Doctor Who Fan Fiction ❯ Dr Who - What If ❯ Family of Blood ( Chapter 11 )

[ A - All Readers ]

Have you ever wondered how the Doctor did ventriloquism of the nose? I did, and this is my take on it. I wanted it to be sensual without it actually being erotic or sexual. Let me know what you think.

Non Anime: Doctor Who Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.16.2016 | Pages: 39 | Words: 16.5K | Visits: 359 | Status: Completed

In the village hall, John Smith was dancing with Joan Redfern, while his wife Rose rested so as not to tire herself too much after her malaria relapse earlier in the day. Well, that's what they thought.

She was in fact, trying to think of a way to get the Doctor to break the Chameleon Arch and get him back. Without realising, she was playing the sonic screwdriver through her fingers in her pocket.

“That's it!” she thought as she remembered the Carrionites. There was power in naming.

John and Joan returned to the table, laughing. `Oh it's been such a long time since I have danced,' Joan said wistfully.

`You still remember the moves though,' said John.

Rose held up the sonic screwdriver. `Do you know what this is John? Name it for me. Go on, please name it.'

`John, what is that silly thing?' Joan asked, thinking that she'd seen a sketch of it in his journal. `John?'

John frowned as he took the screwdriver. He felt as though he should know what it was, but couldn't quite put a name to it.

`You're not John Smith. You're called the Doctor. The man in your journal, he's real . . . He's you.'

Outside the hall, the Family of Blood were striding to the entrance. The old soldier rattled the coins in the pewter bowl. `Evening, all. Spare a penny, sir?'

Son of Mine Baines held up a bulky looking pistol. `I didn't spare you.' He pulled the trigger, and the old soldier disappeared in a flash of green mist.

Latimer was lurking by a window, and heard the strange sound of an energy weapon being discharged. He moved the curtain and looked outside, where a scarecrow popped up in front of him. He stood in shock, just looking at the incongruous sight. He came back to his senses and closes the curtain again.

`THERE-WILL-BE-SILENCE! ALL-OF-YOU!' Father of Mine Clark shouted as he knocked over a hat stand to get everyone's attention. A troop of shuffling scarecrows followed them into the hall, causing gasps and screams.

`I-SAID-SILENCE' Father of Mine Clark shouted again.

`Mister Clarke, what's going on?' Chambers demanded as he strode towards them from the band stand. He never found out what was going on. He disintegrated into dust in a flash of green light.

`John? Everythin' I told you, just forget it! Don't say anythin',' Rose said quietly.

`We asked for silence!' Son of Mine Baines said. `Now then, we have a few questions for Mr. Smith.'

A young girl who had been sitting at a table with a drink of fruit juice and a red balloon, stood up. `No . . . better than that . . . The teacher . . . He's the Doctor. I heard them talking.'

`You took human form,' Son of Mine Baines said.

`Of course I'm human. I was born human, as were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mister Clark. What is going on? This is madness.'

`Ooo, and a human brain, too. Simple, thick and dull,' said Son of Mine Baines jokingly.

`But he's no good like this,' complained Mother of Mine Jenny.

`We need a Time Lord,' Father of Mine Clark declared.

`Easily done,' Son of Mine Baines told them. He stepped forward and raised the gun, pointing it at John's head. `Change back.'

John couldn't comprehend what they wanted. `I don't know what you're talking about.'

`Change back!' Son of Mine Baines demanded impatiently.

`I literally do not know . . .'

Mother of Mine Jenny grabbed Rose around the neck, and put a gun to her head.

`Gerroff me!' Rose protested.

`She's your wife, isn't she?' Mother of Mine Jenny teased. `Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?'

John was starting to panic now. `I don't know what you mean!'

The young girl with the balloon, Daughter of Mine Lucy, stepped forward. `That woman there, the Matron. She's their friend, she was dancing with Smith.'

`Then let's have you as well,' Father of Mine Clark said, pulling Joan towards him by her arm and putting his gun against her head.

