Graduation
Who_Daily Link: < a href="http://persiflage-1.livejournal.com/229588.html">Graduation by < lj user=persiflage_1> (Characters: Ten/Martha, Francine Jones | Rating: PG-13 | Spoilers: None)
Title: Graduation
Author: Persiflage_1
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Martha, Francine Jones
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Summary: The Doctor and Martha celebrate her graduation quietly.
Disclaimer: I occasionally wish that I did own it!
Author Notes: This is a coda to "Nativitas", and it's a 'thank you' to fourzoas for the sterling work she put into beta-reading "Nativitas" during a very busy period at work. She requested some romantic fluff featuring Ten and Martha celebrating Martha's graduation, so this fic picks up directly at the end of "Nativitas".
Beta: The kindly catholicphoton
~~~~~~
To the Doctor's relief a regeneration proved unnecessary after Francine Jones heard Martha's account of recent events. He sat tensely beside Martha on the sofa, physically and mentally braced for a fierce rebuke, but it never came. Instead, Francine hugged them both, and spoke as sympathetically to him as to her daughter.
His expression must have betrayed his feelings - a mixture of relief and confusion - because Francine laughed softly and kissed his cheek.
"Doctor, Martha told me quite a bit about you in the last year, and it was fairly obvious to me that she cared deeply about you, even though she chose to stay here to help us deal with that year, and to finish her studies." She glanced from him to Martha. "Her account of the loss of your baby shows me that you care deeply about her. So, although I will worry about her as all mothers do, no matter how old their children are, I'm not going to tell you that you're not welcome here and risk driving Martha away."
"Thank you." He took her hands in his. "I promise that I'll look after her, although knowing Martha, she'll be looking after me."
Francine smiled. "Look after each other, it's the best way." She turned to Martha. "I had booked our usual table at the Market Tavern so that we could celebrate, but with Tish still in Nottingham, and Leo and his family sick, we'll have to postpone it for now. But perhaps you and the Doctor would like to make use of the reservation, if he's not planning to whisk you away somewhere exotic?"
He shook his head. "I didn't make any plans as I thought Martha would prefer to spend the evening with her family."
"Dinner out sounds nice," she said, sliding her hand into the Doctor's and giving it a squeeze.
"Then go, and have a good evening," Francine said, before hugging them both in turn.
Martha let them out of the house and then unlocked her car. "So, no regeneration for you after all," she teased.
"Believe me, it's a relief," the Doctor answered, smiling down at her. "Last time - " He broke off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"What happened last time?" she asked curiously.
"I was unconscious for several hours, and the Sycorax tried to invade," he answered. "I'll tell you the full story some other time, though."
"Okay," she agreed easily. She guessed that his desire to change the subject meant that Rose was involved somehow, but her predecessor was no longer a touchy subject between them. She'd made her peace with the Doctor in that regard after getting him to tell her what had happened to Rose.
"What do you want to do after dinner?" he asked, breaking into her thoughts as she parked near the pub-restaurant.
Martha shrugged. "I don't know. I'll tell you after dinner."
"Okay. By the way, I told your mum earlier that we might be around for a few days."
"You did?" He nodded. "How come?"
It was the Doctor's turn to shrug. "I thought you might like to spend a little time with them, especially since Francine was the only one to get to your graduation. Of course, I didn't know then that you were going to tell her about the baby."
"Do you mind that I told her?"
He reached over and clasped her hand in his. "Of course not," he said gently. "She's your mother. Even if Francine had sent me away with a flea in my ear, I'd still have rather you'd told her than not."
She shifted her hand so that she could hold his properly, then leaned across and kissed him softly. "Thank you. Have I told you, Mr Smith, that you're turning quite mellow in your old age?"
"Less of the 'old'," he chided, but she could see he was smiling. "If I am mellowing, it's your doing," he told her, returning her kiss.
"Are you sure you want to eat out?" Martha asked, after he released her mouth.
"Yes," he answered firmly. "You deserve a treat."
She nodded, and they got out of the car and headed towards the front door of the Market Tavern.
Over dinner they discussed what topics Martha's exams had covered, and which areas her friends were intending to specialise in now they'd graduated.
"Let's not bother with dessert," she suggested as they finished their chicken Caesar salads. "I've got some ice cream in the freezer at home - let's go and eat that while we watch a movie."
The Doctor smiled. "If that's what you want to do, I can manage that."
"Good." She waited while he paid their bill, then took his arm and led him back outside. "Just think," she said quietly, looking across the square to the entrance of an alley they both knew. "If I hadn't gone with you that night, our lives would've turned out very differently."
He glanced over, then back down at Martha's face. "Do you regret that you did?" he asked.
She looked up into his face and saw that, although his tone was light, his expression was serious. "On the whole, no," she answered, wrapping her arms around him.
He ducked his head for a kiss, then a voice broke into their private moment.
"Oi, you two! Get a room!"
They broke apart and turned, startled, to see a man in his thirties stagger past, leering at them.
"Perhaps we should head home," Martha suggested with a little giggle.
