She went up the the few wooden stairs as light and swift as she'd ever been.  There was her Doctor.  Oh, it was a face she did not recognize, but by now that meant next to nothing to her.  It was her Doctor, and her TARDIS.  And what a handsome old man he was.  In the back of her mind, she felt a touch of relief.  She was happy with the idea that he may have been cavorting around the Universe for decades without being killed by his favorite pastime of saving the Universe.

The Doctor's hands reached for her, and she reached for his, sliding her grip into his.  The joy of it all was written on her face.

"Hello, Doctor." Sarah Jane said in such a tone that belayed any unfamiliarly with his current face, showing it mattered not to her. "I knew you'd come."

Oh, those hands in hers.  If there had been even the slightest doubt, the way their hands held each other made reality clear.  Above all, she knew those hands.  And she knew the way he said her name like none other.  Those blue eyes that held a sweet endlessness were like no other.

It was a good thing he led her in by both hands.  She was busy looking everywhere.  Everywhere.  He'd brought the Library right in to the control room.  An excellent choice as far as she was concerned.  How many times had they raced the corridors from the Library to the Control Room, often ending up a shake and a shiver too late?  Well, this was certainly two birds with one stone.
Sarah Jane was absolutely charmed by the random chalk boards that were dotted here and there about, covered in endless and precise equations. 

She followed him to the control console and pointedly dd not tease him for it's size and elaborate design.  Did they just keep getting more impressive?  Did this mean that the incredibly dapper fellow before her was the latest incarnation of her dear friend?  It seemed just little untoward.

Sarah Jane had the urge to go to the Wardrobe and see what the TARDIS might have set out for her, but honestly it would only be for old time's sake.  She felt quite dramatic and lovely in the dress she was wearing.

"Somewhere with a double sun.  I miss that.  And fine seafood, with a good view of course."

With a last hard squeeze she let the Doctor go to get to his work.  All too familiar with this mode of travel, she did take a grip on the rail around the controls.

It was a gear shift of sorts.  It always had been even in the many incarnations of the TARDIS that she had seen.  It was easily recognizable to her.  It only really had two gears though.  Stillness and Chaos.  Sarah Jane flashed the Doctor a smile with the most even teeth in England and shifted the lever with a hum and a thrill.  When the structure above the control column began to spin and whir, she let out a delighted laugh and tossed a wealth of chestnut dark hair away from her face.

Chaos, perhaps, but somehow she doubted it.  Not only had she known her old friend would come for her this night, she was also certain enough that he'd keep them out of trouble that she'd worn her best party dress and some rather fancy shoes.

Every once in a while, he got it right, and she dare say that tonight would be one of luxury instead of some sort of conundrum.  It was then that she took a moment to really get a look at him.

He was dapper as hell, and she rather thought they seemed of an age though he had certainly gone grey before her.  The Doctor had quite a lean grace to him, and a spark in his bright blue eyes that were ageless and endless all at once.  Such fierce eyebrows!  And for the first time in decades he seemed to be wearing sensible clothes (sans cape).

"It sounds lovely.  Thanks for the spin, Doctor." she beamed at him, hanging on in case the ride got rough.  She wasn't worried about that though, she'd learn to fly with the TARDIS with the skill some learned to surf.

Who had hurt him, she wondered.  Something, or someone.  She could see it in his face.  Right this moment, however, he was as lost as she in the moment.  Bubbles of laughter came from her as the top of the time column began to spin, it's glyphs spelling out something that not even the TARDIS would translate for her.  The ride was smoother than she remembered, though there were still rhythmic swells one needed to account for.

The Doctor's eyes were sparkling.  He reminded her so much of the Doctor when they first met, all long lines, grey hair, and indomitable personality.  He bragged away, to her delight.

"Luke is as much trouble as I ever was.  He's  . . . .he is my joy.  But this . . ." She flashed him a brilliant smile.  "This is my dream.  Oh, thank you for coming.  Just don't let me eat anything with a post office box, eh, Doctor"

It all sounded a bit damp. More than damp.  Sarah Jane suspected she'd be surrounded by ocean.  Swimming was not her forte, but on the Doctor's arm on a night like tonight, she figured she'd be keeping her panty hose dry.

