Ties Between Time and Space

✦04✦

Chapter Four
A New Beginning

*---*---*---*---*---*

The Doctor stood in the TARDIS, glancing around at the walk-in closet filled with clothes from the New Ages, Old Ages, and every other age in between.

He was now a new Doctor, so he needed a new look. Mainly because the old leather one was a lot bigger and baggier on him than it used to be for his former self. He hung his old leather jacket up on one of the coathangers and stared at it for a second, reminiscing about the time he had while wearing it.

He then reached into its front pocket and took out a photo, it was of him and Emma. They were on a pink planet where the sun was green and the grass was a checkerboard color, all black and white. Emma was sitting on a swing and smiling, one of the rare planets where it was just an adventure without the danger, he was pushing her softly, and Jack was taking millions of pictures.

"Ah," he sighed, "a treasure for the ages."

Soon enough he had to explain to Emma what really happened to Jack and what choice he had to make to save them both, instead of killing all three of them. For now though, he would just enjoy the moment and try to find himself something presentable to wear.

He pushed outfit after outfit further back onto the coatrack before stopping at one that caught his eye. It was a long coat paired with a suit and tie as well as sneakers, he nodded with a small smile before running off and changing.

*---*---*---*---*---*

Emma sat at the Tyler's dinner table, it wasn't much of a Christmas since most of their preparations were still back at the Avengers Tower, but Jackie managed to whip up at least half a proper Christmas dinner.

The front door opened and Emma looked up to see the Doctor there, standing and smiling at her. He gestured his arms out and silently asked her for her opinion on his styling choice.

She looked him over and laughed happily. He was wearing a dark pinstriped suit with a light brown long coat over it, that managed to remind her so much of her Papa's clothing. He also wore a TARDIS blue tie and converse sneakers, a very odd look to be paired together but somehow he made it work just like he always did.

"You look handsome," Emma finally commented.

"Why thank you, Em," he grinned.

For once they were all laughing and having fun, this Doctor seeming less non-domesticated than the last one. He grinned, chuckled, and told jokes all around. He even let Rose and Emma put a red paper crown on his head with no complaining.

The Doctor smiled at Emma, "that's yours," he declared after pulling a Christmas cracker apart.

"It's pink," Emma grinned, "Oh, Rose it should be yours," she said, placing the paper crown on her head.

"Look it's Harriet Jones," Rose pointed out and all heads snapped to the small TV in the living room.

"Prime Minister is it true you are no longer fit for the position."

"No," Harriet answered.

"Is it true you're unfit for office?"

"Look, there is nothing wrong with my health!" Harriet exclaimed though the reporters kept hounding her.

"Are you going to resign?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Look at me, I look fine, I seem fine, I am fine!"

The Doctor stood up from his seat and Emma followed as he slipped on his non-prescription spectacles, thinking they looked cool for his new appearance.

"You really did as you threatened, didn't you?" she asked in amusement.

The Doctor looked back at her and smiled. "No one challenges me without an end result."

The phone rang from the kitchen wall and Jackie answered it. "It's Bev, she says go and look outside."

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Oh, I don't know," Jackie said, "just go outside and look."

And without further ado, Rose, Mickey, Emma, and the Doctor were all walking outside and down toward the parking lot.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Emma gasped, looking up at the sky where red streaks flew across the atmosphere and snow flittered down over them, covering the ground. "What are they? Meteors?"

"It's the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere," the Doctor explained, seeming less impressed. "This isn't snow, it's ash."

"Okay," Emma breathed out, "not so beautiful anymore."

"This is a brand new planet Earth," the Doctor stated, "no denying the existence of aliens now. Everyone saw it. Everything's new."

"And what about you?" Emma asked, looking at him. "You're new too."

"I am," he agreed, smiling. "You're alright with that by the way, yeah?" he asked, his smile faltering nervously.

Emma shook her head. "Of course I'm okay with that," she smiled, "as long as I still have you, I don't care what you look like."

"Good," he beamed brightly.

"So what are you going to do next?" Rose asked, walking up to them.

"Back to the TARDIS," the Doctor replied, glancing at the big blue box next to him. "Same old life."

"With me too, right?" Emma asked.

"Not leaving without you."

"You're never going to stay are you?" Rose asked. She knew what it was like with the Doctor, exciting and life-threatening. It made you feel alive. It showed you a new way of living your life. But at some point even she didn't see herself staying with him for long, her family was here, Mickey was here, but Emma... she was a different story.

Emma looked back at Rose with a soft smile. "I'm happy, Rose."

"Yeah," was all she said with a nod.

"Well, I reckon you're mad," Jackie bluntly remarked, "the pair of you. It's like you go looking for trouble."

"Trouble's just the bits in between," the Doctor grinned, walking up to her and slinging an arm over her shoulder. "It's all waiting out there, Jackie, and it's brand new to me."

Emma smiled at him as he carried on talking.

"All those planets, creatures, and horizons... I haven't seen them yet. Not with these eyes," the Doctor joked, going back to stand beside Emma. "And it is going to be..." he looked at her, grinning wildly, "fantastic!"

She mimicked his expression as he held out a hand to her and without thinking she took it just like she had so many times before. Emma looked up at the sky as she moved closer to him and he smiled down at her.

He thought things would change. He was scared things would change. But they didn't, she didn't. He did but she didn't seem to notice or for the most part care... another reason he loved her.

"So where are we going first?" Emma asked, pulling him from his thoughts and toward the sky.

"Umm..." he pointed up, "that way. No, hold on," he stopped and changed directions. "That way."

"That way?" she asked, pointing in the same direction.

The Doctor looked at her with caution and a raised brow, "hmm?" he asked like he wanted her approval.

Emma smiled, nodding. "Yep, that way," she said, looking back at him and making him smile.

She leaned her head against his arm since she could still only reach that part of him as they watched the ash fall. She wanted to let him know that he didn't have to pretend to still be the old Doctor, using the word fantastic to try and convince her that he was still the same person. Because he wasn't and it didn't bother her, he was still her Doctor and that wouldn't change for anything.

He rested his cheek against her head and wrapped his arm around her waist, the two of them through time and space.

That was all they needed.