"Yes." The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they made their way to her car.
They drove back to Martha's flat and she let them in, both of them smiling at the sight of the TARDIS parked neatly in the hall.
"Where do you want to sleep tonight?" he asked. "In our room onboard, or in your room here?"
She raised her eyebrows. "I hadn't really thought about it," she answered. "But onboard, I think."
He nodded, then hung his coat next to Martha's in the hall. "I'm just going to use your bathroom," he told her as she headed towards the kitchen for the ice cream.
Ten minutes later they were settled on the sofa, Martha snuggled up against the Doctor's side as they watched Lost in Austen and ate the ice cream.
"This is completely daft," he said, half way through the second episode.
"Of course it is," she agreed. "But I think that's the point."
He grunted an acknowledgement, his attention still fixed on the screen.
Once the credits rolled on the final episode, he took the empty ice cream tub, spoons, and empty glasses into the kitchen while Martha sorted out the DVD and TV, then they headed to their room on the TARDIS.
"I think I prefer Colin Firth as Mr Darcy," the Doctor observed as they undressed.
Martha giggled. "You can be a bit Mr Darcy-ish yourself," she said.
"Cheeky," he retorted, but she could see he was trying not to smile. "I think you're more beautiful than Lizzy Bennet, or Jane for that matter."
"Now who's daft?" she asked, blushing, but he could see she was pleased.
"Oh me, definitely," he answered, pulling her down onto the bed with him. "Daft about you, anyway."
She shook her head, even as she draped herself over his body. The Doctor groaned softly as she wriggled against him, then reached out and grabbed a condom from the bedside table.
"I'd better get some more of these tomorrow," he said huskily as Martha deftly rolled it down his length. "I'll do some food shopping as well, while you're visiting your family."
"Very domestic of you, Mr Smith," she teased, then positioned herself to allow him to slide up into her heat.
He gasped, then frowned at her. "Well, if you don't want to eat," he began.
"Oh, I do," she assured him quickly.
"Well then, one of us will need to be domestic soon, and I thought you'd prefer to spend as much time with your family as possible."
"I would. You're very sweet," she told him. "I just like to tease you."
"Minx," he growled, then rolled them over.
Martha grinned up at him, and he wondered if she'd been teasing him simply to make him react as he had. He decided that he didn't mind, but he was going to get his own back; he drove her to the brink of orgasm three times but refused to let her climax until the fourth time when he could no longer hold off his own release.
"Now who's a tease?" she murmured once they'd caught their breath and he'd moved off her.
"What's sauce for the goose," he told her, pulling her closer, then tugging the duvet over them both.
Martha chuckled, then kissed his cheek before drifting into sleep, happy and sated.
Title: Graduation
Author: Persiflage_1
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Martha, Francine Jones
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Summary: The Doctor and Martha celebrate her graduation quietly.
Disclaimer: I occasionally wish that I did own it!
Author Notes: This is a coda to "Nativitas", and it's a 'thank you' to fourzoas for the sterling work she put into beta-reading "Nativitas" during a very busy period at work. She requested some romantic fluff featuring Ten and Martha celebrating Martha's graduation, so this fic picks up directly at the end of "Nativitas".
Beta: The kindly catholicphoton
~~~~~~
To the Doctor's relief a regeneration proved unnecessary after Francine Jones heard Martha's account of recent events. He sat tensely beside Martha on the sofa, physically and mentally braced for a fierce rebuke, but it never came. Instead, Francine hugged them both, and spoke as sympathetically to him as to her daughter.
His expression must have betrayed his feelings - a mixture of relief and confusion - because Francine laughed softly and kissed his cheek.
"Doctor, Martha told me quite a bit about you in the last year, and it was fairly obvious to me that she cared deeply about you, even though she chose to stay here to help us deal with that year, and to finish her studies." She glanced from him to Martha. "Her account of the loss of your baby shows me that you care deeply about her. So, although I will worry about her as all mothers do, no matter how old their children are, I'm not going to tell you that you're not welcome here and risk driving Martha away."
"Thank you." He took her hands in his. "I promise that I'll look after her, although knowing Martha, she'll be looking after me."
Francine smiled. "Look after each other, it's the best way." She turned to Martha. "I had booked our usual table at the Market Tavern so that we could celebrate, but with Tish still in Nottingham, and Leo and his family sick, we'll have to postpone it for now. But perhaps you and the Doctor would like to make use of the reservation, if he's not planning to whisk you away somewhere exotic?"
He shook his head. "I didn't make any plans as I thought Martha would prefer to spend the evening with her family."
"Dinner out sounds nice," she said, sliding her hand into the Doctor's and giving it a squeeze.
"Then go, and have a good evening," Francine said, before hugging them both in turn.
Martha let them out of the house and then unlocked her car. "So, no regeneration for you after all," she teased.
"Believe me, it's a relief," the Doctor answered, smiling down at her. "Last time - " He broke off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"What happened last time?" she asked curiously.
"I was unconscious for several hours, and the Sycorax tried to invade," he answered. "I'll tell you the full story some other time, though."
