Note: Revised chapter. I was thinking about merging this one with the next, but when I finished rewriting it, I decided to leave it as a standalone chapter. So this is a relatively short update, but I'm already working on the next chapter, where we will take our first dive into the episodes! (And if you're an old reader you might remember which one already ;) but I won't spoil it for the new readers! Xx)

Chapter 2: Imbroglio

When I opened my eyes again, the headache and the green light had vanished. I blinked a few times, trying to shake the last remnants of unconsciousness, after which I sat up and felt a panic bubble up in my chest.

The TARDIS had changed.

I knew I was still in the TARDIS, or at least a TARDIS, because there was that console thing in the middle of the room like there had been before, just a little different. But really, it was the walls, and the pillars, and… basically everything else, that had changed. Like the Doctor had redecorated or something. It had a more edgy vibe around it, with the brownish colors and the weirdly formed pillars. I liked it, though. Gathering my bearings, I saw I was sitting on some sort of elevated flooring, a platform, which could be reached with a small ladder.

Trying to remember what the Doctor said to me right before that headache became too much and I lost consciousness, my brow furrowed once again in confusion. Something about me 'going somewhere', to 'another man', and that man was him…? And then there was that green light… And now my surroundings had changed… What the hell happened?

I swallowed hard as a thought creeped into my mind. He didn't drug me, did he? I mean, how else could I explain the massive pain I had been in, losing consciousness, and then waking up in an entirely different place? Probably even the things he said right before I blacked out were just something my mind had made up. That must be it; somehow he drugged and kidnapped me. And like a fool, I had walked straight into his trap.

Fear filled my entire being. I need to get out of here…! Slowly standing up, I wobbled a bit on my feet, before finding my balance again, still a bit woozy. Looking around the TARDIS, I could see the Doctor was nowhere in sight. I carefully descended the ladder and ran over to the doors.

I reached out to the door handle, not knowing what was going to be on the other side, since the place I woke up in was entirely different than the one I blacked out in. God knows where he's taken me… But I would never have guessed this. Because when I opened the door, my eyes widened to the size of saucers when I saw we appeared to be in space. I saw all sorts of stars and colors, and after standing there for a while with my mouth wide open in shock, I had to admit it was a beautiful sight.

Just like my mum, I've always liked the stars, and anything space related in general. When I was little, I even said I wanted to be an astronaut. Growing up, I lost that ambition, but never did I lose my adoration for the stars. There was just something about the breathtaking beauty of space that has always drawn me in, called out to me.

Before we moved to the city after mum and dad got divorced, I used to lie out in my backyard all the time. Just stargazing. I sometimes even slept there, and when I woke up, my mum or dad had placed a blanket over me. That was one of the many things I loved the most while growing up. The fact that they just let me lie there, let me sleep under the stars. Who would have ever guessed I would find myself amongst them one day?

I smiled fondly at the memory, leaning my head against the door opening. For some reason, the question how and why I was in space didn't occur to me, my anxiety long forgotten as I stared at the swirling colors in front of me.

I didn't know how long I had been standing there, gazing at the vision of outer space, but when I heard a noise somewhere behind me, my trance-like state was broken and, panicking, I quickly closed the door. I wasn't going to be able to leave anyway. Seeing as I was still alone at the moment, but knowing there was someone coming, I ran back up to the spot where I had landed, and got down on my back, with my side against the wall, in the hope he wouldn't see me.

When I heard the footsteps enter the room, I put my sleeve-covered hand over my nose and mouth, trying to silence my trembling breath. He paused for a while, maybe feeling something was off, and my eyes scrunched shut, my heart beating rapidly. I mentally cursed, thinking he knew I was there. He started walking again, slower this time. When he stopped again, I held my breath, only to quietly release it in relief when I heard him pulling some levers or something like that. He hadn't seen me.

I silently dropped my hand, while my heartbeat slowed down just a little bit. Still distressed, I figured I was going to have to lay there for a while, to wait for him to leave again. Gazing up at the ceiling, I pulled a hand through my hair. I lifted a strand of my long hair up to my face and inhaled the scent of my favorite apple-vanilla scented shampoo, the familiar fragrance relaxing my tense nerves.

