CHARLOTTE ::: DW¹

xliii. charlotte and aino

Charlotte gives up after searching the couch cushions. "And what happens after he uses it?"

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "... After he becomes the Doctor again, what happens to John Smith?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, that's just great." Charlotte laughs nervously. She used to be able to find her way around the events easily, but, as her time grows longer each day, she's beginning to forget aspects... what really happens to John Smith is one of them.

"Do I know you?" asked Martha, but before Charlotte could reply, Martha shakes her head, not thinking so. "If we find that watch we can stop them."

As they continued looking for the watch, one looking harder for it than the other, guns began firing outside of the school. While Martha searches, Charlotte goes to a window, looking above the scene; scarecrows at the far end with straw laying at their feet and the boys at the other, guns pointed.

Once seeing the little girl from before approaching them, Charlotte runs out. "Mr. Rocastle," she called him, "please. Don't get close."

He rolled his eyes. "She's harmless, she's a girl!"

"Just listen," said Charlotte. "She's part of it. Mr. Smith, tell him."

The Headmaster waited for his reply, and John, who was holding his own gun, nodded. "She was. She was with Baines in the village."

He gave a sharp look back at John. "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." The Headmaster held out his hand for Lucy, the little girl still holding her balloon. "Come with me."

The girl doesn't smile, yet says, "You're funny."

"That's right. Now take my hand."

The Headmaster kept his hand out for Lucy, but the girl didn't take it. "So funny," she said, reaching into her coat pocket, pulling out a gun, then shoots the man easily. "Now who's going to shoot me, any of you, really?"

The boys all looked around at each other. "Put down your guns," John orders them, lowering his own.

"But, sir," began Hutchinson, "the Headmaster..."

"I'll not see this happen. Not anymore," said John, looking from the anxious boys to the scarecrows and the Family standing at the other end of the yard. "You will retreat in an orderly fashion back through the school," he orders them. "Hutchinson, lead the way."

"But sir..."

"I said, lead the way," John repeated himself.

On the other side of the yard, Baines grins. "Go on, then, run!" he shouts, shooting his gun into the air. With the shot, the boys scream as they retreat into the school.

"Come on!" shouts Martha, who joined them.

Leaving her room, where she was preparing for injuries, Joan joins them as they help the boys escape through the stables. "Let's go!" John shouts to the boys. "Quick as you can!"

Charlotte, too, ushers them out. "But not to the village, it won't be safe!"

"And you, ladies!" said John, when all the boys who followed them were out, but there were still many captured by the Family in the school.

Just minutes later, the four of them left the stables, running in the woods outside of the school until they hear Clarke yelling in a sing-song voice, "Doctor! Doctor!" They stop, looking through the bushes to see the man standing in front of the TARDIS. "Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize."