Inside, Owens house, Kitchen, Night...

The Doctor was playing mad scientist, mixing up something on the table as the cybermat rested beside him. Lexi had her arms folded on the table in front of her as she herself stared down at the cybermat.

"I'm going down the shops, we've run out of milk. You know what to do if he cries." Craig said, tossing the intercom at the Doctor, him catching it.

"No!" The Doctor quickly looked up.

"Me neither." Craig replied from the hallway before exiting the house and shutting the door.

Alfie's crying then suddenly started up again.

"Why don't I see what I can do." Lexi said, getting up from the table.

The Doctor just watched her exit the kitchen before going back to what he had been doing.

Inside, Owens house, Alfie's room...

Above Alfie's crib was a soft mobile of the moon and stars. As it turned, it played music and projected stars onto the ceiling. Lexi stepped cautiously into the room.

"Hello, Stormy." Lexi whispered, smiling. "What seems to be the problem?"

Lexi picked up a small stuffed bunny and tried to get the baby's attention.

"Not really that amusing, is it?" Lexi questioned, glancing at the small stuffed bunny before tossing it over her shoulder and looking back to Alfie. "Do you want to be held, is that it?"

She then reached inside the crib and carefully lifted Alfie from it.

"You know..." Lexi began as she lightly bounced the baby up and down as she walked around the room. "I've never really been around babies any time during my life. Well, except when me and my sister were babies ourselves. I got to hold my niece once, though. Just once. Then stuff happened. It was a bad day. But, it was also just a tiny bit good as well. I got to meet my children. Well, I had already met them but didn't know they were my children at the time. Not until that day. Ever since I found out who they were, there's been this almost indescribable feeling of... happiness inside me. But, there's also been this feeling of dread as well, I think. With everything that's going on I don't know if I'll ever actually get to raise them." Lexi sighed, glancing down at Alfie to see him just staring up at her, like he was taking in her every word. She smiled at him, kissing him on the top of the head. "You're lucky, you know. You've got your whole life ahead of you. You can do anything you want to. I wanted to escape my boring life in a little village called Leadworth. And I can tell you, Alfie, that I have done exactly that. And so much more."

"You know, you're really good with him." A familiar voice commented from behind her. "You're a natural."

Lexi turned around and saw the Doctor leaning against the doorframe.

"How long have you been standing there?" She questioned as she adjusted Alfie in her arms.

"Long enough." He replied, pushing off the doorframe and walking over to her. He gently caressed Alfie's head as he leaned over him and kissed Lexi on the forehead. "You'd make a great mother."

"Thank you." Lexi smiled, glancing down at Alfie before looking back to the Doctor.

He smiled back at her before looking down at Alfie. "She's right, you know. You've got a lot to look forward to. A normal human life on Earth. Mortgage repayments, the nine to five, a persistent nagging sense of spiritual emptiness. Save the tears for later, boyo. Oh, no!" He rubbed his forehead as Alfie and Lexi watched him. "That was crabby. No, that was old! But I am old. I am so old. So near the end."

"But maybe you're not." Lexi said softly as she rubbed Alfie's back while holding him. "There's a whole universe of possibilities out there. Maybe one of them will work in your favor."

"Oh, if only it were that easy, Lex." The Doctor sighed, smiling sadly at her before going and wrapping his arms around her from behind before he laid his chin on her shoulder to stare down at Alfie while he was nestled in Lexi's arms. "But you know something, Alfie Owens? You are so young. And, you know, right now, everything's ahead of you. Just like Lexi said, you could be anything. You could walk among the stars. They don't actually look like that, you know, they are rather more impressive." He said before pulling away from Lexi and using the sonic and making the projection coming from the little mobile become more realistic of space. "Yeah! You know, Alfie, when I was little like you, I dreamt of the stars. I think it's fair to say, in the language of your age, that I lived my dream. I owned the stage, gave it a 110%. I hope you have as much fun as I did, Alfie..."

