Rose had most of their things packed and took one last look around the room and under the bed to be sure. The transport stopped at the station and it was over. They sighed as they left the platform.

Chapter 51 Going Home

Quinn and Louise greeted them at the door. It was clear the time away had done them both good. Alice came bounding down the stairs and ran to their waiting arms. "Mother, Father, Your back! I missed you." Rose put her arms around her girl and kissed her cheek. "And we missed you sweethearts!" Rose released her so her father could give her a hug. "How's my little one? Are you ready to come home?" "Yes father, I had so much fun!" "We'll go soon. Don't you want to know what we brought you?"

Alice's eyes widened. "A present? What is it?" He pulled the large plush blue teddy bear from the bag. Her eyes got big and she cuddled it. He kneeled down to whisper, "I also brought soil samples for you to analyze for some unusual chemical compounds. We'll do it together." Alice gasped and smiled, happy to be working with her father again. "And your mother got you something special to give you when we get home."

Rose, Quinn and Louise had moved into the living room where Louise had coffee set up. Everyone sat down, Alice on her father's lap. Mary at Quinn's side as he subconsciously put an arm around her. Louise was first, "So, how was your trip? Tell us all about it." Rose was smiling from ear to ear, "It was wonderful, we had so much fun.

The second night we stopped at a big ballroom with 1940's music and they gave us costumes, then at the resort there was shopping and we got some bikes, had a picnic and road around on desert trails, it was so beautiful, and then there was a carnival where John won the bear, and on the way home they had an old fashioned movie theater with 1950's cars around a huge screen. And in between we sat and did blessed nothing. I can't wait to do it again someday!

You and Quinn have to go next and we'll watch the kids." She spoke so fast it was hard to keep up, but it was plain they both had a marvelous time. When she stopped, it gave the Time Lord a moment to give them their gifts. "Thank you so much for watching over Alice. We wanted to give you something too." He pulled out two small boxes and presented them. Louise looked at the box and said that they shouldn't have bothered and that they were happy to do it for them.

When she opened her box her eyes lit up. It was a gold pendant with a blue green stone carved into a flower and leaves, about one inch across. Rose chimed in, "I saw it in the window and had to get it for you. It's a kind of turquoise they find in the mountains there." Louise put it on immediately. It seemed to shimmer and glow in the right light. "Oh Rose I love it! Thank you."

John was waiting for Quinn to open his. The box contained a set of black gloves made of the softest leather he had ever seen. When he tried them on they seemed to conform perfectly to his hands without being too tight. "John, these are superb. I'll wear them with pleasure." He showed them to Louise who felt their softness and complemented them. Rose watched Mary's face as she hoped to have a gift as well.

"And for Mary there's this.." Rose gave her a small box. Mary opened it carefully and inside was a smaller pendant matching her mothers, but the flower was still a bud. Mary's eyes widened and she gasped at the most beautiful gift she had ever been given. "May I wear it now mommy?" Louise nodded and Mary came to her to put it on.

Mary's pendant glowed and shimmered and she ran to Alice to show her. "It's beautiful Mary, and it brings out the color of your eyes." Mary ran to Rose and gave her a hug, and then cautiously approached the Time Lord, unsure if she should, but decided to give him a hug as well. "Thank you." He hugged her back warmly and smiled, "You're welcome Mary."

The rest of their time there was about news from the town, local politics, the weather. Quinn had kept an eye on the house, and assured them it was undisturbed. Alice yawned and Rose decided it was time to go. They all said their goodbyes and the Smith family walked home. Alice on his shoulder telling them all about her adventures while they were gone. For all the fun they had, they were glad to be home in familiar surroundings.

It was late and Rose ordered everyone to bed. She would give Alice her present in the morning. A gold filigree double heart with three shimmering red stones set inside. Her father would also tell Alice about returning to her classroom again. Rose knew it would be the best gift of all. As they went up the stairs, Rose stood looking around the home she loved, surrounded by the people she loved, and thought about how very lucky she was. He stopped on the landing and smiled, sharing her emotions, holding his hand down to her. She took it and they went to their room.

ppoOoqq

Something was wrong with Rose, and it was getting worse. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was becoming concerned. She had been very secretive, had closed her mind and her emotions to him. She had even pushed him away when he tried to get close to her at night. Ok, so he was terrified. Had he done something? Not done something? Was it something to do with Alice? Not knowing the problem was driving him mad.

He spent hours devoted to trying to remember what it was in the last month or so since they had come back from vacation that had changed. There were some loose ends to tie up, but he had kept his promise to be home more and go back to teaching Alice. He had been as attentive as he could be to her conversations and needs.

What was it!

He decided to confront her with it that night after Alice went to bed.

"Rose. What's wrong? Please tell me. Whatever it is I've done, I'll fix it, I swear! "

"What are you talking about?" She said innocently.

"You can't be serious. Ever since we got back you've been slowly pushing me away! Now what is it?" He started out pleading, but ended with a demand.

Rose had no idea he had perceived her behavior to be different. It was true, she was tired, a lot, and didn't feel like being intimate, but that didn't mean anything was wrong. After so much togetherness on vacation, she just needed a little alone time, but it hadn't really been that long… had it? Rose looked at her husband and was struck by an idea. If it was something wrong with her health, a virus or something she'd picked up, they needed to find out, now.

She stood and took her worried husbands hand and led him to the Tardis. If there was something going on, her friend would tell her.

Rose and the Time Lord stood at the console in front of the screen. Rose said, "Tardis my friend, I've not been well lately. Can you tell me what the cause is?"

The screen flashed to life. On it was a small confused image that looked something like a tumor. Rose was frightened and grabbed his hand. "What is that?" The Tardis put a caption under the picture. Male, 4.5 weeks of growth.

Chapter 52 Heritage