I just saw Curse of Fenric, and let me tell you, that has got to be one of the best DW episodes EVER. It's really sold me on the Seven/Ace team, and I'm starting to really like Seven because, well, he's just not the Doctor. He is completely unlike any of the others. And this makes him INTERESTING!

Anyway, this is kind of like a missing scene thing from a much bigger story arc that I'm sort of working on. Please review and tell me if it's at all good.

"This doesn't look like Perivale, Professor," Ace commented as she stepped out of the TARDIS. She took in the wide plaza, the Millennium Building, and the sculpture that doubled as a fountain. She shook her head. "Where is this, Mars?"

The Doctor followed her out of the TARDIS, closing the door gently behind him, and doffing his hat with a careful movement. "This looks like Cardiff," he remarked, his expression, as usual, giving no hint as to his feelings. Ace couldn't for the life of her tell if he was surprised or not. "Twenty-first century, perhaps. Only been here once or twice, couldn't tell you anything more specific, I'm afraid." He looked back at the TARDIS, tapping its blue wooden side. "We're here for a bit of a pit stop. There's a rift here, according to my instruments. A rift in space and time. It puts out energy. We're here for a recharge."

"Like a gas station."

"Exactly."

Just then a small brown-haired whirlwind sped past Ace like a cheetah and jumped the Doctor. "Dad! Dad!" it appeared to be shrieking. "OMG, Dad! Sorry, I mean Doctor!"

The Doctor gently disentangled the child from him and stepped back a bit, peering at it. It appeared to be a girl, perhaps eleven or so, although he was never all that great at judging the ages of humans. She was wearing navy corduroy overalls and a dark green t-shirt, and her brown hair was up in two pigtails. She gazed back at him steadily, with intelligence in her dark eyes. Suddenly she gasped. "You're not the Doctor!" she said.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure I am, young lady," he said, "though you appear to have me at a disadvantage. I say-" he began, but was stopped by her very forceful slap. "-I say, what was that for?" he asked, in an annoyed voice, though still sounding rather amused.

The child put her hands on her hips. "What was that for? What was that for?? That was for leaving me, jerk! That was for taking off and leaving me here, without so much as a by-your-leave, for two years, and then when you come back you've got a new face and who the hell is she?!" the girl screamed, gesturing at Ace.

Here was an area Ace could make a contribution in. "I'm Ace," she said with a friendly smile.

"You're blond, that's who you are!"

Ace was stung. "No I'm not!" she exclaimed, incensed. "I'm a brunette, I am! It just goes a bit yellow in the sun sometimes!"

"Close enough," said the girl, waving her hand.

"Look, my dear-" said the Doctor.

"Don't 'my dear' me!" the girl yelled at him.

"-you really do have me at a disadvantage," he continued. "I have absolutely no idea who you are."

The girl sagged. "Oh," she said in a small voice.

"I'm sorry," said Ace, feeling bad for her.

"Not your fault," the girl said, wiping her nose.

Then something struck Ace. "You're… you're his daughter?"

She shrugged. "No idea, really. He won't tell me who my parents are. But he's raised me since before I can remember, so I sort of think of him as my father. He hates it when I call him Dad, though. Always insists I call him 'the Doctor'. I mean, sheesh."

"What's your name?" asked Ace. She liked kids this age.

"Freddie," said the girl, "don't you dare laugh."

"Not me," said Ace. "My real name's Dorothy." They shuddered in unison. "Call me Ace," said Ace. They shook hands, solemnly. "What's yours like?" Ace asked, waving in the Doctor's general direction as he went back inside the TARDIS, muttering something about checking the instruments.

"Insane," said Freddie. "Tall and skinny. Got the most crazy blonde hair you've ever seen, ever. Likes wearing green suits, and I'm talking electric green. I can never tell what he's thinking."

"I know how that feels," Ace said with feeling. "Not on the tall and skinny count. That's… weird. But the bloody ineffable part."

They nodded, sadly.

Just then a rather attractive man arrived from some unspecified direction, running and panting. "Freddie!" he called, then skidded to a stop. "Doctor?" he asked.

"Inside the big blue box," Ace said. "Hello."

He kissed her hand gallantly. "Captain Jack Harkness, at your service, and who are you?" he asked, looking up into her eyes.

"Stop it," Freddie said warningly.

Ace giggled. "I don't mind," she said. To the gallant man, she said, "I'm Ace."

"Enchanted," he said, dropping her hand. "Is the Doctor-"

"Forget it," Freddie told him, "he's not the right one. Too early."

"I was hoping he was a future one," Captain Jack Harkness said to Ace, "so I could look forward to meeting you again."

"I'm sure it could be arranged," she said, putting on a faux aristocratic accent.

"That would be delightful," he said, as the Doctor came back out. A cloud passed over his face as he and the Doctor exchanged a look Ace couldn't decipher at all, and then the Doctor nodded.

Turning to Ace, the Doctor said, "Come on, Ace. We're all charged up. How does Alpha Centauri sound?"

"Sure," she said, looking at Jack.

The gallant man winked and then took Freddie's hand. "Come on, darling."

"All right, Uncle Jack," the girl replied, and they walked away.

"Ace!" Ace said quietly as soon as they were out of earshot. Then she followed the Doctor into the TARDIS, and it dematerialized noisily.

As soon as it did, a woman on a motorbike stuck her head around the side of the sculpture. When she was sure they were gone, she wheeled her bike out and watched Freddie and Jack as they turned and ran back to where the TARDIS had been standing. She saw as they used the invisible lift, ignoring the perception filter around it. Oddly enough, neither Freddie nor Jack noticed her, which might have had something to do with the bike and the industrial-strength perception filter she'd installed in it. She ran a hand through her hair, which was really brown but sometimes looked a bit yellow in the sun.

"Interesting," she said.