A/N: Oh gosh, I really am terrible, aren't I? Four days went by since the last update. Whoops :P I can't promise daily updates anymore, I think I'm going to try for at least twice a week, but I will try to make the updates long, like this one. I haven't had time to edit it, so I'm probably going to take it down and repost it. But for now, enjoy! :3

Rebecca stuck the fork into the cake and shoved it into her mouth. It really wasn't that bad - if you ignored the slightly gummy texture and the sheer amount of chewing it took to break it down enough to be able to swallow. Still good. She weaved in and across the pavement, purposefully hopping over the cracks like she used to do in London. Landing particularly hard on one heel, she wobbled slightly before righting herself. She was worried about the Doctor. He could sometimes do idiotic things if he was worried. And she knew he felt guilty about the big reveal.

He shouldn't have, though. After numerous crazy adventures, she was now surprisingly capable of taking things in her stride. It was the punishment of being a time traveller, she supposed. It just tended to put everything into perspective. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a suspicious looking woman walking into a bar.

Call it a sixth sense - she wasn't supposed to be here. Rebecca looked closer, narrowing her eyes. The woman looked military, her boots were heavy and clumped across the pavement. Her great coat was tied tightly around her middle, and the wind yanked at the flaps, pulling it back and revealing a holster and a sheath. Trying to appear casual, Rebecca leaned against a brick wall and watched the bar on the opposite side. The woman stopped, and looked from side to side nervously, and slipped into the bar.

Following her lead, Rebecca darted across the street, ignoring the honks of the busy street. She got to the other side quickly, but her foot caught on the curb and she went sprawling. She landed on her side, hard, and the asphalt scraped at her cheek. Wincing, she wiped at her tongue, picking off bits of gravel. Her clumsiness would be the death of her. Suddenly, a gunshot came from the bar, and Rebecca ran inside, pushing past the flow of people.

Of course. Of course it would be the Doctor. He stood under a bright light looking slightly confused. Whisky was nowhere to be seen, however. Glancing to the side, she spied the people who were too scared to dash out. The little boy sat under a table, eyes wide. His pants were wet, and he was trembling with fear. Crouching, Rebecca reached for his hand.

The small, sweaty palm hit hers, and she yanked him out. Lifting him by the elbows, she turned around, and heard a click.

"Right now, I have a gun to your head. It's pretty strong, yeah? It will blow your brains out. Don't run after me. Stay here and help the friend you came looking for."

"Help? Wh-" Rebecca started turning her head to the side as far as she dared. The woman also turned, and pulled out her gun. Everything seemed to slow down.

The little boy ran out, ignored by all.

The shot resounded, echoing through the empty bar.

A wave of heat emanated from the gun.

It was too fast, the bullet. Too fast to see.

The light illuminated the Doctor, and the too-fast bullet collided, hitting the too-slow target.

Everything sped up. He collapsed, screaming. The little boy's footsteps became inaudible. Sirens wailed from outside. The woman swept out without a backward glance. The gun was holstered, and Rebecca ran to the Doctor, stumbling over her own two feet.

"Doctor!" she landed on her knees next to him. He held his injured leg out, and he was bent over, teeth gritted. Blood seeped from his calf and onto the floor. The bullet had gone through; his slacks were torn on both sides. His teeth were gritted, and his eyes were closed. Rebecca nearly vomited; the metallic tinge of blood stained the air and sickened her.

"She has Whisky" he whispered, grabbing her hand.

"WHAT?" Filled with anger, she stood. Whisky, the dog she'd been with since she was eleven. Slept on, cuddled with, fed under the table, trained. Loved. Looking down at the Doctor, she didn't feel pity. Truth be told, she felt a bit angry. Whisky was now with a murderous alien woman with two guns and what looked like a Samurai sword.

"Take the sonic" he drew something out of his pocket, grimacing, and then flicked a few buttons. Rebecca grabbed it and ran out with scarcely a backward glance.

"Don't mind me! I've just been shot!" the Doctor muttered to himself as the police stormed the building.

