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By Root 861 0

are buried in the churchyard.‟ The coffin lids stood propped against their deep, satin-lined bases, and the Doctor began to grab books from the bookshelves and toss them into the boxes. „Need to be heavy enough for bodies,‟ he said. He stood for a moment staring down at a Complete Works of Shakespeare, hesitating, then shook his head and threw it after the others. „I‟ll be leaving now. It‟s better to travel light.‟ He paused again. „I‟ll pay for headstones. For Harry and Godric, at least. I shall have to think of something suitable to inscribe.‟ He smiled. „It should be “They saved the world”. But that might cause people to ask too many questions...‟

Emmeline smiled back at him. „I think it is the truth that you say. But we will know. We will remember.‟

The Doctor gave her a quick hug. „There. That‟s the sort of memories that matter. We - you - can build new memories to replace those that are lost. Now!‟ He rubbed his hands together. „It‟s all over. Which means I have no reason to remain here. I came to sort it out, and I‟ve sorted it out. Well

- with a little help from my friends.‟

She frowned, thinking she had misunderstood some of the words. „You knew this was going to happen?‟ she asked.

He waved a hand. „Not knew, not exactly knew. I suppose you could just call me an investigator of strange phenomena.

And it seemed to me that something strange was going on around here.‟ His eyes sparkled with possibilities. „But now I might go to London. Or Berlin. Or New York!‟

„I too must leave,‟ she said. „I know not what I will do, but I cannot stay here where my secret is known. Perhaps I will have to say farewell also to my hopes of staying in England.‟

„Don‟t worry!‟ said the Doctor, his enthusiasm continuing, and he clapped an arm round her shoulder. „I happen to know people at the ministry. Come up to London with me, and I‟ll get everything fixed up. Trust me. It‟ll all turn out all right.‟

The villagers buried their dead. Or at least, what bits of their dead they could find. And if anyone noticed that Godric, Lieutenant Harry Sullivan and Lady Hester Stanton slid from side to side in their coffins and occasionally made a heavy thumping sound, then they never mentioned it.

Godric had been smiling and walking strongly when Sarah brought him back. „I should not say this, but I believe it is true what you said. Your magician seems to me greater even than Merlin!‟ he whispered to Harry.

By then, the TARDIS had landed. The Doctor, slightly to Harry‟s surprise, offered to escort Godric out - just to make sure they were in the right place and time. But he said he wouldn‟t go to the court this time - „not fair to put them out when they‟re not expecting me. Why, someone else might even be sitting at my place at the round table.‟ Sarah looked a bit disappointed, and when the Doctor had gone, confessed to Harry that she‟d really rather fancied trying on one of those pointed hats with a veil.

Harry, after saying a fond farewell to Godric, had announced that be wasn‟t stepping out of the TARDIS again until they were back in his own bit of the twentieth century.

Sarah watched the scanner as the Doctor and Godric receded into the distance. „I hope he‟s got the right time; she said. „And the right place. Funny, I never thought King Arthur was real.‟ She leaned over, squinting up at the scanner from a different angle, and pointed something out to Harry. „Look, ifs a full moon here as well. Bit of a coincidence.‟

„I‟ve had enough of moons to last me a lifetime,‟ grumbled Harry, but still couldn‟t stop himself smiling. „It‟s really very good to be back; he said, patting the console firmly. Then he eased his hand off gingerly, suddenly scared that he‟d hit some switch that would cause the TARDIS to take off and deposit him in the wilderness again.

Sarah gave him a quick, sisterly hug. „I‟m glad to have you back,‟ she said.

He flinched slightly from her touch, and she looked to see what the matter was. She pulled back his collar, examined the marks between shoulder and neck. „You‟re hurt; she said.

„Not much; he said.

„It