The stink of pollution was far stronger than she would have liked, but it matched the shabby buildings and trash coated alley that she was in, so there was that at least. "New Earth, she mused, shutting the door to the TARDIS and glancing at the timer on her wrist. Fifteen minutes; that was the longest period yet. Rose Tyler set off at a run, listening to the voice echoing in her mind, drawing her to him.

She hadn't meant to leave the TARDIS; she'd made several of these jumps so far, and had been very good about staying in there. But this one…this time when she landed, almost immediately, an ancient voice blew past her mental walls and filled her mind with his call. And who was she to say no?

It took a bit of doing, but in ten minutes, Rose managed to get herself to the building that voice was calling her to. "Bit dangerous, that was," she called as she made her way through the arena like room. "All those cars, all that pollution…mind you, not as much as they think it is, since they all seem pretty positive that much pollution will kill you. Even so."

"I knew you could make it," the voice said in her mind; Rose thought she head a smile in that voice.

"Well, glad someone has faith in me," she muttered. She cleared the last row of seats, and was finally able to see who had been calling to her. Situated on one side of the circular clearing in the middle of the stadium-like seating, there was a large tank. And in that tank, was a large floating head. "Right, don't see that every day," she muttered, drawing closer and crouching front of the tank to be on eye-level with the being inside. "I've heard of you," Rose said after a moment, tilting her head to one side. "You're the Face of Boe. Always wanted to meet you," she grinned.

"And I have wanted to speak to you for many years," he returned, the large lips quirking up into a smile. "Our time is limited. Your count down is running out, and the Doctor will be here soon."

Rose glanced at her watch and grimaced. He was right; only four and a half minutes left. "What did you want to tell me, then?"

"It is said that on the day I die I will impart my greatest secret to the Lonely God."

Rose snorted. "Always hated that name for him. It somehow manages to make him sad and give him an even bigger ego."

"The stories never accounted for there being two."

Rose frowned. "Two what? Secrets?"

"Yes. And two lonely gods."

"What, me?" She shook her head. "That's not my title. That was never my title, and anyways, I don't want it."

"Listen to me closely, Rose Tyler, Bad Wolf," Boe ordered, his voice rumbling through her head. "Your time in this world is not done. The Circle has not been closed. The Doctor is not alone and you have more yet to do."

"But that's what I'm working on!" Rose protested. "Getting back here! Just having a bit of trouble, is all," she muttered.

"The stars are going out, Rose Tyler. You have been tasked with saving them." Well that certainly got her attention. How did he know that? "But hear this: When you think you have won, when you think you have stopped the stars extinction, you are wrong. You have slowed them down, but you are not done yet. Do not celebrate too soon." He paused. "Do you understand?"

"…yeah," she answered slowly. "I mean, not completely, obviously. But yeah. When I think I've saved the universe, I haven't, right?"

"Correct."

"Okay. Great. Always one more thing, isn't it?" She sighed, and glanced at the timer. Twenty seconds. "Any more advice for me?"

The Face of Boe smiled. "Next time you land in this world, give Jack a call. He's not very happy."

"Wait, what?" But before she could ask anymore, she was sucked out of that world and back into Pete's.

"Good luck, Rosie."

With a flash of blue light, Rose crashed onto the TARDIS grating. "Ow," she groaned, rubbing her head as she sat up. "Right, first note, work on re-entry landing."

'Wolf!' The TARDIS all but screamed in Rose's head.

'Hey, Red,' she smiled, pulling herself to her feet and moving to stroke the console.

'I knew you were due to show up soon. I just wish your timing was a little better.'

"My timing, wha-?" She started, but froze when the TARDIS door opened, and a woman dressed like a maid from the early 1900's walked in. "Oh."

"Who the hell are you?" The woman demanded, going on the defensive immediately.

"Um, probably best I don't tell you that," Rose said nervously.

'You've got about two minutes left, Wolf.'

'Two minutes? I knew there was going to be a time limit to this thing until we worked all the bugs out, but two minutes?'

The TARDIS remained silent.

"How'd you even get in here?" The woman was demanding. She paused to look Rose over. "You're definitely not from 1913."

"Neither or you, judging by that remark." Rose smiled. "Is the Doctor around?"

The woman looked startled. "How do you…no, he's, uh, busy. At the moment."

"Good," Rose nodded. "Can't be running into him yet, too early. Not sure if this is gonna stick yet."

"If what's going to stick?"

"Never you mind that. Listen, I need a favor." The woman raised an eyebrow, obviously skeptical. "I know, I know; it's a lot, coming from me, the woman you don't know who just magically showed up on the TARDIS. But it's important and I don't have a lot of time, alright?" After the woman's hesitant nod, Rose sighed, and continued. "I need you to not tell the Doctor I was here, alright?"

"Why?" The woman demanded.

"Partially because it'll get his hopes up, and partially because it'll make him do something stupid. Like try to find me." Rose shook her head. "Things have to happen a certain way if this is going to work."

The woman was quiet for a minute, watching her. "You're Rose, aren't you?" She asked finally, realization drawing her face from a frown to a wide eyed look of surprise.

Rose mirrored the reaction. "What, he talks about me?"

'Thirty seconds, Wolf.'

"A bit yeah," the woman shook her head, almost ruefully, Rose thought. "I'm Martha."

Rose grinned. "Well, it's nice to meet you Martha. Please don't tell the Doctor? I promise, it's important."

Martha stared at her for a long moment while Rose fidgeted. 'Ten seconds!'

"Alright, yeah. I won't tell him."

Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I promise, it'll all work out. Goodbye, Martha!" 'Goodbye, Red!'

'Goodbye, my Wolf.'

And with a flash of blue light, she was gone.

What? Two updates in less than twenty-four hours? In this story? I know, right?

In case it wasn't clear, and I'm afraid it wasn't, the first half of this was Rose's third or fourth jump. The second half of this was her first jump. Time's gonna be a little...weird, for a while. It won't matter too much, but it mattered here, at least a little.

Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed.

Until next time!