A/N: This was a hard chapter to write, but I wanted to do something different here. Instead of following the regular episode as I have for most of them, I followed the Doctor, Rose, and Martha in 1969. I hope you all like it, as I really worked hard on this.

Season Three: "Blink"

"So, a faire," the Doctor grinned, in a very good mood. "There's a rather large one on Krosillar."

"Hmm?" Rose asked, blinking owlishly from her spot in one of the coral branches, where she perched, daydreaming. "I'm sorry love, what was that?"

"You wanted to go to a faire two days ago," he reminded her. "And the Krosillarian faire is the biggest and best."

"What's it for?" she asked, hopping down and moving over to him. "The faire, I mean. Why they having a faire?"

He adjusted the controls to take them to a good spot on Krosillar. "That's the one place in the universe where Reaper eggs are found. So at the end of the season, once all the eggs have been found and returned to the Time Vortex, they hold an elaborate festival."

"Reaper eggs? Those things that attacked when I messed up the timeline and saved my Dad?"

He nodded, glancing at her as she shuddered. "You won't see any, Rose. They get to the eggs before they hatch. Any that can't be tossed into the vortex are destroyed."

"Thought you said they couldn't be hurt," she said, remembering.

He nodded. "Any that hatch within the Time Vortex can only be hurt or killed in the Time Vortex. One that htaches outside of it can be killed just after hatching, or the eggs can be destroyed."

"Oh, so we'll be safe, yeah?"

He kissed her softly, smiling. "Safe as I can make you, my Rose. I promise."

"Weren't you doing that last time I saw you?" Martha teased as she came in the room. "Honestly, you two are so cute sometimes I just want to smack you."

The Doctor blushed and busied himself with flying the TARDIS, but Rose just grinned and moved closer to her friend. He couldn't help but wonder sometimes what it was about that one adorable pink and yellow human that made him feel as though he were going through his adolescence all over again.

"Doctor's taking us to the biggest faire in the universe," his Rose announced to the other woman.

"Really?!" their companion asked excitedly. "Like with rides and games and everything?"

"Really really," he promised. "Though I don't know if the rides are any good. I don't think I've ever ridden any."

There was a silence after he said that, and he finally peeked around to find them both staring at him with their mouths open.

"What?"

"You've never been on a faire ride?" Martha asked with some shock.

As he shook his head, Rose put her hands on her hips. "Well, we're gonna fix that."

"Oh are we now?" he asked, amused.

She sauntered over to him. "Yes, we are. If Martha and I have to tie you up to do it."

Martha laughed. "If I can find the closet that has the rope."

They landed and headed out to what they expected would be a large crowd, but found only a few workers, bright purple, of course.

"Sorry folks!" a purple man yelled, waving at them. "Festival hasn't started yet!"

"Why not?" the Doctor asked.

"Missing an egg," he answered. "Some idiot stole a Red Reaper egg and took off with it, and unless we track it down and take care of it, one of those nightmares will be loose and we won't be able to banish it away."

"That's not good," Martha said.

Rose shook her head. "You have no idea. I've seen them. The word nightmare doesn't even begin to cover them."

"And you're sure it was a red?" the Doctor asked, frowning intensely.

The worker nodded. "Unfortunately. Final count of the removed was short by one of the count found. They've tracked it to a planet, but we aren't exactly inconspicuous there, so we're trying to find someone to destroy it. What species are you three?"

"Time Lord," the Doctor answered, gesturing to himself, then to Martha and Rose in turn, "human, and... well, we're actually still working on hers. Sort of human."

His fiancee stuck her tongue out at him.

"Earth human? But that actually helps! The red egg is on Earth!" he said excitedly. "Come with me to the elders, maybe you could help us out!"

He led them to the Hall of Elders, where they were granted an audience almost immediately.

"Mr. Sobriek tells us that you are a Time Lord, accompanied by earthlings," the council head said solemnly. "This news is quite welcome, given the situation."

The Doctor nodded. "I won't allow this thing to threaten the Earth. I'm quite attached to that planet."

Another elder nodded. "The red hatching is due in thirteen hours, sir. I fail to see how you are going to prevent it."

"You just watch us," Rose scowled, turning. "If you'll excuse us, not much time..."

"You'll need to be aware of the Druth migration..." the council head called out.

Martha tipped her head. "The what?"

The Doctor smacked his head. "Of course, the Druth are little creatures, about the size of housecats, that flock around Reaper eggs. They're usually on this world... but if the last egg is on Earth..."

"Then the Druth are going to migrate there," Rose finished. "Great. Well, we've gotta stop the hatching still, right?"

"We can offer whatever assistance you find necessary," one of the council told them. "Please do not feel you will be doing this alone."

They headed back to the TARDIS and the Doctor immediately set the heading for Earth.

"I'm setting her to trace the egg and land near it," he informed the women, who were looking at the bows and arrows the council had given them to take care of the Druth.

Martha shook her head. "If someone had told me a year ago that I would be doing this, I'd have just laughed at them."

Rose smiled. "If someone had warned me, he wouldn't had to ask twice."

"Twice?" her friend asked. "You must have made an impression on him."

"I guess I did," she smiled. "He was different then. Bitter, grumpy, so unhappy..."

"Then I picked up a jeopardy friendly, mouthy blonde who refused to listen or stay where I told her to," the Doctor teased.

His fiancee stuck her tongue out. "If I had listened, even once, you'd be dead. Or I'd be stuck in Pete's world with Mickey and Mum."

He nodded, looking away as a shadow passed his eyes. "I know..."

Martha nodded toward him and slipped out of the room while Rose moved to his side.

"Theta..." she murmured, touching his arm.

He turned and pulled her to him, burying his face in her hair. "Oh my Rose... when I think of all the ways I could have lost you... and everything that I have lost..."

"Shh," she soothed, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm here. If there's one thing I know from being human, it's that you can't spend your time being afraid of losing people. I'm here, and I love you. And I'm going to keep right on loving you. And if something happens some day and we do have to part... then I'm going to be grateful for every day we had together, not mourning the ones that never were."

He pulled back and cupped her face. "When did you get so smart?" he asked lovingly.

She grinned at him. "I read a lot."

The alarm sounded, alerting the Doctor that they had landed.

"Well, let's see where we've gone to," he said, tugging her to the controls.

"Martha! We landed!" Rose called out running the few steps with him. "How close did we get?"

"Pretty close, but we're going to need a cab. Even I don't want to run twelve miles."

"Well, let's go!" Martha called out, running for the door.

"You created a monster," Rose teased the Doctor.

He pulled her out too, laughing. "Me? I thought she was your friend?!"

They hailed a taxi and set out for the egg, Martha glancing at her watch. "What time is the hatching supposed to happen?"

"By your watch... 4:13 pm," the Doctor answered promptly.

"Cutting it kinda close, aren't we?"

They arrived and darted across the road.

"Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!" a woman shouted, running out of a shop and and toward them.

The three paused and stared at her, a bit surprised.

"Hello! Sorry, bit of a rush, there's a sort of thing happening, fairly important we stop it," the Doctor said with a smile.

The woman shook her head, obviously amazed. "My God, it's you, it really is you. Oh, you don't remember me, do you?"

Martha looked up at the sky. "We don't have time for this. Migration's started."

"Look, sorry," Rose said to her. "We've got a bit of a complex life. Things don't always happen to us in order. It isn't that we don't want to know you..."

