'Hang on, now, what's this?'

Sandi stopped gawking at the roof of the Tardis and turned her attention to the Doctor, who was staring at a piece of plastic in his hands. He looked up.

'I don't suppose you know who the Face of Boe is, do you?'

Sandi shook her head. The Doctor took a deep breath and popped the piece of plastic back into his pocket. He ruffled his hair slightly, a puzzled expression on his face.

'Can't think of why the Face of Boe wants to see me. Especially now, of all times.'

'Come off it. You're THE Doctor. Bet there's people all over the place who are dying to see you.'

'Or see me die, same difference. But that's not the strange bit. He wants to see you, too.'

'Me? But he doesn't even know me!'

'He knows of you. That's good enough for him.'

'Charming. D'ya think he knows anything of the things that attacked me at the flat or the Shandaiah legend?'

'No idea, but we can ask. Always ask if you don't know. Much easier than trying to figure it out on your own. Saves time and a lot of trouble.'

The Doctor dashed over to the Tardis' controls and entered the co-ordinates. Sandi got to her feet, padded over and peered over his shoulder, which forced her to stand on tiptoe.

'So... how does it work?' Sandi asked. The Doctor breathed a tired sigh.

'You're nosy. Are you always this inquistive?'

'Pretty much, yeah. It's why I'm so good at my job.'

'It's going to get you killed.'

'Not dead yet. Besides, what can kill me in here?'

'Don't make me start counting.'

Sandi huffed and turned away. As she made her way back down to her duffle bag, the Doctor snuck a look over his shoulder and grinned. She reminds me of Rose, he thought, turning back to continue tapping away at the controls. As he turned back, Sandi stared over at the strange man. He might be slightly bonkers, but he's a nice fella, she thought. The Tardis gave a groan, rolling slightly in the Time Vortex. Sandi grabbed hold of a pillar.

'What the HELL is going on? I thought we were going to Gallifrey?'

'Nothing to worry about, we're just taking a slight detour,' the Doctor said calmly, clutching the side of the control panel firmly. Sandi moaned, her stomach heaving a little.

'Nothing to worry about, NOTHING to worry about? What the HELL do you mean, there's nothing to worry about? Where on EARTH are you taking me?'

'Well, not quite to Earth, but I guess that was just an euphemism. We're going to New Earth.'

'WHERE?!?'

The Doctor grinned mischievously. He pulled a lever and the Tardis swung in a three-hundred-and-sixty degree loop inside the vortex. Sandi howled. The Doctor laughed.

'Further into the future than you can imagine,' he said.

---------

Everything is progressing as planned.

As it should. The child's memories?

Are being released. The carrier is weakening.

Is that wise? Is it prudent to allow her to experience them?

Most probably not, but we will wait. We are Zriekas. We know patience.

---------

'What do you remember?' The Doctor asked, sitting across from Sandi, who was now on the floor, leaning against a wall and fiddling with the screws on the laptop's outer casing.

'Why do you care?' Sandi snapped, opening the case. A hurt look passed over the Doctor's face.

'Now, that wasn't very nice. I did save you from those whirry, clicky things. Which, by the way, would probably have killed you.'

'I was on my out. I shimmied down the drainpipe and was off across the street before they even got to the balcony.'

'And there's every likelihood that if I hadn't turned up, those things would have caught you and killed you.'

'The point still being that I was still very much alive when I ran smack into you.'

Silence hung in the air for a moment as Sandi unscrewed a silicon chip and checked it for damage. The Doctor rumpled his hair slightly, unsure of what to say next. Rose had been clever, very clever, but Sandi was something else. He sighed.

'I want to help you.'

'Why?' Sandi asked, still not looking up from the laptop motherboard. The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. As he closed his mouth, Sandi looked up. The Doctor was surprised to see the obvious pain on her face. She put her screwdriver down and leant over the open computer to stare at him.

'Do you know what it's like to go your whole life not knowing who you are? To feel like there's a part of you that you don't really know? To always feel that whenever you think about something, there's someone else inside your head, discussing every decision with you? To have every person you meet think you're weird, even though you know that it really isn't you? Have you, Doctor?' Sandi asked quietly. The Doctor felt a lump rise in his throat. He looked down.

'No. But if you had to go through what... oh, never mind. As soon as we get to New Earth, we just might be able to get a little closer to what's been going on inside your head,' the Doctor replied softly. He raised his eyes to hers and afforded a lop-sided grin.

'I do care, y'know,' he said. Sandi smiled warmly for the first time at the strange man, who promptly blushed. She laughed.

'I know. It's not your fault. I get a bit grumpy sometimes. Sorry.'

'Good, so you should be,' said the Doctor cheerfully, leaping to his feet and pacing in front of her. Sandi gaped incredulously. The Doctor grinned mischievously.

'Why, of all the rude...'

'Rude, ha! Rose...' The Doctor began, then stopped. The tears came before he could stop them in time. Two large drops slipped over his cheeks and a sniffle escaped. Sandi's head shot up.

'Doctor? What's... Rose. Oh God, Doctor, who was she?'

