A/N: Here it is! My favorite episode of season three, only with our favorite heroine! Enjoy!
Season Three: "Human Nature"
"Ice skating was fun," Rose said as the three travelers returned to the TARDIS, "but Cuhlhan wasn't exactly pretty, was it?"
Martha shook her head in agreement. "Not really."
"Well the Diforians strip mined the entire planet three millenium before, triggering an unending ice age that froze the entire surface. It just floats around their sun covered in ice now," the Doctor explained, tossing the ice skates back into the closet.
Rose laughed fondly. "What we're trying to say, love, is that Martha and I want to go somewhere with beautiful scenery."
He grinned and kissed her cheek before whispering, "That's easy. I find that wherever you are."
She blushed and giggled, but Martha shook her head. "Oi, lovebirds. We need a destination, maybe? One that doesn't include your bedroom?"
The Doctor grinned and winked at the woman. "How about... the banana groves of Villengard?"
The two women cheered and the Doctor moved to the controls.
"Too bad Jack couldn't come with us," Rose commented, causing her fiancée to inwardly flinch. He still didn't know how to explain that to her.
"Who's Jack?" Martha asked as she and Rose made themselves comfortable near the Doctor.
"Oh you would love Jack," the other woman explained brightly. "Not nearly as much as he loves himself, but very few could love like that."
He frowned to himself. He absolutely had to talk to Rose about the whole Jack situation.
They arrived without incident, but when they exited the TARDIS, it was not into a banana grove. It was the center of a factory compound. A weapons factory compound.
"Well... I'd say we're a bit early for harvest, yeah?" Rose joked, looking at him with that loving trust that never failed to take his breath away.
He moved to kiss her when they heard the priming of weapons. "You three! Come with us!"
They were taken to the main offices, where they tried to explain that their arrival was a simple miscalculation, and they didn't want weapons of any kind. An alarm went off, warning the people in the factory of an attack.
They all ran out to see who was attacking, but the Doctor took one look and panicked. He turned Martha and Rose right around and ran for the TARDIS. The gunfire seemed to follow them, and they quickly realized the attackers were coming after them.
The Doctor began swearing colorfully, in several languages. "Keep running! We have to get to the TARDIS!"
They ran, dodging explosions and ducking fire until they found their ship, flinging the doors open in some kind of desperation. Behind them, someone tossed a kind of grenade in just before the doors shut. Rose screamed, dragging both the Doctor and Martha to the floor as a golden shield grew around them. The explosion was dampened by the TARDIS, but there was still a fair amount of damage done. The central console was sparking crazily as they started to pick themselves up off the floor. The Doctor leapt to his feet, reaching to the two women, grabbing their hands and pulling them both up, then eye to eye.
"Did they see you?" he asked them in desperation.
"I don't know!" Martha cried, as Rose doubled over in pain.
"Did they see you?" he focused on Rose, helping her to the Captain's chair.
She shook her head, wincing in pain. "I don't know, love, I was too busy running!"
Swearing again, he turned to their companion, forcing his tone to a calmer one. "Martha, it's important - did they see your face?"
She thought about it. She and Rose had been turned around before she'd even seen what was there. "No, they couldn't have!"
He ran round the console and started manipulating the controls.
"Off we go! Check Rose, please!"
Martha checked Rose, who shook her head. "I wasn't hurt, it's the TARDIS. I feel her pain through that connection. She's trying to shield me, but she's going to need a nice long rest to recouperate."
"Ahhh!" the Doctor cried, focusing on a screen that was flashing in mauve. "They're following us."
"How can they do that," Martha asked incredulously, "you've got a time machine."
"Stolen technology, they've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe-" He paused, looking at Rose. "They're never going to stop."
He ran a hand through his hair nervously and stared at the screen once more; then an idea came to him.
"Unless...I'll have to do it..."
Rose looked up at him in alarm from his tone. "Do what?"
He didn't look at his fiancee for the time, focusing on their companion. "Martha, you trust me don't you?"
"Of course I do," she answered without hesitation
"Cause it all depends on you."
"What does?" Rose asked, beginning to panic. "Doctor, what does?!"
He doves into the storage area below the console to retrieve something, while the two women watched on in terrified confusion.
"What does, what am I supposed to do?" Martha asked him.
He reappeared holding an ornate pocket watch aloft. "Take this watch, 'cause my life, and Rose's life, depend on it. The watch, Martha- The watch is-"
A man was lying in a bed sporting a pair of blue striped pyjamas. His eyes flicked open suddenly, and he sat up in a state of panic. He blinked in confusion a few times, and stared wildly about an ornate Victorian room, wood panelling and framed paintings. After a couple of seconds, he pushed himself to sit up, feet on the floor. As he rubbed his eyes, he heard a knock. Shortly after, there was the sound of a door opening.
"Come in," he called, rubbing his face.
A young black woman entered, wearing a Victorian maid's uniform and carrying a tray of breakfast. As she saw the man sitting on his bed, her eyes widened and she turned back.
"Pardon me, Mr Smith, you're not dressed yet. I can come back later-" she said quickly, moving to leave as he stood, pulling and tying a dressing gown around himself.
"No, it's alright, it's alright. Put it down," the man said, shaking his head to rid himself of the dream. They always started so pleasantly, then descended into horror. And... the maid, she had been there!
Martha walked to the small table in the middle of the room and set the tray down, keeping her eyes lowered. He watched her thoughtfully.
"I was, um... Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams."
She crossed to the window and pulled the curtains open. "What about, sir?"
He shook his head, sitting to his breakfast. "I dream I'm this... Adventurer. This...daredevil, a madman. 'The Doctor', I'm called, with a beautiful blonde woman ever at my side. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my... companion."
Martha crossed back to the tray on the table so set it up properly. The man's eyes had been following her across the room.
"A teacher and a housemaid and some woman you dreamed up, sir? That sounds a little impossible."
He sighed, standing and pacing a bit. "Ah no, a man from another world, though... and the woman... I can see her face so clearly..."
"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing," Martha said firmly.
He moved to the fireplace and looked at the mantle- where the watch he'd had in his dream was sitting.
"This thing... The watch..." he mused, picking it up. After holding it for a second he replaced it on the mantle with another sigh. "Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away. But I do remember one thing; it all took place in the future. In the year of Our Lord two thousand and seven."
The maid smiled a bit as he returned to his breakfast. "I can prove that wrong for you sir, here's the morning paper. It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human, sir. As human as they come."
"Mmm, that's me; completely human," he nodded, sipping his tea and smiling back at her.
After she'd finished, Martha headed to the kitchen. "I'm off to the market for Cook. Jenny, you need anything?"
Another maid, a heavier woman with a soft smile, looked up from her work. "Nah, I'm well enough Martha. Might check with Matron though. She's always needing something."
Martha smiled and bid her goodbye. After checking with the Matron, who did need a few things, she was off. But it wasn't to market that she headed right away. Her first stop was a rather run down barn, and a narrow blue box.
