Wings in the Night

When the Doctor is poisoned by an alien creature, it's up to Sarah Jane to find a way to save him before it's too late.

The plot bunny that this story was based on was inspired by tekiclutch's fanart entitled Don't Look.
Betas: Many thanks to meddow, non_canon, research-girl, and seize for all of their hard work.

Art by mad_jaks (LJ | e-mail | comment | notes) and Van Donovan (LJ | comment)

Sarah Jane Smith woke up on the floor, the loud clanging of a bell ringing in her ears.

She lay there for a few seconds, slightly disoriented and without a clue as to what had happened. Her blanket was wrapped loosely around her legs, and she was sprawled out beside her bed. One of her pillows was lying on the floor beside her, though the sheet was still half-hanging from the bed. She couldn't see anything else, since the only light in the room was a dim sliver coming from under the door.

She racked her brains as she reached up to grab the bed frame, pulling herself unsteadily to her feet. She didn't remember having any kind of dream or nightmare, and she was fairly certain that she would recall one bad enough to send her falling out of bed. It had happened once or twice since she had begun traveling with the Doctor, but only after a particularly harrowing adventure. And the last few places they had visited had been surprisingly free of such incidents.

Then she realized that she could still hear the bell ringing. It wasn't just in her mind. Her instincts kicking in, she reached for her bedside lamp. She felt a flutter of worry in the pit of her stomach when her fingers couldn't find it and quickly stumbled over to the light switch on the wall. Luckily, it worked.

She couldn't help but flinch as the lights came on, revealing her room to be an utter disaster. Most of her belongings were on the floor, and the small dressing table by her bed was on its side. Its drawer had opened and everything inside was spilling out. The only thing still upright was the bed, with its legs bolted firmly to the floor. Even it looked disheveled, though, with most of its makings still on the floor beside it.

"What on earth?" she said, her brow furrowing.

The bell continued to clang, making an ominous sound that seemed to echo throughout the TARDIS. Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine, an echo of something running through her mind, and without thinking she launched herself at her bed. She grabbed its frame just in time, letting out a surprised shriek as the room seemed to spin. It was almost as if gravity itself had stopped working properly. Before she even realized what was happening, she found herself dangling in midair.

For just an instant the legs of her bed seemed to be sticking out of the wall, while what had been the wall was where the floor typically was. The entire room had shifted, like a box that had been turned on its side. She felt almost like Alice, stepping through the looking glass for the first time. It was as if the world had turned inside out on her, and she couldn't even tell up from down.

The room righted itself without warning, sending her slamming into the bed frame. Her right leg was caught between her body and the bed, and she gasped as she hit it with all her weight. Grimacing, she pulled herself to her feet again and tried to ignore the sharp pain shooting through her leg. She glanced down for just a moment, not surprised to see that it was bright red and showing starkly against her white nightdress. There was little doubt that it would bruise.

"This had better be good," she muttered, starting toward the door. She paused after only a few steps, her mind flashing back to several previous occasions. Life with the Doctor rarely went as planned, and it was always better to expect the unexpected. Glancing down at her nightdress, she quickly changed direction.

She quickly shimmied out of her nightie, reaching down to grab her trousers off the floor. Her leg ached at the movement, and she grimaced when she glanced down and saw the quickly darkening bruise on her lower leg. There wasn't anything she could do at the moment but ignore it. Biting her lip, she hurried finished getting dressed.

With a quick glance around the room, Sarah turned toward the door. Then she paused, quickly grabbing a lightweight coat lying nearby. Just in case, of course.

Shrugging the coat on, she flung open the door and hurried out into the hall. The sound of the clanging bell was even louder outside her room as it echoed up and down the empty corridor. Sarah frowned, a hint of worry playing in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that was something was wrong. Even more wrong than what usually passed for normal around the Doctor.

She hurried toward the control room, limping slightly with every step she took. Biting her lip as the thought that she might have done more than merely bruise her leg crossed her mind, she tried not to focus on the pain. "Doctor!"

There wasn't an answer, not that she'd been expecting one. Forcing herself to hurry a little faster, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief when she saw the entrance to the control room up ahead.

"Doctor!"

As she stepped into the control room, Sarah felt her mouth twist into a smile despite herself. The Doctor was scurrying around the console, hurriedly fiddling with dials and knobs. He was frowning, a look of deep concentration on his face as he moved around the console.

Without warning, the bell stopped. Her ears ringing a bit, she slowly stepped out of the entrance and started toward the center of the room. Most of the lights on the console were still blinking, and she knew from past experiences that that probably wasn't a very good sign.

"Doctor?"

Sarah shook her head in amused exasperation when the Doctor finally looked up from the TARDIS' console. There was a surprised look on his face, as if she was the last person he had expected to see. It was obvious that he hadn't realized she was anywhere nearby.

"Yes?" he asked curiously.

Barely refraining from rolling her eyes, Sarah stopped a few feet away from him and met his gaze. "Is there a reason gravity decided to stop working properly in my room?"

He blinked. "Did it?"

"Yes," she replied dryly, "it did. One minute I was in bed asleep, and the next thing I knew my bed was sticking out of the wall."

The Doctor tilted his head. "Really?" He glanced back at the console again, scrutinizing it. "That's odd, I hadn't noti--"

He trailed off suddenly, his eyes widening. He flung his hand out and grabbed her arm, yanking her toward him. His other hand never left the console, and to her surprise he pushed her against it as well.

Sarah didn't even have time to think before the room suddenly began to spin just like her bedroom had. She gripped the console tightly with both hands, well aware of the Doctor's tightening grip on her arm. She was only a little surprised when the Doctor somehow managed to wrap his other arm around her, holding her in place. A wave of dizziness washed over her when, instead of stopping like it had earlier, the room kept spinning wildly.

After what felt like ages, though she suspected it was no more than twenty seconds, the control room suddenly righted itself. They both fell to the floor, and Sarah couldn't help but let out a gasp as she landed on her bruised leg. A sharp, stabbing pain rushed up her limb, and she felt a bit nauseas. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before opening them again.

The Doctor was staring straight at her. "Are you alright?" he asked. His voice sounded nonchalant, but there was no denying the hint of worry in his eyes.

Letting out a shaky breath, Sarah nodded. "I'm fine," she replied. "What just happened? And why on earth was that bell ringing?"

"Cloister bell," he replied, pushing himself to his feet. He offered her his hand, and she took it after only a second's hesitation. "It's supposed to warn me of danger."

Sarah barely held back a gasp as she stood up and put pressure on her leg, but she couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter at his comment. "No kidding."

He smiled at her, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Then he turned his attention back to the control console. "We've landed," he said, his smile fading into a frown.

Amused despite herself, Sarah made her way over to his side. "You didn't answer my first question."

He didn't look up. "Did I not? Oh, that's interesting. It looks like we're somewhere in the Rphor system."

Well aware that he was trying to change the subject, she leaned forward and looked up into his face. "No," she said pointedly, "you didn't answer me."

The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment. Then he nodded, relenting. "We picked up a distress beacon, an older one. In fact, that particular model was banned centuries ago." He frowned. "It had an effect on several of the TARDIS' systems, as you've noticed."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "We've picked up lots of distress beacons," she said slowly. "Why would this one make the systems go haywire if none of the others have?"

"Well now, that's the question."

She stared at him, but he didn't say another word. When it became apparent that he wasn't going to say anything else, Sarah glanced at the door. "So where are we?" she asked, gesturing with her eyes.

"Ah," the Doctor said, momentarily hesitating before he glanced down at the console, "you know, that's another very good question."

Sarah let out a quiet laugh. "You have no idea, do you?"

A put out expression appeared on his face. "I know exactly where we are," he protested. "We're on the planet Listronam. Or possibly Ghaijunish. Most likely."

"Most likely?"

The Doctor shot her an injured look.

"Fine, fine," she relented, holding up her hands in a gesture of peace. "We're most likely on Listronam or Ghaijunish."

He nodded. "Or possibly Xterial Prime."

"Or possibly Xterial Prime," Sarah repeated dutifully, unable to hide her smile. "So are we going to try and find out which one we're on?"

Smiling just a bit himself, the Doctor reached out and hit a switch on the console. The TARDIS doors slowly opened, revealing what looked like an ordinary forest on the other side. Sarah stared out at the scene, surprised.

She walked toward the door, stopping just before she stepped outside the TARDIS. They had landed in the middle of what seemed like an endless number of trees, two of which were so close to the TARDIS that it looked almost as if they had wedged between them. It was fairly dark outside, though a few dying rays of sunlight were streaming through gaps in the leaves up above.

The Doctor came up behind her, gently pushing her through the doorway. She barely hid a grimace as her leg almost buckled. "Coming?" he asked.

"Of course," she said, smiling weakly at him as he locked the TARDIS doors behind them. "Any idea where we're going?"

He grinned as he held up some sort of device. "Absolutely not!"

She stared at the thing in his hand. It looked something like one of the handheld gaming devices that she'd seen in the mid-21^st century, something called a PSP4 if she remembered correctly, except that it had what looked like antennae sticking out of its top. Another one of his science experiments, most likely.

The Doctor apparently saw the confusion in her eyes. "I've set this to lead us straight to the beacon," he explained.

Sarah nodded. "So we can turn it off?"

"So we can help whoever's sending it," he said, shaking his head. "We can't just ignore it, even if it's illegal. It's mauve."

She crossed her arms, shooting him an impatient look.

"And then, after we've helped them, we'll turn it off," he quickly added.

Sarah uncrossed her arms. "Good. Which direction are we heading in?"

The Doctor held up the device with one hand, pressing one of its buttons with his finger. A high-pitched whine suddenly emitted from it, causing Sarah to clap her hands over her ears.

"Sorry," he said apologetically as he hurriedly hit the button again, "wrong one. Let me try again."

She glared at him and didn't remove her hands from her ears.

He cleared his throat and pressed another button. Lights flashed on the device, but it didn't make any sounds. Sarah hesitantly brought her hands down, eyeing the Doctor warily. "Well?"

His eyes focused on the device in his hand, he waved vaguely to their left and started walking. "We need to go that way."

Sarah let him go first. He made it several yards without glancing up from the device before walking straight into a low-hanging branch, at which point he let out a muttered stream of what she assumed were expletives even though he was speaking just quietly enough that she couldn't hear them clearly. She couldn't help but laugh, earning her a dirty look in return.

The Doctor started walking again almost immediately, but she couldn't help but notice that this time he kept his eyes focused on what was ahead of him. There was what appeared to be some type of trail heading in the general direction they wanted to go, and he stayed on it for the most part.

They walked without saying a word, and Sarah felt a shiver of worry at the Doctor's uncharacteristic silence. Still, she couldn't blame him. There was something about the forest that felt heavy, solemn even, as if it did not want to be disturbed. She could hear the occasional sounds of birds and other animals, but they seemed to occur less often the farther they went from the TARDIS.

She looked around as she moved, studying their surroundings. The trees blocked out much of the sunlight, and only the occasional ray managed to break through. It was darker than any of the woods she'd ever been in back on Earth, though she suspected that was because the trees and their limbs were much closer together than what she was used to seeing.

Sarah suddenly caught a quick movement out of the corner of her eye, and she would have sworn that she had seen a flash of something red. She paused, hurriedly turning her attention toward the cluster of trees where she'd seen movement. There didn't appear to be anything there now, but she couldn't rid herself of the feeling that they were being watched. Narrowing her eyes a bit, she took a few steps forward.

"Is something wrong?"

At the sound of the Doctor's voice, she quickly turned back toward him. He was still standing on the path, a curious expression on her face.

Sarah glanced back at where she had seen the movement. There was nothing there. "I thought. . ." She trailed off, shaking her head as she turned back toward the Doctor. "I'm probably just seeing things."

He shot her a doubtful look. "What did you see?"

"Probably an animal or something," she said as she made her way back toward him. "Whatever it was, it's gone now."

The Doctor eyed her a moment before letting his gaze drift back beyond where Sarah stood. He stared out into the murky shadows of the forest briefly before nodding thoughtfully and glancing back down at the device in his hand.

"Come on," he said, reaching out to pull her gently in front of him, "let's keep moving."

He didn't move his hand from her shoulder, instead leaving it there as he lightly pushed her along in front of him. Although she normally would have objected, for once she couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. There was something off about the forest, the shadows, maybe the entire planet. Just knowing that he was right behind her was enough to make her feel safer, not that she'd ever admit it.

Sarah shivered. Her eyes moved from side to side as she watched for any other movement. She couldn't even hear birds chirping anymore; they had stopped completely, leaving the silence even eerier. The only noises she could hear were the occasional rustle of leaves and the sound of their footsteps.

Suddenly she realized it was getting brighter. Sarah narrowed her eyes as she let her gaze move around. There was no denying that it wasn't quite as dark as it had been just a moment or two earlier, and it was plain that the sun was coming through the leaves much more easily. Still, the forest didn't feel any less dangerous now that she could see it properly; if anything it felt even more unsafe than it had before.

It was like when she was afraid of the dark as a child. Even though she knew rationally that there wasn't anything there, she couldn't shake the prickling sensation at the back of her neck and the silent whisper in her head: but what if there is? Except this time she wasn't scared of whatever was hidden in the shadows. If it remained in the dark, she felt safe; the unknown could only hurt her if it made itself known. With a start, she realized that she'd almost prefer it to be dark and shadowy.

