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John Smith, history teacher at Farringham School for Boys, walked through the hallway, hands clasped behind his back in deep thought. His dreams, the strange going on in his head kept him preoccupied as the young men in his charge spent their break period wasting time as children did. He barely noticed the three maids on the floor, scrubbing the Victorian tiles as he strode past in his gown and mortarboard, hands clasped behind his back.
"Morning, Sir." One greeted, catching his attention. He paused at the bottom of the stairs up, his eyes flickering from his young, black servant Martha who had called after him to the red-head next to her. Danielle, who had been with his family as long as Martha had been, shot him a smile.
"Yes, hi." He replied distractedly, tearing his gaze away from her before disappearing up the stairs. Both Martha and Danni watched him leave, wistful smiles on their faces.
"Head in the clouds, that one." The third maid, Jenny, declared, before smirking at them, "Don't know why you're both so sweet on him." Martha nudged her whilst Danni's smile widened.
"Because he's absolutely gorgeous." She retorted as they went back to their scrubbing, "I mean, seriously, have you seen him?" Jenny laughed.
"Is that so, Martha?" She teased and the young companion shook her head.
"He's just kind to me, that's all." She corrected, "Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being-" She pointed to her face, indicating her skin colour.
"A Londoner?" Jenny finished and Martha grinned, nodding.
"Exactly." She agreed, "Good old London town!" The trio burst into giggles as two of the older boys walked past. They paused in their steps.
"Ah, now then, you lot." One, Baines, snapped, annoyed, "You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it."
"Yes Sir, sorry, Sir." Jenny apologised, looking thoroughly chastised. The other one, Hutchinson, looked over at Martha, staring down his nose at her.
"You there, what's your name again?" He demanded.
"Martha, Sir. Martha Jones." She replied, trying to keep herself polite despite the fact they weren't offering the same courtesy to them.
"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?" The boys laughed at the offensive joke and turned to leave them to it.
"Nice to know that you're cold is so much better, sir." Danni suddenly declared at the two boys turned back again, looking vaguely confused.
"What are you on about, you silly woman?" Hutchinson snapped angrily. Danni tilted her head, as if she was thinking back. She tapped her finger against her lips once.
"Such a weird cold it was as well, sir." She mused out loud, "Such a weird cough. Went something like," She cleared her throat, "I... Want...My... Mummy..." She mocked him in a crying voice, even though she didn't even though she had no idea if he'd been ill or not.
"It did not!" Hutchinson raged, embarrassed, "You should not speak about your superiors in such a fashion!" Danni's eyes narrowed.
"And you should know that the inferior man is one who thinks he is superior." Danni interrupted just as angrily, "Didn't Mr Smith teach you that is class? Now run along, sirs." She bit out the honorific and the two boy walked off, muttering angrily to each other about how they were going to get the red head fired, and when they were in charge people like her would treat them with respect they deserved.
"My lord these boys are all brats." Danni muttered, picking up her brush and going back to cleaning the floor.
"That was excellent!" Martha exclaimed happily.
"Careful now, you shouldn't don't answer back. You'll lose your job." Jenny pointed out and Danni sat back on her heels, sighing in frustration.
"Oh job, shob. The only thing I care less than this job about is how clean this stupid floor is." She chucked the brush into the bucket of water angrily. It had been two months now. Two whole months of being stuck in 1913, with these stuck-up snobby boys while the Doctor wandered around, playing teacher and being none the wiser about how his two friends were being treated by the 'upper classes'. Times like this made her so glad she travelled with the Doctor, a real job would just drive her insane, "I can't keep doing this, Martha. I mean, who do these snot-nosed boys think they are?! Their parents should teach them some bloody manners instead of sending them away!"
"Just think though. In a few years time boys like that will be running the country." Jenny pointed out, scrubbing the floor harder than before. Unlike her two new work colleagues, she never questioned her lot in life. Quite frankly she had a rather comfy number here at the school and she didn't want to jeopardise it.
"Nineteen thirteen." Martha whispered, shooting Danni a sombre look, "They might not." Danni sighed, standing up and brushing herself down. She bent down and picked up one of the metal buckets full of water, her brush still inside it.
"I suppose I should start on the teacher's rooms." Danni muttered, "You're almost finished here anyway. Meet you up there?" Martha shot her a sympathetic smile and nodded.
"Sure." She agreed and Danni headed around the corner, heading for the flight of stairs that lead to the library. Martha kept an eye on her until she'd disappeared completely from view. She was having such a hard time coping with their newest... well, adventure didn't seem quite the right word because everything they were doing was incredibly mundane.
