Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Forty-Seven: Daughter of the World: An Odd Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…

The park near Bannerman Road was full. Rose held back a yawn as she watched parents playing with their children or keeping a watchful eye on them. Many of them were unfamiliar and Rose had to wonder just how many parents the crisis had reminded of the value of their children. She took a sip of her tea from the travel mug that Malcolm had given her. Rose closed her eyes and willed away the budding headache. Out of the hospital, two hours and the headaches still hadn't completely gone away. It wasn't as bad as they had been during her almost wedding so she wasn't too worried.

Rose's whole body still ached and she licked her dry lips. The pain in her head was gone, but there was a strange dull ache. It was like healing skin and she thought about what Alistair had said. Time Lords and their tricks. They'd been lucky in the end and while she knew her future son had made sure she had what she needed it still amazed Rose. Everything had snapped into place through the help of friends or outright mutiny. Her eyes lingered on one of the little boys in the playground who had bright red hair that reminded her of Adam's.

The sound of heavy wheezing filled the park and Rose straightened up sharply. Looking around almost frantically, Rose only half noticed some of the parents grabbing their children and leaving. A tall blue box appeared in the shadows under a tree and Rose couldn't help but smile. She told herself to get up, but her aching body decided against it. The door opened, but it wasn't the Doctor who stepped out. Instead, a little boy with bright red hair rushed out and grinned at her as he ran across the park.

Alistair stepped out behind him with an affectionate smile. Rose exhaled sharply, something in her chest easing at the sight of her future son and grandson. Then Adam was to her and the little boy promptly crawled up on her lap. Rose was stunned silent for a moment, a bit at a loss of what to do as her brain fought between habits ingrained by babysitting and her lingering surprise at having a grandson. Yet she quickly wrapped her arms around the little boy and rocked him gently as she buried her face in his hair.

Adam was so young. It hit her like a tonne of bricks. If he'd been on Earth or too close in orbit then he might have been affected, telepathic or not. Her hands were shaking as her mind went to her memory of infant Astra. She'd been newborn with enemies already circling. How was she ever going to keep them safe?

"Easy Mum," Alistair said. He sat down next to her on the bench and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm here, we turn out fine in the end I promise. Please just keep that in mind when we drive you crazy."

A rough laugh escaped Rose and she realised that she was crying. Raising her head she gave Alistair a watery smile. "I'll try, but I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else given your father."

"And Dad would say that it's all due to you being so jeopardy friendly," Alistair countered.

"Well, maybe a little."

Rose took her hand off of Adam and wiped at her eyes. Adam tilted his head back and grinned up at her. The little boy didn't say anything, but he didn't need to.

"How long have you been out of the hospital?" Alistair laughed.

"Two hours, Ross just dropped me off here." Rose hesitated and shook her head. "I just needed a little time."

"I understand." Alistair looked at the parents watching her children. "Not the ideal first contact, but it will get better. The Prime Minister is making a speech in a bit to address this. It'll be important to Earth history."

"Noted," Rose replied.

"Gran won't be bad, I promise," Alistair added gently. There was a slight smile on his face and he looked down at her son. "Honestly as a parent myself I find that I understand her better than I used to." He paused and shuddered. "Don't tell Dad I said that."

"Your secret is safe with me."

Alistair suddenly looked up towards the edge of the park. "I'm going to go and push my son on the swings," he announced. Picking up Adam, he swung the boy around making all of them laugh. "Be right back, Mum."

Rose nodded and said nothing as Alistair headed off to the swings with Adam. There was a free one and her future grandson quickly claimed it. She sat still and just watched them, unsure of how much time was passing. Suddenly the sensation of being watched and the sound of someone coming over made her tense up. Rose looked over her shoulder only to relax as she found General Lethbridge-Stewart coming towards her.

"Alistair," Rose gasped. She leapt to her feet and moved around the bench.

He looked a bit worn out and was using a cane for a bit of support, but was still walking tall. He smiled at her with a slight twinkle in his eye and Rose quickly walked over to meet him. With a laugh, Rose started to move to hug him only to think better of it. Then he chuckled and opened his free arm in invitation. Rose was quick to take it and hugged him.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" Rose breathed. "They told me only that you were okay, but no details."

"I'm alright, Rose," he assured her. "I'm just a little too old for all this. The doctors expect I'll recover soon enough."

"And John?"

