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"What am I meant to ask him?"

"I don't know, how about; are you signed up to any weird assignments at the moment?"

"Yeah because that doesn't sound suspicious at all Doctor." Phil crossed her arms over her tartan pinafore dress. She looked down at her white creepers and then up at him. "Honestly, I may as well just follow suit and do what you do." The Doctor looked at her confused while walking down from the console to the front door.

"Which is?"

"Wing it!"

"Yes," he nodded and opened the door. "I do wing most things."

"You do, maybe I should jump on the bandwagon." Phil walked down the stairs and around the console. Straightening her long white shirt sleeves out she looked up at him. "What will you do?"

"Stay in here." Phil raised an eyebrow at him. "What? I will! I'm not snooping out there in Cornwall. I have no need to, if I am seen by Nick he will get suspicious."

"We're using that word a lot."

"I know," The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and looked at her. "Be careful."

"He's my best friend, what is he gonna do?"

"Phil, regardless if he's your best friend or not, he will follow orders. Ties to family and friends usually don't matter." Phil looked worriedly out of the TARDIS doors. "He's a bounty hunter remember? He's not meant to really have close connections to anyone."

"On second thoughts," Phil said while backing away from the door. She didn't get to far because The Doctor grabbed a hold of her arm and pushed her carefully out of the door.

"Just ask him if he's up to anything."

"Just like that?"

"Heck why not? You may need to be blunt considering he has already said that you'd be imprisoned along with me. For once I give you permission to be self centred and only care for yourself." The Doctor leant against the door frame and smiled at her. Waving his hands in her direction he nodded to the street. "Shoo! Get going Phil! The sooner we're done here the sooner we can see if there's a way to stop whatever is meant to happen."

"Ok!" Phil saluted him, she took a few steps forward and stopped when she heard the doors to the TARDIS shut. Walking backwards she turned on her heels and knocked on the door.

"Why Phil that was unexpectedly quick! How'd it go?"

"You're not going anywhere are you?"

"No, I promise you I shall be here when you return. Now get going." He smiled and watched her turn away, only when she stood staring up at him for a few seconds. Once she was happy he was telling the truth she took off walking down the street.


"I didn't know you were down. Where's Doc?"

"He's busy." Phil said while entwining her hands behind her back. "Can I come into my home?"

"Sure!" Nick shuffled out of the way, Phil frowned and walked in. Walking towards the living room she sat down on the sofa. "What brings you here then on a solo visit? He even allows you to go off on your own? Shocking."

"Nick stop being mean!"

"Sorry," Nick laughed and slouched down in a nearby chair. "So what brings you here to see little old me?"

"I was thinking." Phil fidgeted slightly and turned to look at him. "Your friendly words back then."

Nick raised an eyebrow at her. "How enigmatic of you Phil. You could be talking about any friendly words I've said to you. Back then could class as anything as well."

"Planet Vega, ring a bell?"

"Yup, now I know what you're on about."

"I'm going to just come out and ask, are you up to anything?"

"Why? Oh!" Nick leant forward in the chair and narrowed his eyes at her. "He sent you here? Great, how bloody typical."

"Well...not to be funny...but like...you're one of them and if anyone would know what's going on it would be you." Nick looked less than happy at her words. "Sorry Nick but it's the truth! Do you know what your kind plan to do to this place?"

"What are you on about Phil?" Nick said generally confused, Phil frowned and tensed slightly. Nick had no idea about the destruction of the U.N.I.T base or the apparent destruction of London which she'd seen and drawn.

"It doesn't matter."

"Oh who are you trying to fool? You don't say something that serious and act like it's nothing. What are you on about?"

"I have seen the destruction of London, and of a U.N.I.T base. Ironically Colonel said that other bases had been broken into. From security footage the people breaking in wore exactly the same uniform as you." Nick frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "What are you lot up to?"

"Phil stop talking for just a second." He pointed a finger at her. "Stop talking like you're him. Do you know how much you sound like him? It's utterly terrifying." Nick shuddered and looked at her quickly before looking to the television which had some film on it. "Ok not terrifying but it's disturbing. You're human Phil, don't forget that. What is happening, or apparently is about to happen is most likely something which you could never understand. So just don't bother."

"You know what's going on don't you?"

"No! I'm a bounty hunter, I am not a guard. Nor am I in the army, I am a bounty hunter. To be one is basically to be on the outside looking in. No one trusts someone with my profession because we can be double crossers." Nick said putting a lot of emphasis on the words 'double crossers', Phil looked at him sadly. "Hint hint." Nick stood up, Phil stood up too and looked at him.

