"Professor please, I know you have taken trips." Ace and Graham are in the Noble's backyard as Shaun suggested to have a small get together.
"Ace. The Doctor doesn't want to get involved," Donna says, putting her hands on her hips.
"This is for Tegan, need I remind you what you put her through and the reason she left."
"No," the Doctor sighs and looks at Graham, "do you have anything to add?"
"I want Ace to be happy, you know why."
"You love her."
"Doc."
"Oh the other reason."
"He knows what you are hiding from me?" Ace turns to Graham.
"I needed advice."
"From both my brother and the Doctor."
"I know this Doctor isn't that one you looked at like a father, but he still feels the same about you."
"Professor?" She looks at him in a different light.
"I admit it is hard seeing you be in a committed relationship."
"This isn't about my relationship, you know I want to do something for Tegan. She has done a lot to keep me sane including helping me ward off creeps when they didn't listen to me."
"Have you had any recently," the Time Lord asks.
"No, they nearly stopped before I met Graham and since we have been to many events together." Tegan comes by at that moment.
"What are we hounding the Doctor about?" She asks the small group.
"How Ace wants everyone to be happy."
"She has always wanted that; at least with her friends."
"Mum," Tegan turns around to find her son coming towards her.
"John-Nathan." Tegan leaves the trio as Ace turns to face the Doctor.
"It wasn't me."
"I told Donna that she has a son," Graham adds, "this is for family and Donna agreed."
"Since Tegan is distracted, I should tell you seeing everyone here made me make my decision."
"So?"
"Come on Ace, Graham let's sneak away." The Doctor takes Ace's hand, using her free hand takes Graham's. "Now you two, we are going to an alien ship, I know both of you have been on them before. This one though, when Tegan, Turlough and I left, was infected with a disease called Lazarus. Nyssa stayed behind to help find a cure."
"I can see why Tegan loves her." The Doctor flies around the TARDIS piloting it. As it lands Nyssa thinks she hears a sound she hasn't heard in 40 years.
"Neeks, do you want to see what that sound is," Nyssa asks her 25 year old daughter.
"Sure Mum." Neeka comes around a sharp gray corner as the nanobots her mom made go straight for Ace. Neeka opens up a panel to shut them off as Ace falls to the ground.
"Doctor, I thought you said this was basically an alien hospital ship, why did it attack Ace?"
"Let's get her to medbay, Mum can see what is going on," Graham and the Doctor look up at the voice.
"Nyssa?"
"No, that's my Mum, come on I will get her after I show you to medbay." Graham leans down to pick up Ace. "You don't need to do that," Neeka pulls a gurney out and they lay Ace on it. "Who are you guys anyway?"
"The woman on the gurney is Ace, I am the Doctor and the guy holding Ace's hand is her boyfriend, Graham. We are here to see if you, Nyssa and any family you two have will like to come to Earth."
"Why?" They move around a corner; Nyssa looks up from her spot looking up from her desk.
"Neeka who are these people," turning around the Doctor knows the voice.
"Nyssa of Traken."
"How do you know who I am?"
"Last time you saw me I was a dirty blonde. We traveled with a few people."
"Doctor is that you?" Nyssa side steps the gurney looking at Ace. "Do these two currently travel with you?"
"No Ace, the one on the gurney traveled with me two regenerations after you and Graham in my last regeneration, something attacked Ace when we arrived."
"Does she have any viruses that can cause people to change?"
"She never changed but she may still have the Cheetah in her."
"Let's see if there is anything we can do."
"Nyssa, that happened decades ago for Ace. She was barely 18 when it happened."
"The nanobots found something only in her that they wanted to attack, they only do that to viruses."
"Have they ever done that to anyone that wasn't?"
"No, Lazarus is no longer and once it was most hitched a ride on a Zingo. I am happy that my kids stayed."
"Nyssa, after you figure out if Ace is ok, how would you like for you and your family to move to Earth."
"Why?"
"This was all Ace's idea for a surprise for Tegan."
