DISCLAIMER: The character of Vince Hawkins belongs to Terrence Dicks. The character of Sally Sparrow belongs to Steven Moffat. The character of Anne Travers belongs to Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story touches on events from the Lethbridge-Stewart novel, Beast Of Fang Rock, which was written by Andy Frankham-Allen. This story also includes a brief scene from the television episode, Horror Of Fang Rock, which was written by Terrence Dicks. Since this story is a follow-up to my previous Timelost story, you might want to read that one before you start this one.

DEDICATION: Once again, Emily Carter, this one's for you.

LONDON, PRESENT TIME...

"Who is the Doctor?" one of the dark figures shouts.

"Where is the Doctor now?" adds another one.

"What do you know about the Doctor?" a third figure asked.

There is no escape, no relief, the questions go on and on...

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Shouting incoherently, Vince Hawkins sat up in his bed. For a moment, he didn't know where he was, before reality thankfully set in. He was here, safe, in the London apartment that he shared with his girlfriend, Sally Sparrow. Slowly, he reached over and snapped on the lamp on his bedside table. The old, wind-up clock (that Vince preferred, considering that he was used to such clocks), showed that it was two in the morning. Well, I can forget about going back to sleep for now, Vince thought as he got out of bed and threw on a robe. He slowly looked around his bedroom. Like the clock, a lot of the furniture was from the early 1900's, all from antique shops that he and Sally had scoured. Vince had adjusted well to the 21st Century in the few months that he had been living in it, however, he did like to have some items that came from his lost past, such as the furniture. Still, not much help to me now, Vince thought as he left the bedroom and stepped out into the hall. He saw that the door to Sally's bedroom, next to his, was closed, so he assumed that his shouting hadn't woken her up. Quietly as he could, Vince headed to the kitchen. Only one thing can help me now, he thought.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Soon Vince was in the kitchen and indulging in one of his new favourite 21st Century passions, chocolate ice cream. He had just prepared a second bowl for himself, when Sally appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Oh, Sally, I hope my shouting didn't wake you up," Vince said.

"No, but your moving around in here did," Sally replied as she joined Vince at the table. "Was it another one of those nightmares?"

"Yes, it was," Vince said. "And it was the same. Me, in some dark room, being questioned by strange people about the Doctor."

"And you still think it was that Torchwood lot in Southampton. The ones that put you into suspended animation?"

"Yes, it does fit what LINDA has been able to uncover about them," Vince said.

"Which isn't much," Sally replied. "They seemed very good at covering their tracks. In fact, we can't find any evidence that Torchwood even exists anymore."

"But the did exist in 1902, when they went to Fang Rock and got me," Vince said, shuddering. "Of course, they did save my life, but I get the feeling that my best interests were not their number one priority. In the nightmare, they keep grilling me about the Doctor."

"Well, from what we've been able to find out, they were ordered to keep an eye out for him. And you were a living witness to one of his adventures here on Earth, Vince. No doubt they wanted to find out all they could about that adventure."

"Still, they could have been a bit kinder about it," Vince said. "Granted, I only met him that one time, but from what you and Professor Travers have told me, the Doctor is one of the good guys. And we both know that there are a lot of bad things out there." Vince's mind went back to what Professor Anne Travers, a retired scientist, had told him and Sally, a few months ago. Vince and Sally had been visiting the Fang Rock lighthouse, now privately owned by a company called Haunted Tours Of Britain, where they had met Anne, who happened to be the great-niece of Ben Travers, the head lighthouse keeper, and Vince's boss, in 1902. Vince still had trouble wrapping his mind around Anne's bizarre connection to Fang Rock. Best not to dwell on that too much, he thought. Anne had been part of a 1969 investigation into the mysteries of Fang Rock, and had apparently learned quite a bit from said investigation. Anne had said that an alien, called a Rutan, had been responsible for the deaths at the Fang Rock lighthouse, in 1902. Among the abilities of the Rutan was the power of shape-shifting. It had been the Rutan, in the form of senior assistant lighthouse keeper, Reuben Whormby, who had attacked Vince that final night. Well, at least I know that Reuben didn't do it, Vince thought. Still, poor Reuben was blamed for what happened at Fang Rock all the same. That such a kind and gentle man could be blamed for such crimes irked Vince to no end, but those were thoughts for another time.

"Yes, but clearly there are, or were, other people who didn't feel that way about the Doctor," Sally said. "Torchwood, at least that branch of it, was made up of those people. Since they didn't know how to find the Doctor, they must have thought that you knew something about him."

"But I didn't," Vince said. "At the time, I didn't even know that the Doctor was an alien. I just thought he was some kind of eccentric chap who had found his way to Fang Rock. Then, with everything going on, I didn't give the matter much thought. And then..." Vince then fell silent.

"Then what?" Sally asked.

"I just wish I could get a better picture of what happened to me at Torchwood. Try as I might, I can't remember much about it. It's only in the nightmares that I get a picture of what happened, and even that is fuzzy," Vince said. "Perhaps if I could get to the bottom of all that, these nightmares will finally stop."

"There might be a way," Sally said.

"What?" Vince asked.

"I said that there might be a way for you, for us, or find out what did happen to you in 1902," Sally replied.

"How?" Vince asked. "We have no time machine, and we don't know how to contact the Doctor." Vince happened to know that LINDA had been trying for years to find the Doctor again, but with no luck. It was hard to find someone who was constantly on the move, both in time and space, and could change their physical appearance as well.

"No, but remember what Professor Travers told us," Sally said. "She has access to alien technology that has been collected from various aliens who have attacked Earth. She might have a way to help us."

"Well, then let's call her in the morning," Vince said, smiling. And maybe then I'll be able to get a decent nights sleep at last.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

It was early the next afternoon, when Professor Anne Travers came by Vince and Sally's apartment, in response to their call. "I believe I can help you, Vince," Anne said, once Vince and Sally had finished relating their stories to her. The three of them sat in the living room, sipping glasses of Diet Pepsi.

"You mean you have a way of showing me how I can find out what happened in 1902?" Vince asked.

"Yes, but I have to advise you, Vince, that it might be risky," Anne warned.

"I'm willing to take that risk," Vince said. "When can we start?"

"Well, it will take me a few days to get things set up," Anne said. "And we'll have to do it where it all started."

"You mean the Fang Rock lighthouse?" Sally asked.

"Yes, the Fang Rock lighthouse," Anne replied.

"Why there?" Vince asked.

"It's hard to explain. Just trust me."

"What about Haunted Tours Of Britain? What will they think of this?" Sally asked.

"You just leave all that to me," Anne said as she got to her feet. "When everything is ready, I'll give you two and call and tell you to come to the lighthouse."

"Okay, Anne, we'll wait," Vince said. "It will be nice to finally get some answers."