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Chapter Text

            The First Doctor passed his driving test right after graduating from the Time Lord Academy. He finds fa museum piece that he feels an enormous bond with and decides that it is the time capsule that he wants to take but is denied. Then a young girl claiming to be his future granddaughter talks him into stealing it and running from Gallifrey. She said her name was Arkytor and that the time machine was called the TARDIS. She said it meant “Time and Relative Dimension in Space”. He traveled with her to earth, where she took on the name Susan Foreman and went to a human school and the met Barbra ad Ian. After Susan left and married the Doctor visited her often. Doing so allowed him to visit her children and reminded him that there was hope that he would one day get to meet her grandmother.

            The Second Doctor still visited Susan and her children and got to meet Jamie and Zoe. He traveled with them until he felt a storm brewing. He sent them back to Scotland in Jamie’s time for safety. The Time Lords never got their hands on them when he was exiled to Sol 3.

            There Third Doctor figured out how to unground his TARDIS but decided to not let on that he figured it out. Humans weren’t so bad to be around. He also started to have dreams that did not really make sense. He was another person, with another life. However, when he woke up, he couldn’t really recall the details of his dreams, just that he felt such a deep love and a deep pain that he could never explain.

            The Fourth Doctor was very manic. At times he was a happy go lucky individual, at other times he was so angry that he could not control his mouth or actions. He still dreamed, but now he could recall details that he had never been able to before. He was another man, with a different name. He was still a Time Lord, but he was married to and soul bound to a lady so strong and beautiful that he could barely believe it. Then she was murdered, and he died.

            Sarah Jane had to be left behind, but he went back to speak with her from time to time. She was his friend after all, and he told her of his dream woman and how he wished to find her. his Fifth self was very serious and a bit hyperactive. He knew that he was missing something byt this point. He knew that he ahd lived another life a long time ago and that he had a soul bound mate and wife that was somewhere out there in the universe. He just needed to find her. though he kept looking, he never found her.    

            The Sixth Doctor never had to deal with the Valeyard. He didn’t exist. Peri was never attacked by the peacock of a Doctor. He did stay very flamboyant until his regeneration and still he never found his mate.

            The Seventh Doctor is nefarious and cunning. He meets a young girl named Ace that he takes in. She is still one of  Feneric’s wolves, but he is not an enemy of the Doctor. The Doctor discovers that Feneric is one of the original beings of the universe. He is neither good nor evil. In the end Feneric tells the Doctor that he will find her.

Chapter Text

Twelve-year-old Rose Tyler was excited for the autumn term to begin. Even though everyone told her she would just end up married and with a kid on the way before she was eighteen. Her mother wasn’t much better, telling her that school was giving her airs and graces. Rose loved to learn. She was good at languages, history, art and other humanities subjects. Who cared if she wasn’t all that good at math.

Rose had decided that she wanted to get her A levels; something to do with art, but even Shareen and Keshia, two of her oldest friends, told her she was dreaming. “Girls like us don’t get our A levels Rose, let alone go to Uni.” However, Rose had not been pushed down by the world just yet, she was going to pursue her dreams.

When Rose walked into class for her first period, she was surprised to see an unfamiliar face. A young, natural golden blond girl, with bright blue eyes, stood by the teacher’s desk. She had a serene smile on her face as she waited for the teacher to finish speaking with her.

“Go find a seat Miss Valkov.”

“Yes Sir,” a distinctly southern North American accent replied.

The girl turned toward the classroom and looked for a seat. Rose smiled at her, and she smiled back. She walked toward a seat next to Rose and sat down.

“Hi, I’m Rose Tyler.”

“Hello, I’m Ash Volkov.”

“So, you’re from North America?”

“From the south, yeah. Is it alright if I sit beside you?”

Rose smiles at the new girl. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Thanks,” Ash beams at her hopefully new friend.

At this time the teacher calls class to order. Rose ended up having five classes with her new friend that day. Later that week Rose invites Ash to come hang out with her friends at her flat and meet her mother.

Rose Tyler led her new friend Ash to her flat that Friday evening after school. She was extremely excited to introduce her to her mother and let Keshia and Shareen get to know her better. Ash was brilliant at school and encouraged Rose to pursue her dreams. When Rose had told her what others said about her being a chav, Ash had been appalled. She told Rose, “you can do anything you want, learn whatever you want. Don’t let anyone make you feel small, simply because they are small minded.” It made Rose feel so much better about herself. To have someone that supported her dreams.

