Of Loneliness and Second Chances

by TeamTHEFT

No. They had to be lying. There was no way this girl, this sad lonely girl, could be the hope for his race. There was no way this girl could revive the Time Lords. Who is she? How does she have more potential than even a Time Lord? Who is Freya O'Leary? The Doctor intends on finding out. Sequel is now up! DoctorxOC

19. School Reunion

Chapter 19: School Reunion

It was their second day on the job.

Rose hated every second of it, as did Mickey. The two of them had been given the jobs as lunch lady and janitor, respectively. The Doctor seemed to be reveling in it. He was a physics professor. Freya felt sorry for the students in his class.

Freya herself was a counselor. The disappearances and deaths had made it easy for her to weasel her way in as a counselor. However, no one came to talk to her. She had her own tiny office (converted from a closet) that sat empty.

The only child she'd seen was a little boy named Kenny who'd came into her office and left before she could ask him what was bothering him. That had been this morning.

She was grateful for lunch time. That was when she got to see the Doctor and Rose. She felt so isolated, working in her own office all day. She was only getting half pay compared to the rest of them, but she had no problem with that. It wasn't like she needed the money at the moment anyway.

She headed straight for the lunch line. She was starving. An arm slinked around her waist as she picked up a tray to hand to the lunch ladies.

"Hello love. Anything new?" the Doctor murmured in her ear. Freya shook her head and handed the tray over. The food didn't look appetizing. Well, none of it besides the chips. She liked the fries. The Doctor, she found out the day before, didn't. So she got to eat both of their chips.

Rose was in charge of the chips today. Freya grinned at her and Rose plopped a larger helping of chips than she was probably supposed to on her tray. She made her way to a table as the Doctor got his own tray.

She was eating chips as soon as she sat down. They tasted different from any chips she'd ever had before.

The Doctor sat down next to her, much closer than he would have sat to anyone else.

He'd been doing that a lot since they'd been at the school. Freya wasn't sure if he was playing the role of a newlywed or if he really just wanted to be close to her. She figured she'd find out for sure later one, when they left the school.

"Nice honeymoon trip," Freya commented as she shoveled some chips into her mouth. The Doctor's jaw dropped in a confused gesture.

"Did you want a honeymoon trip? We could take one after classes and be back in time to get you a full night's sleep?" the Doctor asked worriedly. Freya couldn't help but laugh at him.

"I was teasing," she said with a smile as she swiped one of his chips. He grinned back at her.

"Two days," Rose said, drawing their attention to her as she wiped off their table.

"Sorry, could you just? There's a bit of gravy. No, no, just, just there," the Doctor said, pointing at a different spot on the table each time, his grin too smug to be serious.

"Two days we've been here," Rose continued, frustrated.

"You're the one that told us about it and wanted to be involved," Freya reminded her.

"Yeah. I missed the excitement. I thought this would be…exciting," Rose complained.

"It will be," Freya guessed, glancing at the Doctor.

"She's right. There was a boy in class this morning, got a knowledge way beyond planet Earth," the Doctor said. Freya snagged another of his chips, causing Rose to frown.

"I was hoping you weren't eating them," Rose complained. Freya smiled at her.

"I love them," Freya admitted. Rose nodded adamantly.

"Aren't they gorgeous? Wish I had school dinners like this," Rose sighed. Freya couldn't help but nod along with her.

"They're a bit…different," the Doctor said, shrugging. He'd taken one bite yesterday and spit it out.

"Why is everyone so calm here? I remember middle school differently," Freya said, glancing around.

"Exactly. I thought there'd be happy slapping hoodies. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs and ringtones. Huh? Don't tell me I don't fit in," the Doctor warned Rose, who was shaking her head at him.

Freya leaned her head on the Doctor's shoulder.

"Incoming," she warned, noticing the head lunch lady making her way in their direction.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting," the head lunch lady told her.

"I was just talking to the new teacher and counselor," Rose said, gesturing towards them.

"Hello!" the Doctor said cheerfully.

"Sorry. My husband was concerned about the organic values of the chips," Freya lied.

"He doesn't like the chips," Rose corrected, winking at Freya.

"The menu has been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance. If you don't think it's healthy for your wife, pack her a little brown sack lunch. Now you, get back to work," the head lady ordered. Freya winced at the harshness of her tone.

"See? This is me. Dinner lady," Rose groused.

"I'll have the crumble and whatever has the most organic value for the wife," the Doctor said with a wink.

"I guess things can't have organic value?" Freya murmured. The Doctor smiled and shook his head.

"It was a nice attempt at a cover," he told her.

"I'm going to kill you," Rose muttered as she walked away.

Freya watched carefully as one of the teachers approached a group of students. He talked to a girl specifically before turning to the boy who'd entered her office that morning.

He was eating a sack lunch. Freya glanced across the cafeteria for a moment.

No one had sack lunches.

Part of what she remembered about middle school was that everyone had sack lunches. It was almost unpopular to eat school lunch. But her school hadn't had good food. But still. There had to be something going on there.

She didn't say anything, in case she was wrong. The last thing she wanted was to give the Doctor a false lead. He'd notice it if it was the problem.

If he didn't notice, she'd just keep an eye out on it.

She watched in confusion as both the girl and a boy next to her got up and followed the teacher out of the room, leaving their trays where they were.

Almost as if they were in a daze.

"Doctor," Freya murmured. The Doctor nodded.

"I saw it too. Care for a quick investigation?" he asked her. Freya nodded, standing. The Doctor grabbed both of their trays and took care of them, leading them out of the room.

They made it near the room the man disappeared in when Freya saw the Headmaster out of the corner of her eye. He was following them. Or watching them.

Freya grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him to a stop, throwing open what she knew was a closet and pushing the Doctor inside.

"What are you doing? I thought we were following him?" the Doctor asked as the door closed. Freya shook her head.

"Headmaster was following us. Follow my lead," Freya ordered him as she threw herself at him.

The moment their lips connected, Freya could practically feel him catch on to what she was doing. He pinned her against the wall, kiss turning frenzied quite quickly. Freya weaved her hands through his hair as he lifted one of her legs and hooked it around his waist.

Freya let out a gasp as his lips left hers and started trailing down her neck. One of his hands was creeping under her shirt when the door opened.

Freya gasped and the Doctor spun around quickly. She was embarrassed; there was no needing to pretend she was.

"Headmaster! I'm so sorry," Freya apologized immediately, lowering her eyes.

"It won't happen again, sir," the Doctor added solemnly. Freya glanced at him from under her lashes. The headmaster appeared relieved that they were making out in the closet.

So he had been following them to see if they were spying on the other teacher.

"Newlyweds. I understand that. Just make sure it doesn't. Mrs. Smith, we have a reporter coming to visit. Since you are otherwise free, would you be able to show her around? I have other matters I am to attend to," Headmaster Finch told her.

"Of course, Headmaster," Freya murmured.

"Just Mr. Finch, please, Mrs. Smith. No need to be overly formal," Mr. Finch said almost cheerfully.

"I'll just head back to my class now," the Doctor said before turning and placing a kiss on Freya's cheek. He straightened her shirt and allowed her to fix his hair before making his way out of the closet. Freya followed sheepishly.

