Chapter LXXXVIII

Doctor

Mira was in his room, putting some papers on the desk, saying, "You have to go through them before the weekend. That's yesterday's test, we need the grades next week."

He watched as she divided the rather large stash of paper into smaller heaps, her back turned towards him. The morning light streamed through the window, making her hair glow and her skin look soft. What a beautiful neck she had he thought, and how nicely the loose knot of hair high on her head emphasised it. Fine, short and wavy strands of hair had escaped all around her neck and face. Why had he never noticed it? He knew her for such a long time, and never...

And there it struck him again. It was weird. He tried to remember scenes like this, just as he had done before, but he couldn't. Was his memory really that bad? No. He was a a teacher and more than firm with the knowledge his profession required. But it seemed that he could not remember many details of his live before he had come here. Had it always been like this? Probably. And, after all, he could remember where he was born, his parents, their occupation, where he had gone to school, all these things. Maybe it was now all a bit blurred due to hitting his head yesterday.

Oh, and he had dreamed about her tonight. Well, not only about her, but she had been with him on these strange adventures; and it had been a quite intense dream. Nothing he would tell her – or anyone else for that matter. It hadn't been so much the dream itself or the images which were quite disturbing – it was this feeling of connectedness he had felt, connectedness with her, which had been so intense that it had almost hurt him. But, strangely enough, not hurt in a bad way, not at all. But, just as with his other dreams, this one was now fading quickly after he had woken up.

Mira turned around, her bright, grey eyes looking directly back at him. He could never quite tell what was going on behind this inscrutable eyes of hers. It was weird. She was weird. Even though she was wearing the same hair-do as Joan and equally greyish clothes, if more elegant then the ones Joan was wearing, Mira looked so much more youthful and alive. And yet at the same time there was something heavy around her, an aura of sadness. He almost felt a bit intimidated in her presence, even though there was no reason for feeling that way for him. She was a woman, and younger than him, so why would he feel that way? She was a mystery to him, and he wasn't sure at all that he liked riddles and mysteries when it came to people.

Joan on the contrary seemed to be so straightforward and honest. He would always know where he stood with her. She had such a warm, humble and simple way.

"Is there something else you need?" Mira asked.

"Oh... Oh, no, thank you. I think that's it." he stuttered, realising he was staring at her.

And why for God's sake was he comparing Joan and Mira now, he thought as he watched her leaving the room.


Martha

The last night had been rather sleepless for her after they had walked over to that field where the green light seemed to have come down. She hadn't seen anything, but Mira had told her that there was a spaceship, hidden by a deflective field or something like that. When she had asked her how she could possibly know, Mira had replied she could sense the presence of the aliens who were after the Doctor. That, together with the strange light could only mean they had arrived here in some sort of vessel. Mira had refused to search for their ship because it wouldn't do them any good. But she had also said that the aliens seemed to be confused, uncertain, so it was not sure at all they had discovered the Doctor in his human form yet.

They had agreed to meet at the TARDIS today, giving Mira some time to find out more. She herself had kept her ears and eyes open as well, but she was lacking the additional sense that would make it so easy for Mira to recognise the aliens, even if they were hiding somewhere out of sight.

She arrived before Mira and opened the door.

"Hello," she said when she stepped in, and then added a bit more quietly, "I'm talking to a machine"

Then she started the recording the Doctor had made. She just had no idea when he had done it.

"This working?" he said, looking at her from the screen. "Mira, 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 two. Don't let me abandon you. And fi-"

She turned the button to fast forward it. There must be the part when they got discovered. Then she heard the door, and her head flung around. But it was only Mira, and she nodded at her as she continued to listen.

"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 me 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 he'd come back," she whispered. "What's with the aliens now and everything..."

"Yeah, I never liked this plan anyway," Mira said next to her. "But they didn't discover us yet, so don't you open that watch now."

"You're sure about that?" she asked sceptically.

"Pretty sure," Mira replied. "They're not at the school yet. There's still a chance they might leave again, thinking they were wrong."

"But-"

"Martha, as said, I absolutely disagree with his plan, and if it's for me I would open that watch right now. But he thought that's the best way, and he trusts us with this. If we open the watch now, he would have gone through all this for nothing."

