The TARDIS console sparked as The Doctor, Martha and Zara pulled themselves off the floor. The Doctor dashed over to the girls, turning to look at them, eye to eye.
"Did they see you?" The Doctor asked urgently.
"I don't know!" Martha spluttered.
"Did they see you?"
"I don't know, we were too busy running!" Zara gasped.
"Martha, Zara, it's important - did they see your face?"
"No, they couldn't have!" Martha said firmly.
The Doctor ran round the console, pulling at controls, "Off we go!"
Zara grabbed the scanner as it beeped, frowning, "Ahhh!" The Doctor looked over at her questioningly, "They're following us." The Doctor glared angrily at the scanner, returning to the controls.
"How can they do that, we've got a time machine." Martha said, moving round next to Zara.
"Stolen technology, they've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator." She explained. "They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe-" She paused, looking up at The Doctor, scared. "They're never going to stop."
The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, staring, "Unless...I'll have to do it..." He said quietly.
"No." Zara said sternly, realising what he was going to do. "Don't you dare, Doctor!"
The Doctor looked at the two of them, "Martha, Zara, you trust me don't you?"
"Of course I do." Martha and Zara replied in unison.
"Cause it all depends on you two." He dove under the console as Zara and Martha watched.
"What does, what are we supposed to do?" Martha asked. The Doctor appeared from under the console, holding a blue pocket watch.
"Take this watch, 'cause my life depends on it." Zara nodded, already knowing what it was and what he was doing, Martha frowning at it. "The watch, Martha- The watch is-"
The Doctor's, now John Smith, eyes flew open, blinking at confusion at the ceiling. He sat up from the bed he lay in, dressed in a pair of blue striped pyjamas, looking around the Victorian bedroom.
"Good morning." His gaze flickered over to Zara, her blonde hair down in loose curls, wearing a light blue dress with 3/4 lengthed sleeves, sitting at the chair by his desk.
"You should have woken me." John muttered, sitting up, putting his feet on the floor.
"I'm alright." Zara smiled. Zara watched him intently, he was so much like The Doctor. She really did miss the Time Lord, bounding about The TARDIS, flying her incorrectly, leaving her to make sure they didn't dent the 1980's. Everything about their whole life in 1913 was unfair. It was unfair she was meant to be John Smith's best friend since birth and Martha had to be a servant girl. It was unfair that The Doctor was just some teacher called John Smith and not the bouncy Time Lord. And it wasn't fair how Martha was treated whilst she stood there, forced to be a higher class than she was.
A knock on the door shook her from her thoughts and John looked up, "Come in."
The door opened and Martha stepped in, wearing a Victorian maid's uniform and carrying breakfast on a tray. She looked over at John, her eyes widening.
"Pardon me, Mr Smith, you're not dressed yet." She said quickly. "I can come back later-"
She turned to go as Zara and John both stood up. Zara grabbed a dressing gown off the chair she was sitting on, throwing it to John.
"It's fine Martha." Zara laughed, sharing a smile with Martha. "Put it down."
John nodded in agreement, smiling. Martha walked over and put the table on the desk and she and Zara began to unload the tray.
"You don't have to-" Martha whispered, reaching to take something out of her hand.
"Ssh you." Zara whispered, tapping Martha's hand. Martha smiled at back at her, shaking her head.
John looked at the two of them thoughtfully, "I was, um..." He paused, thinking. "Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams."
Martha crossed over to the window, pulling the curtains open, "What about, sir?" She asked.
"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." He looked to Zara. "Both of you, actually."
Martha crossed back over to the tray, Zara smiling subtly to herself, "A teacher, his best friend and a housemaid, sir?" Martha asked. "That's impossible."
"Ah no, a man from another world, though..."
"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing."
John moved over to the mantlepiece, picking up the pocket watch as Zara began to make the bed, Martha smiling at her. Zara hated Martha doing all the work, watching her be a servant whilst she just sat with John all day, "This thing... The watch..." He looked over at Zara. "Do you remember this?"
"Hm?" Zara asked, looking round to see he'd picked it up. She turned round, sitting on the made bed. "Yes, yes."
"Zara bought it for me."
