1001 Whovian Nights Part 7
Title: 1001 Whovian Nights Part 7
Author: Persiflage_1
Characters/Pairings: Martha/Ten
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Season 4 (Mild)
Disclaimer: I don't even own my brain any more, never mind Doctor Who!
Author Notes: The seventh set of my Not-Drabbles written for ladymako71's 1001 Whovian Nights Drabble Fest. Go, join in - it's Classic and New Who - and if you want to cheer and/or offer prompts, do so here !
All these prompts are from padawanpooh
~~~~~~
Broken toe
Martha sat in the TARDIS library with her sock-clad feet in the Doctor's lap. She was leaning back against the arm of the sofa with her eyes closed and a smile on her face as he read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory aloud to her. They were having a rare few days off from running around saving the world, mostly because Martha was currently incapable of running, or even of walking much, owing to the fact their last 'adventure' had left her with a broken toe.
They'd arrived at one in the morning on the east coast of America to find a hurricane approaching rapidly. They had immediately started to evacuate the families, intending to take them all aboard the TARDIS and move the ship into the Vortex until the hurricane had passed. They were just getting out the last family and Martha was carrying a small boy who was too young to run as well as shepherding two slightly older children: with her attention divided between the three children and the already gale-force wind that was threatening to flatten the house behind them, she hadn't seen the large boulder at the edge of the garden path, but her foot had found it.
In spite of her agony, she managed to reach the TARDIS without dropping Danny and the Doctor had got them away just ahead of the hurricane hitting the town. It was only half an hour later that the Doctor had noticed she was limping badly and had carried her to the Med Bay, in spite of her protests, and discovered she'd broken her little toe. He'd strapped it to the next toe under Martha's direction, then he'd given her some strong painkillers and put her to bed whilst he took the families back home. She'd slept for hours whilst he helped the townspeople get themselves organised with shelter and supplies.
Since then he'd been pampering her thoroughly and Martha was rather enjoying the experience. They'd been on the go nearly non-stop since she'd started travelling with him again and the enforced rest was a nice change of pace and to her surprise even the Doctor didn't seem to mind.
He finished the book and looked at Martha over his glasses. "We should watch the movie now, see how it compares," he suggested.
She opened her eyes. "Which one? The Wilder version or the Depp one?"
"Both?" he suggested.
"OK." She grinned at him, and he grinned back, then lifting her feet carefully from his lap, stood up, stretched, then picked Martha up in his arms.
She slipped her right arm around his neck and held onto his right arm with her left hand. She had given up objecting to his insistence on carrying her from room to room. Once in the TARDIS' TV lounge, he settled her on the sofa then dug out the two DVDs and waved them at Martha.
"Wilder or Depp first?" he asked.
"Let's watch them in order of release, shall we?"
He nodded, then placed the first disc into the player, before moving back to the sofa and settling himself comfortably. Martha sat sideways with her back against his left shoulder and her legs stretched along the sofa.
"This is nice," he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her middle.
"Yes it is." Whilst breaking her toe had been painful, she was definitely enjoying the consequences.
* * * * * *
Quest (1/6)
The Doctor was on a quest. He was positive there should still be a bar of chocolate in the TARDIS kitchen, but so far he had been unable to locate it. He had managed to unearth some rather nice spicy tea that he'd forgotten he possessed, and he was currently standing with his eyes closed, inhaling its scent from the tin and remembering the trip with Ace when they'd bought this particular brand. They'd made a short side trip to Abendessen, a resort for tea lovers, and despite Ace's protests that it was boring, they'd quite enjoyed themselves there.
He really ought to take Martha there some time, he decided: she would probably enjoy it, although she was more of a coffee person, except when she had hot chocolate if she was in need of some relaxation.
He leant against the counter, trying to remember whether there were any resorts for coffee lovers. Of course he could always take her to Cadbury World - the planet, not the factory in England - he was fairly certain she'd enjoy a visit there.
He heaved a sigh, then set the tin of tea aside and went back to searching through the cupboards for that elusive bar of chocolate.
* * * * * *
Caught in the Act (2/6)
The Doctor had turned the kitchen cupboards inside out but he hadn't managed to find the bar of chocolate he was searching for.
He perched on the edge of the table, chewing his thumb as he contemplated his next move. It was annoying that he was having such a strong craving for chocolate but there was nothing he could do about that; at least it would be satisfied once he had some chocolate.
"Aha!" he exclaimed suddenly, sliding off the table. He'd just remembered that Martha usually kept a stash of chocolate in her room: she was particularly partial to eating it when she was feeling stressed.
