They're my first Team!TARDIS so I think that's what I'm going through right now. Sure, I went back and watch all of Nine and Ten's episodes and a few Classic!Who serials, but... damn. These guys were different. I was so emotionally invested in that trio. Ugh. I suppose it was the smart thing to do, leave while they were still popular.

You're absolutely right. If we didn't have AMAZING companions leave in the past, we wouldn't have got the Ponds. Think positive, think positive...