Hello! I'm back after just over two whole years. First off, I'm sorry. I had some personal things going on and a real sucky job and it just caused a big, massive writers block. I tried so may times to come up with something, anything and I always failed.

But things got better, I got a new, awesome job and I finally got back into writing. Hopefully I still have some readers and I promise, I'm going to try to get back into this story and update on a regular basis.

Please enjoy and leave a review

Disclaimer: I own nothing Doctor Who.

Ivy opened the doors of the TARDIS, taking in the asteroids, flaring stars and inky black of open space. She seated herself slowly, cautiously keeping the tea in her hands from spilling. After getting comfortable, she took a deep sip of the warm liquid and sighed in relief.

Who knew she would come to genuinely like tea?

After returning from her… conversation with River, the Doctor had given her space and didn't push to find out what the two had talked about. He watched her worriedly, clearly picking up on her stiffness as she came in but that was all he did. It had surprised her, and she spent most of the evening waiting for him to come and drill her for the information.

But he left her alone, even as Rory and Amy had drifted off to their own room in the TARDIS to spend time together and Ivy left soon after with some lame excuse that he clearly didn't buy. At least he was learning not to push.

River had no business talking to her about those things. Ivy was so sick of these people bringing up things that this her hadn't told them, that she hadn't opened herself up to discussing. Emma, who was arguably her closest friend, didn't even know about her past trauma or her life before she had moved to Indiana. If she wasn't willing to speak to her only friend about it, she didn't want to talk with someone she barely knew.

"Enjoying the tea?"

Ivy glanced behind her, nodding in greeting as Amy came up the steps toward her. Amy looked at the spot next to her, clearly asking for permission to have a seat. Ivy nodded, scooting over a bit to make room for the red head. She was in her pajamas, a cozy set of flannel, her auburn hair tied up on top of her head in a messy knot. "Saw the tea in the kitchen, figured I'd find out here."

"So British of me, right?" Ivy said, taking another sip as Amy laughed.

"You're practically a citizen now." Amy agreed, staring out at the open expanse of space in the doorway.

"Figured you'd be all cuddled away with Rory." Ivy said, studying the red head a bit. While Amy had been a bit shaken up after being rescued, it was Rory who had seemed more traumatized by the events with the Silence. Between his relief of finding his wife alive and safe and being told how much Amy loved him and only him, Rory hadn't let Amy more than a couple of feet from him during the short time they had stayed in the console room with Ivy and the Doctor. Ivy was sure that Amy had dragged him to their room just to calm him down.

"Got hungry. Turns out getting kidnapped by government toppling aliens builds an appetite." She joked, leaning back as she stared out the open doors. "Rory finally fell asleep; I didn't want to bother him."

Ivy nodded, clutching the tea tighter in her hands and savoring the warmth. "He okay?"

Amy sighed, frowning a bit. "He's… getting there."

"You okay?" Ivy asked, giving her a significant look and from how Amy's frowned deepened she clearly know Ivy wasn't just asking about her abduction.

"I'm not pregnant." She said confidently, but she wore a conflicted look. "Even the Doctor said so."

"And that's…. good?"

"That's good." Amy insisted, turning to throw Ivy a hasty, rather unconvincing smile. "I mean, we're barely into our marriage and we're still traveling with the Doctor."

"Kid would be a lot." Ivy agreed, but she still watched the red head carefully. She seemed to be truthful when she said she was fine, but there was an odd look in her eyes… kind of like sadness. Perhaps it wasn't the right time, but Amy did seem almost happy when she had told her and the Doctor about her worries.

"Do you want them?" Amy asked, clearly trying to move away from talking about herself. Ivy frowned but understood and let her switch the attention from herself. She deserved that after what she had gone through.

"No." Ivy said firmly, chuckling a bit at the thought. "No, that would not be…. good. I'd be a horrible mother."

"I doubt that." Amy said, giving her a gentle smile. "You're already kind of motherly."

Ivy snorted, eyeing her to see if she was joking. "Maybe in the future-"

"No, even young. You always worry about everyone but yourself." Amy insisted, her brown eyes kind as she stared at Ivy. "I'm just saying, you wouldn't be bad… if you ever did."

"I never had a mother. And the few 'examples' I had were uh… less than ideal." Ivy whispered, surprising herself slightly with the admission. "It would probably be best to stick to raising a dog for me."

Amy slowly nodded, clearly trying to decide whether she wanted to push the subject of Ivy's past more, but in the end she kept quiet. Instead she gazed back out the doors, lapsing into a calm, comfortable silence. Ivy took the time to sip at more of her tea and watch the flaring of the stars.

"You're alright, yeah? You looked a little… angry earlier after talking with River." Amy finally said and Ivy could tell that she had been wanting to ask about this probably as much as the Doctor had. Ivy sighed, her jaw clenching a bit as the anger from earlier flashed again. Not at Amy, but at the smug murderer.

"I'm fine." Ivy said and winced at how unconvincing she sounded, even to herself. "She just needs to mind her own business."

"I don't know if she's capable." Amy chuckled. "But I do know…. River does care about you. And you…. You eventually do care for her."

"Eventually being the key word." Ivy snapped, her hands tightening around the mug of tea angrily. Amy seemed to sense the growing irritation and leaned back a bit. "This me doesn't know her. This me didn't tell her those things. I'm not the person she wants."

"You're always who we want." Amy said and the intensity in her voice surprised Ivy. She glanced at the red head, taking in the seriousness in her face. "You're always Ivy, no matter how many times you've jumped. And yeah, you're rougher when you're younger but you're still you."

Ivy paused, slightly shocked by the words. Her and Amy had, had their problems these last couple of jumps and Ivy was slightly surprised by how kind her words were. It made her regret the way she had treated the girl these last couple of times. "Thank you." Ivy whispered, hoping that she could hear and understand that Ivy meant it. "And I am sorry when I am… rough."

Amy snorted, giving her an amused look. "You can be scary when you want to be, that's for sure."

Ivy was about to laugh, but a shot of pain pulsed behind her eyes. She gave a hiss of pain, setting the tea on the ground and clutched her head. Amy watched her worriedly, though there was a knowing look in her eyes. "Guess I'll see you around." Ivy muttered, wincing as her head pounded again before she felt the familiar tug and was gone.

She landed unsteadily on her feet, though she immediately tumbled back and fell on her ass. Luckily it was only plush carpet, though it still sent pain up her spine. She paused, gathering her herself before she slowly opened her eyes and sighed in relief. She was in her own room on the TARDIS, everything looking almost exactly as she had left it.

She stood on shaky legs, slowly walking over to her bed and seating herself. Her head was pounding horribly and the ding that sounded through her room didn't help. She glanced up at the sound and immediately forgave the TARDIS as she spotted some meds sitting on her nightstand. She took it gratefully, quickly swallowing three. "Thanks." She muttered before falling back into her bed in exhaustion. She knew she should probably go and find the Doctor, try to figure out where and when she was, but after everything that had happened with the space program she was just so exhausted.

Ivy felt like she had just fallen asleep when she jolted awake at the familiar wheezing sound echoing from above. She wasn't sure if the TARDIS was moving or if it was maybe waking her up, but she wasn't happy to be woken up. Her headache was at least gone.

She stood, rubbing her face tiredly before padding over toward her closet and pulling out a simple outfit. She dressed quickly, took a deep breath and then headed toward the console room. She found the room after a couple of turns, but she slowed, caught off guard by the unfamiliar room. It was still the console room, but one that she hadn't seen in her travels so far. It was darker than the others, with what looked like octagonal gears covered the walls, gold, crystal like pillars arched over the middle and the console was a mixture of metal and the same crystal. She was so caught up in looking around at the new room that she didn't notice someone on the opposite side of the console until whatever they did made a loud bang and then sparked brightly.

Ivy gave a gasp, which made the small blonde woman jerk up in alarm. She was dressed oddly, with a blue shirt that had multicolored strips across the chest, blue trousers that went to her ankles and that were held up by yellow suspenders and brown, ankle high boots. She wore a black protective mask, which she shoved up to reveal bright brown eyes, a small nose and full lips turned up into a smile. "Ivy! When'd you get here?"

"Uh… couple hours ago, I think. I slept a bit." She muttered, studying the woman curiously. Was this another companion? She had to be trusted for the Doctor to allow her to work on the TARDIS. Ivy studied her a bit closer, her face, her eyes… which had a sort of oldness, despite her young age. Ivy tilted her head, trying to put together what couldn't possibly be true. "Doctor…?"

"Ivy." The woman answered, raising her eyebrows at the look on Ivy's face.

"You're the Doctor? How-" Ivy muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. The Doctor was now a… woman? It was one thing to change bodies, but now the alien was switching genders?

"First time with me?" The woman… the Doctor asked, a brief flicker of sadness coming over her before she straightened her face. "I know. Still getting used to it myself."

"You… you can do that? Switch genders during regenerations? That's-"

"We can. Never done it before now though. Bit of a shock." She explained. Ivy knew that this should be more of a surprise, but in all honesty the Doctor switching genders wasn't the strangest thing she had come across in her time jumping.

"Right. What number?"

"13."

