Clara had her home now, and it was time to go back to their own.

--

"So, that's that then." Jack said.

"Yup." Carys replied dully.

Both were sitting at the very back of the control room, watching the Doctor push buttons and pull levers from afar.

"So, how about now?" Jack asked.

"What?"

"Still not fancy the Doctor?"

"Oh, come on, Jack…"

"You did kiss him."

"So did everyone else."

Jack grinned. "Yes, and everyone loves the Doctor."

"Oh really? Okay, Captain, give me one person who truly fancies him. Go on."

"Martha."

"He kissed her first, and she's my little cousin. Doesn't count."

"Rose."

"Blonde. Oh, and trapped in a different universe. Doesn't count."

"Me."

"You'd go for anything with the ability to reproduce. And some without. You don't count either."

Jack shrugged. He was about to say something when the TARDIS stopped.

"Ready?" the Doctor's voice called back to them.

Carys sighed. Time to get it over with.

--

"Mr and Mrs Brooks?" Jack, the poser, was dressed fully as a police officer as he addressed the couple who answered the door. Carys hated the Doctor for the day he put that outfit in his wardrobe. She herself was dressed normally, and the Doctor was still the Doctor.

But one person in police clothing was enough to frighten the Brooks. "What's happened?" demanded Mr Brooks.

"I'm afraid there's been an accident." Carys said quietly. "Your daughter, Clara…"

Mrs Brooks gasped. "Clara? What happened? Where is she?"

"Maybe we should come in." Carys suggested.

"I want ID." Mr Brooks demanded. "Who are you to come up here and….you could be liars! Kidnappers! That's what you are!"

"Calm down, Mr Brooks, I assure you we aren't liars or kidnappers." Jack said. "Our boss has got the ID, haven't you boss?" he looked at the Doctor expectantly

"An American…" Mr Brooks grumbled. "Nothing but trouble"

The Doctor continued to gaze vaguely ahead. Carys elbowed him. "What? Oh, ID, right, here you go." He flipped the psychic paper out.

"Chief Inspector Smith." Mr Brooks read. "And his team, Sergeant Jones and P.C Plodder."

Carys tried not to laugh at the murder on Jack's face as he glared at the Doctor, who took back the paper with a calm expression.

"Come in." Mrs Brooks said timidly.

--

"So where is Clara?" Mr Brooks asked, a lot calmer now, as they sat in the (where else?) sitting room, and were offered tea by Mrs Brooks, which everyone except the Doctor refused.

"There was…a fire…" Carys invented. They foolishly hadn't thought of a story before arriving. She glanced at her companions for help.

"Yes. Terrible fire." The Doctor agreed. "A…a wooden house, actually. In…err…the woods."

Jack and Carys both looked at him, exasperated. He shrugged, as in "What do you want me to say?"

"Yes." Jack said. "Not the local woods, a bit further than that. There were a few older children, smoking and drinking and the like. It got a bit out of hand, one of them was, we assume, waving about a lighter. I'm afraid that your daughter was with them"

"They were trapped." Carys went on. "The roof fell in because of the flames. Some of the older children got out, but…"

Mrs Brooks burst into tears. Mr Brooks stared, ashen faced.

"We're afraid the body is too badly burnt to …well, you understand." Jack rounded off the story

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor finished. "Let's go." He added quietly to Carys.

Together, he and Carys exited to the TARDIS.

--

"What about Jack?"

"He can find his own way home. Besides, I think the Brooks need someone right now." The Doctor replied.

"Will she be alright, Doctor?" Carys asked again.

"She's a strong little girl. She'll be fine."

"And what about you?"

"Me?"

"Will you be alright, alone again?"

The Doctor stared at her as if he'd forgotten that part. Before he could answer, however, the TARDIS stopped moving.

They paused. "Here we are then." Carys said.

"Yep. You were brilliant, by the way." The Doctor grinned.

"You weren't too shabby yourself. And if you don't visit, I'll kill you." Carys replied, hugging him before exiting the TARDIS doors.

Cardiff was beautiful in the evening, Carys told herself. Not completely boring and seen far too many times, not at all.

She unlocked her door and went inside. "I'm home!" she called out to herself. "Great to see you Carys." She replied.

She took off her coat.

"I'm losing it." She muttered to herself, switching on the light.

And…everything was the same. The same, boring, mundane…of course it was. Life with the Doctor was never anywhere near real life.

She picked up a letter, she must have missed it. From the University, saying that they required more payments. Oh joy. And her heating was apparently shut off too.

There was a knock at the door.

She opened it. "Doctor!"

"I'm not going to wait forever." The Doctor said impatiently. Oh, and you'll need this…" he put something in her hand then turned and walked away.

Carys stood, watching him, completely puzzled. She looked at what he'd given her. A small Yale key…

Forget University and heating bills, Carys thought, grinning and going out of the house, locking the door. "Oi! Wait a minute!"

The Doctor turned around. "There you are! Women take so long to get ready."

"And Timelords take so long to say the simplest things. Honestly, if you wanted a babysitter, you could just ask."

The Doctor snorted. "A babysitter? I'm insulted." He said, opening the big blue doors.

"Alright, Carys Jones, choose. Anywhere in time and space."

Carys grinned. "Well, there's a little chippie down the road…"

"Allons-y!" the Doctor cried. "But I think we can walk."

"Are you joking? It's a bus trip. We're taking this thing." Carys laughed. "And then we're meeting Harper Lee."

"Sounds good to me!" the Doctor grinned.