Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who as much as I wish I did. Lines taken from the BBC Show and credit goes to the writers of Human Nature. I gain nothing from this story.

-RagdollQueen325

XXXXX

"Rose! Hold on" The Doctor yells over the sound of the wind being made by the void. His Rose, his precious pink and yellow human is holding onto the lever as tightly as possible. He saw the timelines fray around her as her gripped slipped. She attempted to get a better hold on the lever but she could not hold on any longer.

"Rose!" He yelled as he saw her falling, falling towards the void. His mind screaming as she fell closer. At the last possible second Pete Tyler from the alternate universe appeared and she fell into his arms. Their eyes locked for a second before Pete hit the button on the dimension jumper and they disappeared.

Almost as if the universe took joy in his pain the he was feeling, the wind died down as the void closed. If only she had held on just thirty more seconds and they would still be together. He walked slowly to the wall and rested his head against it, longing for this to be a nightmare.

John Smith woke with a start. It was still dark out. He rolled back over falling into another dream.

The Doctor was on a beach with Rose standing in front of him.

"There's one tiny little gap in the Universe left, just about to close, and it takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a super nova. I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye." His voice broke at goodbye.

"You look like a ghost." Rose whispered.

"Hold on" he responds pointing his sonic at something unseen to Rose

"Can I…" she questions trailing off lifting her hand tentatively to the Doctor.

"I'm still just an image" he responded solemnly "No touch" disappointment clear in his eyes.

"Can't you come through properly?" Rose pleaded

"The whole thing would fracture."

"So?" She responds, only half joking.

"Where did the gap come out at?"

"Darlinq Ulv Stranden. It translates to bad wolf bay" Roses voice faltered on the name of the beach. The memory coming to her for a second of when she was the bad wolf scattering it across the universe to lead her to him. A phrase that was once a helpful message has now turned into a cruel reminder.

"You still got Mister Mickey then?" he questioned looking over her shoulder at Jackie, Pete, and Mickey waiting by a jeep, not too far off from the pair.

"There's five of us now. Mickey mum dad and the baby" she informed him, with a ghoast of a smile on her face.

"You're not?" he stared but couldn't finish the sentence. Shock coloring his features.

"No" she laughed breathlessly "its mum, she's three months gone"

"What about you?" he questioned her.

"Yeah I'm back working at the shop"

"Good for you"

"Shut up no. the torchwood is still open for business" she told him with a humorless laugh.

"Rose Tyler defender of the earth." The Doctor smiled brightly at her.

"Your dead officially back home. But here you are day after day living the one adventure I can never live" he forced out, choking up that Rose was dead in at least one way. Even though she is alive, she is unreachable by him.

"Am I ever going to see you again?" her voice breaking even more, tears in her eyes threatening to spill over.

"You can't"

"What are you going to do?"

"Same old life last of the Time Lords." he tried to shrug it off but she saw right through him.

"On you own?" The Doctor nods solemnly "Please find someone, you shouldn't be alone, especially now"

He just gazes at her, unsure if he can promise that.

"I – "Rose starts. The words caught in her throat and she tried again. I love you" at this the tears that were only threating to fall had started falling down her face.

"Quite right. And I suppose if it's my last chance to say it. Rose Tyler-"

John Smith woke up at that moment. Sitting up in bed he had tears running down his face. He didn't understand why these dreams affected him so much. They were coming to him much more frequently now. It wasn't the first time he's had a dream like these and woke up with tears in his eyes too. This Doctor fellow and Rose were just stories but the pain hit him as strongly as if he was living out his life of a madman rather than a history teacher of 1913. It was Wednesday the 5th and he had class to get ready for in just a few hours, he couldn't worry over his dreams for too long.

He walked over to the window in his dorm and opened the window to let the crisp November air in and clear his head. He had to get a handle on these dreams. They were getting wilder and wilder as time ran on.

…..

One quiet night a bright flash light up the sky and a blonde in a purple jacket ran out from behind a tree line. She looked around before glancing down at the dimension cannon in her hands. Sparks flew from it as the light from it died. She attempted pressing it but nothing happened. The cannon was fried.

"Great, just great" Rose muttered as she put the cannon in her bag. She had to figure out where and when she was. She could most likely fix it however she needed tools that she did not have on hand at the moment.

She started walking across a field in an attempt to find a neighborhood that would lead her to some answers. It was less than an hour later she came across her first house and saw a newspaper in the bin.

"November 5th 1913" she read out loud. "Blimey, this is not going to be easy then"

She continued to scan the paper for a location. "Farringham, England"

"Well might as well try to blend in and settle for a bit while I work out a plan of action" She muttered as she walked around to the back of the house and saw the laundry hanging out to dry.

"Perfect" she muttered as she approached and grabbed some clothes of the line, sending an apology silently to the owners. But she had to blend in and the clothes she was currently wearing were not helping out with the matter. She quickly grabbed the dress and other garments and rushed away to change. She stuffed her clothes in the bag and stashed the bag. She would come back for it later once she had a better plan. First she would need to get a job but that would have to wait till morning when she could ask the people in the village.

Once the morning has come she wandered around town until she found a small bakery. She walked in, a little bell announcing her arrival.

"Good morning, miss, can I help you with anything?" the kind middle aged man questioned Rose.