While I was taking it in, I heard a weird noise in the room. I couldn't figure out what it was at first, but after a few moments, I realized he was sniffing the air, and rather noisily too. My brow furrowed in confusion. What the hell was he doing that for?

And then my breathing hitched, when I heard his footsteps again. Heading in my direction.

I tried to make myself as small as I could, trying to hide, but knew it was no use. He was already climbing the ladder, still sniffing. Knowing I had been found, I gave up and faced the ladder, still laying down.

And then a mop of brown hair appeared into my sight. Along with it came small sideburns, a pair of big brown eyes, and a mouth showing a big smile that turned into a smirk when he saw me.

"There you are, my kitten," he said, and my mouth dropped open in disbelief. What did he just call me?! "Playing hide and seek again, are we?"

Still giving me that giant smirk, he climbed upon the platform. I quickly sat up and leaned against the wall, pulling my knees up against my chest, trying to get away from him as far as I could.

"I told you before, the scent of your hair gives you away. I could recognize it anywhere, as it is my favorite," he breathed, and I mentally winced. Why did I keep meeting men acting like they know me? What is up with everyone?

He kneeled in front of me and placed one of his hands on the wall behind me, right next to my face, bringing his own very close to mine. We were only inches apart, which did not help my anxiety. Not knowing what this stranger was up to, I could only sit there like a deer caught in the headlights.

Apparently, he missed my fearful face, because the next thing he did, was not something I had been expecting, like, at all.

He kissed me.

He bloody kissed me. He crashed our lips together in a forceful way, and I could feel his excitement, along with a ton of other emotions I couldn't place. When our lips met, a spark of electricity coursed throughout my body, and I stopped breathing all together. I just sat there, frozen and wide-eyed, while he placed his other hand on the side of my face, cupping it.

And that's when my brains kicked in.

I pushed my hands against his chest and tried pushing him away. He wouldn't budge at first, but instead he groaned against my mouth, thinking I was going along with it. The longer it took me to get him off me, the angrier I got. I tried all sorts of things; shaking my head, trying to get his head away from mine by pulling at his hair, which was not a good idea I realized afterwards because I was only heating him up some more. But come on, how thick can a person be?!

As a last resort, I lifted my foot, placed it against his chest, and pushed.

That got his attention. He finally released my lips and looked down at the Converse shoe on his chest in confusion. "…Jude?" he asked me.

I didn't answer, I just put my foot down again, and slowly stood up, using the wall behind me for support. As I was rising from my position on the floor, so did he.

Taking in my wide eyes and trembling body, he only got more confused. "Jude?" he asked again. "What's wrong?"

Then, realization seemed to dawn upon him, and he looked nervous as he softly cursed, "Damn."

And that's when my fist hit him square on the jaw.

He stumbled back from the impact, momentarily forgetting he was standing on a platform, and fell off it, yelping. He hit the floor with a low thud, and even though I was absolutely livid at him, I was grateful the platform wasn't too high; he could've hurt himself badly if it had been.

I walked over to the edge, my body and fists still shaking with fury. Peering down, I saw he had fallen on his bum. He looked around in a daze, as if he was still shocked at what had happened. Then he gazed up at my trembling form, eyes and mouth wide open.

"J-Jude, calm down, I c-c-can explain…" he tried, but I cut him off.

"Don't you ever dare to do that again," I said in a dangerously low voice. He tried to say something, but I held up my finger warningly. I wasn't finished yet. "Like, who the bloody hell do you think you are?! I don't even know you! Do you do that often? Just go up to people and kiss them? And it wasn't even an innocent little kiss, noooo," I ranted. "That was something else entirely! What the fuck bro!" My eyes were practically on fire at this point. "Also! Don't ever call me your 'kitten' again! What was that all about, huh? Pervert!"

He blinked a couple of times, and opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, not knowing what to say, until he finally decided on, "You don't know who I am?"

