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k7l4d4 · 3 years ago

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Midnight Striga: Fairy Tail/Owl House Crossover Episode 1 Part 4

Hello all, this is the last section of Midnight Striga, Episode 1. Feel free to let me know what you think! Everybody clap your hands!!

Luz and Eda looked at each other, neither bothering to fight off the smirk at King’s adorable attempt at being serious. As they followed him through the doors, Eda tugged King back before he could crash into the glowing barrier barring their way. “Up, up, up! We’ve got a human with us, remember?”

King chuckled sheepishly. “Oh yeah, I guess I got too excited.”

Luz arched an eyebrow. “Okay, what does my being human have anything to do with this?” She indicated the “this” in question, gesturing to the barrier. She had to admit, it was a pretty nice looking one, albeit not a very complicated one. She had an idea of what they needed her for, but getting confirmation was always best.

Eda grinned wryly at the girl’s question. “This barrier is how Wrath keeps the contraband under lock. It blocks out all magic, so no Witch or Demon can cross through. Because humans aren’t supposed to have magic,” Eda continued, ignoring the annoyed glare Luz sent her way, “I assumed you’d be able to cross it. But since you do have magic… got any ideas on how to get through?”

Luz snorted, shaking her head. Of course, what had she been expecting? “Yeah, don’t worry. This isn’t my first time having to dispel a barrier, and this one doesn’t seem like that tough a nut to crack.” Turning a discerning eye back towards the barrier, she reached forward, marveling as her hand passed through, mostly at any rate. The barrier seemed to cling to her, as if it recognized that she had magic, something it was supposed to keep out, but was confused by something.

Eda gazed impassively, her thoughts racing at the implications of Luz’s words. As far as Eda knew, unless it was broken by something it couldn’t block, dispelling a barrier wasn’t a thing, yet Luz apparently had done so before. When she saw the barrier stick to the girl’s hand, she felt a slight jolt of worry; the human had magic, who knew how the barrier would react to her? Her worry vanished as a cocky grin bloomed across Luz’s face. Her arm lit up along the area the barrier was clinging to, sigils, runes, and symbols flashing across it, before spreading out across the barrier. To Eda, it looked a lot more methodical than most forms of magic she had seen, but she couldn’t deny, it seemed to be working. As the symbols crawled across the barrier, it broke further and further apart; soon, in seconds really, the barrier was gone, a wide open passage in its place.

Luz felt the impressed stare of Eda burning against her, but brushed it off. While showing off like that was certainly fun, the quicker they got this done, the sooner she could trash this place. As Luz strolled into the room, she noted how it was almost overflowing with scraps, odds and ends, and numerous random bits and pieces; it looked like a hoarder’s paradise. As she grew closer to the center, she noticed a raised pedestal. When she got closer, she stopped and blinked, hoping her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. They were not. Grabbing the prize, and somehow keeping her temper in check, she wandered back to Eda and King, the two of them having made themselves at home amid the junk. As she approached King, she plopped his crown atop his head: a cheap piece of cardboard, the kind used to package boxes shipped within cities, arranged into a crude ring and cut into the shape of a crown with fake jewels drawn on it.

As King felt the crown fall atop his head, he paused, elation rushing through him. “YES!! I CAN FEEL MY DARK POWERS RETURNING!!!!” He roared with glee, turning to the toys scattered around him, before focusing on a stuffed bunny. “You, nightmare creature! I will call you Francois, and you will lead my armies!”

Luz turned a twitching eye back to Eda. “That crown doesn’t give him any powers at all, does it?” She knew it didn’t, but she really needed to know WHY.

Eda barked a cynical laugh. “HA! No, not even close.” Her cocky grin fell as she slumped, now seeming oh so very tired of it all. “Ah look at us kid. I’m a cranky old witch who lives in the woods, and sells junk to whoever’s gullible enough to buy it. He’s a mini-demon with delusions of grandeur. Me and him? All we’ve got in this world is each other, so if that toy is important to him, then it’s important to me. We weirdos have to stick together.”

As frustrated as she was about it all, that sentence rang with Luz. All her life she had been the outcast, and so were they. Who was she to judge how they decided to live? “Yeah, I guess you're right.”

“Of course I’m right, kid!” Eda crowed. “Now let’s get out of here before the Warden catches us.”

“Too late.”

An oddly flesh-like scythe cleaved through Eda’s neck, sending her head rolling across the ground. Luz screamed, not in fright, but in sorrow, sorrow at the loss of the woman who she had already formed a bond with, however fresh it may have been, and rage, the blistering rage at the man, the monster, responsible for them being here.

“It seems the Owl Lady isn’t as impressive as I was led to believe.” Wrath rumbled, reaching down to scoop up Eda’s head. Before he could touch her, however, Luz blocked his path, her face a rictus of hate. “Oh, a human? So that’s how she crossed the barrier. I had assumed she would’ve tried going around, rather than through. Still, how does a fragile thing like yourself hope to challenge the likes of me?” He rumbled, no he chuckled. This bastard was LAUGHING!! HE HAD MURDERED EDA AND WAS LAUGHING!!!!

“You…” Luz’s voice dropped, cold-blooded murder coursing through it. “I’m going to make you pay for that.” It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.

Wrath paused. Then, his shoulders started to shake. The guards behind him started to snicker. Then, they all burst into raucous laughter. Luz had been aware that those on the Isles didn’t really seem to have the highest opinion of humans, but this open display of laughter, as if the idea of a human hurting, or threatening, them in any way was only a laughable joke? That made the rage burn all the hotter.

Luz brought her hands together in the familiar pose of her favored magic, and as the light started building in her palm, the laughter started dying. She bit out a spell, anger scorching through every word. “Light-Make: Blazing Durendal!!!”

With a scream of rage, pain, and years of accumulated frustration, Luz unleashed the strongest Light-Make spell she was currently capable of without incapacitating herself. A shining sword, so large the just forming it caused the ceiling and the floor to tear up to accommodate its bulk, launched forward, catching Wrath on the chest. It was a testament to how strong he was that he didn’t die immediately, as that sword was very much sharp, and the sheer force of its movement made it hit like a landslide. The guards screamed, scattering in panic as their leader was sent crashing through the walls. With a roar, Luz ran after the Warden, intent on making him hurt more, oblivious to what was going on not ten feet behind her.

After Luz jumped through the hole her spell had made through the walls, King tentatively approached Eda’s head. As he crept closer, he slowly pulled himself level with her face… and slapped her across the mouth, eliciting a pained yell from the decapitated head.

“OW!! King, what was that for?!?” Eda yelled, oblivious to her current lack of a body.

King, deadpanning, pointed to his left, where, following his arm, Eda’s gaze landed on the sight of her headless body flopping against the ground, trying and failing to move without her head.

Eda blinked. “Oh. Okay, so how badly did the kid take it?” Eda really hoped Luz wasn’t too choked up over this. Having her head cut off, after she got past the initial panic and horror the first few times, always amounted to her getting knocked out and her body flopping around until she rolled close enough to reattach after waking up.

Once again, instead of answering, King gestured, this time to the gaping whole in the wall. Eda blinked again. “Wow. Not sure how she did that, but help me get up so we can stop her from doing something stupid, okay?” King grumbled, but grudgingly agreed, carrying Eda’s head over to her body.

Back with Luz, she had finally reached the spot where Wrath had landed. Aside from his uniform being trashed to Kingdom Come, and some bruising all across his torso, he seemed none the worse for wear. He chuckled, “A good trick, human, and this will certainly leave a mark for some time, but I doubt you have anything left to give after that feat. I may not know how you imitated magic in such a way, but I doubt you can do so again.”

Now, Luz was well aware that battle banter was something you were supposed to leave in books, high-profile fighters notwithstanding, but she couldn’t keep the snark in check. “There is nothing imitation about my magic. Seriously, maybe do a little fact checking before going off outdated assumptions, asshole!” Normally Luz isn’t so coarse, but right now, she had every reason to be pissed off enough to curse.

“Hmph, then prove it, welp.” Wrath goaded.

“Light-Make: Lion Jaws!” Luz screamed. A blindingly bright Lion Head materialized before her, surging forward and clamping around Wrath’s torso. With a pained grunt, Wrath was once again sent flying back, only to brace himself against the ground. Digging in his heels, he grunted, and roared, ripping open the Lion’s jaws and the head along with it.

“Pitiful.” He grunted, tacitly ignoring the pain surging through his ribs. With a roar of his own, he whipped one of his arms back, reforming it into a mace, and rocketed it forward. With a yelp, Luz jumped back, avoiding the blow, but feeling part of her hoodie rip at the close shave. She grunted; she really liked this outfit, dang it! “But that is to be expected of one who allies with trash.”

Luz was incensed. A slight against herself, while frustrating, was something she could handle. Mocking the dead!? Yeah, she was gonna make this bastard pay dearly. Still, she needed to stall a little more before she could unleash her trump-card, so…

“Why’d you do it?” She asked. She genuinely wanted to know, but the more she could draw this out, the better. “What possible reason could justify killing her? She lived in the woods and sold trash!!!”

“The politics at play are more complex than your feeble mind could even begin to grasp.” Wrath intoned condescendingly. He raised his untransformed fist, beckoning her almost. “But I must admit, I enjoyed that far more than what is traditionally proper. Seeing the stain on my love’s perfection wiped out was far more satisfying than I ever anticipated. Now, she’ll have to accept my offer for a meal together!!”

Luz blinked, dumbfounded. Then, the confusion shifted. Now, it was boiling hate, even more intense than any of the rage and pain she had felt today, the likes she hadn’t felt since that day. “You mean to tell me… you murdered someone, an innocent woman, TO GET A DATE!?!?!?”

Wrath laughed mockingly, throwing his head back. “She is far from innocent! Her very existence is a spitting in the eye of our leader’s great vision! She should be honored to serve as a lesson to those looking to stray from the proper path!!”

With that, Luz officially snapped. “LIGHT-MAKE: DAGGER DANCE!!!” A swarm of blades manifested, each aimed to rip Wrath apart. To counter, he divided his arms into countless tentacles, whipping up the nearby rubble into the paths of the daggers.

“Light-Make: Wolf Pack!” Whatever attack Wrath had been planning to follow up on was quickly aborted, as he was forced to divert his tendrils to fend off the canine constructs currently attempting to rip him apart. As he busied himself with fighting the wolves, Luz took the moment to catch a breather. Keeping him distracted while setting up her finale was a LOT harder than she thought, and she just knew she was gonna be paying for it tomorrow. Still, she needed just a little more time…

“Answer me this then,” Luz began, eyes alert for any attack he may use. “What possible reason do you have for locking these people up?” She gestured in the direction of the cells, specifically the cells containing the trio of prisoners she met before. “What did they do that deserves all this!?” She yelled, gesturing to the imposing structure surrounding them.

Wrath snorted, wrestling another wolf into the ground after it made a lunge for his throat. “I locked them away because they are better for it. What possible use could society have for people like them? Worthless wretches who can’t even do what’s expected of them-” Anything further he had to say was cut off by Luz’s attacks. Abandoning finesse for raw power, Luz had traded her constructs for blasts of pure, concentrated light. As each blow hammered into Wrath, Luz screamed her fury.

“BEING YOURSELF IS NOT A CRIME!!”

Hearing the yells, Katya perked up.

“BEING DIFFERENT IS WHAT MAKES EVERY PERSON AMAZING!!”

Tiny Nose raised her head.

“WHO CARES IF THEY DON’T FIT IN? THEY AREN’T HURTING ANYONE!!!”

The Eyeball eater gained a tearful smile.

“NOBODY DESERVES TO BE LOCKED UP FOR JUST BEING THEMSELVES!!”

The prisoners shared a look.

“I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE!!! AS LONG AS I’M ALIVE, I WILL ALWAYS STAND UP FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO BE TRUE TO THEMSELVES!!!”

With a roar, the three prisoners threw themselves against their cells. As the guards closed in on them, the eyeball eater grabbed them, slamming them against the bars, while Katya snagged their keys. With a battle cry, Tiny Nose proceeded to blast the guards with fire, incapacitating them long enough to lock them in the cells in place of the prisoners. Sharing a nod, they rushed off. As they rounded the corner, they saw Wrath powering his way through the Light Blasts, though he was clearly worse for wear. His body was coated in light burns, his clothing in tatters, even his mask was destroyed. As he reared back a scythe-arm to destroy the still defiant human, the three prisoners leapt into the fray.

“I Believe the Wowld is a Twiangle!!” Tiny Nose yelled, pulling at the corner of Wrath’s beady eyes.

“I like to eat my own eyes!” The eye eater growled, pulling at Wrath’s arms to keep him from swinging.

“And I practice the ancient art of fanfiction!!” Katya roared, swinging her arm into Wrath’s torso.

“””AND WE ARE DONE BEING AFRAID OF YOU!!!””” All three screamed.

Smirking in pride at how forceful the three, formerly meek, prisoners were being, Luz reeled her arm back, and unleashed one last blast, sending Wrath flying back. All four of them cheered.

“Luz!”

Luz’s ears perked up at the shout. It couldn’t be, could it?

Her eyes started tearing up. “Eda? You're alive!!” Indeed she was. Eda certainly looked ragged, but by all accounts, she was alive and well, and somehow her head was once again attached. Attached… Luz blinked, then slapped herself. She had totally forgotten about Eda’s detachable hand earlier!! Of course, she had no reason to believe that would extend to something as important as a head, but still!

Eda smirked, but it couldn’t hide the relief in her eyes. “And here I was coming to bail you out, and you had it all handled!”

“Yeah!” King shouted, trying to sound angry. “We were worried!”

Luz grinned. “Sorry to disappoint you guys.”

Eda patted a spot next to her on her staff. “Okay kid, let’s beat it before Wrath recovers.”

Luz groaned as the pain from her injuries and expended magic started kicking in. It was anything serious but it was exhausting. “Yeah, I’m not sure how long I could’ve kept that up. Let’s go!”

“Wait!”

“Huh?” Luz turned, catching sight of Katya, holding her hand out.

Katya bit her lip, nervous, before speaking. “I just wanted to say, thank you.”

Luz cocked her head, puzzled. “For what? You guys got yourselves out, didn’t you?”

Katya grinned at the memory. “Yeah.” Her expression sobered. “But we wouldn’t have been able to if you hadn’t inspired us. Nobody has EVER stood up for us before, or people like us before.” She gestured to the eyeball eater and Tiny Nose, both having the same expression of gratitude that Katya did. “I don’t know if we’ll meet again, but if we ever do, you can count on me for help, okay?” She held out a hand. Luz glanced at it, stunned, before eagerly shaking it in acceptance, getting a startled laugh from the Witch.

“As touching as this is,” Eda droned. “We really do gotta go.” In response to her words, the furious roar of Wrath sounded out again. With the reminder that he wasn’t down for the count, everyone quickly rushed outside, on foot for the prisoners, and by staff for Eda, Luz, and King.

“Wait!” Luz yelled, causing Eda to stall.

Eda turned around, surprised. “What for?”

Luz grinned maliciously. “For my finale of course!” She exclaimed, pointing up.

Eda snorted, following her finger. “What do you mean finaleeeEEEEEEOOOOOHHHH MY TITAN!!!!!!” Her question shifted into a shout of shock at what she saw; an absolutely massive magical circle floating above the Conformatorium. Each quarter of it was a different color, with a different style. The one closest to Eda appeared to be Brown, with a rock and stone motif, the next a rich blue, images of waves and water covering it, the third being a bright red, stylized flames scattered about, and the last segment being pale green, swirling gusty patterns that reminded Eda of windstorms detailed across. It wasn’t just Eda who was shocked. King was stammering incessantly, unable to form proper words. The little ball-shaped demon with the big nose was ranting something about a higher power. The one with multiple eyes was popping them out and gobbling them down as fast as they appeared in some sort of stress-eating trance. The girl Luz had talked to was just staring, wide-eyed. And Luz? She was currently putting on four rings, their designs matching the four designs on the circle above.

“The finale.” Luz intoned, pointing her ring-clad finger to the sky.

“Oh Mighty Earth, I Invoke Thee. Sunder This Land So That All May Fall.

Oh Blazing Flames, I Invoke Thee. Scorch This Land So All Shall Burn Eternal.

Oh Crashing Waves, I Invoke Thee. Wash Away All That Is So That Nothing New May Come.

Oh Howling Winds, I Invoke Thee. Rip And Tear This Unworthy Place So That Naught But Memory Remains.

Yee Four Catastrophes, I Invoke Thy Names Under The Authority Of Those Forgotten. Mine Name Is Fae And Let All Sing Thine Song Of Sacrifice!!

ABYSS CANON!!!!!!”

Nothing happened at first. The circle glowed, and vanished. Suddenly, a roar built up from above. A great light started shining. And then… a pillar of destruction descended, rending the Conformatorium apart, each floor dismantling itself under the force bearing down upon it. Yet, just as suddenly as it started, it ended. True, over half of the Conformatorium had been reduced to rubble and slag, but it wasn’t the total destruction they had been expecting after seeing the spell begin. A pained gasp caught Eda’s attention. As she turned, her gaze filled with horror at what she saw; Luz, blood hacked from between her lips, blood and tears seeping from her eyes, the four rings she wore cracked and charred. “KID!” Eda’s cries fell on deaf ears as Luz tottered forward, and fell

“uz. Luz. Luz!” Luz blinked her bleary eyes to find the worried gaze of Eda staring down at her, a crying King clinging to her chest. “Oh thank Titan you’re okay! You had us worried kiddo!”

Luz tried for a confident smirk, but had the feeling she failed at Eda’s unimpressed look. “Didn’t know you cared that much.”

Eda blinked, looking almost offended. “Of course I care, I’m not some kind of monster!! You stuck your neck out for me and King way beyond what was needed for the mission, and when you thought I was dead, however wrong you may have been, you jumped in to avenge me. That’s not something I’m just gonna write off. But I do gotta ask-”

“WHAT IN THE TITAN HAPPENED!!” King butted in, tears and snot dribbling from his face.

