The sound of footsteps woke Katy, her eyes fluttering open as found herself slumped on the ground, her cold cheek to the rough carpet beneath her. She looked around her surroundings in bewilderment, noting that her bed was only a few metres away, the strange fob watch still beside her. Had she fainted? Pushing herself up onto her unsteady feet, her head spun in a fit of dizziness, causing her to stumble forward and clutch onto the chest of drawers nearby. The newspaper she had seen that morning was now a mess of paper on the floor, likely having been thrown when she collapsed. Suddenly, the door to her room swung open, revealing a familiar displeased face.
"This is unacceptable. It is almost seven and you are still in your bedclothes. What if you were called upon—" Nurse Redfern exclaimed, in a haughty tone.
"Then I'm sure you could treat the party in need in my stead, Matron" Katy huffed, running a hand through her tangled hair.
"I believe we have spoken about talking back to your superiors, have we not?" Matron pointed out.
"And shouldn't a polite lady know to knock on one's bedroom door before entering?" Katy muttered, as Matron crossed her arms.
"Proving my point once again" Matron stated, shaking her head before finally moving out of her doorway.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed" Katy murmured, under her breath.
"What did you say?" Matron called out, from the other room.
"I said what a beautiful day it looks like!" Katy retorted, with a roll of her eyes.
Grabbing her hairbrush, she began to comb through her knotted hair, as she walked into the adjoining nurse's office. She and the Matron would swap between sleeping beside the office, in case a boy called upon them in the night. Though, more often than not, it was Katy who was made to sleep on the uncomfortable wooden bed.
"We have a busy day ahead of us. Some of the boys are already coming down with the winter illness..." Matron began, as Katy drowned out her voice with her own conflicted thoughts.
It wasn't the first time she had collapsed in the past months. In fact, it seemed to be getting worse. She had thought about telling Matron, but she expected all she would receive was tutting and to be told she should retire to bed earlier. And as for her dreams...
Katy's head shot up when she heard a soft knocking on the wooden door to the office before it opened a moment later. And just like her mood instantly lifted when she was met with brown eyes, and a shy smile.
John Smith.
From the corner of her eye, she could see even Matron stood a little straighter, her lips curling up in a smile. The man in question still had his gaze on the floor, his cheeks appearing red as if he had been in a rush to arrive at their door.
"I apologise to call upon you ladies at such a time, but I found myself rather worried about..." John's voice trailed off when he looked up to see Katy in nothing more than her thin, white nightdress.
If she had thought his cheeks were red before, it was nothing compared to the scarlet that flushed over his face now. John instantly whipped around, his black cap almost falling off in the process as a babble of words fell from his lips.
"Good heavens, I had not thought I would find you undressed, Nurse Jones...not that you are in the nude...I mean, not that I looked...well, I suppose I did to a degree...but not in an improper way..." John stuttered over his words, as a soft giggle left Katy.
"Come now, Mr Smith. I am sure I have nothing that you have not seen before" Katy said, in a teasing tone, watching as the man's ears turned the same colour as his cheeks.
"Enough! Put this over your shoulders" Matron snapped, throwing a blanket toward Katy.
Remaining thoroughly amused, Katy used the blanket to cover her from shoulders to stomach, sending Matron a mocking curtsey as she did so. Sometimes she wondered why she stayed at the school when she was forced to work under a woman who had such distaste for her. Then she remembered.
"You may turn around now, Mr Smith" Katy announced, as John did as he was told, a nervous expression on his face.
"You were saying you had concerns?" Matron pushed, when John didn't speak further.
"Ah, yes. Yes! I was worried about poor Jenkins. He seemed quite ill yesterday" John stated, turning to Nurse Redfern who he had seen speaking to the boy the day prior.
"Nothing more than a little cold, and homesickness, I can assure you" Matron answered, as John gave a curt nod.
"Right. That's...that's good to hear" John mumbled, as his eyes drifted back to Katy.
The pair remained staring at each other for a few more moments undisturbed, until Matron cleared her throat, and grabbed her nurse's bag. With a clenched jaw, she made her way over to where John was standing, who still paid her little attention.
"Well, I had better start my rounds" Nurse Redfern exclaimed.
"Of course. Good day to you, Matron" John smiled.
