Stella by Starlight Pt 3

by thesituation016

PT: 3 With the Doctor's new regeneration comes a whole new set of adventures for Stella with the Ponds on the way along with the mysterious River Song. New enemies abound as do new friends and the past coming back to haunt. (PLEASE REVIEW!) ON INDEFINITE HIATUS

11. Chapter 11

The Tardis materialized in a small park across the road from groups of terraced houses. It was a mild day and the park they were in seemed to be empty at the time. The Doctor poked his head out first with Stella right behind him standing on her tip toes trying to see over his shoulder, she had to give up and ended up looking out from under his arm.

"No, Amy, it's definitely not the fifth moon of Cindie Colesta." The Doctor called into the Tardis.

"I think I can see a Ryman's." Stella commented as she sucked on a lollipop, her head cocking to the side.

She had been doing a lot better since the Silurians thanks to their time with Vincent, though she was not completely out of the woods. The nightmares were still there, lurking on the edges of her mind, but now she was opening up to the Doctor. When she had a night terror, she would go to the Doctor, it had gotten to the point that she just stayed with the Doctor when she slept.

She had also reconnected with Amy, spending more time with the Scotswoman. That's when she had started to notice the little moments, the moments when Amy would fall silent and her eyes would lose focus becoming sad then she'd snap out of it. Stella knew that in these brief periods of time, in the back of her mind, Rory was there. After Amy would space out a come to she'd sometimes catch Stella wiping away a tear from her own eye, but never mentioned it no wanting to bring up any bad memories Stella might have been going through.

For the Doctor and Amy, the thing that made them the happiest was that Stella had started to return to her music, though she didn't throw herself into like she had before, splitting her time between her music and tinkering in one of the workshops of the Tardis. She spent a great deal of time in there and had yet to let the Doctor or Amy see what she was working on.

Suddenly there was an explosion, throwing the Doctor and Stella to the ground, and the Tardis dematerialized before them.

"Amy! Amy!" The Doctor called out as he and Stella rushed to their feet. The Tardis was shaking, and there was a shower of sparks nearby Amy who was clinging to the Tardis trying to hold on.

"Doctor? Stella? It's saying we're on Earth. Essex, Colchester." Amy called out then the shaking stopped. She peeked around the console when she found it to be too quiet. "Doctor? Stella? It's taking off again. Can you hear me?"

"Amy!" The Doctor called out one more time. "Amy."

"Now what?" Stella breathed out.

-0-

The Doctor and Stella walked down the street hand in hand as they talked over their situation. The wind pulled at Stella's flowing strapless crème colored empire waist sweetheart top dress with a pink rose design on it, on her feet were a pair of soft brown leather flip flops with pink beads, and her hair was in a low messy bun decorated with pink roses along the right side of the bun.

"Well first things first, we need to find a place to live." Stella commented.

"Right, I can do that." The Doctor grinned as he pulled her along, but then stopped short. "How do I do that?"

"We look in the want ads my love." Stella said with a small laugh as she pulled him over to a stand of papers. The Doctor scanned them, but then took notice of a piece of paper attached to the window and snatched it.

"Amy's hand writing." The Doctor said showing it to Stella. "Says we should go to the flat of a man named Craig. She wrote down an address and everything."

"One bedroom available with a shared bath, kitchen, and communal area, sounds lovely, but we'll need some rent money." Stella said as she picked up the paper the note had indicated.

"Right, wait here, I'll be right back with some money." The Doctor said as he jogged off.

Stella had mixed feelings about letting him go to get money on his own, but she couldn't watch him all the time. She was also still nervous about being on her own though as well. Although their time with Vincent and since then had helped her start to feel a bit better she still had trouble relaxing completely. She glanced around herself rubbing her arms in a nervous manner eyeing the people around her before she decided to take a seat on a nearby park bench.

She started to feel pleasantly warm as the sun shone down and tilted her head back with her eyes closed as she soaked up the sun light. Suddenly her lollipop was taken from her mouth then a pair of lips gently brushed against hers causing her eyes to pop open before sliding shut once again, softly kissing the Doctor back making him hum happily before they parted.

"Mmm banana." The Doctor licked his lips having tasted Stella's lollipop from her lips. "My favorite."

"I know." Stella smiled snatching her lollipop back. "What took you so long?"

"I wasn't gone that long." The Doctor replied pulling her to her feet with one hand, the other hand clutching a brown paper bag she assumed held the money they'd need.

"Long enough." Stella replied kissing his cheek making him grin. He knew that Stella was still on edge and wasn't big on being on her own outside of the Tardis. He wrapped his arm around her pulling her to his side causing her to smile as she nuzzled up against him sighing in comfort as the safe feeling he provided her with filled up her hearts.

"Come along Stella my sweet." The Doctor said as they made their way toward Craig's place.

"What's that in your ear?" Stella asked noticing the Bluetooth like device.

"Just something so we can contact Amy, but we'll have to wait until we're more secure." The Doctor replied. They soon found it and skipped up the steps knocking on the front door which was soon opened by whom they assumed was Craig.

"I love you." Craig said before he focused in on who was at the door, his face going red with embarrassment.

"Oh…how sweet." Stella said in surprise.

"Well, that's good, because we're your new lodgers." The Doctor smiled before looking to Stella. "Do you know, this is going to be easier than I expected."

"Neat." Stella said with a grin as the Doctor took the fluffy pink keys that Craig had in his hand.

"But I only put the advert up today. I didn't put my address." Craig said glancing between the couple.

"Well, aren't you lucky we came along? More lucky than you know." The Doctor said with a smile, his eyes glancing up at the second story door. "Less of a young professional, more of an ancient amateur, but frankly my fiancé here is an absolute dream."

"It's true." Stella beamed.

"Hang on a minute, mate. I don't know if I want you two staying." Craig replied then snatched the keys back. "And give me back those keys. You can't have those."

"Yes, quite right. Have some rent." The Doctor handed Craig the paper take-away bag with lots of twenty pound notes in it making Stella's eyes widen and flash to the Doctor who silently promised to explain later. "That's probably quite a lot, isn't it? Looks like a lot. Is it a lot? I can never tell." They walked past Craig into the hallway, the lights upstairs flickered catching their attention. "Don't spend it all on sweets, unless you like sweets. I like sweets."

"I love sweets." Stella smiled a swirled her lollipop around in her mouth.

"Ooo." The Doctor gave Craig a couple of air kisses about six inches from each cheek. "That's how we greet each other nowadays, isn't it? This is my lovely fiancé Stella Quinn and I'm the Doctor. Well, they call me the Doctor. I don't know why. I call me the Doctor and Stella calls me that too. Still don't know why."

"Because you make everything better." Stella replied easily. The Doctor smiled kissing her on the cheek.

"Craig Owens." Craig introduced himself. "The Doctor?"

"Yep. Who lives upstairs?" The Doctor asked looking upstairs.

"Just some bloke." Craig shrugged.

"What's he look like?" Stella asked becoming tense, the Doctor calming her down by rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Normal. He's very quiet." Craig said right before a crash came from upstairs making Stella startle slightly. "Usually."

Craig looked from the upper floor only to see the Doctor and Stella had wondered off into the flat.

"Stella…" The Doctor gently took her hands in his.

"I'm fine, really." Stella said with a small smile.

"You sure?" The Doctor rubbed her hand comfortingly.

"Positive." Stella stood on her tip toes kissing his cheek as Craig rushed in after them.

"Sorry, who are you again?" Craig asked as they started to take in their surroundings, not answering the frustrated man. "Hello? Excuse me?"

"Ah. I suppose that's dry rot?" The Doctor said as he and Stella looked up at the dark stain on the ceiling in the corner of the living room.

"Or damp. Or mildew." Craig shrugged.

"Or just really gross." Stella scrunched up her nose.

"Or none of the above, well except for the gross part, that is gross." The Doctor said with an exaggerated disgusted look.

"I'll get someone to fix it." Craig said.

"No, I'll fix it. I'm good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister." The Doctor said making Stella laugh. "No, I'm the Doctor, don't call me the Rotmeister. This is the most beautiful parlor I have ever seen. You're obviously a man of impeccable taste. We can stay, Craig, can't we? Say we can."

"You haven't even seen the room." Craig told them.

"The room?" The Doctor questioned.

"Your room." Craig said.

"Our room? Oh, yes. Our room. Our room. Take us to our room." The Doctor wiggled his eyebrows at Stella making her roll her eyes with a blush as she bit her lower lips trying to hide her smile unsuccessfully. Craig walked over to and opened the door for them showing them the room that had a sort of eighties feel to it.

"Yeah, this is Mark's old room. He owns the place." Craig told them. "Moved out about a month ago. This uncle he'd never even heard of died and left a load of money in the will."

"How very convenient." The Doctor commented. "This'll do just right. In fact." Another loud crash resounded from above. The Doctor stuck his finger into his mouth pulling it out and testing the air with it. "No time to lose. I'll take it. Ah you'll want to see my credentials. There." The Doctor passed psychic paper behind his back sowing it to Craig three times. "National Insurance number. NHS number. References."

"Is that a reference from the Archbishop of Canterbury?" Craig asked, his eyes wide.

"We're his special favorites." The Doctor replied, putting a finger to his lips. "Are you hungry? I'm hungry."

"Me too." Stella said following the Doctor back out into the kitchen.

"I haven't got anything in." Craig said right behind them.

"You've got everything I need for an omelet fines herbs, pour deux." The Doctor said going through the fridge pulling out the ingredient before grabbing the pan and a spatula.

"You sure you don't want me to cook?" Stella asked as he popped up sitting on the counter.

"No, no, I've got it covered." The Doctor said quickly.

