Leela kept looking over her shoulder as the group made their way through the woods. She thought of Castle Gracht far behind them, thought of her Doctor. A sharp quiver went through her stomach. Did the Daleks get him? Could he be . . .

She gritted her teeth, not wanting to think about it. Her gaze shifted to the War Doctor, who trudged past the trees and pushes. If he was here, then her Doctor was fine.

But time was in flux. Whatever had happened on Tara when her Doctor visited had been altered. Count Grendel was not supposed to have died, yet he did. Who could say the same wouldn't happen to the Doctor?

But if he had been killed on Tara, then this Doctor wouldn't be here. I might not even be on Tara. Or are we connected by some time . . . thing? Maybe those changes won't happen unless my Doctor dies in the here and now.

She snorted and scowled. Ten years she had lived on Gallifrey, and she still couldn't come close to grasping all the intricacies of time.

Leela decided to simplify it. So long as the War Doctor was around, that was good. If he faded out of existence, that would be very, very bad.

She shoved a branch out of her way, following Romana. They stayed within the forest, giving them cover from any Daleks that might be on patrol. She checked on the others. The Doctor tramped along. The skin around his eyes sagged. His lips were pressed in a tight line. He looked morose, moreso than usual.

Tupper slid around the trees and brush, his eyes darting in all directions, scanning for threats, like any seasoned warrior.

Iniya and Lamia brought up the rear. The Taran struggled to keep up with the group. A sheen of sweat coated her narrow features. She grimaced and breathed heavily. Leela imagined the woman was not used to this sort of physical exertion.

Iniya appeared to cast a wary eye on many of the bushes and branches around her. If her sleeve caught on them, she jerked it away.

Leela shook her head. Aside from the Doctor, Iniya was the smartest person she'd ever met. But a life spent on the Mars colony made her uncomfortable around nature.

I wonder what she'd do on my homeworld. The planet of the Sevateem tribe was more heavily forested than Tara.

Romana halted, moving her head left to right. "We should be about a mile from the TARDIS."

"Are you sure?" the Doctor growled.

Romana swung around, thin eyebrows knitted together, looking offended. "Yes, I'm sure."

"I hope so. The more we wander around these woods, the more we risk the Daleks getting this segment of the Key to Time." He patted the left side of his jacket, where he kept the stone.

"You don't need to remind me how important it is to keep it away from the Daleks," Romana replied in a curt tone. "I am the one traveling with you – or rather, your former self – while we look for these segments."

Head held high, Romana strode through the woods, quicker than before.

Leela stared at the Doctor, who didn't seem bothered by Romana's reaction. It hadn't been the first time he had been short with someone. Even her Doctor had a sharp tongue, though he only used it on fools or enemies. This Doctor, however, seemed quick to insult anyone who tried his patience in the slightest. She had raised the issue to him a couple of times in the past. His answer had been, "The whole of creation is threatened by the Daleks. You'll forgive me if I don't concern myself with pleasantries."

"I know regeneration can result in extreme changes to a Time Lord's personality, but this . . ." Romana glanced back at the Doctor, then looked to Leela.

She gave the redheaded Gallifreyan a half-smile. "I know. He is . . . much different from the Doctor I knew. It's still hard to accept him like this."

"Well, in some ways, it's hard to accept the present version of the Doctor. He actually went fishing while we were supposed to be looking for the fourth segment."

Leela softly chuckled. That was the Doctor she knew, and missed. "How is he doing? My Doctor? Our doctor?"

"Oh, he excels at trying my patience," said Romana. "Rushes into dangerous situations before thinking, rarely takes things seriously."

"In other words, exactly the same as when I traveled with him."

Romana grinned as she avoided a tree. "So how did you end up with the Doctor again?"

"He came to Gallifrey one day and told me about the Time War. He said he needed companions who were exceptional warriors, who could help him defeat the Daleks."

"Did you have a family when the Doctor returned?"

