Where Romana finds Patience.

This one is a shorty and there won't actually be any other chapter this short - but I was assured that content-wise, it works like this. But maybe there'll be a bonus chapter on Saturday?
I hope you enjoy this little chapter anyway :)

'Hello, Romana.'

'Who are you and how did you get inside my office?' Eyes narrowed, Romana glared at the stranger in her chair. The woman seemed completely unfazed and not in the least worried about what Romana would do, as if she already knew what the outcome would be. With a smile, she leaned back.

'I walked in,' she answered, for now ignoring the first part of the question. 'You gave me a key.'

'Why, I never -' Romana sputtered, suspiciously eyeing the key her guest was holding up to show her. Again, she seemed to have expected her reaction because she just gave a shrug.

'Not yet. You will, though, in the future. Spoilers.'

'Not taking into account that such criss-crossing of my own timeline would be breaking several laws -' finally, Romana had gotten hold of herself again and strode towards her desk with the authority of the Lady President now, '- that still doesn't explain who you are.'

'Ah, yes. I haven't introduced myself, have I?' She stood up and held out a hand, as if for the traditional earth greeting. 'I'm the Doctor's wife. You can call me Patience.'

'Patience?' She had heard of her, of course,everyone had - the Doctor's wife, just as odd as he had been. It was rumoured that it hadn't been her real name but she had always been too formidable for anyone to dare try revealing it. Patience shrugged again and gave her a small, secretive smile.

'You need a lot of it when you're dealing with the Doctor.'

At that, Romana couldn't hold back a stifled snort. 'Tell me about it,' she muttered. Finally coming to the conclusion that this woman wasn't the threat she had originally assumed, Romana sat down on the other side of the desk. And wasn't that odd, to look at Patience in her usual seat, from the wrong side? She nodded at her.

'I doubt this is a social call, is it? Surely, you're here for a reason?'

'I am indeed.' Patience nodded and her curls bounced up and down. Maybe she should try go for curls like that the next time she regenerated, Romana thought and made a mental note of it in the back of her mind before turning her focus back to the woman in front of her.

'Considering this is your planet to rule right now,' she began, 'there is something you should know. The Time War might be over, but the fighting isn't. Not only are there still Daleks out there that would like to see Gallifrey burn, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that there are more than a few time lords who don't like seeing you reinstated in office.

'I have a warning for you, Romanadvoratrelundar. Soon, when the seasons are about to change again, destruction will be heading for Gallifrey. It won't take the form of an enemy or an old foe but have the face of our own. The destruction he will carry will be...absolute. There won't be anything left on Gallifrey that won't be destroyed and the casualties will be worse than during the last war.

'That's why I came here today. To warn you. Warn your people, evacuate Gallifrey, save them. I can't help you with it, not now, not here - but I promise to be there when the time has come.'