Companionship: Part One The End of All Things

A note from your Author: I thank you for coming and reading my story, I know nobody reads this but I would like to say this episode/story/chapters starts out right after "Gridlock." The Doctor and Martha go through some other adventures, but I don't feel like writing them, but the last known episode of Doctor Who was "Gridlock." Enjoy!

I do not own Doctor Who, but I wouldn't mind a couple meetings with David Tennant...

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The Doctor held the limp form as if his life depended on it. I swear if I lose her I'll… There was an explosion above his head as he ran through the twisted streets of London. This is just like when I lost Rose. I'm still just as helpless now as I was then, the Doctor cringed when he thought about her, but he forced his mind to stay with the body in his hands.

Within a few moments he had reached the beacon of hope, his TARDIS. As he furiously typed in the coordinates, there was another explosion outside the walls of his ship.

The Doctor took only enough time to gently lay the form down as he started to make other preparations. Before he pressed the final button the Doctor left the TARDIS and ran across the street it was parked on. Looking up the Doctor knew this was the best place for his plan to work. He raised his sonic screwdriver and pointed it straight up.

Angry electrical pops and crashes could be heard all around him, but he didn't seem to notice. Seconds later four giant, thick as your arm, cords fell down at the Doctor's feet. He quickly took them and harnessed them to the TARDIS.

Back inside the Doctor started in the final preparations of his plan. The TARDIS grinded and geared up at the weight it was pulling.

"Come on!" The Doctor yelled, grinding his teeth, "Come on! You pulled an entire spaceship, you should be able to pull a planet!"

The ship groaned in retaliation to the Doctor's pleas, and he gently stroked the panel.

"Come on, you can do it!" When he went over to the screen he started to shout. "Yes! Yes! Oh, brilliant, you did it, you smart little thing you." The Doctor started to laugh, his wide smile spreading across his face.

A groan behind him brought him down to his senses, whipping around the Doctor saw his companion watching him with a small smile on her face.

"You did it." She said quietly as the Doctor rushed to her side. "I knew you could." She looked at him with such trust the Doctor was overtaken with guilt.

"C'mon, lets get out of here." He smiled down at her and went back to the TARDIS computer. After a few seconds of watching the screen he punched a few buttons and the grinding stopped. "There, Earth back into orbit, not that anyone down there would know the difference." He turned back to see the figure trying to stand. "No, just stay, we're going to see some friends of mine."

Martha sank back into the floor of the TARDIS, comforted by the thought that the Doctor was going to take care of her. All she had to do now was hold on with all her might and pray the Doctor wouldn't see her die.

At whatever time, Martha couldn't tell, they landed in a place that seemed almost a utopia. Soaring spires and domes filled the sky. They had landed in a sort of outside garage, with different space vehicles parked around them. Martha's eyes widened when she saw all the strange makes and models surrounding their own small ship.

"Wha—" Before she could finish the Doctor explained.

"It's hospital, the entire planet, it was almost wiped out a few hundred years ago, contagious cold." His worried eyes brightened when she tried to laugh at his joke. The Doctor continued to carry Martha to the entryway at the opposite end of the 'parking lot.'

When they reached the doors different beings met up with them. Martha was reminded of the emergency ward at the hospital where she was training in. All of the aliens surrounded her, gentle touches to see where she was injured, until…

"Doctor!" The Doctor had released Martha and she was being taken away as he was forced to stay behind. The pained look on his face was all Martha needed to try and fight against her captors.

Unfortunately her body had already given up. Before she could even take a few steps towards him she collapsed.

"Martha!" The Doctor started to run, but before he could reach her the different attendants took her swiftly away.

A hand reached the Doctor's shoulder. He turned to see one of the Sisters of Plenitude trying to pull him away.

"Where have you come from?" The Doctor had a hard time talking to her; the last time he had met up with the sisters was when they were arrested for trying to breed humans to treat deadly diseases.

"Different places." He was intentionally trying to be vague. The sister sighed and pulled him through a small door. The room light up to reveal a few chairs and a breathtaking view of the planet. The sister smiled the Doctor to a chair and tried to ask him more questions.

"How did the girl contract her illness?"

