Part two has arrived! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Twenty Four: Family Of Blood

The village hall was quiet as everyone watched Baines, Jenny and Clark threaten John, Martha and Nurse Redfern at gunpoint. Ember, who was strategically behind John and out of their viewpoint, narrowed her eyes.

"Make your decision, Mister Smith." Jenny said.

Baines smirked, the action far more creepy on his face than normal. "Perhaps if that human heart breaks, the Time Lord will emerge."

Ember had had enough. She stepped around John so that she was stood between him and the gun pointing at him. "Back off, or you'll regret it!"

"And who are you with so much flare?" Baines asked, then blinked and sniffed deeply. "Oh, it's you! The Great Fire! Nice to put a face to the scent, even if it's a grotesque, scarred one. You're defending your Time Lord, are you?"

"To my last breath." Ember replied, ignoring the cheap shot about her face. "You must have noticed that some of your scarecrows are missing. You're looking at the one who burned them to the ground." She caught sight of Latimer on the far side of the room and was able to send a subtle nod to him.

Getting the hint, the boy opened the watch for only a moment, but the voices and golden energy from inside it was enough to get the attention of the aliens.

"Time Lord..."

"It's him!" Baines said, he and his family looking around.

Martha took advantage of the distraction to get the gun from Jenny and use her as a shield while she aimed the weapon at Baines. "All right! One more move and I shoot."

"Oh, the maid is full of fire!" Baines said, seemingly overjoyed. "Not as much as the other one, but just as well!"

"And you can shut up!" Martha fired a shot at the ceiling in warning.

"Careful, Son of Mine." Clark said. "This is all for you so that you can live forever."

Baines pointed his gun at Martha. "Shoot you down."

"Try it." Martha challenged. "We'll die together."

"Would you really pull the trigger? Looks too scared."

"Scared and holding a gun's a good combination. Do you want to risk it?"

Ember tilted her head. "You do things you wouldn't normally do when you're scared. Fear makes you more dangerous."

After a few tense seconds, Baines lowered his gun, as did Clark, which let Nurse Redfern move away from him and return to John's side.

"Doctor, get everyone out." Martha said. "There's a door at the side. It's over there. Go on. Do it, Mister Smith, I mean you!"

Redfern turned to the frightened people behind them. "Do what she said. Everybody out, now. Don't argue, Mister Jackson. They're mad. That's all we need to know. Susan, Miss Cooper, outside, all of you."

John saw Latimer and pulled him to join the leaving crowd. "Move yourself, boy. Back to the school, quickly!"

"And you." Martha said to John when he was the only one left other than Martha and Ember. "Go on. Just shift!"

"What about you?"

"Mister Smith, I think you should escort your lady friend to safety, don't you?"

Ember glanced back, noticing John hesitate. "Get going. We'll catch up."

After another moment's hesitation, John ran out. He found a few people outside and addressed them. "Mister Hicks, warn the village. Get everyone out. Latimer, get back to the school. Tell the headmaster-"

He had taken Latimer by the arm, only for him to roughly free himself. "Don't touch me! You're as bad as them! You'd better hope they don't kill Ember!"

John and Redfern watched him run off toward the school.

Back in the hall, Martha shoved Jenny back to her family as she continued to point the gun at them. "Don't try anything. I'm warning you, or Sonny boy gets it."

"She's almost brave, this one." Baines said.

"I should have taken her form. Much more fun. So much spirit." Jenny added as the family stepped closer, making Martha and Ember step back.

"What happened to Jenny?" Martha asked. "Is she gone?"

"She is consumed. Her body's mine."

"You mean she's dead."

"Yes. And she went with precious little dignity. All that screaming." She gave a mock cry to demonstrate.

A scarecrow suddenly appeared behind Martha, grabbing her and wrestling the gun from her hands, only to then burst into flames curtesy of Ember, who also made a line of fire shoot up between them and the family, giving the women an opening to get out of the hall.

Martha rolled her eyes as she saw John and Redfern waiting outside for them. "Don't just stand there, move! God, you're rubbish as a human. Come on!"

