"Graham," Ace asks as they are at her place laying on the couch.

"Yes?"

"You know how Kate said she didn't want to see us for a month at UNIT. Martha also suggested for me to take some time away from A Charitable Earth. I was thinking that you and I can spend it together away from London. Maybe I can show you around Perivale, or we can go somewhere else. Turn off our phones."

"I would love that, though I think there are a few people who want us to stay in contact with them while we are gone."

"I know." She sighs and gets more comfortable when there is a loud knocking at the door, "Who can that be?"

"Open up it's me Yaz."

"That answers that question," Graham looks down at Ace with a smile.

"It's open," They both sit up as she opens the door and runs in.

"I first tried Graham's but UNIT was still there cleaning up."

"Ok, I wanted Ace to be home."

"I am right here you know."

"I know."

Yaz throws herself at Ace, "I am so glad you are ok."

"Just a sprained wrist is all. It was your Doctor that came."

"Really?"

"It was not long after Ryan and I left, and to make sure there were no paradoxes, only answered the bare minimum of questions about you."

"That's fine, Saturday night I did go on a date."

"With who?"

"Someone I met online. Ryan set me up for online dating."

"He is just trying to be a brother."

"I know, just like how you two alone with Tegan and Nyssa have been taking care of me."

"That's what a fam is for," Yaz sits on the chair that is across from them.

"Ace, tell me how you really are?"

She looks over to Graham who gives her a soft smile, "Okay now that I am home. The Doctor has saved bedrooms of his former companions, though he needed three less with the two married couples, and Graham hasn't really let me out his site except when Martha was making sure my body was ok."

"The Doctor made sure I didn't go and didn't do anything that I would later regret." Ace rubs his arm.

"You were the one that found me."

"Then we found the Doc threatening Glitz."

"Who is this Glitz? Mel mentioned him a few meetings ago."

"Someone from the past," Ace's eyes go wide, "Mel, who is going to tell her what happened?"

"I don't know," the door opens and a red head comes in.

"I can't believe what that bastard did to you." She tries to shoo Graham off the couch.

Ace stops to think for a second as Mel doesn't know everything, "Well."

"You were right with who he was. Graham move."

"Just scootch over a bit," he did and Ace was basically sitting in his lap. Mel throws her arms around the other woman. "Who told you?"

"I went to UNIT for some paperwork so I can get coverage from there. Kate looked tired so I asked her what was wrong."

"Did she say anything else?"

"Just that Glitz kidnapped you, and she along with a small handful of people went to rescue you. Why did he do something else?"

"No, he didn't."

"Ace, are you forgetting that I knew you when you were a teenager."

"How can I forget that?"

''I remember how you said you can take care of yourself and that you don't need a mum or dad."

"I didn't."

"You found a father-like figure in the Doctor though."

"I know."

"Mel, can we just be supportive friends right now?"

"I am, Graham."

"You came in like one, but now you are not. Ace doesn't always like people to mention."

"Graham stop, I am ok, thank you for trying to protect me, but I can fight my own battles."

"I know," Ace turns to face him some more.

"I love you for it though." Mel starts to laugh.

"I never thought I'd see the day Ace is like this, sitting on a guys lap, telling him she loves him for something she isn't happy with him about."

"I have had a few relationships you know, Mel."

"Of course you have, I just have never met them."

"They met Tegan and Nyssa, though Tegan didn't really like them. She likes Graham though."

"I can tell by all the teasing, and the fact last week she checked up on me."

"Nyssa checked up on me," Ace says.

"And me."

Mel looks at Yaz, "Why you?"

"It's my fault, I wasn't nice to her when she came up to me Monday morning."

"Ok?"

"Mel, thank you for checking up on me, you too Yaz. Truthfully I am fine."

"Mel, I think Ace is trying to get us to leave."

"Nicely," Ace says with a smile.

"Fine, goodbye Ace," Mel leans over to give her a hug. Yaz waves as they leave together. "You call me if you need anything."

"Sure." She walks them to the door and locks it. "That was unexpected."

"Mel?"

"Yes, I mean we have talked a little bit since she got back to earth about ten years ago, but not much."

"She knew you were here?"

"Yes, I don't know how." She sees Graham thinking, "Could it be?" She walks back to the couch and slumps against Graham, "I sure hope it wasn't who I think it was."

"Maybe the Doctor contacted her?"

"I don't think so. I am glad that he is locked away."

"Me too."

"Can we get back to our discussion from earlier?"

"About us going away for a bit."

"Yeah, I know Christmas is just around the corner."

"What day is it?"

December something."

"We may have surpassed Christmas."

"Let me look at my phone." Ace gets out her phone, "Oh wow it's December 5th."

"We can go away for two weeks and miss one meeting."

"Just make sure we tell a few of them that we are missing a meeting."

"We do need to get away."

"What you asked Saturday, if Ryan comes home after he hears what happened do you want to still spend it with me?"

"Of course I do. I will just have to make sure that Ryan would be ok with it. Minus maybe a year, we have been home for Christmas and it has been the two of us."

