"Hey, this makes a change. There's a monster, and we're chasing it." Donna said, just about out of breath as they chased the giant wasp up the stairs as it flew effortlessly higher and further away from them. It was a first for Donna, and she actually didn't mind the running if it meant she wouldn't get killed.

"Ha! Don't get use to it. It won't last long." Astrid laughed out, watching as the wasp began to turn and fly towards them on the second floor, instead of away. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, ducking just as the bug flew past her, feeling as the wind rushed past her and the stinger just barely missed her head. It was like a second sense. Somehow, even though she couldn't see it, she knew it had happened. She felt it. The wasp had nearly got her, but she had ducked at the precise moment she needed to. Any other time she would have been killed, stung to death. She was so extremely lucky.

It paused, scratching the ceiling as it tried to get back down to their level, leaving trails of long, deep, dark scratches in the wood to the point where you could clearly see the nails that held the wood together.

"By all that's holy." Agatha exclaimed, watching the beast with wild eyes. It was so big, Donna was right. But it was impossible. It could not be real. Not one bit. It was a hallucination, a trick, a trap, something to distract from the murder … she didn't know. But it was not real.

"Oh, but you are wonderful. Now, just stop. Stop there." The Doctor exclaimed, looking at the wasp in amazement. It was quite the beastie, now if only he could remember what planet it was from. There was a few different bee and wasp type creatures in the galaxy, and quite a few that looked like earthly wasps.

He didn't have much time to think on it, as the wasp finally freed it's stinger from the ceiling and slowly began to hover closer, ready to rear back and strike them all dead with a single swipe of its stinger.

"Oi, fly boy." Donna said, threateningly, holding up the magnifying glass and stopping the bug in its tracks. It paused, as if afraid before flying away, their feet flying after the wasp as they tried to keep up with it as it turned the corner. Once again chasing after it, and not the other way around.

"Good job, Donna! That was brilliant!" Astrid congratulated the woman, watching as Donna gave her a sly smirk. That was quick thinking, and they would all be dead if not for her and she knew for a fact no one else would have thanked her or shown her the light of day after that move. Who else would have thought to use the magnifying glass to make a giant bug retreat, not Agatha, not the Doctor … okay, maybe the Doctor. But Donna had it locked down, and she was smart, despite what her mother and what that idiot lance had thought. Donna Noble was a genius, and she would be damned if she didn't show her that.

"Don't let it get away! Quick, before it reverts back to human form. Where are you? Come on. There's nowhere to run. Show yourself!" The Doctor called out, coming to a stop in front of the hallway where all the bedrooms were, watching as every single guest stepped out of their room at the same time, all completely and utterly human.

"Oh, that's just cheating." He called out, throwing his hands up in the air as his eyes glittered with adventure. It wasn't fair, they had been so close. So close to finding out who the alien hiding in human form had been. But then the alien hid again! That isn't fair.

"That isn't cheating, timeboy, that's called winning." Astrid told him, putting her hands on her knees as she lent over to catch her breath, biting her lip to stop the urge to laugh. The Doctor was such a funny idiot. Villains don't play by the rules, that is just common sense. She never met a villain in a story, movie, show, or book that played by the rules and did what was fair. Cheating was just winning the game. Life didn't have a rulebook, not one that monsters followed. The Doctor was just being silly.

"Well it won't be winning for long I can tell you that much." The Doctor stated, glaring at all the people. It was so not fair! They had run through the whole house, and they were right on his tail … well … stinger. But then he had to go and change back into a human and stay hidden. It was going to take forever to find out who it was now! But, that didn't mean he wouldn't find out who the murderer was. Oh, he definitely would. He was a genius. Oh, no, no. It wasn't a matter of who would win, it was just a matter of when he would win. Cause he would. There was no doubt about that.

"Uh huh … and who here knows the future?" Astrid questioned, raising a skeptical eyebrow at the Doctor. Yeah, yeah, yeah … she knew that the Doctor DID actually win. But the Doctor didn't know that. The fact of the matter was that she knew what could, can, and will happen and what would always happen. She knew the future, more or less, and he didn't.

"You- You know the future." The Doctor answered, his cheeks going a bright pink. Astrid was so young yet she still knew how to set him in his place. It was almost like her age didn't matter at all. She was always his Astrid. Always was and always would be. She was her. Her older versions had often complained about how clueless and young she had been earlier on. But he didn't see that at all. She was just like how she would always be. Bossing him around. The only difference was that she wasn't hitting him upside the head every twenty minutes. This was Astrid alright. Flirty, sassy, and snapping him back into place with a single sentence.

"So, are you really so sure you'll win this one?" Astrid questioned, a playful smirk appearing on her face, which she herself did not even notice. All she cared about was putting the Doctor in his place. He couldn't just think he was always going to win. And she did really love putting him in his place.

"Oh, yes!" The Doctor exclaimed, a grin lighting up his own features. He knew Astrid had made him blush and her questions made him fumble. But he also knew that he was going to win. She wasn't going to make him fumble, not this time. She could get him confused in seconds, but he would come up on top. She wouldn't control him this time. He was confident he would win.

"And why's that?" Astrid said, suddenly very confused, yet hiding her confusion exceptionally well with a blank face. She didn't understand … how could he think he was going to win? He couldn't! That was already established! So how did he? Cause she sure as hell didn't tell him, and she knew future versions of her wouldn't either cause she swore then and there she would not tell him a thing, ever. So how did he know?

"Cause you are here. I always win with you around." He replied gently into her ear, glee seeping into his tone. He moved away, snapping his teeth together and moving away from her ear painfully slow as he wrapped his arms around her waist like a magnet. She was his lucky charm. His miracle that appeared out of nowhere, yet belonged nowhere but here. With her right by his side, he would always win, because they were better together. Nothing could stop him, and they would always win. Always.

"That was smooth, Timeboy, real smooth." She groaned, her smile getting bigger as she replayed what he had said in her mind. The Doctor could be such a flirt when he wanted to be. It was crazy when you thought about how oblivious he was around all other women in the universe. But apparently, he wasn't the bumbling idiot she had thought. He was quite a flirt. And really smooth at it too.

"Does that mean I get a kiss?" The Doctor questioned, leaning closer to her, his eyes almost begging for some type of intimacy. He really missed her when she was gone, and the fact that she still kissed him, she still loved him, she was still his Astrid so young, despite her doubts and low self esteem was astounding to him. She believed him wholeheartedly. And even though he knew it would be a bit until her self esteem was completely built back up and she no longer had doubts, she still kissed him. And he wanted more.

