A/N This is it. The end of my story. It was a labor of love and I'm sad to end it. I really hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did creating it!

Thank You to all of my readers for hanging in there with me through 75 chapters.

NeminiWrites

The Grave

The Time Lord was kneeling on a grave placing pink roses. The stone above read: Rose Tyler Smith, Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. She will be loved until the end of time.

He whispered, "To love and to cherish, as long as I shall live." His hands traced the words and tears threatened to spill. A gentle voice was behind him. "Father, time to come home."

A lovely young woman with blond hair and brown eyes spoke to her father. He had come here, to the rock next to the lake, their favorite spot, every day for the past three decades. "Mum wouldn't want you to catch cold. Besides, It's time for tea." He turned to look at his daughter, the image of her mother.

"Alice, Where are my grandchildren?" "They're at home waiting for you. We're all there waiting. David has come from the capital to be with you." He got up slowly. He was 237 years old this day. Physically only seven years older than his daughter, in this regeneration. They both looked like they were in their late thirties.

"Must be something very important for that brother of yours to come." "Father, stop. You know how much David loves you. But he's an important man with lots of responsibility. Working in the senate is a very demanding position."

The Time Lord looked again at the grave. Between the Elixir of Life and his regeneration energy, He had managed to keep Rose with him longer than any human had ever been.

In the end she said it felt like she was getting stretched too thin to continue, and asked him to let her go at the age of 236. If not for Alice and David he would have gone to the grave with Rose. But Alice convinced him that he was loved and needed by his family. He could never refuse Alice anything, since that first day he held her, wrapped in a towel.

When they reached the house, everyone was there. David met him at the door and gave him a big hug. "Hello dad. I knew Alice would find you." "Grandpa!" He was suddenly surrounded by grandchildren of every age. Some of them his, and some he wasn't quite sure who they belonged to. He gave them all hugs. Everyone gathered in the living room, and David began to speak.

"We are all here to celebrate father's birthday. Now, no one knows for sure what that date really is, so mother chose today at random and we have used it ever since. He's looking good for being more than a millennia, and I'd like to propose a toast."

Alice handed the Time Lord a glass of champagne. "To my father. The kindest, wisest, man in the universe. You are loved so much more than you know. May you live another thousand years." The crowd shouted their approval and drank.

The Time Lord was moved by the amount of affection in the room. He held his hand up to quiet them. "My son, the politician. Always saying what you want to hear." He put his arm around David's shoulders and kissed his cheek. A general round of laughter circled the room.

"I am so grateful to you all for your kindness. I've never been happier in my lives, than these sweet decades I've spent here. I've known the love of an extraordinary woman. She gave me two beautiful, brilliant children. They gave me grandchildren to warm my heart and remind me what living is about. And now they have children of their own. Good heavens I've started a dynasty." Light laughter filled the room. "I have lifelong friends here, and for me that's saying something."

He paused to soften the blow. "At the risk of disappointing you all, I need to tell you that I'm leaving this place."

A general gasp of shock seemed to make the world stand still. "Not because I love you any less, but because I must do this for myself. I have been living a half life since Rose died. For a while I was content to stay here for you all, but I've come to know there is more to my life. The stars are calling me, and I must answer. Indeed I have been away too long."

He looked at Alice's smiling face stained with tears. She knew this was coming, though she dreaded it. And David wasn't surprised either. He knew his father had been thinking about it for months now. Ever since their fishing trip.

The Time Lord hugged them together and placed a hand on each cheek. "You don't need me anymore. You're all grown up with lives and families of your own, and that's as it should be." He stood back, smiled and looked at the sad faces in the crowd. "Oh, Cheer up everybody. I'm not dying, I'm just, going on a long holiday. You'll see me again. I have all the time in the world."

The party went on until very late. Everyone who lived nearby had gone home. Alice, David, all 5 grandchildren, and 2 great grand, were to stay the night. When everyone was in bed asleep he crept downstairs to go into the Tardis. When he opened the door, Alice and David were standing there with their arms crossed leaning on the control panel.

"So you thought you could sneak out father?" Alice was standing with her feet apart and attitude in her eyes. She looked just like Rose had so many times. He smiled and sighed "Ok, bad Time Lord. I didn't want a wet goodbye. I said my peace at the party." She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She couldn't speak for the tears, but spoke to his mind instead. "Goodbye daddy, Please don't stay away too long. I love you." He held her close and kissed her cheek. "Remember who and what you are, my child." She kissed him and ran out of the Tardis so he couldn't see her cry. It worked out well because he couldn't speak for the same reason.

David approached him and gave him a long hug. "I love you dad. I don't want you to go." "I know son, I love you too. But I have to do this. Take care of your sister." He wiped his tears away and frowned. "Don't sell the house." David smiled, he had his mother's eyes, "No sir, I won't." The Time Lord kissed him on the forehead, and turned to the controls, unable to speak. David went out the door and the Tardis began to vanish. When it was gone they held each other and cried, not knowing when he would return, but somehow knowing he would.

The Time Lord was alone again, wandering through space. Trying to decide where to go, and then… sudden turbulence. When he got up off the floor there was a woman with red hair, in a white wedding gown, on his flight deck.

"What?" The Time Lord was beyond surprised. Nothing can get through the Tardis doors.

The woman let out a chirp.

"What...?!"

"Who are you!?" She was clearly angry and confused.

"But…"

"Where am I?!

"What...?!"

"What the hell is this place?!"

"What…?!"

THE END