"Let's go!" Ember yelled as she ran, the others following her.

In no time they reached the school, where John closed the front door and then ran over to grab a bell and start ringing it.

"What are you doing?" Martha asked.

"Maybe one man can't fight them, but this school teaches us to stand together." John explained as he kept ringing the bell. "Take arms! Take arms!"

"You can't do that!"

"You want me to fight, don't you? Take arms! Take arms!"

One of the other students appeared, confused by the sudden alarm. "I say sir, what's the matter?"

"Enemy at the door, Hutchinson. Enemy at the door. Take arms!"

Martha, Ember and Redfern looked on anxiously as the boys were gathered and then handed guns.

"You can't do this, Doctor." Martha tried to argue. "Mister Smith!"

John ignored her. "Redfern, maintain position over the stable yard. Faster now. That's it."

"They're just boys. You can't ask them to fight. They don't stand a chance!"

"They're cadets, Miss Jones." John finally addressed her. "They are trained to defend the King and all his citizens and properties."

Ember was about to step in when the headmaster of the school appeared. "What in thunder's name is this? Before I devise an excellent and endless series of punishments for each and every one of you, could someone explain very simply and immediately exactly what is going on?"

John stepped forward. "Headmaster, I have to report the school is under attack."

"Really? Is that so? Perhaps you and I should have a word in private."

"No, I promise you, sir. I was in the village with Matron. It's Baines, sir. Jeremy Baines and Mister Clark from Oakham Farm. They've gone mad, sir. They've got guns. They've already murdered people in the village. I saw it happen."

The headmaster looked at Redfern. "Matron, is that so?"

"I'm afraid it's true, sir."

"Murder on our own soil?"

"I saw it. Yes."

"Perhaps you did well then, Mister Smith. What makes you think the danger's coming here?"

John faltered. "Well, sir, they said-"

"Baines threatened Mister Smith, sir." Redfern cut in. "Said he'd follow him. We don't know why."

"Very well. You boys, remain on guard. Mister Snell, telephone for the police. Mister Philips, with me. We shall investigate."

Martha's eyes widened. "No! But it's not safe out there!"

"Mister Smith, it seems your favourite servant is giving me advice. You will control her, sir."

Ember put her hand on the door before the man could open it, meeting his gaze firmly. "If you go out there, people will die."

The headmaster stared at her scar before he collected himself. "Whoever you are, Miss, when this matter is sorted out I will have you arrested for trespassing."

He pulled the door open, ignoring the glare Ember was sending him as he and Mr Phillips stepped out.

"We've got to find that watch." Martha said.

"Go. I'll keep an eye out here," Ember said. She knew fully well that the watch would not be found, as she'd instructed Latimer to keep away from everyone until the time was right.

Martha took off for the stairs, Redfern following shortly after. John looked at Ember for a long moment before he followed her gaze out of the window to see what was going on.

They watched as there was talking for several minutes before Baines pulled his gun and vaporised Phillips on the spot. The headmaster stumbled back and then retreated as Baines shouted after him.

"Run along, Headmaster. Run back to school. And send us Mister Smith!"

Ember opened the door once the man was close enough, closing it behind him and then turning to glare at the man. "What did I say? Oh yes, people would die! Believe me now?"

The headmaster took a moment to stare her before he turned to John. "Mister Philips has been murdered, Mister Smith. Can you tell me why?"

"Honestly, sir, I have no idea. And the telephone line's been disconnected. We are on our own."

"If we have to make a fight of it, then make a fight we shall. Hutchinson, we'll build a barricade within the courtyards. Fortify the entrances, build our defences. Gentlemen, in the name of the King, we shall stand against them."

"Yes, sir!" The boys said before they got to work, setting up defences and preparing their weapons for battle.

At that moment, Redfern returned, though she'd changed into her nurse uniform. John was giving out orders when he spotted her. "Joan, it's not safe."

"I'm doing my duty, just as much as you." She said firmly. "Fine evening we've had together."

"Not quite as planned."