She looked at Mira, knowing deep down inside that she was right, even though she didn't like it. He trusted them, and she would not disappoint him.

"Say," she asked, just to change the topic, "When did he record that? He certainly didn't before he changed. I mean, you were there, you watched him."

"I have no idea. But it's never good to rely on the progression of cause to effect with him. Who knows when he's going to record that one," Mira replied with a big sigh.


Mira

Later that day, back at the school, and after the shocking discovery that one of the aliens had made it to the school in shape of Baines, she almost bumped into a young boy, coming from the Doctor's room. It wouldn't have been that remarkable at all hadn't she seen a glimpse of a golden fob watch he quickly tried to put it in his pocket. The golden fob watch.

"Sorry miss," he said and tried to get past her, his dark eyes turned to the floor.

He was a slender, shy looking boy she hadn't seen before. But then again, there where quite a lot boys at this school.

"No worries," she said, "But where did you get that watch-" Then she noticed it. This little shy boy, now looking at her with a hint of fear in his eyes, was a telepath. He didn't seem to really be aware of what he was doing, but he had definitely tried to reach out for her. And now he had most likely just noticed that he didn't get anything from here because she had instinctively blocked her mind. Then what was he doing with the watch? Why had he picked it up? He didn't seem to be a common thief, not after what she could see of his personality. Did he know? He was genuinely and in the most innocent way confused, that was for sure. Was he immune to the perception filter, just as she herself was? She had touched the watch occasionally, when the Doctor wasn't watching, and she could feel that he was alive in there. So had he touched it and then couldn't help himself but pick it up for the sake of curiosity?

"No, don't be afraid," she hurried to say as the boy took a slow step backwards. "What's your name?"

"Latimer. Tim Latimer, Miss."

"Okay, Latimer," she repeated.

Don't be afraid, she thought, focusing on him, lowering her mental barriers.

She wasn't sure it would work, but at least he didn't look as if he was about to run away any moment. And by now she had made up her mind.

"You keep that watch save, do you hear me?" she told him without any further explanation. "It's important. And don't open it! Let us meet outside in the garden in an hour. Behind the school by the trees is a bench."

"I have to be at the shooting range then," he replied.

"Okay, after that then. And remember, you must not give the watch to anyone!"

He just nodded, and to everyone else it might have seemed as if he didn't have the slightest intention to be at their meeting place later. But she could feel he had indeed understood.

She looked after him as he hurried away. Whatever had made him go for that watched, she hoped it would be for the best. The aliens where here, somehow they had managed to take on human form. But they hadn't found him yet. They were still searching. And right now that watch was saver with the little telepath than lying around in the Doctor's room where it could be easily found. The boy would know to stay away from them once he had sensed that they weren't human. And he should appear unsuspicious enough to them. Unlike herself, she remembered all to well that she had been identified once as non-human by the Judoon and their scanners.


Doctor

He was out at the shooting range, watching the boys practising with a machine gun. Mira seemed to be done with her duties for today and stood a few steps aside, watching with a strange, distant look in her eyes, making her seem older than she was.

The young Latimer was feeding the ammunition belt for Hutchinson, but he seemed to be a bit clumsy.

"Concentrate!" he said to him and then added, "Hutchinson, excellent work."

"Cease fire!" the Headmaster, Mr Rocastle, commanded and stepped closer.

"Good day to you, Headmaster," he said.

"Your crew's on fine form today, Mister Smith."

"Excuse me, Headmaster," Hutchinson said, "We could do a lot better. Latimer's being deliberately shoddy."

"I'm trying my best!" the little boy tried to defend himself.

"You need to be better than the best," Rocastle told him. "Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent."

"That's exactly the problem, sir," the boy replied. "They only have spears."

"Oh, dear me," the Headmaster sighed. "Latimer takes it upon himself to make us realise how wrong we all are. I hope, Latimer, that one day you may have a just and proper war in which to prove yourself."

"A voice of reason," Mira said, hardly audible but the Headmaster had heart it, as his head flung around.

"Pardon me? Miss Mira Rhodan, is that right?"

"Yes sir. And I said he might well be a voice of reason. Apart from that, one should be careful what one wishes for. It might come true."

"And what does a woman now about war and fighting?" the Headmaster asked indignantly.

