A/N: I was so thrilled to see that you all liked the 'Deep Breath' chapters! I hope you like this one as well. I was super excited to write this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy.

Also, some of the lingo got confused because I tried to use some British words but then I used some American words too… I'm a sad little American, okay? Cut me some slack. And I am still having a hard time writing things, so I'm really sorry about that as well.

And one last note: Happy Birthday, Peter Capaldi! I love you so much, wonderful sir, and you're my favorite Doctor! 3

About half an hour later, I was sitting in the Doctor's chair console room with a steaming mug of hot cocoa. I had changed my clothes so I was wearing something loose and comfortable, sandals, a long black skirt and a black long sleeve t-shirt, and had wrapped a towel around my hair. The Doctor had tended to the tiny burn on my temple and placed a large band-aid over it. Once he was sure I was alright and with some persuasion from me, he left to change out of his borrowed clothes.

When he returned, I had just finished ruffling my hair with the towel. I folded the towel and rested it over the arm of the chair, then leaned forward to pick my mug up off the floor. The Doctor walked up the stairs to the second level of the room and knelt in front of me, his eyes wide and worried.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I answered softly. "Really."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded and smiled reassuringly at the Time Lord. "Yeah. I'm a little shaken up, but I'm fine. I promise."

"I'm sorry." He extended an arm and grasped my wrist, his long fingers curling around my arm. "Diana, I really am sorry."

"No. No, no, no." I set my mug down on the floor again so I could move more freely. The Doctor gazed up at me with big, sad eyes that melted my heart. I gently cupped his face in my hand and ran my thumb across his cheek. "This wasn't your fault. You regenerated, you were still trying to understand yourself when you were thrown into all this."

"But you got hurt because of me."

"I got hurt because I was stupid. You're the one who saved me, remember?"

"But-"

"No. No 'buts'. No worrying. I'm fine."

The Doctor looked away as he pushed himself to his feet. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, the flaps of his coat folding beneath his arms to reveal the red lining on the inside. I smiled and stood up so I could address him easier.

"I know this is still early for you and you're still trying to figure yourself out, but you don't need to hide what you're feeling."

He raised one eyebrow. "Who said anything about hiding feelings?"

I smiled knowingly and reached a hand up to run my fingers through his hair. "I may not be married just yet, but I know you keep everything bottled up inside. Even Clara knows that."

Clara… My hand fell back to my side as my thoughts drifted back to the schoolteacher. I had been so worried for her earlier that I had completely forgotten how much she had hurt me. She was the first thing he remembered.

A hand on my face drew me out of my thoughts. I shook my head and looked up to see the Doctor gazing worriedly at me.

"Now who's hiding their feelings?" he asked.

"It's nothing," I said a little too quickly, turning away from him as I crossed my arms over my stomach.

"Is this about Clara fancying me?"

My head whipped around and I stared up at the Doctor in surprise. "You know about that?"

He nodded and his knowing smile turned into a slight frown. "I never knew she felt that way for me for a long time. I… I never discouraged her because I didn't realize how she felt for me," the Time Lord admitted. "But Diana, I'm your boyfriend, not hers."

"I know that," I sighed. "I just… I was so angry with her because she kept saying how you looked old and you had wrinkles and it bothered her and when I realized she fancied you, it made me even angrier because… because when you love someone their appearance shouldn't matter. But that was all she could think about. She wanted to fix you, like there was something wrong with you."

"And you don't think I need fixing?"

I shook my head and felt a tiny smile tugging at my lips. "No. I like you just the way you are."

"Even with my wrinkles?" he asked, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Yes, even with your wrinkles, you silly old man."

I leaned in close with the intention of kissing him, my hands pressed lightly against his chest, when the Doctor suddenly pushed me away by the shoulders. My face flushed instantly and I looked up at him in confusion.

"What? What is it?"

"Do you see me?" he wondered.

"What?"

"Do you see me?"

I shook my head in confusion. "I-I don't know what you mean."

"Clara doesn't see me, she can't see me. She looks at me and she sees a stranger. But I'm not a stranger, I'm still me. So please, just… just tell me. Can you see me for who I am?"

My heart ached as the Doctor spoke. I realized then that even though he was over two thousand years old and had been with me for most of that time, he still had his insecurities just like I did.

"Oh, Theta," I sighed as I ran the back of my hand along his face "I can always see you. And I will always see you. I promise."

I bravely leaned forward again and this time the Doctor didn't stop me. He tilted his head down as I stood a few inches taller on my toes and met my lips with his. His left arm came around my waist and tugged me closer as I held his face in my hands. We pulled apart just a few seconds later, but the Doctor's face was practically glowing.

He smiled and ran a hand through my hair, his fingers snagging a few tangles. He carefully unknotted each tangle with his fingers before moving his hand to my forehead to push my bangs away from my eyes.

"You know, I'm not too sure I'm a hugging person anymore," he admitted. "But for you… I think I could be again."

"Whatever you want, Theta."

The Doctor smiled again and pressed a kiss to my forehead before stepping past me. His smile suddenly fell and he seemed to already have something weighing on his mind, so I stayed silent and waited until he was ready to tell me.

"I wanted to ask you… about Clara," he said after a minute.

"What about Clara?"

The Time Lord sighed and ran a hand through his close-cut hair. "Would you be cross if I asked her to continue travelling with me?" he finally asked.

"Uh…" I pulled my slightly damp hair over one shoulder and absently ran my fingers through the ends. "No, I-I guess not."

"Are you sure?"

I recalled the last time I had seen Clara, which had been in Sherwood Forest, and I remembered how pleased the woman had been to see me. While I was still upset with her for developing feelings for the Doctor, a part of me also knew that she hadn't meant to be cruel. Clara wasn't the kind of person to be purposefully mean.

"I won't ask her to stay if you don't want me to."

"You mean it?"

The Doctor nodded seriously. "Every word."

He needs someone to stay with him when I'm not around, I realized after a few moments. I can't always be here to look after him. And Clara knows how to take care of him.

"She can stay," I said. "But if she does anything, if she… if she doesn't respect our relationship, then…" I glanced up at the Doctor and he nodded in understanding.

"I was thinking of telling her."

"Telling her?"

"That I know how she feels. You know, let her down gently or whatever you call it."

I chuckled. "Something like that, yeah. And I think that's a good idea."

"Good." He started down the stairs and I reached by the chair for my mug. "Clara Oswald, here we come."

