Naomi ran across the park as fast as her legs could carry her. She was able to feel the cool November breeze whip into her tiny cuts and froze her warm blood. As her hair whipped behind her, Naomi tossed her head around, trying to find any sort of establishment open at this hour. Just down the street, she saw the pub her office co-workers often go to celebrate. She recognized a few of their cars still in the parking lot. All of the other buildings were appeared to be closed; but she couldn't go to the pub. Her work just blew up! If she burst in and used their phone, her co-workers would obviously see her and question her. Word of her survival would reach the press. Oh damn. She bit her lip in frustration. There were no other shops or restaurants with lights on and payphones were obsolete. Left with minimum options, her only choice was to let everyone think she was dead. No one could know she survived the explosion.

Muttering to herself, Naomi stopped running in the open street. If she was going into hiding, then she couldn't show her face to any cameras. Streets, banks, even gas stations had security cameras. Glancing upward to the light posts, corners of buildings and over the doors of offices, Naomi's trained eye to a wide variety of cameras helped her identify each one and their field of view. Calculating their blind spots, she slid away from the street and into the alleys.

Her first thought was to make it home and use her landline to call the Doctor; but they're cameras in the lobby and hallways. Unless she could teleport into her apartment, going to The Hot Pit building was out of the question. But then again, it was almost guaranteed that anywhere with a phone would have a security camera. What was she suppose to do? Slowing her pace to a normal walking speed, she began to contemplate her fewer options. Where could she go? How could she reach the Doctor? Who was trying to kill her? So many questions bounced around her head and there weren't any answers. Despite her rocky, awkward morning adventure with her Doctor, she would give anything to go back to that time. As long as she was with him, she would be fine.

But not now. She was alone.

Emerging on the service road behind the law offices, Naomi checked for any cameras and planned her route accordingly, keeping her head down because of her red hair. Although she didn't have any set destination, she knew that it was necessary to keep moving; the more distance she could put between her and the police, firemen and smouldering pile that was once her warehouse the better. Of course, the Doctor had unintentionally put her in situations like this, but never in her own timeline. Hopefully, she would be able to think her way out of this mess.

Keeping her face hidden from the few passersby and digging her hands in her pockets, Naomi just kept walking. With dirty clothes and a few traces blood on her chilled face, she soldiered on. No money, no ID and no cell phone, she felt exposed to the world. Anything could happen and no one would know. Well, her warehouse did explode, anything else wouldn't be too surprising.

The night dragged on, and Naomi walked aimlessly. She kept checking street signs and camera angles to remain unseen. Her mind was always concerned about Clara and Danny. Her scream over the phone call would make her skin crawl just by remembering it. Regardless if someone was truly out to kill her, she still needed to help them. Naomi glanced around a four-way intersection at the empty parking lots and darkened shops; any sign of life would have been welcomed. There was no one; not even a car driving by. It must've been fairly late into the night for everyone to be inside. Huffing out a sigh of desperation, she whispered a quiet prayer for help.

"Please, show me the way. What do I do? How do I help Clara?"

There was no answer.

Another sigh and she checked the cameras again. She continued her way down a more major street, this one had older cameras so the quality would be worse. Naomi still took precautions to remained hidden, but they weren't all necessary down here. The pavement was covered with noticeable potholes and cracks. The shops were shorter than her office building and had worn down paint. She had reached a more locally owned part of town. Many family businesses open on this stretch of city. Hair and nail salons, dry cleaners, party rental stores, moving companies, and one of a kind restaurants lined both sides of the street. Naomi glanced inside every business, hoping to find anything useful. Most had bars on the windows and heavy padlocks on the doors. Son of a bitch. She growled in annoyance, but kept walking. Thankfully, a gas station had a digital clock and temperature reader on it's sign; it was almost midnight and was close to 45 degrees. That's reassuring. At least I won't freeze.

Shivering, she continued on her way. At this point in the night, she figured she was safe enough to enter a few camera shots; all she had to do was look the other way and no one would be able to identify her. She wasn't even worried about the handful of scraps and cuts on her face and legs anymore; the cold air most definitely froze them shut.