Redfern looked at him for a moment. "Tell me about Nottingham."

"Sorry?"

"That's where you were brought up. Tell me about it."

John looked puzzled, but answered. "Well, it lies on the River Leen, its southern boundary following the course of the River Trent which flows from Stoke to the Humber."

"That sounds like an encyclopaedia. Where did you live?"

"Broadmoor Street. Adjacent to Hotley Terrace in the district of Radford Parade."

"But more than facts. When you were a child, where did you play? All those secret little places, the dens and hideaways that only a child knows? Tell me, John. Please tell me."

John looked hurt. "How can you think that I'm not real? When I almost... was that a lie?"

"No, it wasn't. No."

"But this Doctor sounds like some, some romantic lost prince. Would you rather that? Am I not enough?"

"No, that's not true. Never."

John saw that they were almost ready to fight. "I've got to go."

"Martha was right about one thing, though." Redfern pointed out. "Those boys, they're children. John Smith wouldn't want them to fight, never mind the Doctor. The John Smith I was getting to know, he knows it's wrong, doesn't he?"

"Mister Smith, if you please!" The headmaster called.

"...What choice do I have?"

"There is always a choice," Ember murmured, not realising that she'd spoken loud enough for them to hear her.

"What?" John asked.

Ember looked at them, surprised that they'd heard her, and then sighed as she turned her gaze back to the window. "An old and kind man once said that there is always a choice. Sometimes it just isn't possible to get it right, but that doesn't justify violence and war."

"So, what do you expect me to do?"

"I don't expect you to do anything," Ember looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm trusting you to know what's in your own heart. Just like you did when you threw that cricket ball."

John looked confused, but then he turned and headed out into the courtyard, taking a rifle and standing with the boys and the headmaster.

"Stand to!" The headmaster yelled as scarecrows hammered at the main gate, which had been barricaded. "At post!"

"Enemy approaching, sir." One of the boys called as they took aim.

"Steady. Find the biting point." The main gates finally burst open. "Fire!"

The air was alive with gunshots as the boys opened fire and shot the scarecrows. John bit his lip, raising his gun, but Ember's words came back to him and he shook, looking around at the boys - the children - crying as they fired at the opposition.

He couldn't find it in him, so he lowered his gun. No one noticed that he hadn't fired once, and soon the scarecrows were nothing but pieces of clothing with straw sticking out of them.

"Cease fire!" The headmaster yelled, waiting until there was no more gunfire before he stepped out into the battlefield, kicking a scarecrow leg and finding nothing but straw. "They're straw. Like he said, straw."

"Then no one's dead, sir?" Hutchinson said, surprised and relieved. "We killed no one?"

The headmaster was about to reply when he heard footsteps on the gravel. "Stand to!" He pointed his gun, but was surprised when the little girl with the red balloon appeared, walking toward them, and he lowered his weapon. "You, child. Come out of the way. 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."

Martha, who'd returned from upstairs after failing to find the watch, opened the front door and ran out. "Mister Rocastle! Please, don't go near her!"

"You were told to be quiet." The headmaster glared at her.

"Just listen to me. She's part of it." Martha saw Redfern come out. "Matron, tell him!"

The nurse looked uncertain. "I think that... I don't know. I think you should stay back, Headmaster."

The headmaster looked at John, who'd come closer with Ember in tow. "Mister Smith?"

"She was... she was with... with Baines in the village."

"Mister 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 gave them all a dark look before he turned to the girl. "Come with me."

The girl smiled. "You're funny."

"That's right. Now take my hand."

"So funny." The girl pulled an alien gun from behind her back and pointed it at the headmaster.

But before she could kill him, flames suddenly erupted between them, forcing the girl to back away and the headmaster to fall right onto his backside.

John and Martha looked at Ember, who had her hand out. Her pupils were so small they were almost invisible in the liquid silver.

"I tried to warn you," she said to the headmaster before she looked at the girl. "And now I'm warning you, just this once. If you don't leave this place, you will live to regret it. Time Lord or human, this man is under my protection, and I want you to be aware that he's the only reason I haven't burnt you and your family to the ground."

