"What will we tell them?" Barbara asked eventually, breathless from laughter.

"Oh, I don't know." Ian squeezed her shoulder gently. "We'll think of something. After Daleks, Morlocks, and bloodthirsty Aztecs, this should be a walk in the park."

Barbara laughed heartily, attracting the attention of several people packed into the small bus. "That's true. But we still need to create a believable story if we want our jobs back."

Ian nodded in agreement, but after a moment his eyebrows furrowed together. "Barbara, do you think they've been...looking for us?"

She turned her head to stare across the bus. The idea had never crossed her mind. "No, I...I hadn't even thought of that."

"Hm." Ian scratched the back of his head. "It's going to be some messy business. Everyone will wonder where we were." His expression darkened even further. "I can't even imagine my mum and dad..."

Ian's worry seem to carry straight into Barbara's head. "My mother will be worried sick!"

"It's all right." Ian suddenly smiled and looked her in the eye, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "We'll find a way to tell them. In fact, we'll make a game of it!" His eyes shone with mirth as he awaited her reply.

Again, his emotion seemed to be contagious. Barbara found herself smiling again, her worry now only a distant thought. "What if we were kidnapped?" She mulled over the idea in her head, developing the story piece by piece...but she wasn't sure if they could believably fabricate a story that intricate.

"No," she and Ian said at the same time, shaking their heads.

"It's true enough, though," Ian added with a chuckle. "Maybe...we came into some money. Went off to see the world!"

"Together?" Barbara asked in between a spurt of giggles. "And so suddenly?"

"Oh, I suppose you're right. Though, with all the time we've spent together, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say we were married."

Barbara laughed along with Ian as she felt warmth rush to her cheeks, hoping he wouldn't notice. And if he did, perhaps he would attribute it to the warm bus or her abundant laughter. But really, in her mind, she recalled how many times she had dreamed of marrying Ian- and her blush increased when she realized it was more than she could count.

"What if we didn't go back?" she asked, voicing the sudden thought to change the subject.

Ian jerked back with a small smile on his face. "Don't go back?"

"To Coal Hill, I mean. We could get our things, see our parents, and move somewhere else. I'm not sure if I could teach there again anyway; it would remind me too much of Susan and the Doctor."

"Hm. You're right, Barbara. And that way, we could get away without having to answer too many questions. You'll come with me, though? I mean, you'll move to the same city?"

Barbara could feel her blush threatening to creep back. "I don't think I could part from you now, after all we've been through."

"I feel the same way." His hopeful smile was then replaced with a thoughtful frown. "You know, I've always wanted to teach at Cambridge. What do you think about that?"

"You mean, become a professor?"

"Why, yes! What do you say? Should we see if they have a position open for a History professor too?" He grinned at her, his expression expectant and hopeful.

"I don't see why not." Barbara smiled at the thought of starting fresh again on Earth, not to mention being near Ian every day.

"Good. It's settled then." He placed his hand on top of hers, a bright twinkle in his eyes. "We'll do it."