A/N: new chappie! enjoy!

Chapter 21: The Return

"Surprise!"

Olivia screamed when the cog door to the Torchwood hub rolled opened and she was instantly greeted with the grinning faces of her coworkers, Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones and her boss, Captain Jack Harkness. She sighed, placing a hand over her racing heart at the surprise as her jade gaze darted between the three of them.

"You guys trying to kill me?!" she gasped as the other three laughed, then she noticed what they were all holding. "Is that cake?"

"We phoned your mum for her recipe on your favorite cake," Gwen grinned, showing off the adorable gap in her teeth. "It probably won't taste as good as hers though."

"I made the frosting and decorated it," Ianto smiled.

"And I supervised," Jack beamed before adding, "And told them what to write on it."

Olivia frowned as she read the white letters across the blue frosting and voiced, "'Happy One Year Anniversary Olivia'."

"Wow, Jack," she smirked. "Such poetry! How did you ever come up with it?"

"That's not what I told them to put on it," Jack retorted as Gwen turned to carry the cake toward the conference room, the other three following her.

"Yeah, somehow, 'Sexiest Astrophysicist of Torchwood' just doesn't have the same ring to it…or the same message," Ianto shot back, making Olivia laugh as the three reached the conference room.

"You have the honors," Gwen grinned, handing the cake knife to Olivia then pulled her toward the table. "Cut out the piece ya like and the rest of us will take ours."

Olivia stared down at the cake, suddenly realizing the shade of blue the frosting reminded her of. The shade she'd been waiting four years to see, but not on a cake. The shade she'd seen in her dreams, and the face that accompanied it.

"TARDIS blue," she mumbled, making the three frown at her but Jack's frown soon disappeared as he realized what she'd said.

"You alright, Olivia?" Gwen frowned, stepping toward her to wrap an arm around her shoulders, but Olivia didn't take her gaze from the cake.

"Fine—" she choked before clearing her throat and trying, "I'm fine. I just… I'm sorry, I can't right now. I need the loo."

She turned and handed the knife over to Ianto as she passed him and Jack didn't try to stop her as she ran from the room, Ianto and Gwen frowning after her in wonder.

"What happened?" Gwen questioned to either of them. "I thought she'd be pleased!"

"I knew we shouldn't have picked that color," Jack sighed, drawing their attention to him and it seemed to hit them both at once as he turned to head after Olivia.

"TARDIS blue," Ianto sighed as Gwen shook her head.

Jack knew exactly where Olivia would go and made his way down to the vaults. Sure enough, she was curled up in a corner in front of one of the Weevil cells. When she visited the vaults on her first day, she went right up to one of those cells and the Weevil didn't try to attack the glass like it normally would have done. He had smirked when Olivia pointed out she would never be a threat to it and it must've known that somehow.

He stepped toward her, shoving his hands in his pockets but she didn't seem to notice him with her knees up and her head bowed onto them, her arms pulling them close to her chest. He stopped an inch from the tips of her black Converse as she remained unmoving and he only stared down at her for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Olivia," he murmured, and she didn't even flinch. "They said they wanted to make the frosting blue and I was gonna say something but…I thought you might've liked it."

"It's not that," she shuddered, her voice slightly muffled from being buried in her knees before she looked up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks, and the sight made his heart clench. "A year, Jack. It's been a whole year, and nothing! It's been four years since I've seen him, and I haven't even had a phone call from him! He said he wouldn't forget me, but he has, Jack! He's forgotten, and I haven't!"

"Oh, Nova," he groaned, using his nickname for her, short for Supernova, as he knelt down and sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her to pull her against his shoulder. "He hasn't forgotten about you. He never forgets his companions. You know how long it took before I saw him again."

"But he didn't know you were still alive," she cried as she curled against him. "He said he'd call! He said he'd visit! Why didn't he do either of those things while I was still in California?! Where the hell is he?!"

"I don't know, Nova," he sighed, resting his cheek on her head as he rubbed her arm under his hand. "I'm sorry, but I don't know."

Evening...

"Are you kidding me?!" Jack chirped to Olivia as she sat at her desk, her eyes glued to the screen. "You'd rather do work on your one year anniversary with Torchwood than come have a drink with us? Olivia Felton, you are a buzzkill!"

"I've got stuff to do, Jack!" Olivia laughed, typing at her keyboard. "I've got these formulas to run on predicting the rift openings, star charts to update, and don't get me started on the piles of paperwork on my last few missions that I have to type up!"

"Oh, fine!" Jack growled, jokingly as he stepped up behind her to set his hands on her shoulders and lean next to her ear. "If you change your mind, it's that pub you like down the street from the mall."

