Title: Ghosts from the Past
Author: slayersgrl
Rating: PG
Summary: Timelines intersect and the past meets the future. Martha makes a new friend and the Doctor encounters an old one.
Disclaimer: Utterly and completely not mine.
A/N: I'm been desperately trying to get this written for a while. And many thanks to mtemplar for the beta!
As Martha's eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light in her new accommodations, she swung around to make one last plea to the guard. "I swear I didn't know. But I've learned my lesson. I promise it won't happen again." Martha added a hopeful smile but immediately frowned as the cell door was slammed shut. "He could have warned me it was a patriarchal society," she mumbled as she picked at the itchy robe she had been instructed to wear. It was roughly the color of the sand that seemed to have swallowed the planet whole. Apparently her clothes had been deemed inappropriate. They wouldn't be in style for a few hundred years and several million light years away.
Martha took in her surroundings and noticed she had a cellmate. The room's other occupant was a young blonde, roughly the same age, who was wearing the same uncomfortable robe. Martha thought she caught a glimpse of dark roots in the dim stream of sunlight. But she was certain this society wouldn't approve of dyed hair.
"So what are you in for?" her cellmate asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Being seen in public without an escort," Martha replied as she sat on the other half of the narrow wooden bench.
"Me too," the girl replied. "My…traveling companion forgot to mention that to me."
"Funny, so did mine." The Doctor was never going to hear the end of this one. "I'm Martha by the way," she said as she extended her hand.
The other girl shook the offered hand and replied, "Rose. Nice to meet you."
Where had she disappeared to now? He really hoped she hadn't been kidnapped again. He didn't want a repeat of Colona 7. If he never saw another carnivorous penguin it would be too soon.
Realizing he was going about this the wrong way, he stopped at the local pub. Hopefully someone there had seen her. Beaming one of his patented smiles, he caught the bartender's attention. "Excuse me. I was hoping you had seen my…companion." He hoped she would forgive him for using the term, especially given the context on this particular planet. "We got separated in the crowd at the market. Golden hair, foreign dress. You really can't miss her." He was disappointed to receive a shrug in response.
"I think I saw your…companion," said a voice to his right.
He turned to see a man in a long brown coat sipping a bright purple concoction. If he hadn't been so preoccupied he might have considered buying the man a decent drink. While instinct was telling him the man wasn't from around here, there was something in those eyes that felt familiar. He had a feeling that this meeting wasn't entirely coincidental. But he had one priority at the moment: find Rose.
"I saw some guards taking her to the holding facility," the stranger continued, returning his attention to his garish beverage. "And I'd hurry if I were you. She didn't look too pleased."
"Thanks!" he shouted as he ran off to check out the new lead. "I owe you a drink!"
The Doctor watched Jack until he disappeared around the corner. He really shouldn't have interfered, but the former Time Agent was taking far too long to locate Rose. And the longer Martha was in contact with Rose, the more damage might be done to the timeline. His timeline. He absentmindedly swirled his drink and watched as it sloshed up against the edge of the glass. He did his best to convince himself that he was simply doing his Time Lord duty and protecting the established timeline. Because it hurt too much to admit he just wanted to see Jack one more time. The Jack he remembered, before Satellite Five.
"Here's to you, Captain. I think I would have enjoyed that drink."
"You're not from around here then?" Rose asked as she examined the door once again. They had been formulating possible escape plans since a timely rescue was looking less likely by the hour. So far nothing looked promising.
"No," Martha replied as she tested the bars on the tiny window over the bench. "I'm far away from home. Further than I thought I'd ever go." She paused as she realized just how distant home really was. "Tiny place, you've probably never heard of it," she added as she sat down once again. "The man I'm traveling with, he just asked me if I wanted to go with him. Out of the blue. I still can't believe I said yes."
"I had enough sense to say no," Rose said as she sat down next to Martha. "I had a life and responsibilities. But when he asked the second time, I knew I had to go. He said he could show me the stars. How could I refuse?"
In that moment, they each realized why the other was there. They longed to see all the world had to offer, from bustling marketplaces to musty prison cells. To lead a life worth living.
Martha couldn't help but laugh at the next thought that came to her. "Men…always making big claims just to impress a woman."
Any further conversation was interrupted by the cell door being swung open. There was a brief moment while they waited to see who was on the other end. Then an attractive man stepped into view.
"Jack!" Rose exclaimed. She moved forward as if to run over to him, but stopped short. It would probably land her back in jail for making a public display of affection.
"I've come to rescue you," Jack announced, trademark grin firmly in place.
"My prince in shining armor," Rose replied. "This is entirely your fault of course."
"I didn't think we'd get separated. Besides, it's all sorted now."
Rose frowned at his assessment. She had spent several hours in a cell, even though her company had been enjoyable. "You owe me."
"Anything."
"My choice. And I reserve the right to call in my favor at a future date."
"Fine. As long as we agree not to tell him about this."
"Where is…?"
"Still working on his ship," Jack interrupted. "If we're lucky, he won't realize we've been away so long."
"What about Martha?" Rose whispered. She was relatively certain the guards were just around the corner.
"Sorry gorgeous," Jack replied in Martha's direction. "If I try to claim two companions, I'll probably be thrown in here with you. Not that I'd be complaining, of course."
Martha smiled at the stranger's infectious charm. "That's alright. My friend should be along shortly. Once he realizes I'm gone."
"Time to go, sir," a guard called out from the hallway.
Jack offered his arm to Rose who quickly accepted. The pair waved goodbye to their new friend and then disappeared into the darkness beyond the cell.
Luckily, Martha didn't have to wait long. A half hour later, the heavy metal door once again swung open and she was met with a familiar face. "Ready to go?" the Doctor asked. Without waiting for a response, he turned and left. Martha had to hurry to catch up. They walked briskly in silence until they were almost back to the TARDIS. "Sorry it took so long. I came as soon as I could."
"Six hours was the best you could do?"
"I had to wait until you were alone. I couldn't risk crossing my own timeline. Very bad things tend to happen," Doctor replied as he unlocked the TARDIS.
"Hold on. You were sitting around waiting to rescue me? For how long?"
"About three hours. Maybe four…" the Doctor trailed off when he saw the murderous look on his companion's face.
"You left me in there an extra four hours? Why?"
The Doctor chose to ignore the question by setting a new location for his ship.
Then Martha realized what else he had said. And the pieces slowly slid into place. "She was your Rose."
"My Rose is gone," he replied as he fiddled with a few random knobs on his ship. "She was just a ghost from the past. A small reminder that time can be cruel."
Anything else he was going to say was cut off as the TARDIS landed roughly on a new planet. "Well I'm still here," Martha stated as she loosened her grip on the console. "Wherever here is."
The Doctor grinned and grabbed his companion's hand. They were both determined to ignore the echoes of the past and make new ripples in the future. As they both stepped out of the TARDIS into a bright new world, Martha couldn't help but ask, "Can you promise to skip the prison cell this time?"
The Doctor looked affronted at her suggestion. "Where's the fun in that?"