As she walked, she finally noticed some type of movement. It wasn't much, but in a car mechanic shop, she could see a person walk around a raised car. He was glancing upward with a tool in his hands. Resorting back to her sneaky ways, she slipped into the darker shadows and eased her way closer. Once she was within hearing range, she heard the man mutter and groan in distaste. She took a moment and watched him, wondering how so should approach him. The man was listening to a radio inside his garage while working on this car. Silently observing him, she noticed that his steps were lazy and sloppy; a burp or two and a swig of beer made her realize that he has been drinking. Confronting this man could prove favorable, if he was drunk enough, she could use his phone, call the Doctor, and leave without him remembering her. But, better safe than sorry; she wanted this man to have one more beer before she went up to him.

Once he finished his opened beer, he tossed the bottle on the ground, causing it to break and scatter across the floor. "Ahh," he said, trying his best to work on this vehicle over head. Naomi didn't move. The mechanic fumbled with his tool and it dropped out of his hands; luckily, it didn't hit either of his bare feet. His reaction time was slowed and he didn't realize he dropped it until it bounced on the ground. "What?! What?" He looked around and found no one. "Ohh," he licked his lips and determined that he was still thirsty. Wandering over to the door into the front desk, he muttered, "That bitch wants a fancy car, I'll give' er one." He left the garage.

Naomi was curious about his man's reasons for tickering with a car while drinking, but she needed to remain focused. Clara needed her.

Although, she heard something interesting on the radio that gave her a great idea. She had heard this public service announcement before when Ash had given her a ride home from the cemetery. Naomi recognized the man's voice and knew exactly what to do. Smiling, and silently thanked the drunken man for his unknown help and left the mechanic.

"Good morning, sir," the janitor nodded to the man who entered city hall. The older gentleman gave a wave to his worker. "What are you doing here sir? It's Saturday."

"I'm well aware, my friend." The suited man shook the janitor's hand and smiled. "However I believe I left something important in my office yesterday. It shouldn't be too long for me to find it." The janitor nodded in understanding and continued to mop the floor. The suited man walked past the part time employee and down the hallway. His powerful steps lightly echoed as he confidently turned the corner of the main hallway and to his office door. Two wooden doors were shut together with a bronze plate on the frame; his name was engraved along with his public title underneath.

Digging through his pockets, he began looking for his office keys. Finding them, he pushed them in the hole and turned to unlock it; however it was already unlocked. The suited man seemed unfazed and pushed open his doors to his office. Stepping into his workplace, he shut the door behind him and he glanced around. Perched by his large black desk was a dirtied woman with small specks of blood dried on her face.

"It is you," the man gasped. "Good God, what happened to you?"

"Hello to you too, Brian," Naomi greeted him.

"Are you okay?" he was genuinely concerned and took a step closer to her.

Naomi looked over herself; having sunlight gave her more visibility over her appearance. Dirt covered her clothes and her face stung of small abrasions. "I'll be fine, nothing I haven't dealt with before."

Mr. Sandoval seemed to disapprove of her answer, but knew better than to pry further. "You left without giving a name last time."

"That's the way it has to be."

"Wait, no, I believe you called yourself The Back-Up?"

She smirked at him; she had forgotten she told him that. "Yes, well, it seems well suited. Speaking of suit, why are you dressed up so early?"

He straightened his blazer by his chest and squared his shoulders, "It's not everyday you get to meet a hero."

"Don't call me that," she instructed, "I'm not a hero."

"On the contrary!" Mr. Sandoval chuckled at her inability to accept the title.

"I was cleaning up the mess you started."

"Well, you are. It might've been someone else's fault, but you just swooped in and fixed everything."

"I did nothing. The Doctor did most of the work."

"Ah, your friend," Mr. Sandoval winked at Naomi, but she remained stoned face. "He's a character, that one."

