Please R & R….
She walks up behind him and wraps her arms around his neck, "how was your talk with Ryan?"
"It was fine, how was yours with Tegan."
"She misses Nyssa and she told me that John Nathan suggested for Tegan just to go and find Nyssa."
"You want to do just that don't you?" She moves around to sit on the couch.
"Well, we can have a friend see what kind of connections they have." Graham knows who she wants to see if anything can happen.
"Mel and the Doctor." She just smiles at him, "who are you and what have you done with Ace?"
"Maybe you have been an influence on me." She adds laying her head on his shoulder.
"No one can influence you. You, Ace or should I say Dorothy are perfect just the way you are."
"Don't you mean wicked?" She scrunches up her nose hearing the word perfect referring to herself.
"Wicked, perfect, amazing, brilliant, the one who has my heart. So how are we going to do this."
"We?" She sometimes is still in shock that she has a partner that will do anything with her.
"We are a duo, where you go I will follow."
Ace takes his hand in her, "follow me right now," she walks backwards with a large smile on her face.
The next morning Ace wakes up first, draped across his chest. She slowly gets up from bed and turns to Graham who takes a pillow in his arms as he turns in his sleep letting out a loud snore. Stifling a laugh she leaves the bedroom to get the coffee started. Trying not to hum a song stuck in her head she finds a man wearing a blue suit with short dark brown hair. "Ace."
"Professor?" She walks closer to the man.
"It's me, I have this face again, how is it?"
"It doesn't matter what face you have, you will always be the Professor," she wraps her arms around him, squeezing him.
"You still have a tight grip."
"I do, you should ask Graham," she points to the bedroom.
"You and Graham?"
"Yes," she tries to hide a smile making the rest of the way to the kitchen, "Graham and I."
"How did that start?"
"We met because of you, became friends and flirted to the point of being locked in a cupboard together. Tegan had enough of it. Stood at the door until we talked. We didn't kiss until later though."
"Graham will be good for you. The only person I can like with you."
"About liking your companions together."
"Yeah," Graham comes into the kitchen scratching his back, and doesn't notice the man sitting at their table.
"Morning Love," he kisses her on the cheek; making Ace blush and the Doctor smile.
"Hello Graham." The man turns to find a stranger in the kitchen, he goes for the bat Ace keeps. He moves to stand next to Ace who gently removes the bat from his hands.
"Babe, it's ok. Who is the one person, or should I say alien that would be welcome into this kitchen and basically breaking in."
"Alien wise the Doctor, didn't Mel just enter at her own pleasure yesterday?"
"And saw us making out as a payment."
"I do not want to see that please," the Doctor says, screwing up his face in disgust.
"Don't worry Professor you won't."
"Doc, I'm sorry."
"You were doing something to protect Ace, how can I hate you for that. You weren't going to kill me, just hurt me." Graham nods at the Doctor knowing that Ace must've met this face at some point, or just knew who it was. After getting coffee for everyone they sit down.
"Where is my manners, are you hungry Doc?"
"Sylvia made sure I had something to eat before I left."
"Sylvia," Ace questions the name.
"Donna's Mum. She helps out around the house, with Rose and stuff. Still has a nasty right hook," he says, rubbing his jaw from that sucker punch he got a few days ago.
"What did you do to make her hit you," asks Ace as she leans forward with her head on her hands, Graham moving the cup out of the way so she didn't hit it by accident. The Doctor notices that and smiles at how well they know each other.
"That is a story for a different time. I just wanted to check in on a few of you. And low and behold it's two birds with one stone."
"Professor?"
"Yes my dear Ace," he touches her nose making her smile.
"Do you have any way to travel in space and time," asks Ace.
"I do, haven't used the duplicated TARDIS yet, so before I do something major I will take a few minor trips." The Doctor is curious as to why she asked the question like it was going to be a business deal.
"Okay, that gives me time to plot."
"Us Ace, us. Tegan's my friend too." Graham adds running his thumb along Ace's hand.
"Is Tegan ok," the Doctor looks between the two.
"She's fine, those close to her think that if Nyssa was here she could be even happier and that her son should meet her."
"What if Nyssa is married or has kids." The Doctor doesn't want to tear another family apart. He looks at Graham, happy that he is moving on and with Ace too.
"We can deal with that if it comes down to it."
"Ace," the Doctor looks into her soul.
"What Tegan is my best friend, she is happy that I finally found the one I can love freely and openly without any judgment over the fact I didn't grow up with my brother, I have a troubled relationship with my Mum."
"Don't forget you can tell all about what you did in your early adulthood."
"That made being loved by you that much easier."
"I hope I make it easy on you."
"Graham, you do more for me than any of my previous partners, I should be the one saying I hope I make it easy on you."
"You had me when you read the psychic paper."
"So what my previous body gave you, helped you fall for someone."
"I guess so, is there anyone else you should check on," Graham said while staring down the Time Lord.
"There are a few, but I want to go to those who saw this face before."
"Do not wait until the last moment to go to Yaz ok. She will understand that you changed."
"Protective are we Graham," the Doctor asks.
"We are," Ace adds, "so is Tegan and others."
"Others?"
"We all like to meet up from time to time."
"Companion Support Group Meeting, we should probably get in contact with everyone again so we can talk about what just happened."
"Just don't hate on Mel."
"I could never hate Donut, she is like a sister to me."
"Though if you don't see everyone Doc, there may be some angry people out there. You are here to stay right?"
"Until I work through some things."
"What things?"
"All those I have lost, I blame myself that I didn't warn them enough."
"You think it's your fault that other's died."
"I do."
"Doctor," Graham starts, "you inspire people. If it wasn't for you and Ryan I would've killed Tim Shaw in cold blood."
"It is my fault you were at the point."
"No it isn't, it is on me. I was angry at the fact I lost Grace."
"If it wasn't for me she would still be here."
"You don't know that. Grace would do anything to make sure others are safe. She was a nurse."
"So many others died in my name. Ace it's my fault you lost Hex, Sorin and."
Ace stands up and moves to stand in front of the Time Lord. "Shut it, they did what they wanted to do, Sorin got taken over by Fenric who may I remind you, you protected me from more than once."
"You're like my daughter, of course I did. I would do anything to make sure you don't die."
"And look at me now."
"I know," a big smile spreads across the Doctor's face, "head of a foundation, still making sure the world is safe from alien invasion and much more."
"You really do sound like the proud Papa," Graham jokes.
"I am, I also like that you two seem to be good together."
"We are."
"I can't wait to see more, I am going to let you two enjoy your morning." The Doctor gets up and gives both of them a hug.
"Don't be a stranger, I want to show you my headquarters."
"Still in the heart of London?"
"Where else?"
"I'll come by."
"Wicked." The Doctor laughs at that.
"Promise me you'll never change Ace."
"I have changed."
"Not your heart."
"I."
"You have an amazing heart Ember," Graham says to her.
"Honey Bear." The Doctor leaves laughing at the nickname.