Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)
Chapter 43: Demons of the Punjab Part Two
Masterlist
A/N: Part two!!!
Apologies for the wait.
——
Kathy opens her eyes to see that they are once more in the hive. The Doctor stands next to her, the Thijarians opposite. Hologram alien script in the air in the centre.
The Doctor immediately turns to the Thijarians, and demandingly asks, "Why does Kathy insist I listen to you?"
"The Prophet knows what's to come, as do we." Kisar speaks.
"Yeah, like what? What are you doing here?"
Kathy puts a hand on the Doctor's arm, giving a stern look. "Listen."
"We are no longer assassins. We are changed." Almak tells her.
"What? Changed how?"
"Our past is no more. We are no longer Assassins. Now we are Witnesses."
"I don't understand." The Doctor answers, baffled.
"We honour the lost. As we can not honour our own." Kisar responds as both Thijarians raise their arms in worship.
"No, still not with you."
"As the Assassins hunted, the Thijarian world was destroyed. We returned to find nothing." As Almak speaks, a holo-projection displays the images of what is being talked about. They point to the container the Doctor holds. "This is all that remains of our home. Our people. Every ancestor. All one dust."
The Doctor's face drops as she looks down at the container she had stolen. "I didn't know. I'm so sorry." She hands it back over.
"Which you would've known if you hadn't been so over-keen." Kathy sternly quips.
Kisar opens the container. They dig their hands in. They look soothed. "They died, unwitnessed, unsaved. We were too late to grieve or honour them."
The container is placed in the centre console. The Thijarians step back, clasping their hands together against their chests. Kathy and the Doctor do the same out of respect.
"But we who returned gave up a hundred generations to sift, to remember the lost dead. The unmourned." Almak continues.
"In time, it was all we knew." Kisar adds.
"And now we travel beyond. Seeking," a new holo-projection with many planets, "the unacknowledged dead across all of Time and space. This is now the Thijarian mission, to bear witness to those alone. To see, to bear pain, honour life as it passes."
"As each one passes we commemorate union."
"It's what Prem saw with Kunal. What we saw with Bhakti." Kathy summarises.
The Doctor nods. "But why here, why now?"
Kisar bows their head. "Millions will perish, unseen, unknown in the days to come, here."
"The casualties of Partition." Kathy adds.
"We read the timewaves."
"But why this family, why this land?" The Doctor questions. And Prem's face is projected. "Prem."
"His time is soon." Kisar tells her.
The Doctor looks gutted. "How soon?"
The Thijarians are silent, heads bowed.
"Tomorrow." Kathy tells her.
"No, no, that's too soon." The Doctor says frantically.
"He will have his wedding but then..." Kathy looks down, mournful.
"We are not Gods. Events sit as they will. We only witness." Almak declares.
"The fixed force of Time cannot be stopped." Kisar adds.
"If we save him, who knows what'll happen to Yaz." Kathy says. "We cannot intervene."
The Doctor is bereft but nods. "I know." She looks at Prem's image and after a second, a thought, "But if you didn't kill the holy man, if you were only honouring his death -- how did he die?"
"We can show you." Kisar responds.
Kathy tenses at that. The show had never shown it, probably too graphic. But this isn't a TV show, this is reality.
A new holo-projection is displayed. Kathy watches in horror at what she already knew but could not comprehend. To see sweet and gentle Manish brutally kill a kind, holy man with his own brother's gun.
——
The two of them are quiet as they walk back, crossing the field and towards the barn that sits ahead. Probably contains a frantic group of people who have no idea what's happened to Kathy and the Doctor.
"We can't tell them what Manish did." Kathy says to her. "It may anger him and then who knows—"
"I know, I know." The Doctor mutters, deep in thought.
"Or about what happens to Prem, except maybe Yaz, Ryan and Graham."
The Doctor nods. Kathy knows it won't be difficult for this version of the Doctor to keep things to herself, it's what she becomes known for.
When they reach the barn, Yaz, Ryan and Graham suddenly burst out of it, frantic. Prem following, gun still clutched in his hands, while Manish, Hasna and Umbreen linger by the entrance.
"Where have you been?! You've been gone for hours!" Yaz cries worried, wrapping her arms around Kathy and the Doctor in a tight hug before stepping back, giving them both a once over.
"We've been sitting there chewing our nails off waiting for you two," Graham adds sternly. Kathy doesn't care that she's centuries older than this man, she still feels like a told-off child.