Leela nodded. "Two children. Taras, he's seven, and Epela, she's five."

"Even with two children to care for, you still decided to go with the Doctor?"

"What choice did I have? If the Daleks win the Time War, they're dead. Everyone's children are dead."

Her left arm grazed a protruding branch. A sharp blade of pain shot up and down her arm. She bared her teeth, trying to ignore it.

"Are you all right?" asked Romana.

"I'm fine." Leela's arm was definitely broken. Not that she could do much about it now. Getting to the TARDIS and keeping the segment safe was all that mattered.

Besides, she'd endured worse pain than this in her life.

Romana nodded, but gave her a doubtful look. "What about your other two companions?"

"We came across Tupper on Earth during their Second World War. His unit was fighting off Daleks who were searching for a crashed TARDIS in Europe. Iniya was a detective on the Mars colony in the 23rd Century when the Daleks attacked it. The Doctor thought they could help us in the Time War."

"It seems like that war has taken its toll on him." Romana glanced back at him.

Leela lowered her head. "This war, it's like nothing I ever thought possible. It stretches over centuries. Whole planets have been destroyed. The stakes are so high. It all weighs on him."

The ground sloped away to Leela's right. She paused, making sure of her footing. She spoke again when she and Romana moved away from the slope. "It also seems . . ."

"Seems like what?" asked Romana.

Leela chewed on her lip before continuing. "Even when I traveled with the Doctor, he was forced to take lives. That was also true long before I knew him. I imagine it was true long after I stopped traveling with him. At times, I feel like all that death, all those battles, all that guilt and loss. It's as if it gave birth to a living being . . . this Doctor."

Romana swung her head from the Doctor to Leela. "An interesting way of looking at it. I know our Doctor has his faults, but I can't imagine him -"

"Madame Lamia, watch it!" Iniya blurted.

A scream went up behind Leela. Lamia toppled over the slope and rolled toward the bottom. She came to a halt, lying still.

"Madame Lamia." Iniya looked over the edge. She moved forward, then stopped, her face tightening in hesitation.

She's probably afraid she'll fall, too. Leela hurried over. "I'll get her."

"Oh for Rassilon's sake," the Doctor growled, the muttered. "We should have left her back at the castle."

Leela turned to him, her face scrunched in shock and disgust. She couldn't imagine her Doctor ever saying something like that.

"Don't look at me like that," said the Doctor. "We can't afford to waste time getting to the TARDIS."

"Then keep going." Leela waved them on. "I'll catch up with you."

The Doctor grunted. "Very well, but be quick about it."

Slinging the crossbow over her shoulder, Leela started down the slope, arms out, balancing herself as she moved on the uneven ground. Below her, Madame Lamia stirred. She slowly sat up, grimacing, then crying.

Leela grew weary of the crying.

"Are you all right?"

Lamia looked up at her, cheeks stained with tears. "I . . . I think so."

When Leela reached her, she gave her a quick examination. The Taran said she was sore in many places, but didn't seem to have any serious injuries.

"Come on. Let's go, and be careful."

She helped Lamia to her feet and up the slope. The Taran's jaw stiffened, then she said in a forced tone, "Thank you."

Leela nodded. The two women set off through the woods. Neither spoke. Leela peered through the trees. She saw the Doctor, Tupper, and Iniya crossing an open field. Just beyond them was the TARDIS.

Her shoulders loosened. The tension dissolved from her muscles. The segment would be safe from the Daleks.

She saw the Doctor reach into his pocket for the TARDIS key. Leela opened her mouth, ready to shout to him they were on their way.

A blinding white flash enveloped the trio and the TARDIS.

Leela threw up her right arm and turned away. Bright spots floated across her vision. Seconds passed before she blinked and looked back at the field. Fear clutched her chest.

The Doctor, Tupper, Iniya, and the TARDIS had all vanished.

TO BE CONTINUED