Don't you love it when you have a million things to do, and your Muse decides she wants to write a story? Yeah, that's how this came about. I've had this idea for a while, but never got around to writing it unto the other day.

I apologize if anyone seems out of character. Knowledge of the serial Terminus may help understand who some people are, but is not required. This story was not Beta-ed, so sorry about any inconsistencies or mistakes. Feel free to let me know if you spot any, I'll try and change them. Parts 2 and 3 will come in the next day or two!

So on with the show. Please review after reading!

"Lady! Lady!"

The lady in question looked up to find a young woman running toward her at high speed. For a moment, she feared a collision, but the running girl expertly skidded to a stop. The woman shook her head, causing her brown curls to bounce about.

"Lucia, what have I told you about running through the halls like that?" she chastised. "You'll crash into something, or someone."

"Yes, I know Lady," Lucia gasped, "But…"

"Not to mention it is much easier to page someone rather than almost crash into them," the woman added.

"But this is important," Lucia said. "Lady, we have a new arrival."

"A new arrival?" the Lady asked. "But the next transport ship isn't due for another three days."

"It's not a transport ship," Lucia said. "It's… well, I don't know what it is. I was in the Lower Cargo bay taking stock when I heard this sound. I've never heard it before in my life; it scared me half to death! And when I went to look, there was this box…"

"Lucia, you were in the cargo bay," the Lady said, "Of course there was a box, there are boxes and crates in the cargo bay. You probably heard them shifting or Patch was playing a trick on you again."

"It wasn't Patch!" Lucia cried. "We have a truce! And I had checked that area five minutes before. The blue box wasn't there…"

"Did you say blue box?"

Lucia was surprised as the Lady's response. "Y-yes, ma'am. It was a blue box. Maybe two meters high, one across. It had two doors on one side, small windows all around, a light on top, and strange letters that I couldn't read… Lady Nyssa, are you okay?"

"Lucia, show me where this box is," Nyssa said. She quickly gathered together some equipment and supplies. "You must show me right now."

"Of course, Lady," Lucia replied. To her surprise, Nyssa took off running. Lady Nyssa never ran, unless something terrible was going on or some emergency called for it.

Lucia and Nyssa made it down to the Lower Cargo bay in record time. They weaved through the maze of boxes and crates, not wasting breath to talk though Lucia desperately wanted to. She was curious about why Lady Nyssa reacted in such a way when she was told about the blue box. Granted it had mysteriously appeared out of thin air, but there was something else going on.

"Here it is," Lucia said, rounding a corner. Nyssa followed, and almost crashed into the girl who had guided her here. Nyssa froze, she barely breathed as she took in the sight before her. Afraid that she had stopped breathing, Lucia gently said, "Lady Nyssa, are you okay?"

Nyssa snapped out of her trance. "Lucia, go call a stretcher down here," she ordered, "And tell them to set up a private treatment room."

"Lady…"

"Don't ask questions!" Nyssa snapped. "Go!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Lucia sprinted off, leaving Nyssa with the box. Nyssa turned back to the blue box; it was the same as she remembered… almost. It was still in the form of a blue British police call box, but it was quite obvious years had passed, or at least something had happened to the box. The blue paint was scorched and blackened in some places, peeling in others revealing a strange metal-looking wood underneath. Most of the windows were cracked and scratched, two windowpanes were missing. There were gouge marks all over the exterior, and the light on top was barely attached. The box looked like it had gone through hell and back more than once.

"Oh Doctor…" Nyssa breathed. If the TARDIS was in this bad of a condition, she could hardly imagine what the inside looked like, or what might have befallen the man who lived within.

Nyssa pulled out a silver chain around her neck. From it hung an old key, a memento of a chapter of her life of freedom, pain, joy, and wonder. She always wore it to remind herself to never forget, though after a while she doubted she would ever use it again. Key in hand, she walked forward and fitted it into the lock. The lock was stiff and stubborn, but she managed to coax it open. The door creaked open, and Nyssa pushed it wide enough to let her pass through.

"Guardian preserve…" she gasped.

The interior was nothing like she remembered. Gone were the white walls and back-lit roundels. Gone was the mushroom control console. In their place was a large open room and strangely archaic console with a glass pillar leading up to a roof somewhere in the darkness. The room was barely lit by emergency lighting, the occasional sparks from the console, and the dim blue light in the glass pillar. A deep, mournful bell could be heard reverberating from deep within the ship, but it was weak as if the ringer lacked the strength to pull the rope hard enough.

