Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapters 40: Across the Pond

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has voted on chapters and added this story to their reading lists.

——

3rd April 1938 AD/CE

Kathy stands at the entryway of an apartment in downtown New York, shrugging on her coat and collecting her umbrella. 

"I'll be back tomorrow, Mrs Reading. Eight o'clock alright?" Kathy calls.

An older woman who's in her 80s emerges from around the corner into the little hallway, her feet shuffling along the carpet. Her body heavily relies on the walking frame that she clings to.

The woman gives her a warm smile. "I told you to call me Oswald, Kathy."

Kathy smiles at her tightly, her heart breaking at the sight of the woman. Yes, she had gone and found another echo of Clara's though this was accidental but she couldn't help but stick around. As far as she's aware, this Clara hasn't met the Doctor.

"I wish you'd listen to my advice and move into a ground floor apartment or a home, Oswald."

Oswald kisses her teeth, tutting. "I told you, Kathy. I'm not moving. You go now."

With one last goodbye, Kathy steps out into the cold dark night to make her way home.

She's walking along to her flat and freezes when she sees herself along with the Doctor, River, Amy and an unknown woman with light brown hair like Kathy's spring out of a building. She stands there in shock as the Doctor, River, Amy and the unknown woman (who is that?) clamber inside the car but Kathy (future) pauses for a moment and looks up straight at current Kathy. Her blue eyes twinkle as she flashes a wink at Kathy (current) before climbing into the car along with the others, who had been yelling for her to hurry up and get into the car with them – Amy in particular which, considering that her husband has been taken by the angels, is understandable.

Once future her is inside, the car is speeding off to Winter Quay. Probably before future her had even had the chance to secure her seatbelt and while Kathy knows an accident wouldn't kill her considering she's got the power to heal herself, the inconvenience of it is not fun.

Current Kathy gapes after them before she turns her gawping towards the building they had emerged from. She had been looking down that she hadn't realised she's outside Julius Grayle's home, who's an art collector and mob boss and some of his collected artefacts include Weeping Angels.

She kind of wants to slap herself on the forehead. This is the year that Amy and Rory are sent into the past by a weeping angel to and from when they'll live out the rest of their lives never seeing the Doctor again. How had she not realised this? She blames it on being too focused on the Clara echo she'd found. Though finding the echo should have been a clue as Clara is split throughout the Doctor's timeline, why wouldn't the Doctor be nearby if she is?

She freezes when a thought goes across her mind. Julius Grayle had also kept his door very securely locked for a reason. Her gaze turns to the Weeping Angels that had been standing outside the building in the form of a woman and a child. Kathy panics when she realises they're in mid-moving towards the open door. Kathy decides she should leave before she gets involved. This is her future, she can't get involved but she can wait until Rory and Amy are sent back the final time and step in then.

——

Amy gasps awake, quickly sitting up to look around frantically. "Rory? Rory!"

She realises she's still in the graveyard that she had been in when Rory got taken and Amy made her choice, a choice she believed and that was to follow her husband but now she can't see him.