"It isn't an illness she was just…" The Doctor stopped what did happen to Martha? They had been fighting a Jourius, an alien capable of leveling an entire planet, and he just saw Martha fall. The Doctor had a hard time swallowing when he relived that terrifying moment.

The Doctor took up a torch and waved it about. In an instant light turned on and the entire tunnel was bathed in a yellow glow. The Doctor turned around to glare at his companion.

"Sorry." Martha said sheepishly, taking her hand away from the switch. The Doctor rolled his eyes and started to make his way down the path.

Martha caught up to her mentor and tried her very hardest not to start asking questions.

"Doctor," she didn't try very hard, "Where are we going?" He gave her 'the look' and kept on walking.

After a while, when Martha had grown inescapably bored, the Doctor motioned them to stop.

"It's here." There was a hungry excited look in his eyes. He took his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the wires connecting the lamps. Little sparks shot out and the two were once again back in the darkness.

The Doctor went on, he never noticed when Martha fell away from his side.

When it seemed like they reached the center of the tunnel system the Doctor met up with what he was looking for.

A huge, giant, something out of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, was positioned inside the vast canyon of connecting tunnels. It was a giant squid. At least it was the pale impression of a squid. It was from the ancient race of Jourius, a race who took the form of any monster known and took joy in terrorizing and conquering worlds.

This Jourius had taken the name of Ahab. The Doctor had been following it all around London and throughout time.

"I see you've taken a different form." The Doctor casually said.

"As have you." Ahab replied. "We are two of the oldest beings on this planet, and yet you still refuse to see my side of the story."

"What is your side?" The Doctor was always ever curious.

"After the time war, we, my brothers and I, wanted nothing more than to go about our own business. We wanted to start fresh." The Doctor had a hard time believing this but he listened all the same.

"We need a place that is warm, we care not for pillaging anymore, and we just want to rest, far away from the ruins of the Time War."

"And that's why you've dragged this planet closer to its sun? To have a place that's a bit warmer?" The Doctor was astonished at the lack of compassion these creatures had.

"We are large beings you, Time Lord, wouldn't know the difference a single degree can make."

"But you're doing it all wrong, you didn't stop the planet, and now it's going to fall right into the sun!" The Doctor yelled. "I'm sorry you lost your home, but leave these people alone, this isn't a planet that you can just take over."

"Why? They aren't stopping us." Ahab started to laugh; a sinister chortle filled the space.

"But they have so much potential, why can't you go back to your own planet?"

"BECAUSE IT WAS DESTROYED!" Ahab screamed.

"And these humans had something to do with it? They are just learning to use their minds, if it took them this long what do you suppose they could do next? All you are doing is staying away from what's painful; you should go back to your home planet and rebuild. Make it even better than it was."

"Do you think I would change my mind simply because a Time Lord asked me to?"

"I'm not asking I'm telling." The Doctor said in a dangerous whisper. Before Ahab had a chance to react the Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver

Ahab started to laugh. "Do you honestly think that's going to finish me off?"

The Doctor brought down the screwdriver and rolled it in his palms, gazing fondly at the small metal piece. "Yeah, as a matter of fact I do." The Doctor pointed his screwdriver up to the ceiling and there was a tremendous crash. "You should always look up when you're picking out your dream home. They say the foundation is the most important, but I say if the roof is caving in who cares about foundation?"

There was a series of explosions and the entire roof of concrete fell onto Ahab. It was only then the Doctor noticed Martha was missing.

"Martha!" The Doctor screamed. This wasn't happening not again.

"Sir?" The Doctor looked up to see a white robed official, a universal sign of medicine. "I'm sorry to have to inform you, but the young lady… your companion, she's dead."

The world seemed to collapse around the Doctor. This isn't like it was with Rose; at least I can take comfort in knowing she's alive. Sinking into anything solid beneath him the Doctor started to despair.

The Doctor stayed in that room for days, neither sleeping nor eating. Those in charge of watching him grew more and more worried every day. They had tried to offer him food but he gently declined. They learned after the fourth day to just leave the food near the door and allow no one else in the room with him.

The same thought kept running through the Doctor's head. I was supposed to protect her, she trusted me. If I hadn't been so stupid in trying to go after Ahab then this wouldn't have happened. Oh, I'm going to have to tell her mother. The thoughts never ceased, but just slowly played over and over again in his mind.