He typed in the coordinates and the ship whirred to life. I sipped my cocoa and smiled when the TARDIS materialized. After the ship landed, the Doctor went back up the stairs and sat down in his chair. I finished my mug of cocoa and leaned against the railing as I looked down over the console. The doors opened a few minutes later and Clara stepped inside.

"You've redecorated," she noted as she looked around.

The Doctor leaned his head back against the chair. "Yes."

"I don't like it," Clara replied, her tone caught somewhere between seriousness and teasing.

"Not completely entirely convinced myself," the Doctor admitted as he looked around at the walls. "I think there should be more round things on the walls. I used to have lots of round things. I wonder where I put them?"

The Doctor then stood up and walked down the steps one at a time, his head turned in Clara's direction. I stayed in my spot by the railing and let my gaze flicker between the Doctor and Clara. I was curious to see how she would react to what he planned to tell her.

"I'm the Doctor," he began in a low voice. Clara gazed at him from across the room in silence. "I've lived for over two thousand years, and not all of them were good. I've made many mistakes, and it's about time that I did something about that."

The Doctor walked around the console so he was standing in front of Clara. They stared at each other for a moment before the Doctor spoke again. "Clara, I'm not your boyfriend," he finally said.

Clara's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "I never thought you were," she whispered.

I looked to the Doctor as he lowered his gaze. "I never said it was your mistake," he replied softly.

Clara looked at him for a moment longer before finally lowering her eyes as well. The Doctor sighed and then sent the TARDIS into flight as he stepped away, the time rotor slowly moving up and down and the lights flashing overhead. He undid the bottom button on his coat and struck a pose as he whirled around to face Clara once more.

"What do you think?" he asked, glancing down at his clothes with a smile.

Clara looked over his new outfit and smiled before turning her back on him. She started walking around, her hand trailing along the edge of the console. "Who put that advert in the paper?" she finally asked.

"Who gave you my number?" the Doctor countered as he approached the console as well. "A long time ago, remember? You were given the number of a computer helpline, and you ended up phoning the TARDIS. Who gave you that number?"

"Um, the woman. The woman in the shop," Clara answered with furrowed brows.

The Doctor rested his elbows on the console as he leaned forward. "Then there's a woman out there who's very keen that we stay together." The TARDIS wheezed and shuddered as she finally landed. I started down the stairs as the Doctor flashed Clara a hopeful smile. "How do you feel on the subject?"

Clara looked up at the time rotor. "Am I home?" she asked.

I stepped alongside the Doctor as he asked, "Do you want to be?"

Clara looked back at him, her gaze landing on me for a moment. She shook her head slightly and a pained expression came over her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm… I'm so, so sorry. But I don't think I know who you are any more."

The teacher wasn't able to say anything else because her phone suddenly started ringing. The Doctor stood up and gestured to her phone as Clara pulled it from her pocket.

"You'd better get that," he suggested. "It might be important."

She nodded and exited the ship as she answered the phone. The Doctor then looked at me and smiled hopefully.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. I just hope she changes her mind."

"Why?"

"Because the person calling her wants her to."

"Who's calling?"

The Doctor reached for my hand and lightly squeezed my fingers. "We are. From before I regenerated." I didn't know what to say and the Doctor obviously noticed. He raised my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. "You told me that I should give Clara a call because she might need me."

"I-I did?"

He nodded. "You said you thought she might be scared. Turns out you were right." He lowered my hand, but didn't let go of it. "Now come on. She needs us both."

I let the Doctor lead me to the TARDIS doors. With my hand still clasped in one of his, he pushed the door open and stepped outside. I followed after him and peeked around his shoulder to see Clara a few paces away, leaning against a wall with a sad smile on her face.

"So who is it?" the Doctor asked, even though he didn't have to. "Is that the Doctor?"

Clara stood still for a moment before glancing uncertainly at us. "Yes," she breathed. She fell silent and looked straight ahead. I guessed the Doctor was talking to her, because her eyes had turned sad as well. "Yes," she said again, smiling fondly at whoever was speaking.

Then her demeanor suddenly changed. Even from my spot by the TARDIS, I could see the tears forming in Clara's eyes. She sniffled and closed her eyes, raising her hand to her mouth as if she were about to cry out.

"Go to her," the Doctor whispered in my ear.

I looked up at him in confusion. "What?"

"Go on."

I glanced back at Clara and saw her nodding as she listened to the person on the phone. She suddenly turned her head and looked at me, wide-eyed and obviously scared. A hesitant smile spread across her face and she suddenly let out a tiny laugh.

"Thank you," she whispered into the phone.

She closed her eyes again and swallowed. Then she lowered the phone and her eyes fluttered open again. I watched as she pressed a button on her screen before tucking the phone back into her pocket.

"Clara?" I asked hesitantly.

She sniffled and looked up at me, her doe eyes rimmed with red. "I'm sorry," she breathed.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "For hurting you."

"Oh, Clara, you didn't-"

"I know I did. Really, I do. I didn't respect what you and the Doctor have and that… that's my fault. Can you forgive me?"

I was genuinely touched by Clara's apology. I wasn't sure what the Doctor said to her, but I appreciated it greatly. I saw in Clara's eyes how sincere and genuine she was, how sorry she was for betraying my trust.

"Oh, Clara," I sighed. "Of course."

I hurried across the sidewalk and enveloped Clara in a tight embrace. She laughed in relief and flung her arms around my shoulders. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her waist.

"This doesn't mean I'm not still a little angry with you," I mumbled.

"I know." She pulled back and nodded, her hands resting on my shoulders. "No, I… I know that. And I really am sorry."

"I know you are."

I turned around so I was facing the Doctor and saw his gaze lower to the ground. The hint of a smile touched his mouth, but he seemed to be hiding it. Then he suddenly looked up again and his face had turned hopeful.

"Well?" he asked.

Clara glanced at me. "Well what?"

"He asked you a question. Will you help me?"

"You shouldn't have been listening," Clara replied.

The Doctor shook his head. "I wasn't. I didn't need to. That was me talking." He sighed and turned his head, walking a few steps back. Although I knew he was trying hard to conceal it, I could hear the hurt in his voice. He looked back at Clara with another shake of his head. "You can't see me, can you? You look at me, and you can't see me. Have you any idea what that's like? I'm not on the phone, I'm right here, standing in front of you."

I glanced at Clara and watched her reaction. She seemed to have started to realize how much her desire to change him back and 'fix' him had hurt him.

"Please," the Doctor asked, "just… just see me."