"Benton's physically alright, but poor chap is already in Geneva." He gestured to the bench and they quickly moved back to it. "Kate's safe as are James and Gordon," the General told her kindly. "Benton has a bump on the head. Malcolm and Tosh are back in the lab already and your family and friends have all been returned home." He frowned a little. "I should warn you that Benton has ordered protective observation of them until this Eclipse situation is handled."

"After what happened I won't argue with that," Rose said. "But what about you and Benton? Are you in trouble?"

"No, Her Majesty stepped in and issued a full pardon under our positions in the British army. Plus things in Geneva are a little off and questions are being directed there. I can't say for sure if the ongoing investigations will turn up connections to Eclipse, but my gut says that they lost on this gamble." His expression was stern with a bit of anger. "Bates is under questioning and I'm afraid that Mace is being transferred to Australia. There's too much concern over if the men here have any respect for him."

There were so many questions that Rose wanted to ask. She'd been given so little information, but no coherent thoughts seemed willing to form.

"How do you feel, honestly?" Alistair questioned breaking into her messy thoughts. "The last few days have been hard on us all, but you most of all."

"I'm alright," Rose told him. "Sore, but I'm alright." Rose shook her head. "Bit of a headache still, but then I think about the fact I was serving as the control point of a worldwide message and I know I got off easy."

Alistair made a worried noise next to her as they sat down. "I should warn you of a few things: Torchwood has lost their rights to communicate with aliens."

"What?" Rose gaped at him, barely holding her hopeful joy in. "Really?"

"They'll remain as a technology development firm under the Crown, but Queen Elizabeth has restricted them from contacting any alien. If they detect anything they are to report it to UNIT."

"That's…" Rose grinned. "Oh, that's brilliant."

"Second is that Benton, Frost and I aren't going to be punished as I said. Frost is still under consideration for command of the Enterprise and Benton will be retiring as scheduled. I'm a bit surprised about Frost to be honest, but no one can say that she made the wrong choice in sending men to help you."

"I'm disappointed that I missed it," Rose said. "I've heard that it was epic. I missed all the fun, didn't I."

Alistair gave her a look, trying to hold back a smile. "Frost's squad captured two of the Eclipse men, but so far nothing they've revealed has been of use." He gave her a firm look that Rose rather thought might be almost paternal. "You took a huge risk Rose."

"Time was in short supply," Rose reminded him. She shook her head and grimaced slightly. "Anything else?" she asked.

"You're going to be knighted."

Rose breathed in the wrong way in her shock and almost choked. She coughed and looked up at him with wide shocked eyes. Alistair didn't look like he was joking however and looked more than a little pleased.

"What?"

"Knighted, you'll be Dame Rose soon," he replied as his expression softened. "You did save the world, Rose."

"I had a lot of help," Rose pointed out. She gave him a soft smile. "Thank you Alistair, you took a huge risk yourself. When I left the Archives I was so afraid that…" she trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

The General reached over and squeezed her hand. "You saved my grandson Rose from a horrible fate either at the hands of the aliens or growing up in the world after something so devastating." He shook his head and looked up as her son Alistair walked over towards them. Adam had vanished from the swings and Rose's eyes jumped over the TARDIS in the shadows of the tree where she saw the door closing. She prayed that the General didn't notice it.

"Rose," Alistair greeted while Rose tried not to freak out at him coming over. "General," he said to the other Alistair with a nod.

"You look rather familiar," the General said thoughtfully. There was a puzzled look on his face and Alistair just smiled.

"That's not really a surprise sir," he answered. His smiled widened and he looked at Rose. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"What?" Rose gasped and blinked in surprise. "Can I?"

Alistair offered her a warm smile. "Go ahead."

Rose's eyes widened and a grin took over her face. For a moment she couldn't quite breathe as raw excitement overpowered everything and she jumped to her feet. Then she turned back to the General who was frowning in confusion and standing up. His right hand was twitching slightly and Rose knew that he had a firearm somewhere.

"Well then, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, may I introduce you to Alistair Tyler," Rose said softly. She could barely speak around her beaming smile.

The General was gaping at her future son even as she saw hundreds of small calculations racing through his eyes. He glanced at her a moment later, but then looked back to Alistair. The old man rallied and straightened up with a smile. He extended his hand and his smile widened as Alistair took his hand and shook it.

"I'll be honest lad you're a surprise. The Doctor ever marrying was surprise enough, but you're a real shock." His eyes jumped over to Rose curiously, but then he shook his head as if to clear whatever thoughts had popped in. Rose pressed her lips tightly to hold back a giggle. "So you look like your father then. That's why you're familiar."