Son of Mine Baines smirked as he spoke. `Have you enjoyed it, Doctor, being human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Wife or matron? Your wife or your friend? Your choice.'

Mother of Mine Jenny held Rose tighter around the neck, and pushed the gun harder into her temple. `Make your decision, Mr. Smith.'

`Perhaps if that human heart breaks, the Time Lord will emerge,' Son of Mine Baines theorised.

At the back of the hall, out of sight, Latimer took the watch from his pocket, and opened it. A golden energy shimmered out of the watch, and a voice whispered [`Time Lord']. The Family turned their heads quickly, sensing the Artron energy.

`It's him!' said Son of Mine Baines.

Latimer closed the watch, and Rose used the distraction to get the gun off Mother of Mine Jenny, using her as a shield while she aimed it at Baines.

`All right! One more move and I shoot,' Rose told them in no uncertain terms.

Son of Mine Baines looked amused. `Oh, the wife is full of fire.'

`Shut it, Toff!' she said angrily, firing the gun at the ceiling to make a point.

`Careful, Son of Mine. This is all for you so that you can live forever,' Father of Mine Clark warned him.

Son of Mine Baines raised his gun. `Shoot you down.'

`Try it. We'll die together,' Rose said with ice in her voice.

`Would you really pull the trigger? Looks too scared,' he said.

`Scared and holdin' a gun's a good combination,' she told him. She raised an eyebrow. `D'ya wanna to risk it?'

It was a Mexican standoff, and you could hear a pin drop. The family lowered their guns, and Joan returned to stand by John.

Rose continued to hold Mother of Mine Jenny around the neck with the gun to her head. `Doctor, get everyone out. There's a door at the side. It's over there. Go on.' She quickly glanced over and saw him just standing there.

She rolled her eyes. `Do it, John. I mean you.'

Joan was galvanised into action. `Do what she said. Everybody out, now. Don't argue, Mister Jackson. They're mad. That's all we need to know. Susan, Miss Cooper, outside, all of you.'

The villagers started running out of the hall, screaming. John helped to usher people out of the door. He grabbed Latimer by the shoulder and pointed him towards the door. `Move yourself, boy. Back to the school, quickly.'

`And you,' Rose said to him. `Go on. Just shift.'

He was reluctant to leave his wife in this situation, but he had no weapon, and she did seem to be in control of the situation. `What about you?'

`John, I think you should escort our friend Joan to safety, don't you?'

He hadn't seen this side of his wife before, and it was very appealing. He was incredibly proud of her.

He ran outside and found people milling about in confusion. `Mister Hicks, warn the village. Get everyone out. Latimer, get back to the school. Tell the headmaster.'

`Don't touch me,' Latimer said angrily. `You're as bad as them.' He turned and ran off into the night.

Inside the hall, Mother of Mine Jenny managed to struggle free from Rose and rejoin her Family. They started advancing on her, forcing her to move backwards.

`Don't try anythin'. I'm warnin' ya, or Sonny boy gets it.'

`She's almost brave, this one,' Son of Mine Baines teased.

`I should have taken her form . . . Much more fun . . . So much spirit,' said Mother of Mine Jenny.

`What happened to Jenny? Is she gone?'

`She is consumed. Her body's mine.'

`Y'mean she's dead.'

`Yes. And she went with precious little dignity. All that “Aaagh!” screaming.'

As Rose backed towards the door, a scarecrow grabbed her from behind.

`Get the gun!' Son of Mine Baines called out, and the scarecrow took the gun out of her hand. `Good work, soldier.'

Rose ducked under the scarecrow's arms and ran out of the hall. `Don't just stand there, move it!' she shouted to John and Joan, who were still standing by the gate. `God, you're rubbish as a human. Come on!'

They started running back towards the school. `I'm sorry darling. I felt bad enough leaving you in the hall. I couldn't bring myself to leave without you,' John said.

Rose flashed him a smile and grabbed his hand. `Thanks.'

`Run! Ah, this is super,' Son of Mine Baines declared with glee as he fired at the fleeing trio.

