good when the Dimensional Vortex was closed? He didn't want to be responsible for Ryder losing his first companion. They had a bumpy road ahead of them. Another choice had to be made soon.