A/N: I had so much fun writing these next two episodes!! Hope you enjoy guys!
The console of the Tardis sparked like mad when the Doctor and Martha ran through the doors, narrowly avoiding a blast that caused said sparks. Martha though seemed to struggle against the Doctor's hold when he half threw her into the ship.
"We can't just leave them!" She shouted. The Doctor ignored her and slammed the doors shut before running to her and he helped her up and grabbed her shoulders.
"Did they see you?" He demanded, rather urgently.
"I don't know!"
"Did they see you?"
"I don't know. I was too busy running!"
"Martha, it's important, did they see your face?"
"No, they couldn't have."
"Off we go!" He said, letting her go and he ran to the console. "But what about Galaxy and Astro?!" She asked. "They're fine. They're safe." He assured her, or maybe him or even the Tardis that was reluctant to leave the two, he didn't know. "How do you know that?"
"Galaxy has a vortex manipulator. She'll get herself and Astro out of there." He said and turned back to the console when a warning beep rang out, "Argh! They're following us."
"How can they do that, you've got a time machine." She pointed out. "Stolen technology. They've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator as well. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the Universe...They're never going to stop. Unless..." He trailed, suddenly feeling mixed emotions on Galaxy not being with them, "I'll have to do it...Martha, you trust me don't you?"
"Of course I do." She replied.
"'Cos it all depends on you." He told her as he dove behind the consoles and pulled something out. "What does? What am I supposed to do?" She asked and he held out a pocket watch with an ornate design on the back. "Take this watch, 'cos my life depends on it. The watch, Martha...the watch is..."
John's eyes opened as he awoke from the dream. He blinked a few times, looking around the Victorian room before sitting up in bed. He got out of bed as a knock on the door sounded followed by it opening.
"Come in!" He called and Martha entered the room, dressed in a traditional maid's uniform while carrying a breakfast tray. When she saw him still in his pajamas, she turned back. "Pardon me, Mr Smith, you're not dressed yet. I can come back later..."
"No, it's alright. It's alright, put it down." He said, putting on a dressing gown as she placed the tray on the table in the middle of the room, "I was, um...Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams..."
"What about, sir?" She asked, opening the curtains in the room. "I dream I'm this...Adventurer. This...daredevil, a madman. 'The Doctor', I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my companion." He said. "A teacher and a housemaid, sir? That's impossible."
"There was someone else as well." He said. "Was there?" She asked, glancing at him and he nodded. "Another woman but she was separated from us." He said. "Was she alright?" She asked. "Yes, I believe so. I seemed to think she was." He said and smiled in thought of how it was a dream, "A man from another world, though..."
"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing."
He walked over to the fireplace and looked at the ornate pocket watch sitting on the ledge of the mantle before he picked it up. "This thing. The watch." He said and Martha looked up, watching with hope that disappeared when he placed the acth back down, "Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away. But I do remember one thing, it all took place in the future. In the year of our Lord 2007."
"I can prove that's wrong for you sir, here's the morning newspaper. It's Monday, November 10th, 1913, and you're complete human, sir. As human as they come."
"Mmm, that's me. Complete human."
-9-
Martha and friend Jenny, another maid, were scrubbing the floors of the school on their hands and knees when John walked past.
"Morning, sir." She greeted and he glanced at her. "Yes, hi." He said, deep in thought as he headed upstairs. "Head in the clouds, that one. Don't know why you're so sweet on him." Jenny commented. "He's been kind to me, that's all. Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being..." Martha gestured to her face.
"A Londoner?" Jenny asked, smiling. "Exactly. Good old London Town." Martha laughed. Two senior boys walked by then, Baines and Hutchinson, they stopped a few feet away to laugh at the maids. "Ah, now then, you two. You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it."
"Yes sir. Sorry sir." Jenny said, looking down while Martha stayed as she was. "You there, what's your name again?" Hutchinson asked, looking at Martha. "Martha, sir. Martha Jones." She answered. "Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?" The two boys laughed and were about to leave when a voice spoke up. "That was rather uncalled for, young man."
Martha's eyes widened, recognising the voice and she turned her head to see Galaxy standing there with Astro standing beside her and she had a frown on her face as she looked at the two boys, who's laughter had stopped.
"Apologise." Galaxy said, looking at Hutchinson. "Excuse me?" He asked. "Did I stutter? I don't very much like your behavior toward Martha and I want you to apologise to her." She said and the boys laughed but this time in amusement. "I don't think you understand how it works here, miss, but women..."