There were explosions of green light either side of them as they ran through a gate. Somehow this all seemed very familiar to John, but he couldn't for the life of him remember why.

`We've been in hiding for too long. This is sport,' said Son of Mine Baines.

Mother of Mine Jenny sniffed the air. `I can smell the schoolteacher. He's gone back to his academy.'

`And what do we know about his wife?' Son of Mine Baines asked his mother.

Jenny's body glowed green as the alien inside examined it. `This body has traces of memory. Was once her housemaid. Rose would go walking to the west to enjoy the fresh air. Husband of Mine, follow the wife's scent. Go to the west. Find out what she was keeping secret.'

Father of Mine Clark nodded. `Soldiers!' He turned to the West and walked away with the scarecrows in tow.

Son of Mine Baines turned to his mother. `As for you, Mother of Mine, let's go to school.'

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Father of Mine Clark was standing in front of the lawns of the school with the TARDIS that he'd found in the stone barn. `Doctor! Doctor! Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize.'

`Out you come, Doctor. There's a good boy. Come to the Family,' Son of Mine Baines taunted.

`Time to end it now,' said Mother of Mine Jenny.

John, Rose and Joan were crouching down in the bushes, watching the Family taunt them. The Family had so far failed to find the Chameleon Watch, so they were trying to entice the Doctor out of hiding.

`You recognise it, don't you?' Rose asked him.

Mother of Mine Jenny called into the night. `Come out, Doctor. Come to us!'

`I've never seen it in my life,' John said.

Rose doubted that. He'd drawn it in his journal. `Do you remember its name?'

Joan recognised it. `I'm sorry, John, but you wrote about it. The blue box. You dreamt of a blue box.'

`I'm not. I'm John Smith. That's all I want to be. John Smith, with his life, and his job, and his wife. Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?'

`Yes. Yes, he is,' Joan told him.

`Why can't I stay?'

`Because sometimes, a good man isn't enough. We need the Doctor,' said Rose.

`What am I, then?' he asked angrily. `Nothing. I'm just a story.' He ran away, and the two women took off after him.

`One more phase and we won't have to hunt. The Doctor, Mr. Smith, the boy, the watch, they will come to us. Soldiers, guard this thing,' Son of Mine Baines said as they strode away.

John, Rose, and Joan were running down a narrow lane, when Joan had an idea. `This way. I think I know somewhere we can hide.'

`We've got to keep going,' John said.

Joan gave Rose a pleading look for them to trust her.

Rose nodded. `Just listen to her, John. She knows this village.'

`Follow me,' Joan said, and ran down another narrow lane.

`Oh, here we are. It should be empty. Oh, it's a long time since I've run that far,' Joan gasped.

`You get used to it when you travel with the Doctor,' said Rose. `But who lives here?'

`If I'm right, no one,' she said sadly.

`Hello?' Joan called out through the open door. There was no response. `No one home. We should be safe here.'

`Whose house is it, though?' Rose asked, dreading the answer. The table was set for tea, which meant that until a few hours ago, this cottage had been occupied.

Joan confirmed her worst fears. `Er, the Cartwrights. That little girl at the school, she's Lucy Cartwright, or she's taken Lucy Cartwright's form. If she came home this afternoon and if the parents tried to stop their little girl, then they were vanished.'

Joan hesitantly touched the teapot. `Stone cold. How easily I accept these ideas.'

`I must go to them, before anyone else dies,' said John nobly.

`You can't!' exclaimed Joan, `Rose, there must be something we can do.'

`Not without the watch.'

`You're this Doctor's companion,' John said. `Can't you help? Are you his wife as well as mine?'

`No, we're not married. We're . . . well . . . it's complicated.'

`What exactly do you do for him then? Why does he need you?'

`Because he's all alone in the universe.'

`And that's what you want me to become?'

`But he's not lonely, `cos he's got me now. And he's shown me so many wonderful things, and I've helped him to love life again . . .'

Rose was interrupted by a knock at the door.

`What if it's them?' Joan asked nervously.

