Glimpses of Time

Chapter Eight: Hello Dad

By Lumendea

…..

Graham had been promised a quiet day. The Doctor had repairs to do, and Rose was teaching Yaz the piano. Ryan was in the library reading some series from a hundred years in the future that had caught his fancy. He rather fancied a day like today. Rushing around the universe to save the day and see everything at least twice was good and all, but sometimes a man just needed to breathe.

He wandered the TARDIS bit, assured by Rose that the time machine wouldn't let him get too lost. Graham trusted Rose, but he wasn't going to think too deeply on that. After a quiet lunch by himself in the garden, he headed to the console room to see how the Doctor was getting on. He wasn't bored. Not at all. A quiet day was good.

Just as he entered the console room, a knock on the door brought the Doctor out from under the controls. She pulled off her goggles and work gloves, looking his way with a slight pout of confusion. It was gone in an instant, her eyes widening with excitement, and she launched herself at the door.

Graham blinked when it opened to reveal a tall young man with messy dark hair. He didn't have time to really consider him before the young man stepped into the TARDIS, and the Doctor let him.

"Alistair!" The Doctor cheered.

"Hi, Dad," Alistair said with a grin. His eyes swept down the Doctor, and he chuckled. "I like the suspenders. They're fun."

"Aren't they!" the Doctor agreed. Then she opened her arms and gestured at the young man to come closer. "Come here, you."

"What happened to no hugs?"

"That was the last me," the Doctor reminded him. "And let's be honest, that didn't apply to my children."

Alistair's smile was a lot like Rose's, Graham realized. The notion that made, just maybe this was a biological child of Rose and the Doctor was sinking in. That was a terrifying thought. The pair hugged, and he noted the way that Alistair was inspecting the Doctor.

"What's it like?"

"Not so different." The Doctor shrugged. "It'll likely happen for you one day. It is harder to make people listen now. I've been apologizing to your mother for all the times that I didn't understand what she was dealing with." The Doctor sighed and shook her head. "I really did not appreciate what she has to go through."

"I'll keep that in mind," Alistair said seriously. "And maybe I'll give my sisters a call, Dad."

"Uh, Dad?" Graham asked. He couldn't contain himself anymore. He looked between the two. There was a little resemblance he supposed in the eyes, but the young man was tall with dark hair compared to the Doctor's blonde and more petite body.

"I've told you I was a man," the Doctor said. She put her hand on the young man's shoulder. Or rather, she tried to. "This is my son, Alistair. Alistair, this is Graham. He's traveling with your mum and me. Along with Yaz and Ryan. You'll like them all."

"It's nice to meet you," Alistair said politely. He held out a hand, and Graham shook it. But Alistair turned his attention back to the Doctor. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek. "Good to see you, Dad. I need to say hi to Mum."

"She was working on tea," the Doctor offered. "Just finished giving Yaz a music lesson."

"You weren't helping?"

"So far, I'm rubbish in the kitchen." The Doctor held up her hands. "Good tinkering hands this time around. I'm not bad with the ice cream maker actually, but that's hardly tea time."

Alistair chuckled and nodded. Then he turned on his heel and headed down the hallway, leaving Graham with a grinning Doctor. Something in his expression must have said it all because the Doctor frowned, almost pouted, at him.

"What?"

"Why is he calling you Dad?" Graham was still trying to wrap his head around all this.

"It's what he's called me since he started talking," the Doctor explained. "Rose and I talked about it after I changed." The Doctor shrugged. "Didn't see much point in changing things around."

"Ah." Graham nodded slowly. "Sorry, I thought you were joking about the whole being a man thing."

"I know." The Doctor smiled again. "It's not so bad. A bit different, but I have Rose, I have the TARDIS, and my kids." She patted the TARDIS console fondly. "Biological sex and gender identity are small things when you look at the whole of the universe."

"Yeah," Graham said. He was smiling now and looked around at the console room. "I suppose they are." Then he paused and glanced down the hallway. "So, is this visit with his parents only, or do we get to sit in and try to hear embarrassing stories?"

The Doctor laughed and grabbed Graham's arm, all but pulling him towards the kitchen where tea was waiting. Graham had no idea that the Doctor was plotting ways to get all of their children home for a visit. Given Graham's reaction to Dad, it would be very funny to see how he reacted to Grandad and Great-Grandad.