People were streaming out of the lounge along with thick, dark smoke. The Doctor and Deora went the other way into the room, just as the sprinklers came on
"Looks like no one's hurt." Deora glanced over at the Doctor who was staring at a mangled vending machine.
"The vending machine exploded? That's odd…"
"Looks like it was intentional."
"Now that's interesting. Traces of Erigalium?"
"That's not supposed to be on Earth for another millennia!"
"That's what I was thinking-now how on Earth did you know that?"
"How do you know it?"
"I'm-wait a minute, just who's asking the questions?"
"Me. What's your home planet?"
"That was an odd conclusion to come to."
"Diagloss."
"What?"
"The nearest source of Erigalium to Earth in this time."
"It's my job to know it all."
"Sorry, Professor."
Ace used to call me that…"Doctor."
"What?"
"Call me Doctor."
"My sister knew a man who went by that name."
"What was her name?"
"Why would the Diaglosians be doing on Earth, killing science teachers?"
"Maybe," the Doctor said extremely quietly, "They're trying to kill the last Time Lord."
"You are an easy target right now."
"Hmm, good point."
Another explosion rocked the building.
"Let's get out of here!" The Doctor grabbed Deora by the hand as they ran.
They ran toward the TARDIS. He stopped outside as he remembered that it was in stasis, and if they broke that stasis, it would lose the last shred of its life after about ten minutes.
"What's wrong?"
"We can't go in."
Deora groaned slightly, grabbed the Doctor by his wrist and dragged him away from his beloved TARDIS. They ran as far and fast as they could until they reached a shambled, blown-out building that was really just a door and two shattered brick walls left.
"Before we go in, Doctor, there are two things I have to tell you."
"What?" He was startled.
She lifted his right hand and placed it on the left side of her chest.
"Feel my heart?"
"Hard not to, we've been running so much."
She moved his hand to the right side of her chest.
"Now?"
His eyes widened as he pulled his hand away, hope beginning to return to him once more. "You're a Time Lord!" His grin was contagious.
"The second thing I have to tell you is my sister's name. Romanadvoratrelundar."
"I didn't know Romana had a sister! Oh, this is-YES! What's wrong? Oh, yes, I left her in e-space. Oh. Sorry about that. I didn't know. I really, really didn't know. I'm so, so, so, so sorry. But there's something else, isn't there?"
"I'll tell you inside."
She opened the door and walked inside.
"A TARDIS! This just gets better and better!"
"I have no guidance system. And the Chameleon circuit's broken."
"I noticed the door looked a little odd."
"Paris, 1963, according to the diagnostic chart."
"Well, how 'bout that. Mine got stuck in '63 too."
Deora sat down sadly.
"I thought I was the only one left."
"What happened?"
"I was in the science hall on Gallifrey doing some homework and I heard an explosion. I, being one of the most curious youngsters in a long time, had run outside to see the Dalek ship explode the compound I had just been in. My curiosity saved my life. I ran inside to the TARDIS room and went into one. I tried setting it for a safe place outside the Time War, but…I ended up here. I've had to duck athletics class because I was afraid the physicals would show my two hearts. Luckily my science grades made up for it. So I've been living here in London for the last ten years, unable to go anywhere in this rust-bucket without having to worry about the blasted thing tearing apart on the way. The one good thing that's come of this is that I've gotten to love the music."
"Oh, what do you like the most?"
"It's a singer named Voltaire. I only have a few of his songs, but the way he puts the words and music-you know, why don't I show you?" She went over to a stereo system and put a song on.
"It's sad."
"My life is sad. There's a verse that is really rather appropriate for my-well, really it's become our predicament. Wait for it. I'll tell you when."
A long, long time ago
I fell to this place from another dimension
And thrust among the beasts
And the way they behave
Borders on dementia
And after all these years
I can barely take it
I don't think I can make it
Take me away from here
I want to go home
I'm so sick and tired of
The taste of tears
The sting of pain
The smell of fear
The sounds of crying
"That's it. That's the verse. The song is called Feathery Wings." Tears were coming to her eyes.
"Shhh…it's going to be okay."
"Romana is safe. To me, she just vanished. No one knew where she was. Now I do. It puts some relief on me."
"Ooh!" shouted the Doctor after a few minutes, wherein he comforted her. "We can fix the TARDIS!"
"Mine or yours?"
"Well…either."
"Let's fix yours."
"All we have to do is get the power source out of this one, and into me and BLAZAM! Off I go!"
"You're having pronoun issues. Kindly fix."
"What?"
"You said 'I'. It should have been 'we'."
The Doctor smiled that grin of his.