Warning: I told you all that I would put in a warning about them laking move. Well here it is there will be move laking in this chapter but it's only hinted at. Please tell me if you think it's too graphic and I'll change the rating of the whole story. Thanks!

If you haven't figurued out the riddle yet it's about to be solved. Where one life ends, someone else's dream begins.


Chapter 9

Fiona was becoming testier as the day wore on; being in such close proximity to the Doctor was not helping either. He had a way of getting on her nerves as they searched for the key. They had already turned the house upside down and had nearly cleared the garage of all its contents in an impromptu spring cleaning. They had opened the old fashioned double doors, which moved outward instead of retracting into the ceiling as more modern varieties did, along with the side door. She even washed the windows so there would be more light to aid in their search. She also swept up in case any keys had fallen to the floor. She found a stray book under the workbench beneath the window. She had set it aside while they worked but was determined to add it to the rest of her collection later even though it looked like a diary of some sort.

They had ousted a family or mice though luckily the babies were old enough to scamper out after their parents though it had given Fiona quite a start. She had practically thrown herself at the Doctor when one of the adult mice jumped out at her. That didn't account for all the spiders they came across which made her run away in fright until he had gotten rid of them all but her skin still crawled and her already frazzled nerves stood on end.

She sighed in relief when she handed him the last basket that had keys in it. "This is the last of them; if it isn't here then I don't know where else to look." She told him trying to keep it together just a few more minutes and their search would be over, hopefully. She had to get away from him for a little while. She watched as he absently tossed keys aside shaking his head. She sighed again and wiped the sweat from her face and neck. The summer hadn't officially started and it was already blistering hot.

"No not here either," The Doctor said acting a bit out of sorts himself. "There has to be something else. It should be about an inch long…" He began.

"What part about that being the last bunch did you not understand?" Fiona lost it standing up and putting her hands on her hips she had had enough of his patronizing. "I do not have anymore keys!" She exclaimed.

"Maybe you forgot something." He insisted tersely. She threw her hands up in frustration.

"God you can be so infuriating!" She exclaimed. "I'm going inside to wash up. Find the darn thing yourself." She shot back over her shoulder as she stormed off towards the house.

"I'm infuriating?" She heard his exclamation follow her. She took in a deep breath of the air-conditioning as she stepped inside. She went to the sink and washed her hands using the paper towels she dried her hands on to wipe the sweat from her neck.

"I'm infuriating?" The Doctor exclaimed as the screen door slammed behind him.

"Yes you are! You don't listen to me and even when you do you contradict everything I say." She argued getting a cool glass of water nearly downing it in one gulp.

"I'm not the one who's been acting like a snapping turtle all day long." He retorted with a glare.

"Yeah if I was it was because you've been treating me like a stupid moron all day, it tends to do that to us earthlings." She replied tartly.

"Maybe if you didn't act so clueless all the time more men would find you attractive." He countered. She stared at him in disbelief for about a half a second before slapping his face. She stalked off towards her room but she didn't get very far before he grabbed her and spun her around. He took her face in both hands and kissed her squarely on the mouth.

She knew she should pull away maybe even slap him again but she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back digging her fingered in the sweaty mess of hair at the back where his neck and scalp met. It felt so right, it was better than she had imagined sending a spark down into the pit of her stomach making her crave more. She brushed her fingers through his hair reveling in the feel of his thick glorious hair. He moaned and pulled her tighter to him until their bodies touched completely, apparently he did have the right parts. The spell was broken however when he pulled away from her. The look in his eyes told her everything and more but she shook her head and pushed away from him.

"I can't…" She panted the image of a man waiting for her under that giant oak flashed in her mind. "You're not…" the Time Keeper, she finished silently backing away from him. Devastation was clearly written on his features and she turned and ran for fear that she would burst into tears for hurting him. She heard the back door slam as she went to stare out her bedroom window, she wouldn't give in to the desire to throw herself on her bed and cry.

"I'm not what Fiona?" He asked making her heart skip a beat. She hadn't heard him come up the stairs or enter her room and normally she could hear a mouse stirring. She was afraid of looking at him. "Should I ask who?" He questioned in a softer tone, almost intimate. She heard him as he crossed the distance between them. She could see his reflection in the window pane. "Does your reluctance have something to do with the Time Keeper?" he wondered meeting the reflection of her gaze and she nodded her head. He turned her around to face him holding her novel up between them. "I am the Time Keeper, Fiona. This book is me. Every detail of my life, everything I've ever said or done is written in these pages." He told her. She couldn't believe it but the truth was written in his eyes she shook her head unable to accept it.

"You can't be," she whispered.

"I am Fiona," He insisted setting the book on her dressing table nearby. She shook her head again and back away from him.