He watched how Mira and the Headmaster stared at each other in silence for a long moment, and he couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated again. And even the Headmaster seem to shrink slightly under her look.

"My apologies, sir," she finally said. "It's not on me to judge men's business."

Rocastle nodded at her, then turned around to the boys, "Cease fire!"

"Stoppage. Immediate action," Hutchinson said and turned to the Headmaster. "Didn't I tell you, sir? This stupid boy is useless. Permission to give Latimer a beating, sir."

"It's your class, Mister Smith," Rocastle said after a moment of consideration.

He was about to to agree with that, but then caught Mira's look, making him suddenly feel as if caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"No," he said, "No, let's give him another chance tomorrow. I think they're done for today."

"But-" Hutchinson started.

"You heart Mister Smith," the Headmaster said, whilst Latimer hurried to get back to the school.

A sniff next to him made him turn his head. The boy Baines was standing there, looking at him.

"Anything the matter, Baines?"

"I thought... No, sir. Nothing, sir," Baines replied and left.

He looked after him. Was there a cold going round? He watched Mira walk away as well, and decided to follow her.

"You should not oppose the Headmaster in such a way," he said when he reached her.

"Oh?" She turned to him. "I know, there's a lot of things I shouldn't say and do."

"Mira, I vouched for you when he gave you this job."

"I know, and I'm sorry," she replied, and he could here hardly restrained anger in her voice. "He's making those boys train for war. Little Latimer, most of all. He, and others who are like him, could do so much good if they wouldn't force him to be something he's not! Apart from that, there never comes anything good out of a war, ever!"

"Well, yes, Latimer is a bit soft, but he will learn discipline in time, and-"

"Discipline? You mean military drill. And yes, he is soft, but that's exactly what this world is lacking. Intelligent, sensible and compassionate people like him. People who'd refuse to kill in an absolutely unfair fight."

He stared at her in surprise. He hadn't expected that. Had she always seemed so controlled, and now there was barely restrained anger in her voice and her eyes gleaming at him. Was it really about a war which might never come? There was no sign for it anywhere, it was as peaceful a time as it could be. Or was it about Latimer? Why did she feel so sorry for him? She had no children, at least not that he could remember. Had she ever lost a child? Did the boy remind her of someone?

"I- I'm sorry," he said, in lack for better words. "I didn't want to upset you. Just never mention that to anyone else, will you?"

Instead of replying, she just looked at him. Well, it seemed as if it was an agreeing look.

"What I wanted to ask," he added, just to help them both out of this awkward situation, "Do you go to the village dance? There must be quite some men asking you, am I right?"

"Why, no," she replied. "Apart from that, I can't dance. Not much point going to a dance then, is there? You'll excuse me, I have things to do."

With that said she hurried away, leaving him rather dumbfounded.


Mira

Indeed, Latimer was sitting on the bench behind the school. The watch was gleaming in the sunlight as he hold it in his hands. She sat down next to him

"I can hear him," the boy said without looking up. "He's in there, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"But who is he?" Now Latimer looked up, his dark eyes on her. "What is a Time Lord? He's not human, is he?"

"No, Latimer, he isn't."

"But you are?" And, as she nodded, he added, "And you're like me?"

"Not quite," she replied. "I'm an empath. I can't read someone else's thoughts like you. Just their emotions. I can only read minds with another telepath, like you are."

"A telepath?" he asked. "So that's what I am? Never thought about it like this. It's just – sometimes I know things. I hear other people even when they're not talking. But not always."

"It could get stronger over time, or just stay like it is. Either way, don't be afraid to use it to your advantage. You're a good person, I'm sure you'll do the right thing with it. But don't tell others. They won't believe you anyway. And if they do, they won't understand."

"No, I'm in enough trouble most of the times anyway," he replied. "Oh, thanks for saving me the beating, Miss."

"You're welcome, though I didn't do that much. And you can call me Mira. So, did he tell you anything?"

"Is he a good person?" he asked instead of answering her question.

She considered a moment what to answer. "He's the most honest liar I've ever met," she finally said with a grin.

He looked at her for a moment, a frown on his face, then it seemed to dawn on him and he smiled shyly.

"He said I should keep him away from the false and empty man," he said. "It's- It's Baines? What's wrong with him?"