"It is nothing to be embarrassed of," Mr. Finch said casually. Freya had a sinking suspicion that he was suspicious of them and would rather have them making out in closets than snooping. They could use that to their benefit.

"Still. What if it had been a student? We're usually not like that. It's just…we skipped our honeymoon," Freya said truthfully.

"Ah. I see. That makes it even more understandable," Mr. Finch said sympathetically as they approached the office. As they entered, a woman stood.

"Mr. Finch? I'm Sarah Jane Smith. I'm the reporter that you spoke to on the phone," she said. Mr. Finch nodded, shaking her hand.

"Yes, Mrs. Smith," Mr. Finch said. Sarah Jane shook her head.

"No, Miss Smith, please," she corrected him. Mr. Finch nodded, a polite smile on his lips.

"Even better. Miss Smith, might I introduce you to Mrs. Smith, our new counselor. She will show you around the school as I am indisposed at the moment. Are there any questions you may have for me before I go?" Mr. Finch asked her. Sarah Jane nodded.

"Yes. I was wondering if you could briefly outline for me what you've done to improve the school in your own words," Sarah Jane said, pulling out a mini recorder.

"Well, my improvements aren't confined to the classroom. Oh no. We've introduced a new policy. School dinners are absolutely free but compulsory. Do try the chips," Mr. Finch said with a smooth grin. Sarah Jane nodded.

"Oh, I'd love to. Thank you. And it's got to be said, the transformation you've brought about is amazing. I mean, maybe you're working the children a little bit too hard now and then, but I think good results, they're more important than anything else," Sarah Jane said.

"Exactly. You're a woman of vision, Miss Smith," Mr. Finch said, obviously pleased. He turned and made his way into his office.

"Oh, I can see everything, Mr. Finch. Quite clearly," Sarah Jane murmured. She then smiled at Freya.

"You said you're a new teacher?" Sarah Jane asked her. Freya nodded.

"Yes Miss Smith. Only been here two days," Freya said politely. Sarah Jane just waved her off.

"Please, call me Sarah Jane," she said. Freya smiled at her.

"Then you must call me Freya. I'm not used to being called Mrs. Smith. Nearly married, me," Freya told her. Sarah Jane smiled and nodded.

"Why don't we get started on this tour then?" Freya suggested. Sarah Jane nodded once more and Freya led her out of the room.

"What exactly are you looking into here?" Freya asked her quietly as they started talking.

"Test scores going up, an increase in disappearances? Someone had to check it out. Is that why you're here too?" Sarah Jane whispered, her voice equally quiet.

"Yeah. My husband and I are investigating it as well," Freya whispered back.

"And you guys couldn't have choosen names other than Smith?" Sarah Jane shot at her with a smile. Freya shook her head.

"He goes by John Smith all the time," Freya admitted. Sarah Jane's steps faltered.

"You…you aren't with a newspaper, are you?" she asked quietly. Freya shook her head.

"No. We're a bit more…freelance," Freya admitted. Sarah Jane nodded.

"So what have you found out so far?" Sarah Jane asked her. Before Freya could answer, Sarah Jane backtracked.

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to step on your toes, if you're trying to write an article. If you want the article, you can have it. I just miss the adventure of solving mysteries like this," Sarah Jane said quickly.

"No. I'm not writing an article. My husband and I…well, we sort of do that too. He's a danger magnet," Freya said with a quiet chuckle. Sarah Jane watched her carefully for a moment.

"The Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked, her tone light but her eyes staring intently at Freya.

Freya couldn't stop her eyes from widening.

Sarah Jane's eyes widened in response.

"Miss Smith, we can talk some more in my office before the tour. Does that sound like a plan?" Freya asked, her voice louder than they had been talking. Sarah Jane nodded quickly.

"That would be lovely," she said. Freya led Sarah Jane to her office and, before closing the door, wondered if this was a bad idea.

The door clicked shut and Sarah Jane seated herself in the chair Freya'd had set up for students. Freya sank into her chair and glanced nervously at the door.

"Can you tell me who you are?" Freya asked. Sarah Jane glanced at the door as well, mirroring her nervousness.

"I'm Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor, years ago," Sarah Jane supplied.

For a moment, Freya couldn't respond. He was old. Surely he'd taken other people along before her. She knew that, right? After all, they'd taken Rose along with them.

But she was married to him now. Married, and was having his kid. He wouldn't….leave her behind, would he?

No. He wouldn't. She only had forty years of life to live. Even if he decided he was tired with her, he wouldn't tell her. She had twenty years of life left. To someone as old as him, twenty years must pass so quickly.

And, Freya thought, she'd rather have the knowledge that there'd be others, after she was gone, so he wouldn't be alone.

"Has he ever mentioned me?" Sarah Jane asked, looking almost heartbroken to ask that. Freya's own eyes widened and she abandoned her seat, instead choosing to wrap Sarah Jane into a hug.

"He's a forgetful prat sometimes. He avoids talking about the past – unless we're visiting it – like a plague," Freya told the older woman. She pulled back slightly, watching the older woman's face to see if she was alright.

"You say you're recently married. Is that a cover story?" Sarah Jane asked. Freya flushed and shook her head. She gestured at her stomach, which made Sarah Jane's eyes widen considerably.

"Oh. He's…changed a bit," Sarah Jane said weakly. Freya shook her head, staring at the woman.

"I intrigued him. An alien told him I could help him bring back the Time Lords. Then we had an incident involving futuristic stimulating drugs. And he got arrested…a few times…for kidnapping me. So we told them we were married. We officially got married three days ago," Freya admitted. Sarah Jane nodded, but she still seemed almost crushed.

"He sounds…so different," Sarah Jane said quietly before her eyes got wide.

"What do you mean, bring back the Time Lords?" Sarah Jane asked. Freya racked her brain, trying to think. Did the Doctor ever mention how long ago the Time War was? No. She couldn't think that he had.

"There was a war. A Time War. Everyone died. Everyone but the Doctor died. He's the only one left," Freya told Sarah Jane.

"No. He can't be," Sarah Jane said, her voice low in shock. Freya nodded.

"Since you're here with him, does that mean this involves aliens?" Sarah Jane asked. Freya nodded.

"We believe it does. My cousin and her friend discovered the problem and called us. That's why we're here," Freya told the woman. Sarah Jane stared at her for a moment, as if contemplating something.

"How long have you been travelling with the Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Maybe seven months?" Freya guessed. Sarah Jane's eyes went even wider.

"Seven months and you're already pregnant and married to him?" she asked in shock. Freya nodded. She glanced at the door once more, making sure there was no one standing outside. When she glanced back at Sarah Jane, she saw something in her eyes she hadn't been expecting, but should have been.

Jealousy.

"Everything just sort of happens with him. You understand that," Freya tried explaining.

"Freya…he left me. He left me in the middle of nowhere and never came back for me," Sarah Jane told her. Freya winced. Her hand immediately drifted to her stomach.

"I'm sorry for that. I'm really sorry. He's a right idiot sometimes. But…he won't leave me," Freya told the woman. Sarah Jane stared at her for a moment.

"How can you be so sure? I thought he'd never leave me too," Sarah Jane pointed out. Freya shook her head slowly.

