Disclaimer: It all belongs to BBC. Not mine.

Authors notes: Fourth story in the Nowhere Series. Warning: Major character injury and angst.

**

Amy bounced on her feet and pounded her hands against the window sill
in agitation. "What time will he be here, Momma?"

Michael added his voice to hers. "Doctor's coming, Momma," he stated
matter-of-factly.

"You don't remember him," his sister scoffed and turned to give him
what Tegan lovingly referred to as the 'Jovanka eye'. "You weren't
old enough to"

"Do to," Mike rocketed back, frowning.

"Do not."

"One more do or do not and Michael, you are going to my room; Amy,
you are going to yours," Tegan replied from the kitchen. "The Doctor
will be here when he gets here."

"But he said June 21st, Momma," Amy complained, crossing her small
arms over her chest.

Tegan sighed and had to swallow a smile at her daughter's actions.
She had done the same thing when she had traveled with the Doctor.
He seemed to have that effect on Jovanka-Jones women, she supposed.
And, she frowned, the Doctor had never said June 21st that year.
Lord knows when he would turn up.

"Yes, he did," she agreed. "But the Doctor is a very busy" she
bit her lips when she realized that she almost said 'Time
Lord'. "He'll be here as soon as he can."

"But Momma," Amy began. Michael wasn't about to be outdone and
slapped his hands on the window sill.

Tegan lifted an eyebrow and contemplated them both and then with a
nod to the bedroom she stated: "Look, why don't you two go and make
sure your bags are packedtoys and clothes, okay? Amy, help your
brother."

"But Momma," Amy said again.

"He needs your help, Amy. I'm cooking dinner."

With a sigh, her daughter turned to the room and stomped off. Tegan
waited at the door and smiled at the melodramatic manner Amy had.
But as the door shut to their bedroom and she turned to cook again,
there was a soft knock at the door. She opened the door, her mouth
softened in a smile of greeting. "Doctor, you are pushing the
dateline on this one."

The Doctor wasn't standing in the hallway. A rather petite busty
brunette stared back at her with an uncertain grin on her
features. "Tegan Jones?" the girl asked quietly. "Tegan Jovanka
Jones?"

"I am she," Tegan answered with a frown. "And you are? I will tell
you I don't buy anything at the door"

The girl smiled widely. "You're as the Doctor said you would be.
I'm Peri. Perpugmillim Brown"

"You're Peri," Tegan laughed. She stuck out her hand and took the
girl's hand in hers warmly. She hadn't expected a woman younger than
Nyssa to be the Doc's companion now. "Come in." She ushered the
woman into the warmth of her kitchen. Then a sudden thought sliced
through her brain like a knife through butter. "Oh Lord."

"What?" Peri asked, suddenly. "Are you all right?"

"I told him not to come back if he's regenerated, changed" Tegan
whispered. Then she turned to Peri. Her breath was caught in her
throat and she had a very hard time getting the words out around the
lump that had formed. Her hands shook as she grabbed at the back of
the chair. "Has he changed? Regenerated?"

"What are you talking about?"

Tegan forced herself to take a deep breath. "He hasn't?"

"No."

The answer was in a male's voice and Tegan turned to see the Doctor
standing in the doorway, dressed in pale, light clothes entirely
different from his usual cricketing uniform. He gave her a smile and
greeted Peri warmly. But Peri immediately caught the tone of the
conversation and continued on it. "Tegan? What were you talking
about? Regenerating?"

"That's something I think we shall have to discuss at another time,
Peri," the Doctor answered, his voice tight. "It's rather a drawn
out and long explanation."

Peri gave the Doctor a look and Tegan felt, as her heart rate slowed,
that it was obvious that Peri was very much a practical girl pressed
to her limit by the Gallifreyan. She gave a smile to the present
companion and it widened to a grin. "It's nothing more intensive
than what I'm sure you've already been through, Peri. That is, if
your life is half as hectic as what mine used to be."

"I don't doubt it. It took us ten times to actually get here. One
trip once we touched down in this time zonein Peoria, Illinois"

"You didn't let him out of the TARDIS did you? On all those false
stops? It's a wonder you got here before you were old and gray if
that was the case"

"Couldn't keep him in the TARDIS unless I tied him to the console"

"And even then, he'd find a way out," Tegan agreed with a chuckle.

"Hmmm," the Doctor stated under his breath and brushed passed both
his current and previous companion and into the sitting room. Tegan
struggled to keep from breaking out into tight, nervous giggles.

Peri smiled and leaned in close to Tegan. "He hasn't changed at all
then, in the time I've known him," she stated. "And you are just as
he said you would be. Thought I already knew you with what he's told
me."

Tegan watched as the Doctor picked his way through the sitting room
as if he was reorienting himself with the layout. She had moved the
settee to the other side of the room and her friend swung around to
pin its placement. "I've heard a lot about you, but after that
fiasco with Supremo"

"Hmm, yes," Peri replied. "You expected me to be older. I expected
me to be older after that."

Both women gave a loose giggle.

"Tegan?" the Doctor interrupted.

"They're in their room, Docgive me a moment until I alert them to
you. After that, you'll have no peace. Peri, are you coming with
us?"

"No," Peri answered quietly. "The Doctor told me you wanted to meet
me and I was curious about you. Actually, I'm going to visit the
British Museum of Natural History and some of the local botanical
gardens. I did want to meet you."

"You're welcome to use here as a base if you wish," Tegan responded
suddenly. "It's smaller than the TARDIS."

"No, thanksmaybe when you return, I'll meet you here, but the TARDIS
has been my home for so long now"

Tegan nodded before she puffed out a breath. "I understand better
than I think you hope I would, Peri."

Peri gave her a smile and then turned back to the door. "I'll meet
your children then, Tegan, if that's okay? The Doctor mentioned we
were a bit late. How that can happen with a Time Lord is beyond me,
though. I think he thinks you all need to get on the road quickly.
SoI'll go. Doc, Teganhave a good time. Let me know when you come
back."

The Doctor nodded and gave his young companion a smile. "You'll be
all right?"

"Of course," Peri said, lifting her chin. She opened the door and
gave Tegan a conspiratorial smile. "Make sure he stays out of
trouble?"

"Always," Tegan said and escorted the woman out the door and into the
hallway. When the door was shut firmly, she turned to the Doctor.

"Chinos?" she joked. "I never expected that look out of you and you
pushed the time barrier with this one."

"Yes, well" he replied, leaning forward, his hands in his
pockets. "I AM here, Tegan. Does it matter if it is a few hours
later than expected?"

She lifted an eyebrow and hummed. "No, I suppose not. We aren't
supposed to be there until tonight." Then her face broke into a
grin, she could feel it pulling at the corner of her mouth,
tightening her cheeks. "Hello, Doc."

"I did promise I'd be here," he sighed. Then he straightened and
gave her a small grin. "We aren't getting better at these greetings
are we?"

"Not by half. I'm glad to see you, though."

He hummed and leaned forward again. "You looked in shock from
greeting Peri, Tegan," he responded.

She felt the cold that had flushed her body at thinking he had
regenerated finally leave her body. "WellI hadn't expected to see
Peri before I saw you."

"I suppose it was a bit of a shock," he agreed and glanced down at
his feet. "I was running behind in time. When you have to pack
clothes, Tegan; it adds on time I'm not used to adding."

"Yes," she stepped back to glance at his clothes. "We'll have to
talk about the clothes, Doc. Isn't this a little understated, even
for you?"

"Cricket clothes all the time don't work well in your life," he
admitted with a grin. "I thought these would work a tad bit better."

She tried to clamp down on the laugh, but it burst from between her
lips so suddenly that it started her. "I suppose it does, doesn't
it?" Then she glanced at him, and her laughter slowed. She pressed
passed him to go to the children's door, but he reached out and
caught her arm as he had three years ago when he had come back into
her life. Her response was much different than it had been
previously. Tegan turned and slipped her arms around his back even
as his hands came out of his pockets.

