This is just a quick one that's meant to confuse you... and move Lily on to the next episode.

.7.

Six Weeks Later

Interlude

I'm doodling on a note pad in a cafe in New York. The cafe is empty, though the giant fireplace roars with fire. Most of the walls are windows. The counter is made of glass and the dessert tray is empty. The trees outside are losing their bright leaves. It's warm in here. It's a monsoon outside.

A bell jingles as the door opens. I look up from my vanilla latte and the pad of paper I'm writing on. A familiar crooked smile greets me. He's wearing a blue pin-stripe suit and his hair is sticky-uppy, just like the last time I saw him.

"Hello, my love," he says, sitting in front of me.

"Oh," I take a sip of my latte. "I forgot about you."

"I noticed." He drops a cube of sugar into the hot cup of tea that appears in front of him. "I must say, I don't blame you. Things must have been quite exciting for you of late."

I reach over the table and run my fingers through his hair. I blink. In a flash, an Ood is standing behind him, holding a bright translating globe. I blink and the Ood is gone. "It's been very Ood… I mean, odd."

"Yes, it is Ood where I am right now." He adds a bit of milk to his tea.

I sit back and put both hands in my lap. "I didn't mean to forget you. It's just… I've been running a lot and there isn't time for quips and shortcomings."

"We're all running." He shrugs. "We're all being chased by the crocodile. Some are just better at pretending we're not."

Somewhere, a clock is ticking.

"Daniel, how long have I been gone?" We're holding hands now.

"Hasn't been a minute," he squeezes my hand. "But you need to come back before they arrive."

I lean forward. "Who?"

But Daniel's gone.

Now I'm in the cave. That cave Michael and I spent so much time in over those three-years-in-one-year.

A hand grips my shoulder. I cover that hand with my own, staring at the one lamp with its flickering flame.

"Now you I could never forget," I whisper.

Michael's voice sends electricity soaring through my body. "Neither could I."

"But you did." Tears fall. I wipe them from my cheeks. I hold my hand up. My fingers are covered in congealed blood.

"Did I?"

I wipe the blood on my pants and taste raspberry. I hate raspberry. "The leaves are falling and you're still playing grasshopper."

Michael squeezes my shoulder. "You're doing fine without me."

I choke. "I'd be better with you."

"I'm not what you need right now."

Tick, tock.

"What do I need?" My lips don't move, but the words are said out loud.

"Turn around."

I turn.

The Doctor straightens his bow tie and grins at me. "We're going run circles around the stars."

I don't know if I'm awake before I gasp or if I gasped while I was asleep. Either way, I'm awake now.

I sit up, pushing the warm fuzzy blanket off of me. Sweat soaks into my gray pajama pants and black tank top. I roll out of bed (and I do mean that literally—it's a big bed) and trudge to the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm wrapped in a big fluffy towel, dripping water as I stand in front of my closet. I have to say, the best part about being in the Tardis (besides, you know, traveling through time and space) is that I don't have to fold anything or put anything away. She does that for me. Heck, I don't even have to decide on what to wear. I just open the closet door and, poof, instant outfit. This is totally the life.

Today, the Tardis has chosen dark jeans, a gray V-neck tee shirt, and a black zipper sweatshirt with a big collar, but no hood. I tie on a pair of hiking boots. I've found those to be the best footwear while traveling with the Doctor. My big toe on my left foot still hurts where I stubbed it when I stupidly wore sandals one day.

My mind drifts to my dream. It's the first dream I remember having since I came here. I miss Daniel. My heart pains for Michael.

I don't even know what to think of the Doctor anymore.

These past six weeks, he's my best friend one moment and the next he's an angst-ridden mess who refuses to even speak to me, never mind look at me. When he's the latter, I tend to just walk away and explore the Tardis. Or read a book. Seriously, the library is the greatest room in the entire universe.

I miss home.

I miss Ricky and Alexis and even Julie. I miss their voices and their laughter. Hell, I almost miss my job. Don't get me wrong, I love traveling. I love seeing different planets and times. And the running… I never thought I'd say this, but I actually love running. Who'd have thought?

But… well, I'm lonely. It's just the Doctor and I. At the end of the adventure, it's just him and I and that constantly appearing awkwardness. I hate that awkwardness.

Sighing, I leave my room. Might as well see what the Doctor is up to and how much awkwardness I'm going to face today. It's better than being alone, I guess.

Sometimes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" The Doctor jumps up from under the Tardis. His tweed jacket is flung over a railing, so he's just in his shirt, bow tie, and braces. Wait, no, not braces. Suspenders. I'm American, not English/Time Lord.

I grunt in response. I hate people who are chipper in the morning.

"So, Charlie Chaplin!" He claps his hands together, grinning.

I wipe my eyes, yawning. "What about him?"

"I haven't seen him in a while, old Charlie. I was thinking we could pop over and say hello."

I smile. Yeah, time travel rules. "Can I have breakfast first?"

"Already done!" the Doctor spins on a heel, disappears behind the console, and pops back up with the greatest site I have ever seen. That brown paper bag with the orange and pink logo makes my mouth water. "Ham, egg, and cheese on a croissant and a medium iced pumpkin spice latte, whole milk, no whipped cream." He hands me the drink first. I swirl the ice then take a deep chug. Sighing in ecstasy, I place the drink on the floor and grab the bag from him. Lily runs on Dunkin.

"You, sir, are a god," I say, opening the bag to dig out the delicious breakfast sandwich.

"No. Well, maybe a little." He winks in a dramatic gesture.

I finish the sandwich in less than five minutes. During that time, the Doctor is entering coordinates into the console.

I'm sipping down the last of my drink, intending to annoy the Doctor with my slurping, when I feel it. That feeling I haven't felt in weeks. I drop the cup at the suddenness of it.

My wrist is starting to burn.

"I guess I'm not going to see Charlie Chaplin after all," I say.

The Doctor's head snaps up. "Why?"

I give him a sad little smile. "It's apparently time for me to go."

He rushes to my side, face contorted with worry. "Lily." He reaches out to me.

But it's too late.

"Bye," I whisper as the electricity takes me away.

I land in a cave. Not my cave. Someplace very large, very different, and very, very warm.

Oh, and, did I mention, there is a huge beast chained at the wrists. Roaring.

I think I'm going to throw up now.