"Gideon?" Rip called as consciousness returned.
"I'm here, Captain," her soothing voice came.
"You always are," Rip sighed in relief, before saying, "Dare I ask for a status report?"
"Life support is working, Captain," Gideon noted making Rip groan.
"So, in other words, very little else is," Rip grimaced, looking around at the mess his ship was in. The energy wave had come out of nowhere and knocked them out the timestream. He had no idea where they'd landed but it was currently far down his list of concerns as Gideon hadn't mentioned it as being one.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Rip sighed, "I'm guessing there was no communication from Eve before whatever that was hit us?"
"I'm afraid not, Captain," Gideon replied, "I have studied her original message for any hidden information but there is nothing."
"I'm hoping…" Rip trailed off as he checked the Time Courier on his wrist finding it was smashed beyond repair.
"Opening a portal so close to the Time Drive when it is damaged is not a good idea anyway, Captain," Gideon noted.
Rip grimaced before sliding off his coat and grabbing his tools, "Okay, guess I better get to work. What's most urgent?"
x
Rip dropped onto his bed exhausted, he'd spent the past week working to repair his ship. The self-repair systems were not working and, despite the fact it would be helpful to have them, he needed to fix other things more urgently.
"I'm glad you finally agreed to rest," Gideon said taking a seat at his side in the dream version of the parlour.
Rip chuckled, resting his arm around her, "Well, I had very little choice considering how much you nagged."
"I do not nag," Gideon reminded him primly, "I ensure you take care of yourself."
He smiled and hugged her close pressing a kiss to her temple.
"Would you like to see the most recent message?" Gideon asked.
Rip nodded, smiling as Amy appeared before him.
"Hey," she grinned, "So, believe it or not the boys are starting to walk, and we wanted to let you see. Ready?" the picture shifted showing Rory holding BJ, a chubby little red-headed bundle of joy who, while giggling, managed to make the few steps to his mother who picked him up and hugged him. It shifted once more this time showing Rory holding Michael, Rip and Gideon's namesake, almost completely identical to his brother who repeated the process, although a little wobblier than his brother. With one final shift his brother, sister-in-law and adorable nephews smiled at them, "Hope you come visit soon."
The message ended and Gideon squeezed his hand, "We will."
"Until then Rory is just going to assume I'm not talking to him," Rip grimaced annoyed.
He and his brother talked at least once a week with Rip ensuring he visited at least once a month.
"I doubt he will think that," Gideon rolled her eyes as his pessimistic nature, "In fact he may sense we could use assistance and contact the Doctor."
Rip mused, "That would be helpful. The TARDIS could tow us to somewhere with facilities."
Gideon squeezed his hand.
"Well, at least your systems didn't go offline," Rip noted softly, "Trying to do this without you would have just…"
"I know, Rip," she smiled as he trailed off. They sat together in companionable silence for a while before Gideon told him, "You must get some proper sleep now. I'll be here watching over you as always."
Rip sighed softly, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
She pressed a quick soft kiss to his lips before moving from his side, the light faded away and Rip sank into a comfortable sleep.
x
Gideon watched her Captain work away, doing his best to repair their ship so that they could limp home. Rory had hired a warehouse close to the house that could take the Waverider to give Rip a home base. It let Rip see his family, while not leaving Gideon alone.
Anytime the ship was berthed in the warehouse, Rory and Amy would visit with the boys. Gideon loved having the two children onboard to entertain and played light games or music to entertain them, the way she would with Jonas.
Amy would discuss everything with her, accepting suggestions and telling stories about their life. Gideon would reciprocate by telling stories about the missions she and Rip had completed over the years.
Rory and Amy always included her, as did her Captain's father, which so few people would do. It was incredible how easily they accepted her and, Gideon felt extremely protective of her Captain's newfound family.
x
The planet they had crash-landed on was abandoned, and although not hospitable for Rip to leave the ship without protection was not corrosive to the ship in any way. As per procedure, Gideon had set up a sensor web just in case something came close they needed to know about. For the past five weeks since they had crashed here, nothing had come near them.
Until now.
"Captain," Gideon spoke up making him look up from his work, "We have a problem, I am sensing a ship in the vicinity."
Rip grimaced, "What's wrong with that?"
"The ship is currently cloaked but there has been a sweep by an AI," Gideon explained before clarifying, "Rip, this is a Time Master ship."
Confused he asked, "After all this time we're crossing paths with one? I suppose it's inevitable we run across someone considering they were spread across time and space. And the fact we got thrown out the timestream."
"That's not the issue, Captain," Gideon continued, "The energy that brought us down, I am detecting it from the ship."
"Gideon?" Rip asked, concerned when she paused.
"It is Oculus energy," she told him, "I briefly connected to the source, and it is current, Captain."