"Is that all you have to say for yourself?!" I questioned, and when he just looked at me sheepishly, not responding, I rolled my eyes and curtly replied to him. "No, I don't know you."

A sad expression flooded his face. "So… we haven't ever met before?"

This time I just shook my head, too annoyed to speak.

"I realized you were young after I kissed you, but that young…" he muttered away. He looked up at my fuming face. "I am so, so sorry, Jude, I really am," he said, and I must admit, he sounded sincere.

I stared down at him, and there was just something about his honest, remorseful expression that calmed me down, just a little. After a few moments, I let out a 'hmmpf' in exasperation and then sighed heavily. Turning my gaze away from him, I walked over to the ladder and climbed down.

When my feet hit the floor, I turned and faced him again, leaning against the ladder, keeping my distance. I eyed him, properly taking him in for the first time. I had seen his face up close earlier, so I focused on… everything else. He was tall – if we'd stand chest to chest, I'd undoubtedly would have to bend my neck to look up at him – but he was tall in a lanky sort of way. He was wearing a brown pinstripe suit, complete with tie and shirt. All in all, I had to admit that he was quite handsome. Apart from his shoes, though. Not that there was anything wrong with Converse – I mean, I was wearing them too, I just wouldn't wear them under a suit.

He noticed me looking him up and down, and he smirked. He opened his mouth, probably to give me a cheeky remark or something, but I beat him to it.

"Don't you even think about sharing what's going through your mind right now." He didn't say anything, just kept on smirking. "I was just realizing how bad your sense of style is."

That wiped the smug smirk of his face, and he stared at me, his mouth agape, which made me smirk.

"Oi! There's nothing wrong with the way I dress, thank you very much!" he exclaimed.

I snorted. "Of course there isn't," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "'Cause Converse and a suit go together perfectly. Like a match made in heaven," I said with a huge fake smile.

He just stared at me, exasperated. If I wasn't still somewhat pissed off at him, I might have laughed at his expression. He just looked so done.

Still leaning against the ladder, I crossed my ankles and cleared my throat. "So, why did you do it?" I asked him, changing subject.

"Do what?" he questioned; his head tilted.

Rolling my eyes, I replied, "Kiss me." Duh, what else would I mean?

He didn't know what to say at first. "Well… I, uhm… We…," he stuttered, his hand rubbing the back of his head, before his eyes lit up, and gave me the best answer he could apparently come up with.

"Spoilers," he said, smiling in relief that he wouldn't have to explain it to me.

I blinked at him a few times. "Are you serious? What's that supposed to mean?!"

"It's just, it's something that I can't explain to you right now, but you'll understand later, when you're a bit older," he answered.

I couldn't help but sigh again, knowing that was the best answer to that question I was going to get. "You talk like the Doctor," I remarked. "He spoke about me being 'young' too and talking as if he knew me. Speaking of, where is he? He's the one who took me here, right? Without my permission?" He opened his mouth to answer me, but I continued before he could speak. "And what about you, who are you supposed to be then, his accomplice?"

"Right, Jude, well… this is where it gets a little tricky… I," he stammered, pointing at himself. "I am The Doctor." He watched me apprehensively, awaiting my reply.

Shaking my head, I frowned in disapproval. "No, you can't be the Doctor. The man I met earlier was entirely different, he-" I said, but he interrupted me by swiftly placing his hand over my mouth.

"Don't tell me what he looks like, I don't want to know!" he spoke, his gaze serious.

I looked down at his hand, displeased that he just decided to touch me without asking. Narrowing my eyes at him, I licked his hand, which made him instantly release me.

"Ugh, Juuude!" he whined, wiping his hand on his suit in disgust.

Raising my eyebrow, I asked him, "Why are you suddenly acting like that? Earlier you didn't seem to mind being in contact with my saliva."

He stopped wiping his hand and put them both in his pockets. "It's different," he claimed.

"Right," I deadpanned, before deciding to let it go. "Anyway, why can't I tell you what the Doctor looks like? I mean, you obviously already know him, he left me with you, so."

