A/N: Another foray into completely ripping an episode to pieces! Huzzah!
-1913 -
- Farringham -
The pub was warm, and overly crowded. Calypso wasn't really in the mood for it, but she had promised herself she was going to get out once in a while. Thing weren't going as well as she had hoped, and she was pretty certain the next time someone 'accidentally' bumped into her, she was going to scream. Or slap them. She was really only irritable because Colin, their regular errand boy at the supply shop in town, had broken his arm. Doing what, she really had no idea, but he was gone for a week, and that meant that all the deliveries still had to go out. It didn't seem to matter to Mr. Finley that she was supposed to be the accountant, or that she was a woman. Mr. Finley was the old and frail kind of man who didn't concern himself with such things.
So today had been the first day that she had loaded up the truck, with help at the store, and then delivered them to a few houses around town. Her luck with getting them unloaded had varied, but by the end of the day she had been winded, and generally annoyed with all the tut tutting she had to listen to. Tomorrow she was going to have to deliver to the school, which would be two separate deliveries on its own, in addition to the church. If there had ever been a time she had considered trying to jump forward, this was it. But it was only a week. She had endured much worse, she was just a bit out of sorts today.
And then she received another nudge from behind. She spun on her attacker, elbow at the ready. She was rewarded with the sharp pain of striking a mug full of beer.
"Listen, I've had just about enough-" Her words slowly died on her lips as she realized it wasn't another rude man, it was a rather surprised looking woman. "Oh, I'm so sorry." All the annoyance was washed away in a wave of embarrassment. The beer had spilled over her elbow, and some of it had dripped down the woman's skirts.
"Fella's giving you some trouble, love?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"A bit." She admitted. "Please, I'm so sorry. Can I get you another?" She asked, pulling out an old handkerchief to brush away at the woman's dress.
"Naw, don't bother. It's just the head. Never much liked the foam anyway." The woman shrugged, offering a grin.
"I really am so sorry. That was terribly rude. I just got a bit…flustered." She finished lamely. It occurred to her now that she really shouldn't have bothered to come down here since she had already been in such a foul mood.
Honestly," The woman insisted. "It's fine. Why don't you order yourself a drink and you can sit with me and my friend? It certainly looks like you could use one."
"Really?" Calypso couldn't help the grin that spread slowly across her lips. She had yet to really make any friends, aside from Mr. Finley, and that wasn't so much friendship, as much as a comfortable working arrangement. That made her more painfully aware that the offer was too good to pass up.
"Sure, just so long as you don't mind the outside." She nodded toward the door.
"I'm sure it'll be better than in here."
"Here, I'll lend you moral support." The woman grinned and helped Calypso push her way to the bar. "I'm Jenny, by the way."
"Calypso. It's nice to meet you." Jenny tipped one of the mugs in her direction by way of greeting and they flagged the barman down. Calypso paid for a pint of ale and they made it outside where she finally felt like she could breathe in the cool night air.
"Here we are," Jenny said as she led her to a small table out the back of the pub. "I've brought company!" She announced to the woman who was already sitting at the table, warming her hands with a small lamp. Calypso smiled as they approached, eager to start off on a better foot than she had with Jenny. "Found her being sassed by the locals, thought she could join us."
"Oh my god!" She was standing before Calypso had fully registered that she knew the woman.
"Martha?" The name came to her as Martha rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her.
"Calypso!" She laughed. "Oh, it's wonderful to see you. I was about to go mad on my own!"
"It's…nice to see you too." Calypso was struggling to muster up the same level of enthusiasm as Martha.
"Oh. Sorry." Martha stepped back abruptly, but her smile didn't fade. "I guess, I mean. We've only met the one time. I'm coming on a bit strong aren't I?" She laughed and Calypso was relieved. "Oh, it's just all been a bit weird."
"Is he here?" Calypso did her best not to sound too excited, but the truth was, she was excited to see him again. Even knowing that he would be behind this time.
"Well…he is. Except, he's not…" Martha's face fell into a frown. She looked to where Jenny had sat down and was sipping on her ale, trying her best to not look like she was eavesdropping. "He's had a thing with his memory." Martha said in a hushed tone. "Sort of, replaced it. He's not going to know you. He hardly knows me."
