Chapter Seven:

The room Lily found herself in was a bedroom. It looked as though whoever had stayed there left without notice. There were clothes scattered across the floor; pictures on the shelves; a book laying open on the bedside table. Lily made her way in, looking around.

"Why would this room be locked?" She asked herself out loud.

"Because I wanted it that way," The Doctor said from the door. Lily turned around, shocked.

"I, I'm so sorry!" She said quickly. "I shouldn't have come in! I was just curious!" The Doctor walked in and picked up a shirt off the floor. Lily watched him closely. "Who's room was this, Doctor?"

"Rose's," he said as he looked back at her.

"Someone who traveled with you, I assume. I saw several bedrooms. How many have you had?" She asked. The Doctor sat down on the bed.

"So many," he said, a distant look in his eyes. Lily walked over and sat beside him.

"The picture in the main room, with the sorta blond man and the ginger woman and the baby? Did they travel with you too?" She asked.

"They were the most recent. Amy was with me for a while then her fiancé Rory came along. They got married and still stayed with me," he said with a smile. He missed them so much!

"Why'd they leave? Because of the baby?" Lily asked.

"Yes, Amy found out she was pregnant and we all knew they couldn't stay. I tend to get into trouble and here on the TARDIS is no place for a baby." he said with a nod.

"What about all the others? Why did they leave?" She asked. Even though she wasn't staying, she knew a life with The Doctor had to be exciting.

"Oh, a lot of reasons," he said, shaking his head. He looked up at the ceiling. "They just leave. Because they should or because they find someone else. Some of them forget me. And some of them, well, some of them break my heart." Lily looked at him carefully. She hadn't seem him like this. He was broken; a sad creature. She drew a safe conclusion.

"Like Rose?" She asked. The Doctor nodded.

"Yea," he said as he looked at her.

"What happened?" Lily asked as she touched his hand.

"I lost her," he responded. Lily looked at him, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, she decided it was up to her to keep him going.

"What? She, she died?" Lily asked. She didn't want to ask, she really didn't.

"No!" The Doctor looked up at her smiling. "She's in a parallel universe, living a life, with a human version of me!" Lily looked at him confused.

"A human version?" She asked.

"Long story," he said waving his hand. Lily nodded. He stood up quickly and took Lily's hand pulling her off the bed too. "We're back on Earth, your time, just after we left. I'm sure you've got a boyfriend or something waiting for you," The Doctor tried but failed to keep the sadness from his voice.

"Ha! Potter might miss me but," Lily stopped. The Doctor's face had changed from sadness to amusement.

"Who's Potter?" He asked, smiling.

"He's an arrogant toe-rag!" She said with obvious disgust. The Doctor laughed.

"That's a nice way to talk about your boyfriend!" He said. Lily shot him a look.

"Don't you dare call him my boyfriend! Or my anything for that matter!" Lily said, pointing her finger in his face. The Doctor laughed for a moment longer then sighed.

"Come on, it's time to go, Lily," he said, sadly.

"Already?" Lily asked. For some reason, she wasn't ready to go yet.

"You don't have to go, you know?" He said, looking in her eyes. And then she saw it. He didn't just want her to stay; he needed her to stay! There was so much pain and suffering hidden in his eyes. He might not need her specifically but he needed someone! And she was just the person! There was no way she could leave him! Not like this! He was so broken and deep down she felt the strange urge to fix him!

"So the offer to stay still stands?" She asked, looking down. She noticed then that he was still holding her hand. He realized at the same time and let go.

"Of course!" He told her. Lily thought for a moment. Actually, she didn't really need to think. Her mind was already made up. But she didn't want to let The Doctor know that.

"I suppose I could stay until school starts back up," she said, looking back at The Doctor. He smiled widely.

"You're staying?" He asked.

"Just for a little while!" She said. He pulled her into a tight hug and she laughed. The TARDIS hummed happily. Finally, someone other than The Doctor to keep her company.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Please keep the reviews coming! And yea, I had to through in the line from "The Next Doctor", it just fit so well with the scene! Anyways, REVIEW!