"If you wouldn't mind, I would rather you call me Nurse Redfern. Matron sounds...well, rather matronly. Though we've only known each other two months, you could even say Joan" Nurse Redfern suggested, as John's brows knitted together.
"Joan?" He repeated.
"That's my name" Joan pointed out, with an all too sweet smile.
Katy grimaced as she watched the pair's interaction, finding it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She could hardly blame Matron for her flirtations, after all, she had a feeling that Martha held deeper feelings for John than she would admit.
"Didn't you say we had a busy day ahead of us? Best to get on with it, don't you think?" Katy insisted, as Joan sent a glare in her direction.
"I expect you to follow me shortly" Nurse Redfern advised.
"Yes, Ma'am" Katy replied, sarcastically, as the woman in question made a hasty exit, closing the large wooden door behind her.
"I see things are still rather...frosty between yourself and Matron" John suggested, choosing not to use the other woman's first name, which Katy took note of.
"Is it any surprise? You should hear the way she speaks of Martha. She is quite lucky I haven't graced her with the palm of my hand" Katy scoffed, as John quirked an eyebrow.
"Not the most ladylike of things to say" John scolded, as Katy's lips twitched into a smirk and she took a step closer to him.
"I find proper behaviour rather boring. Better to tread on the edge, I think" Katy went on, only making John nervous once more.
"Quite the rebel" He mumbled, causing her smirk to widen.
"And I think that you, Mr Smith, did not come here, thinking of Jenkins's wellbeing. I think you came for something else" Katy said, watching as John's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.
He had thought his true intentions had been hidden adequately, but it seemed Katy could see right through him. He cursed the way he could feel his cheeks beginning to heat up under her intense gaze, a fluttering sensation growing in his stomach.
"Well, perhaps...I may have..." John began to stutter, as Katy nudged him with her elbow.
"You came to see my newest invention. Admit it" Katy teased, as John's mind took a moment to catch up with her words.
"...Yes. Of course. I, yes...that was the reason for my visit" John nodded, quickly.
Not needing to hear more, Katy turned on her heel and rushed back into her bedroom, as John could hear drawers opening and closing. A few moments later she returned with a strange contraption that was a jumble of wires all held together with string. An odd-looking motor spun around on the top, letting out a small beeping sound now and again. John gave her a quizzical look as she handed him the device and he saw she had an identical one in her other hand.
"What is it?" He questioned.
"A telephone" She answered, as he touched the spinning motor.
"But it is not attached to anything" John frowned.
"Exactly! It's a transportable phone. I plan to call it...a trone!" Katy announced, in a dreamy tone, as John had to bite his lip to stop the laughter from leaving his lips.
"A trone?" He repeated as Katy shook her head, fondly.
"It could use a little work, I confess. But still...what do you think?" Katy pushed.
"It is a most marvellous invention. Quite incredible" John congratulated, looking at her rather than the intriguing device in his hand.
"You may keep it if you wish. It is only a prototype, after all" Katy shrugged.
"Oh, I couldn't—" John began, as Katy reached out to touch his hand, closing his fingers around the device.
"I must insist. Now, I think I better change before Matron comes calling asking what is taking me so long" Katy grinned, as John shared her expression.
Later that morning, Katy was making her way through the lower floors of the school, having been sent all around the building by the Matron, who was now in a foul mood. She spotted a familiar figure on her hands and knees beside the stairs, feeling her chest tighten. She hated seeing Martha treated so awfully. She was about to call out to her when a boy's voice echoed through the halls.
"Now then, you two. You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it" Jeremy Baines scolded, hearing Martha laughing beside her friend, a maid named Jenny.
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir" Jenny nodded, keeping her eyes to the floor.
"Nothing to say, Jones? Tell me then. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?" Baines mocked, as Martha's face fell.
It wasn't the first despicable comment that had been thrown Martha's way since she had entered the school grounds and she knew it wouldn't be the last. As Baines turned to leave, a foot suddenly stretched out and tripped him over as the boy went flying toward the ground. Landing on his face with a loud thud, Martha covered her laughter with her hands as she found the foot unsurprisingly belonged to Katy.
"You...you tripped me on purpose!" Baines accused, pushing himself onto all fours.
"The floor is wet. You must have slipped, Baines" Katy retorted, as the boy's face turned into a snarl.
"I know what I saw! I will tell my teacher! The headmaster, even!" Baines warned, dusting off his black blazer.