"Actually you've probably seen my photo before," Alistair admitted with a laugh. He rubbed the back of his neck with a hint of embarrassment. "My TARDIS takes on the police box look on Earth and I've been known to pretend to be Dad. Well before my birth anyway. In about twenty years UNIT has records of me anyway, but it gets messier prior to my birth. For some reasons some people seem horrified at the thought of the Doctor and Rose Tyler having children."

"Well given the knack both of your parents have for trouble, I suppose it is a marvel that you lived long enough to grow up." The General's smile was teasing now. "I must admit to being flattered, Rose." He looked towards her again with sparkling eyes. "Very flattered."

"I like A names apparently," Rose said with a casual shrug before grinning. "And you did just risk everything to help me so I think you qualify as a good friend."

"Something like at least," Alistair offered. "Good to see you again, sir."

"Ah time travel," the General sighed. "Never boring."

"No it isn't," Rose sighed. "Alistair's actually the one who made the Hub."

"Well it had to be genetically linked," Alistair replied with a slight shrug. "Easy way to make sure that only my mother could use it." He smiled at the General and then stepped forward to wrap his arms around Rose. "I should be going, Mum."

"Thanks for coming by," Rose replied around a sudden lump in her throat. She wondered how it would long before she saw him again, but knew better than to ask.

"It'll be okay, Mum," Alistair whispered as he released her. Then he nodded to the General. "Remember, don't tell my father. Don't even hint about it."

"I won't," the General promised. He looked pleased. "Won't be the first secret I've kept due to crossing time lines."

Alistair laughed and nodded. He gave Rose one last look before sweeping towards the swing seat. Adam jumped off the swing and rushed over to the TARDIS ahead of him. Thanks to his resemblance to his father the absence of the long coat still looked wrong to her. The General turned his attention to her as Alistair vanished into the TARDIS.

"Really, Rose, I'm very flattered."

"Yeah well I haven't done it yet," Rose reminded him. There was a soft blush creeping up her cheeks.

They both fell silent as the telltale sound of a TARDIS dematerializing filled the park. Rose looked over to watch the familiar and yet unfamiliar police public call box vanishing. A soft sigh escaped her when it was gone and she turned her attention back to the General.

He smiled at her and shook his head a bit fondly. "I'm afraid that Kate is expecting me home soon. I've been called to Geneva to help patch this mess up. I leave in the morning"

"Ouch, well good luck."

"I'll try to be back for your knighting," he promised. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "Try to get some rest, Rose. You did great." He gestured over to his car. "Can I give you a lift home?"

"Yeah," Rose said. She nodded. "Home is probably a good idea."

It didn't take long to reach her home. She was only a few blocks away, but as she climbed out Rose was hit with a wave of exhaustion. Seeing her son and grandson seemed to have been the last mental reassurance she needed that the world was okay. Standing on the doorstep of her Mum's house, Rose managed a wave to the General and watched him drive off. As much as she wanted him to stay she understood that Kate would want her whole family home and made a mental note to call her soon.

Lingering in the driveway, Rose hesitated to go inside. She wasn't sure how her Mum was going to react to all of this. A shout from the street drew her attention and Rose relaxed as she found Skye racing for her. The young preteen's hair was in a long braid and she was smiling madly.

"Rose!" Skye threw her arms around her. "You saved me!"

"Well, what else are godmothers for?" Rose replied as she stumbled back from the force of Sky's greeting. She smiled down at the girl fondly.

"I thought they helped with going to parties," Skye answered with a wide grin. "That's what Rani says."

"That's fairy godmothers, honey," Rose chuckled.

"Then what are godfathers for?" Skye asked, releasing Rose and stepping back. "Sir Alistair is mine."

"Godfathers are for saving your godmother so that she can save you," Rose answered. She looked behind Skye. "Does your Mum know you're over here?"

"No," Skye admitted, kicking at the drive. "She's been weird lately. And Gran and Grandad came down too. I snuck out."

"They're just scared," Rose told her. She knelt down to look at Skye, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Losing a child is a terrifying thing. They just need to spend some time with you."

"Are you going to spend time with your Mum?" Sky asked.

"I'm going to try," Rose agreed. "You're welcome for the help Bright Spark, but your brother and Aunt Mel helped too." She gestured back to Sarah Jane's. "Now get home before you give your family a heart attack."

