The white Dalek stated coldly: "We are the paradigm of a new Dalek race."

It began to introduce its comrades as the Doctor raised his brows: "Scientist, Strategist, Drone, Eternal, and the Supreme."

"Which would be you, I'm guessing." The Doctor interjected with a frown.

He gestured at them as he rambled, keeping Lily pressed to him as the Dalek was a little too close for comfort: "Well, you know, nice paint job. I'd be feeling pretty swish if I looked like you. Pretty supreme." He mocked, but he was tense.

Lily was as well, glancing around at the Daleks warily as the Doctor continued: "Question is, what do we do now? Either you turn off your clever machine or I'll blow you and your new paradigm into eternity."

"And yourself and your companion." The white Dalek pointed out.

The Doctor shrugged.

"Occupational hazard." He said flatly, but then the blue Dalek suddenly piped up: "Scan reveals nothing."

Lily winced, knowing they were caught.

"Tardis self destruct device non-existent." The blue Dalek reported and the Doctor bit into his biscuit defiantly as he mumbled around his mouthful of biscuit: "All right, it's a Jammy Dodger, but I was promised tea."

Lily sighed in exasperation, but thankfully they were saved as an alarm went off in the spaceship. The blue Dalek called: "Alert. Unidentified projectile approaching."

The Doctor and Lily glanced around, confused, as the blue Dalek added as it examined the ship's monitors: "Correction, multiple projectiles."

The Doctor turned around and darted to the back monitors behind him and Lily. Keeping Lily pressed in front of him, he leant over her to check the monitors himself, Lily peering at it as well. Her heart leapt as she saw the red dots appearing on the screen, indicating something approaching and circling the Dalek ship.

"What have the humans done?" The white Dalek demanded, turning back to the pair, and the Doctor shrugged as he admitted: "I don't know."

Lily tensed as the white Dalek ordered: "Explain. Explain. Explain."

Lily glanced back to see the white Dalek pointing its gun at the Doctor.

"Doctor." She warned, but then a voice rang over the ship's communicator.

"Danny Boy to the Doctor."

Lily and the Doctor's head's jerked up, their ears perking.

"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Are you receiving me? Over."

The Doctor spun around, staring up and he crowed: "Oh ho! Winston, you beauty!"

Lily smiled as the pilot called again: "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Come in. Over."

The Doctor shouted so that his voice would be carried through the ship's communicators: "Loud and clear, Danny Boy."

He dragged Lily with him, trying to keep as much of her shielded as possible as he backed away, through the Daleks, ordering: "Big dish, side of the ship. Blow it up. Over."

"Exterminate the Doctor and his companion." The white Dalek ordered and the Doctor pulled Lily into a run as the Daleks began to fire at them just as they reached the doors. They sprinted down to the Tardis, the Doctor hanging on to Lily's hand and urging her along to match his pace as they ran.

"It must've been Bracewell!" Lily cried happily as they reached the Tardis, the Doctor having to pause to open the door.

"His ingenious ideas- those gravity bubbles!" She added breathlessly and the Doctor grinned.

He opened the door and ushered her in quickly as he agreed: "Yes, it must've been. Oh ho, I love this!"

He cried as he dashed to the console: "The humans able to strike back because of the intelligence the Daleks provided themselves! The beauty of it."

He clicked on the Tardis communicators so that they could listen in again. Their glee turned to worry pretty quickly, and Lily clutched the Doctor's arm in sorrow as they lost first one, and then another pilot. It appeared the shield was still active around the dish, and Danny Boy called to them directly: "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Only me left now. Anything you can do, sir? Over."

The Doctor's lips were pursed thoughtfully before he picked up the mic for the com and he replied seriously: "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. I can disrupt the Dalek shields, but not for long. Over."

"Good show, Doctor." The good pilot replied hopefully. "Go to it. Over."