"Will you now? Martha, Baines slipped, did he not?" Katy called out.
"Oh, yes. He didn't look where he was going, that's all" Martha agreed.
"Jenny?" Katy exclaimed.
"Yes. I suppose he did slip" The maid, nodded.
"It seems I have two witnesses. And all you have is a whiny little voice that makes me want to throw you off the roof of this building" Katy went on, as Baines turned pale.
"But...but you can't talk to me like that..." Baines trailed off, as Katy took a step closer to him.
"Run along, Baines. Before I find another slippery patch for you to trip over" Katy muttered, watching as the boy gulped before turning in the opposite direction and running away.
The three women laughed as they watched him go, having heard all the snide comments from men that they could bear. Katy's brow knitted together as she felt the odd urge to run after the boy and truly make him pay for his comment. It was what her parents would expect her...
No. No, her parents had been good people. They had taught her to be polite, kind even. Hadn't they?
"I wish I had a sister like yours" Jenny whispered, confused when she saw how Martha's smile disappeared.
Martha looked up with sadness in her eyes to the woman she now called her adoptive sister. She supposed it made sense to the TARDIS when the machine created their fake identities. If Martha and Katy were siblings, then she would have a reason to follow the newly human Katy around. Still, it felt cruel. Katy treated her like a true sister now, how would she feel when her real memories returned?
"Pay no mind to the little shit, Martha. I'm sure he'll get what's coming to him" Katy stated, bringing Martha out of her thoughts.
"I don't need you to always fight my battles for me" Martha replied, realising just how much like siblings they sounded.
"I know. But what else is a sister supposed to do?" Katy grinned, as she knelt beside Martha.
"You know you don't have to do this work. Our parents left us enough money. There is no need for you to put yourself through this" Katy mumbled, in a hushed voice to Martha, who winced when Katy spoke of their 'parents'.
"I just want to be close to you, that's all" Martha said, with a small smile.
"How disgustingly sweet of you" Katy teased, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead, before pushing herself onto her feet.
All of a sudden, a group of boys were racing past them, gossiping to themselves. Katy's eyes narrowed as she noticed one name, in particular, seemed to be the subject of their conversation. She placed her hand on the nearest boy's shoulders, stopping him in his stride.
"Has something happened to Mr Smith?" She questioned.
"Yes, Nurse Jones. They're saying he's fallen down the stairs" The boy confessed, as Katy felt her heart come to a complete stop.
Martha was unable to get a word out before Katy raced up the steps to his quarters, knowing that would be where he was brought. Hundreds of awful thoughts rushed through her mind as she sprinted through the building. The worst one was what if he had been killed. A fall down a flight of stairs might not be enough to kill a Time Lord but...
Katy almost fell over her own feet as the strange phrase echoed through her head. A Time Lord? For God's sake, did her mind really not know how to differentiate reality from her dreams? John was as human as she was. Too mortal.
She was panting as she finally made it to John's sleeping quarters, bursting through the door only to find him sitting on a leather armchair, appearing thankfully unharmed. Matron was standing behind him, her hands brushing through his hair causing the man to wince. Still, it wasn't enough evidence for Katy. She rushed over to John, reaching out to touch his face, comforted to feel the warmth of his cheek.
"Are you alright? What happened? Are you hurt?" Katy rambled, in a panic.
"Excuse me, Katy. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking" Matron huffed, as Katy sent her a death glare.
"I assure you, I am fine. It was just a tumble, that's all" John informed Katy, who realised she was still all but caressing his cheek.
"They said you fell down the stairs, that's more than a bloody tumble!" Katy gaped, as the door swung open once more.
"Is he okay?" Martha cried, racing into the room, as Matron held up her hands in exasperation.
"Oh, for Goodness' sake. Did no one teach you both manners?" Matron scolded.
"Have you checked for concussion?" Martha inquired.
"I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you" Matron snapped, as Katy grit her teeth.
"Sorry. I'll just...tidy your things" Martha replied, not wanting to leave them just yet.
"You'll need stitches, John. Only a few" Matron announced.
"I can do it. You must have other patients you need to tend to, Matron" Katy spoke up.
"Well, yes. But I—" She started, when Katy cut her off.
"I believe stitches are in the remit of my abilities. I am sure the boys of this school require someone more...experienced to continue the rounds" Katy went on, as Joan's face twitched in irritation.