Colour drained from Rip's face as realisation hit him, "Someone is reforming the Time Masters, and if they've restarted the Oculus, they're at the Vanishing Point and likely following in Druce's footsteps."
"Making you enemy number one," Gideon reminded him.
Rip started to the bridge, "Have they spotted us?"
"Unclear at the moment, Captain," Gideon told him, "They appear to be in a standard search pattern."
"I'm guessing we can't make a run for it," Rip mused.
"Unless you want to get out and push," Gideon replied, "The engines are only at twenty percent and the time drive is still regenerating. We would only alert them to our presence sooner by trying to escape."
Rip grimaced as he tried to think of a plan, because the only strategy they possibly had was not one he liked.
"Captain," Gideon said, "You cannot be caught by these new Time Masters. We both know that. I suggest you use the Time Courier to get to safety."
"I'm not abandoning you, Gideon," Rip frowned, "Not to mention the Time Courier locator is not going to work properly with the Time Drive as it is. I could end up anywhere."
"If you take resources then you would be able to signal the Time Bureau to help you," Gideon added.
Rip rested his hand on the central console, "I'm not leaving you again, Gideon."
"So, Plan M then, Captain," Gideon said irritated.
"I hate this, Gideon," Rip stated, "You do know that, right?"
The lights around him dimmed, "I know, Captain. Shutting down all systems, activating partition, setting up the stasis chamber and the dampening around it. We have never tested this, Captain."
"I know but I trust in your calculations," Rip told her as he headed for the cargo bay.
The secret compartment opened, and Rip slid into the space just big enough for him to stretch out fully.
"We'll talk soon, Gideon," Rip breathed before stating, "Shogun ballistic."
As Gideon shut down, Rip activated the stasis chamber hoping that this worked.
The sound of crying children greeted Brian when he entered his house. Ever since 'it' happened, his grandsons had been living with him, Augustus and Tabetha Pond had arrived to help him with the boys not long after. None of them understood what had happened. Rory had loved Amy since they were children, and he would never hurt her.
Except he had.
Neither Augustus nor Tabetha had come to the trial, unable to see or hear what had happened to their daughter, opting instead to stay with their grandsons. The two little boys were distraught, not understanding why their mum and dad weren't there. Every so often they would wander to the door and wait expectantly before crying when it didn't open. They would then find the nearest free lap and climb up looking for answers.
"Hello, BJ," Brian greeted his namesake who was sitting with fat tears on his cheeks holding his favourite toy bear.
The small arms reached out for a hug and Brian obliged, the little boy cuddled into his shoulder and Brian sighed.
Turning he found Tabitha holding Michael, "Should we ask?" she said softly.
"We knew the outcome," Brian whispered, hugging his grandson close, "I just don't understand what happened. Rory…" he sighed, "It's like everything that made him Rory has been removed. He doesn't talk and just stared blankly when I asked him what happened."
Tabitha squeezed his hand, not saying anything because there was nothing she could say.
"Why don't we get the boys settled," Augustus suggested, "Then we all have something to eat."
Before Brian could think of an excuse because all he wanted right now was to be alone, the doorbell rang.
Anger covered Tabitha's face and she handed Michael to her husband, "If that is another reporter looking for a story then they are about to get a piece of my mind instead."
Brian and Augustus shared a grimace as Tabitha marched to the door yanking it open to find a familiar blonde woman standing there.
"Miss Stewart?" Brian stared surprised.
She sighed, "May I come in, Mr Williams?"
As Tabitha and Augustus looked confused, Brian nodded allowing Kate inside leading her to the living room. Kate refused the offered seat as Brian, Augustus and Tabitha waited for her to speak.
"I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to speak with you before now," Kate said, "But I have some information for all of you, regarding what happened with Rory and Amy."
Brian frowned before demanding, "What is it?"
"Unfortunately, this is something I need to show you," Kate explained, "I understand this is strange, but I need you to trust me."
Brian mused for a moment, "Can you give us a moment?" he said moving the Ponds to the other room.
"Brian?" Tabetha asked, all her questions in that one word.
He sighed not knowing how to explain before deciding not to, "Kate is a friend. And if there is something she needs to talk to us about, then it will be important."
x
Kate led her three guests into the UNIT offices, relieved the two little boys were quiet having stared out the windows during the drive here. One carried by Brian Williams, the other by Tabitha Pond, identical in t-shirts and denims, Kate couldn't tell them apart at all. The last few weeks had been hard on all of the Pond/Williams family, she knew this, but hoped her news would help somewhat.
"I apologise for the secrecy," Kate told them, "But there is a reason for it." She continued along the corridor to the door at the end before pausing outside, "This is going to be a shock."
Her three guests shared a confused look with one another but remained silent waiting as she opened the door.
The redhead standing in the room spun to face them relief covering her face to see them standing there.
"Amy?"