And if not, what the hell.

She had noticed that he did not have another companion aboard, and she was slightly concerned, but the Doctor seemed to be enjoying the evening as much as her, so she let it slide for the moment. 

As the Doctor made his way around the console, Sarah Jane walked in slow counterpoint, letting her fingers trail around the edges in admiration of it's construction.  It was a smooth ride.  Large swells easy to manage even in her fancy shoes.  A thrill ran through her when she felt the TARDIS land.  That moment of near weightlessness followed by a dip that made her take good hold and a broad smile take her face.

In just that moment, they could be anywhere.  Anywhere.  She was ready for a bit of pampering right now, and rather hoped they'd landed on Aquilia, but frankly just about anywhere would do.  She was ready to just fling open the door and go out, but the Doctor stopped to check, his face lighting up, and his tone more than pleased.  

"Well done." She said to him with a pride.  Pride she'd learned to show with Luke.  It had always been her want to tease the Doctor at such times, but Luke had taught her how rewarding it was to share with him how proud of him she was.  Oh, back in the early days, she'd given the Doctor grins and taps and the like, but now she'd learned how to say the words.

Sarah Jane had been flying on faith since the Doctor told her they were going to a water world.  She was not particularly good at swimming.  Or breathing water.  When he came to carefully apply her pin and explain it, a slight shade of worry she'd had melted away.

"There's my gadget man." She said fondly, studying his expressive eyes.  How old was he now?  For all his sparkle and grace, she would have thought him a young man, but his eyes were indeed very, very old.  Well, someday she'd catch up with him, but not today.  She took his arm lightly. 

"Now is it time to thank you?" She asked, just before the door opened.  When it did, she was drawn forward by breathless beauty, stepping out onto tufted grass.  They'd emerged out of a stand of something like soaring trees, but they looked more like succulents, leaves thick and bulbous, heavy and translucent green in the suns shine.  Oh, those double suns.  One was just a touch more orange than Earth's sun, the other palest blue.  With those two suns, shading in warm and cool, everything seemed so starkly, sharply, deeply lit.  Super real as she looked at it.  Sarah Jane held tightly now to the Doctor's arm as she drew in a deep deep breath.  Salt.  Sand.  Cooking meat.  Clean fire.  She could hear laughter not to far away.

"Oh, Doctor, it's perfect." Sarah Jane said, near breathlessly.

Sarah Jane slipped out of her shoes and left them in the sand.

She walked along, her arm linked with her friend's, not bothering to watch her feet for the Doctor's gentle guidance gave her the confidence to simply look around and let the beauty of it all sink in.

"Och, don't be silly." she patted his hand. "You might not remember, but I do. We've had more good times than bad." she said low and slow to let it sink in. Poor bloke to have forgotten. It didn't worry her too much, she was used to having a Time Lord as a friend, someone who came to her often in a new body, with a new face and in some ways a new personhood, but to her he was always the Doctor.


When they reached the restaurant and she heard what the Maitre d' had to say, she quickly realized that her friend had pulled some sort of time caper to get them reservations. It wasn't as if he'd known where they were going when the TARDIS had first groaned it's way into her attic. It was quite the compliment. Moreso even than what the Maitre d' had to say about her. Privately, she was quite comfortable about people fawning over her. They always had, even without the Doctor's input. Still, she was flattered he'd taken the time to make a reservation for them after the fact. Usually, she felt she was out of sight out of mind for him, which worked out well for them both.

"Right on Time." She agreed with a low chuckle, and shared a knowing glance with her friend. Sarah Jane let herself be seated, and immediately leaned back hard in her chair to appreciate the setting suns. In her heart, in this moment, she could feel each and every incarnation of the Doctor sitting across from her. Well, at least of the eight she knew. And here was the ninth.

"This is just what I was hoping for." she nearly purred, then she sat up and looked at him. She didn't know it, but in her face was the same earnest young woman from decades ago. "Will we have time to explore after dinner? I'd so like to see more."

Ever so briefly, her teeth bit down on her lower lip, then freed it, hope in her eyes. "Do you have time?"