Luz blinked, mulling over memories, before realizing what they meant. “Oh you mean the spell!”

“”YES WE MEAN THE SPELL!!”” The force of the combined shout was actually enough to ruffle Luz’s hair.

Luz sheepishly chuckled, glad her laugh hid the wince of pain her body was feeling. “That spell was my trump card. A last resort that lets me totally obliterate a target, derived from one of the most dangerous spells ever taught, the Abyss Break.” She turned her gaze to the sight of her rings, ruined from the strain of helping her channel the spell. “Quick confession time, Eda, remember those elemental spells I used against you earlier?”

Eda blinked, wondering why she was asking about that. “Yeah, what about them?”

Luz bashfully rubbed her head. “I can’t actually use them normally. I’m only technically trained in Light-Make Magic. Those elemental spells were ones I knew theoretically, but lacked the training to actually use.” She gestured to her rings. “Those rings are focusing instruments, allowing me to utilize and channel elemental magic in its more raw state to make up for it. Normally I only need to have them close to my body, like in a pouch or something, to enjoy the benefits.” She turned her gaze, looking almost apologetic, back to Eda and King. “But for anything big or complicated, I need to properly wear them. The biggest drawback to them is that they aren’t very high-quality, so if I ever aimed too high for a spell, something too big for them to handle, they had a chance of breaking and for me to suffer a backlash from the spell breaking down.”

Eda looked shocked. She had genuinely not been able to notice that Luz hadn’t been using those elemental spells from before in any way unusual, sure she may not know anything about human-style magic but still, she knew plenty about magic in general! The fact that humans had tools that could compensate for lack of training and talent for magic use was honestly a scary thought. Before she could finish processing it, however, a thought came to her. “Okay, but what about that big spell from before, what did you call it, Abyss Canon? That wasn’t an elemental spell as far as I know of.”

Luz’s grinned shifted from sheepish to proud. “Abyss Canon is extremely complicated, it and its predecessor work by taking fire, wind, earth, and water magic together, and sublimating them into a total destruction attack. So, technically, it is elemental magic, it just isn’t one element!!”

Eda blinked. She snickered. She snorted. Then, she laughed. A deep, heavy laugh, the kind that came from hearing something totally surprising you couldn’t NOT find funny, especially when it completely challenged something you hated. “HAHAHAHAHHAOOOOHHHHH TITAN!!! That… that’s incredible, kid.” Her grin softened, looking almost wistful. “So, you ready to go home?”

Luz blinked. “Who said anything about me going home?”

Now it was Eda’s turn to blink. “But, I thought, wasn’t that why you helped us? To get you back home?”

Luz snorted. “No. I helped you because it sounded like fun! Also, because I thought if I helped you, you’d be more likely to let me stay here.”

Eda backed up at that. “WHOA WHOA WHOA!! Now I may like you, kid, but my place is not somewhere a child should be. I mean, wouldn’t your mom worry about you?” As Luz’s face darkened, Eda had the feeling she had stepped into something bad.

“I haven’t seen my mom since I was ten.” And there it was. Whatever resistance Eda felt about letting Luz stay just went up in smoke. Eda felt a tug on her dress, looking down to see King looking up at her with pleading eyes.

“Come on, let her stay! She could make us snacks!” King begged. “And… it gets kind of lonely with just us here.” He gestured to all the space they had for the four of them.

Eda groaned. “Ugh, fine! You can stay!” Luz and King both cheered, before she continued. “BUT! You’ve gotta work for rent, capiche? I’ve already got one freeloader.” She said, gesturing to King, who had the nerve to look affronted!

Luz smirked, taking Eda’s hand in her own, shaking it. “Well, Miss Owl Lady, looks like you got yourself a tenant. Plus, maybe we could trade some magic, eh?”

Eda smirked back. “You know, I think I might actually like having you around, kid.”

#the owl house #fairy tail #owl house au #fairy tail au #owl house crossover #fairy tail crossover #king the owl house #warden wrath #katya the owl house #tiny nose the owl house #luz noceda #eda clawthorne #magic

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emily-strange · 5 years ago

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Second Chances

Everyone’s responses have been so encouraging! Thank you so much :)

In this chapter I’ve tried switching between Reader and John’s POV. Please let me know if it doesn’t make sense or is hard to follow. I’ve tried to work it into the story without making it an obvious change in character but let me know!

Tagging @porkchop-ao3 @redeadepression @lucacangettathisasss @janewilson-rdo @gangofgunslingers and @fangirl-ramblings who asked but if you’d like me to stop let me know :)

For the premise of this story, Jack is a little bit younger. I just can’t hurt that boy’s feelings!

Summary: You’re Sadie Adler’s 18 year old daughter who was visiting when the O’Driscoll’s attack. How will you cope with gang life and your increasing feelings for someone who, on the surface, isn’t up for grabs?

Pairing: John Marston x female reader

Warnings: Mild panic/anxiety attack.

Chapter 4

After your little talk with Tilly and Mary-Beth, you decided to check up on your mother. Miss Grimshaw was in a strangely happy mood (you put it down to being in the sun after the snow for so long) so she was alright with the women taking it a bit easier today; which no one was going to argue with.

You find your mother on the edge of camp sewing in the sun. That’s good you think. She’s keeping busy.

“Hi mama,” you greet before sitting next to her on the log “how’re you feeling?”

“Oh fine.” She says smiling, “How’re you baby?”

It’s so nice to see your mother smile again.

“Sore! I actually think washing clothes is harder than hunting” you laugh with her while trying to stretch out your back.

You look over the camp at everyone going about their day and you catch sight of Abigail making daisy chains with Jack. She’s sat on the ground, her skirt bunched up around her and you can tell how much fun they’re having.

“Remember when we used to make mud pies? And then one time I tricked papa into taking a bite?” you giggle to yourself at the memory. Your father was such a soft, sweet man. Your parents were the perfect pair in your eyes. You’re brought back to the present when you see your mom laughing and shaking her head.

“What!?” you ask incredulously and laugh when your mother snorts.

“Oh baby, you tricked no one” she laughed “Your daddy just wanted to see you smile.”

“No! You remember. It was dinner time. You asked me to set the table….and I served him the pie and he put salt on it before….” You stopped explaining your memory when it hit you, “Oh my God” you burst out into fits of laughter covering your face, “I was so gullible!”

Your mother elbows you gently in the side, “Oh hush, you were 9.”

You sit quietly groaning of very mild embarrassment and only show your face to the sun again once you hear your mother sniff, “I’m….I’m sorry mama. I know you don’t like to think about him.”

Your mother sighs and turns to you, “Oh baby. There won’t be a day that goes by I won’t think of your daddy.” She places her palm to your face and smiles sadly, her eyes wet with unshed tears and then you feel it. That prickle behind your eyes.

Not now, you think.

Not now.

You give your mother a small smile and nod before reaching up to squeeze the hand on your face. You clear your throat and manage to get out a strained, “I’ll be right back mama.”

She knows. Your mother always knows. So she doesn’t ask any questions when you practically sprint off into the trees.

You walk, walk, walk until you come to the familiar clearing.

You don’t quite make it to the little quiet spot before you breakdown into great heaving sobs. You find yourself panicking as you try to keep quiet and in turn start hiccupping. Not being able to catch a breath.

Suddenly a voice makes you jump and you turn to face its owner while shaking. Tears staining your red, blotchy face.

“Y/N?” John whispers quietly while emerging from the trees.

You lock eyes with him and try to wipe at your face. You know you look a mess.

“I…..I can’t…..it won’t……” you try to speak as you hiccup between sobbing and gasping for breath. You don’t even know what you’re trying to say, you just know that nothing’s coming out. You can feel your chest beginning to hurt from lack of oxygen and how much your nose is running, mixing with your tears.

John approaches you like one would a wild animal. He puts his palms up in front of him and slowly makes his way over to you, “Okay Y/N. I’m gonna need ya ta try ‘nd breathe.”

If you could roll your eyes right now, you would. But instead all you can do is wheeze and grasp at your chest. John seems to be able to read your look however and stops walking when he’s in front of you.

“Sorry, kinda dumb thin’ ta say right?” he quietly scoffs, “I’m gonna take yer hand okay?” he continues and slowly reaches for your shaky hand.

His warm, calloused hand gently takes one of yours off of your chest but he then hesitates before moving again, “If yer not….comfortable or summit….just squeeze ma hand okay?” John doesn’t wait for you to nod or anything, knowing you’re too deep into the panic attack to respond. He just hopes his words made their way past your stuttering cries.

Ever so slowly he raises your palm to his chest, flinching ever so slightly when he places it over his heart. He then gently takes your other hand, which has been scratching marks into your chest like you’re trying to claw the breath from your own body. With that hand he places your palm firmly against your own heart.

“Just….feel ma heart….feel the beats….try’ta focus on it.” John stutters awkwardly. You feel how his hands are kind of clammy, you can tell he's nervous. “Just try’ta match yer breathin’ ta mine.”

You focus on John, focus on his heart beat under your palm. The sound of his breathing and the feel of the soft hair on his chest. You were so close like this, just like when you cleaning up his face. Just like last time he closed his eyes and seemed to relish the warmth of you. When you involuntarily twitch because of your hiccups, you accidently dig your nails gently into John’s chest. His eyes snap open and his mouth drops into a silent gasp.

You go to pull your hand back as an apology but before you can, John grips your hand again and pushes it down a bit harder where it hovers on his chest. He nods and takes a deep breath, signalling for you to try and do the same.

Slowly, slowly, your breathing evens out and even though you’re still crying, you’re no longer struggling to breathe. You have no idea how long you’ve both been stood like this but the only sounds you hear are the birds and the wind in the trees.

“Yer okay.” John said quietly, “Yer okay.”

Without thinking you throw your arms around John’s neck and bury your face into his shoulder. You smell the tobacco of his cigarettes and the wood of the campfire.

For a moment John is stunned. His hands are squished between your bodies where he was holding them before and he shivers due to the contact. He can’t remember the last time he was held like this and for it to happen so suddenly…. it’s thrown him off. After a few more seconds of you crying into his shoulder, he extracts his arms from between you both and wraps them around your waist. He rubs soothing circles onto your back until your tears finally dry and you pull back, keeping your hands on his shoulders.

“I’m sorry John…I…don’t know what came over me.” You half laugh, fully retracting your arms. John does the same and you hug your arms around yourself. “Tha…thank you.” you stutter.

John clears his throat and takes a decent step back before answering, putting his hands on his hips to stop himself from reaching for you again.

“S’fine…..you okay?” he asks.

You sniff and rub your nose with your sleeve. You’re beyond caring about how you must look!

“Yeah. It kind of just….erupted” you laugh while dabbing at your face.

“Kinda happens that way don’t it.” John smiles kindly, “I saw ya running outta camp pretty quickly so figured I’d check here fer ya.”

You stop rubbing your eyes and look at him with a soft smile on your lips.

“You came out here to check on me?” you ask gently and instantly John’s face reddens.

John coughs again before answering, “I weren’t like, watchin’ you or nothin’….ya know I just saw you….umm……like I weren’t out here….stalkin’ ya” he laughs and you join him.

“I didn’t think you were John” you smile broadly, “It was really kind of you to….help me.”

After a few seconds of comfortable silence, you have a thought, “Hey, how did you know how to….do that? You know, the heartbeat thing.”

John laughs humourlessly and stretches his hands out in front of him before making his way over to the large shaded tree which seems to be his favourite. However instead of sitting against it, he sits next to it and thumps the floor encouraging you to take a seat. You smile and stroll over to him, taking the place against the tree.

“Funny story really” he begins, “When I ferst join’d the gang, I used’ta have a lotta…nightmares. Like real bad ones. ‘N Arthur used ta do the same thing fer me, ta calm me down so he could sleep.”

You pause before answering.

“John….that’s not a very funny story!” you laugh and John’s face falls into an expression of acknowledgment.

“Yeah, I uh, guess it’s not.” He laughs with you until your sides hurt.

After you manage to calm down, again, you close your eyes and lean your head back against the tree trunk behind you.

“Can I ask what happened? You were jus’ talkin’ ta Sadie and then you were runnin’.” John asks while bringing his knees up for his arms to rest on.

You open your eyes again but keep looking forward towards the sunny sky, “We were talking about my father. Just a nice memory. I guess it was just a matter of time before I exploded.”

John just nods and finds himself watching your face for a split second too long to be considered polite. He notices how despite your swollen eye lids and blotchy complexion from the crying, your eyes themselves still seem stuck in your happy memory. Twinkling with the happiness you once had.

Slowly you meet his gaze and before John can look away, you reach out to gently touch his arm, making him keep eye contact.

“You know…..my pa….he wasn’t actually…..my father. I mean by blood.” You say once you manage to find the words. You pull your hand back but keep your eyes on John’s face. You can tell he’s listening intently. Despite how much Abigail shouts about how he doesn’t pay any attention, you know he hears more than they all think.

“My mother was….I guess, seduced? By a man.” You continue, “And like it happens, he didn’t stick around once she found out she was pregnant with me.”

“So when did she meet yer…..pa?” John questions.

“When I was 6. My mama’s always been a strong-willed woman. Not unlike Abigail in a way” you admit begrudgingly, trying to keep the annoyance out of your voice, “Her family wouldn’t take her back once they knew she was having me….but the people she worked for luckily kept her on. She tended to their ranch and went hunting with the other men around.”

“A female ranch-hand huh?” John laughs but you know he means it as a compliment.

It makes you smile.

“Yep. Like I said, strong-willed.” You answer, pausing to have a laugh with John before continuing, “I grew up on that ranch….it was wonderful. From what I remember.”

“I cn imagin’ growin’ up on a ranch would be” John smiles. He always loved working with horses and for a short time before the gang grew, that was something him and Arthur did to make some extra money. He wasn’t a fan of being fixed in one place but for a kid he had no doubt how fun it probably was.

“Then one day, the owners agreed to meet with some city folk who wanted to purchase a ready to go ranch. They wanted the quiet life and all that. Blah blah.” You scoff. “They brought a friend of theirs with them…..someone who wasn’t a stranger to cattle, horses and life on a farm.”

“Yer pa?” John smiles broadly and it makes you happy that he seems so invested in your story.

“Yep. My mama said she was ruthless with him.” You giggle, “Never one to go easy…..she said city folk had no business being ranchers but my pa gave as good as he got. See he’d worked on a farm for a while before moving to the city and he considered himself more than capable. So, my mama challenged him to a race on their best horses.”

“I’m guessing she won?” John asks rhetorically and you nod.

“She won. And he asked her to dinner. Before she could decline, I came back from town with the owners wife and gave my mama a shiny rock I’d found.”

“A rock” John chuckles while frowning and you gently smacked his uninjured leg.

“Hey! That was a really good rock!” you hiss, “Anyway. I gave her the rock and she introduced me…..mama says he was hooked straight away. Performed a crappy magic trick with a coin and insisted I came along to dinner. A picnic in the park……mama said as soon as she saw me on his shoulders, she was in love.”

You stop and break eye contact with John while you take a moment to truly remember the feeling of being on your father’s shoulders. You felt like nothing would ever, could ever, harm you. You’d give anything to feel that invincible again.

“Anyway….point I’m trying to make John….is that Jake Adler wasn’t my blood father…..but he was my pa. And I couldn’t have loved him more.” You finish welling up again and letting one stray tear fall.

You can see that John still doesn’t quite understand your point. You reach for his arm again and when you touch bare skin, his eyes fall to your fingers. Again, he shivers.

“Jack may not be yours by blood….but if you want….” You find yourself struggling around the words you feel like you should say but that part of you doesn’t want to utter, “…..if you want Abigail. It doesn’t have to matter.”

John looks at you for a few seconds before giving you a small smile and touching his hand gently to yours. For a moment you both look at your hands and how the rough pad of his thumb grazes back and forth over one of your knuckles.

“Thats’a nice story Y/N. Real nice….but I ain’t a father and….I ain’t a partner.” John says without looking up at you. Your eyes flick to his face and you feel yourself run cold. You don’t know why but you feel this intense disappointment wash over you. Not because he doesn’t want to be a father to Jack, but that he seems intent on not being with anyone seriously.

You can’t understand why you feel so sick.

You nod your head and move your hand away from his arm and fake the best smile you can when his head snaps up quickly, “That’s….that’s fine as well John. You don’t have to…”

You’re quickly interrupted by John, who’s face is pulled into a grimace of realisation, “To Abigail I mean!” He rushes out so quickly that he almost shouts it. Making you jump.

John clears his throat and scratches at the back of his head before scoffing, “Sorry…I just…I mean I don’t know if I ever want kids…but ya know I…do like women…I mean…I like havin’ women. Not women, women…..a woman….God damn.” John sighs loudly and puts his face in his hands while internally berating himself.

You can’t help but burst out laughing.

John slowly brings his head up from his hands and looks at you with intense mock offence, “Are ya laughin’ at me miss?”

You can’t help it, you snort.

“Oh my God” you groan while burying your own face in your hands. John explodes into laughter and you look up.

After locking eyes with the man next to you, you begin to laugh just as loudly.

After a few moments, you both quieten down and you hold your chest gasping for breath while John holds one of his scabs that’s been tugging too much.

“What I mean is, I don’t think I wanna be with Abigail. Not afta this…I mean we weren’t even that serious before Jack. Then I went away fer a year…”

“Went away?” you interrupt and he shakes his head.

“Not jail or nothin’….but I’ll tell you that story anotha time. Or ask Arthur he’d just LOVE to fill you in.” John hisses angrily. “But what I mean is. There ain’t nothin’…romantic…there anymore. Ya know?”

You can’t help the smile that breaches your face.

“I, uh, yeah I guess I understand what you’re saying.” You say nodding. You look up at the sky and see that time really has moved on since you got here.