"I'm actually looking for a job. You see I just moved here and I am in need of work" she smiled her trademark tongue in teeth smile.

"I'm sorry but I am not hiring at the moment, however I do know the school is in need of a librarian. Their previous one retired a month ago and they are needing a replacement. They offer room and board in addition while school in session" he informed her.

"That would be brilliant. Can you tell me where this school is?" Rose asked.

After he had given her direction she headed out in better spirits than she had entered the shop.

As she got close to the school, she saw a couple of teachers walking about. She stopped and stared at one as he walked in. Something felt different as she looked at his back, but she shook it off as approached another.

"Excuse me?" she called out to one of the professors "I would like to see the headmaster of this school. I heard there was a job opening for the position of the librarian?"

"Ah yes, miss, let me escort you to him. He's just in his office finishing up his lunch"

She followed the professor through the halls, noticing a few others give her an odd glance. As she was the only female in sight she brushed it off as being a novelty to these boys.

The professor knocked on the door calling out for the headmaster.

"Come in" a voice rang out from behind the door.

They entered as the professor announced she was here for the position of the librarian. The head master was thrilled, they had yet to have anyone apply for the position in the few months the job has been listed. She was hired on the spot and shown to her new quarters.

She was left to settle in on her own. She would go back for her stashed clothes once the day got a little closer to the end where she could slip away unnoticed.

…..

The Doctor and Martha race into the Tardis, just narrowly avoiding a shot from a laser gun as the Doctor shouts at her to get down. The Doctor then slams the Tardis doors shut and grabbing Martha by her shoulders.

Frantically he asks her if they saw him. Confused and afraid she responds that she doesn't know.

"But did they see you?" he repeats urgently. "Martha, it's important. Did they see your face?"

Martha shakes her head in a swift and jerky motion "No, they couldn't have."

"Off we go!" he exclaims running up the ramp and throwing the Tardis into the vortex as quickly as he can.

"Argh! They're following us." He exclaims running his hair through his hair making it stick up on end.

"How can they do that? You've got a time machine." Martha questions him as she follows him around the counsel.

"Stolen technology." The Doctor responded "They've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe. They're never going to stop, unless. I'll have to do it. Martha, you trust me, don't you?" He asked her finally looking into her eyes.

"Of course I do." She responded automatically

"Because it all depends on you." He explained frantically

"What does? What am I supposed to do?"

He pulls out a small pocket watched engraved with the same circular pattern she has seen on the computer and post it notes scattered throughout the Tardis.

"Take this watch, because my life depends on it. This watch, Martha. The watch is…"

It was that moment we was woken up from his dream as a soft knock sounded on his door. It was Monday. The weekend had flown by as he pondered his dreams and what they meant, but it was now time to start a new week of teaching.

"Come in" He calls out know it will be Martha that walks in through the door carrying his breakfast. She becomes flustered as she notices he is still in his jim jams, attempts to come back later

"Pardon me, Mister Smith. You're not dressed yet. I can come back later." She tells him awkwardly.

"No, it's all right, it's all right. Put it down. I was err. Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams." He tells her as he grabs his dressing gown to cover himself with.

"What about, sir?" as she goes to set his tray down before turning and drawing open the curtains to let the morning light in?

"I dream I'm this adventurer. This daredevil, a madman. The Doctor, I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my companion." He explained in a far off voice as he reminiscence over his dream.

"A teacher and a housemaid, sir? That's impossible." She responds although her heart skipped a beat as his memories leaking though, thoughts immediately turning to his watch

"I'm a man from another world, though." He continues not noticing the reaction in his house maid.

"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing." She murmurs to placate him

"This thing. The watch is" he continues as if she had not spoken, picking his watch up from the mantel only to put it back down a second later. "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." With a wistful note in his voice as he tries to recall the ever slipping away dream

"I can prove that wrong for you, sir. Here's the morning paper. It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human, sir. As human as they come." She informs him holding out the paper she had picked up for him to examine the date on, stating it was November 10th 1913.

"Mmm, that's me. Completely human." He agrees thoughtfully turning away from Martha.

After breakfast, John Smith headed out to his classroom to start the day. Today's lesson was Battle of Waterloo, 18th June 1815.

Once he had dismissed his class, he walked along a tiled corridor past two of the housemaids, Martha and Jenny as they scrub the floor on their hands and knees.

"Morning, sir." Martha greeted with a smile as John Smith walked past her.

"Yes, hi." He replies distractedly as he heads up the stairs.

"Head in the clouds, that one. Don't know why you're so sweet on him." Sighed to her friend.

"He's just kind to me, that's all. Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being…" she trailed off motioning to her face.

"A Londoner?" Jenny inquired.

"Exactly. Good old London town." Replied with a laugh to her friend.

Their laughing ceased as two students, Baines and Hutchinson, stop in front of them.

"Err, now then, you two. You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it." Baines commanded

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Jenny replied looking down at her hands.

"You there, what's your name again?" He asked harshly of Martha.

"Martha, sir. Martha Jones." Unwillingly replied to the student, dreading at where this conversation was obviously headed.

"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?" He snarked to her.

"Oi! You lot. What do you think you are doing? You should be ashamed of yourselves for how you are talking to them"

A blonde that neither Jenny nor Martha have seen before came around the corner, irritation flaring in her hazel eyes.