His voice rumbled lowly. "I'm glad to see you too, Tegan. How have
you been?"

"Busy, but we can talk about that later," she stated and pulled back
from the embrace. The Doctor was a little flushed about his neck and
cheeks and she took it as embarrassment. "I know better than to ask
you in mixed company what you've been doing."

"Mixed company?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Human and otherwise," she laughed. She turned to the door and
opened it. With a laugh, she watched as the Time Lord was buried
literally under the children and metaphorically under their
questions.

**

"Where have you been?"

Tegan stifled a smile as she finished putting the chips on the plates
next to the hot sandwiches she had made for Amy and the Doctor.
When she turned, she saw that the Doctor had sat back from the table
and his hands rested on its surface. He took a deep breath and blew
it out before he hazarded an answer to the attentive young girl.

"Traveling and working," he answered honestly if not a little bit
lacking in completeness.

"Like my daddy? Momma says Daddy worked a long distance away and had
to travel to get to his job. Do you do what Daddy did?" Amy put
down the chip half-nibbled on her plate and settled a child's stare
on the Doctor.

Attempting to help her friend out, Tegan shook her head. "No, Amy.
The Doctor doesn't do what your father did for a job."
"What kind of a Doctor are you?" Amy asked earnestly.

"I'm a Doctor of a lot of things, Amy," he replied.

Michael had been the first one fed and as such, was the first one
done. He got down from the table and took his plate over to the
counter in the kitchen and returned to his mother. "I'm done."

"Yes, you are," Tegan agreed. "Thank you, Michael."

Michael gave her a smile and walked to the Doctor. Before she could
stop her son, the boy stood at the table leg and stared up at the
Time Lord. The Doctor felt the stare and broke his gaze with Amy to
give the boy a double take.

"Are you really going to stay with us for the whole week?" Amy
pressed, picking up another chip to eat it.

"Ah, yes, Amy; I am," the Doctor agreed. "And we'll be going to the
beach."

"I remember. How come you don't visit more? You like us, don't you?"

"You know I do," he stated with a smile. "Else why would I come back
here at all, Amy?"

"Because you like Momma."

"Yes, but I like you too," he sighed. Tegan had picked up her coffee
mug and had rested her elbows on the surface of the table. As she
took a sip of the warm drink and lowered the rim to stare at her
friend. She had helped to rein in her children's questions earlier,
but had known that their curiosity would erupt out and it was best to
get it over before their four hour drive that afternoon. Curiosity
from children in an enclosed space was not the best idea. She smiled
as she saw him think of his response.

She took the opportunity to observe him. His hair was cut shorter
than his usual length but longer than the military length he had had
last time. Although his eyes were tired, they were still warmly
blue. At the corner of his eyes there were little laugh lines, but
his lips were still as pouty at the corners and his smile was just as
warm. He looked older to her for some reason.

The thought that the immutable, ageless Time Lord was growing older
struck her as extremely strange. The sudden departure of her
children brought her back to herself.

"You look different," she said, quietly, almost crossly she
supposed. "And the children?"

"Yes, you were rather out of it and staring at me," he agreed. "I've
sent them off for their satchels. We should be off very soon. And
what is different about me?"

She sighed and lifted her eyebrows in an inquisitive manner. "Your
eyes and I do believe you've gathered some wrinkles about the mouth
and eyes. If I didn't know you, I'd say you were getting old."

He nodded and rubbed at his thighs. "Is that so?"

"I know," she sighed, with a frown. "You're a very mature Time Lord
of 800 or so"

"The better part of nine hundred now, Tegan."

Her frown deepened. "And you'll say that it's time you started
looking like it. But"

"Yes?" he asked quietly.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you've changed since dinner
started," she finished and rose. Turning she started the water in
the sink and began to wash the dishes. Five minutes later, he joined
her with a dish rag.

"I remember the chores here," he offered as he began to dry the
dishes. The telly in the sitting room turned on and Tegan could hear
the afternoon cartoons playing. It afforded them some measure of
false privacy for a conversation. As she plunged her hand into the
water to retrieve the last of the glasses, he began to quietly speak.

"It's been less than four months for me since I left, Tegan."

"Four months?" she breathlessly commented, and guiltily looked to the
kitchen doorway. She felt as though the conversation was the type of
elephant under the living room carpet type of conversation her
parents used to have of 'grown-up' things when she was a
child. "With ten side trips, you must have tried to return almost
immediately."

"It wasn't ten; it was more like six," he replied with a
frown. "Peri has the predisposition for exaggeration at times."

"Regardless," she rolled her eyes. "No matter how literal you try to
make this conversation, Doc, it still means you tried to come back
quickly. I would have thought that you would have stayed away longer
you knowdowntime between down times and all that."

"Amy's grown an inch and a half in six months," he said, seemingly
having a disjointed conversation with her. "And Michael is a weed.
You look rather well. When I left you were looking a tad bit thin."

"Great," she commented with a sarcastic twinge to her voice. "Now,
you'll tell me I have to lose weight."

"Oh, on the contrary. This is a far healthier look for you."

Tegan handed him the first of the large plates and gave him a
reproachful glance. "What does this have to do with you coming back
this quickly and why you look older to me?"

"Ah, well" he sighed as he wiped at the plate. "The second part of
the question is by far the easier of the two to answer. I look older
and seemingly became older during dinner simply because I did. I
adjusted my nanites to allow my body to age in a similar manner to
the aging that you have gone through in the last ten years. Not
much, but on the whole I would estimate that my body should and does
look to be in my late thirties by Terran standard."

She gaped at him, she supposed. "You can do that?"

"Yes," he replied with a small nod and a wistful smile on his
face. "Nanites keep me at a certain maturity level in real time.
They constantly repair my body to keep me looking the same way for
long periods. I can tell them to not fix certain damages or to
accentuate the aging process at times. I did so during dinner to
make me comparable to you. You are thirty three, yes?"

"Thirty four, thank you very much. Just. But why would you do that?"

"To make me look believable to you, to Amy and Michael."

Tegan turned back to her scrubbing and gave a nod. "Okay. I'll
accept that. You're always believeable to me, though. But why come
back here so quickly."

The sigh he issued made her give him a worrisome glance. "Must I
answer that?"

"No, but I am curious."

She finished scrubbing the last dish and began to let the water out
of the sink. As he dried the last plate and quietly set his towel
down on the counter, he answered her. "Frankly, a few things you
said at Christmas made me wonder about my reasons and actions for
visiting. I'm rather selfish at times, I know. And I do think that
my visiting you is selfish in some manner of speaking. I come here
to" he quietly allowed his words to hand in the air until she
prodded him to continue. "I come here to enjoy something that could
be harmful to you or Amy or Michael if I let it."

"Really."

"Well, Teganyou did say once that they would remember me and they
have. That they would miss me and not understand when they couldn't
talk to me on the phone, write me or see me. It has reached that
point. They are at that age. And you said I couldn't promise
something to them and not follow through. II did worry that
something might happen to me. It just seemed best to come back."

Tegan sighed. "You do care for them, don't you?"

"I suppose uncle strikes a bellor a family friend one would call
uncle," he stated lowly. "Yes. Ah, yes. I do care about them."

Her nod seemed to placate him. She glanced at the wall clock and
started as she saw the time. "Cripes, we've got to leave."

"That," he answered as he leaned in conspiratorially to whisper to
her. "Is what I have been saying all day, Tegan. How does one get
two young children into a car in a resemblance of order?"

**

Tegan glanced back at her daughter and smiled at the way that the
girl stared out the car window. Her fingers pressed against the
glass. "It's darker here than in the city. Are we in the middle of
nowhere, Doctor?" she asked.

Tegan lifted her eyebrows and glanced over at the driver's seat. Her
friend glanced in the rear view mirror to see Amy. "No. We're about
an hour from the beach."

"So it's the middle of the night?"

"Almost. Undo your seatbelt for a moment and lean against the seat,"
he offered. "It's dark because we are out of the city."

"Doc," Tegan warned.

