"Great." Astrea mumbled under her breath.
"What is it?" The Doctor asked curious.
"UNIT." She whispered to the Doctor. "If you need to speak to me call me Sam."
"Why?"
"Let's just say... UNIT is trying to hunt me down."
"Then why are you coming with us?" Rory questioned.
"They don't know this face." She replied with a smile.
"Ah Doctor. Thought you would come."
"Captain Erisa Magambo. Still working for UNIT."
"I am running UNIT now Doctor. Have been for the past few years."
"I see you've made a few changes."
"Had to. An alien threat destroyed the base last year. In fact have you seen this person?" Erisa showed the Doctor a picture of Astrea's first regeneration. Short blond hair and blue eyes. "She's the same species you are. A Time Lady."
"Never seen her before but I'll keep an eye out."
They were walking down a hallway following Erisa to the Trees of Cheem. They walked passed two UNIT soldiers and they recognized who Astrea was by see the same mischief in her eyes. She was behind the others and when she walked passed the two UNIT soldiers grabbed her covering her mouth so she wouldn't make a sound. One of them walked up to Erisa and told her what happened. She nodded her head in confirmation and the soldier walked off.
The Doctor looked behind him then asked, "Where's Sam?"
"She said she'll wait for you outside. That's what private Jamison was telling me a moment ago."
"Doctor. Me and Rory think somethings happened to her. She wouldn't just walk off without telling us." Amy whispered.
"I think so too."
Erisa led them to the central control room and showed them the video of the crash landing meanwhile the Doctor was thinking on how to find Astrea.
Astrea
Astrea walked past the two soldiers. She knew who they were and was hoping they didn't recognize her. Unfortunately they did. They grabbed her as soon as she walked past, covering her mouth with their hand and gave her a sedative. Her body soon went limp in their arms as they dragged her to a holding cell.
Doctor
"Can we speak to them?"
"Sure. Andrews can you bring up a few people from this species."
"Yes ma'am."
The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and sonic-ed different equipment. After a few moments he pointed it to the screen then everything shut down.
"What have you done, Doctor!"
"I have left you defenseless with no form of communication and I won't fix it until you tell me where Sam is."
"I have told you, Doctor. She is outside waiting for you three."
"No she isn't. If she was she would have told us. So let's try again. Where. Is she?"
Erisa was silent for a moment before saying. "She's in a holding cell for the safety of humanity. We can't let her out after what happened last time."
Astrea
She awoke in a cell with a pounding headache. "That's the last time I go anywhere near UNIT."
She stumbled over to the nearest wall to use it for support until she got her balance back. After a few moments she walked over to the door thinking of possible places they would go. Then it hit her "The central control room." She found her sonic in her pocket and opened the door, running to the central control room.
General
"What happened last time?"
"She blew up the entire base of UNIT."
"And I have a bloody good reason for doing that." Astrea spoke coming face to face with Erisa.
"You blew up UNIT's base!" The Doctor said surprised.
"It was the only way I could free a lot of species who were being TESTED ON."
"They were a threat to the human race."
"Oh really. Then please tell me this then. Have they came back at all to try and destroy this planet and everyone on it."
"Uh..."
"Thought so." Astrea said with a smirk on her face and walked towards the Doctor. "The Trees of Cheem are the most peaceful race you'll ever meet. They crash landed here by accident because one of their engines gave way. So either you help them or we do."
Erisa nodded to them and they all left the central control room. The Doctor turned the power back on and followed suit. Before Erisa left she radioed Private Jamison. "Astrea is leaving UNIT with the Doctor and two others. I want you to shoot one of the two Time Lords."
"Yes ma'am"
Astrea, Amy and Rory waited for the Doctor half way down the corridor then followed him out.
Private Jamison was standing two corridors down from the entrance and once he heard footsteps approaching he armed himself. Ready to shoot.
Astrea saw the tip of a gun sticking out of a corridor entrance. Her hearts quickened with fear as she pushed past Amy and Rory to get to the Doctor. "DOCTOR!" She shouted. Just as he turned around she pushed him and the last thing she heard was a gun shot.
Astrea fell to the ground, in pain, clutching her chest. She had been shot and the bullet went through her right heart.
"ASTREA!" The Doctor called out with worry. "Astrea can you hear me?" She was in pain but managed to say "The....TARDIS."
The Doctor hesitated for a second then lifted her. She screamed in pain after being lifted then the Doctor ran as fast as he could to get to her TARDIS.
He flew the TARDIS into space then ran over to her, Amy and Rory.
"The bullet went straight through her chest, Doctor. She's dying."
Tears rolled down her cheeks "Move." She whispered.
"We're not leaving you." Amy protested.
"I need you to get away from me." She said. Her breathing becoming unsteady.
"Better do as she says." The Doctor said.
"But Doctor..."
"I'll be fine."
Amy nodded and moved back with Rory to stand beside the Doctor. Astrea pulled herself up off the chair and moved near the railing. A golden light started to surround her hands then she tilted her head back, starting to regenerate.
"Doctor, what's happening?" Rory asked.
"She's regenerating."
When the golden light disappeared she collapsed. The Doctor ran over and caught her before she hit the ground. "Bit light headed there." She said with a light chuckle. "Whoa. That is weird. I sound like I'm from the North."
The Doctor helped her stand up and said "Most planets sound like their from the North."