"Because I'm giving him a little Time Lord baby. But it's more than that. He won't leave me because I'll leave him first. I only have twenty more years of my life left," Freya told the woman.

To say that Sarah Jane was flabbergasted was an understatement.

"How can you know that? Does the Doctor have a way of telling that?" Sarah Jane asked her. Freya shook her head wryly.

"No. See, the aliens that led him to me, they said that I had the potential to live for 120 years as long as nothing interfered with my life. We had a…a mishap, awhile ago. The TARDIS died. I gave up 80 years of my life energy to bring her back to life," Freya told her. Sarah Jane's eyes couldn't be any wider.

"You gave up years of your life to bring the TARDIS back? How?" Sarah Jane asked.

"The TARDIS had been preparing me for the pregnancy long before I got pregnant. She'd been filling me with particles of her heart, of the time vortex I think. So my energy was able to be converted into her type of energy because of that," Freya explained to the best of her ability.

"But why?" Sarah Jane then asked.

"I couldn't expect the Doctor to be stuck on Earth. I knew when I did it I might die doing it, but he was going crazy. We'd been stranded for months when I did that. Even if it meant the end of my life, it meant he could continue to see the stars. That was all that mattered," Freya told Sarah Jane earnestly.

"We should probably get on that tour. Before we run out of time. I was going to break in tonight and do a search," Sarah Jane said, leaving her words hanging in the air. Freya nodded.

"We'll search tonight as well. I'll arrange for the Doctor to run into you. Maybe you can give him a good slap for leaving you behind," Freya offered. Sarah Jane laughed along with her.

"Maybe I will. Think it'll do any good?" Sarah Jane asked. Freya shook her head.

"My aunt halfway slapped him into a new regeneration when he brought me home a year late once. He didn't learn anything from it, except to stay away from my aunt," Freya said with a laugh.

Freya went to stand but the world spun. She sank back into her chair, closing her eyes tightly.

"Freya? Are you okay?" Sarah Jane asked, hurrying to her side. Freya nodded, slowly opening her eyes. The world had stopped spinning. She stood up slowly, glancing around the room.

"Yeah. Sorry. Dizzy for a moment," Freya said, glancing down at her wrist.

Six of the TARDIS's bracelet charms had dissolved.

"Should I go get someone?" Sarah Jane asked. Freya shook her head.

"Different sort of pregnancy. All sorts of odd things tend to happen. I'll be fine. Actually, what time is it?" Freya asked, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was about time for recess.

"1:25. Why?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Recess. All the teachers will be in the teacher's lounge. You can talk to a few of them if you want. Or you can see the Doctor," Freya offered. Sarah Jane stared at her for a moment.

"You're not upset I'm staying? That I want to get involved too, and see him again?" Sarah Jane asked. Freya shook her head.

"You knew him before I did. And you know the whole story. If I was in your shoes, I'd want to see him again as soon as possible," Freya pointed out. Sarah Jane stared at her for a moment before nodding.

"Yes. And you need to tell that husband of yours that you were dizzy," Sarah Jane added. Freya opened her mouth to protest but Sarah Jane shook her head.

"He'd rather know now than have you lose the baby, I'm certain," Sarah Jane said. Freya nodded uneasily. Getting dizzy couldn't mean she'd lose the baby…did it? What was she doing wrong?

"Calm down. No need panicking," Sarah Jane's voice cut through her haze. Freya shook her head and nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go find my husband before he sets something on fire out of boredom," Freya said, moving towards the door. She still felt a bit unsteady but focused on walking in a straight line.

"Wouldn't be the first time. That man's worse than a child sometimes," Sarah Jane scoffed.

"I'll say. He's worse in this body than he was before," Freya commented.

"Before? So he's regenerated since you've been with him?" Sarah Jane asked curiously. Freya nodded.

"Yeah. He was all leather and big ears before, back when we started travelling together. And when I got pregnant. I hope the baby doesn't inherit those big ears. The eyes I wouldn't mind though," Freya said with a grin.

"And now?" Sarah Jane prodded.

"You'll see," Freya teased back.

"You said it wasn't like romance with the two of you?" Sarah Jane asked curiously, whilst trying to appear nonchalant. Freya shrugged.

"Well…it wasn't. He's been more…romantic, I guess?...since he regenerated. You'll see. And he has been quite a bit…romantic, especially in the last few days. Since we got married, I guess," Freya said with a shrug.

"Oh," Sarah Jane said quietly.

"What about you? Any man in your life?" Freya asked. Sarah Jane shook her head.

"No. I've sort of…well, I pretty much put my life on hold, hoping he'd come back," Sarah Jane admitted.

"I'm sorry. I think I can see that. I get the feeling that that's what Rose did. My cousin," Freya tried saying.

"Why doesn't he take Rose with you two?" Sarah Jane asked curiously.

"She did a few times. At first she wanted to leave. Then she messed up big time. She still comes with us every now and then, but I don't think the Doctor wants her as a permanent member of the TARDIS gang," Freya said with a wink.

"The TARDIS gang. Sounds something from Scooby Doo," Sarah Jane said with a grin.

"He does like to travel with an entourage," Freya added.

"And at one point, he had a robot dog! I still have it!" Sarah Jane added. Freya couldn't help but giggle at that.

"And the TARDIS is sort of like the Mystery Machine," Freya managed to say around her giggles. She tried to stop them and only barely succeeded by the time she'd managed to push open the door to the teacher lounge.

Mr. Finch was in there as well. When he spotted Sarah Jane and Freya, he made his way over to them.

"How was the tour?" Mr. Finch asked. Sarah Jane shook her head.

"What I saw was wonderful. It turns out Mrs. Smith and I have a mutual acquaintance, so we got distracted in that. However, from what I've seen, I love what you're doing with the school. Mrs. Smith suggested I talk to some other teachers as well to get a better feel for the school," Sarah Jane said with a wide smile on her face. Mr. Finch nodded before turning to face the rest of the staff.

He cleared his throat, calling all attention to him.

"Excuse me, colleagues. A moment of your time. May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times. I thought it might be useful for her to get a view from the trenches, so to speak. Don't spare my blushes," he said with a smile before making his exit.

"You didn't tell me you were writing it on him," Freya whispered.

"I'm not," Sarah Jane whispered right back. Freya smiled at her. Sarah Jane's eyes flew up, widening.

Freya glanced up to see she was staring at the Doctor.

And the Doctor was staring right back at her.

Sarah Jane made her way over to the Doctor, Freya trailing along beside her.

"Hello," Sarah Jane said, smiling brightly at the Doctor. She glanced at Freya, who nodded.

"Oh, I should think so," the Doctor said smoothly. Freya shook her head.

"Sarah Jane, this is my husband, Mr. John Smith," Freya introduced. The Doctor's eyes widened, watching Sarah Jane carefully.

"John Smith. I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name," Sarah Jane said.

"Well, it's a very common name," the Doctor said, glancing at Freya.

"He was a very uncommon man. Nice to meet you," Sarah Jane said. The Doctor nodded

"Nice to meet you. Yes, very nice. More than nice. Brilliant," the Doctor rambled. Freya felt a stab in her gut but quickly waved it off. She was an old friend. Freya knew that. But still. It sort of hurt.

