[Doctor Who] life calls the tune (Sarah Jane/Grace)

[storypaint]

Title: life calls the tune
Fandom: Doctor Who
Length: 200 words
Prompt: comment_fic: Doctor Who, any two companions who never met in canon, they've already fallen in love long before they figure out they both traveled with the Doctor once upon a time
Pairing: Sarah Jane/Grace; mentioned Sarah Jane/Doctor & Grace/Doctor
Other: n/a

Excerpt: "There was somebody once," Sarah said, "that I had a real thing for, but now I feel like every time I see him he's younger than me. Moved on, I guess."

Sarah Jane first met Grace for a story about gang violence in San Francisco hospitals. An hour interview turned into a two-hour dinner date which ended unexpectedly in Grace kissing Sarah. Grace smiled and said that she was trying to take more chances nowadays.

Now that Luke was in college, Sarah traveled more. Grace began to keep a toothbrush for her. Their relationship was comfortable. They called each other regularly and enjoyed the few hours they stole together when possible.

One evening, six months in, they had a conversation about past romances.

"There was somebody once," Sarah said, "that I had a real thing for, but now I feel like every time I see him he's younger than me. Moved on, I guess."

Grace said something about immature exes and they both laughed. It was another two months before Mr. Smith linked Grace to the Doctor, which led to an interesting phone conversation.

"I wondered," Grace said, her voice scratchy on the line, "whether I should have gone..."

Sarah couldn't answer that for her, but she understood. "I'm glad you're here now," she said instead.

"Yes," Grace said, "I'm glad too."

The distance between them, all the sudden, was very small.