Author's Note: Hello people I'm back with another story! Aaand I sound like an announcer. :P

Prologue

"Well? Where do you think we landed this time?" The Doctor leaned back against the console, his hands stuffed in his pockets, grinning. "Want to take a guess? Maybe another planet, somewhere on the edge of the universe. She likes to drop us on the edge of the universe. Maybe somewhere on Earth again? Hopefully not in space. I really don't like opening the doors and nearly falling out…"

"Doctor." Rey shook her head and shot the Doctor a humorous glare. "I think you forgot I'm not from this universe."

"Oh. Right. Do tend to forget these things." He was across the room in a few bounds, throwing open the doors. "Welcome to…" He paused, looking around. "The forest of…somewhere."

"A forest?" A grin twitched at her lips and she darted past him, BB8 on her heels. She loved forests, the way the trees faded into peaceful shadows, the way the sun flickered through the leaves, the green. There was so much green.

Her feet crunched on leaves and she skidded to a stop to look around.

Bare trunks surrounded her, their leafless branches stretching toward a slate-grey sky. The forest floor was brown with dead leaves, and the air had a bite to it that made her shove her hands in her pockets and wish for something warmer than the thin coat the Doctor had called a hoodie.

She wrinkled her nose slightly. Maybe she didn't like every forest.

The Doctor stepped to her side and looked around. "Ooh, looks like winter. Smells like…" He sniffed and frowned. "Hmm, smells like an Earth forest, but I can't quite—"

A twig-snap brought Rey's hand to her side, where her lightsaber hung at her waist. She whirled, her eyes scanning the trees.

A small form emerged from between the trunks. A girl, about eight years old, wearing a ragged dress and stained apron, a torn shawl clutched around her thin shoulders. Dirty blonde hair was pulled back into two braids and tied with twine.

The girl tilted her head to the side. "Who are you?"

Rey felt her heart tugged toward the girl, with her blue eyes that looked too large in her thin face. She knew that look—it was the look of a hungry, lonely peasant girl.

Rey wished she had some food to give her.

"I'm Rey." She stepped forward, trying to meet the girl's gaze. "What's your name?"

"I'm Anne." The girl looked away and seemed to pull into herself. "You're strange."

"That we are!" The Doctor grinned. "Not the first time I've heard that." He dropped to a crouch before the girl and held out his hand. "I'm the Doctor, by the way. Nice to meet you, Anne."

She looked up at him, large blue eyes growing even larger. "A doctor?" Her lips parted slightly and the fear written across her face turned to wonder, and—almost—hope. "You're a doctor?"

The Doctor grinned. "Yep!"

She looked away. "Father's got a fever." Her voice wavered slightly. "A terrible fever. Maybe you can help?"