"Alright. So spill," Alba said, snuggling closer to the Doctor on the jumpseat. "Why Shakespeare? Were you planning on that all along?"

"Well, I certainly wasn't planning on the Carrionites. But yeah, it was my plan all along to take you to see Shakespeare. I was just remembering before, that book of poetry. You said you wished you'd grown up on that Earth, that they seemed so full of love and longing. So I figured Earth, Shakespeare, good combination. The original romantic," the Doctor said, draping his arm over her shoulder.

"You remembered I said that?" she asked, touched.

"I remember everything you've told me. I wouldn't miss a word of it," he said with a grin.

"So is that habit, then? Dropping in on historical figures?" she questioned, twirling a lock of hair around her fingers.

"Not always, no. But I've met a few over the years. It's sort of irresistible to go back, see the things you learned about unfold before your eyes. Traveling is an escape for me. I can leave my problems behind, see the universe. Who wouldn't want to do that?" he said.

"No one I can think of it. So where to next?" she asked him curiously.

"Well, I promised you I'd take you to see your mother…"

"Really?" she said, her eyes lighting up. "We're going to see my mum?"

"Well, so long as we can come up with a plausible story that explains your absence and how we met. Nothing involving the slave exchange," he replied hesitantly.

"No, of course she," she answered hastily. "What were you thinking?"

"Well," he said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "We could always stretch the truth a bit. I mean, I am a doctor. Andrea doesn't necessarily have to know what kind of doctor. We can tell her you were injured, and I cared for you in hospital. Say you were knocked out and mugged. When you came to, you had amnesia, but your ID was gone. That would explain why you didn't get back in touch with your mother right away. By the time it came back to you, she had moved, and it took us some time to track her down."

"Moved? My mother moved?" she asked, confused.

"I had her moved," the Doctor replied carefully. "Off the Powell Estate. Somewhere I knew she'd be safe."

"How'd you do that then?" she quizzed him.

"Well, that's the thing. I kind of...lied to you," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"How do you mean?" Alba asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"A few weeks ago, when I told you there was an explosion at the lab? Well, I lied. The explosion wasn't at the lab. It was at Henrik's," he said, refusing to meet her gaze.

"What?" she replied, her mouth dropping open.

"Your mother is fine," he responded quickly. "She's fine. I pulled her out of the building before it collapsed. She didn't see my face, though-she was unconscious. She was sedated for a while. Jack kept watch over her, and then brought her to hospital. We concocted the story that she'd been in a coma for six months as a result of the accident, but that she'd also come into a significant amount of money for being involved."

"My mother was almost killed, and you didn't think to mention it to me?" Alba asked, her voice raising several octaves. She got up from the jumpseat and stormed around the console.

He could tell she was properly furious by the expression on her face. "I know, and I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to worry, and there was so much going on, with Harry and Rani...and I'm sorry. I know I should've told you...I was just worried that if you knew your mother had been in an accident, you'd want to go home," he said sheepishly.

"How am I ever supposed to trust you when you keep doing things like this?" she spat at him angrily.

He hung his head, and sighed. "You have every right to be angry at me. I'm rubbish at this, I really am. And well, you know how my last relationship ended."

Her expression softened a little at that, but her mouth was still pressed into a thin line. "This is never going to work if you keep hiding things from me. I've been nothing but honest with you. I think I deserve the same in return."

"Yes, of course you do," he said. "And I've really been trying. To open up to you, to tell you what I'm thinking and feeling. It's just hard for me. But I won't offer platitudes or makes excuses...I'll just do better from now on."

The corner of her mouth quirked up. "I suppose I'll have to think of some way for you to make it up to me."

"Whatever you like," he said, moving to stand in front of her. He pulled her into his arms and enfolded her in a hug before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I want Jack to take me shopping. I'd like to pick out some of my own clothes, if it's all the same to you. That's how you can make it up to me," she finally said.

"Okay, but why Jack? I can take you shopping," he said, flapping his hand.

"Because Jack is the closest thing I have to a girlfriend, that's why," she laughed.

"Fair enough, I suppose. I doubt he'd mind. Admittedly, shopping isn't exactly my thing. I'm good at making money, not quite as good at spending it," he said, considering. "Well...most of the time. Anyway...you mother! I suppose it's now or never," he said, busying himself with flipping levers and turning dials.

