"Actually... Um. It's been nearly three years for me..."

Jack ran into the doorway. "Come on, guys, we gotta go right now." He said, naive to the pairs revelation.

He turned his head between the corridor and the two people inside the room, Jack could not see the Doctor from behind Yaz, who sat unintentionally concealing the timelord.

"Jack, it's been three years!" Yaz snapped, looking at him angrily. "We're three years late!"

"What?" Jack said, coming fully into the room. His face fell. "No. That can't be right."

"Well it is," came a voice from behind the human girl.

"Doctor, I'm so sorry," he said, dropping to 13's side. He looked at her, shocked by the new face he had never seen before, "Blimey, you look different. I mean, I'd say you look great under different circumstances."

Jack smiled his familiar grin, it was a nervous one though, after all he had pretty much left her here to rot.

"It's good to see you again," she said, "I see you haven't changed a bit."

"I try my best," he answered, winking.

"I'd give you a hug but, you know—" 13 indicated to her wrists, which were currently encased in chains.

"Hmm? Right, sorry. Yes." Jack remembered, making his way to the thick padlocks that enclosed the thick plates of metal. "Got them off your guard before I put him in a cupboard."

A soft click sounded as the Doctor was freed. Her arm almost immediately dropped to her side as she breathed a sigh of relief.

Jack then proceeded to do the other side, and he smiled as he watched the Doctor's tense expression lighten.

Yaz smiled too."Come on," She said, "Let's take you home."

13 nodded appreciatively, trying to ignore the ache in her heart caused by the word 'home.'

Taking in a breath, she made her way to stand. As she did this, she held her wrists close, they were red-raw and bleeding. Not that anyone could see that in the dark however.

When she stumbled slightly, Yaz held her up by the shoulders and looked into her eyes as if to say, 'it's okay now, I've got you.'

Jack locked the cell door behind them in order to delay security finding out which prisoner, or even prisoners, escaped.

"Sorry to be a pain," she said as she staggered through the corridor, "I just need to find my feet, I'm fine really."

That was clearly untrue though, the Doctor looked desheviled, and her heart dropped when she saw the mess the shackles had left, "how long have you been in those chains for?"

"I don't know." The Doctor meant this sincerely, time had become lost to her. A timelord without time.

She wasn't a timelord though, was she?

"It wasn't always constant, not after a while. Still a bit though. Quite a bit actually. It's fine though."

Yaz made to answer, highly concerned, but was interrupted by Jack, who ran up behind them, "we've just got to make it up here to the others and then—"

"Yes, Yaz told me about you having your vortex manipulator back and working." She teased.

"I bet you're grateful for it now,"

"TARDIS would've been better,"

"I can't fly a TARDIS though so you'll just have to make do won't you."

13 rolled her eyes, smirking.

The three turned a corner to find four familiar faces waiting for her.

"Doc." Said Graham, "it's really good to see you, you really had me worried for a minute."

13 smiled at him, even though it had been well over a minute for her. Oblivious to this, Graham returned the favour.

"Yeah Doctor, we've missed ya."

The Doctor looked between the three of them, "my fam."

"Okay then, let's go," Jack said, putting his wrist out for the passengers. Ravio, Yedlarmi, Graham, Ryan, Yaz and the Doctor grabbed on.

"Cheap and nasty time travel," the Doctor mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Jack laughed at this as he sent all of them back to the 21st century, back in Graham's front room, in the exact place they had just left.

At landing, 13 fell into the chair nearest to her, out of breath from the effort of walking. After all, she had barely stretched her legs properly in three years.

"Are you okay, Doctor?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, just a little, light-headed, from all the moving and all the bright lights and everything."

Yaz, Graham, Ryan and Jack all shared a look, this was a very uncharacteristic thing for the Doctor to say.

What the hell happened to her?!

"I'll get you some water," Graham said.

The doctor nodded slightly in appreciation, then began to rub her head with one hand in discomfort.

"Hey, do you need to lie down?" Yaz asked, rubbing her back gently.

"I just need to get back to my TARDIS," 13 winced, miserably, "but I can't."

"Why not?" Asked Ryan.