"Jude, I am the Doctor, I already told you. The man you saw was a future regeneration of me, that's why I don't want to know what he looks like, it's still in my future," he said, and I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was serious.

I scrunched up my nose in confusion. "Regeneration? What's that supposed to mean?"

"When I die, I don't die- no wait, I'm not telling this right," he paused, thinking it over for a few moments. "I'm a Time Lord and when we die but don't die-," he cut himself off again and groaned in frustration.

Raising both my eyebrows at him, I said, "Come on, just spit it out, I'm a big girl; whatever it is, I can take it."

He sighed and looked me in the eyes, carefully choosing his words. "I'm not human," he finally said. "I'm a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. Us Time Lords, we have a trick of cheating death. Whenever we're supposed to die, we don't actually die. It is rather complicated, but we regenerate. We take on a new body, as good as new. But in the mind, we're still the same person."

I tried processing what he was saying. "So… you're an alien," I stated, and he nodded in response. I thought about what the Doctor said before, about there being a future me, and the man before me said the Doctor was a future version… no, regeneration of him… Tilting my head, I glanced him over. "You really are the Doctor, aren't you? Just another version of him, just like earlier he said there were… 'future' versions of me as well?"

Again, he nodded, and my head grew a little dizzy. "But, how does that work? I mean, if you're the same man, or alien or whatever, I met before, how can you walk around at the same time? If you're the past version of the Doctor, then you can't exist simultaneously, right?" I rambled, hoping my questions were making sense.

He grinned. "You're asking the right questions, Jude, good thinking! But no, we're not existing at the same time. You came from my future, what you lived through hasn't happened for me yet," he explained.

"Your… future…? But how can something that's in your future, be in the past for me?" I breathed, trying my best to understand what he was telling me.

"How do I explain this…" he muttered. "You jump around my timeline, that's the best way I can put it," he stated. "We never meet in the right order. The first time you met me, was a future me, and now you're with me, which is in the past of the me you first met. And every time you 'jump', you end up with another version of me. Well, you've told me it sometimes is the same version, just a different time."

"So… basically, I time travel…?" I questioned, and he nodded. Slowly, things were starting to 'click' in my head, some of the puzzle pieces falling into place. "But how did I get here then? With you I mean."

"It always starts with a headache, a really bad one. And there's this bright green light, and then you just… vanish," he said. "Off to another point in my life."

"So that's what that green light was," I muttered, and he nodded. "But why is this happening? Why do I 'jump' around your timeline, why yours? Before today, I never met you, and now you're basically telling me I'm forever doomed to be around you?! Why did I suddenly gain the ability to time travel?"

"I can't tell you that, Jude," he replied, and when he saw my expression turn dark, he added, "It's just how things are, you still have to live through it, I can't spoil it for you, I'm sorry! Honestly, I don't even know all the answers yet." He tilted his head, pursing his lips. "Well, I know most of them, but I still can't tell you."

I threw my head in my neck and sighed in exasperation. "I get the feeling I'm going to have to deal with that a lot, right? You not telling me things?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But please believe me, it's for your own good, some things are way better to live through rather than knowing beforehand what's going to happen. And I promise you, eventually, you'll find the answers to all your questions," he worded, and I could tell he meant it. And I had to admit, he made a little sense, too.

"Alright…," I muttered, before looking at him pleadingly. "But why can't I just go home? Why do I, apparently, stay with you all the time now? I didn't sign up for this, I didn't choose this life, I just stepped into a blue box with a man I didn't know although he knew me, and now I'm with a completely different man, who's apparently the same man, who also happened to be not a man, but an alien, who tells me I'll always be around him?" I ranted. "I don't want any of this, I just want to go home…" I finished softly.

Although I could see hurt and sadness glimmering in his eyes, his expression was kind when he answered me. "Jude," he uttered. "You can't go home. I'm sorry but that's just how things are meant to be. And…" he paused, choosing his next words carefully. "There is no right way to tell you this, but if you are away from me for too long, you'll die…"

"What do you mean, 'die'?" I shrieked, my anxiety flaring up. "That's impossible, how can I die from not being around you?!"

