The Lost Series (A Doctor Who fanfiction) - 'Episodes '1-4

'Episode' 3 SiN part 2

"Odd?" echoed the Doctor, drawing himself up and shoving his hands in his pockets "How?"

The woman looked at him, keen brown eyes glancing over him suspiciously.

"What date is it today?" Kitty asked quietly

"Excuse me?" replied the woman eyes darting to her. "I know the country is a little overwhelmed but you're asking me the date? I thought you were from the government."

Kitty glanced at the Doctor, unsure.

"We're just checking you're...." The doctor began slowly "Not, uh, suffering from anything..."

"...The papers are dated 8th of May, You said that things have been odd since the end of the war. We know that was a... while ago, we just need you to tell us how long ago." Kitty finished.

"By my count it's the...." The woman counted a little on her fingers as she said this " ...20th, Sunday-again."

"Right." The Doctor furrowed his brow momentarily.

Outside the church bells, muffled by the thick stone walls around them, stopped.

The three of them stood together in silence for a moment just listening.

THUD THUD THUD

The sudden sharp pounding on the door jerked them out of their silence.

"Aunty let me IN!" a voice shouted before more hurried pounding.

"Peg!" The woman breathed an almost irritated sigh of relief as she rushed to the door. grasping the end of the table she turned to the Doctor "well?"

The Doctor looked back at her quizzically

"A gentleman always helps a lady." she snapped

"Oh right, of course."  The doctor helped her to push the table aside to open the door.

"Don't you move." she ordered before the Doctor could move his hands from the table.

Hurriedly she undid the locks and opened the door.

A slim figure slipped in. A young woman with hazel eyes and neat brown hair in short neat wide curls, a yellow scarf tied around them at the front in a typical 1940s practical style. Her straight pale yellow dress had a few grass stains at the skirt. She stood, catching her breath for a moment until her Aunt rounded on her and gave her a swift clip across the back of her head.

"Damn it Peggy! You didn't half give me a fright!"

"Sorry." The young woman named Peggy dodged another clip from her aunt and shrugged. "They're not that quick, you know." Peggy was a medium height, classically pretty with a wide cheeky grin framed with shapely lips that faltered when she laid eyes on the Doctor, who had just pulled the table back to block the door. "Oh-Who's this?"

"I'm the-" The Doctor began straightening up again.

"He's Doctor Smith, and I'm Miss Welsh, his...assistant." Kitty stepped forward out stretching her hand.

Peggy shook her hand lightly before her Aunt rounded on her.

"Don't you-! Never mind them! Where have you been?!"

Peggy just sighed, dropping her eyes to the floor.

"Peggy!"

"Why are you asking me when you already know the answer." Peggy replied quietly & immediately the Doctor and Kitty glanced at each other, Peggy had a unmistakeably Welsh accent to which Kitty mouthed ' oh my god, she's welsh!' to the Doctor and he gave an acknowledging nod in return.

Her aunt narrowed her eyes into a scowl at her and whipped out the wooden spoon pointing it at her "How many times do I have to tell you? Hmm? You leave that girl be! You hear me?"

Kitty cleared her throat loudly and the angry aunt turned to her.

"If you wouldn't mind, we still need to know what's going on around here."

Peggy and her Aunt exchanged a nervous glance.

"They don't know?" Peggy asked her Aunt.

"No. They don't."

"We would like to though." The Doctor spoke up "....if you'd like to tell us."

"No." The stern woman replied sharply.

"No?" both the Doctor and Kitty echoed

"Aunty-you have to tell them. Someone needs to know what's going on. Maybe they could help!"

"And what are they going to do Peg? What is anyone going to do?"

Peggy looked over her Aunts head imploringly at the strange new comers. A tall man with unkempt hair, sharp features and knowing eyes and his short oddly dressed companion. "We need help." she voiced aloud more to the two strangers than to her aunt, though it was her that gave an annoyed huff.

"They never helped us through the war-left us to fend and worry for ourselves out here-"

"It's over now." The Doctors low voice cut in "The war is over."

"For everyone but us." snapped Peggy's Aunt.

"What makes you say that?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"There was a-" Peggy began but a sharp whack with the wooden spoon cut off her words

"Hush up!"

"Aunty-if we don't do something soon, it'll be US next-and if they get to Maggie.."

"Maggie is SAFE where she is!"

"You can't promise me that-you can't promise her that!"

"Nora!" A shaky voice called from upstairs and the two women looked upwards at the ceiling. "NORA!"

"Yes, it's us Pa! Don't worry." Nora turned to Peggy "Go up and see what he wants."

Peggy mumbled a quick 'excuse me' and dashed past the counter and through a door that opened up onto a narrow staircase.

"let me make this clear." Nora said slowly, her back to the two strangers. "I don't believe you are who you say you are and until you can be honest with me I won't be honest with you."

"Uh...That's a little...complicated." The Doctor scratched the back of his head, trying to search for some other plausible reason that they could be here, another identity....where was that psychic paper...

"Give it half of an hour-then leave, quickly. Don't go poking around. Don't knock on any doors and don't go near the church." Nora stepped through the small door leading to the staircase and let it creak closed behind her.

"Oh. Great." Kitty sighed. "What do we do now?"

"Well." Shrugged the Doctor "We could give it half an hour and leave, quickly...."

"We both know that isn't even an option."

"why's that?"

"Because you're already enjoying this too much aren't you?" Kitty guessed and she watched the grin spreading across the Doctors face. She gestured to the table blocking the door. "A gentleman always helps a lady." she smiled & the Doctor catching her meaning, pushed the table out of the way, allowing her to yank open the door.

 [A.N: Apologies for such a long pause inbetween parts! Not entirely pleased with this 'part' but I didn't want to leave you all hanging too long-ah well-Allons-y! onwards & upwards and hopefully a much better part soon if my brain gets back into gear!....]