"What happened?" Jenny asked, Martha frowning at the question.
"What do you mean?" She asked as they worked together on the last part of the floor.
"Well, she wears that beautiful ring at all times, but I've never heard her mention her husband." Jenny explained, "Did he die?" Martha shook her head.
"No, he's alive." She replied, "He's just... very far away."
"Oh, is he in the merchant navy?"
"Something like that." Martha agreed, even though it wasn't. She knew for a fact that Danni hadn't seen her version of the Doctor in a long time and it was starting to get to the red-head. Every moment she was stuck here with a Doctor who wasn't actually the Doctor right now was another moment she wasn't with the Doctor who she wanted to be with. All Martha could do was try and cheer her up whenever she became too upset.
~0~0~0~
John fumbled with the door knob as he wondered, not for the first time, if he'd grabbed too many books. He had some research to do on 18th Century France, he was sure it didn't happen quite the way it said in the text books. He distinctly remembered someone important being there that he had yet to find a mention of. Arthur... Arthur something, what was his last name?
"Oh, good morning, Mr Smith." The Matron greeted as she approached him, an amicable smile on her face. Surprised, he stumbled slightly and the top book fell off his rather grand pile and fell to the floor. He placed a foot on it as it landed in the doorway, as if he was expecting it to run off.
"There we go." He declared, proud of his achievement.
"Let me help you." Matron told him, ready to bend down when he shook his head, his gentlemanly sensibilities taking over.
"No, no, I've got it, no..." He paused, staring at in, wondering how exactly he was going to pick it up, "Um... ah... Just to... retrieve... ah..." He spun around before holding the books out to her, "If you could take these-" He then reached down and picked up the book, tucking it under his arm.
"Good." Matron replied with a big grin and a bit of a laugh.
"No harm done." He told her, "So, um, how was Jenkins?"
"Oh just a cold, nothing serious. I think he's missing his mother, more than anything." She explained.
"Aw, can't have that." He replied sympathetically. He never much liked the idea of young boys being separated from their families, even if it was for education.
"He received a letter this morning so he's a lot more chipper." She offered, "I appear to be holding your books." He nodded, as if just realising this himself, and pulled the book out from under his arm. He caught sight of the front cover and paused, staring at it thoughtfully. He really didn't know why he'd picked this up, it was just a romance novel for the female members of staff that came and went over the years. Certainly nothing he was interested in, but the front cover had caught his eye and before he knew it, he'd been heading out of the library with it on the very top of his stack. It was the cover that still held his interest, something mesmerising about the ginger woman depicted on the front...
He jolted, surprised at himself and took the books from Matron.
"Yes, so you are! Sorry, sorry." He rambled, "Just let me-" They struggled for a moment.
"No, why don't I take half?" Matron finally suggested and, with ease, they split the pile in half.
"Ah, brilliant idea, brilliant. Perfect. Division of labour." John praised.
"We make quite a team." She agreed.
"Don't we just." Matron giggled slightly, but John was still distracted by the woman on the front of the book. There was a lull in the conversation, an awkward pause as he stared at the book on top of his pile again. She looked so happy in the arms of the black-haired man in the captain's uniform who was depicted holding her. Why did that bother him so much?
"So, these books. Were they being taken in any particular direction?" Matron finally asked and he nodded, looking one way up the corridor as he tried to remember where he had been heading. Perhaps his classroom?
"Yes. Um..." He started slightly, turning on his heels and heading towards his quarters, which were in the opposite direction, "This way." They walked side by side, discussing school life and activities. She insisted he call her Joan, which was a lovely name, although he didn't say that out loud.
"Have you seen this, John?" She asked suddenly, stopping in front of a notice board that was at the top of the stairs leading to the teacher's quarters, "The annual dance at the village hall tomorrow. It's nothing formal, but rather fun by all accounts." She glanced up at him, "Do you think you'll go?"
"I hadn't thought about it." John replied, unsure of how to reply. He'd seen the flyer around the school, in the staff room and the library. The younger children weren't allowed to attend, but the ones in the last year of schooling, before they headed off to university, were allowed with permission. He'd just never considered it an option, he had just assumed he'd be busy that evening.
"It's been ages since I've been to a dance, only no-one's asked me." Joan rambled with a nervous laugh, looking almost hopefully at him.
