Unexpected Girl by Lumendea Chapter Thirteen: Alien or Not

Disclaimer: I still don't own Doctor Who, Sarah Jane Adventures or Torchwood.

Leaning back on the sofa, Hope tried to keep up with her grandmother's rapid fire questions. She kept smiling at the older Tyler woman who kept moving around the sitting room, adjusting every little thing nervously. Risking a glance at her father, Hope found him staring at the main staircase that Rose had disappeared up half an hour ago to pack. "Daddy, you can relax now," Hope said with a smile. Jackie looked over at the Doctor who jumped a bit and looked at them. A smile slid over Jackie's face before she sat down next to Hope with a sigh. Taking her granddaughter's hand, Jackie swallowed and looked over at the Doctor.
"You'll take care of her right?" Jackie asked him softly, "I'll never see her again, so you had better make sure she's happy." Hope gave her grandmother's hand a squeeze and briefly wished that she had time to get to know the woman better, but the machine was dangerous to use. One round trip and nothing more was safe.

The Doctor gave Jackie a long look and a nod, he was grateful that she wasn't demanding him to keep Rose safe. "I'll make sure she's happy, Jackie," he informed her, "I promise you that." Nodding, Jackie looked at Hope and took in her features,
"You are so beautiful sweetheart," she brushed a hand over Hope's cheeks, "You look so much like Rose, good thing that." Chuckling, Rose glanced over at the Doctor to see him looking at the stairs again, ignoring her and Jackie. Jackie looked over at the Doctor and turned back to Hope, "You and your Mum are happy right?" Smiling, Hope nodded,
"Yes Grandmother," she paused, "It wasn't always safe, but we all got through it and I turned out just fine." Jackie nodded and tightened her hands around Hope's,
"It's hard to think I'll never see her again," Jackie swallowed, "Never see her babies, never see you grow up." Leaning forward, Hope wrapped Jackie in a hug,
"You have Alan and Lillian." Jackie sniffed and nodded at the names of her and Pete's younger children. Sighing, Jackie let go of Hope,
"When you're a parent Hope, you'll understand."

Wiping her eyes, Jackie glanced at the Doctor who was sighing in boredom. Shaking her head, Jackie muttered, "I like him, but I don't understand him." She frowned and looked at Hope, "You seem awfully human sweetheart." Chuckling, Hope shrugged,
"The big differences are in the brain and two hearts." Blinking, Jackie nodded and touched Hope's wrist, looking for her pulse. "You only have one," Jackie said with a sigh of relief. Smiling, Hope shook her head,
"The second heart doesn't grow until the first regeneration," she grinned, "Even Daddy had only one heart in his first form." Jackie's eyes widened and she looked over at the Doctor with a small frown. After a moment she gave Hope a doubtful look. Hope grinned and shrugged,
"The brain is the big difference." Nodding slowly, Jackie looked over at the Doctor again and looked back at Hope a moment later,
"I always figured there was some more alien stuff to him"
"No tentacles. Our DNA is more complex, more information compressed into each cell. When we regenerate all the information is rearranged, there is so much that no regeneration is the same."Sighing, Jackie rubbed her eyes and glanced at the Doctor who had begun to pace near the bottom the stairs and was tapping the banister.

"I can't believe my baby is running off with that alien." Hope wasn't put out by this and shrugged, not worried about it in the least.
"She's going to have a good long life. Some aliens she'll meet in a few years help extend her youth since Dad has such a longer life span." She smiled at the memory, "She'll be fine Grandma, she's been fine for the last few decades and she'll be fine in the next few. She even survived raising my monster of a sister." Snapping her jaw shut, Hope glanced at Jackie, hoping she hadn't caught the slip. Her grandmother gave her a surprised look and Hope sighed, "Forget I mentioned any siblings and definitely don't tell them." Rose's voice floated into the room from the stairs,
"I'm ready."

Coming Soon: Straight Shot Home