Ivy nodded, about to ask more questions about this new revelation but was interrupted when three other people headed into the console room. They were led but another dark skinned young woman who looked to be in her early twenties, wearing a leather jacket, jeans and some boots. The two others were men, one young and dark skinned and the other a man who looked to be in his late fifties. The young man spotted Ivy first, grinning and bringing up his hand to wave at her. "Hey Ivy. When'd you get here?"

"That's Ryan." The Doctor said before Ivy could answer before pointing at the girl next. "Yasmin. And Graham."

The older man, Graham, gave the Doctor an odd look before glancing back at Ivy. "What-"

"It's my first time meeting you all." Ivy explained, earning various confused faces from the three of them. "Sorry…"

"From the jumping thing. You said you come around all out of order." Yasmin said, nodding at the explanation. "Well, nice to meet you then."

"You too." Ivy said, glad that the three of them weren't getting very emotional about her lack of knowledge of who they were. Perhaps they hadn't known her long either?

"Where did you come from?" The Doctor asked, removing the black protective helmet and setting it in a chair off to the side.

"Space, 1969."

"Tricky Dicky!" The Doctor exclaimed, laughing as she nodded knowingly. "The Silence. Miss Poots. Good times. Well, now that we're all here then, we can head somewhere. That was the past, so maybe we head to the future?"

"Sure." Ivy muttered, shrugging as the Doctor headed toward the console.

"Actually," Yasmin interrupted, pulling something delicately out of her pocket. "I had somewhere I was curious about."

"Oh, Yasmin taking the wheel. I love it." The Doctor said, coming around to stand in front of the girl. "Where were you thinking?"

"This was my grans," Yasmin explained, handing over an old watch with brown leather band and a broken face. "She doesn't talk much about her past so I wondered-"

The Doctor's excitement faded a bit as she frowned, gently taking the watch from Yasmin. "I know what you're asking and family history and time travel, very tricky."

"It would be just for an hour." Yasmin said, staring down at the watch with an almost desperate look. "See her from a distance. What's the point in having a mate with a time machine if you can't nip back and see your gran when she was younger?"

The Doctor was shaking her head, but she stared down at the watch curiously. "Have you got a time or place?"

"I know she lived in Lahore in the '50s." Yasmin offered, watching the Doctor with a bit more hope. "But other than that…"

"I mean, I could." The Doctor mumbled, her brows furrowed together as her mind went over the possibilities. "I shouldn't."

"It does sound interesting." Ivy offered, earning a thankful smile from Yasmin. The girl just wanted to know more about her family, to see her grandmother's past and learn more. If Ivy had the chance to find out where she came from… "We could just observe."

"No. Too unpredictable." The Doctor muttered. "It's a risk."

"Oh, like none of our other trips have ever been risky." Graham scoffed, while Ryan nodded behind him.

The Doctor popped up from the console, giving Graham an exasperated look as she said, "I have apologized for the death-eye turtle army. Profusely."

"Death-eye turtle army?" Ivy asked, earning a grim look from Graham.

"Don't answer, spoilers!" The Doctor warned, before turning back toward Yasmin. "I supposed I could loop this into the TARDIS' telepathic circuits."

"The thing's telepathic, too?" Graham asked, glancing around the ship and looking rather impressed.

"Don't call her a thing, Graham!" The Doctor corrected. "And, yes, she does have telepathic navigation, sort of. Shorthand for a very complicated process which is way beyond your understanding."

"Ta very much. I only hang around here to be insulted." Graham muttered.

"Any object amasses all sorts of fragmentary spatio-temporal particles through its life. The TARDIS can read it like date stamps. What do you two reckon?"

"Oh, yeah, I love it. Pakistan." Graham nodded, glancing back at Ryan to see if he agreed. "Never been there before. Another one off the bucket list. As long as there's no killer turtles."

"You never know when the Doctor's involved." Ivy said, earning a chuckle from the three of them.

"Hmmm. One hour. No…."

"Interfering." The three companions said together. The Doctor nodded before she set the watch into a slot in the console. It sank a bit into the surface before glowing a bright blue. The Doctor then began fiddling with several other buttons and knobs before the wheezing sounded overhead.

"Go on. You know you can do it." The Doctor whispered, her hand running down the metal surface lovingly. After a couple of seconds, the wheezing began to fade, and the Doctor took off up the steps. "Alright, once more, no interfering."

"Yeah, yeah, we've got it by now." Ryan said, waving his hand as he looked out of the window excitedly.

The Doctor opened the door, revealing that they had landed on a lush green hill. Several hills were all around them, surrounded by clean blue skies. "Whoa! Nice." The Doctor said, taking in the scenery with wide eyes.

"I thought Lahore was a city. This isn't a city." Yasmin said, frowning a bit as she looked around. She glanced at the Doctor, looking for an explanation but the alien whipped around and headed off into the forest behind them as she waved the sonic around. The four of them followed her, the sonic whirring loudly for a couple of yards before she brought it down to analyze it.

"TARDIS readings are all over the shop. Looking pretty, northern Punjab." The Doctor explained before she came to a sudden stop, hissed in pain and clutching her head.

"Doctor?!" Ivy called, rushing to her side. She jerked back, looking dazed and alarmed. "What was-"

"Hey, get off the road!"

Ivy turned, quickly getting out of the way as a young Indian man yanked the cart he was driving to a stop to avoid hitting them. "Really sorry." The Doctor said, still looking a bit pained from her odd episode. "Bit of a wobble."

"What just happened?" Ryan asked, looking over the Doctor worriedly.

"Not sure. But I didn't like it at all." The Doctor muttered, frowning. She looked confused and bothered by whatever had happened, which only served to make Ivy even more anxious.

"Sorry, mate, er… we're just getting our bearings." Graham explained to the young man on the cart, who was watching the group of them cautiously. "We're not from around here."

"Yeah, no kidding. But your Punjabi's not bad for foreigners, though." The man said, swaying as his cart rocked. "You need to be careful. These roads aren't safe right now."

"We're actually looking for a woman by the name of Umbreen." Yasmin said.

"Right, Umbreen. What for?"

"We're family."

"We're friends."

Yasmine and Ryan glanced at each other, looking annoyed with the other for answering differently. "Family friends." Ivy cut in when the man gave them a suspicious look.

"We're on our way to say hello. Bit of a surprise." Yasmin smiled charmingly.

"But we agreed…." The man started, before stopping and rethinking whatever he was going to say. "Eh, alright. Get in."

Graham, Yasmin and Ryan started off for the cart, helping each other squeeze into it. Ivy began to follow after them but paused when she saw the worried look on the Doctor's face. "You alright?" Ivy asked.

"I think so. Probably." The Doctor offered, though she looked unconvinced by her own answer. "I don't know. It's like I intercepted something. In my brain."

Ivy frowned, worry bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "Something… alien?"

"Maybe?" The Doctor whispered, looking unsure. Ivy almost questioned further, but Yasmin had turned and offered her hand and Ivy took it and got into the cart.

"So you're a flower merchant?" Graham asked, looking down at the sack of white and yellow flowers hanging off the side.

"Yeah, for now."

"Why are the roads not safe?" The Doctor asked.

The man opened his mouth, but was interrupted when someone called out, "Running transport now, Prem?"

Ivy turned, catching sight of an older Indian man dressed in a yellow robe that hung off his right shoulder, a brown beaded necklace and had red and yellow paint across his forehead. "Want to ride with us, Sadhu? I can take one more."

"What's wrong with your feet?" Sadhu asked, flashing a friendly smile at Prem through his long white beard. "You young people. Always in a rush. Walking served me all my life. I'll be there, don't you worry."

"We'll be ready." Prem smiled, before turning back toward the front. "I'm late. Umbreen's going to kill me."

He sent the cows off, jerking the cart forward and making them rock into each other. They rode for about twenty minutes, passing by bits for forest, a scattering of small houses and some other people walking down the path. They finally pulled up to a decent sized barn where Prem parked the cart, hopped down and then began to unload the several bags of flowers he had brought with him.

"You're late!"

A beautiful young Indian woman had marched up to them, wearing a rather irritated look as she gazed at Prem. She finally noticed the group of them that were also getting out of the cart, confusion clouding her face. "And who are they?"

"They're your family, Umbreen." Prem answered, sliding past her and headed into the house.

"What?"

"Oh, my gosh." Yasmin gasped, jogging up to the younger version of her grandmother. "You're Umbreen. You look amazing. What are you doing here?"

"I live here?" Umbreen muttered, her brow furrowing in confusion. Yasmin looked just as lost by Umbreen's admission, clearly not expecting the answer.

"On a farm? But I thought…" Yasmin started, before shaking her head and instead gave her grandmother a bright smile. "It doesn't matter. I'm so happy to see you!"

She wrapped Umbreen in an enthusiastic hug which the young woman did not return. The Doctor quickly came forward, clearly growing nervous with how familiar Yasmin was being. "So, Yas, you should probably explain who we are."

"Sorry, yeah. Excited." Yasmin chuckled, pulling back to gaze at her grandmother. "Uncle Malik. You know Uncle Malik."

"There are tons of Uncle Malik's." Umbreen muttered, still looking confused.

"Yeah, exactly." Yasmin agreed enthusiastically. "The one from about 15 valleys over, I'm that Uncle Malik's third cousin's younger sister, Yas. And these are my friends, Ryan, Graham, Ivy and the Doctor."