"I won't, but thanks," she smiled as he pressed a kiss to her cheek before shoving off of her shoulders and hurrying for the door where Gwen and Ianto were waiting.

She continued to type until she was seeing double and groaned as she shut her eyes, tightly before sitting back in her seat to rub her eyes. She'd been staring at that computer screen since she'd sat down at her desk after lunch, and it was starting to show. She sighed tiredly, rolling her head from side to side to release the tension in her neck before she made an attempt to start her work again.

Cracking her fingers one by one, she was about to start typing again when she suddenly heard something from somewhere in the hub, making her freeze and frown in wonder around the room. She looked around, slowly standing, but not saying a word as she looked over her computer screen. Not taking any chances, she slowly opened one of her desk drawers to pull out one of the stun guns Jack had given her. She'd refused to use a real gun.

Olivia stepped from her desk to back into Jack's office, deciding to check there first to see if something might have fallen.

The room was clear.

She stepped out and around to the stairs leading to the med lab.

That, too, was clear.

She lifted the stun gun, ready to use it if she had to as she headed for the conference room.

Sighing when she found the room empty she dropped the stun gun to her side and shook her head. She must have been hearing things. She looked to the cut into cake still sitting on the conference room table and sighed again, but frowned in wonder as she stepped toward it. It wasn't like Ianto to forget to clean up. Jack, definitely. Gwen, maybe. But Ianto? Never.

She suddenly realized that there were three pieces cut out and sitting side by side on the paper plates they'd used. She stepped closer to read them. Two small pieces were on one plate, the larger one of the three on another and before she even read it, she realized they were supposed to spell something out. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she finally read the words…

Hi Liv

Olivia felt her breath coming in short as her heart thumped in her ears, her hands trembling so badly, she dropped the stun gun and she jumped with a startled shout when it clattered to the floor. She whirled around to begin another search of the hub and the vaults when she was stopped in her tracks by an obstacle in the doorway of the conference room. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the man before her as she froze in her spot again.

"Doctor…" she breathed when her voice allowed it.

"Hello, Liv," he smiled, warmly before stepping slowly toward her, their gazes locked as she stayed glued to her spot.

The Doctor stopped an inch away from her, his gaze running over her face before meeting her eyes again as he lifted a hand to run his long fingers through her inky black hair.

"You look a bit different," he murmured through another smile, nodding, "Not too much, but a bit. Your hair is longer and you've still got starlight in your eyes."

"You haven't changed a bit," she breathed, looking over his face. "You look exactly the same as when you left. Your hair's a little longer, but that's it. How long's it been for you…since you last saw me, I mean?"

"Too long," he replied, his hand stilling in her hair to lower and take her hand, never taking his gaze from her face. "Far too long. How long for you?"

Instead of speaking, a hand came up and slapped him across the cheek with an open palm, the impact making a loud slap sound through the room and his head whip to the side.

"Ow!" he shouted, taking step away from her as he looked back at her with an incredulous stare and a hand to his cheek. "What the bloody hell was that for?!"

"That was four years, coming!" she snapped back with a glare at him. "Four years, of nothing! I waited for you! I went out to my back yard every night and said goodnight to you through the stars! I picked up my phone so fast every time it rang thinking it was you! I dreamt of you every night for four years, and you never came!"

He stared at her now with an unreadable expression as she panted for breath from her rant and her rage until she sighed and her glare melted to sorrow as she said one last thing.

"Did you forget…that I love you, Theta?" she breathed.

This time, he took action by marching toward her and planting his lips to hers. She instantly melted into the kiss, throwing her arms around his neck as she felt his love and regret that he hadn't come to her sooner through it. She met his passion as he pulled her close, pinning her legs against the edge of the table, his hands pressing her into him by her back as his tongue slid past her lips. Her fingers threaded through his hair and gripped it tightly to pull him closer before they pulled away for breath.

Their arms tightened around each other as he rested his cheek to her forehead, and she snuggled against him, twirling a lock of his hair in her fingers.

"Of course I never forgot, Liv," he whispered. "And I heard you every night. I wanted to call. I wanted to visit, but I…I couldn't face you after what happened. Not after what I did after I left you. Your Highwayman lost his way, Liv."

"That's when you should've come to me, you idiot," she murmured, pulling away enough to look up at him as he frowned down at her. "I'm your friend before anything else, and friends are there for each other in their times of need. I never would've judged you for whatever happened, and I still won't if you tell me what happened."

"Liv, you'd hate me for it," he breathed, trying to look away from her, but she pulled his gaze back to hers by placing both hands on his face.

