Family of Blood
"Make your decision, Mr. Smith," Jenny said.
"Perhaps is that human heart breaks, the Time Lord will emerge," Baines said.
"You won't touch him!" Clara said, still trying to break away from Mr. Clarke.
"It's him!" Baines suddenly exclaimed.
Martha was able to break away from Jenny, taking her gun and holding it out.
"One more move and I shoot," Martha said.
"Oh, the maid is full of fire!" Baines said.
"And you can shut up!" Martha said, firing the gun into the ceiling.
"Careful, Son of Mine," Mr. Clarke said, holding Clara even tighter than before. "This is all for you so that you can live forever."
"Shoot you down!" Baines said.
"Try it," Martha said. "We'll die together."
"Would you really pull the trigger? Looks too scared," Baines said.
"Scared and holding a gun," Martha said. "It's a good combination. You wanna risk it?"
Baines looked at Mr. Smith, then Mr. Clarke let Clara go. She jerked away from him and stood by Mr. Smith.
"Doctor, get everyone out," Martha said. "Clara, you help. There's a door at the side. It's over there. Go on!"
Mr. Smith just stood there.
"Do it, Mr. Smith. I mean you!" Martha said.
"Come on, John," Clara said. "We need to get these people to safety. Everyone out!"
All the villagers left the hall through the door, screaming.
"And you," Martha said. "Go on. Just shift."
"What about you?" Mr. Smith asked.
"Mr. Smith, I think you should Clara to safety, don't you?" Martha said, looking at Clara.
"You'll be alright, then?" Clara asked Martha.
"Just fine," Martha said, looking determined, still holding the gun.
Clara nodded at her, then joined Mr. Smith outside.
"Mr. Hicks, go to the village," he said. "Get everyone out. Latimer, get back to the school. Tell the headmaster-"
"Don't touch me! You're as bad as them!" Latimer said, running off.
"John, we need to move," Clara said.
"What about Martha?" he asked.
"She can take care of herself! Now move!" Clara said.
Martha then joined them outside, running.
"Don't just stand there, move! You're rubbish as a human!" Martha said. "Come on!"
Clara had a sense of deja vu as Mr. Smith took her hand as they ran. The family were firing their guns at them as they were running away.
As soon as they had made it back to the school, Mr. Smith immediately started ringing a bell that called the boys to fight.
"What're you doing?" Martha asked.
"Maybe one man can't fight them, but this school teaches us to stand together. Take arms! Take arms!" he said, as he shouted the last part.
"You can't do that!" Martha said.
"You want me to fight, don't you? Take arms! Take arms?" Mr. Smith said.
"Not like this," Clara said. "We NEED that watch."
"I say, sir, what's the matter?" one of the boys asked, as all of the boys began rushing down the stairs.
"Enemy at the door, Hutchinson. Enemy at the door. Take arms!" Mr. Smith said.
"This isn't right," Clara said, as the boys began to load machine guns and other rifles.
"You can't do this, Doctor! Mr. Smith!" Martha exclaimed.
"Maintain position over the stable yard," Mr. Smith said to the boys, ignoring Martha.
"They're just boys! You can't ask them to fight!" Martha said.
"Faster now, that's it!" Mr. Smith said.
"They don't stand a chance!" Martha insisted.
"They're cadets, Miss Jones," Mr. Smith said. "They are trained to defend the King and his properties."
The headmaster then burst into the room, along with Matron Redfern. Matron Redfern came straight to Clara and required her help in the infirmary.
"What in thunder's name is this?" the headmaster asked. "Before I devise an excellent and endless series of punishments for each and every one of you, could someone explain very simple and immediately exactly what is going on?"
"Headmaster, I have to report the school is under attack," Mr. Smith said.
"Really? Is that so? Perhaps you and I should have a word in private," the headmaster said.
"I promise you, sir. I was in the village with Nurse Tyler. It's Baines, sir. Jeremy Baines and Mr. Clarke from Oakham Farm. They've gone mad, sir. They've got guns. They've already murdered people in the village. I saw it happen," Mr. Smith said.
"Nurse Tyler, is that so?" the headmaster asked.
"Yes, sir," Clara said.
"Matron?" the headmaster asked.
"I'm afraid it's true, sir," Matron Redfern said, who was at the dance as well.
