Comments | enitharmonwept: Fic: Shock Treatment

enitharmonwept

Fic: Shock Treatment

Jan 24, 2009 13:49

Title: Shock Treatment
Author: fourzoas
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Martha Jones, Ninth Doctor, Tenth Doctor
Spoilers: nothing past “Blink”
A/N: written for the Doctor/Martha Fic Challenge at smith_n_jones for the following prompt: Regeneration sickness - Martha sees the scary side of regeneration. Thanks to persiflage_1 and radiantbaby for their beta help.

( Shock Treatment )

inspiration: ficathon, character: ninth doctor, character: tenth doctor, character: martha jones, post type: fic

Comments 25

abstruse_fangrl January 24 2009, 22:38:04 UTC

This was such a great characterization of Nine following the Time War. There are balance of pain and fear and anger there that goes so well with what we see in S1.

Plus, in this fic, we get to see just how good of a doctor Martha is, especially when it comes to the wounds that you can't see. Oh! And I love that the TARDIS recognized her & helped her to treat the Doctor's injuries.

And Ten's acknowledgment of that day (and subsequent removal of that memory) just killed me. It almost makes you wonder how many times Martha could have met the Doctor on her journeys, but doesn't remember.

So much to love here. :)

fourzoas January 24 2009, 23:10:18 UTC

This was such a great characterization of Nine following the Time War. There are balance of pain and fear and anger there that goes so well with what we see in S1.

Thanks; I tried to think of what he was like in S1 and then work backward. I can't imagine he was even remotely pleasant to be around, not even for the TARDIS.

Plus, in this fic, we get to see just how good of a doctor Martha is, especially when it comes to the wounds that you can't see.

This is one of the things I think Martha does best--she heals his spirit. I liked playing with the idea that she laid the foundation for it long before he regenerated into Ten.

Oh! And I love that the TARDIS recognized her & helped her to treat the Doctor's injuries.

The TARDIS is wise, but I think it's more likely that she recognizes her as a future benevolent familiar (or somesuch); Martha has a key and intends no harm.

And Ten's acknowledgment of that day (and subsequent removal of that memory) just killed me. It almost makes you wonder how many times Martha could have met the ( ... )

abstruse_fangrl January 24 2009, 23:45:48 UTC

Just realized I did not catch the typos/grammatical errors in this comment before you replied. Doh!

This is one of the things I think Martha does best--she heals his spirit.

Agreed!

That could make for an interesting series...

Do I hear the hippity-hop of those ever-present bunnies?

fourzoas January 26 2009, 03:47:37 UTC

Do I hear the hippity-hop of those ever-present bunnies?

Get thee behind me, Satan! LOL--I wasn't really thinking about doing them, but I'll keep that in mind as I go.

mischief89 January 24 2009, 22:41:41 UTC

This was amazing! ::adds it to her 'fanon' list:: I really like how you wrote nine after all of that and the way the Doctor (Ten)instantly knew what had happened and the way he treated her when she got home. As heartbreaking as it is, though, I can see why he erased her memory. I don't think she'd really want to remember something like that and I'm sure Ten wouldn't want someone else to remember either. :(

fourzoas January 24 2009, 23:19:24 UTC

This was amazing! ::adds it to her 'fanon' list:: I really like how you wrote nine after all of that and the way the Doctor (Ten)instantly knew what had happened and the way he treated her when she got home.

Thank you! I find Nine fascinating and hope to write more of him; he's so raw and rough and almost--though he'd never admit it--human in his grief.

Ten has actually just remembered what's happened, so his response to Martha is, in a sense, a very fresh one. When he takes the memory of the day from her, it's as if he can't let himself have that moment either.

As heartbreaking as it is, though, I can see why he erased her memory. I don't think she'd really want to remember something like that and I'm sure Ten wouldn't want someone else to remember either. :(

Given Donna's reaction in JE and Martha's trek across the planet, I like to think she would want to remember; I think that he's more considering his own comfort, although he may be telling himself he's doing it for her.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the story!

mischief89 January 24 2009, 23:25:22 UTC

Given Donna's reaction in JE and Martha's trek across the planet, I like to think she would want to remember; I think that he's more considering his own comfort, although he may be telling himself he's doing it for her.

Then maybe I'm like the Doctor and am telling myself he's doing it for her, haha!

I most definitely enjoyed the story! :)

fourzoas January 24 2009, 23:40:07 UTC

Then maybe I'm like the Doctor and am telling myself he's doing it for her, haha!

LOL--I certainly won't deny you that pleasure, and it makes it all a bit easier for me to think the same sometimes; he's misguided, not willfully malicious!

I most definitely enjoyed the story! :)

Glad to hear it!

syien_island January 25 2009, 06:48:00 UTC

fourzoas January 26 2009, 03:50:07 UTC

Nine has always been one of my favorite Doctors, just simply because he was for me grittiest of 'em all. His reaction to Martha-"He was on her before she could finish her preparations, his right arm nearly crushing her throat as his left hand held her arms behind her back."-
isn't surprising, though I was stunned when he told her to get out (I don't think I would have handled it as calmly as she did, but that's because she's made of awesome and I'm made of un-awesome)

At first I wondered if that was too harsh, but given the gruffness he displays in "Rose," I could see the newly-regenerated Nine wanting to get her away from him as soon as he was well enough to be on his own. I think Martha gets some insight (although Ten wipes her memory before she can really profit from it) into his wounds from the experience.

And yes, she's made of awesome. I wish I was more like her!

The tender aftermath nearly brought me to tears.

*hugs you* It was really sad.

dk323 January 26 2009, 03:50:56 UTC

fourzoas January 26 2009, 04:17:32 UTC

Wow - poor Martha! I knew she would keep her cool during that tense encounter (she's usually put in the peacemaker position after all), but all the same - it had to have been a nasty shock for her. Considering that the Time War was probably still raw in Nine's mind, who could blame him for acting the way he did?

I hope I've been true to both of them; Martha's shaken by the encounter, but she doesn't let him see it and he's just so damaged, cause really--how could he not be? I think I want to spend some time writing Nine pre-"Rose"; he fascinates me.

Ten's thanking her after she gets back was sweet of him, but way to remind the reader that Ten can be a bastard (especially during season 3) sometimes.

Yep. He can be, especially where Martha's concerned.

I understand why he did it, but it still hit me when I read it - how dare he do that? But I'm glad you did go there - it is in character for Ten, imo.Thanks--as I've said upthread, I was a bit surprised that he did it myself, but I think it's what he would do, particularly in these ( ... )