Dinner for Two
Title: Dinner for Two
Author: Persiflage_1
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones
Rating: U
Spoilers: None. Set post-S3 but doesn't reference it.
Summary: Martha cooks dinner for the Doctor.
Disclaimer: The BBC owns "Doctor Who" and the Doctor owns me…
Author Notes: This was written for the lifeonmartha 1000 Drabbles of Awesome Tag game, from my own prompt "Martha and the Doctor eat Spaghetti Bolognese". This one ran away from me rather - and turned out far more angsty than I expected !
~~~~~~
The Doctor had turned up at Martha's hospital about a month after she left him, singed, injured and dishevelled after thwarting yet another attempted alien invasion. She treated his injuries with a competent and professional manner, and he'd said very little after 'Hello'. She thought he seemed subdued and found herself impulsively inviting him back to her flat for a meal.
"You look like you haven't eaten in a month," she commented, wondering if she sounded like her mother.
"I ate yesterday," he answered, frowning as if he wasn't sure.
She frowned in turn, then checked the clock. "I finish in half an hour. If you want to wait here, I'll take you back to my flat and cook for you."
His face brightened somewhat. "Thank you," he said softly. She nodded, then went to deal with the next casualty, swallowing down a host of conflicting emotions.
Half an hour later she found him sprawled on the bed where she'd left him, fast asleep. She found tears pricking at her eyes and rubbed them away quickly as she wondered if he was travelling on his own. The fact he'd come in unaccompanied hinted that he didn't have another Companion at the moment.
"Come on Mr Smith," she said, gently shaking him awake. "Time to go." He seemed to go from fast asleep to wide awake instantly, but she wasn't surprised. "My flat's five minutes away," she told him. He nodded and followed her out, limping slightly.
Back at Martha's new flat, the Doctor sat on a chair in the kitchen and watched as she went about getting their meal with the same air of competence that she'd displayed in the hospital.
"You're travelling alone then?" Martha asked once the salad was made, the garlic bread was in the oven, and the pasta and mince were cooking.
"Yes."
"Why?"
He shrugged. "Haven't thought about it," he answered. She frowned before turning her attention back to her cooking and they didn't speak again until Martha had served up a plateful of Spaghetti Bolognese for both of them.
"Help yourself to salad and garlic bread," she said, pouring them both a glass of wine.
"Thank you."
They ate in silence for several minutes until Martha found it too uncomfortable and began to talk about her work. Then the Doctor asked after her family and she told him they seemed to be coping quite well.
After they'd eaten, the Doctor offered to wash up, which surprised Martha as she'd assumed he'd want to be off again, but she didn't refuse his offer, and after she put the last things away, he surprised her still further by opening his arms for a hug. She stepped into his embrace and held him tightly, smelling the smoke from earlier on his clothes.
"I've missed this," he said quietly. "I've missed you too. Will you come with me again?"
She swallowed hard. "I can't - not yet." She lifted her head from his chest and looked up into his eyes. "I want to finish qualifying for full registration first."
He nodded. "How long does that take?"
"A year."
"Then I will come back in a year and ask you again," he said.
"You don't have to wait a year to come back," she told him. "Come and see me before then, I'll even cook for you."
"If that's what you want," he said guardedly.
"It is." There was no mistaking the emphatic tone in her voice.
"OK. Thank you." He held her for a few minutes more, then said reluctantly. "I had better get going. Thank you for dinner, and for treating me earlier." She nodded, feeling an unexpected lump in her throat. He dipped his head and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you again soon Doctor Jones." He pulled away and picked up his coat from the back of his chair.
"Take care of yourself," Martha said. He gave her a salute, then let himself out, and she dropped into a chair to cry for a few minutes. She knew she'd done the right thing, in turning down his offer of travelling with him again before she had qualified, but she still felt miserable and guilty about it.
The Doctor let himself into the TARDIS with a strong feeling of disappointment that Martha had turned him down, even though he understood and agreed with her reasons. He wondered if it would be selfish to just hop forward in time by a month to go and have dinner with her again.
