A/N: Next part. Many thanks to the lovely viewers of this story! You all deserve some treats lol ;D
Chapter 36: Family of Blood Part 2
Closing his eyes, John tried to settle himself down. Not only was he reeling from standing with the boys as they readied themselves for this fight, which was more than uncomfortable for him, to say the least - but he couldn't believe what Rose had told him.
"You alright, Mr. Smith?" Mr. Stewart asked from the side.
John cleared his throat. "Yes…" he let out a sigh. "No…"
"Still no ideas about why those people are after you?"
He shook his head. "It's madness, that's all there is to it. Utter and complete madness."
"Whatever it is, they seem pretty determined to get to you. They even wanted Miss Tyler. Madness definitely plays a part in this, but it's unusual."
Biting his lip, John took a deep breath. "She believes that I'm the Doctor," he said quietly. "How could she think that?"
Mr. Stewart shrugged. "With everything that's going on, the possibilities are endless."
"What, you believe that, too?" John accused.
"John, look around you. Look at everything that happened tonight. All's I'm saying is that after hearing those stories of yours—"
"That's all they are," John cut in sharply. "Just stories. Ridiculous and remarkable tales in a journal. That's all."
"Then what do you make of Miss Tyler's situation?" Mr. Stewart asked, arching an eyebrow at him.
John clenched his jaw tight and remained silent. How can she believe that he was the mad man from his dreams? They were just stories. Stories that could be told to others for entertainment, a piece of his imagination. Surely he couldn't be him. Right? But the family hunting him down also want something to do with her as well. Something about the Bad Wolf. He had mentioned that name a lot in his journal, and when he sketched its form it was always an angelic image of Rose shining bright with a golden light. Was Rose…Bad Wolf? No, it couldn't be—
"Stand to!" the headmaster ordered, snapping John back into reality and away from his fantasies. That is…if they really were fantasies… He shook his head as he, along with the boys positioned themselves in front of the main entrance doors. "At post!"
Everyone raised their guns and took aim, John included. Though he was holding it steady, his stomach was churning and his insides trembled. He always had a distaste for weapons, but why did this seem somewhat familiar to him?
"Enemy approaching, sir," one of the boys reported.
"Steady!" Rocastle ordered. "Find the biting point." Everyone tightened their grip on their guns when the wooden bar across the entrance gate cracked as the entourage of scarecrows came through. "Fire!"
At the command the boys unloaded all they could as they shot at the scarecrow men. Some were falling and blowing up, but others kept coming. One by one the army of stuffed creatures took the bullets. All of the boys were resilient as they never stopped for a beat. If only John could say the same for himself.
While everyone else was obeying the headmaster's orders, he just stood frozen in his position, his grip tightened on his gun and his finger trembling on the trigger. He couldn't bring himself to fire even one bullet. Glancing at his surroundings, he felt his heart clench and his stomach wretch. For a moment his vision blurred as his ears buzzed and rang, a wave of lightheadedness crashing over him.
This was wrong. He knew it all along that this was not the way to fight, but he was caught in the hysteria and went along with it. He could see it on the boys' faces—all exhausted, and frightened. They were basically being forced into this situation against their will. Rose was right—regardless of who he was, this wasn't the right thing to do. Standing by her beliefs as well as his own, he lowered his gun.
Not much longer the last scarecrow fell to the ground. "Cease fire!" Rocastle directed. At his word, the boys stopped firing and lowered their guns as well. The headmaster walked amongst the bodies, a ridiculing smirk on his face. "They're straw, like he said. Straw!"
Hutchinson turned to John. "Then no one's dead, sir? We killed no one?"
"No," he said softly, looking down at the boy. "No, you didn't." Relief washed over him at that fact. He didn't think he'd be able to forgive himself if he, or any of these boys for that matter, were to kill others.
And then he heard approaching footsteps, causing the headmaster to order once again, "Stand to!"
Looking ahead, John's eyes widened at the figure entering.
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Still inside the school Rose sat on the bottom of the flight of stairs, inwardly wincing at the sound of gunfire. She let John go out into battle. She let him wield a gun, something the Doctor would consider to be taboo. How would he forgive her for that?
