A/N: Sorry for the long wait, this was finished weeks ago. Sadly my Beta has been very busy and so I'm posting it unedited. Please pay no mind to any errors, I'll re upload the edited version once he's had a chance to go through it.

The scream reverberated off the walls around him the sound filled him with dread as the Doctor ran towards the building. His anxiety grew stronger not knowing what would be found once he got there.

"Please, don't let me be too late," he implored inwardly before coming to a skidding stop in front of the high chain link fence that surrounded the factory. The gates had been ripped from the hinges, the links shredded and laid scattered on the ground. "Well, that can't be good," he muttered to himself as he examined the gate briefly before stepping around the broken down metal. The thought he might be too late caused him to shudder and pushed the thought from his mind. Nothing about this seemed right at all. Why would the TARDIS bring him here, why was she doing this? Every diagnostic he ran on the TARDIS showed nothing wrong, and yet here he was chasing after phantoms.

The readings he had gotten from the screwdriver had to be wrong. Two life signs one the Soilars hound, the other Time lord, but it was impossible, there was no way, he was the last and he would know if there were another. He would sense their mind, smell them but he doesn't, just lonely silence. There was no other explanation for the readings still he had to be sure, and he couldn't leave whomever it was being hunted to fend for themselves, Time lord or not.

The Doctor made his way cautiously along the outside the building. "Where have you gone off too?" he whispered his attention drawn to an impression of a paw print in the dirt, and knelt down he splayed his hand alongside and whistled. "You are a big beastie aren't you," he said noting the trail of prints went along around to the back of the building. "Let's have a look see then."

As he stood up the ground began to shake again, a howl cut through the silence and pierced through his mind. The Doctor staggered to his feet his palms pressed against his temples, fighting back the urge to cry out. Whomever the beast was tracking seemed to be giving it a bit of trouble, as quickly as it had started everything fell silent again.

He shook his head as if the motion would spot the buzzing in his mind; cautiously he followed the tracks around the corner of the building. The sight before him caused him to stop and stare frozen in place. The beast was there and stood about ten feet away, it's back to him. Its massive body towered over six feet in height, leathery skin stretched tight over hairless black body looked sickly dull even in the bright light. Large deep gashes oozed thick black fluid from the open wounds, the scent of burnt flesh assaulted his nose. The beast moved slowly toward someone he couldn't quite see, its body blocking his view, the creature had it cornered.

Shoving his hand in his pocket and fished out the screwdriver grasped tight to his side, and slowly moved around as he tried to stay out of the beast's sight thankful he was down wind, but not so thankful that the smell of the creature made his stomach roll. Slowly as he approached he caught sight of a figure of a woman as she backed away from the beast. He gasped catching sight of a thatch of thick wildly tangled red hair. Flashes from the past came rushing back to his mind. It was her, but that's not possible, it couldn't be they were gone, out of reach and so long ago, it couldn't be her. He stared stunned at the ginger woman but not truly seeing, still hoping beyond hope that he had been wrong just this once that it really was...

Before he realized it himself his body moved before his mind could make sense of it, the words tumbling out. "AMY!" He shouted and darted toward her everything in that moment forgotten, causing everything to happen as if in slow motion, and the desperate sound of his voice caused the woman's head whipped around to look at him. Their met his dark green to her bright blue, Amy didn't have blue eyes.

"Look out!" The woman yelled as he was knocked with a jolt to the ground remembering the hound too late to realize it had turned on him. He groaned his whole body ached as he watched beast circle him slowly. A low rumbling growl emanated from its chest, liquid black eyes stared with a mix of confusion and what seemed to be annoyance.

Quickly he gathered his bearing he grinned up at it. "You are beautiful." Trying to sooth the hound with his voice. "Good doggie, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just trying to help," he said moving slowly in an attempted to get up his hands out in front of him to try and placate the beast. The beast snarled lunging forward teeth bared. The Doctor flinched away as a sickening thud and a sharp yelp the beast stumbling back a few steps pawing at its face.

He glanced up the woman now stood over him hand held out to him, the other holding a heavy steel pipe in a vice like grip. This woman wasn't Amy, there was no mistaking it now that he could see her closely, apart from the red hair this woman was a complete stranger, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Her clothes ratty faded jeans and a faded dark grey jumper were torn and filthy, a mixture of dried and fresh blood caked all over. The Doctor looked over at the Soilar hound writhing and whining on the ground, as it pawed at a fresh bloody gash across the side of its head.

"Get up!" she snapped grabbing a hold of his hand and yanked him to his feet.

"You hit it, why would you do that," he scolded her and frowned, and looked at the beast as it continued to cry out in pain.