" Nope. I need to go get another sonic screwdriver. My mouth is awfully dry from all that running." Astrid replied, pulling away from him and smirking evilly, with a glint in her eyes as she bounced away, almost begging him to follow. She wasn't lying when she said she was thirsty. And those screwdrivers were glorious. But no one said she couldn't share a little bit. Snd come on, the teasing was just too good to pass up. She should tease him more often. It was so fun!

"But I- I could help you with that." He said calling after her, as he jogged to catch up with her. He didn't want her to get a bloody drink. He wanted a kiss. He could help her with her little problem and still get a kiss. He created a french kiss for a reason. Well … that was more so an accident … he and Astrid had really forgotten the time period they were in … and well … the rest is history, literally.

It wasn't long until Astrid had ordered her next drink, and the Doctor was pouting on the opposite end of the drawing room as the group appeared around the woman Astrid had saved who lay prone on the couch with a pack of ice on her head to quell the small bump she had acquired from her faint.

"My faithful companion, this is terrible." Lady Clemency Eddison replied, seeing the state of the woman. She was so glad that Constable Edith had saved her companion's life. If she had died … she would have been so deeply upset. She had brought the woman to her home when she was young to ensure her safety, not put her into more danger.

"Excuse me, my lady, but I forget what I was on my way to tell you." She said, her eyes wavering in and out of consciousness as her head spun around her. She had woken up not long before, but she was still very out of it. She remembered the woman coming out of nowhere and pushing her out of the way of … something. But that is really all she could remember.

"It's okay, just rest, my friend." Clemency replied. Watching as the woman closed her eyes to fall back asleep. She saw how the woman had been struggling to stay conscious. She had been through quite the event. She needed all the rest she could get, and perhaps, her memory would return. All that mattered at the moment was her safety, nothing more, nothing less.

"She said, the poor little child. Does that mean anything to anyone?" The Doctor questioned, giving the group a look. There didn't seem to be any children anywhere around. But it had to be linked, especially to this whole "Maiden" thing. It was all linked, but who was the child? And who was the maiden? Was the maiden the child?

"No children in this house for years. Highly unlikely there will be." The Colonel exclaimed, glaring at Roger. Ungraceful son of his, galavanting with the footman. Roger was of status, he could have any wife he possibly wanted, yet he wanted an ordinary worker, and a male of all people! It was disgraceful, and yes, him and Clemency were okay with it. There was no harm in him expressing himself. Just if he expressed himself without others around.

Astrid glared at the man, just about done with him as her eyes glowed a deep, dark red. It was wrong of the Colonel to react that way. Yes, sure, his son was gay but he really needed to calm down. Why was he so mad at the fact that his son wasn't going to have children? If this was her time period then it would be so easy for him to have children. If she could pull off saving Roger's life he was so going to try and get them to the future, She was determined to do it now. Because they deserve a happy ending. The 20's were awful for gay men, and this family, although the parents were semi supportive, was not a family for Roger. They were making him hide who he was, and they made these snide comments … just no. It was not okay.

"Mrs Christie, you must have twigged something. You've written simply the best detective stories." Lady Clemency interjected, bringing Astrid back to reality, as her eyes quickly died down. She watched, as Agatha was overwhelmed with shouts from all the guests as though everyone was a tv on a different channel. Everyone drowning each other out with noise, but the message was clear … they all wanted Agatha to step up and solve it.

"But, I'm merely a writer." Agatha mumbled, her voice meek and absorbed in the shouts as they all got louder. Agatha looked so small compared to the rest of the group, so shy as the words overpowered her own. She was overwhelmed, they were putting too much pressure on her and no one was listening to what SHE wanted. She needed help.

"OI! Time to shut up now!" Astrid shouted, causing everyone to turn to look at her in surprise, and the Doctor to smirk over at her. Of course he loved that, weirdo. Well, she was fed up, no one made Agatha Christie feel small. No one. And this was absolutely ridiculous, didn't they realize she was an AUTHOR! She didn't actually solve crimes for a living. That would be like telling someone that wrote romance that they should be able to find a husband or wife super easily, or telling a suspense novel that they must be able to murder someone super easily. It is not logical. Just because she wrote Doctor Who stories doesn't mean she should be able to tell you every single alien and where they lived. She wasn't a master at Sci-Fi just like Agatha wasn't a master at solving crimes, and that was all okay! They should see that.

"But surely she can crack it. These events, they're exactly like one of her plots. It's gotta mean something." Robina that wasn't actually Robina spoke up, causing Astrid to sigh. She didn't understand what shut up meant, clearly. She didn't need to make the writer feel worse! Yes, the plots were similar, but that wasn't her fault! And it didn't mean she could solve it any better than anyone else. Yeah, it did mean something. But not what these idiots thought.

"But what? I have no answers. None. I'm sorry, all of you. I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us, then it's the Doctor, not me." Agatha replied, running from the room straight after as they all turned to the man. Donna ran after the author, and Astrid knew that she needed to go too. She just felt it, she needed to make the author understand. This was not her fault. But first, there was something else she needed to do.

She walked over to the Timelord, and into the sight of all the people, she glared at every single one of them and then spoke with a voice so demanding it would make anyone shiver.

"You should all be ashamed of yourself. Just you wait, you all have what are coming for you. When all your disgusting dirty little secrets are released for all to know just remember what you told Agatha. Shame on you." She told them, before storming out after the pair that had left, slamming the door behind her as she went towards the gazebo in the distance where she saw them sitting. She approached quickly, listening to Donna give out another spoiler before she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, looking straight at Agatha.

"Listen, Agatha. I understand how you are feeling. I felt like I wasn't worth it. Like I never belonged here and I was a weak woman with no power to do anything right. I felt like I was stupid, like I was more of a nuisance than anything else. Every man or woman that I let into my heart shattered it to pieces to the point where I had no hope at all. But you need to look at yourself positively. Those people in there had no right to pressure you to do anything, but, I meant what I said when I first met you, you are intelligent, you are beautiful, you are amazing Agatha. Never believe what other people tell you, because if you do, you are wasting your life being sad instead of doing what you want to do." She told the writer, her eyes softening as she looked at the brilliant blonde. She was awesome and she really needed to see that. Astrid remembered how she had felt when she had been younger. She felt useless. She still kinda did, because her head was still such a mess as she tried to figure out what her purpose here was. Because she was jumping around time. But, like, she was suddenly a different species and the 11th Doctor should hate her, but ten doesn't, but maybe that changes, and he didn't love Rose and he loved her? Which didn't quite make sense. So was she here to save companions like her younger self thought? Or to save the Doctor like she had thought when she had gotten shot instead of him, and a little after her regeneration? Or was she here as like a temporary replacement for Rose? Who was she really? She was just so conflicted. She said she loved him. She definitely did. But it's never really over, is it. She knew she loved him. And she wanted to love him, every him, but she was held back by her thoughts still. Her mind was a whir. She completely understood Agatha Christie.

