Chapter 20: The End

The flat hadn't felt the same since Grace died. At times, it was hard for Ryan and Graham to return from the TARDIS to a home with only memories, but all that changed when the Doctor moved in. Although she had only been a part of their Earth lives for a couple of months, the flat felt empty without her. She brought a liveliness to the home that was sorely missed when she was out on patrol with Yaz. The boys were running out of things to keep themselves occupied while she was away.

"I still don't get it," Ryan admitted as he sat on the couch next to Graham. "Even if I live to be as old as the Doctor, I will NEVER get it."

Graham shook his head solemnly. "That's because you haven't given it a fair shot yet," he argued. "You've got to let go of your preconceived notions and keep an open mind."

"I don't know if I can do that," Ryan confessed. "We've been through a lot, Graham- but this?! Some things are too difficult…" He pointed to the television. "What could you possibly see in this series?!"

"You can't take everything at face value. You've got to find the MEANING behind what they do," Graham lectured enthusiastically. "It's kind of a metaphor for life, if you think about it!"

"How is this a metaphor for anything?" Ryan asked. "Put in a line, pull out a fish. And there's what, 11 seasons of this show?!"

"That proves it, don't it?!" Graham countered. "No network is going to keep a show going for 11 seasons if there's no merit! You young people- never giving anything a fair chance if there's not enough action. Well, the Doctor loves action, and she likes this show! Said as much, didn't she?!"

"The Doctor lies," Ryan jokingly reminded him.

As if on cue, they heard the front door opening and the Doctor walked in.

"You don't think she heard me, do you?" Ryan whispered, nervous that he would have offended his friend if she did.

"Hey Doc!" Graham welcomed. "You're home early! But also, just in time! Could you tell Ryan what makes this series so amazing..." He turned to his grandson. "It's in the nuances- you'll see."

The Doctor walked into the living room solemnly. The smiles on the boys' faces disappeared as they saw her disposition. "No questions," the Doctor directed. Yaz was standing outside the doorway and the Doctor was nervous to leave her there for too long. "I need you both to go upstairs right now."

"You okay, Doc?" Graham asked.

"She said no questions," Ryan reminded him.

"I'll explain later,' she stated more softly. "Soon, even. But please, this one time do what I say- and do NOT come downstairs until you hear from me."

Graham and Ryan nodded their heads in understanding. They had loads of questions- how could they not?- but they knew the Doctor, and they knew when to listen. They headed upstairs, glancing back down at their friend worriedly as they did so.

The Doctor waited until she could no longer see them before she headed back to the front door. "It's safe now," she told Yaz.

Yaz didn't move. "Are you sure? I won't give them the virus just walking to the TARDIS, will I?" she asked.

The Doctor shook her head, trying to put Yaz's mind at ease. "I'll sanitize everything before they come back down. Best be quick, though." Yaz walked through the door and straight toward the TARDIS, being careful not to touch anything. The Doctor closed the front door and headed into the TARDIS as well. She took a deep breath to gather herself before turning to her friend. "Why don't you head to the medbay? I want to get a proper look at you. I'll meet you there in a moment- just going to pop upstairs real quick and give the boys an explanation." She headed back towards the door. "Need me to phone your parents while I'm out?" the Doctor asked.

"We have a medbay?" Yaz considered out loud.

'We', the Doctor thought- how she loved hearing those words! Not 'YOU' have a medbay, but 'WE'- meaning her companions felt like this was their home as much as she did. "Of course we have a medbay!" she bantered lively, trying to keep the mood light for Yaz's sake. "You think the TARDIS- the most advanced machine in all of time and space- wouldn't have a place to treat the sick?!"

"We just… we've never used it," Yaz noted, not feeling very lighthearted still. "We've had loads of sick people travel with us, but you always treat them in the console room."

"Well that's because I have to fly the ship!" the Doctor disclosed enthusiastically. "I can't be in the medbay AND the console room at the same time. Well, I CAN, technically- but not without creating a powerful paradox that would destroy the TARDIS. In which case we'd all be dead, and it would defeat the purpose in having a room to treat the sick..." She glanced at Yaz, who looked down at her feet. The Doctor's enthusiasm waned. Probably shouldn't joke about death right now, she thought. "Not helping with your anxiety, am I?" she asked. "Sorry."

