Here it is, the much-anticipated last chapter! I decided to post in celebration of my last day of exams. I hope you really enjoy it! I had so much fun writing this story, and it's been great to know that there are people enjoying as much as me! I've succeeded! Yipee! I want to dedicate this last chapter to my faithful reviewers DarkAngelPearl, brmngirl, and HoVis, and my new reviewer laced-with-fire. You guys are absolutely FANTASTIC! I promise this is not the last time we will see Alix. I love her too much to give up on her now. Thanks for reading guys! Now, here it is, the last chappie.

Chapter 4: Take My Hand

Five Years Later

Just a dream,

Just an ordinary dream

As I wake in bed.

Waking up, I groaned loudly when I realized Paul wasn't in the bed next to me. It had been a month already, and I still woke up some days thinking he was still there. He left for the same reason that they all leave…Him. No one has ever really believed what happened on that day, and I would have thought it was all a dream, myself; except for the odd occasion when I see a blue police box on a random street corner and know he's there.

And that boy,

That ordinary boy,

Was it all in my head?

I was always tempted to seek the Doctor out. I imagine it wouldn't have been hard, but I know I wouldn't have the courage to approach him; to talk to him face to face. I'd scream, I'd yell for what he'd done to me. Why couldn't I just accept it? I sighed, heavily, getting out of bed. I'd need to get moving now if I wanted to make the 6:00 train.

Did he ask if I would come along?

It all seemed so real.

The train. Where I'd first met him. Why was I thinking about this now? I started the shower, letting steam fill the whole bathroom. I breathed deeply, stepping into the shower, trying desperately to wash the memories of the Doctor away.

I welcomed the usual, busy sounds of the city. If I got caught up in it, I wouldn't have to think. The walk from the station to my office wasn't that far. So, I bought a coffee from a corner vendor, knowing I had time to sit down. I stared out at the heavy traffic, letting my mind drift. It was a beautiful, normal morning in the city and nothing was going to ruin that. I was suddenly pulled from my thoughts by the sound of several beeping cars. There was a man in a khaki duster weaving in and out of traffic. There were countless people yelling at him, swearing at him, to get out of the road. From what I could see, he didn't seem to care and continued his way toward my side of the street.

I tried my best to ignore it. There were crazies in the city all the time. The scene came as no surprise to me. In every other situation, I would have looked the other way and gone up to my office, but no one else seemed to see the taxi driving right toward him. It didn't look like it was planning to stop, and before I knew it I had dropped my coffee and started running for the street. He was nearly on the curb, and I grabbed his shoulders. We tumbled to the ground, and I landed on top of him.

When I hurried to the door I saw that boy,

Standing there with a deal.

"Thanks very much. I think you've saved my life." I stopped, quickly moving away from him.

"No!" I whispered, studying him carefully. He'd looked the same as that day I gave him my hand on the train. "Doctor?" I managed to squeak out. Standing, he held out his hand to me.

"Did you miss me?" He looked entirely nonplussed by the whole situation.

"That's all you can say to me after all of this time?" There was no mistaking the anger in my voice. He smiled. He wasn't taking this as I had anticipated. I wanted him to be hurt, to be mad. "No, this isn't funny!"

"I'm not laughing," His voice was soft now, calm. I instantly felt guilty. "Alix, I'm sorry I never had a chance to explain this to you." There was that twinkle again. "You were always meant to be with me, to travel the stars in the TARDIS. I just met you a bit too early."

"What?" I was in disbelief.

"Maybe we could go somewhere and talk?"

How many times had I wanted this? To say what was on my mind to him.

"I know a little café down the street, we can go there." He took my hand just like on that one day, and we walked away from the busy city street.

"I was always meant to come back for you. I just couldn't tell you. I couldn't mess with your history. Nasty business."

Here I was, sitting down for tea with him again just as if we'd done this everyday for the past five years. He was saying all those things I'd wanted him to say in the first place; things I couldn't bring myself to ask him to do. I'd never been happy with my life since he'd left. I couldn't keep a steady boyfriend; I had the same old dead end job, the same old routine to my life. I just wanted to keep going for him; it's what he wanted. There was always hope, and hope had paid off.

"Do you remember me telling you that day on the train about the original history of the crash changing, and that's why I'd come to save you? I did a little digging after I dropped you off. Apparently, the rift was created by a rival Time Lord of mine who hasn't existed for many years. His action echoed through time. What I wondered was, why you? I'd never seen you before, but you had to be important to me in some way. I didn't even know what it really meant until Rose left."

"Wait, Rose left you?" I was surprised at that.

"Yep. She'd been traveling with me for six years. That's a very, very long time for you all. She felt like she needed to go on with her life, to try to start a family, get a decent job. We still keep in touch, though. It seems like she really can't do without me." His voice came out sad, despite the sudden amusement on his face. "She told me to find someone new who could help me; that it was their turn now. That's when I thought of you."

"I'm sorry, I don't follow."

"Why else would a rival Time Lord want to attack you to get to me? You were going to be the next traveler!" I couldn't miss the excitement in his voice, and his hands jerked with his every word. "You were the person who would fill in the gap Rose left! You were smart enough, passionate enough, and certainly willing enough to always come with me. I manipulated the TARDIS' computers a bit, and was able to get information on the original history, which we restored when me met. It seemed that we were supposed to meet for the first time on this date when you saved me from getting killed in the middle of the street just minutes ago." I raised my eyebrows at him, scarcely believing what he was saying.

