Part 36 (1/2)

The Doctor blinked as though waking up. 'Stay? Here?

He dashed across the room and lifted his hat. 'I hate But you can't. You ...' He stopped and sucked his lower lip.

goodbyes. I'll have Ace back here before you can say John 'Of course you can.'

Robinson.'

Ace looked at her shoes. The Doctor turned and regarded He pushed open the double doors and was gone.

Robin. 'I take it you've got something to do with this, young Ace turned to them all and shrugged. 'I'll be back soon.

man?'

Promise. Bye!'

Robin smiled his cheeky smile. 'Guess so.'

Robin looked longingly after her. The doors clattered and Ace looked deeply into the Doctor's eyes. 'What about then immediately swung open again. Ace popped her head you?'

round the jamb. 'Merry Christmas!' she cried and vanished.

He smiled encouragingly. 'I'll be all right.'

'I will miss you, Doctor.' Ace felt the familiar numb pains The Doctor was scrabbling at his watch chain for the spreading to her palms and throat.

TARDIS key. He looked up at the sky which had cleared 'And I shall miss you too, dear Ace.'

completely, leaving a dark, star-filled expanse. In Orion, one She flung herself into his arms and he held her tightly.

particular star was blazing wonderfully.

Ace pulled away, tears stinging her eyes.

Ace ran up behind the Doctor. 'What's the theory then, The Doctor looked at the book in his hand. 'Would you do Doctor?'

one last thing for me?'

He spoke as he walked. 'The nova is one hundred and ten 'Of course,' she said, sniffing back tears.

pa.r.s.ecs away, or thereabouts.' He pointed into the night sky.

'I want to test out a theory. Will you come with me, in the 'See it?'

TARDIS? One last time?'

Ace craned her neck. 'Oh yeah.'

Ace was taken aback. She looked over at Robin and then 'Well, what's that distance in light years?'

back at the Doctor. She owed it to him. 'Er ... yeah. Yeah!

Ace grimaced. 'Erm...'

Why not?'

'There's 3.259 light years to a pa.r.s.ec, or 19,160,000,000,000 The Doctor smiled and hurried over to Vijay and Cooper.

miles, so...'

Ace embraced Robin and kissed him fondly. 'Won't be 'About three hundred and thirty light years?'

long. Promise.'

The Doctor smiled triumphantly. 'About, yes, about. But He kissed her full on the lips, lingering for a long minute.

I'm willing to bet on another figure.'

'Vijay,' said the Doctor. 'This nova of yours. What's the Ace was intrigued. 'What?'

distance from Earth?'

The Doctor pulled up sharp. 'Three hundred and twenty-Vijay shrugged. 'About a hundred and ten pa.r.s.ecs.'

four,' he grinned.

The Doctor did a lightning calculation. 'Of course!'

292.

293.

George Lowc.o.c.k counted to ten and pushed at the floor The tertiary console room was just as they had left it. The plate. He looked around the darkened church. Starlight Doctor stepped over to the console and let his fingers flutter glinted off the fallen lectern. The place was utterly silent.

over the controls.

Lowc.o.c.k threw back the floor plate and clomped his way Ace picked up Susan's uniform and folded it neatly over up the steps from the crypt.

the mirror, smiling wanly to herself. The TARDIS had been He wandered down the aisle, conscious of the shadows her home for so long. The only real home she'd ever known, looming in every corner, and grasped a tall candle.

and now...

Fumbling in his pockets he produced a lighter and lit the 'Aha!' cried the Doctor. 'I knew it. It's travelling candle, holding it high above his head.

backwards in Time. Fingers crossed, we should be able to 'Nothing,' he whispered, then raised his voice so that the get there first.'

villagers in the crypt could hear him. 'Nothing! They're 'Get where, Doctor?'

gone!'

The Doctor turned and his eyes were twinkling with Slowly, like sh.e.l.l-shock victims staggering from a bunker, mischief. 'Why, Crook Marsham, of course.'