Chapter Eighteen: Whole New Worlds

While Rose was saying goodbye to Martha, the Doctor moved around the console, setting the coordinates for the first planet he wanted to show Jenny. He wanted to impress her on her first trip out, and it had only taken him a moment to settle on a destination.

As he adjusted the final dial, she came over and peered down at the controls. "Are we going to a new planet when Rose gets back?" she asked eagerly.

The TARDIS door opened and Rose stepped inside. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her, and when she nodded, he grinned down at Jenny. "Who's ready to see whole new worlds?"

"Me!" Jenny and Rose chorused, broad, toothy smiles stretching across their faces.

The Doctor glanced at Donna, and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, go on then Spaceman. Just try not to land us in the middle of a civil war this time."

"Oi! That wasn't my fault—the TARDIS took us there so we could meet Jenny." He rocked back on his heels and considered that. "Of course, if she hadn't taken us there, Jenny wouldn't have been created… bit of a paradox, that is."

"And doesn't that just describe your entire life?" Donna snarked.

He winked. "And you love it," he challenged, pleased when she didn't deny it. He beckoned for Rose to join him. "What do you think of my chosen destination?"

She looked down at the controls. "Oh, absolutely," she agreed. "I've always wanted to go back."

Jenny was bouncing on her toes on his other side, and he pointed at the dematerialisation lever. "I think you should have the honour," he told her.

Her eyes widened. "Do you mean it?" she asked, already reaching for the lever.

"Oh, yes."

She grinned and grabbed the lever firmly before shoving it into the on position. The time rotor started its slow up-and-down chug as the TARDIS took them through the Vortex to a very special planet.

When they landed and Jenny would have gone rushing out the door, he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "You'll want to put a coat on," he told her, pointing to the rack by the door. There was a bright blue ski jacket waiting for her, alongside the coats Rose and Donna had worn on the Ood Sphere.

Once everyone was suited up, he nodded to Jenny to open the door. Her gasp of amazement when she stepped out into the twilight was gratifying. "Where are we, Dad?"

The word still sent a strange twinge through his hearts, but he was getting used to it. Rose took his hand and squeezed, and he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it.

"This is called Woman Wept," he told Jenny and Donna as they turned in slow circles, taking in the majestic sight of the frozen sea, waves captured forever in their peaks and troughs.

"What happened here?" Donna asked. "I mean, I've heard of an ice age, but that happens too slowly for this."

"It was a cataclysmic disaster," Rose explained. "The sun went out in a single moment, freezing the sea in an instant."

Jenny reached out and touched one of the icy waves. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

Donna found a smooth patch of ice and skated in a small circle. "Oh, I love this," she admitted. "Not that it isn't satisfying, stopping civil wars and overturning corrupt governments. But this is what I imagined all those months when I wished I'd gone with you."

She waved to Jenny. "Come on, don't just stand there. Try it!"

Jenny took a tentative step onto the ice, and her foot nearly slid out from under her. Donna skated over with her hand out, and Jenny gamely took it, letting her lead her onto the ice.

"Lean forward as you push off," Donna instructed. "That's how you stay upright."

Jenny's boots weren't the best suited for ice skating, but the surface of Woman Wept was slick enough to make it work. After a few false starts, she felt confident enough to let go of Donna's hand, and they were skating a winding path around the waves.

The Doctor and Rose came up alongside them. "Well, what do you think, Jenny?" the Doctor asked. "Whole new worlds? Is it everything you imagined?"

Jenny laughed, the sparkle in her eyes matching her pink cheeks. "Oh, yes," she said breathlessly.

Donna shook her head. "Oh, that's just wizard," she groaned. "Now there are three of you who sound alike."

"Yep!" the Doctor said, popping the p. "The Doctor, Rose Tyler, and Jenny."

Jenny tipped her head back and narrowed her eyes. "Do you have a family name, Dad? The humans born out of the machines on Messaline didn't, but I know they did before they came in the rocket. Is that how we do it?"

The Doctor grimaced. "Time Lord naming conventions are… complicated. Not to mention, I'm the last of my family, and I hadn't gotten along with them for centuries anyway."

