July 1963

It began slowly. The warm evening air shimmered and a noise began, faintly at first but growing steadily louder. It was like a tone-deaf trumpeter with an out of tune instrument. As the noise built to a crescendo an object started to form out of the shimmering air. It became solid with a thump and the noise faded. Silence returned to Totter's Lane.

Despite the strangeness of its arrival, any Londoner present would have recognised the object instantly as a Police Box, common on the street corners of all major towns and cities. However, they were not commonly found materialising out of thin air in junkyards.

One door creaked open and a young, dark haired woman stepped out. She looked about herself with a keen interest and a burning intelligence. A smile spread across her elfin features.

"Grandfather," she called over her shoulder, "it looks like Earth again."

A man followed her out of the Police Box. He had white hair and carried a walking cane. His upright posture belied his apparent age. He looked around with a similar interest to his young companion.

"Yes, I do believe you're right," he said. "It looks very much like Earth. And in one of it's less barbaric periods, if I'm not mistaken. Late 20th Century, at a guess."

"Can't the TARDIS instruments get a proper fix on the time and place for us?"

The man tutted. "They are still scrambled from our random flights through the vortex. But it seems they were worth it. I think we lost them again."

The young woman frowned. "I don't want to go home, Grandfather," she stated.

He patted her shoulder gently. "I know, my dear. I think we need to lie low for a while. Stay in one place. They'll be monitoring the vortex closely, waiting for our next flight. But they can't keep watching forever. They'll move on to other, more pressing matters. Then we can slip away again."

She nodded her agreement. "It will be nice to belong somewhere again, even for a little while. And it will give you a chance to do some repairs on the Ship."

He smiled at her with genuine affection. "You're right, my dear. It will be nice to belong somewhere again." He gazed up at the darkening sky of evening, looking for one particular star.

***

Barbara Wright didn't see her cousin Linda very often, but when they did meet they made the most of it. With a full day's shopping behind them, they now sat in a small restaurant, enjoying an evening meal before Linda caught the train back to her home in the Midlands.

"So," Linda said, sipping her white wine, "tell me more about this new job of yours."

Barbara smiled as she finished her fish. "There's not much to tell. Coal Hill is your average comprehensive school. The headmaster and deputy seem nice enough. I start next month. That's about it."

"But you're a senior history teacher. Doesn't that feel great?"

Barbara thought for a moment. "I suppose so. I hadn't given it much thought."

Linda sighed. "I'm so jealous. What I wouldn't give for a career. You're so lucky."

"Surely you wouldn't be without Martin and the twins?" Barbara asked.

Linda laughed at her cousin. "Of course not," she replied. "But sometimes," she continued, "I wish I could be a mother and work as well."

The two women lapsed into a thoughtful silence for the rest of the meal.

***

Ian Chesterton watched his adversary carefully as the man ran towards him, waiting for the optimum moment to strike. As that moment approached, Ian raised his weapon, ready to defend himself.

With a crack of leather on willow, Ian sent the cricket ball sailing over the despairing grasp of the bowler. It bounced twice and ran over the boundary, giving Ian's team the runs they needed for victory.

Ian received much hearty backslapping and congratulations when he returned to the pavilion. As he changed out of his cricketing whites he realised he hadn't thought about Carol during the entire match.

It had been two weeks now since he had driven her to the airport, so she could begin her new life. Two weeks since she had hugged him, kissed him on the cheek and told him she would never forget him. Now, as he got into his car, Ian wondered if, after two weeks in an African hospital, she could even remember what he looked like.

He reflected, not for the first time, on how he could have missed the signs. After three months going out together, Ian had been considering engagement. While Carol, it seemed, wasn't even considering staying in England.

When she told him she was going to Africa, as part of the voluntary nursing programme, he felt as if the bottom had dropped out of his world.

But, for her sake, he put on a brave face, applauded her bravery and encouraged her choice. He even promised to drive her to the airport, which wasn't a problem in itself. But the drive home afterwards had been a subtle form of torture.

Now, as Ian drove away from the cricket ground, he resolved to put Carol behind him and get on with the rest of his life.

***

The warm night had got progressively darker. The old man had found an armchair that was losing its stuffing, while his granddaughter had discovered a battered deck chair. Together they gazed up at the stars, remembering with fondness and fear some of their most recent journeys amongst them.

They watched the occasional shooting star blaze across the heavens and the full moon rise in its nightly track across the sky.

Eventually they returned to their Ship, the TARDIS, and to their own rooms. While the girl slept soundly, her Grandfather wrote in his journal, detailing the recent events in their incredible journey.

He closed the book after a time and just sat at his writing desk, contemplating the future. What would the days and months ahead bring? Would they be able to live here quietly, or would they have to make some concessions to the local authorities? He would have to explore in the next couple of days, to check out the local terrain. Speak to the natives and hope they were friendly.

The old man nodded to himself. Definitely a task for the morning. He smiled, his course of action clear in his mind. He rose from the desk and headed for his bed and a short, restful nap.

***

Barbara walked home through the gathering darkness, having waved Linda off at the station. Her mind was full of the new challenge ahead of her. Wondering how easy or difficult she would find each class of pupils. Would the fifth years be as eager to learn as the first years? Should she be tough on discipline or more relaxed, as seemed to be becoming more popular these days?

She found herself looking forward with great enthusiasm. As she unlocked her front door she thought that the coming months were really going to be a journey of discovery.

***

Ian had eaten his fish and chips supper in front of the telly, had a bath and gone to bed early. It had been a tiring day.

His mind drifted throughout the night, different dreams ebbing and flowing. But, when he woke in the morning one thought was clear in his mind. For the first time in over two weeks he had not dreamt of Carol.