It's all AU.

He was yawning as he walked out onto the street. He was a little pale, but only a very little. Mostly he was confused looking, and more than a little distracted by his thoughts. He didn't even notice River until he was all but on top of her. Then he stopped himself, took a second look, and: "Hey."

Fox went stock still when he stumbled into the Nexus. He made sure River was there, checked her 'psychic pulse' as it were, as he'd gotten way too used to doing, and turned to look at her. Reassured at least that she was there, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and suppressed his emotional reaction to being back here and the memories that came with it.

River walked up to Fox with tub of ice cream, two bowls and two spoons in her arms. "Boys are weird," she announced. "Come eat ice cream and watch something with me? But not something with predominately sexually explicit content, please, because that would just be confusing at this juncture. Please?" she repeated.

River peered up and held out a Bible.

"How does one quantify the immortal soul?"

The question had been bothering her.

River sat high in tree, crouched on a branch, above a promenade. Her voice drifted down, "Things that go bump in the night, boo. Too bad the stars have nothing to say."

She was in a Mood.

Simon was starting to slowly venture further and further out from his hotel without the need for someone else with him. It was still surreal but, so far, he'd not run into any trouble. He was starting to think that, maybe, this place was less about trouble and more about...he didn't know what. Something. It was definitely something.

Today, he was sitting on a hill just outside the busiest - if it could even be called that - part of the city, just staring out into the distance absently, wondering what the various people he'd met were doing here in this strange place, as well as how things were at home. He almost didn't notice someone close by.

The Doctor was in New New York, crouched down in the park nearest the hotel and cupped a beetle into his hand. "Oh, now, you're not from here," he breathed. "You've been extinct since the 23rd century. Blip in the system, hmm?"

Faith stepped outside the building, drawing in a deep breath of crisp air as she looked up at the sky, and the sun that was slanting light across the city. Not a real sun, but real enough to wake her when it came streaming in through the window.

She'd managed to find the building she'd used last time with help from Koschei, and she wandered down the street in search of someplace with a decent breakfast. The feeling of spinning out of control still lingered, tugging at the edges of her mind, but she ignored it for now - she could deal with that later.

Spotting a likely looking little cafe, she crossed the street, settling at a table on the sidewalk, and ordering coffee to drink while she perused the menu. Out where she could see and be seen if people came by.

Jason liked the city. He liked the old town too and would probably do his changing there, but the city had a lot going for it. Not the least of which was the large park with lots of people in it. And he loved to people watch.

He'd forgone shoes again and dressed in jeans and a loose t-shirt. But, most importantly, he had a rather large ice cream cone which he ate slowly as people passed. All was pretty much right with the world, right then.

Which didn't stop Jason from pausing when a shadow fell over his feet. He looked down at it, then up at the owner. "Hi," he said brightly, grinning. "Can I help you?"

He was squinting up into the sky with a quizzical expression. He pointed off into the distance. "Was that there before?" he asked. He was pointing at a very slightly 'wavery' spot in the sky -- a place where the air looked like it was being warped by something.

And some days didn't go so well.

She'd played hard, too hard, and was tired. Her shields were slipping, she was inundated with thoughts and emotions and psychic static on every side, which was frustrating, which was exhausting, which. It was a vicious cycle. She just wanted to go somewhere quiet or get close to someone who could help her hide, but focusing was harder than it had been in weeks.

She was on the verge of crying. Or mentally screaming for help, which she didn't want to do because she'd been *fine*, she could do this. She felt about two.

River came up to her (not) brother in the hotel lobby holding a handful of red berries.

"The ship grew them. I picked them. Like eating time. I missed you, Simon."

The Doctor wasn't above admitting that sometimes, sometimes mind you, he. Poked things. With his tongue. He licked the slime on his fingers with a puzzled expression, then studied the wall he'd gotten it off. "What do you think?" he offered his fingers over.

River was barefoot, going through ballet steps, in a park. She stopped and turned to look at Jack.

"Did you want to ask me something?"

River bolted through the city. Back to the TARDIS, and her warm blanket affect, and people who were (mostly) safe.

Except.

She caught a familiar flash, and skidded around the corner, looking, because she has to know.

"Simon," she whispered.

The Master had found a huge games hall, with pool and snooker tables, darts boards, table tennis, and other smaller games like dominoes and cribbage, and a bar all along one wall.

And rather lovely picture windows overlooking the river - obviously designed to distract the players.

He was currently playing snooker rather intently, concentrating hard on angle and power and potting the balls smartly down the centre of the pocket. He was actually pretty good at it.

He potted the black in the far pocket and straightened, pleased with himself, and noticed someone watching him. "Not bad, eh?" he grinned.

River was sitting on a bench at the edge of a playground, eating a plum. Watching children play. Really intently. Especially a boy pushing what looked like might be his little sister on a swing set.

A couple of the mothers were giving her nervous glances. Normal, she was not pulling off.

River sat vigil. She'd nervously touched the Master a couple of time, and jumped back like she'd been scalded. His mind was way, way too noisy for her, and his drop in body temperature was freaking her out. She told herself as long as he was breathing, she shouldn't panic.

Jack wasn't in distress either, so. That was good right?

She was beginning to panic. She had nothing stable in her world, and the person who had been taking care of her wasn't just hurting. He wasn't functioning, right now.

Continued from here.

The Doctor left with Brant and Bran't Jack in a hurry. The Master slowly slid to the floor as soon as they did.

"Boys are dumb," River announced.

Well.

He actually had to look for the Master. Fortunately, he didn't have to look very hard. He saw The Master's Jack leaving the room, remembered what he'd heard about them staying togehter and knocked on the door.