Chapter Seventeen: I'll Keep You Locked In my Head, Until We Meet Again

His hazel eyes snapped open, blinking a few times trying to remember where he was. He sat up suddenly, glancing around the Victorian style room – wooden panelling, mahogany bookcases. He turned, putting his feet on the floor. A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in." He called, not quite expecting his accent to sound so refined. Martha walked into the room wearing a plain maids' uniform. She blushed.

"Pardon me, Mr Smith, you're not dressed yet. I can come back later-" She turned her back and was relieved when he pulled on a dressing gown. Martha felt as if she was dishonouring Rose…sorry Joan.

"No, it's alright, it's alright. Put it down." She placed the tray down on the table.

"I was, um...Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams." She crossed to the windows and pulled the curtains open.

"What about, sir?"

"I dream I'm this...adventurer. This...daredevil, a madman. 'The Doctor', I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my...companion along with the headmaster." Martha stiffened slightly.

"A teacher, the headmaster and a housemaid, sir? That's impossible. Was there anyone else sir?" Martha saw his face flush slightly.

"Ah no, a man from another world, though..."

"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing." Martha held her breath as the Doctor crossed to the mantelpiece and picked up the watch.

"This thing...the watch..." When he put is back down she let out a small sigh of relief.

"Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away. But I do remember one thing; it all took place in the future. In the year of Our Lord two thousand and seven.

"I can prove that wrong for you sir, here's the morning paper. It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human, sir. As human as they come."

"Mmm, that's me; completely human." Martha smiled and quickly left the room, as the door closed she leaned against it. She had to speak to Jack.

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"So he's remembering certain things." Martha sat down opposite Jack.

"What do you mean 'certain things'? It's a lot of things."

"Martha don't panic. What he remembers he thinks are dreams. Its nothing to worry about." Martha didn't seem any less calm.

"He remembers me, you and I'm sure Rose, although he wouldn't admit it." Jack looked at her for a minute. Jack lifted his feet up to place them on the desk as he did so often in the TARDIS, Martha hit his feet until he put them down again. "I have to clean that desk!"

"Why did you choose Redfern as Rose's last name?" Martha's eyes widened of all the things she'd thought he'd ask she didn't think it'd be this.

"Well 'Red' was for 'red rose' something that the Doctor is banned from calling Rose and 'Fern' was because Rose told me she was nearly named 'Fern' instead of 'Rose'. It was just to give us a clue as to who she was; I couldn't exactly call her 'Joan Rose' or 'Joan Smith'." Jack nodded understanding her thinking. "I hope Rose can remember everything from those medical journals the TARDIS 'downloaded into her. How's Tala doing?"

"She misses them." He passed Tala to Martha. "I've made it clear that you're in charge of looking after 'my daughter'."

"Jenny, the other maid, has already started to ask questions about my relationship with him, she thinks 'I'm sweet on him', I can't exactly explain that you're all like family to me can I?"

"Its hard at the moment." He agreed with her.

"I just hope it gets easier."

"Me too Martha, me too." As a knock sounded at the door Martha quickly stood up assuming the pose of a dutiful maid. Jack sighed and began to look formal. "Come in!"

"Excuse me Sir,"

"Yes Latimer?"

"Professor Smith has fallen down the stairs, he looks as if he's in a bad way." Jack sighed.

"Thank you Latimer, fetch the Matron for him." Latimer closed the door. "£10 says it's because he saw Rose."

"Like the last four accidents?" Martha laughed, trying to hold herself steady for Tala.

"I have never been more thankful that he's Time Lord, I don't think I could've coped if he was human when he met Rose." Jack slowly stood up. "I suppose we'd better see what damage he's done this time."

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Rose felt some pleasure as he began to squirm and hiss as she cleaned up the Doctor's cut.

"Stop it. I get boys causing less fuss than this."

"Because it hurts!" Rose ran her hand through his hair; he didn't seem to mind. At that moment Jack and Martha burst in.

"What has he done this time, Matron?" Jack asked.

"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha asked instinctively.

"He's just had a minor disagreement with the stairs, Headmaster." Rose pressed against the cut harder, receiving a sharp hiss of pain. "Is this the fourth time Mr Smith?"

"Fifth." He mumbled. Martha lifted Tala higher to hide her grin.

"Yes, the first was the books falling off the shelf on top of you. Then there was the shelf falling off the wall, then falling off the ladder and walking into the ward door." The Doctor blushed, he could see in Jack's eyes that he knew each time involved the Matron being nearby.

