Author's Notes: I still don't own Doctor Who and I can't even get one of those TARDIS beach towels because they're sold out. Thanks for the reads and reviews and following this story. I know it's been a while since an update and all I can say is life has been rough lately and I'm sorry. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think. Happy reading!

Ordinary life. Another day, another evening Rose was spending watching telly with her mum. How many people with freakish disorders could Channel Four possibly find?

"Stop tapping your foot," said Jackie.

"I'm not," Rose protested.

"Yes, you are."

Rose realized she had in fact been tapping her foot. She stopped sheepishly, not saying anything to her mum. In truth, she was waiting for Mickey to come back with the Doctor's address, then she could find him and sort him out and find out what that ginger woman was really up to.

"Did you look for a new job today?," asked Jackie.

"Yeah," Rose lied. What did she need a new job for? She would find the Doctor and be off travelling again, wouldn't she?

"You can't just sit around here all day," said Jackie. "It's no use moping. You've got to move on."

"To what? Some job at a chippy?"

"Oh, you think you're too good now, do you? Well, get that out of your head right now, Rose Tyler."

"I didn't say that-"

"It's how you feel, though."

Rose paused. "Do you hear someone knocking?"

They looked back as the door to the flat was knocked in. Jackie screamed as a woman in a black leather catsuit walked in, followed by a group of men who quickly swarmed the flat.

"What are you doing?," shouted Rose.

"You can't do this!," said Jackie. "This is a free country!"

"Rose Tyler, Jacqueline Tyler, consider yourselves under the authority of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce."

Jackie looked at Rose. "What have you done?"

Hours later, Rose and Jackie were still waiting in a cold cell.

"I didn't do anything," said Rose.

"That's what you said the last time," said Jackie. "Then the Doctor said-"

"He was telling it wrong. They were going to kill him."

"Oh, when he's taking you all around the universe he walks on water, but once he says you behaved badly, suddenly he's telling it wrong!"

Jack Harkness strode in, saving Rose and Jackie from their two millionth argument over the Doctor.

"Jack!," said Rose, leaping up off the bench. She gave him a hug. "How did you get here?"

Jack returned the embrace, then broke it. "Sit down. We have to talk."

Rose sat. "What? What's wrong? What am I doing here?"

"I'm her mother, by the way. Excuse my daughter's terrible manners," said Jackie.

"Captain Jack Harkness," said Jack, kissing her hand.

Rose rolled her eyes. "What am I doing here, Jack?"

"The number you gave Mickey."

Rose's eyes brightened. "Was it him? Was it the Doctor?"

"Oh, big surprise," said Jackie, "trouble and the Doctor."

"I can't answer that," said Jack.

Rose smiled. "Jack, come on. There's something wrong with him. He didn't even recognize me. What was he doing with that woman? Has she done something to him?"

"Rose, you need to just stop asking questions."

"It is him. What's happened?"

"What woman?," asked Jackie.

"This woman and her children were there," said Rose. "She acted like she was married to the Doctor or something."

"Well, was she?," asked Jackie.

"Was she what?"

"Married to the Doctor?"

Rose shook her head. "Of course she wasn't."

Jack opened the tablet PC he had been carrying under his arm. "I just want to make sure we have this right." He turned it on and showed the screen to Rose. "This is the Doctor?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah, that's him. That's his new face."

Jack turned to show the screen to Jackie. "This is him?"

"Yes," said Jackie.

Jack put the PC down. "Okay, here's what's going to happen. You're both going to sign the Official Secrets Act and you're never going to speak of this again."

"Then we can go?," asked Jackie.

"On my word," said Jack.

"And Mickey is alright?," asked Jackie, casting a glare at Rose.

"Mickey is fine," said Jack.

Rose shook her head. "What about the Doctor, though? How do we help him?"

"We don't do anything, Rose. You go back to your life and forget you ever saw him."

"Jack, I don't think he knows who he is," she protested. "We've got to help him or he might just go on with that woman, wasting his life."

"That is not your concern, Rose," Jack said stiffly. "Other people are handling it."

"But I can help!"

"Trust me, Rose, you've done plenty."

"What if I don't sign it?," she asked.

"Rose!," Jackie protested.

"Then we make you forget," said Jack.

Rose shook her head. "No, I couldn't. You can't make me."

"Rose, trust me, you do not want to fool around with this."

Rose straightened. "You can't make me forget about him."

Rose Tyler found herself waking up in her bed as she did every morning.

Just another morning on Earth. Her ordinary life.

