Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.

Hey guys! I'm loving the feedback, so keep 'em coming! Thank you to all of those who have reviewed - seriously, it gives me a warm gooey feeling inside every time I read a new one. And to those who said they liked Kylie, yeah, you had me smiling like a fool at my computer for a looong time haha :)
Also, you have no idea how relieved I was to hear that Ten isn't acting too weird. I was SO worried about that.

So, I decided today that I'm going to start updating every two or three days. If I miss one day, don't be alarmed. I'm not planning on leaving this story anytime soon.

Thank you guys, really. And don't keep your comments to yourself! Tell me what you like, what you don't like, what intrigues you, what disgusts you. Feedback helps me improve the story!

The hospital was back on Earth, right where it belonged. Onlookers littered outside, trying to catch a glimpse of the survivors.

The Doctor was dragging me with him towards his spaceship.

"You can let me go, you know." I told him, almost stumbling. He held me by the arm, and his long strides were too big for me to keep up comfortably. "I won't run. I promise."

He let me go, but he still watched me suspiciously. "Good. Because you promised me some answers."

The Doctor waved at Martha at a distance, and I copied his actions. We approached a blue police box and I felt my eyebrows rise.

"A box? Your spaceship's a box?" I asked, fighting the laugh. "How are we both going to fit in there?"

The Doctor only smiled, like it was a joke only he understood. He opened the doors and waved me in. "After you."

I had only taken a step in when the dizziness settled in. I had been expecting a small cramped space. My mind and body were prepared for it.

It wasn't.

I immediately stepped back out and the Doctor laughed at my expression.

"It's- It's-" I gasped.

The Doctor motioned me to continue. "Yeees?"

I peeked around the police box's corner, confirming that it was, in fact, a normal box on the outside. I looked inside once again, taking in the huge room with the console.

I laughed, running a hand through my hair as I did. "It's bigger on the inside!"

The Doctor watched me as he grinned. "Come along, then."

He strode past me inside, and I could only follow, trying to take it in all at once.

"This is a TARDIS. That's Time And Relative Dimension In Space. What do you think?"

"Wonderful." I breathed, running a hand over the railing.

He smiled. "She is, isn't she?"

"Do you mind if I…?" I asked, signaling the pilot's chair.

He nodded, and I dropped in the seat, my legs giving out.

There were no words to explain this.

The Doctor leaned against the console in front of me, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Time to cash in that promise, Kylie. Who are you?"

I sighed. "Kylie Reynolds from Landon, Orisis."

"Orisis?" he asked, and then whistled. "You're a long way from home, Kylie."

I raised my left hand, the timepiece strapped around my wrist. "Not with this."

"Aha! Vortex manipulator. Can I see?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Not a vortex manipulator. A Timepiece. That's a capital t. It's imbedded into my flesh. It can't be taken out."

He frowned. "I see. And it's broken?"

I sighed. "It seems like it."

"May I see?" he asked, but my hand was already between his before I could even react. "Ah, I see." He took out his sonic screwdriver, running it over the Timepiece. "Aha!"

"What? You know what's wrong?" I asked.

He let go of my hand. "No. I have no clue."

I groaned. "What then?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'll find out eventually, I suppose."

"What?" I asked exasperated. "So that's it then? You're not going to try and fix it?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I'm not sure I would even let you keep it, if it worked. Time's a tricky thing. I can't be sure you won't mess with the wrong things. Fixed points in time, and all that."

I scowled. "You're no help at all, Doctor."

He grinned. "Well then. Shall we go see Martha?"

"No, wait." I stopped him. "What about you? You haven't told me anything about you!"

He waved me off with a hand. "Me? Nothing interesting about me. Just a boring, old man."

I rolled my eyes. "There is definitely nothing boring about you, old man."

He shrugged, but a grin played across his face.

I crossed my arms. "So? Tell me. Who and what are you?"

His grin changed, and I'm not sure if it was for the better or the worst.

"I'm the Doctor," He said. "And I'm a Time Lord."

I stared at him, wide-eyed, stories, legends, and myths running through my head. Time Lord?

"Time Lord?" I repeated out loud. "That's impossible."

He looked away for a second. "The last one, me. Last of the Time Lords."

"My grandmother used to tell me stories about you lot," I poked his knee, the closest part to me. "I just poked a Time Lord on his knee. Oh, she'd be rolling on her grave right now."

He slapped my hand away as I poked him again. "Oi! Stop that."

"You told me you had two hearts," I said, awed. "And this spaceship! You travel through time and space like me, yeah?"

He scowled. "Not like you. Yours is like… a tricycle. Me?" he patted the TARDIS' console fondly. "I drive a sports car."

I raised my eyebrows. "Sure. Whatever," I stood up. "You said something about Martha?"

"Ah, yes!" He stood up with a flourish, moving around the console, flicking and tugging, until finally he stepped on a lever. "Here we go!"

He flipped the lever. I almost fell out of the chair, with all the trembling and groaning of the TARDIS.

"You sure you know how to fly this thing?" I yelled over the noise.

He scowled. "Of course I do!"

