Holly groans after being regenerated for the third time, but thankfully it had been two years since she first regenerated. She cries as she lands on the grass in front of her.
"Oh Holly, I'm so sorry… I wish I could've gone back further to help you," Leila sobs as she holds Holly. Holly doesn't notice the person behind them, looking at the two hugging.
"Now you know what to do, Leila," says the one and only River Song. Leila nods as she lets go of Holly. Holly opens her eyes to the blinding light.
"Where… are we?" Holly says. "And I don't understand, Leila… how did we get to this world? I've been in this world for almost two years. Eighteen months, Leila. Eighteen!"
"I know. You've written that in your diary," Leila cringes. "I'm sorry, but time can't be changed. I wish I could go back to when Scarlett brings you, but it could rip a hole in the universe. Not pretty."
"She's right. Since you're pretty new here, I'm River Song. It's nice to meet you Holly, even though I already have in the past. Well, your future."
"I guess I don't have to introduce myself, then," she gives a sad smile. "Tell me. Do I stay in this new body for longer than I did my other one? I honestly didn't like that body, and I don't think — ooh. I'm just noticing my accent now. It's Scottish. Ooh, I like that. It's like the man I met — Nathaniel's father! Ooh. Sorry for my rambling. Though I need to know this."
River and Leila share looks. "Sorry Holly, but I can't give you any information on that. You're going to have to wait to find out."
Holly sighs in defeat. "You're going to take me back there with… him. The Master. Are you?"
"Just a little bit after, that's all," Leila says, grabbing Holly's wrist. It was paler than her other body.
"Just wondering… how many regenerations does a time lord or lady have?"
"That's… hard to answer. Sometimes they can give more to a certain time lord or lady. You can live longer, obviously. I believe it's twelve."
"And the Doctor is on his tenth right now?" gasps Holly. Leila nods.
"But he can live up to hundreds of years. It's sad you only got two years with your second regeneration."
"Okay… enough sadness for now," says Holly. "Since this is a new me, I'm deciding that I'm going to be happy. Once I am reunited with Martha, Jack, and the Doctor. And also, I'm hungry. Do you have any food, River?"
"Glad you asked. Regeneration food for you. The Doctor said you like —"
"Apples!" Shouts Holly. Leila giggles.
"Just like the Doctor when he regenerated," whispered Leila to River. River nodded.
"Bleh. I hated that. I really wanted apples. That was sad. Anything else?" She asked, digging through the bag of food River brought.
This is going to be a long feast before we head back, Leila thinks as Holly continues digging through the food.
"Is that you Holly?!" shouts someone familiar as the two, Leila and Holly return to the Doctor.
"Doctor!" Holly says, rushing towards him, giving him a giant hug. Oh, she missed him. So much, even though she was held captive by the Master for almost two years. He had tears in his eyes. Holly couldn't tell if they were sad or happy tears, because everyone around them were shocked.
You've regenerated, he says as he puts his head on her shoulder. She looks at Jack and Martha who are staring at the two.
What happened, Doctor? Thinks Holly as he sobs into her shoulder. He doesn't reply. He just sits there in Holly's arms, wishing that none of this had happened.
"Time was, every single one of these people knew your name. Now they've all forgotten you," says Martha as they all (the Doctor, Jack, Holly, and Martha) lean against a railing.
"Is that what really happened? I still don't understand it all," Holly says, leaning against the Doctor after he just said, "Good."
"I can elaborate more sometime," he gives a small smile.
"Thanks. I'd appreciate it."
"Back to work," says Jack, wanting to leave the three there. Someone stops Jack before the Doctor could.
"Neil!" Jack says happily, running to hug him. Holly gasps, putting a hand on the Doctor's arm. She looked up at him, hating how short this new regeneration was.
"That's Neil? What's his last name?"
"Neil Snow!" Martha laughs as Neil lets go of Jack's hug.
"Hey Jack. Where are you going?" Neil smiles at him.
"Back to work! Someone has to hold the fort down."
"I bet, but I thought you got mad that the Doctor abandoned you? Don't you want to be with him again?"
"Holly's got him covered now, little squirt," he ruffles his head. "Anyway, I had plenty of time to think that past year, the year that never was, and I kept thinking about that team of mine. Like you said, Doctor, responsibility."
Jack looks at the Doctor. Then to Holly.
"You're lucky you weren't there for that," he pointed at her. "Though I guess you kinda got it from being away from us for eighteen months."
"You're right about that one," Holly says. "Neil?"
"M— I mean, hi, Holly," Neil rubs the back of his neck as he looks at Holly.
"I guess you haven't met me yet?" he says as Jack, Martha, and the Doctor continue to talk, but the Doctor kept looking at the two who started a conversation.
"No. I hear you're friends with Leila, Nate, and Scarlett?"
"Haven't met Nate yet, but I'm sure he's a cool guy," he chuckles. Holly nods.
"He is… was. Still mad at him for doing that, though. Sending me into this world. Can you imagine me being a whole different person in a new body—?"
"Doctor, what are you—?"
"I can't have you walking around with a time travelling teleport. You could go anywhere, twice. The second time to apologise," the Doctor says. Holly crossed her arms.