"Just for a minute. She'll be all right," he reassured. "I won't
let anything happen. Ah, Amy, there you are. Look at the clock.
What time does it say?"

"It says ten and forty-two."

"Correct. Is it am or pm?"

"It's night so that's pm," the girl answered dutifully.

"Put your seatbelt back on before your mother gets angry at me. Now,
what is midnight? Time wise?"

"Twelve am."

The Doctor nodded. "Now how long is it until midnight?"

Amy sat back in the seat and began to mutter lowly to herself.

Tegan smiled over at the Doctor in the dark and glanced back at her
daughter. "Rabbitsis this something you like to do with Jovanka-
Jones women? Make them think beyond their boundaries?"

"Surely she's learned time and general maths at school," he replied
with a frown. "What is English public school coming to?"

**

A soft knock at the door brought Tegan awake. It was barely 5 am by
her internal clock and she was both groggy and nearly asleep when she
opened the door. As the room led to the Doctor's, she wasn't
surprised to see him on the other side of the jam. Then she
remembered that her son had begged to sleep in the same room with the
Doctor that night. She had allowed it, knowing that the Doctor
wouldn't sleep and her son was in the most constant vigilant care
that she could find. Amy, of course, had asked to sleep with her
mother.

So as she eased the door open, she was expecting the Doctor. She met
the Doctor with her small boy held in his arms. "Everything all
right? What's the matter?"

Michael was awake and pouted.

"Nothing really, Tegan," the Doctor answered quietly. "We had a
slight accident," he explained more clearly.

"Accident?" Tegan knew her voice was growing louder and waved the
Doctor back into the other room. "What happened?"

Michael reached out for her and she took her son from the Doctor.
The Time Lord released the child easily and stuffed his hands into
his pockets as if he didn't know what to do with them. Tegan
breathlessly began to check her son, head to toe, for injury. She
was immediately awake. "What happened!?" she demanded.

"Wet the bed, Momma," Michael pouted.

"He's embarrassed about it," the Doctor replied.

Tegan clucked her tongue. "It's okay, Michael."

"I'm a big boy," he nearly cried.

The Doctor sighed and rubbed at Michael's head. "He told me he was a
big boy and was out of diapers. This seems to have upset him a great
deal. He wouldn't allow me to comfort him, though and wanted you. I
thought it best"

"Michaelwe just finished with potty training two weeks ago. It
happens. We'll just try harder, that's all." She glanced at the bed
and then the other, still made, bed. She patted her son's back as he
listed against her. When she looked to the Doctor, he raised his
head to meet her gaze solemnly. "Do you need the bed, Doc? Are you
sleeping tonight?"

"No. I did try to put him down in the second bed, but he wanted you."

"Michael, it's okay. The Doctor isn't angry. He understands. He
wet his bed when he was younger too." Tegan saw the Doctor's eyes
widen and she gave him a stifled smile.

Michael was teary, but eventually drifted off to sleep in the second
bed where Tegan had put down a towel. As she jockeyed to the door,
after stroking her baby's head for a few moments, the Doctor stopped
her. "I did no such thing, Tegan."

She nearly laughed at the look of indignation on his face. "It helps
Michael to know that other men do stuff like that, Doc," she
whispered. "Thank you for trying to calm him."

He shook his head and glanced at the child. "Isn't he a little old
for finally getting out of diapers?"

Tegan frowned. "When did you become an expert on children? But yes,
he is a little old. He's been a little reluctant with it. His
daycare seems to think it's the lack of a man in the house."

He crossed his arms over his chest and stared back at her. "And you
think that's the truth?"

"I doubt it," Tegan agreed. In the other room, Amy turned over and
Michael rustled under the sheet. The Doctor frowned and reached down
to lead her out the door and out onto the mini-balcony outside. She
could still see in both windows and felt somewhat relaxed. It might
have been the cool night that only the beach could produce. It
wasn't like the tropics, but it was like the beach of her
youth. "Docit's nothing that isn't within the realm of normal.
Michael is just a late bloomer and a bit shy"

"And" he smiled as he leaned up against the railing outside. "Quite
the 'Momma's boy', yes?"

"You've been studying human psychology again," she admonished. "But
yes, I suppose you could say that. There isn't anything wrong with
it, honestly."

"I didn't say there was. But don't your brothers and your father
don't they spend time with Michael?"

"Justin lives in France and David is in America. We see them once
every two years or so. My sister isn't married. And, truthfully, I
don't want her boyfriends spending time with Michael or Amy." She
shrugged and rubbed her arms. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to be
outside in her silk pajamas. "And I haven't had any.gentlemen
friendsrecently."

"You've had"

"Several dates, yes, Doc," she laughed, hearing him stumble over the
words. "I have had a few boyfriends in the last four years, but none
that have stayed in a relationship long with me. It's rather hard
with two children. Not that they are holding me back"

"No. It's that the men don't quite fit your ideal for your children
and you, yes?"

Tegan lowered her head and nodded with a small smile on her
face. "You know me too well."

"Ah, wellwe were together a long time," he agreed. "And in strange
circumstances. Apparently those kind of times make for strange
friends, I've heard."

"Strange bedfellows," she sputtered. "The saying is 'strange
bedfellows'. But that's really not the issue. I want what's best
for my children and I want what's best for me. And I'm willing to
wait"

"But you don't want to for your children," he related, biting his lip
and nodding. "I see the problem."

Tegan frowned and leaned against the railing along side of him. "How
did this become a discussion of my love life? I thought we were
discussing Michael's bedwetting. And I'm not quite sure whether or
not to apologize for Michael"

"Nothing to apologize for, Tegan," he issued, staring off into the
night. As a breeze blew over the balcony, his hair ruffled and he
closed his eyes. He looks like he's tasting the night and savoring
it, she thought suddenly. As he continued to speak, with his eyes
closed, she continued to stare. "Starting a war, ruining someone's
life: those are things that need apologizing for, Tegan, not your
child accidentally wetting his bed. And we are discussing your love
life because it was part and parcel the reason that someone
attributed to Michael's bedwetting. And it bothers you that it might
be the case."

"Is it?" she challenged.

"I don't think so," he said and opened his eyes.

"You look like a lost man in those clothes, Doc. You did bring your
cricketing outfit, didn't you?"

"Do these clothes bother you?" he pressed.

"No," she said, "but it isn't you."

"The man isn't the clothes, Tegan," he warned, quietly.

She found words tumbling out of her mouth before she had a chance to
stop them. "And the man isn't a man, in your case," she heard in her
voice and admitted it sounded glum. He crossed his arms over his
chest and gave her a reproachful glance.

"What is that supposed to mean, hmm?" he asked, gently.

"Nothing. Are you sure it was okay with you to cancel that third
room?" She attempted to change the conversation with the question and
he gave in. As usual, she thought, or as it used to be, she could
tell when he gave into her by the small sigh, the rise of his
eyebrows and the small nod. It was almost as if he was conceding a
point in a debate competition.

"If it wasn't, would I have done it?" he pointed out, leaning toward
her. He looked up at the top of her head and then at her
eyes. "Tegan, you look worn. I think you should get back to bed.
Amy is all right, isn't she?"

"That's it, send me off with a veiled insult," she smiled. "She's
fine. Let me know if Michael needs me, all right?"

He nodded and she left him, standing on the balcony facing the beach,
his hands on the railing. He followed her not three minutes behind,
closing the door between their rooms with a gentle click.

**

She wasn't sure she liked the idea of the bicycle. She stood to the
side of the bike, her hands on her hips, her sunglasses on her nose
and a visor on her forehead. Amy was dressed the same way.
Together, Tegan supposed they look like a fun house mirror
show. "Are you sure you know how to ride that thing?" she pressed,
wiping the small line of perspiration from her brow.

"Well, of course I know how to ride a bicycle," the Doctor replied
testily. He had produced his panama hat from somewhere in some
pocket and it was placed, tilted over one eyebrow.

"It's different with a child on the back," she called.

