Here's the next chapter. Sorry, it's been a hot second! I've been sort of bouncing between fanfics I'm writing and trying to get my motivation up to write stuff I should be writing (Alexander *cough*). Along with my work being extra hectic, my school class being stupid, an unfinished proposal, three family pets dying, two pets getting hurt and a ton of other IRL stresses, I'm trying my best to get stuff out for everyone.
There is a discord if you want to join it. There are lots of unpublished fanfics there if you want to have something more of mine to read and I try to be on there if you want to ask me things or nag me about things.
The door burst open, and the Doctor rushed in with Martha and Ripley on his heels, shouting for them to get down as a laser blast flew in the door. He shoved the doors shut and hurried over to grab Martha as Ripley panted and eyed the door, fur bristled and standing high on her back and her ears flat against her skull.
"Did they see you?" The Doctor demanded as Martha held onto him too.
"I don't know."
"But did they see you!"
"I was too busy running!"
"Martha, it's important. Did they see your face?"
"No, they couldn't have."
He gave a firm nod before rushing to the console. "Off we go."
An alarm went off then, making Ripley hurry over and prop her front paws easily on the console with a bark of alert. She'd gotten big in the last month, taller than a German Shepard and keeping her lean, deep-chested figure but with more weight than before. She still had some growing to do at eight months, but she was far healthier than she had been and was proving rather formidable now that she was fit and able to communicate with the Doctor without touch contact.
The Doctor took the screen from in front of her and pulled it around with a grimace. "Ah! They're following us."
"How can they do that? You've got a time machine," Martha questioned.
"Stolen technology. 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."
Ripley let out a whine, sensing that he'd grown uneasy about this.
"Unless… I'll have to do it." He tugged at his hair before turning to Martha. "Martha, you trust me, don't you?"
"Of course, I do."
"Ripley?"
The dog perked up and barked, agreeing as well as he smiled a little and started digging for something.
"Because it all depends on you."
"What does? What am I supposed to do?" Martha asked, confused what she and Ripley could do since the Doctor sounded as though he was leaving them to handle their aggressive pursuers.
The Doctor popped up with a pocket watch. "Take this watch because my life depends on it. This watch, Martha, this watch is me.
"Right, okay. Gotcha… No, hold on. Completely lost," she said, holding the watch as she rushed after him around the console with Ripley whining and doing the same while trying not to get underfoot.
"Those creatures are hunters. They can sniff out anyone and me being a Time Lord, well, I'm unique," the Doctor explained. "They can track me down across the whole of time and space."
"Huh, and the good news is?" Martha chimed sarcastically, getting nervous.
"They can smell me, they haven't seen me, and their life spans are running out, so we hide. Wait for them to die."
"But they can track us down."
"That's why I've got to do it. I've got to stop being a Time Lord."
Ripley barked and whined, not liking this plan of his and his eyes softened as he reached down and ran a hand over her head.
"It'll be okay, Ripley. I'm going to become human, is all."
She didn't look thrilled by that, knowing better than anyone how hard it was to be in a body you weren't used to. A device was lowered from the ceiling, and the Doctor eyed it with a sigh.
"Never thought I'd use this. All the times I've wondered."
"What does it do?" Martha asked, uncertain about all this.
"Chameleon Arch. Rewrites my biology. It literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to human."
Ripley barked with a grumble and the Doctor cracked a small smile, ruffling her fur as he took the watch back from Martha and put it in the device.
"Sorry, Ripley. It's only temporary and I don't think it'd work quite the same if I tried using it on you. 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 two. You'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you in."
"But hold on," Martha stopped him. "If you're gonna rewrite every single cell, isn't it going to hurt?"
Ripley whined as well, ears back and eyeing him as he sat down and pulled the device over his head with a solemn, bitter smile.
"Oh, yeah. It hurts."
I sighed, my large body tucked behind a bush and curled to keep me hidden from the noisy children scattered around the school. Things hadn't quite gone to plan as the Doctor wanted and things had gotten a little tedious for me. Dogs weren't allowed in school, after all, much less some private boys' academy like this. The Tardis and Martha were the only ones really keeping me fed and housed. Still, I tried my luck in 1913 and enjoyed the bit of freedom I was being offered as a "stray" dog.
I slipped out of the grounds and chased crows in the nearby field. I would duck into the school and steal lunches when the boys weren't looking. A few had seen me around, of course. I often heard rumors of the large wolf-like dog wandering the school. Thankfully the staff hadn't seen me yet or there'd be traps set out or something to keep me away. I did my best to keep an eye on the Doctor or Martha though. He was vulnerable like this, after all, him being human now. Martha too was dealing with trouble given her position as a maid and having to deal with racist little brats with big heads. Anytime I heard them giving her trouble, I made sure to sneak around and do something I probably shouldn't.
I'd stole a boy's trousers once from his room and ran them around the garden for him to find the next morning in his pants. Needless to say, the boys went from racial slurs to rumors she was cursed and protected by a hellhound, which was fine by me. There was one though, that caught my interest. Smaller than the rest and shier but he'd seen me at some point and was different from the rest. Scared still, I could tell, but when I'd simply let him be, the next time we spotted one another he was less uncertain. After a few days, he started finding me. I was suspicious at first, but he never did anything. Just stayed nearby, sometimes reading or doing schoolwork, other times it felt like he was hiding, and we'd just bump into each other.