"Rose! Wake up!," said Jackie. "I'll not have you sleeping through the whole day!"

She was going to never see the Doctor again, not since he left her on Christmas Day.

Charlotte Smith was fairly convinced that her dad was from another planet.

Every day she discovered some strange new habit of his. There was the running. What was with the running? He did a ridiculous amount of running. He seemed to know everything, which had its uses but really annoyed her. He made a big deal out of the tiniest things like fairy cakes with ball bearings. She saw her friends' dads, they were normal and seemed to leave their children alone. Not her dad. He insisted upon doing everything with her, the height of it being last week when he had decided to accompany her to her friend Lola's birthday party.

Everyone had loved him. Like really loved him. Why couldn't he just be embarrassing the way that other dads were?

"Charlotte!," John said cheerfully, throwing open her bedroom door.

"Don't you knock?," Charlotte cried back, incredulously.

"Oh, sorry," said John. He knocked on the open door, carefully stepping into Charlotte's territory. "Are you done with your homework yet?"

"Yes," she practically groaned.

"Well, good, let's go on a run before supper."

"What?"

"The children's race. I thought you'd want to get ready."

"You signed me up for the kids' race? Did you even ask me?"

John looked around. "I asked your mother."

"I don't want to run in some kids' race!"

John frowned. "Well, you have to be eighteen to run the marathon..."

"I don't want to do some stupid sport."

John was at a loss. What was she doing? Why was she acting like this?

So he did what he always did in these delicate situations with his eldest.

"Donna!," he shouted downstairs.

Given the fact that her name had been called, Donna was not surprised when John came into the twins' room where she was trying to help Jamie and Zoe get their running clothes on. The day had been nonstop since Jamie woke her up at five with the sound of things clattering from the eaves storage. Then she had to get the children and John fed, dressed and out the door. She hadn't even gotten a moment to herself while the youngest were at school for the morning because it was Greta's annual visit to the vet. Then lunch. Then Jamie and Zoe had run completely wild and not fallen asleep for their nap and then it was time to get the other two...

Donna loved her family, but she was very eager to get them all out of the house, even if it was only for a half hour. She would cherish that half hour.

John entered the room.

"Charlotte doesn't want to go," said John, looking like a kicked dog. Not their dog. Greta would have had some fight in her.

"What do you mean she doesn't want to go?," asked Donna.

John shrugged. "She doesn't want to run the kids' race. She doesn't want to go running."

"Oh, she's going," said Donna as she finished tying Zoe's trainers.

Donna headed up the stairs and into Charlotte's room.

"Don't you knock?"

"Get dressed. You're going out with your dad."

"I don't want to."

"I don't care what you want. You're nine. You don't get to start acting like a teenager yet. Four years, miss."

She crossed her arms. "You can't make me."

"Oh, can't I?," asked Donna, crossing her arms in turn. "If you don't go now, I don't see that you need to go to Mischa's party this Saturday."

"I'm not bothered," said Charlotte.

"Where do you even learn that?," said Donna. "Get dressed. You're going."

"Dad's embarrassing, though."

"All dads are embarrassing," said Donna. "It doesn't mean you don't have to go places with them."

Charlotte sighed. "Ellie said he was hot."

"What?," asked Donna.

"At school. Ellie said he was hot, then the other girls said Dad was hot." Charlotte shook her head.

"First off, you girls should be talking about boy bands or something. Second, yes, you have been cursed with having a hot dad-"

"Ew! Mum!"

"However, he is a very good dad and he loves you and I know you love him. It makes him happy to spend time with his children so you are going."

Charlotte frowned.

"Uh-uh. The pouting face doesn't work on me and besides, your dad's is better."

So Donna happily sent her husband and children out, ordered pizza and laid down on the sofa for the few moments of peace a stay at home mum could expect.

Then Greta jumped on top of her. She would have shooed her off, but at this point she was in no hurry to waste her time with another fight. Especially one she was probably going to lose.

About Nine Years Earlier

Donna was sitting on the edge of the bed, bemused by the sight of John packing a bag.

"Right..." he said, staring at the case. "Packing... Packing a bag..."

Donna smiled. "You are so rubbish at this."

"Help," he said finally, tossing the items he picked up onto the bed.

Donna stood and started at the suitcase. "You should take your trainers. You could run in the mountains or something."

"I used to do that when I was growing up," John said, heading for the wardrobe.

"When did you do that?," Donna asked puzzled.

John shrugged. "Not sure. I know I remember it."

