Thanks to hpandthemaraudersrock, grapejuice101, SilverMoon100, brmngirl for following/faving my story.

doctor712: me too and you're welcome

NicoleR85: thanks!

Doctor11rocks: yep Charlotte/Ziva is off. and I'm glad you like this story.

As soon as the Doctor set the TARDIS into the Time Vortex, he turned to Charlotte who was looking around the console room in awe. As much as he'd like to let her get used to his ship being bigger on the inside, there was a more important matter at hand. Her memories. He had to see whether Charlotte's memories were still there but just buried deep down or the more troubling theory, her memories had been taken from her.

"I would like to take you to the med bay. Just to check on your health. Is that ok?" the Doctor asked.

"Sure", Charlotte replied. Rose watch them walk off into the depths of the TARDIS. She was still in two minds about having the amnesiac on board. She could understand why the Doctor invited her. He'd met her before. So maybe the Time Lord could help Charlotte remember who she was. But she's also concerned that the woman could possibly be a liability due to her lack of memory.

Yes, she'd gotten into trouble a few times in her travels with the Doctor. However, she at least had an awareness of the potential danger out there in the universe. Charlotte didn't. She could all of them at risk without even meaning to. Perhaps she should gently suggest to the Doctor that Charlotte stay in the TARDIS, for the time being at least.

~med bay~

Charlotte sat in the hospital style bed as the Doctor scanned her with his sonic. "Well, you are in perfect health", the Doctor reported looking at the results.

"That's good", Charlotte said happy to hear that.

"There is something else I would like to do, with your permission", the Doctor said. He wasn't sure how she'd react to this next bit but it was kind of important to determine what's happened to her memories.

"And what's that?" Charlotte asked.

"I'd like to take a look inside your mind", the Doctor answered. When she looked alarmed, he quickly added "just to check for your memories. It'll be a quick peek and it won't hurt, I promise".

Charlotte looked at him for a moment before she nodded. "What do I have to do?" she asked.

"Close your eyes", the Doctor replied. The curly haired woman did so and the Time Lord placed his fingers on her temples, closing his eyes as well.

He wasn't looking through her mind for long when he frowned. There didn't seem to be anything prior to Charlotte meeting Sarah Jane. How could that be? Unless...her memories really had been taken.

No, they had to be here. He just had to go a little deeper. The Doctor tried to do just that but all he found was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even a fragment of memory from their meeting a few years ago. His twins hearts sank. He had hoped that they'd be there, just deeply buried in her subconscious. This meant it was going to be a bit more of a challenge to discover who this woman really was.

The Doctor removed his hands from Charlotte's temples and opened his eyes. "You can open your eyes now Ziva", he said. The brunette did so.

"Did you find anything?" Charlotte asked hopeful. It made the Doctor's hearts hurt even more by her expression. She trusted him to help her. How could he tell her that her memories were gone? It would crush her. No, he wouldn't tell her the truth. Not until he found out what happened.

"I did...sort of", Doctor answered.

"What do you mean? Sort of?" Charlotte questioned, confused.

"Well…" the Doctor had to choose his words very carefully for this next bit "I found a wall in your mind. Your memories have been blocked off but that's normal for anyone who's been through any sort of severe trauma".

"Will I be able to remember anything?" Charlotte asked "from before?"

"It'll come back to you in time Ziva. Just don't force yourself to remember", the Doctor said gently.

"I've waited a few months for my memories to come back, I can wait a few more", Charlotte said. The Doctor relaxed when she said this. He was glad that she'd bought his explanation. How long she'll be willing to wait before she gets frustrated and demanding answers, he didn't know. But at least he'd bought himself a few months to find out the truth. "Though I do have a little favour to ask you", the brunette continued.

"What is it?" the Doctor asked.

"Would you mind calling me Charlotte instead? I know Ziva is my real name but it just doesn't feel like my name. I realise that doesn't make sense but…"

"Actually, it does make sense", the Doctor said, gently cutting in. He understood why she'd preferred Charlotte to Ziva. The only memories she had was a lot being Charlotte, the name that Sarah Jane had picked out for her. So if that made her feel more comfortable, then he shall call her Charlotte until she says otherwise. "And if that's the name you feel comfortable with, then that's what we'll call you", he said.

"Than –" Charlotte started when the lights started to flash "whats going on?" she asked.

"I don't know", the Doctor replied, equally as puzzled as she was. They left the med bay and hurried back to the console room where Rose was, looking rather startled by what was going on.

"I didn't touch anything I swear!" she insisted "it just started going crazy".

"We've received a distress signal. The TARDIS was trying to tell us by flashing her lights", the Doctor said looking at the scanner.

"That's pretty clever", Charlotte remarked.

"You might want to hold on to something", the Doctor warned. Charlotte and Rose barely managed to grab hold of the console before the Doctor sent the box flying through the vortex.

When the TARDIS finally materialised, it was in a large, darkened room. The trio didn't leave the box just yet as they were trying to determine where they were by using the scanner. "Well we're on Earth", the Doctor reported looking at the information displayed which to the females looked like a bunch of interlinking circles "Utah, North America. 2012".

"God, that's so close", Rose muttered "I should be about…26", she guessed.

"I don't know how old I'd be", Charlotte said quietly "don't even know how old I am now". The Doctor placed a comforting hand on her back.

"Maybe you should stay in the TARDIS for this one", Rose suggested carefully "we can go somewhere…nicer afterwards".

"No, I'm not going to let my lack of memory stop me from helping", Charlotte said.

"I think Rose might be right on this", the Doctor agreed. He could see his companion's reasoning for having Charlotte stay in the safety of the TARDIS.