"Yeah. Thing is, I had this bloke once. I was engaged. And I loved him, I really did. Turns out he was lying through his teeth. But do you know what? I moved on. I was lucky. I found the Doctor and Astrid. It's changed my life. There's always someone else." Donna added, giving the woman a kind smile. Astrid was such a blessing to have around, she was a comfort that she wished she always had with Lance or any other man. She showed Donna what it would be like to have a kind best friend that loved you for all you are, quirks and all. And the Doctor saved her time and time again, showing her what a supportive best friend was like. They were her best of best friends and if Lance didn't poisoned her she never would have found them, so it worked out in the end.

"I see … my marriage is the stuff of gossip now it seems. No matter. The stories are true. I found my husband with another woman. A younger, prettier woman. Isn't it always the way?" Agatha replied with a pained expression on her face. As she remembered the pretty brunette with the body of an hourglass and the voice of a simpering fairy. She was so young, and her eyes so much younger, she was practically a child. And she had been sitting on her side of the bed nearly completely naked while her husband had just shouted at her telling her it wasn't what it looked like she was a complete idiot that didn't connect the evidence in front of her own eyes. He cheated on her, and he had been … for months.

"Trust me Agatha, my past isn't pretty. I was a young girl so curious and so gullible, and I saw the goodness in everyone. I had so many people leave me, and I thought my heart would be shattered for good, but I think, I hope … I am wrong. There are storms before rainbows, and it may seem bad now, but I think you'll find your rainbow someday soon." Astrid told her, her eyes vaguely glowing a dull blue as tears welled up within them. She hoped her words could help the woman somehow. When she was still a young girl in her own universe, she had had so much rejection. Everyone eventually left her and love was just a word. And now, here, well … he said he loved her. But there was this nagging thought in the back of her head that just wouldn't stop saying otherwise. She just hoped and prayed that everything would be okay. Just like she knew Agatha would be.

"Is the Doctor your rainbow? From the way you look at him, I cannot imagine he has broken your heart." Agatha said, staring at the woman with calculating eyes. They looked like a very happy couple, yes, there was torment behind Astrid's eyes … torment similar to what Agatha has experienced. But the Doctor, he seemed genuinely happy with Astrid, like he could and would never lay his sights on another girl. He only wanted to see Astrid happy. Agatha knew that for certain.

"Excellent deduction. I-I don't know. I still don't quite feel like I fit in. I don't know where I belong, and if I even belong here." Astrid stuttered out, staring at the ground. She was eons more confident now. And she knew that she had a purpose here, yet, she still felt left out. It was just a fear of hers. Something built deep into her subconscious, and she didn't think she would ever move on from that. The Doctor could be her rainbow. He brought her so much joy. But, the fear was holding her back. She wanted to love him. Oh, god, she wanted to love him completely and without remorse. But she didn't want to get hurt. Not again.

"You've been giving me advice but I rather think you have forgotten to abide by your own. I think … the most important question you should ask yourself is: do you actually love him? Because I know he loves you." Agatha inquired, looking at the woman with a curious gaze. This woman, she looked conflicted, like she knew she loved the wild man, but she was so confused with if she should and what that means. From the moment Agatha had met the Doctor it was blatantly clear he wanted to marry the woman and loved her more than anything in the world. But this woman, her emotions looked all over the place like she had been on a rollercoaster. She needed some help, just like she had helped her.

Astrid froze, her eyes going wide as her whirring brain tossed itself back and forth. Did she love him? When he kissed her, she had promised to love him. She had promised to love him completely and without a second wasted. But this just felt so wrong. No. No. No. Her universe was not this one. This was different. She had said that. She had to remember that. She kept forgetting that. Their kiss, it had been so right. They fit so perfectly together. His lips, his emotions, and his hearts all loved him. She loved him. She loved that he was a god, yet, all he wanted was to be human. She loved that he had stopped at nothing to save her, and the world with her. He was never her friend. Friends don't go berserk when you risk your life. They don't kiss you, and hold you, and try and keep you in a tight bubble so you never get hurt. He loved her. And he was her best friend. She did love him. Even as a child. Even in her own universe. Even when she never thought it was possible to meet him. She was going to love him, even if it meant pain or death or total destruction to her heart, mind, or soul. She was going to love him if it meant changing what she thinks should have happened. She trusted the Doctor with all her being. And she loved. Oh God, did she love him. She loved his faith in the impossible, his love for everything, and his beautiful mind. She knew now, that even if she got hurt, that even if it felt wrong, and even if storms tore her down again and again and again, in the end, she loved him. And the Doctor was her rainbow. Definitely.

"I think I need to go." She mumbled, running off in surprise. She couldn't deal with this right now. She needed some space to breathe. She could love the Doctor. But she was from another universe. And she could lie to herself all she wanted, but if Rose never loved him like he claimed, she wasn't here to just give him company between girlfriend like a prostitute. She was a girlfriend … apparently. And that scared her. Because she didn't - this wasn't - her universe wasn't … she just couldn't do this at this exact moment.

After a quick breather in one of the rooms where no one was sorting through her feelings and sticking it in the back of her head for "freak about later" she began to walk back towards the drawing room where she heard voices. She knew she had already said she was in love with him. But it's just, the whole revelation that she was … a girlfriend? It was a little much considering she was a fourteen year old girl who had never had a relationship before. And nw she was thrown into one with a 900 year old Timelord who like … never loved anyone that way. It was a lot to take in. She took a deep breath before walking into the room where the Doctor sat with a case of pick locking stuff, she had asked for another drink before her little freak out and it still had not come, so perhaps it would come with theirs.

"So what did I miss?" She said, causing the three to look up from their spots where they sat staring at the tools intensely.

"Agatha found this in the flowerbed, someone here is the Unicorn. The Unicorn and the Wasp." The Doctor said, catching her up as she started to laugh. He didn't understand her sometimes, first, she runs away to talk to Donna and Agatha, then Donna and Agatha come in without her and tell him she ran away to think, and now here she is … laughing about some joke she inevitably only knew the answer to.

"What's so amusing?" Agatha questioned, giving her a smirk. She was so delightfully odd, watching Edith work was like trying to figure out how to write an entire book in an hour. She was impossible, but she held this bubbiliness it was so funny watching her. If Agatha were to describe her in her own terms, she was more than a paragraph's worth, more than a chapter's worth and so much more than a book. She was multiple books all at once. Why she was laughing at a simple update, Agatha didn't know, but she was something, that was for sure.

"Oh, Don't worry about her. She does that sometimes." The Doctor responded, waving off her behavior. She always did this, her random, out of nowhere laughing at the weirdest times. It was so annoyyyinnngggg. It felt like she was teasing him and he did not like it.