"Rose? You in here?" she called, entering the box which was much bigger on the inside.
"I'm here, Martha," the blonde woman replied, coming out of a hall. "Just sitting around, missing him and going crazy."
"Oh honey, that's actually what I came to talk to you about. I think we're going to have to bring you out of hiding."
Rose shook her head. "He said that me being away from the TARDIS was dangerous while it's powered down like this."
Martha groaned. "Yeah well, so's him being hit on by some woman. He might not know it, but he misses you so much right now, if she keeps it up, he might just fall for her."
"Who's going after my Doctor?" the blonde asked, a bit possessive about the Doctor.
"Matron Joan Redfern," Martha answered with a sigh. "She's a very proper woman of the time, but she's all sorts of interested in one John Smith."
Rose gave a little growl. "Well, she can't have him. Let me change, and we'll think of a story…"
Martha nodded happily. She'd missed having Rose around to talk to. The maids and such were nice, but she and Rose had been through a lot and had grown close. They made a plan and were soon at the school, where they were told that the Matron and Headmaster were in a meeting and couldn't be disturbed just then. Rose, being easy-going, stood in the hall talking to Martha and Jenny while they did their work.
The two women were on their hands and knees scrubbing the tiled second floor, and Jenny looked scandalized when the stranger, who had been introduced as 'Lady Rose' offered to help. Rose laughed but didn't ask again. Before long, Professor Smith walked past, head completely buried in a large book, making Rose and Martha both smile. Their eyes followed him as he passed.
"Morning, Sir," Martha grinned, glancing at Rose who was beaming at the man, but obviously trying not to. That was when the black woman remembered that they hadn't seen each other in over a month.
Without looking up, he slowed down a little and answered distractedly, "Yes, hi." He moved downstairs.
"Head in the clouds, that one," Jenny grinned. "Don't know why everyone is so sweet on him."
"Everyone?" Rose asked, looking at the two curiously.
"He's just kind, that's all. Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being—" She pointed to her face.
Jenny grinned, "A Londoner?"
Rose frowned a bit, wondering if people were mean to her friend. Two senior boys walked over the area the girls were cleaning, and looked back as the girls laughed.
"Ah, now then, you two," one of the boys said authoritatively.
The women stopped laughing and looked up. Rose took a step back to observe the students.
"You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it," he said with a sneer.
"Yes Sir, sorry, Sir," Jenny said immediately, ducking her head to scrub again.
The other boy looked at the darker skinned woman. "You there, what's your name again?"
"Martha, Sir. Martha Jones," she answered, careful to remain respectful.
"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?"
Rose stepped forward again, her dress and bearing immediately identifying her as a woman of some stature and rearing. "Are you two quite finished behaving boorishly? Or shall I check back in case you wish to kick the women who work so hard to keep this building together for ungrateful children such as yourself?"
The boys blanched, looking both furious at the chiding and embarrassed that a well bred woman was obviously disgusted with their behavior.
The boys hurried away, and Martha looked up at her friend.
"That was… amazing, Rose!" she crowed. "Did you see the little swots?!"
"Careful now," Jenny cautioned. "Don't let them hear you answer back. And you ought to address her as 'Lady Rose' in case someone hears!"
Rose laughed. "Oh Jenny, you worry too much." She turned around in a wide circle.
"You might want to be careful," Martha warned her.
"Why's that?" Rose asked, turning and taking a step back to balance herself.
Professor Smith was heading back to the stairs, overloaded with a stack of books as the nurse exited her meeting with the headmaster and approached the upper staircase.
"The stairs," Martha answered, shaking her head.
"What about the stairs?" Rose asked, grinning.
"They're right behind you," Jenny pointed out.
Rose turned to see and overbalanced, falling backwards down the stairs. She tumbled straight down into the professor and sent the books flying. The nurse saw from the top floor and gasped, rushing down as Martha jumped up and ran down as well.
"John!" Joan cried out in alarm.
He was extracting himself from under the woman and books. "What happened?"
"Oh my God, is she OK?" Martha asked worriedly.
"Who is she?" the nurse asked, turning the woman over and brushing hair out of her face.
John couldn't breathe when her face was revealed. This was Rose! The woman from his dreams. He would know her anywhere. He could barely keep himself from reaching out to touch her face. He looked at Martha. She seemed to know the woman.
Martha shook her head, so overcome with her fear that she couldn't speak. Jenny stood at the top of the stairs.
"That's Lady Rose," she supplied helpfully. "She met Martha in town. A horse threw her and she was coming to ask the headmaster for help getting home."
"Well, now she needs medical attention," the nurse said with a scowl. She didn't like the way John was looking at the girl, but she had to get her to the infirmary. "John, I know it's a lot to ask, but could you perhaps carry her for me?"
John blushed a deep red. "I suppose I could help you out."
He carefully scooped the unconscious woman up, carrying her carefully to the infirmary. He couldn't imagine how it was possible that she felt absolutely perfect in his embrace, how his heart seemed to jump into his throat and plummet to his stomach at the same time. He'd always been the picture of self control… why was he having so much trouble keeping himself from kissing her?
He reluctantly laid her on one of the sick beds, hovering nearby.
The nurse checked over her, opening her eyes and looking for signs of concussion. Martha stood near the door, watching worriedly.
"Ohh…" the unconscious woman moaned as she began to stir.
"Here we are," Joan smiled. "She's waking up."
John stepped forward, wondering to himself if her eyes would be the beautiful hazel he dreamed about every night.
"Who are you?" the woman asked, looking at Joan. "Where in the world am I?"
Her voice… it was wonderfully and impossibly the same.
"What do you mean, where are you?" Martha asked, moving forward. "Don't you remember?"
Joan frowned at Martha's forwardness.
The woman sat up, looking alarmed. "I don't remember anything… who are you all? What am I doing… here…"
Her hazel eyes connected with the brown eyes of John Smith, and they both stared in shock. She asked him softly, "Do I… know you?"
He stepped closer. "I don't think… that is, not as such…"
"Lady Rose," Joan said, interrupting them, pointedly ignoring the exasperated look Martha was giving her. "You've had a fall. Are you having memory problems now?"
Rose scowled at the nurse. "Hard to have problems with something I don't rightly have, yeah?"
Martha groaned, Joan sighed, and John moved to the woman's side.
"It's going to be all right," he said softly, taking her hand. "I promise you. I will take care of you."
Rose's breath caught. "You will… you promise?"
Just then the door burst open and the Headmaster strode in. "So this is the Lady Rose, come to seek aide of our school," he said, prepared to receive and give assistance to a member of the gentry.
"I…" Rose hesitated, blinking rapidly at the man.
"Headmaster, it seems while waiting for her audience with you, the Lady Rose fell down the stairs and injured herself. She appears to have lost her memory," Joan explained to him, her tone somewhat disbelieving.
"I fell down stairs?" the woman on the bed asked incredulously. "How did I do that?"