Skye nodded and headed for her home, being a bit more cautious as she crossed the street. Rose watched her until she entered the front door. Turning back to her own house, she took a deep breath and walked to the front door. Rose stepped inside the house and frowned as she heard the telly on in the next room. She crept inside and found her Mum parked on the sofa in front of the television. Looking at the television, Rose tensed up as Harriet Jones appeared standing behind a podium. There was a banner with information running across the bottom of the screen, but Rose's eyes were fixed on Harriet. The woman looked older than the last time they'd met, but the determination was blazing in her eyes.

"The last week has been a strain on us all," Harriet said in a clear voice. "We've learned things about the universe that we didn't know before and seen aspects of ourselves that are frightening." She paused and let the audience take everything in. "The last few days have rewritten what we thought we knew and understood about our place in the universe. They have forced us to confront what past events have made us suspect: we are not alone." Then the Prime Minister smiled. "But the universe is not just beings seeking to take our children. It has those who have come to protect us in the past. It has those who sent messages once the aliens were forced away to ensure that we were safe. The universe has beings that have the same goals, the same dreams, the same good and the same bad as us."

Rose found herself smiling. The words were familiar and she wondered if Harriet finally did understand that.

"Prime Minister," one reporter called out loudly. "What happened to destroy the aliens? And what about the reports that governments were discussing what children to give the aliens?"

There were many shouted questions that followed and Harriet held up a hand. "Those reports are somewhat true. Conversations on how to deal with the demands were underway, but my negotiations with the aliens for more time were part of a ploy. On Earth, we are not defenceless. Over the years other aliens have come here and people have always risen up to protect our planet and their neighbours. Organisations have developed from these unsung heroes and throughout this crisis, they were working to find solutions." Harriet paused and looked straight at the camera. "As for what children were going to be handed over one suggestion was to take children from poorer families, children who weren't expected to achieve anything and I will reveal that to you so what I say next means something. We were saved, your children were saved by the efforts of one person. She was helped by a few others, but in the end, it was her. One child of Earth, one daughter of the world saved all the others."

Rose swallowed thickly from her place at the door, trying to ignore the tremble in her hand. She heard a sharp intake of breath from her mum who shifted even closer to the screen. People were shouting questions, but Harriet was ignoring them.

"This remarkable young woman was born to a struggling family, lost her father when she was just a baby and grew up with no one thinking she'd ever amount to anything much less be the one who saved the world's children. I won't tell you her name, she deserves her privacy, but this isn't the first time she's saved the world and I doubt it will be the last. Earth's Champion is the child that others would have handed over to the aliens." Harriet raised her chin and smirked at the camera. "I have no doubt that I will soon face a vote of confidence so I'm telling you this now so you hear it. I am telling your children this now so that they understand what they are now doesn't mean that someday they can't be even more. Someday any child could be the one who saves Earth next. Our children are safe today and it is up to us to make sure that they know how to look to the future."

The speech ended despite the questions being thrown out and Harriet was escorted off the stage. Her head was held high and she looked proud. Rose sniffed, realising that her eyes were tearing up. Reaching up a hand she started wiping away the tears. She didn't even notice her Mum standing up and watching her with a stunned expression.

"Rose?"

Looking over at her Mum, Rose forced a slight smile and sniffed. "This is what I do Mum. It isn't easy, or fun or safe, but it is so very worth it."

Then to her surprise, Jackie started crying. The woman crossed the room in a blur of pink and threw her arms around her daughter, holding her close. Rose didn't say anything, she just wrapped her arms around her mum and held her tight.

…..Next Time Champion of Time ….

Stopping in her tracks, Rose trembled as the air was forced from her lungs. There was a pressure in her head quickly conjuring up a headache that she pushed her way past as she looked around. She couldn't see anything special about the area and there were other people moving about as if everything was normal. Licking her lip, Rose studied the wall of the alley and tensed when she spotted some graffiti down a few feet. She wasn't sure if it was in English or her translator was activated, but the words: Bad Wolf were clear.

Rose moved forward a little more and studied the walls. Then she saw a slight shimmer in the air to her right and looked right at it. The air flickered as if it wasn't really there. Wondering if it was a hologram, Rose carefully reached her hand out and brushed at the air. An icy sensation travelled up her fingers, but Rose gasped not at the cold but at her hand. The skin shimmered and aged before her eyes only to transform again and become young as her fingers shrank. Pulling her hand away in terror, Rose examined it as she stepped back. It had reverted back to normal, but her eyes went back to the strange ripple. Something was very wrong.