On the fifth day, when all hope was lost both inside the Doctor's mind and outside with his caretakers, the Doctor finally fell asleep.

He was standing in the same place, at the same time. There she was, as immortal as his mind could make.

"Will I ever see you again?" She always started out saying the exact same thing.

"It's impossible." Her eyes filled with tears and then softened.

"How've you been?" As always she put her cares and feelings aside out of concern for him.

The Doctor smiled his usual smile and said, "I finally tracked down Ahab…" He wanted to tell her everything but that would lead to where he was at that moment. "He died." The Doctor finished off lamely.

Rose could see the pain behind the Doctor's eyes, and went out to reach for him. As always her hand passed through him and she cried out in dismay.

"Don't you want to be near me anymore?" She cried.

"Rose! Of course I do!"

"Then why is your mind blocking us?" She sobbed, the Doctor looked confused and tried to go to her but was stopped by an invisible barrier, "This is all in your mind," she said the tears rolling down her face, "you've created these barriers, you are the one stopping yourself." The Doctor tried to get to her but the barrier wouldn't let up.

Rose saw this and nodded, as if she accepted this grim fate. "I'm not the one for you Doctor, your mind knows that, even now you're distant from me…but I will always love you." With that she vanished along with the invisible wall holding the Doctor back.

The Doctor spent days trying to figure out just what Rose meant when she said she wasn't the one. It crushed his hearts to think that he would never see her again, but now she was rejecting him? You're mind is doing this he remembered Rose's words when they couldn't touch. It was true his mind was creating the scene with her, but he had a hard time believing what she was telling him.

Unnoticed by the Doctor a figure moved slowly through the nearly empty comfort room. She guided her way around emptied chairs to the only occupied seat in the room.

The Doctor barely noticed the soft, comforting touch on his shoulder. He had fallen so far into thought he had a hard time noticing much of anything. When he felt a hard slap at the back of his head, it jolted him out of his reverie.

"Do you make it a habit to slap people when they're not looking?" He questioned angrily.

"No, but when they aren't listening I can get a bit tense." The figure countered back.

The Doctor looked fully at this new person standing before him. She had very short brown hair; her eyes were a brilliant shade of green, which matched quite nicely with the blue hospital dressing gown she was wearing. She was a tiny thing; the Doctor knew if he were standing she wouldn't even come to his shoulder. Her nose was small and pointed, which made her look like a fairy the Doctor had seen on a planet a long time ago. Her entire body seemed to have lightness about it, as if she really could spread wings and fly away. The Doctor felt another slap on the back of his head as he thought back to the planet Terces.

"What was that one fore?" He asked rubbing the same spot on his head.

"The same reason, I've asked you at least seven times if you're ok." She placed her hands on her hips and stared down at him.

"I'm fine." He answered rather curtly, the last thing the Doctor wanted was for this girl to sit down.

"Tell me what happened." She said much more quietly, as she filled the chair next to him, "Tell me about your companion." The Doctor looked up in alarm, how could she know? "Well, I can't really tell which way you swing, so companion seemed like the safest word." The Doctor acknowledged this, but refused to answer. He wanted to be alone unfortunately this girl wouldn't leave.

"It helps to say something, just speaking works." She stared to go on about how bad the food was, the view she had from her window and other nonsense. It took awhile but the Doctor finally couldn't stand it.

"You know someone very close to me just died. You have no idea what that feels like so go and tell someone else about your soggy chips."

The affect was immediate, the girl's face contorted and she jumped away from the Doctor. "Don't just assume because I'm wearing this," she plucked at the fabric she was wearing, "means I haven't lost somebody, I've…" tears stared to prick her eyes, but the Doctor could tell she would fight them as hard as she could. "I'm stuck on this planet because my boyfriend had to go and die. So if talking about soggy chips allows me to cope with the fact I'm never going to see my home planet again then I'll talk about bloody chips all day long." With that she turned on her heel and stormed out.

She was just trying to help the Doctor's mind scolded. It took only half a second for him to jump up and run after the girl. On the other side of the door the Doctor looked down the corridors trying to see any small sign of her. Following his gut, he went down a small hallway and turned at the end to see an unmarked door. Without waiting to have curiosity set in the Doctor pushed open the door and found himself on a balcony overlooking a view of thousands of hospitals covering the entire surface of the planet.