"We were talking, Lady Rose," Martha said, stepping forward. "I tried to warn you, but you were too close. I'm so sorry I didn't notice quicker."
She slid to her feet, steadied automatically by John. "I'm sure you feel just awful. I don't blame you, of course. If I fell down a flight of stairs and hurt myself, then I can only blame myself. My only problem is that I cannot remember how I came to be here. I want to be as open and honest as I can with you, sir, but I fear my ability is severely blocked by the fact that I cannot tell you anything."
He frowned thoughtfully, taking in the woman's appearance. His eyes lighted on her left hand. "Are you perhaps engaged to be married?"
Rose looked down, seeing the ring and trying to think. "I… I don't…"
Martha hedged. "Headmaster, if I may… I made bold to ask her that as we walked to the school. Before she fell. Lady Rose told me that the ring was a gift from her father, but he was waiting for her to choose a worthy man. She's an only child, on holiday with relatives."
Decision soothed the features of the head of the school. "I see. Well, we must make Lady Rose comfortable and extend our hospitality until her full identity can be confirmed and her father contacted. Our halls may be considered your home as long as you need us, my lady."
The lady swept a curtsey, inclining her head gratefully. "I don't suppose… would it be too much to request that Martha act as my ladies maid for the time? I feel a sort of friendship with her, perhaps because at the moment she knows me better than I do myself right now."
"Of course, Lady Rose," he agreed easily. "Whatever will make you more comfortable."
"May I offer my sitting room until a room can be prepared for you, Lady Rose?" John asked her.
Rose couldn't stop the smile at the almost reverent way he said her name. "I would like somewhere to rest that's less… traveled."
"John, I would like to continue the conversation we began earlier," Joan said then, and unfortunately for her, no one in the room missed the hopeful tone to her voice.
"Oh… umm…" John stammered. "We'll talk later, Matron Redfern."
Martha shot the woman an apologetic look as she followed John, Rose, and the Headmaster out of the room. She didn't dislike the nurse, she just knew that no one belonged with the Doctor, or John Smith, like Rose. The Headmaster directed her to a room to prepare for the lady.
John led Rose to his sitting room, making her comfortable. "Can I get you anything, Lady Rose?"
"Just Rose, please," she begged him. "I can't imagine being comfortable with that title hanging over me all the time. And your name is John? May I call you that?"
He smiled at her. "I would like that…Rose."
They chatted about the school for several moments before he laughed and shook his head. "I feel as though I've known you for years, Rose. As though… as though I've been looking for you."
She grinned, wide, with her tongue caught in her teeth in a way that made his heart beat wildly.
"I know just what you mean, John. As though there's this connection between us."
He hedged, trying to find a way to tell her about his dreams. "I… I've rather… seen you before, I think."
She looked at him in surprise. "You have? Where? How?"
"I have dreams, strange, out of this world dreams," he said, finding it oddly easy to tell her once he'd started. "Dreams in which I am a wild adventurer going to all these impossible worlds with companions at my side. The most prevalent companion is a woman – with your face and name."
She gasped, placing a hand over her heart. "Truly! If anyone else had told me that, then I would have laughed, but you… I seem to believe you."
He stood, moving over toward his desk, "I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction... um... not that it would be of any interest."
Rose shook her head, standing up as well. "I'd be very interested."
He looked at her in amazement, and Rose nodded, hoping he would continue.
"Well... I've never shown it to anyone before," John stammered, handing her a black leather-bound journal, and she read the handwritten title on the first page.
"'Journal of Impossible Things'," she said, starting to turn the pages. She saw the pages were covered in both writing and ink pictures - the central console of a ship of some sort was sketched on the first page, then a monitor screen section, a detailed sketch of a gas-mask victim. "Just look at these creatures!"
She turned the page again to reveal a Dalek in all its inked glory and couldn't explain or stop the sudden violent shudder that moved through her.
"Mmm," he said, moving closer to her. "It's become quite a hobby."
She kept flipping through more pages, more sketches and pages of writing. The face of an alien that felt oddly familiar gave way to a sketch of two more creatures she thought she'd seen before, then to the face of a clockwork robot that made her scowl with a burst of annoyance.
"It's wonderful. And quite an eye for the pretty girls… but… wait…"
In the centre of the next page was a sketch of Rose's face. She looked up in complete amazement.
"That was the face, always there, in every adventure he had, this woman never left his side. Even when he tried to tell her to."
Martha opened the door quietly but stopped before entering fully, looking at the two of them.
"She's his whole world, you know."
"I'm sure… he means everything to her, as well, John."
She turned to another page, another sketch; this time of a quartet of some sort of robot-men - and in the top corner on the next page, a small sketch of the TARDIS. As John explained it, there is a bigger, more detailed sketch further down the page.
"Ah, that's the box, the blue box, it's always there. Like a...like a magic carpet, this funny little box that transports me to far away places," he said softly, reaching p to brush a lock of hair from her face.
"Like a doorway?" she asked him breathlessly.
He stared at her intently, irresistibly drawn to her. "Mmm."
Martha placed a hand over her mouth, finding herself a little emotional at seeing them like this. The Doctor and Rose belonged together, and for them to not even know...
The next page Rose turned to was a mess of writing, but the pictures stood out brightly - the faces that this Doctor had before.
"I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true," he breathed.
Her answer was wistful, longing. "If only."
"It's just a dream," he said giving a short, quiet laugh.
She looked at him, neither noticing Martha back out of the room. "John, I… all of this… it feels so familiar to me. I almost would say I had shared these dreams with you."
He blinked. "You and I… sharing dreams? That cannot be, can it?"
She bit her lip before whispering, "They say the same about love at first sight… John."
A school bell rang in the background, and John looked terribly disappointed to be pulled away from Rose so quickly.
"Please, keep the book, read it. I'd very much like to share this with you."
She beamed at him, and he had to fight the urge to kiss her again. Why did that seem the natural thing to do with her?
"Thank you, John. I look forward to seeing you later," she told him.
They left the room, Rose watching him walk away toward his class. Only then did Martha come up to her.
"Your room is prepared, Lady Rose," she said softly.
Rose looked at her a moment, then smiled. "Lead on then!"
Once inside the room, Rose shut the door behind Martha and turned. "All right. Spill it, Martha."
The black woman blinked in surprise. "I…"
The blonde growled in frustration. "Look, it's just us. I really can't remember a bloody thing, but I know this isn't right. I don't belong in this place, in this time, in these clothes! I'm no bleeding Lady, and I know that man. He let me borrow this." She showed Martha the journal. "Please, Martha. I don't know what's going on, but if you really are my friend, and I think you are, then help me."
"Fine!" the medical student sighed. "I just want you to know that falling down those damnable stairs was the worst possible thing to happen right now."
Rose rolled her eyes. "You think I'm enjoying it? Who am I really? And why am I passing myself off as a member of the gentry?"