I watched as Clara slowly stepped forward, her gaze trained solely on the Doctor. He refused to lower or turn away his gaze either. I hoped and prayed that Clara wouldn't refuse him again.

"Thank you," I heard her say after she stopped in front of him.

"For what?" he asked.

"Phoning."

In a flash, Clara's arms were around the Doctor's neck and he had been violently pulled down to her level. Even while standing on her toes, Clara barely reached his shoulders and the Time Lord had to hunch over to be hugged properly. I smiled in relief and while I still felt frustrated with her, I was willing to forgive her and move on if she would do the same.

"I-I-I don't think that I'm a hugging person now," the Doctor stammered awkwardly.

Clara patted his back, her head buried in his neck. "I'm not sure you get a vote," she answered.

The Doctor glanced helplessly at me and I grinned. "Whatever you say," he answered.

Clara finally pulled away and I took that as my opportunity to join them again. "This isn't my home, by the way," the schoolteacher noted as she looked around.

"Sorry," the Doctor sighed. "I'm sorry about that. I… missed."

I looped my arm around the Doctor's elbow and leaned my head against his shoulder. "Where are we, then?" I asked.

"Glasgow, I think," the Time Lord answered.

Clara chuckled. "Ah. You'll fit right in. Scottesh," she teased.

The Doctor glanced down at me and smiled a little. "Right. Shall we, uh… Do you two want to go and get some coffee? Or chips or something? Or chips and coffee?"

Clara nodded. "Coffee. Coffee would be great," she said as she started to walk away. "You're buying."

The Doctor and I shared a worried look. "We don't have any money," he told her.

"You're fetching, then."

I lifted my head from the Doctor's shoulder. "I-I'm not sure that I'm the fetching sort," he answered as we started after her.

"Well, one of you's fetching."

I intertwined my fingers with the Doctor's hand and walked in step with him. But we had only walked a few hundred yards when I felt a queasy sensation in the pit of my stomach. I stopped mid step, grimacing, and tugged on the Doctor's hand.

He looked down at me and his carefree smile quickly turned into a worried frown. "Diana? Are you alright?"

I shook my head. "No, I… I feel kinda sick," I mumbled.

Clara stopped when she realized the Doctor and I weren't following her. She walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I-I don't know, I don't feel good."

Both Clara and the Doctor suddenly gasped. I looked between them in confusion. "What? What is it?"

"You're… you're going see-through," Clara said after a moment.

"What?" I looked down at my hands and saw that I was turning translucent. "But I don't want to go yet."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor whispered as he bent down to kiss my forehead.

I quickly enveloped him in a hug and shut my eyes. Only a moment later I stumbled forward, my arms wrapped around empty air. I sighed in disappointment and let my head hang.

Oddly enough, the sounds of the city were still echoing around me. I turned on my heel, looking around at my new surroundings in confusion. I bit back a gasp when I realized where I was and felt my frustration give way to excitement. I stood on a sidewalk in front of a large door where the words 'IM Foreman's Scrap Merchants at 76 Totter's Lane' were painted in large white letters.

Letting out an excited giggle, I pushed past the door and stepped into the junkyard. Near the back wall of the yard was a blue Police Public Call Box, surrounded by various junked items. I was about to rush forward and run inside the ship when a girl called my name somewhere behind me. Turning around, I saw Susan Foreman and another young girl standing by the door. Susan smiled and entered the junkyard, the other girl following her closely.

"Susan," I breathed with a smile. "Hi. Who's… um, who's your friend?"

The two girls shared a look and I saw a hurt expression on the other girl's face. She looked down at the ground and tightened her arms around her school books, which were pressed against her chest.

"What did I say?"

Susan put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Sarah's never met a version of you who didn't know her," she explained in a soft voice.

"Sarah?" I repeated. "That's your name?"

The girl nodded silently, her gaze still pinned on the ground. I stepped forward and clasped my hands awkwardly in front of my stomach.

"So, you know about the way I… travel?" I asked.

Sarah nodded again and then sniffled.

"Well, Sarah," I began, a little unsure of how to address the girl, "I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to."

"I know," she answered.

"I-I don't really know how to make this better. What do I normally do when I visit you two? Maybe we could do… whatever it is we normally do," I suggested hopefully.

Susan nodded enthusiastically. "That's a perfect idea!" she exclaimed. "Come on, Sarah."

Susan grabbed Sarah's arm and tugged her along as the two ran for the TARDIS. I started after them as they barged through the doors and smiled when I heard Susan talking excitedly to her grandfather. When I stepped inside the ship, the closed doors behind me and patted my hand against the wall.

"Hey, old girl," I whispered before approaching the console.

The Doctor looked over Susan's head and grinned at me. "Ah, welcome back, my dear," he said.

"Have I been gone long?"

"Only a few days," Susan replied. She then turned back to the Doctor and asked quickly, "Grandfather, could Sarah and Diana and I go out before dinner?"

"Where were you thinking of going, hm?"

"Well, Diana said that this is her first time meeting Sarah and I thought we could all go for a walk together or something. We might go to the park or the library or even to the museum. And we won't be gone long."

The Doctor looked back at me with a poorly hidden smile. "Well? Do you have any objections?"

"None at all," I answered with a shake of my head.

"Then neither do I. But I want you all back before dusk," the Time Lord instructed us. "Sarah, dear, why don't you put your books in your room and change into something more appropriate for walking, hm?"

Sarah looked down at her flip flops and nodded. "Alright, Doctor," she answered before hurrying out of the console room.

I spared a glance at my shoes, having remembered that I was wearing sandals, and wondered if I should change them. But then I decided that it wasn't worth the bother and instead sat down in the chair by the hat stand. The Doctor whispered something to Susan and then the girl ran after her friend, which left the Time Lord and I alone.

"I don't suppose you've met Sarah before, then?"

I sighed and shook my head. "I guess not."

"Have you met me like this before? Hm?"

"Yeah, a few times. Once in your future and once a little while back. I believe Susan was excited about that one planet with the purple grass or something."

"Veticale?"

"Yeah, that's it. Veticale."

"That was a few years ago, my dear. Sarah's been with us for nearly a year now."

"How did she come to live here with you and Susan?" I wondered. "I didn't think you would invite strangers into the TARDIS."

"I didn't. The poor girl was caught in a Time Storm and thrown thirty years into the past."

"And you took her in out of the kindness of your grumpy hearts?" I asked.

The Doctor scoffed and gripped his coat lapels. "I am not grumpy," he said gruffly.