"For your 18th birthday John." Zara smiled. "Seems like such a long time ago."
"Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away." He sighed, putting the watch down and turning back to Martha. "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." Martha said, handing him the paper. "It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human, sir." She smiled at him. "As human as they come."
"Mmm, that's me; completely human." He smiled.
...
"Zara!" John called, bustling round the room, pushing books and paper out of the way as he searched frantically. He looked over at the built in cupboard by the door, Zara's blonde hair catching his eye. "Have you seen my jacket?"
Zara rolled her eyes, walking into the room and up to the coat rack by the window and picking up his jacket. He stared at it as she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Under your nose, everytime!" She sighed, helping it into it. He smiled to himself, pulling it onto his shoulders before looking back round at her. "Go on, go teach history to young boys!"
"Are you going to be alright here?" He asked.
"John, I will be fine." She smiled. "I will probably take a walk round the grounds and maybe go and see Martha." She placed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Now, go." John smiled at her, turning and leaving the room, shutting the door behind him. He smiled to himself, that was his best friend. Zara Saxon, best friends since they were born. He glanced back at the door, realising, it was her. It was all about her. He loved his best friend. And maybe, one day, he'd tell her. He turned away, walking off down the hallway.
...
John and Zara walked arm in arm through the school corridor, past Martha and another maid, Jenny, on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor.
"Morning, Sir, Ma'am." Martha called.
Zara looked down with a smile and The Doctor nodded at her, "Yes, hi." He replied distractedly. Zara shook her head at him as the two of them continued up the stairs.
"Head in the clouds, that one." Jenny commented. "Don't know why you're so sweet on him. On both of them." She smiled slyly, the two of them continuing to scrub.
"They're just kind to me, that's all." Martha shrugged. "Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being-" She pointed to her face and Jenny smiled.
"A Londoner?"
"Exactly. " Martha grinned. "Good old London town!"
"But I don't understand, if Miss Saxon isn't his wife, then what is she here for?"
"To keep us company."
"The both of ya?"
Martha nodded, "We've been through everything, the three of us. If it wasn't for her, Mr Smith wouldn't treat me as kindly in front of others as he does when we're alone."
Zara quickly appeared down the stairs, leaning over the banister, "Martha!" She whispered and Martha looked up at her. "He's so boring as a human!" Martha giggled, turning away. Zara smiled, turning back up the stairs.
...
"Seriously though," Zara called down the hallway from the doorway, watching John walk along the corridor, looking at the pile of books he carried. "How many books were in that room of yours?"
John rolled his eyes as Zara disappeared back inside the room and Matron Joan Redfern approached John, "Oh, good morning, Mr Smith." She said.
The Doctor fumbled with the top book and it fell to the floor, stepping on it to stop it falling away, "There we go."
"Let me help you."
"No, no, I've got it, no..." He glanced at the books, then to the book on the floor. "Um... ah... Just to... retrieve... ah... If you could take these-" He handed her the stack of books, then picked up the book from the floor.
"Good." Joan nodded, smiling warmly.
"No harm done." He smiled back at her. "So, um, how was Jenkins?"
"Oh just a cold, nothing serious. I think he's missing his mother, more than anything."
"Aw, can't have that."
"He received a letter this morning so he's a lot more chipper." She glanced down at the stack of books she held. "I appear to be holding your books."
He stared at her a moment before realising, "Yes, so you are! Sorry, sorry." He began to awkwardly try and take the pile. "Just let me-"
"No, why don't I take half?"
"Ah, brilliant idea, brilliant. Perfect. Division of labour." He took half from her, smiling.
"We make quite a team."
"Don't we just." He smiled at her daftly.
"So, these books. Were they being taken in any particular direction?"
"Yes. Um..." He nodded, glancing back up the hallway, knowing he had to get back to Zara, before nodding down the other way. "This way."
...
"I always say, Matron, give the boys a good head of steam, they'll soon wear themselves out." The Doctor nodded, the two of them walking towards the staircase.
"Truth be told, when it's just you and me, I'd much rather you call me Nurse Redfern." Joan replied. "'Matron' sounds rather...well, matronly."
"Ah, Nurse Redfern it is then."
"Though we've known each other all of two months, you could even say 'Joan'."
