Thanks for all those who have read this story so far. I would love to hear what you think! :)

4. Saving the World From Galactic Crime...and Other Such Events

I was still in a bit of a fog by the time we reached the hospital. The most recent victim had spiraled the staff into a whirl of activity as all attention turned to saving his life. I still found myself flinching away from the humanoid cat creatures, finding them a little more than disconcerting. The Doctor strayed away from the general activity, leaving the nurses and proper medical doctors to do their job. He went straight to the little girl's bedside. I smiled to see that her clear blue eyes were opened and alert and a healthy pink flush was back in her cheeks. She would make it, I just knew it to be true.

"How are you feeling?" The Doctor asked, his voice chipper as usual. The little girl looked warily at her mother, the woman only smiled in encouragement. Despite all this she remained mute, just staring up at us with bright, twinkling eyes. The Doctor didn't seem to mind this as he pulled a chair up to her bedside and continued to smile at her. "I'm the Doctor. What's your name?"

"Lillah," Her tiny voice squeaked. My stomach fluttered. She had to only be a few months younger than Richard when he - when he died.

"Lillah, what a marvelous name!" He beamed at her. She couldn't help but smile. He had such an easy way of talking, one couldn't help but feel comfortable around him. "What can you tell me of your accident?"

Lillah's face darkened almost immediately and thought lines creased her forehead. She seemed hesitant to speak to this strange man, and I didn't blame her.

"It's okay," Doctor comforted resting his hand atop her tiny ones. "You're not in trouble. I want to help you. You do know that, right? I'm the Doctor, and I'm very clever, but right now I need your help, Lillah. Can you do that, can you help me?"

"I-I," She paused and looked down at the Doctor's long bony fingers. "I can't remember much. I was in the water swimming and, all of the sudden, something pulled on my arm dragging me under the water. There was a pain on my wrist and - that's the last I remember."

"May I see your wrist?" He asked gently lifting the wrapped hand to his face. She nodded her consent and he unwrapped the white gauze. I couldn't see much, only the expression on his face as it gradually grew more thoughtful. He wrapped it up and left Lillah's bedside. He motioned for the mother to follow him into the hall. I was torn between my own curiosity and staying to comfort Lillah. With my brain burning with the need to for understanding, I ran to catch up. "...How long has the skin around the wound been turning purple?"

"Purple?" I blurted, nearly avoiding banging into the two as they suddenly halted.

"Lillah is...well, there's no easy way to say this." The Doctor paused, though he seemed to hold a minor enjoyment out of whatever it was he came across. "Your daughter, Lillah, is experiencing a form of toxin induced metamorphosis. Whatever it was that bit her intended to have her undergo a for of change, perhaps to that species."

"But what does that mean?" The mom asked. "Will Lillah be okay?"

"It's hard to say," Doctor said, his tone lowering. "Theoretically Lillah should be reduced to a dream like stasis while the change is undergoing, she shouldn't be able to communicate at all."

"So, her being able to speak, that's good?" The woman asked, her hands twisting together.

"I believe so," he nodded. "The nurses could have been aware that a change could take place and, therefor, prepared to for it. I will be back to check on her but now - I need to look at that dead body and speak with Lia again."

"I'll come with you." I volunteered as the Doctor started walking away. He turned around and grabbed my shoulders, preventing me from moving forward.

"No," he said slowly, "I need you to stay and watch over Lillah just in case something happens, to keep me aware of any changes in her condition."

"But how will I contact you?" I asked.

"Here," He dug around in his pocket for a second and tossed something silver and compressed in my direction. I turned it over in my hand to see an oldish mobile phone. The Doctor had a mobile. "My number is in that phone. You should be able to reach me as I have programmed it to receive service no matter the time period or planet. Call me if anything changes."

I nodded, my tongue turning to cotton. He smiled, attempting to appear comforting, and ran down the corridor, leaving me with a strange woman. This would be - interesting.

My time spent with Lillah and Susan, her mother, wasn't as horrible as I had anticipated. I found myself laughing for the first time since Richard's death. Lillah was a sweet girl who fancied far-fetched tales of myth and legend. Her, being from the future, laughed as I told about my own home. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to mention that time travel played a part in my coming to Irsamdralda so I skillfully avoided the subject. Susan was just as interesting and served as adequate company when Lillah grew tired and fell into a deep sleep. It wasn't long until Susan drifted off as well.

I wasn't sure what time it was but I was acutely aware of the growing shadows as they stretched across the white walls. Night was thickening and sleep clutched at my skin possessively, yet I found myself unable to fall asleep. Each time I closed my eyes I saw the dead man lying on the beach. I was also haunted by the dreadful thought of abandonment. It had been seven hours since I last spoke with the Doctor. I was torn between leaving him be and calling him. I would even go as far as open the phone, browse through the unfamiliar names (Rose, Martha, Donna and the like) until I found his. Each time I would shut the flip phone and stuff it back into my pocket. I wouldn't want to distract him.

