We are all crowded around Sarah Jane's computer. We were facetiming Luke. He readjusted his camera while explaining what he and some of his flatmates had gotten up to yesterday. "No, cause I had to do this essay, 2000 words on pendulum physics. It was fascinating, but then everyone wanted to go out for a burger, so I thought, 'why not?' so we went into town, and..." I grinned at him. He looks so happy there. "Well, I hope you finished your work." Sarah Jane interrupted him, ever the mum. "Oh, Sanjay owes me five quid, cause I bet him you'd say that!" "How is Sanjay?" I asked. I met him the last time I visited Luke. He's nice. "Yeah, he's good." Luke tells me. Clyde interrupts. "Right, and who's Sanjay?" "Oh, he's just down the hall. He's brilliant." Oh no, I know that look. Luke's grinning, with a mischievous look in his eyes. He's about to wind Clyde up. "We just clicked, straight away." We exchanged looks at that. We both find making straight jokes hilarious. I try and keep a "straight" face when he says this, especially seeing as neither him nor Sanjay are 100% straight. "He's smart, he's cool, and he keeps making me laugh." Rani has caught on to what Luke's doing, watching Clyde's face as he takes in this news. "Oh, do I need to be jealous?" I joke. "Never, Love. You know he's the best mate I've ever had in my life!" I can't stop it anymore. Luke and I burst out laughing at Clyde's face. We all tease Clyde about it. He finally realises that Luke's just messing with him and threatens to cancel his trip next week. Mr. Smith's emergency alarms start blaring as he emerges from the wall. "Emergency broadcast! UNIT armed forces are converging on this house, Sarah Jane! Right now!" We all stared at him in shock before we got moving. "I'll call you later." I promised Luke, ending the call before we all went downstairs to find out what was going on.

"Stop right there!" Sarah Jane called out, marching down the driveway to face the soldiers in black with the red UNIT berets. "I'm not having soldiers on my property." She said firmly as we reached the edge of her land. "Everything okay?" Haresh called over from where he was watering the plants. "Yes fine. They're just leaving." She tells him, glaring at the soldiers in front of her. "Miss Smith," The woman, who I'm assuming is in charge, starts to talk. "My name is Colonel Tia Karim, representing the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. If I could have a word in private?" She moved to step closer but stopped when Sarah Jane held up a hand. "No, no, no, you're not getting any closer. Just tell me, what do you want?" The colonel sighed but respected her wishes. "I'm sorry, but it's my solemn duty to inform you that your friend, the Doctor, is dead." I gasped. "Don't be stupid." Clyde scowled at her. "He can't be." Rani said. I tried to ask how, but I couldn't swallow the lump in my throat. I could feel my world shift, like the earth had tilted on its side, or like everything has been shifted a centimetre to the left, but I know that nothing did. I couldn't hear anything else, just a ringing in my ears as I thought about the Spaceman. He was meant to come back. He's...he promised when I was little. He promised to come back when I was older.

