The TV was switched on and a Bubble Shock advert came onto the screen, 'Bubble Shock, for maximum performance,' I was mouthing the words along to the ad, 'No added sugar, no concentrates. Bubble Shock, contains Bane!' the TV was promptly turned off by Sarah-Jane.

"Why does it always do that?" she asked.

"Switch it off at the wall," I offered, typing into the computer, tapping fast, "Then it wouldn't turn on, every time an advert for that ghastly drink came on,"

"You don't actually like it?" she asked.

"One of the two percent, me," I said, carrying on typing, "Aren't I glad for it,"

"What does it taste of?" she asked.

"Don't know," I said, "Took one sniff of it, and threw up in the bin. I ain't trying it,"

"Good," she said, "We don't know what is in this stuff and I want to find out,"

"Cheers to that," I answered her.

"Who are you emailing?" she asked me.

"Jack,"

"Captain?" she asked me.

"Which other Jack do I know?" I asked her, "I'm just telling him that his firewalls are hopelessly lacking and anyone could hack into them,"

"Like you've done on that tab," she asked, pointing to the top right-hand corner of the screen, "I can use computers, Christinasoljacquelinevamana,"

"I hate it when you use my full name," I said, bringing up the databank of Torchwood, "Yeah,"

"You have got to stop that," she said.

"I'm trying to collect data," I said to her, "I'm trying to amass a database which holds all the life in the universe. Mr Smith is helping me,"

"Quite a project," she said, "But you'll be there forever,"

"I have time," I said, "I'm going to send a copy to the TARDIS when I'm finished and she can run it over with any other species, that she's encountered. I'm also inputting any experiences that we've had into the database, so we don't forget,"

"Like a diary?" she asked.

"Exactly," I said, "I'm hoping to make it available to the government, UNIT, Torchwood, and the TARDIS, so we can place all experiences into the database, so it can be a shared thing,"

"I hope you make it," she said.

"Thanks," I said.

"We'll I'm going to finish my article, so you have fun,"

"You too, Sarah-Jane," I said, smiling at her as she left the room. I quickly hacked into the Torchwood computers and into Jack's computer, making a video link appear on his screen, "Hello?" I placed a headset on, "Anyone home?"

Ianto's face came into the picture, "Hello Chris," he said, "Hacked into our computers again?"

"Yeah," I said, "Hi, Ianto," I waved, and he waved back, "Do you have anything called security measures on your computers?"

"I'm not sure," he said, "That's more Tosh's league,"

"Right," I said, "Because it took me less than three minutes,"

"Shouldn't you say less than five minutes?" he asked.

I thought about this, "Mmm, it was more than two minutes, and less than three. I like to be accurate,"

"I'll get Jack for you," he said.

"Thank you," I said, as he disappeared.

"Jack!" he called off screen, "A little girl wants to talk to you,"

"Really?" I heard Jack call, "Hold on one second," he appeared in the screen, "Chrissie, how are ya?"

"Well you would know if you had been reading my emails," I said to him.

"Ahh," he said, "I've been out of town,"

"You were way out of town, mate," I said, "You dropped off the planet, you went through a hole in time,"

"It's hard to explain," he said.

"I thought your teleporter didn't work?" I asked.

"It doesn't," he said.

"That doesn't explain your rapid teleporting ability," I said, "I've been tracking you, Jack, and you've been jumping from place to place over the last couple of the weeks, shortly stopping five days ago,"

"How did you track me?" he asked, "I would have known,"

"I recently infected you with tiny nanogenes that have spread throughout your body," I admitted, "My own little GPS system,"

"Get rid of them," he said.

"I don't think I will," I said, "I like knowing where you go," I smiled, "Now, care to tell me why you travelled to the end of the universe,"

"Not particularly," he said, folding his arms, "I was killed several time, you know?"

"Shame," I said, "Did I happen to mention that I have complete control over the Hub, and can send you into lockdown by a single button?"

"No," he said, "You hacked into the data bank,"

"I've been telling you for months that you need to get firewalls and security shields in Torchwood, but you insist that you'll never be hacked,"

"Apart from you?" he said, "All right I'll tell you,"

"Goody," I said, "Fire away, I'm sure it would make a particularly thrilling story,"

"I met up with your Dad," he said, and I leaned forward, "He sends love if you want to know,"

"Duly noted," I said, "That doesn't explain your rip in time,"

"I grabbed onto the TARDIS, and it jumped to the end of the universe," he said, "We met up with a group of cannibals and got to safety. Me, the Doctor and Miss Martha Jones,"

"Who?" I asked.

