Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters and I am not making any profit from writing this.

I cough myself awake. I feel incredibly disorientated. I knew I was dying, but I'm not dead. So what happened? And where am I?

'I wondered when you'd wake up. I've been here for nearly a week.'

I know that voice. 'Doctor?' I ask turning slowly to see him. He was standing by a window, I could see daylight outside.

'The one and the only.' He said coming over. 'How do you feel?'

'Do I really have to answer that?'

He smiled. 'So you've gained a sense of humour then.'

'Where am I?'

'Field hospital. Nurse's dormitory to be more precise.'

'Why am I in a Nurse's dormitory?' I asked looking around. I spotted two other beds, one occupied the other empty.

Without missing a beat the Doctor launched into an explanation. 'Because you not allowed on the wards for two very good reasons. One, you're not in human form 'cos a very good Nurse knows you can only give a patient the best treatment when you know the full extent of the injury which means no holographic projections. And two, that very good Nurse won't allow you to go on the ward and be treated by just anyone. And three, I don't think anyone fancies holding an argument with that very good Nurse at the moment.'

'You said there were only two reasons not three.' I pointed out, not sure exactly how the Doctor managed to talk so fast for so long.

'Did I really?' The Doctor asked looking at me as though I said the most preposterous thing in the universe. 'Oh and four that very good Nurse is Nurse Runner.'

'May's here?' I asked, trying to sit up.

'Don't get up you'll strain yourself.' The Doctor told me sternly as his pushed me back. 'So I take it you know May well. And I should hope so after travelling around with her and then living in the same flat for 10 years. You know you two left a very difficult trail to follow.'

'Not deliberately.' I told him. He just raised an eyebrow at me.

'So what have you been up to for the last 10 years? No. Don't answer. I already know.'

'May filled you in?'

'No. I filled myself in. Still can't help but ask why?'

'Why?'

'Why you joined the army. How you made a very clever holographic projector. Why you're alive after being shot. And why you'd bother to move all 6000 kilometres of the way to Bury St Edmunds.'

'5679.74 kilometres.' I corrected him.

'May was right. You are mad about accuracy. So anyway are you going to answer the questions?'

'I'll answer them backwards.' I told him, it'd be easier that way. 'Bury St Edmunds was May's idea. I'm alive because of May. The holographic projector was May's invention. And deciding to fight in the war was my idea but why is... complicated.'

'Does it anything to do with May?'

'No, not really. Why?'

''Cos everything else was.'

'Where is May?'

'She's working.'

'Why's she working in a field hospital?'

'Dunno. You'll have to ask her that when she comes back.'

'Comes back?' I asked confused.

'When the search party gets back.'

'She's in a search party?'

'Yep.'

'To the frontline?'

'Yep.'

'And you let her go?'

'Ah.' Was all the Doctor said.

'She'll get herself killed.' I tried to get out of bed, but the Doctor got there first and held me down. I was too weak to fight against him. Tired I gave up.

'You care about her a lot.' The Doctor observed.

What kind of observation was that? But I knew I shouldn't be angry at the Doctor. Knowing May she had probably put herself up for it and no-one would be able to convince her otherwise. It also explained why I thought I had seen her when I was dying on the battle field.

I felt exhausted. Sleep was beginning to creep back. 'Doctor. Tell May I'm sorry.'

'Sorry for what?'

'She knows.' With that I fell asleep.

I don't know how long I was asleep but when I woke up again it was dark. Both of the other beds were empty, and the Doctor was pacing. I knew instantly that something wasn't right.

I tried to sit up and yelped as an unexpected spasm of pain erupted from my shoulder.

The Doctor was instantly at my side. 'I told you not to get up.' I could sense from his tone he was worried, and I don't think all that worry was because of me. 'You've got a large gash on your shoulder and you've just opened it up.' He told me as he placed wrapped a bandage around the area. 'Not perfect, never could reach Martha's standard, but it'll do.'

'What happened to Martha?' I asked.

'She's fine. Went home. You know.'

I didn't know, but I considered it wise not to ask any further.

The Doctor paced relentlessly. Something really wasn't right.

Then a Nurse burst in to the room tears streaming from her face. The Doctor was by her in an instant to comfort her. 'Nurse Edwards what's happened?' He asked.

'The party...*sob*...has been...de...*sob*...declared... a-as-s-s-s missing...They refuse t-to let anyone...*sob*... go looking.' Nurse Edwards slowly answered.

Party? I thought, did she mean search party? May was in the search parties. I felt myself begin to panic. She'd come back though. She was strong. She had to come back. But my hope was disappearing at an alarming rate.

Between these thoughts I sensed the Doctor nearby. 'I'm sorry.' I heard him say. Confirming that May had been in the missing party.

'I'm so sorry.'