The halls of the school were quiet and darkened as the young Doctor sat alone in his classroom, writing into a journal he had decided to keep during his time of “normalcy” whilst he taught the history of earth to the young humans. He allowed the light in his own room to remain off as well, the only light being used as he wrote being a small desk lamp at the very edge of his far too large of a desk. Pen moving quickly across the parchment of the blue, leather bound book before him, the silence after the long day gave him peace to his still racing hearts.
Day One of Human Academics
‘Well…gaining teaching job? I believe I should consider this a success.
It was fairly simple, actually. This Headmaster just seem relieved to
have someone there to take the job. Humans are such simple and yet
complex creatures. They never cease to astound me. I’m assuming I will
learn that even more once i begin with the students tomorrow…not quite
certain how I feel about that.
An event that transpired today that was particularly surprising was the many interactions with Clara. I know I intended to seek out this particular academic establishment to attempt to be a little closer to her, however I did not expect to ever interact. In fact, it was the strangest thing, she was the first person the Headmaster introduced me to. As luck would have it, she also then offered to show me around. Fantastic…or it would have been, had that have been my intention. I was meant to lay low of her, not to give anything about who I may be away and not to upset her. I am not doing so well with that plan.
I believe, perhaps, I need to sit down in the TARDIS and work on my speech patterns and my word choices. Maybe sound less “Doctor” and more “Johnathan” by removing the word “Geronimo” from my vocabulary. Or perhaps it is my consistent rambling that I just cannot seem to get a grasp on. Either way, she has already spoken of how I remind her of a man she use to travel with. As I am not daft, and I know who I am, I know that man she spoke of was myself and no one other. If I am meant to be normal, she cannot suspect that I am, as she use to call me, her Doctor…
…Besides. The last she saw of me I was much younger. Older in the look, of course, but younger…far less damaged, as if she could possibly believe that. I also believe I may have left her a bit cross with me. I can only imagine what she would do or say if she found out who I was. Anyway, I quite enjoy being “Johnathan Smith” at this moment. Although, looking it over as I have written just now, perhaps I need to start thinking of new aliases. I seem to take a liking to anything off of “John” and “Smith.” That could bring up a lot of problems eventually.
Perhaps I should also look into retrieving a real, human, identification. I have an off feeling that my psychic paper will not suffice to use around Clara.
The poor TARDIS, as well…I can feel her loneliness even from where I sit now. She may not be far from me but I can tell she does not like being cooped here…maybe I shall take her to a special planet this weekend after classes.
-Doctor. Johnathan A. Smith.
As he finished his entry, he heard footsteps just outside his door and slammed the pages shut before lifting his head from his concentrations. Luckily he had finished before any possible importance showed up at his door.
A wide grin spread slowly over his features at her answer. Of course he knew she had traveled, he had been the very one to steal her away that day with the Internet attack so many years ago it seemed. He pulled a hand from his pocket to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his index and middle fingers before casually waving her question off, looking out the window.
“I have been to more places than the earth has seen. All magically and tragically beautiful. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic places. But when somewhere calls out to you…well, geronimo I suppose.” Shoulders shrugging at his last comment, a chuckle escaped him, his eyes closing with the smile it left behind.
At her inquiry of classroom, the young doctor’s smile faded quickly and he removed his hat, rubbing his hair roughly with the very hand that held the article of cloth. After a moment, he looked to her and gave a wry smile, “Any ideas? He told me to find an empty one and tomorrow bring along my things to set up class. I’ve never HAD things to teach someone about history, and I’ve taught many.”
Clara frowned as she listened to him. Something about his speech patterns reminded her of him, and she was about to brush it off when one word made her freeze.
Geronimo.
She realized that the look on her face was rather incredulous, and she shook herself. “I’m sorry, I just… You remind me of someone I used to travel with.” But there was no way it could be him, he’d left and undoubtedly moved on, just as she had tried to do.