"He's one of them I'm afraid. They are looking for him. He's hiding because he didn't want to fight them. They will die soon anyway."

"Why? Why doesn't he want to fight? Is he afraid of them?"

"No, why, he's-"

And then, as she remembered what Latimer had said earlier, it dawned on her, making her feel incredibly stupid. Stupid and embarrassed.

They only have spears.

"He just chose not to, I guess," she said quietly, realising that she might have lost perspective. It was not always about the big wars; sometimes it was just about a few people. "Keep the watch save, I'm afraid that after all his plan is not working out as he'd have liked it. I'm not sure if they know that I'm... not from here, so I think it's saver with you. If I need it, if he needs to come back, I'll let you know."

Then, at once with Latimer, she turned her head. There they were. And it was not only Baines now. Mr Clark and a little girl with a red balloon accompanied him. They all sniffed deeply.

Stay away from them. They are dangerous, she told Latimer, who, with a determined look on his young, gentle face, ran off.

...

The next day she went to the TARDIS. Martha had told her earlier she had to talk to her urgently, and well, she sort of had to talk to Martha as well. Letting her in on her plan, or, rather, the Doctor's plan and him asking Latimer to keep him hidden. And to warn her that the aliens were already in the school.

Martha was already there when she entered, watching the recording again.

"Four. You. Don't let me abandon you," the Doctor said.

"That's no good. What about the stuff you didn't tell me?" Martha mumbled. "What about women? Oh no, you didn't think of that. What in hell am I supposed to do then? You had to, didn't you? You had to go and fall in love with a human, and it wasn't me."

"What it is?" she asked alarmed and walked over to Martha, who startled as if she hadn't heard her coming.

"It's that Joan-woman. That nurse. He kissed her!" Martha yelled, and she could feel her embarrassment about what she had just said, believing she was alone in the TARDIS.

"He did what? You're sure?" she asked as the information sunk in. He had done what? Oh that was just great. So much for don't let him hurt anyone. He was not in love with her, was he? Not really. Maybe his human self, but not him. Oh, she just had been too occupied with the aliens the last days and hadn't really paid attention to his emotions. But why that nurse? And how was it possible in that little time to fall in love with someone? Well, then again, a kiss could mean nothing.

"Yes! I came into his room, and there they were, sitting on the couch, like teenagers, and-"

"Martha-"

"Oh how can he do such a thing? That nurse of all people?"

"Martha, I'm afraid we have more pressing problems," she tried it again.

"But he didn't tell us what to do! He-"

"Martha! He did tell us to not let him hurt someone. Well, maybe we couldn't keep him from doing so. Once he's his old self again, he'll leave and she will stay here. She'll be hurt, but she'll get over it, she's a grown up woman, she-"

"But if he doesn't leave her behind? What if-"

"Martha, stop it!" she said, being fed up with this topic already. "There's no way he will still love her once he's a Time Lord again."

Suddenly Martha looked at her as if she had just been slapped.

"Why? Because she's human?" Martha asked.

"Martha, not now please," she said, not wanting to think about that too much herself. "The aliens are at the school. They took on the form of humans, don't ask me how. Don't think they've found him yet."

"What!? We have to bring him back then!"

"No," she said, probably a bit to harshly. "He said not yet. We should keep him hidden."

"And how did he do that when he's still in this watch?" Martha wanted to know.

"Martha, please believe me, he did. I'm sorry, but the less you know right now, the better. With those aliens sniffing around we can't have too many people knowing. The only thing I can tell you is that I can still hear him in his watch and he asked to keep him hidden, and that's what he wanted to do from the very beginning."


Martha

To say she was torn would be an understatement. On one side, she knew it was best to trust Mira, sticking to the Doctor's original plan, but on the other side she was just absolutely hurt and unsure about all of it. Why did he have to kiss that nurse? And why would he never love a human once he was a Time Lord again? So there was no chance for the two of them, not ever? And then, if the aliens were already so close, wasn't it best to let him out of this watch? What good could he do as a human to defend himself? Yes, he had wanted to hide, but obviously it hadn't worked out.

So she tried to go on as if nothing had happened, just as Mira had asked her to do, and poured a cup of tea, when Jenny came into their room.

"There you are. Come and look what I've got," she said to her and pointed at the tray with the small cake on it. "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?"

