A/N A shorter chapter, but an important piece in the story's puzzle as the Doctor makes a very surprising discovery. The questions raised will soon be answered, but you can probably guess by now how it all ties in. ;)

Chapter 27

"We have to finish what's been started here on Zobulan. Then after that maybe we can...finish everything else."

The Doctor felt a piercing sting from her words as she opened the doors, stepped aside to allow one of the officials in, and quickly departed from the chamber.

As much as Rose's words and the implications behind them had stung sharply, the reality was that she was right. Whatever might happen between the two of them from this point, first they had to finish their roles here on Zobulan. The Doctor tried to keep his own emotions in check as he completed this last step of retrieving the royal family and bringing them back to the ruling city to reveal them to the people. Considering the events of the past twenty-four hours, however, subduing his emotions wasn't easy, even for a man who usually managed that sort of thing with practiced ease.

As much as he might want to run from it, he and Rose needed to talk, he knew. They needed to talk about one very important thing in particular, but he admittedly was glad for this reason to temporarily postpone it. He had allowed something to happen between him and Rose that he never intended, beyond just their physical intimacy which was still occupying a very large part of his recurrent thoughts. But beyond even this, he had reached for her mind and forged a connection with her in a way that had never been planned or consented to, and was now irrevocable. The only thing that frightened him more than the knowledge of what had been done was the question of how Rose would react. Would she try to escape him, insofar as she could considering this link binding them together? If he were to lose Rose now he didn't think he could survive. Or rather, he would survive. He was always forced to pick up what was left of the pieces of himself and carry on, no matter the loss he faced. That seemed to be his curse.

What had happened between them should not be a shock to him. He should have known, really. How could he have ever thought for even a moment that he could let go as he did and have one night like that with Rose and there would be no lasting, staggering consequences? The thought that he might have now mucked things up between them on such a grand scale was almost unbearable.

The Doctor came to a firm realization. He wasn't just lacking skill when it came to relationships. He was complete and utter rubbish.

The Doctor distracted himself marginally from his self-berating thoughts by focusing on the task at hand as he boarded the TARDIS. Carefully guiding his recovering ship, he landed the TARDIS with a shaky but successful arrival in Zobulan's Northern region, and linearly speaking, one year to the day from when he had first brought Zerin and Shadarra here. He could have set the timing for a bit sooner and retrieved them before a full year had passed for them once he had learned that they had indeed conceived a child. He gave them this added time of uninterrupted peace, though, before returning to an uncertain reception.

The Doctor had changed back into his pinstriped suit and for now had deactivated the perception filter. He stepped out of the TARDIS on arrival and gazed around the surrounding countryside. The moderately-sized stone estate sat atop a lush green hill overlooking a fertile, secluded valley. He spotted Zerin a short ways in the distance, gazing outward across the scenic landscape. Having been awaiting his arrival, the King turned in the Doctor's direction and lifted a hand in greeting. The Doctor acknowledged with a wave back and began walking towards him.

The two met up and Zerin extended his hand, grasping the Doctor's and smiling with a look of contentment beyond which the usually heavy-burdened King had ever expressed.

"One year to the day of the first," Zerin remarked, clearly in awe. "Just as you said your return would be."

"Always on time, me," the Doctor replied, then paused to add, "Well, usually. Most often. Sometimes. Um...on occasion." He cleared his throat and tugged at his ear. "So, is everyone ready to leave, then?"

Zerin nodded. "Yes, in just a few moments. Nahlia is finishing the preparations for departing and my wife is feeding our child before leaving." Zerin's eyes radiated joy. "The baby born to us was a boy. Shadarra and I have a son."

"Ah, brilliant!" the Doctor offered with genuine delight. "What's his name?"

"Zephrim. After my father. He would be so proud." Zerin laughed quietly to himself, shaking his head. "More than that, he would be astounded." The King drew a breath. "Doctor, I could never even begin to express my gratitude for all that both you and Rose have helped to bring about, not just for me, but for all of Zobulan."

The Doctor shook his head. "No need. Giving help where it's needed and whenever possible is just the sort of thing we do," he insisted, though he knew that all he and Rose had done and experienced here went so far beyond any circumstances they had ever before faced. Spontaneous marriages were not exactly their norm.

"And has all gone well for the realm during this time – which I suppose for you was little more than a day?" Zerin queried anxiously. "I have reassured myself with this knowledge that for the people my absence would be brief, even though I still do not fully grasp how it was possible for time to be manipulated in such a way. But still, I trusted you during my absence from rule. How could I not, after all you have done? Though even so, it was not easy stepping away from my duties this long without having some concerns over what might be happening," Zerin confessed.

The Doctor paused before answering, knowing things didn't go entirely smooth considering Amron's attack. "I'll tell you about everything that's taken place on the way back, along with how I think we should all proceed once we arrive. But for right now, yes, everything is stable," the Doctor assured him.