He slipped out of the kitchen and tiptoed along the corridors towards her room. He wasn't quite sure why he was tiptoeing since he knew she was safely ensconced in the library, doing some research for a paper she intended to submit, but better safe than sorry.
Reaching her door he slipped inside her room and headed for her desk, remembering that he'd seen her chocolate stash in the bottom drawer just recently. He edged the drawer open stealthily and peered into the drawer in the half light coming from the corridor. He hadn't bothered turning on the light in her room since his eyesight was better than that of the average human.
His hand closed around a large bar of fruit and nut and he pulled it from the drawer with a satisfied grin, then jumped nearly a foot in the air when the light snapped on and Martha spoke from the doorway.
"You're for it now, mister."
He dropped the chocolate guiltily and turned to face his companion's wrath. She was scowling across the room at him, her arms folded across her chest and he realised he had no idea how he was going to bluff his way out of this one.
"How did you know I was in here?" he asked plaintively.
"The TARDIS gave me a mental nudge to come in here," she answered, reaching out to pat the wall beside her.
Traitor! he told her and got a smug hum back.
"If you wanted some chocolate, all you had to do was come and ask," Martha continued, "since you knew I usually keep some on board." She walked towards him. "What made you think you had to sneak around and steal it?"
He hung his head and scuffed one Converse-clad foot across the carpet. "Don't know," he answered, sounding more like a four year old than a centuries old Time Lord.
She scooped up the bar of chocolate and held it out, and he took it tentatively. "If you're that desperate that you're reduced to stealing it, you'd better have it," she told him, then turned and walked out, leaving behind a very confused Time Lord.
* * * * * *
Sandcastles (3/6)
The Doctor took the bar of chocolate to the Control Room to eat, wondering just how much trouble he was in with Martha. Perhaps, he thought as he sat with his feet up on the edge of the console, he could pre-empt any punishment she might be meditating by taking her somewhere nice, after all she could probably do with a break from her research.
He remembered his earlier thought about taking her to Cadbury World, but decided that might be a bit too much like rubbing her nose in it, given that he'd stolen her chocolate. Then he remembered his earlier thought about taking her to Abendessen. He popped the final square of chocolate into his mouth, then slid off the Captain's chair and moved to the console to set the coordinates. Yes, Abendessen would be a good place to start. He would also have to make sure they stopped off somewhere so that he could replace the chocolate he'd eaten, and top up her stock as well.
He released the handbrake and then sauntered down the corridor to the library to let Martha know where they were going.
He found her in her usual spot in the library, a desk below an artificial window that the TARDIS had created just for her so that she could look out of it when she needed to think. As he approached he saw that the desk, a huge oak one that the TARDIS had also provided, was piled high with books, data pads and papers, and he felt a sudden surge of pride in his companion: in the eighteen months since she'd left him to look after her family and finish her studies, she'd become an MO with UNIT and a budding Xenologist.
He got close enough to see that the window above her desk was showing a view of a pale blue beach with an enormous and intricate sandcastle in the middle distance, and he paused behind Martha's chair to look at it, wondering if the view was her choice or that of the TARDIS.
"Martha."
"Mmm?" She didn't look up from the data pad that she was engrossed by.
"I thought you might like a break from your research, so we're going to Abendessen."
"Mmm."
He knelt down beside the desk to bring his face closer to hers. "And I wanted to say sorry," he said.
She looked up at that. "You're sorry?"
He nodded, a sorrowful expression on his face.
"You're a fool," she told him, her attention back on the data pad.
"I know." He rested his head on her shoulder, looking down at her neat notes.
"Doctor?"
"Yes Martha?"
"What are you doing?" She shifted her shoulder slightly.
"Sorry, is that uncomfortable?" He lifted his head again.
"Well it is my writing arm," she said, turning her head to look into his dark brown eyes.
"Sorry."
She sighed. "That's three sorrys in less than three minutes," she observed.
He opened his mouth to apologise again, then snapped it shut again.
She shook her head. "Give me ten minutes to finished reading this," she said, waving a hand at the data pad, "then I'll be with you."
"OK." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek then got up and wandered away, leaving Martha looking thoughtfully after him.
* * * * * *
Mermaids (4/6)
Martha finished her notes, then tidied up her desk before getting up and stretching. She made her way to the Control Room where she found the Doctor sitting with his feet up on the edge of the console.
She sat down beside him on the Captain's chair and he moved his left arm off the back of the chair to put it around her shoulders.