I don't know how, but eventually, Sarah Jane agreed to have the Colonel come up to the attic and explain what had happened. I sat myself away from everyone else, hoping to slip their minds, because I need to stay strong for Sarah Jane. Once we were all ready as we were ever going to be, she starts talking. "The Doctor was found ten thousand light years away by a race called the Shansheeth." "Intergalactic undertakers." I said from my corner. Everyone looked at me, puzzled as to what I was saying. "The Shansheeth. The roam famous battle grounds and bring the bodies of fallen heroes back home. They often will arrange the funeral rites as well." I shrugged, shrinking in on myself. "Well, they sent us this. It's called an epitaph stone. It's a recording device, the equivalent to a death notice." I really wish she would stop talking. She sounds so cool and clinical as she tells us about the death of a friend. I could tell that Sarah Jane desperately wanted to argue, but she kept glancing at me. I guess the fact that I already knew about their existence meant she couldn't deny it anymore. I still wish she'd say something. She just asks Mr. Smith to play the recording. I blink back tears as she starts lashing out, calling the Shansheeth ridiculous looking, so how can we trust them, and that UNIT must be lying. Rani manages to calm her down and convince her to just watch, gather evidence, just like the Doctor had taught her. I sat there silently as the Shansheeth told the story of how he died saving 500 children. I'm glad that's how he went. He wouldn't have had it any other way. I just hope it was quick. He deserves that much, at least. I look down as they talk about his love for the earth, and that's why he's being laid to rest here. "So, what'd you think?" Rani broke the silence, turning to Sarah Jane. The Colonel took this as her que to speak. "UNIT will take charge of the funeral in conjunction with the Shansheeth. We'll be using UNIT Base 5, situated inside Mount Snowdon. We can arrange transport and accommodation for all of you." I sigh quietly, glad that we can all go. "Thank you." Sarah Jane says blankly, still not looking away from where the projection of the Shansheeth had been. "Then you'll come?" The Colonel asked, straightening her back. "Oh yes." Sarah Jane snaps out of her daze, turning to face her. "Nothing's going to make me miss this. I'll be there." She says, sounding like she's issuing a challenge.

The UNIT soldiers take their leave, promising to get in touch about the arrangements. Sarah Jane asked for some space, so Rani went back to her house, and Clyde and I decided to go to the park for a bit. "I can't believe he's gone." Clyde said, breaking the thoughtful silence. "It still doesn't feel real." I admitted quietly. "Yeah, I get that. I wish we got to meet him more." Clyde smiled wistfully. "Yeah. Twice doesn't feel enough." I agreed. "You met him twice?" Clyde asked cautiously. "Yeah. I was 7 that first time. There was this mad scientist who lived just down the road from me, and one day, his robots got out of control. I was just trying to hide from the robots when I ran into him and this woman, Donna. Well, let's just say, the Doctor tried to send me away, but I wouldn't go. I helped them sneak into the lab, but I also got stuck in there with them. The Doctor managed to find the button that controlled the robots, but neither he or Donna could work out a way to turn it off safely. While they argued, I snuck into the room and just pressed the button. I don't remember much, but they weren't happy that I just ran off. After that, the Doctor showed me the TARDIS and explained that he was an alien from space who travelled through time, and that's why he was there that day. I asked to go with him, but he told me that I was far too young for it now, but who knows, time is an interesting thing, so maybe we would see each other again, and he'd take me to see the stars. I asked him if he promised, which he Pinky promised, so I waited. 7 and a half years later, and he was back to rescue us from the Trickster. It had only been 7 months for him." I finished, taking a deep breath as Clyde processed what I said. We decided to head back a while later.

A week later:

I'm not ready for this. I don't think I can do this. I've been trying so hard to not think about this, and to be there for everyone else, so I haven't really given myself the time or space to grieve. But I now don't have a choice. The car is set to be here in a few minutes, and I'm still panicking about what to bring with me. I had packed the clothes last night, but now I was double checking which books I was bringing, do I have my charger, I probably shouldn't wear my converse, even though they are my most comfortable shoes, and they help me feel closer to him, but red isn't exactly appropriate for a funeral. I eventually decided to just wear the converse when not in the actual funeral parts and bring a pair of black shoes for those parts. I was ready just as the car pulled up in front of Sarah Jane's house. I quickly left my house and helped pile my bag in the car and settled in for the ride.

The ride was over four and a half hours. Then, once we got there, we had to go through several security checks. Once we were inside, there were soldiers rushing around, the PA system blaring overhead. We got out of the car and was greeted by the Colonel. She wasted no time on pleasantries before escorting us away. "We've allocated bedroom. The funeral will take place at 0900 hours tomorrow, so that gives you time to acclimatise. The doors to the funeral wing will be sealed at 2100 hours. This is still a working military base, so you'll only have access to the specified areas." She lectures as we walk. That last bit seemed aimed at Sarah Jane, which is kind of fair, knowing her history with UNIT. I'm not surprised when she makes a sarcastic comment about not being trusted. Rani tries to cover for her. "So, who else is coming?" she asks quickly. "Well, it's all been a bit of a rush. The Brigadier is stranded in Peru and Miss Shaw can't make it back from Moonbase until Sunday." She replies. "You've got a Moonbase?! Oh, man I am running out of reactions." Clyde tells me as we continue walking.