"You said you would help," Naomi changed the subject before he could continue to evaluate them, "Will you?" She thought back to a few hours ago when she was searching the streets, gutters and sidewalks for spare change. Naomi was able to find a payphone and needed coins to call. Immediately she called her Doctor; after the entire three minutes of ringing, there was no answer. She wanted to tell him to meet her at city hall but he didn't pick up. So, spending another while searching for coins, she dialed the Lieutenant Governor Brian Sandoval for help. Because she was considered dead, calling her family or Ash was out of the question. She bit her pride and called him; the number he provided was his assistant's personal number. Naomi gave him directions to meet her at his office at city hall.

"You two don't seem to be the type to ask for help," Mr. Sandoval asked.

"Desperate times," she shrugged.

"More aliens?" he asked.

"I don't think so," she admitted, "But something is definitely going on. Did you bring your cell phone?" After she broke into his office, she attempted to use his desk phone and call her Doctor, but there was no dial tone.

"Straight to business I see," Mr. Sandoval walked over to his desk and opened a drawer; Naomi's paranoid mind was watching his every mood. "I had this made you and your doctor friend." He pulled out a darkly colored box and handed it to her. Carefully, with one eye on Brian, she lifted the top and looked inside.

Naomi peeked inside and found a green velvet mesh with two large circle grooves. One had a golden tinted medal with ribbon while the other was empty. Confused, Naomi removed the medal and placed the box on Brian's desk. Tracing the edge with her thumb, she read over the small engravings. "When Renan needed you the most." There was the city hall sigil and underneath read "Forever in your debt."

"A hero medal?" she inquired.

"Well, neither of you two gave a name, so we had to make do with what we knew."

"I don't want your stupid-" she was seconds away from tossing the medal aside and demanded the Lieutenant Governor his phone, but it clicked in her head. There was only one medal. "Where's the second?" she hastened her question.

"Your doctor friend already came by-"

"What?! When?"

"Uh, he passed by a week or so ago. It wasn't to long."

Naomi broke her stare at Brian and immediately began to glance around the office. He was here?! Although she spun around and studied everything about Mr. Sandoval's office.

While she hurried along the edge of the room, Mr. Sandoval continued to speak. "He was really flattered about the medal. If I recall correctly, he said that you would be thrilled with your's."

"What did he do?" she needed to know why the Doctor was here. Then it hit her; back at Lomus Six, during their long journey to that shop, she mentioned Brian to him. What did he say? Might be something important. Might want to check it out. He had already told her to come here. That son of a bitch, he knew!

"Well, he was just in my office one day, just like you were. He was pacing about, but I think he was muttering? Anyway, once I presented the medals to him, he took both of them and said he would give that one to you. But, he as soon as he left, he came back and said that you would prefer to get it yourself."

"That's it? Nothing else?" she was eager to learn of her doctor's hidden intentions.

"Uh, no. Why don't you just ask him?" Brian crossed his arms and leaned on his massive desk.

"Good idea," she shoved the medal into her pocket and held her hand out, "May I see your phone?"

He hesitated, but gave her his mobile phone. She quickly dialed the Doctor's number and held her breath as it rang. C'mon. You have to pick up. What's happening? Why didn't you tell me anything back at the TARDIS? The suited man and the red haired woman waited in silence as it continued to call for the Doctor. Just like when she was stuck outside and on the payphone, he didn't answer. She even waited longer, to give him a chance to get it. But it didn't come.

However, just as she was about to hang up the phone, she heard a noise. The ringing stopped and she heard breathing. He finally answered the damn phone!

"Doctor!" she shouted, relieved and angry all at the same time. "What the hell?!"

"I'm sorry, Naomi," he said into the phone, but before she had a chance to speak again, his Scottish accent rambled on, "I'm not really here." He sighed while Naomi raised an eyebrow at her Doctor through the phone. "If you're listening to this message, then that means I've been captured. If my suspicions are correct, then Clara and P.E. were kidnapped too. I programmed that government official's personal phone so when it called the TARDIS and waited a certain amount of time, this message will play." The Doctor sighed again; Naomi could almost hear him pinch his eyebrows together, "I wonder how long I have always made you wait."