She ignored it, choosing instead to watch and keep up with their interaction.

"Er, so, er, have you worked here long?" Sarah Jane asked, glancing at Freya. Freya offered her a small smile, the best she could muster up at the moment. The Doctor didn't even notice.

"No. Er, it's only my second day," the Doctor said awkwardly.

"Oh, you're new then. So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum? So many children getting ill. Doesn't that strike you as odd?" Sarah Jane asked him intently.

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile," the Doctor said, a gleam already showing in his eyes.

"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here. Plus, your wife already mentioned she was curious about it as well," Sarah Jane said with a wink at Freya. Freya smiled back at her.

"Did she? Good for her. And good for you," the Doctor said, an almost loopy smile on his face now. Sarah Jane smile took out a small notepad and scrawled her number on it, thrusting it at Freya.

"I hope to see you again. Make sure to mention the dizzy spell," Sarah Jane told her before walking away.

"Good for you, Sarah Jane Smith," the Doctor said as she walked away. Once she was out of sight, he shook his head, eyes widening.

"What dizzy spell?" he asked Freya. Freya shook her head.

"I just got dizzy when I stood up earlier. It was nothing. Sarah Jane just said I ought to tell you. Said my husband ought to know if I felt ill," Freya said. She contemplated telling the Doctor that Sarah Jane knew who he was, but decided against it. It was Sarah Jane's job to tell him. She would get the chance to. And now that Freya had the woman's number, she planned on staying in touch with her.

Namely, she planned on calling her after school to tell her what time to break into the school to time her running into them the best.

"Did anything else happen?" the Doctor asked her.

"Six charms dissolved. But the dizzy feeling went away after that," Freya informed him. The Doctor shook his head, turning to a teacher he had been standing next to when Freya and Sarah Jane had entered the room.

"Gotta cut this break early. The wife needs to stay seated," the Doctor said with a grin.

"Good luck with that," the man said jovially.

"Why do I need to stay seated?" Freya asked as the Doctor escorted her out of the break room.

"Because if you are feeling dizzy, that could be an early symptom of a miscarriage. I don't want you leaving your office for anything until I come and get you at the end of the day. Once we're in the TARDIS, I'm doing a full body scan to make sure everything's okay," the Doctor told her.

"But I feel fine," Freya complained as the Doctor pushed open the door to her office. He led her to the seat and went as far as helping her sit down in the chair.

"Rather be safe than sorry," he informed her. Freya sighed and nodded.

"Is there anything I can get you before I leave?" the Doctor asked. Freya shook her head, but her stomach growled.

"Didn't we just eat?" the Doctor asked her, amused. Freya shrugged.

"I only ate chips. Everything else looked funny," Freya admitted. The Doctor nodded and started digging around in his pockets. He pulled out three bananas, all surprisingly still good.

"Here. Munch on these. They're good for you," the Doctor said with a grin before placing a kiss on her forehead. He headed for the door and gave her one last smile before leaving.

He was only gone for a few minutes when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Freya called. She considered opening the door but she knew if she did, it would be the Doctor at the door as some sort of a test.

It wasn't the Doctor. The door slowly opened to reveal the boy who'd come in that morning. Kenny. He looked just as nervous as he had that morning.

"Hey Kenny! How are you doing?" Freya asked him, keeping her voice as warm as she could. He shut the door firmly behind him and his eyes darted nervously around the room.

"Kenny? What's wrong?" Freya asked him.

"The teachers. There's something wrong with the teachers," Kenny whispered. Freya nodded.

"Why don't you sit down? I'd come over to you but my husband told me I'm not allowed to leave my chair til he comes back," Freya said, rolling her eyes. Kenny let out a tiny laugh but stifled it quickly.

"You aren't like them, are you?" Kenny asked fearfully, staring at her. Freya shook her head.

"I don't know what they are like, but I doubt it. Can you keep a secret?" Freya asked the boy. He nodded but still looked quite suspicious.

"My husband and I are here trying to solve the problem. We're gonna fix everything," Freya promised the boy.

"Do you promise?" Kenny asked her. Freya nodded solemnly.

"I do. Now. What's wrong with the teachers?" Freya asked the boy once more.

"They look like birds. Or bats. Bat birds. It's terrifying. I saw one. No one else notices. And they all act different. They act weird," Kenny admitted.

"Weird how?" Freya asked him, filing away what he said about the teachers.

"They like school. They like the extra work. They love it! Why do they love it? They didn't before. Before the new teachers arrived, everyone hated school. Now they love it," Kenny said. Freya nodded.

"I used to hate school as a kid too," she told him. He nodded.

"But why don't they?" Kenny asked. Freya shook her head.

"I don't know Kenny. But we're going to figure out. Now, are you skipping class?" Freya asked him, staring at the boy. Kenny lowered his head sheepishly.

"I appreciate you telling me what you know. If you notice anything else, tell me. Don't tell the other teachers. And don't let them know you're on to them. You don't want them to know you suspect them," Freya warned the boy. Kenny nodded quickly.

Freya pulled a notepad from her desk and scrawled a quick note.

"Here. Give this to your teacher. Tell him – or her – that your dog just died and you wanted to talk about it," Freya advised the boy. Kenny nodded and took the note, turning to make his way out of her office.

"Thank you, Mrs. Smith," he said as he paused in the doorway before taking off down the hallways.

After that, nothing happened. Freya was bored almost immediately, sitting at her desk for a few hours. By the time the Doctor showed up, she was nearly bouncing in boredom.

They met Rose and Mickey at the TARDIS and the Doctor left the two of them in the console room while he took Freya straight to the med-bay.

"Anything else? Felt any other symptoms since I saw you last?" the Doctor asked her as he helped her onto one of the tables. Freya shook her head.

"Nope. Nothing. I think the TARDIS fixed…whatever it was," Freya guessed.

"But what was it? That's the problem. Something nearly caused you to miscarry, and I want to know what it is so it doesn't happen again," the Doctor said. He started running a plethora of other tests.

And got no results.

Freya glanced down at her hand, only to jump.

The charm bracelet was almost as full as it had been right before the TARDIS broke down.

"Doctor," Freya called, staring at the bracelet. The Doctor was at her side instantly.

"That's not good. Something's gonna happen," the Doctor said, eyeing the bracelet.

"She isn't gonna die again, is she?" Freya asked nervously. The Doctor shook her head.

"No. But something at that school is causing you to nearly miscarry, and it's gonna do it again. I want you staying in here tonight," the Doctor said.

"No!" Freya shouted before she could stop herself. The Doctor eyed her suspiciously.

"I've been at the school already and it was just fine before now. I want to go. I've got protection," Freya pointed out, jiggling the bracelet. The Doctor stared at her intently for a moment before nodding.

"Fine. But I swear, if anything happens, I'm locking you in our room on the TARDIS until you give birth. Don't try me," the Doctor warned her. Freya nodded in agreement.

"I'll be careful and let you know if anything feels wrong," she promised. He nodded and helped her back off the table, leading her to the kitchen where Rose was making tea for them.

"So team, learn anything new?" the Doctor asked cheerfully as he plopped into a seat. The last seat at the table. Freya had no clue where the other seat was. It should have been there. Rose eyed the Doctor for a moment, and his eyes widened.

