The Doctor could feel his grip on the walkway of the Pharos telescope slipping. Sparing a glance down, he knew or at least hoped that his injuries were not so severe that he couldn't regenerate. He heard the Master's laughter echoing from the control booth.

The walkway continued to tilt until the Doctor felt his last hope of purchase disappear. The message given to him by the projection of his future self was about to come true. He would regenerate within the hour. Here, alone.

He braced himself, knowing the broken bones would be intense agony, but thankful that the pain would end quickly. No longer could he hear the Master, but now, all his other enemies' taunts encouraged him to let go and fall to his death.

Other voices jumped into the fray. Voices of his friends and companions begging him to hold on. He focused on those, concentrating on the strongest, the one who guided and accompanied him through his last regeneration. The one he had no right to, but always considered his human.

He heard her voice so clearly calling out to him. 'Hold on, Doctor!' A hand grabbed his wrist, gripping for dear life as the walkway began to straighten and stabilise. He concentrated on renewing his grip as he heard and felt an audible pop and heard a grunt from above.

He couldn't look up to see who held his arm, but he finally got a leg up and hooked his boot around the railing enough to pull himself up. He also felt himself being pulled and steadied as he manoeuvred enough to flip himself up onto the now flat walkway.

His energy gave out as he flopped gracelessly on the walkway, his entire weight flattening his unknown guardian.

The Doctor heard a scream and managed to glance over the railing. He saw his broken body lying below him, his companions running across the field to his side. With only a passing thought to how they managed to arrive from Logopolis, he reached up and touched his own face, trying to see if he was real or an illusion. Perhaps the entire situation was an illusion.

A moan from underneath him brought him back to reality. The reality that not only was he still on the parapet, but another version of him lay broken on the ground, a hundred metres below.

He shifted his weight and finally saw the identity of the person that helped him. 'Sarah!' he exclaimed. Her eyes were closed and he realised he must've knocked the wind out of her when he landed on her. He looked at her left shoulder when he remembered the popping noise from earlier. The odd angle told him she'd dislocated it. 'Sarah,' he repeated, tapping her nose until her eyes opened.

She looked up at him and smiled, her breath returning in ragged gasps. She reached up with her right hand and touched his cheek. 'You're safe.'

'Thanks to you,' he admitted softly. 'Now, let's get out of here before the authorities catch up with us.' He heard the sirens getting closer. He stood up and helped her to stand, watching her expressions for the pain he knew she felt.

Climbing into the control booth, he wasn't surprised to see the TARDIS tucked into the corner. He quickly went over to the controls and made certain the CVE was restored, then breathed a deep sigh of relief, running his fingers through his hair. A gasp caused him to spin back to where Sarah looked out over the area. She turned back to the Doctor. 'How'd that happen?' She gestured down to the scene on the ground below them. 'That's you down there.'

The Doctor stood at her back and looked down. 'A split version of me, by the looks of it.' Adric, Nyssa and Tegan circled his broken form. In the distance, the Watcher exited a duplicate TARDIS and walked towards him. They watched as the forms merged and his features began to blur and shift. The next thing they knew, he sat up, literally a new man, young and blonde.

Sarah turned and buried her head in his chest, her good hand clenching around his scarf. The Doctor wrapped his arms around her being careful of her shoulder, holding her close and relishing her presence. He closed his eyes and turned them both from the scene, unable to continue to watch. Sarah finally looked up at him, tears in her eyes. 'I don't understand any of this.'

He saw the questions in her eyes and gave Sarah's cheek an affectionate pat. 'Split time, I think,' he mumbled. He moved his hand to her good shoulder and turned her towards the TARDIS near them. 'I'll explain once we get our injuries seen to. When the adrenaline wears off, you're going to know it.'

They entered the white console room and Sarah looked around, keeping her injured left arm tucked up against her side. 'You went back to this one,' she gestured around with her good arm before touching the console and feeling the thrum of the machinery welcoming her back.

'It was more comfortable,' the Doctor admitted. He gestured towards the interior door. 'Sick bay, young lady.'

With a smile and a nod, Sarah walked ahead of the Doctor and made her way to sickbay.

'Sarah,' the Doctor spoke as they walked. 'How did you come to be here?'

'Ahhh,' she reached up with her right hand and tucked her hair back behind her ear. 'That's just it, isn't it?' She turned and glanced at the Doctor. 'I can't remember.'

'Can't remember?' the Doctor prodded her.

She shook her head. 'Last thing I remember, I was at home working on a story. I heard what sounded like the TARDIS, and when I turned around, I was standing in that control booth and saw you about to fall.'

'Was there anyone else in the booth?'

'Not that I saw.' She glanced over to him. 'Should there have been?'

