"Of course she will, Harry," the Doctor replied, closing her bedroom door gently. "She's just been through a rough time. What with the radiation from that Thal rocket, torture by Davros, Cybermat poison and everything else, it's no wonder she collapsed."
Harry nodded. "A good thing the Kaleds gave us those anti-radiation drugs." He paused, considering. "That thing you rigged up?"
"The Delta Wave augmenter?"
"That's the gizmo."
"It will give her twenty four hours of peaceful, dreamless sleep. Just what the Doctor ordered. Now come along, Harry, and stop fussing."
***
Back in the console room a light was flashing for attention.
"Aha," the Doctor commented. "Time spillage. Not the sort of thing that should be left unchecked."
"But what about the Brigadier's message?" protested Harry. "He did say it was urgent."
The Doctor grinned. "Don't forget, Harry, this is a time machine. If we wanted I could get us back before the Brigadier sent the message. Of course, that would set up a paradox. My people don't like paradoxes."
The Doctor set the co-ordinates for the cause of the time spillage and sent the TARDIS spinning through the vortex.
***
The time rotor stopped with the usual chiming sound. The Doctor operated the scanner.
The TARDIS appeared to have landed on a street corner. The Doctor checked the readings.
"Well, it's Earth, Harry. A little after we left it, though, but still Earth."
"How long after we left?" asked Harry.
"About twenty years, give or take a couple of months."
"Is it England?"
"No, it seems to be America, if I read my co-ordinates correctly."
"I suppose you're going to explore?"
The Doctor flashed that grin again. "But of course, Harry. You coming too?"
"Isn't it dangerous? You know, finding out too much about the future?"
"I won't tell the Time Lords if you don't. Come on." So saying the two of them left the TARDIS and stepped into a Texas afternoon.