Her head shot up when the commotion ended not much longer after. The sound of footsteps rushing down the stairs got her attention. Turning around she found Martha coming down with Joan. Judging by the look on her face, she had no luck in the search for the watch either.
"Is it over?" Martha asked.
Letting out a sigh, Rose shrugged. "I dunno."
Walking over to stand by the window, the women peered out to see the fallen bodies of the possessed scarecrows. Rose scanned the area and took in the tired and confused faces of the boys. So young and innocent being forced into being trained like soldiers. She noticed John off to the side, appearing uneasy. At least he still remembered that battles sickened him. Eyeing his rifle, it looked like all of the bullets were still loaded inside. Did he refrain from firing?
"Stand to!" They heard Rocastle shout, prompting the boys to get back into their positions. Apparently it wasn't over just yet.
Off in the distance was another figure. Rose felt a chill shoot down her spine when she recognized the person. "Oh, no."
The little girl from the Family entered, the red balloon still in her hand. Not even hesitating, she ran out of the room to head outside.
"It's the Cartwright girl, isn't it?" Rocastle said, walking over to the girl. "Come here, come to me."
"No!" Rose yelled once she made it outside. "Please, Headmaster, don't go anywhere near her!"
Rocastle turned to John. "Mr. Smith, I told you to control your lady," he said strictly before turning to Rose. "Miss Tyler, I advised you to keep that uncivil tongue of yours quiet!"
"And I advise you to shut the hell up for one bloody second and listen to me!" She shot back, angrily. "That girl isn't a girl anymore, she's one of them! She's part of the Family!" Turning her head she noticed Martha and Joan standing by the doors. "Tell him, girls!"
"It's true, sir," Martha assured.
"I-I don't know," Joan stammered, her fear showing. "I think you should stay back, Headmaster."
Mr. Stewart stood beside her and held her hand for support. "Those…people are not to be trusted, sir. She's not a child anymore."
Rocastle arched an eyebrow at them, still doubting their affirmations.
"John," Rose called him out. Some more defending would be nice.
"Sir, you have to believe us," John spoke up, after a slight hesitation. "She was there…with-with Baines in the village. She is a part of them."
"Mr. Smith, I have seen many strange things this night, but there is nocause on God's Earth that would allow me to see this child in the field of battle, sir."
Rose slapped her thighs and inwardly sighed. This man deserved a decent slap to the face. It may result in her being fired, but…what the hell was she talking about? She doesn't really work here. What's stopping her?
Rocastle went back over to the girl. "Come with me."
"You're funny," she said.
"That's right. Now, take my hand."
"So funny."
In a flash, she reached into her coat drawing one of those vaporizing guns and shot the headmaster.
Everyone jumped at the sudden movement, staring at her in shock. Rose was expecting it to happen which was why she was trying to warn Rocastle before he put himself in danger. To see an alien entity possessing a person is sickening enough, but doing so to a child? That's on a whole other level of sick.
This couldn't be happening, John kept repeating in his mind. People have died…and it was because of him. All because these mad…aliens want him for some reason. He glanced over at Rose. They also wanted her, but why? How could she have been brought into this mess? Whatever the reasons, he was going to make sure she was safe, and not to be held in their clutches.
"Now, who's going to shoot me?" The girl challenged, her voice taking on a darkened tone. "Any of you?" No one made a move. "Really?"
Though he was still shaking inside, John found a steady voice and decided to assume authority. "Put down your guns!" He ordered at the boys.
"But, sir," Hutchinson began with a low voice. "The Headmaster—"
"I'll not see this happen. Not anymore," he replied. "You will retreat in an orderly fashion back through the school." He faced the boy closest to him. "Hutchinson, lead the way."
"But, sir—"
"I said lead the way!" He hollered.
"Just do what he says!" Rose told the boy.
"Go on, then," came the mocking voice of Baines, who managed to slither his way through the gate. "Run!" Raising his gun in the air he fired a shot, causing the boys to scatter in fear and rush back into the school. John pushed the girls in front of him as everyone made their way back inside, they heard Baines cry out to the scarecrow army, "Reanimate!"