Without warning, the scenery in front of her changed. She came to a sudden halt, too surprised to even be annoyed when Doctor walked right into her. Her bruised leg hadn't been bothering her much since leaving the TARDIS, but it protested as she stumbled and almost lost her balance. The Doctor tightened his grip on her shoulder, keeping her from falling.

The forest had just . . . ended.

Directly in front of them was nothing but dirt, sprinkled with large rocks and the occasional rotting tree stump. The limbs of the trees on the divide were blackened and dead. Bright sunlight streamed down on them, no longer hindered by leaf-covered tree limbs.

If she hadn't known better, she would have thought that a fire or something similar had wiped out a section of the woods. That didn't quite fit, though; it couldn't be natural. It was impossible for anything in nature to have drawn such a straight dividing line.

"This isn't right," Sarah whispered, her gaze shifting between the lush forest and the barren wasteland.

The Doctor's grip on her shoulder tightened, and when she looked up there was a dark look in his eyes. "No, it isn't."

They stood there a moment, staring out at the desolate area in front of them, before the Doctor held up his device again. He studied it, frowning, before letting his hand fall.

"Is it out there somewhere?" Sarah asked, gesturing toward the plain with her eyes.

He nodded, hesitating as he let his gaze drift between her and the open area ahead of them. His hand dropped from her shoulder as he took a few steps past the tree line and out into the open. When nothing happened, he started walking again. She stood there a moment, watching him, before following.

The plain engendered the same sense of foreboding as the forest, and this feeling only increased the further they got from the trees. She couldn't hear any sounds other than their footsteps and the occasional whistle of the wind past her ears. There were no animals. No insects. Nothing.

The sun was slowly sinking in the distance, and while it was still fairly bright she could tell that it wouldn't stay that way for much longer. It was obvious that it was getting close to night on the planet. And that reminded her. . .

"Do you know where we are?"

"What?" The Doctor's voice sounded distracted, and he didn't slow down as he glanced at the device again.

Sarah kept walking. "This planet," she explained. "Have you figured out what it's called?"

The Doctor didn't answer. She decided to take that as a "no."

After another minute or so, she expectantly realized that she couldn't hear the Doctor's footsteps anymore. Sarah looked up and froze. He had stopped walking and was staring back at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"What?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

"You're limping," he said, frowning. She couldn't tell if it was supposed to be a question or a statement.

"Oh." She glanced down at her leg. It still hurt, but the pain had faded from constant throbbing to a dull ache. She hadn't even realized that she was limping until he had pointed it out, though, now that he mentioned it, she should have known. "I'd almost forgotten. I bruised it when my room decided to go all topsy-turvy on me."

The Doctor made his way over to her side and knelt down. "Mind if I have a look?"

Sarah shrugged, and he reached out and gently pulled up her right trouser leg. His face darkened just a little when he saw the bruise there, and he tenderly reached out to probe its outer edges. She couldn't help but flinch at his touch. He was scowling as he stood up again.

"Think I'll live?" she asked lightly.

His frown didn't fade. "A bruise shouldn't hurt that much," he said. "It might be a hairline fracture. We really should head back to the TARDIS so I can take a look at it in the infirmary."

She tilted her head. "And if we go back to the TARDIS without turning off that beacon, what's the likelihood of gravity going odd on us again?"

His silence told her she was right.

"I thought so," she said, leaning down to adjust her trouser leg. "It really doesn't hurt that much anymore. Let's go and find this beacon, and then you can take a look at it."

"Sarah."

She purposely met his gaze. "I'm fine," she said, smiling a bit. "Honestly, it's just a bruise. I'm certain of it. I've had a lot worse, and you know it."

Though he still looked doubtful, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He reluctantly nodded as he stood back up. "Are you certain?" he asked, reaching out to pat her arm.

"Absolutely." She shot him a reassuring grin.

Still looking a bit doubtful, he squeezed slightly before pulling his hand away.

Suddenly a piercing cry cut through the air.

Sarah looked around, startled. She stepped even closer to him before she quite realized what she was doing, pressing tightly against him. "What was that?"

The Doctor's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure," he said, glancing down at the device again. It was obvious from the flashing lights that it was pointing in the direction from which the cry had come. "Maybe we should head back to the TARDIS after all."

She blinked in surprise. "But what about the beacon?"

"It's getting dark."

Sarah bit her lip. If she wanted to be honest with herself, her leg was beginning to throb again. And that cry hadn't sounded particularly friendly. On the other hand, they were going to have to find the beacon eventually. If they didn't do it now, they'd just have to make the arduous trip once more.

"It was getting dark when we first left the TARDIS," she pointed out.

Another shriek sounded, this one louder than the first. And closer.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. She could see a hint of worry in his eyes, and she felt another shiver run down her spine.

"I take your point," Sarah said, giving in. "Let's head back for now."

"Good idea," the Doctor replied. He grabbed hold of her shoulder, quickly steering her back in the direction they'd come from. "Between you and me, I don't like the sound of those cries."

As if on cue, another shriek rang out. His hand dropped from her shoulder to her hand, grabbing it tightly.

"Between you and me," Sarah replied as they picked up their speed, "neither do I."

Several more shrieks rang out behind them, each of them louder than the first.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah saw a hint of movement coming at them from the left. It was too far away to see clearly, but it was obvious that it was heading in their direction. "Doctor. . ."

He glanced behind them. Speeding up without saying a word, he pulled her along with him. She lurched slightly at the sudden increase in pace, but she didn't comment. Forcing herself to ignore her throbbing leg, she concentrated on breathing. The faster they moved, the harder it became to take in enough air.

The Doctor suddenly groaned, his free hand flying up to his head. He stumbled slightly, almost pulling them both down, before regaining his balance and continuing on as if nothing had happened.

"Doctor?" Sarah asked, not even trying to hide her concern.

He shook his head, dropping his hand from his face. "Psychic energies."

"Psychic energies?" She gulped in a lungful of air, ignoring her burning sides. "What do you mean by psy--"

Sarah's foot caught on something, and she broke off abruptly as she felt herself go flying. Her hand was yanked out of the Doctor's grip as she fell to the ground, her coat catching and ripping on a nearby rock. She let out a gasp when she landed on her bruised leg, her vision momentarily dimming around the edges as pain shot out from the injury.

A shadow fell over her, and she looked up. Her heart promptly skipped a beat.

She'd seen all sorts of aliens since she'd met the Doctor, but none of them had been like this. It hovered above her, its wings making a whistling sound as they cut through the air.

She stared up at the creature, unable to move. Psychic energies, the Doctor had said. She hadn't quite understood him then, but now she did. It was as if her body had frozen. She'd never been turned to stone, but she suspected it would feel something like this.

The creature's body was vaguely humanoid, although the appendances that most resembled feet and hands were tipped with long, sharp claws. It was dark brown in color, almost black, and it was covered in what looked to be glistening scales. And then there was its face. . .

"You'll love these books, Sarah Jane. Harry Potter, the series is called. J.K. Rowling. They'll be popular in, oh, about twenty years now."

She'd yet to actually make it through all eight books in the series?though the Doctor kept telling her she'd love the Pillar of Storgé if she ever made it that far?but there was no denying that the creature's face looked like the description of the villain from the books. Its skin was dark-colored instead of chalky white, but other than it was just how she'd imagined it. Slits instead of a nose, burning red eyes . . . and a mouthful of pointed, shining teeth. Almost like a snake.

Then there were its wings.

Her mind flashed back to a picture she'd once seen in a book she'd found in TARDIS. A reaper, the Doctor had said with a shudder when she'd asked what it was. Something she shouldn't worry about and hopefully would never see in her lifetime.

The wings were long and tattered-looking, almost wraith-like. They looked as if they'd just erupted from its back, and the skin that connected them to the rest of its body was rippled and scarred.

The creature let out a hiss, its eyes narrowing as it focused on her. Sarah gasped as her body unfroze, and she instantly spun around and scrabbled to her feet. Her leg still throbbed, but adrenaline kept her moving. There was a screech behind her, so loud that it made her ears ring. She could hear the sound of rustling wings, and she knew that she only had a second.

"Get down!"

Sarah let out a gasp as the Doctor appeared out of nowhere and threw himself at her. She hit the ground with a thud, and her breath was forced out of her lungs as he covered her. The tracking device that he had been holding fell to the ground beside her head.

She could still hear the creature's wings.

Sarah's breath hitched in her throat as the Doctor let out a strangled cry. A splash of something warm and sticky hit the side her face, and she knew instantly that it was blood. "Doctor!"

The creature let out another shriek, almost as earsplitting as the sound that the tracking device had made earlier. At that thought, her eyes widened. It was worth a shot.

Not even pausing to think, Sarah reached out and grabbed the device that had fallen from the Doctor's hand. Hindered slightly by his weight holding her down, she managed to press the button he'd hit earlier. The familiar high-pitched whine instantly started up again, and she couldn't help but grimace as her eardrums protested.

The creature let out another loud cry, and then she heard the flapping of wings moving off.

She lay there a moment, gasping for breath, before turning off the device. "Doctor?" she asked hesitantly, her ears ringing. "Are you okay?"

With a groan, he pushed himself up off her and collapsed beside her. In the silence, she could hear that his breathing was unusually ragged.

Sarah quickly pushed herself into a sitting position. As soon as she was upright, she hurriedly looked around. Then she turned her attention back to the Doctor.

When she saw him, she couldn't help but gasp.

The sleeves of both his coat and the shirt underneath had been ripped, revealing his right arm. Blood was steadily streaming from a deep cut. Sarah hesitantly reached out to touch his arm, only to freeze when he hissed in pain and jerked away.

"How bad is it?" she asked, her voice breaking slightly.

The Doctor finally looked at her, flashing a toothy grin that she didn't believe for an instant. "I can barely feel a thing."

Sarah returned his gaze, unamused. "Handkerchief?" she asked, holding out her hand.

His smiled faded as he reached into his pocket and pulled one out.

"I'm not lying," he said after a moment or so had passed, sounding almost surprised. She suddenly noticed that his eyes, usually bright and glittering, had an almost glazed look to them. It was subtle, and it would probably be unnoticeable to someone who didn't know him very well. But it was there. "I don't feel any pain. It just stopped."

Worry immediately flooded through her. "Some type of venom?" she guessed, reaching out to touch his arm again. This time he didn't pull away. "Something to incapacitate its victims?"

"Possibly," the Doctor said, reaching down to poke at the injury with his good hand, "though I'd normally notice something like that."

She reluctantly looked him in the eyes again. They were still glassy, his pupils moving sluggishly as he returned her gaze. Biting back a gasp, she let her gaze drop down to his arm again. Without saying a word, she pulled away his ripped sleeve enough to wrap the handkerchief tightly around the cut. "Think that will keep you from bleeding to death on me?"

"Sarah." His voice sounded almost like a sigh, and there was a hint of something in it that she couldn't quite make out. It wasn't worry, not yet, but she thought it sounded similar. Vague concern, maybe? "What's wrong?"

She didn't answer, and she shuddered a bit when he placed his hand on her arm.

"Sarah Jane?"

Sighing, Sarah looked up. He was watching her, waiting for her reply. "It's your eyes," she said softly. "They're starting to glaze over."

He blinked in surprise. They stared at each other for a moment, neither of them saying anything, before he nodded. "We should get back to the TARDIS."

Sarah hesitated slightly, her gaze drifting down to his arm. "What about the beacon?"

There was another shriek in the distance, higher pitched than that of the creature they'd encountered.

"Later," they agreed in chorus.

Not even trying to hide her fear, Sarah pushed herself to her feet. She held out her hand to the Doctor. He accepted it gratefully, letting her help him up.

Then his legs crumpled beneath him, sending them both sprawling back to the ground.

Sarah gasped as she hit the earth, the impact momentarily knocking the breath out of her lungs. As worry kicked in again she hurriedly pushed herself into a sitting position, careful not to put too much pressure on her leg. "Doctor?"

He flashed what she assumed was supposed to be a reassuring grin, though it looked much too weak for her tastes. "I'm fine," he said, pushing himself up with his good arm. "I just . . . got up too fast."

Shaking her head, she stood up again. She didn't even remotely believe him, but she knew there was no point in arguing. Forcing herself to smile, she offered him her hand again.

Somewhere to their west?or whatever direction the sun set on the planet they were on?there was another eerie cry. It echoed slightly in the emptiness, giving it an almost forlorn sound.

The Doctor's eyes met hers, and he quickly accepted her hand. He managed to get to his feet without too much trouble, though he wobbled a bit when he first stood. Sarah rested her hand on his arm, trying to help keep him steady even though she knew that it wouldn't do much good if he fell again.

"See?" he asked. He looked much steadier on his feet. "Never better."

"Whatever you say, Doctor," Sarah replied, not letting go of his arm. She tried to keep her voice light.

Before he could say anything, she started walking. He didn't move immediately, and for just a second she thought she'd either have to stop or let go of his arm. There was no possible way she could pull him forward if he didn't cooperate. Then he followed, catching up with her with one long stride. Relieved, she let her grip on his arm relax as her hand slid down to grip his.

Another shriek pierced the emptiness, sounding much closer.

Sarah slowly picked up her pace, almost sighing in relief when the Doctor followed her example without any apparent consequences. "Think you're up for a sprint if one of those things shows up again?" she asked doubtfully, shooting him a worried look. His eyes were still dull, and she couldn't help but think he looked a bit paler than usual.