The Doctor lowered the com slowly, his head bowed. Lily rubbed his arm soothingly and he glanced at her. She smiled, grimly but reassuringly and he nodded giving her a small smile in return before his face became determined. He straightened his back and began twirling dials and pulling levers quickly.

"Come on." He muttered. "Come on."

"You can do it." Lily said calmly, encouraging him. He glanced at her and she smiled.

"I believe in you." She told him sincerely and the Doctor's eyes softened for a moment before he turned back to his work.

Lily tensed a little as they heard Danny Boy calling: "I'm going in. Wish me luck. Over."

Lily watched anxiously, but she didn't need to hear how it went. The Tardis rocked as the Dalek spaceship shook from the blast, and Lily laughed delightedly as Danny Boy declared triumphantly: "Direct hit! Over!"

Lily leapt at the Doctor, hugging him briefly but tightly. The Doctor returned the embrace in relief, but they broke apart quickly as Danny Boy called: "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Going in for another attack."

The Doctor quickly grabbed the com as he ordered: "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Destroy this ship. Over."

"What about you, Doctor?" Danny Boy asked, and the Doctor grinned at Lily as he replied confidently: "I'll be okay."

Lily grinned but it changed to a yelp of alarm as the white Dalek appeared on their round monitor.

"Doctor," it said threateningly, "call off your attack."

"Ah ha." The Doctor scoffed. "What," he strolled over towards the monitor as he sneered, "and let you scuttle off back to the future? No fear. This is the end for you. The final end."

His voice was dark as he finished, but the white Dalek warned: "Call off the attack, or we will destroy the Earth."

Even Lily had to snort at that, and the Doctor nodded in agreement with her as he pointed out with a grim smile: "I'm not stupid, mate. You've just played your last card."

But Lily's heart stopped as the white Dalek played its real final card. "Bracewell is a bomb."

Lily's face paled and the smile dropped off the Doctor's face.

"You're bluffing." The Doctor said flatly, refusing to believe the Dalek.

"Deception's second nature to you. There isn't a sincere bone in your body. There isn't a bone in your body." The Doctor added, sounding confused as he went on a different tangent, and Lily gave him a pointed look.

But they were forced back to the situation as the white Dalek said: "His power is derived from an Oblivion Continuum."

Lily didn't know what that was, but she was willing to bet it wasn't good. The Doctor's chest began to heave a little as he struggled to stay calm against his racing hearts. The white Dalek threatened: "Call off your attack, or we will detonate the android."

"No." The Doctor said frantically as he turned away from the monitor. "This is my best chance ever."

Lily watched anxiously as he dashed to the console, saying in agitation: "The last of the Daleks. I can rid the Universe of you," he grabbed the smaller monitor on the console and spat at the Dalek "once and for all."

"Then do it." The white Dalek challenged. It added its promise: "But we will shatter the planet below. The Earth will die screaming."

The Doctor's eyes had filled with angry and desperate tears as he said faintly: "Yeah, and if I let you go, you'll be stronger than ever. A new race of Daleks."

"Then choose, Doctor." The white Dalek goaded.

"Destroy the Daleks. Or save the Earth. Begin countdown of Oblivion Continuum." It ordered and the Doctor's face became cold.

Lily was unsure what to say - she wanted to save her planet, but these creatures were the Doctor's oldest enemies. She couldn't force him to choose them over destroying what were possibly the most evil creatures she'd encountered.

The white Dalek taunted: "Choose, Doctor. Choose. Choose."

The Doctor stared at the monitor, his eyes filled with hate and despair. His fingers itched, and for one very brief second, he was tempted to choose the Daleks.

But then he glanced at Lily, where she was trying her hardest to look neutral so as not to burden him, but he knew how to read her. He took in her pale face, the teeth marks on her lips from where's she'd been chewing just moments before. And he looked at her bright hazel eyes, the eyes he loved most in all the universe, the eyes of an innocent and caring human woman.

And he knew, no matter how much he hated the Daleks, he couldn't give up Lily to see them destroyed. And that cinched his choice. Glaring at the monitor once more briefly, he picked up his com and said in a low voice: "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Withdraw."

