The Christmas Reunion

Chapter One: Where He Wanted to Return

By Lumendea

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any spinoff material, and I gain no income from this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: Happy Holiday season everyone, regardless of what and how you may celebrate. Here's hoping that 2022 is a great year for everyone. This Christmas special officially takes place after The Sacred Flame/The Fires of Karn episodes in Unto the Universe.

….

The feel of the TARDIS had shifted. Rose had no other words to describe it. She'd firmly believed that their relationship made the Doctor happy, but the revelations on Karn had lifted something from his shoulders. Oh, there were still moments when Rose could feel his guilt and grief like a living thing, but even those moments had softened somewhat. He hadn't told Rose what had been worrying him, but she had some guesses.

Jack, on the other hand, had become more hyper and excitable. From her place on the jump seat of the TARDIS, Rose watched Jack pace while the Doctor worked on a repair and tossed a tool between both of his hands. He was telling one of his stories, the sort that always seemed to end with him naked while handing the Doctor tools as he asked for them and occasionally lending him a hand.

Rose was watching them with her violin in her lap, taking a short break between songs to listen to Jack. But then, Jack dropped some sort of spanner on the Doctor's gut. The Doctor huffed while sliding out from under the console.

"Jack!" the Doctor growled.

Jack backed up, his hands up, and then leaned against the railing. Energy radiated off the former Time Agent, and Rose found herself chuckling in amusement. Jack really was acting a bit like a dog that needed to get out and play. Though, Rose didn't want to think about things in those terms too much when it came to Jack.

"Sorry, Doc," Jack said with a sheepish smile.

"You're a menace," the Doctor sighed. He didn't seem angry. More amused than anything as he climbed to his feet. "Do you need a play date? Work off some of this energy."

"Are you volunteering?"

Now the Doctor looked annoyed, and Jack grinned. "Probably a good idea before you give into the urge to drop me in a black hole."

"I won't let him, Jack," Rose promised.

The Doctor glanced her way and couldn't hide his smile. With a nod, he turned back to the controls and set them quickly without another word. Jack stood on his toes and peered around the Doctor. Rose saw his face light up and decided that she really didn't want to know. The TARDIS hummed and shook as they rushed through the Vortex. Rose focused on that feeling. More and more, she was aware of the Time Vortex outside of the TARDIS—a bit like feeling water through fabric, but not exactly the same.

Rose slipped her violin back into its case and grabbed onto the rails just before the trip turned truly bumpy. A laugh escaped Rose, and she threw her head back and grinned at the central console column. Jack let out a whoop before the TARDIS came to a stop. He grabbed his jacket from the rails and pulled it out, spinning back to Rose.

"How do I look?"

"Like you're looking for trouble," Rose answered.

"Perfect!" He swept over and kissed her cheek before winking at the Doctor. "Don't wait up."

"We won't," the Doctor replied drily. "We'll be back for you, but if anything goes wrong, head to Rose's time and Jackie's house."

"Got it," Jack replied. He was serious for only a moment before beaming. "Enjoy your private time!"

Rose didn't see the look the Doctor gave Jack, but it must have really been something because the third occupant of the TARDIS bolted for the door. He was laughing, and the TARDIS was humming cheerfully. A loud sigh escaped the Doctor, and he shook his head as Jack closed the door behind him. Then he looked Rose's way, and she grinned, quickly moving beside him.

"Just you and me then," the Doctor said with a smile. He took her hand and squeezed it. "Anywhere you fancy going?"

"Any suggestions?" Rose asked with a tongue touched smile.

"Many," the Doctor replied. "But you'll need to narrow it down some."

"Okay, how about someplace that you've always meant to go back to," Rose said.

The Doctor's face turned thoughtful; then his eyes dimmed, leaving Rose wondering just what he said. Then he shook his head and reached for the controls with manic movements. Stepping up to him, Rose caught his hand and laced their fingers.

