A/N: Thank you to all who are following this! Keep the reviews coming! They're like air to me and also lets me know if I mess up and don't catch it.

Thanks to Lady Artemis Blane for giving me several new ideas to develop not only Jessica, but her relationship with Rose as well as deepen her relationship with the Doctor before The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances. Those, I'll let you know, will be the last official episodes that Jessica "appears" in, so the end of this book is in sight.

Not for a while though, so please let me know what you think! And yes, this is a shorter chapter because I felt it a nice place to stop and set up the bulk of the episode for the next few parts.

Father's Day

Part One

"Doctor, can…can I talk to you for a second?" The instant Rose darted for her room, all my nerves went on edge. I couldn't talk about Jack's request. Not yet, but even then….

The Doctor's cheeky smirk merely washed against my anxiety. Didn't erase it. "You never stop, so why bother asking?" The few seconds of life he gave to that smile didn't hid the underlying nervousness very well.

I gave him a smile. No way did I want to start a fight. "True. Um…." Now that I had the time to broach the subject, the fierce pounding of my heart made it all but impossible to come up with the right words.

A little pinch appeared between his eyebrows. Not a full on scowl, but he'd actually noticed something was up. "Come on. Not like you to be tongue tied so out with it."

"Okay…so…I can understand Rose wanting to go and see her Dad before he dies. I know I would." I played with my fingers for a few moments, making one last pull for courage to say it right. "But isn't there a risk taking her backwards in her own timeline? I don't know if the Time Lords had rules about that or not, but…."

"They did." While the Doctor's face had at least become serious, I could still sense that warm crack between us. He hadn't shut down just yet. "Rose won't do anything stupid, Jessica and I'll be right there to stop her if she does." He sounded quiet, calm, in control of what he planned on doing.

And yet I couldn't shake the rumbling unease that crawled beneath my skin.

I took a few steps over towards him, in case Rose burst in on us. The Doctor didn't take an instinctual step backwards. A result that I would've been pleased with any other day. "I'm not saying she'd do something on purpose, Doctor. Think about it, though. If you could go back and see someone that you cared about before they died, would you be able to predict how you'll react when you see them?" All around me, I could sense the minefield I tiptoed though. I probably pushed the boundary of our friendship.

The Doctor's jaw clenched and caution began drawing up behind his eyes. Not quite a full mental and emotional shield, but a figurative pulling of a blade out of its sheath. "Jessica, I know what I'm doing."

Those six words pulled at my senses. They were simple and he could have turned sarcastic and loudly defensive as he always did when faced with a subject he thought too personal. Instead, they'd been laced with a simple request: for me to trust him.

Reaching out, I rested my hand on his arm. The remaining doubts and worries that persisted I shoved into one more cage in the part of my mind the Doctor never went into. "I know you do."

"Then why'd you bring it up?"

"Because I feel like you need to be reminded of these things sometimes." I let the ugly blush darken my face and didn't look away from those fierce and soul-shaking eyes of his. My mouth curved into a friendly smile. "Rose is your friend and I just want to make sure you keep in mind that she's only human in case something goes wrong."

As the silence dragged on for several seconds and the tension I felt beneath my fingers didn't ease up, I felt like beating myself senseless against a wall. My face grew hot like I'd eaten a habanero pepper as I pulled my hand away. I had zero qualifications as a therapist of any sort, even friendly advice felt like clumsy rocks I tried to pull together to make a statue.

The Doctor took a deep breath that echoed in the silent room. He shuffled forward half a step as if unsure how to move. "Jessica, I…."

"Ready now!" Rose's excitement and nervousness shot through my system like I'd been shocked. Her emotions scattered all over the place compared to the stillness around the Doctor seemed to unfreeze time. "Sorry, I couldn't find my other…." She trailed off, eyes flicking between our two awkward forms. "Is everything okay?"

Always quick on the dot, the Doctor sprung to life. A quick, reassuring smile drawing one out of Rose as well. "Of course it is. Just have to step out that door." He gestured for her to lead but took a slightly more serious tone. "You sure this is what you want?"

Rose visibly swallowed, gaze drawn to the TARDIS doors. The trepidation rolling off of her set my own heart pounding. She wanted to do this, but the chance to see someone she'd never even met…. After a few seconds, she cleared her throat and nodded, chewing on her lip one more time. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."

Knowing how easily I could be in her place, I crossed the room and hugged Rose around the shoulders. Though she was nervous, underneath lay a firm resolve that came whenever she'd made up her mind. I wouldn't be able to dissuade her.

"Good luck."

"You're not coming?" Rose awkwardly returned the hug then stepped back, a bit of confusion pinching her eyes.

I shook my head. "This is something for you and the Doctor, though I'll be happy to listen if you ever want to talk about it later." Turning my head to the Doctor, I projected as much confidence and friendship as I felt safe doing. His smile our way became just a little bit softer in my eyes. "Two people are less noticeable than three and we want to avoid as many ripples as possible."

I didn't want them to know about that little snake of jealousy that crept around the outside of my heart. Petty and weak at the moment, but if I exposed myself to the maelstrom of emotions that Rose would go through the moment they happened, I knew it would become an ugly dragon I couldn't hide.

At least the Doctor didn't seem to notice that. Not from the way he strode over and took one of Rose's hands in his. "Come on. Let's get this over with before I change my mind." Barely had he taken a step when he froze and began fishing in his pocket. "Oh, almost forgot. Been meaning to hand this over in case we get separated. Don't lose it."

Silver flashed in the TARDIS' lights as he tossed something at me. I squeaked involuntarily and had to lurch forward to catch it in time. Rose and the Doctor had already headed for the door by the time I regained my feet and opened my fist.

A key. A TARDIS key. A small piece of metal on a silver chain, but so much more.