"You're nervous to meet her, aren't you?" Alba said, a look of realisation crossing her face.

"Well isn't everyone nervous the first time they meet their significant other's parents?" he retorted.

"Is that what we are then? Significant others," she said, trying the phrase out.

"I don't know if they've invented a word yet that quite manages to encapsulate the complexities of our relationship," he answered honestly.

"You should have asked Shakespeare to invent one," she replied, her tongue poking between her teeth.

"Well if we ever encounter the Bard again, I'll be sure to do that," he said dryly. The ship shuddered roughly around them, indicating they had landed. "Come on them...time to meet your mother."

She let him take her by the hand and lead her to the TARDIS door. They stepped outside and onto a quiet street lined with row homes. "Where are we?" she asked.

"Chiswick," he replied, striding down the street.

"Chiswick. Right," she said, not sounding wholly convinced. It was hard to imagine her mother ending up anywhere so seemingly...mundane.

"It is Chiswick," he insisted, tugging her down the street. They stopped in front of a brick house with a lush front garden. An orange cat was lounging indolently on the porch. "Ready?"

"Are you kidding? I've been waiting for this. The question is, are iyou/i ready?" she asked, turning towards him.

"As ready as I'm ever going to be," he said, walking with her up to the porch. They stepped over the cat and the Doctor raised his hand to rap several times on the door. They heard shifting inside the house, and then a few moments later the door opened.

"Alba!" Andrea exclaimed, swinging the door wide open.

"Hi mum," Alba croaked, relief washing over her. She let her mother pull her into a crushing embrace. Both women stood there, crying quietly. The Doctor stood off to the side, awkwardly watching them.

"I thought you were gone. I thought I'd never see you again!" Andrea cried.

"I know. I'm so sorry," Alba replied tearfully.

"What happened to you, Alba? You've been gone over six months!" Andrea exclaimed.

"It's kind of a long story. Do you mind if we come in?" Alba asked.

Andrea looked to the side, finally noticing the Doctor. "Who's he?"

"I'm the Doctor," he volunteered helpfully, extending his hand to her. "Doctor John Smith."

"Yeah, of course. Come in. I just put the kettle on. Have a seat in the living room and I'll be right back out," Andrea said, leading them to a spacious room furnished with a sofa, two armchairs, a coffee table, and a television. Alba and the Doctor settled uneasily next to each other on the sofa.

"It's nice," Alba remarked offhandedly.

"I did tell you I'd take care of her," the Doctor replied softly.

"So you did," she said, squeezing his hand.

Andrea bustled into the room carrying a tea tray with cream, sugar, lemon, three mugs and spoons. She set it down on the coffee table and settled into one of the overstuffed armchairs. "I wasn't sure how you took your tea, Doctor, so I brought lemon and cream. Alright, I'm listening," she said, stirring sugar into her tea. "Tell me this long story. And how you know this handsome fellow here."

Alba and the Doctor exchanged a nervous glance. The Doctor gestured with his hand, indicating Alba should take the lead. She cleared her throat, dumped an unhealthy amount of sugar into her tea and splashed it with cream. She curled her hands around the mug like it was a safety tether and settled back against the sofa. "I was out walking. I don't really remember why I was out or where I was going, but someone snuck up behind me and hit me over the head, hard. When I woke up, I was in the hospital...and I had no memory of who I was. The assailant had taken my purse, so I had no ID, no nothing to give any indication of who I was, where I was from. I didn't regain my memory for several months. By the time I did, you were gone from the council estate. It's taken us a while to track you down," Alba said, sipping at her tea.

"And when you regained your memory, you didn't think to pick up a phone and call me? I thought you were dead!" Andrea said, anger simmering below the surface.

"It's not her fault," the Doctor interjected. "She was under my care. Memory loss is a tricky thing. It didn't all come back to her at once. And some things are still hazy. If she could've called you, she would've. We came to you as soon as she was well enough to."

"And who exactly are you, in the grand scheme of things?" Andrea asked frostily.

"I'm her doctor and husband," the Doctor replied, setting his tea on the table.