Donna took the trainers from him. "You'll need socks. You've got shirts I just got from the cleaners."

"Shirts," said John, walking towards where they were hanging on the door. "I wish you were coming."

"So do I," said Donna, "but you'll be fine without me. I'm too far along to go flying across the Atlantic, we don't want the baby born over Greenland."

"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?," asked John.

"I'll be fine. You're sweet to worry."

John nodded, not convinced. "You should take it easy while I'm gone. You know, don't worry about anything."

"You make things too easy for me," said Donna. "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. You just go on saving the world."

John smiled. "I'm hardly a world saver. I'm just giving presentations to a bunch of heavily liquored bureaucrats as I beg for money. They pretend to care about the third world, nothing gets done and then I have to go beg very wealthy people for money next month."

"Don't sell yourself short. You can be very persuasive. Besides, one of them might go home and talk to their boss and who knows what could happen? If there are any women, you have my permission to use the eyebrow waggle."

He looked up at her with doe eyes. "What eyebrow waggle?"

Donna scoffed. "You know very well what eyebrow waggle." She pointed at her swollen stomach. "The one that got me like this."

So, Donna saw John off to the airport, came home, turned on the telly and started making plans of what delivery she would get for what meal on what day.

Then those plans were derailed.

Sarah Jane was looking forward to having "John" out of town for a few days. She had been anxious at first, but then the Brigadier explained that people from UNIT's American branch would be looking after him. He would be someone else's problem for a few days. No fires to put out. She could relax and get back to her usual routine of chasing down alien threats to Earth.

So she was surprised to get a call from Donna. They had barely spoken since the wedding, not that Sarah Jane could blame her. She was in hospital and her family was out of town at some wedding. She needed someone and that left Sarah Jane.

So, she hurried down, already finding a UNIT team in place. The man she presumed was the emergency obstetrician was being ushered out by Jack, along with most of the other salient staff. She hurried in to find Donna

"Oh, God, you actually came," said Donna.

"Sorry, I thought-"

"No, I mean, wow," said Donna. She shook her head. "Thanks for coming."

"Oh, it's no problem," said Sarah Jane.

"No, I know I've been a bit of a bitch. I have a knack for it. Not one of my more charming qualities."

"No," said Sarah Jane.

Donna groaned again. "Oh, my God."

"Are you alright?," asked Sarah Jane, only realizing afterwards how idiotic that sounded.

Donna didn't snap back at her, though Sarah Jane could see it was taking some measure of self control. "I've been better," was all she said.

"What have the doctors said?," asked Sarah Jane, taking a perch on the stool at the bedside. She didn't really need to ask. She'd gotten a full briefing when she came in.

Donna shook her head. "Not much. I saw him once and he bloody disappeared. Seven months pregnant, you would think I would rate some bloody concern. You might have been right about that private hospital recommendation."

Sarah Jane nodded. Another one of the Brigadier's plans for controlling the situation, but it hadn't worked out as Donna was not listening to any of Sarah Jane's suggestions. John had tried to broker a peace unsuccessfully but even his talents had their limit.

Doctor Bharti, an Indian woman Sarah Jane had met back in the UNIT area, entered. "How are we, Mrs. Smith?"

"Who are you?," asked Donna. "Where's Doctor Chapel?"

"He had an unexpected holiday."

Donna snorted. "Just my luck."

"Mrs. Smith, we've just been over the test results and it seems you are in labor."

Donna snorted. "Great. Thank you for the news flash, now make it stop."

"We can't," she answered.

"What?," asked Donna.

"What?," Sarah Jane echoed.

Donna sat up straight. "This baby is two months early. My husband is in America. My family isn't even here. I haven't even got the cot assembled. This cannot be happening. I'm saying no."

Doctor Bharti frowned. "You can't just say no. You're in active labor."

"Yes, that's why I came here, remember? Now, make it stop."

"Babies born at this age have a very good rate of survival and will in time catch up with their peers on developmental charts-"

"I don't care about developmental charts!," Donna snapped. "Keep her in there! Him! Whatever, just the baby has to stay in there. Why am I telling you this? Can I see your diploma or your license or something?"

"I'll be back in a moment and we can begin pushing, Mrs. Smith," said Doctor Bharti.

She left. Sarah Jane looked at Donna with absolutely no idea what to say.

"Go find that woman and beat her senseless," said Donna.

Sarah Jane nodded in silent acknowledgment of her orders. She left the delivery room and went down the corridor to the room where the Brigadier, Jack and other members of UNIT were waiting.