Baines and Hutchinson walked away rolling their eyes at her and muttering to themselves.

"Thank you miss…?" Jenny trailed off waiting for the new woman to fill in the blanks with her name.

"Oh yes, my name is Rose. I'm the new librarian, only just started 5 days ago" She grinned at them.

Martha did a mental double take on her name. This isn't the same Rose. Couldn't be. She brushed that thought off. And smiled at the newcomer "I'm Martha and this is Jenny" Martha introduced them to Rose.

"Thank you Rose, no one is usually this kind to us, with us being just servants" Jenny told her earnestly.

"Just because you are servants doesn't mean you don't deserve respect. Well I will see around later, wont me?" She asked the pair, walking away as they gave her an affirmative.

…..

Rose continued on her way to the library, she was still in the middle of cleaning up the disorganization that was left when the prior librarian left.

She had her back turned to the door as she was replacing a few books that were found in the wrong section of the library. She only turned as she heard the door creak open. The person she saw walk in sent such a shock through her she dropped the small handful of books she was holding. The man rushed forward picking up the books she dropped. He handed her the books, apologizing for startling her.

"No. No it's alright" She replied breathlessly as she looked into the eyes of the Doctor.

Recognition flashed in his eyes. This was the woman who haunted his dreams on a very frequent basis that it was alarming. He couldn't speak just stare. She cleared her throat to recapture his attention.

Her heart sank as she saw that flash, as it seems he didn't know her.

"Can I help you find something, Mr.…?" she questioned.

"Ah yes sorry. I must have spaced out for a moment. I'm John Smith" missing her wince at the name the Doctor would always use "I'm just here to check out a few books now that the library is open for business again" he told her with a smile. It wasn't the same smile she thought. She went to go get him his books. As she handed him the books she felt an electric spark at their contact and almost dropped the books for a second time.

"I'm sorry" she told him trying to remain as nonchalant as possible.

"Don't worry about it, miss..?." He told her trailing off imploringly.

"Rose. My name is Rose" She smiled at him.

His heart skipped a beat at her name. It was the same name, his dreams were haunting him in his waking world. "Quite right. Well Miss Rose, thank you and I hope to see you around again" he told her truthfully.

"I hope so Mister Smith" She smiled her signature smile that was so familiar to John. He bids her a goodbye walking out of the library with a dazed smile on his face dropping his books as he ran into Nurse Joan.

…..

Martha enters John Smith's study to tidy up. She did a check to make sure the watch was still there and sighed with relief as she saw it still in place. As she was cleaning she noticed a journal left on his desk with a drawing of a Dalek. She shuddered as memories of her last encounter with them in New York. Curiously she picked up the journal and thumbed through it until she was met with a familiar sight. It was Rose the new librarian. She almost dropped the book in shock.

She would need to confront Rose again as she was sure it was the same Rose. Jealousy and anger Rose in her. Jealousy as this is the ghost she had been living in the shadow of ever since she boarded the Tardis. Anger at Rose for abandoning the Doctor in the first place and leaving him broken.

She strode to the library intent on talking to this Rose. Once she reached the library she looked into the window and saw that the library was thankfully empty, save for the librarian, who was sitting at her desk. She walked up to the girl and cleared her throat to get Rose's attention.

"Can I help you Martha?" Rose questioned the maid with a smile on her face.

"Yes you can, Rose Harkness, or should I say Tyler" Martha stated without hesitation and wasting time on pleasantries. Rose started at this, the smile falling off her face completely. She told no one of her real last name.

"Excuse me?" she questioned Martha

"That is your name right? What are you doing here?" Martha questioned getting more irritated "Is this some kind of trap?"

Her words clicked together into place quickly. The Doctor must be in hiding. "Why? What's going on? What's happened to the Doctor?" she questioned Martha frantically.

"Wouldn't you like to know" Martha snapped at Rose, "You're here for a reason"

"Yes I would, because I am here for the Doctor! I have spent years, years Martha, trying to get back to him" Rose told her, starting off in an angry tone, built up from all the suffering she has gone through, but was near breakdown by them time she finished. Something in her behavior made Martha pause and realize this was not a trap but she was truly here and back. As the anger faded jealously took its place even as she attempted to stamp it out of herself.

"I'm sorry" Martha murmured to Rose as the other woman attempted to get her emotions under control. They both sat in that library while Martha explained quickly what happened, promising to take her to the Tardis at the first moment both girls could get way.

….

"Oh, good morning, Mister Smith." Joan Joan greeted him as he dropped a few of the books he was carrying. "I apologize for startling you. Please let me help you." She replied as he started to lean down to retrieve the fallen book.

"No, no, I've got it, no. Err, how best to retrieve? Tell you what. If you could take these" He replied as he handed her the books.

"Good." Joan Joan affirms as he retrieves the fallen book.

"No harm done. So, err, how was Jenkins?" He replies to her.

"Oh just a cold. Nothing serious. I think he's missing his mother more than anything." Joan murmurs sympathetically.

"Oh, we can't have that." He replied back

"He received a letter this morning, so he's a lot more chipper. I appear to be holding your books." She stated.

"Yes, so you are. Sorry, sorry. Just let me." Replied, flustered

"No, why don't I take half?" Joan offered

"Ah, brilliant idea. Brilliant. Perfect. Division of labor." He grinned at her.