'No, I imagine the sound of the TARDIS materialising would've been enough to scare off the Master.' He sighed. 'At least I was able to stabilise the CVE, which was the most important thing.'

They walked into the sick bay and Sarah gasped, jumping behind the Doctor when she saw the Watcher standing there. The Doctor reached an arm back, keeping himself between her and the newcomer. Without a word, the Watcher gestured to Sarah, then to the Doctor himself. 'Your point?' the Doctor addressed him.

The Watcher merely held up his hand, displaying two fingers.

The Doctor glanced back to Sarah, then turned to the Watcher. 'Stay here, Sarah.' He stepped closer to the Watcher and together they walked to the far side of the room. She assumed they were having a conversation, although no words seemed to be exchanged. After a moment, the Doctor returned to her side. 'Let's get your shoulder seen to, shall we?' His tone was light, and he seemed to disregard the Watcher's intrusion.

'What about him?' Sarah looked directly at the Watcher.

'Him who?' the Doctor asked.

Sarah looked at the Doctor, then gestured over his shoulder. 'Him,' she gestured to no one. She whipped her head around, looking for their former observer. 'Where'd he go?'

The Doctor patted the bed, ignoring her question. 'Hop on up here and let's get you taken care of.'

'Doctor?'

'Sarah,' he sighed. 'Don't argue.'

She knew when she wouldn't get any further information out of him, so she did as he asked and got up on the bed. He walked over and pulled out a device from one of the cabinets, then held it up to her shoulder.

'Lie down. This will numb your shoulder so we can set it back into place.' He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. 'Otherwise, reducing it could be quite painful.' Sarah nodded and did as he asked, but said nothing. As he ran the device across her shoulder, he continued. 'You can be a foolish girl, Sarah Jane Smith. Given that I'm so much larger than you are, you could've fallen or done any sort of permanent damage.' He could sense an argument coming from her, so he quickly added, 'However, under the circumstances, I'm very thankful.'

'And you'll take care of your hands too,' Sarah nodded towards where he continued to move the device over her shoulder.

He pulled one hand away and looked at it, noting the burns and cuts from where he'd forced himself to hold the cable and walkway of the telescope. 'Ah, yes, of course. Don't you worry.'

She reached out and caught his wrist. 'I'll always worry, Doctor, that's why I'm here.'

He put down the numbing device and turned to her. 'I'm going to reduce this now, it will hurt a bit.' He put his hands on her shoulder. 'Ready?'

When Sarah nodded, he shifted her arm slowly, rotating it until it popped back into place. Hearing her grunt and jump when it popped, he looked down to see her eyes squeezed shut and tears escaping from the edges of her eyes. He took his thumb and brushed them away before resting the back of his fingers against her cheek.

She opened her eyes and locked gazes with him.

'There we go.' She only nodded in reply, but he could see the gears whirling in her mind. He decided to see if he could distract her. 'Sarah, what was that story you were working on before you found yourself here?'

'It was an environmental piece, nothing particularly headline worthy. I'd done an interview with a fairly reclusive scientist that works at the Pharos Project about the effects of entropy on the universe.'

He helped her to stand. 'Entropy?'

She nodded. 'He and several mathematicians are working on a theory saying that the universe was past the point of heat death as long as it remained a closed system, or something like that. Provided you breakdown the universe into the fundamental mathematical components rather than looking at the physical elements. I don't remember the specific details to be honest.'

The Doctor took Sarah's upper arms and turned her towards him. 'How are you feeling?'

She smiled. 'Better, thank you.' She lifted a loop of his scarf and dropped it again. 'Your hands?'

'What?' He looked at his palms. 'Right, oh yes, nothing to worry about.' He walked over and took a small handheld device out of the cabinet and ran it first over one hand, then the second. 'Dermal replicator, nothing better.'

As he stepped back over to her, she took his hands and turned them palms up, so she could see that indeed the skin had been repaired. 'And you're sure you're all right?' The Doctor gave her one of his trademark ear-splitting grins. She gestured at his outfit. 'That's very—' she started, then bit her bottom lip before starting again. 'It's very burgundy.' She gave a gentle tug to his lapels. 'This coat is big enough for two of you.'

He took an oversized loop of the scarf and put it around the back of her neck, connecting her to him. He then closed the short distance between them, opening his coat and wrapping it around her, holding her close. 'My Sarah Jane,' he whispered as her arms came up around his waist and she put her head against his chest.

~!~!~!~

The dull ache of her shoulder woke Sarah. She couldn't stop herself from groaning as she opened her eyes and looked around, finally recognising one of the TARDIS bedrooms. 'Welcome back to the land of the living, Sarah,' the Doctor's deep tones warmed her from across the room.

