The Doctor sat in the chair in the TARDIS, hovering in the time vortex, watching the central beam rise and fall, expelling a green-blue light. Besides the hum of the TARDIS, it was silent. All his companions were gone once more. He was alone.

"Well, aren't you in a sad state," a female voice said from the doorway of the TARDIS.

"What?" he stood, his mouth open.

There, right inside the open doors, was a woman in a long red dress with a white undershirt and a bowtie. She had a black umbrella in one hand, and a carpetbag in the other.

"I said, aren't you in a sad state," she said, snapping her fingers, causing the doors to shut behind her.

"That's not possible. How did you get in here?" the Doctor questioned, walking towards her. "Who are you?"

"I," the woman said with a smile, walking towards the console and placing her bag on the floor, "am Mary Poppins. And it is very possible indeed, which you should know better than most, Doctor.'

"Mary Poppins?" he asked, his voice rising, and going slightly squeaky. "Mary Poppins is a book, a movie. She is a work of fiction, nothing more than a story!"

"All stories have sources, Doctor," she replied, sniffing and looking around the control room. "Besides, you requested that I come, so it should not be so surprising that I am here!"

"What?"

She turned to look back at him.

"I received your letter…" she opened her carpet bag, and began to dig through it. "Oh where is it…" she muttered, sticking her whole arm inside, and then her shoulder, and the rest of her upper body, before letting out an enthusiastic, "aha!" and pulled herself out, a piece of paper clutched in one hand.

The Doctor just watched her, his eyes wide. Her bag…It was bigger on the inside…Time Lord science.

She stood again, holding out the paper. It was slightly wrinkled, like it had been crumpled into a ball and then straightened out again. "The Doctor, looking for a travelling companion, who is very good at running, doesn't ask stupid questions, and who doesn't wander off," Mary said. "I'm here to fill the position."

The Doctor's eyes widened as he remembered now. He had been sitting in the library, and on a whim, had picked up a piece of paper and made an 'advertisement' for a new companion, before balling it up, and throwing it out the door of the TARDIS and into the time vortex. It still should have been impossible for her to get inside the TARDIS, especially because he was still in the vortex. Nobody could get in there…except Donna had managed to. Donna had found her way into the TARDIS, and he was glad she had…she ended up being one of his best friends. He supposed, in memory of Donna, he could give this woman a chance.

"I'm not early am I? I didn't get the date wrong? Travelling by wind can be a bit tricky…Although it seems to me I've arrived at just the right time, look at the state of this place!"

"Oi!" he shouted. "She's perfect the way she is! Don't insult my TARDIS!"

"I didn't," she retorted. "It isn't the ship's fault if her captain is a slob. Now I think you should clean up this mess!"

The Doctor scowled at her, beginning to regret his decision immediately. "I like her this way."

"Maybe you do, but she certainly doesn't!" Mary said, looking around the place. She snapped her fingers in the air, and the lights grew a little brighter. She snapped them again, and the dust trailed off the console, and towards the door in neat little rows, before slipping under the crack. She snapped again, and the paint on the console looked new again, the buttons, switches, and levers all appearing new. She snapped one last time, and the grating on the floor became clean and covered in fresh paint, along with the walls of the spaceship, and the chairs in the ship mended themselves, the cushions becoming full and fluffy again, the tears and holes all sewed up. "Much better," Mary said, even as the Doctor watched her with his mouth so far open, it was surprising his jaw didn't touch the floor. "Close your mouth, please. You are not a codfish," she said.

"But—" the Doctor started.

"Goats butt, birds fly, and Time Lords who are going on adventures need to keep their TARDIS clean," Mary interrupted. "Now then, are you going to take me to my room?"