"Well, I should imagine that you would be...um...I mean I never thought you'd be one for..." John stuttered, alarmed because he realised she wanted him to ask her, "I mean there's no reason why you shouldn't- if you do, you may not...I probably won't, but even if I did then I couldn't...um, I mean I wouldn't want to-" He backed away slightly, now rather uncomfortable but not having the social skills to be able to get that across.
"The stairs." Joan warned him.
"It- what about the stairs?" He asked, confused, continuing to back away.
"They're right behind you."He turned around, alarmed as Joan tried to reach out for him. Instead he stumbled and proceeded to fall down them, startling Danni who had just been heading up with a bucket of water in hand, ready to clean the rooms on that floor. With a yell of surprise, the bucket went flying out of her grasp as they landed in a pile at the bottom, drenched.
~0~0~0~
Joan stood behind John, cleaning the gash on the back of his head he'd acquired from landing on the wooden stairs. Joan had immediately taken the two to John's room, where she'd set about trying to get them patched up. John's only injury was the rather bloody but insignificant cut, but whenever she made a move to clean it, he hissed in pain.
"Stop it. I get boys causing less fuss than this." She scolded in a tease, a little smirk on her face.
"Because it hurts!" He moaned churlishly, a pout on his face as he hissed again.
"It's because you want to be fussed over, sir." Danni retorted from the side of the room, "He's always like this, I wouldn't pay much notice Matron." She told the older woman. John, insulted, sat up a little straighter.
"Maybe you should allow Nu... Matron to check you over," He suggested pointedly, "it seems you may have a severer head injury than we first thought."
"Oh hush." Danni snapped. Matron had handed her a wet cloth to hold against the cut she'd obtained above her right eye, but when she had wanted to inspect it, Danni had brushed her away.
"I really wish you'd let me clean it." Joan told the ginger woman, "We can't have it getting infected."
"It's okay." Danni declined, "My doctor will be here in a moment." John sat up a little straighter at the word 'doctor', something inside him recognising the title almost personally.
"Your doctor?" Joan repeated and Danni nodded as the door flew open and Martha dashed in, a look of panic on her face.
"Is he all right?" She exclaimed.
"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking." Joan scolded and both Martha and Danni immediately went on the defensive. Who the hell did she think she was talking to? Martha was one of Danni's best friends!
"Sorry, right, yeah." Martha snapped, then ran back to the door, knocked three times then back over to them, "But is he all right?" She asked, turning to John, "They said you fell down the stairs, Sir."
"He's fine. I cushioned his fall." Danni retorted and Martha jolted, having not noticed her in her haste. At her confused look, Danni waved her hand once, sharply.
"No, it was just a tumble, that's all." John mumbled, annoyed.
"Yes, two casualties was just a tumble." Danni snapped before moving the cloth from her head, "Do you mind, Martha?" She asked and the other maid walked over, kneeling down in front of her and pressing two fingers gently against the skin around the cut.
"It's only small." Martha muttered, "Just needs cleaning. Do you feel dizzy? Any loss of consciousness?" Danni shook her head.
"No, just hurts from where I banged it on the railings." She replied. Martha took the cloth and began dabbing the cut gently, "See?" She declared, addressing both Matron and John, "My doctor's here." Martha smirked slightly.
"Almost doctor." She corrected, "You should have let Matron look at you though. That is the way." She had been having to remind Danni more and more about when exactly they were.
"And I daresay I know a lot more about it than a maid." Matron added, almost grumbling. Danni's eyes narrowed and she glared opening at the woman.
"And I daresay that you're wrong." She snapped.
"Danielle!" John scolded and she rolled her eyes.
"What?" She asked, "She insulted my friend. You should know I won't stand for that, sir." God, she really did not like John. Well, actually, that wasn't strictly true. For the most part he was downright adorable, having less social grace than the Doctor ever had. Actually, if she was truly honest, it was just because not only was he not the Doctor at the moment, he wasn't even not the right Doctor. She sighed, shaking her head, "Weren't you just telling Matron about your dreams, sir?" This time she was much more polite and calm and, at the mention of his dreams, he seemed to peak up.
"They are quite remarkable tales." He admitted, obliviously explaining in vague details how his dreams revolved around the fact he was really an alien with two hearts. Martha and Danni shared a look as he stood up, heading to his desk and picked up a leather-bound journal, handing it to the Matron was a giant grin on his face.
"Well... I've never shown it to anyone before." He admitted as she took it, opening it up and looking at the first page.
