Jumping For The Stars

Chapter 27 - Family Blood

Chapter 27

Family Blood

There are times in life when you have to make a choice that will either make or break you.

Today was that day for the Doctor. Or rather John Smith, a human with no idea of his actual identity, the enormity that it encompassed.

Standing there glancing between Martha and Joan he didn't know what to do. He didn't want Martha to die, something willing him against it, and yet the more human side of himself didn't want Joan to die, he liked her and could probably even love her.

That was his impossible decision and he didn't know what to do.

What he didn't know was that there was someone who had an idea. Or rather, a theory.

Ailia calmed her heart, closing her eyes and focusing on the feeling that she always got when she would vanish.

The pain was sharp, violent in its action, but Ailia didn't have time to fix it, to finally find out why disappearing into thin air would hurt. Instead the girl glanced around, staggering forward to Martha, knowing in the corner of her mind what was happening now that she wasn't a factor, knowing Martha would escape, but Ailia could feel Martha's uncertainty of what she was going to do.

Ailia focused on what she'd learned, imagining the motions slowly playing out and pushing them towards Martha.

Everything moved in so much slower time when she did this, slower or faster, as if she was resonating at a different frequency, and she backed up, once again behind the Doctor, snapping her fingers for Latimer to open the pocket watch, even if she hadn't told him to do that in the orginal plan, and time snapped back into it's place.

"Time Lord..." the watch whispered, the voices inside pulling at Ailia's ears.

"It's him!" Baines cried.

Martha used the distraction, turning the tables on Jenny, the memories that Ailia had pushed onto the woman now put to good use, the gun pointed at Jenny, "One more move and I shoot."

"Oh, the maid is full of fire!" Baines chortled.

"And you can shut up!" Martha snapped, firing the weapon at the ceiling. Fires the gun into the ceiling.

Ailia couldn't feel her legs as she leaned against a wall, not realizing how tiring the actions she had used would be.

"Careful, Son of Mine. This is all for you so that you can live forever," Clarke warned.

"Shoot you down!" Baines growled, not heeding the tone his 'father' used.

"Ailia," Latimer pushed the watch into his vest pocket, pulling Ailia's arm over his shoulder in an attempt to keep the girl up.

"Try it. We'll die together," Martha smiled wickedly.

"Would you really pull the trigger? Looks too scared," Baines taunted.

"Scared and holding a gun. It's a good combination. You wanna risk it?" Martha threatened.

Ailia wasn't worried as she half watched the scene in front of her. And for good reason, Baines looked at the Doctor, a man who was completely out of his depth, there was no way the Doctor would or could object, and then Baines lowered his gun, allowing Joan to stand beside the Doctor.

"Doctor, get everyone out. There's a door at the side. It's over there. Go on!" Martha gestured to the Doctor, glancing back when she heard nothing getting done, the Doctor standing unsure of what to do, "Do it, Mr Smith. I mean you!"

"Do what she said. Everybody out now," Joan ordered, ushering everyone out, putting an end to all arguements, "Don't argue, Mr Jackson. They're mad. That's all we need to know. Susan, Miss Cooper, outside, all of you!"