Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who.

BACKGROUND: Alright, this story is set during the episode "School Reunion" when the Doctor and Rose go undercover in the school and will go AU from here on. This is a Doctor/OC fic (the second fic is a Master/OC), so no Doctor/Rose. Sorry.

Tallia sighed as she finally made her way inside her flat, closing her eyes tightly to stop the sound pounding away in her head. "Kat? You here?"

"Kitchen!" Another voice called, making Tallia wince and hurry further into the flat. Kat should never – ever be allowed unsupervised in the kitchen.

Tallia sighed in relief as she saw Kat sitting at the table, various pieces of paper surrounding her and her laptop open. Kat looked up from the screen and quirked her lip slightly when she saw the relief spread across the other woman's face. "Worried you for a moment, didn't I? Just doing some more research."

Nodding curtly, Tallia moved past her friend/roommate and quickly searched for her prescription of headache meds. Finding the bottle sitting on the counter, where she left it that morning, she sighed in relief as she clicked open the lid and quickly slid two pills into her hand.

"Rough day?" Kat asked hesitantly, a frown on her face. Tallia didn't bother responding, merely grabbed a glass of water and placed the pills in her mouth. "Well," Kat continued, clearly not taking the hint that Tallia did not want to talk at the moment, "I've found nothing. At all. It's like we didn't even exist!"

Tallia sighed, really not wanting to get started on this again. She and Kat had both been left at the small orphanage on the same day, both appearing to be about six years old, with no clue where they were or where they came from. Both had only had the clothes they were wearing, a blanket with their names sown on the corner (Tallia's a light blue, Kat's a darker purple) and both carrying an old watch. Identical watches – identical watches that didn't work.

Neither girl had been adopted, both growing up in the orphanage and various foster homes, but they were always kept together. Mostly because of the fact that everyone was convinced that the two of them had to be related, considering how they were left. No one mentioned how unlikely that was. Tallia, with her light skin, blond hair, and short stature was completely unlike the slim, tall, dark haired girl sitting beside her. Tallia's eyes were hazel, Kat's were a bright blue. Tallia had freckles, Kat's skin was easily three shades darker than the other girls.

At eighteen they were both finally free of the orphanage and they moved into the small flat together, Tallia working in a shop as she went to Uni and Kat at a small library. A library that had a genealogy department.

"Kat, it's obvious that whoever our parents were, they didn't want to be found," Tallia told the other girl, collapsing into the chair across from her.

"I don't care. Just because they didn't want to be found doesn't mean I'm going to make that easy for them," she replied with a glare on her face.

Tallia sighed, shrugging her shoulders and standing. She knew Kat would continue looking, no matter what she said. That was just the way Kat was.

Stepping into her room, Tallia slowly made her way over to her dresser, picking up the old pocket watch lying there. She slowly slid her fingers over the cool metal, letting out a deep sigh. What was even the point? Obviously, she and Kat hadn't mattered to them.

Letting the watch fall back to the dresser, she picked up the papers beside it. DNA test. She had been thinking about it for years, though she had never brought it up. First, because there was no way the orphanage would pay for something like that. Then, when she was older, because they wouldn't have given permission. But now, she didn't have an excuse.

What if they weren't sisters? She had never really thought they were, but just to have proof, to know that she didn't have anyone…

She swallowed hard, shaking her head. This was ridiculous. Why was she torturing herself like this? She winced as the pounding in her head grew more persistent. She turned off the light, sliding into her bed and closing her eyes gratefully. Da da da da. Da da da da. Da da da…

"Tallia! Wake up!" Kat yelled, running into Tallia's room and turning the light on. Tallia groaned, reaching for her pillow and pressing it over her face. "Up! I found- well, I didn't find – you have to get up!"

Tallia frowned at the panic she heard in her friends voice. "Kat? What is-"

"You have to come see this!" Kat said frantically. Tallia sat up, staring at her friend. She moved off the bed quickly when she saw Kat's panicked eyes and her clasped hands moving nervously. Kat moved forward, grasping Tallia's hand and pulling her toward the kitchen. "Kat? What is going on?"

"What do you remember from the orphanage?"

Tallia's worry instantly turned into irritation at the words. "You did not wake me up and pull me out here to-"

"Tallia! Please?!"

Tallia frowned as Kat's voice raised an octave. "Alright! I remember living there, I remember sharing a room with you and-"

"We didn't!"

Tallia frowned, confused. "Kat, what are you talking-"

"I called them. I thought maybe they knew more than they told us." She stopped and Tallia frowned.

"And?"

"And nothing! According to them, we were never there! They said they didn't have any record of either of us!"

Tallia felt her breath catch in her throat. That was completely impossible! "They had to be mistaken."

"That's what I thought! So I asked to talk to Mrs. Taylor." Tallia nodded, Mrs. Taylor was in charge of the orphanage – and she would definitely remember them. The amount of trouble they had been in… well, she wouldn't forget it. "But Mrs. Taylor said she had no idea who we were! I started talking about the different people we knew, and she remembered all of them! But not us. Nothing."