“Anyhow. There’s an empty classroom next door, actually. You could take that one. As for the things, you may want to figure that out. What lessons are you planning on teaching? Perhaps I can be of help.”
The young Doctor watched her for a time, studying her reactions to his words carefully, as well as her expressions as she spoke. His hearts skipped, which was painful, at the realization that maybe yet again, he had spoke far too much. It was when she mention him reminding her of someone that he felt his blood run cold, realization confirmed with an icy chill down his spine. He would have to be far more careful if he wanted to at least try to live normally for a while.
Shaking off his surprise as she continued to speak, he gently took a seat on her desk, nodding at her suggestion of taking the room beside her own. Her inquiry of his lessons caught him off guard, however, and he took a moment to dwell on the answer before speaking, this time trying very hard to watch his speech patterns, albeit obviously.
“Awh…well I was going to start with evolution, as was requested. Then perhaps we will jump around in history from there. That’s how time is, after all, jumpy. Its…complicated, time. Fantastically so.”
Pausing after he completed his words, he looked at her and raised a brow very slightly, deciding to take a risk and ask her a question, himself. “You said…I remind you of someone. Someone important, I assume, based off your reaction…Who was it? And…what did I do to remind you of them?”
A wide grin spread slowly over his features at her answer. Of course he knew she had traveled, he had been the very one to steal her away that day with the Internet attack so many years ago it seemed. He pulled a hand from his pocket to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his index and middle fingers before casually waving her question off, looking out the window.
“I have been to more places than the earth has seen. All magically and tragically beautiful. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic places. But when somewhere calls out to you…well, geronimo I suppose.” Shoulders shrugging at his last comment, a chuckle escaped him, his eyes closing with the smile it left behind.
At her inquiry of classroom, the young doctor’s smile faded quickly and he removed his hat, rubbing his hair roughly with the very hand that held the article of cloth. After a moment, he looked to her and gave a wry smile, “Any ideas? He told me to find an empty one and tomorrow bring along my things to set up class. I’ve never HAD things to teach someone about history, and I’ve taught many.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.” What was the proper response for something like that? She’d had to endure his guilt over various things for years, but this was something else entirely.
He shook his head in a slow fashion, removing his glasses with his left hand, his hat with his right. As he let his hands fall to his sides limply, he spoke his words with empty tones, “You don’t need to say anything. I just felt the need to tell someone other than the TARDIS. Just one time.”
Clara watched as the headmaster left, waiting until he was around the corner to relax. “Sorry about him,” she apologized. “He can be a bit… Well, let’s just say he’s a strong personality.”
She turned back around to continue gathering up her papers and supplies. “Please, call me Clara. We’re colleagues, there’s no need for formalities.” She smiled at him as she turned back to face him. The bell rang, and students began to spill from the classrooms. Clara motioned for Johnathan to follow her, leading him the short distance to her classroom.
“Remember your essay is due in two weeks!” She reminded the few students still packing up, then went to her desk and turned off the movie they’d been watching.
After being rushed around by the students she had dismissed, the young Doctor let his shoulders fall into a relaxed position, his hands slipping deep into the pockets of his slacks as he watched her fumble about her desk with her things. His old eyes held an almost admiration as he watched his old companion work, something he had not had the pleasure of doing for a long while. Inside, he could admit his missing of her presence in his life, although the words would never be spoken aloud, and the calls of the blue box that awaited him around the corner from the school grew fainter the longer he stood there with her.
It wasn’t long until she had turned to him with a smile. One he graciously returned with his own, warm smile that seemed to never change even as his face had. The eyes and the smile always remained, even if he did a remarkable job of hiding them. The Doctor studied her expression closely for a moment to try to determine where in her life she was, but to no avail. His impossible girl was never easy to read and it looked like things had not changed much at all.
Without thinking, and without any change in stature, the young man spoke to her in a calm and knowing voice to ask a very off question, “Have you ever traveled, Miss Clara? You’re eyes speak many fantastic things. It would seem you have done a bit of traveling.”