"I'm not that bad." Stella said with a pout, but the Doctor pecked her on the cheek making her smile again. Stella looked around the kitchen taking notice of a photograph of Craig and Sophie, next to a Vincent van Gogh Self-portrait in Straw Hat postcard. "So, who's the girl on the fridge?"

"My friend. Sophie." Craig replied with a smile.

"Oooo! A girlfriend?" Stella asked leaning forward in interest.

"A friend who is a girl. There's nothing going on." Craig shook his head with a blush.

"Oh, that's completely normal. Works for me." The Doctor said as he cooked, mixing the ingredients with a wooden spoon.

"We met at work about a year ago, at the call center." Craig smiled in remembrance.

"Oh really, a communications exchange?" The Doctor exchanged a look with Stella.

"That could be handy." Stella nodded as the Doctor went back to the fridge taking out a bottle, squirting the contents into the pan and mixing it together.

"Firm's going down though. The bosses are using a totally rubbish business model. I know what they should do. I got a plan all worked out." Craig went on telling them everything. "But I'm just a phone drone, I can't go running in saying I know best." He started to catch onto what he was doing. "Why am I telling you this? I don't even know either of you."

"Well, we've just got those faces. People never stop blurting out their plans while we're around." The Doctor shrugged as Stella nodded.

"Right. Where's your stuff?" Craig asked.

"Oh, don't worry, it'll materialize. If all goes to plan." The Doctor replied as Stella went through the cabinets until she found some plates then located the forks. The Doctor dished out the food which they took to the living room to eat.

"Oh, that was incredible. That was absolutely brilliant." Craig said finishing up his meal, setting aside his plate.

"Well I didn't just fall in love with him because of his good looks." Stella commented with a bright smile making him grin as he adjusted his bow tie smugly. She took up the plates placing them on the kitchen counter before walking back over to the men, the Doctor pulling her into his lap pecking the side of her neck making her giggle.

"Where did you learn to cook?" Craig asked.

"Paris, in the eighteenth century." The Doctor said then noticed Stella pointing up. "No, hang on, that's not recent, is it? Seventeenth?" Stella shook her head and continued to point up as Craig eyed them. "No, no, no. Twentieth." Stella nodded giving him a thumbs up. "Sorry, I'm not used to doing them in the right order."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?" Craig said looking between them.

"They never really stop." The Doctor replied.

"Ever been to Paris, Craig?" Stella asked leaning back into the Doctor.

"Nah. I can't see the point of Paris. I'm not much of a traveler." Craig said shaking his head and in his hand he held the keys with the pink key chain, running his thumb over the fuzzy pink key chain.

"I can tell from your sofa." The Doctor said as he eyed him.

"My sofa?" Craig echoed looking down at the couch he was sitting upon.

"You're starting to look like it." The Doctor went on.

"Thanks, mate, that's lovely." Craig scoffed, good naturedly. "No, I like it here. I'd miss it, I'd miss…"

"Those keys." Stella supplied when he trailed off.

"What?" Craig looked down at the keys.

"You're sort of fondling them." The Doctor pointed out.

"I'm holding them." Craig defended himself, setting the keys on the arm of the chair and got up to his feet

"Right." The Doctor as Stella nodded, both disbelieving his statement.

"Anyway." Craig went on, Stella and the Doctor following, and went over to a hall table taking out another set of keys holding it out to them. "These, these are your keys."

"We can stay?" The Doctor grinned taking the keys.

"Yeah, you're weird and you can cook. It's good enough for me." Craig said and showed them what each key was to. "Right. Outdoor, front door, your door."

"Our door. Our place. Our gaff." The Doctor wrapped his arms around Stella, pulling her to his chest and resting his chin on her shoulder. Stella felt her face flush as his warm breath tickled her sensitive ear, her hands resting over his which lay over her stomach. "Ha ha! Yes." He kissed her just behind her ear. "You and me with a key."

"And listen, Mark and I, we had an arrangement where if you two ever need me out of your hair, just give me a shout, okay?" Craig gave him a none to subtle wink which of course went over the Doctor's head.

"Why would we want that?" The Doctor asked, adorably clueless.

"In case you and your girl want to…you know…." Craig looked from the Doctor to Stella, his face red, not knowing how to explain it to him.

"Just a moment Craig." Stella stood up on her tip-toes whispering into the Doctor's ear, his face going red as she explained as well as do to the fact she was letting her lips brush his ear and her warm breath fanning across his sensitive skin.

"Oh, I will." The Doctor stuttered out as his eyes widened. "I'll shout if that happens. Yes. Something like, I was not expecting this!" The Doctor said quickly then turned serious and gestured up to the spot. "By the way, that. The rot. I've got the strangest feeling we shouldn't touch it."

"Well with that being said, we're just going to get settled into our room, catch you later Craig." Stella smiled pulling the Doctor into their room closing and locking the door behind them.

-0-

The Doctor put in his Bluetooth like device before turning it on while Stella was laid back on the bed her hands behind her head as she watched him, another lollipop being twirled around in her mouth, the Doctor casting it glances out of the corner of his eye every few moments.

"Earth to Pond, Earth to Pond." The Doctor called out. "Come in, Pond."

"Doctor!" Amy said loudly causing massive feedback through the earpiece piercing the Doctor's ear drum. "Sorry."

"Could you not wreck my new earpiece, Pond?" The Doctor complained and while he was talking on the phone to Amy Craig was on his phone in his own room looking at the bank notes while he talked, explaining his new lodgers to Sophie.

"No, I mean, he seems a laugh and his fiancé is nice. They're both a bit weird. Good weird, you know?" Craig said as he laid back in his bed.

"And they just happen to have three grand on them in a paper bag?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah." Craig replied.

"Wait, wait. The Doctor?" Sophie asked, a thought coming to her. "Craig, what if he's a dealer? Or maybe a pimp and she's one of his girls?"

-0-

Outside the home where two separate conversations was going on a woman was walking along after a late night at a club.

"Hello. Stop, please. Can you hear me? I need your help." A man called through the comm next to the door gaining her attention. "Please. My little girl's hurt." The man pleaded and cautiously the woman went inside and saw a seemingly younger man is standing at the top of the stairs. "I'm so sorry, but will you help me? Please?"

"Help you?" The clubber questioned as she went up the stairs.

-0-

Stella had sat up in the bed cross legged, her elbows resting on her knees, and her hands propping up her head. She watched the Doctor as he moved around the room talking to Amy excitedly and wondered what linear future was going to throw at them. The Doctor had often said he did not do linear time very well, in fact she had seen the effect it had on him, so this was going to be a very interesting adventure.

"How's the Tardis coping?" The Doctor asked as he plopped down next to Stella causing her to bounce.

"See for yourself." Amy held out the hand set and the sounds of the Tardis drifted through it.

"Ooo, nasty. She's locked in a materialization loop, trying to land again, but she can't." Stella said with a wince.

"Hmm. And whatever's stopping her is upstairs in that flat. So, go upstairs and sort it." Amy demanded.

"We don't know what it is yet. Anything that can stop the Tardis from landing is big." The Doctor told her as he stood up on the bed looking up.

"Scary big." Stella added on laying back with her hands behind her head.

"Wait. Are you scared?" Amy asked while in Craig's room he was giving Sophie a rundown of his new lodger's appearances.

"A bow tie? Are you serious?" Sophie scoffed with a laugh.

"Be fair. Could be even…" The Doctor replied to Amy.

"Hang on a sec." Craig said as he got up out of the bed, hearing the Doctor in the other room.

"What? Craig." Sophie called out. "Craig?"

Craig leaned against the wall pressing his ear against it listening to the Doctor's voice coming through the wall.

"Orange juice. Neocene Arbuckle. Rare tarantula on the table. Oh." The Doctor's words were strange and jumbled causing Craig to pull a look.

"We can't go up there until we know what it is and how to deal with it." The Doctor went on, explaining to Amy what they were going to do.

"And it is vital that this man upstairs doesn't realize who and what we are." Stella added gripping onto the bed as the Doctor started to bounce on it. He started smiling as Stella bounced with him, shooting him a look when she almost fell off the bed.

"So no sonicking. No advanced technology. Stella is running on her most basic mode to get by. We can only use this because we're on scramble. To anyone else hearing this conversation, we're talking absolute gibberish." The Doctor jumped down from the bed and wondered around the room. Craig, on the other hand, heard this. "Practical eruption in chicken. Descartes Lombardy spiral." But what the Doctor was really saying was this. "Now all we've got to do is pass as an ordinary human couple. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Have you seen you?" Amy scoffed.

"So you're just going to be snide. No helpful hints?" The Doctor complained as he picked up some hair gel.

"Hmm. Well, here's one. Bow tie, get rid." Amy replied as the Doctor moved onto a pair of aviators and looked himself over in a mirror.

"Bow ties are cool." The Doctor replied adjusting his bow tie. "Come on, Amy, I'm a normal bloke. Tell me what normal blokes do."

"They watch telly, they play football. They go down the pub." Amy replied as Stella moved around in on the bed so that she was laying on her stomach. She propped her chin in her hands resting her elbows on the bed while she moved her legs up and down.

"I could do those things. I don't, but I could." The Doctor said picking up a book and flipping through it while Stella pulled a face.

"Sounds boring, but playing football might be fun." Stella commented when suddenly a bang came from upstairs and the Doctor dropped the book. Stella shot up to her knees on the bed in concern while the Doctor called out for Amy, the sounds of the Tardis and young girl in trouble coming over the comm.

"Hang on. Wait, wait, wait. Amy?" The Doctor called. Amy yelled as the Tardis went crazy, rocking violently, sparks filling the air. Looking over to the nightstand the hands on the alarm clock and on the Doctor's wrist watch were going backwards and forwards very rapidly. "Interesting."

"Localized time loop." Stella looked up at him.

