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Leela hesitated. 'You mean they were all killed? Everyone we met was killed?' I mean it never happened.'

Leela looked relieved. They all survived.'

'They never existed.'

'Are you saying we have imagined it?' No, I'm not saying that.'

Good,' Leela said. 'Because I remember it happening and so do you.'

Only,' the Doctor said, 'until we next step out of the TARDIS. Then we shall forget them because they never existed. Not in that way'

In what way then?' Leela demanded.

‘I don't know,' the Doctor admitted.

Leela was silent for a moment, thinking. She turned away from the screen.

'Was it you who opened the doorway to the shaman's stronghold to let me in?' she asked.

The Doctor turned off the observation screen and went to the control console. 'I think you might have done that yourself while you were searching the place for me.'

'I think you are teasing me,' Leela said.

The Doctor beamed. 'When have you known me ever to do that?' he asked.

Leela said, 'It is some sort of trick you have played on me.'

The Doctor activated the TARDIS and set her to leave. For a moment nothing happened. 'There's a reason for everything,' he said, waiting for something to happen.

That's not the same as a purpose of course."

The rage had gone and there was nothing. A black, cold blankness. He sat staring at the body of his daughter. It took a long time for him to see her. To focus and to really see her. This was not his daughter. There was nothing of his daughter in this lifeless shell. Mandy?' he whispered. "Oh my God.

Oh my God.' He lifted her into his arms. Oh my God.' He held her for a long moment and then he laid her on the couch and went to the telephone and dialled.

'Emergency: which service do you require?' the impersonal voice said.

'Police.' When they answered he said: My name is John Finer and I've murdered my daughter.'

For a moment nothing happened and then the console began its familiar movement and the TARDIS began its familiar song and it set off again.

In this case it could be said that what the TARDIS did had a reason and a purpose and they were the same thing. Or it could all have been a coincidence,' the Doctor said.

Barry Hitchins leant forward and looked sincerely interested. Bill Parnaby was a star in the field of pop philosophy and he wasn't cheap. "So you don't think time travel is actually possible, Professor Parnaby?'

"Longevity depends on memory,' Parnaby said. Not only is there no point in living for three hundred years if all you can remember is yesterday but also, and more to the point, how do you know you've lived three hundred years without any memory of them?'

'Memory of a goldfish, me,' Hitchins said. At least that's what I tell them when I wake up next morning."

When the laughter had died down, Parnaby said. Time travel is like longevity. How can you travel through time without a memory of the time through which you have travelled?

And even if it were possible what would be the point of it?

You wouldn't know it was happening.' 'You mean we could be time travellers ourselves?' 'I don't know, Barry,' Parnaby twinkled. 'I can't remember.' Professor Bill Parnaby ladies and gentlemen!' Barry Hitchins said loudly, gesturing towards his guest. The studio audience applauded dutifully.

Tommy reached up. 'Boring, pretentious little bugger,' he said, and turned off the bar TV set.

'You're just jealous,' Meg said.

'Because he's rich, famous and good-looking? What have I got to be jealous about?'

'You forgot brilliant,' Ralph said.

'Still not enough.'

Joan said, 'And Chloe thinks he's sex on a stick.'

'Doh!' Tommy said.

'All right,' Joan said, fishing a pack of tarot cards from her case. 'Gypsy Rose Cox is open for business. Who wants their fortune told?'

She began to lay out cards. A tall young man with a shaved head wandered over to the table and watched for a moment.

Do I have to cross your palm with silver?' he asked.