Dressed in peroid clothes, I found myself standing at the bottom of a stair case in the school Martha and The Doctor was hiding in when I saw Martha walking down the stairs in a maid's uniform. She looked up and saw me, her face dropping before grinning and running down the stairs, flinging herself into my arms.
...
"Come in." Me and Martha heard The Doctor say from behind the door. Although he wasn't The Doctor anymore, he was John Smith. I opened the door and walked in with Martha following with a tray, wearing a maid's uniform whilst I wore a pale blue dress.
"Pardon me, Mr Smith, you're not dressed yet. I can come back later-" She turned to go as John put a dressing gown on.
"No, it's alright, it's alright. Put it down." Martha walked forward and put the tray down whilst I walked in, smiling at him. "Florence!" He gasped, rushing forward and hugging me.
"She was downstairs sir," Martha said happily. "I thought I'd show her up to you."
"Thank you Martha." He said cheerfully, putting me down. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I'd suprise you my dear," I smiled softly at him. "Not long until you return home, so I thought I'd come see if you needed help... packing and things. Also I thought you and Martha could use some company from back home." I watched his vague expression. "Is everything ok my love?"
"I was, um..." He turned and walked round the room, speaking to me and Martha. "Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams."
"What about?" I asked, walking over and helping Martha unload the tray.
"I dream I'm this... Adventurer. This...daredevil, a madman. 'The Doctor', I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you both were there, as my... companions."
"A teacher and a housemaid, sir? That's impossible." Martha said.
"Ah no, a man from another world, though... And you know what Florence is like, equal for everyone, very right too."
"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing." I said, smiling at him as he walked over to the fireplace and picked up the pocket watch.
"This thing... The watch..." He sighed and put the watch back on the mantel. "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."
"I can prove that wrong for you, here's the morning paper." I said, handing him the paper. "It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human."
"As human as they come." Martha added.
"Mmm, that's me; completely human."
...
"Morning, Sir." Martha said quickly as John and I passed Martha and another house maid called Jenny in the corridor as they scrubbed the floors.
"Yes, hi." He mumbled before disappeared up the stairs whilst I stopped next to Martha and Jenny to talk.
"Head in the clouds, that one. Don't know why you're so sweet on him." Jenny said.
"He's just kind to me, that's all. Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being-" Martha pointed at her face and we both laughed.
"A Londoner?" Jenny asked.
"Exactly." She grinned at me.
"Good old London town!" I laughed as two of the older boys walked past us.
"Ah, now then, you two." One of the older boys, Baines said. We stopped laughing and looked up. "You're not paid to have fun, are you. Put a little backbone into it."
"Yes Sir, sorry, Sir." Jenny apologised.
"You there, what's your name again?" The other boy, Hutchinson asked Martha.
"Martha, Sir. Martha Jones."
"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?" The boys laughed cruelly and started to walk off.
"Uh, excuse me." I shouted after them. They turned and looked back at me a little sheepishly as I gave them a dirty look. "How dare you! Don't be so disgusting, get out of here!"
"Yes Ma'am." They mumbled before rushing off.
...
"Is he alright?" Martha asked as we burst into John's study to find the Matron, Joan, tending to his head.
"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking."
"Sorry, right, yeah." She ran back and knocked on the door before walking back in, whilst I just stood there. "But is he alright? They said you fell down the stairs, Sir."
"No, it was just a tumble, that's all."
"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha asked Joan, the matron.
"I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you." Martha nodded.
"Are you ok dear?" I asked, sitting down on the sofa opposite him.
"Yes, yes." He muttered, smiling at me. "I was just telling Nurse Redfern- Matron, um, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales." Me and Martha frowned at each other before looking at him whilst he looked up at Joan. "I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding-"
"Hiding? In what way?" She asked.
"Um... er... almost every night... This is going to sound silly-"
"Tell me." She insisted.
"I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts. "
"Well then, I can be the judge of that." She reached into her bag and took out a stehoscope. She felt both sides of his chest before smiling and putting it away. "I can confirm the diagnosis- just one heart, singular."
"I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction... um... not that it would be of any interest.."
"I'd be very interested."
"Well... I've never shown it to anyone before." John said as he stood and walked to his desk before passing Joan a black leather journal.
"'Journal of Impossible Things'" She said, reading the cover before flicking through the pages. "Just look at these creatures! Such imagination."
"Mmm. It's become quite a hobby."
"It's wonderful. And quite an eye for the pretty girls." I peered out of the corner of my eye, noticing a sketch of Rose.
"Oh no no, she's just an invention. This character, Rose, I call her, Rose." He sighed. "Seems to disappear later on... 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."
"Like a doorway?"
"Mmm."
"That's Martha." Joan frowned, pointing at a sketch. "And Florence."
"I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true." John said, blushing slightly.
"If only."
"It's just a dream." He sighed before the bell rang. Joan smiled at John before leaving with the journal as Martha as I went after her.
"Ma'am! That book-" Martha called down the corridor, making Joan turn to us.
"Oh I'll look after it, don't worry. He did say I could read it."