We came to a stop with a thump! And I released the death grip I had on the chair and the railing. I felt out of breath, and my mouth stretched into a grin.

"We moved?" I asked.

"Uh-huh."

I stood and moved to the room, and I'm not ashamed to say I skipped a little. I was no stranger to time and space travelling, but this? This was truly out of this world. A Time Lord and his TARDIS.

"Fabulous landing," I told him, grinning at him over my shoulder as I opened the door, peeking outdoor. It was dark outside, and we were in an alley, the sound of music from nearby buildings just reaching my ears.

"Oi! It was a great landing!" He exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes as I stepped out, turning around again to watch the TARDIS in all its blue glory. "That's what I said."

He looked surprised as he stepped out after me.

"What? Surprisingly enough, I think that's the first time somebody has ever said that to me."

"Compared to my landings," I explained, lifting my arms, showing the bandages still there. "Guess where I got these?"

He frowned. "I'll take a look at those later."

I shrugged his concern away. "No need. I heal pretty fast."

He nodded, contemplating. "Osirien. You're an interesting species, I'll give you that."

I grinned, oddly flattered. "Thanks, I guess."

"I knew an Osirien once. Very brave. Very blonde," He added, raising an eyebrow. "Weirdest eyes I've ever seen."

I could not think of any Osirien with that description, so I remained quiet.

He leaned against the corner, watching. I stepped beside him, also leaning against a wall beside a poster. Vote Saxon, it read. I shrugged it away. Human politics, boring stuff.

The Doctor's eyes were firmly fixed on a small group of people who were having a fight. I squinted, realizing one of them was Martha, looking stressed and fed up.

"Don't you dare!" Someone – a man – said to a woman's retreating figure. "I'm putting my foot down. This is me, putting my foot down!"

I frowned, awkwardly watching. I felt like I was intruding in the moment, even if they hadn't noticed me.

"Is it okay if I wait inside the TARDIS?" I whispered.

The Doctor slowly nodded.

The door from the TARDIS was still slightly ajar. I stepped in and made myself comfortable in the pilot chair, resting my head back as I watched the pale columns reaching the ceiling.

I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up back in the hospital. This seemed like a dream. It definitely felt like it. A Time Lord. The last one.

I wonder how he survived. I thought they had all been killed in the war. I had tried using my Timepiece countless times, trying to take a peek at Gallifrey. Something had stopped me, though. More like the Timepiece had refused. I believe the term was that it was time locked.

My grandmother had known a Time Lord once. I think she even had a crush on him. She travelled with him for a while, and the stories she told were… incredible. I've had an adventure or two with my Timepiece. But if any of her stories were even remotely true, my experiences paled in comparison. No, not paled. They were nothing.

If today was anything to on, though, I could see what my grandmother meant when she said those were the best days of her life.

However, as much as I like the idea, I didn't think I would have the opportunity to experience it for myself. This Time Lord didn't seem the type to travel with companions. At least, I didn't think so. I noticed he had looked almost… detached at times. Like he didn't want to care.

But he'd gotten along great with Martha. There had been pride and even a bit of admiration in his voice when he praised her after something she'd done or said.

Me? I didn't know. He was still wary of me. But he had to trust me at least a little bit to let me in into the TARDIS without him, even if I didn't think anyone else but him could even drive it.

The man was confusing, at best. I prided myself in being able to read people. I trusted my instincts, at least most of the time. This man, however, had me completely disoriented. He acted one way, but his eyes said something else entirely. An old soul, my grandmother would say. I think I never truly understood that phrase until I met the Doctor.

The door opened and the Doctor swept in, jarring me from my line of thoughts. He closed the doors behind him, immediately heading to the console.

"Martha?" I asked.

"I've got a good feeling about her. I invited her along for one trip," He told me before he pulled down the lever.

I gripped the chair, puzzled as the TARDIS departed. "Where are we going then?" I said over the noise.

The TARDIS landed and the Doctor headed to the door. "Just proving a point."

He disappeared.

And me? Was I also invited? That was a question I desperately wanted the answer to. If he asked, of course I would follow. What there an alternative? No, the Timepiece was dead until I found a way to fix it. I would be stranded in Earth, alone, without the means and the knowledge to survive in the human world.

I would look for Torchwood, I suppose. I'd heard of them, of course. They played an important part in human history. I could pass off as a human and work with them or something.

The door opened again, and the Doctor walked right back in, his tie in his hand. My eyes ran over him, and I decided he looked better this way – the neck undone and his hair ever more mussed from dragging the tie over it. He looked more relaxed. More human, in a way.

He fiddled with the console and we were back again in the alley. This time, I followed him as he went out back again to meet Martha.

"Told you," The Doctor smirked.

Her expression was amusing. She looked like a fish out in the air, her mouth opening and closing as her brain tried to understand the implications of what had just happened.

"I know, but," Martha stuttered, "That was this morning! But- Did you… Oh, my God! You can travel in time!"

I chuckled, drawing her attention.

"And you!" She continued, "How are you not surprised? Even a little bit!"