We all freeze as we turn the corner. "You've got Graske! What are you doing with Graske?" Rani shrieks when we spot the little blue aliens. They seem to be working on the electrics in the ceiling. "I knew it. I said there was something going on." Sarah Jane said, angrily. "I don't think-" I get cut off by the Colonel. "I'm sorry, what's the problem?" She asks, unconcerned by the aliens, but confused by the reactions they got from us. "We've met Graske before, and believe me, they're trouble!" Clyde tells her, for once the more level-headed member of the group. I saw her face light up with understanding and she was quick to correct the misunderstanding. "Oh, they're not Graske. They're Groske." One Groske had walked close enough to hear that and decided to speak up. "Groske very different! Groske are blue! Hate Graske! Graske make me stamp my feet!" I laugh a bit at that. "The Groske were stranded on Earth in 2006. We took them in, and they've been earning their keep as workmen." The Colonel explained, watching them with an almost fond look. At least they're treated well here. The Groske from a second ago speaks up again. "Groske build rocket for funeral! Come and see, come and see!" he insisted, beckoning for us to follow him down the hall. I shrugged and followed him.

"Rocket X-15 will take the Doctor's body into space, sealed inside a lead lined coffin." Colonel Karim explained, as she and the Groske led us into a chamber with an enormous rocket in the middle of it. I felt my breath catch as I looked at the rocket. "Then, he'll be set free. In death as in life." She finished. Sarah Jane scoffed. "Very poetic." "He'd have loved this. Knowing that after everything, he'll be laid to rest among the stars..." I trailed off, trying to stop myself from crying. "Just what he deserves." Rani agreed, giving Sarah Jane a look. She ignores all that and asks about the TARDIS. "There was no sign of it." the Colonel tells her. "The body was found, all alone." You could see Sarah Jane's heart break even more. I don't know how she's going to handle the funeral tomorrow morning. Clyde breaks the tension by exclaiming about the rocket. He then gets into a fight with the Groske. The Colonel, looking very uncomfortable, tells us that the wing is about to be sealed as part of the curfew, so we will be shown to our rooms, then the remembrance service.

We are shown to the place the service is being held. The doors are held open by the Shansheeth. The giant alien vultures, wearing gowns of navy velvet, tell us how sorry they are for our loss. I force a small smile as we walk in. "The Claw Shansheeth invites you to spend tonight reflecting in the memories of a loved one lost." I froze when I lay eyes on the coffin. This is actually happening. He's really gone. He won't ever be around to save the universe anymore. I think it's also hitting Sarah Jane. "Can I see him?" Sarah Jane asks, interrupting the conversation Clyde, Rani and the Colonel were having. I turn to the Colonel, internally begging for her to agree. she moved away from Clyde and Rani and moved next to Sarah Jane. "I don't think you'd want to." She confessed. Sarah Jane wasn't having it. "Sounds to me like you're hiding something." She accused, turning to face her. The Colonel sighed. "Sarah Jane, he was hurt." My breath caught as I caught her implication. I blinked back tears and just stayed silent. Sarah Jane also picked up on the hidden message. Her face crumpled as she finally started to accept that this was the new reality we had to deal with now. Rani led her to sit on one of the front pews. We all sat with her. "I don't even know what he looks like." She whispered. "What?" I gasped. "I saw him, about six months ago. He didn't say a word. I think he regenerated. He just looked at me as though...that body could have a different face, and I wouldn't know if it was him or not." I just sat in silence as the Shansheeth started the service. "Honoured guests, steeped in grief and misery, this is the cradle of the lost chord. Its bittersweet melody..." "If you don't mind, I just need to gather my thoughts on my own." Sarah Jane told us, her voice thick. "Yeah, sure." Rani agreed, the three of us moving to the other side of the room.