Rose got his attention over the bond, and when he looked at her, she said, She can use mine, if it's all right with you.

He smiled at her, then nodded from Jenny to Rose. "When I need a last name, I use Tyler. That's Rose's last name."

Jenny looked eagerly at Rose. "Would that be all right with you, Rose?"

"Yeah, of course," Rose said easily. "A family name is just one way to say, 'These people belong together,' and we definitely belong together."

Jenny's dimples deepened as her smile widened, and she skated forward to throw her arms around Rose. "Thank y- Ohhh!" she squealed as her feet slid on the slick ice.

Rose grabbed Jenny's coat as her arms flailed, trying to regain her balance. After a moment, her feet stopped sliding, and she carefully straightened up.

"All right there?" Rose asked.

Jenny chuckled ruefully. "Yep. I guess I should be more careful, though."

Donna skated over to them. "Well, even if you fall, what's the worst that could happen?" She pointed at the ice. "It's not like this is going to break. So you'd have a bruised bum and a sore ego… or is that the other way around?" She pointed to pattern of waves crashing into each other about ten feet away. "Come on. Let's look around some more."

Jenny glanced at the Doctor and Rose over her shoulder before clomping carefully across the ice with Donna.

The wind whistled through the waves as they walked off, and Rose moved closer to the Doctor, taking shelter in his taller frame. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she leaned her head back against his chest when he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Remember the first time we came here?" she murmured, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together. "Right after my dad died?"

The Doctor nodded, scraping his stubbled jaw against her cheek. They stood in silence for a long moment as the perpetual twilight cast long shadows over the surface of the planet. A few stars twinkled above, but there was no sun. That star had been wiped out of existence during the last days of the Time War, leaving Woman Wept a rogue planet, captured forever in the moment of its orphanage.

When Rose closed her eyes, she could still hear the Doctor's voice as he told her the story, his Northern accent getting stronger with his distress. The memory made her heart ache, and she turned in his arms and slid her hands up to link them behind his neck.

"I wished so much that I could do something to make you feel better. I'd been feeling so guilty over my mistake, and you brought me here to put it in perspective. And I—"

"Did what you always do," the Doctor interrupted. He rested his hands on her hips, though Rose could hardly feel them through the thick wool of her peacoat. "You pointed out the beauty, when I had been focused on the darkness."

Rose tilted her head, considering that. Her words at the time hadn't seemed like much, but the Doctor was right—that day had started a pattern they still played out.

The Doctor smiled and pulled her closer. "I was already in love with you," he told her, his voice low and intimate. "But that was the day I realised I really didn't know how I'd live without you."

Rose ran her hands through his hair and let her gaze drift to his lips before meeting his eyes again. "Good thing you'll never have to find out," she breathed, just before his lips touched hers.

oOoOoOoOo

Donna didn't want to interrupt the Doctor and Rose's private moment, especially not when she turned around and they were wrapped in each other's arms, kissing. She rolled her eyes and ducked around the next wave with Jenny, determined to keep exploring a little longer.

However, the cold of Woman Wept slowly worked its way through her heavy parka. Eventually, she felt shivers run down her back and knew it was time to get back inside. And even though Jenny didn't seem fazed by it, her nose had turned bright red.

"Come on, Jenny," she said briskly. "I think it's time for dinner and hot toddies by a roaring fire."

Jenny's stomach growled, making them both laugh. "Yeah, all right. Let's find Dad and Rose."

"They're this way," Donna said, pointing at the thankfully no-longer-kissing couple. She and Jenny crossed half the distance between them, then Donna whistled sharply, getting their attention. "Oi, Doctor!" She jerked her thumb towards the TARDIS. "Time to go inside, I think."

"That's probably a good idea," Rose agreed. "Besides, we need to show Jenny around the TARDIS still."

When they stomped through the TARDIS doors a few minutes later, the ship had considerately raised the temperature in the console room. Donna sighed in relief when the warmth seeped into her bones, but Jenny looked around curiously.

"Is it just me, or is it warmer in here than it was before? Did you turn up the heat before we left, Dad?"