"All the way from England." Graham smiled, waving at Umbreen.

"You might want to keep that to yourself right now." Prem through over his shoulder as he passed, taking another bag of flowers with him toward the barn. Graham glanced over at them, looking confused by the statement. Ivy shrugged, unsure of exactly when this was and what exactly England might have done during this time. Of course, when it came to England and colonizing, she could pretty much figure out what was going on.

"It's just, we weren't expecting you, or anyone." Umbreen explained. "Uncle Malik's not coming to the wedding as well, is he?"

"There's a wedding?"

"Which is why were here." The Doctor cut in, throwing Umbreen a smile. "Bringing wedding best wishes. Erm, when… when's the big day again?"

"Tomorrow." Umbreen beamed, a look of excitement coming over her face.

"Amazing. I can't wait to meet the groom." Yasmin said.

"You already have." Umbreen said, waving behind her where Prem was still unloading. He raised his hand in greeting, glancing back at them.

"Remember me? Cart, flowers?" Prem laughed, glancing lovingly at Umbreen. "Marrying Umbreen."

"No." Yasmin whispered, shaking her head as she stared between the two of them. Ivy glanced at the young woman, clearly confused. "You can't be. You're not my-"

"A wedding in the Punjab!" The Doctor cried, cutting Yasmin off before she could offer up too much information. "Bring it on. I love a wedding. Don't we, boys?"

"Oh, yeah. I can do a wedding every day if I could. Yeah." Ryan offered as Graham nodded next to him.

"Hey, do you need a singer? I know all the classics. Well, latest hits to you lot." Graham chuckled.

"Er, don't ever let him sing." Ryan muttered, shaking his head. Graham threw him an offended look to which Ryan merely shrugged.

"We're not staying long anyway." Ivy said, still watching Yasmin as she processed the information her grandmother had given her. "Just wanted to say best wishes and then head off."

Yasmin glanced back at her, sadness growing in her eyes. Ivy hated that they had to leave so soon after she was meeting her family, but she knew how easily things could become screwed up when messing with time and she only imagined it could get worse when dealing with your own history.

"I thought I saw some people on the cart. Sorry about his driving."

A young man who looked extremely like Prem walked up, giving them all a grin as Prem slapped his arm around him and pulled his head down. "My baby brother thinks he can do everything better than me."

As he held his brothers head, a watch flashed in the sunlight on his wrist. It was the exact watch that Yasmin had given the Doctor to get here, only less warn and its face wasn't tracked. Ivy saw the flash of recognition on Yasmin and the Doctor's face as well.

"I'm Manish." Prem's younger brother said after playfully shoving as his brother.

"Come, all of you. It's being announced!" An older woman called from the doorway, waving them all inside.

"Coming, mum." Umbreen said, turning and following Prem as he headed inside.

"Sorry, what's going on?" Ivy asked, glancing at Manish for explanation.

"Everyone's waiting for the announcement. But I've gotten advanced information." He said, giving them a rather smug smile before turning toward the house. But instead of going in, he slipped around the side and headed off into a field.

"Number one," Yasmin said, turning toward them and looking both concerned and confused, "the man Umbreen is about to marry is not my grandad."

"Defo? Totally sure?" Graham asked.

"Yes. For starters, Prem's a Hindu name. We're Muslim." Yasmin explained, shaking her head. "And he doesn't look anything like the photos. It's not him."

"And that's Umbreen, she's your grandma, right?" Ivy asked, nodding toward the house.

"Yeah, she does look like the photo."

"But Prem's wearing the watch your Nani gave you in the future." The Doctor countered, which made Yasmin frown in confusion.

"So what, she had a secret Hindu first husband?" Yasmin asked in a tone that made it obvious she didn't believe that of her grandmother.

"Doc," Graham interrupted, "I reckon an hour's nearly up, mate."

Ryan nodded, seconding with a 'yeah'. The Doctor frowned, almost looking like she didn't want to follow her own rule as she looked back at Yasmin. "We can't go." Yasmin argued. "I came here for answers. All I've got is more questions."

"I knew this would happen!" The Doctor sighed, glaring back at Ivy as though this was her fault.

"What?" She snapped. "How's this on me?"

"'We could just observe.'" The Doctor said, imitating Ivy's American accent. "You knew I couldn't resist."

"Oh, yeah, you're lack self-control after 2000 something years is totally on me." Ivy grumbled, rolling her eyes at the alien.

"Can anyone help me with this?" Manish interrupted as he came around the house with what looked like a stick with cloth hanging off it.

"I'll help!" Yas called, giving the Doctor a look that clearly said 'try to make me leave' before she turned and followed Manish. The Doctor gave her an exasperated look to Yas' back and threw her hands up in frustration.

"I shouldn't have come. I'm too nice. This is what happens when you try to be nice." The Doctor sighed, running a hand through her blonde locks in frustration. "Well, who wants to go and see what they're listening too?"

The three of them nodded, heading into the barn after the Doctor. Prem, Umbreen and her mother were gathered around an older looking radio, watching it with worried expressions. Prem turned it up a bit, leaning in closer. "Lord Mountbatten has finally released the specific details of the border which will separate the two countries."

"What countries are they talking about?" Ryan asked.

"Pakistan." Umbreen's mother offered with a frown. "Today, India's officially cut into pieces."

"It's the 17th of August." The Doctor muttered and Ivy could tell she was putting together what was going on.

"And still you want to go ahead?" Umbreen's mother asked, giving Umbreen a disapproving look. Was she talking about the wedding?

"Nothing changes, mum. We knew this was coming." Umbreen sighed. Her tone made it clear that this was a discussion she had with her mother multiple times.

"Sorry, I don't mean to sound stupid, but what year is it exactly?" Graham asked.

"Same year you have in England, 1947." Prem answered, staring at the radio unwaveringly.

"Partition." The Doctor gasped, realization hitting her. "We're in the middle of the partition of India."

Ivy frowned, trying to remember what exactly that event was. She had learned mostly about American history in her younger years and hadn't taken the world history class in her college just yet. She remembered vague things about it though, something about separating the two countries and the separation had mostly to do with splitting Hindu's and Muslims. She couldn't remember if this had been a decision that the people had supported, but from the reactions of the three here, she doubted it was.

"Where's Manish?" Prem asked, glancing around and finally seeming to realize that his younger brother was missing.

"He asked Yas to help him with something, went around the back." Ivy explained, pointing toward the back of the barn.

"He said he had 'advanced information.'" Ryan said, which made Prem frown and share a dark, worried look with Umbreen.

"Manish…" Prem sighed, shaking his head as he marched back outside. The Doctor shared a apprehensive look with Ivy, turning to follow the young man.

"Everything alright?" The Doctor asked, struggling to keep up with Prem and his long legs. He was heading further back behind the barn into an open field where Ivy could make out Yas and Manish putting the thing Manish had been carrying earlier into the ground between them. Prem jogged a bit faster when he caught sight of them, calling for his little brother.

"What are you doing?" Prem asked, looking between the stick he had wedged into the ground and his brother.

"Yas, hi!" The Doctor called, rushing toward her companion and trying to catch her breath. "Quick sidebar, August, 1947, Partition. The borders have just been announced."

"India." Manish exclaimed, pointing to one side of the small stream that was flowing between them. He pointed toward the other side and declared, "Pakistan."

"It's not just the land that gets divided." The Doctor whispered quickly. "Rioting in the cities. Tens of millions of people about to be displaced. More than a million about to die."

"Doc, meanwhile, her Nan's about to get married, but not to her Granddad." Graham interjected, glancing nervously between Yas and Umbreen.

"I'm thinking that hours well up now." Ivy agreed, growing more nervous after the Doctor had explained the horrible events that were about to unfold here.

"You can't know the borders." Umbreen was arguing. "It's only just been announced!"

"The maps were leaked weeks ago. I got one from my sources." Manish said, standing a bit straighter as he declared the information.

"Your sources must be wrong, because you've just put my house in Pakistan." Umbreen's mother snapped, glaring at the young man.

"With the other Muslims." Manish said, nodding as though this was final. "But you get a fresh start."

"Manish, you need to slow down." Prem said calmly, taking a cautious step toward his brother.

"Pakistan is somewhere for Muslims if they want to go." Umbreen countered and Ivy could tell from the tone that she was trying not to snap at her fiancé's younger brother.

"I'm not saying you have to go, but Pakistan is being created for Muslims. Hindu's have India. We both feel safe."

"Don't reduce it to that, brother." Prem said. "It's not that simple."

"But I get you have a hard decision if you're married." Manish said, frowning at his brother. From the warning look Prem gave his brother, it was clear he had hit a nerve.

"The land belongs to everyone, has for centuries." Prem said, his voice taking on a harder edge as he watched his brother carefully. "One day doesn't change that."

"I love you, brother, but you're wrong." Manish said, shaking his head and gently touching his shoulder. He had a sort of smugness to him now, as though he was above Prem and his views. It was a dangerous look, one that made Ivy nervous.

