The Christmas Reunion

Chapter Eight: Farewell

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: Thank you for all the well wishes. They were very much appreciated and helped brighten a hard week. I'm going to take a brief break before returning to the main season. I'll plan on returning with more Unto the Universe on March 5th though my goal is to get some work on Recall, so be on the lookout for more of that story.

….

Sometimes the solution to a problem that faced the Doctor was simple and easy. Sometimes it was complicated and pushed him. Today had been a simple problem that had come down to his ability to throw together the right equipment, but it was the aftermath that was complicated. He couldn't just run. As the rip closed and time mended, the Doctor was tempted to grab Rose's hand and just run back to the TARDIS.

But he'd run before and left a hurting Susan in his wake. That wasn't an option, not really. Rose was unsteady on her feet and in no condition to run, and judging from the way that Susan was watching Rose, his grandchild knew far more than was safe for her to be aware of. The Time War was still looming in her future. Still a threat and such a fragile time.

"Come along," Susan said, breaking the silence. She stepped forward and gripped Rose's other arm. "Let's get back to my flat. She can rest there. Is she in any danger?"

"No," the Doctor said. At least not from dying, at least, he couldn't help but think. "I don't think so."

"Just tired," Rose mumbled. She shook her head as if trying to clear it. "Dizzy."

"Not surviving, darling," the Doctor said softly. "Can you walk?"

"Yes." Rose chuckled. "Could run if we needed to."

"No need for that," Susan said quickly. "Let's walk back to my home and have some dinner. I can give the all-clear."

Rose laughed softly at Susan's statement. "Did they ever give you a special code name?"

"Uh… well, when I was on the Earth Council, I had a code name with my protective detail," Susan answered with a soft laugh. "Nothing as dramatic as you."

The Doctor was a little lost and wondered just how much the pair had visited while he was gone. He wouldn't have thought that in front of a rip in Time was a good place to talk, but it seemed he was wrong. Still, the easy exchange between the pair as they walked Rose to the roof door was reassuring in a way and terrifying in another. Rose always seemed to charm those around her, provided she didn't fundamentally disagree with their views. Then she was more likely to shout at them. Course, he usually enjoyed watching that outcome too.

Getting back to the street was easy; crossing it proved more complicated as Susan veered off to speak with one of the officers overseeing the evacuation. The Doctor was determined to get Rose out of view and wasn't interested in speaking with whatever existed in place of UNIT at this point in time. Then again, he searched his memory, UNIT had probably been reestablished, or there was an official successor under the Earth Council. Still, he didn't want to deal with questions and kept heading for Susan's building with Rose as quick as he could.

"Still doing alright?" he asked Rose.

"Legs feel stronger now," Rose answered. She glanced towards Susan. "She's very impressive. Stayed calm the whole time."

The Doctor didn't know how to respond to that. When she'd travelled with him, Susan had been quick to find trouble but often frightened when cornered. Then again, she'd been young. Even by the standards of Gallifreyans, she'd been so very young. Now she was grown. He looked over and watched Susan directing the officer while also pulling out her phone once more. The soldiers looked confused, and he laughed.

"Poor blokes. Evacuation is almost done, and now they can reverse it."

"Do you think they will?" Rose asked. "So quickly? Won't they want to check the area first?"

"Probably. Not that they'll find anything. Even after the Dalek Invasion, this lot won't have the equipment to properly register the aftermath of a rip in time."

"What sort of aftermath?" Rose asked. "Anything we need to worry about?" She suddenly sounded alert and worried. He looked down at Rose to find her amber eyes gazing at him intently. "Doctor?"

"Nothing to worry about," the Doctor said. "It's a bit like a rock in the river. Time had to flow around it for a bit. But the rock is gone now, so the river is quickly smoothing out. I can still feel a hint of something, bit of scarring if you like up there, but that's it." He paused. "Can't you?"

Rose frowned and closed her eyes, and then shook her head. "No. I don't feel the cold anymore, but… no, I don't feel anything else. My senses probably aren't as good as yours or that whole, uh, what I did made me too tired."

She was probably right, but the Doctor took note to watch for that. There was too much he didn't understand about Rose's abilities and too much that was unknown ever to her. So far, Rose seemed alright with that, but the Doctor wasn't so calm. He was still grateful she'd chosen to stay but wondered how long it would take before all of the unknowns would see Rose leave to join the other Guardians who could help her more.

