"Dororthy," Will walks into her office not looking like himself.
"What's wrong Will?"
"It's Sam."
"What's wrong with Sam?"
"She just called me."
"Go to her whatever happens for the last few hours, I can handle it."
"Don't you have plans with Graham."
"No I do not."
"Thank you."
"Go be with her." Will runs out as Ace sits back and thinks about how her life has changed in the past year and a half. From running into the Doctor again, staying off earth for a number of months brokering peace between alien races, and falling in love with someone she can tell everything to. Sanaul comes in.
"Ms. Dorothy, where did Mr. Buckland go?"
"His girlfriend needed him."
"I am glad that he finally gave up trying to get with you. You seem happy with Mr. O 'Brien."
"You know I am happier than I thought possible."
"That is good Ms. Dorothy." Ace smiles even more.
"Though right now I am worried about Sam. It had to be serious for her to call Will."
"How long have they been together this time?"
"He told me about her maybe two months ago, just a few days before Graham and I moved into our place; that was recently discovered to be left to me in a trust by someone that cared about me when I was a teenager."
"Did they not care for you as an adult?"
"We had a falling out."
"Ahh."
"You know my stories about an old friend."
"You mean the Doctor, who was here a year and a half ago."
"The one in the same. The Doctor has known me since I was 16, though it was shortly before my birthday."
"Your longest friend then."
"One that I have seen in the past 30 years. Well, my neighbor Mel, I met at the same time."
"Your neighbor."
"Loud, health nut, Mel, she is a great neighbor. Though I don't think she will ever get a key; she is already over almost everyday. It has been great to catch up on 30 years worth of life."
"I am happy for you."
"Thank you Sanaul."
"No need to, Ms. Dorothy, you deserve it all, especially with all you do for all anyone that asks for it."
Demurely, "I try." Ace looks at her watch, "it's closing time, I am going to head home, see you tomorrow." Ace gets up to head home.
Walking in the door she smells dinner and after changing quickly she goes to the kitchen where Graham is finishing up touches on dinner she goes up and wraps her arms around his waist and kisses his shoulder. "Welcome home Dear," he says putting down the knife and turns around as they share a deep kiss.
"I feel home."
"I am always glad to hear that. Have you heard from Kate recently?"
"I have not, she is probably in hiding with what is going on."
"Someone named Osgood came by today with a UNIT badge asking for her."
"Really."
"Yes, she said a few months ago they were on the phone and Kate said something about needing to go dark."
"That's not good."
"No it isn't."
"Osgood told me she will come by this weekend to ask you if you know anything. On a different note, how was work?"
"It was fine, we don't have much going on right now, though something happened to Sam that made me make sure Will rushed off to her."
"Is she ok?"
"I don't know, after he left I didn't hear from him," Ace smiles.
"Did you think about anything?"
"Just how much has changed in the past year and a half."
"Good I hope," Ace leans forward and gives Graham a small kiss.
"All good."
"Good." They clean up their dishes and Ace gets a call.
"Hello."
"It's Will."
"Hello Will," Ace leans into Graham's arms that is along the back of the couch they are sitting in.
"Sam is pregnant."
"That is wonderful, I know you want kids."
"And you didn't."
"Will," Ace sighs, "be happy for you and Sam."
"I am."
"You don't sound it."
"I am still in shock."
"Take a few days to be with her, I handled A Charitable Earth for years, I can hold down the fort for a few days."
"I will, thank you Dot." Ace rolls her eyes.
"I know you will be an Ace father. Just don't call me Dot. I will let you get to Sam."
Ace hangs up and Graham looks down at her, "Sam's pregnant?"
"She is, Will is freaking out, even though one of the reasons we broke up is that I didn't want kids of my own." Ace feels Graham's heartbeat speed up, "we are too old for kids aren't we."
"I don't want kids, but there is Ryan."
"Graham," she turns to face him fully, "I can't have the kids that Will wants; born from me. I think Ryan is great, you know that."
"Ok, as long as you think that, he is my Grandson." With pride in his voice Graham adds.
"I know that, and one of the reasons I love you is that you continued to want to have a relationship with him after Grace died. It shows how wonderful you are."
"I guess you can say we are both Ace." Ace laughs a full laugh that lights up her face which makes Graham smile lovingly at her.
"We are Ace." She says after she is done laughing and leans into kiss Graham. "Though I say we are more than Ace."
"How can we be more than Ace?"
"I say we are near perfect."
"You are."
"Oh Graham, you know I am not perfect, with my youthful indiscretions, and my love with nitroglycerin."
"Everything is what makes you, you, the woman I love. Speaking of what makes you, uniquely you, when was the last time you were at Kirkwood Farm?"
"It's been a bit, why?"
"This weekend how about you and I go there.''
"You want to go there?"
"I do, also shouldn't you see how Squidget is doing."
"You also care about my little alien contraption that I found."
"I love everything about you."
"You already said that."
"What else can I say?"
"You can show me." Graham grabs her hand and makes sure the door is locked before they head upstairs for the night. That weekend Ace and Graham arrive at Kirkwood Farm and walk into the garage and Ace heads over to her supplies right off the bat. Graham sits back and watches her work, "are you going to just watch or do you want to help?"
"Help."
"Then come here," Graham quickly walks over to her. "I still can't believe I have been making these for decades and I still can't believe that I can't get the timer right."
"Hmm, I know basically nothing about explosives except the one the Doc gave Ryan and me when blowing up Cybermen or Daleks."
"You could've used some Nitro-9."
"Probably did, before I met and."
"Graham, you don't have to keep saying it."
"I understand." A few hours later they arrive back home to see someone wearing a long scarf standing on their porch.
"The Professor had one just like that. I remember it from the wardrobe when we had been traveling together for about a year."
"Ace."
"Yes.''
"Honey, this is who I told you about Osgood."
"I wish we could've met under better circumstances."
"Let's go inside." They all go inside. "Osgood, Graham told me that Kate has gone dark."
"She has gone darker than she ever has."
"I wish I knew where she was. Kate is a good person, and the little of have done for UNIT this year has been enjoyable, but I don't know where she is." Graham wasn't with them and walks in the room with some tea.
"No thank you, I don't want tea."
"How long were you standing out there?"
"I don't know maybe an hour.''
"Just drink some of it please."
"Ok."
"Graham makes sure everyone is fed and not thirsty."
"Can you guys please keep me informed if you see or hear from her; her family is worried. None of them really knew her father."
"We will," Ace says as Osgood gets up thanks Graham for the tea and leaves.
"You know, continuing the conversation from the other night." Graham sits down next to Ace.
"Which one, the one here or there?"
"The one we talked about and not showed."
"Yeah."
"How would you feel about marriage?"
"I like the idea."
"You do?"
"I like the idea of being married to you Graham, what about you?"
"I more than like the idea of being married to you."
Ace smiles, "you know this means you will be my date to any galas or balls."
"I already thought I would be." Ace faces him and gives him a small kiss.
