Chapter Thirteen:

After a successful flight home to their original universe in the TARDIS, The Doctor landed her over the rift in Cardiff so she could fuel up again after her difficult journey. Jack left reasonably soon, and headed back to Torchwood.

"See you guys around!" he called out as he walked into the Cardiff centre, sending a wink to Tia- and when catching The Professor's protective looks, winking at him as well. The Doctor and Rose both rolled their eyes and laughed slightly. "Jack's just... well Jack," Rose said "51st century man, you'll get used to him"

The Professor and Tia both exchanged a look of slight confusion, but acceptance at the same time before turning back to The Doctor and Rose. "So, what do you guys do for fun around here then?" The professor asked dryly, looking around at the bleak Cardiff centre with the cloudy weather.

"Oi watch it you," Rose warned, laughing slightly "Cardiff's lovely. Don't knock it 'till you try it. Let's go and grab some lunch in the café across the street. I fancy chips"

The Doctor laughed in slight adoration, "Honestly Rose, I keep forgetting to take you to Octavia in the third Hydrone Galaxy. Best chips in the world!" he smiled.

"Oh I've been there," Tia said "Lovely little side planet named Pyo. They do have nice chips there."

"Better remember to take me then doctor," Rose said "but in the meantime, greasy Cardiff café chips it is!"

So the four of them headed off to the little grease café. It was the same place they had visited with Jack and Mickey in The Doctor's ninth incarnation Rose noted. They headed inside and sat at one of the little tables, all ordering a big plate of greasy chips.

"So how long have you two been together?" Tia asked after a little while, as the four of them sat together at a table, Rose and The Doctor on one side, Tia and The Professor on the other.

"We've been travelling together around two years now, and we've been together together around eight months." Rose said.

"Oh okay, so your baby is due pretty soon then?" The Professor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep, not long now, three or four weeks give or take." She replied, she couldn't really hide the grin on her face of finally meeting her little boy. Their little boy.

"Have you thought of a name?" he asked.

The Doctor and Rose both audibly groaned in annoyance. "We still can't agree," The Doctor moaned "we've been calling him baby for about three months. Stops us arguing."

"What about Drayschel," The Professor joked, raising an eyebrow again. Rose noted he had a habit of doing that, he noticed her staring, and wriggled them both about one at a time, making her laugh.

"Bloody show off." Tia said, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance but Rose could tell she didn't mean it. Once conquering her own task of getting this child into the universe, Rose's next plan was definitely getting those two together. The way they looked at each other when the other wasn't looking… that was how she looked at The Doctor. How she had always looked at him, right from big ears and leather.

"Hmm, somehow I'm not convinced." The Doctor said, laughing slightly bringing Rose out of her daydream and back to reality.

"Well, I'm sure you'll pick a great name when the time comes," Tia laughed "So Rose, do you have any family still here?"

"Yeah, I've got my mum- she lives in London," Rose said "That reminds me doctor, we're due a visit soon."

The doctor groaned again, and his brother laughed at him. "Avoiding the mother Theta? I thought you were brought up better than that."

"You haven't met Jackie Tyler," The Doctor scoffed and Rose laughed

"She is not that bad!" Rose said giving him a light shove. The Doctor just rolled his eyes.

"I she okay with you having a baby with a time lord then?" Tia asked

"Well, she wasn't at first, but she warmed to it. And then the whole not human thing came about and she sort of flipped out, but she's calmed down now."

"Just about" The Doctor scoffed again remembering the additional slaps he got when he had to bring Rose home and casually mention that she wasn't human and had been sleeping for days.

"Oh shut up you, just for that we're going to see her today."

"But Rose-"

"No buts." Rose said, holding her hand up to his pouting lips thus ending the debate. The Doctor just rocked back in his seat, visibly defeated and felt The Professor and Tia's eyes on him, mocking and laughing.

"She's got you well trained Theta, I like her." The Professor said, laughing slightly.

"Tell me about it." The doctor murmured under his breath.

"But you've gotta come and meet my mum, she always cooks enough to feed a small army, and if you're going to be travelling with us for a while you should meet her. She's dead nice, ignore what this one says." Rose said smiling, choosing to ignore The Doctor's childish behaviour that she would never tell him she secretly loved.

"I think she sounds great," The Professor said with a devious smile "Any woman enough to bring my brother to his knees, I need to meet."

oOo

Jackie heard the whooshing of the TARDIS and smiled, she hadn't seen her daughter in a few weeks and had been wondering when she would next visit. She put the Shepard's pie in the oven, and filled up the kettle, pulling out three mugs.

The doorbell rang, and she hurried over opening it, surprised to see four people in front of her.

"Rose, finally! I haven't seen you in a few weeks, and you never answer that bloody phone. I see you've brought some friends?" Jackie asked, inviting everyone in and giving her daughter a hug.

"Hi mum," Rose smiled, returning the hug. "I'll make the tea"

"Doctor, care to introduce me to your friends?" Jackie asked, giving The Doctor a hug too.

The Doctor grimaced only slightly, and returned Jackie's hug before turning to The Professor and Tia. "Jackie, this is my brother The Professor and his friend Tia." He said.

"Pleasure to meet you; I've heard so much about you." The Professor said, extending a hand and smiling broadly. Jackie shook it, and then shook Tia's but couldn't hide the confused look on her face. "What happened to the whole, 'I'm the last of my species' nonsense then doctor? You've never mentioned a brother before." She said.

"Well Jackie, it's a rather long story that I'm sure Rose will fill you in on later when you spend hours on the phone, so I'll let her cover that one or both your evenings will be ruined," The Doctor said, clapping his hands and heading to sit down on the sofa. Before Jackie could even formulate a response he had shed his trench coat and jacket and shoes, and had his TARDIS blue sock-clad feet up on the coffee table. "Shepard's pie sounds like a delight, thanks."

Jackie just rolled her eyes, "Alright Mr anomalous," she said tutting "But get your feet off my bloody table before I do you some damage!"

The Doctor put his feet down very quickly.

Now that we've got the dramatic reunion out of the way, I can move onto more fluff now hooray hoorah. But of course what would be a fic without some drama, eventually. Hang tight because there will be another surprise a little way down the line, but let's just enjoy the well overdue fluff to come!