Lily's eyes widened as Danny Boy asked incredulously: "Say again, sir. Over."

"Withdraw." The Doctor repeated urgently. "Return to Earth. Over and out."

"But sir-" Danny Boy protested but the Doctor cut in sharply: "There's no time. You have to return to Earth now. Over."

The Doctor quickly began to twirl dials and levers as Lily ran up to him.

"Are you sure?" She asked worriedly and he glanced at her.

"Yes." He affirmed, pulling a lever sharply and the Tardis wheezed as they dematerialized.

"You're letting them escape." Lily pointed out and he asked sharply: "Are you saying you want me to let the Earth explode?"

She shook her head quickly, backing away a little as she said hastily: "Of course not, but," her voice softened, "I'm just making sure you didn't do something you'll regret."

That almost made him smile, because it reminded him of how she used to comfort him. But he was grim as he replied seriously: "I'll always regret letting them go. It's just I would regret it more if I let the Earth burn."

Lily nodded and as the Tardis wheezed once more, indicating their arrival, she suddenly leaned up, following her impulsive urge, and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." She breathed as he blinked in shock. Lily turned and ran out the doors quickly, and the Doctor quickly brushed aside his shock for now as he followed. He had to focus on saving Earth, again.

But that quick, almost shy kiss had given him energy and it was with renewed determination that he raced past Lily at the map room doors, reaching Bracewell first. And punched the man straight in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Doctor!" Lily scolded as she ran in after him.

Everyone had gasped in shock and Amy also called in surprise: "Doctor!"

"Ow." The Doctor complained as he shook his hand, wincing in pain.

He added to Bracewell: "Sorry, Professor, you're a bomb. An inconceivably massive Dalek bomb."

"What?" Bracewell asked incredulously while Lily cried: "That's not how you should have told him!"

"Too late now." The Doctor retorted as he knelt down beside Bracewell, explaining quickly: "There's an Oblivion Continuum inside you. A captured wormhole that provides perpetual power."

Bracewell whimpered while Amy's mouth fell open. "Detonate that, and the Earth will bleed through into another dimension."

With that he pulled out his screwdriver and ripped open the man's shirt.

"Now keep down." The Doctor ordered before he soniced the man's chest, causing the skin on his chest to open up to reveal Bracewell's real torso- a metallic chest with a circular disk where his heart should be. The disk was a light blue and divided into five sections. But even as they watched, one section began to change color, turning yellow, and indicating the start of the countdown.

"Well?" Amy asked desperately as she and Lily bent over to watch, and Bracewell glanced at his chest in horror and fear while the Doctor raised his sonic, flicking it frantically as he murmured: "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Never seen one up close before."

He pointed his sonic at it to test it while Amy shrieked: "So what, they've wired him up to detonate?"

"Oh no," the Doctor corrected quickly, "not wired him up. He is a bomb. Walking, talking, pow, exploding, the moment that flashes red."

Bracewell was beginning to shake in fear, and Lily snapped at the Doctor: "Can't you be a little more sympathetic?"

"Fate of the world at stake, sympathy is rather low on my list right now." The Doctor retorted as he ran his hand through his hair anxiously.

Lily bit her lip while Amy chimed in: "There's a blue wire or something you have to cut, isn't there?"

The Doctor looked up hopefully as she went on: "There's always a blue wire… Or a red one." She added in defeat and the Doctor said flatly: "You're not helping."

The Doctor turned on the spot, trying to think while Churchill said in amazement: "It's incredible. He talked to us about his memories. The Great War."

The Doctor replied distractedly: "Someone else's stolen thoughts, implanted in a positronic brain."

But that sparked an idea and he snapped his fingers as he ordered: "Tell me about it. Bracewell. Tell me about your life."

Bracewell was on the brink of hyperventilating but he managed to answer with forced calm: "Doctor, I really don't think this is the time."