"Murder on our own soil?" the headmaster asked.
"I saw it, yes," Matron Redfern said.
"Several people, sir," Clara said.
"Perhaps you did well then, Mr. Smith. What makes you think the danger's coming here?" the headmaster asked.
"Well, sir, they said, um..." Mr. Smith said.
"Mr. Baines threatened to harm Mr. Smith, sir," Clara said. "They want him for some reason, and they said they'd follow him."
"We don't know why," Matron Redfern said.
"Very well," the headmaster said. "You boys, remain on guard. Mr. Snell, telephone the police. Mr. Philips, with me. We shall investigate."
Martha stood in front of the headmaster to stop him.
"No, it's not safe out there," she said.
"Mr. Smith, it seems your favorite servant is giving me advice. You will control her, sir," the headmaster said, then left.
"I've gotta find that watch," Martha said, sighing. She left and Clara went with her, with Matron Redfern followed after them. Martha led them to Mr. Smith's room, where they all started searching for the watch, even though Clara was sure Matron Redfern didn't really know what they were doing.
"I know it sounds mad, but when the Doctor became human, he took the alien part of himself and stored it inside the watch. It's not really a watch, it just looks like a watch," Martha explained to Matron Redfern.
"And alien means...not from abroad, I take it," Matron Redfern said.
"The man you call John Smith...he was born on another world," Martha said.
"A different planet," Clara added.
"A different species, then," Matron Redfern said.
"Yeah," Martha said.
"Then tell me, in this fairy tale...who are the both of you?" Matron Redfern asked.
"Just a friend," Martha said. "Just his friend. She's more than that, though."
"You're both human, I take it?" Matron Redfern asked.
"Human, don't worry, and more than that, we just don't follow him around," Martha said. "Well, I don't, anyways."
"I have for a while," Clara said.
"I'm training to be a doctor—not an alien doctor—a proper doctor, a doctor of medicine," Martha said.
"Well, that certainly is nonsense," Matron Redfern said. "Women might train to be doctors, but hardly a skivvy and hardly one of your colour."
"Bit rude," Clara scoffed.
"Oh, d'you think?" Martha said to both Clara and Matron Redfern. She then thought for a second, then held up her hand. "Bones of the hand. Carpal bones, proximal row: scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform. Distal row: trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, hamate. Then, the metecarpal bones extending in three distinct phalanges: proximal, middle, distal."
"Quite a mouthful," Clara muttered.
"You read that in a book," Matron Redfern said, still not believing it.
"Yes, to pass my exams!" Martha said with a laugh. "Can't you see this is true?"
"I must go," Matron Redfern said, heading for the door. "Miss Tyler?"
"Sorry, I'm needed here," Clara said. "Plus, I'm not really a nurse."
"If we find that watch, we can stop them," Martha said.
"Those boys are going to fight," Matron Redfern said. "I might not be a doctor, but I'm still their nurse. They need me."
"At least she's out of the way," Clara said, after she had left.
They continued to search the room together, but it was no use; the watch was gone. Martha screamed in frustration, and threw papers into the air before the two of them ran out of the room. They found Matron Redfern at a window, watching the action outside.
The little girl with the balloon approached all the boys outside, and so Martha and Clara went outside as well.
"You, child, come out of the way," the headmaster said. "Come into the school. You don't know who's out there. It's the Cartwright girl, isn't it? Come here. Come to me."
"Mr. Rocastle, please," Martha pleaded. "Don't go near her."
"You were told to be quiet," the headmaster said.
"Listen to me, she's part of it! Clara, Matron, tell him," Martha said, as Matron Redfern had followed them outside.
"It's true, sir," Clara said. "She was with Baines and Mr. Clarke."
"I think—I don't know," Matron Redfern said. "I think you should stay back, Headmaster."
"Mr. Smith," Martha said.
"She was—she was with—with Baines in the village," Mr. Smith said.
"Mr. Smith, I've seen many strange sights this night, but there is no cause on God's earth that would allow me to see this child in the field of battle, sir," the Headmaster said, then turned to Lucy Cartwright. "Come to me."
"You're funny," Lucy said.
"That's right," the Headmaster said. "Now, take my hand."
"Sir, please don't-" Clara started.