Rose raised her eyebrows. `I ain't no expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock.' She went over to the door and opened it.

Timothy Latimer stood in the doorway and held out his hand. `I brought you this.' It was the Chameleon Watch.

Rose took it off him and offered it to John. `Hold it.'

`I won't,' he said defiantly.

`Please, just hold it.'

`It told me to find you' Latimer told him. `It wants to be held.'

`You've had this watch all this time? Why didn't you return it?' Joan asked.

`Because it was waiting. And because I was so scared of the Doctor.'

`Why?'

`Because I've seen him. He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun.'

`Stop it,' John snapped.

But Latimer was compelled to continue `He's ancient and forever. He burns at the centre of time and he can see the turn of the universe.'

`Stop it! I said stop it.'

`And . . . he's wonderful,' Latimer finished, as though it was obvious. Rose smiled. She couldn't disagree with any of what Latimer had said.

Joan reached into her coat pocket and took out a small book. `I've still got this. The journal.'

`Those are just stories,' John told her dismissively.

`Now we know that's not true. Perhaps there's something in here . . .'

Rose was about to tell her that there wasn't, when there was a sudden explosion outside that rattled the windows.

Rose rushed to the window. `What the hell?'

Fireballs were falling from the sky and exploding around the village.

`They're destroying the village,' Joan observed.

John snatched up the watch. `The watch.'

[`Closer,'] the watch whispered.

`Can you hear it?' Latimer asked him.

[`Closer.']

John held the watch as though it might explode at any moment. `I think he's asleep. Waiting to awaken,' he breathed.

[`Little man.']

`Why did he speak to me?' asked Latimer.

John sniffed and raised his eyebrows. `Oh, low level telepathic field. You were born with it. Just an extra synaptic engram causing . . .' He stopped suddenly, an expression of amazement on his face. `Is that how he talks?'

Rose smiled. `That's him. All you have to do is open it and he's back.'

`And I will be gone, and you will no longer be my wife.'

`No.'

`And now you expect me to die?'

`It was always gonna end, though! The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan, and that's why they need to consume a Time Lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said.'

`So your job was to execute me.'

`People are dyin' out there. Men, women and children are bein' bombed.'

John had a sudden vision of an alien world. The burnt amber sky was on fire, and a man was trying to lead his wife and child to safety when they were confronted by a robot that looked like a pepper pot. “Exterminate” it screeched, and as the vision ended, all he saw was a child's cuddly toy, burning in the street.

`They need him,' Rose continued, `and I need him . . . oh he has no idea how much I really need him. Because you've got no idea of what he's like. He's so much like you John, and he's so much more.'

For weeks, Rose had been trying to work out how they were different, and now, in this moment of crisis she suddenly realised.

`It's like you're incomplete. You're his lighter side, the good, kind, happy, carin' side. But to be him you need a darker side, because sometimes he's forced to do bad things, and although he's never cruel, sometimes he has to be ruthless. And that makes him sad. He hates and loathes himself when he has to be like that . . . and that's when he needs me. Because I'm his best friend, and he's mine, and he's my whole world and . . . I love him.'

An explosion rocked the cottage. `It's getting closer,' Latimer said.

`I should have thought of it before,' John said. `I can give them this. Just the watch. Then they can leave and we can stay as we are.'

Rose shook her head. `You can't do that!'

`If they want the Doctor, they can have him.'

`He'll never let you do it.'

`If they get what they want, then, then . . .'

`Then it all ends in destruction,' Rose told him. `You told me the Family would live forever to breed and conquer, for war across the stars for every child.'

'It's here, in the journal,' Joan told them.

Tears were trickling down John's cheeks as sobs wracked his body. Rose reached out and hugged him, one last thing she could do as his wife, she could comfort her husband.

`Joan, Tim, would you wait outside, please?' Rose asked through tears of her own.

`Yes, of course. Come on young Latimer, it's time we left them alone.' Joan stood up and led Latimer out of the cottage.

