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"Are you sure he'll be OK left with them?" David asked gesturing at The Master.
"John knows all his tricks because I do," The Doctor replied, "so if he tries anything he'll be thwarted, or should I say when he tries anything? Either way, they'll keep a close eye on him. And it's not like we plan to leave him here forever, tempting at that is."
Pete hung back as the goodbyes were said, watching the interaction between The Doctor and John, it was obvious there was a good deal of unsaid and unresolved tension between them but both men stayed cordial at least.
Violet gave the Time Lord a quick peck on the cheek but held onto the tall Scot as if she were drowning and he was the only one who could rescue her. Finally she let him go, and fighting tears stepped into her husband's waiting arms. John ruffled his hair and smiled fondly at him, until the doors of the TARDIS closed at the box began to fade out of sight.
The minute the TARDIS left Jackie exclaimed loudly to the rest of them that she needed to freshen up because she was sure all the efforts she had made to make herself presentable had been undone by the day.
The Master was like a kid in a candy store, routing through a box of assorted objects John had grabbed out of a storage room and asked him to look through. He was chuckling and muttering to himself as he pulled one thing after another and fondled them in a manner that was almost obscene.
Sighing heavily the young couple started towards the Time Lord but Pete blocked their progress, "you may have fooled your mum," he started looking his step-daughter in the eye, "but I am not completely thick you know? I didn't get where I am today by not being a bit more clever than the average Joe."
Even though John knew, instinctively, what Pete was about to say he put up a good front, "what do you mean?" he asked keeping his voice light.
"That young man that just left with The Doctor? I ran some tests on the blood Jackie wiped off him when she was, well god knows what she was doing, and the results were pretty interesting," Pete continued, "he's not you in another dimension 'cos he is not half and half like you," he stared intently at John.
Then turning his accusing eyes to Violet, he pressed on, "and he's got some of your DNA, you know we keep all that information on file for all employees. David's your son isn't he?"
Violet had known this moment would come, she had seen the growing interest her step-father had in David, and knew that he was not going to let it rest until he had an answer. This world's Pete was not like her world’s; her real father was smart but lazy. This Pete was a much more intense person, still loving and kind, but nothing slipped by his notice.
She opened her mouth, trying to come up with a plausible lie but nothing would come out. John too seemed to be at a loss for words, a sight that would have normally made her laugh. John was rarely speechless but all he could do now is stare at Pete in stunned silence.
Pete took their lack of response as confirmation, "why didn't you trust me enough to tell me?"
John was the first to recover, "it's not you," he whispered, "it's...that..." he struggled to put it into a coherent explanation.
"We were worried that someone would find out and come after him to get at The Doctor," Violet took over from her flustered spouse.
"Does he know?" Pete asked.
"Yes," John nodded.
"I have so many questions," Pete straightened his suit coat, "but I hear Jax returning. Don't think this is over, we'll talk later." With that he left the two of them alone and put on a smile as his wife approached.
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The scene inside the TARDIS was a lot more relaxed than the tense one they had left behind. David had gone to his room to change while The Doctor fired up the randomiser and stepped away from the controls, mentally crossing his fingers that they would wind up someplace nice.
"Maybe with a beach and lots of sunshine," he laughed.
At that moment David appeared on the railing above, "so where are we going?"
"I've programmed this," The Doctor gestured at the console, "to choose a planet at random. Well...not completely random. Has to have a breathable atmosphere, it's hard to enjoy yourself when you're in a space suit the entire time and it makes eating garlic or onions a pretty unpleasant experience. And that we not land on a Sunday, Sundays are boring. And someplace warm...I like winter, snow especially but I'm in the mood for more temperate weather this time."
Joining the Time Lord David squinted at the box attached to the controls, "so it's a sort of controlled randomiser?"
"Exactly!" The Doctor chuckled, his eyes shining, "exciting not knowing isn't it?"
"If you say so," David couldn't help but smile at his child like enthusiasm, it was hard to believe at a moment like this that this man, correction, alien was still this excited about travelling even at his advanced age and experience.
The TARDIS landed with a bump and The Doctor bounded over to the doors, "ready?" he asked as he grabbed his coat from the strut nearby.
"Ready," David nodded, resisting the urge to peek out the small windows, hoping whatever was waiting for them was worth leaving the safety of the TARDIS as he heard what sounded like baying hounds just outside the doors.