"Hello?"
"Jack!"
"Martha?"
She smiled at the surprise in his voice. "Who else calls you on what I assume is a secure Torchwood phone line?"
"Actually, it's a cell phone, but that's not the point. Is there something wrong?"
"Huh?"
"Is there an emergency?"
"Do I have to have an emergency to call you?"
"No, of course not, I just... What's going on?"
"It's Christmas Eve."
"And that's an emergency? I mean, beyond the usual alien invasions this time of year... You're still in London?"
Martha smiled faintly, a slight, bitter laugh escaping her. "After last year, the usual Christmas insanity isn't so scary." She had the feeling nothing ever would be again, after everything - just barely escaping Japan, the ruins of New York, their world destroyed... She shook it off, as she always did. "I'm calling because my mum wanted to know if you'd come to dinner."
There was a pause. "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"You realize I'm in Cardiff."
"Yes, Jack, I do remember that."
"And you're in London."
"Didn't we just establish that?"
"It's a long way away."
"So take the train."
"It's two and a half hours!"
"We'll wait."
Silence again. Martha waited for him to say something for a minute or two before giving up.
"Jack Harkness, you are not going to spend Christmas Eve alone, understood?"
She could almost hear his smile. "Yes ma'am."
"I'll be waiting."
"Yes ma'am."