“Look I best get back to my mom. I kind of just ran off there” you laugh. “Thank you so much John. It means more than you know that you came to find me.”

John doesn’t answer but the slight tip of his head and small smile says everything you need to know. He gets up and helps you stand by holding out his hand for you to take. Once you’re up John holds onto your hand just a little bit longer before letting go….

“Anytime.” He says in that gruff voice and you can’t help but wonder what that voice would be like whispering in your ear. Maybe late at night. When no one can see you.

You hold your arms out awkwardly in front of you just a little bit and ask quietly, “Can I?”

It takes a second for John to register what you’re asking but as soon as he does, he’s bringing you into his arms for another hug. Before he knows it, he’s taking in a long, deep breath. Filling his senses with the smell of you and only you.

He can’t help but think to himself, has hugging always been this nice?

Has he actually ever had a hug? Yeah, he must have done. Hosea, yeah Hosea used to hug him quite a bit. And he got a few after returning to camp from his year away.

But this? This feeling is something else entirely.

You wind your arms around Johns neck and this time place your face there as well. You feel him physically shudder and for a moment you worry that you’ve actually made him uncomfortable, like maybe he was just being polite by indulging you. But before you can make any move to pull away, his arms tighten around your back.

You’re shorter than John so you’re on your tiptoes but he’s able to keep you steady. You whisper another thank you into his neck and you swear you feel his hands clench into your back where they rest.

You reluctantly pull back and come face to face with John, who’s so damn close.

Panic suddenly engulfs you a little bit and you take a step back. Thankfully John doesn’t seem to notice your moment of worry.

“See you soon then I guess…” you laugh nervously and fiddle with your clothes.

“Um yeah, I uh, like to get out here around noon most days so if yer not out or….” John says quietly, gesturing around the area.

“Yeah I uh, I’m sometimes free around then…” you mention but then you suddenly get embarrassed that maybe you’ve misread his intent, “Oh or I mean I could come later on or earlier if….you like your time or….”

“No! No…I umm” John clears his throat yet again, like he’s trying to bring the right words to the surface, “It’s nice ta have company.”

You hold in your big smile by biting your lip.

“Okay then. Umm, so see ya John.” You say walking deep into the trees before allowing your grin to take over your features.

John turns to look over at the vast openness before him. He sighs but can’t help the smile that tugs at the corners of his still healing lips.

“Christ.” he whispers before making his own way back to camp.

John wanders into camp and spots you sitting once again with your mother. You look happy again and this makes him smile. Genuinely smile.

“Marston!” Arthur squawks at him as he approaches.

“Arthur” John answers through clenched teeth.

Arthur stops in front of him with his thumbs in the loops of his belt. Oozing cockiness that’d rival Micah’s, “Dutch wants you on guard duty t’night. Says it’s high-time you start pullin’ yer weight around here.”

“Pullin’ my….? You all know I’s nearly eaten not too long ago right?” John asks angrily. His voice is so quiet as to not alert the others around him that it comes out as a sort of snide hiss.

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger,” Arthur says holding his hands up and backing away, “Or anyone fer tha’ matter. Don’t need another invalid round here.”

John bites his tongue and storms over to his tent. He needs a beer and a sleep before his shift. However after lifting the heavy canvas and letting it drop closed behind him, he realises that sleep may not be on the cards for him…..

“Hey John” Abigail drawls from his bed. Almost entirely naked.

Once again he lets out in a whisper, “Christ.”

106 notes · View notes

saiilorstars · 4 years ago

Text

Next Stop Everywhere

Chapter 22: The Human Love

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: 10th Doctor x Female OC

(Minerva’s face claim: Victoria Camacho)

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Chapter summary: The Doctor trusts Minerva and Martha to keep him hidden while the Family hunts him down. He only forgot to mention to them what to do if he ever fell in love with someone...

// Story Masterlist //

A laser beam shot right above us, making the Doctor, Martha and myself fall to the floor while the poor console took the blow and sparked like crazy.

"Did they see you!?" the Doctor helped Martha and I to our feet, "Either of you!?" Martha and I looked at each other, both scared and confuse, "Did they see you!?"

"I...I don't know," I answered slowly.

"We were busy running!" Martha said frantically.

"It's important," he gritted his teeth at us. "Did they see your faces?"

"They couldn't have!" I tried to say coherently since my thoughts were all over the place. "It's not possible."

The Doctor dashed to the console, "Off we go then!"

Martha and I followed, the Doctor staring at the rotor with intent. But a warning beep cut in with a bunch of symbols sprawled on the console screen.

"Ah!" the Doctor grabbed the screen and read it, "They're following us," he returned to the controls.

"But that's not possible, you have a time machine!" I frowned.

"Stolen technology, they've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe," he stood straight and paused for a moment, "They're never gonna stop," he ran a hand through hair and thought, "Unless...I'll have to do it," he turned to us.

"What are you gonna do?" I asked, quietly.

"Minerva, you trust me, right?" I nodded, "And you Martha, you trust me?" she nodded as well, "Good, cos it all depends on you two," he went under the console for who knows what.

"But...what are we supposed to do?" Martha asked as we watched him in confusion.

He stood up and held out a pocket watch, "Take this watch, cause my life depends on it," he grabbed my hand and placed the watch in it, but also took out...

"Ah!" I hissed, jerking my hand back as Kaeya's necklace touched my palm, "Doctor!"

"Sorry," he grabbed my hand again and placed the necklace's chain on my palm, "Keep it safe. Hidden. And the watch, "Minerva, the watch is-"

I gasped as I sat upright on my bed, slowly realizing it had just been a dream. But it had been the same dream. The one I kept having every single night since we arrived here.

"Just a dream," I whispered to myself as I got out of bed, "A dream," I picked up Kaeya's necklace and placed it around my neck, barely feeling the sting as it bore a cloth underneath the two suns and moon, courtesy of Martha, "Same old dream..." I moved to the mirror, making sure the necklace was properly placed and pushed my hair over my shoulders. There was a knock on the door. "Who is it?"

"Morning!" Martha exclaimed as she entered, dressed in a maid's outfit, "How are we feeling today?"

"Like I'm stuck in a never ending circle," I turned to her, she walking over with a sharp look.

"Bad dream again?"

I nodded, "The same one."

"It's funny, you know, because he dreamt that too. Last night..."

"How is he?"

She looked back with a knowing smile plastered on her face, "Same old, same old: clueless." I smiled dimly, watching her go to the wardrobe and start rummaging through the dresses, "Oblivious. Yeah, the only difference is the hearts. What do you think?" she pulled out a light green and pink dress.

"I don't really care," I shrugged, "I'm not supposed to know what I'm wearing, remember?"

"Well, your...brother, wants you well dressed, remember?" she plucked out a blue dress from the closet and set it on my bed, smiling at it, "I think this one will turn heads...alien-disguised-as-human head..."

"Please, truly not the time for that," I walked over to the bed. "And as for my 'brother', I could care less. He's a prune."

She chuckled, "A gullible prune, thank god!"

"Thank the heavens for that. It let me stay close to the Martian. Even if he doesn't notice me, hm," I smiled sadly, looking a the dress, "Guess that hasn't changed either, huh?"

Martha stared at me for a minute, "C'mon," she grabbed the dress and my hand, "You've got to look lovely. Or your brother will kill me!"

"He can't fire anyone without my consent, remember? I'm his sweet, innocent, little sister." And we both laughed at the poor man.

Martha sat me down at the vanity desk just like every morning. "Brush," she held her hand out.

"Martha, I can do it. I already don't like how you ended up in this place, you are not going to 'serve' me."

"I don't serve you, I help you. Serve would indicate that I'm being forced to. Here, it's just one best friend helping her other best friend get ready for the day."

I sighed, "But you don't-"

"Minerva give me the brush!" she half shouted, actually making me flinch. I reached for the brush and handed it to her.

"So...did he really dream of the same thing?"

She nodded, "Mhm, crazy ideas to him."

"Yet so real..."

"He dreamt of us too. He can kinda let me slide, but he was seriously stuck on why you're there."

"Well, it's a bit odd for a school teacher to be dreaming with his housemaid and the headmaster's little sister isn't it?"

"When you say it like that, yeah!" she chuckled.

I was posing as the headmaster's little sister...how'd that happen was actually some luck. I'd like to think it was Kaeya wanting someone to be with the Doctor because seriously, it just had to be luck from the spirits. When the Doctor changed into a human, his 'residual awareness' thing only worked for Martha. I theorized Kaeya's necklace had interfered with the signal, leading Martha to declare the woman was getting on her bad side because it was messing with her best friend. Oh that Martha! What ever was the case, I had to remain hidden in the TARDIS for about two days until I could come up with my own story and get myself stationed at the school.

And then Kaeya had acted...

Her necklace activated and got me to the letters of a miss Lisabetha Greene, otherwise known as the headmaster's younger sister. They were step-siblings that had never met each other. Their only means of contact was through letters. As bad as it was, I had to intercept the letters, stop them from reaching the headmaster so I could present myself to him as her.

That's when Kaeya had helped me again.

The necklace had abilities that would just rise when needed, without my consent. It let me gather up some dresses from the nearby shops without paying a cent. It allowed me to gather information of Lisabetha to every extent possible without tipping anyone off.

All feelings against Kaeya set aside...her necklace was pretty cool.

And so when I felt prepared, I showed up to the school where the Doctor and Martha resided, merely two days later, and posed as Lisabetha Greene, the headmaster's little sister. And wow was the man gullible. A simple, innocent look was all it took for it to go.

For two months, the necklace has allowed me to keep all letters of Lisabetha, the real woman, to stay away from the school. But lately, the necklace had stopped granting me its few perks and just been...a necklace. I wondered if it meant I had used its energy up, something I feared the Doctor would be crossed about once he returned. But I also thought it was Kaeya's way of telling me everything was fine and the necklace didn't need to be used anymore. There was just one trick about Lisabetha that kept me on guard...

"Ready?" Martha questioned while I looked at myself in the mirror.

I wore a Dresden blue, cotton dress that went down to my ankles. It was high-waist with a pin-tuck detail around the bodice and cuffs. It had mid-sleeves with the cuffs having ruffled lace trims. There were white, tinny buttons finishing the front of the gown and white grosgrain ribbon trims outlining the hems of the skirt in three rows. It had a straight-across neckline with a white lace covering the trims. My hair was left down as usual with two twists on either side of my head.

"I suppose," I sighed, giving myself one last look before turning to her.

"Not so exciting, huh?"

"When you're a blind woman in 1913, there's not much to do."

She sympathetically smiled and linked arms with me, "Sorry about that."

"Not your fault, anything if it means I can stay."

...Lisabetha was blind.

~0~

"And please remember to pick up the newest braille books dropped off this morning," the headmaster, my brother, was saying.

"Yes, brother," I replied, keeping up the act just fine. After two months, it was getting a little easier not to let my vision slip up. I took it as a play role like the few I had when I attended school at home. I had played a princess, a witch, a wife...so now I played a blind sister.

"There's a literature one I'm interested for you to read..." the man continued, but my gaze was captivated by one of the newest teachers...John Smith.

But when he happened to glance over, I quickly turned my head, lost in the darkness again. It had been like this for two months...and it was killing me.

~0~

"Now Martha, I don't literally need a body guard beside me twenty-four seven," I muttered to the woman as we walked down the corridor on the second floor.

"They were orders by the headmaster," she shrugged.

"And ever so obedient, are we?" I raised an eyebrow.

"When it's convenient, yes," she suddenly turned us around, "Because it just so happens that Mr. Smith is coming this way..."

"Yeah, with a pile of books, mark my words the man will drop them all in less than two minutes. That's if the human version of him can garner that extra minute because we all know the Doctor couldn't."

"Ouch, you're bitter today," she made a face.

"Sorry, it's been, um...a crappy day, alright?" I moved Kaeya's necklace by the chain to reveal a burned part of my skin underneath, "The damn thing is stinging through the cloth."

"Take it off, Minerva," Martha whispered, dead serious. She had zero patience when it came to the necklace and Kaeya altogether.

"I can't. I promised the Doctor I wouldn't."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm sure he," she nodded towards the Martian, "Would say otherwise."

"Yeah well he's not exactly with it at the moment, is he?"

"You wanna see how he shares similarities with the Doctor?"

"What are you gonna do?"

She smirked, "Attraction between geeks is ever so weird. Wonder how weird it'd be with the school teacher and the headmaster's little sister."

"Martha, don't you dare!" I exclaimed, but she was already making her way over to the Doctor Smith.

She simply winked and went over, "Mr. Smith, do you need help with that?" she took the book that had fallen from the pile he held in his hands.

"Thank you Martha," he sighed, letting her take half of the books from him.

I stood here, awkwardly, not able to directly look at them because of my 'blindness' but I worried Martha would do something she shouldn't...as usual.

"Don't you have some responsibilities to attend to, Martha?" he asked her, curious.

"Yes I do, sir," she nodded towards me, "I was appointed to accompany Miss Greene, today."

"Martha," I called, unfortunately having to revert to my act, "Martha?"

"Honestly Martha, how irresponsible of you to leave her alone," the Doctor scolded her before directing himself to me, "Miss Greene? Are you alright?"

"Uh...yes." That was a perfect response, wasn't it?

"Sorry, Miss, I thought Mr. Smith could use some help. He was carrying an awful lot of books," Martha explained innocently.

"I hope you don't mind using your employee for today, Mr. Smith," I said quietly, nervously.

"Oh, no, no, go ahead. I noticed you've taken a liking to her."

"How can one not? She's amazing. But about these books...perhaps I could help as well?"

The Doctor's eyes widened at the idea, "No! Of course not."

"Why not?"

"You're...you're the headmaster's sister, you can't be doing this work..." he fumbled to come up with a good response. I found it amusing how he stuttered. He definitely sounded like the Doctor in that moment.

"I'm sure two or three books shall not hurt anyone, Mr. Smith," I reached out for two books from his pile, "Where can we drop them off?"

Seeing no other option, he sighed, "Right this way," he gestured, only to remember a minute later I couldn't 'see', "Oh!" he scrunched his face.

I chuckled, "It's quite alright."

"I'm sorry," he began, sounding just like the Doctor again.

"It's fine, can we get going?"

"Here," Martha took more books from him, just the amount for her to still be able to see, "You take her."

The Doctor sheepishly linked an arm with me, "Shall we?" I blushed and nodded, letting him lead us, "So, um, Miss Greene, what were you doing around here?"

I smiled, "I hope you don't mind my directness, but I'd prefer if you called by my name, Lisabetha," Martha smirked ever-so-discreetly.

"Yeah, yeah, of course," he nodded.

"And you're John, right?" I asked, innocently.

"Yes, yes it is."

"It's very nice to meet you," I held a hand out, the Doctor slowly taking it and shaking it.

"Likewise," he replied quietly, my only regret at the moment not being able to meet his gaze.

Feeling my face warm up, and the fear of being caught, I unlinked our arms and turned around to face both, "Tell me, John, what were these books for?"

"Oh, um, just...for the students," he shrugged.

I took steps backwards, nodding, hoping we'd keep the conversation going, "What are your favorite genres?"

"Miss Greene," Martha eyed me, a hint of concern in her eyes for a reason.

"Um, historical?" the Doctor tried, looking past me.

"Oh! I love history too," I smiled.

"Miss Greene," Martha nearly hissed.

The woman had brought me into the situation and now she was crossed?

"Martha, it's quite rude-" But one of my feet lost ground to step on?

"Lisabetha!" the Doctor dropped his books and lunged forwards, catching me just in time before I toppled down the staircase. So that was what Martha had been trying to do. Whoops!

"Stairs, right," I breathed, my heart racing inside my chest to point of nearly bursting.

"Miss Greene, are you okay!?" Martha moved hurried closer to us.

"Y-yes," I grasped the Doctor's sleeves as I took a deep breath. Our closeness had me blushing within the minute. He was holding me so tight that, even though it was probably ridiculous, I felt safer than ever. "Thank you, John."

He smiled softly, "It was nothing."

Martha cleared her throat, the usual smirk plastered on her face.

The Doctor helped me straighten up on my feet, "Right then, let me, um...just," he gestured for the books then realized I couldn't see again and sighed, scrunching his face once again, "Sorry."

While he went to pick up the books we had dropped, Martha and I shared a quick look, she smirking and me scolding her. By the time the Doctor had stood up, I was blind again.

"John, would you like me to take some books, again? I promise I won't drop them again," I held out my hands for them.

"Lisabetha, you really don't have to..."

"But I want to," I wiggled my fingers, "Please?" And just like that he handed me two books again. Apparently, my sweet smile worked on him too!

We linked arms and went down the stairs properly, Martha in front of us. She stopped by the landing, turning for a wooden noticeboard on the wall, "Have you heard about this, Miss Greene? Mr. Smith? It's the annual dance at the village hall tomorrow."

"Yes, Laura was speaking about it yesterday," I replied.

Laura was an actual friend I made outside the school. She was a bit pretentious and sometimes ignorant to my 'blindness'. But she was a nice person overall...usually.

"She was thinking of going," I continued, "She said it was nothing formal but rather fun by all accounts. Do you think you'll go, John?"

"Me?" he sounded confused.

"Will you be going?"

"Uh, I hadn't really thought about it," he thought more on it, "And-and you?"

"Me?" Now it was my turn to be confused, "No, I suppose not. No one would ask a blind woman. They think she can't dance. Well," I looked away for effect, but really, it was to hide a blush, "I'll have them know I probably know more than they do. Oh well, can't exactly prove it."

"Well, I should imagine that you would be...um...I mean, I never thought you'd be one for..." he moving around me and Martha, looking slightly nervous for some reason, "I mean there's no reason why you shouldn't-if you do, you may not...I probably won't, but even if I didn't then I couldn't..." he started backing away and I knew there was a stair case but I couldn't really warn him, now could I?

