Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. All rights to BBC.

They walked through paradise, an extremely alien paradise that could have swept over sand covering an entire planet. He cleared his throat, might as well break the tension.

'In the year 3450, the human race landed on Galena…over here somewhere…and decided, once they checked the oxygen levels and atmosphere temperatures it was the perfect first settlement for Earth's inhabitants.'

Joy nodded along, glad that he was finally talking. She smiled sweetly and checked his expression – still sad.

'OK, so the human race finds this planet…what happens then? Half the planet uproots themselves? Would help with carbon footprint, I suppose…'

'Yeah,' the Doctor replied, 'but the process takes like two hundred years.'

They were approaching the base of one of the purple mountains. Underneath a shadowy cliff was what looked like a base which gave Joy the impression of one of those scientist colonies in Antarctica. A small metal cube with satellites and solar panels attached made it seem very clinical and futuristic. 'And over here are the first to 'root' themselves,' he muttered happily.

Joy watched his frown turn slowly into a smile. He looked very proud.

'Wonderful creatures you are,' he whispered. 'Absolutely the best. There you go, diving into unknown territory and yet you stick at it…to the very end.' He sighed and nodded. 'To the very end.'

Joy flinched and felt the cold air whip around her – the last rays of sunlight had vanished and the air seemed colder to anything on Earth.

'Fancy a sandwich?' The Doctor asked out of the blue. Joy was wrapping her coat tighter around her, rubbing her arms for warmth.

'If it keeps me warm yeah,' she blinked at the settlement base. 'Can we go in?'

'Nah,' he said cheerfully, 'leave them to it – we don't want the first human pioneers to be startled by our presence. Let them bask in their own happy fulfilment!' And then he started walking back to the TARDIS. Joy felt like she had had a pleasant treat whipped away from under her nose!

She shuffled back to walk side by side with the Doctor. 'When you said you were taking me in time and space, I thought we were gonna actually see it, not stand behind the fence like a tourist.'

'You want experience, you've got to earn the credit,' he said.

'I thought I did!' She muttered angrily. 'You would have been dead on the streets of London if I wasn't there to save your life!'

She remembered that oddly stormy spring day, walking home from work at the local school. A flash of brown overcoat rushed past her and she recognised it…for the Doctor had been at her school that morning. He was yelling, 'DON'T-DON'T-DON'T-DON'T-DON'T! ARGH!'

She cried out, 'you all right?' But he had whipped behind a street corner and so she followed him. All of a sudden there was a huge black and red transparent creature looming over her and the Doctor threw her to the ground.

She raced with him to Westminster where he was explaining frantically that it would blow up the world and he was tearing away at material in his mouth, something he said would help weaken it.

Then they were climbing up the roof…he told her to go home, it would be dangerous. She said, 'I don't think so. Do you think I'd rather have my tea now I know that thing is gonna destroy any minute? Give me that stuff!'

So, in desperation, and partly because deep down he knew he needed help, he threw her the latex-like material and shouted out, 'right, I'm going to give it a chance first!'

She thought he was mad. Absolutely, crazy, over the top, mad!

30 seconds later he was ordering her to throw the latex at it. As soon as they swung it into the creature's approaching mouth, it exploded like a bomb. The Doctor threw himself on top of her again and knocked her behind a ventilator to safety.

They giggled insanely for ten minutes after that.

A full moon was beaming over London that night and once the duo landed on ground, after trailing an escape ladder, he pointed out an endless parade of police cars arriving at the scene. 'I'd better go.' He gave her a nod and was on his way. She made him stop. Asked him where he was going. What was he doing next. He was quiet. He realised that it was happening again. He was never coming back to London, he thought. Better keep to Cardiff.

But she wouldn't stop harassing him and he caved in.

The Doctor remembered that night, yes. And Joy had shown her worth and bravery. The TARDIS was coming into view. 'The thing is, Joy, I like to travel alone. I believe I do, really. When I have someone with me, yes, OK, I have the best time in the world but it also has its consequences. Rose and Donna wanted to stay with me forever, for the rest of their lives. They were given a chance to stay with me until they died, until something happened which stopped that from happening. When Martha left it felt like she took the right decision. Once you start travelling with me, its hard to go back home. She was amazing, taking that choice and settling down.'

'I never knew that,' said Joy, 'I'm so sorry. I was only planning on going on a few trips with you…but yes, I guess it is addictive.'

'If people like Martha realised that this life is what it is for destroying normal lives, they wouldn't want to come with me,' he lowered his gaze and blinked sadly.

Joy didn't know what to say…she reached out her arm and hugged him. He wasn't ready for this – but he hugged her back. She patted him on the back and moved away.

'My God, you're complicated!' She joked, giving him a big smile.

He smiled weakly and nodded. 'Spur of the moment,' he muttered. 'You can go home if you want, I'm probably not as fantastic as you first made me out to be!'

'Don't be daft!' Joy giggled. 'Men have their moments, don't they? Come on…' She led him to the TARDIS doors, opened them and they stepped into the console room.

She sat down and watched him contol the flight simulater quietly. 'You should take me back home then, Doctor. It's not fair to treat each other with all this suspense. I mean, yeah, it's quite exciting but I know you need some time to yourself before you make any hasty decisions!'

He stopped working and looked at her, behind those cute brown eyes, Joy decided he was thinking deeply about it.

'I will take you back home,' he said, turning back to the controls. Her heart fell into her stomach.

'But…'

She raised her head up and smiled expectedly.

He leaned against the console, folding his arms. He had taken his overcoat off now and looked more relaxed. 'I will come back for you. When I've cleared my head. I'll show you the universe properly and we'll have the best of times!' He grinned widely and looked settled.

Joy jumped up and screamed with delight. 'Thank you, thank you, thank you!' She gave him a mighty hug and he returned it. 'Hey…' he smiled gratefully. 'I don't know when, this thing can be unpredictable sometimes…' He fiddled with buttons and the TARDIS landed the morning after the night before in Joy's world.

'You promise though, don't you?' Joy asked.

'I promise you properly, yes,' he smiled. One last hug and Joy took her suitcases back out of the TARDIS and onto her front porch.

'It will give me a chance to tell my mum a made up excuse anyway!' She laughed. He leaned against the door.

'Joy, many years might pass for me until we meet again. But for you it could only be a week. I might chance for the better…be a more able guide instead of just a brooding idiot.'

She smiled, knowing he was off for some gruelling adventures on his own.

'I hope I helped you out a bit,' she said.

'You were brilliant.' He said. He smiled, turned, and was inside his machine. The door closed and it rumbled, squealed and disappeared before the next car drove past her house.

Joy was stood on her porch, looking at the spot where she last saw him. She tucked a blonde strand behind her ear and bent to pick up the first of many cases at her feet.