"Are you daft, it's trying to kill us," she snapped and tugged on the Doctors arm holding his hand tight.

"No, no it a Soilars' beast, they don't kill things they track and retrieve," he argued.

"I don't care if it's Lassie on steroids, we need to GO NOW!" she snapped giving his arm another sharp yank. "Unless you want to stay here and see if it will mull you to death."

Alright, alright, you don't have to shout," he grumbled then began to run back the way he had come toward the torn down gates, to the deserted street.

"We've got to lose it, we're too close to the main part of the city," she said breathlessly as they squeezed in between two of the broken down houses, the opening too narrow for the hound to follow.

The Doctor watched her closely exhaustion and pain clouded her face. "Are you sure you're alright?" he questioned her as he pulled them to a halt against one of the nearby houses, she looked at him and nodded, she leaned against the back of the house. It was the response he had expected but he could tell she was lying, he wanted to scan her now that he next to her, he needed to know if the reading from earlier were correct. Still he was unsure on what her reaction would be, she already was looking at him with uncertainty and didn't want to lose that fine line of trust he had barely gained, so he did the next best thing.

"I'm the Doctor," he grinned noting that she still had yet to let go of his hand, so he squeezed it reassuringly. "And you would be."

She seemed taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor, "Uh, Alexis," she said her tone was hesitant.

"Alexis, wonderful name," he quipped as he tried to reassure her with his witty banter. "So tell me Alexis, what is it about you that is so special that someone would send a Soilar beast to retrieve you?" he questioned feeling the tendrils of hope twisted their way around his hearts.

"A what?" she asked never taking her eyes off of him, "I-I don't know what that is…"

The Doctor glanced behind them just as the beast appeared, it growled slamming into the side of the house as it tried to push its way through the narrow opening, snarling and pawing at the small gap between the buildings. He yelped jumping back pulling Alexis back with him instinctively shoving her behind him. "That is a Soilar beast," he said stepping away from the snapping jaws, "Right, we should go now." His voice cracked and they ran this way and that throughout the rows of broken down houses. His mind attempting to figure out how to get back to the TARDIS without the creature trailing behind. The TARDIS was parked in a populated area, and although he didn't think the beast would hurt anyone purposefully he wasn't willing to take the risk with anyone's life. "We need a distraction," he hollered, slowing their pace slightly.

"No…really," she said sarcastically.

"You're a cheeky one aren't you, don't worry, I won't let it hurt you," he said trying to sound reassuring.

"I almost want to believe you, but I think yer half off yer rocker," she grumbled.

He laughed at that and winked. "I'm told that a lot, and you're right, I am crazy."

This time it was Alexis that pulled them to a stop, shaking her head. "I don't even want to know." She murmured more to herself then to the Doctor. "I don't have time for nuts, you know what, get out of here go back to where ever you came from. You're safer away from me anyway," she said letting go of his hand shoving the metal pipe into his, and took off down the road before he was able to respond."

"Hey, what are you doing, not that way!" he shouted taking off after her quickly catching up to her, grabbing her arm and pulled her to a stop. "You need to come with me, I know a place that's safe."

"Oh yes, let's go with the crazy man who thinks that the monster that's been after me fer the last month is some cuddly lap dog!"

"I never said it was a cuddly lap dog. Wait, what, did you say a month?" He frowned then pulled her against him, ignoring how she stood ridged against his body. "Alright I need you to listen to me Alexis."

"Do you flirt with every woman you meet that's being chased by giant demon dogs?"
She asked absently searching about for the creature, trying very hard to ignore how close their bodies were pressed together.

"It's not a demon dog, it's an alien. I...I wasn't aware that I was flirting," he stuttered stepping back from her but still help on to her arm so she wouldn't bolt.

"Right," she said eyeing him wryly, as the ground began to tremble beneath them a piercing howl pieced through both of their mind, as they both grabbed held the sides of their heads. Alexis cried out as the searing pain shot through her head, she dropped to her knees tears welled up in her eyes.

"Alexis, you have to listen to me," The Doctor shouted, took the sides of her face in his hands, fighting through his own pain, and held on to her. "You need to get up, I need you too trust me okay, we need to get out of here."

Her large blue eyes stared brimmed with tears, looked into his with a spark of him, this broken down and worn out young woman putting her trust in him. The redhead, nodded and took his hand letting him pull her to her feet, as the ground settled around them. "We need to go now," he spoke quietly. "I didn't want to lead it to the TARDIS, but if I'm right when we're gone it will go back to its master."

Alexis stared "TARDIS, what's a..."

