Please note that I do not own The Doctor or the TARDIS and UNIT. They are property of the BBC. The other characters and worlds are all mine.

Enjoy reading and leave a comment.

Thank you xxx

'Breaking news. A meteor has struck just outside Battersea. At just after 8.03pm the fireball was seen heading for London. Astronomers had been tracking it for a few days and deemed it to be stable and of small enough size to not cause any widespread damage. Police have cordoned off the area and are awaiting further instructions from Hazard Control and the armed forces.'

"Did you hear that Lily?" Mark shouted over his shoulder. There was no answer.

"Lily come take a look. Could be aliens!"

"Which linen is better for the tables do you think. White or Ivory?" Mark sighed.

"I thought you were having the night off?" he said warmly as he got up from the sofa and tried to stifle a laugh at the sight he saw before him.

Lily was unaware of his amusement as she currently had her nose in a swatch book. Over each of her shoulders were swathes of fabric so long they seemed to cover her body like a toga. Her glasses were threatening to fall off the end of her nose and her hair had given up on being in a neat pony tail some time ago.

"Is there really any difference in white and ivory? I think I've looked at so many of these damn things I might have snow blindness." she smirked looking up to see Mark laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Have you seen yourself you look like a mummy." he walked over and took the book from her.

"Oh God! This bloody exhibition will be the death of me." frustrated she pulled the material off herself and threw it over the back of the sofa.

"Now there's my girl." Mark grinned as he walked towards her. He took off her glasses and carefully put them on the table. Brushing a strand of hair from her face he looked into her dazzling green eyes.

"You are working too hard." he scolded.

Lily laid her hands on his chest as Mark drew closer.

"I think people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones Detective." he laughed putting his hands on her hips.

"You got me on that one." he breathed next to her ear.

Lily shivered and rested her head on his shoulder. Kissing her gently on the neck he stood back to look at her. She was exhausted.

"I am going to make you some hot chocolate and you my lady are going to get into bed."

"I just need to get ..." Mark pressed a finger to her lips.

"No arguments. Get into bed." Lily pouted but he wasn't backing down.

With a sigh she turned to go to the bedroom when Mark proceeded to slap her across the behind.

"Oi!" she giggled.

Her lungs burnt. She gasped for air. The smell of burning all around her. She tried to cry out but no one came. People were running and screaming. Where was her mother? She stumbled outside. Men were burning down the houses. Men were hurting the other people, they were screaming. All alone she was all alone. She started to scream...

"Lily!" Lily felt strong arms circle her. "Lily baby shhh... I'm here it's just a dream."

She was sat bolt upright in bed; shaking, tears streaming down her face. Mark held her against his chest until she calmed down. Exhausted she sunk back into the bed. Mark let her nestle into him and stroked her hair until she was asleep.

Lily was awake before the alarm. She stretched her tired limbs. Mark was sleeping soundly next to her. His strawberry blonde hair mussed; he looked so peaceful. Quietly she climbed out of bed and changed into her running clothes. As she left the bedroom she planted a gentle kiss on his head. He stirred slightly and went back to sleep.

The air was crisp that morning. Autumn was on it's way. The trees had already started to turn their colours and drop. Lily rubbed her hands together as she finished her stretches. Turning on her mp3 player she began her morning run.

It was peaceful in the park. She seemed to be the only one around. Running helped her mind rest. The only thoughts she had were 'which way now' and 'how fast'. The music washed over her and calmed the rest of the business in her head. Mark was right she had been working too hard. The exhibition was only a week away and was her platform to be noticed. Working at the Natural History Museum had always been a passion of hers. After years of university she had become a Professor of Symbology. She started at the museum as an intern and was now in charge of some of the museum's more interesting pieces. Smiling to herself she rounded the last corner only to be met by armed guards.

Slowing to a stop she looked at the guards. A woman dressed in uniform came to the fore.

"Professor Atherton?" she asked.

"Umm yes." Lily said somewhat nervously.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your morning workout but my name is Captain Alice Harrison I'm with the United Intelligence Task Force." she said authoritivley showing her ID. She seemed no more than 30. Her hair scraped from her face into a military bun. Her uniform seemed a little to big for her small frame.

"How can I help you Captain?" Lily proceeded to do her warm down exercises.

"We would like you to accompany us if it's convenient?"

"And if it's not?"

"Then I would be forced to take you anyway under arrest!"

"Under arrest I haven't done anything." Lily felt her heart sink.

"You are needed as a matter of national security and failure to do so can result in arrest!" the guards who had been standing quietly on the sidelines seemed to surround her.

"Well in that case it doesn't look like I have much choice then does it." she said placing her hands on her hips.

"Thank you." the captain said motioning to the vehicles behind them.

"Can I at least get a shower and change first?"

Lily watched as the city flashed in front of her. She fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. They hadn't let her go home to change. The inside of the jeep was silent except for the buzzing and crackling of radios.

"Where exactly are we going and what do you need me for?" she asked.