"I can never hate you, Theta," she murmured and he swallowed, pulling her a bit closer as they kept each other's gazes. "Tell me, my love."

The Doctor swallowed before nodding in agreement, silently taking her hand to pull her toward one of the chairs at the conference table and she sat down as he pulled a chair close and sat next to her, holding both her hands in his and keeping his gaze on hers.

"You remember what I told you about fixed points in time, yes?" he assumed. "That they can never be changed no matter what?"

"Of course," she nodded, not mentioning that it was all they ever talked about.

"Of course you do," he muttered, seemingly reading her mind as he cast his gaze to their hands. He smiled when his fingers found the ring she'd gotten on Gemsyti and he began fiddling with it as he continued, "And you remember that…as a Time Lord, I have to keep these laws of space and time, no matter how much I may want to change them."

"You're stalling, love," she realized and he looked up to meet her gaze as she gave a warm smile. "I remember everything."

He swallowed and nodded mutely again before turning his gaze to her hands as he played with her ring again.

"After I left you," he began, his voice already starting to shake, "the TARDIS took me to London for a visit with a friend of mine before I left Earth and…I went to Mars in 2059. It was the first Mars expedition with Captain Adelaide Brooke and her crew. When I realized where I was I knew I had to leave. The day I had arrived was a fixed point in time, and if I stayed there I'd want to change what happened to them… What was supposed to happen to them."

"What was supposed to happen, Doctor?" she couldn't help ask.

He swallowed before answering, "Something…a disaster was supposed to occur that caused their base to explode…taking all of them with it."

Olivia could only nod as she gripped the Doctor's hands reassuringly, but he still didn't look up at her and she whispered, "Go on."

"After—" he choked before clearing his throat and trying again. "After that happened, Adelaide's granddaughter would head her own expedition years later, inspired by her accomplishments, which would lead to another Brooke making a name for themselves, and another, and another. The legacy would go on and on for years all because of Adelaide Brooke dying to protect the Earth from a virus that originated in the waters of Mars.

"She wouldn't let me leave. I ended up seeing everything that happened until she finally called for evacuation when things got to be too much and she told me I could go. I was halfway to the TARDIS when…" He looked up at her as she hung on his every word and her heart clenched at the pain in his eyes. "…I went back. I shouldn't have, but I did. I saved her and two other crew members and took them straight to Earth. Oh, I thought I was invincible then. I thought…I could do anything if I could save someone as important as her from her own death."

Olivia swallowed as he looked back at her hands and she could barely breathe when she heard his next words come out sounding so helpless. So defeated. So small.

"She killed herself, Liv," he continued, barely above a whisper. "She went into her house and killed herself to stop me from myself. And that's when it changed. The other two crew members took credit for saving the Earth, Adelaide's legacy was in shambles until her granddaughter restored it. All of it was different. The outcome was the same, but the pride and dignity that was there with her name was gone because she was found dead in her own home by her own hand when she should've been on Mars."

The Doctor met Olivia's gaze again as she let tears fall down her eyes.

"She humbled me and it cost her impact on Earth's history, and her life," he choked out.

Olivia pulled her hands from his to stand and perch herself on his knee, wrapping her arms around his neck as he buried his face in the crook of hers, his arms around her waist to pull her close and keep her from falling at the same time.

"No wonder you were so insistent about me staying home," she murmured, snuggling her cheek to the top of his head as she felt something warm and wet smear over her neck, but he didn't make a sound. "I didn't realize the repercussions changing the past would have."

Neither one of them spoke for a few more moments before the Doctor pulled back with a sniff, quickly rubbing his face to hide the tears he'd shed as she looked at him and their gazes locked.

"I thought you'd surely be cross with me," he admitted and she gave a slight frown.

"What good would that do?" she wondered, lifting a hand to stroke his hair. "You don't need me to yell at you if you feel this bad about it. If you were bragging, then I'd slap you again and put you in your place."

He couldn't help but chuckle and she gave a giggle in return, happy that she was able to lighten the mood again as they looked into each other's eyes.

"I missed you, Theta," she whispered, leaning forward to kiss away the tears he'd tried to hide and he sighed as he pulled her closer.

"I missed you, too, Liv," he smiled as she pulled away. "Tell me what you've been doing. How'd you end up at Torchwood?"

"Jack recruited me," she smiled, still stroking his hair but frowned when his smile dropped. "What?"

"Jack recruited you?" he grumbled, and she couldn't help but giggle.