"That's impossible," Tallia said flatly, her head spinning at those words. How could she not remember them?

"And that isn't all. I started checking records. I had always looked for things when we were younger- I never checked things from after the orphanage! School records aren't there, doctors notes. The first thing I found was the lease for this flat!"

"That isn't possible," Tallia protested, "what about other records? We couldn't have gotten this place, or I.D.'s or anything without some proof of identification!"

Kat swallowed, slowly shaking her head. "Tallia, do you actually remember signing the lease? Or school or anything else? I know we did it – but I can't remember – "

She broke off, a sob escaping from her throat. Tallia moved toward her quickly, wrapping her arms around the other girl. "Kat, there is no way that we don't have any-"

"There's nothing, Tallia! Where did we come from?"

Tallia didn't answer her. Couldn't answer her. Because if what Kat was saying was true… then she had no idea.

Two weeks. Two weeks since Kat had called the orphanage and they had yet to find anything. Tallia had gone to the orphanage the next day and talked to Mrs. Taylor in person – she still had no idea who they were.

She decided to go to their old school and see if they also didn't have any records. "Hi, I was wondering if I could get a copy of my transcripts?"

The woman at the desk sighed, pulling a form out from a folder on the corner of her desk. "Fill this out and bring it back to me," She said, scowling. "You can sit over there."

"Thanks," Tallia said sarcastically as she made her way to the chair indicated.

She had only been there a few moments when a tall man with dark hair bounced in. Yes – bounced. He seemed to have so much energy that he was practically skipping as he walked in. "Hello! Could I possibly get a list of the students in my class please?" He leaned forward, as if he was going to tell the woman a secret, "I lost the first."

The woman smiled at him, clearly over the mood she had been in a moment before. "Just a moment, Mr. Smith."

The man- Mr. Smith – turned around, catching sight of Tallia. He froze, his mouth hanging open and eyes wide. Tallia frowned, staring down at the paper in front of her. Why was he staring?

"Uh, sorry. Do I know you?" He asked hesitantly, moving slightly forward.

Tallia looked up, smiling slightly at the man in front of her. He was really good looking, with brown hair that was standing up in careless spikes, and dark eyes. Tallia tried to hide the way her palms were suddenly sweating. "No, sorry. I'm just trying to get a copy of my transcripts."

Mr. Smith looked at the paper in front of her with a frown, "Uh, yeah… are you sure we haven't met?"

"No, I think I'd remember," Tallia said, blushing lightly when she heard the words leave her mouth. Hell, she was flirting with this man! "I'm Tallia."

If anything, the man's frown deepened. "Tallia. Tallia what?"

"Tallia Smith," Tallia admitted, "The orphanage didn't know our last name, so they gave us a common-"

"Orphanage? We?"

"Uh-" Why was she telling this man her personal information again? "Yeah. We were supposedly found there when we were six, and they gave us the last name Smith."

"Supposedly?"

Tallia frowned, running her hand over her eyes. Du du du dum. Du du du dum. "Um, yeah. Recently we found out the orphanage we thought we lived in since we were six has no idea who we are."

"Which is why you're requesting transcripts." Mr. Smith said softly, a frown on his handsome face. "Sorry, who is we?"

"Wh – oh, my best friend. And roommate. And might be sister," Tallia stopped, even confusing herself. "It's complicated."

"Here is your class list, Mr. Smith," The woman said, sliding up in front of them once again. Her eyes slid over to Tallia, "Are you finished?"

"Yeah," Tallia said quickly, handing the paper over. "Sorry, how long until-"

"We'll call you when we have them ready."

Tallia frowned, shaking her head, "Is there anyway you could check now? Just to make sure that-"

"No."

Tallia blinked, "Alright then. Thanks."

"Sorry, you never said your friends name." Mr. Smith cut in, his eyes fixated on her face.

Tallia turned, frowning slightly, "Kat."

Tallia saw the man turn an unnaturally shade of white. "What?"

"Her name is Kat."

"What?!"

"Are you alright?" Tallia asked, slightly concerned for the man in front of her.

He blinked, surprised. Then he stood up straight, clearing his throat. "Of course! I have to get to class," He said, glancing at the clock guiltily, "but how would you feel about meeting me later? Maybe with your friend? Maybe I can help."

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Kat snapped, glancing around the restaurant warily. "Why are we meeting some random person again? And why did you just decide to tell him our entire life story?"

"I don't know," Tallia admitted, picking at her chips. "I just did. It… felt right."

"Oh, that makes everything better," Kat sighed, shaking her head. "I thought I was the impulsive one!"

Tallia was getting ready to reply when she saw the man walking towards them with a shocked smile on his face. "Hello!" He slid into the seat across from them, turning amazed eyes from one to the other. "Sorry, I just… huh. Kat I presume."

Kat nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. "And you must be Mr. Smith."

"John," He said quickly, smile brightly. He leaned forward, his eyes sliding from one to the other. "Now, tell me, do either of you happen to have a pocket watch?"