"Mr. Smith, the stairs," Martha said, the man backing away from us.

"What about them?" he looked at her, even more confused.

"No, they're right behind you!"

He managed to turn and see but overbalanced and fell backwards down the stairs, the books flying all around. Martha turned away while I ran to the front but saw it was too late, the poor Martian had taken quite a blow.

"Wow..." Martha moved beside me, both staring down.

And then I elbowed her in the ribs, "This is your fault!" I whisper-shouted.

"Ow," she rubbed her side, frowning, while I shook my head at the fiasco.

~0~

"Is he alright!?" Martha burst into the Doctor's room right before I told her not to overreact.

"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking," I heard Matron Joan's voice snap.

I entered the room, looking as high authority as I could to save my friend, "I sent her in, actually."

"Oh, um, good afternoon Miss Greene," she quickly retracted.

Martha looked back and smirked, silently thanking me for the defense. She returned by my side and walked us further inside, "John, are you feeling better?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

"It was just a tumble, that's all," he mumbled, groaning when Joan tried to clean a cut on the back of his head.

"It didn't sound like it..."

"I'm fine," he assured, faintly smiling.

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

"I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you," Joan replied slightly irritated.

Martha nodded, remembering she wasn't supposed to know more than the woman, "Sorry, I'll just...tidy your things," she said to the Doctor and went to do just that.

I wasn't about to let someone snap at my best friend, and so, "Joan, my brother, the headmaster, was looking for you."

"Really? What for?"

I shrugged, "How should I know? He barely tells me anything that goes on in this school. Still, you should ho find him. I'd tell you where he was but," I pointed at my eyes, "Don't really know."

She daintily smiled, "I'll just go search for him."

"Yes, yes, go ahead," I gestured with an arm and she walked out of the room.

Matron Joan was another friend I had made, probably a better one than Laura. She was kind, she was caring, a good nurse too. The only thing I disliked about her was the way she treated Martha. No matter how important keeping the Doctor hidden was, I would not let anyone disrespect my best friend. No exceptions.

"Sorry, John, it seems like my brother has taken your nurse away," I offered an apologetic smile.

"Oh no, if the headmaster was looking for her. Let her do her job," he said, "Don't mind a petty injury."

"Are you really okay?" I asked, still concerned it had harmed him in other ways. He was human now and just as breakable as Martha and I, "Martha said there were books scattered all over the stairs. I thought you were hurt."

"I assure you Lisabetha," he stood up from his chair and walked over, "I am fine. Would you like me to accompany you back to your room?"

"Um, no thank you. My room contains nothing more than two boring books that my brother has left as an assignment."

"Not interesting?"

"They're completely tasteless in plots and intrigue. I'm better off staring at a wall. Or in my case, the darkness."

"Sir, I think maybe one of your tales would make a better story for Miss Greene," Martha spoke up.

"You have stories?" I asked.

"Not stories per say," he shrugged, "They're dreams."

"Ah, and, what kind of dreams are they? If I may ask."

"You'll think I'm deranged," he smiled, sheepishly.

"Why? Is your imagination that big?"

He laughed, "Well, see, I keep imagining that I'm someone else and that I'm hiding..."

My smiled slightly faded, "Hiding? In what way?"

"Um...well...see..." he sighed, "Almost every night, I dream...this is going to sound silly..."

"Tell me."

"I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts."

It did take me by surprise that he was dreaming about this, Martha hadn't told me about that, "Oh..."

He laughed, embarrassed, "I told you."

"Well, I could be judge of that," I said, feeling slightly brave all of a sudden.

"Really? How?"

"Well, unlike Matron Joan, I don't have any tools, but I do have a hand," I waved it, "And excellent hearing. May I?"

"Uh, sure," he stepped up.

I put my hand on his chest and felt one heart, as it should be. I knew I was blushing like mad but I acted like nothing, even if his gaze was currently locked on me, "There's one."

"Aha..." he stared intently, not looking very bothered that he had a woman he'd only met an hour ago putting her hand on his chest.

I moved my hand to where his other heart was supposed to be but felt nothing, "Just one."

"Aha..." he blinked and suddenly shook his head, "...I mean, yes."

"Human as they come," I smiled.

"You know, I wrote down some of these dreams in the form of fiction..." he looked around, "Um...not that it would be of any interest..."

"Didn't I just say my books were horrifyingly boring?"

"Really?" he looked on, shocked at the idea I actually wanted to hear his 'silly' stories.

"You'll just have to narrate that's all,"" I chuckled.

He smiled and walked to his desk, "Well...I've never shown it to anyone before."

"That makes me the first? Now, I feel special," I said, Martha gave a smirk as the Doctor walked back.

"Would you like to sit down?"

"Yes, that's alright."

He guided me to the couch and sat me down, taking a seat beside me with his journal in his hands, "I call it the Journal of Impossible Things."

"Quite the title," I remarked, seeing it as the perfect title for all the adventures we had.

He turned the pages and stopped at one that contained a sketch of the console and the monitor screen. On the next one was a gas-mask victim he and Rose had apparently battled with, even met some man named Jack Harkness. Never actually did meet the man, now that I think of it. Even when he, the Doctor and Rose had returned I was out of the city for a school trip. From what Mickey told me, Jack had been a very flirty man with everyone, and, the world had nearly ended...

So there was nothing new there.

"What's on the pages?" I asked innocently, seeing him turn the page just after...where a Dalek was sketched. My breathing hitched for a second, thankfully not loud enough to be noticed.

"Well, I don't know exactly what these would be called," the Doctor was staring endlessly at the Dalek sketch, "But they're a bit like pepper bottles. Can you imagine that?"

Pepper bottles? Oh dear, this human mind certainly couldn't captivate the concept of Daleks.

"You have quite the imagination," I remarked nonetheless, the proud smile I received back making it worthwhile.

"Mmm, it's become quite a hobby."

Indeed it had become a hobby of his by everything he had drawn. It seemed like he had gotten everything from his past in snippets. There was the face of the Moxx of Balhoon, and two Autons, then the clockwork robots Mickey talked about with Madame de Pompadour.

"Everything's a bit silly, mind you," the Doctor sheepishly smiled as he looked at the several sketches, "There's more little machines, but with clocks at their heads...sort of clocks anyways," he tilted his head as he studied the robots."

"Vast imagination," I nodded, "And you drew only monsters? Has it been only nightmares?" I wanted to know what exactly he dreamed about regarding Martha and I.

He turned the page and unfortunately for me, I received my answer...a sketch of Rose Tyler's face.

"What's next?" I played dumb, suppressing my pain and jealousy as best I could.

"It's a picture of a girl, ma'am," Martha startled us from behind.

"Oh! Martha!" I frowned, "You gave me a fright!"

"Martha, highly disrespectful," the Doctor scolded.

She had her elbows propped on the back of the couch and a content smile on her face, "He has an eye for the pretty girls, Miss."

"It's just an invention," he said, still getting over Martha, "This character, Rose, I call her, Rose. Seems to disappear later on..."

"Hm, wonder what happened," I mumbled.

And then came the second blow...

"Kaeya," he whispered, a faint smile on his lips as the Silver Monsoon princess came up on the next page.

"And...who's that?"

"Same with the last, an invention," he shrugged, suddenly glancing at my neck, "...though..."

This was one of the moments where I could seriously not mess up on my blind act. Moments like these got me curious about what people were staring at and as known, my curiosity always got the best of me, "What's wrong, John?"

"It's just...she seems to wear the same necklace you have on your neck."

Immediately, I placed a finger on it, regretting instantaneously for the burn I got, "Oh..." I gritted my teeth as the burn passed.

"Where did you get that from?" he asked, curiously looking at it.

"Um...it's a present from...my mother."

"Ah, well, suppose that's it, then," he was about to close the journal when Martha cut in...

"Why don't you tell her what's on the next page, sir?" she questioned, a rather fake, innocent tone in her voice.

"Martha," he gave her quite the glare.

"What's on the next page?" I asked, quietly, hoping to god it wasn't another woman, like Madame de Pompadour. Heard the Martian had snogged her as well. He left trails of women behind him, I swear.

"Uh...you see...um..." the Doctor stuttered.

I reached for the book and flipped the page, "Martha, what's next?" looking away in case it was the mistress.

"Shall you tell her, or shall I?" she questioned him.

He sighed, "Lisabetha, I hope you don't become angry...but I've had several dreams about you as well."

"Really?"

"Yes...and, well...I've taken liberty of...well..." I noticed a small blush on his cheeks as he looked between the journal and I.

"He drew you too," Martha declared, smirking widely.

"R-really?" I blinked, forcing everything inside me not to directly look at the journal.

"I can describe it if you like!" Martha exclaimed like a child, "See, you're on a horse and Mr. Smith is helping you ride it. You're wearing this amazing, beautiful blue dress and your hair is all flowy in the back, and then you're holding one of Mr. Smith's hands while his other-"

"MARTHA," the Doctor gritted his teeth, looking like he could really strangle the woman, "Thank you."

I was blushing madly by this time, seeing the picture for myself while the two battled it out with stares. I assumed it was from the guinguette because it looked like we were wearing the same clothes. Truthfully, looking back at the day, knowing how terrified I was of the horse...it hadn't been that bad after all...

"Apologies, Lisabetha," the Doctor sighed, "I understand if you'd like to stop here-"

"Nonsense," I reached for his hand, "Thank you for your picture. I'm sure it's wonderful."

He nodded, "Yeah..."

"Are you going to show me what's next?"

"Oh, yes! Yes!" he pushed Martha away from us, making the woman return to her duties, and then flipped the page, "Ah, the blue box."

"What box?"

"It's a blue box...like a...like a magic carpet, this funny little box that transports me to far away places."

"Like a doorway?"

"Mm..." he looked on, thoughtfully, "I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true."

"If only..." I smiled, softly.

"I have dreamt, you know, of us..." he said, then suddenly shook his head, "No, wait! Not us as in together 'us' but as in..well..." I tried following but I just couldn't grasp what he was saying, "See, I-I dream...that I travel with you...and Martha."

"Oh...that sounds nice."

"Yes, but in those dreams, you're named differently."

"Like what?"

"It seems you have been named after a goddess, Minerva."

"Wisdom, I like it," I smiled.

"It is. And we have the most amazing times all three of us and...and you can see," he said quietly, staring at me with a soft smile, "You can see everything in the world and it's beauty."

I let out a shaky exhalation thanks to his look, "If only, right?"

"Yeah, if only..."

"Miss Greene?" Martha called.

"Yes?"

"I believe it is time for your lunch. The headmaster will be waiting for you," she walked back to us.

"Right..." I stood up, "...I guess I shall finally leave you, John. I loved hearing about your dreams. Such a magnificent imagination."

"Well, thank you for listening," he stood up, "Not everyone would..."

"You'll come to realize, John, that I am not like 'everyone' else," I remembered our little moment with Lazarus' experiment mentally smiled at the similarity. I made sure the Doctor knew that I was not like any other human, and John Smith would be sure to learn that as well.

"Yes..." he then blinked, ...I mean, thank you Miss Greene."

Martha linked arms with me and guided us to the doors, "And, don't forget you are meeting Mrs. Laura Dubay at the pub tonight."

You know, she said quite too loud. Like she wanted a certain someone to hear us. "Ah, yes," I patted her arm, wishing I could elbow her at the moment.

She closed the door behind and did a squeal in the middle of the corridor, "How's that for progression?"

"It doesn't matter," I sighed, beginning to walk, she hurriedly catching up to 'guide' me, "Because anything he says is not real. He's not the Doctor, he's not himself, he's..."

"Human? Yeah, I know," Martha nodded, "For the same reason, I have a theory."

"Ugh, please, no more theories," China entered my mind and only made me feel worse, "Ever."

"But this is a really good theory!"

"I don't care, nothing of this maters anyways because the minute the Doctor comes back, it all goes to hell. Who knows, he might not even remember any of this."

~0~

"Martha, it's freezing out here," I shivered as I walked out into the cold night, the pub getting on my last nerve with Laura Dubay inside.

"Miss Lisabetha, do you need help?" Jenny, one of the other friends Martha and I had made, quickly rushed over before Martha had the chance.

I shivered, but smiled nonetheless, "I'm alright. You can return to your seat. I was just leaving anyways."

"Would you like us to accompany you?"

"I can make it on my own. This is your free night. Enjoy it."

"Miss Lisabetha, where is your friend?" Martha walker over and guided me to their table outside the pub.

"Laura? Off with some man. Left me as usual. I don't know why she insists on us spending time together if she'll just leave in the end."

"Would you like a drink?" Jenny asked.

"Jenny, you know what I'd like?"

"What?"

"For you to sit down and enjoy your night," I chuckled, "I'll be going home, now. It's very cold out," I shivered once more.

"But someone has to accompany you," she insisted.

"Jenny, it's a lovely night, many stars from what I've been told," I looked up, the sky indeed full of them, "You should enjoy them."

A green light flared across the stars, flaring out of existence only a moment later. Martha had seen it as well, and since I couldn't remark on it I had to keep quiet.

"Did you see that?" Martha pointed up to the sky.

"See what, Martha?" Jenny asked.

"It was...but it was right there!"

"What did you see?" I questioned, standing up.

"Don't worry, Miss Lisabetha, there's nothing," Jenny assured, giving Martha a dirty look for putting me on edge.

"Martha..." I reached out for her.

"I'm here. I'm here," she slowly moved beside me, whispering, "There was something, I swear."

"We should go to the TARDIS now," I whispered back.

She nodded, "Jenny, I'll take her back. She's extremely cold and she could catch a cold."

"Go right ahead. I'll just bring in the drinks and meet you back in the school."

"Matron?" Martha raised an eyebrow, Joan hurriedly running towards us.

"She doesn't look so good," I whispered to her.

"Did you see that?" Joan was out of breath by the time she reached us, "There was something in the woods...this light..."

"Evening, ladies," we heard the Doctor greet from behind.

"Evening, sir," Martha turned us around.

"There!" Joan exclaimed, everyone looking up as she pointed, "Up in the sky!"

"That's beautiful," Jenny gawked.

I took advantage of everyone looking up to steal a quick glance of the sky. Something flew over us, almost like a star. But, I knew better. "What is it?" I played dumb, returning my gaze down.

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

"But it came down in the woods," Joan insisted.

"No, no, no, they always look close when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but cinder."

"Martha," I whispered, trembling for cold and just a bit of fear that we had been caught.

"I'm gonna take a look," she declared.

I blinked, "No you're not-"

"Mr. Smith, can you please do me the favor of escorting Miss Greene back to the school?"

"Wait, what?" I looked around, disliking the idea of leaving her alone when it was our job to keep the Doctor safe.

"And we'll take care of Matron Joan as well," she grinned a smile at me.

Hated her. Hated her. Hated her.

And yet my heart skipped a beat when the Doctor linked arms with me.

Hated myself. Hated myself. Hated myself.

~0~

The next day, Martha and I walked through the woods, destination a good old box of wonders we had to leave behind two months ago. We went inside the barn and I walked up to the box, placing my palm on it and sighing, "I wonder if she's upset we haven't visited anymore."

"Keep talking like she's alive and you'll sound like the Doctor in no time," Martha shook her head.

"How many times have I told you," I started unlocking the doors, "The TARDIS is alive."

We stepped inside, my smile fading as I took in the darkness the console contained. It was nothing like the bright, exciting atmosphere is always gave.

"Hello..." I called, a bit dejected there was no hum in response.

"You're talking to a machine," Martha put a hand on my shoulder.

I sighed, my mind distancing from the present as I remembered what had happened two months ago...

"Minerva, the watch is me," the Doctor said slowly, ignoring my confused look.

"Right...no," I shook my head, "You're YOU," I pointed at him, "That's a watch."

"No, remember, the chameleon arch lesson?"

"I think I listened," I frowned as I tried to remember.

"Those creatures are hunters, they can sniff out anyone- and me being a Time Lord; well, I'm unique. They can track me down across the whole of time and space.

"And the good news is?" Martha moved beside us.

"They can smell me, they haven't seen me. And their life's bound to be running out so, we hide, wait for them to die. "

"But they can track us down. "

"That's why I've got to do it. I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm gonna become human."

"You can do that?" I blinked, for a split second thinking all my aging problems with him had been solved.

He moved around the console, a strange headset lowering down, hanging from a cable, "Never thought I'd use this. All the times I've wondered."

"What does it do?" Martha looked at the headset with distaste.

"Chameleon Arch. Re-write my biology. Literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to human," he returned and took the pocket watch from me and fit it 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 two...you'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you in."

"But Doctor, what about Kaeya's necklace?" I frowned, holding it up with my other hand.

"That thing needs to stay away from the TARDIS while I'm not here," he said dead serious.

"Why?"

"Something is brewing inside and I don't know how it'll affect the TARDIS. I trust you Minerva," he returned, holding my hand that held Kaeya's necklace, "Just keep it with you. Don't let anyone else take it. I trust you."

I nodded, "I'll take good care of it, just like you."

"Wait a minute," Martha cut in, seeming to have been thinking of something, "When you say you're going to rewrite every single cell...isn't that going to hurt?"

'Oh yeah, it hurts," he made some wide eyes at the thought.

"Minerva?" Martha snapped me out of the memory, thankfully.

"Sorry," I went ahead to the console.

"It's alright, I was thinking of it too," she joined me while I started up a few controls.

"I never want to hear screams like that again," I whispered, remembering the ones the Doctor gave as rewrote his cell biology. I felt my heart literally constrict and just shatter at the sight of him in that much pain. I would've gone and stopped him if Martha hadn't grabbed and restrained me...not to mention the screams of the woman I continuously dreamed about. My head never seemed to be at peace anymore.

The monitor turned on, the old Martian appearing, addressing the camera.