The Doctor ignored her and walked away. Sandi watched the Time Lord leave the room, leaving her to think in the silence.

He's a weird one, isn't he?

Not as weird as some of the people I've met.

Who are you?

What do you mean, who am I? I'm you! You're talking to yourself again. You should really stop that. Not good for mental health, you know.

Oh no. I know you. You're the one that's been putting all those ideas into my head. Those memories. All those concepts that I shouldn't know. How do you explain I knew about the Doctor?

I can't. It shouldn't be possible.

You're Shandaiah, aren't you?

No.

I know you are. Tell me the truth.

No.

No what? No you aren't Shandaiah, or no you won't tell me the truth.

Both.

Then you definitely aren't me.

I am you.

---------

She has made contact.

Then it is time to move.

We will have to wait. They need to return to Gallifrey before we can strike.

Agreed.

---------

In the middle of a lush, green meadow inhabited by only a few lambs, there was an almightly whooshing. Out of nowhere, a blue police box materialised on the grass, scaring a yearling who dashed away and back to the herd. The doors swung open and the Doctor stepped out into the open, looking about.

'Looks about right to me. Least this is what it looked like the last time I was here.'

Sandi peeked outside the Tardis' doors and glanced around.

'This is Earth.'

'No, this is New Earth. We're in the year five billion, two hundred thousand and ninety-three. The original earth has already gone up in smoke...'

'... thanks largely to the Sun expanding to a Red Giant, then collapsing to form a White Dwarf,' Sandi finished, stepped outside to join him. The Doctor looked at her quizzically. Sandi shrugged.

'Year Eleven Earth Science. Astronomy unit.'

'Ah. Anyway, our best bet is to head over there,' the Doctor said, pointing across the field and into the distance, where a tall, black building rose up from the horizon.

'What's that? Sandi asked. The Doctor scratched his head.

'Looks like a museum of sorts.'

'Museum? Like, dinosaur bones?'

'Oh no. More like that ancient relic you call a laptop.'

'Oh. HEY!'

The Doctor took off at speed, laughing his head off, trailed by an indignant Sandi. After a few minutes, he slowed and allowed her to catch up. For a minute, Sandi walked quietly beside him, before asking the question that had been burning at the back of her skull.

'What did that chart mean?'

The Doctor walked on. His expression didn't change.

'What chart?'

'The one pinned to the main controls. It looked like some kind of life-sign reading or something.'

'I have a lot of charts with lifesigns on them.'

'This one was from Earth. My Earth. But it was... odd.'

The Doctor stopped. By this time, the pair had almost reached the massive building, which towered in front of them. The wind whipped through his tan overcoat, causing it to flare out like a cape. He stared straight ahead.

'Why do you want to know?'

'I think I deserve to know if it involves me, do you?'

'I don't know if it does. Yet.'

'Just tell me. You can trust me, y'know.'

The Doctor turned to Sandi and looked her straight in the eye. A shock hit her as she fully understood how very far away from home the Doctor really was. He swallowed dryly.

'There... was a bio-signal, a lifesign, on your Earth, that was different to anything else in the universe. Something that I haven't seen in eons.'

'What was it?'

The Doctor stopped, unsure of how to proceed. He crashed ahead.

'It was the sign of another Time Lord.'

---------

And the informer?

They are almost with him. It is time for him to tell the lonely god his truths.

Lonely God?

Yes. A title, nothing more.

Dusty senator. Rebel, maybe.

---------

'Another Time Lord? Is that really so impossible?' Sandi scoffed, but dropped the act when she saw the look on the Doctor's face. He rumpled his hair, then rubbed his face contemplatively.

'Well, it is. Y'see, there's the small obstacle of the very BIG notion that I am, in fact, the last Time Lord in existance.'

'Pfft, really? How do you know?'

'There was an apocalyptic catastrophe known as the Time Wars. I survived because I was fighting on the front line. When I returned to Gallifrey, it was gone. Every single Time Lord wiped clean out of existance.'

'Dear God, that's terrible! How on EARTH did you survive?'

'Long story, which I might tell you one day. Anyway, I searched for years, never finding another. But just after I lost Rose...' The Doctor trailed off, staring wistfully into the distance. Sandi touched his arm gently, at which he looked down at her immediately, his eyes full of hurt.

'Who was she, Doctor?' Sandi asked softly. The Doctor licked his dry lips and sighed defeatedly. He knew he had to talk this time.

'Rose Tyler was my... assistant for a few years. She came with me on my travels through time and space. She saw things she never even believed existed. She was wonderful, brilliant, smart, beautiful...'

'Did you love her?'

'Now, what kind of question is that? I mean, we spent a lot of time together and got into some decidedly hairy situations...'

'Don't fob me off. I asked you a simple question. Did... do you love Rose Tyler?'

The Doctor was silent for a moment. Then...

'She loved me. That's enough for any man. Or Time Lord.'

As he moved ahead, Sandi got the distinct impression that the conversation was over. They approached the double glass doors that heralded the entrance to the building. The insignia on the doors depicted a black water-bird standing in a pond with two suns behind it. The doors slid open on approach and the Doctor stepped inside the chilly building, Sandi close behind.