"Oh," Calypso struggled to make her voice even as she felt her throat tighten.
"I can't really explain it properly just now." She gave a meaningful glance in Jenny's direction. "But it really is brilliant to see you. Are you living here? You look like you're doing well, better than me anyway." Martha said with a smile, indicating her own dress. "I'm working as a maid up at the school. Me and Jenny both."
"Yes, I'm actually due up there tomorrow. I'm delivering the orders this week. Maybe I'll see you then." Calypso was trying to keep her façade calm as she made small talk, but all she really wanted to know was what had happened to the Doctor.
"You better come see me. Now that I know you're around I'll certainly be coming to see you."
"Martha, what's that?" Jenny asked distractedly. They both turned at her voice but she was staring at the sky, tracking something. Calypso followed her gaze, she thought she might have seen a small blip, but it was gone before she could really be sure. Jenny laughed. "What a funny little thing. Maybe I've had a bit too much already." She indicated her mug as she drank out of it again.
"Did you see? Did you see that light?" A woman came running toward them. She was almost out of breath and pointing back over her shoulder, searching their faces for some sign of confirmation.
"Matron, what's wrong?" Martha was alert, and worried. Calypso felt her own anxiety start to rise.
"There was, it was a green light-" Her voice died as she looked at Calypso, her fear replaced confusion. "Who…?"
"Ladies, is everything alright?" A tall man came striding out of the pub, Calypso was still trying to distinguish what had bothered the woman so thoroughly about herself, but her eyes were on the sky now.
"John! There was a- look! There it is!" Everyone's gaze turned to the sky once again, and this time Calypso saw it. A bright green light streaking across the black.
"Oh, it's beautiful." Jenny murmured and Calypso found herself agreeing.
"Ah, yes. Not to worry. That's just a meteorite. Tiny rocks falling from space. They burn up as they travel through the atmosphere."
She had to look at him then, properly. Because his voice was too familiar, but so strange. Now she saw him clearer in the glow of the lamp. His brown hair was less disheveled than usual, but it was the same. And so were his dark eyes. It was the Doctor. As he lowered his gaze from the sky and caught sight of her, he wore a similar expression to the one the Matron had worn.
"It fell in the woods." The Matron whispered nervously.
"No, no." The Doctor, or John was how she had referred to him, spoke in a reassuring tone. "It looks close, but it's really miles off." His brown eyes were locked on Calypso's again and she shivered. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"
Calypso opened her mouth to respond, but saw Martha furtively shaking her head behind him.
"Um…no. I don't believe we have." She stammered. "I'm Calypso. I work in the village for Mr. Finley."
"How strange…" For a moment it looked like he wasn't going to accept her hand. "You just look very familiar…" He cleared his throat and plastered an easy smile on his face as he took her hand. "Sorry. I'm John, John Smith. I teach at the school." Calypso smiled back, but it was difficult for her to fight off the sinking feeling in her chest.
"She reminds me of someone in one of your stories." The Matron leaned forward, speaking to John.
"Oh…oh! Right." Something occurred to him, but he shook his head again, releasing Calypso's hand. "Strange. Anyway. Matron, I should escort you back to the school. Ladies?" He turned to Martha and Jenny.
"No, we're fine." Martha answered for them both.
"Alright then, I bid you a good evening." He tipped his hat and offered the Matron his arm. He gave Calypso another thoughtful frown before disappearing down the road. Calypso turned to Martha, needing an explanation, but her eyes were on the horizon.
"Jenny, where is that? Where the light disappeared?"
"That's Cooper's field." Jenny shrugged, clearly already having lost interest. "So how do you two know each other?" She asked, but Martha was running down the road, headed for the field.
"You can't just go running off into the dark! You'll break your leg!" Jenny shouted after her, standing from her seat.
"It's alright, I'll go fetch her." Calypso said, snatching the lamp from the table. She had plenty of questions that she needed answered, and it looked like Martha was the only one who knew them.