"I can't tell you that, you're not supposed to know about it yet, you're not ready," he stated, and I scoffed.

"Of course you can't tell me, typical! You don't explain anything, and just expect me to accept it?! Well tough!" I spat. "I don't have to put up with this, take me home!"

"You have no choice, I'm sorry, Jude, there's nothing either of us can do about it," he spoke evenly, his voice calm, but I could tell his patience was wearing thin. "And I can't take you home and leave you be, because if I do, the moment you step through those doors, and try to get away from me, you'll feel an excruciating pain inside your chest. And that won't go away, the longer you're away from me, the harder it will hurt, until your heart can't take it anymore," he said, his gaze holding mine the whole time, trying to make his point.

My insides grew cold as my gut told me he was telling the truth, that he wasn't making all of this up in an attempt to keep me here with him. "But why? Where did this come from all of a sudden? I was fine before!" I demanded, my voice cracking as my eyes started to water a little.

He looked away guiltily, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah yes, uhm, you see, the moment we first touched, that's when it started. And I don't know exactly how that happened, because it's still in my future, but I guess I'll have had something to do with it, sorry…"

I thought back to when I met the Doctor for the first time today, and my eyes narrowed. "So… when you, or that future you, hugged me earlier, the second we met… That's how I got into this mess? Because you touched me?"

He sheepishly nodded his head and I threw my hands up in frustration. "Unbelievable," I muttered, and I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down a little. Closing my eyes, I pinched the bridge of my nose, thinking.

Then, an idea popped up in my head. "But, if that's still in your future now, and I just told you about it, when the time comes for you, can't you just leave me alone then? Choose to not meet me, not touch me? Let me live my life in peace?" I asked him, watching him intently, a spark of hope for having a normal, quiet life again burning inside me.

But he was already shaking his head before I had even finished talking. "I'm sorry, but no. Us meeting is destined, and I can't mess with destiny."

As quick as that little bit of hope I had had come, it also disappeared again. "So, no chance of getting out of this, none at all?" I muttered defeatedly, and he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Jude," he said sincerely, his voice soft, and I could only nod, needing a few moments to gather my thoughts.

"I'll have to stay with you then, aboard your… spaceship…?" I questioned eventually. "Because you're an alien, I mean, you've got to have a spaceship, right? Where is it?"

He looked at me like the answer to that should be obvious, and my cheeks grew red in embarrassment when I realized it. "The TARDIS is your spaceship," I stated. "That was dumb, I'm sorry. It's just that the TARDIS looks different now than the one I first saw, so I didn't realize it earlier."

He chuckled. "It's okay, I forgive thee," he said in an official manner and I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway, I'll have to stay here then, I guess? Do you have like, rooms in here?" I asked, looking around the TARDIS, spotting a doorway.

"Yes," he answered, following my gaze. "You can have your own room here. Inside of the TARDIS, we can be as far apart as you like."

Sighing, I faced him again. "I'll have to go home," I said defeatedly. When I saw him open his mouth to protest, I added, "Just for a few minutes, to get some things," I said, and he nodded in understanding.

"Alright, Jude, hold onto something," he told me, a wild look in his eyes, and I regarded him nervously.

"Why….? Why do I need to hold onto something…?" I inquired, grabbing the ladder behind me again.

"Because travelling with the TARDIS can get a little bumpy!" he replied, raising his voice at the last word, as he started pulling levers, hitting buttons and slamming down on the control board; while I could only hold on for dear life, squeezing my eyes shut as the TARDIS rocked about like heavy turbulence on an airplane.

"Is it supposed to be like this?" I managed to shout over the heavy noises the spaceship was making.

I opened my eyes momentarily to look at him as he answered, and I noticed he was already watching me, grinning like a madman. "Oh, yes! It's what makes it so fun!" he laughed, and I could only observe him in awe, but I wasn't sure it was a good kind of awe.

Eventually, the TARDIS stopped, and the look the Doctor gave me indicated we had arrived. I walked over to the exit, and carefully opened the door. But instead of space, I now saw the cement of the roof where I had gotten into this madness. I sighed in relief and stepped out of the blue box.