Her friend tried to explain, so many details pouring out that Rose felt dizzy by the time Martha was wrapping up. "…and so you came to the school to help me keep him from making a mistake."
She looked down at her hand. "So we fibbed. This is an engagement ring?"
Martha smiled. "Yes, Rose. You're engaged. To the Doctor, who's currently masquerading as simple John Smith and he doesn't know."
"That works out for me, then. Now, where am I going to get clothes?"
Several days passed in which Rose and John took long walks, had their suppers together, discussed the imaginative 'dreams' he had, and became quite close, much to the annoyance of Nurse Joan Redfern. Lady Rose was a pet of the boys while she stayed, many clamouring for her attention and smiles, even the Headmaster doted on her as a father would. Martha was, admittedly, amazed at her ability to charm people and made a note to ask her about it when she was herself again.
One night, Jenny was sitting on a bench outside the village pub, where she and Martha had gone to catch up. The other maid came out carrying two pints, wrapped up tightly in coat, hat and gloves.
"Ooh, it's freezing out here! Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?" Martha moaned.
Jenny laughed, "Now don't be ridiculous - you do get these notions! It's all very well those Suffragettes; but that's London, that's miles away."
The darker woman shrugged. "But don't you want to scream sometimes, having to bow and scrape and behave, don't you just wanna tell them?"
"I dunno. Things must be different in your country," her friend smiled.
"Yeah, well they are. Thank God I'm not staying," Martha said, taking a drink.
"You keep saying that," Jenny said. "Has the Lady Rose offered you a position?"
She laughed. "Sort of... Just you wait. One more month and I'm as free as the wind. I wish you could come with me, Jenny - you'd love it!"
"Where are you gonna go? Has she remembered where home is yet?"
"Home, especially hers, can be anywhere," Martha replied cryptically, looking up at the stars. "Just look up there. Imagine you could go all the way out to the stars."
Jenny laughed, "You don't half say mad things!"
"That's where I'm going. Into the sky, all the way out," Martha said dreamily, fixed on the stars while her friend still laughed. Suddenly, a green light flared into and out of existence in the night sky. Martha stared in surprise. "Did you see that?"
"See what?"
"Did you see it though? Right up there, just for a second," she insisted, standing.
"Martha, there's nothing there."
She was unconvinced and suddenly wondered where Rose and the Doctor were.
Rose was crossing a field as she took a walk, trying to force her true memory to the surface, when suddenly, the green light burst into life brighter than when it streaked across the sky, a few metres ahead of her and hovering in the sky. She shielded her eyes, and a green beam shone down on her. After a few seconds, the beam went out, leaving Rose staring. She took a few slow steps backward the way she had come, when the green beam lit up again, and, not finding her in the same place, started to drift across the countryside before going out again. Unexplainably terrified, she turned and ran.
As Rose neared the pub, Martha saw her coming and stood up, aware that the woman was distressed.
"Rose, are you alright?"
Rose grabbed her arms. "Did you see that? There was something in the woods... this light..."
Just then, John emerged from the pub and approached the women. "Anything wrong, ladies? Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you-"
"There!" Rose interrupted, pointing into the night sky, where the light flew over again, like a shooting star. "There, look in the sky!"
"That's beautiful," Jenny mused.
Unthinkingly, John placed a hand on Rose's back to comfort her and pointed in the same direction she was pointing, trying to ignore the shiver of familiarity in this pose. "There...orgom. Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."
"It came down in the woods," she tried to explain.
"No, no no," he soothed, "they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder. Now, I should escort you back to the school." He turned to the two maids. "Ladies?"
Martha gave Rose a look that clearly told her they would talk later, but forced herself to ask, "Will you need me, my lady?"
Rose looked at John, wanting to talk to her friend, but giving in to her desire to have a private walk with the man she felt so strongly about. "Not right away, Martha, if you're enjoying yourself."
"Then no, we're fine, thanks."
"Then I shall bid you goodnight," John said with a smile, offering Rose his arm and putting on his hat The two walked away back towards the school.
"John, I was terribly frightened in the woods," Rose told him as they got out of earshot. "It felt for a moment... that something was after me."
He let go of her arm and wrapped his around her in a familiar way. "Not to worry, my Rose," he told her, and her heart stammered in recognition of the endearment. "I promised that whatever happened, I would take care of you. I did not make that promise lightly."
She pressed closer to him, feeling quite comfortable there. "I know, but I would not wish you harmed for anything in the world. I'd rather die first."
"Don't say that, Rose," he said seriously. "Now that I have found you, I feel almost... complete. If I were to lose you... I do not know that I could go on."
She looked up at him, trembling at the intensity in his eyes. For a moment, she remembered him, then it was lost. "Oh, John," she breathed, touched by his words. "Can it only be days since we met?"
"Feels I've known you since the beginning of time," he murmured, stopping and turning to her on the dark road. He reached up with the hand that wasn't at her waist holding her to him and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. "Tell me, Rose... if I were in danger, and I told you to leave, what would you say?"
She couldn't think clearly, this close to him, but she didn't need to think about that. "I would tell you that you were mad, of course. My place is with you."
He smiled brilliantly at her, bending to kiss her gently. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him in a decidely unseemly fashion, but she didn't care. This was right, this was perfect, this was... over too soon. John stepped back, staring at her in horror at how forward he'd been.
"Why the devil did you stop?" she demanded breathlessly. "I was quite enjoying that!"
At this, he began to laugh. "You aren't vexed with me for making so bold?"
"No!" Rose insisted. "Though I'm rather vexed you stopped!"
He pulled her close again, and kissed her quickly. "I know we could not make this a public thing until I've a chance to speak with your father properly, but Rose... if I were to present you a ring so early in our acquaintance, would you accept?"
She thought of what Martha had told her regarding the ring she currently wore and smiled. "I can safely say that I would most definitely accept any ring from you."
He kissed her again, once again breaking it short. "I need to return you to the school before someone happens upon us."
"Let 'em happen," Rose pouted, even as she turned and walked with him back to the school.
The next day, Martha rode a bike towards the old stone barn near the wood. Pushing open the door, she smiled as she entered. Reaching around her neck, she withdrew the key on the long chain round and unlocked the TARDIS standing further inside the barn. The console room is mostly in darkness, just as it had been for two months, even when Rose had still been inside.
"Hello. I'm talking to a machine..." she shook her head. "Still, Rose and the Doctor talk to you often enough."
Taking off her gloves, she headed for the console. Sighing, she looked up at the time rotor, dormant. Martha walked round the console towards the monitor screen. She reached the screen and activated a few of the controls on the console. The screen fizzes from its normal display to show the Doctor, addressing a camera.
"This working? Martha, before I change here's a list of instructions for when I'm human. One, don't under any circumstances, let anything happen to Rose, she's my everything. Two, don't let me hurt anyone. We can't have that, but you know what humans are like. Three, don't worry about the TARDIS, I'll put her on emergency power so they can't detect it, just let it hide away. It will leave Rose somewhat weaker than normal, but she's agreed to stay inside so she'll be safe."