The Doctor gasped, tearing Ivy's eyes off the tensioned filled exchanged. She was clutching her head again, pain filling her face as she doubled over. "Doctor?" Ivy said, coming to her side. Just as quickly as the pain started it seemed to stop, because she leaned back up and blinked away the pained look in her eyes. "Was it the same thing?" Ivy started to ask, but Umbreen's mother's startled cry interrupted her.

"Look, demons!" She gasped, pointing across the stream with a look of pure terror. Ivy followed her gaze and felt her stomach drop when she caught sight of two tall, dangerous looking creatures stood under the tree not 20 feet from them. They were decently far away, but Ivy could make out the large, bulbous faces, their armored bodies and long, clawed hands. The others gave generally alarmed looks as the Doctor immediately began to scan the creatures, but Ivy felt a horrible, body numbing fear thread itself through her.

They loomed over him, stoic and imposing, the smoke billowing around them. They were unbothered, unfazed, as though they didn't even notice. They only stared at him, slowly crossing their arms-

There was no way. There was absolutely no way that had been real, right? All these years she had told herself that the nightmare was nothing but some horrible manipulation of her mind, making that night even worse for her. But here they were… those creatures that haunted the nightmares of the worst night of her life.

"… told you these days were cursed!" Umbreen's mother cried, bringing Ivy back to the present. The Doctor's sonic finally seemed to register what the creatures were because she pulled it back and listened to whatever it had analyzed in the way only she could. As she did, the creatures suddenly disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"It's gone!"

"Not far. We'll deal with this. Come on!" The Doctor urged and then took off into the forest area, following whatever signal the sonic was giving her. Ivy didn't think, she just followed her. She had to figure out what those creatures were, why they had been there. What did it mean that these things were there the night Nathan had died?

"Find the signal, they didn't go far!" The Doctor called, still running and following the signal the sonic was giving her. But then she jerked to a stop, gasping as they came to stand in front of the two creatures as they crouched over Sadhu, the man they had seen on the road earlier. He was sitting against a tree, his eyes closed, and head slumped to the side. Ivy felt her stomach roll when she realized that the kind man was dead between the two creatures.

They turned in unison, one sweeping their hand out before a horrible screeching filled the air. Ivy groaned, quickly covering her ears. "Stay away." One of the creatures hissed, it's voice distorted and warped and entirely in Ivy's head. The screeching continued until a gun blast sounded and the creatures disappeared in a rush of air.

Prem stood behind them, a shot gun pointed toward where the creatures had just been and a determined look on his face. He lowered the gun when he realized that they were gone and quickly rushed toward Sadhu. "Did I get them?" He asked, glancing back at the Doctor.

"I don't think so." She admitted. "They move faster than your bullet."

"What are they?" Ivy asked, walking cautiously toward the man's unmoving body. What had they done? Why had they come here, just to murder an old man? What were they?

"Bhakti!" Prem called, dropping to his knees next to his friend. "They killed him." He whispered in a hallow sort of voice, staring down at the body in shock.

"He was your mad on the road?"

"He's a holy man. A Sadhu. Everyone knows him as Bhakti." Prem explained, shaking his head sadly. The Doctor came forward, running her sonic over the man's body slowly. "Umbreen and I asked him to bless our marriage. Why would they kill him?"

"I don't know. But what I don't understand is you just saw something not of this world and you took it right in your stride." The Doctor said, watching the young man carefully. "Why is that, Prem?"

Prem stared back at the Doctor, a haunted sort of look on his face and Ivy knew what that look in his eyes meant. "You've seen them before…" Ivy whispered, meeting Prem's eyes as he slowly nodded. She took a step closer, desperate to understand. If he had seen them, maybe he knew why… "Where?"

Prem paused, his eyes going unfocused as he was transported back to wherever he had seen those creatures. He closed them, letting out a shaky sigh before gathering himself. He turned toward Ivy fully then, his face taking on a hard edge as he looked at the four of them. "Who are you?" He demanded, standing up. "You say you're Umbreen's family, but clearly you're not. And you ran at those demons like you didn't care."

"I don't think they're demons." The Doctor said, tearing Prem's attention away from Yasmin, who was now looking worriedly at the Doctor.

"Why should I trust what you think?"

"Because we have experience with impossible creatures and because we ask questions like 'what is this substance on his body?'" The Doctor asked, looking back down at the dead man again. Ivy hadn't noticed in all the panic of before, but a purple, dust like substance was tracked down the man's body and had began to slowly float away, dissipating into the air.

"And things are getting even weirder." Ryan muttered, staring in amazement.

"You think that's what they used to kill him? Some sort of fast-dissolving poisonous dust?" Graham asked as the Doctor ran her sonic over him.

"It doesn't read like he was poisoned." The Doctor said, shaking her head in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Why would they come to kill some harmless old man? Why would they come here at all?" Ivy demanded, a horrible feeling filling the pit of her stomach. Had those things come for Nathan? Did she do something now to these creatures that made them come to her past and take away Nathan?

"What are we going to tell the others back there?" Yasmin asked, interrupting Ivy's horrible train of thought.

"They don't have to know. Hasna already things the marriage is cursed." Prem said quickly, panic flicking over his face. "Umbreen doesn't need anything else to worry about and Manish… who knows what he thinks these days. I was away from him too long, fighting in the war. By the time I got back, Manish wasn't my baby brother anymore."

"People grow up. We all have to find our own way." Yasmin said, but her words did little to quell the worry that Prem clearly had for his brother and his attitude.

"Some of us need more guidance than others." Prem insisted, staring off with a sad look on his face.

"This man needs to be laid to rest." Graham interrupted, clearly trying to break up the tension building between Yas and Prem. Yasmin blinked, looking over at the older man and nodded slowly.

"Why don't we go and get the others to help but not let on what happened." Yas said, earning a nod of agreement from Graham. They began to turn to head back to the house, beginning to march through the forest solemnly before the Doctor gave an excited cry.

"Oh! Accordian waves." The Doctor said, making them stop and turn. "Which could mean a dormant octonic engine nearby." She looked at all of them excitedly, obviously hoping they would have more a reaction than their blank faces.

"What's she saying?" Prem asked, looking back at them for an explanation.

"If I had to guess," Ryan muttered wearily. "I think we're going demon hunting."

"Gold star for Ryan!" The Doctor grinned, before her smile faded and she looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh, wait. Was I awarding points? I forgot about the points!"

"I want to go with you." Prem demanded, lifting his gun a bit and straightening.

"No."

"I know this forest. I can help." He insisted. The Doctor sighed, her mind moving quickly through the options before nodding.

"Okay. Yas!" The Doctor called, making Yas and Graham turn back. "Be careful what you say back there. The wrong word in the wrong moment, you can interfere yourself out of existence. Do you understand?"

"You know there are aliens here, right?" Yas scoffed, raising her eyebrows at the Doctors worry. "In the Punjab during Partition. And you're worried about me being gobby?"

"Tread softly. You're treading on your own history." The Doctor warned again and Yas frowned, seeming to take something the Doctor said to heart. "Come on, then."

The Doctor turned on her heel, heading further into the forest and periodically buzzing her sonic over this area or that. She would bring it toward her face, listening to whatever it had scanned and then turn this way or that to follow the readings it was giving her. Ivy followed her cautiously, Ryan to her right and Prem just behind them with his gun held tightly in his hands.

"I don't like this." Prem said after a couple of minutes. "Traipsing through the forest, alongside the British, looking for the enemy."

"I'm American." Ivy inserted.

"No offense, but that's not much better in my book."

"Fair point." She shrugged and Prem looking slightly amused before his face turned serious again.

"I've had enough of those things though. Although, maybe you're my enemy now for the mess you just made of my country. Carving it up, slapdash, in six weeks."

"I'll make a note of your thoughts and pass 'em on to Mountbatten if I ever bump into him again." The Doctor grumbled, waving her sonic back and forth.

"These demon things, you've seen them before or do you reckon they're there because of the Partition?" Ryan asked the Doctor.

"I don't know. I need to find out."

"Then he's got one up on you if he's seen them before you." Ryan pointed out, earning an irritated look from the Doctor.

"I'm not the only one." Prem interjected and Ivy was surprised to find him looking over at her. "You think I didn't see your face too?

The Doctor stopped, the whirring of the sonic cutting off as she stared at Ivy. "What? What is he talking about?"

"You've seen them?" Ryan asked, looking just as curious as the Doctor.

Ivy shifted uncomfortably, glaring at Prem though she knew that she didn't really have an excuse to be angry when she had called out his recognition of the creatures as well. But the Doctor was looking at her intensely and she knew that she wasn't going to let Ivy get away with not telling her. "I… I don't know. I thought it was in my head." She muttered, running a hand through her hair anxiously.

"Where?" The Doctor demanded, taking a step closer to her.

"The crash." She snapped, angering and pain flaring deep in her chest. She didn't want to talk about this, not again. Ryan looked confused by the answer, clearly not knowing about Ivy's past just yet but the Doctor clearly understood.

"You saw them that night?" The Doctor breathed, looking shocked. "But why… why Punjab and then…" She could see her mind racing, trying to connect the dots and put together why these creatures would be here and in Ivy's past. Ivy could see when she put the same thoughts together as Ivy, could see the fear flicker in her brown eyes.