Today was one of those days apparently, except he had just stopped in front of my hiding place with shouts of other boys edging closer. My tail wagged slightly at the smell of him but as soon as I caught onto the fact that he was spooked by something, my ears went up and I stiffened. When I realized it was because he was being chased, I made up my mind and poked through the bushes, startling him. Before he could react, I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him through the bush to the ground behind it. I then laid on top of him gently, but enough to keep him quiet as I heard the boys run over and pass right by us. Once safe, I looked down at the boy and let my tongue loll out of my mouth as my tail wagged happily, even licking him a bit.
He finally broke and chuckled, lightly pushing at me as I got up off him and sat, waiting for him to decide what to do. He slowly reached out and I quickly nudged his hand up onto my head for ear scratches, glad that at least one boy here wasn't a complete brat as he relaxed until a bell rang nearby. His smile fell and he stood, brushing himself off and giving me a small, concerned look.
"You should be careful. If the headmaster finds you…"
I let out a soft, whisper of a bark. I got this. Don't worry about it.
He seemed to get the message and smiled a little before giving me one last pat on the head and rushing off to class. I shook my head before slipping out of the bushes with a stretch, glancing up at the sun to check the time. Hm, during break then. Most boys will be outside. I should be able to check with Martha if I'm careful. I scratched the back of my ear briefly. And if not, then I can outrun any followers. I huffed with a lopsided grin before slipping my way across the garden and into the school.
Once in, it was easy enough to track the scent of anyone coming near, and I would duck into a nearby room or take another path until I picked up Martha's scent. She was cleaning with another maid—her role in this place since the Doctor could remember her at least—and I hesitated about making myself known. Her friend seemed nice enough, but most people did until they saw a small-wolf-sized dog lumbering their way. Then, some students approached and I ducked into a shadowy corner to wait for them to pass. It was just my luck that they didn't.
"Now then, you two. You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it," a boy scoffed, making my ears flick back and lips lift in a silent snarl.
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Martha's friend sighed, making me rather annoyed.
This damn time period and their noble ranks. He's a stupid brat! Don't bow your head to him! You're an adult!
"You there, what's your name again?" The boy's accomplice asked Martha, who begrudgingly answered.
"Martha, sir. Martha Jones."
"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?"
Oh, you rat bastard. I threw myself out of the shadows, barking and snarling at the boys who just about wet themselves at the sight of me. Screams tore through their throats as they ran and I chased them up the stairs. Make fun of Martha, will you! I'll show you!
"Ripley!" Martha hissed, and I paused; feet on the bottom step and turning towards her.
I'm sure the flopped-over ears on the top of my head and innocent head tilt did nothing but add to her enjoyment of what I'd done. That is until there were shouts of the headmaster nearing and Martha quickly shooing me away. I'd had my fun but at the cost of causing a commotion. Not only that, but my current position left me with only one way to go: up.
Martha hissed at me to leave but I took the stairs up and sped through the corridors until I'd found a hiding spot. It was a game of patience then, or it would've been had I not caught the scent of the Doctor. I perked up immediately, nearly letting out a whine as he stepped out of a room with an armful of books.
The man had been a right pain since he'd woken up here without knowing anything but the Tardis's story. Martha had tried hiding me up in his room since her roommate prevented her from hiding me in hers. Yet, the man immediately panicked upon sight of me and booted me out with the threat of summoning an authority. This left me outside the school until I found ways to sneak in and the right times to do so. Still, I tormented him when I could for forgetting me.
Didn't mean I wasn't upset about it. The Doctor being the only one to understand me had left me struggling to talk with Martha about anything and I'd gotten lonely yet again. It was the only trouble with being a dog at this point. While I'd been alone in my travels in my last life, I'd always had time to meet someone, learn their language, talk or use signs to figure out things. As a dog, there were only so many cues I could give someone, and not many of those natural body positions were ones humans understood.
So, yes. I missed the Doctor. John Smith was all right for a human, but he acted like everyone else at this school did when they saw me: scared and threatening. This meant pestering him outside of school to try and get him to remember, and that was hard enough. The man was stubborn about shooing me away when he was out in the village; which also required a bit of sneaking or careful planning or I'd get chased by other people. He hadn't resorted to throwing things though, which was nice but there were times when I wondered if he would.
I settled for watching him then. If it was at the school, I'd keep my distance and watch his classes through a window when I could. If he was out on the grounds it was easier, unless it was shooting practice. Then, I kept well away, knowing the brats wouldn't have a second thought about taking a shot at me until it was too late. It was rare I was actually inside the school though, for obvious reasons. Hiding my bulk in the halls with this many people was a risk, and a flying leap out a window would undoubtedly cause more harm than good.
I heard voices then and peered out of my hiding place to see John talking to a woman. A sniff and wrinkle of my nose let me know she was the nurse, but I kept my gaze on John and his pile of books that he'd just picked up. The woman split the pile between them before he could drop them a second time, and they chatted about some dance announcements on a notice board in a smaller corridor.
I slipped out of my hiding place to creep after them, being sure to keep an ear out for trouble. John was already fumbling over something the woman—Joan—had said, making me roll my eyes. There was a hint of jealousy too that I hastily stomped it down before I noticed John backing up. The woman tried to warn him, but him being his oblivious self, hadn't realized he'd neared the stairs until he started to fall. I bolted for him the second I realized it, ignoring Joan as I grabbed John's coat. I could feel his weight pulling me though—not strong enough to stop him from falling completely. Then, his brown eyes met mine in surprise, and I groaned. I'm gonna regret this.