"So, these books. Were they being taken in any particular direction?" She inquired of him

"Yes. This way. He replies as he leads her to his study.

Nurse Joan notices the flyer on the wall not for the first time, she thought about her going with John.

"Have you seen this, John? The annual dance at the village hall tomorrow. It's nothing formal, but rather fun by all accounts. Do you think you'll go?" She inquired.

"I hadn't thought about it." He replied truthfully, although he was now considering asking Rose even though he only just met her.

"It's been ages since I've been to a dance, only no one's asked me." Joan wistfully stated. John knew what she was getting at. And he'd be lying if he said the Joan wasn't someone he would have asked before today, but after his meeting with the librarian.

"Well, I should imagine that you'd be, err, I mean, I never thought you'd be one for. I mean, there's no reason why you shouldn't. If you do, you may not. I, I probably won't, but even if I did then I couldn't. I mean I wouldn't want to…" John Smith stuttered out hoping to evade her obvious hints.

"The stairs." Joan exclaimed

"What about the stairs?" He questioned

"They're right behind you." She answered frantically as he fell sending his papers and books flying around him

"John!" He hears the familiar voice of Rose, although it sounded tad far off.

"What happened? Is he alright?" She asked Joan frantically.

"I'm fine. It was just a tumble" John stated as his head cleared, though a slight pounding persisted.

"Let's get him to his study" Joan told Rose as she bent down to help John up. Once he was on his feet he appeared alright, but she did not take her eyes off him as they led him to his study.

"Stop it. I get boys causing less fuss than this." Joan scolded lightly as John squirmed under her touch

"Because it hurts." John protested glancing up at amused Rose. Now that she knew he was ok she found the situation mildly amusing. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

"Is he all right?" Martha cried out as she rushed in the door.

"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking." Joan scolded the maid.

"Sorry. Right. Yeah." She backs out defiantly, knocks repeating her question. "But is he all right? They said you fell down the stairs, Sir."

"No, it was just a tumble, that's all." John waived off her concern

"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha inquired of the nurse.

"I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you." Joan replied hotly.

"Sorry. I'll just tidy your things." Martha ducked her head as she went about his room cleaning.

"I was just telling Nurse Joan, Joan, and Rose about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales. I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding." John sighs out.

"Hiding? In what way?" Rose inquired with concern lacing her voice.

"They're almost every night. This is going to sound silly. But I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts." John explained while Rose's one heart speed up at this revelation.

"Well, then. I can be the judge of that. Let's find out." Joan indulges of him as she pulls out her stethoscope to verify his heart.

"I can confirm the diagnosis. Just one heart, singular." She informed, straightening up. "And since you seem to be feeling better, I must get back, but please come get me if you begin feeling off." With that she left the room, leaving John, Rose and Martha.

"I have err, I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction. Not that it would be of any interest." He muttered almost embarrassedly.

"I'd be very interested." Rose insisted placing a hand on his arm.

"Well, I've never actually shown it to anyone before." Told her in a quiet voice as he hands her the book.

"A Journal of Impossible Things." Rose recited as she took it and opened it. There on those pages she saw the story of her and the Doctor as well as new stories she had yet heard from him. If she had any doubt in her mind about whether John was the Doctor this put those to rest. She saw pictures of the Dalek, the auton, the clockwork men. She even saw herself depicted as she used to be not how she looked right now.

"Just look at these creatures." Rose exclaimed breathlessly "You've such an imagination John"

"It's become quite a hobby." He replies shyly.

As she flipped through the pages she saw the cyber men who made her internally shudder, remembering the last few times she had met them in the parallel world and her own world. She paused on a page with the Tardis drawn.

"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 faraway places." He wistfully stated.

"Like a doorway?" she asked. His only response was a hum.

Lastly she settled on a page that had many faces, including his last face, which she touched for just a second. She figured these were his past regenerations.

"I sometimes think how magical life would be if stories like this were true." He told her as he stared at nothing in particular.

"If only." Rose sighs out

"But it's just a dream." He states as if to convince himself.

…..

A few hours later Martha met with Rose in the library, she was going to take Rose to the Tardis. Rose was eager to step foot in the ship after all this time. They got on bikes and went west out of the village. After some time the two girls came across a shed and Rose almost threw the bike aside to get to the Tardis faster. She quickly opened up the shed and saw the second most beautiful site since landing in 1913, with the first seeing the Doctor again. She quickly pulled out her kay that she kept constantly on her even when she was in the other world, and quickly unlocked the old girl. She felt the Tardis's warm presence hum as she stepped in and could tell she was happy Rose was home.

"She's been put on emergency power for the time being" Martha explained before Rose could inquire about how dim it was. Martha led her to the computer so she could play the instructions left by the Doctor.

"Since you're going to be here helping me watch after the Doctor I figure I should play his instructions for you" Martha explained motioning to the monitor on the center counsel.

Rose sat down on the jump seat as the video turned on. She felt a couple of tears run down her cheeks as his face appeared on the screen. He looked so much more tired that he used to and she couldn't help but feel guilty even though she knew it was the fault of the cyber men and the Daleks as well as torchwood.

Once she had gotten through the instructions, she went back to visit her old room. Much to her surprise her room had been left exactly as it had when she left the Tardis. She gave the walls an affectionate touch before going back to meet Martha.