Jenny sniffed deeply. Weird, she thought, was there a cold going round?

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I must have a cold coming on," Jenny replied and sat down with her.

"The problem is, I keep thinking about them, but I don't know what to do," she said, if only for the sake of saying something. And Jenny had always proven a good partner for idle conversation. Only that it wasn't that idle this time.

"Thinking about who?" Jenny asked.

"Mister Smith and Matron. Because it's never going to last. He's going to leave in a few weeks."

"Why?"

"It's like his contract comes to an end. And she's going to be heartbroken."

"Leave for where?" Jenny asked.

"All sorts of places. I wish I could tell you, Jenny, but it's complicated."

"In what way?"

"I just can't," she replied and looked at Jenny.

She seemed weird, a bit absent. Something was not quite right. She wasn't her usual, bubbly self.

"It sounds so interesting. Tell me. Tell me now," Jenny insisted in a monotonous voice.

"Would you like some tea?" she said instead of replying.

"Yes, thanks."

She looked up again. Did she even listen?

"I could put a nice bit of gravy in the pot," she said. "And some mutton. Or sardines and jam. How about that?"

"I like the sound of that," Jenny replied flatly.

All right. Something was absolutely wrong here. But... No, she couldn't be one of those aliens, could she?

"Right," she said and got up. "Hold on a tick."

She went to the door, halfway expecting Jenny to leap at her, but she managed to get outside, closing the door. Then she started to run, leaving the building, thinking to whom to turn to. Mira or the Doctor? The Doctor, she decided in an instance. She would let him out. Obviously they had found out anyway.

Then a ray of green energy hardly missed her, fired from the window of her room.

Not much later she reached his room and threw the door open.

"They've found us!" she yelled, and then saw that, of course, that nurse was with him.

"This is ridiculous," she said to Martha.

"Martha, I've warned you," the Doctor said.

"They've found us, and I've seen them," she continued, ignoring the nurse. "They look like people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch. Where is it?"

She turned to the mantelpiece, but there was no watch. For a moment she felt as if her heart had stopped and her whole body became cold with shock.

"Oh, my God," she breathed. "Where's it gone? Where's the watch?"

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor asked.

"You had a watch. A fob watch. Right there," she said and pointed at the mantelpiece.

"Did I? I don't remember," he replied.

"I can't see what concern it is of yours," Joan said coldly.

"But we need it," she cried. "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," she heard a warning voice from the door. Mira, what was she doing here?

"Oh, I see. Cultural differences," the Doctor said. "It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story," he continued, speaking as if she was more than slightly retarded.

"Oh you complete-," she said. "This is not you. This is nineteen thirteen."

"Martha, stop it," Mira said. "I think she has a headache, so would you come with me now, please?"

"Good," he Doctor said, "This is nineteen thirteen. And there are no aliens here, it is only a story."

She stared at him for a moment. What else could she do to convince him? And where was this dammed watch? "I've sorry. I'm really sorry, but I've got to snap you out of this," said, walked over to him and slapped him hard across the face.

"Martha!" Mira and Joan yelled together.

"Wake up!," she said desperately, ignoring them both. "You're coming back to the Tardis with me."

"How dare, how dare you," the Doctor yelled. "I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant. Martha, you are dismissed. You will leave these premises immediately." He grabbed her at the arm and shoved her over to the door. "Now get out!"

She heard the door slam shut behind her, and, still raging, she started to run off. She had to find the watch somewhere, without it he would never be himself again.

She heard Mira yell behind her, but she didn't care. Only when Mira grabbed her sleeve she stopped and turned.

"WHAT?" she yelled.

"The watch is save."

"What?!"

"It's save. It's with Latimer. He-"

"Tim? Tim Latimer?" she interrupted Mira. What had that boy to do with it?

"Yes. He's a telepath. He can hear him, even though he's inside the watch. He's save with him."

"But why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't. Did they find him? Do they know who he is?" Mira asked.

"Yes!" she said. Well, that was not really completely true, but close.

"Martha, that's a lie."

"I- Dammit. I think so. Jenny, she's... Oh God, did they kill her? Is she dead?"

"Martha I- I'm afraid so. Martha, listen. Now is not the time to panic. Don't try to bring him back by slapping him or telling him things. That won't work. What he is, his true self, is in the watch. Nothing in this universe can bring him back without opening it. Just... Just try to act normal."