"Joan?"
"That's my name."
He nodded, flustered, "Well, obviously."
"And it's John, isn't it?"
"Yes, yes it is."
"And..." She began cautiously. "Your wife, is it?"
John frowned, "Zara?"
"Zara..." She frowned at the name. "How very... modern. But yes, the blonde woman?"
"Oh no!" He spluttered. "No, she's my best friend, not my wife."
The two of them stopped on the corner of the stairs, next to a wooden noticeboard, "Have you seen this, John?" She asked, nodding at a particular notice. "The annual dance at the village hall tomorrow. It's nothing formal, but rather fun by all accounts." She looked at him hopefully. "Do you think you'll go?"
"I hadn't thought about it." He stammered, flustered.
"It's been ages since I've been to a dance, only no-one's asked me." She laughed nervously.
"Well, I should imagine that you would be...um...I mean I never thought you'd be one for... I mean there's no reason why you shouldn't- if you do, you may not...I probably won't, but even if I did then I couldn't...um, I mean I wouldn't want to-"
Joan looked behind him as he began to slip of the edge of the top step, "The stairs."
"It- what about the stairs?"
"They're right behind you."
He turned round to look and slipped, falling backwards down the stairs, books flying everywhere.
...
John sat in his room, groaning pain as Joan cleaned out the cut.
"Stop it." Joan said. "I get boys causing less fuss than this."
"Because it hurts!" John replied sulkily.
Zara appeared in the doorway, coming to find him as soon as she heard the news, smirking, "The amount of times you used to do that as a child John!" Zara laughed, remembering the story The TARDIS gave her. It was very detailed, the two of them were best friends since birth and she was beginning to think that she could actually live this life. "Nothing changes." She laughed, walking over and sitting on the bed.
Suddenly, Martha burst in, concerned, "Is he alright?" She gasped, talking more to Zara than anyone.
"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking." Joan frowned.
"She's fine." Zara said firmly, glaring at Joan.
"But is he alright?" Martha asked, walking over and putting a hand on Zara's shoulder. "They said you fell down the stairs, Sir."
"No, it was just a tumble, that's all." John mumbled.
"Have you checked for concussion?"
"I have." Joan said. "And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you."
"Sorry. I'll just..." Martha nodded, glancing at John before moving towards the desk. "Tidy your things."
John looked between Martha and Zara, "I was just telling Nurse Redfern- Matron, um, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales." Martha shared a look with Zara and they looked over at him as he glanced up at Joan, "I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding-"
"Hiding?" Joan asked. "In what way?"
"Um... er... almost every night..." He laughed slightly. "This is going to sound silly-"
"Tell me."
"I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts."
"Well then, I can be the judge of that." She smiled, reaching into a battered bag and pulling out a stethoscope. She placed it on his chest, feeling each side. "I can confirm the diagnosis- just one heart, singular."
Martha shot Zara a disappointed look. 'We have to keep going.' Zara mouthed to her. 'Not long now.'
"I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction..." John continued. "Um... not that it would be of any interest.."
"I'd be very interested." Joan nodded.
John stared at her in amazement before moving over to his desk, "Well... I've never shown it to anyone before." He reached into the draw and pulled out a black leather-bound journal, handing it to Joan.
She opened it up with a smile, reading the first page, "'Journal of Impossible Things'" She turned the pages, looking at the sketches of The TARDIS and gas mask dummies, surrounded by writing, "Just look at these creatures!" She turned another page, looking at a sketch of a Dalek. "Such imagination."
"Mmm. It's become quite a hobby."
She turned more pages, looking at sketches of the Moxx of Balhoon, two Autons and a clockwork robot from the SS Madame De Pompadour, "It's wonderful. And quite an eye for the pretty girls." She nodded at a sketch of Rose's face.
"Oh no no, she's just an invention. This character, Rose, I call her, Rose." Martha and Zara both looked over at him at the mention of her name, "Seems to disappear later on..." She turned the page again, looking at sketches of Cybermen, then a interior and exterior sketch of The TARDIS. "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 doorway?"
"Mmm." She turned the page again, observing the pictures of all 10 of The Doctor's faces. "I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true."
"If only."