"So funny," Lucy said, taking out a gun and then shot the Headmaster, dissolving him. "Now, who's going to shoot me—any of you, really?"
"Put down your guns," Mr. Smith said, lowering his own rifle.
"But, sir, the Headmaster-" Hutchinson started.
"I'll not see this happen," Mr. Smith said. "Not anymore. You will retreat...in an orderly fashion back through the school. Hutchinson, lead the way."
"But, sir-" Hutchinson said.
"I said, lead the way," Mr. Smith said, then Baines arrived.
"Go on, then, run!" he shouted, firing his gun into the air.
There was a sudden panic as all the boys started to scramble to get back into the school. Clara got separated from Martha for a moment, until she grabbed Clara's arm.
"Come on!" Martha said, pulling Clara towards the school.
Mr. Smith, Matron Redfern, Martha, and Clara helped to get the boys outside through the stables.
"Hurry, hurry," Clara said.
"Let's go! Quick as you can!" Mr. Smith said.
"Don't go to the village! It's not safe!" Martha said.
"And you, ladies!" Mr. Smith said.
"I'm not going anywhere," Clara said.
"Not until we get the boys out," Matron Redfern said.
Martha, Clara, and Matron Redfern went back inside the school to make sure all the boys were out safely.
Mr. Smith came back in and said, "Now, I insist. The three of you just go. If there are any more boys inside, I'll find them."
He opened the door that they had just sent the boys out and found a bunch of scarecrows. He then slammed it shut and locked it.
"I think...retreat," he said, and they all ran.
The four of them made it to the woods, where they ducked down behind some bushes as they heard Mr. Clarke call out, "Doctor! Doctor!"
"No, they have the TARDIS," Clara groaned.
"Come back, Doctor," Mr. Clarke called. "Come home. Come and claim your prize."
"Out you come, Doctor! There's a good boy," Baines called out. "Come to the Family."
"Time to end it now!" Jenny said.
"You recognize it, don't you?" Martha asked softly.
"Come out, Doctor! Come to us!" Jenny said.
"I've never seen it in my life," Mr. Smith said.
"Do you remember its name?" Martha asked.
"I'm sorry, John, but you wrote about it," Matron Redfern said. "The blue box. You dreamt of a blue box."
"I'm not—I'm John Smith," Mr. Smith said, his voice broke. "That's all I want to be. John Smith, with his life...and his job...and his love. Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?"
"He is a very good man," Clara said.
"Why can't I stay?" he asked.
"But we need the Doctor," Martha said.
"So what am I then, nothing?" Mr. Smith asked. "I'm just a story."
He then ran off with Clara following right after him. They all ran down a country road, Clara's feet killing her from the shoes she was still wearing from the dance.
"This way," Matron Redfern said. "I think I know somewhere we can hide."
"We've got to keep going," Mr. Smith said.
"Just listen to me for once, John," Matron Redfern said. "Follow me."
Clara followed after her as soon as Martha did. Mr. Smith paused for a moment before following after all the women. They arrived at a dark house, all of them breathing heavily. Clara hadn't done so much running since being in 1913 for the past three months.
"Here we are," Matron Redfern said. "It should be empty. Oh, it's a long time since I've run that far."
"But who lives here?" Martha asked.
"If I'm right, no one," Matron Redfern said.
Clara followed Matron Redfern cautiously through the front door and into the dark house.
"Hello?" Matron Redfern called out. "No one home. We should be safe here."
"Whose house is it, though?" Martha asked.
"Um, the Cartwrights," Matron Redfern said. "That little girl at the school—she's taken Lucy Cartwright's form. If she came home this afternoon and if the parents tried to stop their little girl, then they were vanished. Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas."
"It's not that hard," Clara said.
Mr. Smith sat down on one of the chairs at the table and said, "I must go to them before anyone else dies."
"You can't," Matron Redfern said. "Martha, Clara, there must be something we can do."
"Not without the watch," Martha said, shaking her head.
"Which is still missing," Clara said.
"You're both the Doctor's companions!" Mr. Smith exclaimed, finally losing it. "Can't you help? What exactly do either of you do for him? Why does he need either of you?"
"Because he's lonely," Martha said.
"He needs someone with him," Clara said.
"And that's what you want me to become," Mr. Smith said, then Clara jumped at the sound of a knock at the door.