"Oh! We lost a seat. Freya, over here," the Doctor said, scooting back from the table and patting his lap.

"You want me to sit on your lap?" Freya asked dubiously. The Doctor nodded, obviously not understanding what was so off about that. Mickey just laughed at him. Freya sighed and tentatively sat down on his lap, only for him to reposition her.

"There. Now. News?" the Doctor asked once more, staring at Mickey and Rose.

Both of which were trying not to laugh at Freya. Her face turned a deep red color and she glanced down instantly.

"There's some sort of oil. It burnt one of them. They have barrels and barrels of it in the kitchen," Rose explained.

"I heard there was someone there today. A reporter, snooping around," Mickey added.

"Sarah Jane Smith," Freya said with a smile.

"I met her. Showed her around," Freya told them.

"Is she going to get in the way?" Mickey asked. Freya shook her head.

"Nah. She was just curious. She'll be fine. But I did talk to a student today," Freya said, happy to see all of them turn to her immediately.

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"Kenny. The boy I mentioned at lunch. He came back. Said the teachers look like some sort of bat bird things. And that the students all changed soon after the teachers arrived. Said they all love school now and they all hated it a few months ago," Freya supplied.

"So? Does that have anything to do with this?" Rose asked curiously.

"Everything new that's happened has something to do with this," the Doctor informed her solemnly. Freya nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of new, why were you guys in the medbay? Is something wrong?" Rose asked, staring at the two of them. Freya shrugged.

"Something at the school might have tried to trigger a miscarriage," Freya said.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked, immediately concerned. Freya nodded.

"TARDIS charm bracelet stopped it. There's something out there, though, that really didn't agree with the baby. And the TARDIS is anticipating it being a problem again," Freya told them, holding up the now-full bracelet. Mickey whistled.

"That's gotta weigh a ton," Mickey said. Freya shrugged, not really noticing the weight by now. She was used to it.

"Whatever it is, I'd like us to figure it out and stop it before it tries killing my baby again," the Doctor said vehemently.

"Are you coming with us?" Rose asked Freya. Freya nodded immediately.

"Yeah. With how he's acting, I'd figure he'd lock you in here until we solve this," Mickey said with a laugh.

"No. We agreed I'd go out with you," Freya said when the Doctor didn't respond.

The Doctor insisted she take a nap before it all happened and she ended up missing supper.

By the time she padded into the console room, she felt anger seep into her.

No one was there.

She rushed for the door, trying to open it, but nothing worked.

He'd lied to her.

He'd locked her in the TARDIS.

The Doctor felt bad. He really and truly did, but there was no way he was going to let Freya out when there was a risk that she'd lose the baby. Both Mickey and Rose kept shooting him looks of disapproval when they were certain he didn't see them, but he did.

And he didn't care. Because at least she was safe this way.

"Oh, it's weird seeing school at night. It just feels wrong. When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in the school," Rose said with a shudder.

"All right, team. Oh, I hate people who say team. Er, gang. Er, comrades. Anyway, Rose, go to the kitchen. Get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Maths teachers. Go and check out the Maths department. I'm going to look in Finch's office with Frey – alone. Be back here in ten minutes," he said as he spun around.

His side felt empty without her here along with him.

Still, he made his way through the hallways. He was almost to Finch's office when he saw someone skulking towards the TARDIS. His hearts lept and he veered off course, choosing to follow them instead.

It wasn't until they opened the closet that the TARDIS was in that he realized who it was.

Sarah Jane.

"Hello, Sarah Jane," the Doctor said. Sarah Jane spun around, eyes wide.

"Doctor. She told me it was you, but I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure til now. It really is you," Sarah Jane breathed.

"Who told you?" the Doctor asked sharply.

"Freya. She told me it was you. Where is she? She said she'd text me and let me know when to come, but she never did," Sarah Jane said, glancing around. The Doctor grabbed her arm and gently tugged her a ways from the closet, from the TARDIS.

"She was taking a nap, I'd supposed. I might have put her to sleep to make sure she didn't wake up when we left. Something nearly caused her to miscarry earlier. I'm not letting her out until I find out what it is and get rid of it," the Doctor explained.

"She's going to be furious," Sarah Jane said with a laugh.

"She will. But she'll be safe. That's what matters," the Doctor said before running a hand through his hair and staring at Sarah Jane.

"You look incredible," he said. And he meant it. It was amazing to see her, still so alive, still as adventurous as ever.

"I got old," Sarah Jane said dismissively. The Doctor winced at her words. Freya wouldn't get old.

She'd die first.

Sarah Jane's hand rested on his shoulder.

"Freya's a sweet girl. You'd bettered treasure your time with her," Sarah Jane warned. The Doctor nodded, glancing back towards the TARDIS.

"I want to. Did she…did she tell you anything about herself?" the Doctor asked. Sarah Jane nodded.

"She said her time's limited. Explained the whole mess to me," Sarah Jane said. The Doctor nodded, running a hand through his hair.

"I've considered dropping her off. She has an Estate now in Scotland, and a house outside of London. She wouldn't be alone. I'd be able to visit her, every minute of every day. Take her on adventures. Spend nights with her. But I could pace myself. Prepare myself. Because I don't think I could handle only twenty years with her. If I was able to do that, she'd never be without me, and I'd always have time I could pop back and see her," the Doctor said in a rush. Sarah Jane stared at him.

"You've been thinking about that for awhile," she stated. The Doctor nodded sheepishly.

"I want to be able to properly treasure every moment with her," he told Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane shook her head at him.

"Then don't do that. You know what she told me today? She told me you'd never just drop her off. Because she's got such limited time, she knows she'll spend every second with you," Sarah Jane explained. The Doctor nodded.

But he didn't dismiss the idea altogether.

The Doctor groaned.

Why couldn't Freya be there?

Sarah Jane and Rose were fighting.

Mickey was enjoying himself at the Doctor's expense.

At least, he was until the whole group of them made a mad dash for the doors.

"Those were the teachers. Freya mentioned them," Rose said as they reached the parking lot.

"When Finch arrived, he brought with him seven new teachers, four dinner ladies, and a nurse. Thirteen people, thirteen big bat people. Come on," the Doctor said.

"Come on? You've got to be kidding!" Mickey exclaimed as the Doctor tried leading them back to the school.

"I need the TARDIS. I've got to analyze that oil from the kitchen. And deal with my probably furious wife," the Doctor said.

"I might be able to help you with the first. I've got something to show you," Sarah Jane said with a smile.

"What, you don't have a magical solution for my second, more important problem?" the Doctor whined. Sarah Jane smiled and shook her head.

"You're on your own there," Sarah Jane said as she led them to her car. She opened up the back, revealing K-9. The Doctor's eyes widened.

"K-9! Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, F-, allow me to introduce K-9. Well, K-9 Mark Three to be precise," the Doctor said with a wide grin.

"Why does he look so disco?" Rose complained. The Doctor was completely offended. Freya wouldn't have thought K-9 was disco. She would have positively adored him.

"Oi! Listen, in the year five thousand, this was cutting edge. What's happened to him?" the Doctor asked Sarah Jane.