"Yes, I do know that," he glanced back at her and she almost laughed
at the glare. It was so commonplace with him, it was like a smile
from someone else. "The center of gravity changes with the extra
weight."

She rolled her eyes and gave her daughter a smile with a waggle of
eyebrows. "Should we show them how it's done?" she asked quietly.

"Doesn't the Doctor know how to ride a bicycle?" Amy asked, giggling
as she climbed onto the back of the bicycle and waited for her mother
to take the front seat.

"Of course I know how to ride a bicycle," the Doctor began loudly and
quieted as Tegan drew along side the bicycle and adjusted Michael's
helmet. The Time Lord grimaced. "Your mother is simply making fun
of me, Amy. It isn't the nicest thing in the world."

"I just know you too well, Doctor," she replied with a smile.

"Hmph," came the quiet, put-out response as he pedaled off and down
the hill away from their inn. Michael looked back at his mother and
gave her a wide smile.

With a smile so wide that it actually hurt her face, Tegan began to
pedal after the Doctor down the hill. She had goaded him into taking
the lead. The only reason she wanted him in front was so that she
could see Michael enjoying himself while spending time with Amy. But
she was surprised to find that she was watching the Doctor as much as
she was her son.

As they crossed Crompton Road and headed off toward the beach, she
heard her son giggle and saw the Doctor rise on the pedals to take
the hill at a constant speed. Tegan kept up a conversation with Amy,
but found her gaze drawn to the way that the Doctor smiled at
Michael's constant chatter. She laughed with her daughter, but was
surprised that her eyes followed the Doctor's hands as he gripped the
handle bars.

His ruffled hair, the way that there was a slight graying to the ends
near his temples, the creasing of his skin at the corner of his eyes,
the length of his arms peaking out from his sleeves; everything. I
haven't been this attuned to him since, well, she thought, since I
left him. She frowned and tried to figure out why her attention was
so drawn to him.

At the beach, to which he and Michael had beat Tegan to by a good ten
minutes, he and her son had set up camp in the pale sand. Amy gave
her little time to lock up their bike before she bounded across the
beach to her brother. The Doctor was seated near the waterline,
watching Michael as he played in the shallow waves. He rose to take
the small cooler she had had on the back of the bike.

"Was she heavy to pedal?" he asked, kindly.

"No, you're just not human and break all kinds of speed records," she
replied. "I see Michael wasted no time."

"I would have had to put him in a harness to make him stay on dry
ground," the Doctor laughed easily. "Congratulations: you've borne a
fish, my dear Tegan," he joked. With a flourish, he set the cooler
down. Tegan barely had time to take off her sneakers before Michael
came running full throttle up the sand with a crab in his hand. He
thrust it out and under her gaze. She tried very hard not to
flinch.

"That's lovely, Michael. A right large one, isn't he?"

"Is it a boy?" Amy demanded, coming up along side her brother.

"That's a question for the Doctor, Amy," Tegan replied, glancing over
her shoulder at the Time Lord. He was busily setting up the umbrella
and various towels. Under the weight of the collective stares, the
Time Lord lifted his gaze to Tegan and then to her children and
finally to the crustacean in Michael's hand.

"What do you have there?" he asked, coming down the slope of the
deserted beach to glance at the animal. "What a fine specimen,
Michael. And what is a question for me, Tegan?"

Amy spoke up. "Is the crab a boy?"

"Ah," the Doctor frowned and squatted in the sand next to the
children. He held out his hand and reached for his glasses at the
same time. When Michael handed him the animal and both children had
gathered around, he gently turned the crab over and examined the
undercarriage. "It's a girl," he stated carefully.

"Yay!" Amy bounced. Michael frowned. The Doctor made a comment
weighing neither for nor against and rose to his feet.

"Get a little water in a bucket with some sand, Michael. Put her
inside. You can keep her for a time in that," he advised.

The two children ran off to the waves, not too far from the
umbrella. It was close enough that Tegan didn't worry. She flopped
down on the beach towel and grinned as he joined her. He sat down
gingerly facing the waves. He looked so glum to Tegan that she
commented on it. "You really didn't have a clue, did you?"

"Crustacean biology and reproductive systems is not something I'm
well versed in, Tegan," he replied, not looking to her.

"Embarrassed, are you?" she prodded. "Docit's only a crabits not
humanoid, you don't have to be embarrassed about looking to its
genitalia"

"It has nothing to do with that," he argued, twisting to glance at
her. "I wonder why Amy is so excited about the existence of another
female."

"It is rather"

"Interesting," he offered, saving her from answering. With a lift of
an eyebrow, he nodded to the waves. "I feel today will be a crab
hunt and kite flying day."

**

As the children lay sleeping, tired from their run on the beach,
Tegan and the Doctor rested at the small table on the balcony of
their rooms. A small table had been brought out and they took their
afternoon tea in the early evening sunshine.

Next to the door to the balcony a lone bucket sat. Tegan glanced in
it as she brought a plate of fruit over to the table. "Amy thinks
this is like the Ark. She's brought crabs in two by two," she
joked.

"I didn't have the hearts to tell her that they're neither male nor
female," the Doctor commented, leaning a little to the side to glance
in the bucket. "I don't suppose it will matter in her life to know
the truth."

"She only needs know that she needs to take them back to the beach
tomorrow," Tegan replied. As he gave her a look over his teacup, she
shrugged. "I don't believe in keeping animals that we've no right
to. It's not like we'll eat them, you know."

He lifted an eyebrow and she gave him a nod. "Oh yes, yes," she said
with mock severity. "It's very like you. Taking on strays, bringing
home strange animals and keeping them well beyond what is healthy."

His eyebrow crept into his hairline and he frowned at her with equal
mock severity. "Healthy? For them or me?"

"Both, I dare say," she scoffed.

"Hmph," came the quiet return. She smiled into her teacup.

"It's all in fun, Doc. No harm meant."

"I had gathered that," he muttered but gave her a smile anyway.

"And you're bored," she spurred the conversation. "Aren't you? You
hadn't intended this to be"

He sighed, agitated and shifted around in the chair so that he faced
her wholly. "I hadn't intended it to be anything more than it is,
Tegan. I'm here because I wanted to spend time with your children
when I was able to give them time and energy and wasn't wrapped up in
problems. And I wanted to return the favor you showed me by
accepting me into your house a few months ago. And" he shrugged and
looked off towards the beach. "You wanted a vacation with your
children. Badly."

"Doc" she warned with a growl. "You aren't responsible for me or my
children."

"And you were never responsible for me, but you made yourself
responsible. I made myself responsible for you and your well
being. It's rather hard to drop old habits."

She released a sigh. "I do thank you for this, you know."

"I know; you've said it every morning for the last three days," he
smiled at her.

A sudden thought struck her and she gave him a hard glance. She
debated on holding back, but decided that she had better be true to
herself. That thought gave her the strength to ask: "Its almost
like you're playing at something."

"Really."

She nodded and picked up her tea. She gazed in the deep amber
liquid. Her maturity exerted itself and she used tact. "Nothing
more than usual, I suppose. Life is a game to you," she offered with
a smile, but the thoughts she had were definitely something different
than what came out of her mouth. But she did simply want to enjoy
the company of her friend.

**

"It's not for children," she warned. The Doctor stood on the corner,
facing the fun park. Michael was perched on his shoulders, his small
hands around the Time Lord's brow. She could see the thoughts flying
rampid through his mind. He glanced up at Michael and gave a wolfish
young smile, jostling the shoulders so that the child wiggled.

"Are you quite sure?" he asked.

"It sounds like you're not," Tegan offered. Amy began to swing her
hand back and forth, making her mother's arm wave with hers.

"Well" the Doctor walked up to the chain link fence surrounding the
fun park and allowed Michael to grab its links. "It is a fun park,
Tegan. I gather the purpose is to have fun. You and Turlough
certainly did when we were here last."

"Momma?" Amy asked, squinting up at her mother. "You were here when
you were young?"

"Once, a long time ago," Tegan answered with a smile.