Silence.

"At least have the decency to tell me why I'm here?" the Captain turned slightly in her seat.

"You are a Professor of Symbology are you not?"

"Yes."

"We have symbols for you to decipher."

"Why me? There are other people out there." Lily asked frustrated.

"You have come highly recommended."

"Recommended? By who exactly?"

The Captain turned back in her seat and once again silence fell.

Feeling uneasy she put her hands in her pockets to keep them warm and felt her mobile phone. She took it out and looked at it. 3 missed calls from Mark. Damn he was probably wondering where she was. Thinking of him she toyed with the locket around her neck. He had given it to her as a present at Christmas. It was a simple silver heart.

'To remind you that you will always have my heart and wherever you are I'm always with you.'

She smiled to herself and sat back and hoped that she would be back home with him soon.

Mark paced around the apartment. Where was she? She wasn't there when he'd awoken. Why the hell wasn't she answering her phone? Stopping in front of the television he noticed the news was still covering the meteor site. The army had arrived. He stood for some moments watching things unfold. The sound of his phone cut through the commentary.

"Detective Robson."

"Sorry to disturb you lover boy but you're wanted." Mark sighed.

"For what exactly?"

"We need a team over at Battersea. That meteor is causing no end of trouble and we need to know what's going on. All sorts of U.F.O nutters are flocking to it."

"So you want me for crowd control?"

"No I want you to round up all the little green men!" the older man shouted.

"The army are already there what do they need us for?" Mark turned back to the story unfolding on the screen.

As the camera panned round quickly Mark saw something that chilled him to the bone.

"Ok boss I give in I'm on my way!" he said closing his phone.

Slowly he moved closer to the screen and rewound the footage. When he had found the right place he played it again. He gasped; he was right. Nestled in the background amongst the tents and equipment stood a blue police box. Mark ran his fingers through his unruly curls and grabbed his jacket and ran out of the door.

The jeep came to a stop at the meteor site. She stepped out into the brisk autumn air once more. The site was a hive of activity. In the distance she could make out reporters trying to get pictures and gain access through the cordon.

"This way Professor." the Captain called. Lily dutifully followed.

At the center of the whole camp was a imposing central operations trailer. The Captain lead the way up the steps and opened the door and motioned for Lily to go in. Inside was warm at least. It housed wall to wall computer terminals. Various UNIT members buzzed around checking readings. A bank of monitors littered the far wall displaying various time zones and pictures being beamed from the crater. Lily stood amazed by all the technology.

"Ahh Professor Atherton so glad you could join us." the tall gentleman extended his hand to her. He seemed older than the Captain. His demeanour that of a man who never suffered fools gladly.

"This is Major Pritchett he's in charge of the mission."

Lily took his hand and shook it purposefully.

"I'm sorry Major but you didn't give me a lot of choice!" she smiled sarcastically.

"Well I can only apologise for the circumstances of our meeting. As you can see we have somewhat of a situation on our hands." he said gesturing to the monitors.

"That you have; but excuse me if I don't understand my part in all of this. I deal with symbols and their meaning not bits of space rock." The Major made to speak but the phone ringing to his right stopped him.

"Excuse me." he apologised and picked up the receiver.

"Yes she's just arrived... I was just briefing her...What right away but she hasn't got clearance yet... Ok ok I will bring her in." The Major roughly replaced the handset.

"Well I'm sorry to cut our little tour short but it seems our Chief Science Advisor is dying to meet you."

It was clear from the tone of his voice that whoever was on the other end of the phone had riled him.

"Follow me."

Detective Mark Robson climbed out of the car to be met by a throng of journalists. He sighed and waded through them to get to the guard at the cordon. He showed his badge and ducked under the tape. He stood for a moment to get his bearings and then headed in the general direction of where the police box could be.

Major Pritchett pulled back a piece of tarpaulin and motioned for Lily to go in. It seemed like they were in a giant marquee. There were people in lab coats dashing around with clipboards; others were pouring over readouts at various terminals. As they walked further in Lily rounded one of the many spotlamps to peer into the crator. It was probably the size of a family car. The earth was scorched and she could smell burnt grass. The Major had gone off to fetch someone so she knelt to take a closer look. That's when she heard it.

Music.

A tune she had never heard before. She looked around to see if the others heard it; no one reacted. Lily strained to hear it better. It was soothing and seemed to fill her senses. She could taste it, smell it as well as hear it. It was like a warm blanket had been draped around her shoulders. She felt comfortable and almost sleepy. It was calling to her; whatever it was it wanted her to find it.

"Professor? Professor?" the Major asked placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.

This seemed to snap Lily out of her daydream.

"God sorry I... I don't know what happened." she said shakily.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes... I think so. Must have tuned out there for a minute." she said getting to her feet. The Major studied her face for a moment.

"Well. Professor Lily Atherton let me introuduce our Chief Science Advisor..."

The man stepped forward offering his hand.

"Oh please; just call me Doctor."