"Leela, did she really go off and leave you for that Andred chap?"

"Three months almost to the day," was the Doctor's cryptic reply.

"What are you on about now, Professor?" Ace peered down at him. Once again, he was mucking about with the base of the TARDIS console. Unlike the last few times she found him there, he was actually closing it up when she came into the Console room. There were no dangling wires, the tools were actually stowed neatly away in their container, except of course for the sonic screwdriver. Which he carefully placed into said container before rising to his feet and dusting his hands together with an air of general satisfaction.

"It has been three months almost to the day since you found out about Peri," the Doctor deigned to explain. "I expected you to ask before this."

"Yeah, well, we've been busy, haven't we?" Ace scowled. "Chasing cheetahs."

"Hmm," was the Doctor's only response as he busied himself with securing his tool chest. With a grunt he shoved it aside and rose to his feet. "Yes, cheetahs. You came out of that all right."

Ace thought she detected a trace of...something in his voice. Anxiety? Concern? "Yeah, I guess I did," she replied with a grin. "Some of it was fun. The feeling I had..." A hint of longing colored her voice and eyes, quickly banished. "Anyway, not the killing. And not the Master. Had enough of that one, I have."

"Yes, and I as well," the Doctor agreed. "Is that what made you think of Leela? The thrill of the hunt, giving in to primitive instincts?"

"Maybe." Ace shrugged. "I thought you might need a break, that's all. It had nothing to do with Peri," she added, returning to his earlier comment. The one he'd thought she'd been ignoring. "Did you think it bothered me, knowing she was still around?" She waved vaguely toward the TARDIS walls and the quiet rise and fall of the Time Rotor.

"It had occurred to me, yes," the Doctor said, leaning his elbows casually on the edge of the console. "You didn't seem pleased at the idea."

Ace shrugged. "Just surprised me, that's all. Never expected it, but you said she's all part of the TARDIS, right? Not even really herself any more?"

"That's an oversimplification, but essentially correct," the Doctor agreed. "No need for paranoia, my girl."

"I'm not paranoid," was Ace's spirited response. "It was kind of creepy at first, but she's been here the whole time I have, so if something was going to happen it would've already, right? And Mel made it through all right." Her logic wasn't exactly solid, but the Doctor chose not to point that fact out, merely nodded agreement to her words. "So Peri's on board. Right. But now I wanted to ask about Leela."

"And so you have," the Doctor replied with a grin. "Shall we adjourn to a more comfortable location? I'm not up to sitting on the floor any longer today, and could do with a spot of tea. Meet me in the little kitchen in 20 minutes or so, and I'll answer your questions. With the usual qualifications and disclaimers, of course."

Ace rolled her eyes. "Of course, Professor. Of course." Her eyes narrowed in sudden suspicion. "And lets not have any nonsense about otters in heat, eh? No funny stuff this time."

"No funny stuff," the Doctor agreed. He waited until she'd left the Console Room to smile. The smile turned rapidly into a frown as he actually considered her words. "No funny stuff," he repeated. "Well, that might be difficult, considering the nature of my relationship with Leela..." He headed out of the Console Room, deep in thought. The door slammed shut, then reopened a moment later as he sheepishly returned, picked up the tool box, and left again.