"'Journal of Impossible Things'" She read out loud before turning the page, scanning the hand-drawn ink pictures, writing surrounding it all as he tried to jot down every detail he could. The pictures of strange machines and monsters were both fascinating and slightly worrying, "Just look at these creatures! Such imagination." She breathed, amazed.
"Mmm. It's become quite a hobby." John agreed, proud that the woman was really enjoying his work.
"It's wonderful." She agreed as she turned the page, spotting a drawing of the face of a young girl, "And quite an eye for the pretty girls."
"Oh no no, she's just an invention. This character, Rose, I call her, Rose." He dismissed quickly, not noticing Danni tensing at Rose being called an invention, "Seems to disappear later on..." Joan turned the page to reveal a picture of Danni. She looked up and over at the maid sharply, who was talking with Martha quietly. Another page turned showed another picture of her in what appeared to be a Victorian dress.
"And the staff, it appears." She pointed out and he nodded, a faraway smile drifting briefly over his lips.
"Yes, well... she does appear throughout my dreams. The only constant..." He agreed and Joan quickly turned the page a couple of times, revealing a small picture of the TARDIS, "Ah, that's the box, the blue box, it's always there. Like a...like a magic carpet, this funny little box that transports me to far away places." He raved, obviously excited about the concept.
"Like a doorway?" Joan asked and he nodded.
"I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true." He told her.
"If only."
"It's just a dream." He said, more of a reminder to himself than anything. Danni and Martha shared another, knowing look. If only.
~0~0~0~
"Ma'am!" Joan, now heading away from John's room, turned to see both Martha and Danni chacing her down the hallway, coming to a stop next to her, "That book-"
"Oh I'll look after it, don't worry." She reassured the pair, "He did say I could read it." She turned to leave them behind.
"But it's silly, that's all." Martha insisted, causing the woman to turn back.
"Just stories." Danni agreed, "You shouldn't take it too seriously."
"Who is he?" Joan asked, both slightly startled by the blunt question.
"I'm sorry?" Martha asked.
"It's like he's left the kettle on. Like... he knows he has something to get back to, but he can't remember what." Joan tried to explain, but it was difficult. The way he was, always distracted, always with a sad look in his eye. She'd seen the same look on the face of soldiers, but even then it wasn't as extreme as with John.
"He's always been like that." Danni assured her with a nervous laugh, "He's actually got a lot better." Joan looked the two over, the two strange maids who had turned up with the strange man.
"You both arrived with him, didn't you? He found you both employment here at the school, isn't that right?" She asked out of nowhere and Martha nodded.
"I used to work for the family, he just sort of inherited me." Martha replied with a shrug, trying not to become incredibly angry at the idea of being 'inherited'.
"And when he asked, I came as well." Danni added with a shrug of her own. Joan frowned, disliking the idea of him asking the red-headed woman to go anywhere with him.
"Well, I'd be careful." She scolded the pair, "If you don't mind my saying, you sometimes seem a little familiar with him. Especially you, Danielle. Best remember your positions." And with that, she turned and walked away. They both stared after her, deeply unimpressed by her attitude.
"Yes Ma'am." Martha grumbled, the pair watching her head down some stairs.
"What a bitch." Danni suddenly declared and Martha laughed, taking her hand as they headed back to John's room.
~0~0~0~
That night, Jenny took Martha and Danni out to the village pub, intent on doing her bit to cheer up Danni, who had become more sullen after their encounter with the Matron and John that afternoon. Soon they were sat outside, in the cold, drinking the drinks Martha had fetched but Jenny had paid for. Both of the girls from the future ranted over the fact they weren't allowed to drink inside with the 'menfolk', but Jenny had found their protests more amusing than anything. A bright green flash of light caught their attention for a moment, letting Danni know they were finally getting to the end of the story. Not much longer now, she was sure. Hopefully. Maybe.
"Did you hear about the dance at the village hall tomorrow?" Jenny asked, trying to get the other two women to ignore whatever it was that they saw. It worked, Danni turned around, smiling brighter than Jenny had ever seen her grin.
"A dance? Really?" She asked, excited and Jenny nodded. It was nice to see her become excited over something normal.
"Yeah, it's to raise funds for the veterans of the Crimea." She explained.
"I've always wanted to go to a dance." Danni replied, a small, smug smile on her face, "I'll need to buy a new dress. I'll go into town tomorrow." She picked up her drink, taking a sip despite the fact she hated beer.
