The Future Ain't What It Used To Be
Part One
"Does it get any smoother than this?" cried Martha Jones as she collapsed onto her back for a fifth time. The Tardis didn't have the comfiest of floors, and she was sure she was going to find a few bruises when this thing finally stopped tossing her around.
"When she's found herself a steady course in the atmosphere," replied the Doctor calmly as he swayed around the console panel, remaining upright as the Tardis took an almighty lurch and sent Martha sliding across the floor and into the wall. Here, she clung on tightly, muttering under her breath. "You'll get used to it," he added as he leant over the panel, observing the array of flashing lights and screens that made no sense to Martha.
She tried to carefully pull herself upright, "Used to it?" she replied, holding on tightly just in case the Tardis decided to surprise her again. "I'm only here for one trip, remember?" She glanced over towards him, her arms coiled around the metal girder that made up the inner framework of the spacecraft. At first, the energetic ride had seemed entertaining and amusing, but it had quickly turned sour, especially when she spent most of her time on her back watching the Doctor prance around like this was completely normal.
"Well, yes, but we do have the trip back," the Doctor conceded, plucking a pair of black-rimmed glasses out of his pocket and propping them on this face as he squinted at the screen before him.
The ride was getting progressively calmer, and so Martha chanced a cautious step forward, of which was a brave thing to do on the high-heeled boots she had bought for her brother's party only a few weeks ago. Reaching the console panel, she held on, eyes exploring the curious insides of the ship. Looking back towards the Doctor, she noted the spectacles set upon his face, and she canted her head with apparent inquisitiveness. "You're an alien, and you wear glasses?" she sounded half-amused and half-exasperated.
The Doctor slowly peered up at her through said eyewear, displaying a boyish grin at her words. "Aliens can have eyesight dysfunctions too," he explained.
Resisting rolling her eyes at the amusement on the Doctor's face, Martha turned away from him and made her way across the Tardis, of which had now settled to a slow, comfortable rumble. "So, is this all there is?" she asked, looking around the ship.
"You couldn't believe it was bigger on the inside a moment ago," the Doctor muttered sceptically, going back to observing his console panel.
"Well, yeah, but this is just a control deck, where do you sleep and eat?"
He waved a hand aimlessly over his shoulder, "There's a couple of rooms in the back."
At his vague directions, Martha advanced behind him, finding a door on the back wall and carefully opening it. There was nothing but a spiral staircase that wound upwards to another floor. She raised a suspicious eyebrow before she ascended with slow, careful steps as the Tardis continued to fly. Ringing, repetitive clangs echoed about the narrow staircase as she climbed, reaching the top, which opened out onto a walkway of doors. "A couple of rooms?" she repeated with a disbelieving chuckle. She proceeded forward, taking in the long corridor with searching eyes. She tried the first door and it opened onto a bedroom. A single bed sat against the wall, a few personal items scattered here and there that looked like they belonged to a woman.
Martha quickly closed the door, feeling like she had just intruded on someone's private space. No doubt that had one been the quarters of his previous companion. What was her name again? Rose? Turning from the door, she glanced uncertainly down the corridor before she descended back down to the deck once more, deciding to halt her exploration for now. The Doctor was sat down at this point, glasses gone from his face and he was looking at the ceiling in apparent thought.
"It's big," commented Martha quietly as she returned, causing the Doctor to spin on his stool and smile towards her.
"I know," he replied simply, swinging back to the console panel and pulling one of the monitors towards him to inspect it absently.
Martha slowly walked closer, observing the Doctor from her current distance and carefully stepping towards his side. "Do you have a destination planned for us?"
"Well, I dunno. Might just let her take us wherever she feels like. She can be a bit temperamental at times, you know."
Martha gave a soft laugh, "Well, just as long as I don't have to go running for my life from aliens again."
"Got old quick, didn't it?" the Doctor muttered without looking at her, and seemed to have turned a little cold in attitude.
"Look, I'm not your sidekick, alright?" Martha instructed as she placed a hand on her hip and adopted a challenging look. The Doctor's eyes slowly slid towards her at the commanding behaviour. "I don't want to run around with your solo galactic fighting force. I just want to see some new sights. Safe sights."
The Doctor spun from the console again to face her, surprising her with a close proximity. "Have I given you any reason not to trust me?" he said in a low voice as he watched her.
"Well, no.." answered Martha.
"Right then!" the Doctor replied with a cheerful smile, his mood suddenly brightening as he swung back towards his ship's console.
Easing herself forward, Martha seated herself on the stool besides him at the console panel. Setting her handbag on her lap, she opened the clasp and began rummaging inside. The noticeable rustle of her actions earned her a side-ways look from the Doctor that looked torn between curiosity and irritation. She selected a small bottle of clear liquid out of the confinements of her bag and under the scrutinising gaze of the Doctor, proceeded to screw off the lid and take a hearty sip.
