first formal trip in the TARDIS was a surprise to all but the Doctor.

He had remained insistent that he surprised them both. When Donna immediately asked him where they were going after their departure from ADIPOSE and Earth in general he only responded by telling them they needed to sleep some. That they would need their energy for the trip. Reluctantly, Donna shuffled off to her new room aboard the TARDIS. Valarie however felt relief in the notion of sleeping. She had collapsed in her room onto her bed, feeling the tension of her back and shoulders fade away. She could only peel herself away to change into more comfortable clothing and remove her makeup before crawling back into the bed and pulling the covers up to her neck, practically burrowing herself within the covers. The TARDIS had a general almost sterile smell, and the air was slightly colder in other rooms. The console room remained warm, perhaps because it was were most people were. But the lonesome corridors remained cool.

Valarie slipped into a deep sleep with little trouble, on her side in a ball.

__

She woke up in the same position she had fell asleep in. Her eyes felt swollen and heavy, and they almost fought against her to force her back into sleep. She threw the blankets off to force herself to wake up more and placed her feet on the cold floor. Valarie slung an arm behind her head, stretching it and yawning loudly as she stumbled to her feet, shuffling barefoot to the bedroom door. It opened, letting even more cool air nip into the room. She shuffled down the corridor towards the main console room, leaning in the door frame as she gazed down into the room.

The Doctor still hovered at the console, exactly where she had left him. Valarie sniffled a little causing his head to turn to her. He smiled and looked back down at the console.

"You look like you slept well." He teased at her knotted hair. She clicked her tongue, traveling down to his side and leaning against his arm, laying her heavy head against it.

"Where are we?" She asked him.

"Oh, somewhere just floating. I have an idea of where we could go for Donna." He turned his head to look down at her. "How does ancient Rome sound?" Valarie smiled.

"Doctor," she peeled away from his arm and leaned against the console. "can I ask you a question?" She asked, having had a question rack her mind for sometime now. He nodded without looking back at her.

"Why did you ask me to join you?" He froze momentarily, looking up to her and back down.

"Well, you seemed like someone I would have liked to travel with."

"But, how?" She asked him. She leaned in closer, with a soft begging smile. "You met Donna months before me, and she seems just lovely. But you left her back on Earth, I mean she had to practically hunt you down. You could've left me, just the same. Never encountered me again. But you didn't, you asked me to go with you. Why?" He paused again and then stood up straight. He folded his arms, looking up as he seemingly racked his mind with that question. Almost as if he didn't know why. Finally, he answered.

"You know when you meet a little kid, who just soaks up everything you tell them? Like they are eager to learn more and you find yourself wanting to tell and show them more? Almost like you want to wow them?" Valarie nodded in response. "I saw that in you. That childlike, curious glimmer in your eyes. And much to the contrary, that's not a common thing among you humans. Humans are unique, and are impressive in many ways but for humans - especially from your time frame- you are scared easily. So quick to your guns and knives and weapons.. So when you were still so curious after nearly being some aliens lunch, I knew you'd have to see more."

Valarie absorbed what he had told her. She nodded her head slowly and felt a warmth in her chest with the words. She looked at her feet, kicking them together gently before looking back up at him.

"Doctor?"

He hummed in response. Valarie felt the words bubble in her throat but she pushed it back, like bile was threatening to push up her through and if she didn't push it back down she would vomit it would everywhere.

"How much longer until we are there?" She asked instead.

_____

Valarie stepped onto the busy stone road, surrounded by people.

"Ancient Rome!" The Doctor boasted, watching Donna's amazed reaction. She spun around, almost believing herself to be the victim of some sort of trick. "Well, not to them. For all intensive purposes, brand new Rome." He corrected himself, prompting Valarie to lightly elbow him in the side.

"But that sign, it's in English. Am I being had? Am I in Epcot?" Donna asked, her voice raising.

"Oh! TARDIS translation. We will hear English when they speak or write to us, and they'll hear Latin when we speak or write to them. Works both ways." The Doctor explained.

"But what if I say something like vendi vidi vici? Will they understand me?"

"Donna, must you always choose the hard questions?" Donna turned away, approaching a fruit vendor with determination to test her theory. Valarie and the Doctor followed, watching intently.

"Hello sweetheart, how may I help you?" The vendor asked.

"Yes, uhm, vendi vidi vici?" Donna asked and smiled, forcing her expression to act as if she hadn't said anything out of line. The vendor stated at her, clearly confused before placing a finger to his lips and thinking. He set his hand flat on the wood and learned forward.

"Uh, so sorry. Me no speak Celtic." Donna frowned, the Doctor grabbing her upper arm and pulling her away.

"Celtic? What does he mean Celtic?" She asked.

"You sound welsh." The Doctor replied. "And whatever you said must have translated backwards so it may have actually been in Celtic."

"We all probably sound welsh. Good ol' Britain isn't a thing quite yet." Valarie commented. She stopped her pace with the two, turning to watch a woman who walked by. They had locked eyes only for a second; she wore a ground length, velvet, red robe and odd white face paint. Orange hair spilled out onto her shoulders. As Valarie watched her, her eyes drifted to the skyline. She grabbed the Doctor's arm.

"Doctor?"

"Val?"

"Where in Rome are we?" She asked. He looked down at the smaller woman in confusion, before following her eyes to the mountain behind them. Smoke billowed out.

They weren't looking at a mountain, but a volcano.

"Please don't tell me we are in Pompeii." She said and looked up to him, grey eyes wide. He looked between her and the volcano, leaking black smog into the air. He didn't want to worry her anymore - just once, just once, he wanted to take her somewhere nice. He thought she deserved that; a lovely trip some where where she can relish in the beauty of it and he can relish in her. But sadly, that was in fact a Volcano and they were in Pompeii.

"Promise you won't kill me if I mention it's also volcano day?"

____