"I'm not staying behind", Charlotte said firmly "I don't know who I was before but this me doesn't turn her back on anyone who needs help. Sarah Jane taught me that" the latter part was directed at the Doctor.

The Time Lord sighed "you can come with us but you stick with me at all times. Don't wander off", he said sternly.

"Ok, I'll stick with you and not wander off", Charlotte promised.

"Good", the Doctor said, satisfied with her answer. The three of them then left the TARDIS.

"Is there lights in this place?" Rose asked squinting in the darkness "can't see a thing". The Doctor felt around on the wall for such a switch and when his fingers came into contact with one, he flicked it on. Light flooded the place showing them rows of glass cases.

"Its museum", Charlotte remarked walking over to the nearest case, peering into it. Behind the glass was a lump of rock.

"An alien museum", the Doctor corrected eyeing the cases that surrounded them "Someone's got a hobby". He started walking, Rose and Charlotte following him "They must have spent a fortune on this", he muttered "Chunks of meteorite, moon dust…that's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship", the Doctor added naming them as they passed the cases.

Rose then noticed something familiar in one of the cases "That's a bit of Slitheen! That's a Slitheen's arm. And it's…stuffed", she said eyeing it with disgust.

"Ah! Look at you!" the Doctor said seeing something else in another case. It was the head of a Cyberman that looks like it was falling apart.

"What is it?" Charlotte asked.

"An old friend of mine…well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old", the Doctor replied. Charlotte glanced at him curiously. He didn't look old at all but then again, thanks to Sarah Jane, she knew he was much older than he looked. It was just the body he'd chosen for this particular regeneration.

"Is that where the signal's coming from?" Rose questioned nodding to the robot head.

"Nah, its stone dead", the Doctor said, staring intently at the Cyberman head "The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help" he places the tip of his finger on the glass. Immediately an alarm and they're promptly surrounded by soldiers all pointing their guns at the trio.

"If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A", Rose said putting her hands up.

The trio didn't have to wait long before they were promptly escorted into a rather large office by a ginger haired woman named Diana Goddard.

"What does it do?" Van Statten asked Adam who was showing him his latest purchase.

"Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel", Adam guessed.

"I really wouldn't hold it like that", the Doctor cut in seeing how Van Statten was holding the item in his hands.

"Shut it", Godard snapped. Charlotte raised a brow at her rudeness. The Doctor was only pointing out the fact that the American was holding the thing wrong. No need to be rude about it.

"Really, though, that's wrong", the Doctor insisted.

"Is it dangerous?" Adam asked.

"No, it just looks silly", the Doctor replied reaching for the item. Several security personnel readied their weapons making him pause. Van Statten held up a hand, signalling the men to lower their weapons. He then handed the object to the Doctor. "You just need to be..." the Time Lord gently stroked the item and it made a pleasant noise "Delicate".

"It's a musical instrument", Van Statten remarked.

"And it's a long way from home", the Doctor added.

Van Statten stood up "Here, let me", he said snatching it from him. The Time Lord raised his eye brows at the man. Van Statten tried to replicate what the Doctor was doing but he only made harsh sounds which caused Charlotte to cringe a little.

"I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision", the Doctor said. Van Statten changed his touch on the instrument and pleasant sounds "Very good. Quite the expert", the Time Lord commented.

"As are you", Van Statten said.

Much to the dismay of the Doctor, he carelessly tossed the instrument aside. Even Charlotte was a little annoyed at how he just threw it away like it was nothing. "Who exactly are you?" Van Statten asked.

"I'm the Doctor. And who are you?" the Doctor asked with a new disdainful look in his eye.

"Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake", Van Statten.

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah", the Doctor confirmed.

"The question is, how did you get in? 53 floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplices" the man looked at both Rose and Charlotte "You're quite a collector yourself, they're rather pretty".

"Keep looking at us like that and I'm gonna smack ya", Rose warned feeling thoroughly uncomfortable under his leering gaze.

"Me too", Charlotte agreed. Van Statten seemed to brighten up when she spoke. Her accent wasn't like anything he'd heard before.

"My…we have an exotic beauty in our presence", he remarked "say something else".

"She's not some performing animal", the Doctor said, deciding to step in. He didn't like the way Van Statten was eyeing Charlotte…like she was some kind of rare object. "Now who the hell are you?"

"This is Mr Henry Van Statten", Adam introducing the American man.

"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose asked.

"Mister Van Statten owns the internet", Adam answered.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. She may not remember who she was but she definitely knew that nobody owned the internet. When she voiced this, a look of pure glee crossed Van Statten's face.

"And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" he said giving Charlotte a wink causing the Doctor to shift protectively in front of her.

"So, you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up", he accused, glaring a little at the man.

"And you claim greater knowledge?" Van Statten asked.

"I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am", the Doctor said.

"And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?" Van Statten asked.

"You tell me", the Doctor countered.

"The cage contains my one living specimen", Van Statten explained "you'd find it fascinating my dear", he added, leaning to one side to look at Charlotte. He only got the briefest glimpse of the brunette before the Doctor blocked his view once again.

"And what's that?" the Time Lord demanded.

"Like you don't know", Van Statten retorted.

"Show me", the Doctor challenged.

"You want to see it?" Van Statten shot back.

"Blimey, you can smell the testosterone", Rose commented and Charlotte hummed in agreement. Van Statten turned to Goddard.

"Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down" he then turned his attention to Adam "You, English. Look after the blonde. Canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do "to the Doctor and Charlotte he said "You, Doctor with no name and exotic beauty…come and see my pet" with that Van Statten walked towards the lift.