I gave a firm jerk of his coat, buying me a short second of borrowed time. One just long enough for me to throw myself past him and try to stop him bashing his head on the steps. His weight hit my back and knocked me right down the rest of the stairs, taking the brunt of his fall as a leg buckled and sent me into the floor at the base of them. A yelp of pain escaped me as John scrambled off me and Joan hurried down the flight after us.
"Oh my goodness! Are you alright, John?"
I managed to right myself but cringed immediately. As suspected, I did not come out unscathed in the tumble and could feel the bruises forming all over my body. Nothing felt broken, thankfully, but my front right paw was throbbing and I could feel blood in my fur near my hip. I whined and tried to think about what I could do. I should go back to the Tardis until Martha drops by. We made a lot of noise so people are going to—I saw something reach for me out of the corner of my eye and reacted instinctively.
I did a light snap at the hand in warning, licking my lips anxiously as my ears flicked back. It had been John though, and I immediately felt bad for reacting in such a way, whining lightly and ducking a bit closer to the ground submissively. Joan grabbed his arm in concern.
"John, you shouldn't—"
"No, it's all right," he said, lightly tugging her hand off. "Hey there. It's all right," he hummed calmly, looking concerned about me for the first time in a while. "You're the one that's been following me around, aren't you?"
I was lying on the ground now, ears back and still uneasily licking my lips, but rolling slightly on my side as my tail tucked underneath me with a small wag. Does he remember? Oh, please tell me he remembers.
"You did a silly thing. I told you to go. Why did you come back here? If the headmaster finds out—"
Oh, come on! You've got to remember! I practically begged, crawling toward him slightly and nudging his hand with my nose. Doctor, please! For a second, I thought I got through to him. His fingers found the same spot the Doctor always scratched and for a moment there was a familiar fond smile on his face. Then, our moment was ruined as we heard the headmaster nearby.
"I heard a noise! Is everything all right?"
My reaction was immediate. I twisted away from John and scrambled to my feet, yelping and scowling down at my throbbing foot in annoyance. Damn. This is going to limit my running. I'm on the lower floor too. I need to either go up or risk running into—H-Hey! I squirmed as I was lifted off my feet with a grunt, relaxing when I realized it was John who'd lifted me as Joan complained again.
"John, what are you doing!"
"Well, I can't let her get caught after I went and hurt her, can I?" He replied, adjusting me with a grunt. "Blimey, you're heavy. Come on. My office."
Joan didn't look thrilled but nodded as he hauled me up the stairs and she gathered his books and followed. I was a bit surprised by his change in attitude towards me but could sense his guilt for having hurt me and sighed. I leaned into him a bit more and licked his cheek and ear, getting a grimace at the move but feeling that guilt edge away just a bit. Well, this is one way to get his attention I suppose. Won't Martha be surprised?
"I'm really not qualified to do this, John," Joan said, eyeing the dog he'd brought into his office as he held her head and scratched at her ears to distract her from the disinfectant Joan was preparing for the cut on her leg.
"That's okay. You're doing better than I would've, and look. She's being really sweet about it, isn't she?" He pointed out, rather fond of the scruffy dog despite their previous difficulties in the village.
Joan was still hesitant. She didn't have any good experiences with large dogs and this one was the largest she's ever seen. She would've thought it was a wolf if the beasts hadn't been extinct for decades. Yet, as John said, the dog was well behaved for her entire process. She bandaged its injured foot, treated the cut on its thigh, and checked it over for any other injuries without so much as a grumble. In fact, the only time she'd seen aggression was when John had reached for her earlier.
"Is she a stray?" Joan asked. "You said you saw her chasing after you before."
"I don't know, really. She follows me around the village a lot. I never expected her to follow me here."
Joan hesitated. "There were rumors about a wolf that the boys were mentioning. Could this dog be it?"
John glanced at the dog and Joan could've sworn the creature went out of its way to perk its ears up and appear innocent. But it's not as though it can understand us, right? She wondered, rather confused about the creature.
"And how did it get upstairs? Someone should have seen it."
"Hiding in a cupboard maybe?" John offered unhelpfully as the dog rolled onto its back for him to scratch its belly.
"A dog this size? In a cupboard, John?"
Just then, the door burst open and a frantic Martha appeared.
"Is he alright?"
Joan raised a brow at her abrupt entrance. "Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking."
"Sorry. Right. Yeah." Martha moved back to the door and knocked before stepping forward again. "But is he all right? They said you fell down the stairs—" She cut herself short at the sight of the dog and even Joan had to look at John in uncertainty.
Hiding a dog at the school was something that could not get out.
"Is that Rip—" Martha quickly changed what she was about to say before she could give away knowing who the dog was. "—a dog?"
"Now, Martha," John started. "We just need to keep this quiet for a bit, is all. She tried to help me when I fell down the stairs and while I'm unhurt, she was caught in the tumble. I figured the least I could do was keep her secret until she's healed up."
"You got hurt?" Martha worried, rushing over and surprising Joan as she went right for the dog.
Did it just roll its eyes?
"No, I just said I'm not—" John stopped himself short as Martha checked the dog's bandaged paw. "—You were talking about the dog."
"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha asked. "Broken bones?"
"I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you. Dog or not," Joan huffed, though she could have sworn she saw the dog frown before Martha muttered an apology and went to tidy John's things.