"Very well. Try not to injure yourself in the process" Joan muttered, before storming out of the room.
"Do you not trust Matron's abilities?" John frowned, as Katy wandered over to the supplies Joan had left on the oak table.
"I do. But I believe you are in need of some special attention" Katy smiled at him, as Martha couldn't help but snort.
"This will sting somewhat. Try to think of something else. What were you saying to Matron when I entered?" Katy asked, as she began to clean the back of John's head.
"I was just telling Matron, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable tales. I keep imagining that I'm someone else and that I'm hiding. They're almost every night. This is going to sound silly..." John trailed off, with a shake of his head.
"Go on," Katy said, with a teasing grin.
"I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts" John confessed, as Katy's eyebrows shot up.
"Perhaps you are trying to overcompensate, John" Katy mocked, as Martha couldn't help but bark out a laugh.
"Sorry" She mumbled, when the pair gave her a look.
"Then again, I should check. Just to be on the safe side" Katy smirked, pulling out a stethoscope from Matron's case.
Martha watched as John sucked in a shaky breath as Katy placed the diaphragm of the stethoscope to his chest. Katy could hear the steady beat of a singular heart through the earpieces, before moving it to the other side of his chest, hearing nothing new. She looked down to see John gazing up at her, full of nervous excitement.
"No binary vascular system, I'm afraid" Katy announced, as John's forehead wrinkled.
"A what?" He asked.
"...It just seemed what one would call a person with two hearts...I suppose..." Katy mumbled, not sure where the words had come from.
"I have er, I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction. Not that it would be of any interest" John shook his head.
"I'd be very interested" Katy replied, as John's smile broadened.
"Well, I've never actually shown it to anyone before" John confessed, before jumping to his feet and rushing over to his desk, pulling out a leather handwritten book.
"A Journal of Impossible Things" Katy exclaimed, as she opened the first page, finding that was the title.
Katy's eyes scanned over the dozens of pages of rambling and scribbled drawings. There were monstrous pictures of things that would be enough to give a child nightmares. She stopped on a page where she could swear she recognised one of the drawings. It seemed to be some sort of machine, almost like a pepper pot. For some reason it caused fear to course through her veins, the name of the creature somehow on the tip of her tongue. With a shake of her head, she went to the next page, feeling her heart beginning to speed up.
"Rose" She gasped, her fingers touching the smudged drawing of the blonde she swore she knew.
"Yes. Rose. She's this invention, a...a companion of mine. Seems to disappear later on..." John trailed off, in a sad tone.
Katy began flickering through the pages at a faster pace, her hands shaking when she spotted another familiar image. One that she swore she had dreamt of before.
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 faraway places" John informed her, but Katy could now barely hear him from how loud her heart was beating in her ears.
"Katy?" Martha questioned, noticing the panicked look on her face.
"You're a...a Time Lord..." Katy stuttered, as Martha's eyes doubled in size.
"Well, yes. That's what I believe I am in these...how did you know that?" John frowned.
"I...I don't know..." Katy cried, as Martha suddenly lunged forward and grabbed the book from her hands.
"I think that's enough of your fiction today, Mr Smith" Martha scolded.
"Are you alright, Nurse Jones?" John asked, noticing the dazed expression on Katy's face.
"...My head...it hurts..." Katy mumbled, her hands flying up to cover her face, as she doubled over.
"Mr Smith. I think it best if you leave now" Martha announced.
"But I—" He began, as Martha cut him off.
"Now, Mr Smith!" Martha all but ordered, as she went to Katy's side, placing her hands on her arms.
Not needing to be told twice, John gave one last look of concern to Katy before rushing out of the room, closing the door behind him. Martha squeezed Katy's shoulders before guiding her down to the floor, already knowing what would come next.
"What's happening? Where am I? Who...who are you?" Katy sobbed, as her eyes shot open, darting around in a panic.
"I'm your friend. It's alright. I promise. When you wake up, you'll be fine—" Martha was cut off as Katy's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she started to convulse.
Martha winced as she watched Katy's seizure grow worse, her whole body affected as she shook on the ground. She raced over to John's bed to grab a pillow, attempting to put it under Katy's head to stop her from injuring herself. The spasms continued for some time, as Katy's limbs were thrown around, likely to leave bruises. Eventually, she became still, and her eyes slowly opened, a vacant expression on her face. It took a few more minutes before she was alert and looked up at Martha in confusion.
