Emily woke with only a dull ache in her head, but with a bouncing Time Lord on her bed. He was excited, apparently about seeing her Mum. She told him that he was being loud, and he frowned.

"Your head still hurt," his voice was concerned.

"A little," she admitted, yawning. Didn't Time Lords need sleep? Probably not.

"What happened, Emily?" He asked her, reaching over and pulling open a bedside drawer. Inside it was a hypo spray, that she sincerely hoped hadn't been hanging out in there for years. He pushed it onto her neck, and with a slight cool sensation she felt her headache lift. She could suddenly think clearly.

"I don't know," Emily admitted. The Doctor was more subdued now, watching her carefully. "I saw a bright flash of light, and then there were these colored lines. Some touched, some didn't. It was confusing."

"She saw time lines," Emily heard a soft voice tell them, from the doorway. Nine was there, leather jacket in place, concerned eyes on her. "Humans can't see time lines; the attempt should have been enough to explode your little mind."

He moved closer now. She seriously considered hitting him for calling her mind small, but even without the headache she was still only waking up. She wasn't a good morning person, though better than he Mum.

The Doctor was nodding, "Only she's not normal, I know you can tell."

Nine nodded, "So what is she?"

Emily groaned, "She is right here, is what she is! Time lines? Like people's time lines?"

Nine nodded again. "You are smart, I'll give you that."

"Thanks," Emily muttered. He said it like it annoyed him, but she doubted that was the case. He seemed genuinely worried about her.

"Has that ever happened before, Emily," the Doctor asked her, leaning in and reaching for her face. Emily leaned away, worried she was going to have a repeat of the explosion and see the time lines.

"I won't hurt you," he vowed, misunderstanding her hesitation.

"I know," she agreed, but moved no closer.

Nine grabbed her chin, and turned her head. When she didn't pull away he completed the task she imagine the other him was trying to do. He peered into her eyes, and laid his fingers over her temples. "I need to look in your mind, promise I won't hurt you."

It was funny. Even with a different voice that promise sounded like he couldn't have meant it more.

She could feel something, almost like a breeze over her thoughts. It almost tickled and then it was gone. He used his thumb, gently stroked her cheek and then dropped his hands. The Doctor shook his head.

"That's impossible," the Doctor said.

Nine only nodded, looking at her.

"What's impossible," Emily asked.

With those words both men moved away. "We have to go to your mums, stuff to deal with. Need to talk to her before things get too much farther along."

"Doctors!" Emily stood up, swaying a little. Nine was closest and he helped her steady. Once she was fine, he walked away.

They told her that they would meet her in the console room, and she hurried to change into the clothes on the bed. They were perfect and she wondered if it was the ship or the Doctors, or even River who had picked it out.

The men seemed clueless, so probably River of the TARDIS. She heard a hum, and somehow understood. "Thanks."

She heard the tone change, something of concern, but it was covered by a gentle puff of warm air. On the way out of the room she stopped and touched the wall. She couldn't have told you how but she knew that TARDIS was worried about her. "I'll be all right, don't you worry."

Another puff of air was the only acknowledgment that she received and she walked to the console room.

1 hour later

Emily was sitting in the kitchen with the Doctors and her mother. She had gotten them in by explaining they were friends, and they had taken over from there. She knew her mother was suspicious, but she wouldn't bring it up in front of them.

They were asking pretty normal questions, and the conversation had stayed fairly safe. She wondered if they were going to bring up other stuff and if not why they were here.

She was honestly a little bored. There was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Grace stood up.

Both Doctors looked at her for the first time. At least the first time they didn't try to hide. She was getting a bit tired of the peeks that suggested she was a mystery they needed to solve.

She could tell Nine wanted to protest, but he saw her Mum nodding and he kept his mouth shut.

She practically ran to the door, and when she opened it she didn't see anyone. She stepped out, wondering if this was about to be another attempt on her life. It didn't take many for that to get a little old. Instead she saw a TARDIS, not their TARDIS which was parked farther down. In front of that TARDIS was the man from before. One of the Doctors though she wasn't sure about his number.

He gave a tiny wave, and a big grin. Both of which she returned, and closing the door behind her she walked the distance. When she got there he opened the door and she followed him. The console room looked like Nine's. She still liked it and she liked this version of him as well.

"Hello," he told her. "I told you I would see you soon. Headache gone?"

She nodded, wondering how he knew. "Yes."

He nodded, still grinning though it seemed more put on now. "Are the other two okay in there for moment?"

She nodded, "I think so. Now that they are done arguing about who gets to be John Smith."

"Who won?"

She suspected he knew but she told him anyway, "Nine, he said since the Doctor got to be the Doctor he got John Smith. The other Doctor tried to choose Sir Bart."

The Doctor before her snorted. "Really?"

He seemed to want to talk, even if he probably knew all this, so talk she did. She told him that she had told 'Sir Bart' that she wouldn't be going anywhere if he didn't pick a different name. At long last, with some prodding from River, he had gone with Adam.

River had stayed behind, doing something for the Doctor. Some sort of research in the TARDIS archives. She didn't have to ask to know it had something to do with her.

She took a chance, "What's going on, Doctor?"

He looked away.

"I need you to take me in there, Emily."

She looked at the door, "I don't know. My Mum already is wondering about the other two."

"I have to go," he continued, swallowing thickly. "If you don't take me, I'll take you with me. I'll hide you until you are safe, universe be damned."

There were tears in his eyes, and he looked like he wanted to hug her. She reached out to him and he didn't hesitate to pull her close. He smelled like the others, only different. He felt warm and safe and like a missing part of her had just been found.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because you mean that much to me," he told her, not letting go yet.

"Why?" She repeated.

"It's complicated," he said after a long pause, and then he let her go.

His smile was fake, but he managed to make it a little more real when she smiled. "Let's go," he told her, taking her hand. "I'll be David, for your Mum, okay?"

She just nodded, feeling confused and oddly at peace. She led him to the house, and wondered what could be so bad it would take three Doctors to stop.

She suspected the answer would only be found in tears.