Wow, okay so, sorry for not updating in AGES, I had other priorities, including Bronze Duke of Edinburgh. Tip for anyone thinking of doing it. DON'T. It was paaaiiiiiinnnn. I was in so much pain that it got to the point of hilarity. My pain was HILARIOUS. Still thanks to the people still reading this. You officially rock :) Anyway here's The Family of Blood
Abi looked at Martha, silently indicating to her that she should leave the first chance she gets. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do. She knew she had to throw the family off course until the Doctor or Mr Smith thought of something, but this would mean catching their attention and the only thing that they were interested right then was a Time Lord, so she stepped forward. She stepped in front of Mr Smith, blocking any gunshots that might be fired in his direction.
"Okay, okay, look, just, stop", She turned to the family, successfully diverting their attention, "Listen, this is never going to bring him back, look at what you're doing I mean, if it was this easy to make him change back then he wouldn't have done what he did. So just stop. He's about as much use to you as he is to me, face it, he's not coming back" She glanced back at Mr Smith, who stared at her, slightly heartbroken, she quickly noticed the two women still being held hostage, "And threatening the people he loves isn't going to change anything.", She smiled when Jenny and Clark loosened their grip on Joan and Martha, immediately Martha walked up to Abi but she stopped herself and remembered what she had to do. Martha turned to Mr Smith and Joan, silently indicating to the door, Joan went on but Mr Smith stayed to see what Abi was going to do.
"But then there's me", she grinned at the frowning family, "I've been naturally hiding myself for a while, but go on, try it again", Each member of the alien family sniffed in unison, thier eyes widened, this is when Abi began reversing, hand fiddling with her manipulator, "Ha ha you see. Family of Blood, big guns, invisible spaceship, brilliant noses, but why not try something fun." She looked up to see Martha standing alone watching her, she turned back to the family, still grinning, "Why not..chase me?" She disappeared in a second and Martha knew the Family weren't going to give up, she ran out of the building only to groan when she saw Mr Smith and Joan still there.
"Don't just stand there, move! God, you're rubbish as a human. Come on!"
Martha ran past the couple seconds before the Family emerged from the hall,
"Run! Ah, this is super. We've been in hiding for too long. This is sport.", Baines exclaimed, rubbing his hands together,
Jenny looked around, "I can smell the woman. She's gone back to her academy."
"Remember she's not all we need, what do we know about her friend?
She began to glow a sinister green, "This body has traces of memory. Was once her friend. Martha would go walking to the west. Husband of Mine, follow the maid's scent. Go to the west. Find out what she was keeping secret."
"Soldiers!", Clark left with a band of scarecrows, Baines turned to his mother grinning devilishly,
"As for you, Mother of Mine, let's go to school."
Abi fell onto the ground, hard and fast. She cursed and groaned and then picked herself up to survey her surroundings. She looked at her dishevelled room, with the desk shoved out of its place and her shelved stripped of all literature. She sighed and left, when she got to the hall she heard commotion downstairs, she stepped down the staircase, stopping when she saw Martha and Mr Smith, the latter ringing a bell and shouting down the halls.
"What are you doing?", Martha questioned him, before noticing Abi, "Abi!"
Mr Smith turned at Martha's exclamation, "Abigail, how- how can you be here? You we-were in the hall…"
She frowned at him, "But what are you doing?",
"Maybe one man can't fight them, but this school teaches us to stand together –", She approached him, stepping down the stairs,
"No, no they're not gonna fight, you can't!", Martha nodded,
"She's right, you can't do that!",
"You want me to fight, don't you? Take arms! Take arms!",
Abi groaned and ran back up the stairs, passing Hutchinson who frowned at Mr Smith,
"I say sir, what's the matter?"
"Enemy at the door, Hutchinson. Enemy at the door. Take arms!"
Martha was at Mr Smiths side, arguing with him,
"You can't do this, Doctor. Mister Smith!",
He simply ignored her, "Redfern, maintain position over the stable yard. Faster now. That's it."
"They're just boys. You can't ask them to fight. They don't stand a chance. Even Abi said it!"