The girl looked shaken, but tried to play it off. "So you won't kill me. Now who's going to shoot me?" She looked at the boys. "Any of you, really?"

John swallowed hard. "Put down your guns."

Hutchinson looked at him in puzzlement. "But sir..."

"I'll not see this happen. Not anymore. You will retreat in an orderly fashion back through the school. Mister Rocastle, lead the way."

"But-"

"I said, lead the way."

"Well, go on, then." Baines called, appearing from behind the gate and firing his gun into the air. "Run!"

Martha grabbed John by the arm. "Come on! Ember!"

The brunette moved so that she was standing between the humans and the aliens, her focus on keeping the flames high enough to prevent any more attacks. "Go. I'll catch up."

Reluctantly, the humans retreated, going back into the school.

Baines smirked. "Reanimate!"

The scarecrows started twitching, but Ember saw it. "The best thing about straw? It burns easy!"

She made a sweeping motion with her hand, and she felt the breeze she'd created on two levels as the flames spread out to engulf the scarecrows, reducing them to ashes in a matter of seconds. Ember flinched as her head throbbed; she was pushing it by doing that.

With one last flare of the flames, she turned and ran, using the chaos to escape. She caught sight of Latimer escaping as well, but didn't follow, knowing that the boy was safe now that the scarecrows were no longer an issue. She instead followed the path around the school grounds, finding Clark with the Tardis and a couple of scarecrows that remained.

"Doctor!" Clark yelled out into the night air. "Doctor! Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize!"

Baines stepped into view. "Out you come, Doctor. There's a good boy. Come to the Family."

"Time to end it now." Jenny added as she and the girl joined them. "Come out, Doctor. Come to us!"

Ember stayed low as she made her way around, and then she spotted John running away, with Redfern and Martha not far behind.

Martha saw her coming and looked relieved, though she saw the fine sheen of sweat on the brunette's forehead. "Are you alright?"

"Yea. Don't need to worry about the scarecrows anymore. They only have enough left to guard the Tardis."

Redfern looked around, recognising the area, and turned to a path. "This way. I think I know somewhere we can hide."

"We've got to keep going." John tried to insist.

"Just listen to me for once, John. Now, follow me."

Ember nodded. "She's right. We need to regroup."

The group ran down the path until they came across a small cottage.

"Oh, here we are. It should be empty." Redfern panted. "Oh, it's a long time since I've run that far."

"But who lives here?" Martha asked.

"If I'm right, no one." They entered the cottage, finding it dark and quiet. The table in the dining room was set up for supper, the food left uneaten. "Hello?" Redfern called, but got no answer. "No one home. We should be safe here."

Martha looked around. "Whose house is it, though?"

"The Cartwrights. That little girl at the school, she's Lucy Cartwright, or 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." Redfern walked over to the stove and touched the teapot. "Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas."

John paced for a moment before he spoke. "I must go to them, before anyone else dies."

Redfern looked surprised. "You can't. Martha, there must be something we can do!"

"Not without the watch."

"Which is on its way." Ember added, looking out of the window.

John looked at the two women. "You're this Doctor's companions. Can't you help? What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need you?"

"I can't say for Ember cuz it's complicated, but me?" Martha shrugged. "I guess it's because he gets lonely."

"And that's what you want me to become."

Ember rolled her eyes. "It's not that simple."

There was a knock at the door. The brunette moved to answer it when Redfern grabbed her arm. "What if it's them?"

"I'm not an expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock." Martha said, moving to the door herself. When she opened it, she blinked when she saw Latimer standing there.

"I brought you this." He said, holding out his hand. It was the watch they'd all been looking for.

Martha took the watch and let the boy in before she closed the door, and then she walked up to John and held the watch out to him. "Hold it."

John shook his head. "I won't."

"Please, just hold it."

"It told me to find you." Latimer said. "It wants to be held."

Redfern looked at him. "You've had this watch all this time? Why didn't you return it?"

