"Twenty eight, twenty nine and thirty. Oh Doctor you can stop now." Mel handed a nourishing glass of carrot juice to her best friend, the Doctor. "You've really earned this."

The Doctor looked at it. "Are you trying to finish me off Mel?"

"Of course not, now drink up." After handing a towel to the Doctor Mel took her turn on the multi-gym. "I think this was a great idea. This machine is the perfect way for me to keep in shape and you to loose a few pounds."

"I am not fat." The Doctor started but Mel cut him off.

"It's for your own good Doctor, even Time Lords can have heart attacks."

"I'd rather have a double coronary than die of exhaustion at the hands of a slave driver. Melanie Bush, the woman who killed the Doctor. The Daleks will build statues in your image, people would flock from all over the galaxy to shake your hand."

"Don't try and worm your way out of it that way either Doctor. Let’s face it: I'm getting you fit for your own good."

"Great Mel, you can put that on my tombstone. It would make a great eulogy. Here lies the Doctor... what's that noise?" The console room was suddenly filled with an eardrum-shattering sound. The Doctor lurched forward and landed on something soft - Mel.

"Oh my head." His head felt worse than that last night with Azmael on Jacondar. "I feel worse than my last regeneration. Mel?" The Doctor discovered his friend's shoulder blade had served as a makeshift pillow.

Mel regained consciousness. Her head felt like the morning after her last night at University, when they had all had one last monumental party. "Please tell me I died and this is hell."

"Sorry Mel, but I think we survived."

"Darn, well it feels as close to eternal suffering and agony as I want to get."

They helped each other to stand up. "What was that?" They both asked at the same time.

"Some kind of de-phased compression wave. Very unusual." The Doctor pressed several buttons on the console.

"In what way?" Mel asked.

"They cannot be propagated in a vacuum. They need matter to conduct them. It's basic physics Mel."

"What's physics? And what is a Mel?"

"Mel? What's happened to you?"

"Who are you? Are you going to hurt me?"

"It's me Mel, the Doctor. I'm your friend." The Doctor went to put his arm around her shoulder.

"Don't come near me or I'll scream."

"In that case I'll go in the next room."

"What for? What's in there?"

"You have the lungs of an Arcturan Mega-Donkey; you can scream and be heard in the next time zone."

"You still haven't answered my question. Who are you and where are we?"

"I am known as the Doctor and I'm your friend, Mel. We are inside the TARDIS it's our home."

"We're married?"

"It's my ship and you're my friend. We travel together through time and space."

"You're mad. You're a complete loony. Stay away from me." Mel started banging the walls of the TARDIS with her palm. "Please somebody help me."

The Doctor activated the screen. "Take a look Mel, that's where we are, what you would term as space."

"That's a horse Doctor."

The Doctor turned around to look at the screen. He did a classic double take when he saw the horse. "That wave must have knocked us off course to a nearby planet."

"Uh huh, likely story mister, doctor, whatever. Just let me go now and there won't be any trouble."

The Doctor tried one last attempt. "Melanie Bush, human, British national. You live with your mother in Pease Pottage. You are a Masters graduate in computer programming and hold degrees in mathematics, electronics and physics. Your favourite colour is pink except on Sundays when it's yellow. You're a vegetarian and voted for the Green party at the last general election."

"I don't know what you're on about, all I can remember is asking you what physics is."

"Hmmm post traumatic stress disorder compounded with amnesia and paranoia."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you need to relax and take your mind off things. Come on, I'll show you to your room." He reached out to lead Mel to her room.

"Stay away from me." Mel picked up a small metal bar on a stool next to her and swung it at the madman. "Take that." She said as he crumpled to the floor bleeding.

She hadn't meant to hit him this hard but he was coming toward her and he looked threatening. Stepping over his prone form she looked on the strange mushroom shaped control centre for a switch or button to open the door. After many minutes of trying she gave up. As she walked towards the doors a belt loop on her jeans snagged a lever and pulled it up. The two doors swung open solemnly and she exited the strange room to find herself in another room. "Wow," was all she could manage. The room seemed to be an infinite expanse of blackness but somehow she could feel it was a room by the feel of the air. In the distance was a point of light.

The light turned out to be an almost complete circle of many coloured gemstones. Many were bigger than she was; some so huge they seemed to hold everything.

"Welcome." A voice of thunder, as hard as steel and yet as delicate as a petal filled the circle. "You have been chosen child, to be the emissary of Mandragora. I will teach you of legends and fables, instruct you in myth and story. You shall travel to every corner of the universe and bring my word to everyone you meet."

"Why choose me?"

"I need someone who understands the power of Mandragora and is willing to be responsible for it's safety. I saw in you the potential to be my high priestess."

High priestess? Was that important she considered. "What do you want me to do?"

"I shall give to you powers and abilities, you shall be greater than that fool the Doctor who scorns all I am. I shall let you travel to many worlds where you can be my instrument of obedience."

This seemed exciting. "What must I do?"

"Put your hands on this stone." A diamond appeared from nowhere. "I shall transfer a portion of myself into your body. I shall remake you into my Emissary."

"No Mel, step away from that stone." The Doctor, bloody and battered was at the edge of the ring of gemstones. "Mandragora is evil Mel, he doesn't care about you or what you want, he only wants to use you to control others."

"Why should I listen to you?"

"You shouldn't listen to anyone Mel. You should only listen to your heart and your heart is one of goodness and purity. Mandragora would corrupt you and make you a slave of evil."

"Put your hands on the stone child and you will never have to think about anything ever again."

"That's because you won't have a mind to think with, a puppet being pulled on it's strings by Mandragora."

"Silence Doctor." A beam of fuzzy blue and white energy flew at the Doctor.

"No, leave him alone." She may not have a memory but she could now sense the goodness in the blonde curly-haired man. She slapped him gently until he woke up.

"Ow. What did you do, oh yes Mandragora. Back to the TARDIS Mel. If we're lucky we may just escape in one piece."

The flight back to the TARDIS was not easy. Vast discharges of energy rained down at them from above. Massive explosions tore great chunks out of the ground and debris was flung out at lethal velocities. All in all they were more than lucky to receive only minor cuts and scratches.

The TARDIS dematerialised out of the black void.

"So what do we do now? If I'm really this Melanie person how do I get my memory back?"

The Doctor relaxed once they were in flight. "I'm not sure, but I think Mandragora had something to do with it. Once we escape it's influence on your mind, such as it was, should return to a state you consider normal."

"Are insults par for the course?"

"Only when I'm in a good mood."

"I'm glad then. I don't think I could stand you in a bad mood."

"Oh Mel, In a bad mood even the Daleks run for cover, but luckily I'm one of life's cheerful people."

"Ok, but one question, what's all this exercise equipment for?"

"It's all your equipment Mel, nothing to do with me what-so-ever." The Doctor hoped Mel's memory wouldn't be as perfect as before.

"What about a glass of carrot juice then?"

Drat, her memory had returned. "So you're back then?"

"Yes and after all that running about back there you deserve a little reward. Only fifteen repetitions on the multi-gym."

"You know it's not too late for you to take Mandragora up on his offer."

"You want me to be his high priestess?" Mel laughed.

"Not you, me. I'm sure a Time Lord could find gainful employment with him." The Doctor moved towards the controls.

Mel grabbed the Doctor's arm. "Come on Doctor, the sooner you get it over with the better you'll feel."