Stellar Collision

Epilogue

The TARDIS, That Same Night

"Ok, seriously. You have to tell me what that other thingee was. The Time Lord Technology we found at the crashsite." Dayle looked curious.

They were both relaxing in the library. They'd decided to wait until morning to head back through the wormhole. The Doctor had determined that the collapse issue he'd been concerned with before had resolved itself. And he wanted one more chance at a morning after. He hadn't exactly let her know that part yet. But he certainly had plans to make something happen.

"That thingee was something called a Stellar Manipulator. And it actually explains the last mystery in Arc's plan. He didn't foresee the neutron star collision. He caused it."

Dayle raised her eyebrows. "I can't believe there is actually something left to surprise me." The Doctor laughed and she shook her head. "So you're saying that thing can actually move stars?"

He nodded, laughter in his eyes. "Precisely."

They sat in comfortable silence until Dayle got up and walked to him. He noticed she carried herself carefully, her ribs still sore. He wished he could make all her pain go away yet he knew if anyone could handle it, Dayle Moss could. She climbed into his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. He felt the butterflies and was sad for just a moment to know he might never feel them again.

She casually slung her arms around his neck and leaned her forehead against his. "Did you really not know?" She murmured softly.

"That a Stellar Manipulator can move stars? I've always known that." he answered, intentionally being thick. He knew just what she meant.

She knocked her head against his softly and he laughingly said "Ouch."

"You didn't know that I'd fallen in love with you? By the time we slept together."

He thought of a million wrong things to say and then he sighed and told the truth. "No. I had no idea. You just seemed OK with it being temporary and I guess, I just wasn't. Of course, you have the upper hand, All Knowing Oracle. You knew the moment I fell for you." He tucked a curl behind her ear and gazed at her adoringly.

She smiled, her dimples showing. "True. But you are a telepath too. If you were wondering you could have easily read my mind by touching my temples when we were... together."

He nodded. "I could have. But my telepathy is different than yours. It goes much deeper. I guess I felt like it would have been a violation."

He shifted then and leaned her back so she was cradled in his arms. He moved his face down close to hers. "Also, my hands were a bit busy at the time." He leaned down and began to kiss her neck and she cracked up laughing.

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Dayle and the Doctor's Universe, One Week Later

Dayle was looking through the poetry book shelves in the Arts & Literature section of the library. Savannah appeared over her shoulder suddenly and scared the shit out of her by critically reading the title of her selection out loud. "A Treasury of English Poetry. Ugh. Is that for a class assignment? Doesn't seem your usual type of thing."

"No smartass. I happen to like poetry." Savannah made a disgusted face and led the way to their table where Ember sat already reading. Dayle smiled at the little girl's rapt concentration. She loved that she had yet another reader in the family.

They sat and Dayle started flipping through the pages. She didn't want to tell Vannah that she wanted to read some love poems like some silly lovestruck teenager. And that it was because she was currently feeling a bit melancholy after saying good bye to the Doctor. She hurt, but not in a way that she felt needed to heal. It was a beautiful feeling actually. Knowing for certain he was out there somewhere still loving her. And she him. Their last night together had been perfect. They had laughed a lot. And he didn't even spoil the morning after.

It had taken a few days to take in everything that had happened to her. That she had seen and done. She found she quite missed Dayle B and knew there must be a psychiatrist couch somewhere with her name on it for that reason.

Her injuries had healed amazingly fast. She hardly felt any pain in her ribs only a week after having them cracked against a tree. The Doctor never said but she suspected the TARDIS had something to do with it.

"Mama, what's this word?" Ember suddenly broke into her reverie, pointing at the page of the book she was reading.

"Fortunate." Dayle said it slowly, sounding it out.

Ember repeated her, "Fortunate... what's that mean?"

Dayle considered that. All the dictionary definitions didn't seem to cut it. Lucky. Blessed.

After a moment's thought she said, "Fortunate is knowing you have just what you need." Ember seemed to consider that, nodded her approval and went back to her book.

Dayle went back to her poetry but was aware that Savannah was now watching her. Finally she looked up at her oldest daughter. "Vannah, you're creeping me out. Quit eyeballing me while I'm trying to read."

Savannah just smiled and said softly. "I love you mom."

Any pain she may have been feeling drifted away. She felt a thousand feet tall. She felt like she could do anything.

She also felt that she would spend the rest of her life trying to deserve the unconditional love her girls had for her. Because there was simply nothing better in the world than the love of a daughter.