"Ok, let's head back to the school before they notice we are missing." Rose tells Martha

"Alright, I was planning to meet Jenny down at the pub, you want to join?" Martha offers.

"Sounds good" Rose smiled at Martha.

"Ooohh, it's freezing out here. Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?" Marth exclaimed to the pair as she came out bearing 3 full mugs.

"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." Laughed off Martha's exclamation.

"But don't you just want to scream sometimes, having to bow and scrape and behave. Don't you just want to tell them?" Rose queried. Even though she didn't have to drink outside, as she wasn't servant crew, she chose to stay with Martha and Jenny.

"I don't know. Things must be different in your country." Jenny sighed wistfully.

"Yeah, well they are. Thank God we're not staying." Martha shot Rose a knowing look.

"You keep saying that Martha. And you Rose? You'd go with them? You haven't been known them that long." Jenny was surprised and a tad disappointed. She really liked Rose. None of the other staff were as considerate towards the help as Rose was.

"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 declared.

Rose gave Jenny a solemn look. "Yes I'm going with them. I feel I've known John for a while now, even though it hasn't been that long."

"Where are you going to go?" Jenny questioned.

"Anywhere. Just look up there. Imagine you could go all the way out to the stars." Martha stated as she looked longingly up at the sky.

"You don't half say mad things." Jenny laughed.

"That's where were going. Into the sky, all the way out." Martha shrugged glancing at Rose, who was lost in thought only to be pulled abruptly out of it as a bright flash lit up the sky.

"Did you see that?" Martha all but shouted pointing at the sky.

"See what?" Jenny asked, confused.

"Did you see it, though? Right up there, just for a second." Martha repeated, once again pointing to where the flash was. She glanced at Rose to see the blond had frozen looking up at the sky. She snapped out of it and shot Martha a worried glance.

"Martha, there's nothing there." Jenny soothed the two girls.

After a few minutes they all three hear the sound of footfalls, and Joan comes barreling out of the darkness, breathing heavily.

"Matron, are you all right?" Martha called as the Joan come closer.

"Did you see that? There was something in the woods. This light." Joan panted, out of breath.

In that moment John approaches.

"Anything wrong, ladies? Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you." He asked while His face lit up as he saw Rose among them

"There, there. Look in the sky." Joan exclaims as yet another flash lights up the sky. Martha and Rose both feeling dread pool in the stomachs.

"Oh, that's beautiful." Jenny exclaims.

"All gone. Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all." John states.

"It came down in the woods." Joan was still unconvinced and shaken,

"No, no, no. No, they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder." John told tem attempting to calm them down.

"Now, I should escort you back to the school. Ladies?" John looked hopefully at Rose as Joan stepped closer accepting the invitation. Rose looked at Martha unsure, who gave a small nod. Both understanding that one of them should now stay as close to John as possible. Rose walked to John and took his offered are. His smile light up his face almost as bright as that flash of light in the sky.

"No, we're fine, thanks." Martha told him, looking back to where the light ended.

"Then I shall bid you goodnight." He replied as he escorted both Rose and the Joan back to the school.

"Jenny, where was that? On the horizon, where the light was headed." Inquired Martha.

"That's by Cooper's Field." Informed her confused.

Martha takes off running to where the light was with Jenny trailing behind her.

"You can't just run off. It's dark. You'll break a leg." Jenny shouted.

…..

Martha and Rose talk about the night before. Martha decides to go to the Tardis to re-watch the instructions on anything she may have missed while Rose would stay with John. If the family were here then they need to have a better eye on John.

Martha reaches the Tardis, unlocking it and entering, calling out a greeting to the Tardis. But shakes that off as a flashback hits her of how this whole mess happened in the first place.

"Get down! They're following us. They can follow us wherever we go. Right across the universe. They're never going to stop. Martha, you trust me, don't you?" the Doctor shouted from the other side of the counsel to Martha.

"Of course I do." Martha stated matter of fact.

"Because it all depends on you. Martha, this watch is me." He stared into her eyes holding up the watch with the language of his people all on the covering.

"Right, okay, got you. No, hold on. Completely lost."

"Those creatures are hunters. They can sniff out anyone, and me being a Time Lord, well, I'm unique. They can track me down across the whole of time and space." The Doctor hurriedly explained.

"Huh. And the good news is?" Martha's voice shook slightly as she said that.

"They can smell me, they haven't seen me. And their life span will be running out, so we hide. Wait for them to die." He explained as he walked over to where the computer rested.

"But they can track us down." Martha was confused as to how they were going to get away.

"That's why I've got to do it. I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm going to become human." The Doctor murmured as a headset was lowered from the ceiling in front of the Doctor.

"Never thought I'd use this. All the times I've wondered." The Doctor continued almost to himself

"What does it do?" Martha asked as she got closer and studied the device.

"Chameleon Arch. rewrites my biology. Literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to human." He looked over to her as he inserted the watch into the circular hole in the front of the headset.

"Now, the Tardis will take care of everything. Invent a life story for me, find me a setting and integrate me. Can't do the same for you. You'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you in."

"But, hold on. If you're going to rewrite every single cell, isn't it going to hurt?" Martha asked in concern

"Oh, yeah. It hurts." He almost shuddered at the thought of what he must do.