"Sorry."

"I know, I am too." He smiled, Phil jumped when her phone buzzed in her pinafore dress pocket. Pulling it out she flicked to the text message, it was from Darren. Maybe he possibly heard the TARDIS and went down there to see if she was there?

"They're on the move. U.N.I.T are too." Phil frowned and tensed slightly, "I shouldn't be peering into this stuff anymore. I don't want to come across more crickets. But U.N.I.T are going into overdrive. They're practically declaring war on the Trions. Be careful, Darren." Phil reread the message and then put the phone back in her pocket. Looking up her and Nick got caught in a rather blank stare down.

"You're sorry for a different reason aren't you?" Phil questioned, Nick slowly nodded and then walked over to the door. Opening it he looked at her and then to the door.

"I'm willing to give you a head start. If you can't reach the TARDIS in time, I will be taking you in."

"But we've not done anything! I don't get this, how can you arrest us both when we've been good!"

"Phil, I am to follow orders. I don't question the motive. You should get running," Nick said while taking a few steps back from the door. Phil frowned and walked out, no sooner did she get outside did she take off running down the small alleyway.

Luckily for her the TARDIS wasn't to far around, skidding around a corner she mentally cursed herself for wearing creepers. They weren't the most easiest shoes to run in. Picking up her speed she collided with the TARDIS door. It got tugged open and she fell through, The Doctor looked at her confused.

"We have to leave."

"Eh? No family visit this time?"

"Nick is after me." Phil said simply, The Doctors facial expression changed from jokey to serious, running over to the console he punched in coordinates and soon the two of them were off of Earth. Phil clung to the nearest thing and let go when the TARDIS came to a stop. Standing up she pulled the door open and ran out.

Eyeing up the long grassed fields of Besseme she ran a hand down her face. The Doctor strolled out and stood next to her. "What happened?"

"One minute he's denying all knowledge and then he's saying he's following orders to arrest us." Phil looked up at him. "I don't get this."

"I think I may." The Doctor turned back to the TARDIS. "Come with me Phil," he said as he disappeared through the door. Phil walked in after him, she spotted him near the console standing in front of one of the computer screens.

Walking up and over she looked at the map on the screen, on another nearby screen was a planet. "They're relocating." The Doctor said like that explained everything. He slid his eyes over to look at her, "The planet which is most like their one is Earth. You can see where this is going."

"World domination? Why is it always the cliché plans?"

"I know, as ironic as it is Phil it's the truth."

"Did you get a message from Darren too?"

"Huh?"

"Darren, he sent me a message."

"May I see?"

"Sure," Phil rummaged in her pinafore pocket and pulled out her phone. Getting to the message she handed him the phone. The Doctor read over it and then read it again. While he did that Phil tied her hair up and looked back towards the door. It was weird to think the last time she came here she was dying. It sort of took away the beauty of the place thanks to that one experience.

"Ok, good or bad news first?"

"Bad."

"Most people go for good!" The Doctor exclaimed while tapping her on the head with her phone. She plucked it from his hand and put it back in her pocket. "Bad news is, well you read it in that message. U.N.I.T can't take being broken into for much longer and have issued some sort of warrant against the Trions. Not that I am surprised, Colonel Grant gave off the vibe of a man aching to fight did he not?"

"Yeah he did a bit."

"Men like that never meet a happy end." The Doctor said sadly while looking down at the floor. "The good news is that U.N.I.T have most likely taken your family into protective custody."

"Huh?"

"U.N.I.T have some rather good computer nerds in it, there's no way that his hacking wouldn't be noticed at a time like this." The Doctor smiled, "They'll be safe, no matter what you envisioned. They will be safe."

"What do we do?"

"Us two against the Trions with U.N.I.T as back up? What do you think we do?"

"Aren't we more like U.N.I.T's backup?"

"Shh! No! They're our backup, we're not letting U.N.I.T get all the spotlight." The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"We go to Earth."

"Correct."

"Then...erm...I don't want to state the obvious."

"Go on." The Doctor looked at her and ran towards the door, shutting it he turned to her. "If you don't I will!"

"...Get arrested?"

"Yup!"

"Why? Why can't we go to U.N.I.T?"

"Because they won't listen to us. We may as well go to the source of the problem. The source of the problem is the Trions. So yes, we go back and await to get arrested."

"Great, jail cell here I come again."

"You need to get over how many times you've been in one thanks to my company."

"I'm over it!" Phil smiled and leaned back to hold onto a nearby railing.