"I know. We're sorry." The Doctor apologises.
"The demons. What happened to them?" Prem asks, his eyes darting towards the tree line as if expecting them to appear and attack.
Kathy pulls out the transmat device the Doctor had grabbed from the tree earlier. "We stole a bunch of these while avoiding them, placed them around the grounds. A temporary transmat barrier around this farm."
"It's what teleported is into their ship and what separated us earlier." The Doctor adds, cottoning into the lie, which isn't difficult as it was what she would've been planning earlier. "We'll be safe."
Ryan frowns. "But Kathy said—"
Kathy quickly shakes her head, cutting him off, "Never mind what I said. We have a wedding to celebrate. That's what's important."
Manish and Yaz both look at her in flabbergasted disbelief though for different reasons.
"Are you serious? After what's just happened?" Manish voices. He turns to Prem and Umbreen. "Can't you see what's happening? You bring demons to life."
"I don't think they're demons—" The Doctor tries to argue.
"Well, I do." Hasna rebuffs. "I'm with Manish."
"How many hours?" Umbreen asks, ignoring her mother.
"Twelve. Eighteen at a push. I can't be sure." Kathy lies, remembering what the Doctor would've originally said.
Umbreen turns to the others. "Tonight we celebrate. And we marry first thing. And then if we have to fight them, we will. Come on!"
Oh, she's so fierce and impressive.
They all leave except for Kathy, Yaz, the Doctor, Graham and Ryan.
"I can't believe you're letting this marriage go ahead! My Nani to someone who isn't my grandad!" Yaz accuses.
"Also, what happened to no meddling?" Graham questions.
"And where's that purple container?" Ryan wonders.
Kathy and the Doctor share a look. The former sighs. "The Thijarians. They told us everything. We know what happened. And we know what happens."
"Well, technically you already knew." The Doctor quips, deflecting how shaken she still feels.
Kathy rolls her eyes. "Fine, I knew. It was more of a refresh with me."
"I want to know what happens." Yaz declares.
"Prem dies tomorrow." The Doctor tells them.
"We can't let that happen." Yaz says, looking torn as well as horrified.
"It has to." The Doctor argues. "For Umbreen to become your Nani, for you to exist, Prem has to die."
"What about the Thijarians? The container?" Ryan questions.
"Not deadly and neither are they. They've changed. They're not assassins. They instead honour those who die alone." The Doctor explains.
"Aliens with compassion." Graham muses.
"Not as rare as you think." Kathy reminds him.
"But the transmat barrier?" Ryan points out.
Kathy shrugs. "There's no transmat barrier. I lied so the others wouldn't ask questions."
"I've been wondering why she never told me. Umbreen loses her husband on the day she marries. Of course she never wants to talk about it." Yaz says, now realising what's happening.
"I'm sorry, Yaz. We should leave." The Doctor declares.
"No. I want to be sure she's safe. Whatever happens. I want to look after my Nani." Yaz insists.
"I'm with Yaz." Ryan declares.
"Yeah. Me too." Graham steps up.
"Me three." Kathy adds. "Kinda already made a promise to help out anyway."
The Doctor looks at them then a warning, "We can't tell them what we know."
——
That night, Kathy joins the Doctor and Yaz in Umbreen and Hasna's home while Graham and Ryan join Prem and Manish in theirs. The Doctor has been tense and agitated when being near Manish, now knowing what he'd done but Kathy warned her against it.
The last bit of sunlight shines through the slats as the women sit in a circle having their henna done. Kathy is still getting hers done while the others' have theirs drying when the Doctor speaks up from where she's been staring at the drying henna design on her hands in delight.
"This is the best thing, ever." She turns to Kathy and Yaz with a big grin. "Never did this when I was a man!"
Kathy lets out a soft snort. "No, I don't believe you did."
Yaz, noting Umbreen and Hasna's alarmed faces, quickly quips pointedly, "Doctor, Kathy. You and your jokes!"
Oh, yeah. Kinda forgot about certain surroundings then.
"Yes. That's right. My references to body and gender regeneration and Kathy's quips are all in jest. Such comedians." The Doctor says, her reply clumsy as she catches on.
Kathy tries not to outright laugh as Umbreen lets out an awkward chuckle as if she gets the supposed joke.
"Umbreen doesn't think these are my best work," Hasna grumbles, turning to Umbreen, "but maybe if you had to prepare a body the same day, you wouldn't draw so well either."