Martha shudders as she comes out of the flashback and walks towards the monitor and presses play, listening carefully as she watches the instructions recorded by the Doctor again.

"This working? Martha, before I change, here's a list of instructions for when I'm human. One, don't let me hurt anyone. We can't have that, but you know what humans are like. Two, don't worry about the Tardis. I'll put it on emergency power so they can't detect it. Just let it hide away. Four. No, wait a minute, three. No getting involved in big historical events. Four, you. Don't let me abandon you. And fi—"

She skips forward looking for instructions that would pertain to the meteor they saw fall into Cooper's field.

"But there was a meteor, a shooting star. What am I supposed to do then?" Martha ground out in frustration to the screen

"And twenty three. If anything goes wrong, if they find us, Martha, then you know what to do. Open the watch. Everything I am is kept safe in there. Now, I've put a perception filter on it so the human I won't think anything of it. To him, it's just a watch. But don't open it unless you have to. Because once it's open, then the Family will be able to find me. It's all down to you, Martha. Your choice. Oh, and thank you."

"I wish you'd come back." She sighs holding back the tears threatening to spill. "I know Rose misses you just as much. And I know you miss her too."

A knock on John's door alerts him to a visitor. He hopes it's Rose on the other side of the door, however to his disappointment it's the student, Latimer.

"You told me to come and collect that book, sir." He speaks up to his professor.

"Good lad. Yes. Yes! The Definitive Account of Mafeking by Aitchison Price. Where did I put it? And I wanted a little word. Your marks aren't quite good enough." He scolded the young man lightly.

"I'm top ten in my class, sir." Latimer protests as Mr. Smith disappears into the closet in search for the mentioned book.

"Now, be honest, Timothy, you should be the very top. You're a clever boy. You seem to be hiding it. Where is that book? And I know why. Keeping your head low avoids the mockery of your classmates. But no man should hide himself, don't you think?" John questioned the boy who gave an affirmative.

"You're clever. Be proud of it. Use it." Mr. Smith calls out from the closet still looking.

Latimer looks around and notices a gold watch on the mantel and picks it up only to hear voices floating out of the watch.

"Time Lord. Hide yourself." Called a female voice.

"The secret lies within. I'm trapped. I'm kept inside the cogs." A voice soundly distinctly like Mr. Smith's states as the first voice is finishing.

"In the dark, waiting. Always waiting." Again Mr. Smith's voice sounds out from the watch as Timothy opens it. As he hears his professor coming back he quickly shuts the watch and shoves it into his pocket, shaken slightly but trying to smooth his expression.

"Fascinating details about the siege. Really quite remarkable. Are you all right?" Mr. Smith remarks holding out the book to the student, looking him over for any sight of trouble with the young man.

"Yes, sir. Fine, sir."

"Right then. Good. And remember. Use that brain of yours." Mr. Smith holds out to book to Latimer.

"Power of a Time Lord." The watch whispers out. As soon as Latimer grabbed hold of the book, visions of Mr. Smith in a pinstriped suit and tan trench coat flood his mind. In his vision Mr. Smith is holding a whirring silver stick that has its end lit up in a bright blue. Timothy's eyes grow wide at the site.

"You're really not looking yourself, old chap. anything bothering you?" Mr. Smith asks again in concern for the boy

"No, sir Thank you, sir." He all but rushes out of his professor's study, watch tucked away in his pocket.

Once the boy reaches his dorm, he once again opens the watch to a gold mist seeping out of it and more whispers in his mind. As well as visions on metal robots, a werewolf, and other alien creatures Latimer cannot place.

"You are not alone. Keep me hidden." Says Mr. Smith.

"And infinite fire. Burn with light. Burn in time." says a different unfamiliar voice.

….

John was just finishing up his class, who were practicing their weapon usage, when he spotted Rose walking towards him. A great big smile lit up his face and she returned it just a brightly.

"Good Afternoon Miss Rose" John called cheerily.

"Good afternoon Mr. Smith" Rose replied in much the same manner. "I was just about to head to town and thought you might like to join me?" Rose inquired.

"Oh yes!" He replied eagerly.

…..

"How has your stay in Farringham been treating you? You've been here for about a week now?" John asked conversationally.

"Very well. Everyone has been incredible to me and being able to find the job at the school so quickly was a god send." She murmured happily. "Although I will miss you the most when you leave. Martha mentioned your contract is that of a short term one." She sighed, although she knew why and that once he changed back to a Time Lord, she would follow him across the universe as long as hell let her. She did promise forever after all, and was determined to not break that promise.

"I don't have to let it end, I can talk to the headmaster into staying further" John suggested in a timid voice, upset at the idea of them being separated. He almost felt the same pain at the idea of Rose leaving him as did the Doctor character.

Rose looked up at him started, mouth agape and spoke "oh John you don't have to for my sake. You should do what's best for you" Rose place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"No no no I want to. I." he paused clearing his throat. "I don't think I could part from you Rose. I know we haven't know you for long, it feels like I have. It feels right" he looked into her eyes as he said this. "After all" he continued on, "it is rather peaceful here, I've grown to really liking this little village"

At this Rose looked down, "but will it always be this way? In your journal, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year. Nineteen fourteen." She whispered not looking at him

"That was just a dream." He stated.

