Disclaimer, I own nothing. thanks again to MyNameIsAwesome for being my beta, you is awesomes. You should all review, really review…do it now…it takes me days to write this story, you can spend to seconds on hitting the review button

Rose led Sarah Jane into UNIT headquarters; it had changed quite a bit since she was there. Maybe it wasn't even the same base. Sarah Jane was too mentally exhausted to even wonder. It could easily be a new building in the same place.

"You okay, Mum?" Luke asked for the ten-billionth time.

"I wish you'd stop asking me that," said Sarah Jane. "I'm fine." Even as the words left her mouth, Sarah Jane knew her son would know it was a lie.

"Luke, why don't you go have a look around?" Rose suggested. "While your mum and I talk."

"Kay," Luke agreed. He ran off down a corridor while Rose matched her pace to Sarah Jane's.

"He's a really good kid," Rose said.

"I know," Sarah Jane agreed, looking fondly after her son. "I don't know how I got so lucky."

"I think he's pretty lucky, too," said Rose. Sarah Jane couldn't help but smile at her. There was a pause. "It's okay," Rose said, stopping to look at Sarah Jane, "to let him know how you're feeling; he'll understand."

Sarah Jane shook her head. "No." She couldn't explain it, but she felt an irrevocable need to protect Luke from seeing her emotions. He didn't need to see her break down. She knew that he would be supportive and mature about it. But he would also feel the need to take care of her; she didn't want to put that on him. "He has enough to worry about."

"He'll want to help," Rose pointed out.

"I know," Sarah Jane admitted. "That's why. He has enough on his shoulders as it is. Taking care of his mum doesn't need to be added to that."

Rose didn't press her; instead she shifted the subject. "I looked you up," she said. "You're really impressive."

Sarah Jane gave a dry laugh. "I'm surprised UNIT has anything good to say about me. I didn't exactly leave on high terms."

"I don't know, Sarah, there are still a few of us who remember how much you did for us," an old but familiar voice said from behind her.

"Sir Alistair!" Sarah Jane exclaimed, running up to hug her old friend. The Brigadier hugged her back.

"My dear, Sarah, you haven't changed a bit." The Brig said.

"It's so good to see you." Sarah Jane said, momentarily forgetting why she was seeing him.

"I wish it could be under circumstances," The Brigadier said, sadly. "I'm sorry I couldn't fetch you and your son myself, but I trust you'd be safe with our lovely Miss No Name, here." He indicated Rose.

"No name?" Sarah Jane asked.

"I'm not supposed to be in the time stream," Rose replied, "and I've been through enough parallel dimensions to know that the wrong word in the wrong place can cause all sorts of nasty rebounds in the space time continuum." She looked away, and added heavily, "And there's no one to set things right now."

"Well, whoever you are, I thank you for your help," the Brigadier said.

"It's the least I can do," Rose returned.

"No, my dear, it's the most," the Brigadier corrected. "Anyways, I came to find you because it's time to say good-bye." Sarah Jane felt a punch in her stomach at those words. Goodbye. How could she ever say goodbye to the Doctor? How could she ever let that man go? She didn't realize several moments passed until Rose touched her shoulder.

"It's okay," Rose said softly, though Sarah Jane could tell the girl was holding back tears of her own. "Do you want me to find your son? So you don't have to be alone."

"No," Sarah Jane answered, her voice thick.

Rose took her hand. Sarah Jane knew she was going through the same thing, maybe even worse. Sarah Jane had had over thirty years without the Doctor to get used to the idea of life without him. Rose was just traveling with him; this must be like suddenly plunging into cold water for her. It gave Sarah Jane comfort to be facing this with someone going through the same thing.

The Brigadier brought them to a big room that resembled a funeral home chapel. It wasn't packed, but there were a fair few people there, some Sarah Jane recognized, some she didn't. She didn't talk to anyone; by this time the lump in her throat was so thick that she didn't know if she'd want to if she could.

Rose was still holding her hand as they walked up to the casket. He hadn't regenerated since she'd last seen him. He was still the young brown haired man that she had met at the school. Tears fell from her eyes. He was pale. So very pale. His face was slackened peacefully. His hair stuck out at odd angles. When Sarah Jane's aunt died, she'd looked like she was sleeping in her coffin. But the Doctor didn't. He looked small and cold and lonely and so very, very dead. Sarah Jane reached out her hand and stroked the side of his face. He was cold. So cold.

She let out a sob; then covered her mouth to stop herself from letting out another one. Rose squeezed her other hand.

Sarah Jane tried to talk but it took her a second to wrap her mouth around the words. "What…What are they going to do with his body?" she asked.

"He'll have to be cremated," the Brigadier answered. "He's the last Time Lord in the universe. If anyone got even a cell from his body, we don't know what could happen."

"His ashes are going to be released up in space, where he can be free to roam the stars." Rose said, her eyes glistening with tears.

Sarah Jane nodded; that sounded fitting. She felt herself shaking. Rose must have felt it too. "Do you want to go up to your room?" she asked, softly.

"Actually, can I have a moment alone?" she asked. Rose squeezed her hand again, then retreated. The Brigadier patted her shoulder and followed.

"Bet you never saw this coming," Sarah Jane said, quietly. "All those times we got into trouble- Sontarans and dinosaurs, Daleks and Cybermen- you probably thought you'd be the one at my funeral, not the other way around." She paused, then continued. "That's certainly what I thought. But I want to thank you, Doctor. Thank you for everything. I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

She got too choked up to talk anymore. Another hand touched her shoulder, but this time it wasn't Rose's or the Brigadier's; she looked over to see Luke. He had found her, just like he always did. He didn't say anything; he didn't need to. His presence was enough. Sarah Jane rested her head on his shoulder, suddenly too tired to care what he might think, and let him lead her away up to their room.