'How long have I been asleep?' She pushed herself up into a sitting position, still being careful of her shoulder and saw where the Doctor was stretched out in a chair, his stocking feet propped up on the bed, crossed at the ankles and hands folded over his stomach.

He turned towards her. 'Just a few hours. How's your shoulder?'

'Still sore. Nothing a couple days rest won't cure.'

The Doctor jumped up from the chair in one quick motion and in a single stride stood by Sarah's bed. He flopped down next to her and grinned. 'What you and I need is a nice quiet holiday somewhere. I know just the planet. What do you think?'

Sarah reclined back next to him. 'Will the TARDIS cooperate?'

The Doctor was indignant. 'Will the TARDIS cooperate?' he asked harshly, as he flopped on his side facing away from her and softened his voice. 'I don't know.'

Sarah propped herself up on an elbow so she faced the Doctor's back. 'How long has it been?'

'Hmmm?'

She put her hand on the Doctor's upper arm. 'You know what I mean.'

'Too long,' she heard him whisper. 'I never meant—'

Sarah cut him off. 'Give Sarah my fondest love? You never planned on coming back.' There was no anger in her voice, only a statement of fact. She moved her hand from his arm to his back as she sighed. 'It's been almost five years. How long has it been for you?'

'Too many.' It was his turn to sigh. He shifted and flipped over so he could look into her eyes. He reached out and touched her hair. 'You've changed your hair.' His fingers stayed curled in her hair while his thumb brushed against her cheek. Sarah closed her eyes and turned her face into his touch. She gasped as his thumb brushed over her lips. 'Sarah,' he whispered.

Sarah felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach with each brush of one of his fingers against her face, her defences melting at the tone of his voice caressing her as much as any embrace. She looked at him and reached out to let her fingers trace against the creases edging his eyes. 'How long, Doctor?' she asked again.

'Over 100 years.'

She couldn't keep the sadness from her face as she ran her hand along the collar of his shirt, her eyes moving to his chest to focus anywhere but his eyes. 'I saw earlier that you weren't alone. That's good. Being alone doesn't suit you.'

'They're not you. No one is you.' He rolled over and jumped off the bed, stepping quickly towards the door. 'Now about that holiday somewhere?'

Sarah rolled back on her back, knowing the moment was broken. 'Then I'll have to say no.' She glanced over to see the disappointment embed itself on the Doctor's face. She pulled herself out of bed and stepped over to him, taking his hand in hers and lacing her fingers through his. 'It's not that I don't want to spend time with you, I do, but I don't think I can handle running for my life right now.'

The Doctor moved his free hand to push her hair away from her face before cupping her cheek. 'I understand.' Their gazes locked before he pulled her close in a gentle embrace and kissed her forehead. 'I don't know how much time we have and I don't want to waste this, Sarah.'

She looked up at him. 'Me either.'

'Then stay with me. Please.'

Sarah let her arms wrap around his waist. Without his heavy coat and scarf, she was able to rest her head against his chest with only his open collared shirt between her ear and his double heartbeat. She closed her eyes, drinking in the comfort of the familiar sound as she felt him press a kiss against the top of her head. She felt her resistance to deny the Doctor anything falling away. Her muscles and everything relaxed in his embrace.

The Doctor slowly rubbed Sarah's back as he inhaled the scent of her hair and the feel of her once more being in his arms. The words of the Watcher echoed in his mind. 'Sarah, we're in a time split.'

'What does that mean?' she mumbled into his chest, not wanting to move.

He forced himself to shift back and look down into her eyes. 'What we saw earlier, it really happened. I've regenerated and this body is living on borrowed time.'

'But you're here.' She lifted her hand to his cheek. 'Yes, definitely here. What do we do to make the most of the time we've been given?'

He took a step back, breaking their embrace, but holding Sarah's hands in his own. 'I think we can definitely come up with something. As this is a time split, the TARDIS won't travel, so we're stuck in the here and now.' He massaged his thumbs over the backs of her hands. 'Is that all right?'

Sarah nodded. 'Of course. I'm used to here and now.' A puzzled look crossed her face. 'Wait a minute, if the TARDIS can't travel, then why did say you had the perfect planet for holiday just a bit ago?'

He pulled an innocent expression. 'Earth is the perfect planet for a holiday, don't you think?'

She shook her head. 'You,' she mumbled under her breath before looking up into his blue eyes and laughing at the joy radiated there.

'Or we could stay in the TARDIS, I could give you that guided tour I promised you all those years ago.'

'What if we do a little of both?' she suggested.

'Perfect!' He smiled along with her, then his expression got serious as he pulled her close, leaned down and gave Sarah a gentle kiss.

~!~!~