"Jude, wait! Wait for me!" I heard him shout behind me, but it was already too late. Because the second my foot touched the ground outside, a pang of pain shot through my chest, and I sank to the ground, kneeling with a hand on the painful area. I gasped in agony but didn't scream, the feeling in my chest taking too much of my breath away to be able to scream.

I heard footsteps behind me, and the moment a warm hand touched my shoulder, a spark of electricity shot through my body and the pain was just gone. Like it had never been there in the first place.

Inhaling sharply, I looked up at him, and saw he was crouching beside me, his hand still lying gently on my shoulder.

"What was that?!" I demanded. "I wasn't trying to leave you!"

He sighed and took his hand off my shoulder. He rose from his position on the ground and held his hand out to me to help me get up. I slowly took it but released it the moment I was standing straight again.

"I know, Jude. But whenever you leave the TARDIS, while I'm still in there, it happens as well," he said, sticking his hands in his pants' pockets. "I tried to warn you, but as usual, you wouldn't listen," he added, pursing his lips.

"Why does this only happen to me? Why don't you feel it?" I asked him with narrowed eyes, my breath still heavy.

"Oh, trust me, I feel it too," he said. "But as a Time Lord, I can take it better than you." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. Of course he can. But, as… unpleasant… as that experience was, it did prove him right on what he said before; about the pain I'd be in if I'd try and leave him. Which meant that I had no other choice but to accept this entire situation. I was stuck with him. With that madman, I thought, as I watched him jog across the roof, heading for the door.

"You coming?" he exclaimed happily, looking back at me over his shoulder.

I wanted to shout out to him that I didn't want him inside of my home but decided not to. I didn't want a repeat of what happened earlier. So, I decided to just stay close to him and followed him through the door. He was already halfway down the stairs, his long legs making him faster than me. When I reached my floor, I noticed the door of my flat was standing wide open, and the lights inside were on. Huh? I thought I locked up before I left…?

Hurrying to the door, I saw the Doctor was inside, his gaze wandering around, inspecting every last detail.

"Oi! How did you get in?!" I demanded, my hand uselessly pointing at the door. "It was locked, wasn't it…?"

"Oh, it was," he answered calmly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device with a blue tip. "I used this," he said. "My sonic screwdriver."

I blinked a few times. "Your what now?"

"My sonic screwdriver," he repeated. "It can open almost anything; and has a few other handy settings." The strange device in his hand lit up and started whirring.

Giving up, I slowly nodded, not bothering to ask about further. I couldn't wrap my head around everything yet, I needed some time to process it all.

"Right," I said. "Make yourself comfortable, I only need a short while."

I didn't look back at him while I made my way to my bedroom. I grabbed the nearest backpack and started filling it with important items like underwear, a few sets of spare clothing, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo… you know, the basic stuff. As a final item, I packed a frame with a picture of our family, when mum and dad were still together. It was the only picture I had of my dad, so it was pretty important to me.

When my mum and dad got divorced, I chose to stay with mum, though I didn't want to stop seeing my dad either. My mum suggested co-parenting, but he didn't want it. I never understood why, always wondered what I had done wrong, but never got my answers. He joined the navy, and I never saw him again. A few years later, we got a message saying he drowned at sea. Though he apparently didn't love me, I did love him. That's why I kept the picture, and wanted to take it with me.

I stood in the middle of my bedroom with the picture in my hand, staring down at it. Spotting movement from the corner of my eye, I turned and saw him in the door opening, gazing at me sympathetically. Facing away from him I angrily wiped away the few tears that had managed to escape my eyes. I tucked the frame in my backpack and closed it. Swinging it over my shoulder, I headed for the door.

He was still standing there and looked at me in concern. "You okay?" he asked softly.

I nodded. "Yeah. Let's just go."

He sent me a small smile and stepped aside to let me pass.

We walked back to the front door in silence, flicking off all the lights on the way there. Taking one last look at my home for the last 8 years, I got the feeling I wasn't going to see it again for quite some time. It was the same feeling I had when I watched my mum drive off before. Turns out my gut feelings were once again correct, I thought, sighing as I locked the front door, pocketing my keys as I walked away.