He nodded. "Gets confusing, especially at weddings, I'm rubbish at weddings, especially my own."

"You'll be fine at the wedding," his fiancee laughed. "Unless we miss this egg."

The woman laughed. "Oh, my God! Of course, you're a time traveller. It hasn't happened yet! None of it, it's still in your future!"

"What hasn't happened?" the Doctor asked curiously.

The medical student tried to urge them along. "Doctor! Twenty minutes to red hatching!"

The woman looked down at a folder in her hands. "It was me. Oh, for God's sake, it was me all along. You got it all from me!"

Rose tipped her head. "Got what?"

She shook her head, pressing the folder into his hands. "Okay. Listen. One day you're going to get stuck in 1969. Make sure you've got this with you. You're going to need it."

"Rose! Doctor!" Martha practically screamed.

The Doctor was obviously torn. He wanted to talk to the woman more, obviously, but the hatching was pretty important. "Yeah, listen, listen, got to dash...things happening. Well, four things. Well, four things and a lizard."

The woman waved her hands with a bright smile. "Okay. No worries, on you go. See you around, some day."

They started to move off, but Rose turned back. "What was your name?"

"Sally Sparrow."

"Good to meet you, Sally Sparrow," the Doctor grinned.

Just then, a man walked up, gaping at them, obviously dumbstruck. Sally took his hand and grinned at them.

"Goodbye, Doctor. Rose. Martha," she beamed.

She turned and led the man away, into a shop, their arms wound around each other as they spoke quietly. The Doctor gave a final, fond look at Sally, then pulled Rose along as the three of them ran after the Reaper egg.

"Are the Reapers really lizards?" Rose asked.

He laughed loudly. "I really do love you. That whole conversation and your first question is whether Reapers are lizards."

She blushed a bit. "Well?"

"Not really," he said, still laughing as he pulled down a fire escape and they began to climb. "But something kind of close."

A creature, somewhere between a bird and a bat, flew by, dive bombing them. Before long there were several flying at them.

"I'd say we're close!" the Doctor called.

Rose fired one of her arrows into a Druth and it disappeared in a puff of red smoke. "What the hell?"

Martha fired and another puffed out of existence. "Is this normal, Doctor?"

He looked at one of the arrows. "Clever! I didn't examine these closely. They having homing chips. Hit the target, drag it back to what I'm guessing is a containment pen back on Krosillar."

"Move up," his fiancee nodded toward the roof. "We need to get that egg out of here too!"

Firing carefully into the flock of Druth, the three made it to the top of the fire escape just as the egg was beginning to move.

"How do we get it to the Vortex?" Martha asked, beginning to panic.

"Rose, grab the egg and I'll call the TARDIS to you like I did with the Racnoss. Then we'll open the panel on the console," the Doctor said quickly.

Rose nodded and darted forward, snatching the bright red egg, wincing as it cracked. The three people moved close as the ship materialized around them.

"Martha! Don't look into the light, the Vortex could possibly kill you!" Rose cried, moving to the console.

The Doctor opened the panel and she chucked the egg inside just as a long sharp claw burst through the shell and scraped against her arm. A golden tendril reached out from the vortex and wrapped around the wounded area and pulsed before unwinding itself and retreating.

"Are you okay?" the Doctor asked, closing the panel. "I thought it scratched you."

Martha opened her eyes and hurried over. "Your shirt's torn."

Rose looked closely. "It did scratch me, but the Vortex touched me..."

He placed a hand on her arm. "That's twice..."

She laughed a bit. "Oh honestly, what else can it do to me? I'm not even human anymore."

The medical student was poking at his hand until he moved it and let her look. "Rose... you might want to check your biological make up again. Another touch may have changed you further."

"Later, later. We have something much more important to do now," she insisted.

"What's that?!" the other two asked.

Rose laughed. "Faire's on now."

A week later Rose woke to find the Doctor sitting at a desk, going through the folder that Sally Sparrow had given them. He seemed upset, so she climbed out of bed and went to him, rubbing his back.

"What's got you so tense?" she asked.

He reached up and took her hand, bringing it forward and kissing her palm. "Weeping angels."

"Weeping angels?" she repeated. "The statues?"

"Not always statues," he explained. "They're only statues when you're looking at them. When they aren't seen they can kill you."

She shook her head. "Why are you worried about those right now?"

He showed her the contents of the folder. "They're feeding on people on Earth."

She glanced through the items spread on the desk. "Love, we can go get rid of them once you've rested. I know our MO has always been dash right off and attack, but let's go after we've slept some this time."

He laughed a little. "What? We're using common sense now?"

She smiled, then covered a large yawn.

He stood and put his arms around her, walking her back to bed. "You win. We sleep first, then save the day."

They lay down and snuggled close, Rose asleep nearly immediately. As the Doctor watched her sleep, he noticed a tendril of gold escape as she exhaled. He frowned, remembering that he needed to run diagnostics on her again. He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.

"Keep protecting her," he murmured to the TARDIS. "You know how much I need her, old girl. If I lose her now..."

The TARDIS hummed comfortingly and he sighed. Rose hummed slightly also and tightened her hold on him, mumbling sleepily, "...my Doctor... love you..."

Then he did smile and closed his eyes. "I love you, too, my Rose."

When the time travelers woke, the Doctor explained to Martha about the weeping angels and why they had to stop them from attacking people from the house at Wester Drumlin. She immediately agreed they needed to go stop them, but Rose hesitated.

"How do we stop them, Doctor?" she wanted to know.

"Well..." he hesitated. "I was thinking we just smash the statues..."

"Will that work on them?" Martha asked, a bit amazed at the simplicity of his plan.

The blonde woman laughed a bit. "I suppose we'll find out, won't we?"

They 'parked' the TARDIS just outside the house, looking around carefully. They opened the door and moved inside.

"Stay together," the Doctor said. "If you see an angel, watch it, don't even blink. They can attack in the very instant you close your eyes."

The two women nodded, both reaching out and grabbing the Doctor's coat. They tiptoed through the house, peeking around every corner.

"Doctor?" Rose asked. "Did we come to the house before Sally gave us the folder, or after?"

"Oh, that's a very good question," he replied.

"You didn't check that?!" Martha nearly shouted.

"Oi!" he exclaimed with a frown. "I do happen to have quite a bit on my mind. And that particular detail wasn't among the thoughts I was focusing on."

"Not the time!" his fiancée snapped.

They fell silent, continuing to search each room thoroughly. After finding nothing for nearly twenty minutes, they had just about decided that the angels weren't there. Rose moved into a room that might have been a conservatory at one point.

"You know… once we get the angels out of here, someone could fix this place up nice," she said thoughtfully, jumping when the door to the room slammed shut.

"Rose!" the Doctor and Martha cried in alarm as the blonde woman flew over and pounded on the door.

"Doctor!"

She turned around, screaming sharply. An angel was less than three feet from her, hands outstretched.

"Rose!" he shouted again, pounding the door furiously.

"Oh God… there's on in here…" she said, shaking.

"Don't look away from it, Rose!" Martha shouted. "Doctor, the sonic screwdriver!"

It felt like an eternity ticking away as Rose stared at the creature that wanted to kill her, and the man she loved worked to open the door. She heard a click and the door opened, the Doctor grabbed her hand, and she turned her head…

It was like being turned into a spitball; smashed, squeezed through a straw, and shot into a heap against a building. The three of them landed in a tangled mess, groaning.