"We're not allowed to go." Jenny pointed out apologetically, "School staff are required to stay at school so the teachers can go."
"Well, I'll quit then." Danni replied with a shrug, "Don't need the job anymore anyway." She turned to Martha, smiling brightly as she motioned to the sky with her glass, "Into the stars we go, Martha Jones."
~0~0~0~
Martha peddled the old-fashioned bike, complete with basket on the front, through the woods towards an abandoned barn. The crisp autumn air bit at her cheeks, and Danni held her tightly around the waist whilst she sat on the back rack.
"Next time you can peddle." Martha panted as she slowed the bike to a stop, putting her foot on the moist ground to hold it upright.
"Trust me, no next time." Danni promised, hopping off. Both of them were wrapped up in large coats, Danni with a faux fur lining around the hood and cuffs.
"I can't believe you quit." Martha told her, "What if you're wrong?"
"How dare you, Martha?" She replied, insulted, "I'm never wrong." She paused, "Most of the time, anyway. If I am then I'll just come live in the TARDIS." She reached out and pushed the door open, stepping into the barn and smiling at the sight of the TARDIS, stood majestically in the middle of the room, "Hello, Old Girl." She whispered bitter-sweetly as Martha unlocked the door and let them. While obviously still alive and kicking, the console room was dark, the only thing glowing was the centre console, which shone with a blue-green light.
"You're talking to a machine." Martha pointed out as they headed up the ramp. Danni nudged her before sitting at the base.
"Hey, she can hear you, you know?" She scolded, stroking the floor lightly, "She doesn't know what she's saying, sweetie." Martha chuckled slightly, surprised how much she missed the normality of how strange her friend could be. They both fell silent, deep in their own thoughts over what had happened, what had brought them there.
"He's coming back, right?" Martha asked Danni, "I mean, you know him in the future, he has to come back."
"He does." Danni reassured her, although she didn't sound too convinced, "It's just a hard road until he gets here."
~0~0~0~
Danni and Martha dove to the floor at the same time as a bright green shot flew over their heads and hit the console, causing sparks to fly as it exploded. The Doctor stumbled on the ramp, scrambling up as fast as he could to set the TARDIS in motion. He grabbed the monitor in frustration as alarms blared overhead, growling in frustration."
"They're following us! They can follow us wherever we go." He pulled back, running his hand through his hair as he realised what he had said, what it meant for them all, "Right across the universe. They're never going to stop..." Suddenly he turned to Martha, "Martha, you trust me don't you?" He demanded.
"Of course I do-" She started but he had already turned to Danni.
"Danni? Do trust me?" He asked frantically and she nodded.
"Always." She replied but he shook his head, grabbing her by both arms, surprising her as he stared imploringly into her eyes.
"Say it." He commanded and she swallowed before nodding.
"I trust you." She said it slowly, purposefully and he quickly let go of her. She let out a shuddering breath, now full of anxious energy as he turned back to the console.
"'Cause it all depends on you. Both of you." Martha looked at Danni, the seriousness of the situation scaring her. Something big was about to happen, and the look on Danni's face when she met her eye just shook her more.
~0~0~0~
They sat in silence, both remembering the Doctor explaining at rapid speed how he was going to hide from the Family. How he'd become human and they'd have to look after him. Danni shuddered involuntarily as she remembered him screaming in agony, feeling herself start to cry. Martha crouched down next to her, wrapping her up in a hug.
"I know." Martha whispered, "But it's just one more month." She pulled back, smiling warmly at her friend, "One more month and he'll be back and insulting our intelligence in no time." Danni giggled through her tears, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.
"I know." She replied, "I've seen this before. I always thought having him human would be brilliant, but it's not. It's not right." Martha helped her up, sitting her on the pilot chair then pulling the monitor around so it was in front of her.
"I'll leave you alone with him for a bit." She told Danni and she nodded gratefully.
"Thanks, Martha." The companion nodded, pressed play, and walked out. The Doctor on the screen adjusted the camera than sat down.
"This working?" He tapped the camera and Danni chuckled hollowly, "Danni, Martha, before I change here's a list of instructions for when I'm human..." She sat there, watching in some form of grim self-torture, listening to him list off the instructions to follow while dealing with human him. She knew them off by heart, and hearing him talk like the Doctor, like the man he should be hurt, but she couldn't look away.
"But don't open it unless you have to." He told them firmly, holding the pocket watch that held his Time Lord self in it up for them to see, "Because once it's open, then the Family will be able to find me. It's all down to you two. Your choice." He walked off screen, then turned back, smiling widely at the camera, "Oh, and- thank you."