"I'll call them," Yaz stated, answering the Doctor's other question. She knew the Doctor was trying to keep her spirits up, and the gesture was appreciated. "Just not sure what to say. My mum will be worried. She'll want to come, I imagine- make sure I'm taken care of. To be honest, I kind of want her here, too. It'll be hard telling her no."

The Doctor studied Yaz for a moment. Yaz was one of the bravest humans she had ever met, but anyone would be shaken at the thought of facing their own mortality- especially during a literal pandemic. "How about we take a look at you now?" she asked.

"But Ryan and Graham…" Yaz started.

The Doctor shook her head. "The boys can wait," she interrupted. There was not much else the Doctor could do for Yaz that hadn't already been done, except be more educated about what was happening with her body now. Yaz needed answers. She needed her mind to be kept busy, or her anxiety would skyrocket. The Doctor took Yaz by the hand and led her to the medbay.

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Yaz looked around the medbay and noticed how similar it looked to a typical doctor's office on Earth. She wondered if the TARDIS changed the look of the room depending on whichever species needed it. Her bedroom on the TARDIS was the same way- so familiar to what she was used to, albeit more comfortable and cozy than the one she had in her family's flat. Somehow the TARDIS made the room just for her. Was the TARDIS trying to put her mind at ease? If so, it was a kind gesture. Maybe the TARDIS was alive after all, she thought.

"I need to do a blood analysis," the Doctor stated as she pulled out a needle from the corner cabinet.

"I thought you said you didn't need needles in the future," Yaz remembered.

"Not unless you need to know something quick," the Doctor explained. "Which I do. Sorry…" She winced as she said it, feeling empathy for her friend.

Yaz pulled up her sleeve to reveal her veins. The Doctor poked her with the needle, finding a vein on her first try. Yaz wondered how the Doctor knew so much about medicine. She had seen the Doctor treat so many different species- how could she keep track of what each one was, and what they needed biologically? The Doctor was truly amazing.

The Doctor walked toward a machine against the far wall and injected the syringe of blood into it. A beam of light enveloped Yaz so suddenly it made her jump. The Doctor turned to see what the commotion was. "Sorry- another diagnostic. Just checking out the rest of your systems. Didn't mean to scare you," she apologized. She turned back toward the machine, awaiting it to finish the analysis. "Don't worry, though!" the Doctor said, trying to sound convincing. "You're young. Your immune system is strong. That, combined with the vaccination I gave you, means you're safe! Probably..." The Doctor was glad her back was to Yaz. She closed her eyes in stress, knowing she didn't sound as hopeful as she wanted to.

"You can say it," Yaz stated.

The Doctor turned around and shook her head, assuming 'it' meant 'bad news'. "It's still calculating. I don't know the results for sure…"

"No," Yaz looked down. "Not that….You can say IT." The Doctor looked at her in confusion. 'You can say 'I told you so.' You have a right to say it, even. I know you want to; at least, I would…"

The Doctor shook her head sadly. "I never care who is right, Yaz. Only who is safe." She turned around to face the machine once again.

"I hope to be like that, someday. To be like you. I don't just want to just have good intentions- I want to be good for something. You have good intentions AND the ability to make a difference.I would give anything to be like that."

The Doctor shook her head, feeling unworthy of the praise. "This is MY fault, Yaz," the Doctor admitted.

"What is?"

"This," the Doctor gestured to the room. "I should have scanned that crowd before I walked into the home- before I let you near them, even."

"And I should have kept my distance," Yaz acknowledged. "It's not your fault, Doctor."

"It just takes ONE moment of carelessness on my part to lose…" The Doctor let her sentence trail. She turned back toward the machine. She didn't remember it taking this long to analyze. Maybe Time Lords really didn't have any patience, she thought.

"You think your actions caused this? Because here's how I view them- If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been vaccinated. I wouldn't have known that I was exposed, and I would have brought this back to my family. You saved me, Doctor. And you saved them. Thank you." She glanced at her lap, nervous to say what she needed to next. "You don't like talking about your past, but I know you have lost others. I can't say for certain that you won't lose me as well- especially now- but if you ever did, I need you to know that it wouldn't be your fault."