Rose's voice, just off camera snapped, "I didn't agree, I was bullied."
Martha smiled a bit at the familiar play between two of the best friends she'd ever had.
"Five- no, wait a minute, four. No getting involved in big historical events. Five- you. Don't let me abandon you. And fi-"
Twisting a dial, she sped through more of the Doctor's speech. "But there was a meteor, a shooting star- what am I supposed to do then?" She let go of the dial at the last item on the Doctor's list.
"And twenty three. If anything goes wrong, if they find us, Martha, then you know what to do. Get Rose. Open the watch."
She sighed and hung her head. "Rose can't help, Doctor. She can't remember anything. Oh... what do I do now?"
"Everything I am is kept safe in there. Now, I've put a perception filter on it so the human me won't think anything of it, to him it's just a watch. But don't open it unless you have to. Because once it's open, then the Family will be able to find me. It's all down to you, Martha. Your choice. Oh, and- thank you."
She whispered to the screen, "I wish you'd come back. I wish you'd both come back."
At the school, one of the boys was outside the door marked 'J. Smith'. He knocked, and the door opened to reveal the professor looking down at him.
"You told me to come and collect that book, Sir," the boy said nervously.
"Good lad, yes.. yes! 'The Definitive Account of Mafeking' by Aitchison-Price, where did I put it?"
He walked to his desk, the boy following slowly behind. Once he entered the room, he found Lady Rose sitting at a table, the makings of tea in front of her.
"Hello Timothy," she smiled brightly at the boy. "I haven't seen you since you helped me carry those books."
"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry, but I've been quite busy, you know," he said, blushing and ducking his head.
Rose shook her head. "Don't worry over it, my dear. I just wondered about you. Your manners are probably the best in the school, and I didn't want anything to have happened."
Timothy beamed at her, and John shook his head in amusement. It was true. Every boy in this school had become completely taken with gaining praise from the Lady.
"I'll try to check in more often, Lady Rose," the boy said eagerly.
"You're such a good boy," she smiled at him. "I wish the others would take after your example."
John shook his head. "And I wanted a little word- your marks aren't quite good enough."
The student kicked at the rug. "I'm top ten in my class, sir."
"Now, be honest, Timothy. You should be the very top. You're a clever boy, but you seem to be hiding it," the professor said, still checking his desk. "Where is that book..." With no luck finding the book on his desk, he walked into an annex library off the main room. "And I know why. Keeping your head low avoids the mockery of your classmates. But no man should hide himself, don't you think?"
Timothy nodded, glancing over to the mantle as though listening for something. "Yes sir..."
There was a watch on the mantlepiece that seemed to be drawing his attention.
"You're clever, be proud of it. Use it," John was saying.
Rose stood and walked to the annex. "Don't be so hard on him, John. The other boys are quite a bit larger than he is. I would imagine they bully him terribly."
Over the top of their conversation, there were whispering voices eminating from the watch. heard only by Timothy. He moved closer, absolutely amazed.
"Time Lord...Timothy, trust Rose, but hide yourself... I'm trapped, kept inside the cogs... protect her…"
Timothy pressed the watch's release button- and it opened, releasing wisps of golden energy.
As the professor and Lady Rose came back into the room, Timothy quickly closed and pocketed the watch. The two adults looked at him curiously, the Lady going so far as to press a hand to his cheek.
"Fascinating details about the siege, really quite remarkable- are you alright?" John asked him.
"Yes Sir. Fine, Sir," the boy answered quickly.
Rose looked down at him. "Are you certain, Timothy? You look so pale."
The boy forced a smile, seeing images of Rose running, swinging on a chain, pointing a gun at someone… and glowing like some kind of angel. He found he liked her even more like that. "I'm certain, Lady Rose."
"Right then," the professor said. "Good. And remember- use that brain of yours!"
The man held out the book and Timothy goes to take it- but as soon as he touched it, he saw a vision of the man as a very different sort of man than the teacher he knew. A man in a pinstripe suit, wielding some sort of glowing object. And he heard the voice whisper again.
"Power of a Time Lord-"
"You're really not looking yourself, old chap- anything bothering you, or...?"
"No Sir...Thank you, Sir," the boy stammered in shock, stumbling out the door.
"I worry about him, John," Rose said as the door closed. "Something is going on with the poor thing, and no one is helping him."
John nodded. "I will keep an eye on him, dearest."
Timothy, walking quickly, closed the door behind him and stood for a moment, before running up the stairs to the dormitory. Sitting on his bed, he took the watch out again and could hear the voices. He opened it again, letting out more of the golden light and louder voices.
"You are not alone...Keep me hidden... Trust Rose…"
More images came to the boy's mind- Daleks, Cybermen, Ood, the werewolf from the Torchwood Estate, the Emperess of the Racnoss, Lazarus, the Sycorax- he snapped the watch shut again, breathing hard. He was more scared at that moment than he had ever been in his young life.
Later in that day, Rose was wandering through the school, bored as she waited for either John or Martha. She knew she was used to doing more, but her guise as a noblewoman left her with very little to occupy her time, and the books from the school library all seemed to be outdated in comparison to her slight memory. She exited a door on the west side of the school, and noticed Nurse Redfern not far from where she was, watching something. Curious, she followed the other woman's gaze and noticed John overseeing a class.
There was a rattle of gunfire, and a hit on one of three rough dummy targets made of a bucket, spliced sticks and a stuffed sack. The boys were doing target practice with a machine gun set up behind a bunker of sandbags.
"Concentrate," John instructed.
Rose frowned, watching. Somehow, the idea of John with a gun seemed very wrong. The gun was being fired by a boy she knew as Hutchinson, the rounds being fed in a steady stream by Timothy. Another boy, who usually bullied with Hutchinson called Baines, was one of the boys watching the targets, with their professor standing a few paces behind. As Rose moved a little closer, she was not entirely pleased with what she saw.
John nodded at the hits. "Hutchinson, excellent work!"
The Headmaster appeared behind Rose.
"May I escort you to the range, Lady Rose?" he asked, offering his arm.
Unable to think of a reason to refuse, she took his arm with a smile. They strode closer, the Headmaster barking out, "Lady on the range, cease fire!"
Hutchinson obeyed, all the boys standing in greeting.
"Good day to you, headmaster," John greeted them, his eyes brightening happily at the sight of the woman. "Lady Rose, it's nice to have you attend."
"Your crew's on fine form today, Mr. Smith," the man praised.
The boy who had been firing said, "Excuse me, Headmaster, we could do a lot better. Latimer is being deliberately shoddy."
Rose frowned at the deliberate attempt to get the younger boy into trouble.
"I'm trying my best," Timothy said softly.
"You need to be better than the best. Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent," the Headmaster instructed firmly.
"That's exactly the problem, sir," the boy reasoned. "They only have spears."