"You certainly have had some adventures, haven't you?" Lexi gave a small smile as Alfie laid his head on her shoulder.

"Ha, yeah..." The Doctor agreed softly. "But you know, Alfie, your dad is trying his best." He told the infant, who lifted his head from Lexi's shoulder and made a little noise. "Yes, I know. It's not his fault he doesn't have mammary glands. And no, neither do I!" He exclaimed before quieting when he heard... something coming from the doorway. "Alfie, why is there a sinister beeping coming from behind us?"

"Doctor..." Lexi began slowly as they turned around cautiously and saw the cybermat at the doorway, chomping its mouth.

"Oh, no you don't." The Doctor growled, using the sonic. "Come on, Lexi, Alfie. Run! It's only stunned!"

Inside, Owens house, Kitchen...

Lexi quickly hurried down the stairs with Alfie's blanket wrapped around him as the Doctor ran behind them before they all ran through the kitchen to the door.

"It's going to be okay." The Doctor assured. "Good. We're going to go outside. Don't worry about it."

The Doctor opened the door but dropped the sonic as Lexi ran past him with Alfie in her arms, the door locking behind them once they were outside.

Inside, Owens house, Front hall...

"I'm back!" Craig called out as he returned home, setting down his mobile and keys. He didn't notice the mobile as it started buzzing with an incoming call.

Outside, Owens house, Back garden...

"Come on, Craig, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up!" The Doctor muttered as he was on his mobile while Lexi placed Alfie in his little swing.

Inside, Owens house...

"Doctor? Lexi?" Craig called as he checked the rooms for the two people.

Inside, Owens house, Kitchen...

Craig went into the kitchen and put away the milk. But as he turned around, the cybermat attacked, flying for his throat. The power of the attack knocked Craig to the floor, but he was able to hold back the gnashing teeth

Outside, Owens house, Back garden...

"Craig, don't worry, Alfie is fine, but on no account enter the house." The Doctor spoke into his mobile as Lexi made sure Alfie was safely in the swing before turning around, eye widening at what she saw through the window.

"Doctor..." She stated slowly.

"Doctor!" Craig's voice came from inside, making the Doctor turn around and see him fighting the cybermat.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor exclaimed, pocketing his phone.

"Help me!" Craig shouted.

The Doctor spit on his hands before rubbing them together.

"What are you about to do?" Lexi questioned, tilting her head in suspicion.

"This." He replied before running and jumping through the glass door.

Surprised, Lexi quickly followed after him through the now broken glass door.

Inside, Owens house, Kitchen...

Craig was sill holding the cybermat away from his neck. "Where's Alfie?! Where's Alfie?!"

"He's safe, he's safe!" The Doctor assured, getting the sonic.

"Get it off me!" He exclaimed.

"I have to find the right frequency, shut it down!"

"Kill it!"

"All right, all right, all right! MOVE!" The Doctor shouted, picking up a pot from the table and hitting the cybermat, sending it skidding across the floor. As Craig got up the cybermat launched itself at Lexi's throat, knocking her to the ground only about a foot away from the broken door glass.

"Might wanna find that setting now, Doctor!" Lexi shouted at him, trying to keep the cybermat away from herself. "Get the baking tray!"

With timing, Lexi threw it to the floor just as Craig covered it and held it down with a baking tray. The Doctor standing ready with the sonic.

"Hold it down!" The Doctor shouted, pointing the sonic and trying to use it.

"Get on with it!" Lexi exclaimed as she got up off the floor.

"Ah, it must be shielded from metastatic energy!" He realized. "Of course!"

"Yeah, of course!" Lexi rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, I have an app for that." The Doctor said as he messed with the sonic. "Stand back, both of you. Stand back!"

Craig and Lexi each took a step back as the Doctor fired at the cybermat, 'killing' it.