"So how long've you known Prem?" Yaz asks softly, trying to cut away from the topic. It's not going to help Yaz.
"Our whole lives. We all grew up here together. Our families have worked the land alongside each other for generations." Umbreen beams as she tells her granddaughter (not that she knows it). "I can't believe it's happening. I waited so long for him. All the time he was away fighting, I was terrified he wouldn't come home. But he did. And now I can see my life mapped out with him. Our home, here."
Now Yaz and the Doctor know what's happening, they look like they're trying to rain in any heartbreak they're feeling from Umbreen's words just as Kathy has been doing the entire time. Every time she's heard Prem and Umbreen talk about their future happiness has not been easy.
"If they let us stay." Hasna remarks pessimistically.
"Nobody cares what we do here, Mum. It's not a city." Umbreen argues.
"I stood outside earlier. I heard gangs in the distance. Motor vehicles. Gunshots." Her mother retorts.
"It's a long way away."
"It's not too late. I can still find you a good Muslim man." Hasna pleads.
Umbreen looks at her in disbelief. "Are you joking right now?"
"Look at the misery that follows him. You don't even have a priest! What sort of respectable wedding will it be?" Hasna argues.
"I don't care about traditions! And I don't care about respectable– wait." Umbreen begins to rant before she pauses, turning to the Doctor. "You're a Doctor, right? That's respectable. You could marry us."
Hasna looks scandalised. "Don't be ridiculous—"
"I suppose I could." The Doctor shrugs. "I haven't officiated a wedding since Einstein's!" She turns to Hasna. "His parents didn't approve either. Non-denominational though."
Hasna ignores her ramblings and instead turns in her daughter. "If your father were alive, he'd die on the spot."
"Everyone's saying it's a new future. We make our own traditions now." Umbreen retorts.
"You're on!" The Doctor agrees.
"Are you sure?" Yaz murmurs to her worriedly.
"Don't worry, Yaz. It'll be okay." Kathy reassures. Okay as it can be.
——
The sun rises welcoming a beautiful day that will bring so much violence and horror but Kathy tries not to think about it and instead tries to focus on the one happy thing, Prem and Umbreen's wedding.
Prem and Umbreen stand on either side of the border rope, both wearing garlands on top of their clothes. The Doctor stands behind them, a flower pushed behind her ear. Kathy, Yaz, Ryan, Graham and Hasna, each with a flower pushed behind their ears, watching on the sidelines.
"This is the spot you choose." Prem says in disbelief.
Umbreen reaches across Manish's border rope and grasps his hands, a massive smile on her face. "I'm going to be the first woman married in Pakistan."
"Of course you are." Prem remarks softly. Umbreen laughs.
Kathy can see Yaz smiling at the scene, recalling her Nani's words in the future and realising it's true. But for all her smiles, she's on the verge of tears. The bittersweet mix is unbearable.
Hasna also notices. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" She asks.
"I always cry at weddings." Yaz tries to cover. Kathy reaches over and grasps her hand, squeezing it in comfort.
The Doctor discreetly sonics the rope. It falls away to the stream. "I know there aren't many certainties in any of our lives. But Umbreen, Prem, what I see you in you, is the certainty you have in each other. Something I believe in, my faith. Love, in all its forms, is the most powerful weapon we have. Because love is a form of hope. And like hope, love abides. In the face of everything. You both found love with each other – you believed in it, you fought for it, and you waited for it. And now you're committing to it. Which makes you, right now, the two strongest people on this planet. Maybe in this universe."
Prem and Umbreen gaze at each other, lost in each other, grateful for the Doctor's words.
"I am not sure how we formalise this." The Doctor says.
"I am." Umbreen kneels, and picks up the rope, out of the water. Places it on Prem's wrist. Looks to Yaz. "Will you?"
"That's a Hindu thing isn't it? Tying the hands together." Yaz asks as she moves over.
"Now it can be our thing. If we want it to be."
Prem nods. Yaz ties the couple's hands together as everyone watches. Hasna melting with emotion, despite herself. The Doctor, Kathy, Graham and Ryan watching, smiling, and then catching each other's eyes. Eyes filled with such sadness.
Kathy looks back as she hears the beginning of Umbreen's speech. Manish is stood, alone, distant. Can't stay away, can't be close.
Kathy feels angry at him but also sad at how such a sweet boy whose beliefs have been manipulated so that he turns against his own family and friends.
