It's all AU.

Gray headed out of the hotel, searching for a TARDIS, or a Time Lord. He didn't really care that the Doctor had asked him to drop it, he wanted to find a way to help him. Because he couldn't believe that anyone, much less the Doctor, would deserve that.

Spotting someone who looked vaguely familiar from the last time he was here, and doing a lot of watching people, Gray sped up, calling out, "Hey! Wait up!"

The Doctor was sitting at a table in the hotel lobby (he'd been spending a lot of time there, hoping to come across his Jack, though he'd slipped out of sight whenever another version of himself came along) making himself a sonic screwdriver out of parts he'd filched from - well - just about everywhere.

He cursed when a part rolled off the table and underneath it, and stiffly bent down to try and retrieve it. His back seized and he found himself effectively stuck.

With relief, he heard the hotel door open. "Excuse me!" he called, with forced brightness, still stuck bent down under the table. "I don't suppose you could help me up, could you?"

Corwen had been hiding out.

This city was too big. Too much going on. Too many variables beyond her control. Unknown and frightening. Alien in a way the old town hadn't been, shiny and new.

Too much high thrumming psychic energy around. It made her nervous after so long relaxing..

So, she'd taken a room at the old Hotel as her bolthole, taking small exploratory expeditions into the city, widening the circle as she felt safer and safer.

She was currently curled up on a corner couch in the old Hotel foyer, arms wrapped around her knees, and head resting on them. She was fast asleep, worn out from too many sleepless nights.

Koschei peered over the shoulder of the server he'd coaxed out to the lake, nodding to himself at the charcoal, and the plates of meats waiting to grill to the demands of party guests. He grinned as he turned away, watching the path leading towards town for anyone who'd come down for the party.

When he saw Jenny reach out to take down the sign she'd hung up earlier, Gray slid off his chair, heading back over to the TARDIS, and peering in the door.

"Come on in, Gray, girls-only party is over." Jenny ran a hand through her hair as she dropped the sign on the captain's chair. "River's still somewhere in the TARDIS, haven't found her yet, and I'm heading out."

"Where're you going?"

Jenny shrugged. "Don't know. You've been out and about, any place interesting?"

"There's a hotel, with lots of people. And a restaurant where I got the chips. And I saw a park." Gray smiled. "I can show you where I've been, if you want?"

Jenny tilted her head, watching him with a considering look a moment. "Sure. Why don't we start with that restaurant, grab some fries, and maybe hang out somewhere and do some people watching."

Gray beamed, and held out his hand, happily leading the way. In the end, they settled onto a sunny patch of grass in the park with a basket of chips, with Jenny watching people, and Gray watching clouds.

Gray slipped out of the TARDIS, closing the door gently behind him, a small frown on his face. He glanced up at the sky, staring a moment at the wash of stars before looking back at the street, and creeping along it uncertainly. Staying close to the buildings as he explored along the street, pausing just at the edge of the window of a restaurant, peering in cautiously. Just because he trusted Jack didn't mean that everyone here was safe.

Seeing just one person sitting near the back, Gray padded to the door, pushing it open, and sat in the table in the corner nearest the window, looking at the menu. Jenny was still sleeping, and Gray had left when the Doctor came to check on her. He looked over the menu, chewing on his lip as he tried to figure out what might be interesting to eat. Or rather, what looked the most interesting right now, because it all looked interesting. Not like tasteless slop.

He glanced up at the person at the other table, hesitating a moment before calling out, "What would you get to eat here?"

( Cut for length )

"Yeah." The Doctor scowled at the street a moment. "A lot of people could be here."

Gray looked down the street again, carefully stepping out of the TARDIS, looking over his shoulder to make sure something didn't happen to it, the Doctor's earlier actions making him wonder if it would just vanish. He spotted someone coming down the street, and tensed, frowning.