"I trust he'll be fine."

"He'll be perfectly healthy for this afternoon's lessons." Jack seemed to accept her answer and left immediately with Martha. As they left Rose turned to face him. "What else happens in you're dreams, have you met anyone famous like Charles Dickens or William Shakespeare?" He gaped at her, he stood slowly. Touching the back of his head gently, Rose had a sudden urge to slap his hand away but found it hardly proper.

"I dream, quite often that I have two hearts." He laughed slightly, trying to shake off his embarrassment. Before Rose could stop herself she placed her hand over his heart, he looked shocked but didn't mind.

"I'm afraid I've only found one." Rose didn't want to admit that she'd had some similar dreams.

"I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction...um...not that it would be of any interest." Rose smiled at him.

"I'd be interested." She smiled genuinely at him. He reached across to his desk and pulled out a black leather bound journal. She smiled as she read the title 'Journal of Impossible Things'. She turned the pages smiling as she saw the images. Somewhere in the back of her mind she recognised some of the creatures. She stopped as she saw herself, with a completely different hairstyle.

"That's me." She noticed the wedding ring, drawn on her finger. "Who am I married to?" She smiled at him.

"Well…actually…" She turned the page and saw a picture of John, wearing an identical gold band on his hand, in small writing it said 'husband of Rose Tyler and father to Tala Sigma'. Below his face, was a small drawing of the three of them, smiling.

"The TARDIS." She muttered as she saw the blue box.

"How do you know that?" He asked.

"I read it, there." She pointed to the page randomly; he seemed to accept her explanation.

"Ah, that's the box, the blue box, it's always there. Like a...like a magic carpet, this funny little box that transports me to far away places."

"Like a space ship or a time machine?" She asked, he smiled at her.

"I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true."

"If only."

"It's just a dream." He told her smiling, but their eyes betrayed the hope.

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Rose closed the door to the study only to be pounced on by Jack.

"Nurse Redfern, I was wondering if you could look after my daughter for a short while. Martha is a little occupied with her duties."

"Of course sir." Rose took Tala from him, passing Jack the journal. Jack held onto he journal.

"Thank you Joan." He smiled and then quickly backed away.

"Headmaster!" She called. Jack carried on ignoring her, the journal tightly clasped in his hands. Rose sighed and turned holding Tala steadily.

Jack rounded the corner and passed the journal to Martha.

"Give this back to him."

"That was close."

"Rose hasn't written anything down has she?" Martha shook her head.

"She isn't the type to write a diary."

"We've got to be careful." Jack muttered. "I don't know about those two laying low, I think it's a holiday for them!"

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Rose continued to walk across the field towards the village pub. A green light seemed to scan her for a few moments. Suddenly the beam went out, Rose turned and the beam began to head in the direction she came.

Strangely she didn't feel afraid, she felt wonder.

As she reached the pub Martha sensed that something was up, she was used to Rose's reactions towards adventure and things she didn't understand.

"Matron, are you alright?" She asked warily.

"There was a green light, it hovered and then…" The Doctor walked out of the pub with Jack, they came and stood next to the women.

"Anything wrong, ladies? Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you…" He trailed off as he saw Rose.

"There's another one." John was impressed by the wonder in her voice, he followed where she was pointing.

"There...orgom. Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."

"I think it landed in the woods." Jack shared a look with Martha.

"No, no, no, they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder. It is cold, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold Joan, would you mind if I escorted you back to the school." Rose smiled.

"I'd be honoured." He held out his arm for her to take. As soon as the Doctor and Rose were out of sigh, Jack and Martha ran as fast as they could towards the woods.

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Rose pulled her coat tighter around her.

"I have to admit Joan…never mind." Rose stopped, turning to face him.

"What were you going to say John?" She gave his arm a small squeeze.

"Forgive me but I am amazed that you weren't afraid of what happened. Another woman in your situation would have been very afraid." Rose smirked slightly; his accent seemed too refined.

"I am not like other women." She laughed, he laughed with her. "I do not jump at every bump in the night." She looked at him. "How is your head?" She asked.

"Much better thank you Joan."

"I did tell you to mind the stairs." Rose teased.

"I seem to remember you shouting 'Theta'." Rose gave him a puzzled look.

"I don't remember that John." He looked into her brown eyes and saw genuine confusion. When he tried to look away he found he couldn't. He leaned in slightly; Rose didn't pull away. They were barely inches apart when the clock chimed on the front of the school building. They jumped apart.