Shutting the door and locking it behind him, he and Mr. Stewart, along with the women, ushered the boys down in the lower passages to safety and away from the school.
"Let's go! Quick as you can!" John shouted.
"Careful, boys!" Martha told them.
"Don't go to the village!" Rose added, leading the boys out. "It's not safe!"
"And you, ladies," John addressed the women.
"Don't you dare," Rose said firmly. "We're not going anywhere."
"Not til we've got the boys out," Joan added.
Once the area was cleared, he sighed. "Now, I insist, the three of you just go."
Rose snorted. "You really think that'll happen?"
"Please, Rose," he said evenly. "If there are any more boys inside, Mr. Stewart and I will find them." The last thing he wanted was for them to be in more danger than they already were—and Rose…well, he won't anything happen to her.
Turning to the door off to the side, he opened it…and was met with a group of the scarecrows. "Um. Right," he breathed out.
"You were saying…?" Rose asked.
"I think…retreat!" He closed the door quickly and hurried out to the nearest exit near the back of the school. Once he instinctively reached for Rose's hand as they ran, he felt a strange sudden sense of déjà vu.
What else could possibly happen tonight?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Making their way around the school they came to a sudden stop when they heard Mr. Clarke calling for the Doctor in the distance. "Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize."
John kneeled to the ground behind the bushes and grass with both Rose and Martha beside him, and Mr. Stewart and Joan to the back. Peering ahead of them, Rose felt a twitch when she noticed exactly where they were. She's been familiar with this area for two months, and for good reason.
The TARDIS was up ahead with the Family surrounding it.
"The magic box," Joan breathed out in disbelief.
"Out you come, Doctor!" Baines called out, speaking as if he were taking to a pet. "There's a good boy. Come to the Family."
"Time to end it now!" Jenny added. "Come out, Doctor! You and the Bad Wolf can't run away forever. Come to us!"
No, no, no, John repeated in his head. It was the box—the blue box from his dreams. But…it couldn't be. For a second he felt his heart stop beating as his eyes remained fixed on the object. It was impossible!
"You recognize it, don't you?" Rose asked softly.
He hesitated, not wanting to believe any of those ridiculous accusations were true. That wasn't his life, it just wasn't. "I've never seen it in my life," he told her, trying to hide his fear but he figured she'd know he was lying.
"Do you remember its name?" Martha asked.
"That's…impossible," Mr. Stewart commented.
Rose placed a gentle hand to his arm. "John, you wrote about it," she said quietly. "You dreamt of it, the blue box. Remember?"
His eyes flitted between the blue box and the family surrounding it, waiting to capture him and even try to take away his Rose. By everything he knew of this Doctor, he was like a lost prince whose life was filled with hurt, and fury, and tragedy. How can that be a way of life? His life? Rose couldn't possibly be involved in it, could she? Is she a part of this too? He glanced over at the woman beside him before turning away.
"I-I'm not…" he breathed out, trying to calm his nerves. "I'm John Smith," he insisted, choking back on a sob as he turned back to face Rose. "That's all I want to be: John Smith with his life…and his job…" his voice cracked as he stared into her wide, hazel eyes. "…and his love. Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?"
"Yes," Rose assured him, placing a hand on his face. "Of course he is."
He blinked, forcing his misty eyes to dry and pleaded. "Why can't I stay?"
His breaths were shaky as she studied him. If she was a part of this madness, he wouldn't want to drag her with him. He'd want her safe, to know that there would be no worries as long as he was right by her side.
"But we need the Doctor," Martha spoke up from his opposite side.
Whipping his head around, John glared at her. "What am I then? Nothing?" His eyes burned with unshed tears. "I'm just a story!"
With that, he avoided any glances at the others and swiftly stood to his feet before taking off. All he wanted to do was run. Just keep on running—running away from the truth, the lies, and impossible life that very well might be his.
Watching John take off, Rose shot a glance at Martha. "C'mon!"
They, along with Joan and Mr. Stewart not far behind, ran after him. Catching up to John, Martha asked. "Wait, where are we going?
"This way," Joan called, directing them down a street both on the outskirts of the village, "I think I know somewhere we can hide."
"We've got to keep going," John told them strictly.
