Alfred woke to the sound of his name, his eye lids heavy with sleep. He groaned and sat up, grabbing his glasses from his bedside table. Blinking to adjust to his clearer vision, he looked up.

And was met with two brown pools of ancient wisdom.

“’Ello, Alfred! Arthur’s told me loads about you.”

Alfred squeaked in surprise and fell off of his bed. “Wh-wh-what!?”

The man, who was wearing a pinstripe suit, a pair of converse, and a trench coat, caught him before he hit the ground. “Whoa! Steady on there, mate. Didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Alfred got shakily to his feet, eyeing the intruder warily. “Y-you’re the Doctor, right? As in Doctor Who?”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I’m the Doctor. And people do like to say ‘Doctor who?’ every time I introduce myself, but how would you know that? I mean, I am pretty famous but I’m sure that second fact has never been disclosed; it’s quite silly. Unless Arthur told you, but when I told him my name, he said, ‘Do you even have a medical license?’ How would you even respond to that- What’s so funny?”

Alfred was currently clutching his sides as he laughed for the first time since the war started. “S-sorry, dude… it’s just….that Arthur would totally say that!”

The Doctor had never been more confused (Well, there was that one time with the aliens made entirely from toothpaste, but let’s not go there). “Um…yeah, he would because he did…are you well?”

Five minutes later, Alfred had finally calmed down enough to coherently answer his question. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he faced the Doctor and replied, “Well… that’s debatable. Physically? Healthy as a horse. Mentally? I should be surrounded by padded walls.” He grinned widely, “Have you ever met a stereotypical American? I’m about a thousand times more insane.”

The Doctor sighed, a frown crossing his young, yet at the same time ancient, face. “Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. I think it comes with ridiculously old age. You’ve seen a lot, you know? Loved, lost, felt joy, felt despair…it’s all part of the deal.”
Alfred cocked his head like a curious puppy. “What about China? The dude seems pretty sane to me.”

The Doctor smiled sadly. “’Met him. He’s not, not at all. I don’t think it’s possible for people like you and Arthur to be completely sane. You see too much death. And China… he’s been around more than four times longer than me! And look how I’m faring!”

Before Alfred could respond, the Doctor lightly slapped himself in the face. “Bloody hell, we’re burning moonlight! I came here to show you something, and listen to me! Babbling like a brook! Oh, I like that simile… might use it in a poem… Anyway!” He held out his hand dramatically. “Now Alfred, come with me.”

Alfred brushed past the Doctor toward the door. The Doctor made an indignant noise. “Don’t just leave me hanging!”




“Where are we going, anyway?” Alfred asked as the Doctor caught up.

The brown-haired Time Lord shrugged. “Dunno where exactly. Just….there.”

Alfred snorted. “Thank you, that was specific. And anyway, I thought you were dead!”

“Well, I could be from the past, did you consider that?”

“Umm….”

“Congratulations, you could have seriously screwed up time if I were.” The Doctor laughed. “But you’re right, I died. Now a new new Doctor is off somewhere saving people and having a grand old time.”

They had reached a forest by now, which was oddly illuminated for such a cloudy night. Alfred nearly tripped on a branch before he looked at the Doctor confusedly. “So, uh, how are you here, dude? And seriously, where are we going.”

The Doctor shrugged. “The answer to your first question is difficult to answer. I don’t even know for sure, you might be dreaming or I might have called to you in a dream, who knows? As for your second question, well, listen.”

Alfred focused on the sounds around him and began to hear faint singing:


Do you hear the people sing?

Lost in the valley of the night?

It is the music of a people

Who are climbing to the light.



Alfred looked at the Doctor in confusion (the guy seemed to confuse Alfred a lot). The Doctor grinned before silently motioning him forward.


For the wretched of the Earth,

There is a flame that never dies.

Even the darkest night will end

And the sun will rise.



The two walked on in silence, following the music. Alfred began to detect a unanimous accent among the singers….but no….it couldn’t be…..

Alfred broke into a run, ignoring the warning from the Doctor to slow down “lest he fall flat on his face.”



We will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord,

We will walk behind the plowshare,

We will put away the sword.

The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward.



Alfred emerged into a brightly lit clearing, where a huge crowd of people were standing and singing. They all looked so familiar, but he just couldn’t place them…. The Doctor went to stand by the others.



Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Somewhere beyond the barricade,

Is there a world you long to see?

Do you hear the people sing?

Say, do you hear the distant drums?

It is the future that we bring when tomorrow comes.



Alfred was baffled. Why were all of these people standing in a meadow in the middle of the night? Then, from the crowd, an achingly familiar figure emerged. And suddenly, Alfred knew who they all were. They were the British people; the ones who had died in the war.

Arthur couldn’t have looked prouder as he sang with his people to the one he loved.



Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Somewhere beyond the barricade,

Is there a world you long to see?

Do you hear the people sing?

Say, do you hear the distant drums?

It is the future that we bring when tomorrow comes!



The barricade between two worlds had grown thin, just so someone could say goodbye.





Matthew was worried for his brother. Ever since he had come home, he had looked even more depressed, like he had said his final farewell. Which was probably true, but still.

Matthew was walking by Alfred’s bedroom door when he heard humming. He entered quietly and saw Alfred, asleep with tears and a small smile on his face.

Matthew smiled as he recognized the tune. He leaned down and kissed his brother’s forehead before going to the door. As he was about to close it, he looked back to his peacefully dreaming brother. “Tomorrow comes.”