Sarah focussed on keeping the Androvax out of certain parts of her mind while he gave the orders to Mr Yorke to activate the nanoforms. Every so often her mind darted back to Peter, left in the foyer, and she tried to remember if he would be safe there. She knew Luke would have talked Mr Smith out of blowing up, and Nicole was safe at home.

Ah yes, the lost girl, the Androvax thought when he sensed Sarah's mind turn to her daughter.

'So you keep saying,' she replied, 'but you don't make much sense.'

I have seen into her mind, so lost, so confused. That poor girl...

'You don't know what you're talking about.'

Ah but I do. I have seen her mind, Sarah Jane, something you cannot. I may be convinced to... share some insights with you, if you were to ask.

'Never,' Sarah replied defiantly. Mentally she retreated, focussing on simple things to keep him out.

I know you are hiding from me, his voice rasped in her mind. I can feel it. I can see you dream, Sarah Jane.

She didn't respond; she couldn't let on that he was close. Instead she ran over numbers, the alphabet, and random memories that wouldn't entice his focus back inwards. This time she just needed to sit back and wait for Luke and the others to come.


The surge of pride that she felt when Androvax saw Tybo and the kids on the security monitor earned her a sneer of contempt.

'They won't be put off,' Sarah thought, watching as the four humans and one Judoon began to move away from the police car.

I still have plenty of tricks up my sleeve. He looked at the screen again, this time paying attention to Nicole. She is strong, I will give you that.

'She's my daughter,' Sarah replied.

Which makes her your weakness.

'You really need to find out more about motherhood then. I fight for them.'

Do they fight for you?

'Yes.'

Then they will die for you.



"Dad!" Nicole exclaimed as they entered the foyer. He was still in his trance state, but seemed to respond when she grabbed his arm. "We can't just leave him here."

"Unimportant," Tybo declared after scanning him and determining he was no longer inhabited by anyone. "Must detain Androvax."

"Go with him," Nicole said to Luke. "Find Mum."

"If he's not in Dad anymore..." Luke said, meeting Nicole's gaze.

"Then you'd better make sure he doesn't shoot Mum," she replied. "Go, I'll stay here with Dad."

It seemed to take an age before he came around, blinking heavily before rubbing his eyes. "Nic?" he said.

"Oh am I glad to see you," she exclaimed in relief, throwing her arms around him.

"Sarah..." he said, pulling back. "The Androvax..."

"What is going on?" Nicole asked.

"Come on," he said, heading off towards the lab he'd seen in Androvax's thoughts.


Peter and Nicole slipped into the lab in time to hear Androvax declaring that Sarah should have taken up knitting.

"The nanoforms have completed my ship," he hissed, turning to leave..

"Mum..." Nicole began, but Peter grabbed her arm and pulled her out of sight.

"You need to leave, now."

"I'm not going without Mum."

"And I'm not putting you in any danger," he said, pulling her in close and kissing the top of her head. "Got find Clyde and Rani and get out of here. I'll go after them."

"Dad..."

"It's not up for debate, Nicole Grace, now go!"

Knowing that she could stay and argue her point, but it would be useless, she turned and ran back the way that they'd come.

To begin with she just followed her instinct but she soon heard the sound of gas. Rounding the corner she saw a swarm of nanoforms attacking a door, but through the hole they had already created came bursts of CO2. Nicole grabbed the canister nearest to her and supplied her own coolant from the other side of the door.

"Clyde? Rani?" she called.

"Nic! Oh am I glad to hear your voice," Rani said. "Where's Luke and Peter?"

"Gone after Mum," she replied.

"My parents are in the building too," Rani admitted.

"Oh that's just what we need," Nicole muttered, dosing the nanoforms in one last blast. "Freeze," she said quietly, smiling to herself. "Is there another way out of there? I wouldn't like to trust these just yet."

"There's a door back here," Clyde called out. "We'll loop 'round and meet up with you."

"Good," Nicole said. "I've got a plan."


"She knows everything about you, just like you know everything about her," Luke said.

Oh, but not quite, Sarah Jane, the Androvax said. You have been hiding your secrets. Did you think I wouldn't know? Did you think I wouldn't see them?

'I...'

The woman who changed time? Who are you to lecture me on what I do!

'What I did was different,' Sarah challenged.

Is that what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night? You control the lives of these people because of what you know, and you tell yourself that you're doing it to protect them. Well I control you, Sarah Jane. With my thoughts and actions your body does as I tell it and you call me a monster. Yet with your actions...

'I am not a monster!' Sarah yelled back. 'I did what I did out of love, not vengeance or anger or jealousy.'

Tell that to your daughter. The girl who should not be...



Peter found his way to the spaceship, but couldn't see a way in.

"This is not my field of expertise," he muttered, running his hands along the panels, searching for an access panel of some kind.

"Dad!"

Peter turned around, not happy at seeing her but also not surprised that she'd ignored him.

"We need to get in there," Clyde panted. "The Judoon... they're coming."

"Great," Peter muttered. He put his hand on a panel he'd not tried, and the door slid open.

"Yes!" Nicole said, leading the dash inside.

"Not as bad as I thought I was," Peter said to himself, feeling rather proud until he heard Luke say something about knowing where the door controls were.

"Oh how touching, a family reunion," the Androvax said.

"You can't take it anywhere without this, the ionic fusion bar," Luke said, holding it aloft.

"Give it to me!"

"You can have it, Androvax, but you have to come and get it – not my Mum."