"I was just telling Nurse Redfern, Matron, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales. I keep imagining that I'm someone else and that I'm hiding," John said, continuing from where the two had left off before he'd taken his tumble.
He hadn't noticed that his words caught the attention of both Martha and the dog. He ended up giving Joan his journal, filled with pictures of things he'd seen in his dreams and events he felt were far too real to be simple bits of fiction his mind had made up. He didn't think about it too much longer though.
Joan had left to return to her duties as a nurse and once he had something situated for the dog—giving her a fond pat on the head—he headed out to finish up his teaching. On the way, he asked Martha to help the dog do its business outside when she could and she readily agreed, having grown fond of the dog far quicker than he expected. He brushed the thought aside and stepped into class, not feeling Martha's eyes on his back.
Once the door had shut behind him, Martha took off back up the stairs to his office. Once there, she hurried over to Ripley as she stretched on John's sofa without a care in the world.
"Ripley, what were you thinking?" She hissed, keeping her voice down despite the closed door.
Ripley sighed, resting her head on her paws and raising a brow rather nonchalantly.
"I thought you were going to lay low," Martha pressed. "Tackling him down the stairs and rushing at those kids is hardly laying low."
Ripley scoffed, grumbling about what she'd said and Martha didn't need the Doctor to translate what she was getting at.
"As much as I hate those brats, you can't be doing that. And what if you were seen? You won't just get brought to some pound, Ripley. They could shoot you."
Ripley let out a huff of annoyance at her scolding before Martha sighed heavily. She sat on the sofa beside her, running her hands over the dog as Ripley placed her head on her legs and closed her eyes.
"I just don't want you getting hurt. Imagine what the Doctor would do if he snapped out of this and found you hurt or worse."
Ripley was quiet, enjoying the pets for the moment as Martha tried to think over everything that was going on. Their most recent adventure had left her stranded without the Doctor, and Ripley was her only saving grace. While the apparent woman was a dog, having someone stand up for her right now was relieving. Dog or not, she had a comrade in the same situation as she was.
Yes, the Doctor was around, but he was more John Smith than the actual Doctor. He didn't understand her situation and would probably call her crazy if she attempted to tell him. Ripley knew and was doing her best too, and the Doctor didn't even remember her. Martha had felt terrible when she'd come in after the Doctor woke only to find no Ripley in sight and him looking disheveled. She feared the worst only to stumble upon Ripley curled in the shed with the Tardis.
After that, it was hard to tell what Ripley was thinking. She seemed to act like any other dog. Coming back covered in mud or twigs, carrying a stick—though she dropped it and didn't look pleased, just mildly annoyed at her own instincts—playing with the village kids when their parents weren't around. If it was hard for Martha though, she could only imagine what it must be like trapped in the body of a large dog in 1914. Rumors at the school were already going around and she feared what may happen if any of the staff actually see Ripley and say something.
"Does it… bother you?" She asked suddenly, getting Ripley to peer an eye open. "Being a dog, I mean. The whole walking on four legs, eating garbage, not being understood or being treated like one."
Ripley just stared at her and Martha hesitated.
"I just… I don't know. I'm trying to wrap my head around it. You being human but stuck in a dog… It's got to be weird, right? You still do dog things like licking and sniffing and playing fetch."
Ripley grumbled at that last one and Martha paused.
"You… You do play fetch. You realize that, right?"
Ripley sighed with a nod but still grumbled and brought a paw up to cover her eyes.
"You're embarrassed? Can you not control yourself or something?"
There was another small but subtle nod.
"What? Seriously? Like you see a ball get thrown and just can't help but run after it?"
Ripley whined and squirmed a bit burying her face into the sofa as Martha considered that.
"My God. That's… That is honestly terrible… and a tiny bit funny. Do dogs really have that little self-control?"
Ripley let out a whine and little "aroo" of complaint that made Martha chuckle a little.
"Yeah, all right. I suppose it wouldn't be funny if it were me." She went quiet again as her thoughts drifted back to the Doctor. "Least we won't be stuck like this much longer, right? Not trapped here in 1914 being treated worse than garbage. Can't wait until we can just fly away from here."
Ripley leaned over and pushed herself up, licking Martha's cheek and getting a small smile back.
"And I'm sure you want the Doctor back too. He can at least understand you. Now," Martha got up off the sofa. "I've got to finish my cleaning duties. You'll let me know if you need to go out, right?"
Ripley rolled her eyes and scoffed, dropping back into the sofa and rolling onto her back with a ginger stretch.
"I'll take that as a yes. Then, I'll get to that and see if maybe he'll let me take you outside for a bit tonight. Jenny wanted to grab a drink. We could use a guard dog to make sure we get back okay."
Ripley eyed her and Martha sighed.
"And we'll keep it secret. If we're not near the school no one will notice if you're with us, I think. Not while it's dark anyway. You're not too hurt from your fall, right?"
Ripley huffed out a grumble and closed her eyes.
"Right. Then, I'll see you in a bit."
It was nice to be outside once more, enjoying the evening breeze rustling my fur as I rested my head on the table that Martha and Jenny were seated at. Jenny had been hesitant about me but despite her fears and with a bit of reassurance from Martha, she'd let me tag along. Did she eye me uneasily every so often? Sure. Was she needlessly cruel like some of the other people in the village? Not in the slightest and that was good enough for me.
"Oh, it's freezing out here. Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?" Martha complained, cupping her hands around her warm drink as I shifted closer and tucked my warmer body up against hers. "Thanks, Ripley."
