The Doctor looked around. "That can't be good. I hope they're looking for us."

"Since John here is missing and you were the last one to be seen with him, Sarah Jane, I suggest that I be the one to investigate this matter," said Lavinia.

John pulled Sarah and the kids towards a storage closet. "I think she's right, actually. But if it's NOT us," he told Lavinia, "come back right away, it'll be something big to deal with."

Lavinia smiled and nodded at him before she went merrily on her way. She was more than happy to be part of the team. Anything that got her out of the dull existence she had been dealing with for the past few years was a welcome relief. She spotted Harry talking to a security guard and walked up to him.

"What's all this noise and fuss about, Old Boot," she asked calmly.

"Your nephew," he said dourly. "He's up and disappeared, and apparently the staff isn't taking it as easily as I am."

"So," she said turning to the guard. "You've lost a member of my family. Just what are you doing about it, young man," Lavinia said, glaring at the guard.

The guard looked confused. "Ma'am?"

Harry shook his head. "Never mind." He took Lavinia by the arm, leading her away. "Look," he said quietly, "if you know where he is, and I'm guessing that you do, it'll be a good thing if you just have him check in, because the last anyone knows is that Sarah Jane was with him. Now he's vanished, and they're going to set the dogs out for her, so to speak, unless they can figure out where he's gone."

"Humph, I'd just like to see them try to go after her. You go back to talking to him and I'll be back in a moment, I need to find Sarah Jane and let her know what's going on. She came down to the cafeteria to check on the children and I can promise you John wasn't with her."

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, but please, convince her to put an end to this. It's not like they're going to lock him up or something. This is UNIT, after all."

"You can be sure that you'll be hearing from her soon. Ta-ta, Old Boot." Lavinia waved at Harry and headed for the lift. Once she got there, she waited a moment then turned to see if she was being watched. Harry was talking to the guard again and not looking so she carefully slipped away to the closet. "It's you they're looking for, you young scamp," she said as she slipped inside and shut the door. "And they're about to set the dogs out on Sarah Jane because she was with you when you disappeared. I suggest you report to Dr. Sullivan at once before it gets any worse."

"Well, that's a relief," John said. "It'd hate to think what else could have them in such a tizzy." He looked at the children. "Well, time to face the music, I think." He turned to Sarah. "Ready?"

Sarah took his hand and smiled at him. "I'm ready. Tinker clan, are you ready?"

Her children smiled up at her, and so did Lavinia. "We're ready," they said in unison.

The Doctor smiled, because he wasn't alone. "All right, everyone, we go together or not at all." He huddled them into an odd group hug, and together they left the storeroom, emerging into the hallway. "Looking for someone?" he announced.

Harry dropped the chart he was holding when he saw him. He picked it up and sighed. "This is our AWOL patient," he told the UNIT security guard. "You can call off the search now." He walked over to the charge nurse at the floor desk. "It's all over, turn off the alert and let everyone know our missing patient has turned up, no need for further alarm."

"Is he gone then," she asked sadly. "Shall I send for someone to come and take him downstairs?"

"No, he's made a remarkable improvement," Harry said. "Though I may kill him myself," he murmured to himself as he walked away from the desk. He strode over to the Tinker family. "You could have at least had the decency," he said, "to pretend that you're still sick."

"Come now, Harry," the Doctor said, winking at him, "life is a joyous thing, we should celebrate it. And anyway, I've got to get back home, before things start happening."

"Things?"

"Things," he said, not elaborating.

Harry sighed again. "It's a good thing you're my best friend," he said, "because otherwise I would sock you right in the mouth. And I may yet."

"Now, now, Harry, violence is never the answer. Don't suppose you could call us a cab, though, none of us drove here."

"I'll arrange transport. In the meantime," he said, pointing to the room in which John had nearly died. Except he wasn't really John now. Were they still best friends he wondered. He wasn't sure anymore what he should be calling him. He supposed he should just be grateful that he was not only still alive, but in extremely good health. "Get into your room and go sit," he said. "We'll talk about letting you go home after I've examined you."

The Doctor saluted him. "Yes, sir!" He marched into the room with his family all marching behind him. Each one saluted Harry as they passed by.

"Well done," the Doctor said as he sat down in the bed. "A wonderful start."

"Wonderful, is it," said Harry as he closed the door behind him. "Fine thing, you turn the whole hospital upside down searching for you and you call it wonderful!"

"Well, Harry, don't take it so hard. We're sorry we turned everything upside down, but it all turned out alright in the end, didn't it, everyone?"

Lisa Ann smiled. "That's right, Uncle Harry, it's good that Daddy's going to be OK, isn't it?" He looked at him, as though challenging him to disagree.

"Of course it's good, my dear. It's absolutely marvelous that your daddy's well again. The upsetting part is that he left his room and frightened everyone who didn't know that he's alright." He glared at the Doctor. "John would never do anything like that, but I expect it of you, Doctor. May I inquire as to whether or not you intend to behave like your old self or the man who is indeed, or perhaps I should say, was, my best friend?"

The Doctor softened, then stood and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Harry. I hope I'm still your best friend. I shouldn't have just taken off like that. It was wrong."

"Yes, you're right Harry, we were all just so happy and excited that we forgot that everyone would be worried," said Sarah as she put her hand on Harry's other shoulder.

"Can we go back to being happy now," asked Lisa Ann. "I want to go home and have a party for Daddy, like we were supposed to."

"Lisa Ann," said Sid. "It's not going to be a surprise now."

"Looks like we're the ones who got the surprise," said Luke as he looked over at his father.

"To tell the truth," the Doctor said, "I'm pretty surprised myself." He took all three children's hands in his. "But I can't think of a better thing to wake up to." He turned back to Harry. "Now what have you got to do before you can spring me? I really do need to get home."

It had been a long time since Horace Dewhurst's secretary had been looking forward to him returning to the office. And he'd been in such a foul mood when he'd been "summoned" to Downing Street, anyone would have assumed that she would be especially dreading it now.