"Because it was waiting. And because I was so scared... of the Doctor."

"Why?"

"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 murmured.

"He's ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe-"

"Stop it! I said stop it."

"...And he's wonderful."

Everyone was surprised when Ember spoke at the same time as Latimer, the former's gaze back out of the window.

There was quiet for a moment before Redfern looked through her pocket to pull out a familiar book. "I've still got this. The journal."

"Those are just stories." John dismissed.

"Now we know that's not true. Perhaps there's something in here."

Suddenly there was a big flash and a loud bang from outside, and the whole cottage shook.

"What the hell?" Martha said as they ran to the windows to look. They could see fireballs falling to the Earth, striking the village.

"They're destroying the village." Redfern said.

"They want to flush him out, using their ship's armaments." Ember added. "The best way to do that? Level everything in sight."

John turned to Martha, holding out his hand. "The watch."

"John, don't..." Redfern began, but John didn't hear her, instead hearing the voices from the watch now that he held it.

"Closer..."

Latimer recognised the look. "Can you hear it?"

"Closer..."

John shook his head. "I think he's asleep. Waiting to awaken."

"Little man..."

"Why did he speak to me?" Latimer asked.

"Oh, low level telepathic field. You were born with it. Just an extra synaptic engram causing-" he cut himself off mid-ramble with a sharp intake of breath, looking scared now. "Is that how he talks?"

Martha smiled and nodded. "That's him. All you have to do is open it and he's back."

"You knew this all along and yet you watched while Nurse Redfern and I..." John trailed off, glancing at Redfern who was looking through the journal under the moonlight, and then at Ember, who was watching them with a neutral expression.

"I didn't know how to stop you." Martha said. "He gave me a list of things to watch out for, but that wasn't included."

"Falling in love? That didn't even occur to him?"

"No. And I think you know why."

"Then what sort of man is that? And now you two expect me to die?"

Ember raised a brow, repeating her earlier statement. "I'm not expecting you to do anything."

"It was always going to end, though!" Martha said. "The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan, and that's why they need to consume a Time Lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said."

John frowned. "So your job was to execute me."

"No, her job was to look out for you, to make sure you didn't hurt someone or do something equally stupid." Ember corrected, shifting so that her back was against the wall. "On the other hand, Martha, you're telling a thinking, feeling person that his whole life was a fabrication. You have no idea how that feels."

"And you do?" John asked.

The answer was instant as well as surprising. "Yes. Once upon a time I was a normal human with a normal job and a normal life, and then one day I woke up and suddenly it was all a lie. Everything I thought I knew was a story, made up for a reason I still don't know. I was never given a choice."

John blinked. There's always a choice. That's what she'd said to him back at the school. For some reason, hearing her say that she hadn't been given one made something in his chest ache. "And if you had the choice? What would you have done?"

"I honestly can't answer that." Ember replied, holding his gaze to show to him that she meant it. "The memories of that life began to fade right from the start of this one, scattering like confetti on the wind even when I try to hold on to them. I barely remember anything from it now, not even enough to miss it. The worst part of it is that even without that fairytale, I know next to nothing of who I was before all of this. Consider yourself lucky: If you open that watch and wake up as a Time Lord, you'll know who you were before. All of your memories would be restored, and you'll keep the ones you made here."

John blinked again. "How do you know if I'd keep my memories?"

Ember tilted her head. "Let's just say I have intel."

Martha shook her head as another rumble came from outside. "People are dying out there. They need him and we need him." She looked at John again. "Because 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 and Ember are just everything to me."

Ember looked puzzled. Martha was supposed to say how she loved him, wasn't she?

Another explosion, this one louder.

"It's getting closer." Latimer said.

"I should have thought of it before." John suddenly had an idea. "I can give them this. Just the watch. Then they can leave and I can stay as I am."

Martha looked shocked. "You can't do that!"

"If they want the Doctor, they can have him!"

"He'll never let you do it!"

"If they get what they want, then, then..."

Ember stepped forward. "Then you will be the executioner. Can you live with that? And it won't just be his blood on your hands. Matron? What will happen if they get the Time Lord?"