I let out a low hum that sounded more like a grumble, but closed my eyes and relaxed a bit. They kept talking of Martha leaving and the restrictions put in place that forced them to be submissive towards those brats back at the school, when Martha stiffened, setting me on alert as I snapped open my eyes and perked my ears.
"Did you see that?"
"See what?" Jenny asked as hopped off the bench and eyed the sky she was looking at.
"Did you see it, though? Right up there, just for a second."
Jenny looked too but there was nothing but the dark and a few twinkling stars. Still, I wasn't one to question Martha's concerns, especially with us being on the run from some alien creatures.
"Martha, there's nothing there."
I heard someone running towards us then and let out an alarming bark, fur standing on end for a minute as I faced them only to see who it was and relax as Joan came out of the nearby trees, out of breath and pale. Did she see something?
"Matron, are you all right?" Martha asked her.
"Did you see that? There was something in the woods. This light."
A light. Just like Martha said and if Joan is acting this way, then it's not normal. Did we get found out already? So soon? I let out a concerned whine to echo what Martha's concerned expression said just as John strolled over as well, seeing everyone on edge.
"Anything wrong, ladies? Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you think? And I do believe I said let her out for restroom breaks, Martha, not take her to a pub. What if you were seen?" John complained, though he still knelt and gave me a scratch behind my ear.
"I made sure to sneak her out," Martha waved off just as Joan pointed up at the sky again.
"There, there. Look in the sky."
Sure enough, a green spark streaked across the night sky. While Jenny thought it beautiful and John drawled about meteorites and taking people home, I glanced at Martha in uncertainty. This was very much not normal and a sign that we'd been found.
"I'll leave the dog with you then," John said, linking arms with Joan. "Least you have some protection on the way back."
Martha nodded but kept her gaze off in the direction the light had disappeared at, waiting until he was gone before talking to Jenny.
"Jenny, where was that? On the horizon, where the light was headed."
"That's by Cooper's Field," she explained and Martha didn't even nod before starting towards the trees. "You can't just run off! It's dark! You'll break a leg!"
I barked and hurried after Martha, agreeing with Jenny on that and taking the lead. I could see better in the dark than she could and despite the occasional throb from my injured leg and ribs, I navigated far better than she. I let Martha hook her fingers in my fur—no collar for me while in 1914 to keep people unaware I belonged to the Doctor—and did my best to tug her quickly along but also stop and show her where to step over things or around things.
I was trying to focus on smell and hearing more than guiding her though. It took some getting used to for me. Humans may try but they can't really understand how a dog or cat mind works when they're on a job and it was hard focusing on where I was going, the scents I was finding, and the sounds I was hearing. I swore I heard someone up ahead but then the voice was gone and we pulled up to an empty field where I finally stopped. Martha released me as Jenny caught up and stood by here and I lifted my nose to sniff. There's something… I started to wander around a bit, checking the ground and the air repeatedly as I tried to work out if I was smelling something that shouldn't be here or what was catching the attention of the dog-side of my mind.
"There you are. Nothing there. I told you so," Jenny said, shivering a bit.
"And that's Cooper's Field?"
"As far as the eye can see, and no falling star. Now come on, I'm frozen to the bone, let's go. As your Mr. Smith says, 'Nothing to see.'"
Martha sighed as I pawed at a crate of alcohol nearby, catching the whiff of a slightly familiar smell. One of the kids? There was something else though and I followed the trail of the possible student before Martha called out.
"Ripley, come on!"
I lifted my head, ears perked for a moment before they flicked back as I looked out into the field with a frown. Still, there was nothing to see, so I turned tail and hurried through the forest after Martha.
The following day, she offered to take me out to the Tardis, but I stayed put—content to lounge under John's desk in his study as he caught up on marking papers. I'd stolen the pear he'd been about to eat and chewed on it idly as he sighed and replaced his coat.
"Now, you shouldn't be snatching food like that. It'll get you in trouble," he scolded, making me roll my eyes as I gnawed on the pear.
Well, sucks for you. You said not to let you eat pears and my teeth are bugging me. I chew the pear or I chew your desk. Your choice. He didn't appear too bothered though, kneeling and scratching at my head and ears with a small smile.
"Well, you're probably just hungry. I'll see if I can scrape up some spoils from the kitchen later then, eh, girl?"
I paused in my chewing, leaning into his hand and offering him a lick on the chin before someone knocked on the door. My ears perked, perching awkwardly on the top of my head as John held a finger to his lips.
"Sh. Can't let people know you're here or we'll all be in trouble."
I huffed, going back to my pear as he answered the door, but I heard a familiar voice.
"You told me to come and collect that book, sir," a boy reminded John, making me stop chewing once more as my tail started to wag.
"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."
"I'm top ten in my class, sir," the boy informed him, closing the door as he moved further into the room.
"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?"
"Yes, sir," Timothy responded, sounding a bit distracted as I poked my head out from under the desk.
He was over by the fireplace while John searched in his books for the one he needed, giving me an ample chance to play with the boy I'd grown friendly with.
"You're clever. You should be proud of it. Use it," John rambled on just as I squeezed out from under the desk and caught a whiff of something.
It smelled like the Doctor. The actual Doctor. It was something that John lacked and I immediately rushed for it, only for it to vanish just as I barked and jumped on poor Timothy. He hit the ground with a startled yelp, alerting John as I stood over Timothy and licked at his face.
