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The sound of typing could be heard from a desk in the attic of a three-story house addressed 13 Bannerman Road in Ealing, London. The short brown-haired woman in front of the computer screen stopped her typing as she quickly went over the article she was writing. A story that was given to her by the local paper turned out being a scandal involving aliens. Some of the facts she had to slightly twist to cover the truth, but a true journalist knew when to keep the good stories to oneself. Seeing that everything looked well and good, she sent the story as an attachment to the local paper.

Leaning back, she sighed quietly and closed her eyes. It felt some days like it was getting harder and harder to cover things up. But those days when it was hard, she had her sources to help her out when she was tongue-tied. Those sources were aliens in disguise living here peacefully on Earth. Having their resources, they knew to look up a former companion of the famous and infamous Doctor for help. Remembering everything she learned while being in UNIT and being by the Doctor's side, it just felt like a normal day when something like this happened.

Her home telephone rang and she picked up the phone on the computer table and smiled. "Hello? Smith residence?" She sat up, opening her eyes. "Yes, Mr. Ellis. Thank you for letting me know you received my email. Does everything look all right?" She waited a few long moments before shaking her head. "No, that's not what happened as you were told. Apparently, a member of the mayor's private guard had been tampering with the security tapes and making it look like there was an alien visit. It looks like they're part of an alien conspiracy party. After using my resources, I found it to be fake and strongly suggested that he leave the mayor's side before this article is posted in tomorrow's paper. He took my advice and is currently leaving town to some unknown location." She smiled and nodded. "Yes, sir. Please keep me informed with any other scoops you may have for me. Goodbye." Hanging up the phone, she smiled knowing that a nice check would be deposited into her bank account before the day's end.

Just as she was about to head downstairs, Sarah Jane heard a familiar fanfare being played as a huge computer come out from behind the brick wall in the attic. "Sarah Jane, I'm picking up a disturbance of sorts here on Earth."

Sarah Jane walked over, shaking her head at the computer's fanfare always having to play as he came out. "Here on Earth? Pinpoint the location, Mr. Smith."

"Yes, Sarah Jane." A flat map of the Earth appeared on Mr. Smith's large screen and zoomed in little by little before stopping. "My scanners cannot lock onto the disturbance completely, but I have pinpointed the overall area to be-"

"Hong Kong," she finished with him. That city... That one story she covered that reunited her with a more angry, conniving Doctor in his seventh incarnation than she had ever met in any of his previous incarnations. In the end, she knew she could trust him when it came down to the wire... She almost lost her life there. "Mr. Smith, scan for Artron energy levels."

"Yes, Sarah Jane." The computer was quiet for a few moments before speaking once more. "I can pinpoint the signature for the Artron energy levels more than the disturbance. The energy levels seem to center around a monastery."

Sarah Jane bit her lower lip in thought. If the disturbance was alien-related and the TARDIS was there... She had to check things out herself. But the teens... She thought of her contacts before nodding her head. If need be, Martha and Mickey Smith were on speed dial in case of emergencies and they knew to drop what they were doing and come help if Sarah Jane wasn't around. Plus, Luke could come home from University to help out while she was gone. They would all understand in the end but she couldn't just abandon her team here on Bannerman Road without help. "Mr. Smith, when is the next plane out of the airport to Hong Kong?"

"Mum, you can't go!" A young preteen girl said as Sarah Jane was packing in her room. Her dark hazel eyes looked to her adopted mother pleadingly, her fingers twisting a couple of strands of her dark blonde hair nervously. The newest member of the Smith family had heard stories about this man that her mother used to travel with and would pop up in her life several times, but that didn't mean that she wasn't a little scared for her.

"Where are you going to look, Sarah Jane? Do you even know what's going on or where to start?" An India-ethnic girl who was in her older teenage years asked, a protege of Sarah Jane's on top of being part of the team that helped defend 13 Bannerman Road. Her black hair was up in a bun as she helped the woman fold her clothes and pack.

"Yeah and even if it really is the Doctor, do you think it's an incarnation of his that will remember you?" A black teen boy around the same age as Rani interjected as he sat off to the side on Sarah Jane's bed. One thing Clyde learned over the years was when girls were packing or doing things together in a group, it was best to say out of the way. He held onto a laptop on his lap with a video messaging program open.