"But where?" Mr. Stewart asked. "There's nowhere safe to be. That Family could track you down easily." He glanced over at Rose. "Both of you."
"Trust me," Joan interjected. "I know a place, follow me."
John shook his head defiantly. "Oh, no—"
"John, just listen to us for once," Rose said, grabbing his hand.
She made a move to run and follow the others, but he pulled her back and stared at her. "What's going on? Really, what's the meaning of all of this?"
She swallowed hard. "Now's not the time for questions," she responded.
"Fine, then just give me the answers," he pleaded.
Instead of replying, she tugged his hand and brought them back to running. This whole entire thing was hurting her inside. John was just a simple man—but he was a man of fiction. He wasn't real.
Joan led the group down another road before turning a corner. After a few more minutes of tiring sprinting, they came up to a small, dark house surrounded by grass and shrubbery. "Here we are. It should be empty," she said, catching her breath.
"My Lord," Mr. Stewart said, wiping his forehead. "It's been a long time since I've run that far."
Rose snorted. "Welcome to our life." This was a small jog compared to all of the running she's done for the last two and a half years.
Opening the door, Joan walked inside with the others right behind her. Looking around, it was a simple and basic cottage style kitchen with a small table in the center and a den on the other side.
"But who lives here?" Martha asked.
"If I'm right, no one," Joan replied before calling out. "Hello?No one home. We should be safe here, then"
Rose saw a small tea set laid out on the table. "Whose house is this?"
"Wait, this is the Cartwrights' residence," Mr. Stewart informed.
"So, that little girl," Martha began. "She lived here?"
Joan nodded. "She's Lucy Cartwright…or she's taken Lucy Cartwright'sform. If she came home this afternoon, and if the parents tried to stop their little girl, then they were vanished." She went to the table and placed a hand on the teapot. "Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas."
"Been there before," Rose muttered quietly.
With heavy footsteps John plopped down in one of the chairs seated at the table, his head held in his hands. An awkward silence hung in the air until Mr. Stewart spoke up.
"Now what do we do? We certainly can't stay here forever."
"I must go to them," John announced, raising his head. "Before anyone else dies."
Rose's eyes widened. "Don't you dare," she said firmly. "Those deaths weren't your fault, d'you hear me?"
"How can you say that?" He said with a broken voice, that familiar brooding expression making its first appearance in over two months. "Those people are looking for me—"
"Well, they found me now, so they're coming for us," she retorted.
John shook his head. "I won't let them get anywhere near you."
"And I'm not letting you throw yourself out there like a piece of meat!"
"There must be something we can do," Joan said. "Martha?"
Martha shook her head. "Not without the watch."
John straightened himself up and turned his head to Martha, a nasty glare in his eyes. "You're this Doctor's companion, can't you help? What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need you?"
"I'm his friend," she said in an even voice.
"I fail to see how that's going to help me here!" he snapped.
Rose smacked his arm. "Stop it! Don't you yell at her! She's our friend, and she's been through enough in this bleedin' place, so stop!" She let out a sigh. "God, and I thought you were rude enough as a Time Lord."
"How are you a part of this, Rose?" he pleaded. "Tell me how you're included in this mess, really."
She tightened her grip on his hand, lowering her voice. "I'm his best friend. I'm the one who keeps his head on straight. When I met him, he was broken and alone with nothing to look forward to. But then he came into my life, and now he'll never be alone anymore." She ducked her head for a moment. "I'm a lot of things to him, but most importantly…I'm the love of his life."
His eyes widened at her words, his face appearing paler. "No…" he breathed out.
A sudden knock on the door caused John and Rose to rise from their seats and everyone else to freeze in place.
"What if it's them?" Joan asked in a whisper.
"I'm not an expert," Martha spoke quietly. "But I don't think scarecrows knock."
Turning around, she walked cautiously over to the door and opened it a crack. After a second, she pulled it open wider - and Rose was shocked to see who it was.
"Tim? What are you doing here?"
"I brought you this," the boy said.
Though she was shocked to find Timothy Latimer at the door, who walked to a dark cottage near the edge of the village all by himself knowing full well the Family was still out there, Rose felt relief wash over her once she caught sight of the Doctor's fob watch in his hand. How did he know for sure that they needed it?