"Tell me," The Doctor said sincerely but urgently, "and prove you're human."

Lily's brows shot up at that, although it then changed to alarm as the yellow section turned red. The Doctor's eyes widened but he continued seriously: "Tell me everything."

Bracewell thought about it and he began in a shaky voice: "My family ran the Post Office. It's a little place," the next section turned yellow, "just near the abbey, just by the ash trees. There used to be eight trees but there was a storm."

The Doctor interrupted anxiously, trying to dig up deep emotions: "And your parents? Come on, tell me."

Bracewell struggled to reply as he stumbled: "Good people. Kind people. They died. Scarlet fever."

The Doctor quickly jumped on it as he asked: "What was that like? How did it feel?"

The man's eyes teared up, but he couldn't reply and the Doctor urged impatiently: "How did it make you feel, Edwin? Tell me. Tell me now."

"It hurt." Bracewell moaned, sobbing a little. "It hurt, Doctor, it hurt so badly."

Amy covered her mouth while Lily's eyes clouded with tears. Her own pain - her parents' deaths, waking up one morning to find Rose and Jackie were lost - came back like a raw wound as Bracewell moaned sorrowfully: "It was like a wound. I though it was worse than a wound." But his chest section had still turned red and the third section was now yellow too. "Like I'd been emptied out. There was nothing left."

The Doctor tried to encourage him as he said: "Good. Remember it now, Edwin. The ash trees by the Post Office and your mum and dad, and losing them, and men in the trenches you saw die."

Amy and Lily frowned a little as the Doctor rambled: "Remember it. Feel it. You feel it because you're human." The section was turning a deep orange. "You're not like them. You're not like the Daleks."

"It hurts, Doctor. It hurts so much." Bracewell gasped and the Doctor encouraged: "Good. Good, good, brilliant."

But Lily thinned her lips, thoughtful. The Doctor continued, rambling desperately: "Embrace it. That means you're alive."

The section turned red and the next section turned yellow, and Lily stepped forward.

"They cannot explode that bomb because you're a human being. You are flesh and blood. They cannot explode that bomb."

Amy stepped after Lily hesitantly.

"Believe it. You are Professor Edwin Bracewell, and you, my friend, are a human being." The Doctor tried, but the fourth section had turned red, and the Doctor was dismayed.

"It's not working. I can't stop it." He whispered to Lily frantically, but Lily was leaning down by Bracewell's head.

"Professor," she murmured and he glanced at her startled, "have you ever been in love?"

The Doctor glanced at her in surprise, but Lily was focused on Bracewell, who murmured: "Oh, er…"

"Come on, Paisley" Amy added encouragingly. "Ever fancied someone you know you shouldn't?"

"What?" Bracewell squeaked, but he blushed.

Both Amy and Lily smiled softly, and Lily asked kindly: "It hurts, doesn't it? But kind of a good hurt."

She didn't notice but the last section had faded to a light yellow at her words. Amy saw, however, and knew they were on the right track.

Bracewell murmured shyly: "I really shouldn't talk about her."

"Oh. There's a her." Amy prompted, her brow arched. Bracewell smiled a little, embarrassed but happy. The yellow section became blue and the Doctor stared at the girls with wonder.

"What was her name?" The Doctor asked, catching on, and Bracewell sighed.

"Dorabella." He murmured lovingly, and the Doctor repeated a bit contemptuously: "Dorabella?"

He caught sight of Lily's face as she turned to him disapprovingly, and he quickly amended: "It's a lovely name. It's a beautiful name."

Lily drew Bracewell's attention again as she asked: "What was she like, Edwin?"

She carefully chose to use the man's first name, knowing he'd feel more connected that way. And he did- he sighed contently and his eyes became dreamy as he said softly: "Oh, such a smile."

The Doctor started a little, and slowly his eyes moved to Lily. She didn't notice, focused on Bracewell as he continued: "And her eyes." The Doctor stared at Lily's intently. "Her eyes were so blue. Almost violet, like the last touch of sunset on the edge of the world."