Baines' words were cut off when Galaxy walked over and grabbed Hutchinson by his arm. "Let go of me!" He shouted. "Unhand him." Baines shouted, reaching out to grab her and she looked at him. "Touch me and I'm not responsible for what my boy does." She said and Astro walked over and started growling.
Baines stepped away, startled by her threat as well as Astro's growl. "Now." Galaxy said, turning to the boy she still had hold of, "Apologize and I'll let you be on your way. It's just one simple word." She said, smiling. The boy frowned at her and she raised an eyebrow in response to dare him to argue.
"Sorry." He said to Martha, giving in and Martha nodded her head in acceptance which had Galaxy let him go and he and Baines didn't hesitate to take off down the hall. Martha got up and rushed over to Galaxy, giving her a hug and the woman returned with a smile.
"If anyone asks, my name's Lilith." She whispered to her and she nodded. "Is this a friend of yours, Martha?" Jenny asked from the floor and Martha forgot she was there for a moment. "Oh, yeah, this is Lilith. Lilith, this is Jenny." She introduced, then turned to Galaxy, "Where have you been these last two months?"
"Two months?" She asked, her eyes widening. "Why don't you catch up with your friend, Martha, I'll finish here." Jenny said. "Are you sure?" Martha asked, they were nearly done but she still felt bad for leaving. Jenny nodded her head and shooed them off and Martha took Galaxy's hand and led her off.
"What happened to you two? One second you were with us then the next..." Martha said and Galaxy sighed. "I went looking for Astro when we were separated. After that I teleported us to my friend Jack once I was able to pinpoint where he was."
She had actually gotten in touch with Jack after the events with the Face of Boe, it really shook her and she needed to hear his voice, it didn't matter where he was or what he was doing. Of course, she did pass the conversation away from him not being able to die when he'd ask her, something she did when she teleported to him.
"Thanks to Astro's connection to Blue I was able to get her location and get here. Honestly, I thought we would've been gone longer but two months isn't so bad." She said, shrugging. "What about the clothes?" Martha asked, looking at the dress she wore. "Took the first dress I saw when I got here." She told her and the two laughed, "Where's the Doctor? The Family haven't been able to find him yet?"
"No, we got out in time but, he sort of made himself human." She told her hesitantly and Galaxy sighed, she had thought of him resorting to the Chameleon Arch, she just hoped he had thought of something else before doing so.
"Okay, we should find the Doctor, he's probably gotten himself in some kind of trouble knowing him." Galaxy said and Martha laughed. "Actually John Smith is a fairly cautious person, no trouble at all." She told her.
"Martha! Mr Smith's been hurt." Jenny called when she spotted them walking down the hall. "You were saying?" Galaxy asked, smirking slightly. "What happened?" Martha asked. "He fell down some stairs. The Matron's looking after him now." Jenny said. "Thank you, Jenny." Martha said then grabbed Galaxy's arm and pulled her down the way.
-9-
They had gone to John's study and Martha filled Galaxy and Astro in on the new Doctor in order to give them warning when they saw him.
"Because it hurts!" They heard him reply sulkily to something. 'Well, that sounds like the Doctor.' Astro said to Galaxy who smiled as Martha ran through the door. "Is he alright?" She shouted in concern as Galaxy walked in behind her.
"Excuse me, Martha." A woman that was standing behind John said and Galaxy knew she was Matron Jenny mentioned, "It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking."
Galaxy's eyes drifted to John Smith when she felt eyes on her and saw him staring at her and she couldn't help but shift slightly.
"Sorry, right, yeah." Martha said, annoyed and returned to the door and knocked on it then returned to where she was, "But is he alright? They said you fell down the stairs, sir." She said.
"No, it was just a...tumble, that's all." He said and Astro noticed how he was still looking at Galaxy until he realised what he was doing and looked away. "Have you checked for concussion?" Martha asked the matron. "I have. And I daresay I know a lot more about it than you." She said, giving Martha a cold look.
"Oh, I don't know. Martha's seen her fair share of injuries from the scruffs my brother would get into." Galaxy remarked as she linked her arm with Martha's. "I'm sorry but who are you?" The matron asked. "What are you doing?" Martha whispered to her.
"Improvising." She whispered back then looked back at the matron, "My apologies, my name is Lilith Knight." She said and shook her hand and then John's. "How do you know Martha?" John asked, puzzled, he knew Martha was left by his family but he didn't remember seeing this woman before today.