She gave him an enquiring look and he gave her a nervous smile. "Are we still friends?"
"Do you really think I'm so immature that I'd stop being your friend just because you stole my chocolate?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Just, you know, checking," he said, sounding nervous.
She shook her head. "I suppose you think I'm cooking up some sort of punishment for you?"
"Maybe."
"What could I possibly do to punish you?" she asked. "You're a powerful Time Lord, I'm just a human."
"You'd only have to stop travelling with me," he said quietly. "that would be punishment enough."
"Well I've no plans to stop any time soon," Martha said. "UNIT agreed to me travelling with you, so until they decide otherwise, you're stuck with me."
"Good."
~~~
After Abendessen, the Doctor took Martha to Sereia where they took a boat trip out to an island said to be the home of a group of mermaids.
"I always thought mermaids were a myth," she commented to the Doctor as he helped her off the boat.
"You might be surprised how many Earth myths are based in actual fact," he told her as they made their way along the jetty, following the guide who'd brought them from the mainland.
They didn't have far to walk before they reached a cove where the guide told them that the mermaids could sometimes be seen. He left them there, telling them he'd be returning to the mainland within two hours.
The Doctor took off his coat and spread it on the grass, then he and Martha settled down to watch for the mermaids. She lay on her stomach with her face propped on her hands, and the Doctor settled beside her; he found himself watching her face as she watched the cove for any sign of activity.
"I can feel you watching me," Martha said suddenly.
"Does it bother you?" he asked softly.
"It's disconcerting," she answered honestly. She didn't say that she wasn't used to it, they both knew that without her saying it.
He flopped over onto his back and closed his eyes against the sunlight above them. "Then I won't do it," he assured her.
She suddenly grabbed his shoulder. "Mermaids," she said quietly and he quickly rolled over and looked down into the cove. Sure enough, three mermaids were pulling themselves up out of the water to bask on the rocks in the sunshine. They watched for half an hour before heading back to the jetty to take the boat back to the mainland and Martha plied the Doctor with questions about mermaids all the way back to the TARDIS.
* * * * * *
Photography (5/6)
After their trip to Sereia, Martha went back to her research and the Doctor hardly saw her for the next week except at breakfast or if he took her some coffee in the library. He admired her dedication and enthusiasm, but after a week he'd run out of things to tinker with in the TARDIS, and his ship was clearly fed up with his tinkering if the number of times she'd zapped him was anything to go by. The following morning, therefore, Martha entered the kitchen to find breakfast waiting and the Doctor beaming at her.
"Right then, Martha Jones, where shall we go today?" he asked, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet as she seated herself.
She gave him a quizzical look, then smiled to herself.
"What's amusing you?" he asked immediately on seeing her smile.
"You're bored, aren't you?"
"Me, bored? With a brilliant mind like mine?" he blustered.
She nodded as she ate her first mouthful of scrambled eggs on toast. "You're bored," she asserted. "I've heard you cursing the TARDIS for zapping you because she's tired of your endless tinkering." She gave him a fond smile. "You want someone to show off to."
He stuttered and stammered but failed to say anything coherent, to Martha's obvious amusement as she continued to eat. Finally he sighed and flopped down into the chair beside her. "I like taking you to new places," he said quietly. "Your excitement reminds me of why I love to travel."
She flushed slightly. "Since I've finished my research, it wouldn't hurt me to take a break before I start writing my paper," she observed. "So if you want to go somewhere, we'll go somewhere."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then vanished to the Control Room. Martha shook her head, thinking that for all his great age and experience, he was still very like a small boy in many respects. The kissing was fairly new though: he'd kissed her on the cheek quite a few times lately and she wondered why since he'd never done it before.
She finished her breakfast, then headed to the Control Room to see where the Doctor had decided to go.
"So where are we going?" she asked.
"Fotofor," he said. "It's a peaceful little planet where we can have a pleasant walk and a really good lunch."
"Peaceful and pleasant?" Martha asked in a teasing tone. "I didn't think those words were in your lexicon."
"Oi!" exclaimed the Doctor, trying to keep a straight face. "You've got properly cheeky since you came back, Doctor Jones."
"You like it though. You'd rather I teased you and kept you on your toes than ignored you."
"Is that right?" he asked, looking down at her in the most haughty manner he could manage.
She grinned up at him, clearly undaunted. "You know it is."
His arms circled her and he kissed her forehead. "You know me far too well," he said.
"There are some things I don't know, though," she murmured.
