They were on a street in London, watching as people walked by, going on with their lives, completely unaware that they'd just gone through a year of hell. "It's weird," Molly said quietly. "So many of these people were dead a few hours ago, and now they're back, with no idea. And they all knew you, Doctor. For once, they all knew what you did for them. Now they've forgotten."

"Good," the Doctor said. He gave her a tired grin, which she returned. Molly knew he'd never take credit for what he'd done, but at least he was smiling again. He, Jack, Greg, Sherlock, and Molly were all standing by the railing together, just watching as life went on, because of them.

They were silent for a few moments, then Jack pushed away from the railing. "Back to work." He started off towards the Torchwood building.

"I really don't mind, though," the Doctor told him. Jack looked back, and the Doctor gestured towards the TARDIS with a smile. "Come with me."

Jack shook his head slightly, still smiling. "I had plenty of time to think that past year," he told the Doctor, "the Year That Never Was, and I kept thinking about that team of mine. Like you said, Doctor, responsibility."

The Doctor grinned. "Defending the Earth. Can't argue with that." He held out a hand for the captain to shake, but when Jack gave it to him, he pulled his sleeve back and exposed the Vortex Manipulator, sonicing it.

"Hey, I need that," Jack protested.

"I can't have you walking around with a time traveling teleport," the Doctor said firmly. "You could go anywhere, twice. The second time to apologize." He disabled the teleport, then gave Jack his arm back.

"And what about me?" Jack asked anxiously. "Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?"

The Doctor shook his head with a grin. "Nothing I can do. You're an impossible thing, Jack."

Jack chuckled. "Been called that before." He straightened, squaring his shoulders, saluting to each of them in turn. "Sir. Sir, sir. Ma'am." Molly grinned, giving a little salute back. He started off, then turned around, asking the Doctor, "But I keep wondering. What about aging? Because I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?"

The Doctor chuckled. "I really don't know."

Jack laughed. "Okay, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid living on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency." Molly grinned at the idea of Jack being some far-off town's darling. He continued, "They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe, they called me."

Molly and the Doctor stared at him, their expressions slowly fading into ones of shock. Jack grinned. "I'll see you." He turned and headed off, oblivious to Molly and the Doctor's obvious shock. Molly couldn't get it through her head. "The Face of Boe, they called me. The Face of Boe." Memories of a huge, wrinkled, telepathic head flashed in her head. It couldn't be.

The Doctor shook his head. "No."

"There's no way, it can't be," Molly agreed.

Sherlock and Greg stared at them uncomprehendingly. "What are you on about?" Greg asked. She'd told them a lot about her travels during the past year, that simply hadn't been one of the stories she'd told.

The Doctor and Molly ignored them. "No. Definitely not. No. No." The Doctor and Molly shared a look, then burst out laughing, completely ignoring the increasingly disturbed Greg and Sherlock. All Molly could think was that the charming, handsome Jack Harkness would one day become a giant, wrinkled head. After a year of hell, it was good to see the more pleasant surprises the universe had to offer.

SCENEBREAK

As the four of them re-entered the TARDIS, the Doctor hurried over to the console. "Right then, off we go. The open road. There is a burst of starfire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Greg can come too, if you want, and I'm assuming Sherlock's still on board. Or back in time. We could, I don't know, Charles the Second? Henry the Eighth. I know. What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie. I bet she's brilliant." He trailed off as he realized Molly wasn't saying anything. He sighed. "You're not staying, are you?"

Molly hesitated. It felt so strange standing in the familiar TARDIS after a year on a devastated Earth. Everything seemed so different, so off. The TARDIS was the safest place she knew, and she hadn't felt properly safe in a year. It was a weird feeling.

She sighed. "I've been thinking about it a lot, Doctor," she said softly.

He held up a hand. "It's fine, I get it. And I promise, Sherlock can stay on even if you leave. Though I can't promise we won't tear each others' heads off."