"I don't listen to Abigail and anyway they're cadets, Martha. They are trained to defend the King and all his citizens and properties."
The head walked in fuming,
"What in thunder's name is this? Before I devise an excellent and endless series of punishments for each and every one of you, could someone explain very simply and immediately exactly what is going on?"
"Headmaster, I have to report the school is under attack.", Just then Abi walked in, being noticed by both the head and Mr Smith, though they continued their conversation,
"Really? Is that so? Perhaps you and I should have a word in private."
"No, I promise you, sir. I was in the village with Matron and Miss Jones. It's Baines, sir. Jeremy Baines and Mister Clark from Oakham Farm. They've gone mad, sir. They've got guns. They've already murdered people in the village. I saw it happen.", Rodcastle looked around to Abi and asked
"Madam, is that so?",
She sighed, "Yes, sir, it's true", Martha frowned at her friend, silently questioning why she was clearly defending Mr Smith when just a few minutes ago she was arguing with him,
"Murder on our own soil?"
"I saw it. Yes."
"Perhaps you did well then, Mister Smith. What makes you thing the danger's coming here?",
"Well, sir, they said-", Abi's eyes widened as she saw a chance,
"They want me, they said they wanted me but I don't know why",
Rodcastle nodded, "Very well. You boys, remain on guard. Mister Snell, telephone for the police. Mister Philips, with me. We shall investigate." He moved to leave but Martha stopped him,
"No! But it's not safe out there." Rodcastle sneered at her,
"Mister Smith, it seems your favourite servant is giving me advice. You will control her, sir.", Abi frowned at stopped him too,
"She's right, they've got guns and someone's already been murdered"
"If you wish to rebuke me then might I ask if you have another suggestion, madam", He snapped at her but she was unaffected by this,
"Actually yes, stay inside, they want me so-"
Mr Smith and Martha shouted "No!",
Abi was stunned and frowned at the both of them, but she continued, "Believe me headmaster, I know more about Jenny and Baines than you, with respect"
"You cannot go out there alone, you said yourself it's not safe", She sighed and looked around,
"Then...I'll take Mr Smith" Mr Smith's eyebrows shot up but he hastily nodded, Abi then turned to Martha about to tell her something but Martha spoke first,
"I've got to find that watch." She nodded and left, Abi turned and walked to the entrance, Mr Smith following behind. They stepped out of the school into the cold, a few feet in front of them they saw the Family, grinning. Baines took a step towards then and immediately Abi took a step back bringing her friend with her. Baines simply laughed at this.
"Madam, sir. Good evening",
Abi glared at him and keep glancing back at Jenny, checking to see if she would sneak up to them, "Baines, well not Baines clearly. The Family of Blood. How's everything?",
"You know what we need, give it to us and no one dies, this world is putty, you know what we can do",
"You know I can't do that"
"And what about you snivelling pet", He nodded to Mr Smith, "Humanity doing him any favours"
Mr Smith raised his voice, "Baines, that's enough now, you've caused havoc!"
Baines sighed, "Thick and dull",
"You don't get it! He did this, cos, he's not hiding from you. He's giving you chance to run"
Mr Smith gave up on questioning the situation with Abi and this Doctor man so he focused on the thing he could understand,
"Who are these friends of yours, Baines, in fancy dress?"
"Do you like them, Mr Smith? I made them myself. I'm ever so good at science, sir. Look.", He pulled of the scarecrows arm, "Molecular fringe animation fashioned in the shape of straw men. My own private army, sir. It's ever so good, sir."
"Baines, step apart from this company and come inside with me.", Abi silently shook her head but said nothing, Baines however advanced on both of them,
"No, sir. You, both of you, will bring us back the Doctor, his box and her, "He glared at Abi, "That's all we want, sir, you and whatever you've done with your Time Lord consciousness. Then we'd be very happy to leave you alone.",
"He doesn't know, god- how many times? He is human, flesh and blood, not Time Lord, not Doctor, just human"
"Then bring us back the Doctor", He pointed his gun at her, so Mr Smith brought her behind him. She resisted immediately,
"The school, they'll fight back", She instantly stepped back, sizing up the gun,
"All your little tin soldiers. But tell me, miss, will they thank you?",
"For what?"