"Doctor?" she asked softly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered. Rose gave him an unimpressed look. "Just made me think of someone that… well I didn't go back to see nearly enough. She's gone now."

"Who are you… Susan?" Rose guessed softly. "Do you mean your granddaughter?"

The Doctor shrugged and reached for the controls again. "Doesn't matter. Can't see her again." He exhaled and looked up towards the ceiling. "Gone now."

"I'm sorry," Rose whispered.

She'd always assumed that Susan was gone due to the comments he'd made here and there and her knowledge of the Time War, but part of her had hoped that since Susan hadn't been a Time Lord that she might have survived somehow. Or that she'd passed peacefully in her linear timeline without ever learning of the Time War.

Shifting closer to the Doctor, Rose squeezed his arm and tried to think of the right thing to say. The Doctor seemed to think she always knew what to say, but what could you say to a man who had lost a grandchild. He never spoke about his children, and Rose got the impression from the vague comments that had slipped that they hadn't gotten along. But Susan had traveled with him; Susan had understood who he was, at least to a certain extent.

"I wish you could see her again." Rose meant the words deeply. She wished that he could have the closure of seeing his beloved granddaughter one more time. Wished that she could meet one of the first people who had helped guide the Doctor to becoming the man she loved. "I wish I could meet her."

"Me too," the Doctor admitted. "Anyway, let's see…." He began to adjust the controls once more, and the TARDIS shuddered.

Golden sparks jumped off of Rose's fingertips and into the metal of the console. Gasping, Rose pulled her hands back only for the TARDIS to jolt and shake, sending Rose stumbling back against the console. The Doctor gripped the edge of the console with one hand and turned the scanner towards himself.

"What did you do?" he demanded.

"I've no idea," Rose admitted.

The TARDIS shook around them. The Doctor glanced her way, and his worried expression softened slightly before he told her which button to hold down. Rose recognized the pattern of buttons a few moments later as an emergency landing protocol. But the TARDIS didn't stop or even slow. The metal gleamed with golden light, and the Doctor glanced her way again, but Rose had no explanation to give.

Then the TARDIS stopped. They'd landed, and Rose and the Doctor exchanged a look. The Doctor pulled the scanner to him and activated it. He frowned at the scanner before his expression became carefully neutral and guarded. The Doctor's eyes moved towards the door, and Rose took a few steps away from him. She waited for a moment, but the Doctor didn't move. Nor did he say that it was dangerous. Rose flexed her fingertips and studied them, trying to figure out what had happened. The sparks had been gold, so she was inclined to think it was a Guardian thing, but neither Black nor White had shown up to provide information.

"Doctor?" she called. "Are we going outside?"

He didn't answer. The Doctor stared at her and the door with an unreadable expression. There was fear in his eyes but also hope. A theory began forming in Rose's mind, and it was hard to breathe. Turning, she went to the door and opened it, looking outside cautiously.

They were on a quiet street. In the distance, Rose heard the sounds of caroling and garlands hung on a nearby building. For a moment, Rose assumed they were back in her time. The architecture was similar, and the feeling of the street was right. But her gut, an instinct, told her that the timing wasn't right. Sniffing at the air, she stepped out of the TARDIS and looked around. There were lingering signs of graffiti on a nearby wall, but nothing that gave her a clue.

"When are we?" Rose asked. Her brow furrowed. "I think we're in London, but…."

The Doctor stepped out after her, and his smile dimmed. Instead, a stunned expression of shock took over his face as he looked around. That hope grew and bloomed into happy nervousness. That odd feeling was growing in Rose's chest. It wasn't bad, more of a lingering sense of forgetting something. Except she hadn't. The Doctor reached over and took her hand, squeezing it tightly but remaining silent. He didn't answer her question and slowly guided her away from the TARDIS.