I closed my eyes as instructed and felt my memories of him come back. I felt it all play, almost on a loop, until I reached one I didn't know I had. It was still of the Doctor, but it was from when I was about 8 or 9. I was at a park. I don't know why, but I looked up, and saw him there. He was just...watching me. I didn't recognise him at the time, but this must have been like when Sarah Jane saw him last. A sort of goodbye. I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a glass shatter. I whipped round to see an older lady and a boy around our age. They were both kneeling on the ground as they gathered the lilies that had been dropped. The lady was apologising, and just seemed to fill the silence as she engaged with the Shansheeth, with all the confidence of someone who's seen weirder. The boy was looking around, fascinated by the birds. They eventually sat down, the boy with us and the lady with Sarah Jane. I watched in fascination as they instantly seemed to become best friends. I gather she must have also been a friend of the Doctor's. "Sorry. That's my gran. You get used to her." The boy said from behind us. I turned to face him and smiled. "She seems fun. I'm Asha, by the way. Asha Yamamoto." I stick my hand out to shake his. "Oh, I'm Rani." "And I'm Clyde. You alright?" "Yeah, my name's Santiago." The boy-Santiago-introduced himself, shaking Clyde and my hands. "Nice name." Rani comments. "Yeah, it's where I was born-in a caravan, at the foothills of the Andes." Huh, interesting. "Well, then they should have called you Andy!" Clyde joked. We all laughed, only to be shushed by the Shansheeth. I decided to just stay quiet. I still listened to the conversation, just stayed facing forward as the cradle continued. The story was fascinating, but it was hilarious when Clyde and Rani had to admit that we all lived in Ealing.

After the service, we invited the Jones to join us in our room. It seems Sarah Jane has found another person who agreed with her about the Doctor. She and Jo were talking about having to work out who would want to fake the Doctor's death, and why. I couldn't watch anymore, so when Rani offered to grab some tea, I went with her.

"It's tragic. He's dead, but they just can't face it." Rani says once they're out of earshot. "I never met the Doctor. I always wanted to, but...too late." Santiago confessed. "Not necessarily." I shrugged. "I remembered something, during the service." I said, when they all looked at me weirdly. "He came back to see me, when I was, what, 8? 9? Sometime around then. But it's like Sarah Jane said earlier. It was just before he regenerated. But it was still the Doctor that we met at Sarah Jane's wedding. Time isn't linear, so you might meet a past Doctor." I shrugged. "I wish he was here right now." Clyde suddenly pipes up from behind everyone else. "Yeah, me too." Rani admits. "No, I really wish he was here now, because then he could explain this." Clyde holds up his hand, which is glowing with a blue electricity. "Clyde! It's happening again!" Rani exclaims. "Hang on, isn't that artron energy? Like, from the TARDIS?" I asked, grabbing Clyde's hand. "Yeah, but I can't say anything, can I?! Not inside UNIT, they'll lock me up and dissect me." He hissed, snatching his hand back. "Hold on, what do you mean, it's happening again?" Santiago asked. Clyde tucked his hand in his pocket before he started explaining. "Well, the last time we met the Doctor, it was at Sarah Jane's wedding, and we got stuck in this time loop thing. And the TARDIS, the Doctor's time machine, it was phasing in and out of reality. I touched it and got zapped with this stuff. Artron energy, the Doctor said." Clyde showed his hand again, still crackling with the energy. "I think it was part of the TARDIS." Clyde explained. "It's more like the TARDIS' fuel." I mumbled quietly to myself. "Woah! And you thought my life was good." Santiago joked. "Smelly getting closer." I whipped round to see the Groske from earlier. "What do you know about this stuff?!" Clyde yelled at him. "Closer and closer." He taunted, running away from us. "Oi! Come back here, blue boy!" I rolled my eyes as we took off running. Gotta love the running.