"Ow." Amy groaned as she was flung about. "What's all that?"

"Time distortion. Whatever's happening upstairs is still affecting you." The Doctor replied as lights were flashing in the upstairs flat and the woman was screaming.

"It's stopped…ish." Amy told them as the Tardis seemed to calm down a bit. "How about your end?"

"My end's good." The Doctor replied.

"I'll say." Stella smirked causing the Doctor to go red in the face.

"Seriously Stella, I can hear you, you know." Amy complained.

"Sorry Amy." Stella said not sounding sorry at all.

"Yeah right…sure you are…" Amy rolled her eyes. "So doesn't sound great, but nothing to worry about?"

"No, no, no, not really. Just keep the zigzag plotter on full." Stella assured her.

"That'll protect you." The Doctor added.

"Ow." Amy snapped as the plotter did nothing for her situation.

"Amy, I said the zigzag plotter." Stella called out.

"I pulled the zigzag plotter." Amy snapped.

"What, you're standing with the door behind you?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes." Amy replied.

"Okay, take two steps to your right and pull it again." The Doctor told her and she did so pulling on the same switch causing everything to do silent. "Now, I must not use the sonic and Stella needs to lay low as well."

"We've got work to do. We need to pick up a few items." Stella said taking a small notebook from her pocket along with a pen and started to make a list.

The Doctor threw some items onto the bed before grabbing Stella and pulling her out of the flat in search of supply to help with their investigation. It was some time before they returned to the terrace with a shopping trolley full of miscellaneous items.

"Don't get comfortable." The Doctor looked up at the second floor before they quietly hurried inside the flat. That night they sat to work on their machine dragging the top mattress from the bed setting it up in a corner and building it on the box spring mattress. Toward morning they both cuddled up onto the bed in the corner falling into a comforting sleep.

-0-

Stella woke with a start staring around herself as if waiting for something to leap out at her. Her heart was racing at a feverish pace then glanced down at the Doctor who was sleeping. She wasn't surprised that he hadn't woke up, she had been having so many of these nightmares lately and he had stayed up every night just to bring her comfort, it must have caught up with him.

Slowly she moved off the bed making sure the Doctor was still covered up before moving out of the room into the living room. She walked over to the lazy boy and curled up, her arms wrapped around her legs bringing them up to her chest. Her chin lay on top of her knees as she starred off into nothing, trying to shift through the horrid visions then banish them.

She reached into the pocket of her robe and took out a hand sized black hoop that had five silver strings stretched across it called an Upupam. She strummed her fingers over it and the metal started to shimmer purple and green. It produced a sound much like a guitar, but with the vibrato of a violin. To play different chords one simply moved their fingers around the edges of the hoop while the other hand strummed.

I don't like walking around this old and empty house

So hold my hand, I'll walk with you my dear

The stairs creak as I sleep,

It's keeping me awake

It's the house telling you to close your eyes

And some days I can't even trust myself

It's killing me to see you this way

'Cause though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore…

She was so wrapped up in her song that she didn't notice Craig stumbling into the room still half asleep. He stopped short hearing Stella singing, glancing around until his eyes fell on her sitting in the chair, illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the windows behind her.

"That was fantastic." Craig said as soon as Stella completed the song making her jump and turn suddenly in the seat to face him. She berated herself for allowing someone to sneak up on her like that, her hand pressing against her racing hearts. "I've never heard that song before, is it one of yours?"

"Oh Craig, no, no, it's not mine, it belongs to a friend of mine. He wants to get it produced one day so keep it under your hat, yeah?" Stella explained quickly.

"Sure, of course." Craig nodded then gestured to the Upupam. "What's that?"

"Experimental instrument, that's what I do for a living, I make and test new musical instruments." Stella replied slipping her instrument into her pocket and changed the subject. "I didn't wake you did I? I thought I was being quiet enough."

"No, no you didn't wake me, I just got thirsty." Craig responded taking a bottle of water out of the fridge holding it up. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No, not really and I didn't want to wake up the Doctor, he hasn't been getting a lot of sleep in a long time." Stella said, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Oh." Craig nodded uncertainly, not sure if he should stay and talk some more or leave his new roommate to herself, but seeing her blood shot eyes he knew it was more than just a restless night keeping her up. "You need hot chocolate."

"What?" Stella looked confused at his sudden statement.

"Hot chocolate, my mum, whenever I was having a rough night or feeling down, she would make it for me." Craig shrugged as he gathered the items he needed and started to warm up some milk on the stove.

"You really don't have to do that." Stella smiled as she got up walking over to the kitchen.

"Nah, it's ok." Craig smiled as he made it from scratch surprising Stella who thought he would just make it from powder.

"Thanks Craig, this is really sweet of you." Stella sat down at one of the stools and Craig served out the hot chocolate pressing a mug into her hands. Stella smiled at the rush of warmth and inhaled the aroma deeply before taking a sip. "Delicious."

"Thanks." Craig drank some from his own mug as they chatted back and forth. "So how'd you two meet? You and the Doctor."

"Oh, it was at a fancy party to celebrate Earths history." Stella said with a smile recalling the first time she had met the Doctor face to face. The look he had given her when she had given him a mint after he had breathed on her had been priceless. "He was there with a friend of his and there was an incident at the party that caused a friendship to grow between us and over time it just became more."

"Was he always called the Doctor even when you first met? Is that even his real name?" Craig asked curiously.

"What's in a name?" Stella replied with a mischievous smile gaining a confused look from Craig who opened his mouth to further question Stella, but there was a rumpus in the room she shared with the Doctor then the door burst open and he stumbled out nearly falling over in his haste.

"Stella!" The Doctor's eyes fell on her in relief as he rushed over to her cupping her face in his hands as he angled it searching for anything that may be wrong. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine love, Craig and I were just having a delightful conversation and a cup of hot chocolate." Stella beamed taking the Doctor's hands in hers as he pressed a kiss onto her forehead.

"Well I'll just leave you two to it, I need to get back to bed, got work in the morning." Craig sat his mug into the sink and made his way to his room. "Night."

"Night." The couple replied, the Doctor not speaking until Craig closed the door behind him.

"Was it a nightmare?" The Doctor wrapped his arms around her from behind resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Yes." Stella said starring down at the chocolate drink.

"You should have woken me up." The Doctor said in concern.

"You've barely had any sleep since I started having these nightmares again. You needed your rest." Stella replied with a soft sigh as he nuzzled against her neck.

"So do you." The Doctor mumbled against her skin, his lips brushing against her causing her whole body to relax. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was the same Theta, always the same." Stella shivered violently, the Doctor tightening his arms around her in response.

"Come back to bed starlight." The Doctor said gently.

"Ok." Stella said as she stood placing her mug in the sink then giggling with a squeal as the Doctor scooped her up into his arms.

He took her back into their room and laid her down gently on the bed, laying down with her he hovered over her gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. His eyes took in her features as he cupped her cheek, neither speaking as they took each other in. The Doctor leaned down kissing the tip of her nose then remaining close so their noses were brushing. Stella smiled as she leaned up pressing a kiss to his lips making him grin. He laid down pulling Stella as she nuzzled against his chest between his hearts. The Doctor slowly ran his fingers through her hair lulling her to sleep making sure she was in a restful slumber before falling asleep as well.

-0-

Craig was waiting for the bathroom and had been doing so for quite a while. He listened in agitation as the Doctor sang to the tune of La Donna e Mobile recalling the night Stella had sang in the famous opera Rigoletto. She had been amazing as Gilda, singing beautiful arias at the same time facing off against the Vocem Furis, aliens who fed off voices with great talent leaving the victim mute. She had managed to out sing them forcing them to leave the planet in defeat never to return as was their laws.

Stella had gone out earlier that morning for some groceries and to re-stock her lollipops. She had reassured the Doctor that she would be fine on her own and that she wanted to do this. It was a small step to being back to where she was, but it was a step in the right direction.

"Ta ra ra boom de ay quanda rilo, something is happening." The Doctor sang out.

"Doctor." Craig knocked on the door.

"Hello?" The Doctor replied.

"How long are you going to be in there?" Craig asked.

"Oh, sorry. I like a good soak." The Doctor answered right before banging from upstairs echoed down.

"What the hell was that?" Craig exclaimed looking up at the ceiling.

"What did you say?" The Doctor poked his head out from behind the shower curtain.

"I'm just going to go upstairs. See if he's okay." Craig replied walking out into the foyer and starting up the stairs.

"Sorry?" The Doctor called out as Craig knocked on the door of the apartment. "What did you say?"

"Yes? Hello?" A grey haired figure opened the door on the chain.

"Craig?" The Doctor scrambled out of the shower, slipping and falling painfully to the ground. "Ow."

"It's me from downstairs. I heard a big bang." Craig replied.

"No choice. It's sonicking time." The Doctor stumbled to his feet grabbing an electric toothbrush instead of the sonic that was residing in the same cup on the sink. He ran out into the hall dropping his towel and picking it up, fumbling it as he tried to secure it, in his mad scramble to get to Craig.

"Thank you, Craig, but I don't need your help." The man replied closing the door and Craig started back down the stairs just as the Doctor, with a towel around his waist, met him at the foot of the stairs pointing the toothbrush at the upstairs door making it go whirr.

"What happened, what's going on?" The Doctor brandished the toothbrush.

"Is that my toothbrush?" Craig asked with a confused look as the Doctor glanced to the toothbrush.

"Correct." The Doctor quickly lowered the tooth brush, trying to keep his hair out of his face. "You spoke to the man upstairs?

"Yeah." Craig nodded.

"What did he look like?" The Doctor questioned.

"More normal than you do at the moment, mate." Craig laughed slightly. "What are you doing?"

"I thought you might be in trouble." The Doctor defended himself.

