AU part 2
Title: AU part 2
Fandom: Doctor Who
Pairing: Master/Martha (yip from the outset)
Summary: The Doctor and Martha have a heart to heart.
Martha was spread out on the bed of the master bedroom the Master had claimed as his own. The Master himself had left a while ago. Apparently he was going to make dinner for the three of us, when he acts so domestic it freaks the Doctor out more than some of his more outlandish hobbies.
Maybe that’s why he does it.
After all who would expect that megalomaniac to also be a cordon bleu chef?
The Doctor watches Martha sleep as he ponders the insanity of his erstwhile friend. She looks so peaceful when she’s asleep so entirely different from when she’s awake. So very different from the withdrawn young woman she’s become.
As far the Doctor is aware Martha hasn’t spoken to anyone save the Master and Lucy since the day the world ended. He himself tried many times to speak with her over the last year and a half of their incarceration. And he does mean ‘their’ because he knows that being forced to live with her family and friends is a living hell for Martha.
Hell, her wedding was an exercise in torture for everyone involved.
The only thing that ever gave me any hope for her was the fact that he has never mistreated her. Not until today at least. Although he says he didn’t and while he is hardly trustworthy I know but I know there is something more to this.
“Master…” She’s waking up and the Doctor rolls his chair closer to her, so she’ll see him when she looks up. Even as he does it he’s unsure what kind of response he’ll get and whether or not it’s remotely a good idea.
“Martha, he’s not here right now. He just went to-” Whatever he might have said is cut off when she throws herself into his lap and his arms. She clings to him and he is more than happy to return the hug, no matter how much her actions confuse him.
“Martha, what’s wrong?” He asks her gently as he smoothes her hair back.
“Wrong? Why would something need to be wrong- oh, god, I’m sorry I shouldn’t I…”
She tries to pull back and retreat to the bed but the Doctor holds her firmly. Though even he is surprised by the strength of his grip.
“Martha, look at me please?”
He waits until she does before continuing, “Good. Now I need you to know something, there is never any reason, ever that I would ever turn you away. Do you hear me? Martha?”
She looks at him for a while before nodding gently. “But why?”
He barely hears her and if it weren’t for the fact he can see her lips move he might not have known she spoke at all. “Why ever not is a far better question.”
“But I… How can you-”
“Martha, I don’t pretend to be a saint, no matter what certain people-”
“The Master?”
“Yes, the Master. No matter what he says, I am not perfect and I’m not saintly and I know… you are in love with him and that, that explains so very much.”
“You understand because I’m in love with him? How? I can’t even grasp that! How can I possibly… but even that’s not true, I can’t think of him without thinking how much I love him, but I still don’t understand it!”
“No one has yet worked out love. I wouldn’t fret about it.”
“Fret? All of this, this murder and destruction for love? Is it worth it?”
The Doctor wipes away the tears that spill down her face. “Do you feel your love, or lack of it could have changed the world’s fate?”
The silent tears turn into all out sobs, “I know it does! I know I could have saved… everyone…”
“Then it must be worth it. If you’re love is that powerful in one possibility then it is that powerful in all possibilities.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I. But then I’ve only ever been that in love once and I never… Love is what makes humans the most powerful force, always.” She sees him shake his head as he changes the words he was going to say.
“Like the Toclafane? The future of humans, they have no love!” she realises that he didn’t know she knew their secret. “I told, I told that boy that the sky was full of diamonds- I wish him the best and hoped he would really see them… I didn’t know… They said it. They all share, they’re one person and I can’t… I won’t have them near me.”
The Doctor simply holds her through another wave of racking sobs. Sobs and tears this world’s Martha never allowed herself the luxury of.
“The Toclafane have no love, you’re right there. But it was human passion, human love that drove them to make that ultimate step. Throughout the universe in all it’s incarnations and all it’s millennia nothing has yet been created that can stand against love.”
“That is disgustingly sappy and still doesn’t-”
“I’m not giving you an excuse Martha, just reasoning.” She nods her head and he can only hope he has managed to get through to her. “Now, don’t mention this conversation to your husband-”
“God, no he’d just insult us both for being over emotional! Where is he anyway?”
“Cooking.” He smiles at her as he sees real life in her eyes for the first time in far too long.
“I forgot he did that, or never knew or…” She look strangely confused by her own confusing statement.
He decides he’s not going to get a better opening than that. “Martha, what is going on? What’s changed? What was he doing in your mind? I have a million other questions, but…”
“I don’t really, I just need to… I’m sorry you need to know that I’m sorry.”
“Martha?”
“I just needed to say it. It doesn’t change the world but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t at least say it.” The Doctor is no closer to understanding anything but he decides not to push this fragile woman.
They are still embraced as the Master returns. They don’t notice at first until he clears his throat from right behind them.
“Well, well, well,” He pulls Martha to her feet and into his arms. “You know if I were a lesser man and there was a remote chance Grandpa’s equipment still worked I might get jealous.”
No one is more surprised than Martha when she slaps the Master. And considering the shocked faces of her audience that’s saying a lot.
“Don’t ever slap me.”
She is utterly terrified but there is a small part that just knows he won’t hit her, or perhaps hopes… “Don’t ever say that or anything like that again! Don’t even imply it!”
The Doctor looks ready to intervene but the Master smiles and kisses her, “Fine. Deal. Now, if you two are done making nice, dinner’s ready.” He gestures grandly towards the door an ushers them out. As he follows them he continues, “Anyone would think I’m not ruler of the entire bloody planet, getting slapped and serving for others! It’s all quite ridiculous really!”
Martha stops and skips back to him, where she kisses his cheek and then drags him to the table. “You really wouldn’t want to eat my cooking anyway, darling. And the Doctor is no better.”
The Doctor feels like he’s stuck in a very strange sitcom as he joins this most unusual couple for dinner.