"...Then it all ends in destruction." Redfern said softly, but loud enough for them all to hear. "I never read to the end, but those creatures would live forever to breed and conquer, for war across the stars for every child."

"So many people will die. You don't want that on your conscience, do you?" Ember challenged. John looked away. "I didn't think so. Time Lord or human, you're the same man who would defend everyone with everything he had, even if he himself suffered for it. But if there was even a slight incling that you'd be willing to sacrifice someone I care about, I wouldn't let you do it."

"So what, you just want me to die instead?"

Ember growled, the sound surprising everyone at how feral it was. "Don't put words in my mouth. They made a mistake, thinking that you were just a disguise. They didn't expect you to think and feel for yourself. And I don't want your life on anyone's hand. No one should be in control of anyone's fate but their own, and that includes you. Now, this is a very difficult choice as it is, and the peer pressure does not help, so I'll make it easier."

In one swift, unexpected move, Ember snatched the watch out of John's hand, surprising everyone.

"Ember, what are you doing?" Martha asked.

The brunette didn't look at her, instead keeping her eyes locked with John's. "I'm going out there. I can't stop the family in the same way that he can, and I won't like how I'll have to do it, but if that's the only choice left than I will do it to protect this man, Time Lord or not. And when this is over, John Smith, I want you to have a good, long think about wether you open this watch or not, without the pressure of lives at stake. If you choose to open it, I will give it back to you. But if you want to stay the way you are and live out your life here, then I will take this watch and me and Martha will leave, and you'll never see us again."

John looked at her in shock, and quickly noticed that tears were welling up in those silver eyes he'd dreamed about for months. "Why would you do that for me? Don't you want him back?"

"With all my hearts." That reply made John and Redfern look at her in puzzlement, and she shrugged. "Yea, I'm a Time Lord too. Only partly, though, so I'm useless to them."

"How will you stop them?" Redfern asked.

Ember looked out of the window. "By burning their ship to the ground, with them in it. It'll be four more lives lost that I'll have to live with, but if it keeps you safe, then I will."

"There has to be another way!" Martha argued.

"... what choice do I have?"

Ember turned and quickly made her way out of the cottage, running down the road back toward the village. She didn't want them to see her cry.

Back in the cottage, Redfern took a breath and stood. "Martha, Timothy, would you leave us alone, please?"

The two silently left, going to wait outside. John took one look at Redfern and broke into tears, sobbing as the nurse hugged him.

They both knew what he had to do.

Ember had to stop by a tree and get her breath back, having let out her tears as she'd run. She thought about going back, but she couldn't: John Smith was his own person, and it wouldn't be right if she made him give up his human life.

Even if it broke her hearts to leave him behind.

She let her legs give out, leaving her on her knees as she sobbed and held the watch to her chest. She could feel the presence inside send warmth to her, and it only made her cry harder. Was this the end? Had she just made a major change to history? What would happen now?

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear someone approach her. She only became aware of their presence when they knelt beside her and drew her in for a hug. Opening her eyes, she looked up with slightly blurry vision and was surprised to find John holding her. "Wha...?"

"A wise woman once told me that there is always a choice," he said softly. He put his hand over hers, gently pulling it to him so he could turn it palm up and reveal the watch. "And I'm making mine. Give me the watch."

Ember was too shocked to stop him as he gently pried the watch from her fingers, blinking back tears. "I... but..."

"Just answer one question for me. Is he worth it?"

"I..." Ember saw that he wouldn't accept anything less than the truth. "... yes. He's worth everything."

"... then thank you for giving me a choice."

With one final nod, John opened the watch.

The next morning, Ember and Martha waited outside the Tardis, despite the rain lightly falling, until the Doctor came back from talking to Nurse Redfern. Ember explained to the other woman what the Doctor had done to stop the family and how they were punished, as well as the Doctor's decision to ask Redfern if she would join them on their travels.

The Doctor finally returned, alone. He was now back in his brown suit and tan trench coat. "Right then. Molto bene."