"Thanks. Well, if I ever am, you can come and save me with my toothbrush." Craig laughed a bit more, then his phone rang inside the flat. He gave the Doctor one last look before he went off to answer it. The Doctor looked up the stairs and hesitantly started up them.

-0-

Stella was walking up to the front of the flat singing Lollipop by the Chordettes, a bag of groceries in her hands. She wore a new outfit she had picked up along with a few others since she didn't know how long she and the Doctor would be there, she had also picked up some extra things for the Doctor.

She wore her favorite selection which consisted of a scooped neck dark green long sleeved tunic dress that reached just above her knees, a pair of knee high tan brown boots, brown leggings that tucked into the boots, a brown faux fur vest, her round rose colored glasses, her hair was loose, and a cluster of flowers over her right ear holding some of her hair back. She started up the stairs dancing as she went, proud that she had been able to go out on her own without having a breakdown, almost running into another girl also headed up to the flat.

"Sorry, wasn't watching where I was going." Stella apologized taking a step back.

"That's alright, you must be one of Craig's new flat mates." Sophie commented with a pleasant smile.

"Yep, me and my fiancé." Stella nodded. "You must be Sophie."

"Yeah, that's me. Is Craig home?" Sophie asked.

"He was before I went to the store." Stella said as Sophie unlocked and opened the doors allowing them to walk in just in time to see the Doctor going up the stairs in nothing but a towel around his waist. The Doctor turned around at the sound of the door opening grinning when he saw Stella and Sophie.

"Oh!" Sophie said in surprise at his lack of attire.

"Sophie, this is my fiancé the Doctor, Doctor, this is Sophie." Stella said with an amused smile.

"Hello." Sophie nodded as he came back down the stairs.

"Ah! Hello." He smiled and air kissed each of her cheeks for a greeting.

"Oh. Oh." Sophie blushed glancing over to Stella who rolled her eyes before handing the Doctor some of the groceries.

"Come on and help me put these up love." Stella said leading him into the kitchen with Sophie following.

"Yes ma'am." The Doctor grinned, completely comfortable in just a towel. Craig was talking on the phone as Stella and the Doctor quickly put everything away before looking to Craig.

"No, Dom's in Malta. There's nobody around. Hang on a sec." Craig looked to the Doctor. "We've got a match today, pub league. We're one down if you fancy it?"

"Pub league. A drinking competition?" The Doctor asked.

"No, football. Play football." Craig explained, glancing at his lack of attire.

"Football. Football. Yes, blokes play football. I'm good at football…I think." The Doctor looked to Stella who nodded with a thumbs up.

"You've saved my life. I've got somebody. Yeah, all right, I'll see you down there." Craig hung up and looked to Sophie. "Hey, Soph."

"Hey, I thought I'd come early and meet your new flat mates." Sophie smiled.

"Do you play, Sophie?" The Doctor asked.

"No, Soph just stands on the sidelines. She's my mascot." Craig answered for her.

"I'm your mascot? Mascot?" Sophie questioned pulling a face.

"Well, yeah, not my mascot. It's a football match." Craig quickly back tracked while the Doctor and Stella watched. "I can't take a date."

"I didn't say I was your date." Sophie said.

"Neither did I." Craig said quickly leaving behind an awkward tension.

"Honey, where are your clothes, not that I don't mind the view, but I don't like to share." Stella said breaking the silence.

"Better get dressed." The Doctor glanced down then quickly covering his chest before rushing back to their room.

"I don't half love that mad man." Stella followed, jogging a bit to catch up to the Doctor.

"The spare kit's just in the bottom drawer." Craig said following them, but the Doctor didn't allow him to see into the room.

"Bit of a mess." The Doctor went into the room pulling Stella with him and quickly shut the door.

"What do you think?" Craig turned back to Sophie.

"Stella seems really nice and you didn't say the Doctor was gorgeous." Sophie said right before the Doctor poked his head out of his room.

"You unlocked the door. How did you do that? Stella's hands were to full to do it without setting something down. Those are your keys. You must have left them last time you came here." The Doctor said rapidly.

"Yeah, but I…how do you know these are my keys?" Sophie asked holding up the pink keys.

"I've been holding them." Craig said with an embarrassed wince.

"I have got another set." Sophie said holding up her second set.

"You've got two sets of keys to someone else's house?" Stella called out from inside the room where she was pulling her hair back into a braid decorated with her flower cluster still in the same place.

"Yeah?" Sophie replied.

"I see. You must like it here too." The Doctor grinned before ducking back into the room and putting on the number 11 shirt back to front.

"So, we're going out. If Stella and I hang about the house all the time, him upstairs might get suspicious and notice us." The Doctor was filling Amy in on what was going on as Stella helped the Doctor turn the shirt round the right way.

"Football. Okay, well done. That is normal." Amy congratulated him.

"Yeah, football. All outdoorsy." The Doctor nodded.

"Now, football's the one with the sticks, isn't it?" The Doctor asked looking to Stella.

"No, this is the one with the weird shaped brown ball." Stella grinned when she heard Amy groaning on the other end of the line.

-0-

It was a nice sunny, albeit chilly, fall day at the park when they arrived with Sophie and Craig, the rest of the league was already there, gearing up to go. Stella and the Doctor walked hand in hand swinging their entwined fingers back and forth as they went, cheerful and happy.

"What are you actually called? What's your proper name?" Craig asked as they walked onto the field.

"Just call me the Doctor." The Doctor replied.

"Yeah." Sophie nodded.

"I can't go up to these guys and say hey, this is my new flat mate, he's called the Doctor." Craig exclaimed quietly.

"Why not?" Stella asked.

"Because it's weird." Craig replied as they got to the pitch where the others were waiting for them.

"All right, Craig. Soph. All right, mate." They all exchanged greetings.

"Hello, I'm Craig's new flat mate. I'm called the Doctor." He greeted them with air kisses which were met with confused uncomfortable looks.

"And I'm Stella." Stella waved.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Chris." One of the flirtier team members said taking her hand and kissing the back of it, the others rolling their eyes with groans at the flirtatious man. The Doctor, not taking it well, possessively pulled her to himself wrapping his arm around her from behind.

"She's my fiancé, means we're going to get married so hands off boys." The Doctor said with a tight smile, but a serious look in his eyes.

"Sorry mate, no offense meant." Chris held up his hands.

"It's nice to meet you all." Stella said with a smile.

"You as well." Sean replied, wanting to move onto more important things. "All right, Doctor. I'm Sean. So, where are you strongest?"

"Arms." The Doctor replied right away.

"No love, I think he means what position on the field." Stella explained to him.

"Oh, right." The Doctor looked himself over. "Not sure. The front? The side? Below."

"Are you any good though?" Sean asked, not so sure considering the Doctor's lack of knowledge.

"Let's find out." The Doctor said taking the ball and kicking it starting the game up. It was going great and the Doctor was amazing to watch. He was very nimble, dodging other players whilst dribbling the ball like a professional.

"Yeah, we're going to win." A woman called out.

"That's not bad. Yes! Go!" Sophie cheered.

"Go Doctor!" Stella hopped in place as she watched him go.

"One two. One two." Craig called out, but the Doctor didn't pass to Craig.

"Go on, Doctor! Go on, Doctor!" Sophie cheered along with the others as he neared the goal and scored.

"Goal!" Stella through her hands up.

"Doctor! Doctor! You're brilliant." Sophie called out.

"You're amazing." Stella added blowing him a kiss which he caught with a wink as he placed it between his hearts making her giggle and grin like a lovesick puppy.

"Oh you're so lucky, he's such a sweet heart." Sophie said wistfully, Stella following her gaze to Craig. "I hope I'm half as lucky someday."

"You will be, just keep your eyes open." Stella replied.

"Come on, Craig. Catch up, mate." A player called out to Craig.

"Come on, Craig. Show them what you've got." Sophie cheered him on.

Craig was about to take the kick when the Doctor stole it from him and scored again to general rejoicing. Stella bit her lip as she looked to Craig, who looked upset. She knew the Doctor could get a bit carried away at times when he found something new he loved, he didn't mean to hurt anyone.

"Oh yes, I love this game." The Doctor yelled.

"Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!" Spectators chanted him on as he scored more goals and Craig got more annoyed. Finally it was the end, Craig's team having devastated the opposing team thanks to the Doctor.

"You are so on the team. Next week we've got the Crown and Anchor. We're going to annihilate them." Sean said as the other cheered, but the Doctor took them seriously.

"Annihilate? No. No violence, do you understand me? Not while I'm around. Not today, not ever. I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm…" The Doctor towered over them as they all looked at him in confusion.

"Doctor." Stella wrapped her arm around his causing him to look down to her, one of her eyebrows raised, his eyes widening in realization.

"And you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?" The Doctor looked back to the others.

"Yeah." Sean nodded hesitantly still eyeing the Doctor.

"Lovely. What sort of time?" The Doctor asked with a bright smile, like nothing had happened while Stella giggled. Craig opened a can of drink and got sprayed with the foam causing the others to laugh. Then it repeated again and again leaving only the Doctor and Stella unaffected, the Doctor activated his home made blue tooth as the two ran a ways away from the time looping football players. "Amy?"

"It's happening again. Worse." Amy called out as she held onto the shaking ship.

"What does the scanner say?" The Doctor asked.

"A lot of nines. Is it good that they're nines? Tell me it's good that they're all nines." Amy begged as she held onto the monitor.

"Yes, yes, it's, it's good. Zigzag plotter. Zigzag plotter, Amy." The Doctor ordered as she fiddled with the lever. There was a bang and Amy was thrown to the floor screaming. "Amy? Are you there?"

"Doctor? What's going on? Is she ok?" Stella panicked.

"Amy?" The Doctor called out again.