"That's what the others said as well," the Doctor said softly, but loud enough for Yaz to hear.

The machine beeped, notifying the Doctor of the finished results. She punched a couple of buttons and read the report.

"What does it say?" Yaz asked cautiously.

"It says the virus is still in your system, but you're already starting to show some antibodies, which is a good sign. Means your body has recognized what it is and is trying to fight off the infection. Probably means the vaccination is working. Won't know for another day or two, though, whether or not your immune system will kill it without it taking hold or..." she let her sentence hang again, not wanting to finish it.

"So, we wait?" Yaz asked, changing the subject for the Doctor's sake.

The Doctor nodded. "We wait. And we make sure you're hydrated, that you get enough sleep- anything to help your body stay strong."

"And we have hope?" Yaz asked again, reminding the Doctor of everything she had taught her.

The Doctor stopped, a slow smile returning to her face. "We remain educated, we remain cautious- but above all things, yes- we remain hopeful." Yaz smiled back, glad to relieve some of the tension in the room. "You should phone your parents, though, while we're waiting," the Doctor reminded her. "Might be best to leave out the part where you were actually infected. Tell them you were exposed to the virus and the department's quarantining you for two weeks to be on the safe side- less questions to answer that way."

Yaz didn't like the idea of lying to her parents, but she couldn't exactly admit that her time-traveling friend from outer space used alien technology to pinpoint the exact moment COVID-19 attached itself to her body.

"Which reminds me!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I'll need to tell your captain! Perhaps I'll write a really nice letter and put it on letterhead! Can you imagine- me- with my own letterhead?! And then I'll stamp it-make it all official looking!" she enthused, as if she had finally found her hobby.

Yaz chuckled to herself. "Knock yourself out," she stated. "Are we done with the exam, then?" she asked. The Doctor nodded her head. "Do you know what humans do when they're recovering?" The Doctor looked at her inquisitively. "Do you have some time?"

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The Doctor and Yaz sat on a reclining couch in a room that, once again, felt similar to a living room Yaz would be used to on Earth. Yaz grabbed some blankets as the Doctor went to the nearest TARDIS kitchen for some popcorn and drinks. Getting settled, they turned their attention to the television in front of them.

"I'm so glad the TARDIS has Netflix," Yaz announced.

"So this is called 'binge watching?" the Doctor asked.

Yaz nodded her head. "It's when you sit down and watch a whole season of a show in a day or two."

"So it's similar to the puzzle challenge, only with television?" she asked.

Yaz looked at her in confusion. "It's like a marathon on a network, only you get to choose the show and when you watch it."

"Graham and I did this one day!" the Doctor disclosed. "A network was showing a marathon of his favorite show."

"Go Fish-ing?!" Yaz asked in disbelief. "You actually watched that with him?! I tried once and fell asleep- how could you stand it?!"

"I think the quarantine got to me…" the Doctor admitted.

Yaz pushed some buttons on the remote control. "This is called 'Gilmore Girls'- it's one of my favorites. It's also long enough to last, since I'll be here for a couple of weeks. Even if the vaccination worked, I can't tell anyone about it, so it looks like I'll be stuck here for a while."

"Is that so bad?" the Doctor asked, hoping for a certain answer.

"On the TARDIS with my best mate?!" she asked incredulously. "Been through worse," she bantered. "Not sure you have, though," she stated. "Because this means you really can't leave Graham's flat. No work, no reason to leave."

The Doctor realized that was true. "That's all right," she answered. "Rather be here with the three of you any day." And for once, she noticed, she wasn't lying..

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Television at night always made Yaz tired. She started nodding off in the middle of the third episode, but willed herself to stay awake. This was as close to a human 'girls night' the Doctor had ever experienced, and she could tell the Doctor was enjoying it. Although she was exhausted, she didn't want to take that away from her friend.

The Doctor saw Yaz's struggle. She put her hand to Yaz's temple, pushing her mind toward sleep. Yaz's body immediately gave in, and the Doctor wrapped a blanket around her friend to keep her warm.

"Sorry, Yaz- I know I cheated," the Doctor told her. "And I know you won't be happy about that. But sleep well. Fight this virus, and come back ready to take on the world in a way only Yasmin Khan can." She put her arm around her friend and continued watching Netflix.

