Alistair woke up to the feel of his hand being clasped in two warm, small and soft hands. He turned his head and a smile twitched his lips. He rubbed his thumb along the back of one of the hands. Liz looked up at him and a smile crossed her face.

"Alistair," she said quietly.

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Hi Liz," he said quietly, " I have missed you."

Liz Shaw stood up and planted a kiss on his lips and smoothed a stray strand of hair from his forehead.

"I'm not too late then?" he asked. "No Cambridge don has stolen your heart?"

Liz laughed. "Cambridge dons aren't brave enough to try! Anyway it already belongs to someone special and it always will."

Alistair touched her cheek, "I hope that's me you are referring to."

"Who else, would be stupidly brave enough to try to win my heart?" She laughed.

"You've spoken to the Doctor?"

She nodded.

"Are you still angry with me?" he asked.

"No, Yes.. I don't know." She looked down at him. "You nearly died, Alistair, I.., I've never been so frightened in my life. Oh, Alistair, I don't ever want to live through an experience like that again."

Alistair, looked at her sadly, "Having spoken to the M.O. I doubt I'm going to be leading many more charges into battle."

"I'm sorry Alistair, I know how important your job is to you, but I can't say I'm sorry you will be away from danger. I couldn't take another week like this one."

"If I have to retire the pension should be pretty good, I may even get an advisors post and there is always the teaching to fall back on."

Liz looked at him puzzled.

"Look, I may not be much of a catch Liz, but is it possible you would consider marrying this old wreck of a soldier?"

"Is that a marriage proposal Alistair?" she asked smiling.

"Well, I would try the getting down on one knee if I thought it would convince you."

"Don't you even think about it!" she exclaimed urgently.

Liz lent in and kissed him.

"I don't require any convincing. The answer is YES!" she shouted.

Alistair stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, a relieved smile on his face.

"Now you've said yes, it'll be safe to tell you the Doctor is planning to be my best man!"

Liz looked temporarily horrified, then she smiled wickedly.

"Well, there is always Gretna Green!" she exclaimed.