"Now I know what a ghost is.

Unfinished business, that's what."

-Salman Rushdie

Wednesday, Universe A

In the woods. My mom is there and the Doctor. Some Hispanic guy is sitting, leaning against a tree with a broken leg and busted head. I kneel down, touch his injuries and heal him.

Savannah closed the dream journal and drummed her fingers against it. She was sitting on the couch in her mother's living room. Her latest entry from this morning troubled her more than all the others. Because her mom was in it, crying over some dark haired man she'd never seen before. And more and more, these dreams were feeling so very real to her. She could feel the breeze and smell the pine needles. She could feel the autumn leaves crunching beneath her when she knelt down in front of the man. Jesse, his name was.

Savannah had stayed home from work after the incident yesterday. Her mother had insisted. Silas Overman had driven her home and helped her inside. When Dayle had asked what was wrong, he'd told her the truth about her fainting, despite the fact that Savannah tried to lie. His honesty had pissed Savannah off, but overall she was grateful to him.

When she'd collapsed in the lower level corridor of the library, he had picked her up and carried her to the janitor's room. He had splashed some cold water on her face from the sink there until she'd woken up. She was embarrassed but she knew it could have been a lot worse. If he had informed public safety, they would have almost certainly called an ambulance. She had been curious why he hadn't.

Savannah had sat up on the cold concrete floor and leaned against a shelving unit laden with facility supplies and cleaning chemicals. He sat on a wooden pallet directly across from her. "Why didn't you call someone?" she had asked, studying him

He'd looked a little uncomfortable. "I wasn't sure if you were on something. I didn't want to get you into trouble."

She didn't quite know how to feel about that but was strangely touched that he'd been looking out for her. She told him that she thought she'd simply had an anxiety attack. She didn't mention the part about the voices, figuring he'd really think she was on drugs then. He had been so kind to her and had made her laugh. She actually felt pretty bad for judging him all this time.

Before he'd left her at her mother's house, he'd swiped her cell phone and put his number in her phone. "In case you ever need to talk." he's told her seriously. Then turned and left.

Dayle had been extremely upset and told her daughter she was afraid that she was suffering from depression. Dayle herself had had plenty of experience with depression over the years. Her own mother, Lenore had taken her life when Dayle was very young. Depression wasn't something that Dayle took lightly and she made it clear to Savannah that it was a legitimate illness and there was no reason that Savannah should suffer if there was medication that could help her. She had driven Savannah into Kirkmore to see her own Psychiatrist.

Dr. Sladen had prescribed an anti depressant called Lexapro. Savannah didn't argue. She knew she was depressed. But she wondered what her mom and Dr. Sladen would think about the fact that she was hearing voices as well. She had decided to keep that fact to herself. Something about the voices and the dreams seemed separate from her sadness. The dreams had started before the breakup after all.

She sat on the sofa, waiting for her mom to come home from picking up Ember at the school. After the dream last night, Savannah really felt she needed to talk to her mother. She wasn't stupid. She could see that Dayle was deeply troubled by the dreams. She needed to know why.

She set her journal on the coffee table and cuddled up with Ember's purple blanket. They should be home any minute. She closed her eyes. Lately, she felt she couldn't get enough sleep.

And then, that voice again.

She will come to Karn once more, seeking our help.

Savannah felt her heart in her throat. Her eyes sprang open. She looked around. Now there was only silence.

Her pulse was racing but she was also curious. She closed her eyes once more. Waited.

She doesn't know the truth. About the Time Lord or herself.

Savannah had to shake herself after she opened her eyes. She felt dazed. She grabbed her dream journal and unclipped the pen tucked inside. While her memory was fresh, she turned to a blank page and scribbled:

She will come to Carn? once more seeking our help.

She doesn't know the truth about the time lord or herself.

Then she thought for a moment and wrote:

The girl from the woods. The friend who is dead already.

There's no doubt it was she. It was foretold, the human with the power of the sisterhood.

Savannah chewed on the end of the pen. It sounded like a bunch of nonsense from a shitty movie about witches.

Just then the front door came open and in ran Ember.

"Vannah!" she shouted and ran in and jumped on her. "You didn't work today?"

Savannah giggled and gave her little sister a squeeze. Ember was a chubby little thing with huge blue eyes and their mom's curly blonde hair. She was also Savannah's favorite person on the planet. Even when Savannah was at her lowest these past few days, Ember could always bring a smile to her face.

"Nope. I was being lazy again. You got girl scouts tonight?" She quickly changed the subject.

Ember nodded proudly. "Tonight I get moved up to Junior! Will you come to the ceremony."

Savannah glanced up at Dayle who was just coming in carrying the mail and a gallon of milk.

She looked back at her sister. "Why don't you go play and we'll talk in a little bit." Ember smooched her on the cheek and ran off to her bedroom. Dayle had stuck the milk in the fridge and now came and joined her on the couch.

"Hey Vannah. How you feelin?" She gave her daughter's long brown hair a playful yank but Savannah knew her mom well enough to see the concern in her blue eyes.

Savannah sat up straighter and cleared her throat. "Mom. Can you be straight with me about something? Please."

Dayle nodded. She didn't seem at all surprised by her daughter's tone.

"These dreams I'm having. You know something you're not telling me." Savannah stated this as fact. She wasn't asking.

Her mom's face remained impassive, though Savannah saw a little twitch beside her right eye. After a long silence, Dayle asked. "Vannah. You remember the guy... Professor Smith, right?"

Savannah's eyes narrowed. Where the hell was this going. "Uhhh. The English dude right? From your college? He's the only guy you've brought home." (She didn't add "since you've been sober" though it was certainly implied.) "I think he came over one time like two years ago, then a couple times this past year?" She looked at her mom curiously. She'd never wanted to talk about him before.