Astrid: "Spoilers!" She said, stopping her laughs to slap him upside the head, watching as he pouted at her which only caused her to go off again in yet another bout of laughs. He just looked so silly, like a scolded child. It was so funny!

"Your drinks, ladies. Doctor." Greeves announced, entering the room and interrupting the pair as he handed the Doctor, Agtha, and Donna what they had ordered. He knew he would have to go back to check on the other woman's drink. Last he checked Davenport had been having some trouble focusing on the task of making it, especially since Master Roger had came into the kitchen to observe his work. It was odd, those two boys.

"Very good, Greeves." The Doctor commented as the man walked away, holding the lime soda in his hand. There were only five places that made good, pure lime sodas: America in the 60's, The second moon of Mars, Costellia Minerva, Venus before the soda waterfall was installed, and London in the 20's. He just could not get enough.

Before he could even take a sip, Astrid snatched it out of his hand, taking a drink of it herself. She knew she shouldn't have, and there was a million better things she could have done. She could have just snatched it away and made sure he didn't drink it. She could have accidentally spilled it, or even just told him it was poisoned. But it was an impulse. An impulse to protect him. To save him, to keep him safe at all costs. She was impulsive. She could feel it. She just did stuff and didn't tell anyone. But, the Doctor. She knew she loved him. She knew that now. She was certain of it. And yes, it did scare her. It scared her a lot. But she did love him, and she would protect him at all costs. Even if it meant poisoning herself.

"Oi! That was mine, get your own!" The Doctor replied, giving her the saddest look he could muster. He was really looking forward to that soda! And she had just grabbed it like her life depended on it and took a giant mouthful. She didn't even wait until he had had some, and as much as he didn't mind sharing with her, especially since they tended to share a whole lotta stuff, he knew that if he tried to steal it back after she had wanted it so bad she had ripped it from his hands she would get angry. And he did not want to be on the receiving end of that, thank you very much.

"They forgot to bring mine! Get another one." She told him, trying her best not to look him in the eyes. What was done, was done, now it was just a matter of keeping the drink away from him so he didn't get poisoned also. That would so not be good right now. And it would mean she would have to go through this whole poisoning thing for nothing, which she did not want. She needed a distraction, something to change the subject so the Doctor wouldn't do anything rash. But what?

"How about the science stuff. What did you find?" Donna questioned, trying to fill the awkward silence and stop the silly conversation between the silly aliens. They were always bothered by stupid stuff, I mean, they were basically, in her eyes, husband and bloody wife, who cares if she wanted a quick drink? Stupid spaceman. Getting all up and offended by a drink. Besides, she wanted to know about this giant freaking wasp. They had to have found something, they were space geniuses after all.

"Vespiform sting. Vespiforms have got hives in the Silfrax galaxy." The Doctor commented, pulling the vile from his jacket pocket and turning it upside down as the goo slowly started to travel downward. Between getting chased by the creature and having the name on the tip of his tongue, he finally knew what it was. Only Vespiform residue would react to plastic like this. The other kinds of residue would change color or disappear completely. But not Vespiforms. Theirs acted like sludge. It was the closests to what humans would call honey. Though, if it was ingested it would act like a toxin, so best not.

"Again, you talk like Edward Lear." Agatha stated, giving them an appalled look. Vespiforms was never a word she had ever heard, and words were her trade. She knew all the countries in the world, every civilisation, all the names of their leaders and never had she heard that word. It simply did not exist. It was complete fiction. What on earth were they talking about?

"Come on, Agatha. What would Miss Marple do? She'd have overheard something vital by now, because the murderer thinks she's just a harmless old lady." Donna told the clever writer. Agatha was so smart, she saw things that no one else saw, maybe she could crack it, especially since this wasp … this Vespi-whatsit acted like something from one of her books.

"Clever idea. Miss Marple? Who writes those?" Agatha inquired, turning to Donna in confusion. The ginger sure liked to come up with grand ideas for books, first the murder on the orient express where everyone could contribute to the murder and be a murderer and now this. She was either extremely gifted, or quoting other people's work as her own.

"Er, copyright Donna Noble. Add it to the list." Donna mumbled, laughing quickly to hide yet another mistake she had made. It was just so hard to hide spoilers, she did not know how the Doctor and especially Astrid lived like this. It was so hard to not just blurt stuff out. Like you have to know where the person is in their timeline, you have to understand all their timeline so you don't let too much slip, and then you have to really monitor what you say. It was near impossible!

"Doctor." Astrid whispered, tears welling in her eyes as she felt something burning in her stomach. Something felt wrong, invasive, like something shouldn't be there. Logically, knowing what she did, she knew it was the poison. It didn't hurt, not yet, it felt like it was building up. But, her body was trying to warn her before the pain hit. It was telling her to get rid of it before she died. It was happening. Her body was invaded by toxins. The cyanide. It was there.

She winced, the Doctor turning to her at an instant, realizing immediately that something was really not right.

"What's wrong? What happened?" The Doctor asked, frantically as he tried to determine what had happened. Astrid rarely cried, and only when she was in so much pain that she couldn't hide it. She was in pain, but where? How? Why? What was happening to her?

"Argh! I've been poisoned. God this feels awful!" She cried out, tears building up in her eyes as she bent over, holding her stomach as the pressure finally built to unbearable pain pressing on her stomach. It felt like she wanted to puke, yet something was holding her back. She felt so hot, so incredibly hot, yet at the same time everything felt so chilling. Her mind was numb and she couldn't think. And everything hurt, everything hurt so bad. It hurt so intensely and she didn't know how anyone could stand it. Everyone said poisoning was the easiest way to die, it was not as painful as a bullet and quicker than a knife … but she disagreed. It felt like being dissected inside her body and a million times as painful.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Donna asked, just as frantic as the Timelord. Astrid set so many records for jeopardy friendly, it was insane that she hadn't died yet. But now she was dying. She was, and the Doctor was freaking out. They needed to do something, anything to save her. They didn't know what had poisoned her … didn't they need to find that out first? Didn't, like, different poisons do different things and need different treatments or something like that?

Agatha grabbed the drink from the table Astrid had set it on right before her attack and sniffed the bottle, her mind whirring as she narrowed down exactly what it could be. The Doctor and Donna were too panicked to take control, so it was up to her to determine what was slowly killing the best constable London had ever seen. It was nutty which narrowed it down to three poisons that were available in society, but there was something else too. It made her nose crinkle in disgust like the smell of something sour. It was bitter.

"Bitter almonds. It's cyanide. Sparkling Cyanide." She concluded, snapping out of her reverie. Staring down at the slowly failing woman, whose body functions were all slowly stopping one by one by one with a morose stare, tears beginning to well in her crystal blue eyes as she stared at the depressing image.