"Oh, Theta." She whispered, heartbroken, before sobbing quietly to herself.
~0~0~0~
John was escorting Mat... Joan down into the village the next day, the two talking animatedly to each other about days of old. Since the fall down the stairs he'd been much more relaxed around her, not fumbling with his words half as much as he would of. She was good company.
The village was busy, people preparing for the dance that night, moving furniture around, generally getting on with their day and not paying attention to the Matron and the teacher.
"His name was Oliver. He died in the battle of Spy-On-Cope." She was explaining quietly, "We were childhood sweethearts...But you see, I was angry with the army for such a long time."
"You still are." John summarized and she nodded.
"I find myself as part of that school watching boys learn how to kill." She admitted, torn.
"Don't you think discipline is good for them?" He asked, genuinely surprised. It had been good enough for him when he was a child, taught him how to behave properly, work with his fellow man.
"Does it have to be such military discipline?" She argued, "I mean, if there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing."
"Well... Great Britain's at peace, long may it reign." He replied, finishing up the conversation. However, Joan wasn't quite finished. She'd barely slept the night before, staying up all night to read the journal he had leant her. Something was bothering her, and she had to ask about it while she could.
"In your journal," Joan started carefully, not wanting to upset him even though he had given her to journal to read, "in one of your stories, you wrote about next year. Nineteen fourteen."
"That was just a dream." John dismissed, distracted, looking around the street as if he could sense something was amiss.
"Look," A female voice stated loudly, "I just want to see it in the sunlight. I won't be a..." The pair stopped in their tracks as Danni came out of the shop in front of them backwards. She was wearing a tight-waisted pale red dress, the skirt not quite reaching the floor as it swam around her legs. She was arguing with the shop clerk who followed her out and she spun around, smiling widely at the sight of John and the Matron, "Matron, Mr Smith. How lovely to see you!" She greeted them happily. Joan frowned as John's attention turned to the girl in front of them.
"Shouldn't you be up at the school?" She asked haughtily but if Danni noticed she didn't comment, she just replied with a shake of her head.
"Oh no, I quit that." She replied off-handedly and John frowned, looking dismayed.
"You quit?" He asked and she nodded.
"Yeah, I had to go shopping, there's a dance on tonight didn't you know?" She told the pair with a secret smile, like she knew something they didn't, "What do you think?" She did a twirl, the skirt fanning out as she did.
"You suit blue better." John replied instantly before blinking, not really sure why he said such a comment. He'd never seen her in anything but her plain, black maids uniform, had he? She turned to the shop clerk, grinning triumphantly.
"See?" She exclaimed, turning back to John, "That's what said, sir. I think I'll get this one as well, though. You never know when a red dress could come in handy." She tilted her head to one side, looking him up and down, "If you're looking for a suit for tonight, sir. there's a fantastic little shop just down there." She pointed down the street to the tailors, "They do pinstripes, and you'd look fabulous in pinstripes."
"I'm quite surprised a girl of your... background could just quit a stable job just like that."Joan declared, becoming more agitated with the way John looked mildly upset with the news his maid had quit. She was just a maid, wasn't she?
"Oh, it was only a job." Danni reasoned, "There's so much more to life, wouldn't you agree?" She turned back to John, "As a leaving present, I'll have the first dance with you, is that okay sir?"
"I suppose so, Danielle." He replied instantly, before realising what he was saying, a fond smile on his lips and she beamed at him.
"Promise?" She pressed and he nodded, amused by her candour.
"Yes, I promise Danni-Girl." His face dropped in confusion as she turned, her dress flaring out behind her as she headed back inside the shop with the exasperated clerk.
"Danni-girl?" Joan repeated and John nodded vaguely.
"I've heard Martha refer to her as that, must be a childhood nickname. The girl with the boys name." He explained distractedly, inwardly berating himself. Of course he should be upset about Danielle leaving the school, after all she'd been working for him for so long, it was only natural. Then why did it feel more than that? Why did he want to march in and demand that she stay, that she didn't even have to work at the school, just as long as she didn't leave him on his own?
Danni paused at the doorway, heading to the window to watch as John let part of the Doctor shine through, throwing a cricket ball at a group of spare scaffolding poles, setting of the chain of events that saved a mother and baby from being crushed by a falling piano. She smiled sadly to herself, watching him ask Matron to the dance before heading back in to get her blue dress.