"Oh, dear me. Latimer takes it upon himself to make us realise how wrong we all are. I hope, Latimer, that one day you may have a just and proper war in which to prove yourself. Now, resume firing," he bade them. "My Lady, let's move back a few feet."
Hutchinson kneeled to resume firing, so Timothy began feeding the ammunition again. As the firing rang out, Timothy heard a different kind of warfare - the sound of a falling bomb. An vision took him over. Two young soldiers struggled through the dark, one supporting the other, who was injured. A watch was opened. He looked up as he heard another bomb heading straight for them.
Back in real time, the gun stopped firing.
Hutchinson called out, "There's a stoppage, immediate action." He looked at the other boy in disgust. "Didn't I tell you, Sir, this stupid boy is useless! Permission to give Latimer a beating, Sir?"
"It's your class, Mr Smith," the Headmaster said, obviously not caring what happened.
Rose couldn't stand it. She absolutely knew he would despise himself later for allowing the boy to be hurt, but wouldn't say so in front of the Headmaster. She said quickly, "If he needs punished, might I use him to move some things around in my quarters, gentlemen? I'm sure it won't be as effective as the normal corporal punishment, but it's the reason I came to see the class. I needed some assistance, and he needs to be put to work…"
John looked at her for a long moment, then nodded. "If it would make you happy, and you would promise that the boy will work hard enough to constitute a punishment."
She nodded. "I think we can be assured of that."
"I should be heading back in. As you were, Mr. Smith," the Headmaster said, losing interest in the class. "Are you returning to the school, my Lady?"
She shook her head. "I think I'll remain a moment more, if I might."
Nodding, he moved back off toward the building.
John nodded toward the gun. "Ah... Pemberton, Smythe, Wicks, take post."
As three more boys take up positions at the gun, the professor turned to the Lady.
"You have a gentle heart, Rose," he said quietly. "You were most distressed at the idea of the boy being hit."
"There was no reason to hurt him," she insisted, looking a little troubled.
"If you'll excuse me, John, I just remembered the words of a friend who insisted that a peaceful resolution to a conflict was the best option in every situation."
"We aren't always granted that option," he frowned, wondering what had her so upset.
"Well, we are in this situation," she countered. "Believe me, John, if the situation called for it I would arm myself also. But not every instance of our lives has to be saturated in the desire to wipe out anything different than us."
He flinched, bitterly feeling her disappointment. As the gunfire rang out, she turned and walked quickly away, leaving him a little more understanding, and despising himself for upsetting her.
After classes, he sought her out and asked if he could have her company for a walk. After a moment's thought, she agreed. Rose didn't like being upset with him, but she really couldn't stop the disappointment she felt at what she saw as his acceptance of unnecessary violence. It didn't sit well with the man she felt he should be.
As they strolled through the village, a piano was being winched up outside a building in a rope sling. Two men were straining with the rope. Rose watched them for a moment as she and John came to a stop near the spot.
"John, I just don't like to see you not just condoning violent acts, but advocating them. In the dreams you speak of, the Doctor… have you ever dreamed of him using violence when it hadn't been provoked?"
He sighed. "No, and you know those are just dreams, my dear. I do not have the luxury of living in a world where I can live without this sort of action. It is my duty to teach those boys how to defend themselves and their country."
"I hope then, that I may leave the school soon," she said softly. "I don't believe I wish to be part of a school that teaches children to kill."
"Don't you think discipline is good for them?" he asked curiously.
She shrugged, looking around. "Does it have to be such military discipline? I mean, if there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing."
He patted her arm. "Well... Great Britain's at peace, long may it reign."
Rose pulled her arm away. "I'm not a china doll that has to be petted and protected, John. And I'm not an idiot to be talked down to. In your journal, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year. Nineteen fourteen."
"That was just a dream," he said uncomfortably, looking at his feet.
"All those images of mud and wire. You told of a shadow, a shadow falling across the entire world," she shivered.
He looked at her and smiled comfortingly, "Well, then we can be thankful it's not true. And I'll admit mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself - everyday life can provide honour and valour and... let's hope that from now on this, this country can... can find its heroes in smaller places..."
He was distracted as he saw two things- first, a woman and a perambulator coming round the corner by the shop building. Second, the rope sling holding the piano aloft was breaking outside the same shop. The two men holding it desperately tried to steady it and hold it, but the woman didn't notice and continued into its path.
He continued speaking, his tone most distracted. "In the most..."
A young boy near them was tossing a cricket ball up and down in his hand. John looked from the ball to the rope; the second strand was almost completely broken, and the piano lurched alarmingly.
"Ordinary..."
The rope was almost cut. And the woman was almost beneath the piano.
"Of deeds!"
He snatched the cricket ball from the young boy and pitched it at a bundle of spare scaffolding poles standing outside the ironmongers as Rose gasped. The poles fell, hitting a plank of wood with a brick on the end. The brick flew into the air, up and over the piano- just as the rope snapped and it started to hurtle to the ground. The brick hit a milk churn on a cart, sending it falling into the path of the perambulator and stopping the young mother in her tracks. The woman screamed as the piano hit the ground and smashed. Rose beamed proudly at the professor, while John himself was looking amazed by his own skill. As the baby in the perambulator started to cry, the two workmen rush to see if the woman is alright. Rose and John stood stunned for a moment.
"Lucky..." he murmured.
"That was luck?" she teased. "Remind me to take you around to make some wagers."
He grinned at her, feeling rather brave. "Lady Rose, might I invite you to the village dance this evening? As my guest?"
"You impossible man, of course," she replied, laughing. "I didn't think you would want to go. Do you even know how to dance?"
"I'm certain that at one point in my life, I have danced," he retorted playfully.
They were struck at the familiarity of that statement and looked at each other, then for reasons neither fully understood, they both laughed as they viewed the near fatal scene again, clasping hands before they headed back toward the school.
Along the road, they passed fields - one of which had a rather lopsided scarecrow.
"It's all becoming clear now," Rose was teasing him. "The Doctor is the man you'd like to be, doing impossible things with cricket balls."
"Well, I discovered a talent, that's certainly true!" he laughed.
"But the Doctor has a slight problem with the ladies," she grinned.
He shook his head. "The only woman he has eyes for is his Rose, not unlike me."
Her hazel eyes twinkled as she taunted, "A girl at every fireplace."
"Now, there I have to protest, dear one, that's hardly me!" he exclaimed. "And that girl was much fonder of the Doctor than he was of her."
"So I don't have to watch you closely around other women?"
He spied the scarecrow hanging oddly. "That scarecrow's all skewed."
"Change the subject, why don't ya?" she laughed as they crossed the furrows to reach it, and the professor started stretching it across its frame again.
"Ever the artist. Where did you learn to draw?"
He answered without thinking, "Gallifrey."
Rose blinked, the word pricking at her memory. "Is that in Ireland?"
He laughed at himself, a little unsure, "Yes, it must be, yes."
"John dear, you're not Irish," she pointed out.