"Yes. Hello." Amy regained her footing.

"Oh, thank heavens. I thought for a moment the Tardis had been flung off into the vortex with you inside it, lost forever." The Doctor said in relief then grunted when Stella elbowed him in the side.

"What, you mean that could actually happen?" Amy demanded.

"No." Stella stretched out the word, her voice gaining a few octaves.

"Is that your lying no?" Amy accused, and the couple became silent.

"No…" Stella said in the same voice tone.

"You have got to get me out of here." Amy said.

"How are the numbers?" The Doctor asked.

"All fives." Amy replied.

"The time loop stopped." Stella looked to where the players had resumed their laughing at Craig's expense.

"Fives? Even better." The Doctor nodded. "Still, it means the effect's almost unbelievably powerful and dangerous, but don't worry. Hang on, okay?"

"Hey, wait!" Amy called out.

"We've got some rewiring to do." The Doctor said.

-0-

Stella dug through the tool box as she held the wheel to the top of the lamp, pulling out the tool she needed she attached them together while the Doctor attached the broom handles. She smiled as the Doctor went on and on about the football match, excited about his new passion.

"We have got to get a football field in the Tardis." The Doctor remarked as they worked, still hyped up from the game.

"That'd be neat, you could teach me your how you play." Stella commented.

"Sounds like fun." The Doctor replied, looking over at her, his eyes twinkling.

The Doctor grinned pulling Stella onto his lap and pressing a deep kiss into her lips. His hand started at her lower back sliding up to the back of her neck making her shiver. Stella buried one hand in his hair massaging his scalp while the other played with the hair at the nape of his neck. Slowly they pulled back resting their foreheads against one another, their eyes closed.

"I love you." Stella sighed.

"I love you as well." The Doctor said going in for another kiss, but a knock on the door stopped them. The Doctor grumbled as Stella slid off his lap allowing him to stand up, snatching up a traffic cone as he went to the door, opening it just a bit so Craig could not see in. "Hello, flat mate."

"Hey, man. Er, listen. Er, Sophie's coming round tonight and I was wondering if you and Stella could give us some space?" Craig asked.

"Oh, don't mind us. You won't even know we're here." The Doctor assured him, looking up as a bang went off upstairs. "That's the idea."

"Doctor, I need you." Stall called out, having gotten back to work. The Doctor smiled at Craig with a wink then shut the door.

"Yes, perfect! What a beauty." The Doctor called out seeing the progress she had made.

"Thanks love, you gave me some good inspiration." Stella beamed and Craig's ears went red as he quickly retreated from his flat mates doors. "So, Sophie's coming over huh?"

"Yep." The Doctor nodded.

"Maybe we could go out on a date to give them some alone time?" Stella commented with a shrug. "We haven't been on a date, date in a while."

"We really should get this ready, maybe afterwards." The Doctor said as he eyed the device. "You know, after this is settled."

"Of course, you're right." Stella sighed getting back to work, the Doctor glancing over to her seeing her sad look and making a mental note to make it up to her. "But if we're going to get this working we need a better electric flow, we need to do some rewiring."

"Sounds good, I'll get the tools." The Doctor as he grabbed up some things they'd need.

-0-

Later that night Sophie and Craig set in the living room, Sophie's eyes getting drawn up to the large stain on the ceiling. Her face drawing up in a disgusted look as she eyed it.

"That's got bigger." Sophie said.

"Oh, yeah. Craig looked up at it.

"Are we going out?" Sophie asked turning back to Craig

"I've had a bit of a weird day. Can we do pizza booze telly?" Craig asked.

"Great, love it. Wait…." Sophie took out her phone turning it off. "No Melina, no crises, no interrupciones."

"Great. Excellent." Craig smiled then became nervous. "Er, Soph….I've…I think…."

"Where's this going?" Sophie asked.

"I think that we should…" Craig went on.

"Mmm?" Sophie hummed as they leaned in closer, but the Doctor popped up behind the sofa.

"Hello." The Doctor said making them spring apart.

"What?" Craig yelped, having thought they had left already.

"Doctor!" Stella snapped from where she had been peeking out from their room. She had originally wanted to go out and get the wiring going stating that she was much stealthier, but the Doctor had said he could do it and me just as stealthy. "That was not stealthy at all."

"Whoops. Sorry." The Doctor smiled apologetically as Stella came over to them, her arms crossed. "Don't worry, I wasn't listening. In a world of my own down there."

"I thought you were going out?" Craig said with a tense smile.

"That was the idea, but we had a few things to do before we split." Stella said reassuringly as she took the wiring form the Doctor.

"Just re-connecting all the electrics. It's a real mess." The Doctor commented then held up a normal screwdriver. "Where's the on switch for this?"

"They really were just on their way out." Craig said to Sophie.

"No, I don't mind." Sophie said shaking her head. "I mean, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind. Why would I mind?" Craig said, clearly minding the interruption very much.

"Then stay. Have a drink with us." Sophie offered.

"What? Do I have to stay now?" The Doctor asked, glancing around.

"Do you want to stay?" Craig asked, trying to hint that he wanted them to go.

"It's nice of you to offer, but…" Stella started, but the Doctor cut in.

"We don't mind." The Doctor said with a bright smile.

"Okay." Sophie said.

"Great." Craig said, an edge to his voice.

-0-

A little later, the Doctor was still working on the electricity, a wiring loom around his neck, while Stella was sitting on the arm of the chair holding the tool box in her lap handing the Doctor what he needed. Sophie watched the couple with a wistfully amused smile as they talked, the Doctor kissing Stella's hand every time she handed him a tool. Sometimes he asked for tools he didn't even need just to make her smile as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand.

"Because life can seem pointless, you know. Work, weekend, work, weekend. And there's six billion people on the planet doing pretty much the same." Sophie explained to them.

"Six billion people." The Doctor mused. "Watching you two at work, I'm starting to wonder where they all come from."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Sophie asked.

"So then, the call center." Stella said before the Doctor could explain his statement. "That's no good, then." Stella leaned forward with a thoughtful look aimed at Sophie. "What do you really want to do?"

"Don't laugh." Sophie said hesitantly. "I only ever told Craig about it."

"Scouts honor." Stella held up three fingers.

"I want to work looking after animals. Maybe abroad?" Sophie shrugged then became more animated about her dream as she went on. "I saw this orangutan sanctuary on telly."

"Why would we laugh at that, it sounds brilliant." Stella commented. "I love Orangutans."

"What's stopping you?" The Doctor asked.

"She can't. You need loads of qualifications." Craig explained for her.

"Yeah, true. Plus it's scary. Everyone I know lives round here." Sophie shrugged with a frown. "Like, Craig got offered a job in London. Better money. He didn't take it."

"What's wrong with staying here? I can't see the point of London." Craig sighed.

"Well, perhaps that's you, then. Perhaps you'll just have to stay here, secure and a little bit miserable, till the day you drop." The Doctor rambled on. "Better than trying and failing, eh?"

"You think I'd fail?" Sophie said, hurt written all over her features.

"Everybody's got dreams, Sophie. Very few are going to achieve them, so why pretend?" Stella pointed out as the Doctor tried the wine and let it pour back into the glass from his mouth, Stella taking it from him setting it aside.

"Perhaps, in the whole wide universe, a call center about is where you should be." The Doctor finished up.

"Why are you saying that? That's horrible." Sophie frowned.

"Is it true?" Stella raised an eyebrow.

"Of course it's not true. I'm not staying in a call center all my life. I can do anything I want." Sophie argued causing the Doctor and Stella to smile. Sophie looked at them for a split moment before her eye slit up in realization. "Oh, yeah. Right. Oh, my God. Did you see what they just did?"

"No, sorry, what's happening? Are you going to live with monkeys now?" Craig panicked.

"It's a big old world, Sophie. Work out what's really keeping you here, eh?" The Doctor pointed out, pulling Stella down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her.

"I don't know." Sophie glanced over at Craig, worrying her hands starring down at her lap. "I don't know."

-0-

They had talked for a while more before Sophie decided that it was time for her to get home. She cited that she had work in the morning and bade the Doctor and Stella farewell while Craig walked her out.

"So, are you going to be taking off then? Seeing the world?" Craig asked nervously as they stood in the doorway.

"What, do you think I should?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah. Like the Doctor and Stella says, what's, what's keeping you here?" Craig said trying to smile, despite his negative feelings on the subject.

"Yeah, exactly." Sophie nodded, hesitating a moment as if waiting for Craig to say something. "Bye."

"See you." Craig said before they hugged and separated. "See you in a bit."

"Yeah." Sophie nodded going on her way.

-0-

The Doctor and Stella worked tirelessly on their strange gizmo which sat on the box springs of the bed. It included a bicycle wheel, an umbrella, a rotary clothes line, a lamp shade and the bicycle's pedals, with a rake, a broom and an oar as outriggers and the traffic cone on top.

Stella had set up the mattress on the side of the room against the wall at the Doctor's suggesting/order that she get some sleep every night they were there, still worried about her sleeping patterns. Stella glanced up at the Doctor loving how he looked with his bracers hanging down and his sleeves rolled up, finding it very attractive in her opinion.

"You're distracting me." Stella commented with a playful smile.

"What?" The Doctor glanced around. "How? Am I humming or something?"

"Nope, just looking downright alluring." Stella grinned as the Doctor's ears went bright red though he smiled reaching up adjusting his bow tie.

"You're not bad yourself beautiful." The Doctor winked before pulling her up to her feet and pecking her lips.

"If you two are done flirting…" Amy commented over the comm causing the time travelers to blush. "Mind telling me what you're getting?"

"Right." The Doctor pecked Stella's lips one more time before moving onto the machine and set it spinning. "Shield's up. Let's scan."

