Jumping For The Stars

Chapter 15 - Plays, Masks and Shakespeare

Chapter 15

Plays, Masks and Shakespeare

Ailia was certain that the Doctor was kidding her when they walked out into an alley. She knew that school cost money, medical school especially, but even with scholarships she doubted that Martha Jones would live in an alley.

"Doc, are you kidding me? This is an alley," Ailia stressed the last two words.

"Yes," the Doctor scratched his neck.

"An alley, Doctor," Ailia repeated.

"I can see that," the Doctor walked forward a few steps, grabbing Ailia's hand to drag her behind him.

"Then where is Martha Jones?" Ailia asked, shaking off the Doctor's grip.

"I don't-" the Doctor cut himself off breathing a sad sigh as he looked out onto the street.

"What?" Ailia turned around to see what was happening and saw it.

A woman ran out of a the building, her voice echoing through the almost empty streets, "I am not prepared to be insulted!"

"She didn't mean it, sweetheart," A man chased after her, his voice more soothing than the woman's, "She just said you look healthy."

"No, I did not. I said orange," another woman walked calmly up to the duo.

"Clive, that woman is disrespecting me. She's never liked me," 'Sweetheart' complained.

"Oh, I can't think why, after you stole my husband," Clive's apparent ex-wife said, and Ailia leaned forward, almost showing herself.

The Doctor pulled her back, whilst Ailia muttered to him, "It's like its on the TV. A soap opera."

The Doctor gave her a glare and she returned, almost silent, to watching.

"I was seduced. I'm entirely innocent! Tell her, Clive!" 'Sweetheart' begged to Clive's ex-wife.

Ailia could almost feel what would come next, and mouthed along 'listen here.' What came next was that.

"And then she has a go at Martha, practically accused her of making the whole thing up," Clive's ex-wife piped up as another woman came out. She wasn't expecting her to say that, but hey. Oh, Martha.

"Mum, I don't mind. Just leave it," A voice that Ailia recognized spoke up.

"Oh. 'I've been to the moon!' As if. They were drugged. It said so on the news," 'Sweetheart' laughed. Two more people came out of the building.

"Since when did you watch the news? You can't handle 'Quiz Mania'," Clive's ex-wife said.

"Oh, burn," Ailia muttered to herself, not noticing the Doctor look between the family's scene and the girl who was muttering along to the barely understandable words.

A younger girl spoke to Martha, "Annalise started it. She did. I heard her."

"Sweetheart's got a name now," Ailia mummured tilting her head to get a look at the people.

Another male spoke then, "Trish, don't make it worse."

"That poor boy, twenty first birthday and everything," Ailia watched.

"You're talking, Leo. What did she buy you, soap? A seventy-five pence soap?" the youngest female snapped.

"Good guess," Ailia muttered to herself.

"Oh, I'm never talking to your family again!" Annalise stormed off, obviously quite angery about the familys' drama.

"Oh, stay. Have a night out," Clive's ex-wife said sarcastically.