"Doctor was a friend of yours when you were little?" Amy asked, her
voice growing in volume.

"When I was youngerbefore I met your father, Amy," Tegan
corrected. "Not when I was your age."

She looked back at the Doctor to see a wide smile on his face. "And
don't you start, Doc. I was younger, not young."

"Young is a relative term, Tegan. To some you were little more than
a baby when we knew each other well," he joked. She frowned. The
Doctor was not one to comment so freely on her age or their age
difference in mixed company. He was being more personable than
usual. Four days into their vacation and she felt almost the same as
she had when she traveled with him. Granted there was little chance
of a Dalek flying out of an alley and she was older and happier, but
she did feel the same as she had when she had lived on the TARDIS.

"A baby?" she asked, a frown on her face. Had she really been that
young to him?

"Well, no," the Doctor continued as Michael rattled the fence. "You
were quite well adjusted for your age then," he stated. "But
overall, compared to some of those we knew and knew well, you were
quite young."

"Hmmm," she commented. She glanced down at Amy and saw that her
daughter was very confused. "Never mind the Doctor, Amy; he's trying
to get us both confused. He does that."

"He tells great whopping stories, Momma," Amy argued. "Much better
than Uncle or Granddad."

"Rabbits!" Tegan released and the Doctor winced. He glanced over his
shoulder as he righted Michael to continue down the road. "What
stories are you telling them?" she demanded. She had sudden
nightmares of him telling her children about Cybermen and Daleks and
the Gravis. Walking quickly and leading Amy to the Doctor's side,
she slowed his walking with a vice-like grip to his arm. "Doctor-"

"You only call me that when you're angry at me," he replied. "What
is it?"

"What are you telling my children?" she angrily rumbled.

"A few stories about a mythical place called Gallifrey and a knight"

"And a big train!" Michael bounced on the Doctor's shoulder.

"And dances and costumes and princesses and a magical box that takes
the knight everywhere"

"And cr- cr-cricket," Michael's tongue tangled the words.

Tegan had been looking back and forth between her children. On those
final words from her son, she looked to the Doctor and raised her
eyebrows and mouthed 'knight'. He gave her a smile that she was sure
was aimed at winning her over. "Princesses? You told them about
Nyssa?"

"Amongst others, yes," he answered and glanced up at Michael. "And
Michael here enjoys the stories about the trains."

Tegan frowned. "And nothing else?"

"Nothing that would upset them or make it so they could not sleep,
Tegan. I am somewhat responsible about telling children tales."

She gave a relieved sigh and tightened her grip on Amy's hand. The
Doctor stopped at the corner and glanced down the street. She could
see that he was disappointed that she wasn't going to allow him to
take the children in the fun park. She had wanted to go herself, but
the children were too young for most of the rides.

As they crossed the road and the Doctor found a small snack shack and
brought his brood to sit at the benches outside. Amy grabbed
Michael's chubby hand and led him to the swings nearby. Tegan and
the Doctor waited for their order to come with the waitress.

"Tell them storiesfantasies? That's very unlike you."

"I embellish truths," he smiled. "Just a little."

"Knights? I mean I can see the magical boxthe TARDIS. And the
cricket, but knights?"

He looked chagrined for a moment and then gave her another, testing
smile. "Well, Tegan. Really. If you were telling a story with
yourself in it, wouldn't you elaborate? After all, I was rather kind
to you in the stories and didn't allude to our rather rough
beginnings"

Tegan rolled her eyes. "You're the knight? Figures."

When the Doctor didn't answer, she leaned back into the table and
closed her eyes for a moment. The sun felt like it was wrapping her
in a warm fur embrace and the ocean breeze was sweet on her face. In
the self-imposed darkness, she heard her children giggling and then
the Doctor's quiet answer. "Well, yes."

Her eyelids sprung open and she stared at him. "That's a strange
take on it all, Doc."

"Hmmm," he commented. "But kinder than some of the other renditions,
yes?"

"Quite," she agreed. "I wish it had been like that."

"Would it have been the same, though?" he asked. "No," he answered,
with a frown. Then quickly, he turned completely to her and lifted
an eyebrow. "The inn where we are staying has a babysitting and
child-sitting service. Shall I engage them for the night?"

"What on Earth for?" she gasped out before she began to laugh.

"In order that we might go to the fun park this evening," he stated
over her laugh. "You want to go. I know you well enough to know the
look on your face a few moments ago."

"Doc-"

"Yes, you want to go or no, you don't," he pressed. His sigh let her
know he was at the edge of some patience.

"Yes, I do, but-"

"Then it's settled."

"What's settled?" she asked harshly.

"We're going. It'll be a fun time; you'll enjoy it."

Tegan sighed, but as the Doctor gave a harsh nod and turned away.
She smiled widely. But she still couldn't understand what he was
about. Not that it understanding him was something she was able to
do.

**
"I'm not quite sure about this," Tegan confided as she pulled out her
jacket.

"They'll be fine. I thoroughly researched this service, Tegan. Now,
trust me and relax," he replied, kindly.

"I don't like to leave them."

"I know you don't, Tegan, but you deserve some time to yourself as
well," he related with a sigh. "And as you so aptly stated today:
the fun park isn't a good place for young children. You, however,
still want to go."

"But-" Tegan stopped walking and looked back to the sitting room of
the inn where they were staying. She could see the keeper and their
daughter with her children through the window. A small lump in her
throat formed and she had a phase of panicked breathing before she
felt the Doctor's hand on her arm.

"Tegan. Tegan," he stated. She reacted to the soothing tone in his
voice and looked at him. He reached up to pull her sweater about her
shoulders like a caretaker and gave her a steady glance. She saw him
searching her eyes and returned the stare with a little too much
internal honesty, she thought. But she wanted him to understand how
much she didn't want to leave her children. "Who watches them when
you go on yourdates?"

"Mom or Delores," she answered steadily. "I've known Delores for
years."

"I know," he replied. She felt the weight of his hands on her
shoulders and then came the familiar bending at his waist to look her
in the eye directly. "Trust me. I researched these people before I
chose the inn. I knew you might want to go out. The innkeeper and
her daughter are more than trustworthy. And we can call them during
the nightat intervals. Amy is enjoying the change and Michael will
warm quickly. They are fine."

She lifted an eyebrow and stared at him.

"Trust. Me."

With a sigh, she lowered her eyes and gave a slow nod. "I want to
call every hour on the hour, Doc."

"Then we shall," he agreed. "Now." He turned and surveyed the road.
She, even agitated about leaving her children, smiled at the way he
bit his lip and squinted. "I believe," he began, "that we have to
go"

"Down Main, cross Barnhardt and into Crossway. The Carnival is on
the left there on the beach," she laughed. "And it's in completely
the other way than what you're facing."

He frowned and gave her a glare. She accepted it as her due and
turned to walk in the right direction, hiding her smile at his
discomfort. Soon, however, she found herself almost jogging down the
road, her hand encased in his. "Well, come along, come along," he
informed her with a wide grin. "There's so much to do and so little
time to do it in."

**

She was surprised that the Doctor was game to do whatever it was she
wanted. She made note of his attention to the boat ride in the front
for later and drug him off towards the roller coasters. As they
approached the first, massive wooden coaster, she stopped to let him
fold and hide away his hat. "I do believe wearing this on there
isn't the best idea."

"You've been on roller coasters?" she laughed. Somehow imagining
either the Doctor she knew or the other one before him on a roller
coaster was incredibly funny.

"Well, of course I've been on roller coasters, Tegan," he called out
with a flourish. "I've ridden the best in the galaxy."

"Hmmm," she muttered, unimpressed. "But not in this incarnation,
have you?"

With no time given to reply, she grabbed his forearm and pulled him
toward the line. After making a few remarks about herding humans
like cattle through the lines and about fifteen minutes, they were at
the head of the line. She slipped on her sweater and waited for him
to climb inside. It was the usual for an amusement park cue, but
what was unusual is the gallant way he turned to extend his hand to
help her to the seat. Before she could stop it, a giggle erupted
from her. "Being gallant won't help you, you know, not after the
first hill and turn."