"Oh, one day, he just, nothing," Sarah Jane said casually, but she seemed upset about it. Good. He was glad she was upset over it. If she hadn't been, he would have felt sorry for poor K-9. He loved K-9.

"Well, didn't you try and get him repaired?" the Doctor asked critically.

"Well, it's not like getting parts for a Mini Metro. Besides, the technology inside him could rewrite human science. I couldn't show him to anyone," Sarah Jane stated, giving him a duh look.

He got that look a lot, come to think of it.

"Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you, eh?" the Doctor crooned, petting K-9 on the head affectionately.

"Look, no offence, but could you two just stop petting for a minute. Never mind the tin dog. We're busy," Rose said, irritated. The Doctor sighed and nodded.

Sarah Jane drove them to a coffee shop, where Rose and Mickey occupied themselves by eating fries while Sarah Jane and him worked on K-9.

They talked about light things, meaningless things, until Sarah Jane mentioned Freya.

"Isn't she a bit young for you?" Sarah Jane hedged carefully.

"Of course she's a bit young for me," the Doctor responded immediately.

"I don't mean anything bad. I love Freya. She's sweet. I'm just…oh Doctor, what are you going to do? What is she going to do? And the baby?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Everything will work out. It always does," the Doctor lied.

"She's going to be furious by the time you get back," Sarah Jane pointed out.

"And probably hungry. We should probably get her some chips. WAIT! Rose, what was the oil used for?" the Doctor asked, all but shouting across the café at Rose.

"The chips. Why?" Rose asked, puzzled. The Doctor smacked his head hard a few times.

"I'm such an idiot! She only ate the chips. That's the only thing she ate. The oil on the chips is what nearly caused her miscarriage," the Doctor exclaimed.

"Doctor, I've been eating the chips too," Rose said uncomfortably.

"But you're not pregnant with an alien baby. You should be fine. I guess we'll find out for sure in a few minutes," the Doctor said cheerfully. He turned around and connected what he hoped was the last wire. K-9 sparked back to life.

"Oh! Hey, now we're in business!" the Doctor cheered.

"Master," K-9 said.

"He recognizes me," the Doctor said happily. Sarah Jane smiled right back at him.

"Affirmative," K-9 replied.

"Rose, give us the oil," the Doctor said. He took the oil from her, ignoring her protests as he smeared it onto K-9's probe.

"Here we go. Come on, boy," the Doctor said anxiously.

"Oil. Ex ex ex extract. Ana ana analyzing," the tin dog repeated.

"Listen to him, man. That's a voice," Mickey teased.

"Careful. That's my dog," Sarah Jane warned, instantly defensive. Mickey threw up his hands in mock surrender.

"Confirmation of analysis. Substance is Krillitane Oil," K-9 said.

The Doctor paled.

"They're Krillitanes," the Doctor said.

"Is that bad?" Rose asked anxiously. The Doctor nodded.

"Very. Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad. Even worse, Freya's alone at the school with them on the loose," the Doctor said.

"And what are Krillitanes? And I thought you locked her in the TARDIS. Can they break into the TARDIS?" Sarah Jane asked, his anxiety rubbing off on her as well.

"They're a composite race. Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries, people you've invaded or have been invaded by. You've got bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever. The Krillatines are the same. An amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well. They cherry pick the best bits from the people they destroy. That's why I didn't recognize them. The last time I saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us except they had really long necks," the Doctor explained, thinking about how they'd manage to break into the school now.

"What're they doing here? And you never answered her second question," Rose pointed out.

"It's the children. They're doing something to the children. And no. They can't break in. But I know Freya. And I know she'll manage to break out. Probably before we can get there. And if she does and they realize what she has, they'll try to take the baby," the Doctor said darkly.

Freya was bored out of her mind.

She was hungry and frustrated, but she wasn't leaving the console room until she got out and gave the Doctor an earful. He'd promised she could come with them! And then he left her behind like some petulant child. Who did he think he was to make that decision for her?

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Freya shivered and pulled on the Doctor's leather jacket she'd worn before, the day she'd gotten married. The jacket had never made it out back to the wardrobe.

She crossed her arms and huffed, wincing as something dug into her side. Of course something dug into her side. It was the Doctor's old jacket. It was full of God knows how much junk. She reached into the pocket to move whatever was jabbing her out of the way.

And her hand closed around a sonic screwdriver.

Her smile was back.

She whipped it out and pointed it at the door, saying a silent prayer that whatever setting it was wouldn't blow up the door. Not that the Doctor didn't deserve that – but the TARDIS sure didn't.

She jumped in joy as the door swung open, outwards. Freya made a mad dash for the door, closing it firmly behind her. Her eyes caught sight of the sign on the door.

And it had opened outward.

Who knew? Freya was oddly not surprised that the TARDIS door was supposed to be opened outward. It would be just like the Doctor to have no clue how to open the door of the TARDIS correctly. All she knew was that she was going to open it right from now on.

She quietly crept out of the closet, glancing around. The Doctor wasn't anywhere in sight. And no one was screaming.

What if they left her there?

But where would they go? She had the TARDIS.

Two arms grabbed her, one hand covering her mouth before she could scream.

Freya's eyes widened as Mr. Finch walked casually around the corner.

"Ah. Mrs. Smith. We were just looking for you. We overheard an interesting conversation your husband was having," Mr. Finch said cheerfully. Freya winced and tried pulling away from them.

Her vision blurred and she was in a chair. In different room. Her head felt funny.

And there was a tiny hole in her arm. Someone had drugged her.

"What's going on?" Freya managed to get out.

"Joined us again? About time for it too. We finished our tests. Thought you'd be more valuable. We'll just end up using you as a bargaining chip. I'm sure your husband would do anything to keep you safe, right?" Mr. Finch asked, making his way in front of her. He motioned for someone to move closer and she felt a pinch in her arm once more.

She blinked.

When her eyes came back open, they widened in horror.

She was underwater.

Goggles were over her eyes and a tiny oxygen tank was hooked up to her mouth, but it was incredibly small. And her hands were tied to something heavy. She couldn't move. Her breathing increased at the realization.

She was going to drown.

She stared upward. She could make out distorted shapes along the edge of the water. The pool? She was in the pool? Of course she was in the pool. Freya tried slowing her breathing. Needed to conserve oxygen. Couldn't run out. The baby needed oxygen. She needed oxygen. But the air was already thinning...

"Where is she?" the Doctor shouted at Mr. Finch. Mr. Finch stared at the Doctor, his eyes calculating.

"Are you refusing to assist us?" Mr. Finch asked. The Doctor nodded.

"I am. Now give me back my wife!" he shouted angrily. Mr. Finch turned around to leave, ignoring the Doctor altogether. The Doctor started to shout something at him but he noticed something black in the pool. His attention turned to the pool and he felt his horror grow.

"She probably only has minutes left. Depends on how long she panicked when she woke up. When we meet again, you will be on our side," Mr. Finch said as he left the room. The Doctor threw his coat off and dove into the pool, kicking as hard as he could to get to the bottom.

When he got to her, her eyes were closed. He tried to pull her upward, only to realize the weights were holding her down. He reached for his sonic screwdriver, only to realize it was still in his coat…at the poolside.

