On the way back to the TARDIS, they stopped by a local convenience store to pick up several bars of chocolate. Peri, Owen and the Doctor all had their favourites they wanted Abby to try first. The Doctor also browsed a road map of New Mexico and quickly jotted down the co-ordinates for Los Alamos.
As they stepped out of the shop, the sun was shining brightly. Again, Abby hesitated before stepping out into the sunshine, as though testing an uneasy truce with a life-long enemy.
As they walked towards the blue box behind Peri and the Doctor, Abby was trying one of the chocolates. She naturally chose Owen's selection first, which was just a straight dairy milk chocolate. Owen didn't want to give her too many different flavours (like caramel or honeycomb) on her first try.
She bit into the chocolate and as it melted in her mouth, she felt an amazing sugar rush through her body. She shivered.
"Oh wow!" Abby exclaimed.
Peri occasionally looked behind her to see the two children sharing their chocolates. Peri knew Abby had been given a gift by the Doctor, even if he didn't intend to. Biting the Doctor had made Abby human again. A thought struck Peri and sent a cold shiver down her spine.
"Wait a minute, Doctor!" Peri exclaimed, "what about you?"
The Doctor continued walking alongside her, non-plussed.
"What about me what?" he asked.
"My knowledge of vampire folk lore may be a little rusty," she said, "but aren't vampire bites supposed to infect their victims? You aren't you turning into a fireball right now?"
The Doctor sighed, "Isn't it obvious, Peri?"
Peri frowned, "No, Doctor! It might be to your incredible mind, but poor, little old me doesn't get it, okay!"
"Peri, I'm a Timelord in my prime," the Doctor explained, "Six lives in and going strong. Vampirism converts living flesh to dead flesh. I've died five times already so in a sense, I'm immune to vampirism."
"And if you hadn't regenerated before, what then, huh?" Peri challenged.
"My flesh would've died and I'd have regenerated anyway, much the same as Abby did," the Doctor calmly answered, "now, any more questions, Miss Brown?" he asked smugly as he stepped inside the TARDIS.
"I was just checking, Doctor," Peri answered, defensively.
As they followed into the blue box, Owen and Abby giggled to each other as they watched the Doctor and Peri bickering like an old married couple.
The Doctor pulled the door lever and they closed behind the children. Owen and Abby took their first proper look around the TARDIS console room.
"If you're not a wizard, how do you fit all this into a phone box?" Owen asked.
"It's a secret of my people," the Doctor answered, typing the longitude and latitude for Los Alamos, New Mexico.
"How many of you are there?" Abby asked.
"Eleven, I believe," the Doctor replied, before realising what she was really asking. "I mean hundreds, thousands. There's a whole planet of Timelords out there," the Doctor said before muttering, "somewhere."
The Doctor hit the materialisation control and the TARDIS wheezed into life.
Vvorrp, vvorrp, vvorrp, thump.
"And here we are," the Doctor said, feeling pleased with himself.
"We're home?" Owen asked, "So soon?"
"I know, right?" Peri replied, impressed, "If only he could get me home that easily."
Owen looked worried again. He turned to the door and looked unsure if he would walk through them.
"Time to leave, you two," the Doctor urged.
"But what are we gonna tell everybody?" Owen asked.
"The police already think you ran away," Peri said, "Why don't you say you were scared of getting attacked?"
"Will people believe that?" Owen asked.
"There will always be sceptics, Owen," the Doctor answered, "it's human nature."
"What about me?" Abby asked.
The Doctor moved from around the TARDIS console towards Abby until they were face to face. He felt an overwhelming sense that he was leaving a piece of himself behind. He wrapped his arms around Abby in a warm embrace.
"When you grow up," the Doctor whispered, "and your perception of the world changes, you look back at some of your memories a new sense of horror. I've seen your memories and I know you don't fully understand some things you've seen. When that happens, think of this ship and I'll come back."
"How will thinking of you bring you back?" Abby asked.
"Timelords and their ships are telepathically linked," the Doctor explained, stepping away from Abby and gesturing around the console room before pointing back to Abby, "You are now a part of that link."
"But what do I do now?" Abby asked, "Where can I go? Where will I live?"
"With me," Owen said, "You can live with me. But I'll have a talk Mom into it first."
"Good man," the Doctor said, proudly, "Now, good-bye!"
Then just like that, the Doctor turned back to the TARDIS console and began making preparations for their next trip. He never liked long farewells.
Peri stepped forward and shook their hands.
"Well, it was a rough start but I think it's worked out pretty good, huh?" she said.
Owen and Abby smiled. At once they hugged Peri tightly and she hugged them back with all her might.
"Ready yet, Miss Brown?" the Doctor called.
Peri untangled herself from Owen and Abby as the TARDIS doors opened behind them. Peri guided the two children out of the TARDIS.
"Doctor!" Abby called back, "Don't forget the dark man!"
"I won't," he called back.
Abby didn't hesitate this time as they stepped into the sunshine and found themselves back in the playground where she and Owen first met.
"Wow!" Owen exclaimed, "We're really here."
Abby and Owen turned back to Peri. She quickly winked at them before entering the TARDIS and closing the doors. A second later the engines wheezed into life. Owen and Abby had to shield their eyes from the wind as the TARDIS disappeared. A moment later it was gone, leaving behind a clear square patch in the snow.
They looked at each other for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Then Owen shrugged.
"Well, I guess we better go home," he said, "we've some explaining to do."