The Doctor excited he was thrilled with the running, and with the possibility's that laid ahead. "You'll find out soon enough, come along Pon..." His words stuck in his throat frezzing him in place for a brief moment, he stared at her wide eyed, realizing what he had almost said. This woman really did remind him of her even after all these years the loss still felt fresh.

Lexi looked at him with a confused expression, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head his brow furrowed. "Nothing," he said then continued to pull her along without another word. Together they ran weaving in and out of the old abandoned buildings, listening as the hound seemed to be gaining ground on them, but thankfully out of sight. The houses becoming more familiar to the Doctor as they went, the changes were subtle at first, but soon the quiet street that he had only come down a few short hours before had become busy as people were coming home from work, and children from school.

Realization set in, Alexis yanked back hard on his arm stopping them short. The Doctor yelped and stumbled into her. "What are you doing?" She hissed as the more people paused to watch the strange pair that stood in the middle of the road an odd couple to say the least.

The Doctor pulled at her arm as he attempted to drag her along with him. "There's no time, to explain right now."

She resisted, "I'm not about to lead that thing into a busy street, there's children and people everywhere. Are you mad?"

"Yes I am, now trust me, we've got to go." he pleaded all but dragging her along with him.
"Trust me say's the crazy man with a bow tie."

"Hey, no dissing the bow tie." he grumbled his hand touched absently with his free hand, "We're running out of time. I will explain what I can once I've gotten you to safety alright."

"Fine, but if even one person gets hurt..." she growled.

"I know, don't worry, I don't want to see anyone hurt either and that goes for you too," he said and gave her hand a firm squeeze of reassurance. The woman sighed and gave in, running alongside him, refusing to let go.

The people had stopped to stare at the odd pair as they ran for their lives hand in hand down the busy street. The sounds of screams from behind them stopped the pair short of the corner that would take them straight to where he left the TARDIS. People ran scattered off the street as the large black beast tore its way down the center. Cars swerved crashing into each other and hound leapt gracefully over them, its eyes fixed upon Alexis, she gasped at the site of the people darting out of the street as it bolted towards them.

The Doctor pulled arm hard. "Hurry!" he shouted bringing her out of the trance, just as the ground began to tremble again. She stumbled along barely keeping up with the Doctor. Alarms blared out around them from some of the parked cars. The sounds of glass shattered and the cries of children sent a shot of dread through them both. She couldn't risk other people's lives for her own, twisting out of the Doctors grasp and began to half run, stumble her way back towards the creature in hopes to distract it enough to get it away from the people.

"No, what are you doing!" The Doctor barked he turned with her wrapping his arm around the waist pulling her back.

"Let me go," she growled trying to fight him off.

"You can't," he grunted as he attempted drag her back with him towards the TARDIS.

"Watch me!" she snapped as her elbow connected with his nose with a crack.

The Doctor cried out his grip loosened but still he held her firm. "You hit me." Tears welled up in his eyes.

"You deserved it," she snapped regretting her words the moment she said it, guilt written all over her face, she hadn't meant to hit him, only shove him away. "Please, let me go." She begged no longer struggling against his grip.

He couldn't let her go even though part of him knew if it had wanted to kill her it would have done it by now, but if this woman was a time lord couldn't just let her go. Not now that he had just found her, not until he knew for sure and even then... "I can't, I need you to come with me, please. You need to trust me. Just think for a second if it was sent to kill you, you would be dead by now."

Alexis knew that he was right, back at the factory that thing did have her cornered, it could have easily killed her at that point but it didn't. She looked back at the Doctor as he wiped away a small trickle of blood from his nose, she felt a pang of guilt for hitting the man who was only trying to help. "Sorry 'bout that," she apologized.

He waved a hand at her. "It's fine, really, hardly any damage done…" he said pinching his nose to staunch the bleeding. A loud thunderous growl caused him to falter catching sight of the Soilar hound as it darted around a corner closing in on them fast, the pain in his nose quickly forgotten. "Run!" he hollered grabbing her arm again and dragged her along beside him, together they ran towards where he had left the TARDIS.

They turned the corner and he say it the blue box still nestled in-between the two houses, right where he left it. They could now hear the scrap of claws and the huff of breath and it closed in on them just as they reached the TARDIS, he fumbled in his pocket for the key and almost dropped it in the process.

"What are you doing?" her voice desperate and she clung to his arm.

"I just need to get the door ope…"

"In there, you think we'll be safe in a box!"

"Yes, yes in the box, just trust me."

