To Be Human

Prologue

Holy Heart Hospital, London, England, Earth, Solar System, 2002. A young woman woke up in a hospital bed. When she had adjusted to the light, she took in her surroundings.

"Good morning, Jane Doe, hold on, I'll get a doctor", the other woman in the room said.

Before she could answer, she had opened the door and only the lower part of her was visible to Jane Doe.

"I'm Martha, I'm a volunteer, do you have a name?", she asked when she popped back in.

"I- I don't know. Didn't you just call me Jane?", the patient asked.

"Oh, sorry, no, that's just what your file says. When people without any hint to who they are come in they're provisionally named John or Jane Doe, depending on the sex. I take it, you don't have another name then?", Martha explained.

"No... Don't I- I don't know, have someone who brought me in or something?", Jane Doe asked.

"No, I found you, actually. In a nearby alley, about two months ago. I brought you here and you were in a coma until now", Martha said.

"Well, thank you, Martha", she gave her a weak smile.

A doctor finally entered and looked at Martha before smiling at Jane Doe. "Here we are, I'm Doctor Marshall, how are you feeling?", he asked.

"Uh, well, my head's a bit- heavy, I guess. Just tired, maybe? Like I've been laying about for two months", Jane smiled.

"Huh, so, Miss Jones here told you a little bit already. Do you remember anything you haven't been told?", the Doctor asked, while he checked up on her and the different things she was hooked up to.

"No, not at all. Did no one, I don't know, look for me?", Jane asked.

"No, I'm sorry", Doctor Marshall said.

"You were on the news, actually, and in the paper, without picture, because you were in a coma, of course, but no one showed up", Martha pointed out.

"Thank you, Miss Jones, we're trying not to overwhelm the patient with information at this point. You can have a chat once your check-up turns out alright."

"What do I do then? I-", Jane started to tear up a little, "I have nowhere to go. I don't have a name. I don't have anyone. I don't even have papers, do I?"

"Oh, hey, shh, that's okay", Martha sat down on her bed and put a hand on her shoulder, "We'll figure something out. I'm your friend now, if you'd like that. And we can just call you Jane Doe for now. Maybe someone shows up sooner or later and they identify you. You might even figure some things out by yourself when you've gut your personal belongings back. Your clothes and your necklace."

Jane nodded and leaned slightly into Martha's touch. "Thank you, Martha. Not just for consoling me. But I guess you saved my life", she laughed out dryly.

"That she did. Boxing Day and you were lying in an alleyway in jeans and a t-shirt. You had terrible frost bite when she checked you in. But you seem quite alright now, except for the amnesia, of course. We'll keep you in for a little longer. Miss Jones, you've been spending all your time with our Jane Doe here anyway, might as well stick around a little and catch her up to speed", Doctor Marshall suggested.

"Gladly, Doctor Marshall, thank you", Martha said as the Doctor left.

"Thank you", Jane said.

"You can stop thanking me now", Martha laughed, "you can take a shower, if you want, the bathroom's over there. I can get you some super late breakfast in the meantime, if you don't need my help."

"No", Jane laughed, "Th-", a look from Martha interrupted her, "Breakfast would be lovely."