Rose and Ash linked arms as they walked to the flat, talking and giggling the whole way. The two girls were so alike, yet so different. When they made it to the flat, Rose called out to her mum, Jackie Tyler.

“Mum, I’m home.”

“How was school sweetheart?”

“Great! I brought a new friend home.”

“Oh, hello. I’m Jackie.”

“Hello, ma’am. I’m Ash. It’s nice to meet ya.”

“Oh, you’re from the US?”

“Yeah, my family came here for work.”

“Well, welcome to London.”

“Mum, we’re going to go do our homework before Keshia and Shareen get here.”

“You don’t have to do that while you have a friend over.”

“It’s oaky Mrs. Tyler. We want to get it done and over with. Plus, we have a test to study for. I told Rose I would help her understand the math. I’m better at math, but she is way better at humanities.”

“I just don’t want Rose ta get her hopes up. People like us don’t get A levels and go to university.”

“It’s a free country, just like the US. She can do anything if she works hard enough for it. Rose is really smart. You should encourage her and not put her down. My parents always tell me that everyone is important. I think Rose is brilliant!”

“Oh, I see. Well, go do your schoolwork. I’ll make you tea and grab some biscuits.”

“Thanks mum. We will be in my room.”

Rose and Ash walked to Rose’s room and sat down on the bed. They looked at each other and then just started laughing. When they are done laughing, Ash looks at Rose contemplatively.

“Rose, why doesn’t your mom support you?” She pauses like she is thinking about how to say what she is thinking, without being rude. “My parents have always supported me, even when what I wanted to learn was very different from what they liked.”

“What do ya mean?”

“Like, I really like martial arts, and I am really good at it. My parents are very much pacifists, but they let me learn how to fight.”

“Really?”

“I’m not saying their cowards, cause they’re not. They will always try to do the right thing and help, but they tend to try to do so in a very non-violent way.”

“What profession are your parents in?”

“Archeologists.”

“That’s amazing!” Rose smiles broadly.

“They are amazing. They are also out on site. That’s why I’m here. My sister is here studying at university. We are renting a flat just a few blocks over. My sister is mostly out doing her own thing, so I practically stay there alone a lot.”

“Who cooks for you?”

“O, I do that. I have been cooking for years now. To be fair my mom can cook, but she started teaching me when they got stuck at a site and I was home alone for a day. I snacked but didn’t have a real meal and she wanted me to be able to eat real food if that happened again.”

“Were you safe?”

“Yeah. My home was very safe at that time.”

“Tea’s ready.”

“Thanks!” Ash and Rose spoke at the exact same time. They locked eyes and just started laughing.

“Two peas in a pod you two are.”

“Brilliant,” Ash states.

“Right.”

They giggled again. Jackie just shook her head at their antics and handed their tea and biscuits to them. She walked out and took a deep breath. She had heard Ash say that she was home alone often and decided right then and there that she would be invited over often. She also had been thinking about what the child had said. She didn’t want Rose to get too far away but knew her daughter wanted more. She was so much like her father. Determined to make a change in herself, to support Rose’s education and dreams, Jackie went to the kitchen to start dinner.

Meanwhile, in Rose’s room, the two girls drunk their tea and ate their biscuits. When they were finished eating, they pulled out their books and began working on their homework. Anytime one of them had a problem, usually Rose, but Ash didn’t mind, they would help one another out. By the time food was ready, Rose had figured out the moth portion of their homework. She had never felt so happy to have finished her schoolwork.

“I may get full marks this time.”

“Of course you will. Stick with me and you will pass all of your classes. I’m a bit of a nerd, so that doesn’t hurt.” They both laugh and head into the kitchen with the leftover biscuits and empty teacups.

“Food is ready. You girls go wash your hands we will put on Eastenders while we eat.”

“Alright.”

They wash their hands, get their plates and watch the telly with Jackie while they eat. Ash asks all kinds of questions, as they don’t have Eastenders in the US, until Shareen and Keshia arrive. Then the girls go to Rose’s room to play games and talk about boys.

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Shareen and Keshia were not all that fond of Ash Volkov. She kept Rose focused on school and discouraged obsessing over boys. She wouldn’t skip school and in turn neither did Rose. While they were barely passing classes, Rose and Ash were making top marks. Rose was also more confident and poised. She held herself differently.

