Slow down you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart tell me why
You are still so afraid?


Sitting on the porch of Sarah Jane’s house, Kalli stared out at nothing, eyes unfocused and blurry. Laying beside her, pressed against her leg was Dante, her puppy, dozing contently in the warm afternoon sun. Idly she stroked him, his tail wagging lazily in response. Her iPod was resting on her lap, ear buds pressed against her ears as she listened to the song, thinking, wondering.

Her life had drifted by so slowly before all of this had happened. Before the communicator, before Fred, before she learned she was a time lord. Life had inched forward, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, and she could remember every moment of it clear as crystal. But lately her memories had been blurring together. She couldn’t remember what she had for breakfast, let alone all the events of the day.

Maybe she was moving too fast.

Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day


That could probably explain the way she had been feeling lately. So tired, drain emotionally and physically. Her run ins with the Doctor were getting more difficult each time. Harder to deal with all the emotions, the childish feelings she had for him. After thinking about it for a while she couldn’t help but wonder why she felt the way she did for him, and almost felt like her feelings for him were fading. It was becoming less and less exciting and interesting to deal with him. It all just lead to the same thing. Tears, heartbreak, and her feeling completely foolish.

So maybe she needed to take a TV time out, slow down a little, before she burned out completely and was left feeling numb and useless.


But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you


Maybe this was part of growing up. She was still relatively young for a time lord, only getting up into the 300’s. So much life to live, so many things to learn and experiences to, well, experience. It was about time she grew up a little, and embraced what she was, who she was, knowing it wasn’t going to go back to normal. She wasn’t even going to be able to just slip back into her old life, her old routine. Her conning days were over, as were her lonely days, which she was reminded of as Dante licked her hand affectionately, causing her to smile.

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight
Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong

It was time for her to step back and take a break. Step away from the drama, the intensity of it all. Take it a bit slower with Fred, learn to really trust him more. Learn to trust her self more, actually. Since she and Fred had made up, she hated being away from him for very long. Her doubts were silly, but they were still there. One day she’d go to look for him and he’d be gone, leaving her alone again, without a hope. That was another reason why she was going to step away from the Doctor. Why she was going to stop chasing after him like some love sick puppy dog, because if she kept it up she’d hurt herself more and in turn hurt Fred.

So that was decided, at least in her mind. Putting it into action though, that would be the hard part. ‘Easier said than done’ they say, but she supposed it wouldn’t be worth doing if it wasn’t hard. That was part of life, running at the obstacles without stopping, pushing forward until she reached her goal.

Maybe she was growing up a little.

But you know you can't always see when you're right
You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you

Though she could see ahead, she had that sort of talent, and had a feeling her pride would get in the way of everything. She was never one to just give up on something, especially something she had been pursuing like mad. Her pride made her foolish sometimes, she knew that. It made her do silly things that she regretted moments later, like snogging the Doctor, saying she loved him.

Because she really didn’t. It had been something she had tricked herself into thinking. That maybe if she really believed she loved him, told him that she loved him, that he’d accept her. But that wasn’t the case, never was. Forced things were not worth having.

She was learning it the hard way.

Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook
And disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you.

So it was decided. Pressing pause on her iPod she took out her headphones, winding them up and sitting back a little to slide the device into her pocket. Dante glanced up at the movement, head tilting to the side in silent question, watching her with his bright brown eyes. When she stood, he stood, tail wagging a little.

“Come on Dante.” She stated softly, looking down at the puppy standing at her ankles. “Let’s go find ourselves.” And with a smile she moved forward, Dante trotting along at her heels.