The Doctor chuckled and ducked so he could get inside without Sarah Jane hitting her head on the doorway. "Hello, Lavinia," he said. "I trust we weren't gone too long."

"No, not at all, but I do hope at least one of your heads wants some cake and ice cream, Doctor," Lavinia said as she headed into the dining room.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem," he said, setting Sarah down and sitting down heavily in one of the dining room chairs. "Well, second head," he asked her, "cake and ice cream?"

"Yes," she said, smiling at him. "May we have some cake and ice cream now, Aunt?"

"No," answered Lavinia firmly.

Sarah's mouth dropped open. She looked over at the Doctor and waited to see what he would say.

The Doctor simply raised an eyebrow. "Is everything... all right?"

"Yes, but you both really should know that you never get cake and ice cream on your birthday until someone sings to you." She flipped off the lights and a neighbor appeared carrying a cake with seven lit candles on it. Walking in behind her were eight children who all looked about Sarah Jane's age. Everyone started singing happy birthday.

Sarah smiled and took the Doctor's hand and squeezed it. "I know what I'm going to wish for now," she whispered to him.

"What?" he whispered back.

"A velvet cape like the one I wore in the parade. It will match the crown you got me last year and I can wear it to tea parties and be a princess when I do."

It amazed him how single-minded a seven year old could be. "All right," he said, "you wish for that. Just remember that sometimes wishes take some time to come true."

She nodded and then waited for everyone to finish singing.

When they were done, her aunt came and stood next to her. "Make a wish now my dear."

Sarah Jane looked over at the Doctor and winked at him before she leaned over and blew out all the candles.

"Well now, you blew them all out Sarah Jane, that means you're going to get your wish," Lavinia said. "Now then let's cut this cake shall we?" she said, reaching for her cake knife and handing it to the Doctor. "You get to cut the first piece," she said. "I'm sure the Doctor would love to assist you."

Sarah put her hand over the Doctor's and together they cut a piece that had her name on it with a big red rose on the edge. As Lavinia helped her get it on a plate she turned to the Doctor. "The first piece is yours, my prince."

The Doctor smiled, nodding differentially. "Thank you, your highness."

She beamed at his words and bowed her head to him. "You are most welcome, Prince Doctor."

Lavina finished cutting up the cake and adding ice cream to the plates as she handed them to Sarah who in turn passed them out to her guests as she thanked them for coming.

"So," said a boy to Sarah Jane as he looked over at the Doctor. "This is your 'prince'? He doesn't look like such a very big deal to me and he's pretty old too."

"Well, he's a very big deal to me and he's ever so much nicer than you are, Jeremy Eckhart. He's polite too, not at all like you." Sarah scowled at the boy.

"Now wait a minute," the Doctor said, "you're Jeremy Eckhart? The one who said..." He looked around conspiratorially, then whispered in the boy's ear. "... that there's no Father Christmas?"

"Yes I did," said the boy defiantly to the Doctor. "There's no Easter Bunny either for that matter. Want to make something of it," he asked, challenging what he saw as his competition.

"No, I just wanted to let you know that you're sinking your own ship, mate." Once again he whispered in the boy's ear. "Girls like a boy with a little imagination." It wasn't that he was trying to put Sarah Jane together with Jeremy; he knew that wasn't going to happen, but at least he could try and keep Jeremy from tormenting her for the next few years.

The boy looked up at the Doctor in surprise. He wondered why he was offering to help him. He quickly decided it was a trap. He turned to Sarah Jane. "You're a big sissy and so's your old prince." Then he looked over at the girl next to him at the table. "Gosh you're pretty, Elloise. I think you're the prettiest girl here," he said loudly enough for both Sarah Jane and the Doctor to hear.

Elloise just blushed and giggled at him.

"Oh that Icky Eckhart," Sarah Jane said, using his school nickname. "He's just so rude. I apologize for him, Doctor. Never mind him, he's just being a bonehead."

The Doctor tried not to laugh too hard at her taking cues from what he'd told her. "As you say." He finished his cake. "You enjoy your friends, I'm going to go and talk with your Aunt Lavinia for a little while."

"Alright, but please promise you won't leave without saying goodbye, will you?"

"I promise," he said, then ducked into the kitchen, and out the door. Nobody noticed when, a few moments later, he came down the stairs and sat with Lavinia and the adults on the sofa. "Nice party," he said.

"Thank you," said Lavinia. She proceeded to introduce the Doctor to her friends. "This is the Doctor, that lovely young man I told you about. He's the one who found Sarah Jane the day I lost my dear brother and his wife. He's also the one that rescued her last year when she got kidnapped."

The Doctor found himself surrounded by admiring women, all around their late thirties and early forties. They fussed over him and waited on him till the party started to break up.

Sarah joined her aunt and the Doctor as they all three said goodbye and thank you to everyone as they left. When the last person had gone, Sarah Jane took one of the Doctor's hands in hers and with her other hand she took one of Lavinia's. "What a special day this has been, Auntie. Thank you for the party. Thank you too Doctor," she smiled sleepily at him.

"You're welcome, Sarah Jane." He knew she'd be going off to bed soon, and another day with her would be over. He didn't know which of them would be sadder at the prospect.

"I'm afraid it's time for our little princess to go to bed. Say goodnight to the Doctor, my sweet," Lavinia said.

"Can you both tuck me in, please," Sarah asked sadly, knowing that when he said goodbye she wouldn't see her prince for another year.

"If it's alright with the Doctor, it's alright with me," Lavinia answered her.

"Of course it's alright," he said.

"Right then, but first you need to go put your jim jams on and brush your teeth, young lady. Then we'll tuck you in, now scoot," Lavinia said giving her a gentle nudge.

"Yes, aunt," Sarah said, heading up the steps.

"While she's getting ready can I offer you a cup of tea, Doctor? There's still some left, fresh and warm in the pot."

"Certainly, thank you," he said. "Always nice to take a cup of tea with you, Lavinia."

"Yes," she said as she headed into the dining room with the Doctor close behind her. "It always makes me happy to have you here visiting us. I wonder if you realize just how very much you mean to Sarah Jane. I know she'd have been devastated if you hadn't shown up today. I dare say the whole party would have been spoiled for her." She poured out a cup of tea for the Doctor and then herself. She put a plate of scones next to him, then looked at over at him. "You know of course that I trust you with her life."

"I should think so, I can't imagine you letting a perfect stranger take her out for the day," he said, sipping his tea.

"Well of course I wouldn't. Don't be ridiculous, Doctor. The question is however, can I trust you with her emotions?" She sipped her tea and waited for his response.