I smirked. "He said grumpily."

"Oh, pish posh, my girl," he said dismissively, waving his hand as he stepped towards me. "For your information, I did indeed take her in out of the kindness of my hearts."

"Why didn't you just take her back home? Surely she misses her family."

The Doctor shook his head and his expression turned seriously. "She told me she ran away from home. Apparently her parents gave her and her younger sister to a family friend."

"Why? Could they not look after them?"

"She wouldn't say. She seems to tell you and Susan everything, but keeps many things from me. She seems to be quite close to you."

"That explains why she looked so upset when I said I didn't know her."

The Doctor hummed thoughtfully and nodded. "Yes, that must have hurt her very much. It's a good thing Susan thought to have an outing with the three of you. That usually cheers Sarah up."

"What else cheers her up?" I asked as I looked up at the Time Lord. "I feel really bad for saying I didn't recognize her, so I want to make it up to her."

"Well, I do recall her saying just last week how much she loves the chips here. Susan will know where to go, but you might want to suggest the idea. That just might put a smile on her face."

Susan and Sarah came bursting into the room then, Sarah's ponytail swinging behind her and Susan's face lit up with excitement. Susan looked between the Doctor and I with a wonderful smile.

"Can we go now, Grandfather?"

The Doctor walked back to the console and nodded. He turned the dial on the console and the doors opened. "Yes, of course, child. But remember, be back before dusk. No later."

Susan nodded dutifully. "Yes, Grandfather." She turned to Sarah and gestured for her to follow. "Come on, Sarah. The library's still open for another hour."

I pushed myself to a standing position and walked over to the Doctor. "I'll make sure we're back in time," I assured him before instinctively leaning in to kiss his cheek.

I froze as I pulled back, realizing what I had just done and to whom I'd given the kiss. The Doctor's face flushed light pink and he suddenly couldn't look me in the eye. I took a step back, stammering awkwardly and fidgeting with my hands.

"Uh… Sorry," I mumbled. "W-We… We should probably, um, go."

He nodded and waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes," he answered.

"Right." I turned on my heel and stared at a spot right over Susan's head. "Okay. Come on, girls. Let's go."

Susan stifled a giggle as I hurried past her and I heard Sarah chuckle as well.

Susan insisted on going to the local library first since it closed within the hour, so I walked with them while Susan talked about the book she was reading for her English class. While the Doctor had a first edition copy of the book, her refused to let her use it for her schoolwork in case she should accidentally damage it. So when we reached the library, she shot off like a bullet for the 'Classic Literature' section while Sarah stayed back.

"So what kind of books do you like?" I asked. Sarah glanced up at me with raised eyebrows. "What? Have I asked that before?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No. I just realized that's how you knew what books to get me for my birthday."

"Oh. Well you'd better tell me, then," I told her with a smile.

Sarah nodded and started walking towards the children's section. "Tolkien's probably my favorite. And I love H. G. Wells and C. S Lewis."

I pressed a hand against my chest. "A girl after my own heart," I teased. "Although I haven't read any of Wells' works yet."

"I happen to like 'The War of the Worlds' best."

"I've heard that one's really good. Oh, and here's a spoiler for you," I whispered with a smile. "The Doctor meets Mr. Wells a few hundred years into his future."

Sarah's gray eyes widened and I saw wonder shining in her face. "Really? He actually met him?"

I nodded. "Yep. Of course, the Doctor was a right idiot and didn't realize who he was, but he did meet him."

"Did he meet any other famous authors?"

I smiled knowingly and nodded again. "The Doctor and I met Tolkien. And I got a picture with him in the café he used to visit everyday."

Sarah's jaw fell open as she gazed up at me. "You're kidding."

"Nope."

"Prove it."

I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and flipped through some of my pictures that the TARDIS had transferred from my old phone. When I found the picture of Professor Tolkien with Six and myself, I handed the phone to Sarah. She stared open-mouthed at the picture for a few moments before handing the phone back to me with a grin.

"You just became ten times cooler than you were before," she told me seriously.

After the trip to the library, I suggested we go for chips like the Doctor said. Susan guided us to the place that she and Sarah frequented often, then we walked across the street to a nice park where we sat and ate our food. Not long after we started eating, Susan spotted a friend in one of her classes and went to speak with them. That left Sarah and I together on the park bench.

Sarah slouched against the bench and picked at her chips. "I know you're curious," she said after a moment.

"Curious about what?"

"The Doctor told you about me, didn't he?" she questioned.

I sighed and looked down at my chips. "Yeah," I admitted with a nod.

"So ask. I don't mind."

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at the young girl and watched as she continued eating. "He said that you ran away from home," I said after a moment. "Is that true?"

Sarah looked up from her chips and nodded. "Yes."

"Were things bad at home?"

The girl shrugged and looked out at the park. "They weren't my real family. I mean, my sister was there with me, but it wasn't the same…"

I watched the girl for a moment or two, hoping my questions weren't bothering her. I wanted to help, but I didn't to hurt her either. "Do you miss your parents?"

"I don't remember them very well. My dad was fighting a war and he sent me away so I'd be safe. I remember my mum a little better because she used to visit me. She would tell me stories about my dad and how brave he was and why he'd given me up. I used to be really angry at him, but… not as much anymore."

"Why's that?"

"I met him again. And I realized that maybe he's not so bad, even though I wish he hadn't sent me away."

I nodded. "I can understand. A little. I've been separated from my family for a long time now. And my relationship with my dad was never easy either. I think sometimes parents do things that they think are right without realizing how hurtful they can be. Maybe your dad had good intentions by sending you away, but didn't realize how much it would hurt you."

Sarah smiled and laughed. "My mum said the exact same thing once," she told me.

"Then your mother's a very smart person who's been through a lot."

"Have you been through a lot?" Sarah wondered.

I looked out at the park, looking from the grass to the trees. "I don't know. I guess."

Susan bounded over to the bench again. "Sorry about that. I didn't miss anything, did I?" the Time Lady asked as she sat down on the bench by Sarah.

Sarah shook her head and ate another handful of chips. "Nope."

Susan and Sarah went to bed early that night since they had school again the next morning. I stayed in my room, mostly because I was tired but also because I was still embarrassed about kissing the Doctor's cheek in front of his granddaughter. I had only just started getting ready for bed when there was a knock at my door.

I opened the door and was surprised to see the Doctor. "Oh. Hi," I said a little awkwardly. "What's up?"