"On the day, that day, when I was going to blow up Gallifrey. I-I couldn't, so um, Ko Sharmis did and he gave me time to escape in another TARDIS. So then I travelled back to the future and went back to my TARDIS, and once I got in and shut the door, the Judoon got in and took me." She answered, rubbing her head harder now.

"So can't we just go get it then?" Ryan asked.

"They might've taken her, or, she might still be there and is being used her as bait for when I try to get her back." Said 13, desperately uncomfortable.

By now, Graham had re-entered the room, Ravio and Yedlarmi sat in the arm chair nearest the kitchen, Ravio on the arm. The Doctor sat on the sofa with Yaz next to her. Ryan was on the other sofa, the side nearest the Doctor. And Jack stood, leaning and observing against the wall.

Graham silently gave the Doctor her water and she nodded gratefully. 13 then put the glass to her lips and forced herself not to drink the whole thing, even though she really wanted to.

Control yourself Doctor, they can't get worried about you, I'm fine, I'm fine.

"How'd they even get in? I thought you said nothing could get in?" Ryan questioned as Graham sat down next to him.

"I don't know," the Doctor said, solemnly.

"What if the Master did something?" Yaz suggested, "I mean, he was in the TARDIS. Could he've done something with the defences or somethin'"

"Why would he?" Said Ryan.

"Well, it could've been to let the Kasaarvin in, or, to help him escape, maybe he wanted to steal your TARDIS to get off of Earth after he destroyed it?"

13 suddenly cried out.

"Doctor?" Jack asked, suddenly upright and alert, and crouching by her side.

Yaz looked at her, checking 13's forehead. After a moment or two, Yaz had to hold the Doctor up before she fell off of the sofa from curling her knees in too hard.

"Doctor?!" Yaz cried.

"I'm fine." She said, tensely, "I'm just not used to the light."

At this, Jack immediately shut the curtains and turned off the light before any of others could even move.

It was the middle of the day however, so a very dim light still bled through, just enough for them to each see eachothers outlines.

Jack then went back to her side. "Better?"

"A little bit." She had her head in her hands, breathing slowly.

"There's a bed upstairs if you need it, Doc?" Graham said, supportingly.

"Yeah, I'll help you if you want?" Yaz offered.

"And I have some shirts you could borrow as well if you'd like?"

"What do I need them for?" She said, looking up.

"Well, I dunno, you might want a change clothes." Graham shrugged, defensively.

"Thanks Graham," 13 nodded appreciatively.

"Come on," Yaz said, indicating to the Doctor for her to come upstairs with her.

The Doctor got up, swaying in the dark with Yaz close behind her, ready to keep her up right.

13 fumbled for the stair rail in the dark. She leaned easily on it.

"I'll go make sure she's got everything," Graham said, to the four remaining people, as he followed 13 and Yaz up the stairs.

The four sat in the front room awkwardly.

"Do you think she's alright?" Ryan asked Jack as he sat nervously waiting for Yaz and Graham to return with news.

"I hope so.." Jack said, getting up and walking to look up the stairs, turning the light on as he went. "It's my fault, we should have came sooner."

"What do you mean, 'sooner?'" Ryan asked.

"Oh, erm, I'm really sorry but, I took us to the wrong time, the Doctor, she err, she's been in prison for three years." Jack said this, blaming himself entirely, he just felt so guilty.

"What?!" Ryan said, fuming.

"Hey," said Ravio, "we cant blame him Ryan, it was an accident, it's not your fault, it's no ones fault."

"Oh, Ravio, Yedlarmi, I said I'd take you home, I'm sorry, I forgot with everything that's happened." Jack sighed, somehow feeling even more guilty.

"No, no, no, don't worry about it, we totally understand, we're not in a rush to go anywhere, and besides, we couldn't leave without knowing the Doctor is okay." Yedlarmi answered, truthfully.

Jack smiled with the deepest sincerity. "Thank you, I promise I will make good on my promise later."

Yaz took the Doctor up the stairs, then waited for Graham to point to the bathroom.

"Here," he said opening the door, "I'll get you a shirt and you can clean up, the bedroom is the one next door, use whatever you want, okay? Anything. And um, I'll be with the others downstairs."

And with that, Graham left down the stairs, leaving the two of them in the bathroom.