He pointedly let his gaze drop down to her leg. "I could ask you the same thing."

Her face flushed a bit, and she increased her speed to a slow jog. Her leg was starting to throb again now that the adrenaline was wearing off, but she wasn't going to tell him that if she could help it.

They moved in silence after that, neither of them speaking. The Doctor's breathing steadily became more ragged with every passing minute. Every now and then Sarah glanced over at the Doctor, careful not to let him see just how worried she was.

In the past, she'd seen him take off at a dead sprint and not even breathe heavily. It was more than a little troubling to see how much difficulty he was having currently. Whatever had been on the creature's claws, it was obviously affecting him. Despite his protests to the contrary, she had a sinking feeling that he was pushing himself to the limit just to keep moving.

"Sarah."

Almost unconsciously tightening her grip on his arm, Sarah glanced over at the Doctor. He nodded his head, gesturing in the direction they were headed. She followed his gaze, letting out a relieved sigh when she saw the familiar tree line in the distance. "Almost there," she said softly.

Another cry rang out. It was louder and closer than the last one.

Sarah glanced back without thinking. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw a familiar shadow behind them, still far away for the time being but quickly moving closer. Without saying a word, she increased her speed a little more. Her leg was burning with pain, its intensity increasing with every step.

The Doctor squeezed her hand. She glanced over at him, shooting him what she hoped was a reassuring smile when she saw his slightly raised eyebrows. His expression didn't change, and she suspected that she hadn't quite succeeded in convincing him that she was fine. He wasn't convincing her either, though, so she supposed they were even.

Another shriek rang out, startlingly close. They both glanced back at the same time, and Sarah was startled to see just how close the creature now was. Close enough, at least, for her to tell that it wasn't the same one that had attacked them earlier. This one was much lighter in color, more reddish-brown than black, though it looked to be even larger than the other one.

"Run," the Doctor ordered, pulling her forward as he suddenly took off at a sprint.

Sarah stumbled slightly at the sudden movement, but she didn't say a word as she sped up enough to keep pace with the Doctor, pointedly ignoring her protesting leg. She was almost certain that it was more than just a bruise, but this wasn't the time to worry about that. All that mattered was making it back into the forest, where hopefully they'd be able to lose the creature among the trees.

The trees in front of them got closer and closer, as did the cries coming from behind them. Fighting the urge to look back, Sarah focused her gaze on the Doctor. He was only a foot's length or so in front of her, pulling her forward and keeping her from slowing down. If she ignored his ragged breathing and the way he stumbled every now and then, she could almost convince herself that it was life as usual.

Without warning, the trees were suddenly right in front of them. The Doctor came to a sudden stop, hesitating as he reached their edge. Sarah gasped at his unexpected halt, and she continued past him when her reflexes didn't react quite fast enough. Her momentum yanked her hand from his, and she would have gone sprawling to the ground again if she hadn't managed to grab hold of the trunk of a nearby tree. "Doctor!"

He slowly met her gaze, a blank look on his face. Then another shriek rang out, the creature no more than a few yards behind him, and he seemed to come back to himself. He lunged into the forest, not even being subtle as he moved to put himself between Sarah and the creature heading their way.

And then, suddenly, the creature stopped. It froze just outside the line of trees, hovering in midair. Its dark eyes were focused on them, and it was obvious that it could see them standing there. Despite that, it didn't make a move into the forest.

"What's it doing?" Sarah asked, her question coming out more like a gasp as she tried to catch her breath, slipping out from behind the Doctor. She felt like she should get onto him for throwing himself in front of her again, but truth be told she wasn't sure she could muster enough energy to do it. "Why isn't it coming after us?"

He shook his head, puzzled. "I don't know."

Sharing a look, they slowly backed deeper into the trees. The creature hovered just outside the line of trees, refusing to come any closer. As they kept moving, it disappeared into the growing shadows. Only a few dying embers of sunlight trickled down between the leaves now, giving the entire forest an otherworldly look.

The Doctor reached in his pocket, pulling out what looked like a round disk on a string. He tapped it and a bright light shone from it, lighting the darkening path. He reached over and awkwardly dropped it around her neck, where it acted like a torch.

Once they were far enough away that they couldn't hear the creature's shrieks, Sarah finally stopped gasping as she caught her breath. She could still feel her heart beating fast, but her breathing was slowly but surely going back to normal. Sharp, stabbing pains were shooting up her leg, and for just a moment she considered telling the Doctor about them. Then she took a good look at him.

Beside her, the Doctor's breaths were still coming out in short gasps. His face was pallid, with an almost grey tint to it, and his eyes were missing their usual spark. And, she realized with a start, he was sweating.

Without thinking, she reached up to place the back of her hand against his forehead. He startled at her action but didn't say a word until she pulled it away. Then he smiled. "Tell me, do you think I'll live?"

"That's not funny," she snapped.

His smile faded.

Sarah immediately felt her face grow warm, but she didn't apologize. "You feel warm, like you're running a fever," she said, meeting his gaze. "And I mean you feel warm to me, not that you feel warm compared to your usual temperature."

"Do I?" he asked. He reached up to touch his cheek, a startled look on his face.

She didn't even try to hide the worried look on her face. "Maybe we should get back to the TARDIS?" she suggested.

He nodded. "Yes," he said, sounding distracted, "that might be a good idea."

Sarah slipped her hand in his and started walking. Then she paused and glanced back at him, a sheepish expression on her face. She opened her mouth to ask him which direction they needed to go in order to find the TARDIS, closing it without saying a word when he shook his head.

"Not a clue," he said guiltily.

She closed her eyes, not sure whether to cry or laugh. The latter won after a moment of deliberation, and she slowly started to chuckle. Within a few seconds, it had turned into full blown laughter?with, she suspected, a hint of hysteria mixed in.

Shaking her head, she opened her eyes to find the Doctor staring at her with a fair bit of alarm on his face. "I'll be fine in a second," she said, trying to force herself to control her laughter. It faded somewhat, though a few giggles threatened to trickle out. "Why don't you sit down and let me take a closer look at that arm?"

"Why don't we wait until we get back to the TARDIS?" he asked immediately. "I'm sure it will be fine until then."

Sarah shot him a look, and he reluctantly sat down. "You're acting like I don't know anything about bandaging wounds," she muttered peevishly.

He chuckled weakly. "I saw how you bandaged poor Harry's head after that incident with the Chula. He looked like a mummy by the time you were finished with him."

"I'll have you know," she said, teasingly sticking out her tongue, "I knew exactly what I was doing when I wrapped those bandages around his mouth."

The Doctor threw his head back and laughed. After a few seconds, however, it turned into a coughing fit that shook his entire body.

Sarah's face sobered instantly. "Shrug out of your coat, will you?" she asked, kneeling down beside him. She was careful not to put too much pressure on her injured leg.

Without a word of protest, he did as she asked. She reached out and touched his torn sleeve, pulling it out of the way so that she could see the handkerchief she'd wrapped around his arm. It was stained red, and blood was already starting to trickle around its sides and down the rest of his arm.

The Doctor took one look at her face before glancing down at his arm himself. "Oh, that's no good."

"That's probably an understatement," Sarah said softly, trying to keep her voice casual. "Is it still numb?"

He nodded. While the expression on his face wasn't exactly what Sarah would call worried, it was much closer to that emotion than she was used to seeing from the Doctor.

She fingered the sleeve of her own coat, testing the material, before sliding if off. "You wouldn't happen to have a pair of scissors in those pockets of yours, would you?" she asked. "Maybe a knife?"

A thoughtful look appeared on his face. "I might have something in here," he said, reaching over to grab his coat with his good arm. "Why?"

"We're going to need something a little sturdier than a handkerchief to wrap that cut with," Sarah pointed out, holding up her ripped coat. "I think this will do nicely."

The Doctor immediately stopped rummaging through his pockets. "It's already getting cold," he pointed out. "You're going to need your coat."

A cool wind blew by just at that moment, as if to prove his point. Sarah shivered despite herself, but she stubbornly met his gaze. "And what good's it going to do me if you bleed to death before we get back to the TARDIS?" she asked dryly. "The last time I checked, my coat doesn't exactly have a pilot's license?"

Although he didn't look happy, the Doctor nodded grumpily. "You have a point," he admitted reluctantly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pair of what looked like small pruning shears. "

"Thank you." Sarah took the proffered tool with a slight smile. "I thought you'd see things my way."

Then he handed her his coat.

Sarah stared at him blankly for a moment. "What?"

He shook it a little. "I told you," he said patiently, though she thought that she could hear just a hint of frustration in his voice, "it's getting cold."

Laying the shears in her lap, she hesitantly reached out to take the coat from him. She slowly ran her fingers over the ripped sleeve. Most of the blood on it had dried, leaving the cloth stiff. Then another breeze blew past, starting her shivering again. The Doctor raised an eyebrow, and she reluctantly nodded and pulled it on. It was much too large for her and most likely made her look ridiculous, but she had to admit that it was warm.

"Happy?" she asked.

The Doctor grinned. "Always."

Shaking her head in fond annoyance, Sarah picked the pruning shears back up and carefully started cutting her coat into strips. She'd actually liked this particular one, if she wanted to be honest with herself, but she wasn't going to mention it to him.

"I'll get you another to replace it."

Sarah smiled. "Sometimes I think you can read my mind."

She reached out to untie the handkerchief from his arm. It was still bleeding heavily. Her smile faded as she carefully started wrapping strips of her coat around it, using them as bandages.

The Doctor tilted his head. "Where's the fun in that?"

Laughing softly, Sarah slipped the rest of the handmade bandages into one of his coat pockets. Then she impulsively reached out and gave him a hug. She was careful not to hit his injured arm. He startled but didn't protest, though she could see the unspoken question in his eyes when she pulled away. She just shook her head in reply.

Then she saw something red moving out of the corner of her eye.

Her smile disappeared instantly as she spun around. She pushed herself to her feet, putting as much pressure as possible on her good leg. Narrowing her eyes, she searched the area from which the movement had come.

"Did you see something?" the Doctor asked.

She nodded distractedly, not glancing back at him. "Red," she said slowly, still searching the surround trees. "It's the same thing I saw earlier. I'm sure of it."

There was a shuffling sound behind her, and she knew without looking that the Doctor was standing up. A protest was on the tip of her tongue as she spun around to face him, but it died when she saw the determined look on his face. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she walked over and slid his good arm over her shoulders.

"You look like you're going to collapse," Sarah said dryly, trying to keep her worry in check. "If your plan is to run, I think we might be in trouble."

"I happen to have an entirely different plan in mind," he replied. Without pausing, he turned his gaze in the direction that she had seen the movement. "Hello there! I'm the Doctor and this is my friend Sarah Jane Smith."

There wasn't a reply.

Sarah nervously glanced over at the Doctor. "Maybe we should get moving?"

He shook his head. "All it takes," he said, grinning broadly, "is a little patience."

Turning her attention back toward the surrounding trees, she was surprised to see a human-looking boy standing there. He couldn't have been more than seven or eight, and he had a bright red cloak wrapped around his shoulders. A few more shadows appeared behind him, and she heard someone chuckle as two men stepped out beside him.

The older of the two, a middle-aged man with a shock of silver hair, rested his hands on the boy's shoulder. "I apologize for our intrusion," he said, bowing his head. "My name is Eshran. Machäl spotted you earlier, and we merely wanted to see if she was telling the truth. We do not get many visitors here on Tyrela."

Sarah did a double-take and took a closer look at the child. The girl's brown hair was cut short, and her clothes were fairly neutral. It was an easy enough mistake to make, though she felt a little sheepish. Come to think of it, at closer glance she could see that Machäl's ears were slightly more pointed than those of a human. And if she wasn't mistaken, she saw a hint of what looked almost like scales on her neck, all but hidden by the red cape she wore.

"It's quite alright," the Doctor replied with a grin, drawing Sarah's attention back to him. It faded a bit as what Eshran had said sank in. "Tyrela?"

Sarah reached down and lightly squeezed the Doctor's hand. "That wasn't one of the names you mentioned earlier."

The younger man, who couldn't have been more than twenty himself, snorted. "You landed on a planet without even knowing its name?"

"Rijad." Eshran didn't say anything but his name, but it was enough to bring about stammering apologies from Rijad. Then he turned his attention back toward the Doctor and Sarah. "Once more, I apologize. My grandson thinks that because he is an adult in years it means that he is one in wisdom as well."

The Doctor chuckled. "I understand precisely."

Forgetting herself, Sarah elbowed him in the side. His body tensed, and she immediately realized her mistake. "Sorry," she said, flinching. "I forgot."

Eshran took a step forward. "Are you injured?" he asked, surprised. His eyes were immediately drawn toward the bandage on the Doctor's arm.

Machäl reached out and tugged at his shirt, pointing at Sarah when he looked down. "She was limping," she whispered shyly. "I saw her."

"Is that true?" Eshran asked, turning his attention from the Doctor to her.

Sarah immediately opened her mouth to protest, or at least to put his attention back on the Doctor's injury, but she trailed off when she saw the Doctor shake his head. Besides, she had to admit, her leg really did hurt. She sighed, giving in. "It's just a bruise."