"No, no, no! Astrid, love, we need to get you to the kitchen, now!" The Doctor said carrying her to the kitchen as quickly as his legs could carry him. That drink had been meant for him. He should have been poisoned. He should be the one so incredibly hurt, not Astrid. Never Astrid. Yet, she always seemed to get hurt when she had no business being hurt. She didn't deserve to go through the pain. Yet, she inflicted it upon herself like she was worth nothing, to save him from the pain. And now, she was dying. No more. No more death, no more hurt Astrid. He had had enough of it. This was ending today. He loved her, and he was not going to lose her.

"It hurts, it hurts so much." Astrid whispered, the tears trailing down her cheeks like a waterfall. She wanted it to stop, yet she didn't regret it in the least bit. She knew she would be safe. She knew the Doctor would save her. This Doctor did not hate her. This Doctor said he had loved her, and she was certain that if he went to every length possible to save his friends, he would do everything to keep her safe. She would be okay. Even if it hurts like a mother fluffing biscotti.

"I know, Astrid, I know. But we can get rid of it. You need to activate a detox." He told her, worry swirling through his eyes as he felt her pain. Her eyes swirling blue as pain hit her again and again and again. It hurt him so much to see her so hurt, but he knew he could save her. She was a Timelord and that meant she could reverse the effects, cleanse her body of all offending toxins that have been placed into her body. He had done it before, he knew it would work, it was just a matter of getting her body to accept it. He needed to get her certain things, charge her body, get the process going. He would make it work. It had to.

He stared down at her petite body in his arms, watching as her eyes darted around like she was scared. As her body shivered against the warmth of his body, and sweat clung to her forehead. He could feel her left heart thumping double time to keep the slowing right heart going. She was breaking in his arms and he needed to stop it.

He staggered into the kitchen, setting her feet on the ground and helping her lean against the counter as he frantically ran around searching for one item in particular. He needed something with both ginger and syrup in it.

"Ginger beer!" The Doctor exclaimed, his thoughts whirring as he started throwing things every which way. He needed ginger beer. It was all that was on his mind. He had to save her. He had to. He just had to.

"I beg your pardon?" Greeves questioned, looking at the group like they were all insane. This man, he looked so crazed. Like an animal … a wild animal. He looked nothing like the distinguished type of menfolk that the Lady of the house invited. His eyes were filled with emotions, and his actions were so frantic. He looked like a man with so much determination, but why he had determination to find some drink that was just used to help some bouts of nausea was beyond him.

"She needs ginger beer. Now! And I am not asking twice." The Doctor rambled, trailing his eyes over to the love of his life who was currently as pale as ever and worse off then she had been a few seconds prior. It was speeding up. He needed to be quicker. And these stupid people needed to stop standing around gaping at thenm and actually do something to actually help. Ooof. Was that rude. Oh, that was a but rude wasn't it. Now he understood her. He was a bit rude.

"The gentleman's gone mad." A maid stated, as they all watched him grab the beer and soothed the woman as he helped her drink the bottle, holding it against her lips as she used her little energy to drink what she could. It tasted strongly of ginger, something she herself never really liked in her last body, and did not really seem to like in this body either. It was bubbly and weird and she did not like it, yet she swallowed it anyways. She knew it would help.

"I'm an expert in poisons. Doctor, there's no cure. It's fatal. She is going to die." Agatha expressed, her eyes wild as she tried desperately to reason with the man. She knew these signs and she knew them well. He was in denial. He loved the woman so desperately that his mind was every which way. He thought he could save her. That she could live. Even when she was minutes away from death.

The Doctor ignored her for the moment, taking the bottle from her mouth as her energy depleted, leaning more into the counter as she tried to regain her breath from drinking so much at one time. He paused, rubbing her back as her breathing became regular once again, before pouring the rest of the ginger beer on her body for good measure.

"Not for her. I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal. Protein. I need protein." He explained, going back to rubbing her back as his eyes searched every which way for some form of protein. She needed it to jump start her hearts, it could get her antibodies working again and keep her lungs breathing. He just needed protein. Something, anything, oh, god, what did a mansion in the 1920's have as a protein?

"Walnuts?" Donna suggested, tossing a jar of the stuff the Doctor who caught it with one hand. It was a long shot but she knew it was a protein. And, not to mention … future Astrid may have let something about this slip. She said something about the 1920's being the first and last time she ever ate walnuts in any body ever. This had to be what she meant, right? Maybe? Possibly?

"Brilliant. Eat up!" The Doctor said to her, handing her the container as she shivered in his arms, and this time not because she was cold or in pain.

"God, I hate walnuts." She whispered, staring at the offending thing in her hands. She never, ever, ever, ever had had one before but she just knew she didn't like it. She wasn't a nut person. She didn't like peanuts, or almonds, or pistachios or hazelnuts or chestnuts or coconuts. She didn't like any nuts. They were just too … nutty. They tasted bland and dry and too much like tree bark. She just couldn't do it. Ginger she could, ginger was a spice that was over and done with. But walnuts, like most nuts was a no go.

"You can have all the sonic screwdrivers you could ever want after this, just please, please, please eat them." The Doctor said, begging her as he pushed the jar closer to her mouth. She needed to eat them, her hearts and her breathing were just going to get worse if she didn't. And he would give her anything she ever wanted if she ate the damn nuts. He would give her a unicorn from the galaxy constubourous for all he cared. She just needed the protein.

She nodded, cringing before shoving a few handfuls into her mouth, swallowing hurriedly as a taste of what was most certainly the same as bark entering her senses. Yet, she seemed to feel a bit better. Breathing felt easier, even though her mouth felt dry and her throat barren. She started miming, knowing that although the Doctor was already searching for it, tearing himself away from her to find the next ingredient, she wanted to have some fun. Come on, she was dying after all. A good laugh might just pick her spirits back up.

"I can't understand you. How many words? One. One word. Shake. Milk shake. Milk? Milk? No, not milk? Shake, shake, shake. Cocktail shaker. What do you want, a Harvey Wallbanger?" Donna asked, realizing that Astrid wanted her to guess what was needed next. Maybe the Doctor needed help, or maybe Astrid was done with waiting, either way, she was miming at her. She needed to guess something.

"Harvey Wallbanger?! No, Donna, she needs salt." The Doctor said in disbelief as he carried over a container of crackers, handing them to the miming girl who sighed in relief. She was really glad they were not anchovies, because she would not be able to take a third thing she hated. She did not eat seafood, no siree. Not in her last body and not in this one either. Sea creatures were beautiful and she would never eat them. They were her friends. Not food.

