A/N: I would like to ask all my readers something. I've been reading up on the history of the Master because I've only seen one serial with Anthony Ainley and all of the ones with Roger Delgado and apparently before Delgado's death, the writers were planning to reveal that the Master and the Doctor were brothers in the Season 11 finale. So my question is: is that considered canon or not? That would really be very helpful to me for the future of the story (and in understanding the history of the show in general).

This one's a little short, but I hope that's alright. I've also used a recent personal experience to write the (SPOILER) sadder part of the chapter. So if it sounds too dramatic to you, I suppose that's just your personal taste. I've experienced loss on many different levels and pulled from my personal experience to write part of this chapter.

The room was spinning around me. I staggered to my feet, closing my eyes to block out the sensation. I put a hand to my head and held my other arm out to steady myself. The sensation passed quickly and once it faded away, I was able to look around and recognize where I was.

"Goodbye," I breathed softly, sad to leave Five behind when he was so worried about me.

I took a step forward and ran a hand over the white console with a smile. "Hello, old girl." The ship hummed pleasantly in response. "Which one am I with this time, Six?"

I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I spun on my heel with a hopeful smile on my face. Standing by the small sitting area to the side of the console room was an incarnation of the Doctor that I had come to love greatly during my time in my home universe: the Sixth Doctor. Instead of his usual smirk, he was smiling genuinely and seemed to be in a good mood.

"Hi," I said a little shyly.

"Hi," he answered in a surprisingly soft voice.

There was a moment of awkward silence before both of us asked simultaneously, "So, where are you?"

I laughed and crossed my arms over my stomach. He smiled half-heartedly and held his arms behind his back. "Well, I've just finished my trial on Gallifrey."

"Oh. So, is Mel here?"

"No. I sent her back home so I could meet her when I'm really supposed to." He paused, then asked, "What about you?"

"Uh, the tomb of Rassilon with your last five incarnations and the Master."

The Doctor hummed and nodded once. "Yes, I remember. Nasty time. Glad that's behind us both." He started walking towards me, his characteristic smirk gracing his face and making me smile widely. "Now, how about we go on a nice trip? What do you think of Odgerel? Part of the constellation of Ezhno in the Noble Galaxy."

"Sounds great, but what's so special about it?"

"What's so special about it?" he repeated incredulously, shaking his head. "Diana, is there anything at all rattling around in your head?"

I put my hands on my waist and answered defensively, "Of course there is. I'm not stupid."

"Well, I should hope not. Everyone knows about Odgerel, my girl. It's the largest planet in the universe and completely uninhabitable due to the atmosphere and composition of the surface."

"What's it made of?"

"A special gas that only exists on that one planet. Nothing can land on it or else it will burn up within a millisecond. Luckily for us, however, the TARDIS doesn't need to land and the exact point in time when we're visiting this planet is also when the most spectacular show of comets in the entire solar system occurs."

I grabbed onto the edge of the console as the Doctor flipped the dematerialization lever and grinned. "You think you're so impressive," I teased. "Just because you can travel through time and space."

The Doctor looked over at me and flashed me a devilish smirk. "I am very impressive and you know it."

The TARDIS jerked mid-flight, which sent the Doctor and I to the floor. We landed next to each other, our heads almost touching and our limbs splayed in every direction. He started laughing and then jumped to his feet, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me up after him. I watched as he flew around the console, flipping various dials and levers in a strangely graceful fashion. Then he stopped and turned the knob that opened the TARDIS doors.

"I've extended the air shell enough so that you can open the doors and look outside," he informed me.

I turned and ran towards the doors, skidding to a stop and bracing myself against the open doors and sticking my head through the doorway. The planet Odgerel hovered in space below the TARDIS, its blue and dust colored atmosphere swirling in the most remarkable designs that took my breath away. Just beyond the planet was a large sun, burning orange and gold, and beyond the sun were thousands of other brilliantly shining stars.

I heard the Doctor approach me from behind. His chest brushed my back when he stopped and exhaled softly. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked.

"It's... incredible."

"There's nothing else like it in the entire universe."

A lone comet suddenly shot across the sky, arching over the planet below and spreading its long tail behind it. I gasped in awe and felt a smile slide across my face. The Doctor gently rested a hand over mine and pulled it away from the doorframe so he could twine our fingers together. I didn't look away from the sight in front of me, but instead watched even closer as more comets started to appear.

"Oh my God," I breathed. "It's incredible."

"You like it?"

I nodded eagerly and smiled. "Yes. Of course. It's beautiful."

The fifteen minutes that followed were full of the most beautiful shower of comets that I had ever seen. By the time the last few comets had stretched across the sky and faded away, my mouth was hanging open and I was utterly speechless. The Doctor turned so that he was resting his shoulder against the doorframe, then stuffed his hands in his pants pockets.

