The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,

                 Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit

                    Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,

                 Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.

                           - Omar Khayym, Rubiyt



     "The Queen was very understanding about the whole thing," the

red-haired Doctor said as the five of them stood outside the Crystal

Palace the next day.  He had suffered a few cuts and bruises from the

battle suit, but otherwise made it out unscathed.

     "Yes, how much did you have to tell her?" Victoria asked Lanthorne.

     The inspector cleared his throat nervously.  "Well, as much as I

thought was necessary," he said.  "The Queen's a very reasonable woman,

and knows to keep most of it to herself."

     The dark-haired Doctor looked up from the newspaper he was reading.

"They're calling yesterday's aerial show 'an interesting view of

Exhibition technology.'  Very neat, Inspector."

     Lanthorne bowed slightly.  "Your humble servant," he said with a

smile, and they laughed.

     The red-haired Doctor glanced over to where Jamie stood silently,

away from the other four.  The Highlander was leaning against a tree,

staring out at nothing in particular.  He passed a knowing nod with his

younger self, then went over.

     "Was it something I said?" he asked.

     Jamie shifted his gaze.  "No, it's just..."  He trailed off.

     The Doctor put a comforting hand on Jamie's shoulder.  "The past can

be a compelling thing sometimes.  Believe me, I know."

     "But I almost killed the Doctor, I almost killed you, I nearly

changed history!"

     "We all make mistakes, get caught up in the moment without

thinking.  Look, your Doctor's already forgiven you."  He gestured to the

shabbily-dressed man, who nodded at them both.  "Now you must forgive

yourself."

     Jamie gave a weary smile.  The Doctor put an arm around his shoulder

and led him back into the group.

     "It was a good thing we were here to stop history from being

changed," Victoria was saying.

     "Well, history is a very stubborn lady," Lanthorne said.  "She

doesn't give in easily."  He saw Victoria frown.  "Ah, if you'll pardon

the analogy, Miss Waterfield."

     "Yes," the younger Doctor said.  "What with Lanthorne here, and two

of me, it's too much to be just coincidence."  A thought struck him.  "I

say, how do you plan to get the Stuarts back to 1747?"

     "In my TARDIS," the red-haired Doctor replied.  "They're resting

comfortably."

     "And their memories of this whole adventure will be erased,"

Lanthorne added.  "No sense in giving them another failure to recall."

He took out his watch and noted the time.  "We'd best get going, Doctor."

     "Time for goodbyes, then.  Never something I've been good at."  The

thirteenth Doctor shook his younger self's hand.  "Take care of that

head, all right?  It's the only one you'll have for a while."

     The second Doctor unconsciously reached up and touched the bandage.

"No more action for me, I can assure you.  Take care of yourself."

     Victoria hugged the red-haired Doctor, kissed him warmly on the

cheek, then blushed.  Jamie warmly shook his hand.  "Thanks, for everything."

     Lanthorne kissed Victoria's hand and tipped his hat to the rest of

them.  "Godspeed, wherever your travels may take you."

     "And to you," the second Doctor replied.

     Then the red-haired Doctor and the inspector began walking away.  As

they crested the hill, the younger Doctor thought he heard his older self

say, "You know, Lanthorne, this could be the start of a beautiful

friendship..."

     The younger Doctor laughed heartily.  "Well, this was supposed to be

a vacation," he said, rubbing his hands together eagerly.

     "I'm becomin' wary o' your vacations, Doctor," Jamie said.

     "This one will be perfectly safe, I assure you."  He walked off,

motioning them to follow.

     "But the TARDIS is the other way!" Victoria protested.

     He gave them a roguish grin.  "I know, but we still haven't seen the

Exhibition.  Come on!"

     Jamie and Victoria looked at each other and broke into laughter.

They caught up with the Doctor and headed toward the shimmering Crystal

Palace.

(--Previous Chapter--)