They walk off until they find a little cafe for a quick lunch."Did you ever work here as a teen?" With a laugh, "No, this place wasn't around until at least the 90s."
"Really."
"Yes, I have a small chance of knowing the owners though. Granted I doubt it."
"Why?"
"I didn't really hang out with the sort of people that would want to own a cafe or a restaurant." They take out their menus and order some water and coffee to start off with. "So this week we are in my hometown, do we want to go to yours?"
"Essex?"
"Nevermind, I have been there."
"Excuse me, are you ready for your order," the waitress who looked around forty asks.
Ace looks up, "Sure."
"Oh my god I heard you were back, I just didn't believe it was true."
"Umm."
"You used to babysit me until you disappeared."
"Makayla?"
"Yes, it's me. You were the only one that actually liked me." Graham sits back and chuckles.
"You were a good kid."
Makayala blushes, "At least someone thought so." She turns to Graham, "What's so funny?"
"I just enjoy seeing people gush over Ace."
"Who are you?"
"Hers," he points to Ace.
"You are yourself Graham."
"How did you two meet?" They look at each other not knowing what to say to someone that doesn't know the Doctor. "Well..."
"A common friend had us meet on a blind date." Ace agrees with Graham and sends a smile his way.
"A friend that knew you both well enough?"
"Yes, this friend I was close to as a young adult," Ace says, fudging the years a little bit.
"For me, this friend I got to know me after I lost my wife."
"I am sorry for your loss."
"It has been a little over four years, I am doing better. I met Ace a little over two weeks before the anniversary."
"Really," Ace is shocked that their meeting each other was close to the anniversary of losing Grace.
"Yes, when Luke came to the meeting it was the day after the anniversary."
"Why didn't you say anything that night?"
"I was trying to keep my mind off it. Though seeing Mr. Williams didn't help much." Ace leans over to grab his hand. "Spending the time with you that night helped."
"I am glad."
"Mhmm, sorry, my boss is giving me the eye that is telling me that I better take your orders now."
Ace turns her head to Makayla, "Sorry Mac, I will have the mac and cheese with a side salad."
"I will have the same thing, but can I also have a banoffee treat?"
"What kind?"
"Banana."
"Okay, this will be right out," she walks away and hangs up the order sheet on a small ferris wheel.
"With the anniversary of Grace, is that why Ryan hasn't showed up to meetings yet?"
"I think after meeting Captain Jack while the Doc was in prison just didn't sit well with him."
"You met him before."
"A few times, and made me uncomfortable with all the flirting."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Yaz didn't like a mention of a Rose though."
"No need to worry about Rose."
"Yaz knows, though from Mickey, Rose would be worried about any of the companions she didn't know already."
"Let's not worry about someone we will never meet."
"Agreed, so I have met someone who wanted to be a flame, a best friend and a kid you babysat."
"Most people don't get out of here."
"That I can gather, you are one of the few?"
"From what it seems."
"Most seem to be happy to see you."
"Which is shocking."
"Why?"
"From every stupid thing I did as an angry kid I would think most, that I'm not friends with, would hate me." Their food arrives and they dig in. "Graham?"
"Yes," cheese drips down his chin which makes her laugh.
"Nevermind."
"What's so funny?"
"My food lover has cheese dripping down his chin."
"Really?"
"Yes," Graham grabs his napkin and wipes his chin.
"Better?"
"Yes," she leans across the small table and gives him a small kiss. "See."
"Yes, I do," he leans forward to give her a better kiss. Their eyes close and a cough makes them break apart.
"I was coming to ask how the food was, but I guess I don't have to. You two may want to stop people are starting to stare and with how news spreads around here and may get past the small sign we have." Ace and Graham sit back down and go back to eating. When they are done both get out their wallets to pay.
"Let me this time, this is my town anyway. Our last dinner date you did pay."
"Ok," Graham puts the wallet away as Ace pays the bill while leaving a hefty tip. They walk out hand in hand not seeing nor caring all the whispers about how Dorothy McShane, a former rebel turned head of a foundation holding hands with a guy that none of them know. Tag is around the corner and takes a picture hoping that if he sends it to The Sun, he will get a big pay out.
"So you have seen a few of my old haunts and my old school, where to next?"
"I don't know. You were right about it being a small town. We have about 5 hours to kill until dinner."
"Food is already on your mind." With a laugh Ace turns a different corner and runs into someone that looks a lot like her. "Liam.''
"Hello sister mine."
"Sister?"
"Graham I never told you about my distant brother, not long before leaving the Doctor I discovered that I had a brother. Our mother cheated on our father and after he discovered it took Liam with him. I was raised as an only child after that day when I was four years old."
"Forgot to mention that when you came back to earth that you never called."
"I," Ace stops.
"I guess that you are like our mother."
"From what I know about your mother, I can say that Ace is nothing like her. She is kind, truthful and.."
"Can't hurt a fly," Liam says with a doubtful laugh.
"He knows about my explosions that are only for alien species that try to kill humans."
"And also the fact that except for Daleks and Cybermen you hate it. Though you do like creating them in an area away from anyone that you can hurt." Ace faces Graham and mouths a thank you.
"Liam, I am sorry that I didn't call you. There are a lot of things that got jumbled in my brain for a few years."
"Why's that?"
"Some of my memories got wiped okay?"
"What? How do you know that?"
"Because someone named Romana came to me one day and told me what happened and proved she knew the Doctor to me by talking about some of his odd clothes that were in the TARDIS." Ace looks towards Graham, "The Gallifrey mug."
"What is Gallifrey?"
"Where the Doctor came from."
"And how did you get one?"
"My Doctor sent me to the Time Lord Academy."
"So you got the father you never wanted."
"That is it, Liam, your sister is a wonderful person. She is human and thoughtful."
"Liam, I have a question?"
"Have you ever felt something was different about you?"
"Yes, I did."
"Our darling mother was a descendant of this Fenric that can turn us evil if we are not careful. I almost changed but it was stopped twice, both in a different time and in Perivale."
"Oh."
"I can help you with it."
"No thank you, I don't need your help," Liam walks away.
"I am still learning things about you Ace."
"Yes you are," Ace turns to face Graham, "let's hope we continue to learn things about the other," she grabs his hand again and they walk back to her mother's place.