"Such as," he asked, looking down into her upturned face.
"Doesn't matter," she answered, pulling away gently. "I'll be back in a minute." She disappeared, leaving the Doctor wondering what she'd been going to say.
Martha returned carrying her digital camera. "Thought I'd get some photos if we're just going to have a walk," she said. "Something to show the family next time I'm home."
He nodded, then turned back to console as he prepared to land the TARDIS.
~~~
Several hours later, they made their way back to the TARDIS, pleasantly full from a very nice lunch, and pleasantly tired by their long walk.
"Is your memory card full?" the Doctor asked.
Martha looked at her camera. "Not quite," she answered as he let them into the ship. "Why?"
"Thought I might take a couple of shots of you," he answered, looking anywhere but at Martha.
"Me? Why?"
"Oh just for posterity." He was looking rather pink about the ears.
She put the camera down on the console, then leant into the Doctor's side. "What's going on Doctor?"
"Nothing! Why would anything be going on?" he asked quickly, moving away from her to the other side of the console.
"Since when have you cared about taking photos for posterity? After all I've never seen any photos of any of your other companions around." She moved around the console towards him.
"Well if you'd rather not have your photo taken, don't," he said huffily. He moved away from her, disappearing quickly into the depths of the TARDIS.
* * * * * *
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt! (6/6)
"What was all that about?" she wondered, picking up her camera and heading into the corridors. She checked the kitchen and the library without finding the Time Lord, then leant against the wall outside the library and closed her eyes. Into her mind came a picture of the Doctor, sitting on the edge of a four poster bed. She opened her eyes and patted the wall beside her with a quiet murmur of thanks, then headed deeper into the ship to the bedroom that he hardly used.
She didn't bother knocking when she reached his door, just edged it open and slipped inside. In the time that Martha had taken to reach his room, he'd flopped onto the bed so that he now lay on his back, his arms covering his face.
"Doctor?" She spoke his name softly, but he heard her, lifting his arms to look over at her standing just inside the door. "Are you OK?"
"I'm fine," he answered curtly.
She crossed the room and stood beside him, putting a tentative hand on his knee. "You don't sound very fine. Do you want to tell me what I said to upset you?"
"Nothing," he said flatly.
She kicked off her shoes, then climbed up onto the bed beside him. "You always were a terrible liar," she said quietly as she lay on her side next to him; he still had his arms over his face.
She put a hand on his chest, between his hearts. "Come on, Doctor, you know me, I'm a good listener."
He didn't answer and she shifted closer, then put her head on his chest where her hand had been. She felt him flinch and lifted her head to look at him. "Do you want me to go?" she asked.
"No." His voice sounded hoarse she noticed.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" she asked. "And don't say 'Nothing' again, because I won't believe you. Denial's not just a river in Egypt, you know."
He gave a weak chuckle, then heaved a big sigh, Martha's head rising and falling with his chest. "You and Sarah Jane have a lot in common, always persisting in wanting answers." He lowered his arms to hold her. "Since you've been travelling with me again, I've realised just how badly I behaved towards you the first time around."
"I thought we'd moved past that," Martha said. "We had that long talk after the business with the Sontarans."
He sighed again. "I know, but I want to make it up to you. I just - " He left the sentence unfinished.
"You just what?"
"I want to be with you," he said quickly.
Martha lifted her head and looked at him in puzzlement. "You are with me - oh!" She suddenly realised what he meant as she saw a blush tingeing his cheeks. She pulled away and sat up quickly. When she'd started travelling with him again a couple of months ago, it had been on the understanding that she didn't think of him that way any more. After she'd left the TARDIS, she'd tried dating a couple of guys, but it hadn't worked out as both men had resented the fact that her strongest commitment was to her new career.
"Do you really hate the idea?" the Doctor asked quietly.
"No." Martha spoke reluctantly. "But you know I won't stay with you forever, don't you? I've got a career and a family on Earth that I've every intention of returning to eventually."
She felt his hands on her shoulders. "It's usually me that gives the 'It's not forever' speech," he said softly. "If you want to stay for a bit, then come and go, there'll always be a home for you on the TARDIS." He kissed the nape of her neck and she felt a shiver run through her.
"That sounds good," she answered. "Thank you."
"Thank *you* Doctor Jones. Thank you for giving me a second chance." He nuzzled the side of her neck and she sighed softly. He seemed to take that as an invitation and began to undress her.
Maybe, she thought hazily as his tongue began to do pleasurable things to her body, she could have the best of both worlds, just for a while.