"And what about Nate, Leila, and Neil?"
"Hey! I was meant to do this. Fixed point in time, remember Doctor?" He put his hands up in the air. The Doctor rolls his eyes.
"And what about me? Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?" Jack asks, concerned.
"Nothing I can do. You're an impossible thing, Jack."
"Been called that before. Sir. Ma'am. But I keep wondering. What about aging? Because I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?"
"I really don't know. Perhaps Scarlett, Leila, and Nate do. Don't know about you, Neil."
"Nope," Neil popped the 'p.'
"Okay, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid living on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe, they called me. Hmm. I'll see you. I hope I'll get a visit from you, Neil."
"Yep!" Neil smiles as Holly, the Doctor, and Martha's jaw dropped. Jack walked away.
"No," the Doctor says.
Oh my god oh my god oh my god he did not just say that, Holly transmits into the Doctor's mind. Neil looks confused.
"It can't be," Martha says, flabbergasted.
"No. Definitely not. No. No."
The Doctor dropped Martha off at her family's place. After a while of waiting, Neil and Holly come in exactly as Martha comes back from her family reunion.
"Right then, off we go. The open road. There is a burst of starfire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or back in time. We could, I don't know, Charles the Second? Henry the Eighth. I know. What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie. I bet she's brilliant. Okay," blabbers the Doctor. Holly hits him because she knows Martha has something to say.
"I just can't," says Martha. "Sorry, Holly."
"Yeah," says the Doctor, looking down.
"Spent all these years training to be a doctor. Now I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered and they're devastated. I can't leave them. I would stay to help Holly get situated, seeing as this will be her first official trip in two years… but I just can't leave them."
"Of course not. I can help with that. Holly's got Neil, Nate, and Leila. You saw. But thank you. Martha Jones, you saved the world."
"Thank you," Neil says.
"Yes, I did. I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best, but you know what? I am good. You going to be all right, Doctor? Holly?"
"Am I chop liver?" Neil says.
"I know you will be. Your future self—"
"You know what? La-la-la-la," he puts his fingers in his ears making Holly laugh.
"We'll be fine," says the Doctor.
"Right then," Martha says, taking one last look at the three. "Bye."
"I'll visit sometime!" says Neil as she walks away, but she suddenly turns back.
"Because the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky. She lived with this bloke, student housing, there were five of them all packed in, and this bloke was called Sean. And she loved him. She did. She completely adored him. Spent all day long talking about him."
"Is this going anywhere?"
"Because the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky. She lived with this bloke, student housing, there were five of them all packed in, and this bloke was called Sean. And she loved him. She did. She completely adored him. Spent all day long talking about him. If anything happens with you and Holly, you think about this, and you think hard and long."
Martha throws a mobile phone at him, making Holly jump. "Keep that, because I'm not having you two disappear. If that rings, when that rings, you'd better come running. Got it? And Holly, I want you to keep updating me on how things are going. I know things will be difficult from being away from your original home world, but if he says you're going to be fine—"
"I get it," Holly smiles, and gives Martha a hug.
"Got it," says the Doctor as Neil stands next to him, watching the two girls.
"I'll see you two again."
Holly sniffs as Martha exits the TARDIS. She turns around to face the two boys.
"So. She liked you and you didn't think about it one bit?"
In her bedroom in the TARDIS, Holly stirs in her sleep. This is the first time she's actually slept since being held captive by the Master, and her first dream was a nightmare.
"Holly?" says the Doctor as he kneels down at her bedside. He just wanted to check up on her before letting her choose somewhere to go on an adventure with him and Neil.
"Doctor?" Holly says, surprised. "You saved me."
"I didn't," the Doctor says, "but your friend Leila did."
Holly rubs her eyes. "Why did you wake me up?"
"You were having a nightmare," he says, seeing her heavily breathing. "I wanted to help."
"Thanks Doctor, but I think I'll manage it on my own."
"This won't go away for a while," he comments. "I'm sorry. I think it's best if I—"
"Everything okay?" Neil says, finally coming into the room as Holly turns herself over to face the ceiling.
"Everything's fine. Don't know what he's talking about, though."
The Doctor rolls his eyes. "Holly, you had a nightmare. I want to help you."
"Who says I was? You don't have to help me, Doctor. Thank you, but I'm sure there will be plenty of other things to worry about on our next adventures."
"She's right," says Neil, "but Holly. I know I'm not supposed to talk about the future, but—"
"Don't," says the Doctor. "Don't do it."
"It might help, Doctor! So listen."
Holly and the Doctor share looks. Neil continues.
"In the future, there are still nightmares. And whenever there are nightmares, you, Doctor, sleep with her to help her calm down from them and then she wakes up peacefully."
Holly's hearts jumped as he said, "you, Doctor, sleep with her." She didn't know why. Though, he was pretty handsome, but sleeping with a boy? She never did that before.
The Doctor and Holly share looks as she blushes.
"I guess that's the future, then," whispers Holly. "If I want it to stop—"
"I'll do it, if you let me help you," says the Doctor. Holly nods.
"Fine."
Little did they know this little moment was going to change their lives forever.