"A friend," he said, "Anyway, we helped them fly away in a rocket, and the professor that we were helping turns out to be this evil Time Lord, the Master,"

"Dad said that he died," I said to him.

"Clearly not," he said, "Anyway, he nicked the TARDIS, went back to present day Earth, constructed his alter ego as Harold Saxon,"

"Saxon?!" I asked him, "Ahh,"

"Tell me about it," he said, "We got back to here, using my teleporter, which the Doctor had fixed. Tried to solve the problem,"

"Like when you three were named Public Enemy Number Two?" I asked, "I saw that,"

"Yeah," he said, "Got on board the Valiant, tried to get to the Master. The Doctor was turned old, I was shot, and Martha was beamed on Earth,"

"How come I don't remember any of this?" I asked him.

"That's the problem;" he said, "For a year, Martha travelled the world, and then came back to the Valiant, where the Master was reigning supreme. The Master was shot, your dad was turned young, and the world was turned back a year,"

"And I wasn't in the eye so I can't remember?" I said to him, "What was I doing?"

"Well, I don't really know," he said, "I think the Doctor told me that you were killed, at the beginning, but as I'm not with him now, I can't tell for sure,"

"That's nice to know," I said, "Thanks for that Jack. I appreciate it,"

"Care to stop hacking our computers?" he asked.

"No," I said, "It's interesting,"

"And annoying," he said.

"So are you, but you aren't going to stop being who you are," I said, and checked my watch, "I'll see you Jack, homework,"

"You keep up with that schoolwork, young lady," he said to me.

"Yes, sir," I said, "You're worse than UNIT,"

"Still checking up on you then?" he asked,

"Like hell they are," I said, "I feel like I'm an alien instead of a normal person,"

"Well, you aren't exactly normal," he said, "No offense,"

"None taken," I said, "It's hard, you know? You know all this exciting stuff, and you're way ahead of your class, but you can't tell anyone, and everyone looks at you because you're clever. I hate it,"

"There are always gonna be things that you hate," he said to me, "Can't do nothing about them," I sighed, "Chin up," he warned me, "Your life is amazing, be lucky that you get to experience it,"

"Yeah," I said, "I will,"

"And I'll try to get to see you soon," he said, "Being cooped up with Miss Smith will drive you mad,"

"She wonderful Jack," I said, "I couldn't have a better friend,"

"Do I factor into that?" he asked.

"Of course you don't," I said, "Say hi to the team for me?"

"Of course Chrissie," he said, "Now about this Bubble Shock business,"

"That isn't anything to do with you," I said, "Our catchment area, our alien. Just don't drink the pop,"

"Yes ma'am," he said, "See you soon Chrissie,"

"See you soon," I said, "And tell Ianto, I'm going to kill him next time I see him. I'm not a little girl,"

"Will do," he said, and I cut the transmission.

"Have a nice chat?" called Sarah, from upstairs.

"Yes," I said, typing, "How's your article?"

"Coming along," she said, "Just do your homework,"

"Can't I do it...?"

"No, don't leave it to the last minute; you go back to school next week,"

"Yes, sir," I said, bringing up a document, "Can't you do this? You are the journalist,"

"Call it practice," she said. I rolled my eyes as I started tapping on the keyboard.

I finally finished at half ten, finishing the document. I finally saved it and slumped back in my chair. Sarah-Jane would look it over anyway and I would be free from all homework for the rest of the holiday. I trudged up to the attic, and sat in a chair, "Finished?" asked Sarah to me.

"Yes," I said, "Finally,"

"It'll do you good, you know," she said, "Get it done as fast as possible, then you'll done,"

"Yeah, yeah," I said, snuggling down into the chair, "When is this Star Poet coming again, Smithy?"

"Two fifteen am," he said.

"That should be a laugh," I said, "I'll be wrapping up,"

"Oh good," she said, "It'll be wonderful to see a real Arcanian, not just the blue print,"

"I suppose," I said, "Don't suppose we'll get a snap shot?"

"I don't think so," she said, "Be a bit rude,"

"Well, I'll let them take one of me, and then I get one of them," I said, "Trade, a picture of an alien for a picture of an alien, equal rate,"

"Don't be so materialistic," she said.

"Who me?" I asked, "Never. What would I want for?" I smiled at her, "I have everything I could ever want,"

"You're so optimistic," she said.