"All those images of mud and wire. You told of a shadow. A shadow falling across the entire world." She looked back up to him and saw concern in his eyes, concern for her that never changed from either his regeneration or his change into this human man before her.

"Well then, we can be thankful it's not true. And I'll admit mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honor and valor, and let's hope that from now on this, this country can find its heroes in smaller places." He stated firmly, trying to convince her as he notices two men struggling to lift a piano on fraying rope, "In the most" looking around he sees a young boy holding a cricket ball. "Ordinary of, of deeds." John grabs the cricket ball throws it at the nearby scaffolding, which falls and hits a plank that sends a brick flying through the air to knock down a milk churn in front of a woman with her stroller. Just then the rope breaks dropping the piano right where the woman would have been. The worker can be heard calling out to the started woman asking if she was ok and her baby while the other apologized profusely.

"Lucky." John muttered while Rose stared in shock questioning on how that was lucky and not a buried skill

John riding the wave of adrenaline that was coursing through him asked "Rose, might I invite you to the village dance this evening, as my guest?

Rose gave him her tongue in teeth smile saying "of course"

…..

"Oh, it's all becoming clear now. The Doctor is the man you'd like to be, doing impossible things with cricket balls." Rose gave a laugh as she and John walked next to a filed not too far from the village.

"Well, I discovered a talent, that's certainly true." John responded in much the same manner.

"But the Doctor has an eye for the ladies." She teased

"The devil." He scoffed

"A girl at every fireplace." She countered, all the while remembering madam de pompadour and the French ship

"Ah, now, there I have to protest, Rose. That is hardly me." He scoffed again, all the while Rose knew the truth behind his journal of impossible things.

"Says the man dancing with me tonight." She nudge him

"That scarecrow's all skewed." He muttered, changing their course to get to the scare crow. He fixed it up so it could properly watch over the fields.

"Ever the artist. Where did you learn to draw?" Rose continues the conversation.

"Gallifrey." Distractedly John answered.

Rose's heart skipped a beat or two but asked in the calmest voice she could manage. "Is that in Ireland?"

"Yes, it must be, yes." He muttered

"But you're not Irish?" Rose questioned further.

"Not at all, no. My father Sidney was a watchmaker from Nottingham, and my mother Verity was, err. Well, she was a nurse, actually." He murmured, lost in thought.

"Well, my work is done. What do you think?" He asked Rose who replied that it was a masterpiece.

"The man of many talents" Rose thought towards John affectionately.

…..

"Hold still" John murmured as Rose continue to squirm in her seat. He made a few more adjustments to the drawing of Rose he was working on.

"Can I see it yet? Rose asked.

"I'm almost done just a few more minutes." He replied as she waited. He was just putting the finishing touches on it. "There" he exclaimed as he stood up and went to go sit next to Rose handing her the sketch.

Rose was rendered speechless. It was a minute later when she found her voice. "You made me look beautiful, John"

"I only drew you as I see you" he whispered quietly, ducking his head for just a second before lifting his gaze back to meet her.

"No one's ever been as kind to me as you have, John" she felt guilty saying. Feeling as if she was betraying the Doctor with her statement as well as feeling guilty for her feelings for John his human counterpart, but also wanting the Doctor to come back. She looked down to hide the emotions she felt as she tried to mask them on her face. She felt his finger on her chin coaxing her face up to meet his "Then they are blind Rose" he murmured brushing a few strands of hair out of her beautiful face. Her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears. She started panicking slightly as he started leaning in to kiss her. Their lips met in a soft and tender kiss and Rose's eyes slid closed. It was brief but so perfect. John pulled away and looked Rose in her eyes before leaning once more.

However they were both interrupted when they heard a knock on the door. John sighed calling out "come in" while Rose sat starting at him while her heart was beating extremely fast. It's not that she didn't want to kiss John, she just needed some more time to work through her thoughts. She was worried about ruining the friendship the Doctor and her had by getting more involved with John.

Martha walked in as John leaned reluctantly away from Rose. She looked up to Martha and saw jealousy flash very quickly in the woman's eyes before looking down stating his lunch was ready.

He sighed again, "yes right thank you Martha"

Rose, needing to go get ready for this dance tonight, bid John a farewell as she left, dazed, to her quarters.

…..

"You look wonderful." John tells Rose as they meet before heading to the dance, tucking a stray hair from behind her ear, gazing into her eyes.

"You'd best give me some warning. Err, can you actually dance?" Rose questions, remembering when she and his previous incarnation danced on the Tardis after the World War 2.

"Oh I've got the moves Rose" he tells her charmingly, while she fights the urge to not cry out at each reminder of him being the Doctor.

…..

Jenny enters their shared dorm as Martha is pouring two cups of tea. "There you are. Come and look what I've got. Mister Poole didn't want his afternoon tea so Cook said I could have it. And there's enough for two. What are you standing there for?" Martha smiled up at her friend, but then stares as jenny takes a deep breath in wide eyed. "Are you alright" she asked in concern.

"I must have a cold coming on." Jenny replies distractedly.

"The problem is, I keep thinking about them, but I don't know what to do." Martha starts while jenny sits down. "Mister Smith and Rose. Because it's never going to last. He's going to leave in a few weeks."

