"Mr Smith, I need you," Sarah Jane called as she entered the attic.

"Sarah Jane, how can I be of assistance," he answered coolly. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, putting most of her weight on one foot.

"Do you have any information regarding Timelord regeneration?" she inquired hopefully. Last time she'd had Brigadier there, and he'd been through it all before. Now she had to face it on her own.

"Insufficient data," Mr Smith replied. Sarah Jane bit her lip. Should I call him? What if she is him, a future him? ... Better to call him than not.

"Call the Doctor," she instructed him.

"Calling the Doctor." His display changed from the revolving crystalline form to an image of a mobile phone with the Doctor's number on the screen. She listened as the rings ran through until -

"Sarah Jane Smith," an old man was on the screen. This wasn't the last Doctor she'd known. "How long's it been? Eight centuries? Too long." His face flashed a smile for a moment again.

"Doctor, who're you talking to?" a younger woman's voice sounded.

"Clara, come, I have a friend I'd like you to meet!" he called over his shoulder.

"Doctor, this is urgent," Sarah Jane insisted, having to adapt fast to his new face. She'd only briefly met his last. Was it his last? How long had he said - eight centuries? He could have had several in that time... A girl appeared behind him wearing a brown jacket with a fringe.

"Urgent? What's urgent?" his eyebrows furrowed. She resisted the urge to inquire about his clothing. From what she could see, it greatly resembled his 3rd incarnation, the first she'd met.

"A girl has turned up in my driveway and she's regenerating!" Sarah Jane exclaimed.

"I'll be right there!" he said and was gone. Sarah Jane held her breath, ears scanning for the wheezing sound that would signify his arrival. After a minute, nothing.

"Oh Doctor," she sighed, leaving the attic to go downstairs. As she reached the bottom of the staircase there was a knock at the front door. Please don't be Gita please don't be Gita please don't be Gita Sarah Jane thought over and over as she went to answer it.

"Thought I'd better knock," the Doctor said, revealed as she opened the door. "Through here then." He strode past her to the lounge room where the girl was still unconscious on the sofa. Frowning, he knelt beside her, Sky stepping back.

"Hi, Clara," Clara introduced herself the Sarah Jane as they went after the Doctor, Sarah closing the door firmly.

"Hi," Sarah Jane replied. Her attention immediately returned to the unconscious girl. "Is there anything you can do?" she asked him as he continued to frown.

"Not as of yet, no," he answered, still frowning as he stared at the girl's face, as if trying to tell her entire life's story, past and future, by its close inspection.

"Will she be alright?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Ask me again later," he instructed. It was clear he didn't want to talk and there wasn't anything they could do to help the girl, so Sarah Jane headed into the kitchen.

"Sky," she called before Sky began quizzing the Doctor. She followed Sarah Jane into the kitchen. Clara watched her go, before going up to the Doctor.

"Who is she?" Clara asked him.

"I don't know," the Doctor answered, thinking she meant the unconscious girl. "Ask her when she wakes up."

"I meant the woman, who is she?" Clara repeated. The Doctor ignored her. "Fine, be that way." Clara muttered under her breath, going to see what was happening in the next room. She knocked before entering, not wanting to appear rude. Sarah Jane turned to her as she entered.

"I'm making tea, would you like one?" Sarah Jane asked as warmly as she could with her concern for the girl on her sofa.

"I'd love one, thanks," Clara smiled. Sarah Jane set the kettle to boil before turning to Clara.

"So, what do you do when you aren't travelling with the Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked her.

"I'm an English teacher," Clara informed her. Sky grinned.

"What school do you teach at?" she asked.

"Coal Hill," Clara explained. Sarah nodded, smiling to herself as if there was some joke only she was aware of. "So how exactly do you know the Doctor? If you don't mind my asking..." Clara inquired.

"I traveled with him for a few years," Sarah Jane smiled, reminiscing. "When I was younger. We parted ways, but ran into each other again a few years ago."

"Ah," Clara nodded.

"Take care of him, he needs someone to watch his back," Sarah Jane said as the kettle finished boiling. She poured the teas and took hers and the Doctor's into the lounge room.


a/n: Please review if you want me to keep going with this story. Sorry, this chapter is mostly back and forth dialogue. I tend to write this way most of the time (there is loads and loads of stuff I've written which I haven't published online).

Thanks Emily Meminger for reviewing chapter 1!