"Can we go?" Ivy asked before the Doctor could say anymore and she could see her fighting the urge to ask anymore more. She gave a short nod before turning back around and began to scan the area again, through Ivy could see the tension in her shoulders.

"What does your demon-tracker say?" Prem asked.

"It says…" The Doctor started, pulling to close to her before jerking her head up and looking forward. Under some leaves and dirt sat a large piece of metal jutting from the ground that clearly didn't belong in the middle of the forest.

"What is that?" Ivy asked as the Doctor scanned over it.

"It seems like a-"

Ivy blinked, an odd sweeping sensation flowing over her and when she opened her eyes in the span of that single blink the forest was gone and they stood instead in a dark, round room.

"-transmat doorway." The Doctor finished, not even able to look up from her sonic during the transfer.

"Nice. That was cool." Ryan said, looking around as Prem jerked his gun up and cocked it as he looked around the room wearily.

"What. Just. Happened?" Prem asked, slowly lowering the gun as he realized there was no immediate threat. "We were in the forest and now we're… really not."

"Short answer, we got dragged through a doorway into-"

"The demons lair." Prem finished, earning a shrug from the Doctor.

"I wouldn't put it quite like that, but you're getting the gist." The Doctor muttered, beginning to scan the area.

"Spaceship though, right?" Ivy asking, taking in the curved walls, circled around a waist tall pillar.

"I can't get a read on anything." The Doctor grumbled, her frustration clearly growing more as she scanned.

"It's beautiful." Prem breathed, looking up at the tall ceiling. He was right, it was a weirdly beautiful space, but knowing those things were there… it took on a sinister edge.

"Yeah, you're right. It really is." The Doctor agreed, staring up in wonder. "They can surprise you, demons."

"Do you think they're here?" Ryan asked worriedly, which made Prem raise his gun again.

"I'm not getting any life signals. Maybe they're out… shopping." The Doctor said a bit hopefully. "Catching a movie? Bowling. Some races like bowling. I'm talking to confront my latent worry."

"I know." Ryan mumbled, watching her as she began to scan over the pillar. "I got that now."

"Oh, come on! One of these things must unlock it." She hissed, adjusting something on the sonic before pointing it toward the center again. This time it sprang to life, revealing a red hologram.

"What is it?" Ivy asked, watching the red lines rotate and spin.

"Exactly what I'm looking for." The Doctor said excitedly. "Craft spec, species, data, bio-ID."

She leaned forward, watching these specs as they turned. She could obviously read whatever this thing was saying. Something in it seemed to catch her off guard, because she let out a little gasp and then lean back. "What?" Ivy insisted, taking a step closer to her. "What is it, Doctor?"

"This is a Thijarian hive." She whispered, turning around and looking around with wide eyes.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Ryan asked worriedly.

"Thijarian's are assassins."

Ivy's stomach dropped, dread filling her as she took a step back. Assassins. Assassins had come after her? Nathan? Was it because of something that happened here or had these creatures already gone after Nathan?

"I've heard about them, never come across them. They're one of the ancient species, evolved themselves into the deadliest assassins in the known universe." The Doctor explained, her voice rushed and panicked. She raised her sonic to the hologram again and this time it changed into an image of Bhakti's face, clearly after death.

"He was their target." Prem whispered, looking to the Doctor for confirmation.

"Why though?" Ivy choked out, frowning at the sad image as it floated between them. "Why target a holy man in the 1940s?"

"Where have you seen them before?" The Doctor asked Prem, who immediately began to shake his head. "Where?"

"I don't want to talk about that." Prem said immediately, backing away from them.

"Yeah, well neither did I." Ivy snapped, glaring at him.

"It could be important." The Doctor insisted, drawing Prem's attention away from her as he glared back at her.

"I don't want any of this." Prem cried, rubbing a hand over his face before looking back up at them. "I'm supposed to be married tomorrow."

"Mate, the Doctor's right." Ryan assured Prem. "We can help you but you have to trust us. Where did you see them?"

"In Singapore. Our section had found the boat to escape on. But I'd signed up with Kunal. I wasn't going to leave without him on my side. That's where I saw the demons." He paused, his eyes taking on a haunted look. "Standing over my older brother's dead body. I lost them in the haze as the evacuation sounded."

His hand unconsciously lifted to the small figurine on his necklace, staring off as he sorted through his memories. "I left his body. I couldn't save him." He muttered, looking up at them for a moment before raising his eyes toward the tall, domed ceiling. "Why are they here? How did we bring demons onto ourselves?"

"Can they travel in time as well?" Ivy asked, not caring about the confused look on Prem's face. She had to know, she had to figure out the time line of these creatures. If they could…

"Yes." The Doctor answered, though Ivy could see that she hated the answer. "But that doesn't mean…"

"It does." Ivy growled, her eyes filling with tears despite her fighting them. She quickly brushed them off, steeling herself. These creatures… they came for her and Nathan. If they could time travel, then they may have already done it.

And if they hadn't…

Ivy felt an odd sensation of both horrible fear and hope. If they hadn't and she could kill them here? What would that mean? What would happen to her here and now? The Doctor said they couldn't mess with your past. But if there was a chance…

If they had done it, these things were dead. If they hadn't, she would do whatever she could to kill them.

"I will protect you." The Doctor insisted, her voice hard and determined. Ivy could see that she hadn't caught Ivy's train of thought, that she only worried that she was blaming herself. She stared only at Ivy, but after a moment she seemed to realize how the other two were still there. "All of you."

"What if you can't?" Prem breathed, his fingers brushing over the metal of his gun.

"Oh, er, hey, hey." Ryan interrupted, jumping back from the pillar as a capsule looking object slowly began to rise from the center.

"That was the stuff that was on the hoy man's body. The stuff that they used to kill him." Ryan whispered, leaning close to study the odd, purple dust that floated inside.

"Oh, taking a look at that." The Doctor said, grabbing the capsule greedily. But almost as soon as the thing left the pillar an alarm began to blare overhead, and a red light began to flash. "Oh, over keen, should've thought about that."

Within seconds, the creatures were there. They were even worse up close, their large heads were lined with six sets of eyes that led down into a gapping nostril and an underjaw with four long fangs that protruded from it. They looked deadly in every sense of the word, with their claws and thick armor. The ringing screeches began to blare overhead again as one of the creatures stepped forward. "You have desecrated the hive. The hive is sacred." Their voices echoed inside Ivy's head, filling her with a blinding rage. She wanted to charge them as they crossed their hands over their chests, just as she had seen them do the night of the crash. She wanted to kill them, wanted to take them apart with her own two hands. These things… they had taken everything from her.

"Do you have to push your words into our heads like that? Because it really hurts." The Doctor snapped, glaring at them furiously. "And, no, we haven't it's you who are desecrating this planet. I know who you are, I know what your do, and it's not happening here. Leave these people alone. They're under my protection now!"

"You cannot prevent this." They said, their voices tangled together as one.

"You just watch me." The Doctor taunted before she sent the sonic whirring again and in a flash they were back in the forest. "Go, get out of the forest." The Doctor urged, waving them all to go. Ryan and Prem immediately followed her orders, taking off on shaky legs to run toward the house. Ivy stayed though, staring at the ground where she knew those things lurked. "Go, Ivy. I mean it."

"No." She hissed, glaring at the ground. "I'm going to-"

"What?" The Doctor looked past Ivy now, toward where Ryan and Prem had been running, a look of horror on her face. Ivy turned, fear spreading through her as she turned to see nothing.

"Where did they-"

The Doctor ran forward, looking around wildly before she saw a small device on a tree. She stopped, studying it a bit closer when the creatures suddenly materialized behind them. "Miniaturized transmat locks. Clever. Also, confiscated. See ya!"

The Doctor grabbed the device, shoving it into her pocket and then grabbed Ivy's arm and began to drag her away. She began to protest, but the creatures disappeared behind her. She reluctantly followed the Doctor as they made their way out of the forest, that blinding anger fueling her as she did. The Doctor found another device and pocketed it as well. After several minutes the trees finally stopped and they burst into the field where Ivy saw Ryan and Prem yards ahead of them at the house.

"Get to the barn!" The Doctor cried, waving them toward the shelter when they spotted her.

"What?" Graham yelled.

"Get to the barn! Now!"

They turned, quickly rushing toward the barn and heading inside. The Doctor continued running, though she stopped to drop one of the small devices she had stolen off the tree. They made it into the barn, where the others were waiting. When the Doctor reached the inside she quickly made her way to the pillar in the center of the barn, pressing the other device she had taken onto it. Umbreen's mother, Umbreen and Manish started to come in, but the Doctor waved them away, trying to stop them from entering. But it was too late, the screeching had started again and within seconds the creatures materialized into the barn across from the Doctor.

"You disrupt our work." The creature said and Ivy could feel the irritation that they were feeling.

"Good. Now, who are you here for?" The Doctor demanded and she took a step backwards toward Ivy, putting herself between the creatures and her.

"You must leave, or we will stand over your corpses."

"Nothing like getting to the point." The Doctor scoffed, glaring at them.

"Is it me? Are you here to kill me?" Prem asked, stepping forward. "Take me and promise to leave the others."

"Prem, no, not going to happen." Umbreen growled, snatching his arm and pulling him back toward her.