Martha took the watch from him and pulled him inside, quickly shutting the door. She walked up to John and held the watch out for him. "Hold it."
John stared at the object fearfully, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He shook his head. "I won't."
"Please, just hold it for a moment," she insisted. This time, he didn't respond to her, and just kept his eyes fixed on the watch.
"It told me to find you," Tim said. "It wants to be held."
"You've had it all this time?" Rose asked. "Tim, why didn't you return it?"
"Because it was waiting…and because I was scared of the Doctor," he admitted.
"Why?" Mr. Stewart asked curiously.
Tim turned to face John, slowly explaining. "Because…I've seen him. He's like fire…and ice, and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the Sun."
"Stop it," John said quietly, trying desperately to keep his composure.
"He's ancient and forever," the boy continued. "He burns at the center of Time and he can see the turn of the universe."
"Stop it!" John cried, unable to hide the slight panic that escaped from him. "I said stop it!"
"And…he's wonderful," Tim finished.
Rose couldn't help but smile at the boy's description. No matter how much the Doctor may beat himself up over everything he's ever done, he would always be the most wonderful man in the universe.
"Both he and the Bad Wolf," Tim continued, catching Rose off guard. He saw her too? "The one who created herself, who burns in the center of Time with him. She imprinted herself onto his soul, casting off her angelic golden glow to brighten his darkness. The Doctor and Rose Tyler, dancing across the stars…just as it should be. Forever."
Silence fell once more in the room, the only sounds being the shaky breaths that John was inhaling. For a moment he felt his heart stop, a heavy weight pressing down onto his chest. He desperately tried to convince himself to not believe in any of these revelations, but…deep inside he felt that tug again telling him otherwise.
"John…" Rose spoke, her voice soft.
He didn't glance over at her. Instead he kept his eyes focused on the ground.
"I hope you don't mind me taking this," Joan said to her. John looked up and saw the matron reach into her dress pocket and pull out his journal. "When we were searching for the watch, I came across your journal in Rose's room, John."
"Those are just stories," he said quickly.
"No, John," Rose said, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "We know that's not true."
He shook his head. "I'm not a story," he denied, his voice shaky. "I-I just can't be."
"We're all stories in the end," she said quietly.
The matron began to look through his journal. "Perhaps there's something in here—"
Suddenly an explosion outside rocked the cottage, causing everyone to brace themselves. "What the hell?" Martha exclaimed.
They all huddled around the window to see the horrible scene of flares shooting across the sky and falling bombs. "They're destroying the village," Mr. Stewart proclaimed. "Now what?"
John spun around with a frustrated noise. "The watch." He moved to the table and picked it up.
Both he and Rose gasped when they heard the whisper. "Closer…"
"Can you hear it?" Tim asked him.
"Closer…closer…"
Lifting it up he studied the watch intently. "I think he's asleep—waiting to awaken."
"Why did he speak to me?" Tim asked.
"Oh, low-level telepathic field," he said in that familiar arrogant and chipper voice that was the Doctor's. Rose couldn't help but smile as he continued. "You were born with it. Just and extra synaptic engram causing—" he stopped with widened eyes and gasped. Staring at the watch for another moment, he looked back up at them, his fear evident. "Is that how he talks?"
"That's him!" Rose exclaimed, but her face fell when she saw the hurt in his eyes.
"All you have to do is open the watch and he's back," Martha told him.
He glared at her again. "You knew this all along!" he accused, not bringing himself to look over at Rose. Deep down he just couldn't blame her for everything that happened. "And yet you just watched while I fell in love with Rose—"
"I didn't know how to stop you!" Martha shot back. "I didn't wanna come between you two. How do you think Rose felt? I may have been through enough these past two months, but she's been struggling to get to close to you because you're similar to the Doctor and have the same feelings that he has for her—"
"But he hurt her," he ground out. "I felt it…I saw it in some of my dreams, the ones that I didn't dare to write down. He filled her life with pain and misery, leaving her aside all because of his own cowardice."
"No, she's his entire world—"
"If that's the case, then why would he continually hurt her?" he retorted.