"You should call him and I will call Tegan and Nyssa, seeing if they will be ok with more bodies this year. Though they always make enough food to feed an army," a laugh in her voice Ace picks up her phone.

"Is everything okay Ace?"

"Everything is fine Tegan, I am just calling you for two reasons, can you make sure at the next meeting that everyone knows that Graham and I are out of town."

"Where are you going?"

"I am thinking of showing him my hometown."

"That's good. What else?"

"Would it be ok if I have one, maybe two guests for Christmas?"

"We assumed that you were bringing Graham, just unsure about his grandson."

"Graham is calling him right now. He was originally planning on not coming home for the holiday, but with everything that happened this weekend he might have changed his mind."

"You know we already cook a lot, bring them. The more the merrier."

"Just not too many right?"

"We have a feeling that they may be a permanent fixture in our Christmas' from here on out."

"I hope so," Ace looks over at Graham and smiles with how he looks talking to Ryan.

"So do we, Ace, Ace, you still there?"

"Yes, I am, I was just watching Graham for a second talking to Ryan."

"I will let you go then, bye Ace, have fun on your mini vacation with Graham."

"I will. Bye." Ace hangs up while Graham is still talking.

"I know I should've called you when we got back to the TARDIS Ryan, but other things were on my mind."

"I heard from Yaz, why didn't you call me when it happened?"

"Everything happened so fast. I noticed she was gone, called Tegan and Nyssa, who helped call everyone else on their way over to my place while I just slumped on the couch. Next thing I know they are there and not long after the Doctor shows up. I blew up at her ya know. Then I am on the TARDIS, flying to some planet that Ace was on. I find her, we see and hear the Doctor threatening the man who did it. We are back on the ship, and we eventually fall asleep. The following day she drops us off now here we are."

"Ok, now why else did you call me?"

"Would you like to spend Christmas with Ace, Tegan, Nyssa and I?"

"I'll think about it." Ryan clicks off. Graham turns around to see Ace watching him.

"He said he'll think about it."

"What else?"

"He's mad that Yaz is the one that told him."

"Him and Yaz are close?"

"Ever since we met the Doc."

"You like that?"

"Of course I do." Ace walks over to him. "He likes you too."

"That's good."

"Yeah." They move over to the couch and go back the way they were before Yaz and Mel came over. "You know Yaz has more manners than Mel."

"From what I can gather Mel has been one who cares for others and will barge in unless told not to. I, on the other hand, didn't care what others thought."

"You are amazing Ace."

"That came out of left field."

"Eh, but it's the truth." He can't see that Ace scrunches up her nose.

"You have my heart already Graham, no need to keep saying that."

He holds her tighter, "I know, I just wanted to say it."

Ace turns around careful not to fall off the couch, "Well thank you," she leans in to kiss him. "You aren't half bad yourself."

"You said something about going to Perivale?"

"I did, or somewhere else."

"You know I wouldn't mind seeing where you mostly grew up."

"You sure it can be pretty boring, the last time I showed someone around, the Master turned into a cat."

"So it was the Doc?"

"It was; it was after the whole Fenric thing happened."

"Ahh, so you have never shown a boyfriend or girlfriend it before."

"None of them lasted long enough, too many questions on why I never talked about my parents or some of my young adulthood."

"That might be why many of us have married or entered a relationship with someone that knew the Doctor."

"You are right considering most of us traveled with the Doctor at a youngish age."

"Though I am probably the youngest."

"Maybe, I know Yaz and Ryan were 19 when they started."

"Though Tegan and Nyssa said Adric was really young also."

"Do they talk about him often?"

"Not really." They lay there with Ace knowing how Adric sacrificed himself to save many people.

"As much as I like just laying here with you. When do you want to leave? I will have to go back to my place and pack a bag," Ace stiffins. "I would not ask you to come to my place. I don't really want to go back. I may want to move."

"Just don't make any rash decisions, because of what happened to me."

"I won't," he sighs, "how much longer do you think it will be until UNIT is done with my place?"

"I am surprised they are still there."

"It was just yesterday. God I can't believe it's been over 24 hours since everything happened."

"You were scared too?"

"Yes, I was. Unless the Doc is involved people don't usually go missing all of a sudden. When you weren't in the bedroom I just thought you were going to the bathroom. Then I panicked, Tegan had to convince me that we were going to find you."

"As I told you already I had confidence that you were going to find me."

"I thank you for that." Graham reaches for his phone, "I might call Kate to see if they are done at my place."

"Are you going to spend the night here?''

"If you want me too."

"I do, I know K9 is here and all, speaking of K9 I haven't seen him since we got back."

"Do you want to leave K9 here when we go to Perivale?"

"No, I might see if Tegan and Nyssa will take him. I know that they are worried about me, how about I go there while you pack a bag." Ace looks around the area, "So much has changed since I was swept up by Fenric. This time I have people and I don't want to be alone."

"You don't have to be alone ever again." Ace looks back at him and smiles.

"I know that Graham. Do we want to leave tomorrow?"

"That would be perfect." Arrangements are made for K9. Graham goes and packs his bag as Ace hangs out with her friends for a while.