"No! No! Bad dog! Get off him!" John commanded, getting ignored as I laid on top of Timothy and the boy chuckled and lightly pushed at my face.
John grabbed me by the scruff though, hauling me off him as he apologized.
"I am so sorry. She got hurt, you see, so I'm just hanging onto her until she's healed up. So, if you could just keep this quiet from the headmaster..."
Timothy picked himself up off the ground and brushed off his uniform, only to pause as he looked at John. I tipped my head, curious. He was uneasy about something. I whined a bit, drawing the boy's attention back to me.
"Yes… Sorry, sir. I'll keep it quiet."
"That's a good lad," John sighed, before letting me go and pointing a stern finger at my nose. "And you need to be more careful. Daft thing."
Daft? Excuse me? I barked at him and grumbled, but he turned and offered Timothy the book he needed, ignoring my complaints.
"Fascinating details about the siege. Really quite remarkable. Are you all right?"
Timothy was looking a little pale and I could still smell a whiff of something near him, edging closer to try and figure out what.
"Yes, sir. Fine, sir," he said, spotting me nearing and lightly trying to shoo me away as I sniffed his shoes.
"Right then. Good. And remember. Use that brain of yours," John said, handing the book over before I sensed Timothy getting anxious again. "You're really not looking yourself, old chap. Anything bothering you?"
"No, sir. Thank you, sir," Timothy said quickly, hurrying out as I whined.
"Friend of yours?" John questioned me and I huffed at him before catching a whiff of the Doctor again.
I frowned, eyeing the door but knowing there'd be no searching for it today. Not while I was stuck under John's watchful eyes. I should find that kid I smelled earlier too, which means I better find a way out.
Classes had resumed and I'd managed to slip out of the office I'd been stuck in. John will just assume I'm out with Martha anyway, I mused, nose trailing along the ground and up in the air as I searched through the grounds. I heard gunfire in the distance and peered around the corner of the building to see John's class out firing weapons at straw-filled sacks made to look like people with spears. I frowned, feeling terrible that this was how young men were taught in schools at the time and mildly annoyed at John. The Doctor wouldn't have condoned this, yet John acted as though this were every other day.
It made that bit of loneliness I'd been feeling ever since John came into being, grow even larger. I missed the Doctor. I missed talking to him and going on fun adventures. I missed his rambling and his grins. Sure, I acted like it was fine. Like I enjoyed being a dog and roaming around the school and village as though I were any other stray. I'd lived alone before too, back in my world, but that was different. I traveled and met many different people. I wasn't lonely because I still interacted with everyone I bumped into. I learned things and experienced cultures. This was different.
This was me being stuck in a place with people who were not kind. With people who didn't understand me because I was a dog. And of the two people who did understand me, one was Martha who couldn't fully communicate with me. The other was John, who had so little of the Doctor left in him that he'd forgotten who I was and was only hanging onto me for the moment because I got hurt. It was frustrating, obviously, but there was nothing I could do for the moment. I was stuck dealing with the loneliness on my own until these aliens that were chasing us reached their limit.
I spotted a group of boys leading Timothy away from class then and scowled, growling low in my throat as my ears flicked back. Letting kids do punishments was common during this time period but I knew Timothy was a decent kid. Whatever he'd done, it didn't deserve whatever they were planning on doing so I slipped after them. Sure enough, they shoved him down and went to kick at him only for me to come running up with loud aggressive barking. They scattered instantly and I hovered in front of Timothy with a huff, lowering my raised hackles and relaxing my posture as I looked at the boy.
He looked a bit startled to see me there, hesitant too, which I worried about. He'd been one of the few nice people at this school and I wasn't sure what had him suddenly second-guessing me. I whined a little, crawling on the ground to appear smaller and less threatening as I squirmed up onto his lap and nudged at his hand for pets. He relaxed finally as I wagged my tail happily, leaning into the pat on the head.
"Thank you," he muttered, making my tail wag harder as I licked at his chin with a goofy expression—tongue hanging out and everything.
Course! Can't let my favorite student get picked on by some bratty kids.
His hand jerked away from my head and my ears dropped again, checking to make sure no one had snuck up on us.
What? What's wrong? I questioned, whining again and trying to edge closer as the boy seemed to shrink away a little. What's going on kid? I can't help if I don't understand. I whined and grumbled, crawling closer before his palm suddenly met my forehead. I froze, confused as we both just stayed still before I leaned to the side enough to eye him. Yeah, I really don't know what you're doing now.
I then realized something. The Doctor did this too before we could talk without touching. We often communicated with his hand on my head or my nose in his hand. No. But he couldn't, could he? Timothy slowly brought his hand back but I hastily shoved my face back into it. Can you understand me? He didn't respond. Not verbally, anyway but the slight twitch of his fingers on my head had my eyes going wide and my mouth opening in a toothy grin. My tail began to thump against the ground and I was quick on my feet, making him yelp as my paws hit his shoulders and sent him back to the ground.
You can, can't you! You're like the Doctor! A-A touch telepath! Or, well, something similar. I leaned in close, sniffing at him. You don't smell alien, anyway. He pushed at my face, making me back up off him, though my joy was still very obvious given my tail beating on the grass and my panting grin. God, you wouldn't believe how nice it is to finally have someone who understands me here. I mean, Martha tries but it's not quite the same as actually talking to someone, you know?
I let out a little bark and he hesitated before speaking.