The Doctor shook his head as he draped his coat over a strut. "No, she did that on her own." He pressed a series of buttons, then threw the dematerialisation lever. Donna held on while she felt the now-familiar shift into the Vortex. "The TARDIS, she's a little bit…" He tugged on his ear. "Well, she's sentient."

Jenny blinked a few times, then she said, "Is she… I thought I was just imagining things, but is she in my head, too?"

Rose grinned and leaned back on the console. "Yep!" she said. "We'll teach you more about how to communicate with her later, though."

"I can't believe this all sounds completely normal to me," Donna muttered. "Sentient, telepathic spaceships that are bigger on the inside and can go anywhere in time and space… this is my life now." She shook her head. "But moving on to more pressing matters, I am famished. I haven't eaten since I had breakfast with Gramps this morning, and that was only a cup of coffee and a pastry."

The Doctor gestured to the corridor behind her. "Well then, lead the way, Donna Noble."

oOoOoOoOo

After dinner, Jenny finally got the promised tour. The Doctor loved seeing the excitement grow on his daughter's face as she realised exactly what the TARDIS was and what she could do.

By the time they reached the room the ship had created for her, Jenny's eyes were glowing. "This one is mine?" she asked, her hand on the brushed nickel handle.

"It's yours," the Doctor confirmed.

She bit her lip, but a squeak of excitement still escaped her when she stepped into her room for the first time. The Doctor shook his head; the TARDIS had replicated a captain's cabin from an old sailing ship—ideal for a born explorer like Jenny.

The bed was built into the wall on the left side of the room, with drawers that pulled out beneath the bed frame. Bookshelves ran along the opposite wall, filled with books about travel and the various alien species they might meet. She'd turned the far wall into fake windows, matching the large windows most captains had, giving them a view of the sea. Jenny's windows currently showed the stars as they had appeared from Gallifrey—a none-too-subtle reminder to the Doctor that he still needed to explain some of her heritage to her.

Jenny stood next to the desk in the middle of the room and turned in a circle. "I love it!" She reached for the globe on the desk and made it spin, then laughed in delight. "It's perfect." She skipped back over to them and hugged him tight. "Thank you!"

The Doctor laughed. "Don't thank me, thank the TARDIS."

"Oh!" Jenny stepped back and looked up at the ceiling. "Thank you!" The lights flashed in response.

"So, if the tour is over," Donna said, "why don't we go sit in the library for a bit? Fireplace, hot toddies, comfy chairs to sit in while we talk…"

"Sounds good to me," Rose said. "It's been a long day—a relaxing evening would be nice."

Despite the evening plans being Donna's idea, the Doctor was unsurprised an hour later when she was the first to turn in. As Rose had said, it had been a long day. Two long days in a row, actually.

Jenny looked at Rose and the Doctor after she left. "How come I'm not tired at all?" she asked. "The bed in my room is nicer than anything the soldiers had on Messaline, but I feel like I could go for another three or four hours before I need to lie down."

The Doctor chuckled. "You're not human," he reminded his daughter. "If you want to know what to expect of your body, don't compare yourself to Donna."

A furrow appeared on her forehead. "So Time Lords didn't need to sleep as much."

"Correct."

"Can you tell me anything else?" She glanced between the Doctor and Rose. "Rose told me you'd explain more about why I can feel you in my head."

The TARDIS hummed before the Doctor could say anything, and he pursed his lips as he considered her suggestion. "Why don't you come with me?" he said after a moment, putting his glass down and standing up.

Jenny jumped to her feet, and after a quizzical look and a nod in reply, Rose stood up, too. The Doctor led them out of the library, to the door directly across the hall.

He paused before opening it and looked over at Jenny. "One thing we should have explained earlier. Because she's sentient, she can move things around if she wants, or if they're needed. This room isn't normally here. Actually, it's not usually any place where anyone but me or Rose could find it. But today it's here, because it's convenient."

Jenny stared at the door, her brow drawn up with heavy creases. "All right… I think I understand that."

The Doctor nodded. Then, unable to help himself, he shifted his attention to Rose as he pushed the door open. Her eyes lit up when she registered the tall, red grass and the rolling hills, and he could remember the moment he'd first seen her in her wedding dress as if it had been yesterday.

My Fortuna, he told her again, taking her hand as they stepped through the doorway into the sunny room.