"What the hell happened?" Martha asked. "Are we dead?"

"No," Rose answered, pulling herself away. "I refuse to believe that being dead hurts this much."

"We've been sent back in time," the Doctor sighed, sitting up. "I'm not sure when we were sent to, but that's what they do. They send you back and feed on the potential energy of your bypassed life."

"And the TARDIS is left there…" the blonde woman pointed out.

He nodded. "But I locked it. And unless one of you two gave them your key, they can't get in."

Both women felt around their necks, and Martha gave a mournful cry.

"Gave, no, but I have lost mine somehow!"

"Well, don't worry, I'm sure it will turn out all right. Right now, we need to figure out when and where we are," the Doctor shook his head, standing and helping them up.

"How long until we can go home?" Rose asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know yet."

They began traveling through the city, quickly discovering that they were in London, though the year was obviously somewhere in the late 60's or early 70's.

"1969!" the Doctor cried. "Sally Sparrow!"

"Of course," his fiancée said. "When we get back, remind me to give that woman a hug."

"So… we'll be here for a tick," Martha sighed, being practical. "We need a place to stay and obviously a way to feed ourselves. Guess we'll be getting jobs."

"You and I maybe," her friend smiled. "Not him. He's got to get everything in that folder set up and ready so we can get back home."

The Doctor blinked. That hadn't actually occurred to him. He didn't want Rose to work. He wanted her to be with him while he fixed things. The thought made him frown.

Don't pout," she said with a smile, knowing him well enough to know what he was thinking. "We'll find a flat that doesn't require we put money down first – at least that's more likely in 1969 – and we'll go find some work to pay for little things like rent, food, and clothes."

"Clothes?" he repeated.

The medical student laughed. "Yes, in case you didn't notice, we don't fit in all that well, and the TARDIS' wardrobe isn't here to choose from."

Flats were harder to come by than they had imagined. They looked at seven without luck. The first three wanted first month up front, the fourth and sixth refused because the Doctor and Rose weren't yet married, and the fifth and seventh didn't want a black woman living in their building.

They sat on a bench in the park, staring at the paper together.

"This is impossible," Martha shook her head.

"Not impossible, just frustrating," Rose corrected, ever the optimist of their group.

"Let's find the closest one and just go," the Time Lord suggested, without much hope.

"Oh my gosh…" Rose giggled. "There's an opening at the Powell Estates."

"That place is kinda… seedy," their friend said slowly. "Don't you think?"

The blonde woman flushed a deep red. "I… I need a moment…"

As she stood and moved away, the black woman realized she'd said something very wrong. "Help me understand, Doctor?"

He watched her walk away. "She grew up in the Powell Estates, she and her mother."

"Oh… how stupid I am…"

He patted her arm. "It'll work out. She loves you, Martha. She'll forgive you easily."

She nodded miserably. "Still… I only wish I hadn't said that."

"Why don't you go talk to her?" he said kindly to her. "I'll wait for you here."

She nodded and headed off after her friend. She caught up with her not far away.

"Rose, wait!"

"He told you?"

Martha nodded, linking arms with the woman who had become the best friend in the universe to her. "I'm sorry. I've been a bit of a snob. It never occurred to me that I might not only know someone who'd lived there, but that she'd be the most amazing person I'd ever met."

Her friend smiled and shook her head. "I'm not, but thank you. You're probably the best friend I've ever had, not counting the Doctor and Mickey."

"Who's Mickey?"

Rose stared into space for a few moments. "We grew up together, he and I. Everyone assumed we were gonna get married, and I guess we probably would have... but then I met the Doctor, and I knew that I needed more than the safe, ordinary life I'd have had with him."

Her friend stared at her in understanding. "What happened to him?"

"He chose a life in a parallel world where he could make a difference and be the man he was too afraid to be here."

Martha sighed. "Girl... you've almost lost as much as he has."

She smiled, though it was sad. "But I have him. And that's what I need most of all. Mum's happy with Pete. Mickey has the chance to really be someone. And I... I get to be with him, for the rest of our lives."

"However long that is," the black woman teased.

The two women laughed, their eyes caught by a man putting a sign in the window across the street. 'For Rent'.

"No way," Martha gaped. "Can it be that easy?"

Rose was already pulling her across the street. They burst through the door and saw the man going into a flat. "Hey! Wait!"

He looked back out, smiling at them. He rather reminded both women of someone's grandfather. "Can I help you girls?"

"My sister, and her fiancée and I are looking for a place to live," Martha jumped right in, ignoring his double take as she said sister. "We were sort of dumped in London this morning, and we've got nothing. But we're gonna get jobs, and please, oh please say your for rent sign was meant for us!"

Rose grabbed her hand, every inch as hopeful. "Everywhere we've tried says no. Either we don't have a deposit or they're upset because I haven't had the opportunity to make it official... or they hate my poor sister for no good reason whatsoever."

The older man put a hand on both girls' arms. "Ladies, breathe. You two remind me of my granddaughter, and I don't want you on the street anymore than I would her. Let me talk to the missus, and you bring your fellow around for me to meet. What're your names?"

"I'm Martha Jones, and this is Rose."

"And your young man, Miss Rose Jones?"

Rose didn't correct him. There wasn't a point, really. Martha answered for her.

"John Tyler. You'll really like him, sir."

He just laughed. "Well, go get him and I'll get the sign."

They both kissed the old man's cheeks and ran for the door. They didn't stop running until they nearly fell, skidding to a halt before the Doctor.

"Your talk go that well?" he laughed.

"We might have found a flat!" his fiancée exclaimed. "Come meet the landlord! Oh, and my name is Rose Jones at the moment, and this is my sister, Martha."

"But your name is the same as when I first met you," her 'sister' grinned. "John Tyler."

"He ought to be a writer, don't you think?" Rose asked, pulling him to his feet. "Explains why he's not getting a regular job."

Martha shook her head. "Inventor is more like. Explain anything weird he makes while we're here."

"You know that 'he' is still right here?" the Doctor couldn't help but laugh as the two propelled him to their destination. Whenever Rose was smiling, he couldn't help but feel upbeat.

They knocked on the door, smiling hopefully when an older woman with a sweet smile opened it.

"Oh, you must be Doug's girls he was just talking about. He's in the kitchen, but you come right in," she stood back, looking at them. "So… you aren't married, and obviously you're a little black, honey, and none of you have jobs, but you need to live somewhere."

The three of them nodded, walking into the flat a bit apprehensively.

"Oh relax, kids," she laughed. "No matter what Doug says, I do not bite."

"Millie, that them?" Doug called, coming out of the kitchen. "There you are. This John?"

The Doctor nodded and held his hand out. "John Tyler. Nice to meet you."

Rose looked around curiously, suddenly missing her mother. The little domestic things in Doug and Millie's home were the sort of things Jackie might have. She wondered if Pete was treating her well, and if the baby had been a boy or a girl. She dropped her eyes to the floor, hoping no one noticed the unshed tears that sprang suddenly to her eyes.

"So, the girls were saying they're going to get jobs, what do you do?" Doug asked the Doctor.

He shrugged. "It's hard to explain. At the moment I'm trying to rectify some anomalies in time and I have to record a few codes and procedures for future insertion into technology that hasn't been created yet. I also need to figure out how to check for other anomalies."

Both the older people blinked at him for several seconds. Martha gaped. She couldn't believe he would just tell them everything like that.