"I… I don't know what you're saying."
My smile immediately dropped, ears falling and tail going still. But… But you…
"I-I can't understand you. Not like… like you were talking but…" He tried to find a way to explain. "I get an impression, almost. Like you're trying to tell me something. Feeling something. I've never… I've never had a dog so I don't know if all dogs can do this or—"
All dogs? Do I look like any old dog to you? I complained, with another round of barking before he shushed me and grabbed my muzzle, silencing me as we heard voices nearby.
"We can't talk here," he said then, looking nervous. "I need to go back to my classes. I don't want you to get in trouble. Will you be okay!"
I scoffed once he'd let me go. Me? I'll be fine. I've got more exploring to do anyway. I paused though, before nudging his hand. But we'll meet up again, right? He smiled, reaching around my neck and burying his face in my fur for a moment.
"I'll see you later. I promise."
I smiled, licking his cheek as he let go and stood, brushing dirt off his trousers and hurrying back to class. I watched him go before huffing, holding my head up in my joy at finding someone else who understood me.
I ended up not finding the kid I'd been looking for and had to return to John's study before he came back. When he did, he fed me what he could get from the kitchens and had apparently invited Joan over to get sketched. While his drawing was impressive, it still was mildly upsetting.
The Doctor was an alien. Martha and I knew that, though Martha too was trying her luck with catching his attention. And yes. I agree that he was rather handsome and I may or may not have a small crush. Thing is, I'm a dog. I might be human mentally but between my situation and the Doctor being an alien, very little would come from having feelings for him. That, and the Doctor lived long. It was obvious in the way he looked at people sometimes. He was old. He couldn't have these sorts of feelings for humans because he would have to watch them age and get old while he didn't. It wasn't right to him, to like him in that way and expect him to return it.
This hurt, of course, but I understood it for what it was. Which was why watching him—as John—flirt with Joan was becoming something concerning. As human as he was right now, we would like the Doctor to come back. If these alien things found us, the world would need the Doctor back. Sure, maybe the aliens didn't find him and just die off. It was something that could happen. But what then? Martha would try to convince him to turn back, but we couldn't force him. John might just be here for good, and then what? What would happen to me?
I sighed lightly, dropping my head on my paws while lying at the foot of the sofa he had just joined Joan on. Suppose I'll just have to go back to what I was doing before. Keeping my head down and being a stray again. The idea didn't appease me much at the moment. This was 1914 where one wrong move could get me shot for looking like a wolf or starving because I couldn't get what little scraps there would be when the war started up and rations were low.
A glance at John as he leaned in toward Joan had me wincing and turning away. Don't. Don't think about it. We'll figure it out if it comes to that. Just focus on what's happening now. The door opened then and I cringed as Martha caught them in the act, making her rush out with flushed cheeks of embarrassment and hurt. I suddenly felt rather out of place and as if I were intruding. I wanted to leave and got up, moving to the door and pawing on it with a whine.
"I can't let you out now. Students are still out," he grumbled, annoyed that someone else was interrupting his time with Joan.
I don't care. Let me out. He grumbled a complaint when I was insistent and opened the door, throwing an arm out.
"Well? Go on then. If you want out so badly, then go."
I huffed at him, snapping lightly at his foot to startle him before walking out. Doesn't even act like the Doctor anymore. He wouldn't just kick me out like that because of some girl… right? Memories of when he'd abandoned me the first time flickered through my head before I shook them off and plodded down the stairs and outside. Once there, I spotted Timothy on a bench and headed over, startling him out of his daze as he looked at something in his hand.
What's that? I mentally asked, nudging at his hand and sniffing. Smells familiar.
"Ripley!" He half yelled, surprised and startling me too.
Ah! You know my name! When did you figure that out? I wondered, tipping my head and wagging my tail. He relaxed and tucked the item in his pocket before staring at something in the distance. I turned and frowned at the group standing a little ways off. It was an older man, a little girl with a balloon, and a kid from the school. I thought it might've been his family, but I could sense Timothy's unease and eyed them with a low growl.
There was something off but what scent I could catch was faint and muddled in the breeze. It was when they all turned towards us and sniffed deeply that a shiver went down my spine and I growled deeper. Something was very wrong about them and my only thought was the aliens that may have caught up to us. A hand grabbed the fur on my neck, keeping me in place as Timothy shushed me and tugged me away from the open area and out of their sight.
We were bumped into by Martha as she hurried out but she didn't stop for either of us as I huffed. What's her deal? I shook my head with a huff, assuming she'd just had another fight with John about Joan, and instead nudged Timothy's arm. Hey. I'm hungry. The boy had been eyeing where Martha disappeared but turned back to me with a nod.
"Ok. But I… I need to find the Doctor."
I perked up at that, having not expected him to be looking for the Doctor as opposed to looking for John. The Doctor? How do you know about him? Better yet, why do you need him?
Timothy looked to make sure no one was near us and knelt down to run his hand over my face as I leaned into the pets. "I think something might be wrong with a… another student. The one you saw with those others. He's been acting strangely."
A strange student?
Timothy looked sheepish then. "Well, there's that and… and I may have something important of his."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out what he'd been looking at earlier. I was surprised to see the fob watch the Doctor had told us to keep safe. How's you get that! We were supposed to be keeping that safe and with John!
"I know and I'm sorry for taking it. I hadn't meant to, but I… I can hear it. Like I hear you. I can't explain it very well but it startled me and I took it by accident. Problem is, it wants me to keep it safe. I'm not sure from what, but what's it's shown me… it's really dangerous, isn't it?"