`It has been an honour, and a privilege to be your wife for the last few weeks. And if it was real, I would happily stay here with you for the rest of my life. It would be a dream come true for me. But that's all it is, a dream, and it's time to wake up.'

`Will he love you like I do?' He couldn't bear the thought of her being unloved.

`Not like you do, because he's not human. But the things he does for me, the way he behaves . . . I'd like to think, in his own way, he loves me back.'

Rose held her hand over his with the watch in between. The Artron energy in the watch, and the Artron energy in Bad Wolf found each other and they shared a vision, each seeing it from their own perspective. The Doctor kissed Rose outside a church as the wedding bells rang out. He held and comforted their first-born child. They took two children for a walk in the woods, laughing and playing as they went. Rose lay on her death bed, an old woman, with an un-aged Doctor holding her hand.

[`They're all safe, aren't they? The children, the grandchildren. Everyone's safe?'] Rose asked.

[`Everyone's safe, and they all send their love, Rose.']

[`Well, it's time. Thank you.'] In the vision, Rose closed her eyes, and in the cottage, John looked into the hazel eyes of the woman he believed was his wife.

`Did you see?' he asked her.

Rose looked puzzled, because she wasn't sure if she'd just seen a vision of John's imaginary life, or the Doctor's future life. `Yes. I saw.'

`Good, because I think I'm ready.'

On the doorstep outside the cottage, Joan held her hands over Timothy's ears so that he would not hear the screams that came from inside. She could see a golden light shining out of the windows, casting eerie shadows in the trees opposite. Suddenly the screaming stopped, and the windows went dark.

She heard an exclamation from inside. `BADABOOMA!'

Rose looked uncertainly at the man sitting in front of her. `Are ya back . . . is it you?'

`Oh yes! I've never been more me,' he said with a grin. `Right, we've got work to do. They'll be able to smell me now, so I've got to try and mask my smell with someone else's.'

Rose had an idea of what was coming next. `And how'd ya do that then?'

`Do you remember the genetic transfer in the hospital?'

`DO I?!' she exclaimed. She was hardly likely to forget it.

`Well, not only did I transfer to you, you also transferred to me. We just have to do a bit more.'

Rose thought about that and frowned. `Hang on . . . How much more?' She had images of them getting more physical than they had ever gotten in their entire time together.

`Ooh, any exposed skin should be enough. Y'know, face, neck, hands.'

Rose breathed a sigh of relief. `Phew, that's a relief. I thought you were gonna say . . .' She stopped talking when she saw the Doctor's mischievous grin, and started to blush.

`So, just a few kisses here and there should do it.'

`Here, there, and where?' she asked with her hands on her hips. `Look, if your life depends on this, then we're gonna do it properly. Sit on the chair,' she ordered.

He sat, straight backed on the kitchen chair, with his hands on his knees, and a serious expression on his face. `Thank you for this.'

`Yeah,' she said distractedly as she took his left hand and ran her tongue along the back of it before kissing it. She turned it over and kissed his palm, before taking each finger into her mouth in turn, and sucking it. She thought she heard a squeak escape from his lips.

`Run your fingers through your hair,' she told him in a voice that she was struggling to keep under control.

`What? Oh, my hair. Brilliant!' He'd been so distracted by her ministrations, that he'd forgotten that his hair was also alien.

She repeated the process on his right hand, and he ran that through his hair as well.

There was a gentle knock at the door. `Is everything all right in there?' Joan asked.

`Fi . . .' the Doctor said in a high voice. He cleared his throat. `Fine. Yes. Absolutely. Be out in a minute.'

Rose stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. `Right. I think this next bit will be quicker an' easier if I sit on yer lap.'

She hitched the calf length tweed skirt up to her thighs, and straddled him. She held his face, and tilted his head forward to kiss his forehead. She kissed above each eye, and then each closed eye. She kissed his cheekbones, his cheeks and his nose. She gently sucked and kissed his chin, before working her way up his jaw line to lick and nibble his ears. She definitely heard a gasp and a groan when she did that.