Well, son," the landlord said after a moment, "that doesn't make a single bit of sense to me, but it sure as heck explains why you aren't in the regular job market."

Martha covered her face with her hand.

"Don't you worry about it, sweetie," Millie said, rubbing her back. "We had a nephew a lot like him. Smart as whip, but he never did make it into the science world like he tried. Poor thing died in a car accident just two weeks before his wedding."

"That's awful!" the black woman sympathized.

Rose started to cry and the Doctor moved immediately to her side and wrapped his arms around her. He shushed her, holding her close.

Looking guilty, the older woman bit her lip. "Come on, Martha, honey. Let's get some tea together."

They moved into the kitchen, leaving the couple alone with Doug.

"Hey sweetheart," the older man moved closer. "Don't you cry, now. Millie and I are gonna let you stay here, and we'll look after you. We don't have any of our own kids anymore, just the one granddaughter who doesn't come home nearly enough. She's been off getting to know her father's people, so I can't blame her. You smile for old Doug, and we'll show you the flat after we get some tea into you. I'm willing to bet you haven't eaten anything today, have you?"

"I'm s-sorry," she sniffed. "I just… Millie makes me miss my mum…"

Her fiancée kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, love."

"I keep telling you, it's not your fault. But I am a bit peckish."

After being stuffed by the couple, they were taken to see a small, two bedroom flat with a view of the park. They decided on a rent, and a schedule to pay while they got established. They even loaned the three pillows and blankets until they could get some furnishings. Millie stuffed several days worth of groceries into the small fridge.

"Mum would love this," Martha grinned at the 'modern' appliance. "It's so retro!"

"Take a picture on your phone," Rose suggested. "That way you can show her when you visit next."

Her 'sister' grinned. "I haven't really seen her since I started running around with you two. Don't you ever take your companions visit their families?"

"Not really," the Doctor answered absently, looking in a small linen cupboard.

Rose blinked. "We visited my mum pretty often."

He blushed slightly. "Well… you were a bit different, weren't you? I couldn't exactly love you and not do everything possible to make you happy."

Martha sighed. "I wish I had that. One of these days, a man is going to have a lot to live up to."

The blonde moved over and kissed his cheek. "I love you too. But we're going to have to sleep soon. Got to find us some work tomorrow. I'm thinking waitress, because I refuse to work in a shop again. Not since you blew the last one up."

"I got you out first."

"Grabbed my hand and said run," she teased, her tone loving.

"And I'm not letting go, ever," he promised seriously.

"Going to bed now!" Martha announced loudly, heading off the obvious ending to that line of conversation.

When they were alone, snuggled together on their pallet, the Doctor brushed the hair out of her face and looked at her searchingly.

"Rose… Millie's story has me thinking."

"About what?"

"What would happen if one of us were to…"

"Doctor," she warned.

He kissed her. "I want you to be my wife, my Rose. I don't think we should wait anymore."

She gasped. "Oh… Theta, you mean it? But… how are we…?"

"I don't know, but as soon as we get it worked out, I plan to make you and I one."

She hugged him tightly. "I can't wait."

The next day turned out well for the stranded time travelers, as both women got jobs, right across the street from each other. Martha immediately liked the woman who hired her at a fashionable clothing store. Her interview was like meeting a new friend.

Hi," she said, walking into the store. "I'm Martha Jones, and I was hoping to ask about the job in the window?"

"I'm Ginger Harris, Martha. You have any experience in sales?" a tall brunette smiled.

She grimaced. "Not really. But I'm smart and ready to do whatever needs done, and I can hold my tongue even when I'd rather not."

Ginger laughed. "Now that is a talent to brag about. Tell me about yourself?"

They moved further into the store, back to the dressing rooms where a pile of clothing had to be put back onto hangers and returned to the racks. Without really thinking about it, Martha started helping while she talked. "I just got into town with my sister and her fiancée and we were kind of stranded without a dime to our name and only the clothes on our back. We've got no way home, and really nothing to our names."

"That's awful!" the shop manager gasped, hanging up a dress and shaking out some of the wrinkles.

"I know, and Rose and John really want to get married and make it official, but I just can't see any way we can make it happen until we get our hands on a steady source of income," the black woman sighed, folding a pair of slacks so that the hems and seams lined up.

"No, that would be hard."

"I just want to help, you know? We've been traveling together for a while now, and I do what I can to pitch in, but I just want them to be happy."

Ginger nodded. "I understand, hon."

Before she knew it had happened, she'd been helping around the store for around a half hour. Another woman walked in, asking about the job, and Ginger shook her head.

"Sorry, I filled the spot and forgot to get the sign out of the window."

After the woman left, Martha frowned. "You filled the spot? Then why'd you interview me?"

The manager laughed. "Honey, you've been working here for the last half hour. You really think I'm not gonna keep you now?"

Martha laughed with her. "One last question. Are there any rules about setting up a tab for clothes for me and my family?"

Across the street, Rose was being leered at by a man who agreed to hire her before he barked at a black woman, the only other server in the place, to take her to the back to get her a uniform. The girl winked at Rose and took her to the back room, locking the door as they entered.

"Why'd you lock it?" the blonde asked.

"Jake's a perv. He'd likely open the door while you're changing and claim it was an accident. I'm Sally Lawson."

Rose held out a hand, smiling as she shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Sally. I'm Rose Jones. Is he really awful?"

She laughed. "He'll stare at you all creepy like, but he doesn't interfere in the running of the restaurant much. And I heard some of your story while you were talking to him. The cook, Big George, is my oldest brother. I'll tell him how you're kinda dumped here with your sweetie and sister, and he'll make sure you've got something to take home after your shift."

"That is so sweet of you," the newly hired woman said warmly.

Sally waved a hand, pulling out a fairly short, bright teal dress with cap sleeves. "Here's the uniform. Very few can pull this color off, but you and I obviously look good in everything. The orange apron leaves a bit to be desired, but Jake's not known for his taste."

Rose couldn't help but laugh at her. She liked Sally very much. "Well, he can't be all bad. He hired both of us."

The other woman grinned. "I knew I liked you, Rose Jones. Let's get you changed and started with some tables so you can hopefully get a few pounds to take home with you."

That evening, Rose had managed to get five pounds in tips and three salads, though Big George said he didn't see why a skinny little thing like her wanted all the dressing for a sandwich without the sandwich. The moment they entered the flat, the Doctor hugged the two tightly.

"Finally!" he grinned. "I was going mad! There is nothing to do here!"

Rose laughed. "So start laying out a list of things that have to be done according to the folders Sally Sparrow gave you. Then at least you'll know what's needed to get us home."

Martha nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me. Before you start heading out, come get some clothes from the store. Ginger's letting us have a tab until I've gotten a few paychecks. I'm making fifty pounds a week, that's pretty good, I think."

"Sally Lawson, at the diner, says I can make five to ten a day there, even if I do have to close every night."

"I'm closing too!" the medical student laughed. "Good thing both places close at eight."

After several days, life settled into a sort of routine. Rose and Martha went to work, one woman bringing home fun clothes, and the other cash and food. The Doctor began getting things to both furnish their temporary home and build equipment to do all the things that had to be done so they could get the TARDIS back. Martha's first day off consisted of going with the Doctor to check out the house at Wester Drumlin, and plant a message under the wallpaper. Rose's first day off consisted of going to meet one Katherine Costello Nightingale Wainwright.