"But it's silly, that's all."
"Just stories." I agreed.
"Who is he, Martha?"
"I'm sorry?" Martha asked.
"It's like he's left the kettle on. Like... he knows he has something to get back to, but he can't remember what."
"That's just him."
"You arrived with him, didn't you? He found you employment here at the school, isn't that right?"
"I used to work for the family, he just sort of inherited me."
"Well, I'd be careful. If you don't mind my saying, you sometimes seem a little familiar with him. Best remember your position." I gave Martha a reasurring look as Joan walked off before following her.
"Martha's allowed to be familiar with him." I said, walking next to her down the hall.
"She should know her place."
"Her place is as our friend." I said sternly. "Serving him is just her job."
"Sorry, remind me of who you are to him? Are you his wife?"
"No. We've been best friends for many years."
"And are you to be betrothed to each other?"
I sighed, "No. Our families always expected us to though." I said, remembering the cover story The TARDIS had given me. Florence Maxwell. I had to go back to Maxwell, I couldn't use Smith according to The TARDIS. I had to be John Smith's best friend, who John had been in love with for a number of years. Just great...
"And do you want to?"
"I do believe that is none of your business." Stuff it, I was going to be all prim and proper and above this woman, it was 1913. "Remember your place, Matron." She stared at me, stunned, before I turned back and walked back into John's study. I shut the door behind me before sitting down on the sofa next to John. "I want to see the whole of this place." I smiled.
...
"Ooh, it's freezing out here!" Martha said as we carried the drinks outside to Jenny. "Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?"
"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." Jenny laughed as we sat down.
"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."
"Yeah, well they are." I shrugged. "Thank God we're not staying."
"You keep saying that." Jenny frowned.
"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!" Martha grinned.
"Where are you gonna go?"
"Anywhere." She looked up at the stars. "Just look up there. Imagine you could go all the way out to the stars."
"You don't half say mad things!"
"That's where I'm going. Into the sky, all the way out." She sighed.
"Did you see that?" Martha frowned. I looked up quickly, just in time to see a green light burst across the sky.
"See what?" Jenny asked.
"Did you see it though?" She stood up suddenly, looking at the sky. "Right up there, just for a second."
"Martha, there's nothing there." Jenny said.
"Yeah." I breathed. "I saw it." I gulped before suddenly Joan started running towards us out of nowhere.
"Matron, are you alright?" Martha asked.
"Did you see that?" Joan asked breathlessly. "There was something in the woods... this light..."
"Anything wrong, ladies?" We looked round to see John had appeared from out of the pub behind us. "Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you-"
"There!" Joan interupted, pointing at a light flash past in the sky. "There, look in the sky!"
"That's beautiful." I whispered.
"There...orgom." John said. "Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."
"It came down in the woods." Joan frowned.
"No, no no, they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder." He turned to me and Joan, "Now, I should escort you back to the school." Then to Jenny and Martha. "Ladies?"
"No, we're fine, thanks." Martha said, still staring at the sky.
"Then I shall bid you goodnight." John said before we walked off towards the school.
...
I sat on the wall, extremely pissed off, as I watched John encourage the boys shooting.
"Hutchinson, excellent work!" John called out when the Headmaster appeared.
"Cease fire!" He called out, making all the boys stop.
"Good day to you, headmaster." John greeted.
"Your crew's on fine form today, Mr Smith."
"Excuse me, Headmaster, we could do a lot better. Latimer is being deliberately shoddy." Hutchinson scoffed.
"I'm trying my best." Latimer said weakly.
"You need to be better than the best. Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent." The Headmaster said.
"That's exactly the problem, sir. 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." The boys started to fire again and Latimer stared out nervously before it suddenly stopped again.
"Didn't I tell you, Sir, this stupid boy is useless!" Hutchinson exclaimed. "Permission to give Latimer a beating, Sir?"
"It's your class, Mr Smith." The Headmaster shrugged.
"Permission granted." John said casually. The boys grabbed Latimer and pulled him off and the Headmaster went off as I stared in shock, tears rolling down my cheeks as the boy was beaten by his peers when Joan approached him. "Ah, Nurse Redfern."
"Um... I'll give you back your journal when next I see you." She said.
"No no no, you don't have to." She gulped, looking a little troubled.
"If you'll excuse me, Mr Smith, I was just thinking about the day my husband was shot." She turned and walked off.
"You ok dear?" He asked me, not noticing as I quickly wiped the tears away from my eyes.
"Fine." I snapped, getting up and storming off in search for Martha.
...
"He's just got back from the village with that Joan woman." Martha muttered, sipping a cup of tea as I sat cross legged on the table in the scullery. "I better go check in with him otherwise he'll be moaning." She sighed, putting the tea down and leaving the room. I sat in silence for a while, thinking about how different he was. How he wasn't the man I fell in love with- met. Met. The Doctor was a friend. Suddenly, Martha burst into the room again, staring at me nervously. "I kind of just walked in on him possibly snogging her... a bit."
Ok. I loved him. I really should have been listening to Clyde's cool rules.
...
