Own nothing, Buffalo Pictures owns Doc Martin. Merely playing around with these characters for a short while. Kind of an alternate universe version of Season 3 events … these move along more easily and playfully than the ones which actually unfolded in the series.

Modern Communication

Louisa looked at her computer screen, as she sat in front of it, about to grade a few papers, but procrastinating by checking her email first. Then she clicked the New Message button:

From: Louisa G.

Subj: Running By

Caught a glimpse of you today as you ran past. Were you on your way to saving someone, or just hurrying to keep your groceries from melting? I assume you indulge in all sorts of frozen delights … like many flavors of ice cream? What's your favorite flavor?

From: Martin E.

Reply to: Running By

Thank you. No, it was more the former than the latter. There was a minor emergency, so they said, at the shop up the hill from the school. The minor emergency turned out to be … well, it doesn't matter, since I wasn't really required, was I? For the record, I don't consume much ice cream. The fat content goes right to the arteries, and the sugar, well sugar is bad for us on so many levels. I can't really say that I have a favorite flavor.

Louisa: So I guess you won't be offering me any man-made confectionary treats, then? Only the natural kind? Fruits? Kind words? Sweet nothings whispered in my ears?

Martin: I'm not sure I take your point. I wouldn't want to offer you something that would endanger your health, would I? I like you the way you are. At your age, you don't want to be consuming empty calories. Optimum nutritional value should be your watchphrase.

Louisa: Ow. That age comment really hurts, Martin. Why do you write/say such things? It was only softened by the previous comment: you like me the way I am. Let's explore that, shall we? Exactly what do you like about me? Even a short list will really make my day.

Martin: I didn't mean anything specific by it. There's no specific list.

Louisa, to herself as she read the the email … some people do not get it, do they? On the other hand, he did respond …

Next day

Again, Louisa initiates an email to Martin.

Louisa: I may be feeling the need for a home visit from my doctor. If I'm not mistaken, I believe the time I will require said visit will be about 6:00 this evening. Do you think he'll come, I mean, stop by?

Martin: Well, if he's at all responsible, he'll show up. I mean, it's his job. On a more serious note, we should consider having you register with a different doctor. For medical/ethical reasons, I cannot see you personally and remain your GP, except in emergency situations.

Louisa: Ever the ethical doctor. Thank you, Martin, for keeping us on an ethically balanced plane. Now, back to the dark side … in any case, I wouldn't want him to feel obligated or only come out of a sense of professional duty. To reduce the inconvenience, I think I'll offer him dinner in the garden, if the weather permits.

Martin: Your GP may have to examine you. Is that better done in the garden or … somewhere more private?

Louisa: I'll be sure all private areas are prepped, ready for personal inspection, I mean, examination.

Martin gulped as he read her last email. He was very glad their correspondence was completely private and that Pauline did not have access to his email account.

Martin: See you at 6:00.

Louisa: I'll be ready and waiting. Oh, and I'll make sure I provide some nutritionally adequate dinner selections.

Martin: Thank you.

Next day

Early the next morning, just after arriving back at this surgery, changing clothes and whilst enjoying his second espresso and catching up on his emails, Martin took the email initiation plunge.

Martin: Thank you for dinner and a lovely evening. I can't remember when I've enjoyed an evening in anyone else's company more.

Louisa: No, thank you for a lovely home visit. I feel so relieved to know that you enjoyed yourself. I may need to consult with you again in the future. I almost feel a tickle at the back of my throat. Perhaps you will want to check it out?

Martin: No patient in the village, even one who is not my actual patient any longer, should suffer from a wayward tickle. Consider it done. I'll stop round later to examine you thoroughly.

Several hours later, Martin stopped by. Louisa let him in. When the door closed behind him, Martin put his arms around her, pulled her in for a full body to body hug, tilted her chin up and kissed her.

"No sign of the tickle, then? Glad you survived that medical scare," said Martin. "Perhaps you need me to examine you for other reasons?"

"Since you put it like that, Doctor, I think you probably should, just to be on the safe side," said Louisa conspiratorily. "Perhaps we should go upstairs so as to not be impede your examination … I will say, I'm enjoying the level of attention I'm getting from our local GP, whether he's my actual doc of record or not."

Next day

Louisa: I have a question for you. Do you ever work out at the Leisure Center? You're always going on and on about a healthy lifestyle, etc., but I never see you either swimming there (or at the beach), nor do I see you working out, nor do you appear to have any sort of cardio program. What kind of exercise regimen do you recommend?