Amy glanced down to see every one of the sections were blue, but one. But as Bracewell's face broke into a peaceful smile, the last section turned blue as well, just as the man said, his voice caressing the name lovingly: "Dorabella."

The Doctor had been staring at Lily as he listened to Bracewell, so he hadn't seen. But when Amy nudged him slyly, he glanced down and then his eyes lit up. The Doctor murmured: Welcome to the human race."

Lily was startled at his comment and looked down at the scientist's chest, her eyes wide. She lifted her head, eyes shining and the three friends shared a joyful smile. The Doctor turned suddenly, snapping his fingers and pointing at Churchill.

"You're brilliant." He declared, and Churchill blinked in surprise, but the Doctor had already turned back to Bracewell as he said: "You're brilliant."

Bracewell chuckled a little. The Doctor turned to Amy and said: "You're brilliant."

She grinned, but it slipped a little as the Doctor turned to Lily.

"And you. I…" He couldn't even express himself and he flailed his hands a little before grabbing her face and kissing her forehead.

She laughed at him, and he shot up as he said hurriedly: "Now. Got to stop them. Stop the Daleks."

He made to dash out the door but Bracewell called: "Wait, Doctor."

He heaved himself up and the Doctor paused, turning to look back as the man called: "Wait, wait."

Bracewell looked the Doctor straight on as he told him sadly: "It's too late."

The Doctor walked back inside slowly as Bracewell told him: "Gone. They've gone."

"No." The Doctor said, his hands beginning to clench into fists and he shouted in a mix of anger and anguish: "No! They can't. They can't have got away from me again."

"No, I can feel it." Bracewell explained sadly. "My mind is clear. The Daleks have gone."

The Doctor reeled a little, his eyes wide with disappointment and a deep despair. Lily walked over, touching his arm and he glanced at her. She examined him worriedly and his shoulders sagged in resignation when Amy said brightly, trying to cheer him up: "Doctor, it's okay. You did it. You stopped the bomb."

But as he just sagged sadly, she asked concernedly: "Doctor?"

The Doctor slowly spoke, explaining to them what Lily already knew: "I had a choice. And they knew I'd choose the Earth. The Daleks have won."

He swallowed, and continued in a hollow voice: "They beat me. They've won."

Lily rubbed his arm soothingly and when he looked down at her she pointed out: "But you saved the Earth. Not too shabby."

He peered down at her, examining her eyes. And once again, he found his reason to continue, and the reason he couldn't truly regret losing to the Daleks. Because if winning meant paying with Lily's world, he would rather not win.

So the Doctor smiled a little, and although it was still tinged with some sadness, he admitted: "No, it's not too shabby."

Lily beamed while Amy arched a brow, a little jealous. Churchill interjected: "It's a brilliant achievement, my dear friend. Here, have a cigar."

He lifted the item in question, and the Doctor grimaced a little as he replied softly: "No."

Lily smiled and impulsively hugged the Doctor, and he pulled her in closer. He knew there were lines he shouldn't cross now when she couldn't remember their previous relationship, but he couldn't help himself from burying his face into her brown locks, feeling the familiar tickle and breathing the familiar scent.


The next morning was a new day for the soldiers, and Amy was with Churchill while Lily helped the Doctor. They'd just finished and were just walking into the map room as Churchill asked: "Where's the Doctor?"

"Tying up loose ends." He called. Amy looked over and smiled at Lily who grinned back, as the Doctor continued: "I've taken out all the alien tech Bracewell put in."

Churchill sighed as he pleaded: "Won't you reconsider, Doctor? Those Spitfires would win me the war in twenty hours."

"Exactly." The Doctor pointed out as he picked up the tea Amy had readied for her friends.

Lily smiled as she took her cup with a grateful nod at the redhead while Churchill whined: "But why not? Why can't we put an end to all this misery?"