"What are you doing?"
Martha lowered the bottle from her lips. "I got it from the party. Figured I'm going to need a stiff drink, seeing as I'm on an outer-space flight with an alien and all."
"You humans and your habits," said the Doctor rather fondly, reaching over and taking the bottle out of her hands. He held it up to the light, as though trying to see something in the clear liquid. He brought the opening to his nose and sniffed inquisitively, all under the amused eye of Martha.
"It's just alcohol."
"I know, but it's completely bizarre what you force yourself to drink. It smells like a fuel," he inhaled the smell again, a little too heavily, and coughed quietly in response. Before Martha could say anything, he took an experimental swig, a rather large one at that, and pulled away from the bottle with a high-pitched wince. "It tastes like fuel!"
Martha took the bottle out of his hands before he tried any more consumption research with it. "It doesn't."
"It does!"
"And how would you know? Do you go around sniffing and drinking fuel?" asked Martha.
"Well, not on purpose," he replied earnestly whilst Martha slipped the bottle back into her handbag and zipped it up out of sight. "Ooh, hello," he said, glancing back to his monitor. "We're nearly there."
"Where?"
"Our destination."
The Tardis began rumbling louder, and Martha quickly reached forward to hold on tight. "I thought you said you didn't know where we were going!"
"I don't!" he replied with a grin, pressing a switch on the console panel which sent the entire Tardis hurtling once more.
Martha grunted in her attempts to stay on her seat, but was sure she was going to find herself on the floor soon enough. "Can't you watch what you're doing!"
"All right, backseat driver!" he chided, "I told you she was temperamental."
However, despite their rocky start, the Tardis calmed its motion relatively quickly, and soon enough the ship had fallen still. Martha lifted her head, glancing around suspiciously as though the craft was trying to trick her into letting go. "We're there?"
"Yep," said the Doctor as he slid out of his seat and strode off towards the Tardis doors to fetch his brown trench coat.
"That didn't take long," she muttered as she eased herself off the stool and followed the Doctor towards the exit, coming by his side, she couldn't keep the grin off her face as she saw sunlight creeping in through the gaps in the door.
Leaning forward, he placed his hands on the handles, glancing back with a smirk, "You ready?" At Martha's quick nod, he pushed forward on both doors to allow them to swing back. The sunlight grew brighter, momentarily blinding Martha as she squinted through the light in a bid to view their location. The Doctor stepped out, and Martha proceeded to follow him with cautious and overwhelming anticipation.
The awe of the situation was cut short as she heard the loud blare of a car horn and the sound of someone yelling. The accent was distinctly southern. Eyes now used to the light, she recognised them to be in a backstreet alley, not far off a main road where cars were passing, including several black cabs. On the other side of the road, there was a hold-up, which explained the numerous car horns and annoyed voices.
"This is London," said Martha, excitement fading fast.
"Hmm, it is, isn't it?" commented the Doctor idly, reaching into his pocket and plucking out his new sonic screwdriver. He wandered off to the wall of the alley, proceeding to scan the area. After a few seconds, he turned to face her. "2013."
Martha stared at him. "You told me, you were an alien, with a ship that can time travel across dimensions and galaxies and you bring me six years into the future in bloody London!"
"Well, you said you didn't want anywhere dangerous. Plus, something radical might have shocked you a bit and I wanted you to have a good trip."
"In London, in England, on planet Earth!" she responded, voice becoming louder. It was clear she was annoyed at being given a fantastic opportunity in which she thought she would travel across space to find amazing sights she'd never seen before, instead she had come six years into the future, and she could see a row of black cabs. "I've seen all this before."
"Not in 2013 you haven't."
"Well, send me back home, give me six more years and I will, because funnily enough I think my life-span will reach out beyond the age of 29!" She was glaring at him now, but the Doctor was leaning against the alley wall, absently tossing the sonic screwdriver over and over in his hand. He was watching her with raised eyebrows, but didn't say a word, just continuing to turn the silver device in his hand. Martha looked down at the floor with a soft sigh, bringing a hand to her head to rub at it like she was developing a headache. "Look, I'm sorry. Most humans don't even get this opportunity. I didn't mean to have a go at you."
"It's alright," said the Doctor, pocketing his sonic screwdriver and rising up off the wall. "Ready to visit 2013 London?" he asked, offering her his arm.
A smile formed on Martha's face and she nodded, stepping forward to meet his side and linking her arm through his.