"iWhat?/i" she replied, incredulously. She turned her gaze to Alba. "You disappear for months, leaving me to think you were dead...and you ran off and got married? This is like Jimmy Stone all over again!"

"This is in no way like Jimmy Stone!" Alba shouted back, her frustration bubbling over. "I didn't ask to be hit over the head or to lose my memory. And I didn't expect to fall in love. But the Doctor, John, was there for me when I had nothing else. Yes, we got married. It's that simple. It's already happened, so you can accept it or not. But I love him, in a way I thought I'd never love anyone again. Can't you just be glad that I'm alive, and happy?"

"How old is he?" Andrea asked.

"What difference does it make?" Alba said throwing up her hands, exasperated.

"It's a simple enough question. I asked how old he was," Andrea persisted.

"I'll be 30 next week," the Doctor answered.

"Oh, an older man. Isn't that always the way?" Andrea huffed.

"Mum, you're being ridiculous. I've been gone for months, and this isn't exactly the kind of home coming I imagined. John is a doctor, not an alcoholic wanna be rockstar. Someone who can take care of me. Exactly the kind of son-in-law you've always wanted, I expect," Alba replied, struggling to keep her tone even and measured. "So, you can keep harping on me. Or you can say congratulations. But either way, I'm not going to sit here and be lambasted. I survived months without you, I can do it again if I have to. It's your choice."

Andrea sat back, seeming to consider Alba's words. "I don't suppose you have any pictures of this wedding?" she finally offered.

The Doctor and Alba both let out sighs of relief. "We haven't gotten the pictures back yet, but as soon as we have we'll make sure you get to see them," he said.

"I suppose that'll have to do. Figures I miss my only child getting married. But at least you're okay," Andrea conceded. "When you get the pictures, you'll have to have me over."

"Ah, well, actually I just sold my home in London," the Doctor said quickly. "I've just accepted a position with Doctors Without Borders. It's going to require us to travel."

"Great. So what you're telling me is that I just got my daughter back, and now you're whisking her away again," Andrea said flatly.

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "I've kept your daughter safe this long. I will continue to do so. And I'll make sure that you get a phone call from her every week."

Andrea let out a long, whooshing sigh. "I suppose that's the best I'm going to get, innit? Alright, then. Will you at least stay for dinner?"

Alba smiled at her mother. "I think we can manage that," she said, turning her gaze to the Doctor, who nodded in agreement.

"Brilliant. I'll call the take away around the corner, we can have a nice curry. My cooking hasn't improved any in your absence," Andrea admitted, getting up. "Curry alright with you two?"

"Yes, of course. Whatever you like," Alba said conciliatorily.

"Alright. Gotta fetch my mobile. I'll just be a mo," Andrea replied, leaving the room.

"As bad as you were expecting?" Alba asked him quietly when her mother had gone.

"Just about," he said with a grimace. "But we carried it off. Nice job."

Dinner was mostly uneventful. Over steaming plates of chicken tikka masala, Andrea regaled them with the tale of the accident she didn't quite remember, and how she came into money and ended up in Chiswick. Alba and the Doctor listened politely, giving no indication that they already knew the details of this particular story. When it came time to leave, the two women stood by the door, hugging tightly.

"Don't you be a stranger, now that you're a married woman," Andrea admonished sternly.

"I promise I won't. I'll call you soon," Alba assured her mother. Satisfied, Andrea closed the door on them. They both sighed with relief, and turned to go back up the walk. Silently, they strolled hand in hand, back to the TARDIS.

"What you said back there, to your mother. Did you mean it?" the Doctor asked her when they reached the TARDIS door.

"Did I mean what?" she replied, confused.

"What you said back there...about loving me. Did you mean it?" he asked, not daring to hope.

Alba regarded him quietly. "I said it, didn't I?"

"90% of what we told her back there was lies. Was that one of them?" he pressed her urgently.

She smiled softly at him. "No. It wasn't a lie. I love you."

"Oh, Rose," he breathed, sweeping her into his arms. "I love you, too. So much. I never thought I'd ever hear those words again from anyone, least of all you. I never thought I'd feel that way about anyone after Romana and Susanna. I'm so glad I found you."

"Me too," she replied, nestling happily against him.