He nodded, agreeing with her. "Not at all, no. My father Sidney was a watchmaker from Nottingham and my mother Verity was... um...well, she was a nurse, actually."
"Oh, they make such good wives! Should I now worry about Joan Redfern stealing you away?" Rose laughed.
"Hardly. She is kind and bright, but she is not you." He glanced around before pulling her close for a kiss. "Well, my work is done, what do you think?"
He stood back and Rose looked at the scarecrow. "Masterpiece."
"All sorts of skills today!"
Laughing, they headed back onto the road- and the scarecrow turned it head to follow them.
When they returned, they took tea in the professor's study and the man was sketching a young woman- Rose as she is now. As he finished and lowered the book, and smiled at the woman, who was posing for him.
"Can I see it?" she asked eagerly.
John moved to sit next to her on the sofa, showing her the book. She laughed in delight.
"Oh, goodness...Do I look like that?" she grinned with a laugh. "Are you sure that's not me?"
The other page was a sketch of a Slitheen, and it was that she pointed to.
"Most definitely this page, I should think," he pointed back to his sketch of her.
She shook her head, "Oh, John, you've made me far too beautiful."
He smiled at her, "Well that's how I see you."
"You might be biased, you know," she said, laughing a bit. "Should we ask someone else to decide?"
"I am fully biased," he told her, leaning close. "And I don't intend to apologize for that at all."
He fondly brushed the side of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. Slowly, he leaned in towards her and kissed her gently. She returned the kiss, nearly always lost when it came to him.
"I've never known anyone like you, Rose," he said softly. "You're so full of fire and love…"
He ran out of words, and chose to kiss her again instead, a long and loving kiss. The rattle of the door, and they broke apart. Martha came in with a set of linens.
"Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?" John snapped.
Martha scurried back out of the door and closed it behind her, leaning against it in shock. Inside the room, Rose cupped the man's cheek.
"John, don't be harsh on her," she pleaded. "She was only doing her job."
"She should knock before entering a private room," he insisted. "She has ever been a bit lax on protocols."
"I need to go dress for tonight anyway," she said, moving toward the door.
"Hurry," he smiled. "I want to show you off to the world."
Rose laughed and headed for her room.
The temporary maid was trying to think. Much as she loved them both, catching them kissing behind closed doors kind of complicated matters. With neither one remembering their real life, they might decide to just stay in 1913… and then how would she get home?
"That wasn't on the list," she whispered.
She headed for the TARDIS, still hidden in the barn, and went through the Doctor's recording again.
"One, don't let anything happen to Rose, she's my everything."
"That's no good. What about the stuff you didn't tell me, what if you want to get involved with Rose while you're human? Oh no, you didn't think of that. What in hell am I supposed to do then?"
She fast-forwarded to the end.
"Martha… Thank you."
"You had to, didn't you? Had to go and fall in love while a human. And Rose had to lose her memory. I'm freaking alone here."
Timothy was toying with the pocket watch as he sat on a bench in the school grounds. The voice inside was whispering again.
"The darkness is coming...keep me away from the empty man... the last of the Time Lords, the last of a wise and ancient race... trust Rose, trust Rose…"
Timothy saw Baines heading through the ground to meet with Mr. Clarke from the village. Then, a red balloon bobbed its way along on the other side of the wall as a little girl joined them. As Timothy watched, all three of them turned to look at him. As one, they tilted their heads to the side curiously- and sniffed deeply.
In the school, Rose turned round in her pale pink dress showing the professor. He caught her, dressed in his own finery, and pulled her close.
"You look wonderful," he told her.
She stood on her toes and kissed him lightly. "And you really can dance?"
John returned the quick kiss and stepped away to get his coat so they could go. "Um...to be honest, I'm not certain..."
Rose laughed and shook her head. "There's a surprise. Is there anything you're certain about?"
"Yes." He looked at her intently and stepped toward her, "Oh, yes. At least one."
She beamed at him and took his arm, happy to go anywhere at his side, but he turned her and pulled her close, kissing her deeply.
In the maid quarters, the door opened and Jenny enters. Martha was making a pot of tea on an elaborate tray and smiled as she saw her friend.
"There you are! Come and look what I've got. Mr Poole didn't want his afternoon tea so cook said I could have it. And there's enough for two."
Jenny was still standing in the doorway, not even removing her coat.
The other woman looked at her in confusion. "What are you standing there for?"
Jenny sniffed loudly.
"Are you alright?" Martha asked.
"I must have a cold coming on," the woman said, sitting at the table, still not having removed her coat.
Martha sighed. "Problem is, I keep thinking about them but I don't know what to do. I have nothing against them, of course, but I just…"
"Thinking about who?" Jenny asked her.
"Mr. Smith and Lady Rose," the darker woman explained, giving her friend an odd look. "Cause it's not right like this, they're gonna leave in a few weeks."
"Why?" the heavier woman questioned.
Martha narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She wasn't acting like herself. "It's like his contract comes to an end. And she's going back home."
"But where are they going?"
Martha began pouring the tea. "All sorts of places. I wish I could tell you Jenny, but it's complicated."
"In what way?" Jenny pressed.
"I just can't."
Jenny's voice became rather insistent. "It sounds so interesting. Tell me. Tell me now."
There was something in her voice that didn't ring true to the other woman. Frowning, she changed the subject. "Would you like some tea?"
"Yes thanks," she replied automatically.
"I could put a nice bit of gravy in the pot," Martha said in the tone of one trying to figure something out. "And some mutton. Or sardines and jam, how about that?"
Jenny nodded, "I like the sound of that."
Faking a cheerful smile, the black woman stood. "Right...hold on a tick."
She absolutely knew something was wrong, and moved to the door. Closing it on her way out, she walked to the stairs- then started to run. Jenny's head turned, she knew Martha was getting away. She pulled an alien gun from under her coat. Meanwhile, the time traveler was out of the building- the woman that was once Jenny went to the window, aims, and fired her gun at the retreating figure, narrowly missing. Frowning fiercely, Jenny headed off.
John and Rose were sharing a loving kiss, which was quickly broken as the door burst open and a breathless Martha ran in and up to them.
"They've found us," she gasped.
Rose stared at her with wide eyes. "Martha! Are you all right?"
"Martha, I've warned you," John began sternly.
Shaking her head, she continued, knowing they didn't have time to argue. "They've found us, and I've seen them- they look like people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch."
She looked to the mantlepiece- and the watch was missing. Rose followed her gaze and realized the watch John kept there was now gone.
"Where is it?" Martha asked desperately, shuffling through the things on the mantlepiece. "Oh my god, where's it gone? Where's the watch?"
The professor rubbed a hand over his eyes in exasperation. "What are you talking about?"
She turned around, fear in her eyes. "You had a watch, a fob watch. Right there!"
"Did I? I don't remember," he said uncaringly.
Rose bit her lip, glancing between the two. Something was there, right on the edge of her thoughts. "Is the watch important?"