Her house was at the end of a quiet street, where kids rode bicycles and jumped rope, and neighbors chatted over hedge rows. A preteen boy with sandy hair and bright blue eyes said hello to them from Kathy's front yard, then ran inside.

The Doctor couldn't help but chuckle. "I love humans. So different at every stage of life."

Rose smiled and shook her head as he knocked on the door. A kind eyed older woman opened it and tipped her head.

"Can I help you?"

"Katherine Wainwright?" the Doctor asked. "Katherine Costello Nightingale Wainwright?"

She blinked. "Do I know you?"

Rose shook her head and pulled something out of her pocket. "No, but you're the only one in this city likely who knows what this is." She held up her mobile.

The older woman gasped. "Oh my word, Wester Drumlin?"

At their nod she ushered them inside. Seating them in the parlour, she shooed the boy off to play and brought in a pitcher of lemonade and some glasses.

"It's been so long since all that," she said, sitting in a chair near them. "How did you know to find me?"

"Sally Sparrow, actually. She and your brother gave us information that's helping us get our time machine back. There's nothing we can do to give you back the life that was stolen from you, but-"

Kathy shook her head, interrupting the Doctor. "No, I wouldn't want it if you could. I wouldn't give up any of the time I've had with my Ben."

Rose reached for her fiancée's hand. "I know just what you mean, Kathy. You'll always love and miss those you left, but you know you're right where you were meant to be."

She looked between the young couple and smiled softly. "Yes exactly. I see you know what I mean."

"And every minute is worth it," the younger woman nodded, looking meaningfully at the Doctor.

He looked at Kathy thoughtfully. "You really would rather have been trapped in 1920?"

Kathy patted his hand. "Life is a series of moments, dear boy. The key to living is finding someone who makes you happy and sharing those moments with them. If you stay focused on the possibility of losing people or regretting something, all you'll have in the end is regret."

Rose laid her head on the Doctor's shoulder and he looked down at her blonde hair. After a few long, thoughtful minutes, he said, "I think I understand you perfectly. But this isn't really why we came. You need to write a letter to Sally."

Whatever Kathy had been expecting, this was not it. "I beg your pardon?"

"Part of what gets our home back to us is the letter that Sally gets from you," the younger woman explained. "Don't you want your best friend and brother to know you loved them, as you'll no longer be able to be with them?"

She nodded. "Yes. I've thought about doing just that so many times. But I wasn't sure how I would get it to her."

"I take a letter to someone for you, Grandmum," the boy said from the doorway."

"Ian! Have you been standing there listening when I told you to run along?" Kathy exclaimed.

His sheepish expression said yes he had been. "I'm sorry. But I can take a letter to someone for you."

Rose and the Doctor exchanged a look. The blonde woman smiled and looked to the boy. "Ian, do you keep your promises? No matter what?"

The boy nodded, moving into the room. "Granddad says if a man can't keep a promise, then he's no good as a man."

The Doctor beamed at the boy. "Right you are, brilliant."

"Ian," Rose said to him, holding out a hand. No one was surprised as the preteen boy went to her at once and took her hand. Her fiancée was reminded of the boys at the academy. "Sweet, you realize it's going to be a long, long time before you can fulfill this promise, right?"

The boy nodded solemnly. "I promise that I will do it, if it makes Grandmum happy."

"Even if it takes you thirty eight years?" the Doctor asked.

Ian raised his chin stubbornly. "Even if it takes a hundred."

They left soon after that, there was no further reason to interrupt Kathy's life. The trip back to their flat was a quiet one, and the Doctor pulled Rose close for it. He thought it over seriously, and given the same choices his beautiful girl had, he would have chosen her over everything. Thinking over everything in his own life, he was pretty sure he would choose her over any of it. He took a detour...

A five and a half hour detour.

Rose was confused, until they departed the train at Gretna Green. "Doctor?"

"I've done some research... and people get married here," he said shyly.

She pulled him close. "We probably should have told Martha."

He grinned. "I did. She's the one who told me to go for it."

Rose laughed and kissed him lightly.

About an hour later, a priest had gone with them out into a field and the Doctor was speaking quietly with him while Rose tipped her face up to the sun, smiling at it's warmth. When the men finished speaking, her fiancée turned to get her attention and simply smiled at her.

She was beautiful, his Rose. Perfectly human and wonderfully his. She'd healed all the centuries of pain and torture he'd put himself through and gave him hope for a new life. As long as she was there, he didn't really need anything else. This was a religious ceremony, not a civil one, but he'd explained the few traditions that would bind them in the ways of the Time Lords.

"Rose," he said softly, holding out a hand.

She opened her hazel eyes and beamed at him, tip of her tongue poking out. "I can't believe we're finally doing this," she laughed, moving to him and taking his hand. "Are we going to run now?"

He sighed happily. "Only together, for the rest of our lives."

"I love you, Doctor," she smiled.

"I love you, my beautiful Rose."

"Are we ready?" the priest asked, smiling at the lovers.

The pair nodded, blushing slightly. The priest gestured for them to face him, and the Doctor pulled a cloth out of a pocket and handed it to him. It was crimson and gold, something like satin or silk, only so much more luxurious. The priest took the cloth and wrapped it around the wrists of their joined hands, the Doctor's left and Rose's right.

"In following the traditions of your homeland, as explained to me by this man who says his name is simply the Doctor, I bind your hands as one; one life, one journey, one adventure together," the officiate said with a smile.

He held out the small knife the Doctor had given him. It had seemed a rather barbaric custom, but he didn't judge those who simply wanted to express their love to one another.

"Do you trust me, Rose?" the Doctor asked.

"Forever," she replied with utter certainty.

He unclasped her hand, and turned his out to make a simple cut across his palm. "I open myself to you, my love and my life. I will hide nothing from you, not in deeds or thoughts."

As he offered the hilt of the blade to her, she almost cried at the beauty of his sentiment. To be offered everything in him... it was all she ever wanted. He nodded at her, indicating she should do the same. She took the blade, drawing it across her own palm.

"I open myself to you, my love and my life," she repeated, staring into his loving brown eyes. "I will hide nothing from you, not in deeds or thoughts."

The Doctor took the blade back, dropping it into one of his pockets, and clasped their hands together again, mixing their blood. The bits of the Time Vortex in Rose's blood caused a slight golden glow, which caused the priest's eyes to widen in surprise, but he kept calm and coontinued on. Deeply imbedded in the Doctor's DNA was the same Time Vortex, which allowed the Time Lords to travel throug, and it came to bear here, answering the call from his soulmate. Even the man from Gallifrey seemed surprised.

"And now, the Doctor will give his vow to Rose."

He took a deep breath. "Oh my beautiful, perfect pink and yellow human..."

Rose blushed. She had actually worn a yellow sundress with tiny pink flowers on it with pink flats. She really was pink and yellow for him.

He continued, "You saved me, my Rose. When I was certain that I had destroyed everything in my life, you came along and brought me back to myself. You made me better, made me whole. You charm the whole of the universe without even trying, and you're one of the most brilliant, clever creatures I've ever seen. I loved you from the moment you opened that door and yanked me into your mum's flat. You were so curious and brave and utterly adorable. When I tried to leave without you, I just couldn't. I knew I needed you in my life, and I know I always will."

The priest turned to Rose. "And now you will give your vow."