He considered swimming up and getting it, but he didn't know how long she had. How long had it been? Had she run out of oxygen? He couldn't risk it. He tugged on the handcuffs.

And his eyes widened.

She was wearing his old jacket.

His hands immediately started pulling at the jacket, digging into the pocket. Sitting at the top was the spare sonic. He prayed it would still work underwater as he aimed it at the handcuffs.

They clicked open and the Doctor let out a joyful cry, only for water to rush into his lungs. Bad idea. Really bad idea. He pulled Freya upward instantly, ignoring the burn of water in his lungs.

He broke surface, sputtering as he heaved Freya up before scrambling over the edge as well. He tore the mask from her face and pressed his ear to her chest, eyes watching her lips.

She wasn't breathing.

And only one of her hearts was weakly beating. The Doctor breathed into her lungs before pressing down on her stopped heart a few times. Nothing. Panic started seeping into his mind as he gave her another breath. He pressed his forehead against hers as he continued pressing on her chest.

She was still there. Her spirit. He could feel her mind. She wasn't gone just yet. But she wasn't coming around. He felt for the baby's mind as he gave her another breath. The baby was panicking. Upset. Trying to move around. No. The baby wouldn't make it if he continued trying to move around. The Doctor sent a calming wave to the baby before giving Freya another deep breath.

He jerked back as she jerked upward, eyes nearly glazed and breath labored. He pressed his head against her chest, listening carefully. Both hearts beating again. Erratic, but beating. She was alive. She was alive, and she was safe. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, knowing he was probably hurting her but not caring.

She'd almost died. He didn't like how close she'd been to death. He was not okay with that. He wasn't ready to lose her.

He didn't know if he'd ever be.

She didn't say a word, and after a few moments, she went limp in his arms. He quickly pressed his forehead against her, sighing in relief when he realized she'd only passed out. She was fine. The baby was fine.

He let out a single sob of joy before stretching and grabbing his jacket, wrapping it around Freya's sopping form. He then scooped her up and carried her towards where he'd designated Sarah Jane and Rose to be. When he enters the room, the two of them are laughing.

"How's it going?" he asked them. Their laughing dries up when they see Freya.

"Oh my god. Is she…?" Rose drifted off in horror. The Doctor shook his head, allowing a smile on his face.

"No. Just unconscious. She's okay. Did you figure it out?" the Doctor asked. Both women shook their heads and the Doctor pulled the sonic from his jacket before making his way to them. A bell rings and Rose quickly goes to the door, turning away children who were trying to enter the room.

The Doctor starts looking wires around as he tried figuring out how to hack into the CPU. But it wasn't working. They must've deadbolted it. He couldn't believe it.

No. He could. He just wished they hadn't. He was hoping it'd be easier.

"I can't shift it," the Doctor said.

"I thought the sonic could open anything!" Sarah Jane protested. The Doctor shook his head.

"Anything except a deadlock seal. There's got to be something inside here. What're they teaching those kids?" the Doctor asked frantically.

"You wanted the program? There it is," Sarah Jane said, directing his attention to a screen on the wall. The Doctor spun and stared at it.

"Some sort of a code," he murmured, staring at it. As it started rearranging itself, the Doctor's eyes widened.

"No. No, that can't be," the Doctor breathed.

"The Skasis Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm," the Doctor said in horror.

"The Skasis what?" Sarah Jane asked.

"The God maker. The universe theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control," the Doctor said in horror.

"What, and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked with a frown. The Doctor nodded.

"Yes. And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil. That oil from the kitchens, it works as a, as a conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer," the Doctor said. He glanced over at Freya, to see her starting to stir.

"But that oil's on the chips. I've been eating them. Me and Freya've been eating them," Rose said in horror.

"What's fifty-nine times thirty-five?" the Doctor asked her offhandedly.

"Two thousand and sixty-five," Freya said at the same time as Rose. Rose's eyes widened and she rushed over to Freya, instantly trying to help the girl sit up.

"But why use children? Can't they use adults?" Sarah Jane asked as she made her way to Freya as well.

"No, it's got to be children. The God maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code, they're using their souls. If they'd tried using my unborn child for it, I'd destroy every one of them," the Doctor promised.

"Let the lesson begin. Think of it, Doctor. With the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it," Mr. Finch said from the doorway. The Doctor spun, taking an automatic step in Freya's direction, blocking him from Mr. Finch's view.

"Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mr. Finch? Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are," the Doctor spat.

"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order? Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good?" Mr. Finch pointed out.

"What, by someone like you? Someone who uses innocent children and tried to murder my wife and child?" the Doctor hissed angrily.

"No. Someone like you. The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God at my side. Imagine what you could do. Think of the civilizations you could save. Perganon, Assinta. Your own people, Doctor, standing tall. The Time Lords reborn," Mr. Finch said. The Doctor glanced back at Freya, who still looked incredibly out of it. No matter what Mr. Finch was saying, it didn't matter. Not after what he'd done to Freya.

"Doctor, don't listen to him," Sarah Jane begged.

"And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young, fresh, never wither, never age, never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us. Join us and your wife will never have to die," Mr. Finch urged.

"I could save everyone," the Doctor murmured, his eyes drifting back to Freya. If he did that, if he agreed, Freya would never have to leave him. None of his companions would. He'd never have to say goodbye again.

The TARDIS would get crowded awfully fast.

"Yes. You could," Mr. Finch urged.

"I could stop the war," the Doctor added, mulling over that as well. He wouldn't have had to destroy his people. He wouldn't have to save everyone all the time.

"No," Sarah Jane spoke up, drawing his attention to her. Freya was trying to stand, with Sarah Jane helping her carefully.

"The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relationship, everything has its time. And everything ends," Sarah Jane told him, swallowing as she did. The Doctor didn't say anything but grabbed a chair and threw it as hard as he could at the screen. The code faded from the smashed screen as the Doctor turned and picked up Freya, all but throwing her over his shoulder.

"Out! Everyone out!" he shouted. He took off running, leading them down the stairs where they nearly collided with Mickey and a little boy, the one the Doctor was sure Freya had been talking about before.

"What's going on?" Mickey asked, sounding slightly out of breath. The Doctor shook his head, taking off down the hallway once more as he heard a screech from behind them. He assumed everyone was following him. As they entered the canteen, the little boy spoke up.

"Are they my teachers? Did they hurt Mrs. Smith?" Kenny asked worriedly. The Doctor nodded.

"Yeah. Sorry. They are. And they did," he said.

"We need the Doctor alive. As for the others? You can feast," Mr. Finch said from down the hallway. The Doctor winced at that. He tried moving them under a table, but as a Krillitane swooped down at them, it was blasted with a laser beam.

"K-9!" Sarah Jane cheered.

"Suggest you engage running mode, mistress," the tin dog said.

"Why is there a robot dog?" Freya asked, her breath tickling his ear as they took off running.

"Don't diss my dog," the Doctor said immediately.

"K-9, hold them back!" the Doctor ordered.

"Affirmative, master. Maximum defense mode," K-9 said. The Doctor hurried them through a door and sealed it shut. He spun around, realizing they were in the physics lab.