"How was she?" Martha asked.

"Time we moved on."

"If you want, I could go and-"

"Time we moved on."

Martha nodded, getting the hint that he didn't want to talk about it. "Ok, um... So here we are then."

"There we are, yes. And I never said. Thanks for looking after me. Both of you." The Doctor pulled them into a hug, which they returned.

"Doctor! Ember!" Latimer called as he ran up to them. "Martha!"

The Doctor turned to greet the boy. "Tim-Timothy-Timber!"

"I just wanted to say goodbye. 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."

Martha bit her lip. "You don't have to fight."

"I think we do."

"But you could get hurt."

"Well, so could you, travelling around with him, but it's not going to stop you."

The Doctor took the fob watch out of his pocket and held it out to the boy. "Tim, I'd be honoured if you'd take this."

Latimer took the watch, and then frowned when it was silent. "I can't hear anything."

"No, it's just a watch now. But keep it with you, for good luck."

"You'll need it, remember?" Ember added, smiling. "Gotta know the time."

Martha moved and hugged the boy. "Look after yourself."

The two women went into the Tardis, and the Doctor paused at the door. "You'll like this bit."

Latimer could only watch in awe as the Tardis faded away before his eyes.

After a quick trip to a memorial service to see an elderly Latimer one last time, the Tardis was set to remain in the Time Vortex as the trio decided to rest after the trying events they'd been through.

Well, Martha had gone to rest. As for the Time Lords...

Ember had just taken a shower and changed into some black jeans and a red, sleeveless top, and was now sat at her desk in her room, holding the journal that John Smith had made, when a knock on her door brought her out of her thoughts. "Come in."

The door opened, and the Doctor carefully leaned his head in to look around before spotting her and stepping in fully, closing the door behind him. His trench coat wasn't with him, leaving him in his brown pinstriped suit and converse. In his hands was a cup of tea and a can of cola. "Thought you might be thirsty. Mind if I join you?"

"Sure," Ember put the journal to the side and turned in her chair to face him, taking the can and pulling the tab before taking a deep drink of the fizzy beverage. "How are you doing?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing." The Doctor replied, moving to lean against the desk next to her. "I... I remember what happened. When I was John Smith."

Ember shrugged. "Like I said, you were the same person. I'm not surprised that you remember. Um, about... what I said... I, um..."

She trailed off, sipping her drink. The Doctor watched her for a few moments before he set down his cup and turned to face her properly, taking the can away as well. "Ember... I remember what you said, every word. And I want to thank you."

"...Pardon?"

"You saw me. Both of us. The same man. And you knew what to say to help. You were even willing to do something drastic, even though it was obvious that it was breaking your hearts, just to give me a choice." The Doctor moved a stray strand of hair away from Ember's face, making her blush as he then cupped her cheek.

"So... what made you come after me?"

The Doctor smiled. "I was afraid, but I was also touched that you were considering my feelings as a human. That you weren't just demanding that I open the watch. You were right; I didn't expect to start having feelings for someone else, but there couldn't have been anything. I had dreams, while I was human, mostly of a certain silver-eyed brunette who I happen to care about very much."

If those words didn't surprise her enough, his next action did. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers in a gentle kiss. Like the one he'd given her after The Library, this was no quick peck, or a kiss of relief, or an accident; he was purposely kissing her, expertly coaxing her lips open so his tongue could dive in and explore her mouth, and she found herself responding without thinking.

Thank whatever god was out there for respiratory bypass, or she'd have passed out from lack of oxygen.

After another few moments, the Doctor pulled back, smirking as he felt her attempt to follow, before he moved to her neck, nipping at the skin just under her left ear and making her breath hitch. "Oh..."

"I was so worried about you," he murmured, his other hand going to her side. "I was scared. For a moment, I thought I was going to lose you..."

"I... I didn't mean to scare you..." she replied,

The Doctor nodded, running his hand up her side as he swallowed her gasp in another kiss before he spoke again. "Then let me show you how relieved I am that you're okay..."

