Day. The first day. The TARDIS stands in a lovely park on a beautiful, sunny day; Sarah Jane approaches that old box and the Doctor steps out to her, offering a cup of tea. Sarah walks into the TARDIS -- that's how you know this is going to be really rough; nothing's accidental -- and her eyes open wide: "You've redecorated!" The Doctor asks if she likes it, and she seems to have her opinions: "Oh...I do, yeah. I preferred it as it was, but uh...Yeah. It'll do!" Rose looks over at her: "I love it." Heh. Sarah Jane smiles. "Hey, you: what's forty seven times three hundred and sixty nine?" No idea. "But you're still clever," Sarah Jane grins. "More than a match for him." Rose smiles back: "You and me both." They nod, and they know things that nobody else knows, in all the world. Rose turns to the Doctor, who's fussing -- very intently, avoiding -- with the computer. She gestures with her eyebrows: "Doctor?" Right. He looks up. "Um, we're about to head off, but...you could come with us." Rose smiles at her expectantly and sweetly. Sarah Jane looks from happy face to happy face, their darling hope.

And Sarah Jane Smith shakes her head. "No...I can't do this anymore." Their smiles fade, but hers grows brighter and brighter: "Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead! Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own!" Mickey -- remember him? -- clears his throat. "...Can I come?" Sarah Jane looks surprised, but Rose knows what he means. And finds it yucky. "No, not with you, I mean...With you," he says -- and this is essential -- pointing at the Doctor. "Because I'm not the tin dog. And I wanna see what's out there." Rose's lovely mouth forms a perfect NO, but there's no stopping this. Mickey finally wants in for the right reasons, and he isn't unafraid. His adventures have made him a worthy Companion, and the Doctor only takes the best. "Oh go on, Doctor," says Sarah Jane. "Sarah Jane Smith -- a Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board!" The Doctor makes a show of deciding, then: "Okay then, I could do with a laugh." Rose rolls her eyes. This Companion gig gets less and less special all the time. Maybe one day soon you won't be able to tell the difference anymore. Mickey laughs, delightedly, but stops at her face: "Rose, is that okay?" She pulls a horrible face, not that I blame her: "No, great. Why not?" Awkward. Sarah Jane's like, "Yikes. Gotta bounce."