"Accept the escort, please? Hmm?" he asked, sliding into the seat
next to her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she responded to his question
with one of her own.

"Of course," he rumbled. After a quick jostle to secure the seatbelt
around the both of them and another moment of self-conscious
adjustment of his arm in the small cab to lay across her shoulders,
he glanced down at her. "Tight fit, isn't it?"

"Amusement parks are known for their close quarters, Doc. That's in
part why I asked you if you wanted to do this." She wiggled to get
her shoulders comfortable under the weight of his arm. The lap bar
came down and crowded her legs. "I know you don't like-"

"I'm fine, Tegan," he complained. "Stop fussing. Relax. Enjoy. I
do believe this is the first fun park you've been to in a very long
time."

The attendant checked the lap bar and pulled on their seatbelt and
then, with a sharp jerk, the train pulled away from the station. She
laughed and leaned back into the bench seat as they climbed the
hill. The clack of the chain, the stop and jerk climb, the way that
the stars twinkled over head, the feel of sea-ladened air against her
face made her feel very young. She had always loved the exhilaration
of fun park rides. It was akin to flying. Or akin to traveling in
the TARDIS. All she wanted was to feel the weightlessness, the force
everything.

Beside her, the Doctor was muttering about trajectory and gravity
force. With a smile, he nodded to the hill. "We'll be traveling at
approximately fifty miles an hour when we reach bottom and at that
first turn we should feel 2G's."

"No science," she replied, turning to look at him. Their close
physical proximity made the exchange quiet. "Just feel."

"No science," he returned, quietly, just barely over the sound of the
clacking wheels below them. "Do you scream?"

"I laugh," she said, her voice rising as they crested the hill. She
felt his hand grab her shoulder and then she threw back her head and
giggled. She was weightless, then heavy, then turned, and tossled.
She was thrown against the Doctor and her laughter grew in volume.
She could feel his chuckles through his chest, against her shoulder.
And when they were suddenly thrown forward as they slowed, she
glanced at him. His smile was wide, and he gave her a nod.

"You certainly do laugh, Tegan," he replied, squeezing her
shoulder. "I do believe I've never seen you that happy before."

"I love roller coasters," she whispered, brushing back her hair. As
the train stopped and they climbed out, she gave him a playful punch
to the shoulder. "And I think I'll get you a gelato and get you
another coaster."

Her answer was a raised eyebrow and a smile.

**

Later, he slowed their progress across the park by pulling her
towards a spinning ride. She hung back, holding her small cola and
shaking her head. "Oh no. No, Doctor. I'm not good on those
rides. It's like being on a bloody top."

"Get vertigo, do you?" he playfully jibbed. "Come on."

"Doctor," she sighed with a firm shake of her head.

"I'll help you," he assured her as he grabbed her forearm and pulled
her toward the loud music and the benched single cars. "It's all
where you look. You just have to center your gaze on one place in
particular and you should be fine."

She kept her mouth shut, uncharacteristically, until they climbed
into the single car. She had to sit in front of him and she gave him
a stern look. "If I get sick, Doc, you'll be sorry."

"If you get sick, I will be sorry. It'll be a terrible end to a nice
evening, but I guarantee you'll be just fine."

"You're doing this because I told you that I don't like this kind of
ride, aren't you? Admit it," she countered and turned to sit. He
extended the seatbelt around her and she closed it.

"It can't be any worse than the Bucephalus," he muttered. "And you
survived that."

"Barely," she shot back. The attendant checked their restraint and
then lowered the top of the spaceship type car. They were encased.
He extended his arms on either side of her and held onto the grips,
encouraging her to do the same.

"Nonsense," he replied. "Now. I want you to find a large object to
center your gaze on. When it is out of your vision range, find
another and do the same, and again, and again. You'll be fine.
Trust me."

The car started to move and she was forced back into his chest. His
height made his chin rest near her forehead. "Hold on, brave
heart."

"I hate these rides," she reiterated as she closed her eyes.

Instead of him answering her, the Doctor covered her hands with his.
The weight made her open her eyes. The speed increased and she was
forced back hard against his body. "I'm going to be sick."

"Don't tell yourself that," he called over the sound of the rock
music and the rushing wind. "Center your gaze. If you close your
eyes, you will get nauseous." As he spoke, she felt his chin move
against her brow. "Just center your gaze, Tegan. Close everything
out except for those few objects on which you concentrate. When you
do that, everything will be fun."

She did as he said. Things flew by her gaze and it was hard to find
something to stare at, but she did it. And when she was able to
master it, the feelings of vertigo disappeared and she began to
giggle. By the time they achieved the maximum speed, she was
laughing freely.

"Exactly," he shouted over the sound. "See."

By the time that the ride slowed and settled, she found she was
actually disappointed. His grip on her hands lessened as they
stopped. When she glanced over her shoulder at him, he gave her a
wide boyish grin. That grin, she suddenly thought, in his slightly
older face seems moreyoung, if that's possible. "Well?"

"I liked it, as you well know," she replied with a smile.

The attendant clicked open their car and she rose. He climbed over
the side and helped her up and out of the ride. "Not nauseous?"

"Not at all."

"Glad to hear it," he surmised and squinted into the bright, blinking
lights of the fairway.

She found that her gaze was drawn to the Time Lord's eyes. The blue
caught and reflected the flickering colored lights and made them look
like mirrors which caught miniature rainbows. When he finished
glancing about, he looked down at her and slid his hands into his
pockets. "What are we doing next?" he asked, gently.

"We should head back to the inn soon," she stated.

"Probably," he agreed. "We've done most of the fun park. Have you
had a good time?"

"It's much different than the last time we were here," she replied
with a smile and drew her sweater tighter about her body. "Thank
God; it couldn't have been any worse."

"Yes, well" he sighed, lowering his head.

She grabbed his arm with a frown. "I HAVE had a very fun time, Doc.
Don't take my complaints wrong, all right?"

His nod was fast and his grin was thankful. "But you still haven't
said what you would like to do before we leave."

Tegan glanced about to get her bearings and saw the boat ride near
the end of the fairway. "You expressed interest in that ride, Doc,"
she nodded towards the sign. In large lettering, red on black, the
words: Haunted Mill were written. "Would you like to ride it?"

"I gather its rather a slow, peaceful ride," he stated. "It would be
a nice way to end the evening, yes?"

"It's a haunted ride, Doc," she informed him. "It's meant to scare."

"After all we've been through?" he asked, his voice rising in
surprise. "A simple boat ride wouldn't scare you, would it?"

"No," she laughed. "It takes a bit more than that. But it's a
solitary ride, Docit'll just be the two of us."

"As it has been in the past, Tegan," he gave her a smile.

She realized that he didn't quite understand what she was saying.
With a sigh, she understood that he wouldn't know what she was
talking about until he experienced it. "Well, then, let's get going."

The Doctor led the way, his hands in his pockets and his elbow held
out as encouragement for her to slip her hand through the nook. She
kept her comments to herself and joined him in line, standing ahead
of him. They wove through the line, following others until they
reached the boarding section. As she had suspected, there was a
simple boat enclosed on three sides with only the front open.
Current, not chains, drove it. As she stepped into the boat, it
rocked, but swayed even more as his superior weight entered behind
her.

Soon, however, the boat began its journey through the ride and they
sat.

"There are no screams in here," the Doctor commented lowly. "It
doesn't seem to be a very intense scare, does it?"

"It's not particularly meant to scare," Tegan voiced, with a sigh.
She closed her eyes and allowed the gentle lulling of the waves
against the body of the boat soothe her. It was obvious that the
ride was simply carved out into the beach and the tidal waters of the
ocean. It was channeled through this series of canals, she supposed.

"Then what is it's purpose?" he muttered. From his tone, she could
tell he was a little agitated that the ride was not what he supposed
it to be.

"For the riders to be alone," she replied. "For privacy."