This wasn't the time to be worrying about that. The Doctor knew it, even if it was difficult not to worry about it. Susan led them to her flat and opened the door, gesturing them inside. Susan's home was warm, and the smells of the roast filled the comfortable space. His granddaughter made a pleased sound and slowly took her supporting handoff of Rose. She locked the door behind them and made a point of setting down her phone. The Doctor suspected she wouldn't be able to ignore calls for very long. Hopefully, Susan could hold off having to do whatever passed for a debrief in this time until they were gone. The Doctor didn't know as much about this era as others, in no small part due to Susan being connected to this era.

"You can let me go, Doctor," Rose said softly. "I'm steady on my feet."

The Doctor didn't like letting go of Rose's arm, but he did as she requested and eased his grip. Rose, true to her word, stayed upright, and he studied her. There was a paleness to her skin that he didn't like, and her heart was still a bit fast, but she'd already improved from the moment after her little display.

How powerful was she? The term Guardian had great and terrible meaning on Gallifrey. Beyond what his people had properly understood. With Rose's domain being life and possibility, the Doctor was hard-pressed to imagine something that it might not be possible for her to do one day. White and Black were able to track much of the universe at all times, though that might be tied to the power of the Hall of Universe, both of them could go anywhere in time and space and had abilities linked to their domain. The White and Black Guardians were capable of pulling the TARDIS to a certain place and time.

Rose had slowed time. She hadn't managed to stop it despite what she had shouted. Time Lords couldn't slow time exactly but were able to adjust how they moved through it for brief periods. Very brief periods. What Rose had done, he'd felt. He'd felt the planet slow and maybe the whole universe. Nothing felt out of sync right now. Rose hadn't done the simpler task of making herself move faster. She'd slowed down everything.

"Stop thinking so hard about it," Rose sighed. "Not right now."

"Hard not to."

"Well, next trip, we should go somewhere with chess boards," Rose replied. "I can have a game with one of the duo and get some information."

"I've never seen you play White."

"He's a bit boring to play," Rose admitted. "Follows strategies exactly and doesn't improvise much. Once you know the sort of openings that he uses…." Rose shrugged. "Black is more adaptive when he plays. Harder to see what is coming."

The Doctor made a small hum of understanding while trying to hide who terrifying Rose's casual mention of such things was. It made sense. Of course, it made sense. It was just one of many things about her and her existence that sometimes hit him as insanity. Then again, several of those were things he liked about her.

"Rose," Susan said. "You can clean up in the loo, and then please take a seat and rest." She smiled at the Doctor. "Grandfather, you can help me in the kitchen."

Susan fixed him with a firm look that left no room for argument. Rose raised an eyebrow but thanked Susan and walked down the hallway with the air of someone who knew they'd been dismissed so a conversation could be had. Unsure of what to say but fairly certain what was coming, the Doctor followed Susan into her kitchen.

"Grandfather," Susan said softly as she began to move through the kitchen. "You need to erase my memory. My skills are too… rusty for the task, I fear."

"Susan-"

"Please, do not argue. Rose, well, I can make a few guesses as to what she is or rather who she is," Susan said. Then she swallowed as fearful tears filled her eyes. She did not let them fall. "And I was already… considering returning to Gallifrey due to the war. After what I saw today, saw come out of that rip, I know I must."

"Susan, the war, it is horrible," the Doctor whispered. His hands shook as he took his granddaughter's. "What you saw is but a glimpse. You shouldn't go."

"If I can help ease the suffering of even one world, prevent one person from becoming a neverwere, then I will consider it worth my life." Susan smiled. "And Rose is from Earth. It will survive. My children and their children and stretching on for centuries will have a chance. Won't they?"

"Yes."

"Then I must help, however, I can. And you must ensure that the knowledge of Rose Tyler is not in my head. Already, there will be questions due to our relationship, due to our flight from Gallifrey, and the weapons…." Susan trailed off. "There cannot be information about her on the other side of the war in my mind. It would doom her, and I suspect, doom us all."

The Doctor studied her intently before sighing. "When did you become so aware and wise?"

"I always was," Susan teased. "Maybe you weren't properly paying attention."

"I don't think that's it."

"You learn a lot being a parent, Grandfather." Susan smiled a real and warm smile. "And perhaps someday, you'll have the chance to learn some of what I have." The Doctor sputtered, and Susan laughed. "But in time, I think. Still, I am grateful that you are happy. That there is a future on the other side of this storm."