"You can't be!" She insisted not wanting to admit that her Time Keeper had belonged to someone else before her. "You just can't!" She added loosing her determination.

"Why, Fiona? Why can't I?" He asked stepping closer to her. She didn't dare admit the truth in case he disappeared as he did in her dreams. She couldn't bring herself to look at him but felt the gentle touch of his hand on her shoulder. "Please tell me why!" he begged in a tone of voice that sent shivers up her spine.

"Because," escaped her lips and she almost chickened out at the sound of her own voice. "Because for some inexplicable reason I've been in love with a complete stranger all my life and because as much as I want him to be real the Time keeper is just a figment of my imagination." She insisted though it was barely a whisper. He chuckled and lifted her chin so their eyes met; she couldn't tear her eyes away.

"I've been many things Fiona but I've never been someone's imaginary friend before." He caressed her with his voice and before she could object he covered her lips with his own. "Or an imaginary lover." He whispered in her ear pulling away then caressed her cheek as he peered down at her. She blushed and tried to look away again but he held her chin firmly with his thumb. "I'm not just telling you this as a means of seducing you Fiona. I'm telling you because for some equally inexplicable reason it's the truth. I want you to believe me. Read my mind and know that what I'm telling you is genuine." He compelled but she shook her head afraid of what he was asking her to do.

Before she had a chance to raise any objections she found herself in his mind when he initiated the contact. The things she saw took her breath away, the shear amount of information stored in his mind. The things he had seen, the people he had met, the names of lost friends he could never forget, the people he had loved long dead, the battles he had fought some won some lost. Everything up to the past year she had to live twice because of a rival Time Lord called the Master though the Doctor had eventually set everything right once again. The combination of everything she saw and the unexpectedness of it made her burst into tears.

"I'm sorry Fiona, you shouldn't have seen all that." He said taking her in his arms but she shook her head and looked up at him in amazement.

"You are my Time Keeper!" She breathed caressing his cheek but it was his turn to shake his head.

"No Fiona, not the Time Keeper. The Doctor." He said kissing her again which she gave into letting the feel of his mouth and tongue in hers reduce her to molten lava. He scooped her off her feet and carried her to her bed for an entirely different reason than before. She felt giddy as he stretched out over her and slowly undid the buttons of her blouse. Her eyes involuntarily closed as he caressed her bare skin.

"Oh, Doctor!" She exclaimed under his ministrations with a mixture of shock and delight. She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her with such a look eyes.

"Who am I?" He asked watching her. She smiled and caressed his cheek.

"My Doctor!" She whispered overcome by the fact that the man of her dreams was really real and there before her.

"I like that, say it again." He prodded moving deeper into her clothing eliciting a moan from her.

"My Doctor," She smiled knowing what she wanted and taking it, drawing him down into a kiss. She pulled at his t-shirt until it was under his arms so she could caress his chest. He moved away from her and pulled off both his shirts before lifting her up and removing her accoutrements as well. She was embarrassed by her nakedness never having shown it to a male but the look in his eyes quickly quashed any reservations she had and she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into a kiss. They made love until they crashed on the waves of pleasure; it was the most beautiful experience of her life.

"Where have you been all my life?" She breathed draping her arm over her chest. He laughed making her look up at him. "Did I really say that?" she asked feeling a bit silly. He smiled up at her and nodded his head caressing her cheek again.

"I think that should be my line." He told her.

"It sounds like a pick-up line." She admitted.

"Not when you say it." He said staring up at her.

"I bet you say that to all the girls." She remarked playing with the hairs on his chest.

"Now you know that's not true." He objected. "You're the first person I've been with since…" He stated but stopped as if hesitant to say her name.

"Since Rose you mean?" She finished for him looking up at him again. "I'm not you know." She told him remembering how wonderful it was in his arms.

"Not what?" He frowned tilting his head to the side.

"Guilty for making love to you even though I probably should be." She replied reaching down to kiss his chest before putting her ear to listen to his twin heart beat.

"You don't have to feel guilty Fiona. I'm not and if anything I'm the one who should be since I had the relationship with Rose. You were unconscious at the time but Rose begged me to move on with my life before she vanished again. I didn't think I could then but I think you might be the one I could move on with my life for." He explained he tugged on her chin with one hand and she looked up at him. "I want to be with you. I still love Rose," He said making her feel a bit jealous. "but I have room enough in my hearts to love you as well Fiona." He finished. She just stared at him for a bit mulling his words over in her head. She decided that even if he wasn't 'in love' with her that loving him and being loved by him in return was a worthwhile endeavor.

"Do you really, Doctor?" She asked curiously though she wasn't sure she really wanted to know the answer.

"Very much, though I didn't realize it at first." He admitted. She couldn't help but wonder if he really meant it.