The Doctor smiled faintly. "I was wondering if you would be willing to walk with the girls to and from school tomorrow? I-I forgot to ask you when you returned earlier."

"Yeah, sure. Do I normally walk them to school?"

"Often times, yes."

"Okay. Well, I don't mind. What time do they usually go to school?"

The Doctor faltered for a moment. "Erm… Well, I don't remember exactly," he stammered awkwardly.

I smiled fondly at the Time Lord and leaned against the doorframe. "Don't worry about it, Theta. I'll get up early. Do you know when they get out of school?"

"Three? Four, perhaps?"

"I'll ask them tomorrow. Don't worry. Do they eat breakfast before going?"

The Doctor looked at me curiously for a moment, then smiled. "You certainly have a mother's instinct," he chuckled. "I honestly have no idea."

"Don't worry about it. I'll figure something out," I assured the Time Lord before a yawn worked its way past my lips. I covered my mouth with the back of my hand and blushed. "Sorry."

"No, no, my dear. You've had a long day, presumably. I can only guess what you've been up to before you came here."

Oh, you know, killer droid-robot things and regeneration. No big deal, I thought to myself with a tiny smile.

A yawn worked its way past my lips and I quickly turned away with a hand over my mouth. "Oh gosh, sorry," I stammered as another yawn followed.

"Perhaps you should get to sleep," the Time Lord suggested.

"Yeah, probably," I agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I started to close the door when the Doctor pressed his hand against it to keep it from closing completely. "And Diana? Sleep well, my dear."

"Thanks, Theta."

Much to my delight, none of my dreams included the Master or the Valeyard. I woke up a little before seven the next morning and quickly showered and dressed before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the girls. I made toast, eggs, and poured three glasses of orange juice. Susan entered the kitchen first, still yawning and rubbing her eyes, and Sarah came in a few minutes later.

"I wasn't sure what you girls wanted, so I just made some generic breakfast food," I explained. "Hope it's okay."

Sarah and Susan both nodded and took their plates. "You always make great food," Susan assured me as she started eating.

"When does school start for you?"

"Quarter to eight," Sarah answered.

I pulled out my phone to look at the time and saw that it was almost seven thirty. "Hm, you girls better hurry up then."

"It's not a long walk," Sarah told me. "Barely ten minutes."

"Okay. Well, finish eating quickly and then grab your things. I don't want you guys to be late."

A few minutes later, Sarah and Susan were standing in the console room with their books in their arms. I opened the doors and ushered them outside, munching on an extra piece of toast. Susan was talking excitedly about her English class and how she had been looking forward to talking about 'Jane Eyre' later that day.

"So, what other classes are you guys taking? Science, math, history, right?"

The girls nodded. "Science is such a bore," Susan whined.

"Oh, I don't know. Science is pretty interesting," I countered.

"Not Earth science from the twentieth century!"

"I thought you liked the twentieth century, Susan?"

The young Time Lady sighed as she looked over at me. "I do, but the science is so limited. Mr. Chesterton, that's my science teacher, doesn't know anything about using all five dimensions in equations or using active elements."

I smiled knowingly and shook my head. "I'm sure Mr. Chesterton is doing the best he can with what he knows, Susan. Now, what about you, Sarah? What are your teachers like?"

"My teachers are alright. Susan and I are a year apart, so I'm in the level above her."

"Oh, okay. So do you think your teachers are more interesting than hers?"

"I dunno," Sarah answered with a shrug. "I like my English teacher a lot."

"Who's that?"

"Miss Oswin. This is her first year teaching, but I think she's really good."

You have got to be kidding me. "Did you say Miss Oswin?" I asked.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah."

"Her first name wouldn't happen to be Clara, would it?"

"Maybe. I don't really remember. Why?"

I made a face and waved the question aside. "Oh, nothing. I was just curious."

Luckily, Sarah wasn't able to ask anything else because we came up to the school then. We were on the opposite side of the street and there was a steady flow of students walking across the street.

"Well, looks like this is where I leave you. When should I come back to walk you back home?"

"School gets out at three," Susan told me.

"Okay. I'll be here at three." I smoothed a wrinkle out of Sarah's shirt and picked a fuzzball off of Susan's shoulder. "Now, pay attention in class, don't bother Mr. Chesterton too much, and have a good day."

"Yes, mother," Susan replied with a teasing smile.

"Oh, hush. Now hurry up before you're both late to class!"

I watched the two girls run across the street. Sarah's ponytail bobbed back and forth as she skipped onto the sidewalk and the hem of Susan's skirt bounced slightly. I waited until they were inside the school walls before I turned and started walking back to the junkyard.

The Doctor was already up when I returned home, checking over the console as he snacked on a scone. He looked up when I entered the ship and smiled at me as I closed the doors behind me.

"Hello, my dear."

"Hi." I walked over to the Doctor's chair and sat down with a sigh. "So, what do you normally do when the girls are at school?"

"Whatever I feel in the mood to do," the Doctor answered before taking another bite of his scone.

"So what are you in the mood for?"

"How about a stroll through the park?" he suggested.

I nodded with a smile and pushed myself out of the chair. "That sounds nice," I said. "Do you mind if I grab something before we leave, though?"

The Time Lord shook his head and fiddled with a dial on the console. "No, of course not, my dear."

"Thanks."

I hurried to my bedroom and grabbed my journal and a pen. I had wanted to write the previous night, but was too tired after the long day I'd had with both Twelve and One. So I decided that going to the park would give me a good opportunity for me to write a little.

When I came back into the console room, the Doctor was humming softly as he checked a few of the gauges. He looked up as I stepped inside the room and smiled when I waved a little awkwardly at him.

"There you are. Are you ready?"

I nodded. "Mm hm."

"Excellent."

He opened the doors and gestured for me to follow him outside. Once he locked the doors, the Doctor extended his arm to me. I looked between his face and his arm for a moment or two before I finally took the offer and settled my hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Aren't you a perfect gentleman?"

"Only for you, of course," the Time Lord replied with a pleased smile.

The Doctor and I walked together to the park. Since it was still early in the morning, it wasn't too warm out and the clouds were still thick in the sky. There was a light breeze and I shuffled closer to the Doctor as we walked, suppressing a little shiver. The park was mostly deserted, but there were a few mothers with their young toddlers playing near the swings or in the grass.

"Susan and Sarah and I came here yesterday," I informed the Doctor as we sat down at a picnic table.

"I noticed that Sarah seemed much happier last night. I presume your day out went well?"