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** A few hours earlier:**

Graham followed Ryan into his room and sat next to him on the bed.

"What do you think that was about?" Ryan asked his grandfather. "And why do you think she came back home so early?" Graham shrugged, nervous for the answers himself. Just then, they were interrupted by Ryan's ringtone. He glanced down at his phone. "It's the Doctor!" he exclaimed.

"Well, answer it then!" Graham commanded.

Ryan picked up the phone nervously and hit "answer". "Hello?" he asked cautiously.

"Ryan? This is the Doctor, calling from the future."

Ryan shifted his body in confusion. "But… the TARDIS is still downstairs..."

"Time travel- keep up!" she bantered. "Also, could you put me on speaker? I'd rather only have to say this once." Ryan pressed a button on the phone so Graham could hear the Doctor also.

"Is everything okay, Doc?" Graham asked.

"Yes. Well, no. Not YET, anyway. It is right now, but then again, I'm calling from your future. So yes for me, no for you. And when I say 'no', I mean 'kind of', that is…"

"You're not making any sense…" Graham admitted.

"Yaz came in contact with the virus today. Your today, not mine," the Doctor started to explain.

Ryan and Graham looked at each other in fear. "Is she all right?!" Ryan asked, concerned.

"She is. Or, for you, she WILL be. Oi, that is rather confusing, isn't it?!" the Doctor asked enthusiastically.

"What happened, Doc?" Graham asked, trying to get her focused.

"A couple of families we came across on a call were infected. They've all been isolated now. Or WERE isolated, I suppose…"

"Doc…"

"I'll just pretend we're in the same time period- makes verb tenses easier. Crash course into how vaccinations work: typically when your body encounters a pathogen, it takes a few days for your immune system to realize it's been attacked and make the defenses it needs to kill off the infection. Part of that defense system is called T-lymphocytes, which is a sort of white blood cell that holds memory."

"I'm not going to remember this…" Graham admitted.

"Maybe you don't have enough T-lympho- what-nots to…" Ryan joked.

"T-lymphoCYTES," the Doctor corrected. "I can hear you. Anyway, if your body encounters the same pathogen again, the T-lymphocytes remember them. They deploy B-lymphocyte cells to attack and kill the disease.

"Okay…" Graham answered, waiting to see where she was going with this explanation.

"Vaccinations work by simulating the infection in some way. So your body produces the anit-biodies without getting sick. Or at least, as sick as you would have gotten had you not been inoculated. Then the T-lymphocytes remember how to attack the disease."

"What does this have to do with Yaz?" Ryan asked, not quite understanding himself.

"It doesn't mean the disease isn't in your system- the virus still tries to attack, but is killed before it can take hold. Yaz has the virus, but her body is fighting it off. She'll be fine. But I needed the two of you upstairs so you wouldn't catch it from her."

"But she'll be okay, Doc?" Graham asked. "You're sure?"

"'Course I'm sure! Certainty is a benefit of being in the future," she stated.

"So she's with you on the TARDIS right now?" Graham asked. "Past you, that is? Or, present you, for us?"

"Wait…" Ryan interrupted. "I just realized- why are we stuck in the flat doing nothing when there's loads to do on the TARDIS?" he asked.

"We agreed to stay put," Graham reminded him.

"Yeah- not to leave this time period- but the TARDIS still has basketball courts, a jacuzzi- an entire rainforest even. We could have been having fun this whole time!"

"I thought that was the point," the Doctor answered him. "Didn't you choose to live this experience like everyone else? So when your mates told stories of their survival, you could relate? Thought that's what you wanted…"

"No one actually asked me what I wanted to do, if you recall..." Ryan countered.

"Oi! I would have liked nothing more than to seclude the three of you in the TARDIS, if YOU recall. The three of you still don't pay much attention when I say things..." Ryan and Graham could hear themselves talking in the background. It was quiet enough that they couldn't hear what they were saying, but loud enough they could make out their voices. "Well I'm calling you now, aren't I?!" the Doctor answered future Ryan and Graham.

"Was that just us?!" Ryan asked, surprised.

