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By Root 475 0

air warm, the sky clear and pinpricked with stars. Despite the violent picture Andy had painted, the streets of Tayborough Sands were quiet. They walked down to the seafront, Tegan still holding on to Andy for support. To anyone else they must have looked like lovers sharing a romantic stroll after dinner. They listened to the rushing, gravelly roar of the sea as it swarmed triumphantly over the shore before retreating with a sigh. There were no lights on the beach, and the only way they could distinguish sand from water was by the glittering shards of the moon‟s twin bobbing on the sea‟s black surface.

As they meandered along the pavement to the Lombard Hotel, Andy said, „Can I see you again?‟

Tegan felt a slow smile stretching her lips, but she tried to keep her voice casual. „If you like.‟

He hesitated, then plunged in. „How about tomorrow? We could spend the day together. I‟m not on duty till six.‟

Tegan found herself wondering briefly what the Doctor‟s plans for the next day were, then immediately quashed the thought. „Sounds great.‟

„Ok, I‟ll pick you up from Reception about... nine?‟

„I‟ll be there.‟

They lingered at the hotel steps, unsure how to end it.

„Well... goodnight,‟ Tegan said at last, and abruptly thrust her hand out again. „Thanks for being my knight in shining armour.‟

„My pleasure.‟ He took the hand, but this time instead of shaking it he kissed the back of it gently. „Until tomorrow,‟ he said softly.

„Until tomorrow,‟ Tegan repeated, trying desperately not to blush.

Several hours earlier Mike Yates had opened the door of his attic room to find a complete stranger standing there. The stranger was wearing odd clothes: a cricketing jumper and a long cream coat with a stick of celery attached to the lapel and funny striped trousers. Despite the heat the man looked cool and fresh. As soon as he saw Mike, a huge and delighted grin spread over his face.

„Mike Yates!‟ he exclaimed. „How wonderful to see you again!‟

Mike frowned, puzzled and a little wary. „Have we met before?‟

„Oh, many times,‟ said the stranger as if he was enjoying himself hugely, „though not since I regenerated.‟

„Regenerated? You don‟t mean... You‟re not the Doctor?‟

„Yes!‟ cried the man as if Mike was a rather dim pupil who had just grasped a basic mathematical formula.

Both the Doctor and the Brigadier had explained the fundamentals of regeneration to him, but Mike had not realised how drastic the change could be. „But you‟re... so different,‟ he said weakly.

„Oh, I‟m still the same old Doctor underneath,‟ the Doctor said airily. „May I come in?‟

Mike was about to step back and pull the door wide when he paused. „How do I know you‟re the Doctor? How do I know you‟re not trying to trick me?‟

The Doctor blinked. „Why would I want to do that?‟

„I don‟t know. Maybe you want to get to the real Doctor through me. You could be the Master for all I know.‟

The Doctor flinched and his voice became a little high-pitched with indignation. „Please! I‟ve never been so insulted.‟

„I‟m sorry,‟ said Mike, „It‟s just... you‟re so different. You don‟t seem as...‟

„Arrogant? Overbearing?‟

Mike shrugged embarrassedly. „You said it.‟

„Yes, well,‟ said the Doctor, nonplussed, „when one matures, one irons out these little foibles.‟

„Matures?‟ said Mike. „But you look so much younger!‟

„Appearances can be deceptive, you know.‟

„My point exactly,‟ said Mike triumphantly.

The Doctor sighed. „The thing about regeneration is that it‟s something of a lottery. But whatever I look like, I‟m still fundamentally the same underneath. How can I convince you of that?‟

Before Mike could reply, the Doctor‟s eyes widened. „What date is it?‟ he asked.

Puzzled, Mike told him.

The Doctor gazed into the middle distance as if looking back through time. „So you‟ve not been back on active duty for long. You‟ve been recovering from the events at Llanfairfach.‟

Mike frowned. „Go on.‟

The Doctor snapped out of his semi-trance. „How are you feeling now, Mike?‟

„Fine.‟

„No ill-effects?‟

„No, I don‟t think so.‟

The Doctor looked at him strangely,