A\N- I do not own any of these characters, nor do I own the show.
One day at UNIT everyone there hears an old metal grating sound and turn to the corner to see an old blue box that they know well materialize. Ace McShane is the closest to it and knocks on the door.
"Professor, are you in there?" A middle aged man steps out.
"Ace, everyone. Great, I picked the right time."
"Doctor?" A 20 something woman with long black hair comes forward, "how long has it been?"
"Yaz, it has been a few hundred years."
"It has only been a few months for us, especially me." Graham looks at the young woman and so does Ace.
"Sorry, but I need all of your help."
"With what," the head of UNIT Kate Stewart steps up.
"All of you follow me onto the TARDIS."
"Professor, you need to tell us what is going on. All of us working here tell the other about each mission if we are partnered up."
"That's good that you do that, but."
"Doc, no buts. If you still consider us fam and extended fam, you need to tell us."
"Well." The Doctor notices how two of his former companions are standing as close together as possible; his right eyebrow goes up. "Truthfully I need to protect you all. I have gotten word that former companions of mine are being kidnapped by an old adversary of mine."
"The Master?"
"No Martha, someone only a few of you met, The Rani."
"WHAT?!" Mel Bush steps forward with her curly red hair flowing behind her. "The Rani, the person who is a master of disguise to the point of being able to have her look like me, and neither of us knew the other because you regenerated."
"The one in the same Mel."
"Then how can we be so sure it is you?"
"Mel, you and Ace met on IceWorld and you told me that Ace should travel with me."
"Ace, even though you say you hate your mum, when we met her as a baby you couldn't let go of her picture. I had let you go for a similar reason as I did Susan. You fell in love, but sadly he died."
"There is more to the last part and you know it Doctor."
"You only call me Doctor when things are serious or you are angry with me. I knew he would die before you, I at times was too protective of you. More than most, because as I have been told by many I treat you more like a daughter than a friend."
"One more thing, what were you doing when we met my Grandmother and Mum as a baby?"
"Trying to finish a chess game. I had to destroy your faith in me that day. I hated hurting you and never meant a word I said when I was doing so."
Ace turns to everyone, "it is the Doctor." She looks at Graham who gives her a small smile. Yaz tries to hold back a groan.
"How can you be sure Ace, The Rani was able to trick us."
"Mel, did The Rani know about how you loved giving me Carrot Juice and forced me to exercise even though we were always running."
"No, also the fact, this one is for Martha and Mickey; the last time I saw you two I saved you from a Sontaran."
"Is that true?"
"Yes, Mel it is."
"Ok, I believe you."
"Now that we have that cleared up we should pair up with those who know you the best."
"I say that Ace and Graham should be together."
"I can see that too Yaz, they would be perfect," Kate, also a little tired of the flirting, agrees with Yaz. "I say you either be with The Doctor or myself. Mostly everyone else is married."
"We don't have my wife here, and no Doctor, we won't go and pick her up. She doesn't want anything to do with this."
"Who is your wife?"
"Nyssa."
"That's great, wait wife?"
"Yes, Doctor wife."
"Ok."
"Doctor," Ace steps forward, "you realize a lot of us who once traveled with you are part of the community."
"Or supports it," Graham says, itching to wrap Ace's hand in his.
"Okay, everyone we are here."
"Wait, we landed softly?"
"Oh Ace," he goes "I used something I hate using, The Blue Stabilizers."
"Who taught you about those?"
With a smile the Doctor replies, "River Song. Now let's go and defeat the Rani yet again and everyone," the Doctor touches them all.
"Not again another psychic link."
"This one is different from before, Tegan. This one is for radio transmission to make sure we are always who we say we are. Now let's go." Ace with her backpack on her grabs Graham's hand as he tries to hold back a small blush following the Doctor out while everyone else exits the TARDIS.
Everyone goes their own way with their partner. Yaz and Kate are with the Doctor. "Graham."
"Yeah."
"It seems since you joined UNIT we are always being partnered up."
"I know. I would think they would stagger everyone."
"Everyone but us has been."
"Do they know we talk a lot?" Ace turns back to him.
"We also go grab coffee and everyday at work we eat lunch together."
"That we do."
"Do you like spending time with me?"
"More than anything. I do have a question for you though."
"His name was Jan, we met and fell in love, got engaged, and he died while saving everyone."
"Oh Ace."
"Yeah, the two of us know how it feels to lose someone we loved while they are trying to save others."
"Not the happiest way to bond with someone."
"No, it isn't. That is why I haven't told you yet. Considering what all we have talked about."
"We still had plenty to talk and laugh about."
"You also wanted to learn how to make Nitro-999."
"That was a fun day."
"It was," she smiles as they continue on still holding hands and not realizing it.
Meanwhile
"Hey Doctor."
"Yes Yaz."