"Both of you, I'm dealing with this." The Doctor interrupted, waving the two of them away. "I've just nicked four of your transmat locks out of the forest. Good trick, by the way. Forcing people back, away from the boundary. Clever. So clever, I'm using it myself against you, locking you out of this farm."

The Doctor turned, sonicing the trans hazmat, which flashed red and the demons suddenly disappeared. "You killed the demons." Prem breathed, staring at the spot where they had been with shock.

"No, just exiled them for now. I made a temporary transmat barrier around the farm." The Doctor said quickly, looking rather impressed with herself. "I'm hoping it will keep them out for the next few hours. Enough time for you to get married and for us to keep everyone safe."

"Are you serious? After what just happened?" Manish said, stepping around Umbreen's mother and looking disgusted. "Can't you see what's happening? You bring demons to life."

"They aren't demons and they aren't here become some kids want to get married." Ivy snapped, earning a glare from the young man.

"Well, I do. I'm with Manish." Umbreen mother's said, but Umbreen ignored her and instead turned toward the Doctor.

"How many hours?"

"Twelve. Eighteen at a push. I can't be sure."

"Tonight, we celebrate and we marry first thing." Umbreen said, her voice laced with determination and a bit of hope as she looked at Prem. "And then if we have to fight them, we will. Come on."

Umbreen grabbed Prem's hand, dragging him out of the barn with steel in her eyes. The Doctor dropped down, picking up the capsule she had taken with the purple in it as Yasmin leaned down as well. "Still not interfering, are we?" She hissed, glaring at the alien, who gave Yas an offended look.

"Oi! The alien assassins started it. We can't leave now." The Doctor whispered furiously. "If something happens to Umbreen, your whole timeline could be erased. No Yas! We can't have a universe with no Yas. Now, whatever's in here might tell us more."

The Doctor slowly brought the capsule up and set it on an old chair and began to slowly twist the lid open. Luckily the dust didn't spread as the Doctor put the sonic into it, scanning whatever was inside. After just a couple of seconds the sonic sparked and the Doctor gasped, almost dropping the device. "Whoa! It's overloaded my sonic! Too many inputs. That's never happened before. Oh, think." She paused, thinking quickly before she whipped around and faced them. "I need oil, water, tree bark, a sauce pan, nine containers, an old newspaper, a touch of ox spit, a chicken poo and a biscuit."

"Bagsy not chicken poo." Ryan said quickly, looking between the three of them to make sure they didn't argue.

"Why a biscuit?" Yasmin asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"Twenty bucks says it's just for herself." Ivy muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Oi!" The Doctor grumbled, giving her a glare. "Doing a lot of work and running. Nothing wrong with wanting a biscuit."

It took over an hour to gather the Doctor's obnoxious list and after wrangling an ox, searching the house and area they finally gathered everything that the Doctor needed. She grabbed them all, setting them up, mixing and putting together whatever it was that she was doing.

"I am never, ever getting spit from an ox ever again no matter how much you need it." Graham grumbled from his seat next to Ryan.

"The ox took a bit a shine to him." Ryan explained, snickering as Graham frowned.

"So, what is it, then?" Yasmin asked, looking over the elaborate mini lab that the Doctor had set up.

"Science." The Doctor said, her hands on her waist and she stared down at it proudly. "Should break the sample down. Give us more information. Only take a couple of hours."

The door opened behind them, Umbreen marching into the barn. "Are you coming or not?" She demanded, her gaze drifting over the Doctor's shoulder to take in what she had created. "What's that?"

"Part of my er…. demon-repellent." The Doctor stuttered.

"That better be gone by tomorrow." Umbreen warned and the Doctor quickly nodded.

"Definitely."

"So come on, women with me and mum. Men over at Prem's house." Umbreen ordered, sharing a smile with them before heading back out. Ivy shared a look with the Doctor, shrugging at the question in her eyes before heading after the bride. The boys came after them, separating as they exited and headed over toward Prem's house to do whatever Indian men did to prepare for a wedding.

Umbreen's mother was waiting for them when they came in, still looking unhappy as she reluctantly prepared to Henna their hands. She started with her daughter, silent and angry the whole time, though Umbreen chatted with them as though nothing was wrong. She eventually got through them all and they saw in a circle around a glowing lamp, each studying her work.

"This is the best thing ever!" The Doctor said happily, flipping her hands back and forth to study the design more. "Never did this when I was a man!"

Hasna and Umbreen shared a confused look and Ivy quickly gave a nervous laugh and said, "Doctor, you and your jokes."

"Yeah, that's right." The Doctor said, chuckling as well. "My references to body and gender regeneration are all in jest. I'm such a comedian."

"Umbreen doesn't think these are my best work." Hasna snipped, pursing her lips. "But maybe if you had to prepare a body this morning you wouldn't draw so well either."

Umbreen sighed, her face tightening at her mothers words. Yasmin gazed between her grandmother and great-grandmother sadly, clearly displeased by the tension between the two. "So, how long have you known Prem?" Yasmin asked, trying to draw Umbreen's attention away from her mother and lighten her mood.

"Our whole lives. We grew up here together." Umbreen smiled, the subject of her fiancé obviously working to change her attitude. "Our families have worked the land alongside each other for generations. I can't believe it's happening. I waited so long for him. All the time he was away fighting, I was terrified he wouldn't come home. But, he did. And now I see my life mapped out with him. Our home, here."

"If they let us stay." Hasna interjected.

"No one cares what we do here, mum." Umbreen argued, though Ivy could see the doubt creeping in her eyes. "It's not a city."

"I stood outside earlier. I heard the gangs in the distance." Hasna said, worry creeping into her own voice. "Motor vehicles, gunshots."

"It's a long way away." Umbreen insisted, shaking her head.

"It's not too late. I can still find you a good Muslim man."

"Are you joking right now?" Umbreen argued, staring at her mother with a look of disbelief.

"Look at the misery that follows him. You don't even have a priest." Hasna continued, clearly not caring about her daughter's feelings. "What sort of a respectable wedding will it be?"

"I don't care about traditions! I don't care about respectable… wait." Umbreen paused, turning toward the Doctor and perking up. "You're a doctor, right? That's respectable. You could marry us."

"Respectable is a bit of a stretch…ow!" Ivy cried, rubbing her side as the Doctor elbowed her.

"Absolutely not." Hasna scoffed, but Umbreen ignored her and kept her gaze fixed on the alien.

"I suppose I could." She said, shrugging.

"No." Hasna snapped at the same time Yasmin said, "Doctor!"

"I haven't officiated a wedding since Einstein's. His parents didn't approve either. Non-denominational though." The Doctor muttered.

"If your father were alive, he'd die on the spot." Hasna hissed but Umbreen wasn't having it.

"Everyone is saying it's a new future. We make our own traditions now." Umbreen said, looking toward the Doctor for confirmation. The alien grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

"You're on!"

"I thought we were not getting involved." Yasmin whispered, staring at the Doctor in disbelief.

"Only a teensy bit."

"Marrying someone is a little more than a teensy bit." Ivy mumbled but the Doctor looked so excited she clearly didn't care.

"She's going to officiate knowing he's not my graddad!" Yasmin ranted, glaring at the Doctor's back as she fiddled with her mini lab. They had eventually made their way back to the barn after the Doctor said she had to check up on the 'demon-repellent' and had found the men already there.

"Well, if Manish had anything to do with it there won't be a wedding to officiate." Graham said, frowning.

"And those alien assassins, we still don't know who they come for." Ryan pointed out. Ivy frowned, her anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach again. Those things wouldn't be coming for anyone if she had anything to do with it.

"What happens here? Why did she never tell her family about any of this?" Yasmin asked, interrupting Ivy's thoughts.

"This just is the densest organic material that you can imagine." The Doctor muttered, clearly not listening to them. "It's sort of everything. Carbon, phosphorous, oxygen, nitrogen, Sulphur, calcium. Billions of DNA fragments and loads more."

"So it's not what killed the holy man?" Ivy asked, coming forward to study the contraption the Doctor had put together, though she understood none of what was happening.

"No. No, this wouldn't have-"

The mini transmat began to beep, flashing from blue to red. The Doctor quickly grabbed the capsule, hugging it close to her and then shoved Ivy behind her protectively. "They're breaking the transmat locks!" The Doctor gasped, looking around for the aliens as the beeping continued. Just as quickly as it had started though, it stopped and then the creatures were before her and Ivy, laying clawed hands on their shoulders. Ivy tried to jerk back, but before she could even do anything the creatures transported them away.

They were back in the Thijarians hive, surrounded by the harsh, metal walls. The assassins stood across from them, stoic and silent as they watched Ivy and the Doctor with their multiple eyes. "So, what? Is it us?" The Doctor asked, narrowing her eyes and studying the Thijarians cautiously. "You've come to assassinate us?"

"We are not assassins." They said in unison, unfazed by the Doctor's accusations.

"Liars." Ivy growled, her fists clenching tightly. "I saw you that night."

"I know the stories of the assassins of Thijar." The Doctor added, scowling at the two of them.

"We have changed." They said, their voices suddenly soft and Ivy felt a trickle of… pain.

"What? Changed how?"