The Doctor walked to the mirror.

Who am I?

"Are you okay, Doctor?" Yaz stood in the doorway. "I can go downstairs if you want to be alone?"

After a pause, she turned to exit, but was stopped, "please, stay, I've been alone for too long."

Yaz looked back at her, guilt creeping in, "of course I will."

Yaz felt awkward, she had no idea what had happened to the Doctor and she just didn't know what to say.

13 continued to stare at herself in the mirror, a disgusted look frozen on her face.

Her clothes were filthy, her face was filthy, her hair was filthy. Not only that, her hair had quadrupled in length, in another world, rapunzel-like. In this world, stained, dirt-ridden and glued together.

"Do you want a shower?" Yaz asked, "I can wait in your room if you'd like."

Pondering a moment, the Doctor nodded, still staring at herself in the mirror, "I'd like that."

"Okay," Yaz said, relieved at the positive answer. "If you need me, don't hesitate to shout."

When the Doctor nodded, Yaz left the room, shutting the door behind her, and sighing at what 'fun travelling' had become.

When Graham arrived at the end of the stairs, he was greeted with four faces looking expectantly at him.

"So," Jack asked, "how is she?"

"I don't know," Graham shook his head, sitting down next to Ryan. "But it's the Doc innit, she just needs to rest up an' she'll be right as rain."

He said this unconvinced of course.

Ryan nodded and lowered his head, "I've never seen her like this."

"Like what?" Asked Ravio.

Ryan turned to face her, "so broken."

"Yeah, I've known her a long, long time," said Jack, "and I've never seen this side of her."

"Had you met the Master before as well then?" Graham asked.

"Once." Said Jack, "He had a different face back then of course, but he hadn't changed one bit."

"You should talk to her," Graham suggested, "not now obviously, but when you get a chance, I mean, you seem to know her best."

"I can try," Jack nodded, "but length doesn't always mean depth."

"Well, I don't really know how to help her either," Ryan admitted, defeatedly.

"Maybe not now, but we will, won't we."

Jack nodded, grateful for the optimism.

When Yaz entered the dark room, her first instinct was to fumble for the lamp rather than the ceiling light, it gave off some light, but a lot less, so maybe that way it'd be more bearable for the Doctor.

She then perched on the end of the double bed and drummed her fingers on her knees, butterflies in her stomach for how this conversation would go.

It would either be Yaz actually helping the Doctor, or, the alternative of which she gets angry and pushes her away again.

Sitting on the bed, Yaz played with her nails instead, she thought doing something different might keep her from seeming different to the Doctor, however, she was overwhelmed with these recent events, recent for her anyway, and they wouldn't leave her alone.

I can't believe this has happened, I wish we could go back to when the Doctor was happy and bubbly, the Master has ruined everything, she's so defeated now.

After a while, the Doctor reappeared in Graham's t-shirt with her clothes folded neatly in her hands, along with a comb, her now long, blonde hair dripping-wet.

"Good shower?" She asked.

"Yeah," 13 smiled, "I really needed that."

"Yeah," said Yaz smiling back, "you did."

The Doctor put her clothes on the bedside.

"Do you want me to brush it?" Yaz offered.

"Please," said the Doctor, "I'd do it myself but my arms really ache from having them above my head, and it's really long now, definitely need a trim."

"Just a bit," Yaz joked, lightening the intensely awkward atmosphere.

Yaz tapped the edge of the bed to indicate the Doctor sit down. When she did, Yaz took the comb and sat on her knees on the bed, behind where the Doctor was. First, Yaz brushed all the hair back and parted it.

"Thanks," 13 said, awkwardly.

"Don't mention it," Yaz answered, not mentioning her concern at how many knots there were and how much hair came out of each scrape. It was clear she hadn't brushed her hair in along time.

This was when she noticed the Doctor's red, bleeding wrists.

"Do they hurt?" She indicated to them, coming to sit on the floor in front of her.

The Doctor shrugged, "not as much now."

"I could get some bandages or cream if you'd like."

The Doctor shrugged again, "I dunno, I don't want to take Graham's stuff."

"Hey, he said use anything, multiple times," Yaz said, "wait here, and I'll look in the bathroom for something."

"It's o—" 13 started, but Yaz was already gone.