"What if it's them?" Matron Redfern asked.
"I'm not an expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock," Martha said.
"And if it was the Family, they'd just blow open the door," Clara added.
Martha walked over to the door and opened it to reveal Latimer.
"I brought you this," Latimer said, holding out the watch.
"Oh, my gosh! We finally have it!" Clara said.
Martha took the watch and held it out to Mr. Smith.
"Hold it," Martha said.
"I won't," he said.
"Please, just hold it," Martha said.
"It told me to find you," Latimer said. "It wants to be held."
"You've had this watch all this time?" Nurse Redfern asked. "Why didn't you return it?"
"Because it was waiting," Latimer said. "And because I was scared of the Doctor."
"Why?" Matron Redfern asked, but Clara understood why.
"Because...I've seen him," Latimer said. "He's...like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun."
"Stop it," Mr. Smith said.
"He's ancient and forever," Latimer said. "He burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe."
"Stop! I said stop it!" Mr. Smith said.
"And he's wonderful," Latimer said.
"That's the Doctor," Clara said, smiling slightly.
Matron Redfern reached into her pocket and pulled out Mr. Smith's journal.
"I've still got this," she said. "The journal."
"Those are just stories," Mr. Smith insisted.
"Now we know that's not true," Matron Redfern said. "Perhaps there's something in here."
There was a suddenly explosion outside and they all started.
"What the hell?" Martha asked.
Clara went to the window to find the village exploding.
"They're destroying the village," Matron Redfern said.
"Watch," Mr. Smith said softly, then picked it up.
"John, don't," Matron Redfern said.
"Can you hear it?" Latimer asked.
"I think he's asleep," Mr. Smith said. "Waiting to awaken."
"Why did he speak to me?" Latimer asked.
"Oh, low-level telepathic field," the Doctor said in his normal voice. Clara nearly teared up at the sound of it. "You were born with it. Just an extra synaptic engram causing-"
He broke off and inhaled deeply. "Is that how he talks?" Mr. Smith asked.
"That's him!" Martha exclaimed. "All you have to do is open it and he's back."
"You knew this all along and yet you watched Nurse Tyler and I-" Mr. Smith said.
"I didn't know how to stop you!" Martha said, looking to Clara for help. "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?" Mr. Smith asked.
"Well, Clara was the only one, but no, it didn't," Martha said.
"The what sort of man is that?" Mr. Smith asked. "And now you expect me to die?"
"He's a wonderful man, just like you," Clara said.
"Please, don't," Mr. Smith said to her, looking at her like she betrayed him. Clara's eyes started tearing up and filled with hurt.
"It was always going to end, though!" Martha said. "The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan. That's why they need to consume a Time Lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said."
"So your job was to execute me," Mr. Smith said.
"People are dying out there!" Martha said. "They need him and I need him. 'Cause you've got no idea of what he's like. I've only just met him. It wasn't even that long ago, but he is everything...he's just everything to me and he doesn't even look at me, but I don't care..."
She then gave Clara a very apologetic look.
"...'Cause I love him to bits. And I hope he won't remember me saying this," Martha finished.
"It's getting closer," Latimer said, as the house rocked from the explosions outside.
"I should have thought of it before—I can give them this," Mr. Smith said. "Just the watch. Then they can leave and I can stay as I am!"
"You can't do that!" Martha said.
"It would be very bad," Clara said.
"If they want the Doctor, they can have him," Mr. Smith said.
"He'll never let you do it," Martha said.
"If they get what they want, then—then-" Mr. Smith stuttered.
"Then it all ends in destruction," Matron Redfern said, looking up from the journal. "I never read to the end but those creatures would live forever to breed and conquer. War across the stars...for every child."
"It would be total destruction," Clara said, as Mr. Smith looked close to tears. "Martha, Matron, Timothy, could you please leave for a moment?"
Clara comforted Mr. Smith as he finally broke down in sobs after everyone left.
"I'm so sorry," Clara said to him. "I never meant for any of this to happen. For you to have to go through any of this. The Doctor never told us anything of what was to happen."
"How do you know he'll still love you?" Mr. Smith asked her.
"Because I love him so much, and I know that he loves me," Clara said with determination.
"I love you," Mr. Smith said. "Was it real?"