"What do you know of history, miss? What do you know of next year?",
Abi looked down, thinking about the implications of Baines' comment, remembering the war and the boys whom she taught. Mr Smith however, was confused,
"What do you mean, Baines"
"1914, sir. Because the Family has travelled far and wide looking for Mister Smith and, oh, the things we have seen. War is coming. In foreign fields, war of the whole wide world, with all your boys falling down in the mud. Do you think they will thank the man who taught them it was glorious?",
Abi's head stayed down as Mr Smith looked at her for answers, Baines smirked at the state he got her in. Mr Smith looked back at the school, then at Abi,
"Abigail?"
She looked up but not at him, at Baines,
"Leave, leave while you still can", With that she turned and walked back to the school, Mr Smith following behind.
As soon as Abi got past the doors, Martha came up to her,
"You alright?",
Abi nodded and looked to Mr Smith who was talking to the head, "Fine, come on, we need to find that watch", She indicated to the stairs and they both went up them. Mr Smith glanced up to where Abi was going before resuming conversation with the head.
They entered his office, and Martha immediately started rummaging but Abi took time, looked for clues. Joan opened the door a few moments after they did and when they both looked up she sent them questioning looks,
"I know it sounds mad, but when the Doctor became human, he took the alien part of himself and he stored it inside the watch. It's not really a watch, it just looks like a watch.", Martha explained without looking up, Abi nodded to confirm this, then resumed looking around,
"And alien means not from abroad, I take it.",
Abi poked her head up from a gap in the shelves, "The man you call John Smith, he was born on another world."
"A different species."
"Yeah.", Martha replied when Abi got distracted by something, this caused Joan to continue the conversation with her.
"Then tell me. In this fairy tale, who are you two?"
"We're friends. Both of us", She nodded to Abi, who was still distracted by an unknown thing, "You haven't got rivals or anything"
"And humans, I take it?"
"I'm human. She's sort of... fluctuating", she said this flippantly, though Joan flipped her head to stare at Abi, "And more than that, I just don't follow him around. I'm training to be a doctor. Not an alien doctor, a proper doctor. A doctor of medicine.",
Joan scoffed but wasn't allowed to elaborate because Abi snapped out of her trance, she spoke only to Martha,
"I can sense.. something..feels like him, I think it's the watch, I think someone's opened it", Martha's eyes widened,
"Do you know where it is?",
Abi closed her eyes in concentration, trying to follow the sense but she groaned, "No, no they must have closed it again", They both sighed, Joan looked between them,
"I must go.", she declared, Abi looked at her,
"If we find that watch, then we can stop them."
"Those boys are going to fight. I might not be a doctor, but I'm still their nurse. They need me."
Abi ran through the field, fast as she could, with the wind bellowing through her hair and her dress flowing, she would've taken it off to run if she had the time. At this time Martha was looking for Mr Smith and Joan, the plan was to get him and Joan, to a place away from the school and Abi would get the Tardis and bring it to them. If they had the Tardis they could do more damage to the Family and they did have the slightest hope that the blue box would bring the Doctor back. Martha was quite baffled as to why Joan had to come, but Abi had said that if John was to die, then he needed his love with him. Abi was a few km from the barn when she saw Clark and some scarecrows leaving it, she came to a halt, ducking in the bushes and forcing her Time Lord scent away. They group went past her with no hesitation. When they had fully left she waited just a few seconds before sighing in relief. She got up and ran the barn, opening the door to see it empty. No blue box, no Tardis. She stared at the empty space, then closed her eyes for a moment, drowning in that second of no hope. She ran out of the barn.
Meanwhile Martha, looked around the school, she ran around the outside of it, she gasped and stilled when she saw Baines and Jenny, communicating with the other little girl, Lucy. They simultaneously gasped,
"Time Lord.", Baines declared, Martha took a step back.