"Four - you. Don't let me abandon you." The Doctor said as we watched the video on the scanner.
"That's no good." Martha groaned. "What about the stuff you didn't tell me, what about women? Oh no, you didn't think of that. What in hell am I supposed to do then?" She quickly fast forwarded to the end.
"Thank you." He smiled at the camera before cutting off.
"You had to, didn't you? Had to go and fall in love with a human. And it wasn't her." She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye sadly.
...
I walked along the corridor when Martha came running towards me, grabbing my hand and pulling me into John's study, just as he was pulling out of a kiss with Joan.
"They've found us." Martha said.
"This is ridiculous..." Joan muttered.
"Martha, I've warned you." John said.
"Oh shutup and let her speak John!" I snapped, making him stare at me, stunned.
"They've found us, and I've seen them-" Martha explained quickly. "They look like people, like us, like normal."
I nodded and looked at John. "I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch." I looked over at the mantlepiece where the watch was earlier to find it empty. "Where is it?" Martha rushed over, shuffling through it, searching.
"Oh my god, where's it gone? Where's the watch?"
"What are you talking about?" He demanded.
"You had a watch, a fob watch. Right there!"
"Did I? I don't remember."
"I can't see what concern it is of yours." Joan scoffed.
"Oh well it is!" I shouted at her.
"But we need it..." Martha said, panicking. "Oh my god. Doctor we're hiding from aliens, 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... Cultural differences." He muttered to Joan.
"Oh you did not just say that." I hissed as he turned to Martha, holding his journal.
"It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story."
"Oh you complete...THIS," She waved her finger at him. "Is not you, THIS is nineteen thirteen."
"Good. This IS nineteen thirteen."
"I'm sorry," She laughed, stepping in front of him. "I'm really sorry but I've got to snap you out of this." She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. "Wake up! You're coming back to the TARDIS with us!" She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him back.
"How dare you!" He shouted. "I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant! Martha, you are dismissed, you will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!" He threw MArtha out of the door before slamming it. "Nerve of it, absolute cheek! You think I'm a fantasist, what about her?" He turned to me. "We spent too long with her."
"The funny thing is, you did have a fob watch. Right there. Don't you remember?" Joan said.
"You're not leaving my sight." He said to me.
...
"Please, don't. Not again." Joan said as me and Martha sat down opposite her in the pub whilst John got drinks.
"He's different from any other man you've ever met, right?" I asked.
"Yes."
"And sometimes he says these strange things, like people and places you've never heard of, yeah?" Martha asked.
"But it's deeper than that." I sighed. "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."
"I don't know what you mean, I..." She began.
"Yes, you do." I interupted. "I don't mean to be rude, but the awful thing is it doesn't even matter what you think. But you're nice. And you're lucky. You're lucky because he fell in love with you."
"He was meant her." Martha expressed, nodding at me. I glared at her before turning back to Joan.
"And I just wanted to say sorry for what we're about to do." I sighed as he made his way towards us.
"Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave." Martha stood up and took the sonic out of her pocket, holding it up to him.
"Do you know what this is?" I asked, nodding at it. "Name it. Go on, name it. "
"John, what is that silly thing? John?" Joan asked.
"You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you." I said, tears pouring down my face.
"There will be silence! All of you!" We looked round to see Mr Clarke the farmer, who Martha had said had been taken over by the family, stormed in with Jenny, a little girl and Baines following with a army of scarecrows. "I said silence!"
"Mr Clarke! What's going on?" A man asked. Clarke turned and took out his ray gun, shooting him so he dissolved into nothing, making Joan shriek.
"Mr Smith, everything we told you, just forget it! Don't say anything." Martha hissed.
"We asked for silence!" Baines shouted. Now then. We have a few questions for Mr Smith.
"No, better than that." The girl said. "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."
"You took human form."
"Of course I'm human," John argued. "I was born human! As were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mr Clarke! What is going on, this is madness!"
"And a human brain, too! Simple, thick and dull."
"He's no good like this." Jenny sneered.
"We need a Time Lord." Clarke said.
"Easily done." Baines said, stepping forward and pointing his gun at John. "Change back."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He stammered.
"Change back!"
"I literally do not know-" Jenny reached froward and grabbed Martha, holding a gun to her head, making her scream.
"She's your friend, isn't she? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?" Jenny asked.
"I don't know what you mean!"
"Wait a minute... The maid told me about Smith and the matron...that woman, there!" She pointed at Joan.
"Let's have you!" Clarke grabbed Joan and held a gun to her head whilst Baines aimed his gun at me.
"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor?" He asked. "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 matron? Your friend, your lover - or your future? Because we know who she is." He gestured at me. "Your choice."
A/N - Ok, I can not explain to you how amazing A Town Called Mercy was, cause it was amazing. Also, I can't explain how much Flo/Doctor there will be next chapter, I may explode with the feelings. Also, ultimate sass and cockiness from Flo to Joan. If you hadn't noticed, I absolutely HATE Joan so yeah. Flo will go down fighting. So yeah, please review cause when I get the email in my inbox it makes me feel all warm inside. :')