Author's Note: I'm not including the actual act here. However, I do plan to put this scene and any other similar scenerios in a separate thing so that those of you who don't want to read details can carry on with this without worrying about seeing too much. The downside is that it's not quite ready yet, as it will be the first time I'm going to write something explicit, so please go easy on me if/when you read it.

This next bit has thoughts after and about the act, but not detailing anything explicit. This is why I had the rating up to maximum, just to be safe, so apologies in advance if it isn't as juicy as you want.

Ember woke slowly, sighing at the dull ache she had in various places on her body. She shifted to stretch, and felt a warm torso against her back as a hand that wasn't hers splayed over her stomach to draw her closer. She looked over her shoulder to find the Doctor, as naked as she was, asleep behind her, his breathing deep and even and his face relaxed in slumber.

With another sigh, the brunette settled against the pillow again, tucking her left arm under her head while her right hand rested on his over her stomach. She heard and felt him mumble against her shoulder and press closer to her in his sleep, making her smile softly.

She'd expected to feel like she'd used him or been used when she woke, but to her surprise, it didn't feel that way at all. They were both relieved that the other was okay, and they were both consenting adults.

At least, that's what she believed it to be from his point of view. She might have been in... developing feelings for the Time Lord, but it seemed to her that he simply needed a companion; someone that he could rely on to give him support and comfort when he needed it most, someone who wouldn't leave him. If that meant sharing a bed with him, she'd take it; it would be her guilty pleasure in exchange.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the Doctor softly moaning as he shifted again, his arm pulling her impossibly closer while he remained asleep. She felt his mind brush against hers and reciprocated, remembering the gesture during their activity. That was another indicator that made her feel less guilty; right in the middle of it, she'd felt him establish a mental connection between their minds. It was intense enough as it was - just a simple brushing of their minds together while in the throes of passion - but it was only the tip of the iceberg of what could be done with the connection. He'd given her a somewhat brief explanation, about how Time Lords could express their deepest feelings with telepathy while performing the physical act (though he also admitted that most Time Lords were rather stuck up and in the belief that the physical act was, to put it mildly, rather gross).

In the connection the two of them shared last night, it was a telepathic equivalent to kissing, yet it could go far deeper than what they'd done.

Her imagination wondered briefly what it would feel like if they took the telepathic connection further, though she was quick to push that thought away; she couldn't immerse herself in thoughts about something that wasn't going to happen; it was better if she just appreciated what he was willing to give her while she could. It was only a matter of time before he'd fall for River, after all. She'd be sad when it would end, but she wouldn't stand in the way of his happiness. He deserved that at least.

The Doctor mumbled again, but this time she made out words. "... you're thinking too loud..."

"Sorry," she spoke aloud, rubbing his hand. She expected him to go back to sleep, but instead he shifted again, lifting his head to lazily nuzzle and kiss her shoulder. He was careful around the hickeys and marks he'd left on her skin. "You alright?"

"Oh, yes, very much so..." he replied. "You?"

Nodding, Ember stretched, letting a quiet moan escape her. "Pretty sure I'm gonna wobble when I get up."

"Then don't get up," the Time Lord nuzzled her shoulder again, his still-drowsy mind brushing hers again. "Stay here?"

"Don't see why not..." she began, but then she felt a familiar burning sensation. "Oh, no, not now!"

The Doctor was wide awake as soon as she was, sitting up and helping pull the sheet off of her so she could get off the bed as quickly as she could. She would have preferred her jacket, but she had no choice but to grab the nearest item of clothing she could reach before she jumped.

The Time Lord that was left behind blinked as he realised that all she'd managed to get hold of was his dress shirt, and he grinned as he shifted to lay against the pillows again.

Annnd there we have it! Sorry for those who wanted to see some juicy stuff, but I'll let you guys know when that seperate bit is posted so that you can enjoy.

Next Time: Ember contemplates as she and the Doctor meet a 'new' companion and deal with an enemy with strong influences. What's going to happen when Ember tries to take one for the team? Stay tuned!