"Never," I said, "I am realistic. I have you, the best secret in the world, and a happy life. What more could I want?"

"Your father visiting more?" she asked.

"Dad is always going to be busy," I said to her, "He's never going to have that much time for me. And the life he leads isn't always the best one. He learns about other worlds. I learn about life on Earth, and live it. He can never have that,"

"Are we all as lucky?" she asked.

"I would prefer having a stable life than everyone withering away before me," I said.

"That will eventually happen," she warned.

"Not if I live in the present," I said, "Not if I forget about future and what will happen to all of us. Treasuring all that happens, every breath, every sigh. We're all getting older Sarah-Jane, but we don't have to think it,"

"You are wise beyond your years," she said.

"I've had a good teacher," I said, smiling at her. We both laughed, and chatted for a few hours, as the night turned dark. The minutes ticked past and soon it was time to go downstairs and out into the garden, "What say you, Smithy?"

"The Star Poet will be entering orbit in thirty seconds," he said.

"Ahh," I said, running out of the door, and downstairs, before going into the garden, where a pink light erupted in a symphony of shades, "Oh, that's beautiful,"

"Wonderful," said Sarah.

I walked forward, "Hello?" I spoke to the luminescent creature that spreading herself wide, "I'm Christinasoljacquelinevamana, welcome to Planet Earth. Call me Chrissie."

The creature looked at me, before reaching out with her mind, "I am the Star Poet, Miss Chrissie,"

"What is she saying?" asked Sarah.

"Just introducing herself," I said, "This is Sarah-Jane Smith," I gestured to Sarah, "She doesn't know how to communicate telepathically, so I'll have to translate for her,"

"She is human?" asked the Arcanian.

"Yes, I live with her," I said, "You crashed here,"

"My pod," she looked towards the wreckage.

"Chrissie?" asked Sarah.

"Just introducing you," I said, "Saying that her pod is crashed,"

"Can you fix it?" she asked.

"Mr Smith can help me," I said, and looked at the alien, "I'm going to fix your pod, if you try and override the barriers on Sarah-Jane's mind you can try and communicate,"

"Will you help me, Time Lord?" she asked

"I'm only a child," I said, "Not a Time Lord,"

"As you wish it," she said. I closed my eyes and focussed on the barriers on Sarah-Jane's mind. They broke with a snap.

"Oh," said Sarah, "I can hear, she's in my head,"

"Thank you Miss Sarah-Jane," said the Star Poet. I quickly went over to the pod, and got out my sonic pen, and ran it over the pod.

"Calibrations are all set," I spoke to both of them, "Powering up in one minute," I walked over to stand next to Sarah.

"Thank you," the Star Poet said, "Take this," she handed an object to me, and I looked at it, "Call if you ever need help with your poetry,"

"We will," said Sarah, "We promise, and good luck,"

"Peace be with you," she said, and shot off into the sky with a shower of glitter.

"What is it?" asked Sarah, looking at the object.

"It's a communicator," I said to her, "You contact people with it,"

"I know that," she said to me, "How does it work?"

"It's like a phone," I said, "You input the data, or think it and your thought waves are sent to the other, and she answers them,"

"Just her?" she asked.

"Oh no," I said, "You could call up anyone with this. Arcanians, Judoon, the Shadow Proclamation, if you have the right code,"

"Amazing," she said, "And so beautiful,"

"It sure is," I said, "Come on, I'm..." I whipped round to look at the garden.

"Something the matter?" she asked me.

"Someone was here," I said to her, "Someone who isn't supposed to be,"

"I'm sure it was nobody," she said, "And anyway, who would believe us?"

"Got that right," I said smiling at her, "Come on, I'm freezing, and tired,"

"I thought Time Lords didn't sleep?" she asked me.

"Therein lies the problem," I said, "I am half Time Lord, and not even a fully grown one. I need sleep,"

"Your Doctornish is dominant though," she said, "I can guarantee that,"

"Sure," I said, "Who wouldn't?" we walked up the stairs and I went into my bedroom, switching off the lights.

Sarah followed me in, "We're a sort of a family, aren't we?" she asked me.

"If you want to be," I said, "I think we are. A rather unconventional family but we can't have everything,"

"Thank you," she said.

"What for?" I asked,

"For getting her to talk to me," she said, "Goodnight,"

"Night Sarah," I said, wriggling into the covers, and dozing off. I slept like a log that night.