DISCLAIMERS/NOTES

1. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by the BBC. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun.

2. This is a femslash story. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like this.

3. Important: As previously mentioned, I've decided to not include the details of the 2020 series. The key word there is details - in this fanfic canon, most of the general stories still happened, ie. they went to the same places and met the same people. Basically, if an episode didn't really touch on the Timeless Child, Master (I have my own plans for the Doctor's best enemy) or Lone Cyberman, it happened here. Except of course, the Doctor and Yaz were a couple. Hope that all made sense!

PART 3

No matter how many times it happened, the Doctor never grew tired of people's reactions to the TARDIS.

Hakim, Najia and Sonya Khan stared in wonder at the massive control room around them, stunned silent by the glowing pillars and echoey engines. "This… this can't be real," Najia breathed.

"Yep," the Doctor said with a smile. "Gallifreyan technology. Interdimensional - bigger on the inside."

"This is unbelievable," Sonya whispered.

"You'll get used to it," insisted the Time Lady. "Yaz did."

Hakim turned to her. "Yaz did? You mean… she knows about this?"

The Doctor nodded. "She's been travelling with me for over two years now, along with Graham and Ryan."

"Two years?" Najia glared at her.

Sonya tentatively reached out to one of the pillars. "W… what d'you mean, travellin'?"

"No, wait," Najia interjected. "Wait, wait, wait. This has got to be a trick of some sort. What are you, a magician or something?"

A chuckle. "I've been called that before. But there's nothin' magical 'bout this - it's pure science."

"The science doesn't exist to do this," insisted the mother.

"Not in your time," came the response. "Or world."

At that, the three glared at the coat-clad woman. "What are you sayin'?" asked Sonya.

The Doctor took a breath, then spoke as matter-of-factly as she could. "I'm an alien. From a different world - obviously - and a different time."

There was heavy silence for a beat, before Hakim breathed. "Of course… "

Najia turned to him. "Of course what?"

"I told you," her husband said. "Conspiracy." Najia just rolled her eyes.

"So just who are you?" Sonya asked. "What are you?"

"If you've done anything to Yaz, Jodie… " Najia frowned deeply.

"First of all, my name's not Jodie. Or Jane." When asked what her name actually was, the Doctor shrugged. "You wouldn't understand it if I told you. Not even Yaz would, not that I don't wish I could tell her." When she was met with three incredulous faces, she knew she had to bite the bullet. "I'm a time traveller from the planet Gallifrey, in the constellation of Kasterborous, some 250,000,000 lightyears from Earth. My people are called the Time Lords. I travel throughout the universe in this, my TARDIS."

"Where are you travelling to?" Najia asked.

"Anywhere. Everywhere. Wherever - and whenever - I'm needed."

"Why?" asked Hakim.

The Doctor paused. "Good question. Maybe one day I can answer that."

"And Yaz knows this?"

"Yes, Sonya. Like I said, she's been travelling with me on-and-off for two years now. You'd be really proud of her: she's amazin'."

"What have you been doin'?"

"Sonya!" yelped Najia.

"I didn't mean that! I meant - where do you go? What do you do?"

With that, the Doctor told them everything: everywhere the Fam visited, everyone they met, all the adventures they shared together. Tim Shaw. Desolation. Rosa Parks. The Tsuranga. Kerb!am. Orphan 55. Nikola Tesla. Praxeus. About the only thing she omitted was the gang's involvement in the Khans' personal history at Punjab - that might be a little much.

As the Doctor explained and chronicled their escapades, she grew increasingly animated and expressive, especially whenever she brought up moments where Yaz shined. Which was alot, obviously. The Time Lady could not contain the adoration and love she felt for her brilliant girlfriend when describing her heroism.

When the alien was finally finished, the Khans were just gaping at her. It was a lot to assimilate, especially with the Doctor's characteristic enthusiasm and rambling. There was an almost crushing silence for several beats. Everyone's hearts were in their throats.

Eventually, Sonya was the one to break the quiet. "You're right, Dad - it makes perfect sense. Only Yaz would get together with an alien from the future."

The alien in question blinked. "I'll, er… take that as a compliment." She turned to the matriarch. "Najia? I know this is a lot to take in, but believe me - Yaz has been nothing less than brilliant. You'd be so proud of her."

The mother just continued staring at her.

"You still don't believe me, do you?" Nodding in determination, the Gallifreyan moved over to the console. "Fair enough - I'll prove I'm on the level." She punched in a few numbers and buttons, then gripped the lever tightly.

The TARDIS tried letting out a few bleeps of warning…

But it was too late, and the Doctor pushed the lever down.

The familiar - though unfamiliar to three of the occupants - groans of dematerialisation echoed through the console room, then soon faded as the police box rematerialised at its destination. "What was that?" Hakim asked.

"You'll see," assured the Doctor, then strode to the TARDIS doors, which opened with a slight reluctance. "C'mon!" the Time Lady insisted, and eventually her girlfriend's family followed her out. When the four were passed the time machine doors, the Doctor beamed to her companions. "Well? I told ya!"

The Khans once more just stared out in disbelief. "This isn't Park Hill," Najia muttered.

Indeed. Rather than outside the housing complex the Khans lived in, and where the TARDIS always parked, their surroundings were a tropical beach, with golden sand under their feet and a sea which seemed to go on forever. Rocky outcrops shaped almost like pathways led from the shoreline further into the mainland. The twin moons in the sky signalled it was late afternoon, approaching evening.

Needless to say, the Khans' astonishment simply grew and grew.

They spent the next hour or so exploring the coastline before venturing towards the rocky outcrops. As the group continued further into land, with the Doctor pointing out and explaining all the wondrous, otherworldly nature and fauna, she noted how Yaz's family seemed to be loosening up, particularly Sonya.

The Time Lady knew she was on the right track. This was a brilliant idea…

TO BE CONTINUED