Debris littered the floor: books, papers, pieces of chairs and a table, machinery, wall and ceiling tiles, wires, glass, and twisted pieces of metal. Two of the beams surrounding the console had fallen over, another was bent. The console was badly damaged; one section was missing, another looked like it had been on fire at some point. Nyssa felt tears forming at the sight of her old home. She wanted to flee to her quarters, curl up under her blankets and weep.

But she couldn't do that. She still hadn't found the man she came in here looking for. There was still no sign of the Doctor.

"Doctor? Doctor are you here?" Nyssa called out, her voice shaking. "Can you hear me? Doctor!"

Her voice echoed in the vast space, but no response came. At least, not the one she wanted. Voices gathered around outside the box.

"Lady Nyssa, are you in there?" someone asked.

"Yes!" Nyssa cried. "Get in here, quick! Help me search!"

"But it's just a box…" someone else said.

"Get in here!" Nyssa yelled. A few seconds later, two people appeared, Olvir and one of the Vanir, Sigurd. Their mouths dropped open at the sight of the vast room inside the blue box.

"Oh my stars…" Olvir gasped.

"Don't just stand there!" Nyssa snapped. "Help me find the Doctor! He's in here somewhere!"

"Hey guys, all of you come in here!" Sigurd shouted back out the door. "The box is bigger on the inside!"

Several others quickly entered the box. After the initial shock wore off, they began to search through the wreckage and debris. Powerful lanterns filled the room with unnatural white light, but still the ceiling remained out of sight. Nyssa searched around the console, but found no sign of her old friend. She placed her hand on the console; it hummed weakly against her skin.

"What happened?" she whispered to the ship. The humming increased slightly, as if to answer, but quickly fell back down to its weak level.

"Over here! I found someone!"

Nyssa jumped up and hurried over. Three people were clearing away a pile of debris revealing a dust and ash covered man underneath.

"Get a stretcher over here!" one of the people shouted.

Nyssa knelt next to the man on the ground. He was unconscious, which was probably a blessing in disguise. There was a large gash across his forehead, and his left leg was pinned down under a large piece of the ceiling. As the others worked to get the panel off his leg, Nyssa took readings on the man, barely able to see the numbers and words through her tears.

"Nyssa?" A man asked as he appeared by her side.

"Olvir, we have to help him," Nyssa said. "We have to help him… I have to… oh Doctor…" She broke down into tears.

"Help her up," she heard Olvir say. "You four, help me get him on the stretcher and get him to the treatment room, stat!"

Nyssa let two pairs of strong hands pull her to her feet and lead her away. Once outside Nyssa broke away and leaned against a large crate.

"Nyssa…" It was Olvir again.

"He's the Doctor, Olvir," Nyssa said. "I'll follow you up, wait for me before you do anything."

"Nys, you're in no condition to help," Olvir said. "You're too attached. And how can he be the Doctor? He had blond hair, as I seem to remember…"

"I haven't seen the man in years, Olvir!" Nyssa cried. "And he shows up on my doorstep barely alive after a recent regeneration, his TARDIS in ruins, and no answers!" She took a few deep breaths. "Besides, you haven't treated a Time Lord before. I have. Now let's go. I'll explain on the way."

He fought against the current dragging him upward. He didn't want to go up; he knew what was up there. All that was up there was fire and death and pain. He wanted to stay in the darkness where it was safe. He didn't want to face the pain he already felt.

An anguished cry escaped him as the current surged and he was thrust into the light. Slowly the world around him came into focus. There was pain, but there was no fire and there was no death.

That's because there had been death. But he had escaped.

His eyes focused on the clean, light blue ceiling. His ears picked up a four-beat beeping sound. His body felt the soft covers of a blanket. His nose picked up the sharp scent of antiseptic. His tongue tasted recycled air. His mind felt a single familiar consciousness several floors below, and the whisperings of nearby minds he did not recognize. But his mind was otherwise silent.

He started to mourn that which he could not hear.

"Lucia to Lady Nyssa."

Nyssa picked up her communicator. "This is Nyssa."

"Lady, the man from the box is awake," Lucia said. "But something is wrong, you're needed down here right away."

"I'll be there momentarily," Nyssa said. She took off at a dead sprint, her joy at seeing an old friend smothered by her worry for him.

When Nyssa arrived, she found two of the Vanir holding the man down as a third tried to get straps around his arms.

"He woke up like this," the nurse named Patri said. "We can't get him to calm down."

