The homing device was showing that the TARDIS was close. Perhaps in space, but the time settings must have been unstable (no wonder: HADS wasn't used too often, so it could have turned rusty), so she still couldn't fully materialize. The Doctor had checked the place for all possible time warps, but the atmosphere in this sense was stable, so the only way was to let the TARDIS arrive was not interfering into her search of safe hour and minute. However, this was hardly an excuse from the statistical point of view... though who cares about statistics?

"Crumbs and crumbles", the Doctor muttered, tapping on the glass of the homing device (if not to look closer, it was quite similar to a wristwatch). The action was closely followed by two pairs of button eyes staring at him from the bottom. "It's all right, don't worry. We just have to wait a bit more".

"Aww", Victoria replied, her bottom lip trembling.

"If I said it'll be fine, it will".

"Wheeeeeee!"

This last was the sound of... guess what? While the Doctor had been busy making conclusions about what the homing device was showing, Jamie had sneaked into his pocket (never mind that it was bottomless) and now was twirling the found recorder this way and that, beaming with all of his tiny-toothed mouth.

"Give it here", the Doctor said quietly, but firmly. Jamie flopped onto the floor from the seat, but did not fulfil the request. "Jamie, give the recorder back to me". The boy stood up, smiling in a mischievous way. "Jamie!"

The next moment Jamie was running as fast as his legs could carry him, giggling like insane.

"Now you're going to get into trouble instead of me!" The Doctor stood up, and in some moments Jamie was practically hanging upside down over his arm, but still did not uncurl his fist with the recorder. "Give it here and..."

The phrase was not finished, for the faintest sound of TARDIS landing rang through the hall. Of course, at the background of human voices and announcements it was hardly heard, but those with trained ears caught it at the same time. The Doctor's ever-so-slight frustration was gone in a blink. Instead, a new thought appeared - if someone was to get into trouble, then he was to be this "someone". He lowered Jamie down onto the floor:

"So you want to run? Come along!"

"Mama, look, it's the Pied Piper!"

This sentence made even those who cared only about themselves raise their looks and see the sight which can't be seen at every airport. The kid who said this was not too right - there were only two kids following the odd little man who was playing a lively melodic song on his flute. Not only that: he wasn't just walking - it was more of dancing a kicky jig. And he did not care that not everybody felt positive about this.

"Who's blowing pipes here?.."

"SHUT UP!"

"There he is!"

"Man, people are sleeping here!"

The tension was gone as soon as the sound of flute was gone. So quickly. Suspiciously quickly.

"There we are". The Doctor pulled the closing lever and pushed the recorder back into his pocket. "Next time I'll try to shorten the waiting... Well, wee ones, what will you say?"

Jamie and Victoria bounced next to the console, attempting to see what the Doctor was doing.

"Right then, now I am to find a way to restore you back to your proper condition..." The Doctor sat down cross-legged next to the console and gently pulled Victoria to himself by her hand. "This is not going to hurt, Victoria. I'm simply going to check if everything is left as it's supposed to be..."

He got the sonic screwdriver out and pressed its tip to Victoria's temple, which caused an immediate and unexpected reaction: Jamie's eyes widened, he darted to them and attempted to pull the instrument away from the girl.

"No, no, Jamie, no..."

"Tor-ee-a!" Jamie yelped, oblivious that he wasn't strong enough to do what he wanted.

The Doctor let the sonic go and placed his hands over Jamie's shoulders to calm him down. A primitive thing, touch, but in this case it worked - the boy relaxed in some seconds, though his expression remained rather wary.

"Jamie, listen here, I know that you understand", the Doctor pronounced softly and in an even way. "I am not going to damage any of you, and you know it well. Now remain quietly here, I am to scan both of you. All right?"

Judging by Jamie's expression, he understood it perfectly well, though his eyes occupied half of his face now.

"There's a good boy". The Doctor let him go and returned to the task.