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Outside, Alf sat under a battered parasol with Waterguard Humba. ‘What’s it like, coming back from non-existence?’ Alf asked idly, playing with the straw in her glass. He shrugged. ‘I’m just glad you’re all right miss.’ Humba said. ‘Will you be sticking around on Gidi? I think Vera has her eye on the Doctor for the role of her next husband.’ Alf smiled faintly. ‘Nah. The Doctor’s not the marrying type,’ she said quietly. ‘We’ll be off… again. Somewhere new. There’s no time for making ties. Not when there’s a whole universe to hide in.’ ‘Maybe your ties are closer to home.’ Humba said soothingly. She looked at him quizzically. ‘Nick? Do you think…’ He was about to tell her it was up to her to decide, but he could see she had already reached this conclusion herself. ‘Take care Miss.’ Humba said, kissing her hand nobly. ‘Don’t forget to think of old Humba when you’re gallivanting off on your travels. And take a tip from me… don’t waste a moment. You can’t afford to. You don’t get second chances in this life.’ ‘I think the Doctor would say the same.’ Alf smiled, pulling her beret from her pocket and putting it on. ‘Goodbye, Humba. You take care won’t you?’ With that, she slipped off into the night in the direction of home. Admiral Fisk smiled happily. This had all worked out fantastically for him and his old chum Costa. The rank of Grand Marshal surely awaited him back at Waterguard HQ on Azure. He’d saved the day as always, caught a sinister young criminal before he’d destroyed the whole universe and even blagged a slice of fantastic fruitcake from the rather handsome Vera. Now there was a woman he could see sharing his luxurious Waterguard penthouse apartment on Station 9. Even the crash landing on Gidi would net him a nice profit from Galactic Salvage! Yes a job well done! Costa came up to greet him with a smile. ‘What do you think sir, did we do good?’ ‘Bloody right we did Costa, my boy! There’s promotion in this for both of us. You might even make it to High Waterguard Costa this time my boy!’ Costa beamed happily at him, ‘It’s like you always told me sir, criminals always get what they deserve in the end!’ ‘Oh yes and let’s see that this young fellow gets all he deserves back in Azure Psychiatric shall we? Come on, we’ve got a promotion to catch.’ They headed off towards the landing port to greet their transporter. Alf was waiting for Nick outside the TARDIS, its weather-beaten form casting a shadow over her pretty face. Not just in his dirty clothes and shoes. He felt used through and through by Cy. It was like he had not mattered. Like he was not worth any more. Somehow, on some instinctive level, he knew that it was because he was not entirely human that the Protii had connected with him so easily. It seemed like he would never be free of the Millennium People curse. He sniffed, feigning a smile. ‘He used me didn’t he?’ Alf’s expression wept with pity. ‘Come here,’ she beckoned to him, with her arms open wide ready to hold him. He staggered towards her and collapsed into her arms. They felt so warm and familiar. It was good to know what a friend was. They decided to go for a walk, and headed away from the TARDIS. ‘I thought it was something good.’ Nick struggled to say, finding tears in his eyes. She ran her hands through his hair. ‘I thought I’d at last found someone that cared about me.’ ‘Well maybe you have,’ she dared herself to say. He looked up in confusion, and then realised that no one in the universe was as magical or as wondrous as the girl who was pleading with him to understand. The girl with the deep brown eyes he could lose himself in. He fingered her wispy hair. ‘What… what are you telling me Alf?’ ‘I dunno.’ She laughed sniffing back tears herself. ‘But after all we’ve been through… Nick, I want you to know that I still love you.’ The sun was dipping back in the sky, clouds hiding a multitude of secrets. The light slowly faded on the two as they held each other. Both fragile, both hurt, but both of them together. They knew that this moment belonged to only them. Forever’s gonna start tonight, Nick thought.
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