"Well, I don't know." Donna asked, watching as the girl shoved every single cracker into her mouth and chewed quickly. Starting to shake her hands in a surprised motion, hoping that he wouldn't just kiss her. It wouldn't work. She knew that that was how it was supposed to happen. It wouldn't be a surprise. She needed something shocking. Something not spoilers, yet shocking. She knew the Doctor loved her, it was not gonna work.

"What is it? What else? It's a song? Mammy? I don't know. Camptown Races?" Donna inquired, watching Astrid mime the next ingredient. It looked like a play, like she was acting, like a musical, so all she could think of was music. Her mind was stuck, she couldn't think about anything. Nothing was coming to her.

"Camptown Races?! Donna, you are awful at charades. She needs a shock." He told her, pacing back and forth as he ran his hand through his hair. He couldn't think of anything to shock her, he was at a loss. Nothing was coming to him. He was running out of time. If he didn't think of something soon the ingredient's effects would reverse and his window of opportunity would snap shut for good, killing her where she stood. Astrid could die! Why couldn't he think of anything?! His mind was just … blank!

He looked towards her, his own eyes widening in shock as the bright light circled around her. She looked down, not quite shocked as it circled around her and died down again to show the eleventh Doctor's TARDIS. She had time jumped. That was how she had done it. It was so strange to see it again. She hadn't completely paid attention last time. But it was so strange, yet it felt so right. Like it shouldn't have happened, but it belonged with her. It calmed her, almost, even if she was technically still dying.

She walked up the steps, listening as the eleventh Doctor rambled on, catching the tail end of whatever conversation he had been having.

"What I'm saying is, River tried her best to keep you safe from the silence. You can't be mad at her forever." The Doctor stated, feeling her presence still lingering behind him. He turned to her, his eyes widening as he took in her appearance. Her hair, still as curly as ever, was wet, much like her clothing, and she was covered in crumbs. Her eyes were dilated, and her breathing seemed slightly out of whack.

"Ah, wrong Astrid. Sorry, where were you?" He questioned, looking slightly embarrassed at his blunder. This Astrid was not the woman he had been talking to, she was too dirty, and her outfit was all wrong. He had let spoilers slip, and hopefully not to a younger Astrid. She couldn't know yet about Utah. It was a big revelation, and if younger Astrid knew about it … she would snap, and that was not something he was equipped to deal with right now.

"Unicorn a-and w-wasp." She breathed out, holding her chest as her heart faltered for a moment. She knew the effects were going to start reversing any minute if she didn't get the shock she needed. She felt it in her body, the protein and the ginger beer and the salt was slowly working to keep her alive but she needed the shock to jumpstart her body. Like electricity could jump start a car. She didn't have much time. And being with an entirely new Doctor did not help matters at all. Especially one that knew about the silence.

"Ooo, this is bad, really bad. Shock, you need a shock right? How do you shock a girl who knows everything?" The Doctor rambled, fixing his bowtie as he paced in front of her in worry. He had been so worried when Astrid had left in the middle of her detox, she had just gone. But, maybe it was for the best. His last self had had no ideas at all. It only made sense that her body had triggered that light, it saved her life anytime she was near death, sending her to someone that could help. But it has been decades since that adventure. He still didn't know what to tell her. She knew everything, and well, spoilers would not do.

"I don't know e-everything. Now could you please think of something before I die." She stuttered out. She had just got this body, and she wasn't about to regenerate and waste a regeneration that could be used to save a companion. Was it really so difficult to shock her? She wasn't a genius. There must be something he could say. I mean, rule one, he could lie to her for all she cared, just freaking save her life already.

"Uh, uh, uh … What don't you know that isn't spoilers?! Nothing that's what! Bloody alternate universe." The Doctor exclaimed in exasperation. All because her entire life had been spent in an alternate universe where his life was a tv show, made it impossible to shock her. It was possible to shock her, to show her something new. But he couldn't take her anywhere. She was in too much of a fragile state. He needed to do something, and he needed to do it quickly.

She coughed, leaning against the console as she began to get dizzy, her breathing depleting slightly as her hearts beat slightly out of sync. It was starting to reverse. He was wasting time. He didn't want her here. He was upset she was from another universe and it was distracting him. She needed to get him on track.

"Instead of m-mocking my origins can you focus on saving my life? I don't even b-belong with this you." She whispered, all her fears hitting her full force. This Doctor knew the silence. So, he had definitely seen her regenerate from a human girl to a Timelord. And yes, although the tenth Doctor said he loved her … he hadn't been there. He did not experience her origins. He hated her. She wasn't good enough for her. And she could not experience that. She couldn't handle it. This Doctor did not care about her or love her like his past self. She needed to detox and get out of here and never come back. She needed to jump around nine and ten's timeline. Eleven belonged to River. River was a real, honest to god Timelady. She deserved his time, not her. This Doctor would never accept her. She was nothing to him. Nothing.

He noticed her eyes darken, tears welling up in them as her words echoed around in his head. She said she didn't belong with him. She came from the 1920's … where she had thought she didn't belong. That she wasn't a real Timelord. And this version of him was old enough to have seen ehr regenerate and know that once upon a time she was a human girl. She didn't know …

His eyes lit up, smiling as he grabbed her warm cheeks and pulled her in for a deep kiss, pouring into it every emotion he ever felt around her. He needed to make her see. To show her that her emotions were not rational.

He pulled away, resting his forehead against her own, whispering those three little words that he would only ever say to her..

"I love you."

Astrid's eyes widened, her body twisting and convulsing as she backed away from him, he loved her. He loved her. What he had said. It was so sincere. And he could feel his love for her, radiating off him like a wave of feelings. He didn't hate her. He didn't … hate … her.

And with that final thought, she threw her head into the air, a deep black smoke flying into the air. Her body immediately sinking to the ground as everything went dark.

She moaned, white and gold flowing around her senses as she slowly blinked them open, her eyes slowly adjusting to the image of her room. It still looked just like it always did, except, her books had multiplied, almost like the TARDIS knew she had a new found determination to learn anything and was so beautiful, and her bed, it was much better, it was fit for like four people, there was so much room it was crazy!

"Oh, good! You're awake! I made you this. It's the only food you will let me make in the kitchen other than eggs." The Doctor said from the doorway, walking over only to hand her a cup filled to the brim with strawberry smoothie. She sat up, eagerly taking the drink, her love for strawberries not at all gone after her regeneration as she took a giant gulp before fixing the Doctor a guilty look.

"You don't hate me." Astrid whispered, looking at him in a new light. All this time she had spent running away, the past two adventures traveling with the tenth Doctor. Kidding herself … thinking that this Doctor standing in front of her would never accept her. But he didn't. He honestly loved her.

He winced, setting the drink next to her on the nightstand.