"Of course it was," Clara said, starting to cry. "It just wasn't the same, though. It was a different love. A different person. But it was very real. You can't give the watch to them, though. He wouldn't want that. He spends most of his time protecting the universe, and you'd be destroying it in one go."
She reached over and took the watch from him and they touched hands. She started sobbing at the images she saw in her head. She saw herself getting old with John Smith, something she couldn't do with the Doctor. She saw herself giving birth to his child, something else she was sure she couldn't have with the Doctor, despite her love for him and vice versa. She finally broke down at the sight of John in his bed, old, and on his death bed.
"Everyone sends their love, John. And I love you," an old Clara said, sitting by his bed.
"Thank you, my love," John said, then closed his eyes and died.
"Did you see that?" Mr. Smith asked Clara.
"Yes," Clara said.
"Can he give you that?" Mr. Smith asked.
"Not a life like that," Clara said. "But, I wouldn't have it any other way than with him."
"But I could have a life like that!" Mr. Smith said, looking at the watch again.
"So what are you going to do? Save yourself, or the world and the universe?" Clara asked him.
He didn't answer for the longest time.
"Alright," he said quietly. "Give me the watch."
The building was filled with a golden light as he opened the watch.
"Doctor?" Clara asked cautiously, as the light disappeared.
"Clara," he said, opening his eyes.
"It's you," she said.
"Yeah, it's me," the Doctor said.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry."
"Nothing we can do now," the Doctor said, hugging her. "You stay here. I'm gonna take care of this."
He still had the watch and strode out the door, leaving Clara sitting there, wiping her eyes. Martha then came in and hugged her.
"I'm sorry," Martha said. "I didn't want you to know. I only said it to get him to change."
"It's fine," Clara said. "Should we go back for the TARDIS and wait?"
"Yeah," Martha said.
Clara changed her clothes, happy to be in her normal jeans and t-shirt, as well as flat shoes. The Doctor returned with the Family and left Clara and Martha waiting while he took care of them.
After he returned, he told them that he needed to speak with Matron Redfern for a moment and left Martha and Clara waiting with the TARDIS.
"All right," he said, strolling back up to them. "Molto bene!"
"How was she?" Martha asked.
"Time we moved on," the Doctor said.
"If you want, Clara or I could go and-" Martha said.
"Time we moved on," the Doctor insisted.
The Doctor took Clara's hand and squeezed it. She hugged his arm, happy to have him back.
"I meant to say back there, last night—I would have said anything to get you to change," Martha said.
"Oh, yeah, of course you would," the Doctor said. "Yeah."
"Sorry," Martha said to Clara.
"It's fine," Clara said, waving her hand.
"I mean, I wasn't really-" Martha said.
"Oh, no, no," the Doctor said.
"Good," Martha said.
"Fine," the Doctor said.
"So, here we are then," Martha said.
"There we are, yes," the Doctor said, and Martha nodded. "And I never said thanks for lookin' after me," he said, letting go of Clara's hand and wrapped Martha in a big hug. "Both of you."
"Doctor, Martha, Clara," Latimer said from behind them.
"Tim-Timothy-Timber," the Doctor said.
"I just wanted to say good-bye," Latimer said. "And thank you, because I've seen the future and I now know what must be done. It's coming, isn't it. The biggest war ever."
"You don't have to fight," Martha said.
"I think we do," Latimer said.
"But you could get hurt," Martha said.
"Well, so could you two, traveling around with him, but it's not going to stop you," Latimer said.
"Nope, it won't," Clara said, taking the Doctor's hand again.
"Tim, I'd be honoured if you'd take this," the Doctor said, giving Latimer the watch.
"I can't hear anything," Latimer said.
"No, it's just a watch now," the Doctor said. "But keep it with you. For good luck."
"Look after yourself," Martha said to Latimer, hugging him.
"Don't get into too much trouble," Clara said, also hugging him.
"You'll like this bit," the Doctor said, pulling Clara into the TARDIS with him, after Martha. He set the TARDIS to dematerialize and Clara could just imagine the look on Latimer's face. They landed outside of a service being held in memory of the fallen soldiers from World War I. Clara and Martha already had poppies attached to their jackets and Martha was attaching one on the Doctor's jacket.
Clara smiled as the older Latimer in his wheelchair looked over at them.