The other person looked up from what they were doing to see the Doctor burst out.

"Are you coming to tell me off again?" She countered, still wiping the tears away.

"No," The Doctor whispered, "Sorry, about what happened back there, my companion, well she just died and I have to go back and tell her mother." The truth of everything started to set in and the Doctor could do nothing but stare at the view.

"There, that wasn't so hard." She said with a small smile on her face. The Doctor looked down at her triumphant grin.

"You mean that was fake?" He said disbelieving she could have tricked him.

"Well the story wasn't but the tears were, you'd be surprised I'm a very good actress." Her grin widened, and the Doctor allowed himself a very small smile.

"What're you going to do now?" He questioned, he didn't want a companion but he did want to help her.

"I dunno, probably stay here. I mean I get discharged tomorrow, so I guess I'll have to get a job so I can pay my way off this planet."

"What about the ship you arrived on?"

"Left. We got injured; they brought us here and then left for another job. Bloody pirates." She muttered under her breath with contempt. The Doctor allowed himself anther small smile when he thought back to the 'pirate' he knew so well.

"Where do you hail from?"

"Earth, for my part." The Doctor couldn't help but notice she didn't meet his eyes when she said this, and he wondered how a human could have gotten so far out here, and how a pirate ship could have gotten so close to Earth.

"Good planet, I have to go there and I guess I could offer you a lift." He backed away when she tried to hug him, I swear I'll never fall for someone again he thought remembering Rose's dream.

"Ok not so much of a people person." She shrugged, "Fine by me." She thrust her hand out, "I'm Beatrice." The Doctor was lost in thought since she had tried to hug him, he now looked down at her hand. "You're supposed to shake it." She hinted, a tiny smile fixing on her features.

"I know how to shake hands." The Doctor said sarcastically.

"Could've fooled me." Was the reply, the Doctor groaned, this is going to be a long trip.

Beatrice's surprise was somwhat lacking in the Doctor's eyes when he led her in to the TARDIS the next morning. She went in and looked around, apparently enjoying the interior design. She grinned when she went to the counsel looking at the mismatch of buttons, knobs, and wheels.

"The insides bigger than the outside." She commented after she had taken in the full of the counsel for five minutes.

"Yep." The Doctor was relieved she at least was a tad bit impressed.

"What's its name?" It was the Doctor's turn to be impressed, the way she asked the question made him believe she understood the TARDIS was a living thing and not a hunk of metal.

"The TARDIS." The Doctor said as if he were a proud parent. "It stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. It can travel anywhere. Through time, and different places in space."

"I kind of figured that when you said Time And Relative Dimensions In Space." She looked around at different things, and then lowered herself down to look under the counsel. "Your chameleon circuit is broken." She said as if it were as simple as telling him she was making a casserole for dinner.

"How…" The Doctor began but she interrupted him.

"Well I've never seen a Police Public Call Box as a ship. I think the last time they were around was, what, 1950's Earth? And there's a huge broken up spot down here, so I assume that was where the circuit used to be. Why don't you fix it?"

"I like it." The Doctor was glad he could finally answer something, "You're from the future, aren't you?"

"Sometimes," she did another circle around the counsel and then looked back at the Doctor. "Are we going to go back to Earth?"

"What's this? Don't sound so resigned, you get to go home, rather than spending your next few years on Hospital." She looked up at him dolefully.

"Would you want to go back to a planet that doesn't believe in what's out here?" Again the Doctor was speechless, but he refused to let her come along. Not after Rose, not after Martha. He was tired of constantly being there and watching all those around him die. He sighed and closed the TARDIS door behind him.

"Alright, Earth, Allons-y!"

Beatrice watched in fascination as the Doctor set the coordinates, he started to move into his own mind and soon forgot the girl next to him. He fell into his quiet tragedy and wondered how he was going to tell Martha's mother that her daughter was dead.

When the TARDIS lurched into its usual turbulence the Doctor was reminded of Beatrice's presence when he fell on top of her.

