"So, Johnny," said the girl to her companion, "Was it all you thought it would be?"

"What?" asked Johnny, "England? Heck, yeah, it was great! But, I, ah, still say you guys all talk funny, though!"

The girl slugged his arm good naturedly.

"Ow!"

"We do not!" she said, "You talk funny!"

"No, you're wrong there, Ace! You talk funny. I talk normal!"

"Do not!"

"Do, too!"

"Do not!"

"Alright, alright!" A second tall dark-haired man, older than the first, approached them. "Knock it off, you two!"

"Sorry, Cap!" Johnny and Ace apologized, but really didn't mean it.

Captain Stanley shook his head, and walked away to join the rest of Station 51s A-shift, along with Dr. Kelly Brackett and Dr. Steven Langford as they filed out of the TARDIS, and gathered on the lawn beside the blue Police Box. Last to emerge was a man, known only as the Doctor, walking slowly, and smiling; calm, and serene. He looked around the park, taking in the scene where it had all began.

It seemed like so long ago, he and Ace had arrived at this small city park, desperately in need of help. They got help all right. Help from these amazing people who refused to turn their backs on someone in need. Blindly, unquestioningly risking their own lives for others. His gaze landed on his travelling companion Ace and the handsome young fireman/paramedic Johnny Gage, who had nearly paid the ultimate price for following that desire to save people from immanent danger, regardless of what that danger is. The Doctor was grateful that the young man himself had been recovered, although the method by which his life had been saved left much to be desired, and he would have to have another long chat with Ace regarding the dangers of explosives. He had intended to have the same chat with Ace's most recent partner in crime, the fireman Chet Kelly, but Captain Stanley, assured the Doctor he would deal with 'The Phantom' himself. The Doctor's gaze scanned the rest of the people he'd met on this latest adventure: Johnny's paramedic partner Roy DeSoto, Dr. Kelly Brackett and his colleague Dr. Steven Langford, also recently returned to the land of the living, as well as the other firemen: The now-infamous Chet Kelly, his friend, Marco Lopez, and Mike Stoker, the quiet engineer with whom the Doctor now exchanged a nod and grin.

Unassuming people all, but brave, strong, and admirable as well. The Doctor was proud to count them all as friends, as well as travelling companions for a brief time: The Doctor had decided a holiday was in order after their ordeal, and Ace had insisted they take everyone to visit her home country of England, as she had once promised Johnny. Now their new friends were back home, and it was time for them to go. Not straightaway, of course, but in a little while. The Doctor moved over to the same tree he'd sat under before, feeling much better this time than the last, and enjoyed watching his new friends converse.

An hour later, Ace and the Doctor were ready to leave. Where they were going, they didn't know, but it would definitely be some place peaceful and relaxing. Dr. Langford insisted the Doctor take it easy for a while, and the Doctor assured him he would. Despite making a remarkable recovery from open-heart surgery, due to his alien biology, he's said, the Doctor was still vulnerable, and needed time to heal.

Ace and the Doctor exchanged thank you's and fair well wishes with each of their new friends. Ace paused by Johnny; his winning smile faded from his face.

"I really don't know how to thank you," he said seriously. "Or Chet, for that matter! He'll be impossible to work with!" The crooked grin returned briefly accompanied by a brief chuckle, then faded again. "Seriously. I don't know what to say . . ."

"No, you don't have to say anything," Ace said, "I'm sorry! I'm the one that got you killed in the first place!"

Johnny shook his head. "No. I knew what I was doing, Ace. At least I thought I did. I guess I had no idea what I was dealing with."

They went quiet for a moment, each looking down examining their shoes.

"I'm glad you're alright, Johnny," Ace said quietly.

"Yeah, me, too!" Johnny looked up at her, grinning slightly. "Although I don't remember any of it, I'm sure I didn't like being dead!"

Ace returned his smile. She was glad he didn't remember it, and wished she could forget as well. She wouldn't though. Even though Johnny was alright now, she knew she would never forget the sight of this handsome young man as a shrunken deformed corpse.

Johnny could see her concern. He reached up, cupping her face with his hands.

"Hey," he whispered. "I'm fine! Thanks to you, and thanks to Chet, I've got a second chance. I really . . . I really . . ."

He fought to find the words, but they wouldn't come. Finally, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, and pulled her into a brief embrace.

"Your welcome," Ace's voice was muffled against Johnny's shirt, but he heard her, and smiled. He released her, and they stepped apart.

With a final glance, Ace moved towards the TARDIS. She paused by Chet, and have him a quick hug, and a peck on the cheek before entering the TARDIS. Chet turned bright red and enjoyed the friendly ribbing his got from his colleagues. Ace and the Doctor stepped inside the TARDIS and closed the door. After a moment, the light on top of the blue Police Box began flashing, and a mechanical groan issued forth. The Police Box began to fade, and soon was gone, the sound and flashing light fading until nothing remained but an empty space.

"Well, guys, I think we have just enough time for a cup or two of coffee before our shift," Captain Stanley said glancing at his watch. "Remember, we've got a restaurant fire coming up in a couple hours."

The Doctor's TARDIS had managed to bring the group back to their home just before the start of their shift the day before.

"We'd better get back to the hospital ourselves," Dr. Brackett said, turning to Dr. Langford in time to see him nod in agreement. "We'll see you guys later."

The men turned and walked away, except Johnny, who continued to stare at the space where the TARDIS had been. It had been wild ride, that's for sure! He had lied to everyone about how much he actually remembered about the his encounter with the Master, happy he did so since it seemed to make everyone else feel better. But the reality was he did remember. All of it. He remembered the look in the Master's eye when he fired that weapon - what had Ace called it? The Tissue Compression Eliminator? Something like that - at him. He'd never seen such pure evil in his whole life. He'd never felt such extreme pain as when that beam hit him, enveloped him and crushed him. Crushing the air out of his lungs, crushing his skull . . .

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and jumped.

"Dammit, Roy, you scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry," Roy said sheepishly. "Are you ready to go, Junior?"

Johnny looked back to where the TARDIS had stood one last time.

"Yeah, Pally," he said finally. "I'm ready."