'Sup.

I'm back. I know its been a while. Don't hate me?

Bye.

Recap: "I'm the Doctor. And this is my plus one, Rose Tyler."

I choked. "What?"

"I'm the Doctor and this is- are you alright?"

What? What?

The Doctor. He was the Doctor. How could this-

And suddenly, I remembered something he had told me, a long time ago, in a spaceship that was about to crash into a sun, with a grown man that wore Converse shoes.

"Listen," he gasped. "There's this process. It's called regeneration. It will happen, if I die. I come back. New face, new body, but it'll be me."

I patted his knee. "Yeah, that's not happening." I paused. "Wait, how many bodies have you had?"

"Tenth." He groaned. "I'm on my tenth."

I blinked, looking him in amazement, pity churning in my stomach. "You've died nine times?"

This, this could be the Doctor. Another regeneration. And this could be the famous Rose Tyler. The woman that had travelled with the Doctor. The woman he had maybe loved.

This was a Doctor that hadn't met me.

And I didn't look like myself. My hair was blonde. My eyes were red. That's why he didn't recognize me in the future.

I swallowed all the shock and the confusion, presenting a stony expression.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Tired from the long trip. Very nice to meet you Doctor and Ms. Tyler."

The Doctor was suspicious now. I could see it in his eyes. Old eyes, I now realized. Different color, but it was still the Doctor inside.

"My gift, air from my lungs." He said, blowing in my direction.

I rolled my eyes. He had obviously forgotten a gift. "Thank you."

He grinned, and waited. I realized I didn't have a gift either.

Improvising, I held up my hand, palm up. "If you place your hand in mine, I will tell you something about your past, and something about your future."

He hesitated, but he didn't back down. He placed his hand in mine, and met my eyes, waiting. Another challenge.

I closed my eyes for a moment, pretending like I was actually doing something. I opened them back again, a small smile on my face. "You have many adventures to come, Doctor. And a lot of running."

He rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Too vague. And I already knew that."

"It's not wise to know specifics of your own future, Doctor." I reprimanded. "It could change things. You know that very well. I can't give you any more details."

He frowned, but he nodded, humoring me. "All right. What about my past?"

I was going to take a gamble. It could help me gain his trust. Or it could make him all the more suspicious.

I'd risk it.

"You've died many times, Doctor. And there are still more to come."

If that didn't sound mysterious, I didn't know what would. It would definitely hold his attention until I figured out what to do.

I wasn't holding his hand anymore. No, his hand had turned into an inescapable grip that crushed my fingers together. His eyes were narrowed, and I felt like this Doctor was finally actually seeing me. I had surprised him, no doubt.

"Now, how would you know that?" he asked.

I ran my eyes over his face, examining him. It was hard to believe they were the same Time Lord. This Doctor was wearing a leather jacket, for God's sake! He even held himself differently, his light eyes pierced through me, seemingly challenging and pushing me away simultaneously.

This was probably the regeneration that had just gone through the Time War.

I cocked my head, my eyes never leaving his. "Let go of me, Doctor."

It must have been something in my tone of voice. I saw an eyebrow arch, and his arm slowly let go of mine. "Well, then?" he prompted.

I eyed Rose, catching her watching me in return. How had this human captured the Doctor's hearts? There must be something special in there. She hadn't said a word, but she seemed more overwhelmed than anything.

I shook my head at them. "It's the Earth's end, Doctor. Join the party. Celebrate its long life. We'll talk later."

That is, when I figured out what exactly was going on, and what I was going to do about it. I slipped away before the Doctor could stop me, and dodged around the beings, trying to lose myself in the crowd.

"From the Silver Devastation," I heard the blue man announce. "The sponsor of the main event. Please welcome the Face of Boe."

I paused, my eyes immediately being drawn to the huge glass case. An old face peered from within, huge eyes shifting back and forth. They stilled as they saw me, and I could swear I saw them crinkle in a smile.

I followed the glass case as it was pushed into the room, sidling up next to it as the little blue assistants left.

Hello Princess.

I couldn't help but smile. He sounded just as he would in New New York.

"Hey old Face."

He chuckled, and I could feel in echo inside my mind. You have no idea.

I paused, actually considering that for a moment. How old was the Face of Boe? I wasn't even sure what species he was.

How many times have you met me? He asked.

"This would be the second time." I said, wincing. Last time I saw him, he died. But I didn't want to think about that. It was a long time away from now. "How did you recognize me?" I asked, running my hands through the different colored hair. "I'm in disguise."

He rolled his huge glassy eyes. You barely look any different. The Doctor's an idiot for not realizing that when he meets you in the future.

I bit my lip, nodding. "Yeah, it's a weird situation."

There was a long pause, but I found it comfortable to share the silence with the big head. He made me feel like I had known him for a long time, and not the other way around.

I found my eyes wandering to the Doctor. He was greeting a group of hooded aliens, a huge smirk on his face. He definitely looked more badass this way. Perhaps not as warm, but definitely more tough.

"He's so different." I said out loud.