"It's the oil. Krillitane life forms can't handle the oil. That's it! They've changed their physiology so often, even their own oil is toxic to them. How much was there in the kitchens?" the Doctor asked Rose, shifting Freya so she was in his arms rather than over his shoulder.

"Barrels of it," Rose said.

"I'm confused," Freya admitted.

"Krillitanes bad. Oil bad for them. We need oil," the Doctor summarized quickly. Freya, he was glad to say, just nodded along with him.

"Okay. We need to get to the kitchens. Mickey," the Doctor said, turning to Mickey.

"What now, hold the coats?" Mickey asked bitterly. The Doctor shook his head, taking a step towards Mickey.

"Get all the children unplugged and out of school. With Freya. We'll be the targets, not you. Get her out," the Doctor said, handing Freya to Mickey. Freya's hands immediately latched onto Mickey. She seemed to be starting to fully regain her senses, but the Doctor wasn't about to try making her run along with them.

The first thing Freya was fully conscious of was a fire alarm going off. It made her wince and she gripped whatever she was holding tighter. Then it was moving, moving fast. She opened her eyes to see that she was in Mickey's arms. Everything was a blur. Water. All the water, surrounding her. Then the Doctor. Air. Lack of air. Now air. Bat things. A robot dog.

Mickey crashed into a classroom, setting Freya down in a chair quickly before turning to the students.

"Okay, listen everyone. We've got to get out of here," Mickey said. But none of the students even glanced up at him. They were glued to their computer screens.

"The power. Cut off the power," Freya suggested, eyes trying to find the power cords. Mickey's eyes lit up and he ran for the wall, pulling a large plug from the wall. All of the screens shorted out. The children blinked hazily.

"Everyone get out. Now!" Mickey shouted. The children jumped up, startled, but did as he said.

"Come on, move! Let's go! Let's go!" Mickey shouted as he grabbed Freya, scooping her up none too gently as he took off running after the children, calling into other classrooms where students weren't hooked up. They burst into the school yard where even more students were standing awkwardly.

"Come on, guys! Let's go, let's go! Run!" Mickey shouted, pointing towards the outside of the school. They burst through, Mickey and Freya bringing up the rear just as the school exploded. Mickey's grip on Freya tightened as they made their way to Rose and Sarah Jane.

The Doctor slowly joined us, going straight to Sarah Jane.

"I'm sorry," he told her simply. She was staring at the building in horror.

"It's all right. He was just a daft metal dog. It's fine, really," she said, wiping her eyes quickly before bursting into tears. The Doctor wrapped her arms around her.

And Freya slipped back off into sleep.

When she woke up, she was on the pilot seat.

"You've redecorated," Sarah Jane's voice drifted in. Freya sat up slowly. Everyone was in the TARDIS, Sarah Jane just inside the door.

"Do you like it?" the Doctor asked her, a grin on his face.

"Oh, I do. Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but yeah. It'll do," Sarah Jane said.

"I love it," Rose said, patting a coral strut. Sarah Jane's eyes found Freya.

"Hey! Are you feeling better? You had us terrified," Sarah Jane said, rushing to pull Freya into a hug. She laughed and hugged Sarah Jane back.

"I just feel tired and a bit hungry. Are you going to come with us for awhile?" Freya asked hopefully, glancing up at the Doctor. The Doctor's eyes widened for a moment and he nodded.

"We're about to head off, but you could come with us," the Doctor offered, a sparse look of hope splattered across his face.

"No. I can't do this anymore. Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead. Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own," Sarah Jane said with a chuckle. The Doctor smiled back at her.

"Can we come?" Mickey asked hopefully. Sarah Jane jumped slightly, staring at him in confusion.

"No, not with you, I mean with you. Doctor. Because I'm not the tin dog, and Rose hasn't shut up about you in ages. I want to see what's out there," Mickey said. The Doctor glanced at Freya, as if expecting her to protest. Freya nodded in excitement at the thought.

"Okay then. I could do with a laugh," the Doctor said with a shrug. Rose hugged Mickey tightly before releasing him and hugging the Doctor as well, her face nearly splitting from the smile that had erupted.

"Freya," Sarah Jane said, drawing Freya's attention to her.

"Yeah?" Freya asked. Sarah Jane was speaking quietly, as if she didn't want to be overheard.

"If he ever drops you off like the idiot that he is, call me. Call me, no matter when or where you are. Not that he'd leave you behind for long, if he did, but if he ever does, let me know. We could spend time together and curse his name for awhile," Sarah Jane said with a smile.

Sarah Jane's words made Freya feel uneasy. Was he planning on doing that? Leaving her behind? Would he? Could he? She hoped he wouldn't. She didn't think she could dare imagine that.

Still, Freya swallowed and nodded.

The Doctor and Sarah Jane left the TARDIS to talk and Mickey and Rose wandered off as well. When the Doctor came back into the TARDIS, they took off. And then he looked at Freya.

The intensity in his expression nearly knocked her over. There were so many emotions bouncing about in his brown eyes that it nearly made her dizzy to stare at him. And then his lips were on hers, kissing her as if it were his last chance to do so. The kiss terrified her.

It felt like the kiss he'd given her before he'd sent her away at the Game Station. When he stopped, he pressed his forehead against hers, eyes closed, almost as if he were just reveling in feeling her next to him. His mind slowly drifted to hers, not searching, just hovering in her own.

"I thought I'd lost you for a moment," the Doctor admitted. Freya closed her own eyes, her breathing slowly matching his own.

"You weren't breathing. Your hearts were not working. But you were still there. You and the baby were still there. And you made it. But you scared me. You properly terrified me, the two of you. I thought I'd lost you. Please. Next time I leave you in the TARDIS, don't leave. Please. Don't do this to me again," the Doctor begged.

"You should have told me. Just told me I had to stay. You'd agreed I could go," Freya pointed out quietly.

"But you shouldn't have. If they'd manage to harness the baby's mind, they could have solved the Skasis Paradigm, what they were trying to solve, without a moment of hesitation. We're lucky they didn't realize they could, that they had no way of harnessing the baby's mind. Please," the Doctor begged her. Freya didn't want to say anything, but she finally nodded.

"If you tell me to stay in the TARDIS, I will. You aren't going to lock me in here though, are you? Not like you said you would if something happened?" Freya asked nervously. The Doctor let out a shaky laugh.

"I make no promises. You unnerve me. But I'd rather have you at my side if I can. If I can't, you're staying on the TARDIS. Now, you're going to get a good night's sleep in my arms and if I wake up and you're not there, I might very well lock you in the bedroom until you've had the baby," the Doctor warned her. Freya couldn't help but smile as he pulled her into another tight hug.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Thanks for the reviews. I will say that I am not adding any M content to the story. :( I'm sorry to those of you who really wanted some. I just don't feel comfortable writing that and I've had other readers express their desire not to see it. I apologize for that, but I hope you still like the story.

As well, I want to let you know that I do not plan on stopping the story. I really enjoy writing it. Just be forewarned that at times updates may slow down a bit. I've tried to keep the updates anywhere from 3 to 7 days in between each, depending on how much motivation I had to get the next chapter done.

***For your own amusement, I recommend you google Arthur Darvill singing Let it Go. It will brighten your entire day. Trust me on that. I watch it on repeat. :)***

On that note, please review!

Andi