"Inside the device.", Jenny exclaimed,
"Everything he is concealed away in the hands of a schoolboy. But now we know, that's all we need to find. The boy and the watch. What are we waiting for? Attack!",
Martha went back around the corner, chest heaving, they knew about the watch, about what it did. But who was they boy? Because apparently he had the watch and she had to find him, whoever he was, before they did. She ran back to the entrance of the school, back to where Mr Smith, Joan and the rest of the school were, they had just stopped firing when she arrived. She smiled when she saw Abi but smile faded when she saw her grim expression. The head stopped their firing and went out to the battle field, where Lucy appeared holding a balloon.
"You, child. Come out of the way. Come into the school. You don't know who's out there. It's the Cartwright girl, isn't it? Come here. Come to me."
"Mr Rocastle! Please, don't go near her." Martha exclaimed
"You were told to be quiet.", He didn't look up at her, Abi's eyes narrowed at his rudeness but she warned him too
"Just listen to her. She's part of it. Get away from her, Matron, tell him",
"I think that. I don't know. I think you should stay back, Headmaster."
"Mr Smith?", Martha asked,
"She was, she was with, with Baines in the village.", Rocastle ignored all of their warnings,
"Mr Smith, Miss Jones, I've seen many strange sights this night, but there is no cause on God's Earth that would allow me to see this child in the field of battle, sir. Come with me." He reached his hand for her to take, but she didn't,
"You're funny."
"That's right. Now take my hand."
"So funny.", She brought out her own gun and shot him with no remorse, Abi sucked in a breath as he turned to ash, she stepped out from behind the sand barriers, avoiding Mr Smith's grab to pull her back,
"He didn't have to die! He meant nothing to you!", She snapped at the girl,
"He was an example", She turned to the rest of the group, "Now who's going to shoot me. Any of you, really?", Abi glared at the girl, but still turned around to the others,
"All of you, get in the school", Mr Smith nodded and reiterated what she said,
"Put down your guns.", He lowered his own gun,
"But sir, the Headmaster.", Hutchinson indicated to the space that was no longer occupied,
"I'll not see this happen. Not anymore. You will retreat in an orderly fashion back through the school. Hutchinson, lead the way.",
Hutchinson looked at Abi, she shook her head, "Lead the way.",
"Well, go on, then. Run!" Baines shot his gun in the air, at this everyone started retreating back to the school.
"Come on!" Martha ushered the boys in, Baines ordered his scarecrows up to begin a second attack on the school. The boy were already in the school, filing out of the back doors and running out. Martha, Joan, Mr Smith and Abi were leading them out,
"Let's go. Quick as you can.",
"Keep it moving, come on",
"Don't go to the village. It's not safe.", Mr Smith turned to the women,
"And you, ladies."
Abi simply said "Nope" while Joan said, "Not till we've got the boys out.",
After ushering most of the boys they began making there way out, but Abi stopped moving immediately, causing Joan to bump into her back, Martha frowned at her friend,
"Abi?"
"I can sense it again"
Martha's eyes widened as she remembered what the Family were saying, "Baines and Jenny know about the watch, they said some school boy has it, they're gonna try and find it",
Mr Smith was getting restless, "Now I insist. This isn't important right now, all of you, just go. If there are any more boys inside, I'll find them.", He opened a door but shut it instantly, and locked it. "I think, retreat."
All of them ran out to the woods and crouched down in some bushes, watching the Family from afar, with them a bright shining blue box, Martha crouched beside Abi,
"They have it?"
"Yeah I forgot to say", She sighed as they all watched Baines, Clark and Jenny along with some scarecrows surround the box.
"Doctor! Doctor! Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize."
"Out you come, Doctor. There's a good boy. Come to the Family"
"Time to end it now.", Both Abi and Martha looked at John, who was frowning,
"You recognise it, don't you?", Martha asked him, he shook his head and looked at Abi, deep in the eyes
"I've never seen it in my life.", It was as if he was asking her if it was true,
"Do you remember its name?" Abi asked him, Joan closed her eyes momentarily,
"I'm sorry, John, but you wrote about it. The blue box. You dreamt of a blue box."
