ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔬𝔱𝔱𝔢 𝔖𝔲𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔳𝔞𝔫 ¤ 𝔇𝔬𝔠𝔱𝔬𝔯 𝔚𝔥𝔬

Chapter 25

For the next year or so, Charlotte, Pearl and Margaret remained in London. There were a few more bombings, but they all knew one thing; they had to stay. 

Until one day, Charlotte knew that she needed a break, and so did Pearl and Margaret. After a lot of talking, the three girls knew that Charlotte was right. 

So they took the first train to Farringham, early the next morning, each one of them carrying a bag filled with things they thought they would need for at least a day or two.

///

"Wow..." Margaret gasped as they exited the station. "Char, you were right. This place is beautiful."

Charlotte didn't say anything, as she was so caught up in seeing memories in every area of the village. 

In the centre of the village, she found the shop where she first met Tim. 

As they walked through the park, Charlotte spotted the bench where she would meet Tim every Saturday to spend time with him. 

As they passed the Hall, she remembered the day Tim asked her to the dance and how their lives were turned upside down in just one night.

Charlotte hadn't told anyone, not even Tim, but she missed Martha and The Doctor. She really wanted to see them again, even if it meant she would die. She felt that maybe Tim missed them too, knowing how much of an effect they had on him too.

"Charlotte?" a voice said, but it wasn't Margaret's or Pearl's.

Turning around, Charlotte spotted a woman looking over at her. Her hair was still in those all-too-familiar buns and was still wearing aprons with her dresses.

"Matron," Charlotte smiled, walking over. "It's wonderful to see you."

"It's wonderful to see you, too," Matron smiled. "Oh my, you've grown so much!"

"Char, who's this?" Pearl asked, walking over with Margaret by her side.

"Oh, right!" Charlotte said. "Matron, these are my friends, Margaret and Pearl. Girls, this is Matron Redfern. She helped me settle in while working at Farringham's School."

"Pleased to meet you," Matron smiled. "And please, call me Joan."

"It's lovely to meet you too, Joan," Margaret smiled.

"What are you still doing here, Joan?" Charlotte asked. "I thought you were planning on leaving."

"I was," Joan replied. "But something inside me was saying no, there are too many wonderful things about this village. I suppose that something inside me was right."

Charlotte nodded, "Very rare when you find two places being the same."

Joan took them all back to her house, where they all had a cup of tea and talked.

Charlotte told Joan where she'd gone and everything she'd experienced in the last two years. Joan sighed sadly when she heard about what happened to Mr Ridley.

"Timothy was always the one to go looking for something thrilling," Joan laughed a little.

"Apparently, so is Hutchinson," Charlotte smiled. "One of the letters he sent was that those two got into a bit of a pickle."

"Well, it's nice to finally hear those two are getting along," Joan smiled. 

"It really is," Charlotte replied.

"What about you, Margaret?" Joan asked. "You said your husband was overseas too."

"He wrote to me last week, but that never means I'm not worried for him," Margaret replied. "He narrowly survived an attack from the Germans a few weeks ago."

"Miracles happen," Pearl smiled. "I'd be disappointed if they didn't."

"As would I," Charlotte smiled.

///

A few days later, the girls decided to return to London. They bid Joan farewell and took the first train back to London.

Charlotte sighed to herself.

The war had been continued for nearly three years now and it seemed like it wasn't going to stop any time soon.

Not unless a miracle happened, which all three of the girls wanted, almost desperately.

Even as Charlotte fell asleep on the sofa that night, the thought still came over her. Taking many deep breaths, she turned over and tried to get some sleep.

Charlotte, the war will end soon. 

Timothy will be home as well, where you two can see how much you've both changed over the four years.

You can find your mother.

Charlotte opened her eyes after the last thought.

"Who said it would have to be after the war?" Charlotte whispered, smiling.

She closed her eyes again, knowing what she was going to start doing tomorrow.

She was going to find her mother.

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Author's note:

Well, I think we all know what's going to fill up the next chapter or two...