"Mum, it's not that we're trying to discourage you. We just want to make sure you're not walking into this blind or that you're not going to do anything rash like leave with the Doctor," a blonde-haired teenage boy around the same age as his friends added. He was attending Oxford University, having got in early because of his higher levels of intelligence. But, no one let anyone know that that was because he was made by aliens using samples of DNA from almost everyone around the world... and outside of his family and friends, no one needed to know.

Sarah Jane stopped packing for a moment, sitting down on the edge of her bed, looking to them all. "I know you all are worried about me." She held out an arm to call her daughter Sky over who followed her mother's cue and walked over. Sarah pulled Sky onto one leg, wrapping an arm around her as she looked to the others. "Yes, I have a lead. Mr. Smith pinpointed the TARDIS at a monastery to which I have the name and address for. They are in the middle of celebrating a Chinese holiday so I'm going there with the cover that I'm going to get information for an article which I will attempt to do while I'm there. With the exception of three incarnations, I've seen all the other incarnations so far and all I would have to do is find the TARDIS and wait to see who interacts with her to know who the Doctor is."

"But why do you feel that you need to go, Mum? Wouldn't the Doctor contact you if he needed it?" Sky asked with a tilt of her head in curiosity.

Sarah Jane sighed. "A while back, before I met the Doctor at Deffrey Vale... I saw a previous incarnation of him back in Hong Kong while I was trying to cover a story about the corruption of the Far East. I didn't realize it was him because I had never seen that incarnation of him before and he was more angry, devious, and conniving than I had ever known him to be before. We ended up finding each other and after some words were exchanged and some hurtful things happened, we ended up working together once more. The Doctor saved the world and I was discredited for a while until, as an apology, he cleaned up the mess he made of my career and I was able to pick up again after he was gone." She had left a few things out that they didn't need to know like when she was shot to make sure the Doctor saved the world when she was held hostage or the fact that he posed as a drug dealer who actually helped to traffic drugs... But both were for reasons that she didn't care to get into and she didn't want them to know more than they needed to.

"So what you're saying is... The Doctor needs some help as he always does?" Clyde asked, Sarah Jane nodding gravely.

"I don't know for sure if he's alone, but the last time he was in Hong Kong he didn't have a companion that I saw. If there's one thing I know about the Doctor, it's the fact that he cannot be left alone to his own devices. If he ever is, things spiral out of control and that's one of the reasons why one of his nicknames his enemies have for him is The Destroyer of Worlds." Sarah got up after gently pressing at Sky's back to signal to get off her lap which she did.

"So what do you want us to do while you're gone, Mum?" Luke asked for the rest of the group.

Sarah looked over to her son through the messaging program and smiled. "Luke, as much as I hate for you to do this, I need you to take time away from your studies and come home. If you need to, tell the main offices there to call me and I'll make something up about a family emergency." Her cell phone rang and she pulled it out, reading the text that just came onto it and smiling. "You will not be alone while I'm gone. Luke, remember Martha and Mickey? From when we all flew the TARDIS home during the Medusa Cascade incident?"

"Rose's former boyfriend who was a companion for a little bit and decided to come back here to our universe from a parallel one after his grandmum passed on and Martha who was with her mother when we tried to contact the Doctor together? Yes, I remember them... Why do you ask?"

"Because I've asked them to come here to Ealing and stay with you all until I can get back. They both have experience when it comes to fighting aliens and protecting Earth. Besides, if something should happen, Martha has been told about both you and Sky and your... conditions. She's a trained medical doctor so while I'm gone, she's going to perform physicals on the two of you to start records. From now on, Martha is going to be the family doctor in case something should happen." Sarah finished packing the one large suitcase and a small tote bag, zipping everything up.

"What about us, Sarah Jane?" Rani asked, talking about herself and Clyde.

"Call your parents and tell them I've asked you to help watch over Sky while I'm gone. They've come to trust me over the years and they know that you two are close friends to Luke and now to Sky. Tell them you have permission to stay here at the house and to help the house sitters. But, if they want you to come home for meals and such, don't ignore those requests. The last thing we need is for your parents" she looked to Rani before looking to Clyde "and your mother finding out the truth." She watched both teens nod. "Now I will have my cell phone on me so if you need to contact me in case of an emergency. I promise I will call at least once a day to check in. If something should happen and you can't reach me, use K-9 to plug into Mr. Smith and contact the TARDIS. She'll let Mr. Smith know who will then let you all know how I am."

A car horn could be heard from outside. "And that's my taxi." Sarah went around the room and hugged each member of the group... heck extended members of her family. "I love you, Sky," she said as she hugged her, kissing her forehead. She looked to the laptop. "I love you, Luke." She blew him a kiss who did the same. "Be good, everyone, and if you need a visual aid to point out Martha and Mickey, Mr. Smith can pull up photos for you." She grabbed both bags and her purse, making sure the Sonic Lipstick was inside of it. She took one last look at everyone and smiled before briskly walking downstairs and out the front door. The driver helped her with her luggage and she slipped into the back seat, hoping that this wasn't the last time she was ever going to see her home. The car backed out of her driveway before starting down the road to the airport.

It was four days later when Sarah Jane would be walking out of a taxi that sent her to the temple. She had arrived two days previously and took the time to find one of her contacts in Hong Kong. Staying with the contact, an alien in disguise that she helped to find a peaceful life here on Earth, she took the time to make sure there wasn't any other trouble in the area. When nothing could be found with help from her alien friend and from perusing records from UNIT, she took a late afternoon trip to the monastery.

Arriving at the monastery, she was greeted by one of the monks that was used to speaking with visitors and the press. He was bald with a small beard, glasses, a bit portly, and brown and orange robes with matching sandals. "You must be Sarah Jane Smith. Welcome, my name is Kang Lam. I was told you were coming to stay with us for a few days for an article."

"Yes, I am." Grabbing a dufflebag with a few days of clothing inside and her purse from the back of the taxi, she shut the door and bowed to Kang. "Thank you for this glorious opportunity." She stood back up. "I hope the other monks do not mind my staying here."

"We have guest rooms on one end of the monastery for those that come to visit so they do not interrupt the monks here as they pray and study." He took her dufflebag and shouldered the bag. "Right this way, Miss Smith. I will show you to your quarters and then please have a good night's sleep. I will wake you up at 8am for breakfast." Kang started to walk up the steps, Sarah Jane following him and looking around.

Sarah Jane followed Kang to the top of the steps, taking in the scenic location. Even though she was here under the cover of writing an article, she could tell that there was more that enough material here that she could sell an article to the largest newspapers and magazines in the UK. The beautiful trees, the landscape, the architecture, the traditions overseen here... A nice little side trip.

She quickly shook her head when she made sure that her escort wasn't paying attention. It was a lovely location, but for some reason the Doctor was here and she had to find him and help figure out what was going on. She didn't even know which incarnation was here and whether or not he had a companion with him. For all she knew, she would end up just being an extra person in whatever was happening here.

Since what happened here in Hong Kong last time with the Doctor, she never stopped uncovering the truth and helping to stop alien invasions. A handful of her contacts around the world since her travels with the Doctor were either known by UNIT or aliens that she convinced not to destroy Earth and enjoy life here. When one of her contacts let her know about the Deffrey Vale incident, she went there and ended up meeting up with the Time Lord again. She could tell from the look on his face when he first saw her that he didn't know the situation after she was shot by his seventh incarnation here in Hong Kong.

Her mind then wandered to the young girl Krista that assisted her and asked to borrow K-9 a few years back who traveled with him. The two worked together and Krista showed her exactly what she could handle. The reporter was so impressed that she even offered her a spot on her team but the young woman said no then. Sarah wished she knew how the young woman was, remembering that Krista told her that the Doctor changed. But how changed was he since the Deffrey Vale incident? Did she mean that he regenerated?

"Miss Smith?" Sarah looked up suddenly to find that she stopped dead in her tracks for a few long moments and Kang was staring at her. "Are you all right?"

Sarah feigned a light smile. "I'm sorry, Kang. It's been a long trip from London and I guess I'm still experiencing jetlag from my flight a few days ago. I'm fine." She started walking once more, following Kang inside.

Kang gave her a short tour of the outside grounds, gesturing to the shop and not saying much about it. Sarah Jane nodded as she paid attention, walking with him into the monastery itself. Several groups of monks were walking around and both Kang and Sarah Jane stopped with each group and showed their respect before continuing on. She walked down a couple of halls before Kang stopped in front of a door. "This is your room while you remain with us, Miss Smith. If there is anything you need, there is a rope that will ring a bell in my room." The two bowed to each other before Kang opened the door for her and placed her dufflebag on the floor right inside before leaving her on her own.

Sarah Jane watched him leave before heading into the room. It was decorated with some of the local traditional trinkets to help visitors feel more comfortable than just looking at bare walls. A nice two-person bed laid off to one corner while the opposite wall had a regular television with VCR along with a four-drawer dresser, a table for three or four people with seats, a mini bookshelf with a lot of tour books for China, and a side table with a large bowl of water and a mirror. She saw the rope that Kang mentioned right by the bed, a window large enough for a person to climb out conveniently facing her. Closing the door behind her and locking it, she walked over and opened the shutters... to find several bars against the window.