A hum of agreement. He looks it. Sometimes he'll feel like it. But remember, he's the same man.

Maybe he was. But he wasn't the same man to me. This version hadn't met me. Didn't know anything about me. Not even my real name.

I wanted my Doctor back.

"How do I get back?" I asked the Face of Boe.

The same way you got here.

"The Timepiece?" I frowned, dragging my sleeve jacket back and looking at it. "It's not working anymore."

Isn't it?

I tapped the device. Nothing happen. "It's not."

He was silent, but I felt like he was humoring me.

"And last but not least," the steward announced. "Our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."

In rolled a… piece of skin? It was stretched so thin it was almost transparent. In the middle, the face of a woman peered around. She had too much makeup on and she appeared to be missing her nose. And her chin. And, well, almost everything.

I snorted, surprised. What was this thing?

"Oh, now, don't stare. I know. I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me. Moisturize me."

I watched, perplexed, as two men in white suits sprayed water over her.

She wasn't done yet. "Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honor them and say goodbye." She sniffed, and one of the men accompanying her wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg."

A little blue man walked in, carrying the ostrich egg. He showed it around.

"Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband?" The crowd chuckled. "Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity." An old jukebox was wheeled in. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"

One of the little blue men pressed a button, and a song started playing. The crowd murmured, impressed. I snorted. This was ridiculous.

The blue steward stepped up to the microphone. "Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes."

Some of the guests approached us, trying to talk to the Face of Boe. I said goodbye with a smile, looking around and trying to spot the Doctor. Not that I really knew what I'd do once I found him. But maybe he could help.

It started off as an itch, and I idly scratched my arm around the Timepiece. When it started to feel like it was burning, however, I stopped in my tracks. The device was buzzing and flashing, getting warmer by the second. My gasp of pain was ignored by the other guests.

What the-

It felt like a punch to the stomach. One second I was there, at the platform, the next, I was in the Time vortex. It happened so quickly I barely had the time to drag in a breath before I found myself on my knees, back out of the vortex, gasping for breath.

"Shit," I managed to wheeze out.

The sound of two people talking distracted me, and I realized I was still at the platform, waiting for the Earth to die. I was no longer in the main room, but in one of the hallways. I followed the two voices, peeking around the door.

"Who are you, then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?"

Rose. And the Doctor. I bit my lip, watching as Rose got angrier by the second, and the Doctor tensed up.

"I'm just the Doctor."

"From what planet?"

They were still getting to know each other. Was this still early in their relationship? And what exactly happened to her? Why was she no longer travelling with him?

He scoffed. "Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is."

"Where are you from?"

"What does it matter?"

"Tell me who you are!"

His tone changed. Not exactly angry… more desperate. "This is who I am, right here, right now, all right? At that counts is here and now, and this is me."

I winced, wishing I could help. The war seemed to be incredibly recent to this Doctor. And he seemed to be avoiding it. But he was hurting, I could tell. I wished I could tell him it was all right.

It wasn't.

Rose raised her voice back. "Yeah, and I'm here too because you brought be here, so just tell me!"

The Doctor got up, walking away from Rose until he looked out the window. His shoulders were scrunched over, and he looked like he was about to explode. In anger or tears, I wasn't sure.

"Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes." The computer announced.

Rose seemed to realize her mistake. She approached him, her hands twisting worriedly. "All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver." She took out her phone, waving it around. "Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit."

"Tell you what," The Doctor said, taking her phone. "With a little bit of jiggery pokery."

"Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery?"

"Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?"

"No, I failed hulabaloo."

The tension seemed to break, and the Doctor handed Rose back her phone. "Oh. There you go."

Rose immediately opened her phone, calling someone. The Doctor, however, was distracted.

He was looking right at me.

His eyes were narrowed, and no longer playful or sad or challenging. The blue in them was ice cold steel now. They reminded me of the first few times I interacted with the Doctor. Before he started to trust me.

I felt like I couldn't break away from that gaze.

The Doctor said something to Rose in a mumble, neither of them looking at each other, and Rose too focused on her call to notice anything off. The Doctor stalked up the stairs, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Who are you?"

I cleared my throat. "Lady Kaja Castamere, Duchess of Landon, Orisen."

He didn't seem to believe me. "Are you spying on us?"

I finally managed to drag my eyes away, and I tried to focus on his left, leather-clad shoulder. "Of course not. I was just looking around. That's all."

"And you just happened to end up here?"

I scowled, and the words slipped out before I could stop them. "Well, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware you owned the entire goddamed platform. I'll try to avoid you in the future, your Highness."

The Doctor looked a bit taken aback, his eyebrows drawn up in surprise. "Well you are an aristocrat, no doubt. You're definitely not lying about that."

I scoffed. "Who do you think-"

I was caught off mid sentence, as the platform seemed to shake beneath us. I wobbled on my feet, the Doctor's hand catching me by the elbow and balancing me. I looked up in surprise, but he wasn't even looking at me. He must have done that out of reflex.

"That's not supposed to happen," he said.

Well, no shit.