"What happened? Why...is this Mr Smith's study?" Katy gaped.
"You...you tripped. But you're okay now" Martha insisted.
"He didn't see, did he?" Katy grimaced, as Martha shook her head.
"You've been crying" Katy frowned, seeing tear tracks on her cheeks.
Martha reached up to touch her wet face, not having realised she had been sobbing as she watched her friend's seizure, knowing there was nothing she could do. She just had to remember it would all be over soon.
"I was just worried about you. I don't know what I'd do without you" Martha admitted, as Katy gave her a small smile, before holding out her arms.
Martha embraced her quickly, trying to push down the guilt she felt at what Katy was going through. Less than a month and they would all be back to normal, she insisted to herself.
"You okay?" Martha queried, seeing the dazed look on Katy's face as she brought her and Jenny's drink over to them.
"I'm fine. Just cold. It's bloody freezing out here" Katy complained, rubbing her hands together.
The three of them had ventured out to the pub after work, as Martha needed something to calm her nerves. The women were forced to stay outside in the cold night, whilst the men grew cheered and laughed in the warmth of the pub. It was yet another reason Martha missed the twenty-first century.
"You and your mouth" Jenny giggled, grabbing her drink and taking a sip.
"I know, I know. I'm a bad influence on her" Katy grinned, nudging Martha with her arm, who only hummed in response.
"Martha?" Katy pushed.
"Oh, she's star gazing again. Imagining this new life she thinks she'll have in a couple of months" Jenny teased.
"That's where I'm going. Into the sky, all the way out" Martha smiled to herself, as Katy and Jenny laughed to themselves.
"Did you see that?" Martha frowned, as Katy followed her gaze up to the night sky.
"See what?" Jenny asked.
"Did you see it, though? Right up there, just for a second. There was a flash of light and then..." Martha trailed off, wondering if she was imagining things.
"Sounds like a ship entering the Earth's atmosphere" Katy murmured, as Martha gave her a startled look.
"I'm just spouting nonsense, Martha. Don't listen to me" Katy shook her head, confused at why she had spoken in the first place.
She heard the pub door open then, and a moment later John was walking out, a soft smile growing on his face when he saw her looking. Her gaze fell to the floor in embarrassment, still not sure if she had made a fool of herself only hours earlier.
"Good evening, ladies. Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, perhaps I could—" John started, but was cut off by Martha's cry.
"There! Look in the sky!" Martha gaped, as they looked up to see a light whizzing through the sky, an unearthly green colour.
"Oh, that's beautiful" Jenny mumbled, in awe.
"All gone. Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all" John told them.
"It looked like exhaust giving off by retrostabalisers to me" Katy stated, receiving odd looks from the group.
"I'm afraid this drink seems to have gone to my head already" Katy exclaimed, though she knew she was yet to take a sip of her drink.
"In that case, I should escort you back to the school. Ladies?" John offered.
"No, we're fine, thanks" Martha replied, causing Jenny to pout.
"Then I shall bid you goodnight. Nurse Jones?" John smiled, as he held his arm out for her to lead the way.
"Are you sure, Martha?" Katy pushed, not wanting to leave her sister after what she had just seen.
"You go. Honestly. Have fun" Martha smirked, as Katy shot her a warning look.
Katy and John walked in a comfortable silence side by side on the dark road back to the school. There would be no cars at such a late hour, but that also meant the pair could hardly see a few metres in front of them. John felt his nerves returning as he stole a few glances at his companion in the dim light.
"I wanted to apologise for what happened in your study earlier. I have these...episodes at times. It's quite embarrassing to tell you the truth" Katy admitted, as John shook his head.
"Please, there is no need to explain. I am merely happy you are alright" He told her.
"Worried about me, were you?" Katy teased, as John let out a quiet laugh.
"Would you think me foolish if I said yes?" John asked.
"No. I'd think you were sweet" Katy smiled at him, and John felt a blush growing on his cheeks once more.
"But we must be careful of course, if Matron was to hear of your concern I do not think I'd ever hear the end of it" Katy huffed, as John gave her a confused look.
"Oh. You really don't know, do you?" Katy realised.
"Know what?" He frowned.
"She's quite taken with you. Did you really think all those times you accidentally bumped into her were coincidence?" Katy went on, as John's mouth went slack.
