Scarlett took a long drink from the tall glass of water in her hand and smiled as she looked around the produce of the latest crop she had brought in from the green house earlier. After a while, her face turned into a frown. Too much quiet, she thought to herself. Always too much quiet. Why couldn't they have at least had a radio or something to listen to? Whoever -they- were. She sighed. "How many times have I had this conversation with myself?" she said aloud.
She glanced out and noticed it had grown dark, so, just like every night, she picked up her sonic screwdriver and walked outside, making the trek to the top of the nearby sand dune. She took a deep breath and stretched her hand into the air, pointing the sonic towards the starry sky and activating the device. It was a long shot, that the TARDIS might be nearby and pick up her signature or that of her sonic, but could it hurt? How many nights over the years do I keep doing this before it becomes insanity to believe he's looking for me? That he's coming back for me? she thought to herself. After five minutes, she dropped her hand to her side with a sigh and walked back towards her home.
The three Time Lords landed the blue police box right next to a red telephone box on the newly rebuilt Roald Dahl Plass. Jack Harkness had overseen the clean-up and reconstruction after the explosion that occurred during the tragic incident the 456. Stepping out of the TARDIS and onto the Plass reminded the Doctor of the tragic day when he was unable to help his friend. The 456 had seen to it that the TARDIS was unable to reach Earth, despite Jack's frantic calls to the Doctor through his vortex manipulator.
"It's about time you showed back up," a voice called out from behind the Time Lord. He swung around and saw Jack approaching, wearing his trademark outfit, coat billowing out behind him in the breeze.
"Jack, I-" the Doctor hesitated. He could barely bring himself to look at his friend, not because of anything he had done, but because of his disappointment in himself for not finding a way to make it to him. "I would ask how you knew we were here, but I'm sure you keep this place monitored."
Jack nodded. "Day and night, but that's not how I knew you were here. You only just arrived, even I couldn't make it here that fast. Well, almost, but I try not to use the vortex manipulator unless I'm in a real pinch. No, when a certain red head calls and tells me to show up, I listen." He nodded his head towards Donna as she stepped out of the TARDIS with Jacob. He returned the woman's smile, then turned his gaze back to the Doctor with a more serious expression. "I'm coming with you."
"Jack, I can't ask you-" the Doctor started arguing but was quickly interrupted.
"Yes, you can. Of course, you can. You can always ask me for help. You think I'm not going to be there to help you find your wife?" Jack asked as he came up close and stood, looking eye to eye, at the Doctor.
"Jack, you've already done so much, I can't-" Once again, the Doctor tried to argue before Jack stopped him.
"Doctor, I've had to learn to stop blaming myself for what happened. When are you going to do the same?" Jack said, staring into his friend's soul with a look of both compassion and resolve. "Now, come on. Donna brought me up to speed. With Old Blue and Baby Red here, we've got an unbeatable team to find her. You need someone with you on the Old Girl to help with the scans and piloting. I'm your man."
Jacob smirked. "Old Blue and Baby Red?".
"Hey buddy, you're the one who decided to disguise him as a red telephone box. It just sort of fits, don't you think?" Jack smirked back.
"I like it," Donna responded, patting the red telephone box on the side. "Baby Red and Old Blue. I think it works nicely. And Spaceman, don't even think of arguing any more. I'm not letting you be alone on that TARDIS while we do this. You need someone and Jack's the right person for the job. And if push comes to shove, he can be on the ground and use his vortex manipulator to time hop till we find her."
The Doctor rolled his head back and forth as if he was making a decision-one that had already been made for him. "Oh, alright!" he said and gave a small smile towards Jack just in time for the man to pull him into a hug. "Do you have your sonic?"
Jack pulled the device out of his inside jacket pocket. "Always, now. After the 456, I never leave home without it."
Scarlett sat at the desk in the laboratory and opened the makeshift journal she had created. "Year Ten. It's so, so quiet. What I wouldn't do to hear Donna yelling at the Doctor about him leaving his tea mug lying about the console. Ten years and I still miss them like it was yesterday that we were separated. While one part of me thinks that by now they must have stopped looking, another part of me remembers that time is relative. That for them it might only be days and they are on their way. I know my Doctor won't stop, even if it's to his detriment. I'm sure one part of me should hope that he eventually gives up and makes himself a happy life without me. But I must admit there is a part of me that hopes that ten years later he's still just as lonely without me as I am without him. Still. I must live. It's all I know to do, now. Without him. Because giving up and dying is something that neither of us would ever want for the other. There must be a reason I'm here, alone, ten years later." She finished scribbling out the note and closed the book, going out for her morning work in the greenhouse.
