The impact had been catastrophic; the last thing River remembered was being thrown about in a shower of blue splinters.

"River!" the Doctor cried from underneath a large chunk of Tardis. Hearing a loud tapping beneath him he shuffled to look down beneath the glass floor. River was stood looking up at him, hands on her hips, "What are you doing down there?" he asked indignantly pushing the debris from on top of him, "I could have died up here... save yourself why don't you... don't worry about me," He stood up brushing the dust and wood splinters from him.

"Well that's just brilliant isn't it...!" he cried waving his arms around, "Just what it needed... a big... hole!"

River joined him in examining what exactly had crashed into the Tardis.

"Doctor... Is that a...?"

"...a Dodgem car..." he sighed in disbelief as he stared at the bright purple and yellow car on its side half hidden underneath the ruins of the time machine.

"Doctor... what in the name of sanity have we crashed into?"

Climbing out through the hole that the Dodgem had created it soon became clear to them. A large wheel loomed up out of the darkness, an array of tent shapes surrounded it, flags strung merrily between them flapping in the wind.

"It's a carnival!" he exclaimed, "HaHaa! Look at it...! A travelling... space... carnival! ... I haven't seen one of these in... Years"

"How did we hit a carnival?" River frowned.

"Oh they travel at alarming speed... schedules to keep... I didn't think any of these still existed" He turned to view the hole in the side of the Tardis, "What... a... beauty!" he exclaimed.

"Hey you!" a deep voice yelled over what apparently seemed like a megaphone. Spotlights darted over the time travellers. The Doctor turned and raised his hand to shield his eyes, looking up towards the lights.

"Halloo!" the Doctor cried waving his arm around wildly, "You crashed into my blue box! Any help down here...? Hallooo!"

In front of his face suddenly flew a hovering megaphone, "Whatta doin' here?" the voice from it yelled loudly, it echoed around them.

"You crashed into my time machine!" the Doctor cried standing to one side. His hair was blowing about in the rough breeze, he pushed it out of his face as he pointed, "There... you see... a big hole in my blue box!"

"Time machine? Only wealthy folks own them!"

"I'm a Time Lord!" the Doctor explained still shouting over the wind noise.

"Time Lords are extinct we was told"

"I'm the last one! I'm the Doctor"

"Last one? Don't move sec"

They stood confused for a minute or two, River gave him a meaningful look, to which he responded with a casual shrug of his shoulders, "Exciting enough for you?" he asked in best sarcastic tone.

"Doctor... over there," she nudged him, his eyes followed the direction in which she was pointing. He squinted through the bright lights just able to make out a short, squat figure waddling towards them. He was wearing a very dusty and tattered top hat and tails, the tails were worn and frayed clearly due to being constantly dragged along the floor. The man waddled right up to the Doctor the top of his hat barely came high enough to tickle the Time Lord's ears.

"Last one you say? Like a one of a kind sorta deal"

"You could say that..."

"And you've come to join us... lotsa folks would pay a fortune t'see a Time Lord"

"Uh sadly not... no"

Without warning the spotlights began to fly around quickly, a whizzing alarm promptly accompanied it. It seemed to terrify the short man stood before him. The Doctor eyed his pale face with suspicion before turning his head once more skywards in search of the cause.

"C'mon we gotta get inside" The short man turned and began to scuttle off in the direction he'd come from. The Doctor instantly began to follow, River's strong grip held him back slightly.

"Doctor... what about the Tardis?"

"Don't worry it just needs time to repair itself... a day or two and we'll be on our way... look" She turned around, already yellow time energy was surrounding the hole. He grabbed her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers as he pulled her swiftly after the strange, short man. He'd entered a small dirty looking red and white stripy tent. Inside was tiny with only a circular steel rail indicating the presence of steep spiral steel steps leading down into the heart of the carnival ship. It didn't look particularly inviting she had to admit but River Song took the initiative and led the way onto the first few steps.

"As long I don't have to meet a clown..." the Doctor muttered behind her feeling his way by loosely letting his hand slide over the thin railing. River tutted loudly shaking her head, he'd been locked away in the Pandorica by all of his enemies combined, and still managed to get away, and yet the thought of a clown made him withdraw like a terrified puppy.

"Some oncoming storm you're turning out to be," she whispered over her shoulder disdainfully. The Doctor rolled his eyes in annoyance, "... and don't you roll your eyes at me..." she added without turning around. Reaching the bottom of the steps the Doctor found himself even more interested and intrigued, the ship was a lot bigger than he'd imagined. Caravans and motor homes from every period of time imaginable were lined up as far as his eyes could see. Kneeling down and setting his hand on the artificial grass he smiled, nothing had changed since he'd last been on board a space carnival.

"I'm Teddy by the way. I own the carnival," the familiar New York accent explained as the short man from the surface waddled up to them.

"River Song," the Doctor said side stepping slightly as he introduced River, "And I'm the Doctor... tell me Teddy... Why the lock down?"

"Sheesh I've owned this place for a good two turns now... it's been this way since I took over the business from my old man. An it was this way when he took over from his old man. Ya don't ask questions Doctor... ya just follow the rules"

"So you don't know... Does that not seem... a bit... weird to you?"

"Look you guys are here now. I can't let ya go up top 'til the alarm goes again okay... make yourself at home here... then ya gotta leave" with a last nervous look Teddy retreated disappearing into the mass of trailers.

The Doctor and River looked at each other, the excited glint in his eye reminded River of why he wasn't allowed to go anywhere alone. They were absolutely guaranteed to get into trouble on this ship... at least it didn't come as a shock to her anymore.