"How is Tegan?" Nyssa remembers her first ever love who she almost named her daughter after.
"We left her on Earth at a party run by my friend Donna and her family."
"That doesn't tell me how she is?"
"She's doing fine, now can someone tell me what is going on with the woman I am wanting to ask to marry me," Graham looks at the two old friends.
"Sorry, let's get inside and take a look," Nyssa smiles warmly at him as they hear some groaning from the table.
"Graham," he looks down at Ace holding her hand even tighter. "Did you say something about wanting to marry me?"
"Umm."
"He did, I'm Nyssa by the way."
Trying to sit up but failing due to her head throbbing, "Nyssa, you are Tegan's Nyssa?"
"The Doctor says you're Ace."
"I am. What happened?" Nyssa motions them into her office, making room for the gurney
"Are you sick?"
"No, I rarely get sick."
"The Doctor said something about a Cheetah Virus." Nyssa sits down on a chair next to Ace.
"Nothing has come of it."
"That's good, could it be dormant?"
"Maybe, my Doctor said something along the lines that it will live in me forever. I just don't think about it. It was one of the times I was truly cared for and no mind games were played."
"It was also after two adventures that I did play mind games with you." Graham looks up.
"You played too much on her."
"Graham, it's ok."
"It's not though, he hurt you. No one should hurt you."
"Graham, that is a part of life."
"I know, I just hate to see or even imagine you being hurt."
"I know, I feel the same," they hear gagging coming from behind them.
"Neeka Melissa Traken," Nyssa reprimands her daughter.
"Melissa?" The Doctor questions.
"I gave my daughter Tegan's middle name. When I had my kids I missed you guys. My son is named Adric."
"So what am I?"
"I only had two kids and what can I even call my child. Doctor?"
"Doctor, she's right, we don't know your name," Ace says from the gurney.
"Now everyone shut it, I need to look over Ace. Neeka go get your brother and ask him if he's ok with leaving this ship and the three of us can make a new home where the two of you can be around more your age and can meet Tegan." Neeka leaves the room as Nyssa gets to work on Ace taking her vitals, blood work, turning away from them and putting everything into a machine. "How is Tegan really?"
"She has a son named John-Nathan, loves to travel and is the best friend I have had since I was a kid." Ace loves talking about her surrogate nephew.
"What about Graham?"
"Platonic friend then, Graham is much more to me," Ace says while looking into Graham's eyes, the box in his pocket is burning a hole.
"You have no idea how much you mean to me." He tells her.
"Graham, you said something about wanting to ask me to marry you."
"I did?"
"Stop being daft, you know you said that equated to us getting engaged, the feeling is mutual."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"What if I told you the reason Donna planned the party was because she overheard Tegan and I talking at UNIT one day when you were busy interviewing people for your COO."
"So everyone knew but me?"
"Dear," Graham brings her knuckle to his lips, "you are the only one that couldn't know until it was time."
"Was that going to be today?"
"Yes, but Tegan threatened me if she didn't witness it. I didn't know that the Doctor would finally agree to it today." The group continues to chat as Nyssa waits on the results.
Back on earth after Tegan stops hugging her son she turns to find an empty space as Sylvia runs out. "Where did that man go now?" All eyes go on her, "I heard the TARDIS." Tegan looks to where the Doctor was just standing to find the Doctor gone along with Ace and Graham.
…..
"He better not propose to her until they get back," Tegan says a little too loud.
"What do you mean," asks Mel.
"Well Graham has a ring for Ace and an important question for her that could change both of their lives forever." Tegan looks around to see Donna smiling with Shaun trying to hold her hand, "I have a feeling those two are going to be like the two of you." They hear the TARDIS again, when the doors open Tegan hears a voice telling Ace everything is good. This voice she has only heard in her sleep and in the wind in the past 40 years.
"Nyssa," she says as the woman steps out of the TARDIS followed by two who look to be in their mid-20s.
"Hello Tegan."