"Okay," she agreed easily. She guessed that his desire to change the subject meant that Rose was involved somehow, but her predecessor was no longer a touchy subject between them. She'd made her peace with the Doctor in that regard after getting him to tell her what had happened to Rose.
"What do you want to do after dinner?" he asked, breaking into her thoughts as she parked near the pub-restaurant.
Martha shrugged. "I don't know. I'll tell you after dinner."
"Okay. By the way, I told your mum earlier that we might be around for a few days."
"You did?" He nodded. "How come?"
It was the Doctor's turn to shrug. "I thought you might like to spend a little time with them, especially since Francine was the only one to get to your graduation. Of course, I didn't know then that you were going to tell her about the baby."
"Do you mind that I told her?"
He reached over and clasped her hand in his. "Of course not," he said gently. "She's your mother. Even if Francine had sent me away with a flea in my ear, I'd still have rather you'd told her than not."
She shifted her hand so that she could hold his properly, then leaned across and kissed him softly. "Thank you. Have I told you, Mr Smith, that you're turning quite mellow in your old age?"
"Less of the 'old'," he chided, but she could see he was smiling. "If I am mellowing, it's your doing," he told her, returning her kiss.
"Are you sure you want to eat out?" Martha asked, after he released her mouth.
"Yes," he answered firmly. "You deserve a treat."
She nodded, and they got out of the car and headed towards the front door of the Market Tavern.
Over dinner they discussed what topics Martha's exams had covered, and which areas her friends were intending to specialise in now they'd graduated.
"Let's not bother with dessert," she suggested as they finished their chicken Caesar salads. "I've got some ice cream in the freezer at home - let's go and eat that while we watch a movie."
The Doctor smiled. "If that's what you want to do, I can manage that."
"Good." She waited while he paid their bill, then took his arm and led him back outside. "Just think," she said quietly, looking across the square to the entrance of an alley they both knew. "If I hadn't gone with you that night, our lives would've turned out very differently."
He glanced over, then back down at Martha's face. "Do you regret that you did?" he asked.
She looked up into his face and saw that, although his tone was light, his expression was serious. "On the whole, no," she answered, wrapping her arms around him.
He ducked his head for a kiss, then a voice broke into their private moment.
"Oi, you two! Get a room!"
They broke apart and turned, startled, to see a man in his thirties stagger past, leering at them.
"Perhaps we should head home," Martha suggested with a little giggle.
"Yes." The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they made their way to her car.
They drove back to Martha's flat and she let them in, both of them smiling at the sight of the TARDIS parked neatly in the hall.
"Where do you want to sleep tonight?" he asked. "In our room onboard, or in your room here?"
She raised her eyebrows. "I hadn't really thought about it," she answered. "But onboard, I think."
He nodded, then hung his coat next to Martha's in the hall. "I'm just going to use your bathroom," he told her as she headed towards the kitchen for the ice cream.
Ten minutes later they were settled on the sofa, Martha snuggled up against the Doctor's side as they watched Lost in Austen and ate the ice cream.
"This is completely daft," he said, half way through the second episode.
"Of course it is," she agreed. "But I think that's the point."
He grunted an acknowledgement, his attention still fixed on the screen.
Once the credits rolled on the final episode, he took the empty ice cream tub, spoons, and empty glasses into the kitchen while Martha sorted out the DVD and TV, then they headed to their room on the TARDIS.
"I think I prefer Colin Firth as Mr Darcy," the Doctor observed as they undressed.
Martha giggled. "You can be a bit Mr Darcy-ish yourself," she said.
"Cheeky," he retorted, but she could see he was trying not to smile. "I think you're more beautiful than Lizzy Bennet, or Jane for that matter."
"Now who's daft?" she asked, blushing, but he could see she was pleased.
"Oh me, definitely," he answered, pulling her down onto the bed with him. "Daft about you, anyway."
She shook her head, even as she draped herself over his body. The Doctor groaned softly as she wriggled against him, then reached out and grabbed a condom from the bedside table.
"I'd better get some more of these tomorrow," he said huskily as Martha deftly rolled it down his length. "I'll do some food shopping as well, while you're visiting your family."
"Very domestic of you, Mr Smith," she teased, then positioned herself to allow him to slide up into her heat.
He gasped, then frowned at her. "Well, if you don't want to eat," he began.
"Oh, I do," she assured him quickly.
"Well then, one of us will need to be domestic soon, and I thought you'd prefer to spend as much time with your family as possible."
"I would. You're very sweet," she told him. "I just like to tease you."
"Minx," he growled, then rolled them over.
Martha grinned up at him, and he wondered if she'd been teasing him simply to make him react as he had. He decided that he didn't mind, but he was going to get his own back; he drove her to the brink of orgasm three times but refused to let her climax until the fourth time when he could no longer hold off his own release.
"Now who's a tease?" she murmured once they'd caught their breath and he'd moved off her.
"What's sauce for the goose," he told her, pulling her closer, then tugging the duvet over them both.
Martha chuckled, then kissed his cheek before drifting into sleep, happy and sated.