Chapter 9 -- Post-Apocalypse

Kyra strained to lift another bit of rubble. Connor came to her other side to help her. They managed to flip it, revealing Gunn. Kyra knelt. "He's alive. Barely. Need transport."

"I'll call," Connor said, rose, and paused. "What the hell is that noise?"

"Tell me it's not another demon," Buffy prayed.

Kyra rose, one hand holding what Connor and King had dubbed the Slayer Axe.

Something blue and square materialized.

"It's a phone booth!" Dawn yelled.

"An English phone booth," Vi said, sounding shocked. "Where'd it come from?"

Kyra ran to see. "What the bleedin' hell --"

And the light dawned. Something in her mind, as tired as it was, went click. "Doctor!"

He wandered out, grinning and looking around. "Well, when you do something, you don't do it very small, do you?"

Kyra grinned, then laughed and ran to him, giving him a hug.

"Little Kyra! How's it going? My, you really didn't grow much, did you?"

She laughed again, then, without warning to either of them, started to cry.

"What's the matter, Kyra?" He tilted her face up. "You're all right."

"Yeah. Four dead, not bad, considering. Just so damn tired."

"Excuse me, not to interrupt the touching moment," Buffy said. "But who the hell is he?"

"Oh, pardon me for not introducing myself." He walked over and shook her hand, the one not holding the crossbow. "I'm the Doctor."

"Good," Buffy snapped. "We've got injured."

"Not that kind of Doctor, but I can take a look."

"And before you do that, I wanna know what the hell you're doing with one of my girls."

"Well, let's just say she's my Kyra. Known her all her life."

"Not good enough."

"Butt the fuck out, Buffy," Kyra said. "None of your business."

"She's one of my girls, and she is my responsibility."

"Well, not to burst your bubble, but she's not your property, and she's more my responsibility than anything. After all, she is going to be my companion."

"Says who?" Buffy demanded.

"Says me, last of the Time Lords. Got a problem with that?"

"And what the hell is a Time Lord?" Buffy demanded.

"Excuse me, excuse me, coming through." A redhead wrapped an arm around the huffy Slayer's shoulders. "Just one sec. Buffy, do not, I repeat, do not piss him off. I've read about Time Lords. Baad people to piss off."

"Besides, I'm on your side. Who do you think made it possible for the Hellmouth to be opened?"

"Knew that," Kyra said. "Had 'Doctor' written all over it, that did."

"That was more I just made sure you found the right books and all."

"And who are you?" Buffy demanded. "A demon?"

"Wrong," Kyra said. "Alien."

"Oldest single being in the universe. Since before the Earth. Sort of. Seen it, actually. Very pretty!"

Kyra started to laugh.

"Oh, wait, before we finish the interrogation, we'll get these people to medical treatment, and then you can grill me all you want."

"Right," Kyra said. "Connor! I'm gonna need your help. With Gunn, at least."

"On it."

TBC...