Corner of the Eye (short story)

Summary
Tom and Kathy are chatting on instant messenger and Tom recounts (for the 50th time, as Kathy keeps forgetting) how, one day he noticed a short bald man standing behind him in the mirror, looking through some old photos, he finds the same man behind him in all of them. He decides to post a "have you seen this man?" ad. The Doctor then appears, having read the ad and traveled to Tom's house (arriving before the ad was even posted) and asks him various questions. Tom reveals that he has had agoraphobia for the last ten years, which the Doctor remarks as being odd. Tom then shows the Doctor his computer, explaining that he speaks to Kathy via instant messenger and the Doctor asks why they do not live together (they seemingly split up 10 years ago), Tom cannot think of an answer. The Doctor then asks if Tom has any other form of contact with anyone, and Tom replies that he doesn't write letters, he hates the phone and he cannot email since he doesn't even have an internet connection. After repeating this a few times, Tom realises that Instant Messenger requires an internet connection, so he really shouldn't be able to chat with Kathy. The Doctor gets suspicious, and searches the house, making a shocking discovery in the cellar. Kathy is underneath the old wine racks, and looks as if she has been there for ten years. The Doctor talks to Tom about Floofs, short, hairless creatures (like the one in all Tom's photos) who hide out of peoples sight, secretly disorganising their lives (moving keys around, stealing important letters, etc.). Tom's however, has killed Kathy and set up a computer programme to think that it is her, writing on instant messenger just as she would. Tom demonstrates by asking Kathy to describe where she is, all she can give him is a list of features about the room that she is in (not actually knowing anything about the room where the computer is). The Floof then messed around with Tom's head, removing his suspicions and confining him to his house, so as to cut him off from the rest of the world. The Doctor then orders the Floof to stay still so that they can talk, and explains that he is taking Tom away so that the Floof cannot harm him any more.

The Kathy programme asks Tom how he can be chatting now if he left the computer. He tells her that he is not the real Tom. On his instructions, she asks him where he is. He answers with the same list of information she gave him earlier, indicating that he is now just a computer programme too.

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * Tom
 * Kathy
 * Floof

Continuity
As Rose does not join the Tenth Doctor on this adventure it could take place around the time of Attack of the Graske, between the penultimate and final scenes of Doomsday, or somewhere between The Runaway Bride and Smith and Jones.

Timeline

 * This story occurs after DW: The Runaway Bride
 * This story occurs before DWM: The Warkeeper's Crown