"I know what you're thinking, and there's nothing between us," she assured him. "I decided to come here because I was looking for you, and he knew it. Said I came recommended from a friend of his. Martha Jones. She mentioned you talked about me when you last visited her. Care to share that story?"

"I told you," he frowned. "The TARDIS took me there."

"And you talked about me, the whole time?" Olivia smiled, teasingly.

"Yes," he grumbled and she gave a giggle before pressing a kiss to his cheek and he smiled up at her. "I couldn't help it, really. I was still depressed about leaving you and she saw right through the front I put on."

"She is perceptive, isn't she?" she nodded, making him frown up at her. "I met her once. She's very nice. Worthy of you. Too bad she had to fall in love with you."

"Oi!" he chirped with a frown, making her giggle again before she looked to the pieces of cake on the table and she leaned forward to slide one of the plates of cake toward them. "What are you doin?"

"Have some cake," she entreated, grabbing a plastic fork and pulling off a piece to feed it to him. "It's my mom's recipe. You fed me once, now I get to feed you."

He nodded as they took turns at the cake before she asked, "How long are you staying?"

"The TARDIS needs a bit of a charge," he replied through a mouthful of cake. "A day or so…maybe."

"I see," she nodded, thoughtfully and he frowned up at her as she took a bite.

"Why?" he asked warily and she shrugged cutely before feeding him one last bite of cake then set it aside to place her arms around his neck again, leaning into him with a smile. "Liv? Why do you look like the cat that ate the canary?"

"Oh, I was just thinking…" she mused, moving a hand to fiddle with the knot of his tie as she continued, "A day or two is enough time for a couple to…get to know each other really well."

Their gazes locked as he instantly caught her meaning, swallowing before he murmured, "How well do you want to know me, Liv?"

"What kind of question is that, Doctor?" she smiled, slyly as the hand that had been playing with his tie fell to his chest to smooth over it slowly. "I wanna know…every last detail about you."

His breath caught in his throat when she shifted to straddle him in the chair and he held her waist firmly so she wouldn't fall as he looked up at her.

"Well, if we're getting better acquainted, I think we should take this to the TARDIS," he suggested and her smile grew to a grin as she gave a nod, pressing her lips to his for a tender kiss that he gladly returned.

"Where'd you park?" she asked, between more kisses, neither one of them wanting to move yet.

"Up top," he replied, his hands slipping up her sides before smoothing down her back. "Next to the lift."

"Perfect," she grinned into his ear before shooting to her feet and dragging him from the chair by one hand.

Olivia pulled the Doctor toward the main hub, marching toward the lift as he frowned up at the Pterodactyl circling overhead. She pulled him onto the stone block that was the lift and his attention turned back to her with a smile before he wrapped his arms around her again as they went up, their lips meeting. They were lost in their kiss when the lift stopped, so lost they didn't realize they were stopped until they had to pull away for breath.

He pulled her off the lift and was about to open the door when she stopped him, making him frown at her in wonder, but she just smiled as she pulled at the chain around her neck. He'd noticed it trail under her blouse before and just assumed it was a necklace…but it was no ordinary necklace. She grinned as she waved her TARDIS key in front of him before pulling the chain it was on from around her neck and stepping to the lock. It unlocked with ease, making her grin widen as they both stepped in and she gazed around the control room.

"Did you miss me, dear?" Olivia smiled and the TARDIS responded with a loud hum and an elated stroke in the Doctor's mind that made him smile as Olivia turned back to him. "I think she's happy."

"We both are," he confirmed, pulling her toward him with one hand but they didn't move from their spot. "Now, tell me, Miss Olivia Felton. Do you still dance?"

"Another silly question, Doctor," she smiled, stepping close enough to rest her arms on his shoulders as she answered, "You know I do."

"Brilliant," he grinned, lifting his arms around her, his gaze never leaving hers as he ordered the TARDIS, "Play track one for us, darling."

She frowned up at him in wonder before the song started and she felt her heart skip when she recognized the slow tune. Gravity by John Mayer.

"Remember this one?" he asked, even though he'd seen her reaction and she could only nod as she felt a lump form in her throat, tears coming to her eyes. He pulled her closer as they swayed to the music, his lips next to her ear as he whispered, "The song you chose for your private prom night."

"You remembered," she shuddered, tightening her embrace on him and he hugged her closer in return. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"I never forget the important things," he smirked. "Our song is important."

"That does it," she replied, making him frown in wonder as she pulled away enough to plant her lips to his once more before breaking the kiss and staring into his eyes. "Where's the bedroom?"

A/N: i don't think i need to tell you guys what happened next, do i? use your imagination. *wink* reviews?