"Upstairs." Stella said, her brows furrowing as she looked over the Doctor's shoulder. "No traces of high technology. It's completely normal."

"No, no, no, no, no, it can't be. It's too normal." The Doctor argued moving around their machine ducking under rotating pieces.

"Only for you could too normal be a problem." Amy groaned out in annoyance. "You said I could be lost forever. Just go upstairs."

"Without knowing and get myself and Stella killed? Then you really are lost." The Doctor replied wrapping his arm around Stella protectively. "If I could just get a look in there."

"Hold on. Amy, use the data bank." Stella said quickly. "Get the plans of this building. I want to know its history, the layout, everything."

"Meanwhile, I shall recruit a spy." The Doctor grinned.

-0-

Craig was starting to tidy up when he decided to examine the stain more closely. He stepped up onto the easy chair under the stain and reached up toward it, only hesitating for a moment before deciding to go for it.

"Rotmeister." Craig scoffed before he touched the stain and there was a hissing sound causing his to jerk back his hand, stepping down from the chair. "Ow! Ow."

-0-

Next morning, the Doctor was carrying a tray into Craig's room while Stella was finishing up getting ready for the day. She was wearing one of the Doctor's favorite outfits. It was an off the shoulder Tardis blue long bell sleeved shift dress that reached down to her knees with a lace hemline and a pair of calf high brown fringe boots.

She left her hair hanging down in loose waves to her waist with a braided cord around her head crossing over her forehead tying on the right side of her head with tiny blue and white flowers adorning it. To complete her ensemble she had her rose colored glasses perched on the end of her nose.

"Craig? Craig? Breakfast." The Doctor called out as he knocked on Craig's door before entering. "It's normal. Craig?" He took notice of the sickly parlor of Craig. "Craig. Craig, Craig, Craig." He rushed over to the bed setting the trey aside on the bed as he checked over Craig. "I told you not to touch it."

"Doctor?" Stella ran in having heard the Doctor's shouting. "What happened?"

"He touched it! Look, what's that?" The Doctor saw a green line up the inside of Craig's forearm. "It's an unfamiliar and obviously poisonous substance." The Doctor grumbled in frustration. "Oh, I know what'd be really clever, I'll stick my hand in it."

"Are you channeling Craig or just yourself?" Stella smarted off as she scanned Craig, bringing them up on holographic screen.

"I would never…." Stella shot him a look. "…one time!" The Doctor focused back on Craig. "Come on, Craig, breathe." The Doctor hit Craig's chest with his fists clasped together and Craig gasped, his eyes popping open as he took in great gulps of air. "Come on, Craig, breathe. Thems are healthy footballer's lungs."

"I've got an idea." Stella rushed out of the room back to the kitchenette and stuffed as many teabags as possible into the commemorative Royal Wedding teapot, even grabbing some from the trash, then ran back into the room handing it to the Doctor. "Here give him this."

"Right, reverse the enzyme decay. Excite the tannin molecules, perfect love." The Doctor praised as he poured the super-strong tea straight into Craig's mouth.

"I've got to go to work." Craig grumbled.

"On no account. You need rest. One more." The Doctor poured some more tea into him.

"It's the planning meeting. It's important." Craig responded weakly.

"You're important." Stella admonished him, patting his forehead with a rag she had grabbed from the kitchen. "You're going to be fine, Craig."

Once he was settled Stella retrieved a pitcher of water and a glass setting them on his nightstand before she and the Doctor left him at 7:15 to rest in his room.

"Come along Stella my love." The Doctor said as he took her hand in his pulling her along to the door.

"Where are we off to?" Stella asked as they swung their hands back and forth, locking the door behind them as they left.

"Craig's call center, we're going to be his representatives for the planning meeting and perhaps get a little more information while we're at it." The Doctor spun her around making her smile as he exchanged holding her hand for wrapping it around her waist holding her close to his side.

-0-

Craig ran into the office at full tilt rushing past everyone down the hall to make it to his desk. The first thing he saw was his boss standing next to his desk and felt dread spike at his heart. He was late, so very late and new that he had to be in trouble.

"Oh, afternoon." Michael, his boss, greeted him with a smile that did nothing to calm Craig down.

"I'm so sorry, Michael. I don't know what happened. I've got no excuse." Craig started to grovel right away.

"I think that's not what my screen is telling me, Mister Lang." The Doctor came up from under the desk

"What's he doing here? What are you doing here?" Craig demanded.

"If that's your attitude, Mister Lang, please take your custom elsewhere." The Doctor blew a raspberry into the phone.

"No, no, no, that's one of my best clients." Craig panicked as Stella came over with two cups of tea.

"Hello, Craig. How are you feeling?" Stella looked to him as she sat the cups down.

"Fine…" Craig stuttered out, his eyes going wider at the sight of Stella at his job as well. "But what are you two doing here?!"

"Had some time to kill." The Doctor informed him. "We were curious, well I was curious."

"He's never worked in an office." Stella nodded to the Doctor who was eyeing the tea and rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Sophie made it."

"Never worked in anywhere really." The Doctor went on shooting Stella a bashful look. "Stella had though."

"Actually I was a Crusading Coordinator for a dental office, same difference though." Stella shrugged as she sat on the edge of the desk next to the Doctor.

"Crusading Coordinator." The Doctor laughed shaking his head, finding the stories of her time in the dental office immensely hilarious.

She had been tracking down an alien known on earth as a tooth fairy, but to the universe they were a species called Albus Dente. Apparently there had been an influx of rotting teeth that had caught her attention when she had been visiting earth, finding herself stranded in a small town while her manipulator recharged after a series of events. She had nearly lost her teeth in that little escapade, but she had gotten the infestation under control.

"It was a theme for the office ok." Stella rolled her eyes, glancing at the straining ladle that had started twitching on the desk. "Super Hero themed dentists, what will they think of next?"

"You're insane." Craig exclaimed.

"Leave off the Doctor and Stella. I love them." Michael smiled at the couple.

"Thank you Mike." Stella raised her cup to him in a salute.

"They were brilliant in the planning meeting." Michael went on.

"You went to the planning meeting?" Craig asked wide eyed.

"Yes." Stella smiled. "We were your representatives."

"We don't need Mister Lang anymore." The Doctor made a face. "Rude Mister Lang."

"Here you go, and I found some custard creams." Sophie came over to them handing the treats to the Doctor.

"Sophie, my hero." The Doctor smiled taking the plate.

"Yay!" Stella cheered as she nabbed one from the plate.

"Hi, Craig." Sophie smiled. "I went on the web, applied for a wildlife charity thing. They said I could always start as a volunteer straight away." She looked to him anxiously. "Should I do it?"

"Yeah, great. Yeah, good. Go for it." Craig said distractedly.

"You look awful." Stella said eyeing Craig, his pale parlor and the glistening sweat on his forehead.

"About turn. Bed. Now." The Doctor ordered, Craig starring at them stunned.

"Might be best Craig, go on, we have things covered here." Stella assured with another smile.

"Who next? Oh, yes. Hello, Mister Joergensen." The Doctor said answering the phone as Craig walked away in a shocked stupor. "Can you hold? I have to eat a biscuit."

-0-

After work was over the Doctor and Stella head back toward the flat walking down the streets hand in hand. Stella glanced over to a small café smiling wistfully at the couples that were eating outside and there was even a small dance area where they swayed softly to the music.

The Doctor followed her line of sigh and his face broke out into a large smile. He led her over pulling out a chair at one of the small tables for her, the waiter coming over and taking their orders.

"I thought we didn't have time for a date." Stella commented as the drinks were placed before them along with the baked goods they had ordered.

"What could a couple of hours hurt? Plus I'm a time lord, I'll make the time for you." The Doctor took her hands in his, stroking the back of them with his thumbs. As they talked lovingly to each other he picked up her left hand pressing a kiss to her ring finger making her blush. Dean Martin "You Belong to Me" started to play over the speakers, Stella glancing up at the tune with a smile and a chuckle.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"Bing sang this once and he referred to Dean as the singing pizza pusher." Stella recalled her time with the crooners. "I loved singing this song with them, it's one of my favorites."

The Doctor grinned pulling her onto the dance floor his hand slipping down her spine resting on her lower back as the other took hold of her right hand holding it so that the back of it was pressed against his chest. Stella placed her free hand on his shoulder where it met with his neck smiling up at him as they moved.

He closed his eyes resting his forehead against her as she hummed along with the song. His hand released her to pull her closer as they wrapped around her waist freeing her hands to play with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Stella…" The Doctor said softly causing her eyes to flutter open, gazing into his brilliant green eyes. His hand reached up cupping the side of her face, his thumb stroking her cheek as he just stared into her eyes. The love he was silently conveying causing Stella to smile softly as she stood on her tip toes pressing a loving kiss to his lips. When they slowly parted Stella lay her head on his shoulder, their arms wrapped around each other as they swayed to the music.

They reluctantly had to leave after a few more dances, continuing on their way back to the flat, their arms wrapped around each other. Stella had her head resting on the Doctor's shoulder as he periodically placed loving kisses on top of her head while they talked. The Doctor held the door open to the flat allowing Stella in first just in time to see the cat they had recruited coming down the stairs.

"Have you been upstairs? Yes?" The Doctor asked setting on the steps of the stairs with Stella, the cat climbing onto her lap as she stroked his fur soothingly.

"You can do it. Show us what's up there? What's behind that door? Try to show us." Stella gently urged the cat and her brows furrowed at the imaged she was getting.

"Oh, but that doesn't make sense." The Doctor said sharing a look with Stella. "Ever see anyone go up there?" The cat answered. "Lots of people? Good, good. What kind of people?"

The cat meowed in answer again.

"People who never came back down." Stella frowned.

"Oh, that's bad. That's very bad." The Doctor said then suddenly Craig opened the door to the hall scarring the cat off.

