Early the next morning Ace bursts into Tegan's room, "it's time to wake up. We have work today."
"How can you be such a morning person?" Tegan rolls over and sees how much Ace is glowing.
"You got some last night didn't you?"
"No, we wouldn't do that with you in the next room."
"But K9?"
"I didn't realize I was that vocal, but come get up, Graham has breakfast for us waiting."
"He is a good guy."
With a large smile, "he is. Now come on, we have food to eat, meetings to have and work getting K9 into whatever car we decide on."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Since we live together, when I work at UNIT we carpool."
"Ladies, breakfast is getting cold," a voice shouts up the stairs.
"We best be going, he will get impatient if he finds out that two people that he cares about aren't going to eat breakfast." Ace walks out of the room as Graham is heading up the stairs. "We're coming, Love Bug."
Tegan just stands there shocked to see Ace like this. "Nyssa wherever you are when I find you; I promise not to be sickening like them." Graham has turned around and not walked closer to her to give her; her moment. After a few moments she makes her way to the kitchen to find Graham quickly kissing Ace on the cheek and her pulling him in for a deeper kiss.
"Coffee."
"I already ate, waiting for you two. I am going to take a shower. Lunches are already made too."
"Lunches?" Graham turns to face the voice.
"I made lunches for the three of us." Graham leaves the kitchen.
"Be prepared for a full bag, Graham always packs extras in case someone forgot their lunch."
"He takes care of everyone?"
"He does. I could only fall for someone like that. Now real talk, do you want me to tell Kate everything?"
"Please."
"Got it." After Graham comes out he is in his work clothes. "Tegan do you want to shower next?"
"Ok." Tegan heads up after eating breakfast as Ace turns to Graham.
"Help me get K9 into the car."
"Anything, what car?"
"Yours has a bit more room."
"Got it," Graham goes to K9 as Ace finishes her coffee. Ace and Graham take their time getting K9 in the car. "How is she?"
"Ok, we need to find Nyssa."
"I know, I want her to be happy."
"Me too, now you go see if Tegan is out of the shower and you shower yourself."
"Graham."
"Not right now."
"I know, I was just testing you. I love you."
"I love you too." Ace goes back into the house.
"K9?"
"In Graham's car, his has more room."
"Ok."
"I'm going to go shower now." Half an hour later they arrive at UNIT.
Ace and Tegan walk in front of Graham and K9. Ace spies Kate and looks back to K9 and Graham. "Tegan let me show you around," Graham takes her by the arm.
Ace follows Kate into her office, "what's going on with Tegan?"
"You remember when she went off the grid?"
"I do."
"How much do you know of the Mara?"
"Nothing."
"It's a species that infiltrated Tegan's mind twice when she was traveling with the Doctor."
"Anything else?"
"It visited Tegan in her dream pretending to be Nyssa at first."
"I take it Tegan didn't take it well."
"She has been in love with Nyssa for over half her life."
"Oh."
"We need to get Nyssa back to earth. Tegan hasn't been herself. Hell she didn't even tease me this morning when Graham said his pet name for me and vice versa."
"You two being adorable this morning then?"
"I wouldn't say that. We weren't acting any differently than we do most mornings."
"Uh-uh, I am going to call the Doctor. Hopefully we get the right one."
Ace heads out to see mother and son in an embrace, she walks over to Graham. "So you met John-Nathan."
"I have. I might have found a way to contact him so he could be with his mum in her time of need."
"You're a big softy."
"I am your big softy. I wasn't actually with Ryan yesterday, I was picking him up from the airport."
"Mum, what is all going on? I get a call from someone saying they are a friend of yours and engaged to Aunt Ace, and that something good and you may need to see me."
"John-Nathan, remember the stories I told you when you were a kid?"
"Which ones?"
"About the woman named Nyssa?"
"You mean your lover?"
"She was never my lover, but I did love her."
"Duh."
"I have," there is a noise coming through.
"What is it that I hear about the Mara coming back and wrecking havoc?" A blue box shows up and a man with a piece of celery steps out.
"John-Nathan you need to meet someone. This is the Doctor."
"Doctor, this is my son?"
"Nice to meet you young man, but on to a better course. I get a call claiming to be the head of UNIT in the year 2023, and that Tegan is being visited by the Mara again."
"I have."
So she doesn't break down again or get too angry Ace steps up, "hello Celery Stick, I am from your future and Tegan's best friend. She has had a few dreams about the Mara and more about."
"No, Ace."
"You know I need all the information about what is going on Tegan."
"Fine, I will be saying it then. I have also been dreaming about Nyssa."
"As in the Trakenite?"
"Yes her, Doctor, the person I have missed for 40 years."
"You haven't changed one bit, Tegan. You know I will help take care of the Mara."
"But you won't help with Nyssa. The girl who looked at you as a father."
"If she's happy, I won't take her away."
"But what if we can both be happy? I know I am not happy. I have moments when I am happy, but overall there is a piece of me missing."
Ace brings her friend into a hug. "Celery Stick, if you won't help we can get another you that will."
"You are from my future, right?"
"As many of us are. When are you that you could be heartless?"
"In the past year and a half three companions have left. I have Peri, but right now she is visiting a beach planet."
"When did I leave?"
"6 months ago."