"So, we were supposed to meet."

"Yep, on this date, in this place, in this hour."

And he said,

Take my hand,

Live while you can.

"What if I say no?" Really, I was just playing Devil's advocate. I had no real reason to refuse him. I didn't have a husband or a job that guaranteed I'd stay in one place for long. I was alone. Part of me felt funny taking Rose's place. I'd never wanted to intrude on them that day; I'd felt their connection, their bond to one another. What would he do now that I was with him? I'd never thought of him in that way; maybe as a hero, but never as someone I could love in the romantic sense. Was he just using me to feel whole again?

"I know what you're thinking."

"Of course you do." He smiled at that.

"You wouldn't be taking anyone's place, or filling a void. I want you to come. You were meant to come. What have do you have to lose?" I didn't have anything. That was the whole point. The decision I'd always thought would be easy now scared me.

There was a long moment of silence until he took my hand in his. I looked up at him, curious.

"Alix, you were obviously meant to do great things. Yes, traveling with me is dangerous, it always will be, but it's been five years. I'm certain you're ready now to go on, to face enemies with me and to claim victories; small and large. Why else would you really be thinking this over now? You understand." He let go of my hand, sitting up. "Of course, the final decision is yours and it always will be. Know that you're never stuck traveling with me. If you don't want to be with me anymore, you can say so. I'll take you home." Like Rose. I shuddered. If I began this, there would have to be an end. Where would I be then?

I thought about my life, carefully. What did I really have, and what had I always wanted? I had a father and a sister who lived hours away and rarely ever called. I had a job that had always been the same, I was young and rarely did they ever take me seriously. I had very few friends because I was always trying to get ahead on my work to please everyone else. I had a streak of failed relationships that never seemed to be real. I sighed, heavily. What had I always wanted? Adventure; and now he was offering it to me. It was within my grasp. I would take it.

Don't you see your dreams are right in the palm of your hand?

"Yes," I whispered, words that had truly wanted to pass my lips the moment he had given me the chance.

"Yes! Oh, wonderful!" He stood up, forgetting all about his half-filled cup. "Wait 'til Jack hears about this!"

"Wait a sec, who's Jack?" He stopped, suddenly, caught up in deep thought.

"You mean, I never told you about Jack?"

"No. Who is he?"

"An old friend. Someone who used to travel with Rose and I before I met you. I caught up with him right before Rose left. He's a wonderful help with fixing the TARDIS and all. I really couldn't afford to get rid of him. He's from the 51st century, and adapting quite nicely, I would say."

"Fifty-first century? Is he an alien or something?"

"No, but he certainly has some interesting ideas about them." I was afraid to ask what that meant. "We actually stopped in the first place so he could do some work on the TARDIS. He should still be in there now. C'mon!" With that he took my hand, leading me out to the end of the street where the familiar blue police box sat just around the corner.

"It never changes," I muttered in amusement, following the Doctor in. There, under the TARDIS' central panel was a body, its legs stretched out onto the floor.

"That you Doctor?" I was surprised to hear the voice that had come up from the panel had an accent very similar to mine.

"Yep, and I brought a friend."

"You finally snagged her, 'eh?" He teased.

"What did you tell him about me?" I whispered toward the Doctor.

"Well, just that you were an old friend coming to travel with us; and I might have mentioned that you were a bit of a romantic, but that's about it." He smiled, weakly.

"All done," the voiced announced, working its way out from the console. Soon, I was face to face with his striking blue eyes and boyish features.

"Jack, this is Alix Edwards."

"Hi, I've heard so much about you. It's nice to put the name to a face." He held out his hand for me to shake, smiling warmly.

"Hi…wonderful to meet you." I couldn't seem to want to remove my hand from his grasp.

"Ahem." The Doctor cleared his throat very close to my ear. I tugged my hand away, quickly.

"Sorry," I apologized, sheepishly. Jack only smiled back.

"I'm glad to see you two getting on well. Hmmm…maybe a little too well. Good thing I'm here to chaperone!" He moved to press several buttons on the panel. "I think we're ready to go!" He began pressing buttons, manically.

"You get used to it," Jack commented, moving to hold on to the console. I followed his example.

"He was like this the first day I met him. I'd just forgotten how obsessed he gets when driving this thing." I laughed. The TARDIS shimmied from side to side, forcing me to hold on even tighter.

"Here," Jack offered, placing his hand over mine, clutching the panel, tightly. "That's better." I smiled.

"Much."

As the TARDIS hurdled through time, I studied the room around me. This was my new life. A life I had chosen for myself. I then gazed at the Doctor, patting the console, whispering to it, and Jack smiling as he held my hand. This is the life I'd chosen, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Just a day,

Just an ordinary day.

Just trying to get by.

Just a boy,

Just an ordinary boy,

But he was looking to the sky.

I couldn't resist putting Jack in there. I adore him, and it seemed to add something to the story for me. I should be back soon with a one shot about the Doctor, Alix, and Jack. Stay tuned, and please review!