"Or possibly a hairline fracture," the Doctor cut in. "More likely, actually, considering how much walking she's done on it. Not to mention running and falling."

She rolled her eyes. "None of which was exactly my fault."

Before the Doctor could reply, Eshran reached into the bag hanging from his shoulder and pulled out a small electronic device. "If you don't mind?" he asked, gesturing toward Sarah's leg.

She glanced at the Doctor, who nodded. Shrugging, she turned back toward Eshran.

Without saying another word, he walked over and knelt down beside her. He carefully pulled her trouser leg up, his eyes widening a bit when he saw the bruise there. "I see what you mean."

He waved the device over her leg a few times, blinking at the results for a moment before pressing a few buttons. A soft humming sound started coming from it, followed by a soft blue light.

Sarah gasped.

Eshran looked up sharply. "Does that hurt?" he asked, cutting off the Doctor before he could say anything. "Is it making the pain worse?"

"No," she said, quickly shaking her head. "It feels odd, like pins and needles maybe, but it doesn't hurt."

He nodded and turned his attention back to the matter at hand. After a few more seconds had passed, he turned off the device and let her trouser leg drop back down. "There you go," he said, smiling as she pushed herself back to her feet.

Sarah didn't even try to hide her surprise as she realized that the pain was completely gone. She slowly reached down and pulled her trouser leg back up, uncertain what she'd see. Even the bruise wasn't there anymore. "That's amazing," she said, staring at the device in Eshran's hand in surprise.

"And out of place," the Doctor pointed out, leaning over her shoulder. "This planet can't have more than a Level Four civilization at best, and that's a Level Sev--"

He stopped abruptly as he staggered, grabbing hold of her to keep himself from falling flat on his face. "Let's just worry about your arm for now," she suggested hurriedly, adjusting her balance so that they both didn't go sprawling. She glanced over at Eshran. "Can that device of yours stop bleeding?"

Eshran nodded. He reached down and adjusted the dial on it before reaching his hand out toward the Doctor. "May I?" he asked, holding it just a few inches from his bandaged arm.

The Doctor nodded.

"This should only take a moment," Eshran said, untying the carefully wrapped bandages. "It's as simple as. . ."

He trailed off suddenly, his eyes widening.

"What is it?" Rijad asked, speaking for the first time since his chastisement. He leaned forward, eagerly looking at the Doctor's injury. Then he jumped back.

Sarah felt a shiver of fear. "What's wrong?"

Rijad grabbed Machäl and pulled her away. "He's infected!" he said, looking at her as if she was insane.

"Stop acting like a child," Eshran said sharply, shooting Rijad a dark look. "You know as well as I that the infection does not spread that way."

The Doctor reached out and took the bloody bandage from Eshran's hand, pressing it back against his arm. "Infected?" he repeated.

He took a step backward, and it was obvious to Sarah that he was going to put some distance between him and the rest of them. "Stop that," she snapped. "You heard Eshran, whatever it is isn't contagious."

"I never said it wasn't contagious," Eshran said quickly. "All that I said was that it could not be passed by touch or breathing."

Sarah glanced over at the Doctor, meeting his gaze. He stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Maybe you should explain?"

Eshran nodded. Despite his assurances, he didn't move any closer to the Doctor. "I suppose you ran into one of the Syjakts?"

"The huge creatures with wings and claws?" Sarah asked.

"Yes," he replied. "We call them the Syjakts. The former ones."

The Doctor shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

Machäl pulled out of Rijad's grip and took a step forward. "They used to be people," she said matter-of-factly. "But then the monsters got them."

"They're not monsters," Rijad said, grabbing her and pulling her back. "And don't get any closer. Rinia will have my hide if I let anything happen to you."

Machäl stuck out her tongue. "I'll tell her that you were mean to me," she said. "Mummy doesn't like it when you're mean to me."

Ignoring them, Sarah glanced over at the Doctor. He looked even worse than before, his skin still pale and his eyes bloodshot. She didn't say anything as she hurried over to his side, linking his good arm in hers before he had a chance to react.

"Sarah."

Ignoring the warning tone in his voice, she reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a clean bandage. She carefully began wrapping it again. "What's happening to him?" she asked Eshran.

Eshran paused for just a second. Her journalist's instincts kicked in, telling her instantly that he was hiding something. She quickly filed it away for later when he nodded and started to speak. "The first creature appeared over forty cycles ago. I was only a little older than Rijad is now."

Sarah blinked at that statement, but she didn't say anything. He didn't look that old to her, but then again he wasn't human.

"Back then, the great plain did not exist," Eshran continued. "This entire area was covered by the forest. Then some type of ship fell from the sky."

"That's what caused the tree line to look like it does?" Sarah asked skeptically. "Wouldn't it have grown back after all this time?"

Beside her, the Doctor shook his head. "That wasn't caused by any kind of crash," he said, eyeing Eshran.

Eshran nodded in agreement. "A few men explored the ship, when it first crashed. They thought that the creature used the devices it to make the land look like it does now."

"Terraforming technology," the Doctor muttered. "Consistent with the circular pattern."

Sarah nodded at the machinery still held in Eshran's hand. "Is that where you got your healing device?" she asked. "From the ship?"

The guarded look appeared in his eyes again, only for a second. "Yes."

Machäl pulled out of Rijad's grip again, though this time she didn't move toward the Doctor and Sarah. "Tell them when the Syjakts started being made!"

Rijad thumped her on the arm. "Will you shut up and let him tell the story?"

"Both of you be quiet," Eshran said firmly, glancing back at them for just a second. "You know that we don't have much time."

Beside her, the Doctor stilled. "What does that mean?"

Eshran met both of their gazes. "The creatures do not reproduce like we do," he explained. "They attack others, infecting them with some type of illness."

"Yeah, we've noticed," Sarah muttered.

Ignoring her, Eshran continued. "It changes our bodies, making us more like them. After a few days. . ."

". . . the victim is one of them." The Doctor sighed, sliding his arm out of Sarah's grip and reaching up to rub his temples.

Eshran eyed the Doctor. "You don't look very surprised to hear that bit of news."

Sarah glanced up at the Doctor's face herself, surprised to see that he was right. "No," she said slowly, "you don't."

"I've seen other species that procreate in a similar manner," the Doctor said, answering their unspoken question. "It's more common than you'd think."

Sarah furrowed her brow. "So it's like a vampire?"

The Doctor glanced at her. "If you mean the fictional ones back on Earth," he said, "then yes."

"What else would I mean?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What other kind of vampires are there?"

He didn't reply.

She stared at him. "You're joking."

The Doctor started to reply, but then he suddenly doubled over. Sarah grabbed at him, trying her best to keep him from falling. "What's wrong?" she asked. When he didn't answer, she looked back at Eshran. "What's happening to him?"

Eshran shook his head. "It's beginning."

"What's beginning?" Sarah asked. She suspected that she sounded panicked, but she honestly didn't care. "What's going on?"

He hesitated, and to her surprise Rijad took a step forward. "The Syjakts can't live inside the forest," he said, gesturing around them. "We don't know why."

Sarah glanced wildly between the two of them. "What's that have to do with the Doctor?"

"I'm turning into one of these Syjakts," he said weakly, straightening up. He grimaced but didn't seem to be in agony like he had been in a few seconds earlier. "Whatever it is that keeps them from surviving in the forest is starting to affect me."

She felt her blood run cold. "What if he's still inside the tree line when this transformation you keep talking about starts?"

Rijad and Eshran shared a look but didn't say anything. Machäl bit her lip.

"I think that answers that question," the Doctor said, chuckling softly. It quickly turned into a shaky cough.

Sarah held up her hand. "Just wait here a second," she said, gesturing for him to stay put. Then she hurried over to where Eshran was standing, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him close to her.

"There has to be some type of cure, right?" she muttered softly. "Something that will stop the transformation? Slow it down? Our ship is around here somewhere. If we can get there, then maybe . . . I don't know. Maybe we could find a way to stop this before he regenerates?"

Eshran gave her a sad smile. "I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done."

Behind her, the Doctor's coughs grew in intensity before turning into a groan. She glanced back frantically, unadulterated worry shooting through her when she saw him struggling not to double over in pain.

"You need to get him out of the forest unless you want him to die," Eshran said, genuine worry in his voice. "Of course, it might be better if. . ."

Sarah held up a finger. "Don't even say it," she said darkly.

Eshran shook his head, but he didn't argue. "Once you've got him out of the forest, you shouldn't stay close to him," he said warningly. "It would be dangerous."

Sarah stared at him. "Are you out of you mind?" she asked, pulling her arm out of his grip. "He wouldn't hurt me."

Eshran's gaze didn't waver. "He wouldn't," he said firmly, "but the Syjakt might."

Sarah opened her mouth to argue, only to close it again when she saw the serious look on Eshran's face. Behind her, the Doctor groaned again. "Sarah."

She spun around. The Doctor had forced himself upright, and he was staring right at her with blood-red eyes. His eyes were unreadable, but the expression on his face was absolutely clear. Taking a deep breath, she hurried over and hooked her arm around his good one. "We need to get you out of the trees."

"I think. . ." He trailed off, coughing. "I think that might be a good idea."

Sarah started forward, back the way they had come. He stumbled a little but didn't protest.

"Good luck!" Machäl called out behind them, her voice sounding almost bright. Her cry was quickly followed by shushing sounds.

Sarah didn't look back.

As they stumbled through the forest, the Doctor started to lean on her more and more. Sarah gritted her teeth and kept moving, trying her best not to stumble. She knew very well that she'd never be able to get both of them back up if the Doctor collapsed on her. "Do you think they were telling the truth?" she gasped out.

He didn't reply for a moment. "Why would they lie?" he asked finally.

Sarah shrugged, instantly regretting it as she almost lost her balance. "I don't know," she said, forcing herself to keep moving as he put more weight on her. "Why does the Brigadier always lie and say he's not at HQ whenever an issue comes up with that secretive agency in Cardiff?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Ah, but that question has an answer."

"Really?" Sarah smiled as the Doctor seemed to support himself a little better. "What's that?"

"Apparently one of their agents has a tendency to flirt incessantly with him every--" He cut off abruptly, gasping in pain as his legs started to buckle under him.

Sarah quickly shoved both of them toward the nearest tree. "Oh, no you don't," she said. "If you fall, I'll never be able to pick you up by myself."

The Doctor managed to grab hold of the tree and keep himself from falling. He stood there a moment, gasping. Then he looked at Sarah. "I think we should hurry."

"I think so too," she agreed in a small voice.

He grinned weakly at her as he pushed away from the tree. Reaching out, he gently brushed a few loose strands of hair out of her face. "Nothing to worry about."

She wasn't reassured. His eyes were still bright red, alien and expressionless. His face was pale, and his touch felt much too warm. Despite everything, she forced herself to smile at him. "I know," she said, letting him lean upon her again. "That's why I'm not worried."

They continued moving forward, neither of them saying a word. After what seemed like ages, Sarah felt a shift in their surroundings. She really could feel when they were drawing close to the tree line, and she couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with those psychic energies the Doctor had mentioned earlier. She thought of asking him for just a second, only to brush it aside when he shuddered with pain again. It could wait.

"We're here," she said quietly.

The Doctor looked up, a surprised look on his face. "So we are."

Sarah walked forward, hesitating for only an instant before stepping out of the trees and into the open area. She looked around quickly, trying to make certain that none of the Syjakts were around. Nothing caught her eye.

"Sarah?"

She quickly turned her attention back toward him. "Yes, Doctor?" she asked, glancing at him.

He started to say something, only to let out a sudden cry of pain. Pulling away from her, he dropped to his knees. Then he gasped.

Sarah quickly dropped down in front of him, his too-large coat draping over her like a blanket. "Doctor?" she asked, hesitantly reaching out to touch the side of his face. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," he gasped out. She was surprised to see his eyes watering in pain. "It feels like . . . like . . ."

He suddenly screamed, a terrifying sound that she had never heard before and never wanted to hear again. She drew her hand back without even thinking. His back arched, and she heard a loud ripping sound. Then a set of black wings, as dark and skeletal as those of the creature that had attacked them earlier, burst out of his back.

Sarah gasped, staring in horror as he fell forward. He caught himself with his hands, keeping himself from hitting the ground face-first. The wings glistened with dark blood, and his white shirt was speckled with red. She pushed herself up enough to see his back. Though it was mostly covered by his tattered shirt, she could see the skin at the base of the wings. It was covered in tendrils of black, scarred and rippled just like the Syjakt from earlier.

Now she understood what had felt so wrong about it.

She dropped back down, her eyes wide. The Doctor was breathing heavily, his eyes closed. It was obvious that he was in agonizing pain. Hesitantly, she reached out with her left hand and touched the right side of his face. He pulled back slightly but relaxed once he realized it was her.

"I don't know what to do," she said quietly, her voice breaking slightly. She placed her free hand around his wrist. "Tell me what to do."

His voice shook as he opened his eyes. She forced herself not to shrink away at their unfamiliarity. "Go back to the TARDIS."

Sarah nodded. "I can do that," she said. "Is there something there I need to get? Something that can help you?"

"No."

Understanding washed through her, and she shook her head. "I'm not leaving you here," she said stubbornly. Then she laughed weakly, well aware that it probably had a hint of hysteria in it. "Besides, I can't fly the TARDIS."

He shook his head. "I have . . . an automated program set up, just in case. The TARDIS should be able to get you home."

