Bury My Love in the Moondust (Ten/Martha)
Title: Bury My Love in the Moondust
Fandom: Doctor Who
Pairing: Ten/Martha
Rating: PG
Summary: Before Martha leaves the TARDIS for good, there's something then Doctor needs to tell her.
Author's Notes: This is a pairing I’ve been meaning to write for a while and I was prompted for it, so here it is! I hope you guys enjoy it.
Also posted on AO3.
Martha shrugged on her jacket as she said her goodbyes. Donna still seemed shaken by what had happened with Jenny and while she couldn't blame her, she really rather wanted to get going.
"Martha, wait!"
She turned around just in time to see the Doctor bounce down the stairs behind her. "What is it?" she asked, ready for everything. So far, UNIT, had given her all sorts of bizarre quests solely because of her connection to the Doctor and she wasn't sure what to expect.
"Are you-" he hesitated. "Are you really leaving?"
"'Course I am," Martha said, sounding more confident than she actually felt. "Why'd you ask?"
"Because I just thought- You might want-" The Doctor avoided her eyes carefully and raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to stay with me?"
"But-" Martha was taken aback enough to be speechless. "You've got Donna now."
"No, I didn't mean with us," the Doctor clarified, frustration clearly evident in both his voice and his expression. "I mean with me."
For an instant - or rather, for a shocked few instants - Martha didn't know what she was supposed to say. He couldn't have meant what she thought he'd meant. And even if he had, she knew that she shouldn't have thought it. She had a fiancé - someone lovely and interesting who adored her with everything he had. She knew she wasn't supposed to even let the wish - the longing - wash through her, but how could you stop an emotion? How could she deny something so deeply rooted into her heart?
“Doctor...” Martha’s voice faltered. “What exactly do you mean?”
“I think you know what I mean,” he offered slyly, taking a step closer. “It could be just like before; when we travelled together. UNIT are no good, we could-”
“No.”
The Doctor’s eyes widened with shock. “Excuse me?”
“I can’t do that anymore,” Martha explained, her fingers toying with the edge of his sleeve. “I can’t - won’t - wait or you to just whisk me away whenever you see fit, and this? You never wanted this. Not from me, anyway.”
“But I thought about it,” the Doctor said hurriedly. “And I thought that I was wrong. I saw that ring and it didn’t… it just didn’t sit well with me. It was strange, I’d never thought- I didn’t think you’d give up on me so easily.”
Martha couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. “You want to hear the truth?” she didn’t wait for a response. “I was tired of waiting for you. And now that I’ve finally found myself - I’ve got a great job, I’ve got Tom, and my family is finally safe - you decide you want something more from me.”
“It’s not like that,” the Doctor said, lowering his voice. “Martha, the people I love never get a happy ending. I was reminded of that just days before I met you, and then I couldn’t help it. You were brilliant, shining brighter than any star I’ve seen, and you were so brave, but I couldn’t let myself love you. Don’t you see? I let you go, and you just went on with your life; not only did you survive, but you grew even more than before.” She could see the sincerity in his eyes; the battle he was having with himself. “But maybe you can change even that,” he continued with a smile so hopeful that it broke her heart. “You changed the course of history; maybe this time, if I let myself love you, you can still get your happy ending.”
“I’m sorry,” Martha whispered, “but I can’t. There’s a part of me - a significant part, I might add - that will always love you. And I know that; you know that and, God, probably even Tom knows it, but I can’t do this. You should never come between a woman and her dream, Doctor, and all I’ve ever wanted was to help people. I’ve wanted it since I was four years old, have I ever told you that? I can’t spend my life just wandering about with you just to die on a faraway planet and never be heard of again. I love you, and I would die for you, always, but not like this.”
The Doctor nodded quickly, lowering his head so that she couldn’t meet his eyes. It made it easier, somehow, to deny him without seeing those dark, expressive eyes. “I understand,” he spoke at last. “Really, I do. I can’t expect you to just drop everything and- Of course not.”
“I’m glad you see my point, because I’d really love to see you again, whenever you can. And before I go…” she trailed off and stood up on her toes. One of her hands reached up to tangle in that soft, soft hair and she brought him closer to her. Even if she felt guilty - and she did; it almost ate her up inside - she couldn’t help but come to him for one last kiss, more a goodbye than anything else. She felt that both of them needed a clear closure to that point of it all.
The first kiss she’d got from him had been quick and panicked and yet so passionate. Now, his lips were soft and gentle and all too soon those long arms of his had wrapped around her and brought her closer. She’d never imagined it quite like this; never imagined him so vulnerable and open and-
Martha pulled away. The Doctor let out a small sigh and let her go, his grip around her loosening up at last.
“I love you,” she mouthed against his lips. “Always will. But I can’t.”
“I understand,” the Doctor assured her, his fingers brushing her cheek. “You’ve got the life of your dreams, Martha Jones.” This time, he gifted her with one of his usual dazzling smiles. “Enjoy every minute of it, huh? For me.”