"This working?" he tapped the screen, "Minerva, 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 you. And fi-

Martha twisted a dial, speeding up the speech, "We know it by heart, don't we?" she glanced at me with a fake irritated look, "Besides, we've got to know about the meteor. What are we supposed to do then?" she let go of the dial right at the end of the Doctor's speech.

"And twenty three. If anything goes wrong, if they find us, then you know what to do. Open the watch."

"It won't go wrong," I said with determination. Nothing would hurt him if I could help it. He always took care of me, swore to protect me and this time I could return the favor as was fair.

"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. Your choice," he walked off only to return with some final words, "Oh, and- thank you," the recording stopped at his smile, the screen flicking off.

I sighed, "I wish he'd come back."

"Almost there," Martha reminded, "Just one more month."

"You know, I turn eighteen in a month...think he'd remember that?"

She scoffed, "Please, I bet that's, like, marked red and flagged on his calendar!"

"Do you think he'll remember any of this?" I fiddled with a knob nearby.

"I don't think so..." she shrugged, eyeing me with suspicion, "Why?"

"...I want to kiss him," I confessed in a whisper.

"Oooh," she nudged me, getting an embarrassed smile out of me.

"He's human...maybe for a moment, I could just pretend," I tried to explain the silly notion I had, "That's if he even felt something for me in this version."

"You wanna hear my theory again?"

"Not really," I turned away from the console, heading for the doors.

"Oh but it's a really good one!" she ran after me, nearly pleading like a child who wanted sweets before dinner, "C'mon!"

"Forget it Martha, I already feel bad with what I want, I don't want more theories," I stepped into the barn.

"But it could help, and it would tie back to your kiss thing!"

"No," I opened the door of the barn and peered out, making sure no one was around before stepping out into the woods, "I shouldn't even have told you that. It's wrong."

"But it could help with the theo-"

"Martha," I turned to face her, abruptly bumping into her, "Let's forget it," she opened her mouth to retaliate, "Please."

She sighed, nodding and letting go of her 'theory' for the time being. She linked arms with me and started on our way back to the woods. Suddenly, the necklace burned right through the cloth and onto my skin, "Ah!" I grabbed it and this time the burn didn't hurt, instead I gasped, feeling a presence around us...a voice.

"Minerva?" Martha panicked, holding my arm while I put a hand on my chest, "What's wrong?"

"I...can feel," I looked around, "...I can hear."

"Hear what?"

I opened my mouth when an icy numbness took over my head, "Ow..." Martha's eyes widened suddenly, "...what?" She just stared. "Martha, what?" But she blinked and shook her head, "Nothing." "Martha?" I raised an eyebrow.

"It was nothing," she shook her head again, picking up the necklace and turning it over, the cloth still in its place, "What did you hear?"

"I felt like...the watch...a voice inside of it, you know, how the Doctor told us about it? I could hear his voice for a split second. I could feel him, the real him, just for a split second."

"How'd you manage to do that?"

I looked at the necklace she held, pointing a trembling finger at it, "Kaeya did it. She was telepathic in her days..."

"A spirit?"

"I told you, I believe in the afterlife and I believe that woman is doing something with that necklace."

"What did she do, then?" she raised an eyebrow, still doubting my words and probably my sanity.

"Martha, she loved the Doctor. She had unfinished business in this world, and if she died, I think she's still in that thing," I stared at the necklace, "And she wants to help protect the Doctor. I think, for a moment, she got into my head...she made me feel and hear the Doctor. And it felt horrible, Martha," I shook my head, shutting my eyes, barely feeling that icy numbness now, slowly fading away into nothing, "It hurt."

"Spirit or no spirit, this thing is dangerous and you are not wearing it anymore," she declared, putting it around her neck now.

"I promised him I'd wear it."

The Doctor explained that while the TARDIS would be in hiding, it was best to leave the necklace was someone to look after it. The readings he got from it the last time made him nervous cos he didn't know what exactly that energy was. So, he left it with me...

"Kaeya can bite it because she's not hurting you anymore," Martha snapped.

"You think...she was trying to hurt me?" I rubbed my arm, somehow remembering Rose and her threat.

It seemed like any woman that loved the Doctor took me as a threat...even dead women.

"We're not gonna find out," she shrugged and linked arms with me, continuing on our way.

"Let's go find the Doctor, though. I won't feel right until I see that's he okay."

"Mhm," she agreed...and then, "OW!" she quickly took the necklace off, putting a hand on her neck where the necklace had touched her.

"What's the matter?"

"It...it burned me!" she stared at the necklace.

"Funny, it's only ever done it to me. What's changed?"

"Yeah, well, I don't like you either, Kaeya," Martha spat at the necklace like it could actually talk, "Here," she handed it back to me, "And if it burns you again, I say throw it and call it an accident."

"Can you imagine what the Doctor would do to me if I broke the necklace?" I frowned, shaking my head, "He'd kill me!"

"Please," Martha rolled her eyes, "He'd probably hug you and tell you it wasn't your fault and yadda, yadda."

"I have to take care of this, Martha. It's important to him and Kaeya. And sure, I may not completely like Kaeya, but it's the right thing to do. But she shouldn't worry of me and my feelings. Yes, fine, I want to kiss him, but it's not like I'm gonna go do it. He doesn't like me, period. Kaeya should see it."

"I don't like Kaeya," she repeated, glaring daggers at the necklace, "She's hurting you and she knows it."

I sighed, "Let's just go."

~0~

Thankfully, John, the Doctor, was alright and alive. He was with the students in the field of the schools...and they were practicing gunshots. If the Doctor could see himself now. There was a machine gun set up behind a bunker of sandbags, the students in a row, all doing their best to hit the targets across.

"Concentrate," the Doctor instructed.

"He seems just fine to me," Martha remarked, both of us watching with distasteful looks.

"That's not him," I muttered.

"Looks like Matron Joan isn't liking it either," Martha nodded towards the matron a few feet beside us.

"That makes her a good person," I started walking for her, she quickly 'guiding' me to her.

"Matron?" called Martha.

She looked over, a faint smile on her face, "Miss Greene."

"Martha tells me you're a bit displeased," I began, "Is there something wrong?"

"Um...you'll have to excuse me, Miss Greene, but I disagree with the way these students are taught," she sighed, looking ashamed.

"You disagree with the boys being taught how to kill," I spoke the words she couldn't.

"Uh...yes," she nodded, "It's how my husband died."

"I'm so sorry," I said, "You don't have to hide your displeasure. I don't agree with it either."

"Thank you," she whispered, actually looking grateful, "It's nice to know that someone in this school agrees with me."

I nodded, "Rest assure."

"It's a bit strange seeing as your brother is, well..."

"The headmaster, yes," I sighed, "But you will come to realize that I don't agree with most of the things he says. I abhor violence and its tools, such as weapons. My friend..." I paused, yup that friend was just gone for the moment, "...I had a friend, he taught me very well. There's always another way to settle problems. Never resort to violence."

"Wise one, your friend."

"Yeah, he is," I breathed in, watching the Doctor actually praising one his students for getting the target.

"I should be on my way, then, Miss Greene," Joan touched my arm, signaling her departure.

I nodded and she walked off, my gaze stuck ahead, ""I really hope he forgets this afterwards."

"Cease fire!" the headmaster appeared, stopping besides the Doctor.

"Good day to you, headmaster," the Doctor greeted him.

"Your crew's on fine form today, Mr Smith."

"Excuse me, Headmaster, we could do a lot better. Latimer is being deliberately shoddy," Hutchinson began to say.

"I really don't like him," I muttered to Martha, nudging her to walk us over.

"Minerva, maybe we should stay back," Martha whispered.

"I'm trying my best," the boy, Timothy, said.

"You need to be better than the best. Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent," the headmaster replied.

"That's exactly the problem, sir. They only have spears. "

"Oh dear me. Latimer takes it upon himself to make us realize how wrong we all are. I hope, Latimer, that one day you may have a just and proper war in which to prove yourself. Now, resume firing."

"Oh, now we're definitely going," I frowned, the boy actually seeing how wrong this was and being snapped for it.

"Minerva, we have to remember our places!" Martha desperately reminded, struggling to keep me back.

"I do, and I have just enough authority myself," I nodded with determination and pulled her forwards, towards the men.

Hutchinson started firing again, Timothy feeding the ammunition. But for some reason, Timothy began getting distracted until he stopped his job.

"There's a stoppage, immediate action," Hutchinson looked at Timothy, "Didn't I tell you, Sir, this stupid boy is useless! Permission to give Latimer a beating, Sir?"

"It's your class, Mr. Smith," the headmaster shrugged.

"Permission granted," the Doctor said without a thought.

"Right, come with me, you little oiyk," Hutchinson grabbed Timothy's wrist and pulled him up, leading him away along with the other boys.

"Oh no you don't," I frowned, half angry with the Doctor. This was not him.

"Lisabetha!" the headmaster called, sounding angry, "What is she doing here?" he demanded from Martha, "It's completely dangerous-"

"Stop the boys," I pointed in a random direction, "I need Timothy. Right now."

"I believe that is not in your power," snapped the headmaster, "This is Mr. Smith's class and-"

"John, please?" I called, putting on my best, sweet smile that usually got us out of trouble.

"Bring him back," the Doctor called out to the boys, surprising the headmaster, yet making Martha smirk, "Miss Greene, what do you need him for?"

"An errand, is that alright?"

He nodded, "Yes, of course."

The boys begrudgingly let go of Timothy, the boy confused yet still walking over, "Timothy," I pulled Martha closer, "I need you to find me a cloth. Can you do that?"

"Just a cloth?" he frowned, even more confused.

"Yes, a small one, though a bit thick. Can you do that for me, please?"

"Sure, Miss Greene," he nodded and walked away, the other boys shooting him dirty looks.

"Lisabetha, you can't disregard Mr. Smith's orders," the headmaster walked over and grabbed my arm harshly, "This is his class."

"But he didn't mind," I gritted my teeth, "And please let go."

"You do better if you listen and obey-"

"No!" I shouted, pushing him off. I had a mother who did nothing but that and I'd be damned if I let a stranger do that to me.

"Lisabetha-"

"You are done telling me what to do, do you understand? I am independent and I can make my own decisions. You are not my father, you don't have a right to order me around. From now on, you will act like what you are, my brother. You will guide, you will advise me, but you shall not order me like a child."

The man blinked, "But-"

"Do I make myself clear?"

"That's...that's not how you're supposed to act!"

"You'll come to realize, big brother," I spat those two words out, "That I am not like anyone else. So don't treat me like a defenseless child."

"C'mon," Martha grabbed my arm, the headmaster's reaction a stunned and silent one, "We have to go to the village."

"Apologies, John," I sighed, hoping I hadn't just ruined any sort of friendship with him by my sudden out lash at the headmaster.

"Um, it's alright," he looked between the headmaster and I, "Actually, if you'd like...I'm sure Martha has more duties to attend to. I was thinking, if you don't mind, of course," his gaze still flickered between us, more nervous now, "If you'd allow me to escort you to the village?"

I blushed, lowering my gaze for a minute, "Really?"

"Yes, um, it could be dangerous in the village for two young women to be on their own...out there..."

Martha smirked, "Aha."

"Headmaster?" he turned to the man, as if for approval.

"Go ahead, maybe you can keep her in place," the headmaster muttered and walked away. I had to frown, unable to stop feeling myself as a little person in this era.

"Hey, it's okay," the Doctor walked up, reaching for my hand, "I think it's wonderful you stand your ground."

And again my dear best friend inputted a scoff as she walked away, "There's a shocker," she mumbled. But I was busy blushing and smiling at the Martian in front of me, careful to keep my gaze around and not locked onto him.

~0~

"I have to confess something, John," I said while we walked through the village.

"What is that?"

"I lied...about needing Timothy for an errand," I looked down, "Truth is, I just didn't agree with...with your 'permission'."

"Oh..." he did sound surprised, but he didn't lash out or anything.

"I don't agree with anything, really. Don't think it's just you."

"And when you say 'anything', I'm assuming we're talking about the school?"

I nodded, "Teaching boys how to kill? It's awful."

"But don't you think discipline is good for them?"

"But...it's such military discipline. If there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing."

"Great Britain's at peace, long may it reign."

"1913..." I muttered, "...I don't find myself convinced with the school. That's all. With everything. My brother..."

"Yes, the headmaster can be a little rough sometimes..."

"I really do apologize for my little...scene, with my brother. But I'm tired of the way I'm treated. I will not allow him to treat me like one of his maids with his yells and orders. I'll be damned."

He chuckled, "I really like that about you, you know. I've never seen anyone stand up to the headmaster like that."

"Thanks, but I believe no one has a right over anyone else. No superiority. But then I think it might not be his fault, it's the school's. It's taken him over, all the amusement from gun firings is simply not needed. It only worsens people internally."

"Well, I do admit that mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honor and valor and...let's just hope that from now on this, this country can...can find its heroes in smaller places..." I noticed he was becoming absent in what he was speaking about. I looked ahead and saw he was watching a village street but I couldn't make what was so distracting, "In the most..." he continued watching, "ordinary..." he kept looking to and from the street, "Of deeds!" he suddenly exclaimed and snatched a cricket ball from a boy nearby then threw it ahead.

"What's the matter?" I asked, frantically.

Of course, then I saw what was happening back in the village street. Poles besides workers fell down and hit a plank of wood with a brick to its end and made it fly all the way to a piano on a rope. The rope snapped just as brick flew over it and hit a milk churn, making it fall right in front of a woman with a stroller. She had to stop and when she did, the piano crashed into the sidewalk, making her scream at the top of her lungs.

My mouth hung open but I remembered I hadn't "seen" anything so I shut it and controlled myself, "What was that noise?" I glanced over and saw the Doctor in utter shock at his little chain reaction.

"Lucky..." he finished his so-very-long sentence. He took a deep breath and turned to face me, "Miss Greene, may I have the privilege of taking you to the village dance this evening as my guest?"

"Uh..." I felt my heart skip a beat, "Y-yes."

He laughed, excitedly, "Really?"

I nodded, becoming excited myself, "Yes! I'd love to."

"That's great, that's...that's really great," he breathed in.

"So are you gonna tell me what just happened over there?"

"Oh that's a funny story," he linked an arm again.

"Then tell me."

"How's about we go back and I tell you over a nice cup of tea?"

"I actually prefer coffee..."

"Oh, then coffee it will be."

We chuckled and went on our way.

~0~

"You know, I'd like to think the Doctor is a man I wish I could be," the man himself was saying as we walked back to the school, passing a field with a scarecrow, "He does the impossible things with cricket balls."

"To be fair, anyone can do the impossible," I shrugged.

"But he sure has an eye for the ladies!" he chuckled to himself.

"Yeah..." I said with less than enthusiasm about the fact.

"Not me though," he suddenly said, looking at me, "I think if I'd see someone I really cared for, I wouldn't let them walk out on me."

And for some reason, my mind drifted back to the moment the Doctor had asked me to stay with him, right after Donna Noble had left us. I couldn't walk out on him then and now it was even more complicated to do so, but I had promised myself that I would if the moon princess, through some miracle, ever showed up.

"Are you alright, Lisabetha?" he brought me out of my thoughts, looking concerned.

"Sorry, I, um...I was just thinking of a friend."

"Oh, what friend?"

"A good friend...he, uh, left."

"Were you and him...?" he nodded, me shaking my head as soon as I got the message.

"No! Just good friends. He left some time ago and I miss him. That's all."

"Oh, does he have a date for return?"

"Not really..."

"Well, rest assured I can keep you company until he does come back," he grinned, getting a blush out of me.

"I'd like that very much."

He nodded and looked around, spying the scarecrow not far from us, "Oh, that scarecrow's all skewed," we crossed the furrows to reach it and he started stretching it across its frame.

"Ever the artist. Where did you learn to draw?" I asked curiously. The Doctor I knew could barely draw a stick figure!

"Gallifrey."

I stiffened, "And...is that in Ireland?"

"Yes, it must be, yes," but he didn't look nor sound sure.

"But...you're not Irish?"

Not at all, no. My father Sidney was a watchmaker from Nottingham and my mother Verity was..." he paused to think, "...um...well, she was a nurse, actually."

"Oh, I hear they make good wives," I joked, still a bit uneasy with the his uncertainty of the information he was supposed to know by heart.

"Really? Right. Yes. Well, my work is done, what do you think?" and he scrunched his face again at the error, heaving a big sigh, "Lisabetha, I am so sorry. I understand if you'd like to slap me because even I think I deserve it."

I giggled and stepped up, the man bracing himself for a slap. My hands "felt" their way up to his face, one of them resting on his cheeks. I leaned up and kissed his other cheek instead, "Nah, I don't like violence."

If the Doctor were here he would've let out the biggest scoff in the world and then made a proper list of the times I slapped him.

"Oh," he blinked, surprised by my small kiss.

Well, I'd take this kiss as a fill for the one I would never get in my life again.

~0~

"John, I'm still waiting for that coffee," I frowned, shifting on my seat as my back was getting tired.

"And you'll get it, but first you gotta stay still," he fumbled about in that journal of his.

"Hm, I don't know why I agreed."

"Because it was either this, or going back to your room," he took the seat beside me on the couch, "And I do recall you have a distaste for the books you had in there."

"Huh, you're right. Now I remember it," I nodded, seeing a small part of the sketch he had apparently done for me, "I'd ask to see it but..."

He held the journal between, as if to show. I did steal a quick glance from it and saw the sketch of me. It was a simple one of from my neck and up. In comparison to the Doctor, John Smith had the hand of an artist.

"Well, I can describe it to you. If you'd like..." he offered.

"That'd be nice," I nodded.

"I have to ask, first...have you ever seen yourself?" he asked, becoming serious.

"No...I was born blind." I did not like lying but I just had to for his sake and mine.

"Oh," he looked down to the book, "Well, you have beautiful eyes. This brilliant shade of green that just...mesmerize one," he tilted his head as he stared at the picture, "Your hair is exceptionally long. But it's very pretty. A light brunette," I smiled, looking down to hide my blush, "And your cheeks, they have this little pink tinge to them. It's a bit difficult to tell if your blushing or not, mind you. And then your smile...it's beautiful."