Rose and Ash had also joined a gymnastics class together. Ash hadn’t wanted to go alone and begged Rose to join. Ash paid both of their fees. They also ran three times a week. According to Ash, she has some health problems that exercising helps keep under control. Rose loved her friend and joined her in her exercises every chance she got. When summer came Ash lefts for four weeks to spend time with her family, but she talked to Rose daily. Even when she wasn’t around, Rose ran and practiced gymnastics. She didn’t have time for them anymore. After a while the friends split and only spoke at school.

Mickey Smith didn’t like Ash either. Mickey wanted Rose to stick around the estates after high school, but Rose wanted to go to university and Ash supported that dream. After that first summer, he stopped talking to Rose except in passing. That made his grandmother angry, she thought he should support Rose’s dream as her oldest friend, but Mickey just didn’t get it.

When Ash returned that summer, she brought some trinkets from her travels to give to the Tylers. She also had a gift for them from her family. She went straight to the Tyler flat.

“Rose!”

“Ash!”

The girls ran and hugged. When their hug was over, Ash hugged Jackie tightly. She pulled back and sat down on their sofa and began pulling out the gifts for them.

“Here, open these. These are from me. I also have a gift from my parents. They were so happy that y’all have been taking care of me so well that they wanted to send a gift as thanks.”

“Oh, sweetheart, they didn’t have to do all that. We’re happy to have you here and you already gave us money to make up for the extra food I’ve feed ya.”

“Well, my parents insisted and as they an’t here ta argue with, you will just have to take it. Open mine first.” She bounced a little on the seat in excitement.

Rose opened her presents slowly. She had five in total. The first was a book of 1000 Places to Visit Around the World. There was a skirt and blouse from India, a purse from France, earrings from the USA, and a scarf from Iceland. Jackie also got a scarf, a cookbook with recipes from all around the world, and a few knickknacks. When Ash handed over the present from her parents. It’s a manila envelope and it is thick. Jackie opens it and looks up at Ash in question when she sees the papers that are inside.

“Sweetheart, what is this for?”

“You said that you didn’t know how y’all would pay for university. My mom and dad are really big on education. There is enough in that savings account to pay for tuition tomorrow if you needed to. It’s a savings account, so it should accrue enough interest to pay for school in six years. My mom told me to tell you both that this is not charity and that they do this for at least one child every five years or so and that if you want to pay them back, to just pay it forward when you get the opportunity.” Ash turns her head to the side a little in thought. “I think I remembered everything they said.”

“Tell your mum and dad thank you for us, Jackie says as Rose hugs Ash tightly in thanks, tears in her eyes. She has never had someone believe in her as much as Ash does.

Chapter Text

Thirteen-year-old Rose Tyler sat alone on her bed crying her eyes out. Her friend Ash had collapsed at school, blood running out of her nose, and her older sister had been called to pick her up. She had not received any information since. That was Wednesday, three days ago, and Rose was imagining the worst.

Rose looked up after hearing a knock at her door. There stood her mum, Keshia and Shareen. Her breath caught in her throat, expecting the worst. Keshia and Shareen only spoke to her at school after Rose began getting better grades and fully working on improving her life. Rose started crying harder.

Jackie rushed in to hug Rose. “Oh, sweetheart. It will be alright.”

“Has Grace called you,” Rose hiccupped?” I’ve tried calling, but they only have that house phone and they didn’t go to any local hospitals.”

“No, she hasn’t called, but that could be good news. Her family already loves you so much, if anything had happened, I’m sure they would have let you know,” Jackie explained, though in her heart she was doubtful and anxious. She had come to love Ash like another family member.

Keshia and Shareen exchanged a glance and just ran up to Rose to hug her. They had been friends since preschool and had decided that they were not going to lose their friend, no matter their differences or their jealously. They had discussed before showing up how they were feeling when they had started distancing themselves from Rose and made the decision to support their friend’s dreams, even if they didn’t understand. They would even give Ash a chance.

“We’re so sorry Rose. We were jealous of your friendship with Ash,” Shareen whimpered out.  

“We are so, so sorry,” Keshia cried.

