A/N: Very sorry it took so long. My friend was helping me write and 'cos I din't get too many ideas, it took a while to make the ones my friend and me did have into a story. The plant idea was mine- I was going to enter it in the Blue Peter contest, but had too much other stuff going on, and forgot. :( Anyway, here it is at last!

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Miriam stood to one side as the Doctor leaped round the mushroom-shaped console. A weird groaning sound came from the thing on top as a light flashed up and down.

"So, where d'ya wanna go?" before she could answer, the Doctor answered for her "Ah, this sounds nice. Haxvoliavilaum 7008! Bit cold but hey! Nice place!"

"Peaceful?" Miriam asked, coming round to look.

"Oh I dunno. Annoying habit- I tend to say planets are peaceful then land to find they're overrun by bad guys." Miriam grinned, as did the Doctor.

"No thanks seems, well…"

"Weird?"

"That's it! A bit like you!" Miriamclapped a hand to her mouthexpecting she was ganna get chased round the TARDIS by the Doctor, who would likely be maddened by that comment. He seemed to be lost in concentration, though and barely noticed. He came out of his reverie with a grin flashed in his great-granddaughter's direction.

"I got a great idea!" The Doctorsaid, still grinningand slammed down a button! "Lets go!"

"Go? Where, Doctor?"

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The TARDIS had landed in an airy, light room. Miriam knew as soon as she steeped out of The TARDIS, she was fairly sure they werestill on planet Earth (this place had a distinct 'old manor house'/museum feel) but as to what time and where she didn't have a clue! Well, apart from the fact that it was at least the mid-twentieth century, but there seemed to be a lot more to time than that.,

"Ah, here at last!" he said, "This was the place I first thought of being a professional Time Lord! You see I was only forty then so that was years ago. I was companion of Lord Grufferlopolen, he was a great guy but he'd regenerated twelve times, the maximum time a time Lord can regenerate or change their image, so he died and gave me the TARDIS in his will."

"Nice guy," said Miriam, she frowned, remembering "Hey, that was in one of Mum's books. Anyway, I thought you said this thing" she indicated the TARDIS "went anywhere in Time and Space!" the Doctor scowled at her

"We just went in Time- Space can wait! Lord Grufferlopolen is famous- that's why you mother would have had the story down" They stepped out and raced down the stairs into the main lobby. There was a desk at the far side of the room and behind it was a most peculiar man.

"Hello" said the man "I am Harry Bronegrunt. Receptionist here at Hellheeven Manor. And you are?"

"I'm the Doctor- I am here to sort out your…" he searched for an idea "plant problem?"

"Ah yes, come this way" he turned, leading them down several flights of stairs, along a corridor, across a small garden and into a greenhouse. As they walked through, a weird plant snapped out at Miriam. She jumped back. "Here we are! I'll leave you to it!" and they were left alone in the greenhouse of strange, and none too friendly, plants.

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"Doctor, what did you mean about sorting the plant problem?"

"This, most likely. Actually I don't know. Probably all this is the wrong doing of something, or some one, so we have to work out who, what and why." he said, sounding as though it was the most normal thing in the world. "So let's get started!" and they wondered through the greenhouse, Miriam went straight on and the Doctor went right. Miriam was walking slowly down the path and tripped over a hosepipe and bumped into a rose bush.

"Watch it!" screeched the rose bush. Miriam blinked. A rose bush was talking to her. It took a few moments for that to register.

"You're a rose bush" Miriam said a bit confused "And you are talking to me…"

"Yes, what did you expect? You lot talk to us, but you don't understand a word we say to you- you stupid humans!"

"OK…" Miriam backed away. When she thought she was at a safe distance, she ran off back to the Doctor.

Miriam caught up with the Doctor by the door into the manor. In his hand he had a test tube with a sample from a plant in it. Then Harry Bronegrunt came through the door.

"Doctor! Doctor" she yelled and bumped into Harry "There's a talking rose bush at the back! Come see! Come see!"

"Now, now" Harry laughed, "Don't be silly. There is nothing of that in here! Come on Doctor I'll show you too the laboratory!"

"Ok! Sure! Lead the way!"

"Would you like me to take your daughter upstairs with the other children?"

"I am not his daughter!" Miriam growled.

"Just play along" the Doctor whispered to Miriam "They'll never believe what relation we really are." he turned to Harry "Lead the way!" they left the room, but something watched them as they went. Unnoticed and unseen, it snaked out a tendril to follow them.

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Miriam was lead up a small narrow staircase. Harry opened a door at the second landing. It lead into a huge classroom.

"Oh! Hello Mr. Bronegrunt! Whose that you got there?"

"There's a guy who can fix the Plant Problem and this is his daughter. What's your name again?"

"Err… Miriam"

"Ok class this is Miriam! Miriam you can sit on the desk at the back with Maria. She's the top in the class so she'll be a perfect role model for you!"

Miriam did as she was told. Maria- a less than pretty girl with glasses that made her look like an owl- smiled at her patronizingly. Miriam scowled back. She hated people like that- top of the class and always thinking they were above everyone else. Still wearing the frown, she turned to face the teacher, who started droning on about the anatomy of plants, something Miriam had been over every year since she was seven. Her now being twelve made the subject rather boring, particularly as she came from nearly two hundred years in their future, which meant that she had a more advanced knowledge of the subject than the teacher herself. She couldn't be bothered to correct her, so she prepared herself for a long, long afternoon.

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Meanwhile, the Doctor was carefully examining the sample he had collected, pausing every so often to wipe blood from a cut. The plant had not given the sample of itself willingly and plasters gave him an allergic reaction so he now had a few open cuts to contend with, as well as the fact that the sample he had managed to collect was taking every opportunity to a) wriggle off somewhere or b) develop a sharp bit and scratch him. Not pleasant. Hey, he'd felt lots worse so he wasn't complaining. Frankly, he was surprised that the plant hadn't managed to strangle him, although it had been a decidedly close thing. And it had been nice of Harry to let him use one of the manor's labs. Apparently, when the plant problem started, the museum had developed a research facility to look into the matter and there were a few labs free.

After a bit of extensive poking, prodding and holding down, he resorted to using the sonic screwdriver. Flicking it on, he changed the setting to scan and moved it over the scrap of greenery. The familiar high-pitched whirr filled his ears as he studied the results of the scan.

A/N Sorry it took so long. The Lord Gruff-thingy idea was my friend's, sorry if it goes against anyone's theory of the Doc stealing a TARDIS.Thanks if anyone's still interested in the story- I appreciate that a lot. And I appreciate reviews even more!