"Really?" Sarah asked, trying to keep the worry from her voice. She knew she was failing miserably at it, but she honestly didn't care. "You can't even get us to a specific time and place when you're trying."

The Doctor chuckled. "She'll get you to Earth sometime in your relative timeframe at least."

Sarah smiled weakly. "Ah," she said, "that's more like it."

"Then you'll go?" he asked. To her surprise, his voice sounded relieved.

She leaned in closer to him. "Not a chance," she whispered softly. "There's got to be a way to stop this. Eshran wasn't telling us the whole story. I'm sure of it." A sudden thought rushed into her mind. "Didn't you say once that you could force a regeneration if you had to?"

He didn't quite meet her gaze.

Sarah pressed on. "It wouldn't be that bad. I mean, I'm just starting to get used to this you, but if I did it once then I could do it again."

The Doctor reluctantly looked her in the eyes. "I . . . considered that option earlier," he said. There was a hesitance in his voice that she wasn't used to hearing. "Whatever this is in my bloodstream, it's blocking my ability to regenerate."

"Why didn't you say anything?" she whispered, a wave a blind panic shooting through her at his words.

The Doctor started to comment, but then his eyes widened in pain. His head shot back, and he let out a strangled cry. Sarah fell back in surprise, her hands pulling away from him. "Doctor?" she asked frantically. "Doctor, what's happening?"

Without warning, his reached out and grabbed her shoulder with his uninjured hand. She flinched at his tight grip, tears welling up in her eyes almost instantly. "You're hurting me," she said, trying to pull away. His grip only tightened. "Doctor!"

She met his gaze, and she felt a flicker of fear when she saw the eyes staring back at her. Even though they had been red, there had still been a hint of the Doctor in them. Something familiar, buried deep inside.

It was gone.

"Doctor?" she whispered, Eshran's warning running through her mind. "It's me, Sarah."

His hand other hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat. She felt a moment of surprise at the strength in it, considering that it was his injured arm, before realizing just how much trouble she was in. His other hand moved from her shoulder to her throat as well, and he steadily tightened his grip. She couldn't breathe, and struggling only made his hold grow stronger. She gasped, trying to claw at his arms, but it was as if he didn't even notice her attempts.

Darkness blurred her vision, starting at the edges and moving inward.

Utter panic took hold of her, and Sarah increased the intensity of her struggle. The darkness around the edges of her vision grew, threatening to pull her down as her lungs protested the lack of oxygen. She felt her hands grow heavy, and she had trouble getting them to do what she wanted.

Without warning, the Doctor let go of her.

Sarah fell to her side, gasping for air. Several seconds passed before she managed to prop herself up on one arm, her breathing still heavy but not quite as labored. She stared up at the Doctor, her heart pounding as she waited to see what he would do next. "Doctor?"

He was staring at her, an expression on his face that she'd almost call horrified. She'd never seen anything quite like it, not in all the time she'd been traveling with him. For the first time in ages, she didn't have a clue how to read his face. And he didn't say a word as he watched her.

"Doctor?" she repeated. She tried to keep her voice steady, but it shook a little despite her best efforts.

The Doctor finally shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sarah," he said, pulling back when she reached towards him. "I didn't mean to . . ." He trailed off, obviously uncertain how to continue.

Forcing aside her surprise at hearing an apology from him without any prompting, Sarah quickly pushed herself up into a full sitting position. "You didn't really hurt me," she said, holding up her hands. "See? Perfectly fine."

She forced herself to smile, hoping that it looked more convincing than she felt. Her heart was still pounding so loudly that she was surprised he couldn't hear it, and her brain was still trying to catch up with what had just happened. It didn't quite feel real.

The Doctor's gaze drifted down to her neck, and his face darkened.

She self-consciously reached up and touched her neck, flinching a bit at its soreness. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that it was bright red, the Doctor's fingerprints contrasting starkly with her skin. It would probably bruise too, knowing her luck. "I'll be okay," she repeated firmly.

"Yes," the Doctor said after a second's hesitation. "Yes, you will."

He pushed himself to his feet with a grimace, struggling for a moment to regain his balance once he was standing up. The ghastly wings hung loosely behind him, standing out in stark contrast with his unnatural pallor, and his red eyes gave him a worrying air. For once, she had no trouble remembering that he wasn't human.

Sarah stared up at him, uncertain. There was something in his tone of voice that she didn't recognize, but she didn't like it. "What does that mean?"

"Get back to the TARDIS," the Doctor said. She could tell from his tone that it was an order, not a request.

She shook her head before standing up, irritation pushing caution aside. He still towered over her, but she merely crossed her arms and looked up at him. "I'm not leaving you," she protested angrily. "It's not going to happen."

His eyes flashed, and he raised his hand as if to strike her. She jerked back unconsciously, despite her best intentions, and he froze. He stared at his hand for a moment, as if he didn't know how it had got there. Wide-eyed, Sarah reluctantly stepped back into the safety of the tree line.

The Doctor looked at her, an anguished expression on his face.

"Don't even think about it," Sarah said, narrowing her eyes. She started to step back out of the trees, but she hesitated for just a second as the Doctor's face from a few seconds earlier popped into her mind.

He shook his head. "Go back to the TARDIS," he repeated. Sarah was surprised to hear his voice shaking just a bit. "You'll be safe there."

A thought popped into her head. "But what about the beacon?" she asked. "I thought you said the TARDIS couldn't take off if it was still on."

The Doctor stilled, and she immediately knew that he'd forgotten. "I'll find a way to turn it off."

"Doctor." Sarah took a step forward, just outside the tree line. She met his gaze head-on, forcing back the urge to look anywhere but his red eyes.

He noticeably tensed and backed a few steps away. "I'll turn it off," he said sharply. "Now leave."

Sarah glared at him. "No."

The Doctor stepped toward her, and she fought against the reaction to run. He gently reached out and placed his hand under her chin, pushing her face up to look at him. "Sarah, I don't want to hurt you." She couldn't help but get the feeling that he was almost begging. "Please go back to the TARDIS."

"I'm not going to just leave you," she replied softly, trying to keep her voice steady.

A bittersweet look appeared on his face, and he slowly smiled. "Have I ever told you that you've been a good friend to me, Sarah?" he asked, moving his hand from her chin to the side of her face.

Despite the situation, she smiled back. "Not in so many words."

"I should have," he said thoughtfully. "A long time ago."

Sarah reached up and rested her hand on top of his. "I'm still not leaving, you know," she pointed out gently. "What kind of friend would I be then?"

He stared at her for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face, before nodding. She dropped her hand back to her side as his moved, and he moved it in order to tap her lightly on the nose. "Thank you, Sarah," he said. "And I'm truly sorry."

"Sorry for what?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

The Doctor smiled at her. For just a second, she felt as if she could ignore everything that was wrong. His unnaturally pale complexion faded to the background, as did his red eyes. The sweat on his brow and the speckles of drying blood all but disappeared. His hand slid down to her shoulder, and she got the impression that he was hesitating.

Then she felt a gentle touch on the side of her neck and the world went black.

Her first Doctor smiled at her, shaking his head as he remained all but oblivious to the Brigadier's latest ranting. She grinned back, and she couldn't help but feel as if they were sharing a private joke.

She was sitting in his lab, staring at his unused devices. It had been weeks since she'd seen him last, as he prepared to fight the Spider Queen. Her mind kept telling her that he was dead, that even if he wasn't she'd never see him again, but her heart kept saying otherwise. He'd be back.

Features changed, one face being replaced by another. Regeneration. He was the same man inside; it was only the outside that had changed. Maybe if she kept telling herself that then she'd eventually believe it.

She and Harry fell to the ground as the dragon-like creature flew overhead, spewing fire. The Doctor practically threw himself on top of them, shuddering slightly as the flames got too close. He rolled off almost instantly, frantically patting at the smoking patches of his hair and coat. It wasn't until later that they'd noticed the bad burn on his neck that he'd hidden from them.

Sarah jerked awake, gasping as she sat up. She looked around wildly, not surprised to see that the Doctor had disappeared. Or that she was laying just inside the tree line. Her hand flew up to her neck, where she'd last felt his fingers. The Doctor's coat felt heavy, and it took a moment for it to slide down enough for her hand to poke out.

"Vulcan nerve pinch," she muttered, remembering something Harry had said the one and only time he'd seen the Doctor use such a move. The Doctor had refused to explain to him how it worked, and he'd finally given up and started calling it something from that Star Trek series. "Brilliant, Sarah. Absolutely brilliant. You never even saw it coming."

She reached out and grabbed the trunk of a nearby tree, using it to propel herself to her feet. There was no way of knowing how long she'd been unconscious, but she suspected it probably wasn't too long. The Doctor had told Harry that the effects only lasted twenty minutes or so, unless the victim had been significantly weak or tired.

Then she frowned. Unless she was mistaken, she could see several rays of light appearing on the horizon. "Either I was out longer than I thought," she said slowly, "or night doesn't last very long here."

Somewhere in the distance, she heard a screech from a Syjakt.

Sarah quickly moved further back into the forest before leaning against a nearby tree. A few tears trickled down her face, and she hurriedly reached up to brush them away. "Think, Sarah," she muttered, forcing herself to stop crying. "It's up to you to help the Doctor this time. What's the first thing you need to do?"

Do what he said and go back to the TARDIS.

Shaking her head, she quickly pushed that idea aside. Even if she knew where the TARDIS was, which she didn't at the moment, she wasn't going to just leave him behind. Not without at least trying to find a cure. There had to be something she could do. She refused to believe otherwise.

So really, the first thing to do was find Eshran again.

She took in a deep breath, steadying herself. Then she turned around and studied the forest that surrounded her. It had been dark, but she vaguely remembered which way they'd come. There was no guarantee that Eshran, Rijad, and Machäl would still be there, but it was the only shot she had at the moment.

"Nothing to it," she said softly, reaching down to touch the disc that the Doctor had hung around her neck earlier. Its light had gone out, but it relit the moment that her fingers brushed it.

Sarah glanced back toward the open plain one more time, hoping to see the Doctor's familiar form standing nearby. It wouldn't surprise her if he was out there somewhere, watching and waiting to make sure that she didn't head after him. No matter how hard she looked, though, she couldn't see him. If he was there, he was doing a good job at keeping himself hidden.

Reluctantly turning away, she slowly started back in the direction she and the Doctor had come earlier. The Doctor's coat hung loosely around her, causing her to trip once or twice as her feet were caught in it. She'd been so focused on him earlier that she hadn't even noticed. Despite the difficulties, though, she didn't take it off. He had been right about it getting cold, but that was only part of the reason she kept it on. If she was honest with herself, the feel of it wrapped around her made it feel as if things weren't quite as bad.

She didn't say anything as she walked, though she kept her ears trained for any sounds that were out of the ordinary. She was starting to realize just how tired and sore she was. Sending up a silent thanks that Eshran had healed her leg earlier, she forced herself to keep moving.

"It was Sarah Jane, wasn't it?"

Sarah startled, almost losing her balance at the sudden voice. Wide-eyed, she looked to her left. Rijad was standing there, leaning against a tree and smirking. His cocky look faded a bit as his eyes drifted down to her neck, and he gave her an almost reassuring smile. "My grandfather thought you might be back," he said. "He asked me to wait here, just in case." He paused for a moment. "Your companion?"

"We made it out of the forest," Sarah said, self-consciously pulling up the Doctor's coat so that it hid her neck.

Rijad nodded. "Then he will become one of the Syjakt."

"Maybe," she replied, her voice a little harder than she had intended. "Or maybe not."

This time there was no mistaking the sad smile on Rijad's face. "Everyone says that the first time they lose someone," he said gently, sounding a lot older than he looked. He reached up and tugged at his shirt, giving Sarah a glimpse at the scales that she had seen on Machäl's neck as well.

"I don't intend to lose the Doctor." Sarah met his gaze. "So do you live near here?"

Rijad's smile faded. "Yes," he replied, standing up straight. "Our village is nearby. Grandfather was going to find a bed for you. It looks like you could need it."

"Thank you," she said dryly.

He shrugged and started off without saying another word.

Sarah sighed and started after him, sparing one more glance behind her. Even though she knew the Doctor wouldn't be there, she couldn't resist.

Rijad glanced back at her, that odd look that made him look older once more on his face. He didn't say anything, though, so she didn't either. She just increased her pace until she caught up with him and was walking just behind him.

They walked in silence, neither of them acknowledging the other. Sarah's tiredness grew ever more pronounced, and she absentmindedly reached up to rub her neck. She didn't think that the Doctor's action earlier had anything to do with it, but she couldn't be certain. A former thought popped back into her mind. "How long does night last here?"

Rijad glanced over at her. "Four hours or so," he replied. "Not nearly long enough."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He paused. She quickly stopped walking as well, unable to suppress her curiosity. "You wouldn't know, would you?" he said slowly. "An offworlder wouldn't, I suppose."

Sarah coughed pointedly.

"The Syjakt only move during the day," he explained patiently. "They are rarely seen after dark. That's the only time it's somewhat safe to go out into the plain."

She frowned. "Why would anyone want to go out there?"

"There are some rare minerals past the end of the forest that our people use."

Rijad and Sarah both jumped at the unexpected voice. There were sheepish looks on their faces as they turned to see Eshran watching with a smile on his face.