Turning to Rose, Martha was close to shouting at them. "We need it... oh my god, Doctor we're hiding from aliens, and Rose can't remember anything that might help, and they've got Jenny and they've... possessed her or copied her or something and you've got to tell me, where's the watch?"
"Oh I see..." He murmured to Rose, "Cultural differences." He picks up his journal. "It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story."
"Oh you complete..." she stopped herself saying something really rude and waved to encompass the couple. "THIS is not you, THIS is nineteen thirteen."
"Good. This IS nineteen thirteen," John said with a bit of praise.
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry but I've got to snap you out of this," she said, reaching back her hand and slapping his hard across the face.
"Martha!" Rose gasped, stepping forward.
"Wake up! Both of you! You're coming back to the TARDIS with me!" Martha grabbed their hands and tried to pull them along.
John near bellowed, "How dare you! We are not going anywhere with an insane servant! Martha, you are dismissed, you will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!"
He used her grip on his hand to drag her to the door and throw her out. As he closed the door, Martha stopped, absolutely mad with frustration. Back inside, the professor was annoyed.
"Nerve of it, absolute cheek! You think I'm a fantasist, what about her?" he asked, waving toward the door.
She hesitated to speak, a few fuzzy thoughts making her say, "The funny thing is, you did have a fob watch. Right there. Don't you remember?"
John and Rose were arriving at the village hall for the dance. She was agitated, on the edge of something that confused her, but she was trying to pretend otherwise.
"Perhaps she's infatuated. You're a dangerous man," she teased him.
"You've taken my arm in public," he teased back, not noticing the peril building around him.
She grinned. "Well, I'm very scared."
They laughed but they didn't see Timothy hiding round a corner of the building, trying to find a moment to speak to Rose. All the boy knew was that the one he was hiding wanted to be near Rose.
"Spare a penny for the veterans of the Crimea, sir?" a man at the door of the dance asked them.
John nodded. "Yes, of course." He dug in his pocket and pulled a few coins. "There you are."
As the couple moved inside, Timothy came out of his hiding place and creeped to the doors. As the man collecting money had his back turned counting the donations, the boy hurried in. Inside, people were milling about, getting drinks from a beer keg, laughing and talking. Timothy walked in slowly, looking around.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Please take your partners for a waltz."
John and Rose took their places, and started to dance with the others in the hall as the music started.
"You can dance," she laughed.
"I've surprised myself," he joked as they danced into another pair. "Sorry."
The collector rattled his tin as he saw Martha approaching stormily.
"Ooh, staff entrance I think, miss!" he called out.
"Yeah, well think again mate," she snapped in reply.
Martha stormed in, looking around. She found Rose sitting alone at a table and headed directly for her. Rose looked up as someone approached, expecting for the professor to return with drinks. She spotted him, and he motioned that he was still waiting. She smiled, but her smile faded as a familiar figure stood at their table.
"Oh, Martha, please, don't. Not again. I've only just gotten him to smile again," she pleaded. "I think I can get your position back, but you've got to let him cool down."
"He's different from any other man you've ever met, right?" she asked intently.
"Yes," Rose nodded. "Just as you said he would be."
Martha pressed. "And sometimes he says these strange things, like people and places you've almost heard of, yeah? But it's deeper than that. Sometimes when you look in his eyes you know - you just know that there's something else in there. Something hidden. Right behind the eyes, something hidden away. In the dark. Just like you, just below the surface, waiting to be you again."
"I don't know what you mean, I..." Rose's eyes widen as images floated through her mind.
"Yes, you do. I don't mean to be rude, but it's something that's necessary. I can't do this alone, and you're my best hope. Without the watch, I just don't… I don't know what to do. And I just wanted to say sorry for what you'll undoubtedly go through when this hits you."
John had returned, and looked none to pleased to see the woman he'd just dismissed there. "Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave."
Not listening, she held out the sonic screwdriver. "Do you know what this is? Name it. Go on, name it."
Rose drew in a sharp breath, recognition flashing in her eyes as he slowly took it from the woman and turned it over in his hands.
"You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."
The collector rattled his tin again as more people arrived. "Evening all! Spare a penny, sir?"
"I didn't spare you," Baines said snidely.
Without even looking at him, Baines pulled out a gun like Jenny had earlier, and fired it at the man. As he disintegrated into nothing, Baines, Jenny and Mr. Clarke all walked on into the hall.
Timothy was still inside, walking to a window and pulling back the curtains. The face of a scarecrow popped up and made him jump back. When he looked back again, it was gone. He let the curtain fall back.
Mr. Clarke entered first, gun in hand. Knocking over a hat stand as he strode in, the people shrieked and moved away.
Mr. Clarke shouted loudly, "There will be silence! All of you!"
Scarecrows file in after the three people.
"I said silence!" the man shouted again.
The announcer for the evening called out, "Mr. Clarke! What's going on?"
The man turned and fired at the announcer, dissolving him into nothing. Rose shook herself, standing and looking at Martha, who could tell by her stance that finally her Rose – the Doctor's Rose – was standing there next to her.
Martha smiled in great relief but still said, "Mr. Smith, everything I told you, just forget it! Don't say anything."
Baines sneered at the crowd. "We asked for silence! Now then. We have a few questions for Mr. Smith."
"No, better than that," a little girl said as she joined Baines and Mr. Clarke. "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."
"You took human form," Baines crowed.
"Of course I'm human, I was born human!" John shook his head. "As were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mr Clarke! What is going on, this is madness!"
Baines laughed. "And a human brain, too! Simple, thick and dull."
"He's no good like this," Jenny rolled her eyes.
Mr. Clarke growled, "We need a Time Lord."
"Easily done," Baines shrugged, stepping forward. He raised his gun and aimed it at the professor. The crowd gasped and John recoiled backwards. "Change back."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" the man shouted at him.
"Change back!" the boy demanded.
John shouted angrily, "I literally do not know—"
Jenny grabbed Martha, holding a gun to her head. Martha screamed a little.
"Get off me!"
"She's your friend, isn't she? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?" the woman who used to be Jenny smiled coldly.
"I don't know what you mean!" he said, looking at the woman. She had angered him, but he didn't want anything to truly happen to Martha. She'd been very loyal and caring to him.
"Wait a minute..." Jenny's smile grew. "The maid told me about Smith and the Lady...that woman, there!"
"Let's have you!" Mr. Clarke shouted, grabbing Rose and holding her hostage, just as Jenny was with Martha.
Rose looked around the room, eyes wide in thought.
Baines taunted the man who was now panicking fully. "Have you enjoyed it, Doctor? Being human? Has it taught you wonderful things, are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or Lady? Your friend - or your lover? Your choice."
A/N: Hope you liked it, leave a review if you did to let me know? Also, wedding is planned, but I have a very pressing question that will affect the series as I write it immensely. The Doctor and Rose with a baby – please yes or please no? Very important to hear from you, oh readers, on this subject.