Return to E-space

The familiar sound of the TARDIS broke through the silence of the day in E-space.

Romana was facing away from the noise as it filled the empty air around her, whooshing and groaning.

Her eyes were wide with shock. For a moment, she didn't turn around; she just stood there, questioning her senses to ensure she wasn't going mad.

She eventually turned, slowly, taking in the almost impossible apparition of a battered old blue Police box now sitting in front of her, as though it had always been there.

She parted her lips, as if to say something in response to this sudden appearance, but her brain failed to supply something sufficient.

The door swung open and out strode the Doctor.

He was certainly not the Doctor she was expecting though, not at all. The Time Lord stood before her, grinning widely, definitely did not inhabiting the same body she had last seen him in.

For a moment she gasped, taking in his appearance, hoping that the surprise would wear off and she could make some sense of this situation.

He had a mop of soft, chestnut curls that tumbled down his neck and stopped just above his shoulders. His face was quite astonishingly handsome and noble, which had certainly not at all helped her articulate any quicker. It had positively taken her off guard. Bright and animated pale blue eyes smiled back at her more than his grin, as if his soul had recognised its counterpoint in another.

The other being her.

"Doctor" she began, the only word that managed to scramble its way through the sea of conflicting thoughts and emotions tumbling about in her head.

"Romana" he returned, the smile now evident in his voice.

"You've changed" she said and then instantly regretted being stupid enough to state the obvious.

"So have you" he replied, taking a few steps closer to her.

He had of course noticed her appearance the instant he had left the TARDIS. At first he thought he had arrived at the wrong place, which to be fair, was unavoidably likely with the state the TARDIS' guidance system was in these days. He made an instant 'note to self' straight after that initial thought: 'must fix guidance system. And that little squeak the kitchen door makes".

How could he have been wrong though? He looked into the eyes of the other person and ... just knew.

Oh, and how much she had changed, he thought, how very much indeed.

Sharp green eyes were taking in his own changed appearance as she brushed away from her face her deep mahogany coloured hair that fell to her shoulders.

"I'm here to take you back to Gallifrey I'm afraid" he said, letting a serious tone envelope his words.

"No, Doctor this is where I belong" she said straight back, her initial surprise had evaporated and there was definitely more of the Romana he knew bubbling back to the surface.

The Doctor shook his head.

"They have requested for you to return home, your father is now President of Gallifrey" he continued.

"Maybe, I don't want to return" she countered firmly sounding almost petulant.

The Doctor fanned out his hands in exasperation. If she was anything like her old self, then she would be just as stubborn as he remembered.

"You never make things easy, do you?" he sighed, folding his arms and looking with more interest than was necessary, at the shine at the end of his shoes.