I nodded, concern growing. Yes! Very dangerous. We came to hide from them because they were supposed to naturally die soon but if they're here… if they know about the watch, then the Doctor is in trouble!
"That's why I was trying to find him. I want to give it back, but…" He hesitated. "The watch, it showed me everything. Everything about him and the creature and what he's done…"
I understood immediately, sensing his worry and letting out a whine as I pressed my face into him. I know he might seem scary, and he doesn't always do the right things, but… but he's the only one who can help and without him, I… I don't know what I'd do. I know that's selfish but he's the only one other than you who can talk to me like this. It's just… hard, being like this.
His hand wound through my fur, tangling in it as he held onto me. "You're right. We do need him, especially if those creatures he showed me are here. So, could you help me?"
I pulled back a bit in uncertainty. Me? What could I do?
"There's a dance tonight. If we can sneak in, then there's a good chance we can find him or at least help if those things attack."
I grinned, letting out a bark. Alright! I'm in.
He smiled as well, ruffling my hair and standing. "First, we'll need a plan."
Timothy and I spotted John entering the village dance together, but the door was being guarded by an old army veteran. John gave him some coins and while he was examining them, I grabbed Timothy by the sleeve and pulled him forward into the building. He stood in the doorway and looked around the room as I stayed tucked just behind him, trying to stay mostly out of sight. A waltz was started and while they were all distracted by their dance partners, Timothy spotted a table with a long tablecloth and pointed. I nodded and hurried towards it with him, tucking myself under it and dropping my head in his lap to keep my eyes peeled for anything off.
While the plan was to help convince John to turn back into himself, we had to make sure there weren't any of the aliens looking for us. Given the strange light in the woods and the odd smells I'd been noticing, we weren't going to be that lucky. So, we were going to hang around and stay quiet because this was a decent-sized gathering. If the aliens were going to make themselves known, it would be here. I caught a whiff of something then and perked up a little, catching Timothy's attention.
"What is it?"
Something smells off. I think one of them is already here, I informed him, ears flicking back on my head as I tried to look around from my position. In the back somewhere. There! Wasn't she one of the people we saw earlier?
Timothy followed my gaze and gripped at my fur with a shaky hand. "That's Lucy Cartwright. We saw her with Jeremy Baines earlier and Mr. Clark. I've never seen them together before."
Because they're the aliens! I replied, understanding dawning on me. It's like possession! Oh, but that's not good. Very not good. If they've possessed people, then none of the other people here will notice what they are. Even if we get the Doctor back, can we help those people? I whined a little, uncertain of what to do. If the aliens were here, then surely that meant they were suspicious of us being here. But it doesn't mean they know who the Doctor is. We can't reveal him now if we can get away with keeping him hidden until they're gone. I spotted Martha enter then, sitting down in John's abandoned seat and speaking with Joan.
John had spotted her too though and abandoned his search for drinks and headed over to confront her. What I didn't expect was Martha to hold out a familiar device. What is she doing? I started to stand but winced when my back thumped against the table, startling Timothy as he hastily pushed at my head to hide me better. Martha, you can't try and reveal him now! They're watching! The aliens are—
"You will be silent!"
All eyes went to Mr. Clark as he stormed in with Baines, Jenny, and an assortment of wobbling scarecrows. I was immediately on high alert, fur bristled and a low growl escaping me as I slipped out from under the tablecloth and stayed reluctantly behind the table and out of sight beside Timothy.
"All of you! I said, silence!"
A man stepped forward, concerned. "Mr. Clark, what's going on?"
The man was vaporized on the spot as Baines shouted instead.
"We asked for silence! Now then, we have a few questions for Mr. Smith."
I resisted the urge to whine, feeling Timothy's hand gripping my fur and desperately trying to find a way for me to get close to John.
"No, better than that," the little girl, Lucy, said, hurrying forward. "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."
Goddammit, Martha! There's no hiding it now and the whole damn village is caught in the crossfire! I shook my head, knowing that it was useless to think about it at this point. But they can't do anything unless he's Time Lord. He said so, I remembered as John argued with Baines about being human. So, we need to hide the watch. I looked to Timothy, nudging him towards the door. You need to go, Tim. Hide somewhere and I'll find you when we need you. I need to get to the Doctor and Martha, because… because they're all I have. He seemed to understand and stayed ducked behind the table as he let me go and I started the careful navigation through the other covered tables towards where Martha and John were standing.
"Change back!" Bains shouted, a quick peak showing me the gun in his hands now.
"I literally do not know—" John tried to explain, confused and lost and scared.
"Ah! Get off me!" Martha shouted, and I nearly jumped out of cover when I saw Jenny holding a gun to her head.
"She's your friend, isn't she? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?"
"I don't know what you mean!" John wailed as a hint of bitterness filled me.
The Doctor would care more. I shoved the thought back.
"Wait a minute. The maid told me about Smith and the matron. That woman there."
"Then, let's have you," Mr. Clark said, pulling Joan away from John as my eyes flicked between her and Martha.
What do I do?
"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor? Being human?"
Martha is my friend, the Doctor's friend. Joan is…
"Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser?"
But Joan is human… Human and clueless and defenseless. Martha is too.
"Then, let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill?"
What would the Doctor do?
"Maid or matron? Your friend or your lover? Your choice."