I nodded and hummed in agreement. "It did, yeah. Sarah and I got to talk a little bit. It was nice. And she did love the chips, so thank you for that suggestion."

"Of course, of course." The Doctor leaned forward, bracing his folded arms against the tabletop. "I see you brought your journal."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Well, I really wanted to write last night but I was exhausted. I'd had a long few days before I got here, so I figured some fresh air in the park would give me a good atmosphere to write in. If you don't mind, that is," I added a little uncertainly.

"No, no, no, Diana," the Doctor replied, lightly patting my hand. "You needn't explain yourself."

I flushed and glanced down at the table. "Oh. Right."

"In fact, I was just about to ask if you would excuse me for a few minutes."

"Why's that?"

"There's a particular breed of flora that I enjoy studying and it's most easily found here in this park."

I laughed and nodded. "Well, you go look for your flora while I sit here and write."

The Doctor squeezed my hand before standing up and walking down the nearest path. I opened my journal and flipped through the pages, glancing over the words as they flew by. I stopped at a few different places and looked over what I had written. Even though I'd only been with the Doctor for a few months, it felt like so much longer to me.

I ran my fingers over one page that I often visited. I reread some of what I had written about the Library and Susan, but had to stop after a paragraph or two. Discovering who Susan was to me had broken my heart because when she needed her mother most, I couldn't be there for her.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I continued flipping through the pages of my journal. I turned to the first blank page and started writing about the last few days. I hadn't written since the day before the Valeyard threw me out, so I had a lot to write about. Writing about the Valeyard was painful, but it helped me to sort through my emotions.

I had just started writing about everything that happened with the robots in the restaurant when the Doctor returned, a handful of flowers in his hands. I looked up from my journal to see him sit down across from me and extend half of the flowers to me.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Yes, I see. Flowers. They're very nice."

The Doctor's cheeks flushed light pink like they had the day before. "No, Diana, these are for you," he explained. "The others are for my studies."

"You picked flowers for me?" I asked.

"Well… Yes."

I blushed and took the flowers he held out to me, sticking my nose into the tiny bouquet for a sniff. "They're beautiful. And they smell great." I placed the flowers on the table by my journal and flashed the Doctor a smile. "Thank you."

The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement of my thanks. I glanced at my journal and then took one of the smaller flowers, a white daisy, and placed it in the middle of the journal.

"Why don't we head back to the TARDIS?" I suggested. "I can finish writing there, we can have a quick lunch, and then I'll have enough time to walk to Coal Hill to meet Sarah and Susan."

Back home, the TARDIS had already provided me with a vase filled with water by the time I reached my room. I placed the flowers on my desk and then finished writing in my journal. Afterwards I went to the kitchen and made myself a lunch that consisted of a sandwich, potato chips, some fresh carrots, and a tall glass of milk.

Glancing at the time on my phone, I let out a heavy sigh. It was only one o'clock and I still had almost two hours until I needed to be back at Coal Hill. I cleaned up my dishes and headed to the library, where I sat down on the sofa and started reading through a Tolkien book. When it was time for me to leave for the school, I replaced the book on its shelf and hurried out of the ship.

When I got to the school, I found Susan standing on the same street corner I had left her at that morning. She smiled and waved at me as I walked down the sidewalk, then enveloped me in a hug.

"Hey, how was school?" I asked.

"Oh, it was alright. Ms. Wright, my history teacher, gave me this book on the French Revolution. See?"

I took the book Susan offered me and quickly flipped through it. "Ooh, this looks really cool. How long do you have to read it?"

"I told her I'd return it tomorrow. I shouldn't need longer than an hour before bed since I'm planning to enjoy it."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan." I glanced behind her at some of the kids trailing out of the school "Um, where's Sarah?"

"She stayed behind to talk to Miss Oswin."

"How long will she be?" I asked.

Susan shook her head. "Oh, no. She said she was going to library afterwards so she'll come home a little late. Probably around five."

"Okay. Well," I started as I handed Susan her book, "let's start home and you can tell me all about how school went."

The Doctor was gone when we returned to the junkyard, so Susan had to use her key to let us in. She went to her room for a little bit while I stayed in the console room. A few hours later, close to five, the TARDIS doors jiggled and then opened slightly. Susan had later moved to one of the rooms that adjoined the console room and she smiled when she saw the Doctor's silhouette in the doorway.

"There you are, Grandfather!" she called happily.

I stood up to welcome the Time Lord back inside, but he suddenly stepped back outside and closed the door. Susan looked at me in confusion and started towards the doors. I stepped closer and could just make out the sound of a man and woman talking to the Doctor outside.

Ian and Barbara, I realized with a gasp. I suddenly turned and held my arms out to stop Susan. "Actually, why don't you wait here, Susan? I'll go and check on your grandfather, okay?"

She nodded. "Alright," she said before returning to the other room.

I rushed to the doors and pressed my ear against the surface so I could hear the conversation better. Ian and Barbara were obviously worried about Susan just disappearing in the middle of the junkyard, but they were so worked up that they assumed the Doctor had something to do with her mysterious. Of course, they weren't technically wrong but their idea of his involvement and the reality of the situation were two different things.

"Young man," I heard the Doctor say, "is it reasonable to suppose that anybody would be inside a cupboard like that, hm?"

"Would it therefore be unreasonable to ask you to let us have a look inside?" Ian countered.

I heard the Doctor step away a few paces and mumble something under is breath. Then Barbara spoke up again. "Won't you help us?" she asked. "We're two of her teachers from the Coal Hill School. We saw her come in and we haven't seen her leave. Naturally, we're worried."

"Hm? Oh, I'm afraid it's none of my business," the Doctor said dismissively. "I suggest you leave here."

"Not until we're satisfied that Susan isn't in there. And frankly, I don't understand your attitude," Ian replied.

I could almost see the Doctor's snarky grin when he countered, "Yours leaves a lot to be desired."

"Will you open the door?" Ian asked.

"There's nothing in there."

"Then what are you afraid to show us?"

"Afraid? Oh, go away," the Doctor grumbled.

Ian and Barbara quickly decided that they should go looking for a policeman and bring the Doctor with them. The Doctor, of course, gave one sarcastic and snarky after another in an attempt to dissuade the two teachers.

Ian's voice was suddenly calling through the doors, making me jump slightly. "Susan, Susan!" he shouted. "Susan, are you in there? It's Mr. Chesterton and Ms. Wright, Susan!"