"My, I think you're over exaggerating, John," I said, looking up and hoping to dear god my blush had turned down, "If I didn't know any better, I look like one of those creatures you've drawn. The ones with the clocks or the little pepper bottles."

"Nonsense. You're definitely how I described you."

"I think you've made me far too beautiful," I shrugged, "Ordinary woman you can find anywhere."

"I don't think so," he shook his head, "In fact, I've come to realize that you are not like any other woman I've seen."

"Oh, you listen," I flashed a nervous grin, "But still, perhaps you are lying and I have terrible hair," I pointed a joking finger, "Or bad teeth!"

"Now that's not fair for you at all," he scooted closer and pushed a strand of my hair back, actually stroking it for a couple seconds, "If you could see yourself, you're...you're beautiful."

"Oh, John," I looked around with an incessant blush, my nervousness working its way as a smile, "I think you're a bit-"

His finger was placed on my lips and cut off my words, "Don't you dare finish that sentence." And before I knew it, he pressed his lips against mine for a small kiss. It was so brief I barely felt it, but the shock was still there. He pulling back, looking so nervous that I almost found time to smile. "I've never, um..."

I was nervous, yes...but more shocked than anything. Was this right? Or was it like I was taking advantage of the situation where he wasn't even fully conscious...I think I was. But I looked up, and for a moment, our eyes connected and I just had to...and I thought he agreed. He leaned over again, and we kissed once more. It was based upon a lie but I couldn't care, not when my heart was beating at light-speed out of joy. From his side, I felt his feelings pouring out; he could feel something for me and as much as I knew I had to pull away, I couldn't...because for a split second...just for one second...my feelings had been reciprocated by the most wonderful man in the universe.

But then we heard the door open up and broke apart to see Martha coming in, her eyes widening in a second.

"Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?" the Doctor demanded, very cross.

"S-sorry," she looked around, "Uh...the headmaster...he was looking for..." she pointed at me with a shaky finger, "...Miss Greene."

"Oh," he looked back to me, "Will I still see you in the evening?" he sounded afraid for some reason.

I smiled faintly, "Yes. Martha will bring me here if that's okay," I stood up from the couch.

"Yes, yes, that's fine," he also stood up and guided me to Martha, "I suppose I'll owe you the coffee."

"Yes, I suppose you do..." I bit my lip, the blush growing deeper, "...until tonight, John."

"C'mon, Miss," Martha linked an arm with me and led us out into the corridor.

As soon as we closed the door, I let out a big and heavy sigh, "I am so sorry, Martha. I may have ruined everything but..." I put my fingers on my lips, "...I don't really care."

She rolled her eyes, chuckling lightly, "It's my theory time," she grabbed my arm and walked us for my room, closing the door with its lock.

"Martha, I'm really sorry though-"

"Shush it, lover girl," she held a hand out, "Theory time."

"No," I plopped down on my bed.

"Yes," she put her hands on her hips, "Gotta hand it to you though, wanted a kiss and you went for it."

"No! See, I kissed his cheek and I thought I would be fine with it, but...he kissed me...and I should've stopped it but..." I sighed, shaking my head, "...I couldn't. I've fallen too deep."

"Minerva, this theory, you really wanna hear it. Before the Doctor left, he explained a few things, remember? He said that some things could start seeping through John Smith."

"So?"

"So, I'm thinking, if the human version is falling for you, maybe it means that the original version might have already fallen," she had the biggest grin on her face that it could nearly break her.

"Martha, you say such silly things," I shook my head.

"What!? Minerva! he," she gestured to the door, "-kissed you! Are you really that stubborn to see it!?"

"This is the human version, and as much as it pains me...whatever happens will be gone in a month. And I hope to dear God that he doesn't remember an ounce of it...because I am gonna take advantage of every moment I have with John Smith. Is that bad of me?"

She just smiled and came over to give me a hug.

~0~

"Lisabetha, you look absolutely wonderful!" the Doctor exclaimed, making me blush for like the millionth time in under the ten minutes that I've been here.

"Thank you," I looked down in an attempt to hide my red face from him, "I'm sure you look dashing as well."

Dramatic sigh...indeed, he did.

I wore a lavender and baby blue dress that went down to my feet. The baby blue layer was covered by a thin, lavender chiffon layer that was lifted to form an upside-down 'V' in the front of the dress, letting the blue be seen. There was a laced blue belt going around my waist, with a silver beading as well as the hemlines of the three-quarter sleeves. The lavender layer went into a deep V-neckline style at the top as well, with the baby blue layer underneath covering up my chest and allowing me to wear Kaeya's necklace right above it. My hair was moved over to one side, one twist starting from my left side and going down where it was fastened with a clip.

"Trust me, not as good as you do," the Doctor walked over, "And, while you're in such a good mood, I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" I asked, worried that he might have had second thoughts about our attendance together.

"I may or may not know how to dance," he said, shyly.

I started to smile, remembering the lessons back in China, "I think you may know some steps."

"I'm not really sure..." and poor thing really did seem unsure about it.

"You know, you're not really sure about anything, are you?" I teased, hoping to get a smile out of him.

"Oh, I'm sure about something."

"And what's that?"

He took a step closer, "You."

And cue the blush. "Oh..."

He put a finger under my chin and made me look up. He leaned down for a soft kiss which I very much responded to. Sadly, it only lasted a few moments before Martha ran inside, completely out of breath.

"Martha!" he scolded, "This is getting ridiculous!"

"They've found us! They found us!"

My eyes widened, "What?"

"They found us!" she panted for air, "It's...Jenny, I think...they took her or something...possessed her!"

"Martha, I've warned you," the Doctor grew angry.

"I've seen them and they look like people, like us, like normal!" she continued, ignoring him for the moment, "He has to open the watch!" she looked at the mantelpiece...and it wasn't there, "Oh my god...where is it?"

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor asked.

"You had a fob watch," she pointed, "Where is it!?"

"Did I? I don't remember."

"It's gone?" I asked, nervously, my necklace beginning to burn a bit again, "Ah," I put a finger around the chains, "Kaeya, what is it?" I whispered to myself while the two battled it out.

"But we need it... oh my god, Doctor we're hiding from aliens, and they've got Jenny and they've... possessed her or copied her or something and you've got to tell me, where's the watch?" Martha turned to us, completely frantic.

The necklace desisted in its burn but the icy feeling returned to my head, making me feel the watch was indeed gone...and in someone's hands, "Martha? You've got to calm down-"

She looked back like I had lost it, "Minerva, they're here!"

"Yes, and the watch isn't here...as you said. Maybe we should go out and look for it...at the dance," I hoped she'd catch on that the watch had been moved for some reason.

"Min-"

"Lisabetha, don't listen to her," the Doctor pulled me back, "Martha, 'Minerva' was a dream, and frankly, I think you should go take a rest."

She looked irritated beyond everything, "Oh you complete..." she stepped closer, "...this," she pointed at him, "Is not you. This is 1913!"

"Yes, it is 1913," he agreed, nodding.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry but I've got to snap you out of this," and without a further word, she slapped him.

My mouth drew open, "Oh my god..."

"Wake up! You're coming back to the TARDIS!"

"How dare you! I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant!" the Doctor snapped, grabbing her wrists and dragging her to the doors, "Martha, you are dismissed, you will leave these premises immediately. Not get out!" he pushed her out and slammed the door.

"John..." I said, quietly.

"It's okay, it's okay! I'm here," he rushed back, "I'm sorry for that, I don't know what's gotten into her."

I sighed, "I think maybe things have gotten out of hand."

"You're telling me!" he rubbed his cheek.

"But you know, if she says the watch is gone, maybe it is gone. How about you take a look? Please? For me?"

"Well," he sighed and looked around, "No, I guess it's not around anymore," he linked an arm with me, "Please, let's not let her ruin this evening for us."

But somehow I believed this was far from over...the necklace then continued to burn me.

~0~

"Would you care for a dance?" the Doctor asked, although he was already leading me to the dance floor.

I chuckled, "Sure, will my feet survive?"

"I'm...not so sure," he admitted.

"Well," I said as he grabbed my hand and we stood in our place, "Let's find out," we started dancing and for the moment, everything seemed good, "Look, you can dance," I smiled, my lessons had paid off.

"Maybe it's because I'm dancing with such a pretty girl," he smiled softly, right before we bumped into another pair, "Sorry," he muttered and I laughed.

After the dance finished up, we returned to our table and sat down, "Would you care for some drinks?" he asked.

"That would be fine, thank you," I nodded.

He kissed the top of my head and walked off, leaving me to blush in his absence. I really hoped the Doctor wouldn't remember any of this afterwards.

"Miss Greene?" Joan walked up, "It's me, Joan."

"Hello, Joan," I smiled, "You attended the dance?"

"Yes, I thought it could be nice. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all," I gestured to a random seat, "Did you come alone?"

"No, I brought someone else but...I seem to have lost him," she searched around the room.

"Give him a shout and he'll show up," I chuckled.

"And you? I saw Mr. Smith around."

"Yes, he went for some drinks."

"Minerva?" Martha's voice called, a few seconds later approaching the table, "I've got it," she held the Doctor's screwdriver.

I sighed, "Good. The watch is here Martha."

"How do you know?"

I looked around, ignoring Joan's shocked face at the loss of my English accent and my gain of sight, "Kaeya's burning me again," I lifted my necklace and showed Martha the burned spot, "I can feel her in my head...it's like...she's squishing everything inside."

"Take it off!" she nearly shouted.

"I can't. She's helping."

"Minerva!"

"I'm sorry, but..." Joan stood up, still staring at me, "...what's going on?"

"Please keep the secret until it is time," I told her slowly, "It's something I want to do."

"But...Miss Greene," she gestured to her eyes.

"Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave," the Doctor returned holding our drinks.

Martha held the sonic screwdriver at him, looking firmly, "Do you know what this is? Name it. Go on, name it," he set the drinks on the table and stared at the screwdriver, slowly reaching for it, "You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."

But before he could respond, there was a loud commotion by the entrance, people shrieking and moving away as a man, Clarke if I remembered by the Headmaster's words, entered holding a gun, "There will be silence! All of you!" scarecrows filed in after Jenny and another student, Baines, "I said silence!"

"Mr Clarke! What's going on?" the announce of the dance asked, only to be dissolved less than a second later by Clarke.

I gasped and stood up, "We've been caught."

"Mr Smith, everything I told you, just forget it! Don't say anything," Martha quickly said, moving beside me, "Any plans?" she whispered.

"I'll let you know..."

"We asked for silence! Now then. We have a few questions for Mr Smith," Baines directed himself to the Doctor.

"No, better than that," a little girl holding a red balloon skipped onto the dance floor, "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."

"You took human form," Baines looked on with surprise.

"Of course I'm human, I was born human! As were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mr Clarke! What is going on, this is madness!" the poor Martian frantically asked.

"And a human brain, too! Simple, thick and dull."

"You will leave," I ordered.

"Way to keep it down-low, Minerva," Martha mock-glared.

I covered my mouth, "Martha...I didn't say that," she raised an eyebrow, now staring with concern.

"He's no good like this," Jenny said.

"We need a Time Lord."

"Easily done," Baines stepped forwards and raised his own gun at the Doctor, the Martian stepping back as the crowd gasped, "Change back."

I was going to attempt and stop them but the iciness started up again, halting me in my spot, "Ow..." I rubbed my head.

"Minerva?" Martha frowned.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Doctor shook his head.

"Change back!"

"I literally do not know-"

Jenny suddenly grabbed Martha, snatching her away before I could even reach out, "Get off me!" she shouted, Jenny only smirking.

"She's your friend, isn't she? Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?" Jenny spoke to the Doctor.

"I don't know what you mean!"

"Wait a minute...the maid told me about Smith and the blind one over there," she nodded to me, "...that woman, there!"

"Let's have you!" Clarke grabbed my wrist and pulled me forwards.

"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor? Being human? Has it taught you wonderful things, are you better, richer, wiser?" Baines questioned, standing in the middle of us, "Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Your friend, or your lover? Your choice."

"Make your decision, Mr. Smith," Jenny smiled, wickedly.

"Minerva?" Martha had stopped her struggling as she noticed that I was staring down with a blank expression, "She's not okay!" she exclaimed to the others, as if that would make a difference, "Please, let me help her!"

But inside my body it felt like the cold was taking over. A cold, prickly ice numbing every inch of my body and brain...clearing out things inside my mind...as if making room for another...and failing. Everything was being squished together, one memory over another, the cold spreading and intensifying. My chest and head started hurting like crazy.

"Perhaps if that human heart breaks, the Time Lord will emerge," Baines smirked.

And then the necklace burned...but it no longer burned my skin...

"NO!," I gripped Clarke's hand, ice beginning to emerge from my fingertips, "You will let go, NOW!" and swiftly I broke free from the man, turning around.

"Minerva," Martha whispered, her eyes widening again.

But it felt like something was compressing my mind...like when Cassandra had taken over my head. Dear God it hurt. "I am not about to let you hurt him," I spoke, my voice overlapping with another, a voice I recognized completely.

"Kaeya?" Martha gaped.

"I didn't wait centuries for the Doctor to be killed in front of me," I/Kaeya pointed a finger at them, "You will leave him, and you will leave him now."

"Who are you?" Baines demanded.

"I am in the body of a feeble human, but not for long," I/Kaeya smiled, "You may recall the Silver Monsoon, I am its princess. I am Kaeya. And under my orders you shall leave the Doctor and his companions alone."

But he held up a gun at me, Kaeya not so pleased.

"Time Lord..." we heard a whisper from the room.

"It's him!" Baines pointed.

Quickly, I grabbed the gun from his hand and fired right past Baines, making him drop the gun he was holding, "Step away from the gun, right now! John, the gun."

He stared on, full of shock and confusion, "But you...your eyes...you can...see? And your voice...what's...your voice..."

"John, the gun," I/Kaeya repeated, louder. When he did I turned back to Jenny and Clarke, "Now I'm gonna ask one time, nicely, to let go of the human right now."

"Well, what do we have here?" Jenny smirked, "Can you see?"

"The human was always capable of seeing, she was merely faking for the safety of our Doctor."

I gasped, putting a hand on my head, looking at Martha with watery eyes, "It hurts. She's in my head and it hurts! Make it stop...please!"

Martha became desperate to be free, "Kaeya! Leave her alone! It's compressing her to death!"

"She will be fine," Kaeya took over again. I/Kaeya pointed the gun at Jenny, a dark feeling taking over my face, "Let go before I kill you. And do not think I shall hesitate for it was people like you that I was killed by. He killed me for a better life. You will suffer the fate he should've had."

"Careful wife of mine," Clarke said, "We don't want any of us dying."

"We'll shoot you down!" Baines snapped.

"And you'll die, end of story. I want Martha freed, NOW."

Baines took a good look into my narrowed eyes, seeing Kaeya was not joking, "Mother..."

"Martha Jones, escort the Doctor and everyone else out of this building," I/Kaeya ordered, Kaeya's voice only getting stronger.

"You need to leave her body alone! She's just human, Kaeya!" Martha pleaded, rushing over to me, "Minerva, can you hear me!?"

"This is for the Doctor, he comes first. Please leave."

She looked past me to the others, sighing and resuming her work, "Alright, you heard her! Go! Matron, please help me!"

While they ushered everyone out, Kaeya and I dealt with the little threat, well Kaeya more than I.

"Kaeya it's hurting me...please..." I pleaded both mentally and externally, my hand over my chest, feeling it compress.

"There is a message to give," she declared.

~0~

"Minerva!" Martha ran to meet me, she, the Doctor and even Joan were still outside the school, a few feet away from it, even after Kaeya's specific instructions.

"What are you all still doing here!?" I yanked off Kaeya's necklace, barely catching my breath, "Kaeya said to run!"

"I could give a crap what that woman said, how's your head?" she studied it frantically, reminding me of the Doctor suddenly.

"She's gone for the moment," I moved past her to the Doctor, Joan a few feet behind, "Are you okay?"

"You're name is Lisabetha..." he whispered, his eyes still wide from the shock, "...Minerva is...she's the-"

"The Doctor's companion, yeah, hello," I waved my fingers, "That's me."

"But..."

"My name's not Lisabetha. I'm not English. And, as you can clearly see, I'm not blind!"

He blinked, "But...you can't be..."

"Clearly I am!" I exclaimed, the tears quick to form at his reactions, "And I'm sorry!"

"Lisabetha," he whispered, stepping closer, "You're not..." he brushed the side of my face with his fingers, "...but..."

I sighed, "My name is Minerva and I'm the Doctor's companion. And you know this because you're him."

"Well don't just stand there!" Martha ran past us, reminding us of that thing we had to do, RUN! "Let's go! Let's go!"

"Martha! We need the watch!" I said, as we ran, "But it's not here anymore! It headed back to the school! Kaeya said so!"

"You two are insane!" the Doctor snapped.

"So are you!" We both replied back.

~0~

We ran back to the school where the Doctor closed the doors and suddenly began ringing a bell.

"What are you doing?" Martha demanded.

"Maybe one can't fight them, but this school teaches us to stand together!" he replied, still frantically ringing the bell, "Take arms! Take arms!"

"Doctor, you can't," I followed him around, "They're just kids!"

"Look, I don't know who you are, but you know who I am and I'm gonna fight," he walked off before suddenly glancing back, "And I'm John."

I sighed, "Martha, what are we gonna do?"

"What in thunder's name is this?" I heard the headmaster walking down the stairs, "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," the Doctor walked to him.

"Really? Is that so? Perhaps you and I should have a word in private."

"I promise you, sir. I was in the village with Lis..." the Doctor looked at me, "Your sister. And she saw - heard it - all. It's Jeremy Baines and Mr. Clark from the Oakham Farm. They've gone mad, sir."

