Searching Souls

Epilogue

November 19, 2008

Everyone sat not-so-patiently in the conference room, all ears straining to hear the sound that had quickly become familiar to even those who had never actually traveled in the ship. Throughout the initial tense moments, Ianto recalled the call that came in a week prior, announcing the date and approximate time of their arrival. While he spoke with Rose, she also asked that he gather Donna, Martha, and Mickey from wherever they had wandered off to. And Sarah Jane as well, come to think of it. The young Welshman recalled how Rose's voice sounded exasperated, and how he had heard the Time Lord's voice through the phone as well, although the words were indistinguishable.

Noticing that everyone's mug was empty (and having nothing better to do), Ianto set off to the kitchen to make some more coffee. When he returned later with seven mugs of steaming coffee in hand (figuratively, not literally - he had a tray), he had only the chance to set down the mugs before the wonderful, timeless sound rang out from the middle of the Hub.

The Doctor's timing was always perfect like that.

The entire entourage (for lack of a better word) rushed to the part of the Hub where the sound was the loudest and a blue box was flickering in and out of sight - Tosh's old station - in time to watch the magnificent ship materialize before their eyes. Everyone waited expectantly, watching for either the Doctor or Rose to emerge first, baby in hand (well, arm).

Naturally, none of the group was expecting to see only the Doctor's head emerge as he called out, "Ah, Martha, you're here! Good, we need you in the medical bay, quick!" As soon as he was done speaking, the Doctor disappeared into the depths of the TARDIS, presumably to the medical bay.

After a brief moment of surprise, Martha hurried into the ship with a strong feeling that she knew what was going on.

The remainder of the people in the Hub stared at the TARDIS in confusion, wondering whether or not they should follow into the ship. After a moment, a very disgruntled-looking Doctor emerged, pouting and muttering about companions kicking him out of his own ship.

As soon as the door closed behind the Time Lord, the distinct sound of a lock clicking into place permeated the silence, and everyone knew that there would be no entering until the TARDIS herself decided it was time.

The Doctor, three times as energetic as usual due to the excitement of it all, could not find it in himself to sit still while they waited, resorting to pacing the Hub after all of thirty seconds.

The remaining six retreated to the couches, knowing better than to try and calm the Doctor down - it never worked with this regeneration. They could all understand why he was so excited - if all went well, he would no longer be the last of his kind.

For Rose, it was all just a blur of pain, mixed with mental encouragements from the TARDIS and verbal ones from Martha. The young woman had been Rose (and the baby)'s doctor since they got back to the universe - it was only logical, really, since the Doctor was likely to not use proper judgment when considering his Rose and his child, and since they could not go to a normal doctor, what with the baby having two hearts. The pain was worth it, however, when she finally got to hold her son in her arms. She had never expected to have the time for a child while traveling with the Doctor (which she always planned on doing forever) but now that he was here, she knew she wouldn't have it any other way.

The slap of shoes on the grating preceded the Doctor's arrival by seconds, the TARDIS having finally allowed him entrance (much to everyone's relief - it looked as though he would pace a hole in the floor if he didn't stop pacing soon). When he rushed into the room, the Doctor was struck speechless (a rare feat, to say the least) by how positively angelic Rose looked holding the baby - his son a voice in his head whispered - in her arms.

Noticing that he had stopped in the doorway and was staring at her, Rose blushed slightly (although it was hidden by how flushed her cheeks were anyway) and grinned at him. "C'mon, don't just stand there! Don't you want to meet your son?"

At the words, a grin so wide it should have split his face in two appeared across the Doctor's visage, exemplifying a mere fraction of the joy he felt. The Time Lord quickly strode across the room towards his family - the words echoed in his mind, filling him with joy and warmth more intense than he had felt in at least a century. When he reached the two, the Doctor, looking quite funny, in Rose's opinion, leaned over to peer at his son, studying the small face with a grin on his own. "Hello," he whispered, locking eyes with his son.