"Privacy"

She could hear when the understanding overtook him. There was an
uncomfortable shifting of his body and something that might have been
misconstrued as impatience. And then quietly a whispered: "oh".

Her smile was meant to reassure, but she supposed he probably saw it
as: I told you so. "It's no matter," she said.

He cleared his throat and settled. "Yes, well, at least it'll be a
little quieter."

"You could say that. And you're right: it is rather peaceful."

He was quiet as the boat slowly moved through the dark. A little
light flickered from the signs outside and over the ride. After a
time, he sighed. "You have had fun tonight, Tegan?"

"Yes. Undoubtedly. But I do want to get back to Amy and Michael."

"I don't doubt that you do," he replied. She felt him shift and knew
he was turning to face her more. "You know, Tegan, there is
something that I've learned from watching human, studying them all
this time."

"Watch it, Doc, I am a human, you know," she joked. Then she
encouraged: "What is it, then?"

"They need human contact. Often of people close to their own age.
You need some."

"Do I?" she asked, slightly put-out. With a frown, she turned
slightly to look at him. "I already have that, you know. I have
friends at work and social friends."

"I mean near constant contact, Tegan."

"A boyfriend, you mean or a roommate."

"Well" his voice was lower.

"You think I need a lover?"

"Tegan," he rumbled and she knew she had shocked him. "What I mean
is that you could use the stress relief that one gets from constant
contact. It doesn't have to be in amanner."

"You're thinking of our conversation about the children the other
night, aren't you?" she pressed. "Doc"

"I'm not saying that any problems that you have with Michael's
development are your fault. They aren't. I think it's more based on
Amy's incredible ability to talk a blue streak."

Tegan laughed. "She does that."

"No, the reason I'm talking about it is for you, Tegan. You need
companionship."

"Like you," she replied. Before he could deny or agree, for she
didn't know which he was going to do, she continued. "You are always
looking for friendship, companionship. Constant contact."

"Humans need it more," he stated. "And yes, in your case, I suppose
that means a boyfriend, a close friend, a lover. It will reduce your
stress, make you healthier, help you to live longer."

"So I should just run out and find one, you're saying," she stated
practically. "I will find someone, Doc. When I'm ready."

"You're mourning Tom?" it was more of a statement than a question.

"I love loved him, Doc," she said quietly. "For several years he was
everything. He was the father of my children, my husband and my best
friend." She sighed and shifted. "I can live without him and do
just fine, but it was never about need. It was about want. I wanted
to spend my life with him. I've learned it's much harder to miss
something you want than something you need. Sentimental value. You
always said humans were a sentimental bunch. Before I can just up
and spend all my time and open my family to another, I have to want
the man. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he drew out. "And being sentimental is a strength I always
thought. But, yes, I do understand."

She gave a nod. "Well, I do have friends, you know. I shall be
quite all right. And so will the children. Believe me. I'd rather
die than see them harmed."

"You make an excellent mother," he commented, apparently off-handed
but she took the compliment as she hoped he meant it. "If not a tad
bit overprotective, but I think you'll get over that in time."

"Yes, hopefully before Amy starts dating."

There was a moment of horrified silence and then he chuckled. "Yes,
wellthere's some time before that."

"And I do have you for a friend and you've seen me through a great
deal in my life," she replied, closing her eyes again and
relaxing. "Even as infrequent as our contact ismaybe it's the
quality and not the quantity that matters to contact."

"Hmmm," he sighed. "Possibly."

They saw the light up ahead of them and knew the ride was coming to
an end. Tegan began to gather the few small articles they had and
the Doctor shifted, stretching his arms over his head. She turned to
grab the small stuffed animal he had won at a guess your weight booth
and suddenly found herself unsteady. The boat rocked, apparently
from design and not a problem, and she was thrown up against the
Doctor. She landed against his chest with a quiet umph. He returned
the sediment with a low groan of pain.

"Sorry," she muttered and the boat rocked the other way. She had
been trying to lever off of him and with the rocking, found herself
face to face with him in the dark. Their legs and arms were entangled.

"Now I see what you meant about privacy," he stated with a low
drawl. She knew he was trying to make a joke. "This would be
highly embarrassing in the light."

"This wasn't meant to be embarrassing," she chuckled. "It's meant to
be"

"Romantic, making close contact, allowing the male to encircle the
female with his arms without making it look too obvious," he replied
with a laugh. "I believe that was the basis to it, yes?"

"You've got it right in one, Doc. And it's a place where youngsters
can get away with necking."

"Yes, well" he stated, gently disentangling his arms from her. His
left arm remained about her shoulders as the boat gently pulled up to
the disembarking station. As the boat slowed, he led her to stand
and escorted her out of the body and onto dry land. She dusted her
jeans down as he adjusted his shirt. "No harm done, I suppose. But
a ride like this would be abhorred on Gallifrey, you know."

"Anything that makes for close contact would be abhorred on
Gallifrey," she shot back. Together they walked from the
ride. "Remember, I was thereonce."

"Twice if you count the Matrix."

Suddenly, she felt the overwhelming need to ask him a personal
question. "Why did you leave Gallifrey? And why haven't you gone
back?"

Instead of completely ignoring the question as he usually did, he
gave her a glance and a sigh. "That's a question for another time,
Tegan. One when we have a great deal of time. Please?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "All right, yes. You never cease to surprise
me," she continued with a smile.

"May that always be the situation," he said with a large grin. "Come
onlet's get back to the inn."

**

She quietly entered the room and closed the door. In the dim lit
only by a small fairy light in adjoining bathroom, she checked her
children. Michael slept in the daybed by the window and Amy in the
double bed. She tenderly tucked them in, smiling at their complacent
acceptance of sleep. With a sigh, she bent to gather Amy to carry
her to the other room. The Doctor joined her at the bed and laid a
hand on her arm.

"I don't want to move hershe'll wake," Tegan commented.

"Then leave her. Leave the adjoining door completely open. You can
hear them when they wake, if they wake," he philosophized.

Tegan frowned and completely settled her daughter and walked in front
of her friend to the other room. When she was away from the door,
she glanced at the two beds in the room. "Will you be sleeping?"

"Ah, no," he sheepishly replied. "No, I'm not tired. But you sleep."

"And you'll just stay here?" Tegan asked. "I don't know if I can
sleep with"

"Someone watching over you?" he joked. "Never mind me, Tegan. I'll
read. But rest assured, if anything happens to the children in the
other room, I will hear them."

She silently agreed and quietly set about getting ready for sleep.
Within a half an hour, she was asleep.

**

As she started up the car, the Doctor slid into the passenger seat.
Amy and Michael had begged for a story to begin the ride home and he
hemmed and hawed to make a decision on which one to tell. She was
busy trying to figure out the best course of action at rush hour.
They were on their way home. They were all rather sunburnt, happy
and sandy.

But she had to admit that she hadn't had this much fun nor this much
relaxation since she couldn't remember. It was lovely. And she
wasn't quite sure she wanted the vacation to come to an end.

Next to her, the Doctor shifted in his seat and gave Amy a
glance. "Once, a long time ago, there was a knight. And he traveled
with a lady."

"His lady?" Amy barked out.

"Well, no," the Doctor continued, nodding quickly. "But a lady
nonetheless. They were friends. And they traveled to a far off land
where there were castles and crystals and bright dreams and when the
wind blew the stones sang."

Tegan smiled gently and adjusted the rear view mirror. She could see
Amy grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Of course, that made sense, she
thought. She, herself, had often been Alice, falling down rabbit
holes when she traveled with the Doctor. "Tranax Seven," she
whispered.

Out of the corner of vision range, she saw the Doctor nod slightly.
They had been there twice. The first time had been when Nyssa and
she had been just reunited. The Doctor and Nyssa had traveled for
almost six months without her and had been very close. But that had
been the first time that she had felt like she was a member of the
crew again. Of course, they had run for their lives and had been
shot atas per usualbut it had been fun otherwise.