She took a few slow breaths and spoke, "Doctor... I began to fall for you the moment you grabbed my hand and said run. That day, everything that had been missing in my life fell into place and I finally knew where I belonged - with you. Before you came along, I was only half the woman I was meant to be, and with you I became fully me. I told you that I was going to stay with you forever, and I mean it even more now. Even if you try to send me away, I will always come back to you... and if you ever try to again, I'll slap you so hard you'll wish Mum had done it and saved you some pain."

He chuckled, but she saw the tears standing in his eyes, knowing full well they were in hers too. The priest smiled and placed a hand on their joined hands.

"Will you love, honor, and cherish your love?" He asked them both.

In unison, they answered, "I will."

"Will you protect them from harm, celebrate their accomplishments, and strive to be their port in every storm?"

As one, they again replied, "I will."

"And will you make the choice, every day you live, to love this person, and let them know they are loved every day they live?"

"I will," the couple swore, looking at each other.

"Then I pronounce you wed, in the eyes of God."

The glow intensified, and the Doctor leaned forward, whispering in her ear. Her eyes widened as the syllables sank into her mind ((which sadly, no one knows and therefore I can't put in)) and she grinned, pulling him down to whisper in return.

"Bad Wolf."

Realizing she had given him her true name in exchange for his, the Time Lord cupped her cheek and kissed the woman... his wife...

The priest handed the newly wed couple a certificate of marriage. "Be happy together," he smiled, feeling he'd just witnessed something rather special. He walked back toward the little chapel he lived and worked in, humming happily to himself.

The Doctor and his bride stood for a long moment, gazing into each other's eyes, before deciding to return to their flat to share the news with Martha.

"What was the glow?" Rose asked as they rode the train back to London.

He shook his head, holding her close. "I've never seen it in any union I ever saw. It had something to do with the Vortex though, so maybe you can ask the TARDIS when we get her back?"

She nodded, playing idly with his tie. "Oh Doctor... we're married. We're really married!" Rose turned her hand over to stare at the faint line that now crossed her palm.

"Is that a good thing, my Rose?" He asked anxiously.

She smiled broadly up at him. "Good? It's bloody brilliant," she insisted.

They kissed lovingly, unaware that those around them were smiling at the expression of pure adoration on both their faces.

When they finally returned to their flat, Martha was bouncing up and down as she waited. Seeing the ecstatic looks on the faces of her friends, she squealed and threw her arms around them.

"Soon as we get the TARDIS back, you two have to get wedding bands. Something special," she grinned. "And a honeymoon! I can visit my family and let you be alone. Oh, this is so wonderful!"

Rose laughed at Martha's enthusiasm, and felt a wave of delight from the Doctor. She blinked, shook her head and glanced at him, while he looked at her in shock.

"I'm going to bed," their friend giggled, oblivious to their shock.

The newly married couple went to their room and began getting ready for bed. The Doctor still didn't sleep much, but he loved to lay with Rose. In the TARDIS he would wait until she fell asleep and go to the library or the control room. Here, he just lay next to her, thinking and watching her. Tonight, though, she didn't seem to be tired.

"Did you feel that?" she asked, as she climbed between the sheets of their bed.

He crawled in next to her and wrapped his arms around his new wife. "That bit of emotion that wasn't quite mine? I did... but I shouldn't have."

"The glow... I think it connected us somehow." Rose snuggled to him.

"You might be right, but until we get home we can't test it," he said, suddenly grinning. "Wife."

She blinked up at him, tongue in teeth grin on her face. "Husband."

He bent to kiss her, tangling his hand in her blonde hair, and they forgot to talk anymore that night.

Their lives returned to the established routine, Rose and Martha working while the Doctor made his inventions and searched for anyone who might have been thrown back as well.

Rose told Sally that she and 'John' had run off to Gretna Green on her day off and gotten married, and the girl announced it to the whole restaurant. The blonde woman blushed deeply as the customers all cheered, and Big George stuck his head out of the kitchen and said he'd cook something special for the reception. Rose shook her head in confusion.

"Reception?" she repeated blankly.

Sally grabbed her arm. "You have to have a reception! A party for your friends to celebrate your wedding!"

The newlywed laughed. "Small party! I think we may know five or six people!"

"We'll have it here!" Sally insisted.

The door opened, and Martha entered on her lunch break.

"Hey, Martha," Big George greeted her before ducking back into the kitchen.

"My brother fancies your sister," Sally laughed. In a louder voice, she addressed the other woman. "Martha, don't you think we oughta throw a party for the newlyweds?"

Rose simply smiled and took a plate and some more tea to one of the regulars, who tucked a fiver into her apron pocket.

"Many happy returns," the man smiled at her.

"Oh Mr. Peterson, you don't have to..."

"I know I don't," the older man winked. "But I remember starting out with my Ellie. She'd want me to help out a nice girl like you."

Smiling, she went back to the counter, where Martha was eating a grilled cheese sandwich and planning a party with Sally.

"Really," she said. "I don't need a party."

"Of course not," her 'sister' grinned. "But we do."

And they did. Two nights later, Big George, Sally, their mother and two brothers, Doug and Millie, and Ginger were all in the flat where Martha, Rose, and the Doctor lived. They had brought food and gifts. The Doctor was thrilled to be part of an Earth celebration, but he was a little embarassed by the attention. They had certainly made a few good friends in their time in that decade.

A week or two passed, and the Doctor showed his wife and friend a new thing he'd managed to build, a device to track other time travelers, especially recently landed ones.

"Let's try it out!" Rose immediately said.

Martha hesitated. "What if it takes us to someone who isn't... nice?"

The other woman patted her arm. "I wouldn't worry so much, sis. The Doctor and I have met lots of not nice people in our time together. We know how to deal with them."

Her husband kissed her cheek and smiled. "Besides, we have to meet D.I. Billy Shipton, here's the picture." He handed a picture of a handsome black man to Martha. "He's our last link to complete. Well, him and some video equipment to record this message. I need someone to keep it afterward, or I'd have already recorded it."

Rose stood. She'd been stuck in a normal life too long, she was ready to get back to her adventures with her Doctor. "Come on! We need to test it!"

He grinned and stood with her, tugging a reluctant Martha behind him. They all laughed as they jogged down the stairs and out the door, waving to Doug as he peeked out the door at they noise. The older man just laughed and shook his head as he shut the door again.

They jogged through the town, joking and laughing. It was a bit after ten at night, and nothing was exactly open in this neighborhood, but the three were well used to entertaining each other. It wasn't long before the machine began making noises, and they followed it excitedly.

They turned a corner just in time to see a man that looked like the picture of Billy hit his back against a wall, falling to the ground. They ran to him immediately.

"Welcome," the Doctor called to him.

The man looked at them with wide eyes, obviously shocked. "Where am I?"

Martha checked him for signs of injury and concussion, her professional demeanor encouraging the unintentional time traveler to sit still and submit.

"1969. Not bad,as it goes. You've got the moon landing to look forward to," the Time Lord said distractedly, looking at his machine.

Rose sighed, "Oh, the moon landing's brilliant. We went four times, remember Martha? Back when we had transport..."

The Doctor looked up, laughing at his wife's teasing. "Working on it!"

The two women laughed, but their fellow victim frowned.

"How did I get here?"

"The same way we did. The touch of an angel. Same one, probably, since you ended up in the same year," the man with the machine said thoughtfully.

Billy started to get to his feet, but Rose put a hand on his arm and smiled. "No no no no no, don't get up."

"Time travel without a capsule, nasty. Catch your breath, don't go swimming for half an hour," the Doctor nodded.

