The Doctor knew his time as the protector of the universe was over. He'd had a great time doing it, but it was time to either pass it all on to another or accept his fate and change again. He did not want to change: he liked this body and he didn't want to die again. They all felt like death and he couldn't do it. It was time for once to be selfish. He had to confess things and he just wanted to be left for the rest of this life. Before that, he wanted his hard-worked reward.

He set the controls for several locations. The first was to make sure a Sontaran didn't kill Martha and Mickey Smith. He had to save the newlywed couple and former companions. They were his friends after all. Plus, to see them what seemed to be for the last time was only fair that he would save them as a last act.

He came across a local universal bar where Jack was just sitting around and drinking his pain away after losing so many loved ones. He was the closest person to the Doctor that knew the pain of living on while the ones around you died. Giving the bartender a note and a silent salute, he set up Jack with Alonso, the man who helped the Doctor save Earth from a fatal crash from a space cruise liner version of the Titanic. It was only fair to pair him with another hope-to-last lover as his farewell, though it may not last long, knowing Jack.

There was one companion he knew he would never see again in the current flow of time. He travelled to Cardiff on New Year's Day in 2005 to see one of the few living friends left he could never say hello to again. Hiding in the dark, he softly said goodbye to the one friend that he had more feelings for than most. She didn't recognize him, but her blonde locks and soft smile still made him fuzzy inside. Sighing softly as he watched her walk into her building, he walked away from Rose's apartment building and back into the TARDIS.

He was planning to make this trip last, but he ended up going to see Donna's wedding day from the sidelines. Seeing her happy and pregnant, he knew that he was leaving on good terms. He handed a winning lottery ticket to Sylvia and Wilfred to give to Donna as a wedding present. To have your death come at the hands of an old retired soldier who Fate tied you to was funny irony. To die saving the same man after he saved someone else from being trapped within an overloading machine with deadly amounts of radiation... The Doctor was dying after saving a life as he always had done in his former regenerations.

His second-to-last stop took him back to when Jenny had been killed in 60,120,724 on Messaline. He knew she lived, hell he'd felt her out there. But, he couldn't track her without knowing for certain. He saw her laying there on the ground and regenerate in the hospital after he, Martha, and Donna left. But, she hadn't changed; Somehow, she stayed the same. He followed her ship to her first stop.

"Jenny," he said, stepping out.

"Hello, Dad," she said, a bit surprised to see him.

"I... I need you to do something for me. I wouldn't ask anyone else." He would be giving her the TARDIS, his regenerations along with sharing his knowledge... Everything. He was going to become human without having to use the Chameleon Circuit to wipe his memories. While before this time, that would have disgusted him, right now it was all he wanted. He waited for her reaction.

"You want me to take your place?" she said, smiling widely.

"I owe it to someone," he said, nodding with a smile.

"Rose?"

"No, oh no. This one had my hearts well before Rose was thought of. She still has 'em."

Jenny smiled and hugged him. "Tell K9 I said hi."

"I need a ride though." He hugged her in return and followed her into the TARDIS, giving her the keys and Psychic Paper. While flying through the Time Vortex, the Doctor transferred all of his remaining regenerations and shared knowledge to Jenny.

Jenny dropped him off at the point in history he asked. The time was right after Christmas 2009 and the place was Bannerman Road. The Doctor rushed into traffic and stopped a teenaged brown-haired boy from being hit. Why did kids and teenagers talk on their cellphones without looking both ways before crossing a street?

"Don't ever do that," he said seriously to the lad.

Luke looked up at him in surprise, looking as if he had seen a ghost. "You're...him."

While this happened on the sidewalk across from 13 Bannerman Road, Sarah Jane Smith finished typing another successful article for the local paper, emailing it to the editor-in-chief and waiting for yet another paycheck in the mail. She leaned back and let her mind wander, closing her eyes. Thoughts drifted to a certain handsome man and she smiled. Sure he had regenerated and he looked a bit younger than the old days, but he was still handsome. Their times together were perilous, life-threatening, thrilling... and she loved every minute of it just to be with him. She sighed, remembering the younger companions with him and knowing his mind was probably still on Rose. Martha had told Sarah Jane all that had happened to the Doctor since the whole Davros reviving and stealing Earth incident and was still worried for him. He was travelling alone and she didn't like hearing that about him.

"He's one that should never be alone..." She sighed with a mutter to herself before hearing Luke yell for her. She shot her eyes open and made a sprint downstairs and outside. She met her son just at the end of their driveway after he crossed the street.

"Luke? Luke, what is it?" She saw Luke point to the Doctor and she smiled softly, but felt that something was off. Her smile faded a bit and she looked both ways before crossing the street with Luke, walking briskly to him.

"So what's going on now? The Trickster's trying to foil my life again? Sontarans planning to take over Earth again? Daleks and Cybermen returning?" Her smile faded more as she didn't hear him chuckle and saw a serious look to him. "Doctor, what's the matter?" She felt Luke holding her hand and she gripped it gently as she looked into the Doctor's eyes.

"I'm human now and frankly a bit lost." The Doctor sighed as his hands were in his pockets. He'd given Jenny everything, but the Sonic Screwdriver he couldn't part with that. He looked at her. "I owe you and Luke a good story."

"Human? But how...?" Before Sarah Jane could ask anything else, she heard the good story part and stopped herself.

Luke looked at him. "About?"

"Who you are and where you come from," the Doctor answered. He looked ready to cry and frankly he was. He'd been human before but not with his memories intact or the ability to remember how it felt to time travel.

She shook her head. "We already know that, Doctor. But, you know this is a conversation that's better held inside." She smiled sympathetically, holding out her free hand to him. "Come on. I'll put on a nice pot of tea, and Luke can make some scones. Plus, we have marmalade in the fridge for you, always keeping some fresh whenever you decided to drop by again." She knew all about his infamous sweet tooth and knew that would cheer him up a little.

He nodded and followed them into their house, knowing they didn't know everything about young Luke. Now that he was human, it was safe to tell them.

Would they forgive him for not telling?

Would Sarah hate him?

Oh god he couldn't bear to have her hate him.