"I never did. I don't quite know what convinced you that I could ever hate you, but I love you. And I always will." He told her, meaning every single word. He knew that her younger self was always struggling with self esteem issues on and off as she figured out who this new her was and where she fit in for real. But, he hadn't realized that she would believe that he hated her so deeply that the very thought of appearing with him had felt wrong. There was no other woman or man in any universe that ever belonged with him more. He really, really loved her. Like a lot. Like, more than Jammy Dodgers. She was really important.

"I don't belong here. I was a human, a little girl content with death and now I am … not human." She said, trailing off as she looked down at the covers of the bed she now laid in. She felt so ashamed, didn't he realize that she was nothing more than a bizarre cheap knock off of the species he loved so dearly? She wasn't human. She wasn't who she was born to be. And he had seen it happen.

"You can say Timelord you know, it's okay to say it." He consoled her, giving her a small smile as he sat on the edge of the bed. She was pushing away her biology. She didn't think she deserved it so she was hiding it from herself. And he didn't like that. Not one bit. She was a Timelord. A Timelady if you will, but she was the same species. Two hearts, bio vascular system, very psychic, regeneration. She had it all.

"But- but. I don't deserve to be this. I'm not a real Timelord. I am just an echo, an imitation, a Timelord is so much more. And I wasn't a Timelord to start with." She explained, a few tears trailing down her cheeks. How could the Doctor say he loved her. Say that he didn't hate her when he knew she was never a Timelord to start out. She didn't suffer with the rest of the Timelords, or fight in the war, she wasn't even created in the time vortex, in the case of River Song. She was just suddenly a different biological makeup. It wasn't normal. She wasn't normal. She was irregular and weird and it wasn't fair to him. She was worse than Jenny, because she started out human.

"You are just as much a Timelord as me. You may not believe me now, but you are." He told her, laughing softly. She was still so young and she didn't know what he did, but she was definitely a Timelord. Her origins was not as cut and dry as she thought, her DNA just wasn't completely sort out when she was a child. She was still developing, her body was still deciding. And he understood now. She was a Timelord, no doubt about it.

"I-I thought you'd be-" Astrid stuttered, a million thoughts swirling through her head. She would have sworn that he would be angry at her. Extremely upset. Like he was at Jenny, but like … tenfold. She had been human … a human girl, and then, poof, Timelord. Any other companion deserved that honor. It wasn't fair. It wasn't her. Yet, he still loved her.

"What? Mad? No, and I never was. I knew you were a Timelord since you got here as a child and I never was mad. And you were always a real Timelord to me. I loved you then, and I love you now." The Doctor explained, leaning down to kiss her once again on the lips. He remembered that he had figured out that the child Astrid had been his Astrid not long after she had joined them. In fact … if he remembered correctly, it was during their game of hide and seek. He knew who she would grow into. His girlfriend. His love. His everything. And she never was completely human. That was always true. It wasn't until she came here that the effects started affecting her. She remembered wen Rory had told him about her burning blood and her chest pains. And her origins. She was always a Timelord. It wasn't until she got here that that part of her DNA began battling her human side. And knowing who she was. Well, he did love the little ginger girl. It was sweet to see her so young and innocent and shy. And he always would love her, no matter how she looked, how she acted, or what she herself thought.

"But River - she -" Astrid said, pulling away. Unable to complete her thought. He had met the Silence so didn't he know? Shouldn't he know? He should be married by now … shouldn't he?

"Like I told you then, love, I don't love River, and that show of yours is not this reality." The Doctor consoled her, subconsciously tracing gallifreyan on her hand as he held it tightly. If only he could make her see. To show her that him and River would never work out for multiple reasons. She belonged with him, why couldn't she see it! Love is love is love, you never get to pick who you love. It just happens. And he … he happened to find her.

"That will really mess the timelines up! Do you know River's origins?" She asked him, hoping beyond all hope that she wasn't about to give him spoilers. He needed to understand. This him. He couldn't love her. She was convinced he didn't hate her. It made sense. To him, he had always know who she was as a Timelord. He knew her as that for decades now. So, finding out she was human … probably not something to hate a girl over. If he was ever mad it was a feeling that had long gone for this Doctor that knew of the silence. She was fine with the whole not hating her thing. But he loved her. And he … he couldn't. He and River was supposed to get married.

"Yup, Amy and Rory's daughter. You spoiled it a few minutes before River could and then she spoiled something for you. It was quite … eventful." The Doctor finished, his eyes hazing over as he remembered the day that hadn't happened all that long ago for him. In fact, it probably hadn't been more than a week for him in earth terms. He had found out who Astrid was. River had known the whole time. Astrid had told her. Future Astrid who already knew herself. Such a huge paradox. It was the first time anything had ever made sense. Astrid's whole life never made sense to him. She was an enigma. But knowing … it made everything make sense.

"Okay, well, you have to marry her. The timelines depend upon it, the whole of the universe does actually. You marry the Pond." Astrid snapped out in exasperation. If he knew, he should love River. He fell in love with River. She had gotten in the way. When time ends, they reboot the universe by getting married. But if the Doctor loved her, there was no way to fix it. She had messed up. Big time. River HAD to marry the Doctor. The Doctor married his best friend's missing daughter. It was law in her head. The Doctor married a Pond. The Pond. The most important, brilliant, beautiful Pond ever to exist. In his mind anyways.

"Oh, I know. I just don't think you do." He told her with a cocky smirk resting on his lips. She thought she knew everything, but maybe she didn't. There was some things she was blissfully ignorant about and he loved it. He did get married to reboot the universe. But not in the way she thought. Her universe, the show, it was right for the most part. But it was always missing one important part … it had always been missing the most important person of all. It had been missing her.

She glared at him, swatting him upside the head before grabbing her smoothie and taking a big swig of it. It was actually really, really good for a smoothie. It tasted really sweet … yet there was hints of sourness, like strawberry lemonade. It was actually really heavenly.

"Oi!" The Doctor exclaimed, trying desperately to hide his smile. Astrid was back. She was confident again. Astrid whacked him like that when she thought he needed to fix his behavior. And only confident, plain old Astrid did that.

"You were being rude. And this is serious." Astrid proclaimed, raising her brow at him as she took another sip of her drink. He couldn't just say stupid stuff like that. It's unacceptable. She was in turmoil and that is not the right response to tell a woman in turmoil. He needed to learn to control the sensor between his brain and his mouth, and it needed to start now. This was serious. Very serious. And he was being cocky. So not the right move.

"It really isn't. You'll see, it'll be fine." The Doctor explained, trying to keep her spirits up. It was not as serious as Astrid was making it out to be. River was not a threat to their relationship. If only she knew that River fully supported their relationship. If only she knew that River was already married and not to him. If only she knew the role she had in River's life. River was not jealous. River did not hate him. River could never hate her. It would all work out in the end, and she could be with him. And River knew it from the start.