"Truly?" He insisted, as Katy nodded.
"She is quite beautiful, I suppose. In a matronly, way. What do you think?" Katy inquired.
"Well, yes, to most she would appear that way. I must confess to have never thought of it before" John stated.
"You believe there is one more beautiful than her in the school then?" Katy suggested, as John became tongue-tied.
"I...I wouldn't want to come across as improper..." John stuttered, looking down at his feet.
"I think that's a yes" Katy teased, twisting around so that she was in front of John, walking backwards.
"You seem to enjoy torturing me sometimes" John murmured, his lips twitching into a smile despite himself.
"Someone has to keep you in line" Katy grinned.
A sharp scream suddenly echoed through the trees, startling them both. John was so taken aback by the sound that he managed to trip over his own feet and stumbled down the small hill beside the road. Katy gaped as she watched him roll down the grass until he hit the bottom, where a particularly muddy patch of land was. She was racing after him without a second thought. He had managed to roll onto his front as she approached, his coat stained with mud and wet grass.
"Doctor! Doctor, are you okay?" Katy cried, crouching down beside him, as he gave her a confused look.
"...You called me Doctor" He exclaimed, finding he liked the way she said his name.
His name?
"I said John" Katy frowned.
"No. No, you didn't" John insisted, as they both stared at each other in bewilderment for a few moments, wondering if they had both gone mad.
"That was a scream, wasn't it?" Katy pointed out, as John needed.
"Yes. Perhaps we should search the woods? See if someone is hurt?" John suggested.
"That sounds like a perfectly wonderful idea that would lead to both of our deaths. Screaming means run in the opposite direction, not the other way round" Katy huffed, as she took hold of his arm, helping to haul him up off the mud.
"I look quite awful, don't I?" John sighed, looking down at his ruined coat.
"I've seen you look much worse, John" Katy smiled.
It was late by the time the pair finally made it back to the school, as most of the boys were now fast asleep. Only a few lamps remained on, giving the building an almost eery ambience. John shrugged off his coat, finding even his suit had been muddied, as had a good deal of his arms.
"I will need to clean myself up. Perhaps you would...you could come to my study...even stay the—" John started, when a familiar voice interrupted him.
"John! Goodness gracious, look at the state of you!" Matron cried, hurrying over to the pair.
"Ah, yes. Another tumble I'm afraid" John confessed.
"Come to the nurse's office. I will get you cleaned up" Matron advised.
"I thought I was staying in the office tonight. It is Monday night, after all" Katy pointed out.
"You slept there last night. And clearly, you could do with some proper rest" Matron retorted, as Katy let out a huff.
"Come now" Matron insisted, taking John's arm before he could protest.
"Goodnight, Katy" He called back, giving her a small wave as he was ushered up the stairs.
"Goodnight..." Katy trailed off, finding that word on her tongue again.
Doctor.
The next morning Martha found herself back in the one place she felt safe. The TARDIS. As soon as she entered the machine, memories whizzed through her mind. The awful chase, as she barely made it into the TARDIS before the blast from a ray gun almost disintegrated her.
"They're following us" The Doctor announced, as a warning sound blared from the console.
"How can they do that? You've got a time machine" Martha pointed out.
"Stolen technology. They've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator" The Doctor informed her, as Katy looked at the screen on the console, watching the dot trailing behind them.
"Yeah, and it's still attached to the wrist of the dead man they killed" She grimaced.
"They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe. They're never going to stop, unless. I'll have to do it..." The Doctor trailed off, as a bad feeling grew in Katy's stomach.
"Martha, you trust me, don't you?" The Doctor asked, causing Martha's forehead to wrinkle.
"Of course I do" She answered, a little too easily.
"Because it all depends on you" The Doctor exclaimed, reaching under the console for something.
"What does? What am I supposed to do?" Martha pushed, as the Doctor held two objects up in the air.
"Take these watches, because mine and Katy's lives depend on it. This watch, Martha. The watch is me" The Doctor explained, handing Martha the ornate watches.
Katy took a closer look at them, recognising the Gallifreyan writing instantly. She grabbed one of the watches from Martha's hand, taking a moment to be able to decipher the writing, before her jaw dropped open, realising she was holding something impossible.
"This is a biodata module. But you'd only have this if...oh, you've got to be kidding me. You're serious?" Katy gaped, as the Doctor nodded.
