Tegan approaches some trees not far from the house. "Tegan?" She knows that voice anywhere.
"Hello Doctor." She walks towards him.
"I got a message on this thing," the Doctor takes out a small booklet, "that I didn't know I have, that I need to do a trick I don't like doing."
"That's psychic paper, what do you need to do, Doctor?" Tegan knows what it is because of UNIT and how her best friend talked about her first meeting with the man she now shares a life with.
"You know what it is?"
"I do, UNIT has one and so does Graham and his grandson."
"Come here," Tegan steps back. "Tegan, this is one way to defeat the Mara; that I didn't want to do as it involves looking into your mind."
"What about my secrets?" Tegan, who has guarded herself from everyone minus Ace, doesn't want everything out.
"Like the fact you are in love with Nyssa."
"You know?"
"Of course I did. I caught the two of you stealing glances all the time."
"I thought I hid it well."
"Tegan, why do you think I kept saying brave heart. In Time Lord Society we don't care about same-sex relationships."
"Now you are," the Doctor puts his fingers to her forehead, if there is anything like your thoughts about Nyssa, imagine a door and have it locked. Any thoughts of the Mara keep it open. The Doctor starts to go through her memories.
"I'll miss you."
"I miss you too Tegan."
"Doctor that was decades ago 39 years, while yes I missed you at times."
"Shh."
"I'm home Paul."
"Mommy shh, Daddy has a visitor."
"He does, does he?" Tegan hears an unmistakable sound. "Sweetie can you please gp next door, while Mommy has a nice chat with Daddy and his friend," Tegan tries to remain calm as she sees him over before she marches up the steps.
"I am not going through that."
"Ace was there for me."
"She seems like a good person, now let me focus." The Doctor makes his way through Tegan's mind walking through her two divorces and the underlying causes that she was in love with someone else. He also sees how much she loves her son. He eventually finds when the Mara attacked the first time. "It really only found you and attached itself to you."
"I know that Doctor, I think everyone could tell you that."
"Doctor, I want the Mara gone so I can focus on other more important things."
"I understand that Tegan."
"Was that night the first time since leaving the TARDIS?"
"It was. If I am honest it ended up being the most painful."
"I understand."
"Do you, have you ever been teased with the one person that you love most in this world? Well a different love that you have for your child?"
"I don't know, you would have to ask a future me."
"So you as of right now, no. You can't understand. You didn't care," Tegan nacks up again, "when Adric died and didn't care that everything about me changed when Nyssa left."
"Tegan, I noticed all of that, I just didn't know how to help. Now with the Mara, I can help. I can't help with matters of the heart. I only ever loved my granddaughter Susan. I loved you all, but not in the way you love Nyssa."
"I hope one day you can find that love."
"I'm a Time Lord, I don't know if I want it. Most of those who hang out with me are humans or human-like with a short lifespan." The Doctor walks back up to her and goes back into her mind to find the Mara. After a while he finds it. "Tegan this will be the first time I have done this, so if you fall into a deep sleep just know that I am sorry, and will make sure you get back to that house. I don't know when you will see me again."
"You will see me again, in nearly 40 years."
"I'm sorry. I try not to look back, it hurts too much." The Doctor completes the Mara as Tegan falls into his arms. He picks her up and carries her into the house. The Doctor sets her down. Ace and Graham comes down the stairs after being woken up by the sound of the door opening. Ace half asleep forgets that she heard Tegan leave; has her bat in her hands. Graham is right before, sees the Doctor holding Tegan. Graham quickly grabs the bat and puts it in the closet. He also grabs a blanket for a sleeping Tegan,
"What did you do to her," Ace says angrily.
"I entered her mind, to help fight the Mara. I think it's gone. She thinks highly of you Ace," the Time Lord looks to Graham who is making sure Tegan is comfortable. "She also thinks he is perfect for you."
Ace calmed down a little, "I think so too."
"I don't know how long she is going to sleep. I hope it's just tonight. This was the first time I have done this. I don't want to do it again."
"Did you just change the Doctor's future?"
"I hope not. Since we are both in their future. I'm guessing you are sleeping down here?"
"No, I am going to follow your advice," Ace grabs his hand after she locks the door and the head upstairs to go back to bed.
"If she is still asleep tomorrow what should we tell everyone?" They are back in bed, Ace's head back in her favorite place, listening to Graham's heart.
"I will stay home, if that's the case. I don't want her to wake up to an empty house."
"Then we both will stay home."
"No, I want someone there I know for a fact won't slouch on finding Nyssa."
"Our friends care about Tegan too, they won't stop."
"I know that, but still."
"Ok, no matter what, I will go to work tomorrow."
Squeezing him tighter, "thank you." They fall back asleep both having pleasant dreams while downstairs, Tegan is having her first dreamless sleep in months.