Title: Communication (1/?)
Author: Syreene
Characters/Pairing: 10Doctor/Martha
Rating: PG
Spoilers: none yet
Summary: Martha asks the TARDIS for help talking to the Doctor...
Disclaimer: Don't own Doctor Who...just a copy of his scarf.
Author's Notes: Continuing after my story "Keeping Appointments" - Another plot bunny that's been nibbling at my ankles...I'm crossing my fingers that you guys will like this one too.

Ever since returning to the Doctor and the TARDIS, Martha had been spending her free time in the med bay that the TARDIS had kindly made for her. She lay comfortably on one of the beds, her folded leg propped up on her other one and holding up the large book the Doctor had given her.

Collective intelligence phenomenon: "Gallifreyan communities have the capacity to evolve towards higher order complexity and harmony, through such innovative mechanisms as telepathic communication, differentiation and integration, competition and collaboration."

Telepathy, from the Greek τῆλε, tele meaning "remote" and πάθεια, patheia meaning "to be affected by", is a term used to describe the transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five classical senses

I've seen the Doctor use his telepathic abilities before…he used them on Peter the architect to reach him through his madness.

Martha closed the book and laid it on her chest, her arms wrapped around it as she nibbled on her thumbnail in thought.

What must it have been like…when your entire race was telepathic? I know how weird it felt when I first went to college, and my family wasn't constantly around me anymore. I felt lost…alone...

Martha shuddered at the thought of that feeling being a million times worse.

How must it feel? Being used to all those voices constantly being around you…
always feeling their touch…then all of a sudden, nothing, no one, emptiness and loneliness. No wonder it seems like he has a death wish sometimes.

Martha looked up at the ceiling of the TARDIS as if directing her thoughts toward the ship.

You have telepathic abilities, don't you? You help us Companions, letting us understand and read alien languages, and you talk to the Doctor all the time, don't you?

The lights in the med bay glowed in warmth, and the machines hummed happily as if in answer.

If you can communicate to him…and you can affect me telepathically…then couldn't you…connect us together? Could we speak telepathically through you?

The happy hum continued and Martha took it as an affirmative.

Okay…now I've just got to figure out how to ask him.

Martha grinned at the TARDIS as she got off the bed and put her book safely away. "You're fantastic, you are." She patted the wall fondly as she left the room.

The Doctor was in one of his usual places when Martha walked into the console room, this time under it tinkering. Martha sat cross-legged by his feet, her elbow in her lap and chin in her hand.

"What seems to be the problem, Doctor?" The Doctor asked as he pulled some old cloth wires out from the console in disgust.

"Oi, there you go taking my lines again," she said with a laugh as she thumped his foot playfully.

"I'm just updating some seriously old wiring, Martha. You, on the other hand, seem to have something on your mind. So…" he scooted out from under the console and winked at her, "What's up, Doc?"

Martha chuckled. "You've been saving that one up, haven't you?"

"I confess…It's nice not to be on the receiving end of that line for once." The Doctor said with chagrin. "Peri used to use that line on me all the time." The Doctor raised himself on one elbow and looked at Martha. "Seriously, though…you need to ask me something?"

"I was wondering," Martha began. "You know how when we'd go out venturing, sometimes we'd get separated or need a way to convey a plan to each other quietly?"

"Y-e-e-s-s-s…" the Doctor said, encouraging her to continue continue as he tried to think of a single adventure they had where they didn't get separated.

"And the TARDIS creates a telepathic field that helps me and that you communicate with?"

"Go on…" he smiled. The Castor? Nope...New York? Nope...New New York? Nope...and that year...

"Well, couldn't the TARDIS help us so that we could communicate telepathically?" Martha bit her lip after finally getting her question out…anxiously awaiting his answer.

The Doctor closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Doctor?"

"Sorry…I was just…I've missed this." The Doctor opened his eyes and grinned.

"Yeah…me too," Martha grinned. "My question, Doctor?"

"Yes…well…technically I guess we could," replied the Doctor as he looked up and rubbed his nose in thought. "No one's ever asked me that before, actually."

Martha beamed as she reached out and brushed the dirt off his nose.