Holding their child up slightly, Rose offered, "D'you wanna hold him?"

The grin still in place, the Doctor nodded and picked him up as Martha slipped out of the room, unnoticed by the two new parents.

As soon as the Doctor had their child in his arms, he felt the young Time Lord's inquisitive presence in his mind, eager to learn all about his parents. The Doctor, having not had a psychic connection with another Time Lord in a century, gasped at his little miracle.

At the startled sound that the Doctor made, Rose asked, "Is everything alright?"

Looking up at Rose, the Doctor nodded. "Perfect. Everything is just perfect."

x0XOX0x

The TARDIS doors had closed as soon as Martha was back in the Hub, and everyone had tried to continue waiting patiently to be granted entrance to the ship, although it proved to be a difficult feat, made no easier by the fact that Martha had declared the baby a boy the moment she slipped out of the ship. Finally, after what felt like a whole lot more than half an hour, the doors swung inward, and all seven friends entered the ship, allowing the TARDIS to lead them to the medical bay, where the small family was waiting.

One by one, Mickey, Jack, Donna, Martha, Sarah Jane, Ianto, and Gwen piled into the medical bay (which the TARDIS had quickly reorganized to have more standing room), much to the amusement of the Doctor and Rose, who were waiting for the flow of people to stop. Finally, when everyone had entered the room, Rose gestured to the wide-eyed baby in the Doctor's arms and announced, "Everyone, I would like you to meet James Jack Tyler, Jamie for short."

The immortal Captain grinned at the boy's name, saying cheekily, "I'm so honored to have the future of an entire species named after me! Really, guys, what did I do to deserve this honor? Besides allowing you to use my Hub as a parking garage whenever you want."

The Doctor replied, "Well, we figured we might as well name our son after the two guys who affected our lives as much as we affected theirs. Plus, it's a way of making up for the fact that I'm never allowing to be alone with him - even when he's grown up and can make his own decisions."

At that the Captain pouted, "Hey! What makes you think I'd even think of doing anything to your kid?"

Rose laughed. "If you hadn't noticed, we know you, Jack! And I'm not complainin' about the Doctor's rules - he'll have enough excitement running through the stars, he won't need any drama you bring along."

Cutting in before the playful argument could continue, Mickey interjected, "So you name the kid after Captain Cheesecake, but I don't even get a mention after everything I've done for you?"

"Well, Mickey, the not-quite idiot, if it's alright with you, Rose decided you should be the godfather, though I see not real use for excessive titles like that."

Ready with a retort, Mickey quipped, "Says the man who only goes by a title that, as far as we know, is not actually legitimate." After a brief laugh, he continued, "Sure, I'll be the godfather, but this means you're gonna have to stop back for visits a lot more often, you know."

Eventually, the Doctor announced that they would have to leave and began herding everyone towards the TARDIS doors, Rose following with Jamie in her arms. At the door, Rose called, "We'll be sure to visit soon, don't worry!"

Before they departed, however, the Doctor pulled Jack aside and said, "You know, you haven't traveled with us in a while, how would you feel if we stopped by a hundred years down your timeline to pick up you and Ianto? You know, since you can't be alone with Jamie."

Before the Captain had a chance to point out that, sadly, Ianto would most likely be dead in a hundred years' time, the Doctor rushed into the ship and the machine began to dematerialize, leaving the Captain to ponder why the Doctor would have said such a thing, knowing normal human lifespans all too well. Soon enough, he would discover the reason for the Doctor's words, and then they would need to have a long chat, but until then, the happy little family would go on a tour of time and space, partaking in the adventure that the Doctor had always thought he could never have.

So, did you guys like that ending? I tried to make everyone happy, but it was difficult, which is why this took so long to get up. That, and I've been really busy lately. :)

Since this is the last chapter, please review, everyone, I really want to get to 150 reviews! Also, I may or may not do little one-shots as follow-ups for this story, but you guys have to tell me what you think of that idea in reviews!

*TRD*