"Oh, it doesn't work like that, Winston," The Doctor chided good-naturedly, "and it's going to be tough."

He placed his cup down as he said seriously: "There are terrible days to come. The darkest days. But you can do it. You know you can."

He encouraged and Churchill suggested: "Stay with us, and help us win through. The world needs you." He added and the Doctor chuckled: "The world doesn't need me."

"No?" Churchill asked as he raised his brows, and the Doctor smiled as he replied sincerely: "The world's got Winston Spencer Churchill."

Churchill chuckled at that while the girls grinned. Churchill said at last: "It's been a pleasure, Doctor, as always."

"Too right." The Doctor teased.

Churchill opened his arms and the Doctor laughed as he reached in and hugged his friend.

"Goodbye, Doctor." Churchill said and the Doctor said half-teasingly: "Oh, shall we say adieu?"

Churchill smiled.

"Indeed." He agreed before they broke apart.

He turned to Amy as the Doctor picked up his tea once more, and Churchill said sincerely: "Goodbye, Miss Pond."

Amy chuckled as she shook his hand, saying admiringly: "It's, it's been amazing, meeting you."

"I'm sure it has." Churchill teased and Amy laughed.

Amy chuckled and then leaned in to kiss Churchill's cheek. He then turned to Lily and said heartily: "Goodbye, Miss Tyler."

"Goodbye. It's been an honour, sir." Lily said sincerely as she shook the man's hand.

He chortled as he replied: "Oh, I don't know. I think the honour's mine, meeting the Doctor's special someone."

The Doctor choked on his tea while Lily blinked in surprise. Amy felt that twinge of jealousy once more, but she quickly tried to shove it aside. Lily meanwhile had flushed with embarrassment, and she began: "Er, that, I'm not…"

"Er, she's not-" The Doctor chimed in quickly at the same time, but Churchill cut in: "I know, I know."

He peered up at the Doctor through his glasses as he added pointedly: "Not yet, no?"

The Doctor avoided looking at his friend, opting to sip his tea as he looked somewhere above Churchill's head. Lily looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or hide, as Churchill turned and began to walk away.

"Goodbye, Doctor." He called, and Lily remembered something.

She was about to say something when Amy called with a grin: "Oi, Churchill."

The man turned expectantly, and Amy raised her hand, gesturing as she ordered: "Tardis key. The one you just took from the Doctor."

The Doctor looked surprised as he searched his pocket quickly and Churchill chuckled as he complimented: "Oh, she's good, Doctor. They both are."

He raised his brows, looking at Lily pointedly to show he knew she'd been aware as well, and Lily smiled sheepishly. He held up the key as he added: "As sharp as a pin."

He handed the key to Amy as he finished with a chuckle: "Almost as sharp as me."

He lit another cigar and said in a final farewell: "K.B.O."

Churchill left, and the Doctor held out his hand expectantly. Amy looked at it and rolled her eyes before handing him his key back grudgingly. Lily also made a face, but the Doctor just grinned at them as he led the pair off with him for one more final goodbye.


As they walked into the lab, Bracewell said, his back turned to them: "I've been expecting you, Doctor. I knew this moment had to come."

They stopped a little behind the sorrowful man, and the Doctor asked in confusion: "Moment?"

"It's time to de-activate me." Bracewell said seriously, and he began to turn around as the Doctor asked: "Is it? Oh. Er," he began as he realized, and he glanced at the girls. The trio shared conspiratorial looks and he added hastily: "yeah."

Bracewell went on bravely as he looked at the Doctor: "You have no choice. I'm Dalek technology. Can't allow me to go pottering around down here where I have no business."

"No, you're dead right, Professor." The Doctor agreed quickly. "A hundred percent right. And," he glanced at the girls, "by the time I get back here in what," he narrowed his eyes a little, "ten minutes?"

He guessed and Amy suggested as she looked at Bracewell pointedly: "More like fifteen."