"Don't you think you're being rather high-handed, young man?" the Doctor snapped. "You thought you saw a young girl enter the yard. You imagine you heard her voice. You believe she might be inside there. It's not very substantial, is it?"

"But why won't you help us?" Barbara questioned.

The Doctor chuckled. "I'm not hindering you. If you both want to make fools of yourselves, I suggest you do what you said you'd do. Go and find a policeman."

God, that man is so stubborn, I thought, fighting the smile working its way onto my face.

"Oh, while you nip off quietly in the other direction," Ian scoffed.

"Insulting," the Doctor grumbled. "There's only one way in and out of this yard. I shall be here when you get back. I want to see your faces when you try to explain away your behavior to a policeman."

"Nevertheless, we're going to find one. Come on, Barbara."

I turned around and jumped when I saw Susan standing by the console, her brows drawn together in confusion. I doubted she was able to hear very much going on outside, but she probably a few things here and there.

"Diana? What are you doing?"

"Nothing," I said quickly.

"Grandfather? What are you doing out there?" she called.

"She is in there!" Ian exclaimed.

The Doctor's warning shout was suddenly swallowed up by a loud popping sound when a tall young woman appeared in a cloud of smoke across the room. I fell forward with a yelp when the doors were pushed open behind me and Barbara stumbled inside the ship. I caught my balance before falling over completely and braced myself against the console.

I looked around the room in confusion when the young woman who had appeared earlier seemingly vanished. I turned around to see the Doctor and Ian rush into the ship. The Doctor took off his cloak and hung it on the hat stand, then approached the console.

"Close the door, Susan." He turned on his heel to stare at Ian and Barbara. "I believe these people are known to you?"

"Yes, they're two of my schoolteachers. What are you doing here?" she asked.

Ian was too shocked by the TARDIS to say much of anything. Barbara took a few steps forward to address Susan. "Where are we?"

"They must have followed you," the Doctor said with a sigh. "That ridiculous school. I knew something like this would happen if we stayed in one place too long."

"But why should they follow me?" Susan wondered.

"They were worried about Susan," I whispered so only the two Gallifreyans could hear me.

"Is this really where you live, Susan?" Barbara questioned as she looked around the room.

The young girl nodded. "Yes."

"And what's wrong with it?" the Doctor snapped defensively.

Ian, finally getting over his initial shock, spoke up then. "But it was just a telephone box!" he gasped.

The Doctor pursed his lips and grasped at his coat lapels. "Perhaps."

Barbara gestured to the Doctor and I. "This is your grandfather? And who is this young lady?"

"This is my grandfather and that's Diana. She and Grandfather are great friends. We travel together."

"But why didn't you tell us that?" Barbara wondered.

The Doctor scoffed and turned around to face the console. "I don't discuss my private life with strangers," he said gruffly.

"Doctor," I said gently, placing a hand on his forearm. "They were just worried about their student."

"But i-it was a police telephone box!" Ian stammered in disbelief. "I walked all around it. Barbara, you saw me."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the intruders. "You don't deserve any explanations. You pushed your way in here uninvited and unwelcome."

"Be that as it may," I added firmly, "you don't have to be so rude. They were just making sure Susan was alright."

"You're siding with them?" the Time Lord said incredulously.

"I think we ought to leave," Barbara told Ian in a soft voice.

Ian shook his head. "No, just a minute. I know this is absurd, but…"

"No, I'm not siding with anyone," I assured the Doctor. "I just think you should be a little nicer to these people since they were only looking out for your granddaughter."

"I walked all round it," Ian murmured somewhere behind me.

The Doctor scowled and stepped past me, obviously frustrated. "Oh, you wouldn't understand," he said to the teacher.

"But I want to understand," Ian insisted.

"Yes, yes, yes," the Time Lord mumbled. He walked around to the other side of the console and pulled something out of his coat pocket. "By the way, Susan, I managed to find a replacement for that faulty filament. It's an amateur job, but I think it'll serve."

"It's an illusion," Ian muttered under his breath. "It must be."

"It's not," I assured the man.

He looked from the ceiling to me, his eyes wide. "We saw you. You walked here with Susan," he said as he pointed at me.

"Uh…" I raised an eyebrow at the young man. "You know, that's actually kinda creepy."

"What is he talking about now?" the Doctor grumbled.

Susan stepped forward so she was closer to her teachers. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she looked between the two.

The Doctor walked over to stand beside me, his hands grasping at his coat lapels again. "You don't understand, so you find excuses. Illusions, indeed? You say you can't fit an enormous building into one of your smaller sitting rooms."

"No!" Ian retorted firmly.

"But you've discovered television, haven't you?"

"Well, yes."

"Then by showing an enormous building on your television screen, you can do what seemed impossible, couldn't you?"

Ian shrugged. "Well, yes, but I still don't know-"

"Not quite clear, is it?" The Doctor smirked and shook his head. "I can see by your face that you're not certain. You don't understand. And I knew you wouldn't."

"Theta, be nice," I scolded.

"Oh, never mind. Now then, which switch was it?" he asked himself as he went back to the console. "No, no, no… Ah yes, that is it. The point is not whether you understand. What is going to happen to you, hm? They'll tell everybody about the ship now," he said to Susan and I.

"Ship?" Ian repeated incredulously.

"Yes, yes, ship. This doesn't roll along on wheels, you know," the Doctor replied smartly.

Barbara stared at the Doctor in shock. "You mean it moves?"

"The TARDIS can go anywhere," Susan said.

"TARDIS? Well, I don't understand you, Susan."

"Well, I made up the name TARDIS from the initials," she said proudly, "Time And Relative Dimension In Space. I thought you'd both understand when you saw the different dimensions inside from those outside."

Ian shook his head. "Just let me get this straight. A thing that looks like a police box, standing in a junkyard, it can move anywhere in time and space?"

Susan looked at me and nodded. "Yes."

"Quite so," the Doctor added with a little laugh.

Ian only scoffed. "But that's ridiculous."

"Why won't they believe us?" Susan asked sadly.

"But how can we?" Barbara questioned.

"It's difficult for them to understand, Susan, because there's nothing like this here on Earth," I explained.

The Doctor nodded and hummed in agreement. "Yes, remember the Indians from Native America, my child. When they saw the first steam train, their minds thought it an illusion because they had never seen such a thing."

"You're treating us like children," Ian snapped angrily.

The Doctor giggled and tapped his finger against his lips. "Am I? The children of my civilization would be insulted."

"Your civilization?" the teacher repeated.

