A/N: Just a short little "What If?" idea.

Disclaimer: Doctor Who is not my intellectual property.

Lynda

She had said she'd like to come along. He said that maybe she could, and so she did.

They were sitting at dumpy little diner in London eating chips, in the year two thousand. As far as "first dates" with companions went, it was something of a disappointment, especially with all of time and space to choose from.

Nobody gave Lynda a second glance, never realizing she was from the year two hundred thousand. In her slumpy sweatshirt and pigtails, she could have been mistaken as any college or university student taking a break from her studies to have chips with a friend.

While no one paid attention to her, Lynda paid no attention to them either. She was too busy staring out the shop window in wonder with tears in her eyes.

"It's... It's just so beautiful here..." She turned from the window to look at the Doctor, wiping to corner of her eye on her sleeve.

Not many would have agreed with her. The day was drizzling rain, painting the whole city a bleak, chilling grey.

But still, Lynda loved it. The rain was just rain - harmless water, not the highly corrosive acid she was used to at home. And people were walking! Walking and breathing the air like it was no big deal. Even the shop they were sitting in didn't have an airlock or seal. There was still TV, Lynda noticed, but that seemed okay too. It just sat there chattering idly away in the background. To her surprise there were many broadcasts of information, not just the mindless entertainment she was used to. There was still gossip and games, but they seemed harmless and fun, not waiting to snatch you from your home in a transmat beam and force you into some kind of death match for the pleasure of your alien overlords.

"I don't think I ever want to go home again." She sighed.

She really didn't. There was nothing to go back for. Her family was gone – killed in the Dalek attacks and the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire (which was neither Great nor Bountiful in the end) had nothing left to offer.

"Well Lynda with a Y", the Doctor smiled at her. "Maybe you don't have to."