Mr. Sandoval couldn't hear the voicemail, but he watched silently as Naomi leaned sat on one of the chairs in his office. Although her face was pale from the scraps and bruise around her eye, he could clearly see that she was draining of color.

"But you're safe," The Doctor attempted to sound more optimistic, however Naomi knew he was troubled. "That explosion at your warehouse, by now you should know that it was planned. I can't tell you who did it, but they are under the belief that you are dead. Unfortunately, that means you can't contact your family or friends. Let them believe you are dead. You're safer that way. You can't go home; I'm sorry." There was frustration in his tone, but Naomi continued to listen to the prerecorded message. "This is my fault. I put you in danger so many times. Not this time. Naomi, I need you to promise me to follow the compass; no matter where it takes you. Don't come looking for me. You need to follow the rest of my instructions. Please. I now know how you feel, and I should not be asking such a request, but," he had paused in the message, making Naomi nervous, "Live your life. As if you never met me."

There was another pause as The Doctor sighed and Naomi shut her eyes, trying to hide her heavy eyes. She held onto the phone, hoping for anything else; but The Doctor simply ended the message and the phone call was dropped.

In one hand, she stared blankly at Mr. Sandoval's phone, while in the other she was digging her nails into her palm. On the inside, she was destroyed. The Doctor, Clara and Danny were in trouble; and he told her to turn away? How could he expect her to do that? After everything they've been through? After she confessed her love to him?! He's asked for her help before, why was this any different? Why was someone trying to kill her? On the exterior, she sat still on the chair and leveled her breathing. Mr. Sandoval was observing her carefully, trying to read her. It was damn near impossible. Her demeanor was like a statue. It almost scared him how calm she was.

"Everything alright with your friend?" Brian asked, but didn't want to upset her.

Naomi opened her eyes and blinked away the tears and tried to stay as normal as possible; having an emotional breakdown in front of him would not help. "Yeah, we're gonna meet up."

"But you barely said anything," he pointed out.

"Thank you for the phone," she handed it back to the Lieutenant Governor and stood up, slightly dizzy from lack of food and being awake for over 24 hours. "I should be going."

Mr. Sandoval accepted his phone and stepped back from her. She was unpredictable; he didn't want to anger her. Naomi raked her hand out of her eyes and walked back to the window she had broken open. Carefully, she climbed out and landed on the grass underneath.

It was still early, so the majority of the city was still sleeping on their Saturday. Mr. Sandoval had watched her walk away from city hall, broken and bruised with nowhere to go. He wanted to help her, to pay back what she did during the Desin Water Crisis, but there was something telling him he shouldn't. That this was something she had to do on her own.

Naomi walked until she was next to a small outdoor cafe. The restaurant wasn't open yet, but she didn't want food; she wanted to sit and think. Hopping over the small fence, she slumped onto the nearest chair and waited. At first her mind was blank. She wasn't thinking of anything, just being there. She couldn't fathom what the Doctor had told her. Not to look for him? Was he crazy? Well, he was a madman with a box. But still, she would always be by his side. Why did he push her away? She replied the message he left her. She attempted to reason why he would leave unexpectedly; the only thing that was remotely close was he was an alien. Suddenly, she realized something. He mentioned a compass; did he leave her something back at Brian's office? Did she miss it?

Burying her hands in her pockets, she felt the cold hero medal in her jacket. Curiosity made her pull it out and examine it again. Brian said that he took it but brought it back; why? Looking over the medal with extreme scrutiny, she found a small button next to the ribbon it was tied to. Of course she pressed it. The medal split apart and a faint yellow light emitted from the new compartment. Naomi opened it entirely and saw that the inside was a strange 3-D, rotating disk with four levitating rings around it. Alien tech. In the center of the disk was a slightly pulsating pointer; it was facing the direction of downtown. What did you do, Doctor? Sniffling her chilled nose, Naomi jumped up and hopped over the fence again. She'll follow the compass.