Fic: Valiant 29/38
Title: Valiant Chapter 29/38
Author: MeiLin
Characters/pairing in this chapter: Martha, Tom Milligan, the Master
Rating for this chapter: PG-13
Summary for this chapter: Tom Milligan hears Martha tell the story for the last time.
A/N for this chapter: This chapter is original to the novella.
Valiant Central Page
The smell of miserable humanity was thick in the air of the rowhouse, a mixture of human waste, sweat, fear and sickness. Doctor Tom Milligan had learned to live with it in the last year, but he'd never gotten used to it.
Nor would he ever get used to the kind of medicine he was now allowed to practice. He was trained as a pediatrician. But almost every British child under the age of 12 was dead now, either from sickness, overwork, neglect or starvation. He was allowed to move freely throughout the country, caring for anyone he could. But he had few supplies, and rarely even a clean place to see patients.
The official policy was to let the people die. There were times when all he could do was offer a little more pain relief than the patient could survive, hastening a certain death and ending suffering.
He carried a gun now, too. More than once he'd had to kill someone. Tom wept almost every night thinking of those he had shot and those he had helped die, and he cursed himself for a murderer. But each time he had seen no other way.
Now Tom stood propped in a doorway, looking up at Martha Jones. She was sitting on the rowhouse hallway stairs, surrounded by ragged and starving factory workers. They all leaned toward her, trying to get as close as possible to the woman they prayed would save them.
He thought about the images of saints he'd seen carted through small villages in rural Italy on festival days. If you could just touch the Virgin on Her way through the village, your suffering might end. If you could just touch Martha... The flickering candle and lamplight added to the effect. It turned Martha's skin to gold, and her eyes into black mirrors. He could almost see himself in them, even from this remove.
"Saint Martha," some called her. He didn't know if she was a saint, but he'd decided he'd martyr himself for her if need be.
He'd only known her 24 hours, when she'd returned to Britain as she had promised. She'd come ashore on the beach at Sandwich Bay. He had met the boat and taken her to Professor Docherty.
At first sight he'd been startled. Tom didn't know what he expected--some combination perhaps of Xena, Warrior Princess and Queen Boudicca, a strapping Amazon in black leather. Martha was clad all in black like a commando, and she had the courage of a warrior queen. But he hadn't expected her to be so petite. He towered over her.
Her spirit was gentle, too--not warlike at all. He thought he had seen heartbreak every single day since the Master had enslaved them. But then he and Martha had captured and dismantled a Toclafane with Professor Docherty, and discovered they were the future remnants of humanity. Martha somehow knew them. He thought this year had shown him heartbreak, until he saw her face staring down at the monstrosity inside the sphere.
She was so beautiful, even in sorrow. He wondered how she would look in joy.
She was telling the Story of the Doctor now, as she had thousands of times before. They both knew that tonight was the last time she'd tell it.
It wasn't the first time Tom had heard the Story. He'd heard it from many different Storytellers as he'd crisscrossed Britain, and while the Story was always the same, the personal details were always different. Larry Nightingale told about how the Doctor and Martha had cleverly saved him from time-stealing angels. His wife Sally told about the people who had given their lives to help the Story continue on. Sarah Jane Smith told about her travels with the Doctor, and how she would never regret seeing the monsters because he also showed her the stars. Gwen Cooper told about Jack the Immortal and how he stood steadfast by the Doctor. Martha's brother Leo, Gwen's partner, told about Martha herself, though Martha was now insisting the Story wasn't about her. It was about the Doctor.
He has saved your lives so many times and you never even knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked but I've seen him. I know him. I love him and know what he can do.
The Story came to its conclusion. Tom studied Martha's face in the candlelight. It was warm, and full of life and love. He knew that Martha loved the Doctor, with all her heart. Still, he couldn't help wishing that he could find a small place in her heart for himself. If things were different, he knew they could love each other. How could you not love a woman like Martha?
"He's here!" cried a woman's voice from the front of the house. "The Master! He's come for Martha!" A low moan of terror went up from the people. Tom saw someone throw a coat over Martha and press her into the stairs. He knew it wasn't nearly enough. One way or another, the Master would find her this time.
Tom crouched by the mail slot, pistol drawn. He looked back over his shoulder at Martha. He could just see her bright, terrified eyes through the stairway banisters. She looked as if she were in a cage. He bit down on his fear and turned back to the slot.
The Master kept calling out for Martha to give herself up before he killed them all. Don't give up, Martha, don't give in, Tom thought at her. We would die for you.
And then she was standing by him, gently pushing his gun away. Her hand slipped down its barrel to cover his hand. "It's time, Tom," she said. He could see she'd taken the perception filter off from round her neck. He stood as she gave the workers one last look. It took everything he had to let her open the door and walk away from him.
Tom watched from the doorway as Martha stepped into the street. She laid her rucksack down before the Master, who destroyed it with a beam from his weapon. There went the Time Lord killer they'd told Professor Docherty about, and that she'd told the Master about in turn. Good thing it wasn't real, thought Tom. Now the Master was pointing the weapon at Martha. He saw her flinch, turn away and close her eyes.
Tom came screaming out of the doorway, his pistol aimed squarely at the Master. The last things he saw before the beam cut him down were Martha's horrified eyes. How I wish, he thought as he died, that I could have seen them laughing, just once.