His voice began to crack,"I'm not. I'm John Smith. That's all I want to be. John Smith, with his life, and his job, and his love.," He looked at Joan, " Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?", Joan looked at him with sorrowful eyes,
"Yes. Yes, he is."
"Why can't I stay?" Abi looked down,
"But we need the Doctor."
"What am I, then? Nothing. I'm just a story.", He got up and left without looking back, the women went to follow.
They came to a junction were Joan slowed down,
"This way. I think I know somewhere we can hide."
"We've got to keep going."
"Just listen to me for once, John. Now, follow me."
They approached a cottage, Joan placed her hands on her hips, panting
"Oh, here we are. It should be empty. Oh, it's a long time since I've run that far.",
"But who lives here?", Abi looked at her,
"If I'm right, no one."
They went in, and were meet with a dark and deafening silence, Joan called,
"Hello? No one home. We should be safe here.",
"Whose house is it, though?", Martha asked whilst Abi plopped herself on a wooden chair,
"Er, the Cartwrights. That little girl at the school, she's Lucy Cartwright, or she's taken Lucy Cartwright's form. If she came home this afternoon and if the parents tried to stop their little girl, then they were vanished, " Abi closed her eyes at the mention of another death she didn't prevent, Joan placed her hands on the teapot, "Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas.", Mr Smith took in a deep breath,
"I must go to them, before anyone else dies.", Abi shook her head,
"Can't"
"You can't. Martha, Abigail, there must be something we can do."
Abi stood up, "We could do many things, if we, "She motioned to all of them, "want the Doctor back we need to find that watch", She placed her hand on the table, "Or..."
Martha shook her head, "No, not you, never",
"Well we haven't got much choice" She pointed to him, Mr Smith scowled at them,
"You're this Doctor's companions. Can't you help? What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need the both of you?",
"Why does anyone need friends? Because he's lonely" Abi shrugged,
"And that's what you want me to become?.",
"No, there are other optio-", She was interrupted by a knock at the door, Joan looked out,
"What if it's them?"
"I'm not an expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock.", Martha went to open the door, whilst she was doing this Joan went to comfort John, Abi sat back down on the chair, fidgeting. Martha came back with Latimer, Abi looked up,
"Tim?"
Martha smiled at her, "He came to give us this" She showed her the bronze watch, Abi got up again and went to hold it, she felt the Doctor strongly now and smiled and turned to Mr Smith, she placed on the table and watched as his eyes followed the watch. Martha looked at him,
"Hold it", He silently shook his head,
"It told me to find you. It wants to be held.", Latimer perked up, Abi looked at him,
"You've had this watch all this time? Why didn't you bring it?",
"Because it was waiting. And because I was so scared of the Doctor.", Joan frowned at the thought of this man she fell in love with scaring people,
"Why?"
"Because I've seen him. He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun"
"Stop it.", His voice was a quiet whisper,
"He's ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe."
"Stop it! I said stop it."
"And he's wonderful." Abi and Martha smiled at this, Joan picked up the journal,
"I've still got this. The journal." Mr Smith shrugged it off,
"Those are just stories."
"Now we know that's not true. Perhaps there's something in here.", She began flicking through the book. Outside a big explosion erupted from the ground, slightly shaking the cottage but forcefully disrupting the village. Abi moved to the window,
"What the hell?"
Soon everyone could see fireballs falling from the sky and onto the village, the faint cries of the people could be heard.
Joan's eyes were alight from the reflection of the destruction, "They're destroying the village.",
John looked at the watch on the table, "The watch."
Abi turned from the window, "John.."
"John, don't.", said Joan, fearfully,
Latimer watch the teacher carefully, "Can you hear it?"
"I think he's asleep. Waiting to awaken.", He picked up the watch and held it afar from his face, holding it like it was on fire.
"Why did he speak to Tim?", Abi muttered to herself but Mr Smith heard,
"Oh, low level telepathic field. He was born with it. Just an extra synaptic engram causing", He took a deep breath, "Is that how he talks?",
Abi's eyes widened along with everyone else's, she nodded "Yeah, that's him. All you have to do is open it and he's back."