Author: Persiflage_1
Characters/Pairings: Martha/Ten
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Season 4 (Mild)
Disclaimer: I don't even own my brain any more, never mind Doctor Who!
Author Notes: The seventh set of my Not-Drabbles written for ladymako71's 1001 Whovian Nights Drabble Fest. Go, join in - it's Classic and New Who - and if you want to cheer and/or offer prompts, do so here !
All these prompts are from padawanpooh
~~~~~~
Broken toe
Martha sat in the TARDIS library with her sock-clad feet in the Doctor's lap. She was leaning back against the arm of the sofa with her eyes closed and a smile on her face as he read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory aloud to her. They were having a rare few days off from running around saving the world, mostly because Martha was currently incapable of running, or even of walking much, owing to the fact their last 'adventure' had left her with a broken toe.
They'd arrived at one in the morning on the east coast of America to find a hurricane approaching rapidly. They had immediately started to evacuate the families, intending to take them all aboard the TARDIS and move the ship into the Vortex until the hurricane had passed. They were just getting out the last family and Martha was carrying a small boy who was too young to run as well as shepherding two slightly older children: with her attention divided between the three children and the already gale-force wind that was threatening to flatten the house behind them, she hadn't seen the large boulder at the edge of the garden path, but her foot had found it.
In spite of her agony, she managed to reach the TARDIS without dropping Danny and the Doctor had got them away just ahead of the hurricane hitting the town. It was only half an hour later that the Doctor had noticed she was limping badly and had carried her to the Med Bay, in spite of her protests, and discovered she'd broken her little toe. He'd strapped it to the next toe under Martha's direction, then he'd given her some strong painkillers and put her to bed whilst he took the families back home. She'd slept for hours whilst he helped the townspeople get themselves organised with shelter and supplies.
Since then he'd been pampering her thoroughly and Martha was rather enjoying the experience. They'd been on the go nearly non-stop since she'd started travelling with him again and the enforced rest was a nice change of pace and to her surprise even the Doctor didn't seem to mind.
He finished the book and looked at Martha over his glasses. "We should watch the movie now, see how it compares," he suggested.
She opened her eyes. "Which one? The Wilder version or the Depp one?"
"Both?" he suggested.
"OK." She grinned at him, and he grinned back, then lifting her feet carefully from his lap, stood up, stretched, then picked Martha up in his arms.
She slipped her right arm around his neck and held onto his right arm with her left hand. She had given up objecting to his insistence on carrying her from room to room. Once in the TARDIS' TV lounge, he settled her on the sofa then dug out the two DVDs and waved them at Martha.
"Wilder or Depp first?" he asked.
"Let's watch them in order of release, shall we?"
He nodded, then placed the first disc into the player, before moving back to the sofa and settling himself comfortably. Martha sat sideways with her back against his left shoulder and her legs stretched along the sofa.
"This is nice," he murmured as he wrapped his arms around her middle.
"Yes it is." Whilst breaking her toe had been painful, she was definitely enjoying the consequences.
* * * * * *
Quest (1/6)
The Doctor was on a quest. He was positive there should still be a bar of chocolate in the TARDIS kitchen, but so far he had been unable to locate it. He had managed to unearth some rather nice spicy tea that he'd forgotten he possessed, and he was currently standing with his eyes closed, inhaling its scent from the tin and remembering the trip with Ace when they'd bought this particular brand. They'd made a short side trip to Abendessen, a resort for tea lovers, and despite Ace's protests that it was boring, they'd quite enjoyed themselves there.
He really ought to take Martha there some time, he decided: she would probably enjoy it, although she was more of a coffee person, except when she had hot chocolate if she was in need of some relaxation.
He leant against the counter, trying to remember whether there were any resorts for coffee lovers. Of course he could always take her to Cadbury World - the planet, not the factory in England - he was fairly certain she'd enjoy a visit there.
He heaved a sigh, then set the tin of tea aside and went back to searching through the cupboards for that elusive bar of chocolate.
* * * * * *
Caught in the Act (2/6)
The Doctor had turned the kitchen cupboards inside out but he hadn't managed to find the bar of chocolate he was searching for.
He perched on the edge of the table, chewing his thumb as he contemplated his next move. It was annoying that he was having such a strong craving for chocolate but there was nothing he could do about that; at least it would be satisfied once he had some chocolate.
"Aha!" he exclaimed suddenly, sliding off the table. He'd just remembered that Martha usually kept a stash of chocolate in her room: she was particularly partial to eating it when she was feeling stressed.