"She was my previous employer." Martha quickly said. She knew the story on her part wasn't as stable so she saw she could solidify it a bit by going with this. "Before I went off to America to attend University Martha was my personal maid." Galaxy said, going along with the story. "When she left I was recommended to your family, Mr Smith and taken in."
"Well, I hope you didn't give her family half as many problems as you give me?" He said and Martha bowed her head. "Sorry. I'll just...Tidy your things." She said, walking off. "Ms Knight, why don't you take a seat." John said, motioning to the chair across from him and Galaxy nodded and took a seat as he smiled at her and Astro came and laid down by her feet. "That's a beautiful dog you have."
"Thank you, Atticus was a gift from my father when I went to America. He's been my only companion there." She told him as she smiled at Astro. 'Atticus?' He asked. 'It's what I thought of calling you before Astro came to mind.'
"I was just telling Nurse Redfern...Matron, um, about my dreams. They are quite remarkable. I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding." He said. "Hiding? In what way?" Galaxy asked, tilting her head. "Um...They're almost every night. This is gonna sound silly." He said, laughing as he looked more at Galaxy.
"Let be the judge of that, sometimes silly could is brilliant. Tell me." She said, smiling. "I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts." He told her. "Well then. I can be the judge of that." Nurse Redfern cut in, pulling out a stethoscope and she used them on John. "I can confirm the diagnosis, just one heart, singular."
Galaxy and Martha looked a bit disappointed while John just laughed at his silliness. "I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction, um, not that it would be of any interest." He mumbled, glancing at Galaxy.
"I'd be very interested." Redfern said, making him look at her. She nodded and he smiled and walked over to his desk and picked up a leather bound, black journal. "Well, I've never shown it to anyone before." He said, handing it to her. "Journal of Impossible Things."
Galaxy went over and looked over the nurses' shoulder at the pages. She smiled softly at the sketches and writing, looking back on all the memories of their adventures.
"Just look at these creatures." Redfern exclaimed. "Such imagination." Galaxy commented. "It's become quite a hobby." He said. "It's wonderful. And quite an eye for the pretty girls." Redfern said as they came on a page with a sketch of Rose. "Oh no, no, she's just an invention. This character, Rose, I call her, Rose. Seems to disappear later on."
"And who's this?" Redfern asked, turning the page and Galaxy recognised it to be a sketch of her previous regeneration and he was in the process of making her current one she thought. "Someone I travelled with, I lost her but I can't recall her name."
'Galaxy...' Astro called, softly when he saw her eyes turn sad slightly. 'It's the effects of him being human. Completely normal.' She told him. 'But you can still be upset about it.'
Redfern turned the page and there some sketches of the Tardis and of Astro as well. "Ah, that's the box, that blue box, it's always there. Like a...magic carpet. This funny little box that transports me to faraway places." John said, pointing at it.
"Like a doorway?" Galaxy asked, smiling and he nodded in agreement and looked down at the pages with various faces, of about ten men. "I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true. It's just a dream." He said, giving a short laugh as Redfern turned to the next page with a watch sketched on it.
"Mr Smith, would you mind if I borrow this? It's a very wonderful book." Redfern requested. "Of course." He said, smiling. "Thank you." She said, smiling back before leaving the room. "Are you staying long in town, Ms Knight?" John asked, turning to her, smiling and she returned.
"I was planning on just a couple of days but after seeing Martha I shall stay. I haven't seen her for a while, so I'm sure there is much to catch up on." She answered. "Have you anywhere to stay?" He asked. "I'm sure I can find somewhere for me and Atticus to stay."
"I'll have Martha prepare a room for you here." He said and she shook her head. "I don't want to impose." She said. "I'll prepare a room right away." Martha said, smiling and rushed out the room and had Astro follow her out.
"You mentioned you went to university?" He asked and she nodded. "I did. I studied history." She told him, piquing his interest. "Of which? Ancient? American? European?" He asked and she chuckled.
"I was never able to decide on just one Mr Smith." She said. "John." He corrected, hearing her be formel sounded wrong for some reason and she gave off a comforting feeling toward him despite them just meeting.
"Then it's Lilith to you." She said, making him laugh. "Very well, Ms Lilith." He said, grinning and held out an arm to her, "As professor of history in this institute, would you like to accompany me to my class?"
"It would be my pleasure Mr John."