He looked at the both Martha and Abi, "You knew this all along and yet you watched while Nurse Redfern and I-",
Abi stepped to him, "We didn't know how to stop you. He gave us a list of things to watch out, for but that wasn't included.", she begged with him to understand,
"Falling in love? That didn't even occur to him?",
"He's lived so long, he-, love could never work, it's too painful for him to even consider", Mr Smith was so distraught at hearing this,
"Then what sort of man is that? And now you expect me to die?",
Martha sighed, "But it was always going to end, though! The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan, and that's why they need to consume a Time Lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said."
He glared at both of them, finally understanding their job, "So your job was to execute me."
"People are dying out there. They need him and we need him. Because you've got no idea of what he's like. Abi and him are really close but I've only just met him. It wasn't even that long ago. But we're best friends, all three of us. And we mean everything to him, and him us.", She was interrupted by a explosion near by, Latimer moved closer to Abi,
"It's getting closer."
Mr Smith suddenly moved around, eye's alight with an idea,
"I should have thought of it before. I can give them this. Just the watch. Then they can leave and I can stay as I am.",
"You can't do that!", Martha cried,
"If they want the Doctor, they can have him.", He spoke firmly,
"Then what happens?" Abi asked,
"If they get what they want, then, then-", He panicked,
Joan closed the book and looked up, "Then it all ends in destruction. I never read to the end, but those creatures would live forever to breed and conquer, for war across the stars for every child." Abi nodded, knowing this was true, "Abigail, Martha, Timothy, would you leave us alone, please?"
The trio left , one after the other, Abi was the last to leave, before she did she looked back at her old friend, sobbing. She put her head down and sighed, closing the door behind her.
Outside, Tim and Martha were holding each other, Abi went around them and sat on the floor facing them, she smiled at Latimer,
"So do you believe me now?",
He also smiled, then nodded, "I don't really have a choice"
"Abi, what do we do now?" Martha said in a distressed tone,
"Well", She looked at the door, "He gonna go to them, that's for sure, but if he doesn't then...I guess..",
Martha shook her head, "Not you!", She hissed, "No way, god why does it always end with a sacrifice?",
"It's not looking too good, Martha". She sighed and placed her hands in her head, "I never though it would be this hard"
Mr Smith opened the door, clutching the watch in one hand and the door handle in the other, he looked down at the three of them, "I've got to go, now",
Abi stood up, "To them?" He nodded, "But not like this, not human, unless, unless, I go with you",
"No!", Martha stood up too, bringing Latimer with her, "You can't they'll smell you on the spot",
"I can sort of, disguise myself, it's -" She looked up at him again, and frowned. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the watch, she couldn't feel any energy coming from the watch, only from him.
"Doctor...?", he said nothing, only looked at her, so she placed both hands on his chest, she felt his double heartbeat. She grinned up at him and it wasn't long before he was doing the same. He turned to Martha who was staring at him.
"Is it-" She stepped towards him, "Are you..."
"Yeah",
She grinned at him too, but when he stepped to hug the both of them she stepped back, "No, no, later, we've still got an alien family to deal with",
Abi shook herself out her shock, "Yeah, oh yeah, what's the plan"
The Doctor smiled at both of them, "I got that covered", He sprinted off, yelling, "Don't follow me!"
Martha turned to Abi, who rolled her eyes, "I'm too tired to follow him, and anyway", She looked in the house where Latimer was consoling Joan, "I guess, we've got a job to do", Martha followed her line of vision, she sighed and followed Abi into the cottage.
She stepped out of the cottage, leaving Joan inside with just her thoughts and John's journal. The conversation they had was heartbreaking, but not as sad as the one that she had to face with the Doctor. Abi felt so many of her pent up emotions for Jack when she spoke to Joan, she could empathize greatly, but this was so much harder. To see your love's face, and to know he is a different person, to know he could come back if someone chose to bring him back. Abi believed this was harder than anything she had to deal with.
