Starting a new life

The Doctor walked around the town, looking at the passing by. He went to visit a couple of sick people. The symptoms were always were turning to stone, some people had fever, others died from heart attack. Goderiamia was doing odd things.

While visiting one house as a doctor, he could nothing but notice, that except girl with eyes on hands and stone forearm, there was as well man, who was incredible similar to the Doctor with his looks. The Time Lord could clearly see that he is ill, probably dying soon from one glance while he walked around his room with half open door.

It was rich, marble making family; dad, mother, daughter and son. They believed, the stone-skin of their daughter is blessing from the Gods, not the same illness as their father has. The Doctor left them, shaking his head, walking back to River and Jack's residence. How did they even manage to get such a large house? The Doctor thought.

When the Doctor came back, River has already done her work, and now she was sitting in the living room by a fountain."Hello Sweetie, how was your walk? Where have you been? Are you ok?"

He sat down opposite to her: "Yes, yes, I'm doing great. It's nothing to worry about..." he said, although he knew, what is waiting for him, but he should be fine for the next few weeks. He has to save the Earth, then he will have time for himself. "...I looked around the town and I think I found myself a job."

"Oh? You were searching for job? Are you planning to settle down in a town that is ought to be destroyed in two weeks?" River wondered teasing him. He has never been the type to live on one spot for longer than a few days. Both very well remembered how she managed to make him stay with her for a week in her flat; he was getting pretty crazy and it was impossible to be anywhere near him.

"Well there is one man, who I can't help; there is no way how to cure him from Goderiamia and we look very much alike. He'll probably die very soon. As soon as he does, I'm going to take his place." he explained.

"Alright. But if he dies, you can't just make him wake up from dead. I mean, if he dies and then you come as if you're him, it would look like he got back from death! He's no Jesus, is he?" River complained.

"Exactly, he's not. That's the thing I need you for. You'll go there and take 'care' of him. You'll announce yourself as some old-y woman with herbs, who can cure him and as he dies, I'll switch my place with him, you'll be successful and I'll get where I want to be." Time Lord said and River nodded. "Oh yes and one more thing, you and Jack are going to make some parts of that circuit as well as other marble makers."

"Sure," was River's simple reply.

"Great. Well how was your mission? I hope you didn't really destroy it, did you?" the Doctor asked his wife wetting his hand in the water from the fountain.

"No, of course not. I hid the planet to Medusa Cascade. It should be save there. Few Pyroviles ran away, two groups I think; one to Earth but I have no idea where went the second one." River reviewed the success of her task.

"Good. Any ideas where Jack is?" asked the Doctor, not showing any concern.

"I don't know. Probably finishing his quest and taking care of the ship." River shrugged.

"Alright" the Doctor got up. "We don't have much time. That man, Caecilius he's called I think, is going to die within three hours." River stood up and walked to her bedroom. She changed to her robe, took a veil and a scarf to hide her face and so did the Doctor. He led her through Pompeii city to the house, Caecillius lived in.

"Here we are. I'll take the back entrance and wait for you in his room." the Doctor said and after River's assuring nod he left and walked down the street to the other side of the house.

River walked in, had a small talk with Metella; wife of the dying man, greeted household Gods and then went to the room of Caecilius.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. But you can't be present in the room while I'm working, otherwise it won't work." she said to Metella, who accepted it and left the room, closing the door behind herself.

River gave that man a sleeping potion, so he won't have to feel himself dying. The Doctor was just being kind again. She rolled her eyes about it and waited by the man about two hours, until his heart stopped beating. Then she vaporized his dead body –why couldn't she do it sooner?! In some things she just didn't agree with her husband. Then she called the Doctor, who was hiding behind the curtain. He took down his veil and scarf, dressed properly rome-y and lied down in the bed.

River walked out of the room and before she left the residence, she called Metella and told her, that her husband is fine and there is nothing to worry about now.

Later Metella went to now-Doctor's room. He smiled at her and she sat to the end of his bed. "My dear. I'm glad you're healthy now." she told him.

The Doctor took his role very seriously and took good care of this family. He won't just let the innocent people suffer, will he? He even learned how to work with marble!

River came back to her house and not long after her, Jack arrived.

"Hello," he said and walked over to her. "Where is your husband?"

"Hi," River greeted him and explained to him everything about Doctor's new life and plan. Jack was just nodding, trying to catch all the information.

As River finished, Jack exclaimed: "But how are we going to make something with marble? I can't do that! Why are we even staying here?! I'm sure, we can just fly away. I'm not going to help some madman."

River shook her head: "Oh come on. We have to stay here with him." She was not going to leave him. Not ever.

"River, fine. But I'm doing this only for you and I'm not going to stay longer than a week. After the week, I'm leaving. I'm not going to risk to die here under the lava."

"Fine... Thank you for it. It's better than nothing." she smirked and they both got to table for their dinner.