"Yes, my civilization. I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it." The Doctor placed an arm around Susan's shoulders, instinctively pulling her close. "Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderers in the fourth dimension? Have you? To be exiles? Susan and I are cut off from our own planet, without friends or protection. But one day we shall get back. Yes, one day… One day."

Susan nodded. "It's true," she insisted. "Every word of it's true. And you don't even know what you've done coming in here." She then turned to the Doctor and tugged on his arm. "Grandfather, let them go now, please. Look, if they don't understand, they can't… they can't hurt us at all. I understand these people better than you. Their minds reject things they don't understand."

But the Doctor was adamant in his decision. "No," he answered firmly.

"Theta, they're not cruel or violent people. They're not a danger to anyone, certainly not to you."

"He can't keep us here," Ian said.

"You might be surprised," I mumbled under my breath.

"Susan, listen to me," Barbara pleaded. The Doctor grumbled incoherently and walked off again. "Can't you see that all this is an illusion? It's a game that you and your grandfather are playing, if you like, but you can't expect us to believe it."

"But it's not a game!" Susan exclaimed.

"But Susan, it's-"

"It's not!"

I gently took Susan's hand and patted it with my own. "Susan, it's alright. Just calm down. Ian and Barbara are just confused. This is a lot to take in for someone who has never experienced the TARDIS before. It can be overwhelming."

Susan sighed and shook her head. She was terrified that the Doctor would make her leave the school and her teachers and friends, and I hated seeing her so worked up. "Look, I love your school," she told her two teachers. "I love England in the twentieth century. The last five months have been the happiest of my life."

Barbara furrowed her brows in confusion. "But you are one of us. You look like us, you sound like us. All of you do."

"I was born in another time, on another world."

Ian placed his hands on Barbara's shoulders. "Oh, come on, Barbara, let's get out of here."

"It's no use, you can't get out." Susan looked over her shoulder at her grandfather. "He won't let you go."

Ian charged forward, gazing at the console as he spoke. "He closed the doors from over there. I saw him. Now, which is it? Which is it?" he demanded. "Which control operates the door?"

The Doctor was watching in silent amusement. "You still think it's all an illusion?" he asked the teacher.

"I know that free movement in time and space is a scientific dream I don't expect to find solved in a junkyard."

The Doctor scoffed, then laughed. "Your arrogance is nearly as great as your ignorance."

Ian sighed. "Will you open the door?" When the Doctor shook his head, Ian demanded that he help them. "Open the door! Susan, won't you help us?"

I looked to Susan, who shook her head. "I mustn't," she said softly.

"And you?" Ian asked, finally looking at me. "Will you help us, whoever you are?"

"I'm sorry," I replied sincerely. "I'm really, really sorry, but I can't. Too much might change if I do."

"Very well, then," Ian huffed. "I'll have to risk it myself."

The Doctor raised his hands in surrender and laughed again. "I can't stop you."

Ian jumped forward, but I quickly grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him back. "Ian, don't!"

"Let go of me!" he shouted, pulling out of my grasp. He reached for one of the control panels and yelped when the console shocked him.

"Ian!" Barbara cried. She and I both rushed forward to catch Ian as he fell, but Barbara quickly pushed me aside. "You've done enough," she snapped.

"I just want to help," I told her. "I'm sorry."

Barbara cradled Ian in her arms and looked up at the Doctor, who was leaning against the console. "What on earth do you think you're doing?" she asked angrily.

Susan reached for the other Time Lord's arm. "Grandfather, let them go now, please," she begged.

"And by tomorrow we shall be a pubic spectacle, a subject for news and idle gossip," he answered, his voice laced with contempt.

"But they won't say anything!"

The Doctor placed a hand on Susan's shoulder. "My dear child, of course they will. Put yourself in their place. They are bound to make some sort of a complaint to the authorities, or at the very least talk to their friends. If I do let them go, Susan, you realize of course we must go, too."

"Woah! Wait a second!" I exclaimed. I hadn't remembered the Doctor insisting that Susan leave with her teachers and even if it wasn't going to happen, I would fight it. "Are you insane?"

The Doctor looked to me with his eyebrows drawn together in frustration. "This is not your concern," he said coldly.

"I think it is. This is my home, too, and Susan is just as much my family as she is yours. You can't just abandon her here."

"My ship, my rules," he answered simply.

"Oh, no, Grandfather," Susan said desperately. "We've had all this out before!"

The Doctor turned away and began working the controls. "There's no alternative, child."

"There is always an alternative," I snapped, making both Susan and her grandfather look at me. "Just because you're all cranky about these two barging into the TARDIS doesn't mean you can take it out on her."

"She was the one who wanted to come here in the first place! These are the consequences of her actions."

Susan shook her head. "But I want to stay! They're both kind people. Why won't you trust them? All you've got to do is ask them to promise to keep our secret-"

"It's out of the question," he interjected.

Susan took a few steps back until she was standing in front of me. "I won't go, Grandfather. I won't leave the twentieth century. I'd rather leave the TARDIS and you. And besides, what about Sarah?"

"Oh, now you're being sentimental and childish," the Doctor scolded, completely ignoring her question about Sarah.

"No, I mean it."

"Oh, no," I gasped. "Sarah." I looked around the console room, finally realizing that the young girl was nowhere to be found. "Where is she?"

The Doctor set his mouth into a firm line as he looked down at the console. "Very well. Then you must go with them." He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. "And you, my dear? Are you going too?"

I shook my head. "No, but-"

"I'll open the door, then," he interrupted in a low voice.

Barbara, who had already helped Ian to his feet, turned to Susan. "Are you coming, Susan?"

Susan was about to respond when the TARDIS let out a wheeze and started to dematerialize.

"Oh, no, Grandfather!" Susan cried, grabbing hold of the Doctor's arms. "No!"

"Let me go!" he insisted.

"No!"

"Doctor, wait!" I shouted over the TARDIS's wheezing and groaning. The ship was violently rocking back and forth as I tried to stumble after the Time Lord. "Doctor! Stop! Stop, we forgot Sarah!"

From a hidden corner of the room, the young girl who had appeared earlier stumbled into view. I grabbed onto the console as I spotted her being tossed around. She leaned against the wall and our eyes met. Then the ship lurched to one side and threw me to the floor.

*doo wee ooo*

A/N: Again, I apologize for the poor quality of writing that's scattered throughout the chapter. My brain doesn't want to function properly when I write, apparently. There's also a picture on pinterest of Diana, Susan, and Sarah, if you're interested. And don't forget to review!