They walked hand-in-hand as they left the Tardis. Shana grinned from ear to ear, relishing the city as it pulsed under her feet. She loved the city, and was excited about what the Doctor had planned for them. She wanted desperately to know, but she loved surprises more. His hand tightened in hers, and her smile grew.

The Doctor waved down a taxi with a sharp whistle. She was amazed at the volume he had, and laughed when three taxis stopped in the middle of the street. He looked at her, and pulled her hand in the direction of the taxi he prefered. "Allons-y!"

"Tally-ho" She replied laughing.

They jumped into the cab, and immediately the driver asked for their destination.

"East 84th and 5th Avenue if you would," The Doctor had said. The driver nodded and began the drive. They sat in the back seat, Shana smiling as the street scenes flew by, the Doctor enjoy the ride, his hand at home in hers. The ride ended too soon, and they climbed out, the Doctor being overly generous with another small stash of American currency he handed the driver.

Hand in hand they walked down the New York street, and within a few moments, the museum came within sight and he smiled, waiting for Shana to figure out where they were. It took a moment longer then he supposed it would, and as he watched, her face lost a small hint of the glow she had been carrying. Her hand's grasp lightened a miniscule amount, and there had been a tiny change in her footsteps.

These dustings of minor difference would have never been truly noticed by the average human, but the Doctor had noticed it clearly. "Shana, is... are you okay?"

"Hmm," she replied. He paused in his steps and she turned to face him.

"Shana, what is wrong?" She didn't respond immediately, so he squeezed her hand minutely and waited. "Shana...?"

"We are... going to the museum?" She asked, her eyes not truly looking at his.

"No, I mean, yes, but not yet," The Doctor replied, quickly amending their plans for the day. "Central Park is next to it, and I thought we could spend a bit of time there first." He saw her relax, and then nod, her glow returning, but not as bright as it had been.

Something is going on, that is certain, he thought to himself now. Now he knew something was bothering her. He was determined to find out what. They began walking again, passing in front of the museum. He felt from her, despair and longing when she looked at the building. As they passed past the last corner of it before the park, he felt a last wave of sorrow. Whatever was wrong... He will fix it, he promised himself.



As soon as they had entered the natural area of the city, a horse drawn carriage had pulled up nearby. He quickly hired it, and the two of them climbed in. She leaned against him, and he wrapped a arm around her.

"Have you been to New York often," He asked her, his fingers gently running through her hair. Her hair was so soft and she was letting it grow from her short hair she had had when they first met.

"Oh yeah," She said, smiling, Her face took on that look he loved when she was remembering some place she had been. She always seems to have some moment from some places she had been that makes her love that particular place. He learned a long time ago, that you can never ask Shana if "such and such" was her favorite place cause she loves them each individually as a parent would a child.

"What's was your favorite part of New York?" She tilted her head in thought, narrowing down her answer.

"The Littles, I think," She said finally.

"The Littles?"

She nodded, smiling. "Little Italy and Chinatown. Well... Little Italy isn't what it used to be... and by 1997, well... it was just beginning to change away from being Little Italy to, ya' know... a normal section of the city. But, yeah, the Littles are my favorite. Let's see... 1997..." She frowned then, and he asked her what was wrong.

"Oh, nothing... I have friends in New York... bands... But '97 is before their time." She sighed softly. "Oh well, plenty more... though... 1997 is Grunge I think... Yeah... No concerts for us then," she said and grinned. "What about you?"

"Grunge?"

"No silly," She said, bopping her shoulder against his. "What's your favorite part of New York. Cause I assume you have been here at least once before."

"Oh, yep," He said, grinning. "Quite a few times. Well, I think it's probably the city itself. It's nearly a life force on it's own." Shana watched him for a second, thinking about his answer, and then nodded.

"You are very right about that. I hadn't thought about it like that, but... yeah, it is." The Doctor smiled, looking deeply into her silver eyes. He took the hand that was holding his, and brought it to his lips for a sweet gentle kiss. Her eyes never left his as he did it, and he could tell her pulse rose when his lips connected with her skin. "Doctor..."

"Hmmm?"

"I am not sure what you have planned for the day..."

"Oi! No asking! I refuse to ruin any surprise I might have actually gotten away with making." She laughed at him then, a great rumbling laugh he loved to hear. With Shana, she can sometimes be a hard book to read. He should know.

In six months he hadn't been able to figure her out, and he had her Cliff's Notes. He did know that, with her, if she loved something, she loved it completely. Don't even question her on it. If she hated something, you better learn to deal with it, cause she won't change her mind. Besides that, she was always willing to try to do anything at least once.

"Oh cool your jets silly. I wasn't going to ask that."

"Oh," The doctor said raising a eyebrow. "So... What were you going to say?"

A wicked delight crept into her eyes and her lips curled into a sordid grin. "I do believe, Doctor, it's going to rain shortly."

He looked at her for a fraction of a second before he understood. "Driver, we will get out here if you don't mind."

"Sir? Are you sure? I think the lady is correct and it may rain very shortly."

"Oh, I am very much sure." The carriage came to a halt, and the Doctor  leapt out of it. He reached up and held out a hand for Shana to get out. She gracefully took it, and exited the carriage quite easily. They waved off the carriage, and then holding each other's hands tightly, they ran.

They ran like children fresh out of school. They laughed and stole looks at each other as their feet pounded in joy as they ran to the center of the park. They had just reached the area when she felt the first drops of rain on her face. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, her breath heavy as she tried to catch the air to fill her lungs after the run. He held her, his face watching hers until she grinned. She leaned in to kiss him, just as the first rumble of thunder rolled through the park.

She moaned into the kiss, the rumble of the weather lighting up both of their senses. "Are you ready," she whispered when he had pulled back from the kiss.

"Always," he said, his arms wrapping tighter around her. They both closed their eyes, hoping that the rain would deliver to them. It was, sometimes a toss up, whether or not the conditions of the weather would speak to them. Sometimes, the weather would fail them, and they would end up soaking wet, and all hot and bothered. But, more often then not, now-a-days, the weather delighted in giving them it's magic.

As the rain began to pour down, their senses lit up. As the drops hit their skin, it made a musical sound. Each rainfall was different, and always left them feeling a new version of joy and peace. The air around them danced in the music, and suddenly, from close by, lightning struck. It had been extremely close, the Doctor's hair standing on end, and it fired him up. As she had felt the electricity flow through her body she felt him harden against her.

The rain danced and sang for them, the lightning striking all around them, each time bringing her to a new height of bliss. She realized then, that she had been kissing the Doctor. Or was it he was devouring her? It didn't matter, she scolded herself. The storm was rising, her skin called, begging for each drop to hit her, it's touch sending off new spirals of ecstasy in her being. The storm came harder and faster, and soon she was was lost in the powerful orgasm of the weather as it carried her higher and higher.