"This is amazing!" Jenny breathed.

The Doctor blinked; he'd almost forgotten he and Rose weren't alone.

Jenny reached down and ran her fingers through the red grass. "The TARDIS can make it be outdoors, too?" she asked.

"She's living, so creating a room with organic material is really fairly simple," the Doctor explained. "There's a garden room as well, and probably a few others that have growing things in them."

He gestured broadly at the hills and the mountains rising in the background. "But this room… this is representation of Gallifrey."

"Gallifrey," Jenny repeated. "That's the name of your world?"

The Doctor looked over the hills covered in red grass to the silver ulanda trees, swaying and chiming gently in the breeze. "Yes. This is where I'm from."

"If you're from Gallifrey, why don't you call yourself a Gallifreyan instead of a Time Lord?"

The Doctor grimaced; there were several ways he could answer that question. "Time Lord is my title," he finally said, choosing to leave out the confusing part about it also being a sub-species of Gallifreyan. "My species is technically Gallifreyan."

Jenny's eyes widened and she looked back and forth between the Doctor and Rose. "And that's how Rose can be a Time Lord when you said you're the last one," she guessed. "Because somehow, she has that title even though she's biologically a different species."

The Doctor and Rose both nodded. "That's right," Rose said. "It really is a long story, or I'd explain it all right now, but that's the basics of what happened."

Jenny chewed on her lip. "So am I a Time Lord, or Gallifreyan?"

The Doctor sighed. "That's very hard to tell," he said. "But given a few things, I suspect you're Gallifreyan."

A breeze swept up the hill, turning the grass into crimson waves. Above them, the twin suns shone in the burnt orange sky, and down in the valley, the river Lethe flowed between the hills.

It was a surreal experience, to be standing on a planet that had been gone for years, explaining the heritage he'd never felt a part of to the daughter he'd never imagined he would have.

The Doctor could feel Jenny's curiosity, and he waited for her next question. It wasn't long in coming.

"So… telepathy is a Gallifreyan ability, then?"

"Yes, it is—and before you ask the next question I see on your face, the way Rose became a Time Lord made her telepathic as well."

"And it made me the better driver," Rose teased, nudging him in the ribs.

Jenny was too fixated on her questions to join in the teasing. She nodded once, then focused her gaze on the Doctor. "So could everyone feel each other like this, or is it because you're my dad?"

The Doctor felt a glimmer of pride at the logical questions Jenny kept coming up with. "First, tell me what you're picking up from us," he requested.

Jenny closed her eyes, and a moment later, the Doctor felt her mind reach out to him along the very basic connection that existed between blood relations. His bond with Rose allowed Jenny to connect with her as well, and finally, he felt her prod at the TARDIS' telepathic presence. After a moment, her eyes opened, and she shrugged. "Mostly I feel that you're there, like I can see you now. Earlier, on Messaline, I was picking up some emotions, too."

"Good. That's good." The Doctor smiled. "All Gallifreyans were aware of each other telepathically, but the way you're picking up on strong emotions from us—that's because we're family." He pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. "Since you're telepathic, we really ought to teach you how to put mental barriers up to prevent anyone from attacking your mind."

Rose turned to him, a tiny crease in the middle of her forehead. "Will barriers work between the three of us?" she asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Yep!" Jenny was frowning at them in confusion, and he sighed, trying to think of a way to explain. "Telepathic barriers allow you to keep things private," he said finally. "Basically, they keep anyone from eavesdropping on your thoughts or emotions."

They reached the top of the hill they'd been climbing, and in the distance, they could see the Citadel, the spires stretching up to the top of the glass dome. "Telepathy was important to Time Lords too," he added. "It helped us detect and recognise one another, even if we had regenerated."

Jenny's brows knit together, and he recognised his mistake before she could ask. "Ah. Right. Regeneration." He tugged on his ear. Regeneration wasn't something typically discussed outside of Gallifrey, and he still struggled with that cultural taboo.

Thankfully, Rose was there to come to his rescue. "When Time Lords are mortally wounded, instead of dying, their bodies reform on a cellular level. They don't look anything alike on the outside, but in their mind and hearts, they're still the same person."

