Part Three

The Doctor stumbled around for excuses. He could tell the man wasn't from a future century. "Early 1900's." he thought. "Sea captain. From Canada." "How did you get here?" the Doctor asked. "Well I was out in my boat." the old man began. " It was a stormy, winter night. I was going back to port when the wind swept me overboard. I struggled against the waves and the storm. I fainted and when I awoke I was here." " Was there someone here when you arrived?" Jane asked the old captain. "Yes,miss." he replied remembering. " A man with a long flowing gold garment.

" An Eternal." the Doctor mumbled. " He told me I must take care of the lighthouse, I must guard and protect it. He also told me when someone else arrives it is their turn to guard the lighthouse." " What happened to the man after that?" the Doctor asked further questions. The old captain searched his thoughts, " He explained the lighthouse to me and how it works. Then he taught me about the sonar. After that he disappeared like a ghost." The Doctor asked, "Has he came back at all since?" "No never." replied the old captain. "And I've been here four forty years."

The Doctor could tell the captain was desperate to get out. He probably had a family but his first love was the sea. The Doctor was also puzzled about the man being here for forty years. If his theory was correct the lighthouse was outside of time. He then could fix the TARDIS, get back to wherever and bring the captain back home at the right time. If his theory was wrong, bringing back the captain to his time line would in fact put a wound on time. The Doctor then recalled what happened at the church with Rose when she saved her father from his death. He didn't want to do that again.

He then asked the captain a simple question, "Does the sun ever come out?" The captain quickly said back. " No never. It's always night and the stars are always out." "Yes! Good." the Doctor shouted. "What is it?" Jane asked. " Excuse us for a moment." the Doctor pulled Jane aside. " He doesn't realize that he's outside of time." the Doctor started to explain. " He thinks he's been here for forty years. In a way he has but this place has no sense of time. When we take him home it will be like he never left." " Just like you promised me." Jane said thinking of home. She was starting to get a little homesick but still she was enthralled at being on this adventure with the Doctor.

" Yeah exactly." the Doctor replied. " He's been like suspended here.... limbo." The Doctor then put his attention back toward the captain, " We can get you home." The captain was puzzled, "But the man in the robe said he would take me home." the captain replied. The Doctor gave the captain a grave look, " I'm so sorry." he said. " He never meant to take you home."

"What do you mean?" the captain shouted, "He promised!" "It's all a game." the Doctor explained putting his hand on the captain's shoulder, "They meant to keep you here forever."

The captain started to weep, "I'll never see my family again." "No,no,no." the Doctor said with encouragement. "This place...this place isn't a part of time. You've been suspended. I can take you back to your family and they'll never know you've been gone." The captain stared at the Doctor in amazement, "You would do that for me,sir?" he asked. "I will." replied the Doctor confirming the promise. "Thank you,sir,Oh! Thank you so much!" the captain shouted hugging the Doctor. "Now what do we do now,Doctor?" asked Jane. " Back to the TARDIS." the Doctor said leading the way. They ran to get there quickly so the Doctor could get to work.

"I just need to fix a few kinks and switch the converter back to time travel." the Doctor explained. "Time travel?" the captain asked. "Yes!" replied the Doctor. "I can travel through time and space. I'm a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey." " A spaceman is going to save my life?" the captain said, "My wife is not going to believe this!" "Probably best not to tell her,sir." Jane remarked.

"There's the TARDIS!" the Doctor said pointing to the blue box. "What's that? Is that your "time machine"? The captain said,shivering at just the thought of time travel.

Suddenly, a white light appeared. The Doctor, Jane, and captain all fell down. All they heard was a voice, "Your not leaving just yet,Doctor!"

The final part will be up soon. Comments are appreciated. :)