"But we have to do something! We can't just sit around and-"

"We will. I'll let Latimer know, and then... I guess it depends what the Doctor tells Latimer to do, and if and when they discover what's going on."


Mira

They were outside the village hall. She knew that the aliens were on their way as well, and she had also spoken with Latimer – he had claimed that the Doctor had told him to continue hiding him.

So they could do nothing but wait and watch for now – and try to not escalate anything. Which would be quite a task, regarding the state Martha was in. She was in love with the Doctor – nothing new to her, but she had not quite realised how deeply. Still, even after all she knew about him, it was almost frightening to her what loyalty, and yes, even love, he could inspire in others. And, in Martha's stead, she would probably have acted just like her. But she had learned over time to put her personal feelings aside. She would have to deal with it later though, that was for sure.

She was moving through the crowed now, and, just as she had told Martha, was watching out for Mr Clarke, Baines, that little girl and Jenny, trying to figure out what they were up to. She hadn't seen Martha in a while, and as she watched out for her, she saw her on Joan's table. The Doctor was nowhere to be seen.

Oh no.

She walked over to the table, hearing Martha's last sentence.

"Yes, you do," Martha just said to Joan, "I don't mean to be rude, but the awful thing is it doesn't even matter what you think. But you're nice. And you're lucky. And I just wanted to say sorry for what I'm about to do."

"Martha," she whispered sharply, just as the Doctor returned.

"Oh, now really, Martha?" he said. "This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave."

Before she could do anything, Martha pulled the Sonic Screwdriver out of her pocket and hold it up for the Doctor clear to see. She tried to snatch it out of Martha's hand, but she hold it out of her reach. The Doctor had seen it anyway by now. And there she had thought Martha had understood her.

"Do you know what this is?" Martha asked. "Name it. Go on, name it."

"John, what is that silly thing? John?" Joan asked, but the Doctor just wordlessly stared at it, finally taking it from Martha's hand.

"You're not John Smith," Martha said. "You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."

"Martha, no!" she yelled, but it was too late. Well, it had been too late five minutes ago once Martha had started to talk to Joan, when her only choice had been to cause a scene by dragging Martha away and draw the alien's attention, or do nothing and let Martha draw their attention.

"There will be silence! All of you!" Mr Clark yelled.

And indeed, the whole room fell silence. The only noise was that of a scarecrow entering the room.

Oh hell, a scarecrow, she thought. So they're not limited to humans or even living beings. As soon as the crowed saw the scarecrow there were sounds of fear.

"I said, silence!" Clark yelled again.

"Mister Clarke, what's going on?" Mr Chambers said, but it didn't do him any good. He got vaporised by one of their guns.

"Forget everything Martha just said," she whispered to the Doctor. "She's finally lost it, Mr Smith."

"We asked for silence!" Baines said. "Now then, we have a few questions for Mister Smith."

"No, better than that," the girl, still holding onto the balloon, said. "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."

"You took human form," Baines said and sniffed at him.

"Of course I'm human," the Doctor replied. "I was born human, as were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mister Clark. What is going on? This is madness!"

"Ooo, and a human brain, too," Baines added. "Simple, thick and dull."

"But he's no good like this," Jenny realised.

"We need a Time Lord," Clark added.

"Easily done," Baines said and stepped forward, raising his ray gun. "Change back."

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Doctor said, with a fear she had never heard in his voice before.

"Change back!" Baines said.

"I literally do not know-"

Just then Jenny grabbed Martha, holding a gun to her head.

"She's your friend, isn't she?" Jenny said. "Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?"

"I don't know what you mean!" the Doctor cried.

"Wait a minute," Jenny said. "The maid told me about Smith and the Matron. That woman, there."

"Then let's have you," Clark said and hold a gun to Joan's head.

"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor, being human?" Baines asked. "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 matron? Your friend or your lover? Your choice."


OneWhoReadsToMuch, Cosmic Angst, bored411, E-man-dy-S, heroherondaletotherescue, GhostlySights, .54, oXxgeorgiaxXo, Jayla Fira Gal, canadduh, frosty600, StoryGirlWrites: Thank you for reviewing :-)