"It's just a dream." He laughed softly, watching as she turned the page again, showing a sketch of the fob watch, inside and out.
...
Zara watched John's expression, full of glee and awe, as Joan left his quarters, Martha following after her. He shook his head and looked back to Zara, sitting on his desk, her legs dangling over the edge, and breathed in sharply.
"What?" Zara asked.
"I didn't say anything." John frowned.
"I know you want to ask me something."
John sighed, she knew him too well, and sat down on the chair at his desk opposite her, "Do you... not like Nurse Redfern?"
"I cannot stand her." Zara replied immediately.
John shook his head, always blunt was Zara, "Why?"
Zara laughed, "Have you not seen what the woman is like?" She asked. "She's rude, arrogant, and have you seen how she treats Martha? She walks round like she's better than everyone else and I can't stand it!"
"You sound like my mother."
"Your mother was a decent woman, John. And a fine nurse." She pointed out. "She'd be disgraced if she knew that a woman of the same profession was like that."
"It's funny." John sighed, taking Zara's hands. "She always thought we'd get married."
Zara stiffened slightly, not knowing what to say, "Your mother thought a lot of things, John."
"Hm, but she was usually right." He sighed. Zara stared back at him, her whole 1913 persona disappearing from her instantly. She couldn't believe this. It wasn't happening. No, no, no! Had he lost his mind?! He leaned forward, crashing his lips against Zara's. Zara let out a small squeak, her eyes widening. After a few moments she placed one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his cheek, deepening the kiss, before suddenly pulling back, pushing past and bolting out of the room.
...
Zara banged on door to the servant quarters loudly, shaking slightly with nerves. The door swung open and Zara pushed past Martha into the small room with a small brown table and two chairs in.
"I just... I..." Zara stammered, pacing the room.
"What?" Martha frowned, shutting the door.
"He just, I!"
"Zara!" Martha snapped, sitting down at the table. "Explain, slowly!"
Zara stopped pacing, looking over at Martha, "He just kissed me."
"Who did?"
"The Doctor!"
Martha spluttered, laughing, "You're kidding!"
"He was all like, 'Oh my mother always thought we'd marry' and then he kissed me!" Zara gasped. "I mean, why didn't The TARDIS warn me about this?!"
"Well, we'll go down to The TARDIS tomorrow morning and see if there's anything on the video."
Zara rolled her eyes, groaning, "We've watched that video a hundred times!" She sighed. "Anyway, it's not like there's going to be a 'point seventeen, if I snog Zara...' is there?"
Martha laughed, shaking her head, "Maybe it's bits of The Doctor seeping through." She teased. "Maybe he just really wants to snog you."
Zara mock glared at her, "You're not funny, Doctor Jones."
"Ah, not a Doctor yet."
...
Zara and Martha emerged from the pub, somehow managing to avoid John all day, carrying drinks, and sat down at one of the tables with Jenny.
"Ooh, it's freezing out here!" Martha complained. "Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?"
"Now don't be ridiculous - you do get these notions!" Jenny laughed. "It's all very well those Suffragettes; but that's London, that's miles away."
"But don't you want to scream sometimes, having to bow and scrape and behave, don't you just wanna tell them?"
"I dunno. Things must be different in your country."
Zara laughed, "Yeah, well they are." She said.
"Nice of you to join us, Miss Saxon." Jenny smiled. "Aren't you cold?"
"Jenny, please it's Zara." Zara smiled. "And I'm fine, I've been stuck indoors all day. Anway, as we were saying, thank God we're not staying."
Jenny looked between the two of them, "You keep saying that."
"Just you wait." Martha nodded. "One more month and we're as free as the wind. I wish you could come with us, Jenny - you'd love it!"
"Where are you gonna go?"
"Anywhere." Zara sighed, looking up at the stars. "Just look up there. Imagine you could go all the way out to the stars."
Jenny laughed, "You don't half say mad things!"
"That's where we're going." Martha said. "Into the sky, all the way out."
Martha and Zara both stared at the sky when suddenly, a green light flared in and out of existence in the sky.
"Did you see that?" Martha asked.
"Yeah." Zara mumbled.
Jenny frowned, following their gaze, "See what?"