"I thought you were taking Machäl back to the village before Rinia got worried," Rijad said with a frown.

Eshran shook his head. "I did," he said lightly. "And she promptly sent me back out here to find you. Your father's supposed to be back this morning, and she wants you to get a little rest before he arrives."

Rijad grimaced. "I better get back then." He gave Sarah a half-nod before taking off, making his way nimbly through the trees. She knew that she'd fall flat on her face in an instant if she even thought about trying something like that.

As if he could read her mind, Eshran's smile grew. "He's lived here all his life," he said. "He knows these trees like the back of his hand."

Sarah stared at him, taken aback. "How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I recognized the look on your face," he replied lightly. "It's the same one I had when I first met the people of this village."

As comprehension dawned on her, she blinked in surprise. "You look different from the others," she said slowly, eyeing his ears. They weren't as pointed as Rijad and Machäl's had been.

Eshran nodded, but she couldn't help but notice that guarded look in his eyes again. "That's right," he said, gesturing for her to follow him as he started off in the direction Rijad had headed. "I traveled to this part of the planet when I was much younger."

Sarah shot a suspicious look at his back.

He glanced back at her, and she quickly schooled her features into something more innocent. "I have a spare bed in my home, if you'd like to use it," he said, nodding at her. Then he shot her a wry grin. "I hope you don't mind my saying so, but you look as if you need it."

"I feel as if I could use it too," she admitted ruefully.

Eshran laughed and turned back around.

They walked in silence for several minutes. Sarah couldn't help but notice that, unlike the part of the forest that the TARDIS had landed in, this section felt alive. Even though the sun hadn't completely risen yet, birds were already singing above their heads. Everything felt more . . . normal.

"I'm sorry about your friend."

Sarah stopped short.

Eshran looked back at her, pausing when he saw that she wasn't moving. "How far along was he when you left him?" he asked.

For just a second, Sarah would have sworn that she could hear the Doctor's cry as the wings burst out of his back. She could see his face in her mind's eye, horrified that he had tried to hurt her.

She startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up in surprise, she saw Eshran standing right in front of her. She hadn't even noticed him move. "The wings?" he asked gently. "Was that it?"

Sarah nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Eshran let out a tired sigh, and for just a moment she could believe that he was as old as he had claimed to be. "That's the most painful part of the process," he said quietly, "if that's any comfort. The rest of the transformation is gradual, taking place over several days."

"Then I've got a few days to find a way to help him," Sarah said forcefully.

He met her gaze with a gentle one of his own. "I've already told you, there is no cure."

Her eyes traveled to his ears again, then down his neck. His shirt went down lower than Rijad or Machäl's, revealing skin down to his check. There weren't any of the scales she had seen on his grandchildren. There was the possibility that it was something that only children had, that they grew out of as they got older, but Eshran had told the Doctor that Rijad was an adult.

"You lied about being from this planet," she said, hoping her guess was the right one. "How do I know you're telling the truth about there not being a cure?"

Eshran froze. He stared at her for a moment, a blank look on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She met his gaze head-on. "I think you do."

He looked at her for a moment without replying. Then he sighed. "Do you really think I had something to do with the arrival of the Syjakt on this planet?"

"I don't know," Sarah shot back. "Did you?"

Eshran gave her a slight smile. "Do you always interrogate people who invite you to sleep in their home?"

Sarah felt her face flush a little. "Only when the Doctor's life is at risk," she admitted. "And when I think that someone knows more than they're letting on."

He tilted his head, studying her face closely. "You love him," he said after a moment's pause. She could tell that it wasn't a question.

She bit back the instinctive urge to protest, though she couldn't stop herself from looking away from his eyes. "He's one of the closest friends I have," she said. "Of course I care for him."

"I didn't say that you cared for him," Eshran said. She could almost hear his smile. "I said that you love him, even if it is only as a friend."

Sarah didn't answer.

After a few seconds, she heard the sound of footsteps. Eshran placed his hand on her cheek, gently turning her face toward him. He studied her eyes for a moment, and she got the eerie feeling that he was actually looking inside her. Then he nodded.

"First you need rest," he said, letting his hand fall. "Then, if you are still determined to help your friend, I promise to tell you everything that I know."

Relief rushed through her. "Then there is a way to stop the transformation."

He hesitated for a fraction of a second. "I don't know," he said finally. "There might be one."

"What does that mean?" Sarah asked, her relief disappearing as quickly as it had come.

Eshran glanced at the coat she was wearing, his eyes lingering out the torn sleeve and the dried blood around its edges. Then he turned and started walking again. "It means you need sleep!" he called over his shoulder.

Sarah wanted nothing more than to grab him and demand answers. She could still see the Doctor's face twisted in pain, and she knew that was a vision that would haunt her dreams for some time to come. Still, she couldn't help but remember what the Doctor had said not that long ago. All it takes is a little patience.

Letting out a tired sigh, she started after Eshran. She half-noticed that the trees around them were getting larger. The sounds of birds and other animals were growing louder and more common. The forest almost felt alive. Her attention, however, was only partially focused on the present. Part of her was still trapped in the past.

They hadn't been walking for more than five minutes when he suddenly stopped. "We're here."

Sarah paused and looked around. She didn't see anything. "Where?" she asked skeptically. "I don't see a village."

Eshran's small smile grew, and she could instantly tell that it was genuine. Whatever it was that he wanted to show her, he was enjoying it. Without saying another word, he looked upwards.

She shot him another look but followed his gaze. Then she froze, her mouth dropping open.

"See?" he asked lightly.

The village was above them, with houses built into the trees themselves. Railings and pathways were suspended between large limbs, and intricately designed cottages were wrapped around the trees' trunks. She saw a few doors carved into the actual tree trunks, and she assumed they led into hollowed out rooms.

There were a few people moving about on the walkways, though she suspected the number was much smaller than usual because of the early hour. A few of them were glancing down at her, curious looks on their faces, but she and Eshran were far enough down that she couldn't hear anything they said.

She'd never seen anything like it.

"Oh my God," Sarah said slowly, gaping at the sight of an entirely village built into the treetops. "It's amazing."

Eshran smiled at her, a mixture of pride and sadness on his face. "You should have seen the village before the Syjakt started becoming so numerous," he said wistfully. "It was even more beautiful then, more like a city. I was awed the first time I saw it."

Sarah turned toward him. "What happened?" she asked softly. "Why did that change things?"

He sighed. "They didn't know to avoid the forbidden lands then," he said, reaching up to run his fingers through his silver hair. "It wasn't until the first dozen or so people had been infected by the Syjakt that they realized something was wrong."

She kept quiet as he paused for a moment.

"The number taken grows smaller each year," he finally continued. "Still, many families have lost loved ones. As more are taken, more of those left behind move in with others. The village slowly keeps shrinking, pulling in closer as everyone abandons the fringes."

Sarah stared at him for a moment, scrutinizing his face. She recognized guilt when she saw it. "You were on the same ship as the first Syjakt, weren't you?"

Eshran didn't say anything, but after a few seconds he nodded.

"Do the others know?"

He turned toward her. "That I'm from another planet?" he asked with a wry grin. "Yes, they realized that quickly. I think a few of them suspected that I might have had something to do with the appearance of the Syjakt, but they never asked." He paused, sighing. "And now there are very few left who would have been more than children back then."

Sarah raised an eyebrow at that statement.

"They have a shorter lifespan than my race," he explained. "It is common for my people to live at least eighty-five of Tyrela's cycles. They rarely make it past sixty."

She nodded and started to speak, only for her question to be cut off by a yawn.

Eshran gave her another smile, and this time she could see the paternal nature of it on his face. He reached over and rested his hand on her shoulder, pointing at a nearby tree. "My home is this way."

As they made their way closer to the tree, she eyed it warily. There weren't any ladders that she could see, and there didn't seem to be any way to reach the top. She turned toward Eshran, about to ask him how they would get up to the top, only to hear a slight whining sound and find herself standing in the middle of a room that was cozy, if a little small.

"What on earth?" Sarah looked around in surprise. Whatever had brought them up from the ground was similar to a transmat, but it had felt and sounded a little different.

Eshran laughed and patted her shoulder. "The Tyrelans aren't quite as primitive as they look," he explained, reading the confusion on her face. "If you do manage to save your friend, please tell him that for me."

"I'll do that when I help him," she said, emphasizing her difference in phrasing.

He gave her that odd, bittersweet smile again. "Others have tried to help their friends and family before they were turned all the way," he said, turning away from her and walking over to a nearby table. He picked up a purple-colored fruit that was shaped somewhat like an apple and handed it to her. "They almost always ended up joining the Syjakts."

"Well, I'm not most people," Sarah said absent-mindedly. She turned the fruit over in her hand a few times, studying it. "I'm not sure if I should eat this."

Eshran raised an eyebrow. "What species are you?" he asked. "Human?"

She nodded.

"Then it's perfectly safe."

He walked over to a nearby door and opened it, disappearing inside for a moment. A light came on a few seconds later, and he stepped back out. Raising an eyebrow when he saw that she still hadn't taken a bite of the fruit, he gestured toward the room with his hands. "This was my son's room when he still lived with me," he explained. "You do look as if you could use some rest."

Sarah finally took a bite of the fruit, chewing thoughtfully as she considered the taste. Then she started toward the room he was offering her. "Are you really not going to tell me anything until I get some sleep?"

"No, I'm not," Eshran said.

She sighed and stepped past him into the room, studying it. It was small, yet welcoming. There was a round window against the opposite wall, with a bed resting underneath it. She suspected it would be a little small for her, but it would probably work.

Sarah turned back toward Eshran. "Fine," she agreed, "but I have just one question before I . . ."

"Rest," he said firmly, cutting her off. For just an instant, she was reminded of the Doctor. There had been more than one occasion when she had tried her best to keep up with him, only for him to realize that humans needed more sleep than Time Lords?or, at least, one specific Time Lord.

She obediently sat down on the bed, still meeting his gaze. "How did you have children here if you're from another planet?" she continued, acting as if he hadn't said anything.

Eshran blinked at her question, a surprised look appearing on his face. Then he nodded, acquiescing. "My late wife and I adopted a young boy who had been orphaned by Syjakts," he said. "As I told you, there are few families that have not lost someone over the years."

"And that Rinia person that you and Rijad mentioned earlier," Sarah said slowly, everything coming together. "Is she Machäl's mother?"

He nodded.

"But not Rijad's?"

There was no denying the uncomfortable look on Eshran's face. "My son's first wife was taken when Rijad was a child not much older than Machäl."

"I'm sorry," Sarah said softly.

Eshran just shook his head. "Try to sleep," he said, turning from the doorway. "The healing device I used on you earlier takes some of your strength."

Her hand unconsciously went up to her bruised neck.

As if he could read her mind, though she knew he had probably just heard her movement, Eshran glanced back at her. "I'd offer to use it on you again, but it's not safe to use it again so soon. Not unless it's an emergency."

She nodded in understanding, and he turned back around. He disappeared from the doorway within seconds.

Sarah's mind was still racing, but she forced herself to lie down on the bed. She suspected that she wouldn't be able to sleep no matter how tired she was, but she knew that she needed to at least attempt it. The Doctor was depending on her. If the only way to get help from Eshran was to agree to let him father her a bit, then that's what she was going to do.

She was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

A tear, Sarah Jane? No, don't cry. While there's life, there's . . . .

Sarah woke up with a startled gasp, sitting up with a jerk and gazing around wildly before she realized where she was. Memories flooded back, intermingling with her dream. She hadn't even thought about how the Doctor's ability to regenerate might be affected by the infection that he had. Now that it was in her mind, however, she couldn't get rid of it. What if it stopped him from regenerating? That was another reason for her to get answers from Eshran as quickly as possible.

Brushing aside the vestiges of her dreaming, she reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. It probably looked a fright, but she had other things to worry about for now. She glanced toward the window, frowning when she saw how bright it was outside. Even though she had no idea how night and day worked on this planet, she couldn't help but shake the feeling that she had slept much longer than she had planned.

She rolled off the bed, stretching a little as she stood up. Then she walked toward the door. Eshran had apparently closed it while she was asleep, and she almost expected to find it locked f turned the handle. Instead it opened instantly, to her pleasant surprise.

"I've been traveling with the Doctor too long," she muttered under her breath. "I'm starting to think everyone's out to capture me."

Someone chuckled, and she looked around the room in surprise. Eshran was sitting in a nearby chair, something that looked somewhat like a book resting in his lap. "Are you feeling better?"

She nodded and walked toward him. When he gestured toward a nearby chair, she smiled and dropped down into it. "Yes," she agreed. "How long was I asleep?"

"Almost eight hours." Her dismay must have shown on her face, because he quickly held up his hand. "There is still another six hours until nightfall, and you cannot attempt to help your friend until then anyway."

Sarah raised her eyebrow expectantly. "And why's that?"

Eshran sighed. "Because," he said tiredly, "you're going to have to go to my ship. And the only time it's even remotely safe to travel outside of the forest is at night."

"Why don't you start at the beginning?"

He gave her a tired smile, and Sarah realized that he had been waiting for her to ask that question. "My people had been at war with the people of the planet Bessan for decades," he said softly. "They were all but decimated millennia ago. I don't know many details, but a race from another quadrant of the galaxy altogether killed millions of them in order to absorb some of their more unique traits."

"That's horrible," she said, her face paling.