"I don't... I can't..." The newcomer was at a loss for words.

The Doctor stared into space for a moment. "Fascinating race, the Weeping Angels. The only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely. No mess, no fuss, they just zap you into the past and let you live to death. The rest of your life used up and blown away in the blink of an eye. You die in the past, and in the present they consume the energy of all the days you might have had, all your stolen moments. They're creatures of the abstract. They live off potential energy."

Billy gaped at him as one might a crazy person. "What in God's name are you talking about?"

Martha smiled as though he were in on some joke they hadn't told him yet. "Trust me. Just nod when he stops for breath."

"You're scaring him, love," the blonde woman nudged her husband.

He nodded and tried again. "Tracked you down with this. This is my timey-wimey detector. It goes ding when there's stuff. Also, it can boil an egg at 30 paces, whether you want it to or not, actually, so I've learned to stay away from hens. It's not pretty when they blow."

Both women made faces of disgust.

The black man groaned and rubbed his head. "I don't understand. Where am I?"

"1969, like he says," the medical student said simply.

"Martha, you're getting as bad as the Doctor," Rose chided. "I shouldn't have let you spend so much time with him."

The Doctor knelt next to the man on the sidewalk. "Normally, I'd offer you a lift home, but somebody nicked my motor. So I need you to take a message to Sally Sparrow. And I'm sorry, Billy, I am very, very sorry. It's gonna take you a while."

Before long, they were taking their new friend back to their flat, where the Doctor and Rose offered him their bed, since the Doctor didn't sleep and Rose was small enough the couch was more than adequate for her to stretch out. They let him rest while they discussed how to help him adjust as they finished everything up.

Rose chewed her lip thoughtfully. "You'll have to talk to Doug and Millie tomorrow, love. I guess… tell them he's a friend who fell on hard times and needed a place to stay."

"It's true enough," Martha agreed with a yawn.

The Doctor smiled fondly at them. "Bed, human girls. You both have to work tomorrow still. I have some work to do, and I'll take care of our guest tomorrow. I'm quite the domestic now."

They laughed, but took his suggestion, heading to their beds for the night. The Doctor sat on the couch, his wife's head in his lap and stroked her hair as she fell asleep. He did have much to do, but when Billy rose just a few hours later and wandered into the room, he found them still in that position.

"So… 1969, huh?" he asked experimentally.

The man on the couch raised his head and looked at him. "Hmm? Oh, yes. Definitely. We've been here… oh, two or three months now. It's the longest I've stayed in one place in a long while."

He nodded, sitting in a chair nearby. "So… we're all stuck in the past?"

The Doctor glanced down at the form sleeping in his lap. "Not exactly. You are… yes. But I'll be heading to something called the Time Vortex. I'm a time traveler, and Rose, here, is my wife. She travels with me, fixing problems throughout the universe. Martha's sort of… well… a student."

"So you're all gonna leave, and have to stay here? Why?" the man demanded.

"I'm sorry, please keep your voice down. Whatever anger you feel can be expressed all you like after these two go to their jobs in the morning. But for now, they need to sleep," the Doctor said sternly. "They've both been working very hard to get and furnish this apartment, and it's yours when we go. I know it's hard to hear that everything you knew is gone, but trust me when I say that I have to leave you here in the past if I'm going to save hundreds, maybe thousands from the same fate and possible irreparable damage to the entire timeline of Earth."

The police officer in Billy woke at those words. He couldn't let whatever happened to him happen to more people, and he certainly couldn't stand by while the whole of Earth suffered at the hands of whatever had attacked him.

"I understand… I don't like it, and it's going to be hard as hell getting used to it, but I understand."

The Doctor smiled gratefully at him. "You never know, Billy. Maybe you'll find something worth staying for in this time."

"To be honest, mister, I'd better find lots worth staying for. If I have to live my life here, I'm going to live, not hide away wishing for something I can't even have."

Good for you, Billy," Rose's sleepy voice said. "If you two are going to chat all night, can I have the bed?"

Both men had the grace to be abashed at her words.

"Yes, ma'am," the detective said. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"You didn't, really," she yawned, sitting up and smiling softly before standing. "The Doctor stopped playing with my hair. You fellows talk, I'll see you in the morning."

She dropped a kiss on the Doctor's cheek before padding sleepily toward her room and going to bed. The two men stayed up, quietly discussing the problem of the weeping angels, how the Doctor planned to fix it, and how Billy could help. The man confessed that he'd always wanted to be in the film industry, especially in the 70's as it was really taking off and doing such big things.

The next day, after taking Billy around to apply for a few jobs that they could find for studios and the like, and grabbing some video equipment that the Doctor cheated and used the psychic paper to borrow, the two men dropped by the restaurant to wait for Rose and Martha to finish working.

"Hello, love," Rose beamed as they walked in.

"Hello Rose, how's your day?" the Doctor smiled back, always happy to see her.

She filled glass of water for a woman and took away the empty plate on the table. "It's a very nice day, actually. How's yours?"

"Better now," he said.

"Martha was right this morning," Billy shook his head. "You two are almost too much."

"Don't you believe it, Rosie," Sally said carrying a box of napkins up from the back. "You're wonderful and you give me hope." She dropped the box and blinked at Billy. "Oh, who's your friend there?"

The black man grinned, clearly appreciating the woman in front of him. "Billy Shipton, and you are…?"

She ducked her eyes a bit. "Sally Lawson. I work with Rose."

The woman in question winked at the Doctor. "I think Billy just found his reason to stay."

Sally became a frequent visitor to their apartment after that, and Billy shared their secret with her, but she never told anyone. She found it great fun to be a part of everything, but she was perfectly content with her life and had no interest in going anywhere else in time. Billy got a job in film as a cameraman for a low budget movie. It seemed everything was going to be okay.

The night they filmed the 'conversation' for Sally Sparrow. It was almost like a small party, as it was the four of them in the flat, and Sally visiting. They laughed and teased during the rehearsals and couldn't help the same attitude throughout the actual taping.

The Doctor was fairly certain he looked like an idiot on the camera as Rose and Martha mimed the bits of the script he didn't say while making absolutely ridiculous faces that had him trying not to laugh.

"Yep. That's me," he grinned at the camera.

Rose placed a shocked hand over her heart, acting utterly shocked.

"Yes, I do," he said then, his eyes warning her to stop.

She grinned unrepentantly at him and shook her head at Martha, both now shaking their heads as though terribly disappointed in him. Sally and Billy were even grinning now.

"Yep, and this."

Rose and Martha pretended to be arguing over the script, while the Doctor fought back his laughter.

"Are you going to read out the whole thing?"

They all laughed then, just out of sight, and the man in front of the camera rolled his eyes, smiling broadly. He couldn't help it.

"I'm a time traveller. Or I was. I'm stuck in 1969."

With a mad laugh, Martha darted over to his side and looked in the lens. "We're all stuck. All of space and time, these two promised me. Now I've got a job in a shop, I've got to support him! Even Rose is working! Our precious little hands!"

"Martha!" he exclaimed, even as his wife sagged with laughter. "Oi! Rose! Not helping!"

Martha sniggered as she moved back to her place. "Sorry."

Trying to appear as though he still had some semblance of control, he said solemnly, "Quite possibly."

The blonde woman waggled her eyebrows at him, seeming like she was going to do something more to mess with him while taping.