"Hear me out," Molly insisted. Looking unhappy, the Doctor fell silent, listening. She gulped, then continued, "Like I said, I've been thinking about it a lot, Doctor. Jack's right, there was a lot of time to think, and certainly plenty of things to think about. It's been a crazy life with you, Doctor. But it's changed me for the better in so many ways. I didn't have any confidence when you met me. I thought I was worthless. Then you showed up in your blue box and offered me the stars, and you let me help save the world, over and over again. You helped me figure out that I'm worth something, that I can save the world all on my own."

The Doctor smiled sadly. "You don't need the TARDIS anymore," he realized. "Molly Hooper, the Woman Who Walked the Earth. You can do anything. You don't need me anymore."

"I don't," Molly agreed. "But that doesn't mean I'm leaving."

The Doctor blinked at her. All he could manage was a blank, "What?"

Molly couldn't help but grin at the Doctor's puzzlement. "No, I don't need the TARDIS," she clarified. "I could go off on Earth and do anything I want, better from my travels. But I like this life, life on the TARDIS, seeing the universe, saving people. I want to stay, Doctor. I don't have to, but I want to." She stood before the Time Lord, shoulders squared, the soldier he'd created for the Year That Never Was, ready to become his partner fighting crime again.

The Doctor blinked rapidly in surprise, a wide grin slowly spreading over his face. "Molly Hooper. I'd love for you to stay." Molly broke out into a grin, and ran right into the Doctor's arms for a tight hug. Greg and Sherlock watched silently, letting Molly make her choice. Molly held on tight, realizing just how much she'd missed the Time Lord.

Finally, she pulled back, looking over her shoulder at Greg. "You want to come?" she asked.

Greg gave a sad little smile. "Sorry, but if I disappear, Moriarty's men'll get suspicious. I've got to stay for now. But I might take you up on that later."

She left the Time Lord's side and headed up to Greg, pulling him into a quick hug. She was really going to miss him – he'd become a great friend during the Year That Never Was, and maybe, maybe there was a hint of something more. But she'd see him again. She was sure of it this time.

Molly pulled back, grinning at him. "See you around, Greg."

He grinned back. "Same, Molly. Thanks for making me part of the Hooper Army." With that, he turned and headed out the door, leaving Sherlock, Molly and the Doctor on the TARDIS.

She caught the Doctor staring at her with an unreadable expression. The last year had been tough on him, and she knew he always expected people to leave eventually. The fact that she'd decided to stay had clearly gotten to him. She let him have his moment, then turned back to the console with a grin, hopping up and starting up the flight sequence. "Come on, lazy. Time get to get going."

She shot the Doctor a manic, knowing grin. "Allons-y!"

THE END - TO BE CONTINUED

...

...

Oh come on? Didn't anyone see it coming? Anyone? Anyone at all?

For the record, to those people I talked about ending the story with - go back through what I said. Did I at any point distinctly say that Molly was leaving the TARDIS? I said she was saying her goodbyes, and she did - to Jack and Greg. And the story *is* ending, but I never said there wouldn't be a sequel, did I? I'm sorry, I've been having fun with this. Sorry for making you think it was over. But yay, sequel!

Right, so, sequel. Yes, there will be a sequel, with Molly continuing to be his companion through Season Four, with awesomeness with Donna and non-canon-ness and canon-ness and all that fun stuff you had in this story. I don't have everything planned out yet, but I have a rough idea of what I want to do.

For the record, I don't think Martha made the wrong decision to leave. It was the best decision for herself, and she had to get some space and let herself get over the Doctor. Molly decided to stay because she wanted to. Again, Martha and Molly are very different characters, and they need different things.

Again, thank you all so much for following me to this point, and I hope you're all on board for the sequel. Speaking of which, I've got the sequel planned, all expect for one thing - a title. Any suggestions?

BloodLily16: Sorry about that, but I have my own reasons for wanting to cut that episode. ;)