"Susan… there's so much you don't know."

"And much that I shouldn't know," she said calmly. "Well, let's have Christmas Dinner, and then, before you go, you can help me manage the memories."

He wanted to argue with her, wanted to reassure her that it wasn't necessary, but Susan knew it was. At least he didn't need to resort to tricks or lies. This would keep them both safe. No one would find a trace of knowledge of the Gold Guardian in her mind. So, the Doctor swallowed and nodded slowly in agreement. Susan gave him a soft smile in return before looking out of the kitchen as Rose returned from cleaning up and took a seat.

Rose rested on the sofa while the Doctor helped Susan wrap things up in the kitchen. Her appliances were state of the art smart appliances that had adjusted the temperature to keep the food warm without overcooking it. Convenient that. It was amazing how quickly humans could rebuild and establish a high standard of living after being nearly destroyed. Then again, that stubbornness had always been something he found endearing about them.

Sitting around a table for Christmas had somehow become something he was familiar with. On occasion, he'd attended events with companions, but usually not anything too… domestic. But now, he was spending holidays with former companions and Rose's family. Though this year, for one year only, they were spending it with Susan. He swallowed the rush of emotions and focused his gaze on his grandchild as she laid out the meal and smiled warmly at both him and Rose.

There was no grace, Susan hadn't gone that native, but she thanked them for visiting as if they hadn't just faced a rift. She had aged with a kind grace, and the Doctor's hearts were so full of pride and grief that he was hard to contain. Rose, as usual, took one look at him and knew what was going on. She took the lead in the conversation, asking Susan more questions about her children and grandchildren while the Doctor hung on every word.

"How is everything?" Susan asked in a pause in a story about her youngest grandson. She was smiling and watching them both eat. The three of them did a poor job of filling Susan's dining table, but at least she wasn't alone. "Not overcooked, I hope."

"It's excellent," Rose complimented. "You're amazing, Susan. A crisis and still had a wonderful Christmas dinner on the table."

Susan laughed and shrugged. "Well, the appliances of this era are more than helpful. What year were you born, Rose?"

"1986," Rose replied. "So I got to witness the rise of the internet, but the most impressive appliances Mum and I ever had was an electric kettle and an air fryer." Rose grinned. "But now I have the TARDIS."

"Though the TARDIS is using appliances native to your time," the Doctor pointed out.

"Yes, but nice versions," Rose said cheerfully. "And she's started shifting the kitchen around a bit. I bet someday; she'll completely redo it."

The way she said that made it sound more like absolute future knowledge. The Doctor wasn't sure what would have happened that would have resulted in Rose seeing the kitchen of the TARDIS in the future, and he knew better than to ask.

"I always enjoyed that," Susan said wistfully. "I didn't live on the TARDIS for very long, but there are days that I miss her. She always took such good care of us."

"Still does," the Doctor said.

Susan smiled at him. "As I recall, you weren't too sure about the TARDIS when we first took her."

"Oh, I'm not so sure of that," Rose said quickly. "From what I hear, he was very enamoured with her. He just might not have shown it in front of you. I believe the TARDIS said that you described her as the most beautiful thing you'd ever seen."

"Rose!"

"He didn't share that with me," Susan laughed. She beamed at the Doctor. "I told you that the TARDIS liked you, Grandfather. It turns out that the admiration was mutual."

"It works better if you form a strong bond with your time ship," the Doctor grumbled. "Besides, you're the one that named her."

"Wait," Rose cut in. "TARDIS? You came up with that?"

"I did," Susan said proudly.

"But…" Rose frowned, trying to think back over the conversations she'd had and overheard. "Everyone calls her the TARDIS?"

"She translates it that way," the Doctor explained with a shrug. "On Gallifrey, they were called time travel capsules. I was a bit surprised when the TARDIS updated her own translation matrix so that any capsules like herself that originated from Gallifrey were referred to as a TARDIS. That isn't what other Time Lords actually call them, but it's what she makes everyone connected to her translation system hear."

Rose chuckled, looking very pleased with the idea. The Doctor smiled and laughed himself while Susan beamed at the information. She'd probably noticed it to a certain extent when she was travelling with them, but he'd never told her how seriously the TARDIS had taken up the designation. He certainly always thought of her as such.

Conversation flowed a bit longer as they slowly finished their meals. Susan's phone and her wall telecom were both going off. They all knew it would be impossible to delay for much longer. Sounds of other people in the building were beginning to make it through the walls, and the Doctor was painfully aware of each minute ticking by.