"They can smell us, they haven't seen us. And their life span'll be running out, so we hide. Wait for them to die" The Doctor explained, as Katy began shaking her head, in disbelief.
"But they can track us down!" Martha pointed out.
"That's why we've got to do it. I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm going to become human" The Doctor announced, flicking a group of switches on the console, causing a headset to be lowered from the ceiling of the TARDIS.
"Never thought I'd use this. All the times I've wondered" The Doctor mumbled.
"But...they were all destroyed! How did you...what am I talking about? Of course, you stole it" Katy snorted.
"Chameleon Arch. Rewrites my biology. Literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to human" The Doctor explained, taking the fob watch from Katy's hand.
"Doctor...I'm only part Time Lord. Ten per cent, if that! No one has ever used a chameleon arch that isn't—" Katy panicked, as the Doctor cut her off.
"The Family of Blood. They...they lead such short lives. Three months. If we leave, disappear, take away their hope of living forever...they could change" The Doctor told her.
"They might not" Katy stated.
"You did" The Doctor replied, as Katy let out a groan.
"This is insane. Even crazier than the usual crap you come out with! Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? We might not be able to come back and even if we do...we'll be different" Katy went on, as the Doctor ran a hand through his hair.
"It's up to you. We can stop this. Go out there and fight them. Maybe we beat them. But people will die in the crossfire. We both know that. Or..." He trailed off.
"We become human. And hide. But I don't understand, why have you never told me you had a Chameleon Arch before?" Katy questioned, as he gave her a sad look.
"I knew you'd want to use it. And you know it can't last" The Doctor told her.
"...I've had enough of fighting for one day. Let's try it your way" Katy answered, as the Doctor let out a long sigh, not sure if he was happy with her answer.
"I mean it, Katy. Your DNA...Krillitane DNA, will fight against it. Your body will only be able to cope for a few months without your consciousness and then...you have to become you again. Promise me" The Doctor warned, in a pleading tone, reaching out to hold her hand for a moment.
"I promise" She nodded, squeezing his hand back.
"The Tardis will take care of everything. Invent a life story for us, find a setting and integrate for us both. Can't do the same for you, Martha. You'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you in" The Doctor continued, as he placed Katy's fob watch into the headset.
"But, hold on. If you're going to rewrite every single cell, isn't it going to hurt?" Martha exclaimed.
"Oh, yeah. It hurts" The Doctor answered.
Martha could still hear Katy's screams sometimes when she closed her eyes. She had never heard anyone screech like that. And even worse was how the screaming changed, as if her personality, what made her Katy was erased by the time the shouting finally stopped. Martha's eyes drifted to the metal floor beneath her, remembering what happened next.
The Doctor held Katy in his arms as he lowered her gently to the floor, before pulling the headset away from her head, wincing at the red marks it left on her forehead. She was silent now, her chest rising and falling slowly. Doubt was already clawing away at him, wondering if he had even suggested the dangerous plan in the first place.
"God, will she be alright?" Martha asked, as the Doctor's head snapped up to her, and she found his eyes were bloodshot.
"Her body will fight it. She'll get sick near the end. The seizures will start and then...Martha, you have to get her to change back" The Doctor told her.
"She will. She promised" Martha pointed out.
"She won't want to give up her human life. Not if it means taking back the guilt. I know she hides it well but...you've seen it" The Doctor went on, as Martha's eyes softened.
"Sometimes it's like she...she hates herself" Martha admitted, as the Doctor nodded.
"This will feel like a second chance to her. But it can't last. It will kill her. Do whatever you have to bring her back. Anything. Anything at all" The Doctor explained, looking back down at her sleeping form.
He then leant forward and pressed a soft kiss to Katy's forehead, causing her to stir for a moment before she fell back into a deeper sleep. He pulled off his long brown coat and curled it up to place it under her head in the form of a pillow. Martha's face fell at the gesture, as she looked away, her gaze falling back onto the Chameleon circuit.
"I'll record a list of instructions for when I'm human. But number one, Martha...most important" The Doctor began, as Martha nodded.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"Protect Katy" He told her.
Opening her eyes and finding herself back in the quiet of the TARDIS, Martha leaned against the console, finding a sob clawing up her throat, which she swallowed down. She never thought it would be so hard.
"I'm trying, Doctor. I'm trying" She cried.