"That's not—"
"No, that's exactly what he does. He ruins her life, and now he's ruining mine. What Rose and I have…" The woman being mentioned remained silent and watched on, fighting back on her tears. John stared at her bewildered but at the same time felt a little betrayed. How could she love a man like that?
Martha stepped up to him. "He gave us a list of things to watch out for, but that wasn't included."
"Falling in love? That didn't even occur to him?" he asked incredulously.
She looked at Rose, whose eyes were shut. "Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. Regardless, he has Rose. All he wanted was for her to be safe."
"Safe? She's in even more danger! Those people or…aliens, whatever they are, they're now looking for her now."
"Which is why we need the Doctor," she stressed. "So he can save her, just like he always does."
"A man with a medical name who claims to help others when all he does is poison those around him. What sort of man is that? And now you expect me to die?"
"It was always going to end, though!" Martha cried. "The Doctor said the Family's got a limited life span, and that's why they need to consume a Time Lord, or even someone as unique as Rose. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said."
His brows shot up to his hairline. "So your job was to execute me!" he stated hotly, avoiding Rose's gaze as he spat such hurtful things.
Another explosion shook the cottage, causing everyone to hold on to whatever they could.
"People are dying out there! They need him, I need him, and most of all,Rose needs him—God knows how much he means to her. They love each other more than anything in the world. He's her everything just as she's his. 'Cause you've got no idea what he's like. I've only just met him. It wasn't even that long ago, but he already means so much to me—both he and Rose. They're my friends, and I'm looking out for them…especially now with all the bitterness between them. Because even though they've got each other, sometimes they both need a friend."
"But if he loves her as much as you claim, then what's holding him back from showing her?"
"Because…he's afraid of himself," Tim answered. "He loves her more than anything in the universe, and it scares him that he could still lose her. He has all of Time and Space at his fingertips, but the one thing that amazes him and makes him believe is Rose Tyler."
An even stronger explosion crashed down, violently shaking the ground beneath them. "It's getting closer," Mr. Stewart warned. "John, you have to come up with something."
Visibly swallowing, John stared hard at the watch in his hand, trying to think of alternative. Then a thought that seemed to escape his mind came to him. "I should have thought of it before!" He said, holding out the watch. "I can give them this, just the watch. Then they can leave, Rose would be safe, and I can stay as I am!"
"You can't!" Rose shouted, coming out of her silent state.
"If they want the Doctor, they can have him," he tried to reason.
"He'll never let you do it," Martha told him.
"And neither will I," Rose added.
John shook his head. What he thought of was a better way of handling this. The mad man they've been searching for could finally be theirs, and Rose would be safe to be with him for the rest of their lives, away from the madness and misery that came from the Doctor's life.
"If they get what they want, then-then—"
"Then it all ends in destruction," Joan cut in sadly. It had escaped his mind that she had been reading through his journal. "I just read to the end of this…those creatures would live forever, to breed and conquer. War across the stars…for every child."
Any and all hope John had diminished as he felt his heart sink. So many lives would be taken away and be replaced by alienated vampires. And to top it all off…he would have to die to prevent any of that from happening. And have to leave behind the woman that he loved.
All this time Rose was fighting back on her tears, but when she saw the hurt look on John's face, she couldn't stop one of them from falling. His eyes were misty as his lips quivered, his breaths still shaky. Very rarely, in two and a half years of traveling with the Doctor, did she ever see him so broken and on the verge of tears. Of course, this wasn't him per se as it was his human self, but…to see such an expression cross his face made her heart break.
Thankfully, the others took notice. "Come," Mr. Stewart said to the others. "Let them have their moment."
Taking the hint, they each left. Martha glanced over at Rose with a saddened look in her eyes. She understood how tough this would be, and how much Rose resented this. She basically had to send John Smith to his death in order for the Doctor to come back. But Martha had faith that Rose would be strong through this hard situation. Hopefully.
Response to newboy: Thank you so much! I'm trying my best to keep it that way. I wish it would be canon too. But that's what fanfics are for. Oh, definitely. When the Master comes in…oh boy. I've got a small idea about the whole Davros situation, but I've got a ways to go until that.