"Did you see it though?" Martha jumped up, staring. "Right up there, just for a second."
"Martha, there's nothing there."
Martha sighed, slumping back down into her seat when Joan came running into view and Martha stood back up again, "Matron, are you alright?"
"Did you see that?" Joan asked, breathless, staring up at the sky. "There was something in the woods... this light..."
John stepped out of the pub, coming up between the three women, "Anything wrong, ladies?" He asked, putting his hand on the small of Zara's back, something he done often as John Smith. "Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you-"
"There!" Joan interrupted, pointing up at the sky as the light flew over again, like a shooting star. "There, look in the sky!"
"That's beautiful." Jenny gasped.
"There...orgom." John nodded. "Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."
"It came down in the woods." Joan mumbled.
"No, no no, they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder." He turned to Joan and Zara. "Now, I should escort you back to the school." He looked over at Martha and Jenny. "Ladies?"
"No, we're fine, thanks." Martha muttered, her gaze fixed on the sky.
"Then I shall bid you goodnight." He put his arm around Zara's waist, leading her off with Joan. Zara glanced over her shoulder at Martha, who nodded back at her.
...
The next morning, Zara stepped out of her room, next to John's, and made her way down the empty hallway. She was off to meet Martha and they were heading to The TARDIS, when John stepped out of his room.
"Zara?" He called down the hallway.
Zara flinched slightly, but carried on walking, knowing he wanted to talk to her, seeing as she had retreated to her room straight away the night before and she really didn't want to talk to him about him sticking his tongue down her throat.
"Not now, busy!" She called over her shoulder. "Off to find Martha!" She turned a corner quickly, leaving him standing outside his room.
"Zara, I- Uh." He sighed, retreating back into his room.
...
Zara and Martha stepped into the barn, smiling over at The TARDIS. Martha reached around her neck, pulling out the key and unlocking the door. The two stepped in, looking around the dark console room.
"Hello." Martha smiled before shaking her head. "I'm talking to a machine..."
"Nothing wrong with that." Zara mumbled, shutting the door. The two headed over the the console, glancing up at the time rotor. Martha closed her eyes as Zara stroked the console gently, both thinking of what happened the day The Doctor became human.
"Look out!" The Doctor cried, Martha and Zara diving to the floor, narrowly missing the green laser, which hit the console, making it spark.
The two of them walked around to the scanner, Zara gently pulling it round.
The Doctor growled in anger, "They're following us!" Zara breathed. "They can follow us wherever we go. Right across the universe. They're never going to stop..."
The Doctor looked at the two of them, "Martha, Zara, you trust me don't you?"
"Of course I do." Martha and Zara replied in unison.
"Cause it all depends on you two." He dove under the console as Zara and Martha watched.
Martha reached out towards the console.
The Doctor held out the fob watch to Martha.
"Martha, this watch is me." The Doctor explained as Zara ran round the console, pulling levers in an attempt to help, completely annoyed at him for doing what he was about to do anyway.
Martha took it from him, confused, as he ran round the console, pulling levers, "...Right, okay, gotcha...No, hold on! Completely lost!"
Zara ran back over to her, leaving The Doctor to the controls, to explain, "Those creatures are hunters, they can sniff out anyone- and him being a Time Lord; well, he's unique." She explained quickly. "They can track him down across the whole of time and space."
Martha laughed sarcastically, "And the good news is?"
"They can smell me, they haven't seen me." The Doctor called over. "And their life's bound to be running out- so, we hide, wait for them to die."
"But they can track us down."
The Doctor stopped, looking at them sadly, "That's why I've got to do it. I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm gonna become human."
The two of them glanced up at the headset The Doctor had used, hanging from a cable.
The cable lowered the headset down, into The Doctor's reach.
"Never thought I'd use this." The Doctor mumbled. "All the times I've wondered..."
"What does it do?" Martha asked.
"Chameleon Arch." Zara breathed. "Re-write his biology. Literally changes every single cell in his body."
The Doctor took the watch from Martha, "I've set it to human." He said, fitting the watch into a section of the headset. "Now, the TARDIS will take care of everything. Invent a life story for me, find me a setting and integrate me. Can't do the same for you...you'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you in. One of you could end up being thick as thieves while the other could be an acquaintance, but I can't control that, sorry."
