Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter 112 - Reflections and Realizations

"Gone how?" River narrowed her eyes. "You can't remember where you put it? Someone took it?"

Martha furrowed her brow. "I don't... I don't really know, actually." She looked between Lyssa and River with a concerned frown. "I kept it hidden in my room after Lyssa gave it to me, but then once we learned the Family was here, I started carrying it on me in case we needed it and couldn't get back to the room for whatever reason, or if someone decided to search it. Except..." She shut her eyes hard, shaking her head before opening them again. "It's weird. This morning I had it in my pocket, I know that for sure, and I was walking by the library, and then... it gets kind of blurry after that."

"What do you mean?" Lyssa asked, a sinking sensation growing in her gut. "Did you lose time? Wake up somewhere else?"

"Well, I didn't get abducted by aliens, if that's what you're asking," Martha said wryly. "No, it's more like... I do and I don't remember going down the hallway. It's kind of... blurred. I know I looked down at one point, and I was holding it in my hand, but I don't remember grabbing it. And then, I was in the library, and I wasn't holding it anymore, and I don't think I felt it in my pocket either. But it didn't really register as a concern to me - I didn't even hardly think of it until just now when I was actually looking for it."

"So something's interfering with your memories," River realized. "Or someone."

"Except the Family can't do that," Lyssa pointed out. "At least, not as far as we're aware. They can take over a person, and assimilate at least some of their memories - although clearly not all, or whoever's possessing Jack would've tried to take us by now. But they've never tried to change someone's memories before. It probably would make things a lot easier for them, so I think they'd be using it if they could."

River tapped her lips with one perfectly manicured nail. "The Doctor's watch has a perception filter built into it, correct? Could that have malfunctioned, somehow? Made Martha forget about it until we brought it up?"

"But why all of a sudden?" Martha pointed out. "Everything was normal until I walked down that hallway. And the hallway felt normal - no signs of anything being changed."

"Except... John had that incident with the watch a few weeks ago, remember?" Lyssa recalled, a chill running through her at the memory and its implications. "He was holding it, and it started affecting him somehow, trying to bring the Doctor's memories back without actually bringing back the rest of him, which would've killed him if it'd gone on for much longer." She licked suddenly dry lips. "We thought it was because of that group that was hunting me - if they could get the Doctor out of the way, they'd have a much easier time hunting me. What if this is them trying again?"

River furrowed her brow in thought. "They can't get John to hold the watch, so they try the next best thing - make one of us lose it, so the Doctor can't come back. The TARDIS is still powered down, so she can't protect you if they try to grab you."

"Assuming they even ever got the chance," Martha snorted. "John barely leaves her alone outside of classes, and I'm with her then - these hunters don't seem to want any witnesses, for whatever reason. They only attacked John when it was just him and Lyssa, on their picnic some distance from the school, when him dying would've left her alone, and their disappearance wouldn't have been noticed for some time."

Her eyes widened abruptly with realization. "What if the TARDIS is still protecting you?" she exclaimed. "Maybe not physically, since she's powered down, but she's got us to do it. Think about it - the Doctor is protective of you, sure, but he's fine if you want to go for a walk by yourself. Meanwhile John barely lets you out of his sight if he's not otherwise occupied. And your supposed illness means that I'm your caretaker - I'm supposed to be with you if John's not, meaning you've always got someone with you."