"Yeah. You're a bit upset with me, I'm afraid. Hadn't gotten around to explaining everything to you until now. The two of you had to remind me- sort of forgot. Not my fault, though- I got distracted! Loads happened and I ran out of time! But again, that's the benefit of time travel- I knew I could call you in the future, and it would only be moments after you went upstairs. Stay there, Ryan."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm upstairs, just like you said," Ryan said in defense of himself.

"Sorry, I was talking to my Ryan. The future you…" she explained.

Ryan could hear chirps and tweets in the background. "Was that a bird?" he asked.

"Yes," the Doctor admitted. "Had to drop by the pet store for a friend."

"You're in a pet store in the future?" Graham asked.

"Technically, I'm in a pet store in the past. My past. And I guess yours as well," she said, referencing when she met Mary- the first time she attempted to go grocery shopping at the market. "Long story…"

"My head's beginning to hurt..." Graham stated, massaging his temples.

"Anyway, I should let you two go- loads to do! See you soon! Or, you know- a past version of me will, that is…"

"I imagine you have months of travels to catch up on," Ryan remarked. "How many months exactly?"

"Good try, Ryan," the Doctor critiqued. "You know I can't tell you that. Spoilers and all..."

"Come on, Doctor- I'm over this virus!" he begged. "I just want to know when my life will begin again."

"Oh Ryan…" the Doctor's voice softened with compassion. "I know life hasn't been easy recently. The normality, as you know it, is gone. You've been out of work. Financially, you're exhausted; emotionally, you're bored; and you're worried about those you love- like Yaz- who have been exposed to this virus. But I don't want you to feel that your life is on hold- like you're just wasting time waiting for the next chapter to begin. You will get back to a sort of normal one day- and when you do, you may feel cheated out of the months it took to get it all back."

"And how many months was that again?" Ryan asked. Though he couldn't see it, he could feel the Doctor's eyes rolling at him.

"But this is your life, too. This moment, you are still living. It's a part of your story. I want you to remember that, because it matters. In fact, that's the single most important thing. Every moment that you are on this earth is part of an incredible story- an incredible human life. This chapter might have seemed meaningless or boring to you, but I am SO grateful for each of those mundane moments. It's because of them that the three of you are here with me now." Ryan could hear himself in the background again. "Close the TARDIS door- the virus is still out here, Ryan- it's March!" Her attention came back to present-day Ryan. "Made the mistake of landing INSIDE the store. Scared some ferrets- they're really skittish! Did you know they sold ferrets?!"

"Doctor…" Ryan tried to get her refocused.

"I know- I already have a pet… wouldn't want Bill to get jealous…"

"Yes. THAT is what I was thinking…" Ryan stated sarcastically.

"Better go… now a gerbil is starting at me, and I don't like the look of malicious intent in his eyes…"

"Stay safe, Doctor," Ryan implored.

"You as well," she said. And then hung up the phone.

THE END

Author's note:

I just wanted to take a moment and thank anyone who actually read to the end of this fanfiction. I started writing to pass the time, but your words of kindness and support have meant a lot to me :-).

I tried to touch on all of the aspects of a pandemic that I could think of- the fear that comes with the unknown; loneliness; people refusing to take this disease seriously; financial insecurity; the family who gets on your nerves because you've all been quarantined together for too long haha- and how you think to yourself, "I'm done with everyone and everything and I just want to get back to normal!" And also the better aspects- not that there's a GOOD thing about a disease infecting the world, but there are aspects of our lives right now that we're never going to be able to do again. Working from home in my 3rd trimester has been challenging in many ways. I miss my coworkers. I miss my routine. I miss seeing my mom, sisters, and friends. I never imagined I'd have to go through what is probably my only pregnancy without my support system. But it's also been nice to have to slow down the last couple of months before my baby is born. It's taken away some of the pressure. It's not a fair trade off- I miss my family, and I'd rather people not die lol, but it did get me thinking, "what am I doing with this time that I'll never get back?" Besides complain :-). Enjoying the moment isn't the right phrase- but enjoying the MOMENTS might be, if that makes sense.

I wanted to finish this fic before I had my baby, knowing that once she comes I'll have no time ever again haha. I get induced on Friday! So soon! But anyway- I just wanted to say thank you. Again, I started writing to get my mind off of things, but YOU are the ones who got me through :-). I sincerely, truly appreciate it!