"I am sure Kate and many others would agree to asking if after we are done for you to pick up Ryan. All of us here in UNIT are getting tired of Graham and Ace flirting every chance they get and doing nothing about it. I have talked to Graham, he is waiting to talk to Ryan before he tells Ace about his feelings."
"Are you planning to be a little of a matchmaker Yaz?"
"I just think some of us deserve to be happy."
"Ouch Yaz, you know your Doctor was doing that so you can be happy too."
"I know Kate." They meet up with Ace and Graham who are facing some monsters. They watch as Graham slowly lets go of Ace's hand, reaches into her bag and gets out a canister and hands it to her in the guise of still holding hands.
"I see what you two mean about them." They watch as Graham pulls the key away and Ace throws the Nitro-999 at the monster Ace and Graham try to run away but the explosion knocks them off their feet. Graham ends up on his back and Ace over him. They stare at the other for a second then start laughing. Ace gets up and then helps Graham. When they get up they see the three people watching them.
"Oi, we are not a show people, let's get on." Ace and Graham push their way through trying not to grab the other's hand. "Come on slow pokes, if we want to make sure the Rani gets what she deserves we need to get to work."
"Says the one who was just laying in someone's arms," Yaz whispers to Kate.
"What was that Yaz?"
"Oh nothing Ace."
"You know she was talking about us," Graham says quietly.
"Oh I know, when we are done with this we need to have a talk."
"I know."
"You also need to find a way to get a hold of Ryan."
"You know."
"Know what?"
"That I, never mind."
"You can tell me anything you know that Graham?"
"I know."
"I can't be that scary," Ace laughs as they continue on.
"You are in some ways."
"In what ways."
"More than I can understand."
"Graham."
"Shhh you two up there."
"Ok Professor." Graham looks at Ace as they keep on walking, smiling trying not to think of Grace, but thinking of Ryan and his reaction when he tells him that he has feelings for someone else.
They keep on moving Ace and Graham hands brushing often, they come across someone only one recognizes. "Hello Rani."
"Hello Doctor, you brought your little pets with you."
"We are not pets, you pepper alien."
"Oh this one is feisty."
"Always have been, and you will not lay a hand on her," the Doctor steps in front of everyone, "nor anyone here."
"That you will be wrong about Doctor," the Rani starts to change her appearance to look like Ace. Graham fully wraps his hand around Ace's. "Oh we have a little couple here, how fun."
"They are not a couple."
"You like them young, don't you, Doctor?"
"They are strong, and age is just a number."
"A number for a Time Lord."
"You will not win this. I have some of the best people I know on my side."
"You and your little humans."
"Get rid of my face you alien."
"How did you find this one?"
"She found me more."
"Oi, you two stop talking." Ace grips Graham's hand tighter.
"You sure you want that tiny little human." Before Ace could charge Graham pulls her back. "No one can win against me."
"I have defeated you before, and I will again." The others come by. They look and see Graham and Ace and look towards the woman who was looking like Ace.
"Hello Rani."
"Ohh Mel, it was fun trying to trick you and the Doctor all those years ago."
"It obviously didn't work. You are also not fooling us right now."
They hear a screaming coming from behind the door that Rani had been standing in front of. A few of the people know that scream. "What have you done to my wife," Tegan comes forward, grabbing Ace's bat from the backpack. Ace lets go of Graham's hand and goes into her bag and gets out a small canister of Nitro-999.
"You will let her go, before something unfortunate happens."
"Like you can do anything."
"Oh she can, she has beat up and blown up Daleks."
"Don't forget that you helped me blow some up recently there Graham."
"How can I," a smile grows on his face as he steps closer to them, though he doesn't really know Nyssa, he does know Ace and if anyone gets this reaction out of her; he knows she is important.
"Ohh how fun, one comes up followed by two more."
"Where is my wife?"
"Oh Doctor, didn't you tell them what was going on?"
"I did. Now let them go."
"You only were able to save a few from being kidnapped."
"That's because not everyone works for me. Now let everyone go." Kate Stewart says.
"You better not have my Grandson in there."
"That's it, Tegan, Graham stand back, this one may pack a little bit more of a punch." Graham, knowing what it is as they made it together, grabs Tegan's arm and pulls her back as everyone else steps back. Ace rolls the can to the Rani who picks it up as it blows in her face, Ace gets flown back into Graham's arm.
"You ok Ace?"
"I am Graham, now let's go see if Ryan is in there, Tegan go get Nyssa." Everyone heads into the room. The Doctor looks at Rani realizing that she isn't regenerating. Ace walks with Graham when they see a figure.
"Ryan?"
"Grandad?"
"It's me."
"How?"
"The Doc knew that some of their former companions were being kidnapped, so he came to UNIT and picked those of us who are working there up."
"The Doctor is a dude?"
"Yes."
"Ok," Graham gets Ryan up as he checks to make sure he is ok Ryan notices Ace looking at them.
"Whose she?"
"That is Ace." Ryan notices that Graham isn't looking him in the eye.