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor fixed his gaze on me as he said, "I'll show you the way to your room." I trailed behind him as he walked off into a corridor, and again marveled at the size of the spaceship. He halted at a blue, wooden door and waited until I had caught up with him before he opened it. I looked inside and my eyes widened in surprise.

The room looked exactly like the bedroom I used to have in our old house, the house lived in before we moved to the city. The walls were coated in the same shade of blue I remembered them to have, and I realized now it was almost the same shade of blue the TARDIS was coated in. My queen-sized bed stood in the right corner, fairy lights hanging on the white, metal frame, just like before. My small desk still stood against the far wall, with my bookcase next to it, but on the spot where used to be a window, right above the desk, was now just wall. I walked inside and saw that even my closet still had all those stickers on it that I had decorated it with when I was six.

All sorts of items littered the floor, and I looked around in wonder. I even saw my guitar in one corner. I walked over to it and picked it up, examining the instrument. It was the exact same – not just the same kind or anything, no, it was my old guitar. Bewildered, I played a few tunes before putting it down again, and turned to the Doctor.

"How is this possible?" I asked him. "It's just like my old room."

He scratched the back of his head. "Well, you've been here before, of course."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, tilting my head to the side as I regarded him, confused.

"Like I told you before, we never meet in the right order. Which means that—"

"-That a future me has been here before, in your past….?" I tried, seeing whether I understood it correctly or not.

His grin and nod seemed to tell me I guessed right. "You're starting to get it, Jude. I'm glad," he remarked, and I just shrugged, sighing. Me understanding it wasn't going to change anything.

After a few moments of awkward silence, he spoke up again. "I'll just leave you alone for a bit now, let you get settled."

I nodded in thanks, and after giving me a small smile, he exited the room, closing the door behind him.

With a sigh, I put my backpack down on my bed and then plopped down on the soft surface. Where did I get myself into this time? Aliens? Spaceships? Travelling through time and space? I sighed again. No one would ever believe this, I thought grimly.

I laid down and closed my eyes. Trying to stop my racing thoughts, I took a few deep breaths and only then I realized just how exhausted I was from the events of today, and eventually it didn't take me too long to drift off into a deep sleep.

Doctor's POV

He closed the door behind him and walked back to the console room, sighing as he recalled the day he had had with her today.

He had kissed her, while it was only her first time meeting this version of him. He really should have been more careful. But he had thought of another time where she had hidden herself from him too, and when he had found her… Let's just say things got a little heated. His cheeks reddened only from thinking about it.

Oh, how he wished to hold her again. But whenever he touched her, she got mad. He just forgot sometimes that young Jude was around too, and young Jude had a strict no-touching-policy.

But he had just missed her so much. It had been almost three weeks since her last visit, and even with other company on board, it just wasn't the same without her. Whenever Jude was not around, he felt so lonely. And then she popped up again and he was all happy again, and excited. In more ways than one.

That's why he had been so eager earlier, when she arrived. And that's also why she had hit him.

He couldn't help but chuckle at it, though. That's my girl, he thought; she had a nice right hook.

Although he loved every version of Jude, he wished the next one that would pop up was one who was a lot older. One he could touch, one he could hug.

He missed her hugs.

There we go, the last short-ish chapter for now, the others should be a little longer as we start with the episodes :) I'm still hesitating whether I should do the episodes in two parts or just post it in one whole chapter; if you're reading this, feel free to share your thoughts, is roughly 16k words too long for one chapter or not?

Anyway, thank you for reading, let me know what you think! :)

-Nele

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Replies to reviews:

deathb4beauty: I'm glad you liked it ahhh! And it makes me happy to hear you think Jude is independent, because that's what I do try to write her as :) Thank you for reviewing! Xxx

adrirose: Thank you so much for letting me know! Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoyed! Xx

I also wanted to thank savethemadscientist again for taking the time to PM me their thoughts, like I said before, it was greatly appreciated xxx