I leaned back in my uncomfortable seat, feeling the ache in my bones worsen. Susan was sleeping on the only comfortable seat in the room and I was left to sit on the plastic chair. I felt like I was back at school and wanted nothing more than to feel soft cushions against my back.

Without any reason the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I jumped from my seat as a tingling sensation traveled up my spine. I backed towards the door staring at the chair I had previously been sitting in. There was nothing there. I let out a slight laugh, it was strange how darkness tended to make one's fears become realized.

Before I could retreat back to my seat I felt an arm snake around my waist. I let out a strangled scream as the other hand clapped over my mouth before I could alert Susan and Lillah. I fought against my captor, clawing at his, or her, hands trying desperately to escape their tight hold on me. My view on Susan and Lillah ceased as a fowl smelling bag covered my head. I gasped out in pain as a hard object came in contact with the back of my skull. I felt myself slip out of consciousness. This was not good.

I woke with a start, nearly banging my already throbbing head against a low hanging shelf. Darkness clouded my vision, preventing me from uncovering my location. I felt slightly oozy, sitting in the dark, and my body felt as though someone hadn't cared to be gentle on the transportation process.

My eyes searched the area surrounding me desperately trying to spot any hint of where the door might be. A tiny ray of light seeped through a crack nearly touching to floor. I assumed it was the door so, quite pathetically, I started groping my way around. The floor was concrete and my stomach jumped to think that I was no longer inside the familiarity of the hospital. I laid flat on my stomach trying to get a better view out of my dank prison. I couldn't see much, only the occasion purple and green, scaly foot as they brusquely walked past. In my muddled state I found it hard to concentrate on familiar aspects of the situation. My vision blurred in my concentration and I sat back, frustrated.

I was alone, in the dark. This was any person's worst nightmare.

I wasn't sure how long I waited in the dark before I finally heard raised voices only inches away from where I sat. I could feel myself drifting away into a concussion induced stupor and found it incredibly difficult to concentrate on the light swirling just out of my reach. My eyes had adjusted to the dark but the shadows danced, making it more and more difficult to work out my mystery.

I rocked onto my knees and struggled over to the door, banging my fists rather weakly against the wood of it. My voice was completely without usefulness as I tried calling out, but to no avail. As the voices grew louder I began to doubt that they couldn't hear me, locked in their own toils. Tears gathered in my eyes as doubt clouded by senses, I was going to be locked away forever. Eventually I would die of starvation, a cruel way to go. I sat back, leaning against the door desperately continuing my pathetic attempts at gathering attention. My light tears turned into a stream and that stream morphed into a sob. My whole body was wracked by emotion and my strength was beginning to fail. I was exhausted and my head hurt. I wasn't exactly sure how I even got there anymore. But I knew that there would be somebody looking for me. There always was, I couldn't be the exception.

As if to prove my point the door, which I had been resting against, flung open. I felt myself lurch forward and hit the hard ground. My crying stopped as fear gripped me. I looked at the white trainers trying to place where I had seen them before. I didn't have the chance to ask as I was lifted off the ground and into the man's giant embrace. I knew him, he was the Doctor. I felt myself melt with relief and allowed myself to wrap my arms around his neck. He held me tighter and I felt safe, safe at last.

"Are you hurt?" He asked wriggling out of my death grip. He looked into my eyes and held me by my shoulders. I could tell he didn't like what he saw as his brow furrowed. "Somebody, get a nurse!"

It was no time at all before I was sat on a gurney and being rushed away from, what looked to be, the basement of the Hospital. My eyes grazed over a poor little girl laying completely still on a metal holding table. She was propped upright and her mouth hung open. My chest seemed to heave a giant gasp of realization as I recognized the little girl. Lillah was laying dead, only inches from where I had been held. The purple, which had been forming around her wound, had traveled up her arm turning to green, then blue and back to green. Her fingers looked to be held by a clear filmy residue, the beginning of webbed fingers. She was dead, and there was nothing I could have done to stop it. Never had I felt so helpless.

I caught sight of the Doctor as he talked calmly to an Irsamdraldan. The creature, who I believed to be Lia, looked completely sullen under the strict gaze of the Doctor's anger. She only nodded in agreement, keeping her eyes cast downward. A wise move, I suspected. The last thing I saw was Susan's shocked form stumbling towards the deceased body of Lillah. It hit too close to the emotions I felt every waking moment, the feeling of loss. I turned my gaze away, wishing to forget Susan and sweet, innocent Lillah.