"Even though most men don't find me attractive?" She asked rolling over onto her stomach looking at him with her chin propped on her hands. He leaned up on his elbow.

"God, Fiona I didn't mean that. I was angry and frustrated – in more ways than one, but I had no right to say that." He said stroking her hair brushing it out of her face. She looked down picking at the covers between her elbows unable to meet his gaze. "The truth is I find you very attractive." He confided putting his hand on top of hers to keep her from picking a hole in the sheet.

"Even if I'm a size twelve like Ginger Rogers not a negative two like Nicollet Kiderman?" Fiona asked knowing she wasn't as thin or as pretty as Jane. "Most guys who seemed interested in me didn't give me a second glance once they saw Jane." She added sadly.

"You are more than enough woman for me not to mention perfect just the way you are. Let other guys deal with those other woman's bones sticking them in the ribs, I prefer a woman with a little meat on her bones anyway. There's more to explore you might say." He grinned down at her seductively caressing the lines of her back for emphasis. Shivers ran down her spine as he leaned down to kiss her shoulder, his warm breath tickling the sensitive hairs on the back of her neck.

"You know how to say all the right things Doctor." She said rolling over to stare up at him.

"Only because I mean them." He replied kissing her on the lips. They made love at least two more times before falling asleep in each others arms. As she fell asleep the gonging in her head grew louder mimicking the beat of her heart as though keeping time with a countdown.

Doctor *** Who *** Ohw *** Rotcod

Despite what he told Fiona, the Doctor did feel a bit of guilt in regards to sleeping with her so soon after bidding Rose one last farewell. It had been a little over two years since he had left her and her family behind in that parallel universe but it still felt as though he was betraying the woman he had loved for so long. Except for Sarah Jane, the only other female companions that he took with him he had loved as children. He had even grown fond of the ever so annoying Tegan Jovanka as well although she had only come aboard by accident

In spite of the fact that he had grown to love Sarah Jane with his whole heart he had never gone beyond infatuation. In fact the only human he had ever made love to, was Rose Tyler, but he had thought about making love to Sarah Jane on occasion he just didn't allow himself to cross that line. At the time she was his companion he didn't know she felt that way about him and had not wanted to make their relationship awkward. He only recently learned of their mutual attraction for each other and by that time Rose was already securely fashioned in his heart.

He looked over at Fiona wondering what she thought of him. He hoped that he could figure out how to help her but more than that he hoped that she would want to come with him. He had not wanted a new companion but now that she had wormed her way into his hearts he was not about to let her go. He had not known of her existence until yesterday but now he could not live without her. He was not sure if he could give up his life of travel to be with her but he was willing to try, if she didn't want to go with him. He had not done much traveling in the past year since Martha left but he had planned on taking it up again eventually.

He rolled over onto his side so that he was facing Fiona. She was lying on her back sound asleep with a peaceful look on her face. He reached out to brush the hair out of her face and was startled by how cold she was to the touch. His hearts stopped and he frantically felt for her pulse sighing in relief when he detected a faint but steady beat.

"Doctor," He heard faintly, her voice hardly above a whisper. He looked down at her face. 'I can't move,' He noticed her mouth didn't move when she spoke.

"What's wrong?" He asked sitting up in bed. A slight frown creased her brow.

'I don't know I can't move and my legs are killing me.' She told him he could hear the painful strain on her voice though it was just in his head. He looked down to find her lower half twisted in an uncomfortable position and straightened her legs out carefully for her. 'Oh thank you!' She breathed a sigh of relief. 'Doctor, what is wrong with me?' She wanted to know; he could hear the sorrow in her voice. He shook his head unable to give her an answer.

"I'm sorry Fiona, I don't know." He sighed in frustration, in satisfying his desire he had nearly forgotten about her condition.

'I don't want to die, not now. Not after…' She cried though the only signs of distress were the deepening of the lines on her forehead. He soothed the wrinkles out trying to calm her the best he could but he couldn't take away the pain, the very thought of which angered him.

"Not while I'm here Fiona. I won't let that happen." He determined. "Please there has to be another key somewhere." He begged.

'I don't know we've checked everywhere already!' She insisted.

"There has to be something you're overlooking." He insisted. "Was there anything else of your birth mother's?" he asked.

'Only a gold locket nothing more I swear.' Fiona replied.

"Where is it Fiona?" he wanted to know.

'My mother's jewelry.' She answered weakly. 'Please hurry!' She exclaimed urgently. He jumped out of bed dressed hurriedly and headed for the room he assumed was her parents' room.

He didn't have long to search as he saw a decorative wooden box on the vanity under the window. He knew he had made the correct guess as he felt a buzz from inside even before he opened the lid. He wasn't sure what to expect but he knew right away that he had found what they searched for all day. A gold locket pulsed brightly even before he reached in to pick it up; sensing his Time Lord biology the camouflaged Tardis key morphed back into its true form. He hurried up the stairs to the attic taking a few seconds to unlock the door and leaving it unlocked.