"How's it going in there?," Jack asked with a grin.

"Awful. You try going in there." She looked at the Brigadier. "Is Doctor Bharti serious? She's never going to consent to this."

"Apparently, the child is fine. Still registering as human, but yes, she is coming out today."

"She?," asked Sarah Jane.

"It's a girl," Jack offered.

"Wonderful," said Sarah Jane. "Have you met Donna? If she thinks her child's in trouble, there is nothing that's going to stop her."

The Brigadier sat and nursed a mug of tea. "I can't believe my career has come to this: running a covert operation in a maternity ward."

"What about me? You don't have to be in there!," said Sarah Jane. She looked at Jack. "Where is the Doctor? John? Whoever!"

"I got a hold of him," said Jack. "He got a plane."

"Great!," said Sarah Jane.

"It's making two stops on the way here," said Jack.

Sarah Jane groaned. "Oh, he is rubbish as a human."

She took a seat and put her face in her hands.

The Brigadier cleared his throat. "Shouldn't you go back in there?"

Sarah Jane looked up at Jack and the Brigadier in disbelief. She stood up and picked up her bag.

"I hate you all," she said as she left to rejoin Donna in the delivery room.

The flight from America seemed to be twice as long as the flight to America.

Mainly because it was. He tapped his foot at three different airports in two countries before finally arriving at Heathrow in the dead of night, not bothering to wait for his luggage and somehow running into Jack before he could get in the taxi queue.

John flew out of Jack's Land Rover and into the front doors of the hospital, not waiting for him to come to a complete stop. He had been so frantic with worry about Donna that he hadn't bothered asking how Jack had known when to pick him up.

He rushed inside the little vestibule dividing the nursery from the corridor.

"Sir?," said a nurse. "Sorry, family only in here."

"I am family, though," John said. He motioned to where he could spy Donna. "See? That's my wife. My wife, my baby."

The nurse looked back. "Oh, the famous Mr. Smith back from America. Wash your hands and put your things down."

John did as he was told and walked into the nursery. There were lots of tiny babies in there, with mums and dads hovering over them. He was both surprised and relieved to see Donna in a chair cuddling what seemed to be a normal looking baby, if a little on the light side.

"Hi," said John.

Donna looked up. "What happened to you?"

"I had to stop in Atlanta and Toronto."

Donna shook her head. "Why?"

"When I said I wanted the next flight to London, I failed to mention I wanted the quickest flight to London." He leaned over to where Donna cuddled the baby. He gently peeled back the blanket. "She's ginger."

"God help her," said Donna.

John smiled at her. "I love gingers."

Donna smiled. "Yeah, thought you might." She looked up at him to find the normally grinning, jovial John had tears in his eyes. "John? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said. "I'm always fine."

"You're crying, sweetheart."

John reached up to his face, surprised to find tears. "Sorry, I don't know why I did that."

"They say she's going to be fine, John," Donna said softly. "They might want her to stay in a few days to put on a bit of weight. First time a Noble's been told that."

John nodded, too choked up to speak, trying to not cry any more.

"It's okay. You're entitled. She's your first baby," said Donna, looking back down at her. "Our first gorgeous baby."

John frowned. First born. That didn't seem quite right somehow. It seemed as if he was forgetting something, something was out of reach. He had dreams sometimes that he had other children, like a whole other life.

He dismissed it. That was daft. Those were just dreams. Donna was here and this was real, a brand new baby nestled in her arms.

For the first time he could remember, he felt as if he was home.

Jack put the Land Rover in the car park and headed back up to the UNIT section of the hospital. Various agents were packing up and heading out.

"So," said Jack, "what's the word?"

"Human," said the Brigadier.

"Human?," asked Jack. "Two months early and she's fine? What the hell is going on?"

"Human," confirmed Sarah Jane. "One heart."

"Whatever's happened to the Doctor has affected his reproductive capabilities, if that is him," said the Brigadier. He shook his head. "I cannot believe I just had to say that sentence. It's come to this."

"It makes things easier," said Jack. "No alien babies to hide, but still. She's fine?"

Sarah Jane shrugged. "I guess we'll just say it was a miracle."

The Brigadier nodded. "I suppose we should go meet with the Nobles."

"They're nice," said Jack.

"You know I meant Sylvia," said the Brigadier.

"I need a drink," said Sarah Jane.

The Brigadier pulled a flask out of his pocket and handed it to Sarah Jane.

"How long have you been carrying a flask around?," Sarah Jane asked incredulously.

"Since I met the Doctor."