Yaz went to the bathroom and checked for a first aid kit, the cupboard nearest the door, the cupboard under the sink, and finally the one above where she found a little green pack on with a plus on the front. Looking inside, she found some plasters, antibacterial cleansers, bandages and some antibiotic cream as well as some other stuff.

As she made to leave, Yaz noticed a tiny bit of blood in the bottom of the shower.

"Doctor, are you okay? I noticed blood in the shower." Yaz kneeled in front of her.

"Yes, it's just from the chains, they'll heal."

"Damn right they will." Yaz confirmed, holding out the first aid kit. "Did you clean them well in the shower?"

"Yes, of course I did, so don't bother with any antibacterial stuff, they're already clean and I don't need 'um anyway."

"What can you not get infections or somethin'?"

"Of course I can. Anyone can get an infection."

"Fine," She said, not bothering to argue, "but only because you washed them in the shower."

13 held her hands up in defence mocking Yaz's overprotective attitude.

Yaz rolled her eyes, "just c'mere."

Taking the bandages, Yaz began to wrap them around the Doctor's wrists.

The Doctor tried not to wince in front of Yaz, but failed to hide it from her.

"Sorry," Yaz said, cutting the bandage and taping it up. "Just one more."

"I know, I know, it's fine." 13 lied.

"They're pretty deep," Yaz said, "no wonder they're bleeding so much."

"It'll stop soon," the Doctor reassured, "I'm a fast healer."

Yaz taped the other one and got up to pull back the duvet. "Come on, get in, I'll tuck you in."

The Doctor chuckled, "oh now you're really babying me."

"Sorry," she said, obviously not sorry.

After the Doctor settled in the middle of the bed, Yaz perched beside her, "goodnight, Doctor."

Yaz reached to turn out the light, but the Doctor reached out to stop her, "you better not, my eyes need to re-adjust to the light.

"If it hurts, then—"

"Don't worry about it," the Doctor said.

But Yaz didn't waver.

"Look, to be honest, I really don't want to be in the dark again, okay? So, if you leave it on, you'll be doing me a favour."

Yaz looked at 13, nodding. She sat beside her, shocked that the Doctor would admit something like that to her.

13 slid her hand back under the covers. "It's cold."

Yaz got up, "I'll go ask Graham to turn the heating up."

"No." Said the Doctor, reaching out for Yaz's hand, "it's fine, please, don't leave me."

Yaz sat back down beside her, "Never again."

The Doctor smiled sadly at this, knowing one day she'd go like everybody else.

Yaz brushed 13's hair off of her face.

The Doctor smiled, "thank you for coming to get me."

"Of course, we'll always come, I'm just sorry we were so late." Yaz looked down guiltily.

"It's not your fault, we've all been there."

"What? Time travel three years too far into the future, with an American guy you only met the once, who claims to know how to rescue your alien best friend from a planet, used solely to keep criminals confined, using a massive ugly brown watch."

"Well, yes," the Doctor chuckled, "but I only really meant the 'late' bit."

"What? So you're saying you've been there then?"

The Doctor sighed, debating whether to reopen this chapter in her life. Deciding for, she said, "well, a long time ago, I started travelling with this friend of mine and when I took her home, I was year late. There were missing posters everywhere and her mum freaked, and I mean, quit rightly so to be fair. The point is, it really was a mess. However, her mum got over it, and everything got better, well, sorta, with the whole year late thing, that bit got better."

Yaz sat stunned, the Doctor very rarely talked about her past. "What do you mean 'sorta?'"

"Well, I don't see her anymore, I can't."

"Why not?" Yaz was confused. "She's not—"

"No, no," 13 reassured, "she's fine, it's just a bit complicated."

"Why?" Yaz pushed.

"Because, Yaz, I've been around along time and I've lost a lot of friends." The Doctor shrugged, choosing to ignore how irritated she felt when she didn't know how long.

"Am I just another friend then?" Yaz said, she had no sense of anger in her voice, she really just wanted to understand.

"No Yaz," the Doctor said sincerely, "you, and Graham, and Ryan, you're amazing, you're my fam."

"I bet you've had a lot of families though, right?"