Author: MeiLin
Characters/pairing in this chapter: Martha, Tom Milligan, the Master
Rating for this chapter: PG-13
Summary for this chapter: Tom Milligan hears Martha tell the story for the last time.
A/N for this chapter: This chapter is original to the novella.
Valiant Central Page
The smell of miserable humanity was thick in the air of the rowhouse, a mixture of human waste, sweat, fear and sickness. Doctor Tom Milligan had learned to live with it in the last year, but he'd never gotten used to it.
Nor would he ever get used to the kind of medicine he was now allowed to practice. He was trained as a pediatrician. But almost every British child under the age of 12 was dead now, either from sickness, overwork, neglect or starvation. He was allowed to move freely throughout the country, caring for anyone he could. But he had few supplies, and rarely even a clean place to see patients.
The official policy was to let the people die. There were times when all he could do was offer a little more pain relief than the patient could survive, hastening a certain death and ending suffering.
He carried a gun now, too. More than once he'd had to kill someone. Tom wept almost every night thinking of those he had shot and those he had helped die, and he cursed himself for a murderer. But each time he had seen no other way.
Now Tom stood propped in a doorway, looking up at Martha Jones. She was sitting on the rowhouse hallway stairs, surrounded by ragged and starving factory workers. They all leaned toward her, trying to get as close as possible to the woman they prayed would save them.
He thought about the images of saints he'd seen carted through small villages in rural Italy on festival days. If you could just touch the Virgin on Her way through the village, your suffering might end. If you could just touch Martha... The flickering candle and lamplight added to the effect. It turned Martha's skin to gold, and her eyes into black mirrors. He could almost see himself in them, even from this remove.
"Saint Martha," some called her. He didn't know if she was a saint, but he'd decided he'd martyr himself for her if need be.
He'd only known her 24 hours, when she'd returned to Britain as she had promised. She'd come ashore on the beach at Sandwich Bay. He had met the boat and taken her to Professor Docherty.
At first sight he'd been startled. Tom didn't know what he expected--some combination perhaps of Xena, Warrior Princess and Queen Boudicca, a strapping Amazon in black leather. Martha was clad all in black like a commando, and she had the courage of a warrior queen. But he hadn't expected her to be so petite. He towered over her.
Her spirit was gentle, too--not warlike at all. He thought he had seen heartbreak every single day since the Master had enslaved them. But then he and Martha had captured and dismantled a Toclafane with Professor Docherty, and discovered they were the future remnants of humanity. Martha somehow knew them. He thought this year had shown him heartbreak, until he saw her face staring down at the monstrosity inside the sphere.
She was so beautiful, even in sorrow. He wondered how she would look in joy.
She was telling the Story of the Doctor now, as she had thousands of times before. They both knew that tonight was the last time she'd tell it.
It wasn't the first time Tom had heard the Story. He'd heard it from many different Storytellers as he'd crisscrossed Britain, and while the Story was always the same, the personal details were always different. Larry Nightingale told about how the Doctor and Martha had cleverly saved him from time-stealing angels. His wife Sally told about the people who had given their lives to help the Story continue on. Sarah Jane Smith told about her travels with the Doctor, and how she would never regret seeing the monsters because he also showed her the stars. Gwen Cooper told about Jack the Immortal and how he stood steadfast by the Doctor. Martha's brother Leo, Gwen's partner, told about Martha herself, though Martha was now insisting the Story wasn't about her. It was about the Doctor.
He has saved your lives so many times and you never even knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked but I've seen him. I know him. I love him and know what he can do.
The Story came to its conclusion. Tom studied Martha's face in the candlelight. It was warm, and full of life and love. He knew that Martha loved the Doctor, with all her heart. Still, he couldn't help wishing that he could find a small place in her heart for himself. If things were different, he knew they could love each other. How could you not love a woman like Martha?
"He's here!" cried a woman's voice from the front of the house. "The Master! He's come for Martha!" A low moan of terror went up from the people. Tom saw someone throw a coat over Martha and press her into the stairs. He knew it wasn't nearly enough. One way or another, the Master would find her this time.
Tom crouched by the mail slot, pistol drawn. He looked back over his shoulder at Martha. He could just see her bright, terrified eyes through the stairway banisters. She looked as if she were in a cage. He bit down on his fear and turned back to the slot.
The Master kept calling out for Martha to give herself up before he killed them all. Don't give up, Martha, don't give in, Tom thought at her. We would die for you.
And then she was standing by him, gently pushing his gun away. Her hand slipped down its barrel to cover his hand. "It's time, Tom," she said. He could see she'd taken the perception filter off from round her neck. He stood as she gave the workers one last look. It took everything he had to let her open the door and walk away from him.
Tom watched from the doorway as Martha stepped into the street. She laid her rucksack down before the Master, who destroyed it with a beam from his weapon. There went the Time Lord killer they'd told Professor Docherty about, and that she'd told the Master about in turn. Good thing it wasn't real, thought Tom. Now the Master was pointing the weapon at Martha. He saw her flinch, turn away and close her eyes.
Tom came screaming out of the doorway, his pistol aimed squarely at the Master. The last things he saw before the beam cut him down were Martha's horrified eyes. How I wish, he thought as he died, that I could have seen them laughing, just once.