Zerin nodded, feeling relief in hearing this. His gaze drifted back out to the hillside and the land they would soon be departing. His voice was wistful as he spoke again. "It is fitting, I suppose, that Shadarra and I came to this very place where, in a way, all of this began so very long ago."

The Doctor tilted his head curiously. "What'd you mean?"

Zerin looked back to him. "The Cave of Wisdom – it is right here in the valley beyond. This is believed to be the place where the very first writings of the Sacred Legend were found, foretelling of the lasting peace that would be brought to this world one day, and admonishing our people to remain hopeful and watchful for such a day to come. The words then spread from here, found in the writings of the Scribes and told throughout Zobulan generation after generation, a beacon of hope for eventual peace. And true to what was foretold, if Rose had not come here from a world beyond as it said, and if you had not stood in my place as favored King during this time and carried out the union which maintained stability, while allowing this union between myself and Shadarra to also take place, then such a legacy of peace would never have been achieved. It did not come about in the exact way our people always presumed it would, but the end result is still the same. The ancient words were true."

The Doctor looked out towards the valley, his urge to explore and get a glimpse of the ancient script lighting a spark in him. He never had put much stock in their legend, seeing it more as a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it piqued his curiosity none the less. After all, this had not only affected Zobulan, but this legend of theirs had quite the impact on him and Rose as well, considering how the events unfolded.

The Doctor turned back to Zerin. "Tell you what...I wouldn't mind getting a look at it myself. Why don't you show me while Shadarra and Nahlia finish their preparations for leaving?"

Zerin agreed, turning and leading the way along the path down toward the direction of the sacred cave, still sitting in relative seclusion after so many centuries.

Upon reaching the bottom of the valley, they approached the entrance to a cave which opened into the rocky face of the bluff overlooking the grassy field. The Doctor took out the sonic screwdriver and used it as a torch to light the way as they ducked inside.

Zerin led him several meters inside the cool, damp darkness, taking a few tunneling twists and turns before reaching an area where the cave widened. He then directed the Doctor over to the smooth rock wall on the left of the cavern.

"This is the place," Zerin indicated solemnly, his voice echoing through the dark, cavernous room. "It has remained unguarded through the centuries because both Jezrians and Krendorians have always held it in sacred esteem and never has one sought to defile it. The writing is believed to be about six hundred years old. The etchings themselves are curious in nature, as if they were burned into the rock with precision rather than simply carved with a tool, the work smooth and flawless. And though the first writing at the top is in the language of Zobulan, the additional script below is one no one has ever been able to decipher, making the origins of these words a true mystery."

The Doctor extended the sonic out towards the carving on the wall. He took a quick scan. "Mmm, yes. Originating from about six hundred years ago," he confirmed. His eyes focused in on the first line of writing, his gaze narrowing as he shone the blue glowing light across it in careful inspection. He reached out his other hand and smoothed his fingers across the indented words of stone. "This was burned into the rock," he murmured. "Almost like...like a laser, or a..." His voice trailed off as his hearts rate increased. He hastily switched settings on the sonic and scanned the wall again, swallowing hard as he read the results. He knew exactly the type of device that had been used to inscribe this. With a slightly unsteady hand, he then shone the light lower, revealing what Zerin had described as the undecipherable language below.

He nearly dropped the sonic to the ground as the spiraling words of an all but dead language were illuminated before his eyes. Gallifreyan. He traced a trembling finger over the whirling lines, his breathing rapid as a hard lump rose in his throat. A part of him understood clearly what this meant, yet another part of him could barely conceive it. And these words in a language which only he himself could transcribe were not in the style of his own hand, which only perplexed his racing mind all the more.

"Are you able to understand it?" Zerin questioned with curious wonder, knowing that the Doctor with his great wisdom might be able to understand the mysterious script.

The Doctor couldn't even gather his emotions enough to elaborate on what this really could mean. He just nodded slowly as he gave a vague reply. "I...think I get the general idea, yes. It just...just confirms the other words, in a way."

Zerin, anxious to get underway, urged the Doctor on with him. "Well, everyone is no doubt ready by now. I think it is time."

"Yeah," the Doctor murmured, his eyes still fixed on the stone before him. "Yeah, it's time."

The Doctor fought to keep his mind from spiraling wildly and getting away from him, but was it possible he and Rose were going to make it through this and be so much better than he could have imagined after all? Fear over the monumental lines he and Rose had now crossed still had him in its clutches, and in their present state and with his current tumultuous thoughts over it all, he knew that right at this moment he never would choose to initiate something like this – to actually be the one behind it all along. But as the irrefutable evidence in stone spoke back to him, maybe, just maybe, he didn't know himself or the end result to all this as well as he had thought.