"Fifteen minutes, yeah," the Doctor agreed quickly, "that's exactly what I'm going to do. You are going to be so de-activated." He rambled. "It's going be like you've never even been… activated."

Lily suppressed a snort of laughter and the Doctor gave a small wince while Amy quickly agreed: "Yeah."

Bracewell asked confused but determined: "Fifteen minutes?"

"More like twenty, if I'm honest." The Doctor said quickly. "Once Pond, Lily and I see to the urgent thing-"

"Yes." Amy agreed quickly, and Lily nodded emphatically as the Doctor carried on: "We've got to see to. The, the…"

He couldn't think of anything so he looked at Bracwell, hoping the man could get the hint.

"See?" He asked and Bracewell nodded.

"Very well, Doctor. I shall wait here and prepare myself." He said as he sat down resignedly.

"That Dalek tech a bit slow on the uptake." Amy muttered to the Doctor and Lily, before she spoke louder, letting it become more obvious as she said: "That thing we've got to do, going to take half an hour, realistically, isn't it, Doctor?"

She looked at Bracewell pointedly, and he gave her a confused look.

"More like, say an hour." Lily added pointedly, and the Doctor agreed: "Easily. So no running off, that's what I'm saying."

The Doctor looked at Bracewell pointedly and the man looked absolutely bewildered as the Doctor said suggestively: "Don't go trying to find that little Post Office with the ash trees or that girl. What was her name?"

"Dorabella." Bracewell answered slowly and the Doctor said sternly: "Dorabella. On no account go looking for her."

He then smiled as he hinted: "Mind you, you can get a lot done in an hour."

Finally a look of understanding dawned on Bracewell's face, and he laughed. They all laughed, the Doctor saying cheerily: "Ye-hey!"

"Thank you." Bracewell said happily. "Thank you, Doctor."

The Doctor lifted his hands before saying lightly: "Lily. Come along, Pond."

He left and the girls gave Bracewell one more smile before they followed the Doctor out.


As they finally made their way to the Tardis, Amy began: "So, you have enemies then?"

Lily smiled while the Doctor scoffed: "Everyone's got enemies."

"Yeah, but mine's the woman outside Budgens with the mental Jack Russell." Amy pointed out.

The Doctor paused and he leant on the Tardis as Amy hinted: "You've got, like, you know, arch-enemies."

She and Lily leant on the Tardis doors as well, as the Doctor replied thoughtfully: "Suppose so."

Lil smiled a little while Amy said thoughtfully: "And here's me thinking we'd just be running through time, being daft and fixing stuff. But no, it's dangerous."

"Yep. Very. Is that a problem?" The Doctor asked, and Amy shrugged.

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Amy pointed out. "And Lily."

She nodded at her friend who grinned.

"If you were trying to scare me off, it hasn't worked yet." She agreed and the Doctor chuckled a little.

The girls watched him, and Amy said slowly: "You're worried about the Daleks."

"I'm always worried about the Daleks." The Doctor replied lightly, but there was the hint of darkness there.

Amy asked, trying to be see the bright side: "It'll take time though, won't it? I mean, there's still not many of them. They'll need a while to build themselves up."

The Doctor abruptly turned, beginning to unlock the Tardis as he murmured: "It's not that. There's something else. Something we've forgotten. Or rather you two have."

He looked at them, and the girls frowned. But Lily had become pensive while Amy asked defensively: "Me?"

"You didn't know them, neither of you." The Doctor explained. "You'd never seen them before. And you should have done. You should."

He paused and decided to go out on a limb.

He looked Lily straight in the eye as he told her: "And I know you definitely did, Lily."

Her eyes widened, but the Doctor had stepped into the Tardis. The girls exchanged looks, puzzled, before they slowly followed the Doctor inside. As the Tardis dematerialized, the trio once again missed something. A small crack in the wall behind where the Tardis had been, identical to the one in Amy's childhood.

*A/N Dum dum dum~ and yes, that is a major clue as to why Lily can't remember the Doctor even after reuniting with him ;)