She licked and kissed each side of his neck, before kissing his Adam's apple, which bobbed beneath her tongue as he gulped. Last but definitely not least, she moved to his mouth. Her tongue licked his top lip and then the bottom. With his lips now parted, she eased her tongue between them and sealed her lips over his.

This was not a genetic transfer. For Rose, time seemed to stand still, and the universe compressed to a single point in time and space. It was just them, existing in the moment until an explosion nearby shook the cottage.

Rose pulled out of the kiss and sighed dreamily. `There ya go. That should do it.'

The Doctor realised his hands had been caressing her bum and thighs, and were now resting on her hips. His eyes went wide and his hands jerked away as though he'd received an electric shock.

`Er, yes. It should. Very thorough. Yes. Thank you.'

Rose swung her leg off him and stood up, smoothing her skirt down her legs. The Doctor stood up and smiled. `Right. Time to end this. Allons-y!'

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

The Doctor walked across the field and up the hill from Joan Redfern's cottage, towards the TARDIS, where he could see Rose standing in front of the doors, waiting for him.

'All right. Molto bene!' he said as he reached her.

'How was she?' Rose asked.

'As well as can be expected. Two people she befriended, turn out not to be who they said they were. People she knew in the village, dead. She's feeling hurt and betrayed,' he explained.

'If you want, I could go and . . .' Rose started to offer.

'Time we moved on,' he said firmly. What Rose didn't know was that Joan had asked him a question that hurt him, and he couldn't answer. “Answer me this. Just one question, that's all. If the Doctor had never visited us, if he'd never chosen this place on a whim, would anybody here have died?”

'Erm, I meant to ask, back there, last night, that vision we had . . .'

'Oh yeah, what about it?'

'I mean, was it just John Smith's imaginary time line, or was it somethin' else?'

'I really don't know. Never used the Chameleon Arch before. It could have been his, or it could have been mine. It could have been both, or it could have been neither,' he said helpfully.

'A fat lot of use you are,' she laughed.

'Well, whatever it was, it's gone now. Best not dwell on it too much; spoilers and all that. And I never said . . . thanks for lookin' after me.' He opened his arms in an invite for a hug, and she readily accepted.

'Doctor . . . Rose,' a voice called to them, and they released their hug to turn and see who had called them.

'Tim-Timothy-Tim-ah,' the Doctor said in a friendly greeting as Timothy Latimer approached.

'I just wanted to say goodbye, and thank you . . . because I've seen the future and I now know what must be done.' He'd had a vision from the watch, a vision of him fighting in the trenches, of a falling munitions shell, at one minute past seven. 'It's coming, isn't it . . . ? The biggest war ever.'

'You don't have to fight,' Rose said.

'I think we do.' He may have been just a boy, but his vision had taught him that some things are worth fighting for.

'But you could get hurt,' she told him.

'Well, so could you, travelling around with him, but it's not going to stop you,' he replied.

Rose smiled at that, what could she say? He was right.

'Tim, I'd be honoured if you'd take this.' The Doctor held out the fob watch.

'I can't hear anything,' he said, there were no more voices whispering in his head.

'No, it's just a watch now . . . but keep it with you, for good luck.' The Doctor knew that the watch had an important part to play in Tim's future.

Rose stepped forward and hugged him. 'Look after yerself.'

Tim was slightly embarrassed when she kissed him on the cheek; after all, he was just a lad, and Rose had been the school pin up. She went back up the hill and stepped into the TARDIS.

'You'll like this bit,' the Doctor said with a knowing smile, before following Rose inside and closing the door. He walked up the ramp and started the time rotor.

'D'ya think he'll be alright . . . Timothy?'

'What, young Latimer? Yeah, he'll be fine.' He stopped the time rotor. 'Do you want to see,' he said, smiling and nodding at the doors.

She looked at the doors, and back at the Doctor. 'Really?'

'Eleven o'clock, Sunday November the eleventh, 1990,' he said, as he shut down the console. 'You might want to put on a smart jacket.'

Wearing a suitably smart black jacket, Rose took his arm as they walked through the tranquil village of Leadworth.