The second time they had visited, it had been as a side trip when
they had tried to get back to Frontios to pick up Turlough. She had
never told Turlough, not that she had had much choice what with
everything that happened those last two days she had been with the
Doctor, but she and the Doctor had had several false attempts to get
back to that barren planet. It had been close to two months before
they had gotten the correct spatial and temporal coordinates. Well
two months on the regular calendar. And one of their side trips had
been to Tranax Seven.

There had been no shooting or running or dodging. It had been
peaceful. They had visited old friends. And she had heard the
singing stones. She had enjoyed it thoroughly. Ironically, it had
been the last stop before Frontios and she had made a decision to
stay with the Doctor a little while longer then. She remembered the
exact moment. They had been standing on a hill, him slightly in
front of her, his hair ruffling in the wind. The sky had been a
beautiful purple with stars everywhere. Their friends had joined
them at the apex just as the evening light and the northern winds had
crossed the stones. The air had vibrated, sang and plucked at the
strings of her heart. When she had said how beautiful it all was, the
Doctor had turned to her.

The smile he gave her had made her stomach flop. But then again, she
had been a rather silly girl. At the time she had cared immensely
for him, possibly even loved him. In love with love, her mother had
said when she was a child. A small part of her then had held the
wish that maybe he'd turn to her, hold out his hand and draw her to
him. She had wanted affection, friendship and romance in one package
and he had been that package.

But by then she had realized that the Doctor did care. But his
affections were on a level she didn't think she understood: purely
psychological. She still didn't understand it. She had known she
was his friend, though and it was enough. It had been enough then
and it was enough now. But as they had stood at the apex of the hill
and listened to one of the most beautiful sounds of the universe, she
had decided to stay with him. For a while. Until he said enough was
enough. There was just too much to see, too much to do and she
wanted to do it all.

Ironically, three days later she was walking through a deserted
street in London shivering, alone.

"The knight's magical box finally did what he asked it to do," the
Doctor was saying. "It landed in this magical land and the knight
escorted the lady into the world of stones. The stones were as tall
as a man and blue like the sky. And beyond this land of stones,
there were large crystals like gigantic diamonds. The two friends
explored the stones and met magical creatures. And when the time was
right and the wind was high, the knight took the lady to a hill.
From the hill they could see the world. It stretched out blue and
green, azure and amethyst, as far as the eye could see. As the sun
set, the wind blew and suddenly the air sang. The stones sang to
them."

"The stones sang?" Amy asked. Michael made a sound as if to say
continue.

"Like a thousand harps," the Doctor agreed, nodding.

"Were they fighting ogres again?" Amy nearly shouted the question.

"With guns?" Michael chimed in.

"No. It was the most beautiful, most magical land the knight knew.
He wanted his friend, the lady, to see it. To know it."

Tegan glanced sideways at the Doctor and saw that although his head
was down and he seemed to be talking to his hands, his gaze was on
her. He continued. "The box had always shown them pain and wars and
evil. He wanted to see beauty. This was the reason he had left home
to travel the far lands."

"But you said he had left to right wrongs," Amy argued.

"Yes. But sometimes," he began and turned. As he turned, he kept
his gaze on Tegan until he settled and then he looked to
Amy. "Sometimes, Amy, the best way to fight evil and ugliness is to
view and enjoy beauty in the face of that evil. Defiance. It was a
gift he gave. The lady needed that beauty. She needed to know that
there was so much more than what she had seen, what she had
experienced in their travels."

"Did she enjoy it?" Amy pressed. "Did the lady tell the knight that
she liked it?"

"No. But when the knight turned to look up at the fortress and saw
the lady standing above him, he could see the happiness in her eyes.
She didn't need to tell him. He knew."

Tegan glanced at the road and then gave the Doctor a steady
stare. "What lady wouldn't enjoy that?" she asked, her voice light.

The Doctor lifted an eyebrow and turned forward again. His voice
took on a very informative tone. "Yes, wellI admit this is not a
very busy story, but it was the only one I could think of right now."

With a smile, Tegan glanced over at her friend. "I could throw out a
couple of ideas," she argued.

"Must you?" he sighed, but his face was alit with a small smile.

"Yes, Momma, please" Michael begged, with Amy chiming in.

The rest of the ride was filled with the two friends competing with
story ideas based on their adventures.

**
"Take her up," Tegan laughed. "She'll need the WC immediately."

Amy nodded emphatically and nearly bounced on the balls of her feet.
The Doctor grabbed the largest bag and gave a reassuring smile as he
crossed the street, holding the girl's hand. He glanced back at
Tegan as she began to let Michael out of the seat. Then he hurried
the young girl up the front steps and into the main hallway of the
apartment building. Peri was waiting outside landing as had been
anticipated. He greeted his friend with a smile.

"Who's that?" Amy demanded, glancing up at the young woman with a
disapproving frown.

"A friend of mine, Peri. Peri, please meet Miss Amy Jones of Tegan
Jones fame," the Doctor introduced the young girl.

"The pleasure is all mine," Peri extended her hand to the girl and
possibly because she was receiving such mature treatment, Amy's ire
bled away. She giggled.

Before the Doctor could continue his conversation, there was a loud
screeching of tires outside and a very loud crash. The hair on the
back of his neck stood up and he pressed a key into Peri's
hand. "Take her inside," he demanded, nearly pushing Amy toward
Peri. "And keep her inside, please. Amy, listen to Peri."

Turning, the Doctor sped to the window at the end of the hall and
glanced down at the street. The color fled from his face. With a
groan and a whispered negative statement, he turned and sprinted down
the hallway. Amy watched him go with wary eyes.

She glanced up at Peri as the air was filled with the sound of the
Doctor's pounding footsteps on the stair and the crash of the main
door thrown open against the wall. It was all Peri could do to keep
the child from running after the Time Lord and to keep her away from
the window when the Doctor's pain filled shout sounded in the street
below. It consisted of two simple words, but Peri immediately knew
what had happened. "Tegan! Michael!"

"Momma?" Amy asked, demanded, staring accusingly up at Peri.

"I'm sure she's all right," Peri tried to reassure and turned to open
the door. "We'd better do what the Doctor says. You like the
Doctor, don't you?"

"Yes. He likes me and he's fun," Amy explained.

"Then you know he'd never do anything to hurt you or your brother or
your mother. We'd better do as he says. You can show me your toys."

Amy nodded once, but she looked troubled.

**

Tegan was in a blaze of pain. It heated up her right side and
engulphed her head. There was a constant ringing in her right ear
and for some reason, she couldn't move her right leg. She could hear
her son weakly crying and as she found herself grounded, feeling the
pavement at her back, she knew what had happened. She turned over,
moaning, and tried to crawl towards her son. The force of the impact
against the car had thrown her away from him. The other car was a
twisted pile of wreckage around a light pole and against her car.

"No," she moaned, realizing that she couldn't move.

Suddenly, there was a familiar presence with her. She glanced up and
saw the Doctor falling to his hands and knees next to her. "No,
Tegan. Don't move," he ordered, pleaded.

"Michael," she ground out.

"Don't move," he ordered again and pushed to his feet. He
disappeared from her vision and she didn't know how much time passed
before he was with her again. Her son was not with him.

"A doctor is over with him, Tegan. No!" he cried out. "Don't move.
You've been badly hurt. I have a medic team coming this way. For
Rassilon's sake, don't move."

"I want my baby," she moaned. "What's wrong with him?" she gasped.
Her vision was growing hazy.

"He's less hurt than you," he stated honestly. She felt his hands,
cool against the burning pain at her temple. "Rassilon," he
breathed. Then she felt his hands on her leg, or thought that she
did. Her yelp and scream of pain made him wince. He frowned and
glanced up at someone that was approaching. "Over here!"

She felt consciousness slipping away. "Take care of them."

The Doctor's gaze flew back to hers. "Tegan"

"Please," she croaked, as the blackness crept into her
vision. "Trust. You."

"Oh Tegan," he mumbled, and it was the last thing she heard before
the ringing and silence overwhelmed her in equal portions.