——
"But I never thought this day would come," Umbreen says, a short while later as she sits on a bale of hay. Prem sits next to her while the Doctor, Kathy, Hasna, Ryan, Yaz and Graham gathered, sit in a semi-circle around her. Metal trays with half-finished food to the side. Manish on the edge of the barn, can't bear to be seen to approve. "It's been tough. People who I wish were here to celebrate..."
Hasna squeezes Umbreen's hand. "They are, bheti."
"The drought was nearly the end of us. But we get to have this day, because of Manish." At Umbreen's words, everyone turns to the shocked Manish while Kathy tenses. "You were tireless. When there was hardly any food, you took none. When we doubted we'd make it through to summer, you kept on. Night and day, we worked those fields together. I'm proud to have been your neighbour. But I'm even prouder now to call you my brother."
And Manish, Kathy can see he's touched by this, so conflicted. Looking to Prem and Hasna, to Umbreen. The boy-man.
Umbreen picks up a sweet and holds it out towards Manish. "You kept us fed, Manish. Will you let me feed you?"
There's a pause from Manish at the request. Kathy looks away not wanting to see the crushed looks on Umbreen and Prem's faces as Manish says, "I didn't work this land for you, Umbreen. I worked it for my brothers. One who didn't come back, and the other I wish hadn't."
"Enough, Manish—" Hasna tries to interrupt.
"No. Look at you all! Don't you understand what's coming?" He holds the room, looking at them. "None of this will make a difference." And he turns and goes.
Kathy and the Doctor share a knowing look before Kathy gives the Doctor a nod. Kathy knows it won't make a difference but it can't hurt and either way, the Doctor will give them the early warning that Hasna and Umbreen will need to get away.
"I'll talk to him." The Doctor offers, standing. "Prem, your turn." She then leaves.
"Prem looks to the expectant room and takes off his watch. The watch. "OK, so..."
"What're you doing?" Umbreen asks him.
"You did a Hindu thing with the rope, only right I do a Muslim thing too. This is your Mahr, yours to keep forever." And as he goes to hand it, it drops and falls to the floor, hitting the ground, face down. They all hear the crack. Prem is horrified as he cries, "I'm sorry!"
"Cursed." Hasna grumbles quietly.
Umbreen kneels, and picks it up. "It's fine. It's perfect." She shows him, cracked and stopped at 3:27. "This is us. Forever. Our moment in time." Umbreen and Prem share a kiss.
Kathy looks to Yaz as she watches the watch become what her Nani gives to her in the future.
——
They're still gathered in the barn when the Doctor runs in, drawing everyone's attention.
"Listen, all of you. There are armed men heading up the track. You have to leave now." The Doctor tells them.
"They want the land." Umbreen realises.
"I'm not going anywhere. This is my home. My husband and parents are buried here. I'm not going to abandon it to thugs!" Hasna cries.
"Where's Manish?" Prem questions the Doctor.
"He's leading them here. He killed the holy man. With your rifle."
Prem goes still, a horrified look crosses his face and then he nods. He knows. The inevitability of that just clicks for him. "Of course." It said so quietly; so bereft.
"Mum's right. This is our home. We stay." Umbreen declares.
"The Doctor's right." Kathy cuts in. "If you stay, you'll die."
The clarity of the statement rings through the air.
Prem turns to Umbreen and Hasna. "Go to the house, get anything essential, and get back here." He instructs.
"I'll help you." Yaz says.
"Me too." Kathy adds.
The four of them leave the barn quickly.
——
Umbreen and Hasna are rapidly shoving their life into cloth sacks. Kathy and Yaz are helping them then the companion looks up at the wall and she stills as she looks at the map on the wall. A map with a dot on it.
"Is that Sheffield?" Yaz asks.
Umbreen walks over to them. "My Dad brought that map home from the market one day. One night I said, I'll put my finger on this map and where ever it lands, I'm going to go."
Yaz almost smiles as she says, "And you landed on Sheffield."
"Mmm... Sheffield." Kathy remarks almost sarcastically. She shares a knowing look with Yaz cause while Sheffield has its perks, it's the opposite of what she'd describe as exotic.
"Such an exotic word. It's in England." Umbreen says excitedly. "D'you know it?"
Kathy almost laughs at that.
"Stop talking! We have to leave!" Hasna cries and Unbreen quickly goes back to packing.