"So," he began haughtily, "what did you think?"

With a wide smile, I flung my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. I pressed my cheek against his shoulder and laughed. "That was fantastic! Thank you!"

"Only the very best for my Diana," he replied, his breath rustling my hair.

Then he pulled back and smirked down at me, taking my right hand in his left and drawing it up to his lips. I ducked my head so that he wouldn't see my blush. His eyes sparkled mischievously and I wondered what else the Doctor might have up his sleeve.

"What would you like to see next? How about the planet Biblios? Oh, they've got information on Marie Antoinette and Cleopatra and Nefertiti and- oh, the Moxx of Balhoon! Now that's quite an interesting fellow! Or would you rather take a visit to Woman Wept? It's absolutely gorgeous there. Oh, Diana, you would love it. How about we visit- Why are you staring at me like that?"

I started and smiled in embarrassment as I felt my cheeks flush. "I wasn't staring," I said softly.

The Doctor smirked and leaned forward, his nose just inches away from mine. "You were. You were staring at my handsome face."

"Handsome?" I scoffed. "Well, somebody thinks very highly of himself."

"Of course I do. I'm the Doctor and I am brilliant." He playfully tapped his finger on the tip of my nose and grinned. "You know I am."

"At least I have a reasonable sense of dress," I retorted.

"My sense of dress is perfectly fine, thank you very much!"

"You look like a walking rainbow! Actually, I take that back. You like a rainbow threw up on you."

"That's it." The Doctor narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to me, despite the fact that we were already very close. "I'll not be having you insulting my clothes, not without recompense."

"Oh, yeah? What're you gonna do about it?"

The TARDIS suddenly jerked to the side, throwing the Doctor and I to the ground. I landed partially on top of him, my torso and head on his back and shoulders. Then we both stumbled to our feet and towards the console. The Doctor quickly shut the doors before the ship jerked again and could send us flying out into space.

He turned to me and started to open his mouth when a yawn worked its way out of my mouth. Embarassed, I put a hand over my mouth and tried to keep from blushing.

The Doctor looked down at me and smiled. "We should put you to bed."

I nodded and yawned again. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

He quickly reached out to grab my hand, smiling and walking me through the doorway and down the hall. When we reached my bedroom door, the Doctor released my hand and leaned casually against the wall.

"Thank you for showing me that planet," I said. "It was beautiful."

The Doctor smiled. "It was my pleasure, my dear."

"I'll try not to sleep too long. I don't want you getting bored and picking up strays while I'm asleep."

"Strays?" he repeated indignantly. "I am not a charity, Diana."

"Well, you've got one stray already," I said with a half smile. "I'll see you when I wake up. Don't crash the TARDIS into anything important."

"I would never-"

"Goodnight, Doctor," I said as I opened my bedroom door.

"There's no such thing as night on the TARDIS."

"Yes, dear," I answered in a playful and patronizing tone.

The Doctor humphed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. He watched me silently as I started to close the door. I paused before the door closed all the way, looking through the small opening and smiling shyly at the Time Lord. He smiled back at me and I closed the door, resting my forehead against the wood as the door clicked shut. Butterflies were still fluttering in my stomach and my heart was thudding irregularly in my chest.

Of course I have to let myself get the biggest crush possible on him, I told myself. That was a brilliant idea, Di. Let yourself get the biggest crush of all time on a married Time Lord. He's River's husband, not yours.

I sighed, turned, and walked towards my bed. I pulled my leather jacket off and tossed it onto my bed, and then looked around my room. " 'Night, Sexy," I told the TARDIS with a smile as I started to change into an extra large shirt and cotton pajama bottoms. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid like crash."

The ship hummed pleasantly and dimmed the lights for me. I placed my glasses on my bedside table and pulled my turquoise comforter over my shoulders. The TARDIS played soft, calming music that helped me relax and fall asleep within minutes. My sleep was uninterrupted and dreamless, giving me the best rest I'd had in many days.

My eyes fluttered open and stared at the white ceiling above me. Letting out a sigh, I rolled onto my side and rubbed the tiny grains of sleep out of my eyes. I yawned and reached for my glasses, then slipped them on. A small slip of paper flew off the table and onto the floor. Confused, I leaned over the edge of my bed and grabbed at the paper.

"The TARDIS tells me that today is a very special day for you," the note said. "I've a nice surprise for you in the library.

-Theta"

I blushed and smiled after reading the note, then jumped out of bed. I hurriedly grabbed a fresh pair of undergarments from my chest of drawers, then rushed into the wardrobe for a new outfit. After deciding what I wanted to wear for the Doctor's special surprise, I carried the clean clothes and my jacket into my bathroom and placed them on the sink.