I showed her the Timepiece. "He's not the only one that can travel in time and space."

Her eyes widened even further. "But- Is this like normal for aliens? Are humans the only ones that can't do it?"

"No," The Doctor drawled. "We're… exceptions. Speaking of," He shot me a look. "You forgot to mention how you even got your Timepiece on the first place."

I shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "Long story."

The Doctor looked like he was about to press further, but Martha spoke before he could.

"But hold on, if you could see me this morning," she said. "Why didn't you tell me not to go in to work? Both of you?"

I flicked the Timepiece in its face. "It stopped working," I grumbled.

The Doctor frowned at me. "Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden." Then he paused, a smile inching up his face. "Except for cheap tricks."

"Well, she travels with her watch," her eyes flickered to me and then to the TARDIS. "Is this your spaceship?"

"It's called the TARDIS," he explained and I noticed how his tone changed when he spoke of the spaceship. "Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

She smirked. "Your spaceship's made of wood," She observed. "There's not much room. We'd be a bit intimate."

The way she said it, and the way she looked at him as she did, it looked like she didn't think it was the worst thing in the world.

The Doctor didn't seem to notice, however. He pushed the TARDIS' door open. "Take a look."

What followed made me a bit embarrassed, but also made me grin. It's bigger on the inside! Apparently that hadn't been very original of me, judging by the way the Doctor mouthed the words right along with Martha. I wondered if he had done the same with me.

The look in Martha's face, however, was unforgettable. The TARDIS was an amazing thing, and for a second, I though that perhaps the Doctor was the luckiest man in the universe. However, the look in his eyes crossed my mind, and the thought immediately vanished from my head.

"But, is there a crew?" Martha was asking, "Like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?"

"Just me."

It was the way he said it that called my attention. I immediately stopped fiddling with the Timepiece and looked up, focusing on the Doctor. He was working on keeping his emotions intact, but he was trying too hard. The expression on his face was in no way natural.

"All on your own?" Martha kept pressing.

"Well," The Doctor drew out the word. "Sometimes I have guests. I mean some friends, travelling alongside. I had - there was recently a friend of mine." He froze for a second too long. "Rose, her name was Rose. And… we were together. Anyway."

I froze myself, sensing a wave of emotions behind his simple words. This Rose, whoever she was, had meant something to him. Something huge.

"Where is she now?"

I winced. "You don't have to answer." I told him, trying to shoot Martha a look without him noticing.

He shrugged like it was nothing.

"With her family. Happy. She's fine." He widened his eyes, immediately pointing a finger at each of us. "Not that you two are replacing her."

"Never said I was," was Martha's reply.

"Wait," I slowly said. "That means me too? I get to come with?"

Hope was building up inside, and my fingers twitched as I waited for his reply.

His eyes widened as he met mine. "Of course. How could I leave you here? It's not like you'd know what you're doing."

I wasn't even insulted. A ball of nerves and excitement had just taken over my stomach, and some of the tension from my shoulders disappeared as anticipation took over.

"Just one trip to say thanks," He told Martha. "You get one trip, then back home. You too," His eyes flickered over to me. "One trip and then I help you get settled or something. I'd rather be on my own."

My suspicions were confirmed. This man, who dedicated his time to help other people, didn't want to care.

"You're the one that kissed Martha," I teased, trying to lighten up the tension that had suddenly formed.

"That was a genetic transfer," He roughly reminded me.

"Well you do wear a tight suit," Martha wondered, her grin growing as the Doctor tried to shush her. "And then you travel all the way across the universe just to ask me on a date…"

"Stop it," The Doctor commanded and Martha looked suddenly chastised and embarrassed.

"For the record?" she said. "I'm not remotely interested,"

Lies, lies, lies. They were all over her and I doubted the Doctor would ever notice.

"I only go for humans," she finished.

He smiled, relieved. "Good. Well, then," He walked around the console, pushing and pulling as he talked. "Close down the gravitic anomalizer. Fire up the helmic regulator. And finally, the hand brake. Ready?"

"No."

"Yes."

Martha and I spoke at the same time, and we exchanged a look. Even as I'd said yes, and she had said no, I know we felt the same. An adventure was just ahead, in our grasps, so close. A completely different world, and even as nerves and apprehension took over us, the excitement was close to killing me.

The answer didn't seem to matter to the Doctor either way. "Kylie, Martha," he grinned. "Off we go."

He pulled the hand brake, and immediately, the shake took over the TARDIS once again.

I was prepared, so I grasped the handrails tightly. Martha just barely took hold of the console. The Doctor, the one that should have been the most prepared, fell back to the pilot chair, scrambling up back to the console.

"Blimey!" Martha exclaimed. "It's a bit bumpy."

I laughed, also transferring my grip to the console, right between Martha and the Doctor.

"Just a bit," I grinned.

The grin spread through the Time Lord's face. "Welcome aboard, Miss Jones," his eyes flicked to me. "And you too, Kylie."

"It's our pleasure, Mr. Smith." Martha grinned back.

"No, it's an honor," I told him.

And into the time vortex we went.