Martin: Thank you for asking. As you must have suspected due to my extreme patience with my patients, I meditate and complete a full yoga workout every morning, prior to Pauline's arrival. It keeps me limber and focused, reduces my stress and improves my posture. Since I regard the body as a temple, I try not to pollute mine with any appalling influences, such as alcohol, or fatty foods, that sort of thing.

Louisa: But surely you've read about the studies concluding that a glass of red wine each day helps reduce stress and heart disease? Even I've read about these things, and it's the main reason I indulge each day. I consider it a critical part of my stress reducing routine. And thanks, I had no idea about your whole yoga thing. May I join you? What do you wear when you're doing it?

Martin: Well, if you must know, I wear yoga pants and a vest. If you really want to join me, I suppose you could, although you'll be a huge distraction to me, because I'll want to watch you doing your stretching … yoga will then have other pleasures for me besides the normal ones. But if you'd like us to establish more physical activities that we can do together, we could go for walks, I could even be persuaded to ride a bicycle (I think). It's unlikely I'll take up surfing … can't see myself in a wetsuit, no matter what you say. By the way, that whole red wine debate is pure fluff, concocted no doubt by the French to increase consumption of their wines.

Louisa: Ummm. Loving the thought of you in yoga pants, doing some stretches. Come to think of it, I could also well enjoy the sight of you out of the pants, still doing the stretches … Namaste.

Early afternoon, same day

Martin: Would you like me to prepare dinner tonight? I'm happy to cook something for us.

Louisa: That would be great. Thank you. Can I bring anything?

Martin: Just your lovely self. See you at 6:00.

Louisa arrived at Fern Cottage, with some flowers in a small vase. The kitchen table was already set, and the house smelled good from whatever it was he prepared. Martin wore an apron over his suit, as he stirred something in a pot on the cooker. Louisa walked up behind him and gave him a big hug, which made him jump just a bit (he didn't hear her let herself in).

"Can I just tell you something?" she asked. "I love that we're beginning to communicate a little more frequently and a little more easily. Don't you feel we're moving along at a better pace?"

"I won't argue with you, Louisa" said Martin. "I don't communicate with many friends via email, except maybe Chris Parsons, and he's a professional colleague as much as anything. But using email to send you a quick note now and again … well, it has been kind of fun. Plus I love the thought of you sitting in your office, reading my emails and feeling a connection that only we know about, no one else."

"I know. I love that too," Louisa confessed. "It's almost like having a secret life that no one knows about, because here in the village everyone sees everyone else all the time. The supposition is that we all communicate on the surface, and not by other means. Maybe we should start texting."

"Once step at a time. Besides my fingers are large and my mobile's keys are small. Texting for any amount of time will be trying in the extreme," said Martin.

"Well, just trying to stay in the spirit of things. I love that we're both stepping outside our comfort zones to explore how else we can communicate and be together," Louisa said. "The more time I spend with you, the more time I want to spend with you. How do you suppose that happens?"

"I'll agree with you there. Neither of us seems to have reached our limit yet, although I fear we may at some point," said Martin a bit ominously. "I don't want to wear out my welcome. Yet, that is."

"I'll send up a warning flare when you cross that line. Now, what's for dinner?" Louisa laughed.

He loved it when she laughed. These precious moments, when they were together, not interrupted by the villagers and their idiotic complaints, were more valuable than anything else in their lives at the moment.

A few days later

Louisa comes up with another thought, and immediately shoots off an email to Martin.

Louisa: Since you are a governor of the school, perhaps I should solicit your support of my next project. If you'd like to stop by later, I will tell you all about it.

Martin: I think you should know that whatever you're proposing should be carefully thought out, with all quantitative and qualitative issues carefully articulated and weighted, cost benefit analyses prepared, etc. I don't like to waste my time on half-baked proposals.

Louisa: I was about to lob the word buzzkill at you, but in fact, your demands, I mean requests, are not unreasonable. I will endeavor not to waste your (or anyone else's) time with my ideas. I should point out that if it turns out that you like my idea, and even support it, that in and of itself could start the Portwenn rumor mill churning.

Martin: So what exactly is your idea?

Louisa: I know you're not really into immediate gratification … so I'm going to make you wait until I see you. Wouldn't want to soften the impact.

Martin, as he read those words and to himself, "Rubbish, Louisa. I'm no different from any other man in this regard. I could get used to some immediate gratification, if only it presented itself from time to time."