He slipped out of the kitchen and tiptoed along the corridors towards her room. He wasn't quite sure why he was tiptoeing since he knew she was safely ensconced in the library, doing some research for a paper she intended to submit, but better safe than sorry.
Reaching her door he slipped inside her room and headed for her desk, remembering that he'd seen her chocolate stash in the bottom drawer just recently. He edged the drawer open stealthily and peered into the drawer in the half light coming from the corridor. He hadn't bothered turning on the light in her room since his eyesight was better than that of the average human.
His hand closed around a large bar of fruit and nut and he pulled it from the drawer with a satisfied grin, then jumped nearly a foot in the air when the light snapped on and Martha spoke from the doorway.
"You're for it now, mister."
He dropped the chocolate guiltily and turned to face his companion's wrath. She was scowling across the room at him, her arms folded across her chest and he realised he had no idea how he was going to bluff his way out of this one.
"How did you know I was in here?" he asked plaintively.
"The TARDIS gave me a mental nudge to come in here," she answered, reaching out to pat the wall beside her.
Traitor! he told her and got a smug hum back.
"If you wanted some chocolate, all you had to do was come and ask," Martha continued, "since you knew I usually keep some on board." She walked towards him. "What made you think you had to sneak around and steal it?"
He hung his head and scuffed one Converse-clad foot across the carpet. "Don't know," he answered, sounding more like a four year old than a centuries old Time Lord.
She scooped up the bar of chocolate and held it out, and he took it tentatively. "If you're that desperate that you're reduced to stealing it, you'd better have it," she told him, then turned and walked out, leaving behind a very confused Time Lord.
* * * * * *
Sandcastles (3/6)
The Doctor took the bar of chocolate to the Control Room to eat, wondering just how much trouble he was in with Martha. Perhaps, he thought as he sat with his feet up on the edge of the console, he could pre-empt any punishment she might be meditating by taking her somewhere nice, after all she could probably do with a break from her research.
He remembered his earlier thought about taking her to Cadbury World, but decided that might be a bit too much like rubbing her nose in it, given that he'd stolen her chocolate. Then he remembered his earlier thought about taking her to Abendessen. He popped the final square of chocolate into his mouth, then slid off the Captain's chair and moved to the console to set the coordinates. Yes, Abendessen would be a good place to start. He would also have to make sure they stopped off somewhere so that he could replace the chocolate he'd eaten, and top up her stock as well.
He released the handbrake and then sauntered down the corridor to the library to let Martha know where they were going.
He found her in her usual spot in the library, a desk below an artificial window that the TARDIS had created just for her so that she could look out of it when she needed to think. As he approached he saw that the desk, a huge oak one that the TARDIS had also provided, was piled high with books, data pads and papers, and he felt a sudden surge of pride in his companion: in the eighteen months since she'd left him to look after her family and finish her studies, she'd become an MO with UNIT and a budding Xenologist.
He got close enough to see that the window above her desk was showing a view of a pale blue beach with an enormous and intricate sandcastle in the middle distance, and he paused behind Martha's chair to look at it, wondering if the view was her choice or that of the TARDIS.
"Martha."
"Mmm?" She didn't look up from the data pad that she was engrossed by.
"I thought you might like a break from your research, so we're going to Abendessen."
"Mmm."
He knelt down beside the desk to bring his face closer to hers. "And I wanted to say sorry," he said.
She looked up at that. "You're sorry?"
He nodded, a sorrowful expression on his face.
"You're a fool," she told him, her attention back on the data pad.
"I know." He rested his head on her shoulder, looking down at her neat notes.
"Doctor?"
"Yes Martha?"
"What are you doing?" She shifted her shoulder slightly.
"Sorry, is that uncomfortable?" He lifted his head again.
"Well it is my writing arm," she said, turning her head to look into his dark brown eyes.
"Sorry."
She sighed. "That's three sorrys in less than three minutes," she observed.
He opened his mouth to apologise again, then snapped it shut again.
She shook her head. "Give me ten minutes to finished reading this," she said, waving a hand at the data pad, "then I'll be with you."
"OK." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek then got up and wandered away, leaving Martha looking thoughtfully after him.
* * * * * *
Mermaids (4/6)
Martha finished her notes, then tidied up her desk before getting up and stretching. She made her way to the Control Room where she found the Doctor sitting with his feet up on the edge of the console.
She sat down beside him on the Captain's chair and he moved his left arm off the back of the chair to put it around her shoulders.
