"The Theater, The Theatre"

36. One Night Only

June 2012 – Lima, Ohio

As far as anyone would know, Ginny Harrison was nervous due to the upcoming McKinley High graduation. This was true, to a point. But, in truth, it was Gemma Lucas who was nervous, for so much more. The days had gone by so fast, much too fast. Now here she was, and graduation was in the morning.

She'd bought two dresses, because she couldn't make up her mind. Knowing what she knew, she had debated what would be best, but when it came down to it, she wanted to dress for graduation, not for what might come next.

She had finally settled on the first dress, the blue dress, when there was a knock at her door and she went to let Walter in. She had given him the key a while back, but he still wouldn't use it unless it was absolutely necessary – like when she'd gone missing.

"Wow," was his greeting, and she smirked.

"You like it?" she looked down at herself, smoothing out the dress.

"I'm a bit on the biased side, I guess, but yes, I like it very much," he promised. "I have my suit all set and ready to go, too." She turned to him after having shut the door again. "What?" he asked.

"I… well…" she started, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, and he came to join her. "Are you sure you want to come? It's a high school graduation, it's… it's boring. I'm only going because I work there… and I promised the kids."

"Yes, and I promised them, too." She'd almost asked why he would promise them, and again she found she had forgotten all about her time "away". How hard could it be to remember, even if she hadn't lived through it? But she knew now it made sense that they'd want him there, for how they'd bonded in her absence. This only complicated things for her.

"But if it wasn't for them…" she started, but she knew she was headed the wrong way.

"You don't want me to come, do you?" She looked him in the eye, and try as she might, she couldn't keep lying.

"It's not… It's not that, but…" Gemma sighed. "What we're headed into, what I know of it, it'll be more dangerous than anything they've had to deal with so far, and you…"

"All the more reason," Walter came up closer. "If I'm going to be following you and the Doctor when you leave here, then I might as well know what I'm getting myself into already. I want to help you. I want…"

"To keep me safe," she filled in. He bowed his head. "What do you think I'm doing?" They were silent for a beat, each considering where they stood.

"I'm coming with you," he finally stated again, and Gemma leaned in to kiss him. She kept his face in her hands, staring into his eyes. It both terrified and gave her relief to know he'd be with them. Either way, he'd made up his mind, and she knew him enough to understand, he'd find a way to be there even if she attempted to keep him away.

"We have a very good chance of being gone tomorrow, you know that? Are you really ready to let go of everything here in just a few hours? Your apartment, your job, your family?"

"I've got rent squared away for a while, and a lot of unused sick leave, that won't be a problem."

"And your family?"

"I told them I'd be going off traveling, but that I'd keep in touch. I can do that, right?" he asked and she nodded. "So does that answer your question?" He smirked, and she kissed him again.

"You're been getting ready all this time, haven't you?"

"The Boy Scouts would have loved me," he confirmed, which made her laugh. "One thing though, I wasn't too sure... What does one pack on the eve of a trip through time and space with an alien?"

"Easy there," she patted his shoulder. "You won't be settling in just yet. The Doctor will come tomorrow, yes, but if won't be my Doctor, our Doctor, the one we'll be going back to."

"Right," He nodded, like a student taking notes.

"But he will be the one we have to help, us and the Glee Club." She could see he wanted to ask more on that, like always, but he had long learned it was a pointless enterprise so he didn't bother anymore. "After it's done, that's when we'll go back to the other Doctor, with the vortex manipulator." She pointed to her wrist on reflex. "But we will need to be ready to go. We won't be coming back here in between. Technically we might be able to stow our belongings away on the TARDIS, find them again after we jump and reunite with my Doctor."

"What'll happen with this place?" he pointed around the small apartment. "All your books… it's almost hard to imagine you without them."

"I don't know," she admitted, looking around, too. She had gotten used to what she called her perilous library. She had managed not to be buried in toppling towers of books, but it always felt like that was a possibility. She guessed the Doctor would see to their removal from here, but Gemma hoped she might get to keep them. "I used to stay here for days on end," she went on looking around, "And I couldn't wait to be done, to go home… now I genuinely feel like I'm going to miss it." It had started feeling like home the moment she'd had something worth staying for. That reason was sitting next to her, and she loved nothing more than to know he understood that. "Will you stay here tonight?"

"You got it," he nodded. "But I will need to go and make sure I'm all packed and ready to go in the morning." He got up, and she followed.

"I'll change and come help you."

"Do you have to?" he asked, looking at the dress again.

"Yes," she chuckled.

They were only turning to the door when they saw the small blue envelope on the ground. Gemma went and picked it up. She saw no point to checking if anyone was still out there, so instead she tore the envelope open.

"What does it say?" Walter asked. "Is it about tomorrow?"

"No," Gemma smiled, "It's not." She went and found the wrist strap. "I'll be right back."

"Are you sure?" Walter asked, and turning to him she could see his concern. She came up and kissed him again, good, long, just in case.

"I'm sure. This is just… a present from the Doctor. I'll explain later, you go get packed."

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)