"So there is a cure," Rose stated as the door to the Tardis swung shut.

"Yes there is!" the Doctor reported, flipping a switch with glee.

"But the cure is the Daleks," Jack said.

"Yes it is!"

"So all we have to do is hunt down a Dalek, corner it, subdue it, and demand it hand over the technology to reverse this disease," John concluded.

"Yes we do!"

"It's a foolish plan," River informed him. "No Dalek is going to just hand over the cure for a disease they purposely inflicted upon you."

"It's not an intravenous or pill cure, River. The Matron said all we needed was the technology. So we just need to hunt one down, disable it, and take it apart. Something in their metal casings must work."

"Grandfather, are you really willing to risk your life?" Susan asked in a small voice.

He sighed, looked at her, and bent to put his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, Susan, I would. I don't know what they're planning, but I bet the Daleks aren't going to simply wait for me to keel over. I have to try. I owe it to myself; I owe it to you. I didn't spend months tracking you down just to be the one to die."

He straightened. "Now then, where should we start?"

"How about in a mental hospital," Jack said sarcastically.

"Very funny, Jack. Now come here and give me a hand." He didn't wait for a reply. "Now then, we're going to do something I don't normally do; we're going to crash into a Dalek ship, take them by surprise, go in, grab a Dalek, and get out before they know what's happening."

"And how is that different?" Rose wondered.

"It's not, that was just something to make himself sound incredibly clever and reassure the rest of us," John said quietly.

"I heard that," the Doctor said. "Stop giving away all my secrets!"

"Maybe we should start in a mental hospital," Jenny piped up. "The Doctor's talking to himself."

"And he's answering!" He gritted his teeth. "All right, you!" Jenny giggled. "You just take a seat; everyone take a seat! Because here—we—go!" He yanked down on the final lever and all the companions were thrown back against the railing. The Doctor lost his grip on the console and spun into River's arms. The Tardis jerked again, but River held fast to him and whispered, "You are absolutely mad." Another jerk, but she held him close by only his bow tie. "I will not let you do anything foolish, do you hear me?" He searched her eyes, but found only cold concern. "I'm staying here in the Tardis. At the first sign of trouble, I'm pulling you out. Do you understand?"

He stared at her for a moment before finding his voice. "Yes, dear."

The Tardis settled and everyone softened their hold on the railings. River smiled and kissed him. "Good. Now then, go out and save the universe again you wonderful, sexy man."

"Oh, River, naughty. You used the four-letter s-word. For shame."

"What are you going to do about it?"

He was prepared to reply, but Jack interrupted them. "Doctor! Mind telling us where we are?"

"Go on, sweetie," River told him, giving him another kiss. "I'll be here when you return."

"Keep the lights on."

"And the bed warm."

"Ooh."

"Doctor!" Jenny barked.

He tore himself away and pulled down the scanner. "Seems we've found a lonely little Dalek scout ship on the edge of the safety zone of a black hole into which a blue dwarf star is collapsing."

"What are they doing here?" Jack wondered aloud.

"Oh, the Daleks have always been curious about the 'other side' of a black hole," John said matter-of-fact. "I mean, really, who isn't? For the Daleks, they expect either another universe to conquer and spread Dalek-kind, or else some sort of incredible power source. After all, nothing escapes a black hole, and that kind of power is appealing to them."

"'Scuse me," the Doctor interjected. "I'm the Doctor now. I'm the one who gets to sound extremely clever."

"But he doesn't get to sound so clever at home," Rose told him. "I'm the only one he can impress with it; everyone else looks at him like he's crazy."

"People look at me like I'm crazy and it doesn't bother me."

John gave him a look. "Yes it does. Besides, you said you risked our time and space just so you could find me and have clever conversations. I don't know about you, but this seems to be a one-sided conversation."

"I do want clever conversations," the Doctor said, brushing past him and leaning against the door. "But I will remind you that you are no longer the Doctor. You are a passenger, and you are human. And now you get to follow all the rules you set up and complained about your other companions never following."

"You never had any companions?" Rose asked as his hand touched the door handle. He paused and she went on. "You traveled alone?"

"No," he said irritably and looked back. "I did travel with companions. And they had a bad habit of not following the rules." He gave John a pointed glance. "Now then, you'll have to follow your own rules."

John shrugged and grinned mischievously. "I'm not the Doctor; I'm just a human passenger. What are the rules again?"

"Don't wander off. Remember, we're just here to capture one Dalek. And don't do anything foolish. I want to return you all safely to your own times and universes. Does anyone here not understand?"

"Isn't River coming?" Jenny inquired, looking back at the woman who leaned against the console.

"It's killing her not to, but no, she's not. In the event of an emergency, she's our only way out." He looked over them all. "Any more questions? No. Good; let's move out."

As they slowly filed out of the Tardis, Jack reported quietly, "Scanners indicate three Daleks onboard, all in what is likely the control room. No indication that we've tripped any alarms."

"Of course not!" River shouted after them. "Because I'm a better pilot than he is!"

"Thanks, dear!" the Doctor shouted back, much to the amusement of the gang. River waved at him as the door swung shut and the Tardis vanished, invisible.

Susan came up beside him as they began their trek through the halls. "You love your wife."

"Of course I do, Susan," the Doctor said, putting an arm around her. I don't have a choice.