"Our past is no more. We are assassins no more." The one on the left said, slowly lifting his hands and crossing them over his chest. "Now, we are witnesses."

"I saw you." Ivy snapped, stepping around the Doctor and glaring at the creatures. "I saw you standing over his dead… dead body."

"We honor the lost, as we cannot honor our own." The one on the right said, lifting his hands in the air. The Doctor took the opportunity to take Ivy's arm, gently squeezing. Ivy took a steadying breathe, the pain in her stomach easing just a bit.

"No. Still not with you." She said, her hand slowly slipping away when she realized that Ivy had gathered herself.

The center pillar began another hologram, this time showing a planet just as an asteroid struck, sending out a wave of energy and then the planet disintegrated. "As the assassins hunted, the Thijarian world was destroyed. This is all that remains of our home. Our people. Every ancestor. All one dust." They said, their voices soft and laced with a horrible sadness as the capsule slowly rose from the pillar and they lay their hands on it lovingly. They then stepped back, both crossing their hands over their chests again and then bowed their heads toward the capsule.

"I didn't know." The Doctor whispered, gently mimicking the gesture. "I'm so sorry."

Ivy felt her anger rush out of her, leaving a horrible, hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. Their whole planet, all their people… gone. They were alone, just like the Doctor.

Just like she had been.

"They died unwitnessed, unsaved. We were too late to grieve or honor them. But we who returned gave up 100 generations to sift, to remember the lost dead. The unmourned. In time, it was all we knew. And now we travel beyond," They said, both raising their hands as more holographic planets flashed in the air, "seeking the unacknowledged dead across all of time and space. This is now the Thijarian mission. To bear witness to those alone. To see. To bear pain. Honor life as it passes. As each one passes, we commemorate union."

"You were making sure he wasn't alone." Ivy whispered, her eyes filling with tears. The creatures had come for Nathan but not to kill him. They had come to stay with him after Ivy had lost consciousness and he had begun to slip away. He had been watched over as he passed, cared for. "You… were with him in the end." When she hadn't been able too.

And Ivy had wanted to kill them.

Tears fell down her cheeks as they bowed their heads to her. While she was glad that these creatures hadn't killed Nathan, it also meant that she couldn't do anything to stop it. There was no way to save Nathan. There was no going back.

The hope, it was gone now, leaving a gapping hole inside her all over again.

"I'm sorry." Ivy whispered, to the Thijarians and their people, to Nathan.

"As are we." The one to the left said, his voice laced with a pain that Ivy knew all to well.

"But we must move on." The other said, his voice filled with a calming peace that Ivy wished she knew. "For those we have lost and ourselves."

It wasn't always so easy. Ivy wished sometimes it was, that sometimes she could forget about it all and move on.

"It took us a long time to forgive ourselves," the one on the left said and Ivy wondered if they were telepathic. "To realize the universe is random and sometimes cruel."

"Horrible things happen, and we must do what good we can." They both said at the same time with great intensity.

"Why here?" The Doctor asked, watching the creatures carefully. "Why now?"

"Millions will perish, unseen, unknown, in the days to come here."

"The causalities of the Partition." The Doctor answered solemnly.

"We read the time waves." They said, their voices grave.

"But why this family? Why this land?"

The one on the right swept it's hand out and an image of Prem's face glowed in front of them. "Prem." Ivy breathed, the shock of seeing his face bringing her out of her own pain.

"His time is soon."

"How soon?" Ivy asked, wiping away her tears harshly. This poor man couldn't die, not today. She knew that he left, that something happened to him for Yasmin to be here but it didn't mean he had to die. "Just give him a day. Just give him this day, please."

"We are not gods. Events sit as they will. We only witness." They explained, spreading their arms. "The fixed force of time cannot be stopped."

"There has to be something…" Ivy whispered, looking toward the Doctor for hope. But the alien's face told her all she needed to know. "Doctor, it's their wedding-"

"I know." The Doctor said, pain lacing her voice. "I know, but they're right. We can't change time."

Ivy knew from the way the Doctor was looking at her, she was talking about more than just this time here. She was talking about Ivy's past as well. She knew where her mind had gone. Of course, she did. The Doctor reached out, squeezing her hand gently before turning back toward the Thijarians.

"If you didn't kill the holy man, if you were only honoring his death, how did he die?" The Doctor asked. The aliens paused, seeming to think before one swept their hand toward the hologram again.

"We can show you."

Ivy stumbled on the dusty floor of the barn, nearly falling into the Doctor as they were teleported back. The Doctor grabbed her arm, helping to steady her and Ivy could tell when she looked her over, she was dooring more than just making sure she wasn't going to fall over. Ivy stared back, her mind whirling with everything the Thijarians had shown and told them. She didn't know how she felt, didn't know what to think. So she merely pulled back, trying to smooth out her face and push down everything she was feeling.

"Where've you been? You've been gone for hours." Yasmin said as the three of them rushed up, looking both worried and glad that the two of them had returned.

"The Thijarians, they told us everything. We know what happened." The Doctor explained. "We know what's going to happen."

"I want to know what happens." Yasmin whispered, taking a step closer to them. Ivy could see the fear in her eyes, could see that she was worried for her grandmother.

"Prem dies today." Ivy mumbled, sadness lacing her voice. The three stared at her, each processing it. Graham and Ryan both looked sad, which was expected, but Yasmin's reaction surprised her.

"We can't let that happen." Yasmin insisted, shaking her head.

"It has to." The Doctor sighed. "For Umbreen to become your nani, for you to exist, Prem has to die."

Ivy watched as the horrible realization worked its way through Yasmin's mind and she knew that the Doctor was right. She stared at the ground, her eyes closing as she processed what her grandmother would have to go through. It was a horrible thing to know, to be there for. She would have to witness probably the worst time in her grandmother's life and know that she couldn't do anything to stop it. God, Ivy wished that they had never come. The poor girl…

"You mean the Thijarians have come to kill Prem?" Ryan asked.

"That's not why they're here. They're not assassins." The Doctor explained, glancing at Ivy worriedly. "They honor those who die alone."

"Aliens with compassion." Graham muttered, nodding.

"Umbreen loses her husband on the day she marries him." Yasmin whispered, sadness filling her voice. "Of course she never wants to talk about it."

"I'm sorry, Yas." Ivy said, sharing a look with the young girl. Ivy then looked toward the Doctor. "We should leave."

Yas should have to see this. Should have to remember this.

"No!" Yasmin insisted, tears lining her dark eyes. "I want to be sure she's safe, whatever happens. I want to look after my nani."

"I'm with Yas." Ryan said, giving his friend a gentle smile which she returned gratefully.

"Yeah, me too." Graham seconded.

"We can't tell them what we know." The Doctor said, looking between the three of them and they nodded.

The group of them separated, the men heading off to help Prem prepare, looking sad, but determined. Ivy followed reluctantly after the Doctor and Yasmin as they headed to help Umbreen. It took all Ivy had to face the young girl as she bounced around happily, gathering her clothes and doing her hair and shining with a happiness that only love could produce. Yasmin remained steady in the face of her grandmother, smiling with her and helping her in any way she could. But Ivy could see the tole it took on her to put on a happy face as well. Watched as the smile would slip for a few moments when Umbreen's back was turned.

Eventually Umbreen led them to the river where Manish had declared the division between the two countries would be and the group gathered around the divide to use it instead as the spot for the ceremony.

"This is where you choose?" Prem asked, looking handsome in his military uniform. Umbreen grinned at him, taking his hands in hers.

"I'm going to be the first woman married in Pakistan." She declared proudly. Prem smiled back, squeezing her hands.

"Of course you are."

Ivy heard a sniffle next to her and her heart ached as she saw Yasmin gently wipe her tears away. Hasna looked over from her other side, her brows furrowing in worry as she lay a hand on Yasmin's arm. "Are you alright sweetheart?"

"I always cry at weddings." Yasmin whispered and Ivy reached out, touching her other shoulder gently. Yasmin smiled at her gratefully.

The Doctor, a golden flower tucked into her ear, took the rope from the divide Manish had made, letting it fall into the water below before she began. "I know there aren't many certainties in any of our lives but Umbreen, Prem, what I see in you is a certainty of having each other. Something I believe in my faith, love in all its forms, is the most powerful weapon we have. Because love is a form of hope and like hope, love abides. In the face of everything, you both found love with each other. You believed in it, you fought for it, and you waited for it. And now, you're committing to it. That makes you, right now, the two strongest people on this planet. Maybe in the universe."

The two gazed at each other lovingly, smiling before they turned to the Doctor as she paused. "I'm not really sure how to officiate this." The alien admitted, earning a laugh from Umbreen.

"I do." The bride said, leaning down and pulling the rope out of the water. She turned toward Yasmin, nodding her forward. "Will you?"

Yasmin looked a bit surprised, quickly looking toward Hansa for permission. Her great-grandmother nodded, waving her toward Umbreen and Yasmin quickly went forward. "That's a Hindu thing, isn't it? Tying the hands together."

"Now it can be our thing." Umbreen said, sharing a smile with Prem. Yasmin took the rope, carefully tying it around the two's intertwined hands and then stepped away.