"Let me try," Nyssa said. Patri opened his mouth to protest, but Nyssa cut him off. "I'll be fine, he knows who I am."

Nyssa approached the struggling man. Tears flowed freely down his face as he screamed. Nyssa's single heart began to break; she had never seen the Doctor like this. He was not in physical pain, he was suffering from mental anguish.

"Doctor? Doctor can you hear me?" Nyssa called, trying to be heard above her friend's sobs. "It's me, it's Nyssa! Nyssa of Traken!"

It took a few moments for her words to break through. "N-n-n-yss-ssa?" he stuttered. "N-yssa?"

"Yes, Doctor, Nyssa," Nyssa said, taking the man's hand. He stopped struggling and one of the orderlies started putting the straps on him, but Nyssa waved him away. "I'm here, Doctor, you're safe now."

"S-safe from wh-wh-what?" the Doctor asked. "I'm-m the d-d-danger. Oh God, Nyssa, wh-what have I done?"

"I don't understand, Doctor," Nyssa said. "What did you do?"

"I'm alone, Nyssa," the Doctor whispered. "I'm alone. They're all g-gone. I did it. I did it, Nyssa! I'm no better than he was! I'm no better than him!"

"Doctor!" Nyssa cried as the Doctor melted into hysterics once more. "Doctor please!"

But he wasn't listening to her any more. Nyssa allowed herself to be pulled back as the Doctor was injected with sedative. He fought against the drug, but then seemed eager to give into unconsciousness.

"What did he mean at the end?" Olvir asked, nursing a swelling cheek. "Who is he no better than?"

"He's no better than him," Nyssa said. "No better than the man who killed my people and left me alone. The Master…"

"Who's the Master?" Patri asked.

"Another Time Lord, a renegade like the Doctor," Nyssa explained. "A horrible, evil man. He stole my father's body, and killed, murdered, every soul of the Traken Union except for me and maybe a handful of others."

"Nyssa, the Doctor saved us and the universe," Olvir said. "How can he be like the man you just described?"

"I don't know," Nyssa replied. "He'll give us the answer when he's ready. For now, let him rest. Whatever happened to him and the TARDIS is in the past now, it's our job to get him into the future."

In the next few days, a schedule was set up for taking care of Terminus's newest patients. Nyssa arranged groups to help clean up the TARDIS by removing debris and trying to repair some of the Time capsule's systems. The doors leading deeper into the ship were locked even to Nyssa's key, though Nyssa decided this was good. She didn't want any of her people getting lost in the TARDIS's vast interior, and she figured it meant the TARDIS was taking care of things beyond the doors.

Repairs and cleaning the TARDIS only took a week and a half, much to the staff's amazement. Nyssa just smiled at the memories of the ship cleaning the messes she made in her room while traveling with the Doctor, and knew the TARDIS was recovering nicely. The old Time capsule even supplied some drop cloths and the correct shade of rich blue to repaint her exterior. Lucia's reaction to finding the paint supplies had been priceless, and the girl's joy of exacting revenge on her fellow apprentice Patch was strong enough to spread across the ship. Patch spent weeks cleaning the blue pain out of his hair.

While the TARDIS was recovering nicely, the Doctor was another matter. He was mentally withdrawn and unresponsive when conscious. After his outburst when he arrived, he barely spoke. His body was recovering, but his mind was not. He went through the motions of eating, sleeping, reading, and walking with support, but his face was devoid of emotion and his eyes were empty. The only times he reacted were during fits of hysteria that often resulted in him being sedated and someone suffering a black eye or other facial injury.

Nyssa became frightened of the change in the Doctor and that he would not recover. He was so unlike the man she remembered, physically and mentally. Gone was the young caring cricketer with the boyish face half hidden by blond fringe. All that was left was a man hardened and suffering from the shock of his experiences, a man with big ears and short dark hair that wasn't long enough to hide the pain in his eyes.

"This is the most severe case of battle shock I've ever seen," Valgard said one day. "I can't begin to imagine what caused it."

Unfortunately, Nyssa started to imagine. She began to understand what might have happened, but she kept her theories to herself. She wanted the Doctor to tell her the truth before making any conclusions. But as days turned into weeks with few signs of improvement, Nyssa began to doubt if the Doctor would ever give any answers.

Finally, Nyssa decided enough was enough. If the Doctor wasn't going to confront what happened and tell her, she would make him.

The day she went to his room for answers, he was gone.