"I know you haven't been there yet, and who here sees the future?" Astrid questioned, echoing her words from earlier in the day. He knew who River was, but there was no way he had been to the wedding already if he was acting like this. There was no wedding ring, and he was so insistent that he didn't love River. Well, she had seen what happened. He married River. And that was how it would always be. There was no room for her in the equation. She essentially knew how the future played out.

"Me. I know more about you about this." The Doctor said. He knew she was so stubborn. She always was. And her foreknowledge was so spectacular and it had helped on so many occasions. But there was a lot of her knowledge that she did not know. Right here, right now was a temporal tipping point for her. She was between who she had been and who she was going to be. Her head was confused and mixed up that contributed to her self esteem. He knew she loved him. According to what she would tell his past self, she had always loved him. But the doubt that had formed in her subconscious … it was all on him. She didn't believe that this version of him could ever love her. And it hurt. It really hurt. Because it would take so much pain and suffering before she believed him. And he can't change it, because it already happened for him.

"Annoying." Astrid commented, rolling her eyes. Evidently he had been there. Evidently he knew everything. And he wouldn't tell her a goddamn thing. Give him a medal. The bastard. Something happened. Something big, and that meant the Doctor and River weren't married. He had been there. He had been to the end of the universe. Yet, the world hadn't ended, stuck in a frozen moment of time. And, there was no wedding ring which meant no wedding. The Wedding of River Song wasn't a wedding, so what was it? And how did River and The Doctor save the universe? Stupid bloody spoilers. It wasn't possible. It made no sense.

"I know, it is annoying when someone knows more than you, isn't it?" The Doctor questioned smugly. It was always his amazing Astrid with all the answers. Always Astrid with her spoilers and her vague answers. Always Astrid with the secrets and the running into danger to save people. Always Astrid with the clever plans and ideas because she always knew. Well, not anymore. Now it was flipped. She was young, he knew what her life would become. The spoilers were his! He was finally the spoiler king! Ooo, rubbish title. Maybe not that. But still, he knew moreeeee than heerrrr.

"Oh, shut up." Astrid said, slapping him on the arm. It wasn't fair. She was supposed to be the one that knew all the answers. Though, it was bound to happen eventually, wasn't it. The day where she knew less than the Doctor. River went through the same thing in her younger years as Mels and the just regenerated Melody. There was bound to be things she didn't know, adventures that weren't shown. But god was it annoying. His ego was already inflated enough as it was. And this was a major plot development that they were talking about. Did he need to sound so smug? It was annoying.

"Never." The Doctor stated, causing her to widen her eyes. Oh, so he wanted to get cocky did he. Well, she could play that game. She knew how to deal with cocky people, all they wanted was attention. To feed into the conversation. Well, she was not going to. No sir.

"Now where are you and who is with you?" Astrid questioned, changing the topic of conversation immediately. If the topic changed so would his annoying gloaty face.

"Nobody. No one knows I am alive yet. But now, I have you, we could go somewhere." The Doctor said, looking at her with hopeful eyes. Maybe they could go on a date night. Her first ever date night. He could show her just how much he did love her. How much he did care. Even if she didn't completely believe him, he could show her.

"Let me go get changed, will ya? I smell disgusting." Astrid stated, setting down her finished smoothie on the nightstand as she went to stand up. She looked like a homeless woman … though, technically speaking, she was. Her hair was sticking up and smelling of ginger. And her clothing was sticky against her skin and drying awkwardly against her. It was nasty. She really needed a nice half an hour shower, paired with orange-vanilla shampoo.

"Fine with me." He told her, standing up from the bed as well. Maybe he could get the TARDIS to help her find a really nice dress. It would give him time to find a place to take her. Somewhere that was just as amazing as her. Somewhere that she didn't know about. Somewhere spectacular. He wanted to impress her. He needed to impress her. It was time for a major brainstorm.

She leant forward as if to kiss, but hesitated inches from his face. She shook her head, pushing all thoughts of River away. He said he loved her. So, she pushed forward, closing her eyes as she kissed him with so much passion that it knocked him back onto the bed. He laughed into the kiss. And when they pulled away, they held matching smiles.

"Thank you for saving me, I mean." She told him, knowing that it was so very rare for people to thank him and recognize all he had done for them. She wasn't just going to walk away without thanking him. She wasn't going to forget that he had saved her life. He had triggered a detox. He had saved her. And he deserved that recognition.

"All in a day's work." The Doctor replied, his smile getting even wider. She had kissed him. She had kissed him. Despite her mixed feelings and the slight hesitation she had kissed him. And then, like always, she thanked him. She gave him what no one else ever did. And although he didn't care that he never got any thanks, she always thanked him. Always. Even for the smallest of things. And it always made him so happy because he knew … he made a difference in her life.

"My amazing hero." Astrid proclaimed, tracing his face with her fingers. It was so strange, yet so beautiful when you thought about it. His past regeneration had started saving her, and this Doctor had saved her with true love's kiss. Two Doctors had saved her from the same thing. He was quite an amazing hero.

"I think you prefer to call me Doctor Sexy." The Doctor told her, his eyes glittering with mischief. She wanted to play the flirt game, he could play. Oh, he could definitely play. It had been days since he had had an Astrid around to tease.

"Not yet I haven't." Astrid told him, her eyes bulging out of her sockets. That name was a secret name! It … it was what he called him when he wore his glasses in his tenth body … or when he did those epic speeches in his eleventh body. She hadn't thought about that name since back in her own universe. How could he possibly know that name? She hadn't said it even in her own thoughts in this universe yet.

"You will do one day." The Doctor said, biting his lip as he fought the urge to laugh at her shocked face. He remembered the day, and he remembered it well. She was so drunk on hyper vodka and he hadn't even realized because she hadn't seemed like it the entire adventure. Not until she had blurted that out and kept trying to makeout with him in a life or death situation. Oh that had been such a strange adventure. And it had been all Jack's fault too.

"Flirt." She commented, echoing what she knew Amy had once called him. She was so right. Eleven was SUCH a flirt. And you'd never expect it either. He was so baby faced and young and childish. But if you look deep enough, oh goodness could he flirt.

"Girlfriend." He said smugly. Yeah, he was flirting. But, to make a brilliant point he was flirting with his girlfriend, so really, it was okay to do so.

She laughed at him, walking out of the room and leaving him to shake his head at her adorableness. It was time to plan a date. No more distractions. He had approximately 45 minutes and 52 seconds before she came back out showered, dressed, and ready to go. It was time to find somewhere amazing.