"'Fraid so," he said, shaking his head to warn Rose to stay off camera. "38."

Martha and Sally decided to start tossing bites of food over the camera into each other's mouths, and the man who had to talk fought his smirk.

"People don't understand time. It's not what you think it is… Complicated… Very complicated."

Rose walked over and sat in his lap, blocking him from sight. "He's rubbish at explaining things, you know. I've been traveling with him for years, and he still forgets to tell me about things. And now that we're married, he just assumes I know everything he does!"

"Rose! Really?"

She kissed him and moved back out of sight.

He groaned. "People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff."

His wife blew him a kiss, grinning unrepentantly.

"It got away from me, yeah," he chuckled. "Well, I can hear you... Not hear you exactly, but I know everything you're going to say... Look to your left."

The Doctor covered his face with a hand as all four people facing him did a massively overdone comic take of looking left. "I've got a copy of the finished transcript. It's on my Autocue. Although how I can focus while I let these people in the room..."

His Sally and Martha began dancing a sort of tango, and he smirked and shook his head. "I told you. I'm a time traveller. I got it in the future."

Rose knew he was coming to the serious part. She'd read the script as often as him, and moved to take his hand in support. "What matters is we can communicate. We have got big problems now. They've taken the blue box, haven't they? The angels have the phone box... Creatures from another world... Only when you see them."

He barely registered the other three people in the room as he glanced down at Rose's hand in his. He could do anything with her at his side. Even get his TARDIS back. He looked into the camera and explained the Weeping Angels. "Lonely assassins, they were called. No-one knows where they came from. They're as old as the universe, or very nearly. They've survived this long as they have the most perfect defence system ever evolved. They are quantum-locked. They don't exist when being observed. The moment they're seen by any other living creature they freeze into rock. No choice. It's a fact of their biology. In the sight of any living thing, they literally turn to stone. And you can't kill a stone. Course, a stone can't kill you either. But then you turn your head away, then you blink, and oh, yes it can! ... That's why they cover their eyes. They're not weeping, they can't risk looking at each other. Their greatest asset is their greatest curse. They can never be seen. The loneliest creatures in the universe. And I'm sorry, I am very, very sorry, it's up to you now...The blue box, it's my time machine. There is a world of time energy in there they could feast on forever. The damage they can do can switch off the sun. You have got to send it back to me!"

He sighed heavily, fear for the unknown couple building. He had seen them, he knew they would survive, but the program he had to use to trap the angels would scare them to death. Rose squeezed his hand and he began speaking again. "And that's it, I'm afraid. There's no more from you on the transcript, that's all I've got. I dunno what stopped you talking, but I can guess. They're coming. The angels are coming for you. But listen, your life could depend on this. Don't blink! Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast, faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink! Good luck!"

Martha, Sally, and Billy sobered as he spoke at the end. After the camera was off, Sally spoke.

"That's what happened to you all, isn't it? You got zapped by those angels."

They all nodded somberly. The Doctor looked at Billy. "You understand why now, don't you? Why I can't take you back?"

He looked up, meeting the other man's eyes. "Yeah. I have to be the one that plants it all, or this will all fail. And that's okay."

Sally wrapped her arms around the man. "You ain't doing it alone, Billy Shipton. You might be stuck here, but you ain't stuck alone."

The detector that warned them of Billy's arrival went off, indicating something very nearby. The Doctor and Martha went to the windows, but stopped and turned at the sudden shout from the couple at the camera. Rose stood in the center of the room, eyes glowing gold as she smiled.

"Oh... I missed that feeling," she murmured before she blinked and her eyes returned to their normal hazel. "I didn't even realize I could feel her that well."

Her husband moved to her side. "You couldn't before. Does this mean the TARDIS...?"

Rose laughed. "She's here! She's close. Oh... home!"

Martha let out a whoop that even made Billy and Sally laugh.

"So, you're leaving then?" Sally asked. "I'm going to miss you all."

The three looked at each other thoughtfully, realizing for the first time that they couldn't just disappear like they usually did.

"Tomorrow," the Doctor decided. "We'll go tomorrow."

"Can we..." Billy started. "I know we can't go with you, but can we see this TARDIS?"

"Oh yes!" Rose exclaimed. "Doctor, let's show them."

Martha nodded eagerly. "I think Billy deserves at least that."

The five of them left the flat, Rose leading the way even though the Doctor had the detector. The blonde woman walked with confidence, her pace growing quicker and quicker until she was running. She came to a halt in front of a police box with a huge smile on her face.

"We've seen about a dozen of these," Sally complained breathlessly.

"Not like her," the Doctor said as he pulled his key out and opened his ship. He gestured for them all to go in, holding Rose back.

They laughed together as Billy and Sally had the standard reaction, exiting and moving around the box before going back in.

"It's bigger on the inside!" They laughed and exclaimed along with the other two.

The Doctor turned to Rose with a wicked grin. "There's an Earth custom I wanted to try when we got her back."

"What's that?" his wife asked curiously.

He scooped her up in his arms, laughing when she squealed and threw her arms around his neck.

"Doctor!"

He carried her into the TARDIS, grinning proudly as their three friends applauded for them. He looked down at her and bent to brush his lips against hers, murmuring softly, "Welcome home, my love."

They all slept in the TARDIS that night, heading out the next day to make their goodbyes. Ginger hugged Martha, saying she was the best employee she'd ever had. Big George told them he wished they had stayed, and Rose nudged her 'sister' with a grin. Doug and Millie hugged them all fiercely, promising that Billy was welcome to keep the flat as long as he wanted.

It was an emotional day, but it ended well, with the Doctor back at the controls of his beloved ship, and Martha and Rose nearby.

"Where to?" He asked with a grin.

"Sally Sparrow," Rose said suddenly. "We really ought to thank her."

He nodded. "I believe you really are right, my Rose."

"Of course I am."

Martha laughed as they moved forward in time, landing just outside a video and bookstore named Sparrow and Nightingale. They went into the shop, seeing no one but a teenager at the counter.

"We're looking for Sally Sparrow," the Doctor said with a smile.

"Nightingale," the kid corrected lazily. "Oi! Larry! Someone looking for your woman!"

The man they had seen so long ago, much more cleaned up now, came out of a back room with a wince. "You know she hates that. Are you trying to get me in trouble?"

The kid shrugged and Larry looked at the three people in his shop.

"It's you!" He said excitedly. "Oh wow. She'll be so... hang on!"

He stepped away and made a hurried phone call as the kid looked at them strangely. "Wait... Doctor! And Rose! And Martha! I thought Larry and Sally were crazy when they watched that."

"Well, they are, I'm sure," Rose teased, causing the kid to blush. "But we're real."

"Sally's coming," Larry said then. "Come on to the back."

The visit was short, but they learned Larry and Sally had gotten married. And, telling her about Billy and the other Sally, she said he had told her about his Sally.

When they left again, it was with a sense that everything had turned out just the way it should.

"Let's take the TARDIS to recharge on the rift at Cardiff for a little bit before we head anywhere else," the Doctor suggested, noticing his wife looked a bit tired.

"She'd like that," Rose nodded, sitting in the captain's chair and smiling.

A/N: So! There you go. If you enjoyed this, please, oh please let me know. Also, if anyone would be interested, I'm considered beginning to post my original works on . I've been wondering if anyone would even be interested in reading it. So if you would want to see my original work, leave a review here and let me know. And! How'd you like the wedding?!