Dayle shifted, looking uncomfortable. "Right, well. He's not a Physics Professor."

Savannah made a sound of frustration. "What the hell's he gotta do with my dreams? Does he travel in a blue police box to different planets? Does he fight aliens?"

Dayle stared at her. Blinked. "Well..."

"Mom. I'm not joking around. Just tell the truth." Savannah's patience was gone.

Dayle actually chuckled, put her head in her hand then looked back up. "I'm not joking baby girl." She sighed. "That dude's not just some man. He's something called a Time Lord."

Savannah gasped. "She doesn't know the truth about the time lord... or herself." she murmured, suddenly feeling very dizzy.

Dayle sat up straight. "What? Who said that? Was this a new dream?"

Savannah mind was racing. Her mom had just said "time lord". A phrase she had never heard until about five minutes ago inside her own head. That just proved it. Dayle was connected to all this somehow.

With a shaking hand, she grabbed her dream journal from the sofa beside her and turned to the latest entry with the cryptic witch nonsense. She handed it to Dayle.

"It's not just dreams anymore." she told her mother softly. "Sometimes when I close my eyes, I hear this voice. Some creepy old woman..."

Dayle's eyes ran over the words on the page. She quietly closed the book and set it in her lap. Her hand covered her mouth like she was thinking. Savannah was beginning to think she'd forgotten she was in the room.

Then suddenly her mother said. "I think it's time to call the Doctor."

Wednesday, Universe B

When Sienna checked her phone after work, she was surprised to see that Dayle's mother Lenore had tried to call her. Lenore Byers was her biological grandmother and while she was a perfectly lovely woman, Sienna had only ever seen her maybe 4 or 5 times in her entire life.

Sienna started up her Chevy Cruze and checked her voicemail.

"Sienna sweetheart, this is your grandmother, Lenore. I was wondering if you might have a minute to come by and see me this evening. It's... it's important."

Sienna squinted down at her phone. What the hell could the woman have to tell her of such importance? Why wouldn't Dayle have called instead? She sighed and dialed Lenore back.

"Hey... it's Sienna. Is it okay if I head right over? I just got off work."

When Sienna knocked on the door at Lenore's home on Shadow Pines drive, she found herself suddenly very nervous. When a family member you barely knew summoned you to talk about something important, the news couldn't be good. Lenore answered almost immediately.

"Come in sweetheart." The attractive older woman looked her over as she entered the foyer. "You are looking wonderful."

"Thank you." Sienna hadn't quite worked out what to call Lenore. Clearly she thought of herself as Sienna's grandma so she thought just calling her Lenore would be disrespectful. She tried to avoid addressing her by name altogether if she could help it.

They sat down in the homey living room after Sienna declined an offer of a beverage. Truth be told, she'd kill for a cup of coffee but she wanted to cut to the chase here. The suspense was killing her.

The two women sat across from each other and shared a comfortable silence before the older woman began.

"Has your mother ever told you that I have something of a strange gift?" Lenore studied Sienna carefully with her beautiful blue gray eyes.

Sienna certainly hadn't been expecting that as an opener. A gift? Her heart began to beat double time. She thought about her own healing ability. She shook her head no, and waited to hear more.

Lenore nodded and cleared her throat. "Well. Since I was young I've always just kind of known things before they happen. Clairvoyance they call it." Lenore was clearly trying to gauge her granddaughter's reaction, unsure if she would be believed.

Sienna's eyes went wide. Oh she definitely believed her. This couldn't be a coincidence. She very nearly blurted out that she was able to heal people. Instead she pressed her lips together and gestured for Lenore to continue.

The older woman nodded and obliged. "Lately, I've been having strange dreams. The last time this happened was a couple years back. Your mother was involved with an odd fellow called the Doctor. Do you know him?"

Sienna blinked. "I do." She had no idea Lenore had been tied up in all that mess.

"So these dreams I'm having. They are about you." Now Sienna could see the concern in her grandmother's face and for the first time she began to feel truly scared. "I dream you are in some strange barren landscape. The earth and rocks are all red. There are caves. And there is a group of peculiar women wearing red robes. They are keeping you there. They won't let you leave."

Sienna swallowed and gripped the arms of the easy chair in which she sat. "Is that all that happens in the dreams?" she wondered.

Lenore now got a perplexed look on her face. "There's one other thing, though I'm not sure it involves you. I keep seeing this man I've never met before. He calls himself the Doctor. But he's certainly not the Doctor I met. He is lost and needs help finding his way. It's like he's reaching out, calling for someone to help him."

Sienna didn't realize she was shaking until Lenore leaned forward and placed a hand on her trembling leg in a comforting gesture. Then she continued. "This man. He is young like the Doctor. Only he has longish blonde hair. He wears striped pants and an athletic looking sweater, maybe tennis? And a long coat and a hat. Sienna sweetheart... why are you crying?"

Sienna was startled when she swiped under her eyes to find that Lenore wasn't mistaken. She was crying and had no idea why. If she was honest she felt shaken to her core. She knew without a doubt all this had something to do with what she'd been made to forget.

It was so strange. There wasn't a trace of the memories there but Sienna felt like she could almost, very nearly make out the empty space they once filled. It was like that feeling when you had a dream and forgot it. If you thought about it real hard, you could almost remember something-but nothing tangible. It was like the dream had left an imprint and you could only feel remnants of the way it made you feel.

Sienna wiped at her streaming eyes with the Kleenex Lenore handed to her. She was certain now that something had been taken from her. Something important. And for the first time, she felt angry.

Yes. It was high time she had a word with the Doctor.