"Lisabetha?" he turned back and I immediately reverted to my act.

"Yes, brother?"

"Is everything he just said, true?"

"It's true..." I sighed.

"Murder on our own soil?"

"Yes..."

"Perhaps you did well then, Mr. Smith. What makes you think the danger's coming here?"

"Well, sir, they said, um..."

"Baines threatened him," I spoke up, "They're gonna follow him and try to hurt him."

"Very well," the headmaster nodded, "Remain on guard," he walked off to give more orders.

"You're helping?" the Doctor asked, confused.

"You can be mad, but if we did this, we did it for you."

He looked for a moment like he'd reconsider but it all went to hell when he started ordering the boys to load up the weapons.

"Doctor, please! You can't do this!" Martha cried, both of us just plainly horrified.

"Maintain position over the stable yard," he ordered a student.

"They're just boys! You can't ask them to fight!" I exclaimed.

"Faster now! That's it," he ignored us.

"They don't stand a chance!"

"They're cadets, Miss Jones, Miss...who ever you are," he threw me a quick look, "They are trained to defend the King and all his properties."

I sighed, this wasn't going to work, "Martha, we have to find that watch," I started wrapping Kaeya's necklace around my neck again.

"No! You can't put that on anymore," she put a hand on mine and stopped me from fastening the necklace.

"I have to. Kaeya can help. She can feel the watch," I fastened it and sighed, "And if she needs to take over my body then so be it. Anything to help the Doctor."

"You know she's taking advantage of that, right?"

"How do you mean?"

"If she's a spirit, she needs a physical body. It's like that Gelth you told me about. They need a body, Kaeya needs a body. She's taking advantage of your feelings for the Doctor to take over your body because you're allowing her to do so without a fight."

"Oh Martha, that's not it," I sighed, "Kaeya...she's...never mind," I swallowed hard and focused on the primary problem, no emotions could get in the way now, "Kaeya..." I whispered, feeling the small prick of ice inside.

"Minerva," she sighed.

"We've got to upstairs, maybe in his office," I grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

~0~

We searched and searched for the damn pocket watch in John Smith's office, and came up with nothing.

"What are you two doing?" Matron Joan's voice startled us. She stood by the doorway, looking crossed for some reason, and even dressed as the Matron once more.

"We're search for the watch, you haven't seen it by any chance?" I asked with ridiculous amount of hope; we were getting desperate.

"No, and you, Miss Greene-"

"Oh my god, that's not me!" I shook my head, returning to the search by Martha, "That's some poor, blind woman halfway across the world."

"Then why have you taken her name? Her position?"

"Because I had to be near the Doctor, alright!?" I nearly shouted. Couldn't anyone understand that? I needed to be close to the Doctor, I needed to watch and care for him while he wasn't completely there.

"Look," Martha cut in, sensing my growing agitation, "We know it sounds mad, but when the Doctor became human, he took the alien part of himself and stored it inside the watch. It's not really a watch, it just looks like a watch."

"And alien means...not from abroad, I take it."

"The man you call John Smith...he was born on another world."

"A different species."

"Yeah."

"Then tell me, in this fairy tale...who are you two?"

"I'm just a friend, but she," Martha placed her hands on my shoulders, "She is so much more whether either of them want to admit it."

"Martha," I shook her hands off me.

"You're human I take it?" Joan asked Martha, giving me quick glances of doubt.

"I'm human too," I nodded, "But this necklace," I pointed to it, "The owner of it is alien too. She can take over the body when needed."

"More like steal and possess," Martha muttered.

I rolled my eyes and ignored her, "We're both human. I'm a student, last year actually. Martha is training to be a doctor-not an alien doctor-a proper doctor, a doctor of medicine. She's good like that," I smiled proudly at her.

"Well that certainly is nonsense. Women might train to be doctors, but hardly a skivvy and hardly one of her color," was the matron's response.

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow, "If you base skills over skin color then you are the stupidest woman in the world. Because, Martha, happens to know more than you and I combined about medicine. Martha?"

"Bones of the hand," my good old best friend held up her left hand, "Carpal bones, proximal row; scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform. Distal row; trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, hamate. Then the metecarpal bones extending in three distinct phalanges; proximal, middle, distal," she pointed to each said bone like a professional.

"You read that in a book."

Martha just laughed, "Yes, to pass my exams. Can't you see this is true?"

"I must go," Joan turned away.

"Matron, please, we don't mean to be rude but...if we find that watch we can stop them," I sighed, "Please help us."

"Those boys are going to fight. I might not be a doctor, nor a clever liar, but I'm still their nurse. They need me."

Clever liar.

I think that's the perfect way to describe myself, actually...

~0~

Martha and I were hurrying down the hallways, hoping to find the watch somewhere on the floor, in case it had been accidentally dropped it or something.

On a turn of the hallway, I gasped as I felt the watch, it's insides, being shown to someone...

"Minerva? What is it?" Martha had stopped running and turned back.

"It's Kaeya, she's showing me again. I saw the Doctor, the real him, a memory..." I rubbed the side of my head, another rubbing over my heart.

"How can she do that?" she walked back, looking at the necklace, "It's burning you again, isn't it?" she frowned when I nodded, "Take it off!"

"No, it's helping us. And, I think her telepathic abilities were low. Or...maybe stronger? Oh I don't know! I'm only human!"

"Carrying an alien inside her head," she shook her head, "Who is killing her!" she rose her voice purposely, "If you can hear me Kaeya, get out of my best friend's head! You're gonna kill her and the Doctor will never forgive you for it."

"Enough," I declared.

~0~

"Stand to!" the headmaster ordered the boys, all of them plus the Doctor awaiting to begin their fire.

"I can't believe he's really gonna do this," I sighed to Martha, she and I watching them from inside.

"It's not like he has much of a choice," she tried to make a reason out of the gun use.

"He doesn't use them, that was one thing that made me like him even more," I said quietly, seeing the gates of the school moving from what I assumed were the Family, "No weapons, just a silly little screwdriver."

Scarecrows burst through the gate as it cracked apart, actually walking ones.

"Fire!"

And the boys fired, everyone fired...except the Doctor.

A small smile escaped my lips, "You can't do it."

"Cease fire!" the headmaster ordered, walking over to the bodies, "They're straw. Like he said. Straw!"

"Minerva," Martha nudged me and nodded ahead, both of us now seeing the same little girl with the red balloon.

"Let's go!" I ran for the exits, both of us entering the courtyard just as the headmaster was approaching the girl.

"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. Greene, please. Don't go near her," Martha called.

"Listen to us, she's part of it!" I exclaimed, leaving the man perplexed ad my accent had been dropped and my sight regained for the first time in front of him.

"You can...you can see?" he gaped.

"Yes and bigger picture here is I think you should stay back."

"Mr. Smith, tell him," Martha Caledonia to him.

"She was-she was with-with Baines in the village," the Doctor stuttered nervously.

"Mr Smith, 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," and so the headmaster turned to the little girl, "Come with me."

"You're funny," she giggled.

"That's right. Now take my hand."

"So funny," she whipped out a gun and shot the headmaster dead, "Now who's going to shoot me?" she looked around, a nasty smirk on her face, "Any of you, really?"

"Put down your guns," the Doctor ordered the boys as he himself lowered his rifle.

"But sir," Hutchinson argued, "The headmaster-"

"I'll not see this happen. Not anymore," he shook his head, "You will retreat...in an orderly fashion back through the school. Hutchinson, lead the way."

"But sir-"

"I said, lead the way!"

"Go on, then, run!" Baines walked beside the little girl and fired up to the sky.

"Come on!" I gestured for the way, making sure all the boys were away before Martha and I hurried after.

~0~

"Let's go!" Quick as you can!" the Doctor ordered the boys we had managed to help escape, passing them through the stables.

"And don't go to the village!" I called, "It's not safe!"

"And you, ladies!" the Doctor turned to Martha and I.

"You wish!" we snapped, leaving him to blink in surprise.

"I have to insist..."

"We have to decline," I countered.

"Help!" we heard a voice shout.

"Hold on, is that Matron Joan?" Martha listened intently.

"They've got her," I ran back from where we came from, "Kaeya, I'll need some help," I stopped as I saw the scarecrows nearing.

"Minerva, you've got to get back!" Martha exclaimed, she and the Doctor right behind me.

"No, he wouldn't let someone die, neither shall I," I took a long breath, "C'mon, Kaeya, take over again..." There was nothing though, like she didn't care. I frowned, "C'mon Kaeya. The Doctor wouldn't allow anyone to die and you know it." Slowly, the ice pricked at the sides of my head. Poor Matron Joan was barely keeping out of the grasps of the scarecrows when she neared us, "Back," I ordered, my voice overlapping with Kaeya's again. Ice rushed through the ground, freezing everything in its path...including the scarecrows.

"Matron!" Martha called, the woman spinning around at all the ice, "Hurry!"

"It won't last long," I/Kaeya warned, "I'm not ready. The ice will melt."

"How did you do that?" Joan stared at me with wide eyes.

I gasped, feeling Kaeya's presence fade away, yet a sharp pain strike at a side of my head, "Ah!"

"I've got you!" the Doctor lunged for me as soon as my legs gave out.

"As usual," I smiled lazily, my eyes threatening to close, "I'm tired...my head...I'm tired."

"We've got you," Martha assured, moving beside the Doctor and helping him support me on my feet, "Now we've got to run!"

Matron Joan nodded and hurried for another door, only to open it and find more scarecrows on the other side, "I think another way will have to be considered!" she shouted and we turned to run off.

~0~

By the time we found a new hiding place, behind bushes not too far from the school, I felt much better...that and the fact Martha had yanked Kaeya's necklace from my neck and no longer allowed me to use it. As much as I didn't want to admit it, without the necklace my head did feel less crowded and more at peace.

"Doctor! Doctor!" we heard Clark call, nearly singing as a tease.

"Oh no..." I whispered, seeing the box of wonders in their possessions, "Not the TARDIS."

"Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize."

Out you come, Doctor! There's a good boy. Come to the Family," Baines joined the sing-a-long.

"Time to end it now!" added Jenny.

"You recognize it, don't you?" Martha asked the Doctor, making me look over and see him staring at the box in silence.

"I've never seen it in my life," he muttered.

"Oh c'mon, don't you remember its name?"

"No."

"Doctor, don't play stupid, you dreamed of the blue box," I reminded, giving him a sharp look.

"I'm not him!" he voice broke, "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. Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?"

"Because we need the Doctor," I said softly, forcing myself to ignore the word 'love'.

""But I want to stay!"

"But you can't!" Martha sighed, "Don't you see?"

"What am I, then? Nothing? I'm just a story," he ran off.

I sighed, "This is not going to be easy."

"I'm so sorry, Minerva," Martha put a hand over my shoulder.

I looked after him, "I knew it wouldn't last anyways," I stood up and went to follow him.

~0~

"Hold on," Matron Joan stopped us all in the middle of a country road, all of us out of breath, "I think I know somewhere we can hide."

"We've got to keep going," I said.

"Just listen to me, clever liar."

"Oi, don't call her that," Martha frowned.

"I don't mean it as an insult, it's just what you are," she showed a hint of a smile, "You're a real clever liar. Faking an accent, plus blindness? How old are you?"

"Almost eighteen," I panted.

"Incredible," she playfully rolled her eyes, "Well, this way," she pointed and we continued to run.

~0~

Joan brought us to a dark house, "Here we are. It should be empty. Oh, it's a long time since I've run that far," she panted for air.

"But who lives here?" I looked around, seeing no one for the moment.

"If I'm right, no one," she opened the font door, peering inside then letting us inside. It was only a simple cottage kitchen with a tea set on the table, "Hello? No one home. We should be safe here."

"Whose house is it, though?" Martha asked.

"Um, 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," Joan set her hand on the teapot, "Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas."

The Doctor took a seat on the one of the chairs, poor thing looking horrified at the prior events, "Are you alright?" I walked over to him, bending in front of him.

"I must go to them before anyone else dies."

"No, you won't. We'll have to think of something else."

"But Minerva, we need the watch!" Martha reminded, shaking her head.

"I know, but it wasn't at the school anymore..." I looked back at her, pleading with a look.

"No, you are not getting the necklace back."

"But please?" I stood up and walked towards her, "If Kaeya can feel it then she'll bring us to it!"

"No! Absolutely not! Minerva, she's compressing your head! It hurts!"

"It doesn't matter-"

"YES IT DOES!" she shouted, making me flinch, everything falling silent after that. She sighed, controlling herself to speak again, "You say those famous words but I can see through them, the Doctor can too, and guess what? It does matter."

I sighed, looking down, it was the end of my argument...

"You're this Doctor's companion! Can't you help?" the Doctor suddenly spoke up, angrily looking at Martha, "What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need you?"

"Because he's lonely," she replied.

"And that's what you want me to become? Lonely?" he looked so broken.

"No, no! The Doctor stopped being lonely long before I came around," Martha set a hand on my shoulder, "She was with him, she always made him better and he made her better. The Doctor wasn't lonely anymore, he's not."

A knock on the door ended our conversation, all of us turning to the door.

"What if it's them?" Joan whispered.

"Mm, somehow I don't think scarecrows can knock," I said before walking over to the door. I opened the door and found Timothy standing there, "Let me guess..." I raised an eyebrow, the boy holding out the pocket watch.

"I brought you this."

"Minerva," it whispered.

"It can talk," Martha blinked, the rest of us hearing her own name being spoken by the watch.

"That's what Kaeya was picking up," I remarked, letting Timothy inside and closing the door, "And I suppose you were the one that had the watch this whole time," I took it from him and walked up to the Doctor, "Please hold it."

"I can't..." he stared it with fear.

"It told me to find you," Timothy said, "It wants to be held."

"But if you had it all this time, why didn't you return it?" Martha asked, slightly annoyed, "You know how crazy we've been looking for it?"

"It was waiting. And because I was scared of the Doctor."

"Why?" I asked, frowning.

"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," the Doctor ordered.

"He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe."

"Stop! I said stop it!"

"And he's wonderful."

"My thoughts exactly," I murmured with a soft smile.

There was an explosion outside and made the house shutter a bit.

"What the hell was that?" Martha ran to the window.

We joined and saw the 'meteorites' falling from the sky and causing more explosions.

"They're going to destroy the village," I said, sadly.

"Watch," the Doctor said and I turned to see him holding the watch in his hands.

"Can you hear it?" Timothy asked.

"Closer, Closer..."

"I think he's asleep. Waiting to be awaken," the Doctor stared at the watch intently.

"Why did he speak to me?" Timothy frowned.

"Oh, low-level telepathic field. You were born with it. Just an extra synpatic engram causing-" the Doctor gasped deeply, "Is that how he talks?" he looked me with great fear.

I nodded, "That's him. You just have to open it and we get the Martian back."

"You knew this all along and yet you let us..." he trailed off, "Both of you..." he glanced at Martha.

"It was my fault," my best friend stepped up, "Minerva was keeping her distance and then I pushed her to you. This one was me."

"No, Martha," I shook my head, "If I wanted to I could've stopped it. I could've stopped it the moment we kissed...and I didn't. And for that," I walked up to him, taking his hand, "Please forgive me. I beg of you."

"He gave us this list," Martha began, "It was the things we needed to watch out for but this one wasn't included."

"Falling in love? That didn't even occur to him?" he asked, incredulously.

"In love?" I repeated, quietly, stepping back, "You fell in love with me?"

"Like an idiot, I did."

"Noo..." I couldn't even make a coherent sentence, "...I am so sorry."

"Is that the sort of man you want me to become?" he demanded, "Someone who doesn't even think of the possibility of love?"

"But it was always going to end, though!" Martha exclaimed, "The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan. That's why they need to consume a Time Lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said."

"So your job was to execute me," he voice shook with fear.

"People are dying out there! They need him! We need him! Some more than others..." she trailed off, giving me a quick glance.

"Look, the world really needs him," I sighed, "You have no idea the things he can do. And right now, we need those things. I didn't plan for any of this, I swear. We were here to keep you safe and hidden. And I hope, when he comes back, he either doesn't remember any of this or he forgives me," I bit my lip, "But we really need him to come back."

The house shook again with the explosions.

"It's getting closer..." Timothy looked around.

"I should have thought of it before..." the Doctor held out the watch, "I can give them this. Just the watch. They can leave and I can stay as I am!"

"You can't," I said, quietly.

"Why not?" he took my hand, "I know it's early, but I've fallen for you. And, I'm willing to bet you feel something for me."

"But it's not real. The Doctor doesn't love me. We're good friends, just friends. And the world needs him."

"If they get what they want, then-"

"It'd end in destruction," I cut him off, keeping myself as rigid as possible, "I don't know what exactly they need a Time Lord for, but it can't be for good reasons. I can't let that happen." And it hurt, it hurt, seeing him on the verge of tears. "Martha? Do you mind if we talk alone for a bit?" I looked back at her.

She nodded, "We'll be right out there," she took Timothy with her and Joan and closed the door behind them.

I sighed, "I'm-"

But the Doctor broke down and clung to me for a hug. I stumbled back with him, but didn't reject it. I hugged back, really tight and forced my tears to stay inside. I would not let him see me cry. This time, I had to be the strong one.

"What am I supposed to do?" he cried, "I don't believe any of it," he pulled back and looked at me, "I'm real. I'm real."

"Well...in a sense..." I tried meeting him halfway, "...he's not entirely real you see-"

"'He'? I'm a 'he', now?"

I bit my lip, "I'm sorry."

"Lis-Minerva, it's Minerva right?" I nodded, "I'm real. I'm John Smith and I'm real."

"I don't like doing this..." I shook my head, "Tell me about Nottingham. That's where you were raised, right?"

He nodded, "Well...it lies on the River Leen, its southern boundary following the course of the River Trent flows from Stoke to the Humber."