All that week, Rose stayed home from school. Keshia and Shareen took turns bringing her schoolwork to her. Jackie told the school Rose had the flu. Eleven days after Ash had collapsed, at noon that Sunday, there was a knock on Rose and Jackie’s flat door. When Jackie opened the door, there stood a very pale Ash and a very serious Grace.

“Hey Jackie. Is Rose home,” Ash asked?

Rose had heard the commotion and ran into the room. She pulled Ash into a tight hug. Ash just hugged her back for a few moments, before pulling away gently. She smiled at Jackie and Rose.

“Can we come in,” Grace asked? “Ash still needs to rest.”

The four people moved into the living room. Ash and Rose sat together on the couch. Grace stood beside Ash, while Jackie sat in her old armchair. There was a heavy silence before Grace began to speak.

“We’re sorry that we didn’t get a chance to contact you two before now.,” Grace states almost mechanically. “We had to rush Ash out of the country for treatment, and we just got back today.”

“We’re just glad Ash is better,” Jackie says, though her tone suggests worry.

It’s Ash who replies. “I’m not better. I may feel better, but I will never get better. I have been sick since I was born.” Ash stops talking, looking like she is about to cry.

Grace squeezes her shoulder gently and takes over. “We always knew this would get worse, but we thought there would be more time before then. You guys can still go on runs, do gymnastics, and Ash is going to go back to school, but there will be times when she will have to go get treatments and times when she won’t be able to run around. You might have to pick up some sedentary hobbies,” Grace smiles a little bit. “Ash will continue living life like she always has, but we wanted you to understand that this isn’t going to be going away. Eventually she won’t be able to do much of anything anyore.”

“What aren’t you guys telling us,” Rose asks?

Ash looks at her friend, determined to be as honest as possible. “This illness, it’s fatal. I won’t make it to my twentieth birthday and that’s okay. I have known for years that I won’t have a long life. What I do know is that it is not how long you live, but what ya do with it. I don’t want to mourn my death; I just want to live my life while I’m here.”

Jackie and Rose had tears running down their cheeks. The horror they were feeling evident on their faces. Grace and Ash looked at one another, unsure what else they could say.

Rose’s face changes, a determined look coming over her face and whiskey-colored eyes. She hugs Ash to her, then she looks Ash right in the eyes while holding her shoulders in her hands. “Then we will make the next six to seven the best years.”

Ash smiles at her friend. “I want to live long enough to see you get you’re A levels and go off to university. I want to have dinner with you and Jackie multiple times a week, study sessions, running when we can, and shopping on weekends. I want to continue learning gymnastics as long as possible. I want as close to normal, for as long as I can. Can we do that?”

            Rose just stares at her friend for a moment. Here her best friend was, telling her that she was going to die and all she wanted was to be a normal kid. Not just that, but she wanted to see Rose accomplish her dreams. This person who would never get to go to university, never get to marry or have kids, just wanted Rose to thrive. All Rose could do was nod her head in an affirmative.

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            Rose and Ash didn’t tell Keshia and Shareen about Ash’s impending death. Ash wanted normalcy and zero pity. That didn’t stop them from apologizing to Ash for how they treated her. Eventually they were a squad of four. Even Keshia’s and Shareen’s grades improved. They were never going to join in gymnastics and running, but they did stop skipping school and started taking school seriously. Ash tutored them all when she was at school and when she missed due to illness, Rose would drop the work off at her flat and help her get caught up when she was back from treatment.

            Ash seemed to be improving, but she knew better. She kept up as much as she could, but her legs had started to have tremors, and by the middle of the school year, she had to drop gymnastics. What she did instead was watch Rose and encourage her to continue. Ash was her biggest cheerleader. She could still run, but even that would end soon and she knew it. What she didn’t do was let it bother her. She had made that pack with herself years ago, when she realized how short her time on Earth would be, that she would live life to the fullest, for as long as possible. She would keep that promise to herself.

            That year all four girls passed with the highest marks in their school. Keshia had decided that she wanted to be a hair stylist but also get a business degree so that she could one day own her own business. Shareen found that she really like psychology and decided that she wanted to become a counselor. Ash told the others that she was undecided, though Rose and her knew the truth. All Ash wanted was to see friends achieve their dreams. She split her own college fund into two and gave the information to Jackie. It was to go to Keshia and Shareen when the time came for them to apply for college. Rose still wanted to pursue art, so her and Ash picked up art classes that year.