After taking a hot shower, I quickly dried off, put on the clean clothes, and added a silver hair clip to my blow dried hair. I left without checking my appearance in the mirror and excitedly ran to library, not even realizing that I was wearing only socks on my feet.

"Doctor?" I called as I approached the library door. "Are you in there?"

When I didn't hear a response, I slowly pushed the door open. The lights were off and I couldn't see beyond the first row of shelves. The darkness that lay upon the bookshelves like a blanket sent a chill up my spine and reminded me a frightening amount of the Library I had lost Susan to. Fear gripped me by the throat as I took a step forward.

"Doctor?" I called again, my voice wavering slightly.

The light turned on row by row as I walked past each row of bookshelves. I smiled at the ceiling in a silent thank you to the TARDIS for relieving my fear of the dark. At the far end of the room, I could see the Doctor's silhouette from his position on the couch.

"Doctor, what's this about?" I questioned with a smile. "You said today was a 'special day'? What's so special about it?"

When I reached the couch, the Doctor turned and looked up at me with an excited smile. He grabbed my hand and pulled me across his lap and onto the couch. My face completely flushed, I smiled a little shyly and crossed my legs, my thigh rubbing against the Doctor's. I gazed expectantly up at him, unsure of what the surprise could be for.

"You were with my third self about five days ago, correct? At Christmas?"

I nodded. "Yes. How'd you know that? I never said anything."

"The TARDIS told me-"

"Wait," I blurted. "Wait, you said five days ago? But that's... that's..."

"Exactly."

"My birthday? It's my birthday?"

"It's your birthday," he repeated with a grin. "I have a gift for you and everything. I'm prepared this time."

Tears started to well in my eyes as the Doctor turned away and reached beneath the couch. When he looked back at me, I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from letting out a sob. But my tears still rolled silently down my cheeks.

"I even- Diana, what's wrong?" He brought his hands up to cup my cheeks and rubbed his thumbs over my skin, wiping away my tears as more fell down my face. "What is it?"

"N-Nothing," I stammered.

"Diana, you're crying. What is it?" When I didn't answer, the Doctor gently brushed my bangs away from my eyes and lowered his head so he could look into my eyes better. "It's alright. Just tell me."

"I want my mom," I admitted softly.

"Oh, Diana. I'm sorry." Guilt shone in the Doctor's eyes as he wiped away more of my tears. He gently pulled my forward into his arms, letting me grip his coat as my tears wet his shoulders. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think."

"I want my mom," I repeated. "I miss her."

"Hush," the Doctor said soothingly as I sobbed again. "It's alright."

"I'm a... I'm a horrible daughter. A month of being with you and I... practically forget her. What's wrong with me?"

"There is nothing wrong with you."

I turned my head and buried it in the Doctor's neck in a search for greater comfort. His arms tightened around my back and cradled me against his chest. "I've tried to be brave," I finally said. "I've tried not to... to think about her or my grandmother because I knew this would happen... I f-focused on you and on... not dying because I thought that if I did, it would be like admitting I'd never see her again. I won't, will I?"

"I don't know," he answered gently.

Another sob worked its way from my chest and fell from my lips. "How can I keep on going when I'll never see them again?" I asked desperately. "They raised me. How can I move on when back home, in the universe I belong in, they probably think I'm dead?"

The Doctor stayed silent as I cried into his neck. He didn't complain that I was making him wet or that I was annoying for crying. He simply held me close the way I needed someone to hold and comfort me. Sometimes my crying lessened when I started to become more self-conscious, realizing that I was displaying my heart for him to see and embarrassing myself. Other times, my crying turned into pathetic sobs that wracked my entire body.

"Your family will always be in your heart," the Doctor finally said after a long silence. "No matter how far away they will be from you, they will always be with you in your heart. As long as you honor their memory and remember them, they can never leave you."

I shook my head and sniffled. "Never. I'll never forget them." Then I pulled out of his arms, wiping my hands across my face and avoiding his questioning and worried gaze. I smiled emptily and quickly cleaned my glasses with the hem of my shirt. "I'm fine."

"Diana, don't shove your feelings down."

"I'm fine," I repeated in a firm voice.

"If you never address your feelings, they'll build and build. Trust me, I know."

"So do I," I said quietly.

The Doctor sighed heavily. I kept my eyes trained on my legs, refusing to look up at him and let him see my tear-stained cheeks. He slowly moved one hand from his lap to mine, his fingers curling back slightly when they came close to touching mine. Then he brushed the tips of his fingers against the back of my hand. I turned my hand so that my palm was facing up and let him intertwine our fingers.

"I'm sorry," he said.

" 's not your fault." I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked over at his gift that lay forgotten on the floor. I smiled and gestured to it with a move of my head. "What's in there?"