Oh, hello." Stella and the Doctor stood up from the stairs. "How are you feeling?"

"I can't take this anymore. I want you to go, both of you." Craig replied.

"I'm going to go with bad." Stella commented as they followed Craig into the flat.

"You can have this back and all." He shoved the bag of money they had given them into the Doctor's hands.

"What have we done?" The Doctor asked.

"For a start, talking to a cat." Craig pointed out.

"Lots of people talk to cats." Stella shot back as Craig stalked across the flat toward their room ranting as he went.

"And everybody loves you, and you're better at football than me, and my job, and now Sophie's all oh, monkeys, monkeys, and then there's that." He flung open the door revealing their shielding system/scanner.

"It's art." Stella deadpanned, realizing that the gig was up.

"A statement on modern society." The Doctor added, trying to keep hiding the truth from Craig. "Ooo, ain't modern society awful.

"Me and you two, it's not going to work out. You've only been here three days. These have been the three weirdest days of my life." Craig went on complaining.

"Your days will get a lot weirder if we go." The Doctor argued.

"It was good weirdness. It's not, it's bad weird. I can't do this anymore." Craig sounded close to shouting.

"Craig, we can't leave this place. We're like you, can't see the point of anywhere else. Madrid? Ha, what a dump. We have to stay." The Doctor maintained.

"No, you don't. You have to leave." Craig stood firm.

"We can't go." Stella sighed out in frustration.

"Just get out!" Craig ordered.

"Right. Only way. I'm going to show you something, but shush. Really, shush. Oh, I am going to regret this. Okay, right. First, general background." The Doctor head-butted Craig making Stella wince in sympathy for both parties who were rocked with pain.

"She's a…" Craig looked to Stella in shock.

"Yep." Stella nodded.

"You're a…" He pointed at the Doctor.

"Yes." The Doctor agreed.

"From…" He pointed up.

"Shush." The Doctor ordered.

"You've got a Tardis." Craig went on in astonishment.

"Yes. Shush. Eleventh." The Doctor gestured to his face before taking hold of Craig again. "Right. Okay, specific detail."

"Wait…" Stella tried to stop them, but it was too late, another Glasgow kiss sent them both reeling back in pain.

"You saw my ad in the paper shop window." Craig said as he recovered.

"Yes, with this right above it." The Doctor held up the note.

"Which is odd, because Amy hasn't written it yet." Stella said, the note saying in red pen 'Doctor and Stella - this one no 79a Aickman Road Amy xx.'

"Time travel. It can happen." The Doctor said as he rubbed his forehead.

"That's a scanner. You used non-technological technology of Lammasteen!" Craig panicked, the Doctor and Stella covering his mouth cutting him off.

"Shut up!" They yelled together.

-0-

Sophie entered the flat wanting to check up on Craig after the incident at work. From what she had gathered from Stella he had been pretty sick which was why they were covering for him that day. She really liked how they looked out for him.

"Please can you help me?" The little girl with a doll at the top of the stairs asked pleadingly, her face cast in shadow.

"Hi." Sophie said as she started toward the stairs.

"Please, will you help me?" The girl repeated.

"What's the matter, my love? Help you?" Sophie climbed up the stairs toward the little girl leaving her keys in the door.

-0-

The Doctor and Craig were still reeling from the pain in their heads as well as Craig trying to come to terms with what he had learned.

"I am never, never doing that ever, ever again." The Doctor groaned taking on of Stella's cool hands in his pressing it to his forehead as he activated his Bluetooth like device. "Amy."

"That's Amy Pond." Craig gasped out, covering his mouth.

"Oh, of course, you can understand us now." Stella muttered as she rubbed the Doctor's forehead soothingly.

"Hurrah." The Doctor said as he took Stella's hand from his forehead, feeling better now, and kissing it lovingly. "Got those plans yet?"

"Still searching for them." Amy replied.

"We've worked it out, with psychic help from a cat." The Doctor commented.

"A cat?" Amy echoed.

"Yes. I know he's got a time engine in the flat upstairs." The Doctor replied.

"He's using innocent people to try and launch it." Stella added disdainfully.

"Whenever he does, they get burnt up, hence the stain on your ceiling." The Doctor went on.

"From the ceiling." Craig gasped.

"Well done, Craig." Stella patted him on the shoulder.

"And you, Miss Pond, nearly get thrown off into the Vortex." The Doctor pointed out.

"Lovely." Amy mumbled just as a crash sounded from upstairs.

"People are dying up there. People are dying. People are dying. People are dying." Craig started to repeat signaling another time loop.

"Amy." The Doctor called out hearing her yell, the Tardis flying wildly.

"They're being killed." Craig broke out of the loop.

"Someone's up there." Stella gasped as they ran into the foyer.

"Doctor?" Amy called out.

"Hang on." The Doctor cut her off as they started up the stairs, Craig hesitating to follow. "Craig, come on. Someone's dying up there."

"Oh no…" Stella's face went pale, the males following her gaze to Sophie's pink key ring in the door.

"Sophie." Craig gasped out. "It's Sophie that's dying up there! It's Sophie!"

"Doctor! Argh! Stella!" Amy called out as they charged up to the door.

"Where's Sophie?" Craig panicked.

"Wait, wait." The Doctor stopped him from going inside.

"Amy?" The Doctor called out.

"Are you upstairs?" Amy asked, still holding on for dear life to the monitor.

"Just going in." The Doctor answered.

"But you can't be upstairs." Amy argued over the sounds of the Tardis having a fit.

"Of course I can be upstairs." The Doctor scoffed.

"No, I've got the plans. You cannot be upstairs, it's a one-storey building." Amy told them. "There is no upstairs."

Stella held out her hand soncing open the door allowing them all into the non-existent second story. Initially it seemed a normal flat, at least around the door itself, the rest was a high tech space mobile.

"What? What?" Craig looked round the room as they stepped further inside.

"Oh. Oh, of course. The time engine isn't in the flat, the time engine is the flat." The Doctor said in realization.

"Someone's attempt to build a Tardis." Stella frowned at the console in the middle.

"No, there's always been an upstairs." Craig said as the door flickered between an alien door and the flat door disguise behind them.

"Has there? Think about it." The Doctor urged him.

"Yes. No. I don't…" Craig struggled.

"Perception filter. It's more than a disguise." Stella deactivated her internal perception filter revealing her cyborg markings, Craig's mouth dropping open in shock. "It tricks your memory."

The terrified scream of Sophie broke through the air bringing them back on to the task at hand.

"Sophie! Sophie! Oh, my God, Sophie!" Craig panicked as they ran to where Sophie was being pulled towards the central console by tendrils of electricity connected to her outstretched hand. She was sobbing in horror and pain as she was forced closer and closer to the console.

"Craig." Sophie called out as he wrapped his arms around her pulling back.

"It's controlling her." The Doctor said sonicing the console. "It's willing her to touch the activator."

"That's not going to have her." Craig said in determination as Sophie's hand was pulled onto a dome shaped control causing her to scream, the dome going red.

"Ah, deadlock seal." The Doctor snapped as he tried to use his sonic to get it to let her go.

"You've got to do something." Craig begged them trying to pull Sophie back when suddenly she was released causing them both to fall back.

"What? Why's it let her go?" Stella questioned as she ran over to the couple checking them over. "So, okay."

"You will help me." A man suddenly appeared, his face cast in shadow.

"Right. Stop. Crashed ship, let's see." The Doctor eyed the hologram. "Hello, I'm Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue, this is my Lieutenant Helen Beautiful." He winked over at Stella who gave him a dry look in return. "Please state the nature of your emergency."

"The ship has crashed. The crew are dead. A pilot is required." The auto pilot said.

"You're the emergency crash program." The Doctor said. "A hologram."

"What, you've been luring people up here so you can try them out?" Stella snapped as she walked over to stand next to the Doctor. The hologram flickered between old man, young man and girl.

"You will help me. You will help me. You will help me." It demanded in each of the voices it had used to acquire other test pilots.

"Craig, what is this? Where am I?" Sophie asked groggily.

"Hush." The Doctor ordered her before focusing back on the hologram. "Human brains aren't strong enough, they just burn. But you're stupid, though. You just keep trying."

"Seventeen people have been tried. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six remain." It answered.

"Seriously, what is going on?" Sophie asked.

"Oh, for goodness sake." The Doctor said in annoyance.

"I got it." Stella waved off his frustration. "Listen up Sophie, the top floor of Craig's building is in reality an alien space ship intent on slaughtering the population of this planet. Any questions? No, good."

"Yes, I have questions." Sophie replied.

"Send us an e-mail." Stella smiled tensely.

"The correct pilot has now been found." Auto said.

"Yes, I was a bit worried that you were going to say that." The Doctor winced.

"He means you, Doctor, doesn't he?" Amy discerned and the Doctor was about to answer with a positive when the electricity reached out grabbing hold of Stella who screamed out in pain before clamping her mouth shut.

"Stella!" The Doctor called out as it began to drag her towards the console. The Doctor tried to hold her back wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling back.

"The correct pilot has been found. The correct pilot has been found. The correct pilot has been found." Auto repeated.

"What's happening?" Amy called out. "Doctor! What's happening to Stella?!"

"It's pulling her in. Stella's the new pilot." He answered in a strained voice as he pulled her back. Stella ground her teeth against the pain and planted her feet firmly while grabbing hold of a steel garter. Her grip denting the metal as she held on, but the pull was strong.

"Stella, could you do it?" Amy questioned. "Could you fly the ship safely?"

"No, I'm way too much for this ship. My hand touches that panel, the planet doesn't blow up, and the whole solar system does." Stella gasped out in pain as the garter broke in her hand causing her and the Doctor to stumble forward. Stella barely caught herself inches from the dome. "And my systems get fried which is a bit redundant considering the whole solar system explosion thing."