"I'm glad I didn't ask for the in-flight meal." She shouted over the roars of the engine as she pushed the Doctor off of her. They endured more minutes worth of hurling and jolting until the TARDIS became still. The Doctor went to the doors, not even checking to see what time or place they were in. Before he could open them he turned to look back at Beatrice who was trying to find her footing.

"I won't be long, and then I'll take you back to wherever home is." He paused for a second to make sure she understood and then turned back around.

"Do you know what you're going to say?" That sure stopped him in his tracks.

"No, how are you supposed to tell a mother that their child, one who was put under your care, is dead?" He knew if he had told Jackie that he would have regenerated early. Martha's mother, may not be as bad, but however her reaction the Doctor knew he deserved whatever anger she had.

"Would it be better if I went?" Beatrice was now standing next to him. He looked down at her ready to argue. "I know what you're going to say, 'it's my fault she died I should be the one to tell her mother.' But is that the best thing for her, hearing it from a third party may not be as bad, and if she really wants to hear it from you then I can go and get you. She may not be able to handle where her daughter was going. Just think." She looked up at his eyes and pleaded with him.

"Her name was Martha Jones," the Doctor said quietly, Beatrice was correct, what right had he to go into Martha's mothers place and tell her straight out her daughter was dead. The Doctor sank down in despair. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He said, his eyes downcast.

"I know, I'll find her," Beatrice quickly left the saddened Time Lord and went out into down town London.

Beatrice found the house easily enough. The TARDIS had been parked only a few blocks away. She had to wait on the other side of the street just to get her nerves under control. Walking across the street seemed to take away all the feeble control Beatrice had mustered. When she reached up to knock her hand was shaking and she quickly hid her hands in her pockets after her task had been completed. A strong featured woman opened the door. She looked like was the bravest person in her family, she could take on anything. But when she saw Beatrice at the door she seemed to buckle.

"Mrs. Jones?" Beatrice didn't even trust her own voice, how in the world would she get through what she had to do if she couldn't even say a greeting?

"Yes?" The woman took in every feature of Beatrice's face and before the girl had said anything she seemed to know what the visit was about. "My daughter… Martha?"

"May I come in?" Beatrice knew once she got inside the warm air her strength would return.

The Doctor watched as Mrs. Jones led the girl inside, and with a stab of pain they disappeared from his sight. He stood down the street and started at the door. Never again, he promised himself, never again will I allow someone to travel with me.

Hours went by until the door finally opened again. It was night outside and the Doctor couldn't see the look on Mrs. Jones' face. Beatrice made her way back to where the Doctor stood and stopped a few feet away from him.

"She's sad, but she's also really strong." Was all that was said and the Doctor followed her back to the TARDIS.

They stayed silent, both dreading the Doctor's next move. Despite the promise he had made to himself earlier, the Doctor enjoyed the company. Beatrice hated the thought of going back to her life, nobody was in it now that her boyfriend was gone.

"Well…" The Doctor started.

"Well…" Beatrice answered.

"Beatrice, I can't have any more companions. I can't keep living and always being left behind."

"Bea."

"What?"

"Bea, please call me Bea. I hate the name Beatrice. And if you want the world to revolve around you then so be it. You've made your decision, I can't change that. Well, I guess drop me off in France, 1856, I'll try and hook up with Victor Hugo." She sat down preparing herself for the bumpy ride.

"But you'll die. Don't you have family here?" The Doctor wouldn't allow anther to die on his behalf.

"Maybe, and no." The Doctor rolled his eyes, "I don't have any family, my boyfriend was the last and… well you know how that ended up. I could die and nobody would be none the wiser. Well, perhaps you." She had accepted this fact long ago, and glanced over at the Doctor.

"Didn't you ever have a family? What about friends, there must be someone who would miss you?" She looked away for a moment, she seemed longing something and there was deep emotion behind her eyes. She was on the point of saying something but changed her mind halfway through.

"Yes I did, once. But they're all gone now." Her voice was quiet but the Doctor understood.

"Well then I guess two lonely bags like us should stick together." She glanced up at him, and he smiled, "Now that you're going to be on board where should we go first? I bet since you know all about my TARIDS then you know the entire whole of the universe."

"I know a bit."

"Do you constantly do that?"

"What?"

"Say things that make me wonder if you're human or not."

"Maybe."