"Why?" Jenny pressed

"It's like his contract comes to an end. And she's going to be heartbroken." Martha sighed out, telling only half the truth, but just needing someone to talk to on this subject

"Leave for where?" jenny pressed further in that same distracted voice.

"All sorts of places. I wish I could tell you, Jenny, but it's complicated." Martha sighs, repeating that she can't say as she is questioned further from Jenny.

"It sounds so interesting. Tell me. Tell me now." Jenny commanded.

Martha thinking there was something very much off with Jenny offered jenny some tea, and when jenny accepted it, she tested her further by asking if she wanted gravy in the pot. Or mutton, or even jam and sardines. Martha suspicions increased as jenny accepted the offer.

"Right. Hold on a tick." Martha muttered as she left the room hurriedly. However as soon as she go to the stairs she broke out in a run. Narrowly avoiding the green laser beam as she ran through the court yard.

…..

"They've found us" Martha burst out as she rushed into Johns study. "And I've seen them. They look like people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch. Where is it?" she rushes over to the mantel in search of the watch. "Oh, my God. Where's it gone? Where's the watch?" she questioned hysterically. Rose please tell me you've seen it" she turned her panicked gaze to Rose who was wide eyed.

"What are you talking about?" John questioned Martha, irritated.

"You had a watch. A fob watch. Right there." Rose softly explained to him grabbing his hand.

"Did I? I don't remember." John mused

"But we need it. 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?" Martha cried out hysterically

"Oh, I see. Cultural differences." He stated quietly to Rose, who shot him a warning glance he did not see. "It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story."

Exasperatedly Martha exclaimed "Oh you complete….. This is not you. This is nineteen thirteen." She gestured to John.

"Good. This is nineteen thirteen." He spoke slowly.

"I've sorry. I'm really sorry, but I've got to snap you out of this." She muttered as she slaps the Doctor hard. Rose winced at this.

"Wake up! You're coming back to the Tardis with me." She snapped

"How dare, how dare you. I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant. Martha, you are dismissed. You will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!" he escorts her out. Martha flashed a hard look at Rose conveying to the blonde to stay by his side. Rose nodded ever so slightly to Martha, letting her know she understood.

"The nerve of it. The absolute cheek. You think I'm a fantasist? What about her?" he thundered.

"But John, you did have a watch there" Rose reminded him gently to John's utter confusion.

…..

As she is running out back to the Tardis, she runs into Latimer, who has images of Martha indifferent clothes running. She apologizes to the boy

"Martha?" he calls after her

"Not now, Tim. Busy!" she calls over her shoulder.

…..

At the dance hall the host announces it is time for the men to take their partners for a waltz. Rose smiles as she sees the Joan also there in the arms from a gentleman she has seen talking to her in the village the other day. Martha enters the hall as John to leave Rose at the tables and go get refreshment.

"Martha! Have you found anything? The watch?" Rose asked in a hurry.

"No but I grabbed his screwdriver. Maybe we can jog his memory." Responded pulling out the sonic from her jacket pocket.

"Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave." John exasperatedly to Martha, going silent as Martha shows him the screwdriver. He's seen it before, he's sure of it but can't name where

"Do you know what this is? Name it. Go on, name it." Martha questioned to the still silent John.

He grabs it from her hand while both Rose and Martha hold their breath gazing imploringly up at John.

"You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you." Martha stated quietly, but not quietly enough. Lucy Cartwright, sitting in the far corner of the hall has heard their entire conversation and smiled at the confirmation of the Time Lord. Suddenly the door bangs open as the family walks in with their animated scarecrow army.

"There will be silence! All of you!" the father shouts out. As noise erupts in the hall as people panic he repeats himself. "I said, silence!"

"Mister Clarke, what's going on?" the host, Mr. Chambers approaches, only to get shot by a green laser, dissolving into dust right before everyone's eyes.

"Mister Smith?" Martha said to Jon in a hurry "Everything I told you, just forget it! Don't say anything."

"We asked for silence! Now then, we have a few questions for Mister Smith." Demanded Son of mine.

"No, better than that. The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking." Daughter of mine come out from the corner where she sat watching the party to tell her brother.

"You took human form." Son of mine questioned John

"Of course I'm human. I was born human, as were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mister Clark. What is going on? This is madness." Shouted out in confused frustration.

"Ooo, and a human brain, too. Simple, thick and dull." Son of mine drawled out at John.

"But he's no good like this." Mother of mine spat

"We need a Time Lord." Father of mine agreed.

"Easily done." Son of mine states as he steps forward and points his laser gun directly at John, while both Martha and Rose's hearts skipped several beats. "Change back" demanded the son

"I don't know what you're talking about." Said panicked

"Change back!" the son once again demanded, more forcefully this time.

"I literally do not know" John stammered, when suddenly mother dove forward and grabbed Martha pointing a gun to her head.

"Get off me!" Martha shouts at her

"She's your friend, isn't she? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?" mother taunted, then remembering her conversation with Martha in the dorm as the John shouted out again he didn't know what they mean or what they wanted with him. "Wait a minute. The maid told me about Smith and Rose. That woman, there." She looked directly at Rose, who was then grabbed quickly by father, with a gun pointed at her head in the same fashion as Martha.

"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor, being human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or Joan? Your friend or your lover? Your choice." Son taunted John as the guns were pushed again in to the sides of both Rose and Martha's heads.