A/N: Pretty Fast updates, yes I know. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy. Please R/R.

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Chapter Twenty: Family Reunion

The Doctor smiled as Tash went around hugging various family members. Family, he sighed, oh how he missed his own. He had offered to take some of Tash's large progeny back to Mala'shi. But he hadn't expected….no he should have. It was like a family reunion. A big monstrous root here and there stuck outward with a Kasi head mashed in between, it was a foreboding scene, quite horrific, but the Mala'shra were doing their best to plant over it. Even now he watched with amused interest as the Mala'shra began to grow flowers and plants over the bodies of their enemies. The Kasi were going to be peeved off when they found out that there planet they had claimed had been claimed by another race, one they considered inferior. But the Mala'shraians had proven that they could fight back just as well. It was a bit sad, to see the death of innocence in this peaceful lot. But that's how all races evolved, even his own, despite the fact that his own race were all dead.

Now, he could understand why the Mala'shraians wanted to rebuild this planet. Besides it would do them a lot of good, they were taking steps at colonizing. It was a start of a new age among the Mala'shra. Mala'shra rarely left home, for most were content to stay at home and plant plants. In the Doctor's mind it was very idyllic, and not all together practical, but he saw something new and wonderful going on here. It was history all in its making and he was here to witnesses it. "Sarah, you ought to watch this. The Mala'shra are able to grow plants at five times or is it ten times, I can't remember, any way it's over the normal rate than a human can grow a plant."

Sarah sighed and shook her head, the Doctor was yet again, showing her the universe, "It's all very nice, Doctor. But….I'd like to go home."

"Home? Why? I thought that after this, you would want to stay."

"Doctor, it was fun to have one trip, but I am getting a bit old for this…."

"Alright, I understand, but….I was hoping that…" He turned back to watch the Mala'shraians and Tash. He didn't feel like looking at Sarah Jane, because he might not be able to hold back what he was feeling. His other incarnations were less weepy than he was, he tried to keep himself very stoic.

Sarah sighed, "Doctor…I am not…well…her. I know you know who I am talking about but…this life of yours….I'm just not cut out for it anymore. This trip sort of proved it."

The Doctor nodded and was quiet, he had hoped that Sarah Jane would have kept traveling with him but now he was seeing how it was going to go. Tash was going back to her people and Sarah Jane was asking to go home. He was going to be lonely, yet again. But he tried to keep himself as cheery as he could.

Tash gathered at least a thousand of her family to come back with her to their native home. Tash was so very lively now and she went running off and then came back with the very maps the Kasi were going to use for their invasion. She came running or rather walking back and the maps looked cumbersome to the smaller more diminutive form of Tash. They fell out of her hands and the Doctor ran over and helped her pick them up. "And what is this for?"

"To help me plot a course back here, with my own ship."

"You know a girl your age, ought to settle down." He was teasing her, trying to get her to lighten up at least a little bit. After all, getting older was part of life. Even for him.

"I am not dead yet, Doctor and all that has happened in the short time I have traveled with you has revived me so very much. Before I felt so old….and now I haven't felt so alive in over seventy years."

The Doctor smiled. "I am glad. So are you ready to leave with some of your family?"

"Yep…"

The Doctor opened the TARDIS and Tash entered and the Doctor and Sarah Jane entered as well. "Old girl we have a ship load this time…"

The TARDIS murmured lightly. She wasn't use to having this many passengers on her. Tash smiled softly at the TARDIS and said quietly, "It's just part of my family…."

The Doctor said, "Don't mind the TARDIS everyone, She'll be fine. Just sit down and DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING…"

The Mala'shraians nodded and they took a seat. All of them were looking around and murmuring that it was 'bigger on the inside.' When everyone had sat down, the Doctor said, "Alright….everyone hold tight." He worked the control console and The TARDIS dematerialized away. The Mala'shraians held each other. A few of them cried a bit. The Doctor rolled his eyes a bit, "Shhh….nothing bad is going to happen. Sarah Jane, Tash, a little help please."

Sarah Jane nodded and went through the huddled masses of Tash's people and hugged them or talked to them. Tash on the other hand stood still and the Doctor figured they were communicating telepathically. Good ole telepathy, one of the most complex and yet basic forms of communication in the universe. A few moments later, the TARDIS dematerializes on Mala'shi and the Doctor opens the door and peaks out, "See….told ya nothing bad is going to happen."

Sarah Jane bursts out laughing.

"What?"

She keeps laughing.

"Sarah Jane, stop it."

Sarah Jane wipes tears away from her face because she was laughing so hard, "Sorry Doctor, it's just you saying that nothing bad is going to happen."

The Doctor snorted, "Hilarious…."