"Success!" He exclaimed, smiling. "That was amazing, you both must be really, really strong. That thing should have had you easy."

"Is it definitely dead?" Craig questioned, trying to get his breathing under control.

"Is it? 'Cause that'd be nice." Lexi agreed.

"Inactive, yes." He told them. "Technically never been alive. It was 'playing possum' before, to take us by surprise. Bravo." He compliment, clapping his hands.

"Whoo!" Craig exclaimed, closing his eyes and breathing deep before remembering and rushing outside... "Alfie!"

Inside, Owens house, Living room...

The Doctor was sitting on the couch and working on the cybermat, using a loupe as Lexi sat on a love-seat across from him.

"I'm knackered." Craig yawned as he held Alfie. "That thing was eating up the electricity."

"And transmitting it up to the Cybership. But why?" The Doctor wondered. "Why do they need power, why are those conversions not complete yet, and what are they doing up there?"

"You did say you were going to look at its brain." Lexi reminded him, leaning forward with her chin resting in her palm.

"I had to wipe its brain." He replied. "Now I can reprogram it, and we can use it as a weapon against them."

"The Cybermat came after us?" Craig questioned as he sat down on the couch next to the Doctor.

"No, after me and Lexi." The Doctor corrected.

"They sent it after us?" He questioned again.

"No. After me and Lexi." The Doctor corrected again. "Because of me, you and Alfie nearly died." He took the loupe from his eye and looked over at Lexi. "It came after you as well, Lex, 'cause you were with me." He told her, looking back and forth from her to Craig. "Do you still feel safe with me?"

"You can't help who your mates are." Craig shrugged.

"No! I am a stupid and selfish man." The Doctor said, sighing. "Always have been. I should have made you go, I should never have come here."

"Don't give us any of that." Lexi shook her head. "I came with you because I wanted to. True, you invited me. But, do you think I would've come if hadn't wanted to?"

"Exactly." Craig agreed with her. "And besides, what would have happened if you hadn't come? Who else knows about Cybermen and teleports?"

"I put people in danger." He insisted.

"Stop beating yourself up!" Craig told him. "If it wasn't for you this whole planet would be an absolute ruin."

The Doctor put down the cybermat. "Craig, very soon I won't be here. Lexi knows this. I know she does." He said as he looked over at her. "No matter if you say it or not... my time is running out. I don't mean Exedor. Silence will fall when the question is asked. Don't even know what the question is. Always knew I'd die still asking. Thing is, it's tomorrow. Can't put it off any more. I'm sorry. Tomorrow is the day I..." He trailed of, looking over to see Craig and Alfie both asleep.

Lexi smiled wistfully and sighed. She stood, grabbing a blanket from beside her before going and covering Craig and Alfie with it.

The Doctor smiled at the sight, going and following Lexi into the kitchen.

Outside, Owens house, Day...

The Doctor closed the door gently behind him as he and Lexi walked away from the house.

The Doctor held the cybermat and a remote control.

"Safe mode. Clever me. Come along, Bitey." He said, petting the cybermat as he and Lexi left.

"You named the cybermat?" Lexi giggled.

The Doctor just gave her a small smile and shrugged.

Inside, Owens house, Living room...

Craig woke with the sun in his eyes, Sophie's voice on the answer phone.

"So I'll be back about ten, 'cause Melina's totally gone off on one, she's going to kill David Jenkins. I'm stupid to worry, I know. I can't wait to get home. Love you, Craig! Love you, Alfie!"

Craig stood and noticed that the cybermat, the Doctor and Lexi were all missing.

"Oh, no, no, no! Doctor? Lexi?"

Inside, Owens house, Kitchen...

Craig entered the kitchen, looking for the duo. He noticed a note in silver ink on blue paper on the fridge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Craig,

Gone to shop. Cybermen. Sorry. Goodbye.

~The Doctor & Lexi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Craig's eyes widened.

"You idiots!"