"It has been a nice evening Joan."

"Thank you for walking me home John." Rose gave him a grateful smile before quickly leaving his side to walk back to her room. The Doctor grinned widely at the memory of the woman who'd just left his side.

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A knock on the door drew the Doctor out of his thoughts. He snapped the journal shut; he'd just finished adding more notes about Rose to it. He stood and crossed to the door. When he opened it he found Latimer waiting there patiently.

"You told me to come and collect that book, Sir."

"Good lad, yes…yes! The Definitive Account of Mafeking" by Aitchison-Price, where did I put it?"

"Where you left it." A small voice whispered into his mind, he ignored it as always. Latimer followed him as he walked over to his desk.

"And I wanted a little word- your marks aren't quite good enough."

"I'm top ten in my class, sir."

"Now, be honest, Timothy. You should be the very top. You're a clever boy, but you seem to be hiding it. Where is that book..." He felt an odd sense of loss, almost as if he never lost anything or someone as missing to help him look. After deciding the desk held no promise he walked into the small study adjoined to the main room. "And I know why. Keeping your head low avoids the mockery of your classmates. But no man should hide himself, don't you think?" Timothy found his attention drawn away from Mr Smith and across to the mantelpiece. He picked up the atch and studied it.

"Yes sir..."

"You're clever, be proud of it. Use it."

"Time Lord...Timothy, hide yourself... I'm trapped, kept inside the cogs...one of two…" The voice came from the watch, he touched the clasp and the watched opened, golden energy came from inside. He closed it quickly as the Doctor came back into the room.

"Fascinating details about the siege, really quite remarkable- are you alright?"

"Yes Sir. Fine, Sir."

"Right then. Good. And remember- use that brain of yours!"

"Power of a Time Lord…" Latimer saw an image of the Doctor dressed in his trademark suit, wielding the screwdriver; curiously there was a ring on his left hand.

"You're really not looking yourself, old chap- anything bothering you, or...?"

"No Sir...Thank you, Sir." Timothy closed the door behind himself. He opened the watch once more.

"One of two…you are not alone...keep me hidden..."

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The village was reasonably quiet. The only action taking place in the village was the delivery of a piano, two men were trying to keep the piano steady. The Doctor noticed Rose was more quiet than usual.

"Joan, what's wrong?"

"You're teaching those boys to fight, to hold a gun. Is not that wrong enough?"

"It is the way of the world. We hope that nothing will happen but we need to be prepared."

"You sound like my fiancé." The Doctor knew he'd hit a raw nerve.

"You're fiancé?" She looked at him, deciding whether or not to divulge anything else, when she saw the sincere look on his face she knew she had to.

"He was older than me, we were ahead of our time engaged within a year. He was a tall man with piercing blue eyes and large ears." She smiled at the memory. "He was killed in battle, he sacrificed himself so others might live, he changed over time refusing to use weapons but on that final day..."

"Well... Great Britain's at peace, long may it reign." He reassured her. "I'll admit mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself - everyday life can provide honour and valour and...let's hope that from now on this, this country can...can find its heroes in smaller places..." He began distracted as he saw a woman and a pram turn the corner near the shop building. He looked above them noticing the rope holding the piano was fraying. The woman seemed oblivious to the danger. "In the most..." A young boy walked past, throwing a cricket ball up and down, he looked back towards the piano swaying violently. "Ordinary...of deeds!"

To his surprise it was Rose who grabbed the cricket ball and threw it towards the woman pushing the pram. The ball hit the table leg on the grocery stall, knocking the table over into the woman's path. As she stopped the rope on the piano snapped, falling to the floor. He stood their amazed.

"You can play cricket?" He asked.

"No but I can throw a ball." She told him, her face threatening to break into laughter. "I'm curious what were you going to do?"

"The same." He told her quickly. He wasn't prepared to tell her that he was planning on throwing the ball towards the scaffolding in front of the ironmongers, hoping for it to hit the wood that had a brick carefully placed n the end and with luck the brick would've hit the milk churn on the end of the cart, stopping the woman in much the same way the stall had. Rose's attempt had been more sensible.

"I believe you." Rose told him. He looked at the woman in front of him, stunned by her actions.

"Nurse Redfern, might I invite you to the village dance this evening? As my guest?"

"Your plus one?" She asked cheekily. He nodded turning red. "Quite right too."

TBC

A/N: Well done to everyone who picked up the hints to what Rose's 'human' name would be.

P.S THANKS FOR REVIEWING!!