The cloister bells were audible even before he got the Tardis doors open and it was nearly deafening when he stepped inside. The first thing on his agenda was to reduce the sound on the cloister bells so he could think as they had begun to give him a headache as well. That was the noise Fiona had been hearing all her life, the gonging. He tried making the Tardis believe that he was its master but all of his attempts failed… miserably. He did the only other thing he could do; he sacrificed close to ten years of his life knowing it would only postpone the machine's demise. He felt weakened but it bought him another few hours and hopefully eased Fiona's suffering somewhat, which made the loss well worth while.

"Please let this work!" He exclaimed searching through the databanks to pinpoint the exact date the machine began fading into oblivion. He also hoped it could give him a clue as to who the previous occupant was and what happened to cause the Tardis to begin dying in the first place

"Hello again Doctor," A female voice that was becoming annoyingly familiar spoke to him. He looked up to find her standing a few feet from his place at the console.

"I don't have time for this." He told the figment of his imagination.

"Don't you? I thought you had all the time in the world." She softly chuckled.

He frowned at her and shook his head. "How do you know me?" He demanded unable to remember where or when he had seen her.

"You still don't' remember?" She asked sadly.

"Are you…Romana?" He asked wondering if she had gotten away after all. The woman laughed and shook her head.

"No I'm not Romana though I can understand why you might mistake me for her. The woman you knew as Romana was my mother." The lady Time Lord revealed. The Doctor felt his knees give out as memories flooded in on him forcing him to lean against the console for support.

"Fionadvoratrelundar," He whispered remembering at last where he had met her before.

"Mother introduced us just before the start of the Time War. It was the day she sent me away do you remember?" she wondered. He nodded his head still speechless.

"What…" He began hoarsely clearing his throat. "What does this have to do with Fiona?" he asked, glancing up at her again. She had aged considerably since the last time they had met which was likely the reason why he didn't recognize her.

"Really Doctor has age diminished your powers of deduction that much?" She seemed amused by his ignorance.

"You are Fiona's namesake the grave outside is empty. She was born after you… what regenerated and you've been living in her attic ever since. Maybe you made yourself human but you still have the mind of a Time Lord you should have been able to stop this from happening." He demanded voicing what he had worked out in his head.

"Oh dear it is worse than I thought Doctor. Age has diminished your cognitive abilities. Yes I have lived in the Tardis for the past thirty-three years but only because I am part of the machine. Fiona is only as human you once were." She explained looking up at the ceiling. The Doctor frowned following her gaze which settled on the Chameleon Arch. He hearts stopped in his chest and his breath caught in his throat. He shook his head in disbelief. "As I told you Doctor I was given a new lease on life." She offered an explanation. He shook his head walking up to the machine which had yet another surprise in store for him. "Everything I am in a silly old watch. I guess when I took Peter into my confidence I forgot to tell him he had to remove the watch after it was over and done with. It's up to you now Doctor. Fiona needs you, I need you." She informed him.

He nodded reaching up to remove the fob watch like the one he had given to Timothy Latimer all those years ago; standard equipment for the arch because it could pass for an item from nearly any century. If there had been a place to sit down he would have gladly taken a seat but he forced himself to return to Fiona's room instead. She was exactly as he had left her, cold and practically lifeless.

He sat down on the bed next to her brushing a lock of hair out of her face still unable to believe she was the same woman he had met on board the other Tardis. He lifted one of her hands kissing the palm of it before placing her own life in her hands and closed her fingers around the watch.

"It's time to wake up now Fiona," He soothed almost hoping she would come around on her own. He loved her just the way she was and didn't want her to change back. "Please Fiona…" He begged but there was no improvement of her condition. He sighed knowing it was too late for a way out, there were no options left. "Open the watch Fiona." He told her moving her thumb into position for her. She must have heard him because with great effort she pressed the button causing the watch face to pop open.

The life giving light exploded out of its confinement enveloping her before disappearing, seeping through her skin. Absolutely nothing happened. Two seconds passed before her whole body arched upwards and she started thrashing about violently as the transformation began. He remembered that the transition from human to Time Lord was almost as painful as becoming human in the first place had been. All he could do was to take her in his arms and wait it out; he felt so useless. As quickly as it began the conversion was complete and Fiona went completely limp in his arms. He couldn't help fearing the worst, he wanted…no he needed her to live.

"I need you Fiona! Please don't leave me; I can't do this on my own anymore." He whispered close to her ear as he held her tightly to him. Not again! Oh, please not again, he thought to himself rocking her motionless body back and forth.