"You say that a lot. I don't see how a wooden box can hel…" Alexis screamed her grasp on his arm tightened then had been yanked away. The Doctor staggered back with her, the key still clutched in his hand, his head whipped around and watched as the charred beast began to drag her away, her shoulder engulfed in its gapping jaws. The creature's leather skin cracked and oozed a thick viscous fluid. She struggled kicking and screaming wildly in an attempt to break away, the hound struggled to keep hold, not to kill but simply drag her away from the TARDIS. The Soilar hound was weakened and as Lexi clawed at the gash on its muzzle it whimpered biting down, its sharp dagger teeth sunk deeper into her shoulder, she cried out her body going ridged as the pain threatened to overcome her.

"Oi, let her go!" The Doctor shouted and rushed forward, grasping a hold of her ankle making it harder for the creature to drag her without killing its target. "I know what the sun is killing you," he pleaded with it. "But I'm not going to let her go without a fight, and you're not going to last much longer like this." The Soilar hound stopped its liquid black eyes stared down at the Doctor. "Please," he painted as Alexis dangled limply in the beast jowls, her gaze focused on the Doctor. The beast shifted its weight and the cracks in its leathery hide grew and its hide sizzled in the direct sunlight, more of the black blood oozed freely dripping in small pools on the pavement. "I know that whomever sent you wants her alive, she won't be much longer if this keeps up, and neither will you. You're burning up from the inside out, just let me take her. She'll be safe with me. I promise." It stared at him moment, then whimpered then released her from its grasp. A loud sob escaped her lips as the pain shot through her shoulder, she slumped forward into the Doctors arms, and fresh warm blood ran down soaking into her shirt. Her knee buckled, he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist holding her upright, still not taking his eyes off the creature.

"Thank you," he said softly as the sound of sirens rang out in the distance. The beast growled a low and menacing threat and the Doctor nodded. "I expect as much," he murmured, "Till next time then."

Smoke started to roll off the beasts back in waves, it as it turned bolted down the now completely deserted street in search for a dark place to heal its wounds. The Doctor let out a shaky breath he didn't realized he had been holding, Alexis grunted as she leaned into him bring his focus back to her.

"Can you walk?" his voice was soft an reassuring, they needed to get out of there with the authority's about to show up he didn't want to have to try explain this, and he couldn't risk human doctors getting their hands on this woman. She nodded still leaning into him, his arm held her tightly as they hobbled their way back to the TARDIS. Alexis stared sullenly to the ground, no longer resisting, and her breathing shallow and grunted with every step.

When they reached the TARDIS doors they swung open, the Doctor rolled his eyes as the pair made their way inside. "Of course, now you open up," he grumbled, "Couldn't do that five minutes sooner?" Scolding the TARDIS as help her carefully into the jump seat. Her gaze was still vacant, not even reacting to him or the TARDIS. "Alexis?" She didn't respond his frown deepened then knelt down in front of her, she was filthy and covered with dirt and blood, the bleeding seemed to have slowed and he knew if she had been human, she would most likely be dead. But if she was a Time Lord he still should have been able to sense her mind. The TARDIS did, it found her that was the only explanation on why it had been acting out of sorts. He sighed the tucked a dirty strand of hair behind her ear, now that he was able to get a good look at her, she hardly looked like Amy really, there were similarity's not just the hair but small features, still this just proved even after all this time the loss still sat heavy within his hearts.

The bleeding had slowed, ugly puncture wounds lined up with the torn shirt, if she were human she would be still bleeding and unconscious, he couldn't over analyze this yet, first he needed to get them into the Vortex and then tend to her wounds. "Let's get us to safety then we'll get you cleaned and bandaged up, alright?" he smiled one of his brilliant smiles. She looked at him with large bright blue eyes, he had seen that look before hiding behind the pain. Weather it was physical or more than that he didn't know but he knew old pain when he saw it.

She nodded and smiled weakly back at him, "Thank you," her voice was raspy, weary.

Something in her tone made his stomach twist, he had saved so many and so many praised and thanked him, still something about how she said it made his hearts shiver. "No need for thanks, I'm just happy you're here and safe." He stood up and walked to the controls, he could feel her eyes on him as he flipped switches and pulled leavers. The old familiar sounds of the TARDIS filled the room, his smile widened and he looked over at Alexis who just stared calmly at him, she hadn't reacted to the TARDIS in anyway. "What?"

Her brows knit together, "I just… I don't… Nothing, it's nothing," she said shaking her head. They stared at each other for a moment something silent and unsaid past between them, but nether knew what, he tried to reach out and feel her mind but there was nothing, not a hint nor a shimmer of anything there should be something, even if she was human there was always something.

He smiled at her, if nothing else he would help her regardless of who or what she was, he would get the answers either way. "Right then, off we go!" he said clapping his hands together, and flicked the final switch that sent the TARDIS off to safety.