Thanks for all the lovely reviews! I've got about another 2 full chapters and 2 half chapters left to write... I write in weird ways, starting one chapter and then coming back to it later! So it should all be done in the next week or so!Oh, the facts about Mercury are (as ever) from good old Wikipedia, the fan fic writer's friend.

Rose fell asleep as soon as we got back to the TARDIS. I'd forgotten quite how strong the painkillers I had on board were. They weren't exactly intended for humans. She'd barely even managed to get changed before she crashed out. I pulled the duvet over the top of her and left her to it. She'd hopefully sleep through the worst of the pain and wake up feeling better.

Time to leave Spain, I thought. Reluctantly, I prepared to take Rose back home for a few days. Her mother would kill me for letting anything happen to her little girl, but it wasn't like we could go anywhere else. Rose was in no fit state to be running from anything. And yes, I suppose she was partly right; life isn't always about running from things. Well, it shouldn't be. But sadly, my life was all about running from things. And I just couldn't risk putting Rose in a situation where she would need to move quickly and couldn't. Far better to take her home for a while, let her foot get better and face the wrath of Jackie.

The TARDIS, at least, was pleased. I'd done what she'd wanted and she'd been right. Rose had needed my help.

"Yes, alright, you win," I muttered as I started punching buttons and pulling levers. "As usual."

I yawned. It had been quite a long day. And it was hot out here, that usually made me feel more tired. Like the time I'd accidentally visited Mercury… that had been a big mistake. With temperatures up to 427ºC, that was certainly hot enough to make you more than a bit sleepy. Luckily, the TARDIS had found her own way out of that one.

So bed-time it was then. I said my goodnights to the TARDIS and headed down to my room. I was hardly even in bed before I fell asleep; it was almost unheard of for me to fall asleep that quickly. If I hadn't been unconscious, I'd have wondered what was going on. As it was, I was instantly plunged straight into a dream; the dream I'd thought I'd got rid of.

I was running as fast as I could, faster than in real life even. That's the brilliance of dreams, being able to do things like that. Only it wasn't fast enough. I could feel it, whatever it was, breathing down my neck, ruffling my hair and clothes. I could barely even see where I was going, the light was so bright. Squinting I tried to move up a gear. Then I stumbled and fell and…

I woke up gasping for breath, and the TARDIS lights flickered on straight away. I jumped out of bed and looked around. Nothing. All just a dream. But it had been so real, so completely utterly realistic. I could even feel both hearts racing, like I'd just run full-pelt away from something. This was all very strange.

I left my room, and wandered down the corridor, messing my hair around with one hand as I thought. This was so unlike me. I'd never dreamt like this before, never. If I'd been affected by scary things in life, I'd never have slept again. So this wasn't a fear of monsters thing; like I'd told Reinette, monsters had nightmares about me, not the other way around. But I was definitely running from something; you don't have recurring dreams without a reason for them.

Giving up all expectations of sleeping, I made a cup of coffee and sat down in the console room, swinging in a chair and trying to think what it could all be about. And that's where she found me.