"But... hold on, if you're going to rewrite every single cell- isn't it going to hurt?" Martha asked.
"Oh yeah." He nodded. "It hurts."
Martha gulped, staring at the Chameleon Arch hanging loosely.
The Doctor screamed in pain, clutching his head as he writed. Martha watched in horror and Zara shut her eyes tightly, squeezing Martha's had.
The two shook their heads, trying to forget their memory. Martha reached over, pulling some of the controls on the console and the scanner flickered to life, showing a video of The Doctor sitting in The TARDIS.
"This working?" He asked, reaching forward and tapping the camera. "Zara, 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 either of you. And don't abandon each other! I know you wouldn't anyway... And fi-" Martha rolled her eyes, twisting a dial, making the video speed through.
"But there was a meteor, a shooting star- what are we supposed to do then?" Martha groaned.
She let go of the dial, the video resuming, "And twenty three. If anything goes wrong, if they find us, girls, 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, Zara. Your choice." He disappeared off screen before returning again with a smile. "Oh, and- thank you." The recording cut itself off, the screen returning to normal.
"I wish you'd come back." Martha whispered.
...
Zara quickly walked across the school field, stopping next to John, who was teaching a class of boys who were firing a machine gun at three dummies, made ofa bucket, spliced sticks and a stuffed sack.
"Concentrate." John called, noticing Zara at his side. "We need to talk-"
"There's nothing to discuss, John." She replied quietly, both of them watching the boys, both refusing to meet the other's gaze.
"But-"
"Nothing. To. Discuss. You're a great man John but don't spend your life trailing after me..." Her thoughts trailed back, knowing that there was little time before the Family would die out. "You never know when your time is up." He opened his mouth to speak again before glancing behind her, noticing Joan outside one of the school doors, about to make her way over. "Enjoy your afternoon, John." She turned and briskly walked off.
John breathed in sharply, not bothering to watch Zara walk away, "Hutchinson, excellent work!" He called.
...
The Doctor opened the door to Zara's room, identical to his, and stepped in. The both of them had become very used to just walking into the other's room, making themselves at home.
"Zara..." He began before trailing off as his eyes landed on her, stood in front of him in a simple white dress with long sleeves, her blonde wavy hair let over her shoulders. "Uh, I..."
"What?" Zara asked, eyeing him oddly.
He shook his head from his thoughts, "I'm going into the village with Nurse Redfern."
"Ok." She nodded, turning away when John reached out, grabbing her arm, gently pulling her back. "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry about." She smiled as he pulled her into a hug.
...
After a walk in the village and the fields and a very spontaneous invite to the village dance, John found himself later that evening in his room, drawing Joan in his journal. He lowered the book, looking over at Joan, sitting opposite him.
"Can I see?" She asked. He moved round to sit next to her on the sofa, showing her the picture. She laughed in delight, "Oh, goodness...Do I look like that? Are you sure that's not me?" She pointed to a sketch of a Slitheen on the opposite page.
"Most definitely this page, I should think." John smiled, pointing back to the sketch of her.
She shook her head, "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." She paused, looking at him. "Is that fair? That we stop?"
"That's not fair at all."
...
Outside in the hallway, Zara and Martha walked along hand in hand, laughing.
"He's just as clumsy as usual though!" Martha laughed.
Zara nodded, "Time Lord and human, same thing!" She joked.
...
The two of them leant forward and eventually kissed. After a moment, John pulled back, staring at her, flushed.
"I've never, um..." He began, before giving her a long, loving kiss.
The door opened and Martha and Zara stepped in, John pulling back quickly.
"Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?" He snapped, looking up, noticing Zara next to Martha. "Zara..." He breathed. Zara stepped back out, Martha following after, shutting the door, leaning against it in shock. She looked to her right at Zara who leaned against the wall, an expression mixed between shock and amusement.
"That wasn't on the list." She whispered to her.
...
Inside the TARDIS, still hidden inside the barn, Martha fiddled with the scanner as Zara lay upside down on the jump seat, her legs dangling over the top, her head over the edge, her blonde hair gently brushing the grating on the floor.