"That sounds like an encyclopedia. Where did you live?"

"Broadmoor Street, adjacent to Hotley Terrace in the district of Radford Parade."

"Those are just facts, don't you see?" I sighed, knowing it was only worsening his state but I had to make him see that all this wasn't real, "When you were a child, where did you play? The secret little places you'd hide when you were in trouble...the hideaways that only a child knows? Tell me about it. Tell me and I'll believe you."

He had no answer, of course and became desperate as the silence grew, "But...how can you think that I'm not real? When I kissed you, was that a lie?"

"Well...no...but..." I walked around him, suppressing my oncoming tears.

"Then? This Doctor person...sounds like some...some romantic lost prince. Would you rather that? Am I not enough?"

"I'm just his friend. And I'm trying to save him."

"But he doesn't love you, I do!" he spun me around, the tears visible in his eyes as well, "What about me, Minerva? Do I not count? I'm real and I love you."

"But it's not real," I insisted, more to myself than him.

"Our kisses, they were real!" He grabbed my arms and pulled me to him, "You felt the same thing I did." He leaned down, brushing his lips against mine, "Tell me you didn't?"

I tried pulling back before I let myself go but he held me tight, not allowing such a thing, "I...I don't know. None of this real."

"Don't tell me they weren't real," he slammed his lips against mine for a kiss.

"...st...sto-" came my muffled attempts to stop him but his lips became so soft and loving, something I had yearned for so long. It was too tempting. And so I gave in.

He started moving us backwards until we hit the back of the couch, my heart just able to resist the urge to burst out from my chest. I wanted to stop, yes...but my hands made their way up to his shoulders instead and his arms wrapped around me. I had to will myself to stop, stop what wasn't real...because it wasn't real.

"Stop," I turned my head, the tears streaming down my face like a water well, "We-we can't."

He put a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at him, "You can't say this is false. I've proven you wrong."

"You need to stop before I fall in love with you," I swallowed hard. It actually scared me how real those words were.

"Do it," he gently kissed me again, "Fall in love with me," he murmured against my lips.

"No..." I sniffled, pushing him off, "...don't do this to me, please."

He sighed and moved to sit beside me, his hand taking mine, "Do you love him?"

"Hm?" I barely took a glance at him. I needed to collect myself before I let anyone else see me.

"The Doctor. Do you love him?"

"No, not yet," I rubbed my head, "But he's so extraordinary, I've no doubt he'd make me fall in love with him not so far off in the future."

"And me? What about me?"

I looked at him, softly smiling, "Look at you. You're him, a version of him. Anything I feel for him, I feel for you."

"But it's not real...my feelings for you are real. But the ones you have for me aren't. You see me, you see the Doctor. Your feelings are for him...not for me."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I do care for you, I really do, but none of this is real. And it can't ever happen."

He pulled the watch out again, twisting it around, "If I open it, he comes back?"

I nodded, cautiously watching him, "Yeah."

"And if I don't..."

"Lots of people can die."

"I...I'm confused," he shook his head.

"Look, in the end, it is your choice and only your choice. But if you don't open it because of me, I'll tell you right now that I can't be with you. I won't."

"Why not?"

"Because...it wouldn't be right. The Doctor doesn't deserve to live a life with me without being who he really was. He deserves to be himself and fully conscious of what he's doing. But don't worry, if you think it's unfair, we wouldn't be together even if the Doctor came back."

"Why?" he frowned.

"I age. One day, if God allows, I'll be 70...80 if I get really lucky. But the Doctor doesn't age. I can spend my whole life with him, my whole life...and for him it would only be a mere eighty years he spent out of a long, nearly eternal life," I took the watch from him, "I'm just a ghost for him...one small little human who's gonna die in a second."

"But don't you see, I wouldn't age like he does...I-" he reached for my hand, both of us touching the fob watch at the same time...and we saw...

It was him and I, getting married.

And then I gave birth to..our child. Our first child. Years later we were walking down the park with our three children, swinging our youngest in our hands. Finally, years and years later, the Doctor laid in bed, close to his death.

"They're all safe, aren't they? The children...the grandchildren...everyone's safe?" he asked.

I sat beside him, also aged, " Everyone's safe. They all send their love, John."

" It's done. Thank you," he closed his eyes and peacefully died.

We both gasped, looking at each other with wide eyes, "Did you see?" he asked me.

"Yes..." I whispered, my eyes watering up, "...see, that's what the Doctor and I could never have. If he accepted me, if he felt something for me, it would last for a couple years until I aged...and that's if he didn't mind me aging past into my thirties. I'm just seventeen..."

"I...thought you were twenty five," he whispered, surprised by that only. It figures his oblivion didn't let him hear Matron Joan earlier.

"Don't insult me," I pointed at him jokingly, "I'm about to turn eighteen."

"Stay with me, please," he gripped my hand.

"I can't..."

~0~

"Aliens," I stepped inside the Family's ship, standing across them, Kaeya's necklace in my hand by the chains, "I'm afraid the Doctor is not coming. He's human and that's what he chose to be. But that's okay, because I know of a place that contains an even better life source, better than a Time Lord's."

They took a long sniff, and I rolled my eyes, "You reek of Monsoon," Baines spat.

"Alright, so I went to the Silver Monsoon planet and fell into intergalactic mud," I frowned, "I'm working on it. Plus, its princess has been taking over my body. Sue me, I'll smell like them."

"The Silver Monsoon and its people were pronounced extinct," Clarke informed.

"That's what everyone thinks, and yet..." I swayed my head, acting innocent.

"You shall die."

"Look, this is the princess's necklace," I placed Kaeya's necklace around my neck, allowing her to once again retake my mind and body, "I can lead you to the Silver Monsoon," we spoke together again, "But you must leave this planet forever."

Clark walked up, snatching my wrist, "Like we said, you shall die," and he pushed me for the others.

"No," I frowned, looking down at the floor and seeing the ice rush from my feet, "You shall die."

"Silence!"

I was pushed against a wall, the necklace taking a blow as my face hit the cold wall. Immediately, Kaeya's presence started fading from my head, but a sharp pain increased instead.

"No!" the Doctor's voice made the Family turn around. He gave a clumsy lurch and leaned against the side of the ship, accidentally hitting a few buttons, "Don't hurt her, please. Stop the bombardment. I'll do anything you want, just stop."

"Say please," Baines teased.

"Please."

Jenny turned on a switch and the ship hissed in response, "Wait a minute," she inhaled deeply, "Still human!"

"Leave him be," I exclaimed, rubbing my head, the pain just increasing and even feeling a small prick of ice, "I told you I..."

"Now I can't-I can't pretend to understand, not for a second, but I want you to know that I'm innocent in all this. He made me John Smith. It's not like I had any control over it," the Doctor fumbled with more buttons, catching my attention. John Smith wasn't that clumsy.

"He didn't just make himself human, he made himself an idiot," Jenny remarked.

"Same thing, isn't it?" Baines asked, all of them laughing.

"I don't care about this Doctor and your family, I just want you to go and give me Minerva. So, I've made my choice," he held out the watch for them, "You can have him. Just take it, please! Take him away."

"A Time Lord for a human?" Baines scoffed, "You're an idiot," he snatched the watch.

"Yeah, well, she's worth a million," he smiled softly at me.

"Well don't think that's saved your life," Baines grabbed him by the lapels and pushed him back, "Family of mine, now we shall have the lives of a Time Lord."

They gathered around and inhaled deeply, "Wait...it's empty!" Baines turned to the Doctor.

"What do you mean it's empty?" I raised an eye brow, "It can't be..."

"Where's it gone?" the Doctor asked, sounding just as lost.

"You tell me!" Baines threw the watch towards him.

He caught it and gasped, "Oh, I think the explanation might be you've been fooled by a simple olfactory misdirection. Like a little ventriloquism of the nose. It's an elementary trick in certain parts of the galaxy. But it has got to be said," he spoke like the Doctor again and put on his glasses, "I don't like the looks of that hydroconometer. It seems to be indicating you've got energy feedback all the way through retrostabilizers feeding back into the primary heat converter, ah..." he breathed in, "Cause if there's one thing you shouldn't have done, you shouldn't have let me press all those buttons. But in fairness, I will give you one word of advice," he held out a hand for me, "Minerva, you might wanna stand over here," I quickly stood up and rushed over, "And the advice is...run!"

We ran out of the ship, the Family right behind us.

The ice increased and it felt like one big brain freeze, but one that pained your whole body, actually, "Oh, it hurts!" I dropped to my knees, the last thing hearing was the explosion of the ship.

~0~

The Doctor's POV.

"She'll be fine for the moment," I murmured to Martha as I stepped out of the TARDIS.

"You sure?" there was a severe doubt in her face, and as much as it pained me, she wasn't entirely wrong.

"Doctor, Martha," Timothy approached us, "And Minerva?"

"Um...sort of sleeping," Martha explained, still eyeing me to which I desperately wanted to avoid.

Things weren't right.

"I just wanted to say good-bye," Timothy thankfully spoke up again, "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."

"You don't have to fight," Martha said quietly.

"I think we do."

"But you could get hurt."

"Well, so could you and Minerva, travelling around with him," the boy nodded to me, "But it's not going to stop you."

"Tim, I'd be honored if you'd take this," I gave him the pocket watch.

"I can't hear anything," he held it to his ear and frowned at the silence.

"No, it's just a watch now. But keep it with you. For good luck."

"Look after yourself," Martha hugged him and kissed his cheek before going into the TARDIS.

"Say goodbye to Minerva for me?"

"Will do," I assured and turned, glancing back, "You'll like this bit."

Martha awaited by the console and silently watched me start the old box up, but there was something in her eyes...accusation.

"Martha, I know, it's my fault," I fiddled with the controls after dematerializing.

"It's Kaeya's."

I looked up, expecting the blow to go to me, "What?"

"What's wrong with Minerva?"

"I don't really know..."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Is she still wearing that bloody necklace?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Doctor! Take it off her!" she shouted, looking frantic.

"Why?"

"You're that oblivious? Seriously?"

"I have a lot of things to think about right now, alright?" my voice rose as well, forcing to remember that none of this was her fault and she was only doing what a best friend would do, stick up for Minerva.

"I would say so," she crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow, "Do you remember everything?"

"Most of it, some things are a bit fuzzy."

"But do you remember what John Smith cared for the most during his go?"

I looked away, "Minerva."

"You said you loved her..."

"John Smith said that..."

"NO," she walked over, standing beside me, "You said that. You seeped through and you meant it."

"I don't love her," I shook my head.

"Okay fine, maybe it's a bit early for that. But are you going to deny there's not a little spark or something?" she raised a questioning eyebrow, "Was China just...nothing?"

"Of course not," I blurted, shutting my eyes at the slip.

When I opened an eye, she was smirking as wide as her face allowed, "I knew it," she clapped her hands together, "Oh, I bloody knew it!"

"Martha, calm down, it's not that big of a deal," I rubbed the side of my neck.

"You must be joking me!" she laughed bitterly, quickly forming a dark face, "Seriously, you must be joking."

"Look, I've got to go look into that necklace," I walked past her for the corridors, "Kaeya's essence is roaming about and I-"

"Always Kaeya, huh?" she nearly spat, I froze and glanced back, her dark face turning for anger in less than a second, "And Rose."

"What are you going on about?"

"Do you enjoy hurting Minerva?"

"What? No!" I frowned, where the hell was she getting all this from? I didn't have time for this. Minerva was still unconscious and alone! I had to go be with her!

"Then why can't you admit your feelings to her? I don't think it's a big secret that she likes you too," she waved her hands for sarcasm.

I returned to her, more solemn and serious, this was serious, had been for some time now since I realized it, "Martha...I'm...confused."

"Confused?" she raised an eyebrow, "Of what?"

"I...you know about Kaeya..."

"Yeah, unfortunately," she rolled her eyes, confusing me for a second.

"Minerva, she's..."

"Amazing? Kind? Generous? I mean, c'mon! She allowed Kaeya to use her body as a vessel for her stupid spirit! Minerva is actually sweet and caring and not selfish?"

"What do you mean her body as a vessel?"

"You told me about Minerva, right? That necklace left her some side affects?" I nodded, she continuing right after, her anger just boiling out, "Minerva had her mind compressed by Kaeya, she voluntarily allowed herself to be taken over by the princess. And now she can't even wake up! Kaeya was selfish."

"What?" now I was severely lost.

"She's dead and she still won't let you go. And so who does she take it out on? Minerva. Why? Because that girl is so sweet, so understanding that she would allow Kaeya to take over her body just for you. Kaeya took advantage of that, she took advantage of Minerva's feelings for you. I told her to leave Minerva alone and she didn't. She's selfish. I don't understand how you can love two selfish women."

"Two? Selfish?"

"How can you think, even for a second, that Minerva could ever be less than Kaeya? Than Rose?"

"Martha, you're just confusing me even more-"

"Kaeya and Rose are the most selfish women I've ever heard of!" she shouted, flinching me shut, "Kaeya nearly compresses her to death and Rose was just utterly rude and selfish."

"When did we start talking about Rose?"

"Minerva's told me all about her, Doctor. And shame on you for never noticing. Rose was no white dove, I'll tell you that. But Minerva, she's it. She's the one you should love. If John Smith did, why not you?"

"You don't think I'd like to? Minerva's incredible, and it pains me to know that while I've been protecting her from other people who could hurt her I've been hurting her more. I want to, I want to tell her how I feel and see what she thinks-"

"Then why don't you?"

"Because I'm confused!" I shouted, this time leaving her silent as my anger began to rise, "Because she deserves someone who can commit to her and think only of her. When I look at her, yeah, my hearts beat faster and I get nervous, but then...right in the back of my head, I start thinking of Kaeya...I don't know why...but I do."

"You can't choose between three women, two of those may I remind you are dead. Kaeya died and Rose might as well be pronounced dead because you're never gonna see her again. And I'm not saying you should choose Minerva because she's still here, you should choose her because out of the three, she's the one with the biggest heart. She has qualities that Kaeya and Rose will never have."

"First of all, my feelings for Rose are completely exaggerated here!"

"Minerva thinks you loved her."

"Excuse me!?"

"I'm not gonna say more about it," she shrugged, "But she thinks you loved Rose. And now she knows you loved Kaeya as well. Forget her, forget both of them!"

"Tell me how to do that, then," I said quietly, "Tell me how to magically forget Kaeya because I do want to forget her. But I don't want to forget her because I chose Minerva. I want to forget her because I want to. I want to move on and be free..."

"What you're doing is noble, I suppose," she nodded in concede, "But hear me now, Doctor. Minerva is my best friend, and just like her last one, I will stand up for her. Figure yourself out, but in the meantime do not make Minerva feel like you chose her. Don't make it seem like you've resolved everything. In other words, don't play with her feelings."

"I would never!" she was offending me, really. I would never want to hurt Minerva. Ever.

"I'm just tired, Doctor. I'm tired of seeing Minerva in pain. She thinks she has no hope with you, and poor thing has accepted it. But she'll never say it, she'll never admit her feelings to you unless you do and that won't happen until you sort your feelings out. Just be mindful, Doctor. That's all I want. I know that intentionally you don't toy with her, but sometimes you give her hope, false hope and that's the most cruel kind there is."

I nodded, "I understand."

"And I'll help you sort your feelings out, if you'd like. If you ever wanna talk, I'm all ears. But for now, go to Minerva and take that necklace off. You'll see why I don't like Kaeya after."

I raised an eyebrow, "But wh-"

"Just go," she waved me off, "I'm tired. I wanna get some sleep then come back and take a shift watching Minerva."

"Alright..." I turned away, heading for the clever girl who slept in her room.

~0~

I found Minerva sleeping soundly in her bed, all the covers pushed down to her ankles. She did tell me once she was a crazy sleeper at times. I smiled and walked up, pulling the covers over her again, seeing Kaeya's necklace on her neck. I reached for it and unfastened it, taking it into my hand. I then noticed a heavy burn mark on Minerva where the necklace had been. I frowned, pulling over a chair and sitting close to her, studying the mark.

Kaeya.

I looked at the necklace in hand, had she hurt Minerva purposely? I knew the necklace burned Minerva at times but it was nothing severe, only small burns that would usually sting for a couple minutes then vanish. But the mark Minerva now bore was different. This was a build up of time; the necklace had been burning her for some time and she hadn't taken it off.

My hearts constricted of the idea of Kaeya, her spirit, or what ever form had hurt Minerva. Her mind, her body was being squished together by another entity who easily took control of her. That didn't sound like Kaeya at all. She was sweet, she would never harm someone...why would she do that to Minerva? That's when my anger started up again, and so I placed the necklace far away from us. I didn't want it anywhere near Minerva for fear of harming her. And I didn't want it near me for fear of what I could do to it because it hurt Minerva.

Minerva started moving, her eyes slowly opening, scanning her area before finding me. She smiled softly for a moment then blinked as if she remembered something, and grew serious.

"Is something wrong? Does something hurt?" I moved to stand up when her hand reached for me, "What is it?" I quickly took it.

"Kaeya..." she whispered, her voice feeble.

But I didn't want to hear about her for the moment, I just wanted to make sure Minerva was alright, "No Minerva, just tell me if you need anything. Are you..." but she shook her head, her eyes closing for a second.

"...Doctor...Kaeya..."

"No..."

"DOCTOR," she sounded like she whined, "...Kaeya...is alive."

I blinked, letting go of her hand and leaning back on my chair.

"Kaeya...is alive...and she's...coming back...for you," and Minerva's eyes closed again, falling unconscious, or asleep, again.

If I thought my feelings were screwed up at the moment...now they were just all over the place.

Kaeya hadn't died. She was alive...she was alive...she survived...

...and she was coming back.

#ocapp #doctor who #10th doctor #doctor who fic #10th doctor fics #dw imagine #dw imagines #10th doctor imagines #oc: Minerva Souza #fic: next stop eveywhere

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