Rebecca weaved in and out through the streets. The police had just arrived right outside, but the key was to walk normally. Swallowing, she swept along, coat fluttering in the wind. As soon as she was away from the squad cars, she drew the sonic out of her pocket, and looked at it. As she watched, a beeping came from the end. Looking up, she turned into a side road. The beeping faded slightly. Smiling to herself, she held it aloft. It began beeping louder when she held her arm to the east. The Doctor was tracking her, with the beeping of the sonic as a tracker.

Her footsteps beat a statacco on the cement, she ran as quickly as possible. The sonic lead through some crazy roads and alleyways, the sights were peculiar to say the least. She met two people arguing about what was more important: climate change or twinkies. Normally, she would have smacked the idiot in the face with his twinkie, but today she was on a mission.

The beeping grew ever louder, and she burst into a field. In the centre, rocking back and forth slightly was an egg shaped ship. It was beautifully painted, stars and nebulas and black holes swept together with a skilful hand and a brush. The sight was breathtaking - even though the woman was a murderous lunatic, she was a talented artist. Even though it was dark, the bright stars still shone a brilliant white. As she made her way through the wheat, she heard barking. Whisky. Breaking out into a run, she reached the door and yanked it open.

The alien stood over the dog, yelling at him. The stupid arse just looked up and barked. As soon as he spied Rebecca, however, he bounded over ad hid behind her legs.

"Who are you." She reached down to stroke Whisky's ear gently.

"How did you find me" the woman shot back. "I'm Aniesse."

"Alien tech" she held the screwdriver aloft "Why did you kidnap my dog?"

"How can you speak my language" she narrowed her bright blue eyes "Because he is the Doctor."

"Again, alien tech." Rebecca furrowed her brow "And what do you mean he's the Doctor? You shot the Doctor in his calf."

"BAH!" A metallic hiss and Aniesse had drawn her sword, pointing it at Rebecca "You lie."

"Um, no. I don't lie that much. And get that sword away from my face. Might not be fabulous, but I quite like it, thanks." She held her glare.

"Prove it. My honour rests upon this. I have been cast out, forgotten. I cannot let that continue." Aniesse's gaze softened, and she looked down. "The bowtie, it must be."

"The bowtie?" Rebecca looked down at Whisky quizzically, then burst out laughing. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

"Why do you laugh, human? WHY?" The metal came to a rest on Rebecca's shoulder, an inch from her throat. A warning. However, Rebecca could care less. Shrugging the sword off, she sat on the floor cross legged, and leaned on the open trapdoor.

"Tell me your story, Aniesse."

"What?"

"Tell me your story. Why you need the Doctor. What you're going to do with him. Because that isn't the Doctor, that is my dog. A pet. The Doctor took of his bowtie-"

"The one soaked with time energy?" the alien's tone was filled with awe.

"Yes, I suppose so."

"Well, it all started back in Yastrignah, my home planet. My race is formally known as 'The Bringers of Squeals' and informally as.... A 'fangirl'"

"What now?" Rebecca snorted.

"Well, it all started about a hundred years ago, when my mum was but a child. The Doctor came to visit our land, and he saved our planet from destruction. Since then, our race has worshiped him as the saver of worlds."

"I... Well, I'm actually not surprised" Rebecca stroked Whisky's back and he leaned on her, putting his head in her lap.

"The thing is, I can never remember any of those tales. I never allowed myself to believe that there was a superior entity who could come and save us. Destiny and Gods are myths to me. Vague forms which are impossible to flesh out. It may sound egoistical - but I cannot fathom worshipping someone who cannot give me the time of day, or utter a word in my direction, or even blow a leaf to suggest that he is there."

Rebecca wondered at this, it echoed with much of what she thought about religion, and God as a whole. And the Doctor, he was a God to them. To a race who was advanced enough to travel through space - Aniesse was here after all. He could destroy worlds and create them and fix them, all depending on his mood. And he was practically immortal. He was practically a God. But it didn't reassure Rebecca, or make her feel better. It made her feel like a child, tiny and insignificant. Nobody should really have that power, and after all it all boiled down to a machine and a magic wand. Is that really all it took to be a God?