"What about the Doctor?" Amy asked.

"Same story, big explosion, no more solar system." The Doctor replied bracing one of his feet against the console still holding Stella back.

"The correct pilot has been found." Auto said.

"No. Worst choice ever, I promise you." The Doctor said through gritted teeth.

"Stop this. Stop it right now!" Stella ordered sharply, the pain coursing through her systems. The readings flashing before her eyes all in alert red listing her reports of the parts of her in dangers of frying.

"Doctor? Stella?" Amy called out as she was flung violently. "It's getting worse."

"Love, I could really use one of your famous plan/things right about now." Stella cried out.

"It doesn't want everyone. Craig, it didn't want you." The Doctor said in sudden realization.

"I spoke to him and he said I couldn't help him." Craig said in worry.

"It didn't want Sophie before but now it does. What's changed?" Stella asked as she caught on, as she was yanked forward almost touching the panel again letting out a yell of pain.

"Argh. No." The Doctor tightened his grip around Stella, desperate to keep her away from the dome. "No, I gave her the idea of leaving. It's a machine that needs to leave. It wants people who want to escape. And you don't want to leave, Craig. You're Mister Sofa Man.

"Stella! Doctor!" Amy screamed.

"Craig, you can shut down the engine. Put your hand on the panel and concentrate on why you want to stay." The Doctor ordered.

"Craig, no." Sophie tried to stop him.

"Will it work?" Craig asked.

"Yes." The Doctor nodded.

"Are you sure?" Craig asked.

"Yes." The Doctor answered.

"Is that a lie?" Craig asked.

"Of course it's a lie." Stella yelled.

"It's good enough for me. Geronimo! Argh!" Craig put his hand on the nearest control panel. Stella was released, she and the Doctor stumble back. The Doctor held onto her as she slumped against him for support while her systems rebooted.

"Craig!" Sophie called out.

"Stella! Doctor!" Amy screamed as the Doctor led Stella over to Craig who was not yelling in pain and doubled over.

"Craig, what's keeping you here?" The Doctor ordered as smoke was coming off Craig's hand. "Think about everything that makes you want to stay here." The Doctor slapped him. "Why don't you want to leave?"

"Sophie." Craig confessed with a jolt. "I don't want to leave Sophie. I can't leave Sophie. I love Sophie."

"I love you, too, Craig, you idiot." Sophie put her hand on Craig's, the electricity going through both of them thought neither showed any signs of pain.

"Doctor! Stella!" Amy screamed.

"Honestly, do you mean that?" Craig asked.

"Of course I mean it. Do you mean it?" Sophie asked back.

"I've always meant it. Seriously though, do you mean it?" Craig questioned.

"Yes." Sophie answered.

"What about the monkeys?" Craig asked.

"Oh, not now, not again. Craig, the planet's about to burn." Stella snapped in annoyance.

"For God's sake, kiss the girl." The Doctor demanded.

"Kiss the girl!" Amy agreed. Craig and Sophie kiss, and their hands were released from the panel only to wrap around each other.

"Doctor? Stella?" Amy called out slowly when the Tardis had calmed down. "You've done it. Ha ha! You've done it." She looked to the monitor. "Oh, now the screen's just zeros. Now it's minus ones, minus twos, minus threes. Big yes."

"Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me."

"Big no." The Doctor said as the hologram flickered between images.

"Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me."

"Did we switch it off?" Craig asked, finally coming up for air.

"Emergency shutdown. It's imploding." Stella corrected.

"Everybody out, out, out!" The Doctor ushered them all out the door, down the stairs, and into the street.

"Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me Help me. Help me. Help me."

"Doctor? Stella?" Amy called out.

"Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me."

The Doctor, Stella, Craig and Sophie ran down the stairs and outside. The top floor and roof turned into the Timeship which then disappeared with a slight poof, leaving a totally incongruous one story building at the end of an entirely two story terrace. A man walked by carrying a child not even looking at the building, but giving Stella a strange look, eyeing her blue cyber lines, before hurrying by.

"Look at them. Didn't they see that? The whole top floor just vanished." Craig said in astonishment.

"Perception filter." The Doctor said by way of explanation. "There never was a top floor."

-0-

Craig and Sophie are snogging on the sofa, unable to keep their hands off one another after all of that time hiding their feeling for one another. They broke apart smiling brilliantly at one another, completely and totally happy.

"So have we spoiled our friendship, then?" Craig asked.

"Totally ruined it." Sophie smiled.

"And what about the monkeys? We could save them together, you know. Do whatever we want. I could see the point of Paris if you were there with me." Craig commented.

"First, let's destroy our friendship completely." Sophie grinned impishly. The Doctor and Stella entered from their room smiling at the happy couple before turning their backs discreetly leaving the keys on the sideboard.

"Oi." Craig called out after them, spotting them trying to make a quiet getaway.

"What, you're trying to sneak off?" Sophie accused them from the couch.

"Yes, well, you were sort of busy." The Doctor pointed out.

"I want you to keep these." Craig gave him the keys back as Sophie came over to them.

"Thank you. Because we might pop back soon, have another little stay." The Doctor smiled.

"No, you won't. I've been in your head, remember. I still want you to keep them." Craig said.

"Thank you, Craig." Stella hugged them both.

"Thank you, Stella, Doctor." Craig nodded.

"Sophie. Now then. Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six people in the world. That's the number to beat." The Doctor grinned pointing at the young woman.

"Yeah." Sophie blushed looking over to Craig. The Doctor and Stella left hand in hand, happy that the day was saved. Neither realized that behind the refrigerator with the photograph of the Doctor in his football kit standing with his arm around Stella who was waving a small flag of the teams was the crack in the wall.

-0-

Stella and the Doctor walked up to the Tardis flinging the door open before they stepped inside to find Amy leaning against the Tardis with her arms crossed.

"Hello Amy." The Doctor grinned. "Have a nice time home alone?" Amy merely raised an eyebrow. "Ok, I know the imminent threat of being flung off into the vortex was bad, but come on, all's right with the world again." The Doctor pointed out before scooping Stella up into his arms causing her to yelp, demanding to be put back down. "Now a quick jaunt to the med bay and then we will be on our way."

"Med bay?" Amy asked in concern.

"I'm fine, just a bit of a jolt from the control panel when it tried to get me to be the pilot." Stella gave up struggling to get out of the Doctor's arms and settled for pouting with her arms crossed when she couldn't manage to squirm away.

"A bit of a jolt?! You'll be lucky if it's just a few frayed connections or a couple of loose wires." The Doctor scoffed causing her to pout harder. "Oh, Amy, before I forget, you need to go to the paper shop and leave that note for us."

"I do hope Craig and Sophie have a good life together, they are such a cute couple." Stella commented.

"Right little matchmaker, aren't you? Can't you find me a fellow?" Amy asked him causing the Doctor to start slightly and Stella's to frown in guilt.

"Oh, Stella's rectifier's is playing up again hold on." The Doctor said and got a hit to his chest from Stella.

"We do not talk about my rectifier in front of Amy." Stella said with a blush. "My inner working her personal."

"Sorry dear." The doctor kissed her on the forehead. "You write the note and I'll change that will after I get Stella situated."

"You got a pen?" Amy asked.

"Doctor's jacket pocket." Stella called out.

"Make sure it's a red pen." The Doctor told her starting toward the hall.

Amy went through the Doctor's jacket pockets and found the ring box. She opened it thinking she was getting a sneak glimpse of the wedding ring that the Doctor had chosen for Stella. Instead of the unique ring she expected she found a simple band of white gold with a very Earth diamond in it, and remembered the crack in her wall.

-0-

Stella sighed as she laid on her stomach in the med bay of the Tardis, the Doctor running his sonic over her back opening up the panels that revealed her inner workings. As strange as it sounded he did love the chances he got to look inside of her. The different components that she had integrated into her systems spanned planets, cultures, species, and the ages, it was truly a work of inspired art to him.

"You know if you'd stop leering you'd be able to get the repairs done faster." Stella smirked.

"I am not leering." The Doctor quickly defended himself as his ears with bright red, Stella humming her disbelief. "I am not, I'm just trying to repair the damage you got from that shock from the panel."

"And having a good look around while you're at it." Stella continued to tease him.

"Can you blame me?" The Doctor caved in, pouting before smiling slyly. "You are quite the piece of work my dear." The Doctor closed her panels back up and leaning down pressing a kiss to the back of her neck, his fingers caressing her sides. "I can't get enough of you, inside or out."

Stella turned over on her back looking up at the Doctor who now held himself over her held up by his elbows, his fingers weaving themselves into her hair rushing against her ears. Stella reached up cupping the Doctor's face caressing his cheeks with her thumbs. The Doctor leaned down slowly brushing his lips against her before firmly sealing their lips together as the kiss intensified.

A nip on her bottom lip caused her to gasp allowing the Doctor entrance as her hands moved from his cheeks into his hair. Gently he moved from her lips trailing kisses down her jawline toward her neck as she raked her nails through his hair.

"Okay, I left the note, how's….OH MY…." Amy yelled slapping her hands over her eyes.

"Pond! Don't you knock?!" The Doctor straightened up with a bright blush adjusting his bow tie while Stella laid back on the med bed laughing at their reactions.

"The door was open." Amy snapped. "It's like walking on your parents." Amy complained rubbing her eyes. "I need to scour my eyes. Stella, stop laughing, it's not funny! I am mentally scarred here!"

"Yes it is!" Stella sat up swinging her legs off the med bed and hopping down looping her arm through the Doctor's and Amy's arms. "How about a trip to make up the scarring of your mind?"

"You better." Amy mumbled as they made their way out of the med bay.