She gave him an enquiring look and he gave her a nervous smile. "Are we still friends?"
"Do you really think I'm so immature that I'd stop being your friend just because you stole my chocolate?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Just, you know, checking," he said, sounding nervous.
She shook her head. "I suppose you think I'm cooking up some sort of punishment for you?"
"Maybe."
"What could I possibly do to punish you?" she asked. "You're a powerful Time Lord, I'm just a human."
"You'd only have to stop travelling with me," he said quietly. "that would be punishment enough."
"Well I've no plans to stop any time soon," Martha said. "UNIT agreed to me travelling with you, so until they decide otherwise, you're stuck with me."
"Good."
~~~
After Abendessen, the Doctor took Martha to Sereia where they took a boat trip out to an island said to be the home of a group of mermaids.
"I always thought mermaids were a myth," she commented to the Doctor as he helped her off the boat.
"You might be surprised how many Earth myths are based in actual fact," he told her as they made their way along the jetty, following the guide who'd brought them from the mainland.
They didn't have far to walk before they reached a cove where the guide told them that the mermaids could sometimes be seen. He left them there, telling them he'd be returning to the mainland within two hours.
The Doctor took off his coat and spread it on the grass, then he and Martha settled down to watch for the mermaids. She lay on her stomach with her face propped on her hands, and the Doctor settled beside her; he found himself watching her face as she watched the cove for any sign of activity.
"I can feel you watching me," Martha said suddenly.
"Does it bother you?" he asked softly.
"It's disconcerting," she answered honestly. She didn't say that she wasn't used to it, they both knew that without her saying it.
He flopped over onto his back and closed his eyes against the sunlight above them. "Then I won't do it," he assured her.
She suddenly grabbed his shoulder. "Mermaids," she said quietly and he quickly rolled over and looked down into the cove. Sure enough, three mermaids were pulling themselves up out of the water to bask on the rocks in the sunshine. They watched for half an hour before heading back to the jetty to take the boat back to the mainland and Martha plied the Doctor with questions about mermaids all the way back to the TARDIS.
* * * * * *
Photography (5/6)
After their trip to Sereia, Martha went back to her research and the Doctor hardly saw her for the next week except at breakfast or if he took her some coffee in the library. He admired her dedication and enthusiasm, but after a week he'd run out of things to tinker with in the TARDIS, and his ship was clearly fed up with his tinkering if the number of times she'd zapped him was anything to go by. The following morning, therefore, Martha entered the kitchen to find breakfast waiting and the Doctor beaming at her.
"Right then, Martha Jones, where shall we go today?" he asked, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet as she seated herself.
She gave him a quizzical look, then smiled to herself.
"What's amusing you?" he asked immediately on seeing her smile.
"You're bored, aren't you?"
"Me, bored? With a brilliant mind like mine?" he blustered.
She nodded as she ate her first mouthful of scrambled eggs on toast. "You're bored," she asserted. "I've heard you cursing the TARDIS for zapping you because she's tired of your endless tinkering." She gave him a fond smile. "You want someone to show off to."
He stuttered and stammered but failed to say anything coherent, to Martha's obvious amusement as she continued to eat. Finally he sighed and flopped down into the chair beside her. "I like taking you to new places," he said quietly. "Your excitement reminds me of why I love to travel."
She flushed slightly. "Since I've finished my research, it wouldn't hurt me to take a break before I start writing my paper," she observed. "So if you want to go somewhere, we'll go somewhere."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then vanished to the Control Room. Martha shook her head, thinking that for all his great age and experience, he was still very like a small boy in many respects. The kissing was fairly new though: he'd kissed her on the cheek quite a few times lately and she wondered why since he'd never done it before.
She finished her breakfast, then headed to the Control Room to see where the Doctor had decided to go.
"So where are we going?" she asked.
"Fotofor," he said. "It's a peaceful little planet where we can have a pleasant walk and a really good lunch."
"Peaceful and pleasant?" Martha asked in a teasing tone. "I didn't think those words were in your lexicon."
"Oi!" exclaimed the Doctor, trying to keep a straight face. "You've got properly cheeky since you came back, Doctor Jones."
"You like it though. You'd rather I teased you and kept you on your toes than ignored you."
"Is that right?" he asked, looking down at her in the most haughty manner he could manage.
She grinned up at him, clearly undaunted. "You know it is."
His arms circled her and he kissed her forehead. "You know me far too well," he said.
"There are some things I don't know, though," she murmured.