“Of course,” Martha smiled and, hand in hand, they made their way back to the control room of the TARDIS.
Fandom: Doctor Who
Pairing: Ten/Martha
Rating: PG
Summary: Before Martha leaves the TARDIS for good, there's something then Doctor needs to tell her.
Author's Notes: This is a pairing I’ve been meaning to write for a while and I was prompted for it, so here it is! I hope you guys enjoy it.
Also posted on AO3.
Martha shrugged on her jacket as she said her goodbyes. Donna still seemed shaken by what had happened with Jenny and while she couldn't blame her, she really rather wanted to get going.
"Martha, wait!"
She turned around just in time to see the Doctor bounce down the stairs behind her. "What is it?" she asked, ready for everything. So far, UNIT, had given her all sorts of bizarre quests solely because of her connection to the Doctor and she wasn't sure what to expect.
"Are you-" he hesitated. "Are you really leaving?"
"'Course I am," Martha said, sounding more confident than she actually felt. "Why'd you ask?"
"Because I just thought- You might want-" The Doctor avoided her eyes carefully and raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to stay with me?"
"But-" Martha was taken aback enough to be speechless. "You've got Donna now."
"No, I didn't mean with us," the Doctor clarified, frustration clearly evident in both his voice and his expression. "I mean with me."
For an instant - or rather, for a shocked few instants - Martha didn't know what she was supposed to say. He couldn't have meant what she thought he'd meant. And even if he had, she knew that she shouldn't have thought it. She had a fiancé - someone lovely and interesting who adored her with everything he had. She knew she wasn't supposed to even let the wish - the longing - wash through her, but how could you stop an emotion? How could she deny something so deeply rooted into her heart?
“Doctor...” Martha’s voice faltered. “What exactly do you mean?”
“I think you know what I mean,” he offered slyly, taking a step closer. “It could be just like before; when we travelled together. UNIT are no good, we could-”
“No.”
The Doctor’s eyes widened with shock. “Excuse me?”
“I can’t do that anymore,” Martha explained, her fingers toying with the edge of his sleeve. “I can’t - won’t - wait or you to just whisk me away whenever you see fit, and this? You never wanted this. Not from me, anyway.”
“But I thought about it,” the Doctor said hurriedly. “And I thought that I was wrong. I saw that ring and it didn’t… it just didn’t sit well with me. It was strange, I’d never thought- I didn’t think you’d give up on me so easily.”
Martha couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. “You want to hear the truth?” she didn’t wait for a response. “I was tired of waiting for you. And now that I’ve finally found myself - I’ve got a great job, I’ve got Tom, and my family is finally safe - you decide you want something more from me.”
“It’s not like that,” the Doctor said, lowering his voice. “Martha, the people I love never get a happy ending. I was reminded of that just days before I met you, and then I couldn’t help it. You were brilliant, shining brighter than any star I’ve seen, and you were so brave, but I couldn’t let myself love you. Don’t you see? I let you go, and you just went on with your life; not only did you survive, but you grew even more than before.” She could see the sincerity in his eyes; the battle he was having with himself. “But maybe you can change even that,” he continued with a smile so hopeful that it broke her heart. “You changed the course of history; maybe this time, if I let myself love you, you can still get your happy ending.”
“I’m sorry,” Martha whispered, “but I can’t. There’s a part of me - a significant part, I might add - that will always love you. And I know that; you know that and, God, probably even Tom knows it, but I can’t do this. You should never come between a woman and her dream, Doctor, and all I’ve ever wanted was to help people. I’ve wanted it since I was four years old, have I ever told you that? I can’t spend my life just wandering about with you just to die on a faraway planet and never be heard of again. I love you, and I would die for you, always, but not like this.”
The Doctor nodded quickly, lowering his head so that she couldn’t meet his eyes. It made it easier, somehow, to deny him without seeing those dark, expressive eyes. “I understand,” he spoke at last. “Really, I do. I can’t expect you to just drop everything and- Of course not.”
“I’m glad you see my point, because I’d really love to see you again, whenever you can. And before I go…” she trailed off and stood up on her toes. One of her hands reached up to tangle in that soft, soft hair and she brought him closer to her. Even if she felt guilty - and she did; it almost ate her up inside - she couldn’t help but come to him for one last kiss, more a goodbye than anything else. She felt that both of them needed a clear closure to that point of it all.
The first kiss she’d got from him had been quick and panicked and yet so passionate. Now, his lips were soft and gentle and all too soon those long arms of his had wrapped around her and brought her closer. She’d never imagined it quite like this; never imagined him so vulnerable and open and-
Martha pulled away. The Doctor let out a small sigh and let her go, his grip around her loosening up at last.
“I love you,” she mouthed against his lips. “Always will. But I can’t.”
“I understand,” the Doctor assured her, his fingers brushing her cheek. “You’ve got the life of your dreams, Martha Jones.” This time, he gifted her with one of his usual dazzling smiles. “Enjoy every minute of it, huh? For me.”
“Of course,” Martha smiled and, hand in hand, they made their way back to the control room of the TARDIS.