Jenny shoved her hands into her pockets. "And that's why you think I'm a Gallifreyan and not a Time Lord," she said slowly. "Because I didn't regenerate when I died."

The Doctor flinched at Jenny's bald mention of her death, and for a moment, he was back in the rocket, holding her lifeless body. Before he could get lost in the memory, he felt Rose's hand on his arm, tethering him in the present. He looked down into her sympathetic eyes and realised for the first time that if she hadn't been with them on Messaline, he would have left Jenny behind, thinking she was dead.

He swallowed hard and turned back to Jenny and the question he'd left unanswered. "That's one reason," he agreed. "But really, you're better off not being a Time Lord." He pointed to the Citadel. "Here, I'll tell you about them, and you'll understand."

They sat down in the soft grass and looked across the plain at the domed city rising in the distance as the Doctor told them about the Time Lords—about their determination not to get involved in the destiny of other people, and how one arrogant moment had led to the start of the Time War.

He talked about his own past, too—the people he'd known, both good and bad. Jenny listened with rapt fascination, and her genuine interest pulled stories from the Doctor that he hadn't thought of in centuries.

When Rose yawned and leaned into him, the Doctor suddenly realised they'd been talking for nearly four hours. "That's probably enough for now," he told Jenny. "We can talk more about this later, but between what I've already told you and the books I know you have in your room, you've got more than enough to work through."

Jenny sighed, but she got to her feet and brushed off her jeans. "There's so much to know," she said.

The Doctor nudged Rose gently, and she blinked up at him, then nodded and let him pull her to her feet. Once they were walking towards the door, he replied to Jenny's comment.

"There is," he agreed. "But you don't have to learn it all today, or even in the next month. You've got time, Jenny."

She nodded, then stopped short when they drew near to the door. The Doctor smiled slightly, knowing what was going through her head. "It looks strange, doesn't it? Like a door standing in the middle of a meadow."

Jenny reached for it tentatively, then shook her head when it swung open, revealing the corridor on the other side. "I am going to love living here," she proclaimed.

The Doctor laughed, but Rose's chuckle sounded sleepy. He looked down at her, then suggested, "Why don't you go get ready for bed, love? I'll show Jenny the way to her room, and then I'll be right there."

Rose yawned again, then reached up to kiss his cheek. "All righ'." she said, then started down the corridor toward their own room.

She'd woken up a little by the time she reached it, enough to hang her clothes up properly and brush her teeth and wash her face instead of tumbling straight into bed. The Doctor came in while she was putting her pyjamas on. His tie was already loose around his neck, and he didn't waste any time changing for bed.

Rose crawled into bed and waited for him to join her. "Do you think Jenny liked her first trip?" the Doctor asked as he hung his suit up.

She smiled at him. "I think she loved it," she assured him. "It was very impressive, just like you." The words triggered a memory, and she pressed her tongue to the back of her teeth while she waited for it to resurface. "Oh! You were going to tell me about the TARDIS purposely skipping that year."

He turned down the covers on his side of the bed, then lay down on his side. Rose rolled over so they were facing each other, and watched in fascination as a blush spread over his face, going all the way up to the tips of his ears.

"So… it's possible she misinterpreted something I said," he confessed.

Rose reached for his hand. "Oh?" she prodded as she laced their fingers together.

"Well…" He brushed his thumb over hers. "Remember, you'd only been travelling with me for two weeks when you asked if you could go back and visit. And you hadn't been sure about coming with me in the first place. I might have been concerned you would get home and remember all the reasons travelling was a bad idea and decide to stay in London."

Rose felt her brows furrow together. The fear itself wasn't news—he'd mentioned that before. But how did it connect to the TARDIS…?

"Oh," she said when the pieces clicked into place. "So you asked the TARDIS to land on a day when I wouldn't be tempted to stay behind. An' she decided to land so far in the future that it would have been almost impossible for me to go back to my old life."

The Doctor's freckles stood out against his pink cheeks. "Something like that," he mumbled. "If I'd known what she would do, I would've been more specific."

Rose scooted forward and pressed a kiss to his lips, then pulled back and smiled at him. "I don't mind, Doctor," she assured him. "I never minded missing that year, except for feeling guilty about how worried Mum and Mickey were."

