The Doctor

I watched as Rose and Brianna spun and giggled and I wondered if Rose was like that when she was little - It seemed right .Brianna had an entirely new light in her eyes. New,new york, new land of opportunity and equality.

She bounded over to me breathless and flushed.

"Play, play with us?"

"No, you go on; I'm an old man."

She giggled, "Noooooooo."

I saw her guardian coming our way, arms full of shopping bags.

"About time we should go, there's your mom Brianna," I told her.

Her face clouded, "She's not my mom, nice lady."

No that was not right, contempt on Brea's face so I lunched into lecturing mode.

"Brea let me tell you some thing, a secret; your foster mother loves you very much, you may not see it but she does, she acts the way she does because she's never taken care of some one before and because your so different, being different is such a wonderful thing but sometime people don't know how to handle that, they have to learn, she'll learn – I promise, she'll learn and do me a favor and call her mom, just once, you'll see!"

Her mother was near and she started to stammer, "Oh goodness, she's up to mischief again,"

I smiled at her, "No she isn't, and she was just playing with Rose."

"Hello again" Rose chirped then Brea pulled her back into a twirl, moving out of earshot; Rose gave a beautiful, giddy hoot of laughter at the suddenness of the pull.

The slender, middle aged woman smiled, "I heard the whole business earlier on speaker, I'm inspired now, I know just the name for my angel!"

"Wonderful, just brilliant!" I was tickled pink – behold my influence.

"Kno what I was watching till you came back, an now your back so I think we'll be leavin now, Rose."

"Yes doctor, nice to meet you Mam!"

Brianna came to my side and held to my sleeve.

"Going now,"

I nodded, "We're not from around so we can't stay,"

She understood. "Thank you Doctor!"

Her eyes were so clear and her face earnest; her mouth was set in a determined curve,"I'll do good, at everything, I'll be perfect. I promise!"

She already was.

"Atta girl, be the best you can! Have lots of fun, make lots of friends, dream, and wonder – all that stuff!"

She nodded seriously.

I opened my arms for one last hug, "Come 'ere!"

"I'll never forget you, they thank you too, my brothers and sisters but I thank you even moooore!" The childish tone and the grown up intent in those words were as great as any hero's any day.

She released me and hugged Rose in turn.

Beatrice thanked me for everything and wished me a good journey back home. Actually she offered me dinner at her home first but I declined gently, begged off – traffic and all that. She blushed and said of course. Brianna returned to her foster mother's side and took her hand.

"Good bye Doctor!"

They started to go their way when Rose shouted out "Wait, have my phone number, doctor there phones here too right?"

"Well, not exactly – let me see your vidconnect Beatrice?" I saw that Rose's intent was to give them her phone number, and usually I might not have approved or encouraged that but this was an exception. I like to think that if they came across any trouble at all they would be able to get in touch with us. I pulled my sonic screw driver out my pocket,

"Rose? Yours?" Rose handed her cell phone over.

I scanned the number off Rose's phone and converted it into a form understood by the vidconnect.

"There, you can call Rose, if you ever need us." The woman collected her device and pocketed it.

"Thank you," She said again and they both moved away from us.

Brianna looked back and grinned, "Good bye Doctor!"

"No one ever tells me good bye," Rose mumbled loud enough for Brea to catch.

"You too Rose! good bye!"

Rose looked at me, "Doctor, We meet the sweetest people some times." She commented.

"Yes we do," I thought, "We certainly do."

Vidconnect wut?*dies* don't hate me! What are you supposed to call new earth communication tech? Would iUnit have sounded any better? Tell me!