Author: Persiflage_1
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones
Rating: U
Spoilers: None. Set post-S3 but doesn't reference it.
Summary: Martha cooks dinner for the Doctor.
Disclaimer: The BBC owns "Doctor Who" and the Doctor owns me…
Author Notes: This was written for the lifeonmartha 1000 Drabbles of Awesome Tag game, from my own prompt "Martha and the Doctor eat Spaghetti Bolognese". This one ran away from me rather - and turned out far more angsty than I expected !
~~~~~~
The Doctor had turned up at Martha's hospital about a month after she left him, singed, injured and dishevelled after thwarting yet another attempted alien invasion. She treated his injuries with a competent and professional manner, and he'd said very little after 'Hello'. She thought he seemed subdued and found herself impulsively inviting him back to her flat for a meal.
"You look like you haven't eaten in a month," she commented, wondering if she sounded like her mother.
"I ate yesterday," he answered, frowning as if he wasn't sure.
She frowned in turn, then checked the clock. "I finish in half an hour. If you want to wait here, I'll take you back to my flat and cook for you."
His face brightened somewhat. "Thank you," he said softly. She nodded, then went to deal with the next casualty, swallowing down a host of conflicting emotions.
Half an hour later she found him sprawled on the bed where she'd left him, fast asleep. She found tears pricking at her eyes and rubbed them away quickly as she wondered if he was travelling on his own. The fact he'd come in unaccompanied hinted that he didn't have another Companion at the moment.
"Come on Mr Smith," she said, gently shaking him awake. "Time to go." He seemed to go from fast asleep to wide awake instantly, but she wasn't surprised. "My flat's five minutes away," she told him. He nodded and followed her out, limping slightly.
Back at Martha's new flat, the Doctor sat on a chair in the kitchen and watched as she went about getting their meal with the same air of competence that she'd displayed in the hospital.
"You're travelling alone then?" Martha asked once the salad was made, the garlic bread was in the oven, and the pasta and mince were cooking.
"Yes."
"Why?"
He shrugged. "Haven't thought about it," he answered. She frowned before turning her attention back to her cooking and they didn't speak again until Martha had served up a plateful of Spaghetti Bolognese for both of them.
"Help yourself to salad and garlic bread," she said, pouring them both a glass of wine.
"Thank you."
They ate in silence for several minutes until Martha found it too uncomfortable and began to talk about her work. Then the Doctor asked after her family and she told him they seemed to be coping quite well.
After they'd eaten, the Doctor offered to wash up, which surprised Martha as she'd assumed he'd want to be off again, but she didn't refuse his offer, and after she put the last things away, he surprised her still further by opening his arms for a hug. She stepped into his embrace and held him tightly, smelling the smoke from earlier on his clothes.
"I've missed this," he said quietly. "I've missed you too. Will you come with me again?"
She swallowed hard. "I can't - not yet." She lifted her head from his chest and looked up into his eyes. "I want to finish qualifying for full registration first."
He nodded. "How long does that take?"
"A year."
"Then I will come back in a year and ask you again," he said.
"You don't have to wait a year to come back," she told him. "Come and see me before then, I'll even cook for you."
"If that's what you want," he said guardedly.
"It is." There was no mistaking the emphatic tone in her voice.
"OK. Thank you." He held her for a few minutes more, then said reluctantly. "I had better get going. Thank you for dinner, and for treating me earlier." She nodded, feeling an unexpected lump in her throat. He dipped his head and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you again soon Doctor Jones." He pulled away and picked up his coat from the back of his chair.
"Take care of yourself," Martha said. He gave her a salute, then let himself out, and she dropped into a chair to cry for a few minutes. She knew she'd done the right thing, in turning down his offer of travelling with him again before she had qualified, but she still felt miserable and guilty about it.
The Doctor let himself into the TARDIS with a strong feeling of disappointment that Martha had turned him down, even though he understood and agreed with her reasons. He wondered if it would be selfish to just hop forward in time by a month to go and have dinner with her again.