Kathy turns and murmurs conspiringly to Yaz, "Kathy I've warned her but don't worry, she's still set on going."
Yaz lets out a slight laugh at that. Kathy's happy to have lifted her spirits even if it's only for a moment.
——
Umbreen, Hasna (both carrying cloth bags) and Yaz and Kathy burst back into the barn. The Doctor, Graham, Ryan and Prem are still there.
"They're nearly here! You need to move out." The Doctor warns them.
"I have to talk to Manish." Prem insists.
"No, Prem. I'm not leaving you here." Umbreen argues.
"I'll distract them long enough to be sure you can get away." Prem counters. "Then I'll be right behind you."
No, you won't...
"It's too dangerous."
"He's my brother." Prem persists. "Across the field, over the border, into the forests. Keep going north."
Umbreen nods reluctantly. Prem and Umbreen kiss, a powerful, tearful, life-or-death kiss. Kathy knows it'll be their last.
"Go." Prem urges.
Umbreen, her heart breaking, and Hasna go.
Prem turns to the rest of them. "You as well."
"I'll come with you." The Doctor argues.
"No. These are demons I have to face alone."
"He's right, Doctor." Kathy agrees.
Prem gives her a thankful nod and then leaves the barn, leaving the group of time travellers alone.
——
The Doctor, Kathy, Ryan, Graham and Yaz run across the field then Yaz stops, calling their attention, Look.
They turn to see: Prem walking towards Manish and the mob. The mob is full of men on horseback with rifles.
They watch, sheltered from view, able to see distant Prem stopping a few yards in front of Manish, and the mob, through the heat haze. The brothers talk then Prem steps forward, touching his brother's cheek. More words are exchanged then a man on horseback raises the rifle. A finger on a trigger.
And up ahead the two Thijarians slam into existence. They all know what this means.
And then the voice, telepathically transmitted. "We will watch over him now."
They move to leave but Yaz is frozen, looking out to Prem with tears in her eyes and her breath shaky. Kathy and the Doctor take her arms to pull her away.
The Doctor, Yaz, Kathy, Graham and Ryan walk away. Kathy aches to look back, knowing she can't and knowing the others feel the same.
Suddenly a sound. Distant, but unmistakable. Gunfire. A single gunshot rings out. Kathy closes her eyes tightly and keeps moving.
——
"This is a terrible design!" Nani Umbreen scoffs as she traces the faded henna pattern on Yaz's palms with a wrinkled hand as they sit next to each other in Yaz's family's flat. "Was it a good wedding at least?"
"Yeah." Yaz says softly, feeling tearful as she gazes upon her Nani, remembering the younger woman.
Her Nani notices this. "What's the matter, bheti?"
"You loved grandad, didn't you?"
"Of course." Her Nani replies without a doubt.
"And you're happy with how your life turned out?"
Umbreen looks at her granddaughter, baffled. "Why would you be asking that?"
"Just your journey, so many countries, so many years. I can't even begin to imagine what you've dealt with." Yaz says seriously but then her tone takes an amused uplift. "Then you end up in Sheffield of all places!"
"I love Sheffield!" Her Nani retorts, laughing.
"Really?" Yaz asks doubtfully.
"Well, an old friend warned me Sheffield won't be as exotic as I thought it would be, she was right." Umbreen admits. "But it gave us stability. A life. A home. And it gave me your Mum. And it gave me you and your sister."
Yaz smiles. "An old friend?"
"Mmm... She was at your grandfather and I's wedding. Wait a moment." She reaches into her bag and brings out a leather folder, pulling out a photograph. "Here."
Yaz takes it. The photo is in black and white and displays a traditional Hindu wedding with Yaz's grandparents in the centre with a familiar face in the crowd. Kathy.
"She seems lovely." Yaz says.
"Yes, she was."
Yaz looks up with a frown. "Was?"
Nani shrugs sadly. "We lost contact. I received a call from a granddaughter of hers telling me that she'd passed."
Yaz smiles sadly. The granddaughter was probably Kathy herself. She feels sorry for Kathy having to say goodbye to so many people over her lifetime, she can't imagine that kind of pain.
Umbreen sighs before gesturing to Prem's broken watch that she'd gifted to Yaz, which had started the whole adventure. "You want to know about the watch? Really?"
Yaz looks at her grandmother fondly. "No. Tell me another time. I love you, Nani."
"And I love you too, bheti." Umbreen clasps and kisses her granddaughter's hands.
——
A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.
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