"I know it's just I've never had a Northern accent before. It's weird."
"How is she alive Doctor. A bullet ripped through her chest not so long ago" Rory asked confused.
"Regeneration is a way Time Lord's can cheat death." The Doctor said. "By the way, how did you know about that gun?"
"Saw it at the corner of my eye and I didn't want any of you to get hurt because of me."
"Forgot to say. Blowing up UNITS's base!!"
"Like I said before they were capturing harmless lost aliens and ones that crash landed here to test on them. We have to go back and help the Trees of Cheem."
"What!? After what happened to you? I don't think so." Amy protested.
"It's only a quick stop. I know where they're being held at anyway." Before the Doctor could protest she sent the TARDIS into flight.
"We're here."
"Yea, and I think UNIT know that too." Rory commented sarcastically.
"Yes but they don't know where or who."
Astrea left the TARDIS before anything else could be said.
"Hello Jade." Astrea cheered with a smile.
"Astrea. Long time no see." Jade grinned.
"Figured you and the others needed a lift."
"Astrea, you alright?" The Doctor shouted.
"I'm fine Doctor." She called into the TARDIS. "Come along now before UNIT comes."
They made their way into the TARDIS and Astrea danced around the console, taking them home.
"Good to see you, Jade." The Doctor grinned.
"Same to you Doctor." Jade smiled. "Thank you for helping us again, Astrea. We are still grateful for last time."
Astrea was still running around the console and replied, "I told you not to worry about it."
"What did happen last time, Jade?" the Doctor questioned.
"Astrea helped free us and hundreds of other species from UNIT. At the moment they are trying to find a way to thank her for it."
"Tell them not to bother." She pulled one last lever then the TARDIS let out a low hum to indicate they have landed. "There. Back home."
"Thank you all for helping us."
"Your welcome, Jade." The Doctor said smiling before they left.
"Go ahead. Get it off your chest." Astrea spoke slightly annoyed.
"We'll leave you two to talk." Rory said taking Amy into the Doctor's TARDIS.
"Before you start we didn't mean to blow up UNIT. Sam and I only meant to distract them until we freed them all but we backed up to a console and pressed the self destruct button by accident."
"I wasn't going to say that."
Astrea still hadn't turned around from the console and when the TARDIS was drifting in space she opened the roof of the TARDIS revealing the stars. "Thank you for keeping that." She smiled patting the TARDIS console. "What were you going to say then anyway?" She turned around and caught the Doctor staring at her. "What?" She asked confused looking at her body. "What is it? What are you staring at?"
"I'm not staring. I'm admiring." he replied with a smile plastered on his face.
Astrea smiled and was blushing ferociously. She looked at the floor so the Doctor wouldn't see her blush. "Hm. Long blond hair this time and slightly curly." She looked up and asked the Doctor. "How do I look this time?" The Doctor's face reddened when he said "Extremely pretty and marvelous blue eyes with a hint of green. What did you mean by 'Thank you for keeping that?'"
"Look up." She smiled. "Also Doctor your not bad looking yourself."
The Doctor smiled back and when he looked up his face dropped in astonishment.
"Beautiful isn't it. Haven't been here in years."
"That's....amazing." He finally said chuckling halfheartedly.
Astrea sat down on the floor and lay back admiring the view. "It's more comfortable here." she grinned. Doctor looked down and saw Astrea laying on the floor looking at the stars. He saw how the stars reflected in her eyes and felt his love for her deepen. He lay down beside her and looked up. "You didn't answer my question by the way."
"What was that?"
"What were you going to say that wasn't about UNIT blowing up."
The Doctor turned his head to look at her. "Why did you take the bullet for me? You know I'm a Time Lord and can regenerate, so why bother?"
"You don't deserve to get shot for what I did and I've seen too many deaths already. Also it would be weird seeing you change."
"And how do you think I feel about you changing. I know I've only known you for five days but it feels like I've known you longer."
Astrea turned her head and looked into the Doctor's eyes and saw a man that cared so much about others and had experienced a lot of pain. A small tear rolled down her cheek unnoticed.
"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked with concern.
"Hm."
"Your crying. What's wrong?" he asked again soothingly lifting his hand and wiping away the tear.
"Huh, so I am." she chuckled lightly. "Its just it's all so beautiful." she lied looking back up to the stars. She was thinking on how much she loved the Doctor and felt sympathetic for him thinking of everything he might have been through. Including the Time War.
The Doctor spoke in a soothing voice. "I know that's not it but if you don't want to say then that's OK."
The Doctor looked up and closed his eyes to think. A few minutes passed before he opened his eyes again. "Astrea."
"Yea"
The Doctor was dreading the response he'd get after what he is going to say. "I've only known you for a few days but I uh....I love you."
Astrea froze and held her breath for a few seconds. Did he just say what I think he said. She turned her head and replied with a smile on her face "I love you too and have done for the past few days."
The Doctor gave a sigh of relief and smiled back before leaning in and kissed her. When they kissed everything around them seemed to have melted away. They broke apart for breath and looked up at the stars again, holding hands, and stayed like that for the next few hours. The Doctor tilted his head to look at Astrea and found her asleep. He got up and lifted Astrea, putting her on the sunset coloured jump seat. He took off his tweed blazer and put it over her like a blanket. The Doctor kissed her forehead then left to go to his own TARDIS.