"Such as," he asked, looking down into her upturned face.
"Doesn't matter," she answered, pulling away gently. "I'll be back in a minute." She disappeared, leaving the Doctor wondering what she'd been going to say.
Martha returned carrying her digital camera. "Thought I'd get some photos if we're just going to have a walk," she said. "Something to show the family next time I'm home."
He nodded, then turned back to console as he prepared to land the TARDIS.
~~~
Several hours later, they made their way back to the TARDIS, pleasantly full from a very nice lunch, and pleasantly tired by their long walk.
"Is your memory card full?" the Doctor asked.
Martha looked at her camera. "Not quite," she answered as he let them into the ship. "Why?"
"Thought I might take a couple of shots of you," he answered, looking anywhere but at Martha.
"Me? Why?"
"Oh just for posterity." He was looking rather pink about the ears.
She put the camera down on the console, then leant into the Doctor's side. "What's going on Doctor?"
"Nothing! Why would anything be going on?" he asked quickly, moving away from her to the other side of the console.
"Since when have you cared about taking photos for posterity? After all I've never seen any photos of any of your other companions around." She moved around the console towards him.
"Well if you'd rather not have your photo taken, don't," he said huffily. He moved away from her, disappearing quickly into the depths of the TARDIS.
* * * * * *
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt! (6/6)
"What was all that about?" she wondered, picking up her camera and heading into the corridors. She checked the kitchen and the library without finding the Time Lord, then leant against the wall outside the library and closed her eyes. Into her mind came a picture of the Doctor, sitting on the edge of a four poster bed. She opened her eyes and patted the wall beside her with a quiet murmur of thanks, then headed deeper into the ship to the bedroom that he hardly used.
She didn't bother knocking when she reached his door, just edged it open and slipped inside. In the time that Martha had taken to reach his room, he'd flopped onto the bed so that he now lay on his back, his arms covering his face.
"Doctor?" She spoke his name softly, but he heard her, lifting his arms to look over at her standing just inside the door. "Are you OK?"
"I'm fine," he answered curtly.
She crossed the room and stood beside him, putting a tentative hand on his knee. "You don't sound very fine. Do you want to tell me what I said to upset you?"
"Nothing," he said flatly.
She kicked off her shoes, then climbed up onto the bed beside him. "You always were a terrible liar," she said quietly as she lay on her side next to him; he still had his arms over his face.
She put a hand on his chest, between his hearts. "Come on, Doctor, you know me, I'm a good listener."
He didn't answer and she shifted closer, then put her head on his chest where her hand had been. She felt him flinch and lifted her head to look at him. "Do you want me to go?" she asked.
"No." His voice sounded hoarse she noticed.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" she asked. "And don't say 'Nothing' again, because I won't believe you. Denial's not just a river in Egypt, you know."
He gave a weak chuckle, then heaved a big sigh, Martha's head rising and falling with his chest. "You and Sarah Jane have a lot in common, always persisting in wanting answers." He lowered his arms to hold her. "Since you've been travelling with me again, I've realised just how badly I behaved towards you the first time around."
"I thought we'd moved past that," Martha said. "We had that long talk after the business with the Sontarans."
He sighed again. "I know, but I want to make it up to you. I just - " He left the sentence unfinished.
"You just what?"
"I want to be with you," he said quickly.
Martha lifted her head and looked at him in puzzlement. "You are with me - oh!" She suddenly realised what he meant as she saw a blush tingeing his cheeks. She pulled away and sat up quickly. When she'd started travelling with him again a couple of months ago, it had been on the understanding that she didn't think of him that way any more. After she'd left the TARDIS, she'd tried dating a couple of guys, but it hadn't worked out as both men had resented the fact that her strongest commitment was to her new career.
"Do you really hate the idea?" the Doctor asked quietly.
"No." Martha spoke reluctantly. "But you know I won't stay with you forever, don't you? I've got a career and a family on Earth that I've every intention of returning to eventually."
She felt his hands on her shoulders. "It's usually me that gives the 'It's not forever' speech," he said softly. "If you want to stay for a bit, then come and go, there'll always be a home for you on the TARDIS." He kissed the nape of her neck and she felt a shiver run through her.
"That sounds good," she answered. "Thank you."
"Thank *you* Doctor Jones. Thank you for giving me a second chance." He nuzzled the side of her neck and she sighed softly. He seemed to take that as an invitation and began to undress her.
Maybe, she thought hazily as his tongue began to do pleasurable things to her body, she could have the best of both worlds, just for a while.