I hope you're ready for some time hopping; try not to get lost.

Earth, 21st Century

The dark streets were empty; the star filled sky watched on as street lamps flicked on and house lights flicked off. The street sloped down, street lamps lining each side; vanishing with the gradient and giving way to the many city lights below stretching as far as the eye could see. Curtains were pulled; doors were locked; and children were tucked into bed. Everything was calm; calm… Until.

"Ruuun!"

A light metallic rickety noise grew in volume; two people and a shopping cart came steaming up over the horizon of the steep street. The cart was full of odd looking mechanical parts; not one of which was typical of the 21st Century in which they were. The cart rattled; the wheels struggling against uneven paving stones. Pushing it was young man; his brown hair flew about wildly; his brown jacket danced and trailed frantically behind him. He glanced occasionally; and desperately, over his shoulder. His companion was a woman, donning curly blonde hair; white shirt, blue denim jeans and jacket; her brown leather holster housed an old western style Colt 45 Revolver. Her fingers were curled through the thin metal weavings of the cart; helping the man to get the heavy load up the hill.

"Quickly!" she cried throwing more of her weight behind the cart. They reached a T-junction and turned right into the next street; continuing to power up the less steep incline. They got no more than halfway to the top when two brilliantly bright headlights flashed on behind them, dousing them in white light. The pair turned in time to see the car thundering up the pavement towards them. Both man and cart flew off to the side behind a parked car and out into the road. The woman; remained.

After a few quick steps she broke into a run at the car. Its pace was slowed by the scraping of metal against the brick work of the houses. She leapt at it; running up the bonnet; and over the roof; before jumping off the rear of the vehicle; landing and dropping to her knees against the cold paving stones. The car veered into a lamppost; coming to a sorry halt. The cart plus figure she could see already on the opposite side of the street; continuing up to the next T-junction. She pursued him at a run; following him as he crossed the street pushing his cart into an over grown garden and up to the blue door of the old, worn and ruined bungalow.

The door opened as if on cue, granting them access. The cart was driven straight into the back of the burnt orange schemed room; to join another two awaiting carts; also full to the brim of high tech; stripped out pieces of equipment. The door was closed firmly by a short man with a potato-like head in a blue two tone uniform. He barely came up to the tall cart pusher's shoulder. He stood guard at the door; arms folded as he watched the two entrants intently. They moved; still gasping to sit at the table; opposite two very familiar people.

"Ponds," the Doctor breathed resting one arm on the table as he regained his breath. Amy eyed him with interest.

"Doctor are you alright?"

He waved a hand dismissively; "Running," he informed her.

"River… Hi," Rory gave a small wave gesture across the table at the feisty archaeologist. She acknowledged him with a smile as she also tried to gain a certain amount of control over her breathless state. They hadn't run like that in a long time. The Doctor frowned very slightly at Amy as his heavy breathing finally subsided.

"So…," he began, "You found it then"

Amy threw down the psychic paper and vortex manipulator onto the table, "You nearly got us killed by the 16th Sontaran battle fleet," she whispered angrily.

"The 16th Sontaran battle fleet will not be fooled by primitive means of deception," the Sontaran announced officially. The Time Lord turned with a mildly indignant expression towards the Sontaran.

"This," the Doctor replied waving the vortex manipulator about, "… Is high tech compared to this century," he threw it to River, "And this…" he pocketed the psychic paper, "… Is very clever paper"

"Sontarans have no need of paper"

"What's your role soldier?" the Doctor asked with an air of smugness.

The Sontaran frowned suddenly; drew himself up to his full height; clutched his helmet patriotically and replied, "I'm a nurse"

"And where is the 16th Sontaran battle fleet?"

"I am the last one remaining of my clone batch. The rest perished in the glory of battle"

The Doctor grinned at Amy's indignant expression, "You said the 16th battle fleet would descend and destroy us for our crimes!" she cried.

"I'm a nurse," he huffed, "Entertainment comes along rarely in this pitiful existence"

The Time Lord stifled his laughter. River broke his amusement in two;

"Doctor we can't stay here. They followed us to the end of the street, they're close, we have to keep moving - We have to do it now"

The Tardis, Somewhere in space; 3 days earlier

"And you think this will work?"

"I don't know, we'll soon find out," the Doctor didn't look too concerned as he glanced over his shoulder at her from the console.

"But, leaving the Tardis; is risky"

"Yes, risky. So risky that if there's no way I'd ever do this; very predictable," the last word was laced with burning sarcasm. The Tardis thudded to a halt, "Right then," he said quietly, "This is it…"

He took hold of her hand tentatively. With his screwdriver firmly in the other hand his eyes searched hers for approval.

"Ready?"

"Always"

They strode cold hard steps across the metal floor of the Tardis. For the first time since he'd stolen it, he pushed the doors outwards; silhouetting them against the burning white sunlight.

They left the Tardis no longer Time Travellers. There was to be no Sonic-ing, no unnecessary shooting, no 'alien' business; nothing that could draw unnecessary attention to them – River would have to keep a close eye on the Doctor – Subtle was certainly not his middle name. Flashing in their right ears were communicators set on scramble; should they be separated.

Somewhere in the Nexus space, 2 million years later

"I've been running; faster than I've ever run – And I've been running my whole life…."

The Doctor stepped out from the shadows; out into the centre of the circle. A single spotlight illuminated him. His white shirt made him stand out against the black suited Silents surrounding him. In his hand he rolled his screwdriver this way and that, it tapped gently against his ring,

"… Now it's time for me to stop"