There was knock at the door and he walked over and opened it. Martha had taken Kiam for the afternoon, while he graded papers.
"You told me to come and collect that book, sir." Timothy said.
"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."
"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."
He heads into the alcove to search for the book. Finding it, he heads back to Timothy. "Fascinating details about the siege. Really quite remarkable. Are you all right?"
"Yes, sir. Fine, sir."
"Right then. Good. And remember. Use that brain of yours." He looks concerned at Timothy. "You're really not looking yourself, old chap. Anything bothering you?"
"No, sir Thank you, sir."
-DW-
He was out on the shooting range watching the Boys practicing firing machine guns at targets. He hated teaching the class but it was a condition on him getting the job here.
"Concentrate." He said half heartedly.
"Hutchinson, excellent work."
"Cease fire!"
"Good day to you, Headmaster." He said pleasantly.
"Your crew's on fine form today, Mister Smith."
"Thank you sir"
He walked to the wall. "Ah, Nurse Redfern."
"Er, I'll give you back your journal when next I see you."
"No, no, no. You don't have to."
"If you'll excuse me, Mister Smith. I was just thinking about the day my husband was shot."
He gathered up Kiam from Martha and the three of them were walking in the Village. Though he trusted Martha, after her reaction the other day, he was less inclined to let her spend a lot of time with his son.
"His name was Oliver." Joan began, continuing their earlier conversation." He died in the battle of Spion Cop. We were childhood sweethearts. But you see, I was angry with the army for such a long time."
"It sounds as though, you still are."
"I find myself as part of that school watching boys learn how to kill."
"Don't you think discipline is good for them?"
"Does it have to be such military discipline? I mean, if there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing and is that what you want for him." She gestured to the baby in his arms.
"Well, Great Britain is at peace, long may it reign."
"In your journal, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year. Nineteen fourteen."
"That was just a dream."
"All those images of mud and wire. You told of a shadow. A shadow falling across the entire world."
"Well then, we can be thankful it's not true. And I'll admit mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honor and valor, and let's hope that from now on this, this country can find its heroes in smaller places."
He hears a bicycle bell and turns to see men with a piano struggling as it dangles from a fraying rope. He sees a woman pushing a stroller come around the corner.
"In the most," He passes Kiam to Joan. "Ordinary of, of deeds."
He grabs a cricket ball ball from a small boy next to them and throws it at the scaffolding outside the Ironmongers. He watches as it falls and hits a plank that sends a brick flying through the air to knock down a milk churn in front of the stroller stopping it just before the rope finally gives up and drops the piano to the ground mere feet in front. The piano falls to pieces and he hears the baby start to cry.
"Lucky." He says casually, taking his son back.
"That was luck?"
"Nurse Redfern, might I invite you to the village dance this evening, as my guest?"
"You extraordinary man."
-DW-
They sit in his study. He laid Kiam down for a nap and then took out his notebook to sketch Joan.
"Can I see?" She asked impatiently.
He moves to sit next to her on the Chesterfield.
"Oh, goodness Do I look like that? Are you sure that's not me?" She points to one of the aliens on a previous page.
"Most definitely this page. Do you like it?"
"You've made me far too beautiful."
"Well, that's how I see you."
"Widows aren't supposed to be beautiful. I think the world would rather we stopped. Is that fair? That we stop?"
"That's not fair at all."
He strokes her hair and then kisses her. "I've never." he leans in and kisses her again. He hears the door opened and pulls away startled.
"Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?" He watches as she runs out again, the moment ruined.
-DW-
He watched Joan show off her party dress. "You look wonderful."
"You'd best give me some warning. Er, can you actually dance?"
"I'm not certain."
"There's a surprise. Is there anything you're certain about?"
"Yes. Yes." He takes her by the hand.
The moment was once again ruined by a door slamming open and the sounds of Kiam crying.
"They've found us." Martha said out of breath.
"This is ridiculous."
"Martha, I've warned you." He scooped up the crying baby and began to comfort him.
"They've found us, and I've seen them. They look like people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch. Where is it?
Oh, my God. Where's it gone? Where's the watch?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You had a watch. A fob watch. Right there." He sees her point at the Mantle.
"Did I? I don't remember."
"I can't see what concern it is of yours." Joan says.
"But we need it. Oh, my God, Doctor, we're hiding from aliens, and they've got Jenny and they've possessed her or copied her or something, and you've got to tell me, where's the watch?"
"Oh, I see. Cultural differences. It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story."
"Oh you complete. This is not you. This is nineteen thirteen."
"Good. This is nineteen thirteen."
"I've sorry. I'm really sorry, but I've got to snap you out of this."
She walks up to him and he feels her slap his cheek. Kiam starts crying again at the noise.
"Martha!" Joan says startled.
"Wake up! You're coming back to the Tardis with me."
"How dare, how dare you. I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant. Martha, you are dismissed. You will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!" He pushes her out into the corridor and slams the door behind her. He paces trying to quiet his son again but too angry to accomplish it. "The nerve of it. The absolute cheek. You think I'm a fantasist? What about her?"
"The funny thing is, you did have a fob watch, right there. Don't you remember?"
He finds another of the servants to watch Kiam for the night and then takes Joans hand and they head to the village.
"She's infatuated. You're a dangerous man."
"You've taken my arm in public."
"I'm very scared."
-DW-
"Ladies and gentlemen. Please take your partners for a waltz." He takes her hand as the Village band starts playing and leads her out on to the dance floor.
"You can dance."
"I surprise myself."
After several dances, he leaves her at a table to fetch them some drinks. He returns to the table to find Martha sitting there with her.
"Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave."
Martha holds up an object. "Do you know what this is? Name it. Go on, name it."
"John, what is that silly thing? John?"
He takes it from her and stares at it. "You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."
Still distracted he is surprised when he hears a voice say. "There will be silence! All of you!" He looks up and sees scarecrows entering. "I said, silence"
"Mister Clarke, what's going on?" He watches surprised as a gun is aimed at the man and he disappears.
"Mister Smith? Everything I told you, just forget it! Don't say anything." Marha says.
"We asked for silence! Now then, we have a few questions for Mister Smith."
"No, better than that. The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking." A little girl says.
"You took human form?" Baines asked.
"Of course I'm human. I was born human, as were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mister Clark. What is going on? This is madness."
"Ooo, and a human brain, too. Simple, thick and dull."
"But he's no good like this." The little girl whined.
"We need a Time Lord."
"Easily done." Baines steps forward and points a gun at his face. "Change back."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Change back!"
"I literally do not know"
He watches as Jenny grabs Martha, and puts a gun to her head.
"Get off me!" Martha says.
"She's your friend, isn't she? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?"
"I don't know what you mean!" He asked scared. He hoped silently that they didn't think of his son back at the school.
"Wait a minute. The maid told me about Smith and the Matron. That woman, there."
"Then let's have you." Clark grabs Joan and places the gun to her head. "Have you enjoyed it, Doctor, being human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or matron? Your friend or your lover? Your choice."