"That's very peculiar..." she muttered to herself before looking around the room for any other way out. After a few minutes of looking and using her Sonic Lipstick, she inwardly groaned in frustration at finding no other way out of the room. "Well, hasn't been the first time I've snuck around a place before," she whispered under her breath as she made sure to have her Sonic Lipstick and her mobile to take pictures to send anything she found to Mr. Smith for analysis along with her alien-detecting watch. Knowing she was all equipped, she busied herself with unpacking her clothes in her dufflebag and into the dresser and reading a couple of tour books while waiting for dusk to come.

Dusk had finally come to the area and Sarah Jane listened quietly against the door to her room for any noises in the hall. After a few minutes of hearing nothing, she unlocked the door and slowly opened the door to take a peek. Ducking her head outside the door, she casually looked left and right to see there were mini bowls hanging from the ceiling filled with oil and flames for light... But there was no one around. Sighing noiselessly in relief, she cracked the door open enough and then shut it before making her way down the hall.

Finding an archway that opened up into the courtyard, she slipped unseen into the open but ducked down as she kept close to the side of the walkway. She didn't know much about the security here besides a few monks that kept watch overnight on the grounds according to her source in the area. She saw one of the said monks and kept to the shadows, biting her bottom lip and keeping her breathing hushed and controlled as they came close but turned around and walked back the way they came.

Finally, after twenty minutes of ducking and weaving past the few monks, she hid behind the mini shop out front from earlier. Audibly breathing another sigh of relief, she opened her alien-detecting watch and started to do a reading of the whole area. Her watch picked up a faint reading from the shop and a trail which surprised her but at the same time didn't. "Oh, of all the nerve... Just an hour cold? Not too bad, I suppose," she whispered to herself before grabbing her Sonic Lipstick and activating it to pick up the trial with a quiet pulse before following the trail.

Finding one of the fainter trails led her to a nearby crypt, slowly walking and watching her step before hearing a familiar hum. Smiling, she put her lipstick away and walked over when the TARDIS came into view. Stopping mere inches away from the wonderous living being, she placed a hand against the outer wood of the police box. "Hello, Old Girl," she said quietly, smiling and almost giggling as she felt a pulse under her touch to let her know the TARDIS was saying hello in return and was excited to see her.

"Now, where is he?" She looked around before pulling at a blue string necklace she had hidden under her blouse and pulling out her old key for the time machine. She exhaled slowly and placed her key in the lock, turning and unlocking it. Smiling lightly, she gently pushed the door open and popped inside before shutting the door.

"Doctor?" She called, slowly making her way up the small gangplank to the console. It was the same console room as when she saw his tenth incarnation with Rose and Micky... the same when she saw everyone and helped to pilot the TARDIS while bringing the Earth safely back to the Milky Way. She noticed that the place was on emergency power... Most likely to hide its location from others. Carefully, she lightly stroked a part of the console as the memories played through her thoughts of her time here when she was younger and more recently.

Sarah Jane was so lost in her memories and examining the console more closely before she heard the same words spoken to her at Deffrey Vale but in a deeper Northern accent. Those three simple words shook her out of her memories and she smiled, her back still to him. "I was wondering when she was going to spoil the surprise and tell you I was here... Then again, I think I'm one of a privileged few outside of the Time Lords that learned what she felt or meant by her hums and vibrations. I felt the console almost shaking in anticipation for a few moments before you spoke up as if she was excited to witness our meeting again." She knew she was babbling on, but she didn't know which incarnation she was going to face and that made her nervous... Especially after what happened with meeting his seventh incarnation and all the mess that ensued with that one.

Exhaling quietly, she slowly turned around to look at him. Her ensemble was an off-white blouse with a earth-brown vest embroidered with dark green leaves and pale pink roses, matching brown khakis, dark brown mid-heel leather boots that stopped mid-calf and her gold alien-detecting watch. The main part of her outfit that stood out was the blue string necklace she still had out around her neck with her TARDIS key dangling from it. Her greenish-brown hues met his piercing blue gaze for a long moment after getting a look at his disguise, flashing him a soft smile. "The monk running the apothecary at the entrance... I should have known. Which incarnation is this that I have the pleasure of meeting and when was the last time we met so I can make sure not to spoil anything?"