"Of course I have, and they'll always be a part of me, but you guys are with me now, and when you're gone, which is inevitable, it always is, you'll always be a part of me too."

"Gone? Doctor, you can't think like that."

"I have too, I have to make every moment like it's or last, that's the problem, I will outlive you. Or spend the rest of my life in prison, which was what I thought for a while."

"Doctor," Yaz sighed sadly.

"Do you remember what I told you that time?" The Doctor asked.

"When?" Yaz answered.

"When you asked me if I had any family," said 13. "I said, 'even though they are gone from the world, the are never gone from me.' One day, Yaz, that'll apply to you too, and Graham, and Ryan, not soon though hopefully. It's just that, with my life, everything is constantly changing for me, and that's okay, because I like to think that I make each moment count."

She lied though obviously, the Doctor is very bad at loosing people, of course though, she couldn't tell Yaz that.

Oblivious to this, Yaz nodded in understanding.

The pair sat there for a moment, the Doctor seem deep in thought and Yaz seemed to have noticed.

"What is it?" Yaz asked.

"Something happened before you found me on Gallifrey." The Doctor confessed.

"Yeah, you were really out of it when we found you," Yaz asked.

"Yaz, it's just that, the Master told me why he destroyed Gallifrey," the Doctor shifted position, uncomfortably, honest and open communication was definitely not a skill of hers."He found out what and who the timeless child is."

"Hang on," Yaz said, thinking, "where've I heard that before?"

"When we were looking for the 'ghost monument?' Does that ring a bell?"

"Ah, yes.. but how did the Remnants know about that?"

"I don't know, as it turns out, I don't know anything, well, didn't."

"Why? What?" Yaz asked.

The Doctor took a long breath, "before you found me, the Master had me, and he was showing me Gallifrey's history. As it turns out, I'm not even from Gallifrey, apparently, I was experimented on to find out how I can regenerate. Basically, the timelords were genetically engineered. The other Doctor we met, Ruth, she was me before they wiped my memories, I've lived so much longer then I thought I had."

"What? So, are you like, the timeless child?"

"Yes Yaz." The Doctor said, defeatedly.

Yaz got up, pacing slightly as she processed this information. "Doctor, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." 13 said as Yaz sat back down beside her.

"Why tell me? Why tell me this? I mean, you told me nothing before."

"I've been sat with nothing but that information for the past three years, I drove myself crazy, it made me wish I had just I talked to you when I had the chance, the point is, I've learned my lesson."

"What did you know, Doctor? After your first encountered the Master?"

"That Gallifrey was destroyed, and then that he did it."

"But I asked if you were okay, I even asked if we could visit." Yaz tried desperately, "why wouldn't you talk to us, to me?"

"Because," the Doctor said, "you wouldn't understand, and how am I supposed to talk to you anyway? What am I supposed to say? It doesn't matter now anyway, I've learnt my lesson. It's just, Yaz, I need you, I need someone. I got told once a long time ago not to travel alone, and I didn't realise how deeply she meant it until now."

Yaz understood that, after all, she knew how hard it was to ask for help sometimes.

"Right, this is what we're gonna do," she said, motivationally.

"What?" Asked the Doctor.

"You're going to rest and get your strength back and then we're going to get your TARDIS and clear your name and then we're going back to Gallifrey and we're going to get your memories back."

"You don't even know what I did though."

"It doesn't matter, I don't believe you could do something so bad it's worth a life sentence."

"That's nice of you to say, but I am capable—"

"What did you do then?" Yaz asked.

"Well, nothing but—"

"Exactly." Yaz said.

"What if we go back to Gallifrey and I don't like what I find?" The Doctor asked.

"Then I'll be right here to get you through it, whoever you were, it doesn't change who you are now." Yaz said, squeezing 13's hand.

"You'd be surprised how much I here that," the Doctor chuckled.

Yaz smiled back, "Come on, you should sleep."

13 nodded and closed her eyes, "thank you, Yaz."

In return, Yaz gave her hand another squeeze and walked to the door. She took the outer handle and began to close it, giving the Doctor on last glance before she closed it ajar, that way, if she woke up, she'd know she could leave anytime she wanted.

"Sleep well, Doctor," Yaz whispered.

A/N: More chapters to come!