As they moved away from the TARDIS, Rose saw more signs of Christmas. Lights were hung up in some windows, and there were a few other kinds of decoration that she recognized. The buildings were very similar to what she was used to, but here and there, she saw signs of unfamiliar technology hooked to the sides of buildings. Solar panels and growing boxes were on every structure, which made her smile.

Then the Doctor stopped and stared at a large building built of red brick with white and black stone trim around the windows and outlining the floors. It had an interesting roofline and had the same solar panels and grow boxes as all the other buildings. Yet the Doctor was staring at it in utter fascination.

"Doctor?"

"That's Coal Hill School," the Doctor said softly. "More correctly now, the Coal Hill Flats. Converted years ago."

Rose waited. She knew the importance of Coal Hill School to the Doctor. His granddaughter Susan had enrolled there when the Doctor and she reached Earth during his first incarnation. Susan had wanted to experience what the life of a teenager was like while the Doctor had been using the time to hide the Hand of Omega, which he'd taken from Gallifrey. One of the artifacts that the first Doctor had feared being misused.

"Susan lives there," the Doctor said. He took a step back. "We shouldn't… I shouldn't even be able to be here. Susan will leave soon and join the Last Great Time War." He shook his head. "I shouldn't be able to see her, to be here after the Time War…."

Reaching over, Rose gripped the Doctor's arm, trying to calm him down. That odd feeling suddenly made more sense. It wasn't a bad one, but it was a gentle nudging. And she felt a bit tired after their conversation in the TARDIS and that flash of light.

"I think I caused this," Rose offered. "Uh, that flash of light in the TARDIS. I think that was me. Uh, Guardian powers." A weird mix of emotions rolled through Rose's chest. "I wanted you to be able to see her again. I wanted to meet her," she confessed.

"So you… what, shifted the Time Lock?"

"Maybe?" Rose shrugged and glanced back at the flat building. "I'm not sure what I did. But nothing feels wrong. If we're careful, you can see her again." Rose paused. "But if you don't think you can handle it, Doctor, then we can leave now."

He took a few more steps forward, and Rose stayed beside him. She tried not to stare, but Rose couldn't help but watch his eyes and expression. He was trying to hide what he was feeling, but his eye gave him away. Grief, along with hope and so many other emotions. He felt so much, and she squeezed his hand, reminding him softly that she was there.

"Gallifrey started sending her messages," the Doctor admitted. "Rassilon himself became interested in her. I never learned why; I was worried he'd figured out who I used to be and wanted to use Susan to gain control of some of the Other's inventions. I wasn't able to steal everything. I tried to distract her, but… it didn't work."

"She's an adult," Rose said gently. "She made a choice. From everything I've heard, Susan was very compassionate and bold. A Time War would have worried her for the universe's sake."

"Yeah," the Doctor agreed. "Susan was as worried about the universe as I was. And about Gallifrey losing itself." He shook his head. "But, Rose, not long ago, she lost her son. She and David had one biological child. A boy named Alex. They had a couple of orphans they adopted as well, but Alex's death…."

Judging from the Doctor's tone, it was another thing he blamed himself for. Rose took his hand and squeezed it, suddenly wondering if her abilities allowing them to come here was a good thing or not. Then the Doctor exhaled and headed for the doorway. Rose stayed with him, holding his hands and trying to prepare herself for what might come next.

Rose knew a decent amount about Susan. Ian and Barbara had been happy to talk about the young Gallifreyan they had traveled with, always enjoying the shock of other companions at the idea that the Doctor had a grandchild. The Doctor, in a couple of different bodies, had told Rose a bit about Susan over their time together. After all, she'd learned of their separation the very first time the Doctor had met Rose in his timeline.

But stories were different than meeting someone in person. Especially when it was years in that person's future, and they'd lived a life with love and grief. Susan wasn't a young woman anymore. Instead, she was separated from the time that Ian and Barbara had known her for many years. Rose couldn't help but feel nervous.