The Doctor followed my gaze to the gift-wrapped item. He leaned forward to grab it, the corners of his mouth curling up in a tiny smile. "This is just one of your gifts, my dear. Like I said, I'm prepared this time."

I let out a light laugh and took the offered present. I held it up to my ear and shook it, wondering what it could be. "Is it...? Actually, I don't know what it is."

"That's why you unwrap it," the Time Lord told me sarcastically.

I playfully shoved my shoulder against his and smiled as I tore at the blue wrapping paper. "Doctor," I exclaimed happily, "you actually got this for me?"

"Obviously."

"This movie hasn't even come out yet in my time back home! I've been waiting for almost three years to see this!"

"I know."

Pretending to be annoyed, I looked up at him and asked, "Is there anything you don't know?"

"No."

I ran my hand over the cover of the film case and smiled. "It's funny how something like a DVD can mean so much," I commented with a chuckle. "Thank you."

The Doctor suddenly grabbed my hand and flew off the couch, taking me with him. I barely managed to keep my grip on the DVD as we started running across the library room. He was grinning wildly and encouraging me to keep up with him as we dashed through the doorway and down the hall.

"Doctor, where are we going?" I asked with a laugh.

"Your next surprise!"

We flew into the console room, where the Doctor released my hand and jumped around the console flipping dozens of switches and levers. He put an arm around my waist as the TARDIS jolted to one side, then let out a wheeze. He opened the doors and held his arm out in a gesture towards them.

"Have a look."

Giving him a curious look, I stepped past him and approached the doors. I gasped in shock as I stopped and leaned against the door frame. His surprise was similar to the one he had sprung on me when I first appeared in the TARDIS the day before. Only this time, I felt that the spectacle was even more awe-inspiring and beautiful than the first.

"Doctor, I... It's always been a dream of mine to see this."

The incredible view of the purely beautiful Eagle Nebula shone before me. I felt my jaw drop as I gazed out at star clusters. The Doctor came up behind me and pointed a finger at one of the more famous parts of the nebula. I leaned back into his touch and smiled as he put his other arm on my shoulder.

"That part is called the stellar spire," he explained. "It's made up of interstellar hydrogen gas and dust. And those are the pillars of creation. They're called that because the gas and dust inside them are in the process of creating new stars, even while the light from close-by stars that have been recently formed erode them."

"What's that part?" I asked, holding my arm out and pointing at another pat of the sky.

"That part doesn't have a name."

"It should."

The Doctor thought for a moment and then said, "Itzel. It is a name of Spanish origin. It means 'star of the aurora sky'."

I smiled and nodded. "I like it." I laughed and shook my head in disbelief. "Doctor, We've just named a part of a nebula."

"I can make it official."

"You can?" I asked incredulously, twisting my head to look up at him.

He smirked and held his hand out for me to take. "You just watch me."

I watched as the Doctor went over to the console and bended over the computer as he started to type something in. Less than fifteen seconds later, he straightened and readjusted his coat lapels. He looked over at me with a wicked smirk and said, "It seems that a couple called Diana and John Smith have just officially named that part of the sky the Itzel cluster."

"Doctor, did you really?"

He tilted his chin in the air and eyed me with a proud expression. "Impressive, isn't it?"

I shook my head and laughed as I took a few sow steps towards him. "Doctor, did you just officially name a specific part of a nebula for me?"

"Yes, it would seem that way." The Doctor put his hands on the console and leaned forward. I copied his movements and stared into his eyes expectantly. "Not a bad birthday, hm?"

"Not a bad birthday," I answered.

"Now, then. What do you want to do next?"

"Hm." I gave the Doctor a flirtatious smile and said, "Surprise me, Time Lord."

When he turned back to the console and started to change the coordinates, I let my tears well in my eyes. As happy as the Doctor was making me in those precious moments, any mention of it being my birthday sent a pang of hurt through my heart.

At the end of the day, both the Doctor and I were exhausted. He had taken me back to England at my request so I could say hello to Alistair, John, and Liz. Then we left before his third incarnation could stumble across us. After visiting 1970, he took me to see Rose and Amy in their own times.

Once I had said a brief hello to my friends and companions, the Doctor told me to decide what to do with the rest of the day. I chose to spend our time watching movies together like I always did in my home universe. We marathoned all three Hobbit movies, followed by the three Lord of the Rings movies, and attempted to start the Star Wars movies. I fell asleep on the Doctor's shoulder during the last hour of the first movie. I was leaning against his chest with my legs folded beneath me and his left arm was around my waist.

That night my sleep was full of pleasant dreams about the many wonderful things the Doctor had done for me. When my mother appeared in my dreams, she smiled at me and told me how happy she was that I had someone to look after me who cared so deeply for me. And when I woke up many hours later, still wrapped in the Doctor's arms, I had an enormous smile on my face.