"Let her go," Peter said, moving towards the Androvax. "We won't stop you, just... let her go."

The Androvax looked around and smiled as its gaze rested on Nicole. "The girl who isn't, how nice to see you again."

"Let her go," Nicole said.

"No wonder Sarah Jane is so proud of you all," it hissed. "Makes me want to be sick."

For a second it seemed like Sarah's face changed to one with scales and horns, but then they parted as the Androvax stepped out of Sarah's body. Her legs started to give way, but Peter was by her side in an instant, his arm protectively around her waist to both steady her and keep her close.

The Androvax crossed the ship to grab the fusion bar from Luke, but he held it to ransom; "The nanoforms," he said, threatening to smash it.

"Give it to me," Nicole said, holding out her hand. "If the Judoon get in here before this one stops them..." Luke hesitated so she snatched it from his hand. "The door, Luke!" she ordered.

"Lost little girl," Androvax purred, his tongue snaking out. "Trying to prove that she is worthy."

"That door won't hold them for long," Luke said.

"Long enough for you to disable the nanoforms," Nicole said.

"The Judoon won't let me leave," Androvax said, "so what incentive is there?"

"Fine," Nicole said, letting the fusion rod slip from her fingers. She deftly caught it seconds later, enjoying the look of horror on the creature's face. "We will stop the nanoforms, with or without your help," she said pointedly. "My brother is a bit of a genius when it comes to computers."

Behind the Androvax, Luke picked up on Nicole's message and immediately turned to the console.

"What do you care if this world is destroyed?" Androvax said to Nicole. "The way you feel..."

"On that note, I've been meaning to thank you."

"What?"

"While you were poking around in my head, I got a good look in yours. Whatever I may be thinking or feeling, at least I have something you don't. I have my family, I have my friends. I've got a stupid birthday party tomorrow and I'm pretty sure Mum's done one of her cakes because she won't let me go anywhere near the cupboards. I have my own business, I have a life."

"For what it's worth," Androvax purred. "The girl who's worth nothing."

"I'm worth a lot," she smiled as behind him she noticed Luke giving her a thumbs up. "Especially when I kept you distracted."

"What?" the Androvax said, turning on his heels in time to see Luke activate his program.

Outside the nanoforms stopped their attack and everything was still. The only sound was the door opening and the sound of Judoon boots thundering into the ship.


There was a soft tapping on her door, and Nicole looked up to see her mother sticking her head around the door.

"Happy birthday," she said.

"How long have you been stood out there, waiting for midnight?" Nicole laughed.

"Five minutes," she admitted, coming into the room.

Nicole pulled down the screen of her laptop, turning on her chair so she was facing out into the room. Sarah came in and placed the mug of hot chocolate on the desk before hooking a finger under her daughter's chin and tilting her face up. She kissed her on the forehead and then perched on the edge of the desk.

"You were great today," Sarah said.

"So was Luke."

"Doesn't stop you being brilliant too."

Nicole shrugged, pulling her feet up onto the chair.

"Don't tell your dad," Sarah said, pulling a small box out of her pocket and placing it on the desk.

"What's this?"

"Well it is your birthday..."

Nicole picked up the small box and lifted the lid to reveal a small ring. "OK," she said, looking up at her mother in confusion.

"It belonged to my mother," she admitted. "Aunt Lavinia gave it to me when I got married, now it's yours."

"I can't take this..." Nicole said, hastily putting the lid back on and offering it up.

"Yes, you can."

"So. Now that you've done the excuse thing, why are you here?"

"You are far too like me sometimes," Sarah laughed. She held out her hand and led Nicole over to the bed where they sat. "So the Androvax said a few things..."

"Mum..."

"Nic, please. If there is something wrong..."

"Hey," Nicole said, putting her hands over her mother's. "So here's the deal. I'm fine. Really."

"The Androvax..."

"Used me against you, used Dad against you, and then used you against us all. It was like a really bad game of musical bodies. Do you really think he wasn't going to try and wind you up?"

"No, something's not right," she said. "When you... left..."

"I thought we were past that."

"Not if the issue is still there. I..." Sarah sighed and looked up at the young woman sat in front of her. "I don't care how old you get I will always want to protect you, OK? Even if that's just protecting you from bad thoughts."

"I am OK, Mum," Nicole smiled, "I promise you."

"He said something about you trying to prove you were worthy?" Sarah said, gently brushing Nicole's hair from her face.

"Oh don't you dare get sentimental on me," Nicole laughed.

"Can't help it. I love you, Nic."

"I love you too, Mum," Nicole said. "OK, so now you can do the hug thing."

"Oh, thanks," Sarah quipped, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Nicole. "Happy birthday, little one."

"Yeah, you gotta stop with the nickname."

"Not a chance."

"Once a year."

"Week."

"Month," Nicole countered.

"Fortnight."

"Deal."

"This one doesn't count," Sarah said, pulling back.

Nicole sighed. "Fine. Birthday freebie."

"You sure everything's OK?"

"Mum, I promise. Everything's fine. It's nothing I can't deal with."

"So there's something to deal with?"

Nicole pushed up onto her knees so she could kiss her mother's forehead and climbed off the bed without saying another word. She went back to her desk and opened her laptop, signalling the end of the conversation.

"Don't stay up too late," Sarah said, "your Dad's got breakfast all planned."

"I bet he has. Mum?" Nicole called after her as she began to leave. "Thank you. For the ring."

"Happy birthday, love."

"And I'm fine. Really."

Sarah smiled and nodded, closing the door behind her as she left.