When I found John, he was screaming.

"By convention of the Shadow Proclamation, cease this interrogation!" I shouted.

"Tiiiiime Lord!" the leader of the Arteran retinue exclaimed in a breathy, quavering voice. "Speak your name, or you shall have no authority heeeeere."

"I am the Sage," I stated. John was shaking, drenched in sweat, on the floor beside the head Arteran. They wore cloaks that hid their faces, and with good reason. Their mouths were more like suction cups than anything else, and they had no eyes, their skin hanging in wrinkled black folds. When J.K. Rowling wrote of Dementors, I think an Arteran must have passed near her in her sleep. They get high off the ideas which flow through great minds. Tolkien had written of them, too. They were the Nine, the Wraith, and the Arteran Seek was always comprised of nine.

"The Saaage," the head Arteran echoed. "State your purpose in coming heeeere."

"I have come to testify on behalf of your prisoner, John Hart. He is wrongfully accused. The author of the crimes committed in Cardiff was Grey, brother of—"

"Testifyyyyy!" the Arterans chorused excitedly.

"Sage," John managed to ask me hoarsely, "what are you doing?"

"Repaying my debt, Johnny," I told him, kneeling to kiss him tenderly on the lips. "Whatever you do, don't run. It'll draw their attention. I want them focused on me," I whispered. "Now stand. Leave slowly." He did as I said, shakily, and I lifted my face to the Arteran leader. "My mind is opened to you, Arteran Seek. The truth is yours. See it."

I showed them everything I'd seen on the CCTV, everything the comms had recorded, the things I'd seen in the minds of my teammates in the days following the disaster. They drank deeply. Sorrow and pain were their favourite flavour. They found something I hadn't thought to hide, though, and latched onto it.

"Breeeeeach, Tiiiime Lord! Breach of honour! Breach of code!" cried the leader.

John had been halfway to the door at this point, but he turned back and called out to them. "What breach of code?"

"Viiiiiolation of Gallifreyan Ordinance 416. Vortex Manipulator. Tiiiime device. Never in the hands of a chiiiiild!"

"Birthday," I gasped as they pulled harder at my mind. "I was a child no more! Eighth birthday! Initiation. John came after!"

"Chiiiiild!" they cried in unison.

"John!" I shouted. "Run!"

"Sage, I won't leave y—"

"Run!!!"

When John Hart ran, the Seek's attention diverted to him and they let go of my mind. I flew to my feet and drew my gun, shooting a hole in the floor by the leader's feet to bring their attention back to me.

"Innocence has been proven," I stated. "Leave this planet. You have no more business here."

"Weeee shall be back, Tiiiiime Lord," the leader said, then they teleported back to their ship and out of our lives.

"The Arteran Seek, John?" I said, holstering my gun. "Do you have any idea what they would have done to you?"

"Turned me into a drooling idiot and watched me die," he stated. "Great Goddess, Sage. You were brilliant!" He drew me into his arms, spun me around, and kissed me firmly. "We should celebrate this. We need drinks. Lots of drinks!"

I chuckled. "All right, Johnny, drinks. But let me tell Jack I'm okay first will you?"

"No, Sage. Call Jack later. I have things to tell you," he said, his voice going sober.

"A quick voicemail," I told him. "Please? He worries."

"And so does Eye-Candy," he guessed. I gaped at him and he laughed. "I'll do it. I've still got video on mine." Moments later he was recording a message, standing just behind me with his arm about my waist. "Hello, Jack," he said. "I'm sure you tried to stop her, but she saved my life anyway. Great for me, probably not so great for you, but I'll stay in the queue a while longer for that hug you owe me. Eye-Candy! Your little friend has a quick mind and a lightning gun-hand. You reminded me of her from the first, you know, and that's a compliment. She'll be home soon enough." Then to me, "Go on, Sage. Speak your piece."

"We're fine, Jack, Ianto, everyone. I promise. I'll tell you everything when I get back. I love you."

"Did you get a blonde yet?" he asked me after switching off the hologram recorder.

"We did, actually. But you're not her type, sorry," I teased him.

"Oh, so you are!" he teased me back. "You get to have all the fun."

"Why Spain?" I asked John as we sat down in a quaint little restaurant.

"Why not?" he replied. "They're gorgeous, and everything they say sounds so sexy. I don't understand a word of it, mind you, but all I really need to know is '¿Quieres tener sexo conmigo?' (1) and 'Sí' and 'No'."

"Sangría, por favor," I ordered from the waiter as he stopped by our table.

"See? Right there. That was sexy," John remarked playfully.

"Deje la jarra," (2) I added as the waiter was pouring out our drinks.

"Sí, señorita. ¿Desea ordenar algo para comer? ¿Algún aperitivo?" (3)

"No, gracias," (4) I replied.

"¿Quieres tener sexo conmigo?" John teased me. He was only half teasing, though, and he knew that I knew it.

"What was it you wanted to tell me, John?" I asked, sipping my drink.

"It's about when I blinded you," he told me, draining his first glass of sangría in one gulp. "It wasn't about you. I would never have hurt you, Sage."

"You didn't recognize me?"

He shook his head. "I came to see Jack. I saw you with him."

"You were jealous."

"And you were beautiful. You still are. I hurt you where he was sure to find you—"

"On my front step!"

"—and then I hid. He called you Sage, not Miranda. He asked you to regenerate. That's why I ran. You were the only real friend I ever had."

"Oh, Johnny..."

"I was ashamed of what I'd done to you. For the first time in my life, I was truly ashamed," he admitted.

"I forgive you," I told him gently. He smiled, then clasped my hand and kissed it.

"You lied for me today," he pointed out. "You told them I gave you this after your initiation," he said, fingering my wrist strap.

"So it was actually the day before. No big deal," I shrugged.

"Legally, yes big deal," he said. "But that's not the interesting part. The really interesting part is that you lied to the Arteran Seek and got away with it. You always knew when I was on Gallifrey when everyone else was oblivious, too," he added. "Just how psychic are you?"

"Enough to fib to the Arteran Seek when I'm very determined not to get mind-wiped," I said evasively. "So, where are you going next?" I asked John, watching him down another glass of sangría.

"I was thinking New York," he told me. "They speak English there. Sort of. I wish you'd come with me."

"I can't," I reminded him with a small smile.

"I want to be you so badly right now," he admitted.

"No, you really don't," I told him. "It's too complicated."

"Two gorgeous boys all for you and it's complicated?" he teased, leaning back in his chair.

"It really is," I told him. "I love them both, I want them both, they want me, they want each other... It's a mess."

"It's an orgy," he stated. "Enjoy it."

"That's the thing... It's not. Jack loves me in a way that he thinks having sex with me is kind of wrong."

"Oh, the brother/daddy syndrome," John guessed. "He'll get over it. And if he doesn't, come to New York. I really am a good wife," he winked, making me giggle.

"I've got to get back," I told him, wishing I could stay.

"And I've got to get out of town in case there are any other goons waiting for me. Take care of the team, and give Jack my love," he said, standing. "Give him this, too," he added, kissing me softly. "And keep this one for yourself," he whispered against my lips before parting them gently with his tongue.

I was still drunk on that kiss when I teleported out of the restaurant's bathroom and accidentally ended up outside of the Hub. Just as well. It would have been awkward to explain the dazed look on my face.

1) Do you want to have sex with me?

2) Leave the pitcher.

3) Yes, miss. Would you like to order something to eat? An appetizer?

4) No, thanks.