"Yes," Eshran agreed, "but what they did next was even more so. Those Bessans that remained used science to change their very genetics. They needed to find a new way to survive, to reproduce. . ."

Sarah closed her eyes. "They became the Syjakt."

"Exactly. They began to spread to other worlds. Other solar systems even. They wiped out three of our colonies before we could stop them. And that's where my story comes in." She opened her eyes and found Eshran staring straight at her. "It was a prison ship. I was working with a team of scientists. We had a prisoner, one of the Bessans that had been captured alive, and we were trying to find a way to stop them from reproducing. It managed to get free, and in the chaos the ship was forced to crash land here on Tyrela. I was the only survivor."

"Other than the prisoner," Sarah pointed out gently.

Eshran nodded. "Other than the prisoner."

She dropped her gaze and sat there silently for a moment, studying her hands. Then she looked back up. "Did you ever find a way to stop them from spreading the . . . infection? I guess 'infection' is a good enough word?"

"No."

Sarah felt her heart stop for a moment. "But you said . . ."

"What we found," Eshran said, holding up a finger, "was a way to reverse the transformation process if it wasn't completed yet."

She let out the breath she hadn't even known she was holding. "Then I can help the Doctor," she said, starting to smile. "All I have to do is get this cure of yours."

Eshran quickly held up his hand. "It's not quite that simple," he said hurriedly. "You'll have make the cure yourself, using the equipment on my ship. It should be simple enough to follow the directions there, but there are three difficulties."

Sarah leaned forward expectantly.

"You'll need a blood sample from your friend."

Her smile froze. "But I don't have a blood sample."

"Oh, I think you do." Eshran's eyes drifted back down to the coat she was still wearing. "Unless that's your blood?"

Sarah reached up and touched the torn sleeve. The Doctor's blood had dried, but she knew it wouldn't be very difficult to scrape off a few flakes of it. Thankfulness flooded through her that the Doctor had forced her to take his coat even though she had argued against it. "You're right," she said softly. "Where's your ship?"

He frowned. "I'm afraid that's the second problem."

She met his gaze, examining his face for a moment. "It's out there where the Syjakt are, isn't it?" she asked. "That's why so many people keep being lost. They know there's a cure out there, if they're willing to take the risk."

"Yes," he said sadly. "Sometimes I wish that I had never told anyone about the cure."

Sarah shot him a puzzled look. "I thought you said they didn't know you had anything to do with the Syjakts arriving?"

"They aren't a stupid people, Sarah Jane," Eshran said patiently. "They knew that we arrived in the same crash."

Understanding dawned on her. "You never told them that you were a scientist studying them," she finished.

He shook his head. "I told them that I was a passenger. It seemed safer at the time."

"All this time, and they don't know the truth," Sarah said slowly. Then she paused. "You said there were three things?"

Eshran looked away, and she realized that he had purposely steered the conversation off course. "You'll have to find your friend and inject him with the cure," he said reluctantly. "And the likelihood of your finding him in time is very slim."

She took a deep breath. "But not nonexistent."

He looked at her again. "There's no guarantee that it will work," he warned her. "Like I said, it's been over forty cycles since I crashed here. For all I know, the technology inside my ship is long dead."

Sarah shot him a weak smile. "I've got to try."

His mouth twitched, and he slowly began to smile back.

A sudden thought came to her mind. "You know, I bet that it was the distress beacon from your ship that we picked up in the TARDIS."

Eshran stared at her, a thoughtful look on his face. "To be honest," he said slowly, "I'd almost forgotten about that beacon. I actually thought that it had died years ago since no one ever came looking for me."

"No, it's still going," Sarah said, pulling on the Doctor's coat. She knew it was silly, but it made her feel safer. "It made our ship's systems go haywire. That's why we stopped here in the first place, to try stopping it so that we could leave."

"By all means, please feel free to turn it off." Eshran walked over to the window, looking out at the houses surrounding his. "I've lived here twice as long as I lived on Xterial Prime. I have a family, friends . . . there's no reason for me to leave now."

She stared at him. "Xterial Prime?" she repeated slowly.

He turned back to her and raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked. "Do you recognize the name?"

Sarah shook her head. "It's not important. Just something the Doctor said."

A thoughtful look appeared on Eshran's face, and he walked over to a nearby table. He opened a drawer, rummaging inside it for a moment before pulling out what looked like some sort of weapon. "Here," he said, handing it to her, "you might need this."

Sarah reluctantly took it from him. "I'm not sure I can use this."

"It's not difficult to figure out," Eshran said. "Just hit the knob on the side and pull the trigger."

She looked down at it again. "That's not what I meant," she said softly. Then she dropped it in the pocket of the Doctor's coat.

Eshran gave her a gentle look as he handed her a small bottle of some type of clear liquid that she assumed was water. "You'll need this."

She accepted it without a word.

"I'll take you as far as the tree line and point you in the direction of the crash site," he said, reaching out and taking her arm. He gestured toward a circle in the middle of the floor and pulled her over so that they were standing in it. "After that it will be up to you."

Sarah heard the whistling sound again, and before she could even blink she found herself standing on the ground outside. "Follow me," Eshran said, nodding to his left. He let go of her arm and started off, and after a few seconds she began to follow him.

"Grandfather!"

Eshran froze in surprise and turned around, with Sarah following suit. Machäl was standing nearby, the expression on her face one that could only be described as a pout. "You're supposed to take me looking for berries today," she said petulantly.

He shot Sarah an apologetic look before walking over to his granddaughter and kneeling down in front of her. "I'll take you tomorrow," he said gently. "Today I need to take Sarah Jane here to the edge of the forest."

Machäl turned toward Sarah and gaped. "She's going to try finding the cure?" she asked, her voice quiet and awed. "No one's done that since Rijad's mother went to . . ."

"Shut up, Machäl." Rijad appeared seemingly out of nowhere, but Sarah knew he must have been in one of the houses up in the trees. "Leave them alone."

"But Rijad," she said, reaching over to tug at his shirt, "she's going to look for the cure."

He swatted her on the back of the head. It wasn't hard, but it was enough to make her yelp. She stuck out her tongue and spun around, disappearing in a flash of light.

Rijad shook his head and shrugged helplessly at Eshran and Sarah, as if he was asking them what else he could have done. His gaze paused on Sarah for just a moment and he nodded at her, looking more respectful than the night before. "Good luck."

Then he turned and disappeared.

Eshran gave her a brief smile. "Shall we go?"

She nodded.

They walked in silence, neither of them saying a word. The sounds of the village faded behind them, and eventually the songs of birds and cries of animals disappeared as well. As they made their way closer to the forest's edge, once again Sarah felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Psychic energies," she muttered softly. Then she raised her voice. "Eshran, do the Bessans or Syjakts or whatever you want to call them have some sort of telepathic ability?"

Eshran glanced over at her. "There were rumors," he said, sounding surprised. "Why do you ask?"

"The Doctor mentioned something before he was hurt," she explained. "And there's just something about this forest that feels, well, wrong."

He nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean."

Sarah paused for a moment before taking in a breath. "What happened to Rijad's mother?"

Eshran stopped instantly, a startled look on his face. He didn't look as if he was surprised by the question, though, merely the timing of it. "Rijad's older brother was infected," he said, looking her in the eyes. "She tried to save him, and because of that my son and grandson lost them both."

She looked away. "I have to try."

He sighed. "I know," he said tiredly. "I know."

Sarah heard the sound of footsteps, and when she looked back up Eshran was walking again. She slowly started after him, speeding up as she saw him stop up ahead. By the time she reached his side, she could see that they had reached the tree line.

The two of them stood there a moment, staring out at the empty expanse in front of them.

"The sun's setting," she said quietly.

Eshran nodded and pointed off into the distance. "It's that way," he said. "Good luck."

She smiled at him and started forward, hesitating for only a fraction of a second before she stepped past the line of trees. Taking a deep breath, she let herself focus on the Doctor's face for just a moment.

"Sarah Jane?

She turned toward Eshran and expectantly raised an eyebrow.

He smiled. "Be careful," he said quietly. "And go ahead and make a vial of the cure using your blood as well. Just in case."

Sarah nodded, trying not to let her fear get the better of her. Then she turned and started walking in the direction he had pointed her in.

As the sun disappeared behind the horizon, she reached up and touched the disk that she was still wearing around her neck. It lit up instantly, and she was surprised to see that it was brighter than earlier. Mentally reminding herself to ask the Doctor about that if . . . no, when she found him, she kept walking.

After what seemed like ages, she saw a large shadowy shape in the distance. Her hand unconsciously slipped into her coat pocket, feeling for the gun that she had dropped in there. Ignoring the surprising amount of things that her fingers found?what on earth was the Doctor doing with a banana in his pocket, of all things??she let out a sigh of relief when she found the weapon. Even though she knew she probably wouldn't use it, she felt safer knowing that it was there for some reason.

Then she frowned.

"What am I thinking?" she asked, pulling her hand back out of her pocket.

Shaking her head, she kept walking forward. The shadowy shape in front of her grew more distinct as she neared it, and it was obvious now that it was a ship of some sort. It only took her a few more minutes to reach it, and once she was there she paused outside for a moment to look at it.

The ship wasn't really that large, now that she could see it for herself. There probably weren't more than half a dozen or so rooms inside. "Which is probably a good thing, considering I'm on a timetable," she muttered.

Taking a deep breath, Sarah slowly started walking around it. She found the doorway she was looking for before too long, jammed partially open. Without hesitating for a moment, she slid through the opening and into the ship.

She found herself standing in a small hallway that branched off in both directions, disappearing around a corner. Mentally shrugging, she turned to her right and started walking. If she didn't find what she was looking for in this direction, she could always try the other.

She stopped short as she turned the corner, finding herself face to face with one of the Syjakts. Its red eyes seemed to flash in the light of her torch, and she stepped back with a startled cry.

Sarah stared at the Syjakt, waiting for it to let out a screech and attack her. Except it didn't move. She tentatively reached out to touch it, a shaky laugh escaping her lips as she realized that it was long dead. "It's been mummified," she said, surprised.

Then she tilted her head. It looked different from the others she'd seen. For one thing, its color was lighter, and its wings looked more like those of a bat or something along those lines than the wraith-like ones that the others had. "Maybe it's the first one?" she asked quietly. "The one that crashed here? It looks almost like it was placed here, like in a tomb or something."

She paused as she realized she was talking to thin-air and chuckled a bit, but she didn't stop. It might not be the best sign of her sanity, but it made her feel better. Shaking her head, she spared the dead Syjakt one last look before starting down the corridor again.

There was a door nearby, wide open. Sarah peered inside it, taking in the scientific equipment with an air of relief. She walked over to the nearest machine, eyeing the vials inside curiously. Several had a brown stain inside, and a few still had hints of red mixed in, as if they had one been filled with blood. "Gotcha."

She opened the door on its front, pulling out the vials. Taking two clean-looking ones, she pulled out the bottle of water that Eshran had given her and opened it. Then she splashed a little of it on the sleeve of the Doctor's coat. She caught a few drops of the murky looking liquid that dripped from it in one of the vials and put it back inside the machine. Then she paused.

Letting out a sigh, she glanced around until she saw a piece of broken glass resting on a nearby counter. Quickly sending up a quick hope that it wasn't covered in some type of invisible alien poison or something along those lines, she picked it up and pricked the edge of her finger with it. Then she caught a few drops of blood in the other vial.

"I hope this works," she said, putting her cut finger in her mouth as she put the other vial inside the machine as well. She eyed it warily after shutting the door, trying to figure out how it worked. Eshran had said it would be simple to figure out, as long as the ship still had power. One large button stood apart from the others.

"Here goes nothing."

She reached out and pressed the button.

Nothing happened.

Sarah felt her heart sink. Eshran had warned her that the ship might not have enough power left to run machinery after all this time, but she had hoped that he was wrong. Then, suddenly, she heard a quiet beeping sound.

Sarah leaned down and peered into the machine. A tiny yellow light had appeared inside it, and as she watched it seemed to scan the sample of the Doctor's blood. Crossing her fingers, she didn't move her gaze as it scanned hers as well.

There was another beeping sound behind her, and she spun around. Another device had lit up, and as she stared in surprise a vial seemed to materialize out of nowhere. She walked over and hesitantly picked it up, running it between her fingers as she studied it. The liquid inside was a dark orange, and she knew somehow that it was what Eshran had sent her to find.

The machine beeped again, and another vial appeared. She reached out and picked it up, somewhat startled when she saw that it wasn't the same color. The liquid inside the second vial was a bluish-green color, almost teal. Sarah held up both vials, staring at them.

"Orange for the Doctor," she said slowly. "Blue-green for me."

Letting out a breath that she hadn't even known she was holding, Sarah gently slipped the two vials into her trousers pocket. Then she glanced around the lab, trying to find some sort of syringe. There weren't any lying out in the open, so she walked over to one of the drawers and began to search through it.

She found what she was looking for in the fifth drawer that she opened. A box full of syringes was there, a thin layer of dust covering them. She picked up a handful of them and dropped them into the pocket of the Doctor's coat.

"Now," she said, looking around the empty lab, "I need to find that distress beacon, which means I probably need to find the control room or whatever passes for it."