We chased him to a grate. I slid in after Clyde and crawled thought the UNIT vents. Clyde kept calling for the Groske, so Rani told him to shut up, sounding incredibly annoyed that he might get us shot dead or keep her up past half ten. I rolled my eyes and continued crawling.

Clyde eventually found something. We came to a stop. I could sort of hear the Shansheeth talking, but it's quiet. "What have we stopped for?" Santiago asks at the back of the line. "Asha, I'm staring at your bum." Rani whines. "Firstly, Rani, you know I have a boyfriend, back off, secondly, shut up, the Shansheeth are being weird." I hissed back at them. They both shut up after that. I can't hear anything clearly, but when Clyde starts freaking out, I tell Rani and Santiago to start shuffling backwards, which they do. The buzzing of the Artron energy has started up again, giving away our location. We start shuffling in earnest, trying to escape. fortunately, the vents are too small for the Shansheeth, so we manage to escape.

We tumble out of a grate, and start running to find Sarah Jane and Jo, only to run into them around the corner. "Sarah Jane, it's the Shansheeth! They're lying through their beaks. They want you and Jo; this whole thing is a trap." Clyde spills as soon as he can. "I knew it!" Sarah Jane cheered. "Hold on! If they're lying, that means the Doctor's still alive!" Jo cries, high fiving Sarah Jane. I grin as I realise she might be right, only to have everything cut off by Clyde. "Course I'm still alive, Jo. I'd have thought that was obvious, catch up!" I stare at him in shock. That wasn't his voice, at all. "I beg your pardon?" Jo snaps at him. "Clyde? Is that you?" Sarah Jane sounds scared. "Of course it's not, it's me! I'm using Clyde as a receiver. I've keyed into his residual artron energy so I can organise a very complicated biological swap across 10,000 light years. Hold on." Clyde tensed up and was surrounded by artron energy. I gasped when I saw his hand. "That wasn't me! That wasn't me speaking! I'm getting..." He trailed off as he also saw his hand. "That's not my hand! Cos my hand's not white!" He cried. comparing his hands. I mean, one hand was his, the other was much larger, and white, as he said. He tensed again, the artron energy crackling again, but this time he started swapping places with a man with floppy brown hair, a bow tie, and a brown jacket. "Sorry, Clyde, but this" "NO" "Space" "No!" "Is!" "No!" "Taken!" at that, the man was there instead of Clyde. I realised who it was instantly. "Spaceman." I gasped, flying forward and wrapping my arms around his middle. "Asha! Oh, you brilliant girl!" He laughed, hugging me back tightly before letting me go. "Right, gosh, that was different. Hello, everyone!" He cheered as everyone stared at him in disbelief. "Doctor." I pulled on his sleeve. "Where's Clyde?" "We swapped places. I'm where he was, he's where I was. Which means right now, oh he's in a lot of trouble." The Doctor realises when he says this. That snapped everyone out of there shock. "You've done it again." Sarah Jane sighed as she looked him over. "Hello, Sarah Jane." He smiled softly at her. "You're the Doctor?" Rani sounds shocked. "What Doctor? The Doctor? My Doctor?" Jo's words tumbled out of her faster than she could control. "Well, he can change his face." Sarah Jane reminded her. "Well, yes, but into a baby's?" I laughed at her disbelief. "Oi! Imagine it from my point of view! Last time I saw you, Jo Grant, you were what, 21? 22? It's like someone baked you." He shot back. "Hey, everyone! Meanwhile?!" Santiago alerted us to the approaching Shansheeth. "Ah, yes, the Claw Shansheeth of the 15th Funeral Fleet. I've been looking for you. Have you been telling people I'm dead?" The Doctor asked, marching towards them. "I apologise. the death notice was released a little too soon. Though I can rectify this. Immediately!" the leader shot the Doctor with some energy from their hand. The Doctor collapsed and cried out in pain as he was consumed by an orange light. "NO!" I shrieked, Rani having to tackle me to stop me from doing something stupid. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Doctor. Rest. In. Peace!"

An: Another of my favourite episodes. I still don't own anything other than Asha.