The Doctor waited, and when the expected wave of longing hit Rose, he pulled her close and offered as much comfort as he could over the bond. Her breath hitched when his hand moved automatically to slowly stroke her hair.

I'm sorry, he told her, pulling her closer into the comfort of the bond.

D'you think I'll ever see her again?

For once, the Doctor didn't have an automatic answer. Finally, he sighed. A year ago, I would have said no. A week ago even. But I also would have laughed if anyone had told me I would have a daughter, progenated from a machine. So the truth is, love, I don't know. The impossible has a way of happening, it seems.

Rose nuzzled into his chest. We do six impossible things before breakfast, right?

He chuckled. We do, but only if we get enough sleep. You're exhausted, Rose. Get some rest. He kept his hand moving in her hair, and a few minutes later, he felt her breathing deepen.

The Doctor sighed and settled into one of his favourite times of the day. Holding Rose while she slept in his arms was a privilege he would never take for granted.

And after today, he had even more to cherish. The group of friends travelling with them had slowly been transitioning into a unique sort of an extended family, and having his daughter on board with them made that concept a reality.

The Doctor's time senses hummed, and his hand stilled as he tried to pin down what was coming. The rough current of time that had carried them to Messaline had smoothed out when Jenny stepped into the TARDIS, but as he had considered their family, he'd sensed an eddy in the waters, just out of sight.

Somehow, he had a feeling Jenny would not be the only surprise family Time gave them.

oOoOoOoOo

"Where are we going today?" Jenny asked the next morning when they gathered in the console room after breakfast.

Her father rocked back on his heels, a smirk on his face. "Well," he drawled, "we could punch in a destination like we did yesterday, or…"

Jenny waited breathlessly for him to finish the sentence, but after a moment, Rose rolled her eyes and nudged him in the side with her elbow. "Just tell her what you're thinking," she chided.

A silly grin crossed his face. "Well, the TARDIS has a randomiser button. We can just hit the button, and she'll decide where to take us today."

The third presence in Jenny's mind hummed happily, and Jenny had a feeling the ship would interfere with their plans, even if they set the coordinates. "All right then," she agreed. "Let her take us someplace."

Donna looked at the three of them. "You're all mad," she declared. "Time Lords must all be mad. Who else would be so excited to just… jump on a plane without any clue of where you were going?"

Rose slid up next to her and nudged her with her elbow. "Oh, come on, Donna—that's half the fun! Not knowing where we'll end up… knowing it could be anywhere in time and space…"

Donna rolled her eyes, but Jenny saw her lips curve up in a smile, confirming that Donna's comments about the travelling were just her way of teasing.

The Doctor flipped the lever, and the TARDIS chugged her way through the Vortex, landing softly this time. "Jenny?" he said, pointing to the door.

Jenny looked at the door, then back at him. "Do I need a coat this time?"

Her father swung his own brown coat around his shoulders and straightened the lapels. "I have no idea. Why don't you find out?"

Jenny grinned at him, then skipped to the door, opening it and slipping outside before anyone else was quite ready to leave.

The Doctor was just about to reach for Rose's hand and offer a cheerful, "Allons-y!" when he felt a sudden wave of uncertainty from Jenny.

"Time to go," Rose agreed, sensing the same thing. They jogged down the ramp and out the door, trusting Donna to close the door behind them.

Jenny was only a few feet away from the TARDIS, but they'd apparently landed in the middle of a busy town square. Unsurprisingly, that had attracted the attention of the locals, and she was surrounded by a group of grey-skinned aliens, loudly demanding to know where she'd come from.

The Doctor swept into the middle of the group, carefully positioning himself between the largest of the aliens and Jenny. "Hello!" he said brightly. "I'm the Doctor. This is my wife Rose, our friend Donna, and I see you've already met my daughter, Jenny."

It was only when he felt Jenny's bright happiness that he realised he'd just introduced her as his daughter. The full introduction had rattled off his tongue so naturally that he hadn't even thought about it.

He shot her a quick smile, then rocked back on his heels and stared the leader down. "Now, what seems to be the problem?"