'Hold on,' she said as they passed a newsagent. She went inside, and came out holding up two red poppies. 'Wouldn't be right without wearin' one of these.' She started to pin one on her lapel as they walked towards the village green and the war memorial.

'Rose Tyler,' he said with a smile. 'What would I do without you?'

'Die, most likely,' she said without thinking.

They stopped at the edge of the green, and he thought about that as he looked over towards the assembled group of people.

'Yeah . . . but today's a day for remembering, not for dying,' he said with his hands in his pockets. 'Those who have died . . . and those who are no longer with us.'

She started to pin the poppy on his lapel as she thought about her mum and Mickey. She looked up into his eyes and wondered who he was remembering. Was it all the people on his home planet?

No it wasn't! He was remembering a conversation she'd had with John Smith, and a vision from a watch the night before.

“No, we're not married. We're . . . well . . . it's complicated.” Why? Why did it have to be complicated? When he stopped and thought about it . . . really thought about it, it was simple.

“But you're not lonely, `cos you've got me now. And you've shown me so many wonderful things, and I've helped you to love life again.” He was remembering it in the first person. “And I need you . . . oh you have no idea how much I really need you.” He did now. But he'd always known, and she had no idea how much he really needed her.

And she'd shown him that she understood him. “But to be you, you need a darker side, because sometimes you're forced to do bad things, and although you're never cruel, sometimes you have to be ruthless. And that makes you sad. You hate and loathe yourself when you have to be like that . . . and that's when you need me. Because I'm your best friend, and you're mine, and you're my whole world and . . . I love you.”

And now, there was an inkling of an idea. “It has been an honour, and a privilege to be your wife for the last few weeks. And if it was real, I would happily stay here with you for the rest of my life. It would be a dream come true for me.” It was a completely mad idea.

'So where's Tim then?' Rose asked, bringing him out of his musings.

'The chap in the wheelchair; ninety four years old, the last of his company.'

'Blimey, I don't think I'll ever get used to this. Just five minutes ago, I was kissin' his fresh faced cheek . . . Oh look, he's still got the watch.'

'Of course, saved his life that watch did.'

'What, did it stop a bullet or somethin'?'

'Nah that only happens in the movies; this was a bomb.' He saw her puzzled expression. 'When the watch was the Chameleon Arch, it showed him when to duck . . . always useful that . . . knowing when to duck.'

They turned to listen to the service being read by the local lady vicar. 'They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.'

The Doctor looked at Tim, who had tears in his eyes. “Nah, she'd never go for it . . . would she?” he thought to himself.

He looked at the vicar, who was chatting with the young and old soldiers. “She might though.”

He glanced over at the spire of the quaint, village church behind the trees. It looked very familiar. “No, it couldn't be . . . could it?”

`Hey, are you all right?' Rose asked, looking concerned. It always worried her when he went quiet, it usually meant he'd found trouble.

He turned to face her and held her shoulders, his eyes sparkling with excitement, and something she couldn't put her finger on. If she had to call it, it would be mischief.

`Rose Tyler. Do you trust me? And don't just say “of course” like you usually do, take your time and think about it.' He was gazing deep into her hazel eyes, as if he was trying to assess her mood.

She was gazing into his brown eyes, trying to work out what he was up to. It wasn't dangerous, she could tell that, but what was it that had got him so excited. `Is this long enough?'

`Eh?'

`To think about it before I tell you that I trust you. Always have, always will.'

`Er, yes. I suppose it is.'

`Okay then, yeah I trust you. Always have, always will.'

`Brillliant! Molto bene. Look, I've just got to go and arrange some stuff and then I'll be back.' He kissed her on the cheek. `Don't move.' He kissed her on the lips. `Well, you can move, of course. just don't go anywhere. Have a chat to Tim or something. Introduce yourself to the vicar . . . NO! No, don't talk to the vicar. Not just yet anyway. I'll be back in five minutes.'

He held her face and kissed her passionately on the lips. `It's definitely become a habit,' he said and ran off into the village.