Emma couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. Daleks were evil, she knew that, but the opportunity to fight one with her father? It was kind of what she had been waiting for all her life. "What do we do?" she asked. "How do we kill a Dalek?"

"That's a complicated question," the Doctor replied. He turned to the council. "Where is it?"

"Ravaging the countryside, picking people off one by one."

"Alright, well... I can distract it. Probably draw it somewhere. Then... I'd say blow it up."

"Blow it up?" the councilwoman asked. "That's the best you've got?"

"Daleks are hard to kill."

"Doctor," said Emma. "If we blow it up, wouldn't you blow up, too?"

The Doctor frowned. "Well, yes, I suppose I would."

"No! There has to be a better way than you regenerating."

"Actually, I'm on my last regeneration..."

"Then there's definitely a better way than you dying. I'll go in there!"

"Absolutely not. I promised your parents that I would bring you home to them safely."

"Then come up with another plan, Doctor. I'm not losing you on the day we met."

"This is all very sweet and sentimental," said the council, "But the Dalek is still killing people."

"Okay, new plan," said the Doctor. "I'm going to lure it into a room, hold up a mirror, and make it shoot itself."

"And you think that's going to work?"

"I think it's worth a shot."

"The Dalek has to be smarter than that," Emma said.

"They are blinded by hatred, and therefore cannot be smart."

"Very poetic," said the councilwoman. "Get to it, then."

The Doctor nodded. "Emma, stay here."

"What? No!"

He looked at her for a moment. "Fine. Come with me. But you're staying in the TARDIS."

Smiling slightly, she followed him into the blue box.

When they landed somewhere in the planet's countryside, Emma began to feel much more scared. As she watched her father exit the box, she watched intently on the monitor screen.

"Oy! Dalek!" her father called.

As it came into view, Emma felt her heart stop. It looked strange, not like she would have expected. Its form didn't seem to be something that would radiate danger. But knowing what it could do, what it had done, made her sick to her stomach. "Doctor," said the Dalek, and its voice sent chills running down her spine.

"Dalek. What brings you here?"

"I landed here. After the war."

"And you're just killing innocent people?"

"They must be exterminated."

Hearing the Dalek say that word frightened Emma to no end.

"I won't let you do that."

"Then you will be exterminated."

It fired its ray, and Emma gasped, thinking the Doctor would not be quick enough. But as the ray went towards him, she saw a reflective gleam on his outfit. He was wearing a mirror. The beam bounced back at the Dalek, and it lit up the sky. Then it died.

"Nice job," said Emma when he came back in.

"Thank you."

They went back to the council. "The Dalek is dealt with?" the woman asked.

"Yes," her father replied. "Now we need to talk about you kidnapping my daughter. And this 'anonymous source' that tipped you off about her, and gave you a translation matrix?"

The councilwoman shrugged. "What about it?"

"It wasn't really anonymous, was it?"

"Not... exactly."

"Who tipped you off?"

"They called themselves the Master."

Emma felt her heart start to race again, and looked at her father. He showed no reaction. "Very well. What you did was wrong, though."

"What are you going to do about it?" the woman asked.

Without a word, the Doctor stepped back into the TARDIS. Emma followed. "The Master?" she asked. "He knows who I am?"

"Somehow."

"We have to go stop him."

Her father shook his head. "I have to wipe my memory of you."

"Why?"

"For the same reason River did. For the same reason she didn't want me to find out about you."

"And that is?"

"I do stupid things when it comes to family, Emma. The less people I care for, the better. And trust me, you're safer without me in your life."

"Even when the Master knows who I am?"

"I'll find him, and I'll wipe his memory before I wipe mine."

"Erase me from his memory, Doctor, but don't erase me from yours."

"Are you questioning your mother, Emma? Because I dare not question my wife."

"I'm just saying... it could be useful. For you to know I'm out here. Just in case someone else tries to kidnap me. I could call you."

He looked at her for another moment. "You make a good point."

"So you'll remember me?"

"I couldn't forget you, Emma Clarkson. Now, let's get you home."

The End.