The Second Chance

Based around the events of "Doc Martin" Series (Season) 6, Episodes 7 & 8

Warning: this story includes Season 6 spoilers

"You're my patient...and you're my wife."

Martin slowly walked away down the hospital hall, pensive, Louisa staring after him, wondering if he would keep his word.

Martin woke up suddenly, covered in sweat. He was sitting in the chair in his office. He peered into the darkness at the clock.

5am.

He glanced at the calendar pad on his desk.

It was Thursday. The day of the accident. A day before Louisa had told him she needed a break. Two days before Louisa had gotten on that plane. Three days before they had both finally, belatedly acknowledged that the status quo wasn't acceptable anymore.

Had it all just been a dream? Or rather a horrible nightmare...

Just to be sure, he tiptoed as quietly as he could upstairs and, opening the door to their bedroom a crack, looked in. Louisa, his beautiful wife was still there, uninjured and sleeping soundly. He felt a queer feeling in the pit of his stomach as he noticed the empty space beside her, where he should be. And there was James Henry, for once sleeping quietly through the night. A slight smile formed on his lips. His little family. They'd been through so much already. And yet where was he? Always in his office, fiddling with clocks and burying himself in medical journals and case studies. All the while, his family, his beloved family, the only real family he had, was slowly slipping away from him.

The thought sparked a deep-seated reaction, a sudden burst of conviction. How could he just stand by and let this happen?

Suddenly phobias and patients and his mother seemed of little consequence. Was this his destiny, his family's destiny? Logic told him that dreams aren't exactly reliable forecasters of reality, but this was of little consequence, he decided. The possibilities presented in the dream seemed real enough, if things continued the way they had. His beloved Louisa, damaged physically and emotionally, weary of years of disappointment and lack of affection. His marriage...their marriage, on the brink of collapse. His precious son, growing up with a physically or emotionally absent father. It sounded like a replay of his own, painful story.

It just couldn't come true. Surely, as Ruth had said, even he could change.

Scratch that. He would change.