Then, to the Doctor's grief, they all seemed to understand at the same moment that time was up. Everyone had finished eating, and the telecom was beeping softly with waiting messages. Rose stood up and helped Susan, and the Doctor take the plates into the kitchen.

"I'll clean all of that up later," Susan said softly. She smiled at him. "I think… well, you know it's time."

"It was wonderful to meet you," Rose told Susan. "Truly. I am so grateful."

"And I am grateful that I met you," Susan answered. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Rose. "This was a wonderful surprise. Thank you." There was weight to her thank you, and the Doctor wondered if Susan had guessed Rose had made it possible for them to be here. "I'll walk you both out," Susan said as she released Rose and smiled brilliantly.

It had begun to snow. The cloudy sky was illuminated by the street lights and blinking decorations. From inside the buildings, the Doctor could hear people talking and moving. A transport was unloading families down the street, but he paid it little mind as they slowly walked down the street in silence. Rose kept glancing in his direction, and he kept a tight grip on her hand until the TARDIS was in sight.

"Thank you again, Susan," Rose said gently. She released his hand and stepped forward to hug her again. "It was a lovely Christmas."

"Yes," Susan agreed. "All things considered, it was. Goodbye, Rose Tyler."

"Goodbye, Susan Campbell."

With a bit of hesitation in her eyes, Rose glanced between the Doctor and Susan. Then she stepped back and pulled out her TARDIS key, heading for their ship without another word. The Doctor exhaled and studied the brickwork of the wall for a long moment to avoid looking at his grandchild.

"Grandfather, my memories," Susan urged.

He made himself look at her. She seemed so calm, and a hint of a smile still glowed in her eyes. Yet, he was sure that she knew what was coming. Slowly, he stepped closer and brought his fingertips to her temples. They both hissed in surprise as the connection jumped. In his first life, his telepathy had been rubbish. They'd never really connected on this level, and now… He searched for the memories and carefully, with as much tenderness as he could, began to shift them. She would remember their visit, even the rift, but not time slowing and not Rose Tyler.

"I think, Grandfather, that it is time for you to be on your way," Susan said softly.

"Susan…"

"There must be no regrets," Susan told him firmly even as tears shined in her eyes. "No tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine."

"Goodbye, Susan," the Doctor said, finishing her echo of the words he'd said to her so long ago. "Goodbye, my dear." He kissed her forehead and dropped his hands, starting the lock-up of her memory of Rose.

There was nothing more to say. Susan watched him with sad, knowing eyes and a soft smile as he backed away. Finally, the Doctor forced himself to turn around and head for the TARDIS. With every step, he was aware that Susan was behind him, watching him leave yet again, but this would be the last time. She would go into the Time War, trying to save as much of the universe as she could and would never return.

The TARDIS door was open for him in the alleyway. He could see Rose waiting at the controls and slowly took the last step inside. A long exhale escaped him as the door swung shut behind him. Rose still waited, making no move to take the ship off. The Doctor was grateful for the moment to think and closed his eyes for a moment before heading to the controls. He came to a stop right beside Rose and slowly began inputting coordinates.

Rose gripped his arm and stayed silent, just letting him know she was there. He was grateful for that and grateful that she wasn't asking how he was. The Doctor wasn't sure how he would have answered that. He found himself grieving for Susan once again but also grateful. Despite the Time War and despite the Time Lock, he'd been able to see her again and reassure himself that she had been happy despite everything that had happened.

"How do you feel?" the Doctor asked.

"Alright, a bit tired, but alright," Rose answered. She shrugged a little and chuckled weakly. "I don't think it's safe for me to make a habit out of that." Then she sighed and stared across the console room of the TARDIS. "Best not to mess with the flow of time except to deal with it breaking. You?"

"Mixed feelings," he admitted. "But… I'm glad I was able to see her again."

"Good," Rose whispered. "You deserved this chance." She gave him a forced smile. "So, where to? Pick up Jack?"

"Jack can stay at the kennel for a little longer," the Doctor said with forced cheer.

"He really isn't a pet, Doctor," Rose replied with a real smile tugging at her lips. "But, yes, we can enjoy a few days with just us."

"Good," the Doctor said. He took Rose's hand and curled his fingers around hers before reaching out and pulling the lever, sending the TARDIS back into the Time Vortex.