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to unlock the electronic front door, and they stepped into a large and clean entry room. A lift was at the far end of the room, and there were mailboxes on the left wall. Potted plants were in the corner, and a small sitting area was to the right. The Doctor went straight for the lift, and Rose stayed silent until the doors closed, and they started to rise.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rose asked softly. "We don't have to."

"The only explanation for us being able to reach her is that you gave the TARDIS the ability to pass through the Time Lock," the Doctor said without looking at her.

"That still doesn't mean that you have to see her," Rose said. "Or if you aren't ready. I'm not sure what I did, but I could try again in the future if you wanted to wait."

Rose meant it, both parts. She figured the Doctor was right about this being caused by something she did, and that was a little embarrassing since she didn't know what she'd done. But she hated the idea of this hurting him.

"No," the Doctor answered. He shook his head. "I promised Susan I'd return to visit, and I didn't for a very long time. If I don't see her today… I'm not sure I'll ever be willing to come back." Now the Doctor did look at her again. "Besides, I owe her at least one more visit."

And he wanted to say goodbye, Rose realized sharply. She nodded and blinked back, the tears prickling in her eyes. Flexing her left hand, Rose wondered just how she'd triggered this. Was it really as simple as her wanting something, or was there more going on here than she could see on the surface? Rose just wasn't sure. The lift opened, and the Doctor headed for one of the doors in the corridor. He hesitated as he stopped in front of it but then took a breath and knocked.

For a moment, Rose worried that Susan both would and wouldn't be present. Then the door swung open, revealing a woman dressed in a warm-looking green cardigan. Susan was an older woman now with laugh lines and wrinkles. Rose struggled for a moment to reconcile this face with the photos she'd seen in the past. Yet the sharp hazel eyes full of intelligence told Rose easily exactly who she was. Despite the changing colour and shape of the Doctor's eyes, Susan had his eyes.

"Susan," the Doctor said softly.

Susan's mouth opened slightly, and she exhaled. For a moment, Rose feared that she might slam the door on the Doctor, but then she smiled softly and shook her head. Without a word, Susan opened the door further, and her smile widened, becoming much more welcoming.

"Hello, Grandfather," Susan greeted gently. Her voice was warm though Rose picked up on the caution in it. "Happy Christmas."

"Oh," the Doctor stopped. "Is it?"

Susan laughed now and nodded. "Yes, Grandfather. It is Christmas."

"Are your children here?" The Doctor glanced around, and Rose felt the question settle uneasily in the air.

"No, Barbara, Ian, and David Junior have families of their own," Susan said. "David and his children are coming to visit in a few days from York. Barbara was here last week with her family and Ian… well, we'll see when they can visit." The way she said it sounded more fond than annoyed, so Rose assumed Ian lived far away.

"You never told the Chestertons that she named her children after them," Rose told the Doctor. "I'm certain it would have come up."

"Can I convince you not to tell them?" the Doctor asked. His eyes were bright, and the bit of humor was lightening the mood in the room.

"You know Ian and Barbara?" Susan asked with a smile.

"Yes, I know them," Rose answered. "They've always spoken very highly of you."

"That's nice to hear." Susan looked at the Doctor pointedly.

"This is Rose Tyler," the Doctor said. He took her hand, and Rose wondered just how he was going to introduce her. Rose told herself that it wasn't ready to tell Susan about their romantic relationship; she'd understand. "She is my partner."

Susan's eyes widened, and Rose wondered if her own surprise showed. The Doctor's granddaughter seemed to have immediately picked up on what he meant as her gaze snapped back to Rose. An impish smile tugged at the woman's lips, and Rose just knew that she was holding back questions and maybe a laugh.

"Well then, Rose Tyler," Susan said. She extended her hand towards Rose. "I am very happy to meet you."

"I'm very happy to meet you as well," Rose said, taking Susan's hand and shaking it.

"I'm surprised at you, Grandfather," Susan teased. "But pleased for you." Susan chuckled and gestured them further into her home. "Please, come in."