"To me, it was designed as a last resort, something that is designed to give people hope after they think all is lost. Nobody should rely on Gods, or Doctors, or worship them. We create our own destiny, and nothing, not even some superior entity can dictate that." Aniesse finished sadly, looking down.

"You may wonder why I tell you all of this. After all, I barely know you. But the truth is, everybody knows about what I think. I told everyone who would listen, but would never make fun of them or condemn them. For everyone has the right to their own opinion - no matter how wrong you think they may be"

"Amen sister" Rebecca smiled at her.

"I wish all were as accepting as you. For I was cast out for my lack of belief. And now I chase a myth across the stars. Through rivers and forests I traverse. Rivers and forests. A God, who may or may not be real. Guess what? I can no longer create my own destiny, and I believe as a last resort." Green whorls of skin rose around her cheeks and spread over her whole body, and she trembled with emotion. Rebecca supposed it was the Fangirl equivalent of crying.

"All those paintings..."

"Everywhere I've ever been. Come, I must show you something." She stood, and exited, with Rebecca in tow. Crouching down, she pointed at a tiny white space. It was wedged between a galaxy and a star. A tiny black spot in the tiny portion of the universe that Aniesse had seen in her tiny ship.

"I'm running out of space, human."

"Rebecca. Call me Rebecca" she gave a watery smile. "And... He does exist."

"What?" Aniesse rose.

"But he's not a God. He's an idiot. And somebody let him get at a time machine. And he's sorta clever. But that's about it."

"Not a God, huh. Well, I did shoot him" A smirk flitted across her face.

"That, you did. Kinda mean, don't you think? I suppose I should avenge his... injury?" Rebecca scratched her head.

"No need."

"Of course you would say that!" She laughed. "Do you... want to-"

"Meet him? No. I'll be off. It's better for some things to... retain their mystery." Aniesse smirked, then hopped into her space ship. "Perhaps I am being a coward. Perhaps I am being childish. Perhaps I just want to hold on to my hope for a little while longer."

"Oh. Okay." Rebecca stepped back. Then, a thought occurred to her. Bending down, she took the bowtie off of Whisky's collar. He had actually calmed down, and now sat by her feet. She threw it into the ship, and the red cloth fluttered to the floor. Aniesse picked it up and looked at her, a question in her eyes.

"In case you ever want to find us. I suppose you could use it to go back to your planet and prove your 'worth, but I doubt you'd do that."

"I won't. Goodbye, Rebecca." Aniesse smiled, and entered her ship. Rebecca began walking back to the city, it was a few kilometres away. The engines started, and the exhaust blew patterns into the grass. A crop circle. Rebecca laughed, and jogged back to the city.

An hour or so later she stood, with the Doctor and her parents in their home.

"So let me get this straight. An alien shot the Doctor in the foot, and you went after it, and convinced it to leave. And the Doctor is now magically healed." Rebecca's mum put a bag of tea in a mug of boiling water.

"Yes. And-" Rebecca started.

"You're travelling with him for a while. And-"

"You missed the bit where I'm an alien!" The Doctor grinned, and munched on a biscuit.

"Tea and biscuits. So British. Much too normal." Rebecca's father shook his head, and wiped his glasses on his vest.

"Chamomile. Calming. Soothing." Rebecca's mum rubbed her temples. "Is it always that dangerous? All shootings and crop circles?"

Rebecca pondered how to answer. It seemed like her family had just introduced a new policy of not lying to each other about major things, so... "Yes."

"Can I stop you?" Her parents asked together.

"No." She replied, and turned to the Doctor "If he'll have me, of course."

"Obviously! Even if you left me to die." He made a face.

"It was your calf!" she shot back.

"Stop" her dad held up a hand "Stop bickering. Just one question. Why?"

"I get to help people, dad! I get to save lives and people and aliens and see so, so much! And I become a better person every single day and I learn and I see wonders and"

Rebecca stopped blathering, and remembered her English literature classes.

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."