The lobby was an almost circular room with a semi-circular desk of dark, polished wood. To the left of the desk was a curving staircase which was obviously used to get to the upper floors. The humanoid receptionist who was sitting behind it looked up as the Doctor swept across the room. He came to a stop at the desk and grinned at her.

'Hi there! I'm from the building and planning committee of the local council,' he said quickly, flashing the receptionist the piece of plastic that he had been studying earlier in the Tardis. The receptionist appeared surprised, but nodded.

'Yessir, how can I help you?'

'Ah, yes, you see, my assistant and I were just wondering what this place is?' The Doctor asked, motioning to Sandi, who was watching in amazement. The receptionist looked puzzled for a moment.

'Well, sir, I thought the council would have the Museum of Past Life on it's records? It contains records, relics and artefacts from Old Earth that were transported here before the explosion.'

'Yes, yes, of course. I remember now. Thank you very much! We'll just be having a look around, make sure everything structurally secure, don't mind us, won't be here long,' the Doctor rattled on, grabbing Sandi by the hand and dragging her speedily up the staircase while the receptionist stared confusedly after them. As she staggered up the steps, Sandi peered at the plastic covering, which appeared to house a piece of slightly yellowed paper.

'Doctor?'

'Yeah?'

'What is that crummy bit of paper you carry around and why did that receptionist think that we were from the building and planning committee?'

The Doctor laughed heartily, shaking the piece of protected paper.

'This, Sandi Jenkinson, is one very useful piece of dried wood pulp. Probably the second most useful thing I own, except maybe my sonic screwdriver. This is psychic paper. Very useful. I can use it as an interstellar identification card for absolutely anything. I can be anyone in any position anywhere in the universe. Also works for my companions.'

'Really?'

'Really. I once used it and ended up being recognised as the King of Belgium. But that's another story. Here we go.'

The Doctor stepped off the staircase and into a draughty corridor which had many rooms, all of which were able to be seen through the glass doors that led to them. At the far end of the hall, the brushed-steel doors of the buildings central elevator system were clearly visible. Sandi strode onto the landing and moved quietly down past the doors, peeping inside at the various exhibits.

'Doctor, what is all this?' Sandi whispered in awe. The Doctor furrowed his brow.

'They're museum exhibits, ancient relics of your Earth. The Tardis brought us here for a reason, so either the Face of Boe is in here by choice or is being held against his will.'

'I don't like the sound of either of those options, frankly.'

'You know, neither do I,' the Doctor whispered back, approaching the elevators. He stepped inside and looked at the buttons. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as Sandi scrambled in after him.

'Maintenance. Best place to check first,' the Doctor muttered, pressing the basement level button. The steel doors slid shut with a click and the lift shot down at tremendous speed. It stopped just as suddenly as it started. When the doors opened, it wasn't a draughty corridor like upstairs. The hall was dank and musty-smelling, the walls made of cold stones that were covered in a thin, green slime. The Doctor moved forward slowly, sonic screwdriver ahead of him. Sandi stayed close behind as the pair made their way to a brown door about halfway down the corridor. With his back against the wall, the Doctor held the sonic screwdriver to the lock and switched it on. A blue light shone on the lock for a moment, before a distinct click echoed softly in the corridor. The Doctor tried turning the doorknob, which turned easily and the door swung inwards. Sandi gaped as she followed him inside the dark room.

'What was that?' Sandi hissed as they moved between between shelves full of pickled and preserved animals; some familiar, some just outright strange.

'My sonic screwdriver. Will open any lock or door not sealed with a deadlock seal. Another very useful piece of equipment.'

'That makes total sense. Not.'

'Shh, I think I just found what we're looking for.'

The narrow room opened up into a semi-circular area that was full of cracked glassware, which judging from the crusted formaldehyde on the rims had been used to house a host of very unlucky exhibits. But that wasn't what the Doctor was interested in. What immediately grabbed his attention was a large tapestry which appeared to be from eighteenth century france, a time period that he was well acquainted with.

'Now, what are you doing here?' the Doctor murmured, popping his glasses on and peering at the wall-hanging. Keen to try out the new features, the Doctor engaged the X-ray function and squinted at the fabric, mouth slightly open. He gave a low laugh.

'Of all the places to hide... Sandi, get over here.'

Sandi, who had been examining the base of a shattered beaker that had once contained a black widow spider, picked her way over to her companion and stared at the wall.

'What is it?'

'This shouldn't be here.'

'Well, obviously. This is where they keep all the broken stuff. This clearly isn't broken or dead. Maybe the cleaners stuck it in here and forgot about it.'

'No... it's more than that. I think... just maybe...'

The Doctor pulled the tapestry aside. Sandi gasped. Where there should have been a cold, stone wall was a swirling vortex which appeared to warp the very wall. After a few moments of staring at the wall, the Doctor stepped aside and bowed to Sandi.

'Ladies first,' he said, grinning.

---------

They are almost there.

We could attack. We have the resources, knowledge that they do not.

Patience, apprentice.

Apologies, master.

---------