{D/N} =Dad's name or male name
{M/N} =Mum's name or female name
The machine gun has stopped firing.
"Stoppage. Immediate action. Didn't I tell you, sir? This stupid boy is useless. Permission to give Latimer a beating, sir" Hutchinson says looking at the Headmaster.
"It's your class, Mister Smith" the Headmaster says, the Doctor turns silent for a moment.
"Permission granted."
"Right. Come with me, you little oik" Hutchinson and his friends lead the stunned Timothy away. Another boy by the name of Baines looks at the Doctor and {Y/N} and sniffs.
"Anything the matter, Baines?" the Doctor asks.
"I thought. No, sir. Nothing, sir" Baines leaves.
"As you were, Mister Smith."
"Ah, Pemberton, Smythe, Wicks, take post" {Y/N} turns to see Joan at the wall she walks up to her.
"Ah, Nurse Redfern" {Y/N} greets.
"Er, I'll give you back your journal when next I see you."
"No, no, no. You don't have to" {Y/N} smiles.
"If you'll excuse me, Mrs Smith. I was just thinking about the day my husband was shot" Joan and {Y/N} start walking together, leaving the Doctor with the Headmaster. Two workmen are hoisting an upright piano up to the first-floor window of the Ironmongers "his name was Oliver. He died in the battle of Spion Cop. We were childhood sweethearts. But you see, I was angry with the army for such a long time."
"You still are" {Y/N} says with her hands behind her back.
"I find myself as part of that school watching boys learn how to kill."
"Don't you think discipline is good for them?"
"Does it have to be such military discipline? I mean, if there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing."
"Well, Great Britain is at peace, long may it reign."
"In your journal, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year. Nineteen fourteen."
"That was just a dream."
"All those images of mud and wire. You told of a shadow. A shadow falling across the entire world."
"Well then, we can be thankful it's not true. And I'll admit mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself. Everyday life can provide honour and valour, and let's hope that from now on this, this country can find its heroes in smaller places" {Y/N} smiles a woman rings her bicycle bell as she peddles along. The men with the piano struggle as it dangles from a fraying rope "in the most" {Y/N} sees a boy standing next to her, with a cricket ball in his hand. Some more of the rope frays and the piano drops a bit "ordinary of, of deeds" she grabs the cricket ball, throws it at the scaffolding outside the Ironmongers, which falls and hits a plank that sends a brick flying through the air to knock down a milk churn in front of the perambulator, stopping it just before the rope finally gives up and drops the piano to the ground mere feet in front. The piano falls to pieces and the baby starts crying.
"Are you, all right? How's the little one?" a workman asks.
"Lucky."
"That was luck?"
"Nurse Redfern, have you found someone to take you to the village dance this evening?"
"Yes, of course I have."
*Time skip*
{Y/N} and Joan are walking along a cart track. There is a scarecrow nearby.
"Oh, it's all becoming clear now. '{Y/N}' is the women you'd like to be, doing impossible things with cricket balls."
"Well, I discovered a talent, that's certainly true."
"But 'the Doctor' on the other hand has an eye for the ladies" Joan laughs.
"The devil."
"A girl at every fireplace."
"Ah, now, there I have to protest, Joan. That is hardly him."
"Says the women dancing with him tonight."
"That scarecrow's all skewed" {Y/N} says they walk up to it, and {Y/N} ties its arm back onto the cross-member.
"Ever the artist. Where did you learn to draw?"
"Gallifrey" {Y/N} says.
"Is that in Ireland?"
"Yes, it must be, yes."
"But you're not Irish?"
"Not at all, no. My father {D/N} was a watchmaker from Nottingham, and my mother {M/N} was, er. Well, she was a nurse, actually."
"Oh. We make such good wives."
"Really? Right. Yes. Well, my work is done. What do you think?"
"Masterpiece."
"All sorts of skills today!" {Y/N} says clapping her hands together as they walk away, the scarecrow turns its head to watch them.
*Time skip*
{Y/N} sits on the bed with Joan across from her, that when the Doctor walks in.
"Oh, hello. What are you two doing?" he walks over sitting beside {Y/N} to see she's making a sketch of Joan.
"Can I see?" Joan asks, {Y/N} hands her the journal.
"Oh, goodness Do I look like that? Are you sure that's not me?" Joan says showing the Doctor and {Y/N} a drawing of a 'Slitheen' which was on the previous page.
"Most definitely this page. Do you like it?" {Y/N} asks flipping the page back over to the drawing of Joan.
"You've made me far too beautiful."
"Well, that's how I see you."
"Widows aren't supposed to be beautiful. I think the world would rather we stopped. Is that fair? That we stop?"
"That's not fair at all" {Y/N} replies, the Doctor, {Y/N} and Joan all laugh, when suddenly Martha runs in.
"Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?" the Doctor says squinting. Martha runs out again
"Four. You. Don't let us abandon you."
"Thank you."
Timothy is sitting on a bench by a tree, holding the watch and hearing voices, including the Doctor's and {Y/N}'s.
"Darkness is coming."
"Keep us away from the false and empty man."
"The last of the Time Lords. The last of that wise and ancient race."
"Merge with the faces of men" Timothy sees Baines walk up to Mister Clark, then a red balloon bobs along behind a wall and the little girl joins them. All together they tilt their heads to the right and sniff deeply.
*Time skip*
Joan shows off her party dress, to the Doctor and {Y/N}.
"You look wonderful" the Doctor smiles.
"Er, can you actually dance?" {Y/N} asks quietly looking up at the Doctor.
"I'm not certain."
"There's a surprise. Is there anything you're certain about?" Joan asks.
"Yes. Yes" the three laugh.
---
~Bread 🍞