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Over the next few days Graham keeps looking at the small bag Ace brought in and keeps slapping his hand away. "Graham," Ace shouts from the bathroom.
"Yes."
"Can you help me with something?"
"Coming," Graham tries not to look like a kid who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
As Graham enters the bathroom Ace sees the look on his face, "you were trying to look in that bag weren't you?"
"Maybe."
"We have two more nights here Graham, that means either tomorrow night or tonight you will see it."
"I just wanna know what it is?"
"It's a little something, that will leave little to imagination.''
"So you are torturing me more."
"You will not be saying that when you see, now can you please help me with this necklace, I can't get the clasp to close."
"Of course, just move your hair." After Graham secures the necklace around Ace's neck he kisses behind her right ear.
"That feels good, sadly we have to leave. Are you ok with coming with me?"
"I am sure, you just tell me where you want me."
"Bed."
"Ace," he whines.
"I had to, once we get to the hall I will see where I can have you."
"Good," Graham lightly pecks Ace on the lips and they walk to where she is giving her speech.
"Ms. McShane, thank you for agreeing to come this year."
"I have told you Oswald, please call me Dorothy."
"I was raised to always call those I respect by their last name," the man with graying hair turns to face Graham, "and who is this?"
"This is my partner in the most important sense, Graham O'Brien."
"Mr. O'Brien," he takes Graham's hand.
"Graham," Ace runs her hand on the arm that is still at Graham's side, "this is Oswald Smith, he is the one that organizes who speaks and when."
"Nice to meet you Mr. Smith," Ace rolls her eyes at Graham following the example of Oswald.
"Likewise Mr. O' Brien, it seems that you have captured her heart."
Graham looks away from Oswald and into Ace's eyes, "and she has captured mine."
"That's good to hear." The three walk to the lecture hall. "Mr. O'Brien are you staying?"
"I am, is there a place I can stand?"
"As of right now we do have a seat open, so you can sit there," he points to a chair front row center.
Graham moves to the seat he was pointed to. "Graham?"
"Yes Ace?"
"Are you forgetting something," Ace says walking closer to him.
"Am I," he flirts. Oswald watches on amazed at a sight he has never seen from the woman he has seen almost every year for the past 15 years as she gets closer to Graham.
"I think you are," Ace and Graham stand in front of the other. "I think it's something like this," Ace touches her lips to Graham's. The kiss grows deeper for a few seconds before there is a cough.
"As much as it pleases me to see you happy Ms. McShane, people should be arriving soon."
"I know, I should go get in position." Ace moves from Graham and goes to the podium and laughs as Graham makes a quick face at her. As everyone starts to filter into the room there is a young lady who sits next to Graham.
"So what brought you here," asks the woman.
Graham points to Ace who catches his eye and they share a smile, "she did."
"Everyone is here to see her speak, I am Rani Chandra, a local reporter."
"I am Graham O' Brian retired bus driver and in a relationship with Ace, Dorothy McShane."
"How did you meet her?"
"She is starting soon." Rani gets out her notebook and starts to take notes on Ace's speech.
"One of the things I have been working on is setting up a scholarship named for a childhood friend of mine, Manisha."
Rani leans over to Graham, "do you know Manisha?"
"It isn't my story to tell, ask her, after you tell her you are a reporter."
"You are protective." Graham just nods his head as he focuses back on Ace to whom he gives an encouraging smile to.
"This scholarship will be open to every kid who wishes to go to Uni. Manisha never got to go to school." Ace looks around the room and realizes the time. "That will be all the time I have today, if any of you have questions I will be out in the foyer for about 15 minutes." Everyone starts to filter out, Ace walks off the stage and meets Graham at the bottom step.
"There was someone asking questions about you before you started and as you were speaking. She is a reporter."
"What's her name?"
"Rani Chandra, she will probably be one of the people asking questions."
"That's fine, come on let's face the music."
"I will face it with you." Ace smiles at him and they walk out hand in hand. Rani is the first to approach. "Dorothy," Graham wants to say Ace again, "this is who I told you about."
"You really are protective of her," Rani says.
"He is of everyone he cares about, you had some questions?"
"I did, I recently went through my mentor Sarah Jane's notes."
"Sarah Jane Smith?"
"The one is the same," Rani is glad that Ace recognizes the name.
"I recognize that name."
"You do Graham, Rani, after I am done with this do you want to meet us at the hotel that is across the street?"
"Sure." Rani leaves and Ace answers a few more questions.
As Ace and Graham walk across the street, "did Sarah Jane travel with the Doc?"
"She did and the Doctor forever missed her."
"Oh."
"Yeah," the two enter the hotel to see Rani waiting for them.
"Hello Rani, sorry about earlier, when you said Sarah Jane's name I knew we would probably want to talk in private. No need to worry about Graham, he traveled with the Doctor for a few years. Why don't you follow us to our room." They head upstairs to the room as Graham unlocks the door for everyone Ace rushes inside to grab the bag that has been teasing Graham and puts it under the bathroom sink.
They all sit down in the area adjacent to the bedroom. "When did you meet the Doctor?"
"I met him when I was a teenager. When did you meet Sarah Jane and the Doctor," Ace asks the young woman.
"I was a teenager close to Sarah Jane, and we had this common monster called the Trickster. One of the times he had tricked this guy who in turn fell in love with Sarah Jane and she fell for him too. The Doctor showed up and helped save the day."
"Sarah Jane did hold a special place in their hearts." Graham grabs Ace's hand. "She did it with everyone she met."
"She sounds amazing," Graham says.
"She was," both Rani and Ace say together.
"I didn't come here to talk about Sarah Jane, it is still hard to talk about her, I wanted to ask you about your new scholarship."
"Manisha, she was my best friend whose house was attacked by white supremists in the 80s, shortly before I was swept up in a time storm she died."
"I am so sorry to hear that."
"Thank you, I know she would have loved to meet Graham, and hear about the Professor, or as you know them the Doctor."
"You would have told her about that?"
"Manisha never judged me and her and I got into a lot of trouble together," Graham lays his arm across Ace's shoulders and she relaxes into him.
"I take it the two of you met because of the Doctor?"
"We did," Graham answers Rani's question.
"Where on a different planet?"
"A Bolivian Volcano, packed with Daleks."
"Wow, that is definitely a unique place to meet."
"We are past the age to meet at a bar," Ace laughs.
"Okay?" Rani looks at the time. "I better get going. I have plans with one of my old friends."
"It was nice to meet you Rani," Ace gets up and walks Rani to the door and goes to the bathroom and starts up the shower.