Part 10 (2/2)

'Pity. I was looking forward to a nice bit of haddock tonight.'

Sunning herself on the beach, Tegan wondered what would happen if she stayed here with Andy. She'd carry on getting older, whilst in several years' time a younger version of herself would blunder into a police box on the Barnet bypa.s.s.

Eventually the Doctor would bring her here, where she would meet Andy and the whole cycle would begin again. It made Tegan's head spin thinking about how tangled up in time you could become if you really put your mind to it.

She would never be able to travel to London to meet herself, of course, because as the Doctor was always telling her, there were rules against that sort of thing. So if she did stay here, she wouldn't be able to save Aunt Vanessa from being murdered by the Master in a few years' time. That alone - aside from the practical limitations -was reason enough why she couldn't stay. couldn't stay.

'You OK?' asked Andy, lying on the towel beside her.

Tegan opened her eyes. Everything looked bleached, not quite real. 'Fine,' she said. 'Why?'

'You looked fed up all of a sudden. I just wondered if something was wrong.'

She turned and smiled at him. 'I was just wis.h.i.+ng I could stay here for ever - but I can't.'

'Why not?' he asked casually.

She sat up, drawing her knees towards her and wrapping her arms around them. 'I just can't. In a few days or a few weeks I'll have to move on. You wouldn't understand.'

'Thanks,' said Andy.

'No, I didn't mean it like that. It's complicated.'

'Wanderl.u.s.t,' said Andy.

'Pardon?'

'You've got wanderl.u.s.t. I understand that all right. You're a free spirit. You don't like to be tied down.'

She laughed. 'If only it were that simple.'

'Well, if it isn't wanderl.u.s.t, what is it?' He paused, 'You're not on the run, are you?'

She laughed even harder. 'You've got it! I'm a desperate fugitive. That's why I'm spending my day with a policeman.'

He smiled. 'Maybe you like to live dangerously.'

Tegan looked out over the ocean and said, almost to herself, 'I do that all right.'

Andy looked perplexed. 'You know, I've never met anyone quite like you.'

'Isn't that a bit of a cliche?'

He shrugged. 'Maybe. It's true, though.'

They lapsed into silence, both of them watching the sea charging at the sh.o.r.e, kids playing, dogs barking as they frolicked at the water's edge. If she was going to enjoy her day with Andy, Tegan knew she would have to stop dropping subtle clues that there was more to her than met the eye.

She didn't mean mean to do it, but she couldn't help it somehow. It was as if a part of her wanted him to find out who she was, where she came from. Maybe, rather than her staying here, Andy could come with to do it, but she couldn't help it somehow. It was as if a part of her wanted him to find out who she was, where she came from. Maybe, rather than her staying here, Andy could come with them them in the TARDIS. Then the Doctor could hop forward, say, eight years and they could both simply pick up their lives again... in the TARDIS. Then the Doctor could hop forward, say, eight years and they could both simply pick up their lives again...

No, what was she thinking of? She hardly knew the bloke, for goodness sake! Why couldn't she just concentrate on enjoying the day ahead? Morning on the beach, lunch in a nice pub, a walk in the countryside - why look beyond that?

'Are you sure sure you're OK?' Andy asked, breaking her out of her reverie. you're OK?' Andy asked, breaking her out of her reverie.

'Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking.'

'You don't want to do that, you know,' he told her. 'Makes your brain hurt.' He leaned closer to her, propping himself on one elbow. Tegan could smell the suntan lotion on his shoulders and chest. His voice became softer, more serious.

'Look, Tegan, I just want us to have a nice day together. I reckon if you've got stuff to tell me, you'll tell me in your own time. I don't want to come over all heavy on you. My philosophy is, enjoy life while you can. You might not be here tomorrow.'

'Very comforting,' said Tegan.

He grinned, 'Come on, let's go for a swim. Get rid of some of those cobwebs.'

He jumped to his feet and held out his hand to her. Tegan laughed, 'You're not going to get me in there.'

'Why not? Can't you swim?'

'Course I can swim. But the sea back home is like a warm bath compared to that!' She nodded disdainfully at the grey water.

Still grinning, he grabbed her hand and hauled her to her feet. 'Bracing is what it is. Come on, on, Tegan.' Tegan.'

She put up only token resistance as he dragged her, laughing, down to the water's edge.

'Urgh, what's this stuff?' she said, sidestepping what looked like a lump of colourless jelly that had been carried in by the tide.

He shrugged, unconcerned. 'A melted jellyfish? Maybe the heat of the sun was too much for it.'

'It's all over the beach,' she exclaimed, noticing mounds of it scattered along the sh.o.r.eline.

'Don't worry about it. As long as you don't step in it, you'll be all right.'

Ten yards from the water, he let go of her hand, ran at full-pelt down to the sea and plunged in. Tegan saw a wave crash over him and then a few seconds later he surfaced, coughing and spluttering.

'You're mad!' she shouted.

<script>