Reaching down to feel the comforting presence of the vials in her pocket, Sarah turned and left the room. She started down the corridor again, pausing in front of every door she came across in order to peer inside. After finding what appeared to be some type of dining area, a room filled with beds, and what she assumed were the toilets, she found herself staring at a dead end.

Sarah sighed. "Let's try the other direction."

She made her way back along the corridor she has just walked down, ignoring the doors that she had already checked. When she passed by the mummified Syjakt again, she couldn't help but take a look at it and shudder. It just felt wrong to be wandering around with a dead body resting there, even if it wasn't human.

Hurrying past the door to the outside, Sarah turned the other corner in the hallway. She smiled when she saw a single door standing open at its end. One glance inside told her that she'd found the room she was looking for. It was filled with advanced-looking computers and other such technology.

Sarah reached down and touched the disk she was wearing around her neck, and the light went out immediately. She peered around the room, a self-satisfied grin appearing on her face when she saw a flashing light on the opposite side of the room. Turning on her light again, she made her way toward the screen that she'd seen lit up.

Her smile faded once she was standing in front of the computer. There wasn't any type of buttons on it that she could see, and she had no idea how to turn it off. She glanced around the room, frowning. Only one thing came to mind, and she didn't want to take that step unless she had to do it.

After several seconds, she sighed and pulled out the weapon that Eshran had given her. She held it a moment, testing the weight slightly, before bringing it up and aiming it at the flashing computer. Then, taking a deep breath, she pulled the trigger.

It didn't do anything.

"Why didn't it work?" she muttered. She studied the gun, and her eyes were drawn to the small knob on the side. Feeling sheepish, she hit the knob before aiming the weapon again. This time, when she pulled the trigger, it let out a loud droning sound.

The screen exploded in a flash of lights and sparks, and the weapon clattered to the ground as Sarah instinctively reached up to cover her face. She pulled her hands back down after a moment, eyeing the computer warily. Then she hit the disk around her neck.

The flashing light was gone.

Sarah felt relief flood through her as she turned the light back on. She knelt down to gingerly pick up the dropped gun. "Now all I have to do is find the Doctor."

Not even sparing another glance at the room, she turned and dashed back down the corridor. Barely noticing that it was much easier to see than it had been earlier, Sarah slipped through the outside door. And then she froze.

The sun was rising.

"Four hours," she said in realization. "Night only lasts four hours."

Somewhere in the distance, she heard a shriek.

Sarah took a deep breath, trying her best to resist the urge to hide in the ship until it was night again. She didn't know how long the Doctor had before the transformation was complete, and she couldn't risk waiting around doing nothing. If she did and it cost her the chance to help him, she'd never forgive herself.

Forcing herself to stay calm, she stepped away from the ship. Then it hit her just how difficult the task of finding the Doctor would be. She thought back to the lab, how some of the vials were brown with age while others still had traces of red. "Some of the others found a way to make the cure," she said, her eyes widening in surprise. "They just couldn't find the people they were looking for in time."

Panic started to rise up inside her, and Sarah hurriedly pressed it down. She had to think. Where would the Doctor have gone? He would have known that she wouldn't just leave him, not without at least trying to help. In that case, he probably would have stayed near the area where she'd seen him last.

She glanced up at the rising sun, trying to remember what direction she and the Doctor had been traveling in that first night when it had been setting. Closing her eyes, she pictured the scene in her mind's eye. Then she nodded, quickly getting her bearings as she reopened her eyes.

She started to walk.

As the sun continued to rise, the number of screeches that she heard in the distance increased significantly. Every so often her hand would slip down to pat her pocket, making certain that the vials were still there.

Time slowly passed, and to Sarah's surprise she didn't run into any of the Syjakts. She still heard their cries from time to time, but most of them were far in the distance. Eventually, she noticed a dark smudge far off in front of her. Despite herself, she smiled. It was the tree line.

Without warning, a loud shriek came from startlingly close.

Sarah spun around, her eyes widening when she saw a shadow moving quickly in her direction. It was a fully transformed Syjakt. There was no other explanation.

She turned around and sprinted toward the distant line of trees, not even pausing to think. Even though she knew there was little to no chance that she'd make it there before the Syjakt caught up with her, she had to give it a shot. The cries coming from behind her got louder and louder.

Sarah's lungs felt like they were about to burst, but she refused to give in. The trees were much closer now, close enough that she thought that she might have a chance of reaching them after all.

Then something hit her from behind, sending her sprawling.

Her hand immediately slid down to her trouser pocket, relief flooding through her when she felt that they hadn't been broken. The emotion immediately faded, however, when she found herself staring up at the Syjakt that had been chasing her. It was hovering over her, its claws poised and ready.

It brought its arm up, and as it rushed down toward her Sarah closed her eyes. As a searing pain rushed through her stomach, she screamed. She could feel blood trickling down her side, pooling on the ground underneath her.

Sarah's eyes flew open. The Syjakt was still hovering above her, its red eyes focused on her. Then it brought up its arm again. Her left hand slid down to cover the cut on her stomach, but this time she didn't close her eyes. She stared up at the Syjakt, waiting for it to attack her again. As she did, her other hand surreptitiously slipped into her coat pocket and reached around for the weapon Eshran had given her.

Suddenly the Syjakt was hit by a fast-moving figure.

Letting out a gasp of surprise, Sarah jerked her hand out of her pocket and rolled out of the way immediately. She spared a quick glance down at her stomach, not surprised to see that it wasn't very deep despite how much it hurt. Then she looked over at the Syjakt . . . and froze.

It was the Doctor. He still looked mostly like himself, though if she wasn't mistaken his skin looked darker than normal and the cut on his arm was scarred over. His fingernails had sharpened. They weren't quite claws just yet, but they were well on their way. His chest was heaving as he stood between her and the Syjakt that had taken a swipe at her, the expression on his face cold.

The Syjakt hissed at him, but it didn't attack. It looked her way, and Sarah got the oddest feeling that it seemed almost smug. Then it turned and flew off, quickly moving away from them.

"Doctor," Sarah said, her voice cracking slightly. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you."

He spun around to face her. "I told you to leave," he said, his voice cold. She could see the worry on his face, though, as well as the way his eyes kept drifting down to her bleeding stomach. "Why didn't you just go back to the TARDIS, Sarah?"

She smiled at him and slipped her hand into her pocket. "Because if I'd left, who would be here to give you this?" she asked lightly, holding up the orange vial.

The Doctor stared at her. He didn't say a word, but his surprise was obvious.

Reaching into the pocket of his coat, she pulled out one of the syringes. "Come here," she said, gesturing for him to move toward her.

He shook his head. "I can't." His face twisted into a grimace, and he closed his eyes for a second. "I'm barely able to control it."

Sarah quickly filled the syringe with the orange liquid from the vial. "Fine, then I'll come to you."

Before he had a change to react, she flung herself up from the ground. She grabbed his arm, pulling down with all her might when he tried to yank it away from her, and quickly injected the liquid.

Then she backed away.

The Doctor stared down at his arm, a blank look on his face for a moment. Then he looked back at her. He opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't get a chance as he suddenly convulsed with pain and dropped to his knees.

"Doctor?"

He let out a cry of pain, loud and heartrending. Sarah took a step toward him, stopping short when he managed to look up at her and curtly shake his head. There was nothing she could do but watch.

Sarah pulled out the other vial, holding it in her hand for a moment before slipping her hand into her pocket and grabbing another syringe. She quickly filled it and stuck it in her arm, not sure what to expect. After several seconds, she doubled over as a wave of pain rushed through her. It only lasted a second, but her eyes were wide as turned her attention back toward the Doctor. If it was that bad for her, then she couldn't even imagine what it was like for him.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard the screeches of several Syjakts. Sparing a quick look at the Doctor, who was practically curling in on himself with pain, she hurriedly reached into the coat pocket to pull out the weapon that Eshran had given her. Then she sat down on the ground, several feet from the Doctor, and forced herself to watch.

The dark color of his skin faded away, and his fingernails were slowly going back to their normal length. He was keeping his eyes closed for the most part, but every glimpse she caught of them revealed them to be less red. "It shouldn't be much longer," she said softly. "I promise."

The Doctor opened his eyes and looked in her direction. They were back to normal.

Then he arched his back and let out an agonizing yell. Sarah was by his side before she even knew what she was doing, Eshran's weapon laying forgotten on the ground where she had been sitting. She grabbed the Doctor's arms, holding him close to her in something resembling a hug. Her eyes, however, were focused on his back.

As she watched in surprise, the wings seemed to wither up. There was a ripping sound, and without warning they fell to the ground. The skin of his back was still scarred, bloody wounds sticking out against his pale skin where the wings had been attached. But the wings were gone.

"Doctor?" Sarah asked softly, pulling away from him. "How do you feel?"

He opened his eyes, meeting her gaze. His mouth twisted into a large grin that she didn't believe for a second. "Never better."

She snorted. "I doubt it," she said lightly. "Do you think you can walk?"

There were several screeches in the distance, louder than the earlier ones.

"Don't have much of a choice, do I?" the Doctor asked, winking at her.

Sarah stood up, doing her best not to stumble when she held out her hand and helped the Doctor get to his feet. He was leaning on her, putting quite a bit of weight on her frame even though he was trying his best to walk on his own. She glanced down at Eshran's weapon, still lying where she'd left it, but she didn't move to pick it up.

The Doctor followed her gaze and he frowned.

"I didn't use it," she said softly, starting toward the tree line. "You showed up just in time."

She stumbled forward at first, barely able to keep her balance. The closer they got to the trees, though, the stronger the Doctor seemed to get. By the time they had made it to their edge, he was walking almost entirely on his own.

They paused just inside the forest, both of them staring out over the empty plain. A few Syjakts were flying in the distance, barely visible. "Do you have any idea where the TARDIS is?" Sarah asked.

The conspicuous silence from the Doctor answered her question instantly.

Shaking her head, she turned toward him. "We should start looking," she said. "I think we could both use a trip to the infirmary right about now."

The Doctor grinned at her, but she could tell it was half-hearted. His eyes moved down to her neck, and his face darkened.

"It wasn't you," Sarah said instantly. She reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't even think about blaming yourself."

His fake grin faded instantly. "Sarah."

She met his gaze without blinking. "I mean it," she said firmly.

The Doctor stared at her for a moment, studying her face closely. Then he impulsively reached out and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

Sarah couldn't hide her smile when he let go a few seconds later. "What was that for?"

"For being my best friend," he said seriously.

She felt her face flush, and she looked away.

He reached over and put his hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him. "I'm being completely serious."

"I know," she whispered.

Nearby, someone clapped their hands.

They both turned, startled. Eshran was beaming at them, though Sarah could see a trace of surprise on his face. Beside him, Machäl was openly gaping. "Rijad will never believe that you're alive."

Sarah rolled her eyes as she walked over and knelt down in front of the girl. "Tell you brother that I appreciate his confidence in me," she said dryly.

Machäl blushed and slipped behind Eshran again.

"Your weapon is still out there," Sarah said, gesturing in the direction they had come as she stood back up. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "I don't need it."

They stared at each other moment before Sarah smiled. "Thank you," she said, leaning in and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Eshran's gaze drifted past her toward the Doctor. "I'm just glad you succeeded."

Sarah laughed. "Me too," she said lightly. Then she turned and walked back to the Doctor, hooking her arm in his.

Machäl peered back out at them. "We found a weird blue box near the berry patch."

Eshran chuckled as both Sarah and the Doctor immediately came to attention. "We thought it might be yours," he said. "If you'd like, we can show you the way."

"That would be most appreciated," the Doctor said, nodding.

Before Eshran could reply, Sarah jumped in. "You wouldn't happen to have that healing device of yours on you?" she asked. "It should work on him now, shouldn't it?"

Eshran looked almost sheepish as he reached into his bag and pulled it out. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't even think."

She pushed the Doctor toward him. "It's his back," she said, gesturing with her eyes. "From where the wings fell off."

Machäl's eyes lit up. "Ooh, can I see?" Without waiting for a reply, she rushed over to stand beside Sarah and gaped at the Doctor's back. "I can't wait to tell Rijad what he missed! He said I was an idiot for going berry picking, but I said--"

"Machäl." Eshran shot her a warning look as he ran his device over the Doctor's back.

She kicked at the ground. "Sorry."

After a few seconds, Eshran turned off the device. Sarah walked over and peered at the Doctor's back, surprised to see that it looked perfectly normal. There wasn't even a mark. "I still say that's amazing," she said, shaking her head. "Though those fancy transmat systems you have set up to get you up to the city built in the treetops were pretty neat as well."

Eshran laughed when he saw the Doctor's face, but he didn't say a word. Gesturing for them to follow him, he started walking. Machäl followed close behind him, talking to him just quietly enough that Sarah couldn't hear what she was saying.

Beside her, the Doctor cleared his throat. "Sarah, about the beacon."

"Don't worry," Sarah replied, smiling, "I took care of it."

He didn't even try to hide his relief.

Sliding her arm out of his, she loosely grabbed his hand. He tightened his grip on it almost instantly.

After a few seconds, he coughed pointedly. "I would like my coat back at some point."

Sarah laughed as she leaned against him, rest her head on his arm. His shirt was stained with dried blood, and her bruised neck was aching. She was tired and sore, and she knew that she would probably have nightmares about the last few days for weeks, maybe even months.

The Doctor squeezed her hand, grinning at her.

She couldn't have been happier.

~ the end ~