Chapter 5 – Catching Up

Later that night, when the children had gone to bed, The Doctor, Susan and David sat talking quietly in the lounge room. Susan and David were quite curious about the Doctor's life after he had left Susan behind.

"So how old are you now, grandfather?" asked Susan, sipping some tea.

"About 1,568. For me, it's been about 1,200 years since I dropped you off," answered the Doctor.

David choked on his tea. "How can anyone be that old?" he spluttered, gasping for breath.

"Simple, I'm a Time Lord; we –," he stopped after receiving a mental message from Susan saying that David must not be told how long Time Lords lived for. "- I'm an extraordinarily long-lived Time Lord," the Doctor finished lamely.

"So what have you been doing? Did Ian and Barbara get home?" asked Susan. She had a very long list of questions she wanted to ask her grandfather.

"Oh, yes, they got home. Not that long after I left you here, actually. I programmed a dalek time machine to take them home. I can only assume that they made it home safely."

"That's good."

David also had a question. "Susan mentioned earlier that you could change your face. How many times have you done that?"

"Ten. The last change happened only a short time ago. I absorbed some radiation to save a friend. Didn't enjoy the experience at all." The Doctor shuddered involuntarily before continuing. "As for what I've been doing, well, I've been travelling with Amy and Rory, I've rebooted the universe, I've saved the planet a million times. Look up myths and legends in your local library. You'll probably find me there somewhere."

David yawned. "I'm going to bed," he said, leaning over to give Susan a quick peck on her cheek before putting his cup down on the coffee table. "Goodnight, sugar plum. Goodnight Doctor." He walked down the corridor to the master bedroom.

Susan waited until David was out of earshot before continuing. "Did you go back to Gallifrey, grandfather?" she asked eagerly.

The Doctor sighed. "Yes, Susan, I did go back a couple of times."

Susan's eyes gleamed. "Really? Why? Can you take me?" The questions slipped of her tongue as if she had been waiting for this very situation to arise.

The Doctor took a deep breath. "I can't take you back, Susan, not now, not ever."

"Why not?"

The Doctor sighed and turned his back. "You're a renegade," he said simply. "Not allowed back."

Susan was confused. "Then why did you go back? You're still a renegade too."

The Doctor grinned. "No, I'm not. I helped them out a few times, and was pardoned. I was even made President at one stage!"

Susan felt pride build up inside her. Her own grandfather had been President of the Time Lords! But there was also a small feeling of jealousy at the fact that he had managed to go back to their home planet. The Doctor saw the look on her face and quickly sat down beside her.

"I didn't go back by choice, you know, well, except for one occasion where I had to go back to defend Gallifrey from invasion. But I was put on trial twice, framed for murder, captured and sent to the Death Zone - four times, actually, now I think of it, but I only remember it happening once."

Susan was shocked. "You went to the Death Zone? How horrible! You must have been scared."

The Doctor stiffened. "Me, scared! Impossible! You'd better toughen up, young lady, 'cause you're going there too!"

Susan gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth.

The Doctor was oblivious to what he had just said. "What? Oh no, don't tell me I gave you a hint about your future!" The Doctor groaned in despair. He wasn't supposed to do that.

Susan suddenly started giggling.

"What's so funny, hmm?" he asked crossly.

"Oh, grandfather," Susan laughed. "You haven't changed one bit!"

The Doctor was lying in bed in the spare bedroom of Susan and David's house. He felt a little guilty for not telling Susan about the Time War, but he didn't want to revisit the memories that he had long since buried. Besides, she'd be much better off not knowing. He didn't want to spoil her life. Maybe he'd take the family for a trip in the TARDIS, just as a treat. He'd take them to the Scorpion Nebula, or to the Eye of Orion, or...

Still planning what he was going to do in the coming day, the Doctor finally fell asleep