"Four - you two." The Doctor said on the recording. "Don't let me abandon either of you."
"That's no good." Martha groaned as Zara watched over, amused. "What about the stuff you didn't tell me, what about women? Oh no, you didn't think of that. What in hell am I supposed to do then?"
She fast forward on the tape, "Thank you." The Doctor smiled.
"You had to, didn't you?" Martha sighed. "Had to go and fall in love with a human." She glanced at Zara out of the corner of her eye. "And it was the wrong one."
...
The door to the servant's quarters opened and Jenny stepped into the doorway, looking stiffly at Zara and Martha.
"There you are!" Martha smiled. "Come and look what I've got. Mr Poole didn't want his afternoon tea so cook said I could have it. And there's enough for two." Jenny stared, stiff. "What are you standing there for?"
Jenny sniffed loudly, "Are you alright?" Zara asked.
"I must have a cold coming on." Jenny said coldly, sitting down opposite Zara and Martha.
"Problem is, I keep thinking about them but I don't know what to do." Martha sighed.
Jenny frowned, "Thinking about who?" She asked.
"Mr Smith and Matron. Cause it's never gonna last, he's gonna leave in a few weeks."
"Why?"
"It's like his contract comes to an end. And she's gonna be heartbroken."
"Leave for where?"
"All sorts of places." Martha sighed as Zara watched Jenny, concerned. "I wish I could tell you Jenny, but it's complicated."
"In what way?"
"I just can't."
"It sounds so interesting." Jenny said falsely. Tell me. Tell me now."
Martha and Zara frowned at her, "Would you like some tea?" Zara asked.
"Yes thanks."
"I could put a nice bit of gravy in the pot." Martha said cautiously. "And some mutton. Or sardines and jam, how about that?"
"I like the sound of that."
"Right..." Zara said. "Hold on a tick." The two of them got up and left the room, walking to the stairs before running. As they bolted out of the building, Jenny leant out of the window, pulling an alien green gun out of her jacket, shooting at them as they ran past, narrowly missing them.
...
Zara and Martha burst into John's room as he and Joan broke apart from sharing a kiss.
"They've found us." Martha gasped.
"This is ridiculous..." Joan muttered.
John stood up, "Martha, I've warned you." He said.
"They've found us, and I've seen them- they look like people, like us, like normal." Martha blabbed.
Zara stepped forward as John gave her a look, clearly thinking Martha was insane, "I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch." Zara sighed, looking over to the mantelpiece. "Where is it?"
Martha moved over to the mantelpiece, shuffling through the things on it, "Oh my god, where's it gone?" She panicked. "Where's the watch?"
"What are you talking about?" John asked.
"You had a watch, a fob watch." Martha said quickly, pointing at the mantelpiece. "Right there!"
"Did I?" He blinked. "I don't remember."
"I can't see what concern it is of yours." Joan commented.
Zara glared daggers at Joan, "It was a gift from me!" She snapped, before looking at John. "But it wasn't, because this isn't us, god!"
"But we need it..." Martha added. "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..." John nodded. "Cultural differences." He added quietly to Joan, picking up his journal, looking back to Martha. "It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story. "
"Oh you complete... THIS," She waved a finger at him. "Is not you, THIS is nineteen thirteen."
"Good. This IS nineteen thirteen."
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry but I've got to snap you out of this." She reached back, slapping him hard across the face.
"Martha!" Joan cried.
"Wake up! You're coming back to the TARDIS with us, now!" She grabbed his hands, trying to pull him along.
"How dare you!" John shouted. "I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant! Martha, you are dismissed, you will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!" He pulled her over to the door, throwing her out and shutting it on her. Zara turned to go for the door when he called after her, "Where are you going?"
She looked back, glaring at him angrily, "After Martha."
"What?!"
"For christ sake!" She screeched. "You have your little human life with this bloody nurse," She gestured to Joan. "If you want to, but this isn't you!"
"You're going after some servant girl instead of staying here with me? Where you belong?"
"Oh yes," She spat. "Every time." She stepped out of the room after Martha and they ran down the hallway, bumping into young Timothy Latimer.