She went out and walked up the field to the Tardis, Martha was there, leaning up against the Tardis exterior, she smiled when she saw her and waited till she got close enough when she asked,
"Is he still talking to her?",
"Yep...god, she's gonna be so heartbroken, kinda makes me feel lucky I stopped wanting him when I did",
Abi looked down, "Yeah..", She scratched the back of her neck, "Listen Martha, the Doct..well Mr Smith, he kinda kissed me", She scrunched up her nose, remembering what happened, Martha gaped at her,
"Wha..Seriously?",
"Yeah, he", She took a step closer, "he said that he wasn't sure about how he felt, but it could be..do you..do you think the Doctor might feel the same and he might remember the kiss, cos I...",
Martha laughed at her, "I have never seen you this worked up",
"Our friendship depends on this!", She hissed, but it was clear it was more worried than angry.
"Well you've got to talk to him-",
"Talk, no no I don't talk no never", She folded her arms across her chest, Martha was about to say something but she looked beyond Abi's shoulders to the Doctor, who was walking up the field, she looked at Abi and nodded her head at him. Abi turned, saw him and smiled sadly, knowing what he just went through with Joan. He looked happy,
"Right then. Molto bene.",
Abi frowned as he walked past her, "How was she?",
He didn't look up at her, "Time we moved on."
Abi looked at Martha, willing her to say something, "If you want, we could go and-",
The Doctor shook his head, "Time we moved on.",
Abi looked up at him, staring him down, he caught her eye and looked back, she smiled, "It's good to have you back, time boy",
A moment past before the biggest grin appeared on his face, he looked at both of them, "Thank you, for looking after me",
Martha shrugged her shoulders, "We would do anything so.."
"Yeah", he stretched out him arms, "C'mere!"
They squealed and he engulfed them, all smiling in their embrace.
Latimer approached the trio, smiling softly as he saw them hugging,
"Abigail. Doctor. Martha.",
They stepped away from each other, Abi smiled at him, brushing some hair out of her eyes as she stepped up to him,
"Timmy"
"Tim Timothy Timber." The Doctor riffed,
"I just wanted to say goodbye. And thank you. Because I've seen the future and I now know what must be done. It's coming, isn't it? The biggest war ever.",
Martha sighed, "But you don't have to fight.",
"I think we do.",
Abi smiled sadly at him, knowing they couldn't change his future,
"But you could get hurt."
"Well, so could both of you, travelling around with him, but it's not going to stop you.",
Martha grinned, the Doctor however smiled sadly, knowing that one day he'll lose Martha, and he only realised it recently but he was beginning to love Martha, as a friend. She was everything he needed after losing Rose; a trainee doctor, clever, funny, comforting, and she really was his best friend right now along with Abi. Recently, though his feelings for Abi were changing, badly, he still remembered what John Smith did and said when he kissed her, this was very bad because Abi just lost Jack and he couldn't do that, not with his friend. So he had to push down any feelings and come up with some clever lie if she ever asked about how he felt. He shook out of his thoughts when he felt the watch in his pocket, he fished it out and held it for Tim,
"Tim, I'd be honoured if you'd take this.",
Tim held it in his hand and gently moved around before frowning, "I can't hear anything.",
"No, it's just a watch now. But keep it with you, for good luck.",
Martha went up to him, hugging him and kissing hs cheek, he faintly blushed at this causing Abi to grin, "Look after yourself."
Martha stepped away from him and went into the Tardis, Abi smiled, hugged him and ruffled his hair, "Be brave",
She mock saluted and also went in the box. The Doctor raised his eyebrows at him, "You'll like this bit.",
He stepped in the box and it dematerialised, Latimer's eyes widened and he walked away, astounded.
"They have no lot in our labour of the day time.
They sleep beyond England's foam.
They went with songs to the battle"
Abi walked over to the memorial statue, looking around until she saw an old man, in a wheelchair, with the same eyes as that young boy all those years ago. She smiled at him as Martha and The Doctor appeared behind her,
"They were young, straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted."
Tim looked across to see his three guardians standing paying their respects, they saw him and smiled. He clutched his pocket watch a little tighter as tears formed in his eyes.
"They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."