They are Good People

A short fic

By redrose

"The Time Lords are good people, Jamie, you must believe me." The Doctor said sadly, looking at Jamie and Zoe.

Good people? Jamie snorted to himself. Drawing his knees up he embraced them, and sat in silence, studying his two friends. Time Lords good people, rubbish, he thought to himself, feeling a pang of grief. The Doctor was a good man, for that, the Time Lords were going to sentence him to exile, and take them (he and Zoe away). Why? Because, the Doctor made a difference. Everywhere he went he helped people, and saved them from horrid beasties, like Daleks, Cybermen and Yeti.

Looking at his hands, the young man shuttered, his own fate was in question now. He was going to go back to Culledon, and face the eventual annihilation of his people, and slavery.

The Time Lords were good people. He looked at the Doctor scornfully, and shook his head, drawing a shaking breath. He couldn't speak, not really, he knew the man he traveled with WAS a good man and wanted to think the best of his people. That was what made the Doctor what he was. He gave everyone a chance.

But James Robert Mc Crimmon couldn't. They were going to take his life from him. Everything he had become would be erased, making him an ignorant and misguided child once more.

His fingers touched his watch, turning it with ease and watching the hands as they ticked his time away. They come soon and take him away from his home and family.

They were good people.

Over the years, Jamie had identified himself with the changes around him. He had become someone different, a man of different times and places. He was an anachronism, that was what Zoe called him, and in a found sort of way, he agreed. He was from 1745, and believed in their ways, and didn't understand the technology around him, yet, he enjoyed rock music, and dressed 20th century. He wore a watch, and preferred heavy factory made work boots, to the soft hand stitched leather ones he used in his time. But they were stealing that from him, making him someone else, someone he left behind because he was narrow and incapable of thinking beyond his superstitious world.

Wiping tears, the Highlander looked over his shoulder, seeing the Doctor's tormented features as he reached down to his shoulder.

"Please Jamie."

"I don't know what to say." The youth said blankly. "I can read and write and they're stealing that form me." Ignorance, terrified him. The Doctor, wizard he was, taught him the bliss of literacy and the world of books and adventures. Jamie liked being educated and he liked learning, despite his confusion, the world around him was a wonderful place to see and learn about.

They were taking that from him.

Most of all they were taking the man who breathed new life into his dark world. His friend, his mentor, they, the good people, were taking him from him.

Looking into Doctor's deep blue eyes, Jamie blinked away tears. Men didn't cry, no, not at all. But today he'd become a boy again, and he would never be able to read, or find a reason to do so. Today he'd go back on a battle field, and fight only to die and be buried in a nameless grave with countless others of his people. Or, if he survived, he'd be sold into slavery. "I don't agree," was all he managed. "Good people don't take who you are away."

The Doctor was unable to respond and a long silence passed between them . His fingers pressed into the youth's shoulders and tears sparkled in his sapphire eyes. "It shant be that bad, Jamie…"

"But it is! " James Robert Mc Crimmon looked to a wall, and let the tears stream down his cheeks. In a few minutes they'd come and erase who he was. "They're stealing me, stealing who I am away! And I'll no ken the better of it in the end. I'll be no one, and die a fools death, or of the pox, or something else, in ignorant bliss. I be terrified of that! And ye ken it's true, ye are just good at lying to ye self aboot it!"

The Doctor shifted uneasily in the silence, and strayed a glance to Zoe who was studying the force field door and trying to keep herself from crying. "Now I don't know what to say," he said, softly, " I'm dreadfully sorry Jamie. I should have never taken you from your home."

Shaking his head, Jamie brushed his tears away. "No, no never say that!" He shouted, horrified and hurt. "Ye cannea believe that! You and your TARDIS were the best thing that ever happened to mae! " Stumbling to his feet, Jamie grabbed his friend, embracing the little man fiercely. "Ye save me, ye taught me! Ye showed me a life better than any I could ever had in my world! Damn it! It was worth it! And I dinnae want to let it go! Please dinnea say ye should hav' left me in hell. I hav no father, Doctor, ye were him, if only for a short time. "

Sniffling, the Doctor met his gaze, and brushed a lock of hair from Jamie's eyes. "Jamie. I'm very worried. I can't bare you, or Zoe leaving. I'll miss both of you dreadfully. But I'm very selfish, and I put both of you in danger many times. And now this, oh dear, my boy, " the Time Lord whipped tears from his own eyes. "No, I don't regret taking you with me Jamie, we had great fun together didn't we? I just don't want you to feel the pain you feel now. I never intended on…"

Smiling weakly, Jamie clasped his arm and squeezed it. "Dinnea fash ye self aboot it. " Coming to a stand, he looked at Zoe who weakly smiled. It was time to put the pain away and get on with it. Numbness was settling in, and he didn't want to upset the Doctor anymore than he was. Fancy that, they both looked out for each other, even at the very end.

They were going to take everything from him, but in the end, he'd never know.

"The force field door isn't completely shut, I think we can escape." Zoe said simply sparking a dash of hope in his heavy heart.

The three prisoners exchanged looks. It was worth a chance, and better than sitting around waiting for them to come . They were going to take everything from him, but he wouldn't let them do so without a fight. Jamie glanced at the Doctor who was rubbing his hands together.The little man was doing it for them, even though the Highlander knew he was tired of running and that it would be easier for him to just give up and let the Time Lords punish him. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"

The Doctor was a good man. Thought Jamie, the Time Lords had a lot to learn from him.