"Oh, sorry!" Martha apologised as they ran on. Latimer frowned, watching the two of them in their usual clothing, back in the 2000's, bumping into him again. "Oh, sorry!" She apologised again, carrying on running.
"Martha, Zara?" He called, watching as everything returned to normal, the two of them in their 1913's clothing, running down the hallway.
"Not now Tim, busy!" Zara called over her shoulder.
...
Zara shut the door to The TARDIS as Martha ran across the console room to one of the y-beams, picking up The Doctor's brown coat, rifling through the pockets.
"Got it!" Martha said, turning and throwing it to Zara, who caught it one handed.
"He's gone to the village dance with Joan." Zara muttered, opening the door again. "That's where he'll be."
...
Martha and Zara stormed up to the village hall entrance, a man outside rattling a tin, collecting spare change.
"Ooh, staff entrance I think, miss!" The man called to Martha.
"Yeah, well think again mate." She muttered, the both of them pushing past and into the hall. They stalked straight up to Joan, ignoring the party of people chatting, drinking and dancing, stopping by her at the table.
"Please, don't." Joan groaned. "Not again."
"He's different from any other man you've ever met, right?"
"Yes."
"And sometimes he says these strange things, like people and places you've never heard of, yeah?" Zara asked.
"But it's deeper than that." Martha added. "Sometimes when you look in his eyes you know - you just know that there's something else in there. Something hidden. Right behind the eyes, something hidden away. In the dark."
"I don't know what you mean, I..." Joan stuttered.
"Yes, you do."
"I don't mean to be rude," Zara began before pausing, "Actually, I do mean to be rude. But the awful thing is it doesn't even matter what you think. And I don't think your nice at all. But you're lucky. And we just wanted to say sorry for what we're about to do."
John appeared behind them, rolling his eyes at the sigh of Martha, "Oh, now really, Martha." He looked at Zara, still confused why she was siding with this servant girl! "Zara, this is getting out of hand. Martha, I must insist that you leave." He said as Zara stepped up to him, holding out the sonic to him.
"Do you know what this is?" Martha asked. "Name it. Go on, name it."
"John, what is that silly thing?" Joan frowned. "John?"
John took the sonic from Zara, turning it over in his hands carefully.
"You're not John Smith." Martha continued. "You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."
The door swung open to the dance hall and the local farmer, Clarke, possessed by one of the Family, strode in, knocking over a hat stand, people shrieking and moving away.
"There will be silence!" Clarke bellowed. "All of you!" Behind him, Baines and Jenny, also possessed by the family, followed in along with their scarecrow guards. "I said silence!"
"Mr Clarke!" A man in the crowd called. "What's going on?"
Clarke raised his gun, turning and firing at the man and dissolved him into nothing, Joan stifling a shriek.
"Mr Smith, everything I told you, just forget it!" Martha hissed to Joan. "Don't say anything."
"We asked for silence!" Baines shouted. "Now then." He turned and glared at John. "We have a few questions for Mr Smith."
A little girl, also possessed by the family, stepped out of the crowd and moved over to Baines and Jenny, "No, better than that." She said. "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."
"You took human form."
"Of course I'm human, I was born human!" John stuttered, confused. "As were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mr Clarke! What is going on, this is madness!"
"And a human brain, too! Simple, thick and dull."
"He's no good like this." Jenny sneered.
"We need a Time Lord." Clarke nodded.
"Easily done." Baines said, stepping forward and raising the gun, aiming it at John. The crowd gasped and John stumbled back slightly, grabbing Zara's hand. "Change back."
"I don't know what you're talking about." John stammered.
"Change back!"
"I literally do not know-"
Jenny yanked hold of Martha, and she screamed, holding a gun to her head. Zara squeezed John's hand, staring back at Martha calmly as he watched her, petrified. Human or not, The Doctor's fear for Martha and Zara being hurt would still bleed through a chameleon arch.
"Get off me!" Martha barked.
"They're your friends, aren't they?" Jenny asked. "Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?"
"I don't know what you mean!" John gasped.
"Wait a minute... The maid told me about Smith and the matron...that woman, there!" She pointed at Joan.
"Let's have you!" Clarke snapped, grabbing Joan, holding his gun to her head.
"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor?" Baines sneered. "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."