"I'm not often lost for words." Umbreen said later as they all gathered in the barn to finish the ceremony. "But I never thought this day would come. It's been tough. People who I wish were here to celebrate…"

"They are, beti." Hansa whispered, reaching out to clutch her daughters' hand. Umbreen smiled gratefully at her mother, squeezing her hand back.

"The drought was nearly the end of us. But we get to have this day because of Manish." Umbreen continued, looking up to Prem's little brother, who had joined them after the ceremony. Ivy tried her best to ignore the man, who had been tense and on edge since his arrival. He looked even more so when Umbreen began to address him. "You were tireless. When there was hardly any food, you took none. When we doubted, we would make it through the summer, you kept on. Night and day, we worked these fields together. I am proud to have been your neighbor. But I'm even prouder, now, to call you my brother. You kept us fed, Manish. Would you let me feed you?"

Umbreen smiled at him, extending a piece of bread to him. He stared at her, his face becoming darker as she continued to smile at him brightly. "I didn't work this land for you, Umbreen." Manish snapped, and his tone made Umbreen drop her hand and Prem rise cautiously. "I worked it for my brothers. One who didn't come back and the other I wish hadn't."

"Enough Manish!" Hansa hissed, rising as well and glaring at the young man.

"No. Look at you all. Don't you understand what's coming? None of this will make a difference." He glared at each of them in turn before turning on his heel and storming out of the barn. Umbreen, who looked hurt by Manish's outburst, looked to Prem, clearly worried about what his brother's words had done to him. He was only staring at the door, looking as though he didn't know what to think anymore.

"I'll talk to him." The Doctor said, standing.

"Doctor…" Ivy muttered, looking at her worriedly. She merely flashed a smile and winked at her.

"It's fine." The Doctor said, heading toward the door. Before she excited, she turned back and grinned at the bride and groom. "Your turn, Prem."

"Okay." He said nervously as the Doctor left. He turned toward Prem, beginning to take off his watch. The watch that Yasmin said her grandmother had given her. "So…"

"What are you doing?" Umbreen asked, watching him curiously.

"You did a Hindu thing with the rope. Only right I do a Muslim thing, too." He extended the watch, staring at her lovingly. "This is your mahr. Yours to keep forever."

Umbreen smiled, still staring into his eyes as he handed the watch to her. It slipped from her fingers though, dropping to the ground face first and shattering the face. Umbreen immediately frowned, staring down at the watch sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Cursed." Her mother whispered, shaking her head.

Hansa's words seemed to spur something in Umbreen, because with a determined look, she grabbed the watch from the ground and faced Prem again. "It's fine. It's perfect. This is us, forever. Our moment in time."

Prem smiled before reaching out and gently kissing her. Just then, the door burst open and the Doctor came in, out of breath and looking a bit frantic. "Listen, all of you, there's armed men heading up the track. You have to leave now."

"They want the land?" Umbreen asked.

"I'm not going anywhere. This is my home." Hansa said, glaring toward the door. "My husband and parents are buried here. I'm not going to abandon it to thugs."

"Where's Manish?" Prem asked, but Ivy could see he already knew the answer.

"He's leading them here." The Doctor admitted and Ivy could tell she hated what it did to Prem.

"He killed the holy man." Ivy said, watching the couple sadly. "With your riffle."

"Of course." Prem whispered, closing his eyes briefly as he took in the information.

"Mum's right. This is our home. We stay." Umbreen said, standing straighter.

"If you stay, you'll die." The Doctor countered.

"Go to the house." Prem ordered, his voice authoritative and giving no room for arguing. "Get anything essential and get back here."

"I'll help you." Yasmin said before setting off with Hansa and Umbreen. They took several minutes and came back with their hands full of things. Ivy could hear the group gathered outside, horses stomping and snorting, men's low voices.

"They're nearly here. You need to move out." Yasmin said, looking nervously between the Doctor and her grandmother.

"I have to talk to Manish." Prem insisted.

"No, Prem." Umbreen said, shaking her head. "I'm not leaving you here."

"I'll distract them long enough to be sure you can get away. Then I'll be right behind you." Prem said, taking her hand and squeezing.

"It's too dangerous."

"He's my brother." Prem argued. "Across the field, over the border, into the forest. Keep going north."

Umbreen broke then, a sob escaping her lips and Prem reach out, brushing his hand across her cheek before laying his forehead against hers. He kissed her then and Ivy looked away, trying to keep herself together. She couldn't do anything. She couldn't save him.

"Go." Prem choked out before releasing her. Umbreen turned, throwing one last look over her shoulder to Prem before her mother pulled her away and out the door. "You as well." He said, looking toward them.

"I'll come with you." The Doctor said, but Umbreen shook his head.

"No. These demons are those I have to face alone." He whispered, looking toward the door with a determined look. He took a deep breath before taking off out the barn door and down the road. They followed him through the field at a safe distance, skirting around the edge until they came to watch in the trees. After a moment the Thijarians appeared before them, crossing their hands over their chests solemnly.

"We will watch over him now." They said and Ivy heard Manish's voice raise in the background, though she couldn't make out the words.

"Come on." The Doctor said, urging them to turn away.

"Thank you." Ivy whispered to the Thijarians, who bowed their heads to her one last time before she turned away. She followed the Doctor, waiting for the inevitable, dreading it.

The shot echoed through the forest, echoed through Ivy's head, clanging horribly. It was a sound she would never forget, would never be able to get out of her head.

Ivy felt a hand slip into hers and she glanced over to see the Doctor staring back, her brown eyes filled with sadness. Ivy blinked back her own tears, trying to hold it together and for once, she didn't pull away from the Doctors hand. She squeezed it back, held on and let her lead her back home.

"All dropped off."

Ivy looked up, taking in the Doctor as she stood in the doorway of Ivy's room. She had taken the other three home after returning to the TARDIS, Graham and Ryan wanting to rest and Yasmin, understandably, wanted to spend time with her grandmother in the present. Ivy had stayed to make sure that Yasmin was alright before heading off to her room.

She dug around in her closet, searching for the small hat box she knew was there. It was one of the only things that had come with her onto the TARDIS and she had spotted it a couple of jumps before but hadn't wanted to look inside. She gently took it down, bringing it with her onto the bed. She stared at it, an uneasiness churning in her stomach before she finally pulled the top off.

And then the Doctor appeared in her doorway, clearly checking in on her. She hoovered, watching Ivy and seemed to be waiting to either be sent away or allowed in. Ivy stared, chewing on her lip before she gave the Doctor a nod.

The Doctor entered cautiously, as though she was waiting for Ivy to resend her invitation at any moment. She sat at the end of her bed, taking in box between them and Ivy could tell from the look on her face that she had seen the contents before.

Of course, she had.

"Ah, Ducky Doo." The Doctor grinned, taking out the stuffed T-rex from the box, squeezing it and emitting a loud, horrible squeak that made Ivy wince and smile at the same time. It was one of her first toys, given to her by a kind man at the hospital after she had broken her arm when she was 6. She had taken it with her to all the houses after, protecting it at all costs from any other kids that had tried to take it. She had even learned to sew just to repair one of his legs when one of her foster family's son had ripped it off.

"He's cute, but God that's annoying." Ivy chuckled, laying him gently next to the box. There were various other items in the box, things that were next to worthless to anyone else, but meant enough for Ivy to keep through all her moving. Art projects, the first Harry Potter book, signed and given to her by her 6th grade teacher Mrs. Willis, a card from Miss Kathy, one of the few nuns that Ivy had liked, Buttons tiny, first collar. Worthless crap, but Ivy's most prized possessions.

And at the very bottom, one of the few pictures of her and Nathan. He had forced her to take it, something she had completely hated but was thankful for now. They had spent the weekend in Chicago, a trip that he had insisted on since she had never been and after an exhausting day, he had forced her to take a picture with him next to the water with the city in the background. They were smiling, happy.

Nathan had died two weeks later.

The Doctor was silent, watching her as she lifted it gently and held it in her hands and stared at it. She took it in, his smile, curly brown hair blowing in the wind, arm around her tightly. It filled her with an aching and despite herself, she felt tears well in her eyes.

"He would have liked you." She said softly, unable to lift her eyes and meet the Doctor's gaze. She knew if she did, if she saw the sadness reflected there, she would break. "I'd never been out of the state before this trip. And now… he wouldn't believe me if I told him."

Tears slipped down her cheeks and she wiped them away, sniffing. "The Thijarians said they had to move on. For themselves and everyone they lost. But I don't…. I don't think I know how."

"I don't think anyone does." The Doctor whispered, reaching out and gently taking Ivy's free hand in hers. "I've lost a lot of people in 2,000 years, Ivy. It's never gotten easier. The pain, the grief… it stays with you forever. But you can decide what you do with it. You can tear yourself apart with it forever or you can use it for something else. You can take it, like the Thijarians did, and make something good out of it."

More tears slid down her face as she finally looked up and met the Doctor's gaze. There was a sadness in her eyes, deep, dark and ancient. So much. From the loss of her people, her planet. From the loss of the people they met on their travels. From being alone. But the Doctor, she took it and she used it. She saved people and helped them and she always believed the best in them.

The best in her.

"You just have to try." The Doctor whispered, smiling. "Just try."

Got real deep there at the end. I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review because I love hearing from you guys. Thanks!