In all truth, London wasn't that much different. A few of the buildings had received newer features, there were different car models on the roads and there were some fashion items that even had Martha dubious. Regardless, she didn't want to stray too far from the Doctor's side. Just because parts of it looked like her London, didn't mean it actually was. But the capital city was as busy as ever, and they had to weave in and out of the horde of commuters and tourists. The roads were busier, with even more impatient drivers to boot. But now, she had gotten over the fact she had only time travelled six years ahead. She was enjoying the Doctor's company more, because she was able to talk to him instead of running for her life from aliens. He was clearly very enthusiastic about humans and planet earth itself. He kept pointing out items of interest that were an everyday object to Martha, but were a spectacle of amazement for the Doctor.
"You humans really are quite clever," said the Doctor cheerfully as they crossed over the road on a pedestrian crossing. He smiled up at the green man, which flickered above him. He might have seen things like this before in passing, but it was a nice change to actually observe them in a calm environment.
"Thank you for the compliment," Martha replied, a smirk forming across her lips. "But I can't take credit."
"Oh, look over there!" he exclaimed, pointing out the Globe Theatre like an over-excited tourist.
Martha followed his indication, laughing quietly. "What about it?"
"I met William Shakespeare, you know," he added offhandedly, like he was mentioning a next-door neighbour.
"Right," said Martha, with scepticism in her tone. She proceeded to pull him down another street because the group of people they had been in were giving the Doctor very bemused looks.
The Doctor didn't object to being shuffled along, on the contrary, he seemed thrilled to be able to go over his tale. "I went to the theatre in 1604, luckily about nine years off the fire. Wouldn't have wanted to have got caught in that. What play did I see now? It was rather funny, I hadn't laughed so much since I read Juvenal's mother-in-law joke."
"Juvenal's?"
"Yes, you know, the Roman's Satire collection? The poems?"
"No.."
"Might be a bit out of touch now, but really good back then."
Martha just shook her head slowly, still finding it hard to come to terms to the fact she was talking to an alien who had apparently met William Shakespeare and read a Roman author's poem collection. "Ok," she said weakly, not quite sure what else to say in response to that. She continued to walk alongside the Doctor, who had now gone on to talk animatedly about the time he met Queen Victoria. Crossing over a road. They ventured into a small park, fenced off from the streets with wrought iron. Coming to a halt, they sat down together on one of the wooden benches, looking out at the activity around them. Further into suburbs, the atmosphere was a lot more relaxed, away from the hectic lifestyle of central London. "You know, I'm not too far from my mum's house," she said softly, looking round towards the Doctor.
"You can't," he said quietly, watching her. He knew what she was requesting.
"Not even a small peek? I just want to see how everyone is six years ahead."
"Martha," the Doctor sighed, "Come on, think about it. Six years ahead. Six years since you disappeared down a back street alley with me."
Martha stared at him slowly, realisation beginning to trickle in that caused her lower lip to slack. "They think I'm dead?"
"Well, to put it simply. Yes," he replied, scratching the side of his neck awkwardly. "Don't worry though, when I take you back, everything will be back to normal."
"But, now, they think I'm dead! I disappeared! Oh my God," she moaned softly, her head falling into her hands.
The Doctor watched her dubiously, "Look, I did say you can go back – "
"What have I put them through? Regardless of whether I can go back, my family here and now have gone through six years of hell!"
"I can't explain the workings of this to a human, it's too much, but you have to understand, time works in many layers, all interweaving throughout the dimensions – you're not dead, and you won't be dead when you return home tonight."
Martha sighed quietly, rubbing her forehead slowly. She managed a small nod in response to the Doctor's words, but she couldn't help but feel guilty for taking off without a care, even though back in her normal time, they wouldn't notice she spent hours across the galaxy with a Time Lord. Gradually, she lifted her head to continue scanning the passer-bys in the park. "Oh my God!"
The Doctor quickly sat upright at her words, "What is it?"
Shocked, Martha pointed ahead in indication to where an old woman was walking through the park laden with Asda carrier bags. "T-that's my Nan."
"Come on, we've got to hide you!"
"No! You don't understand! My Nan died in 2004."
The Doctor halted in his hurries to move Martha off, and turned to stare across at the elderly woman who continued to travel across the other side of the park. "What?" he said, mainly to himself. He quickly procured his sonic screwdriver and scanned their surroundings again. "It's definitely 2013." He got up quickly, continuing to inspect the atmosphere with a frown on his face. "No, that can't be," he said softly, continuing to mutter under his breath as he twisted and turned erratically with the sonic screwdriver.
"Doctor!" Martha called as she stood to her feet. "Please, tell me what's going on."
He spun towards her with raised eyebrows, looking slightly manic. "I'm not quite sure. It seems we're in an alternate dimension of Earth, but.. I've been here before."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I thought I couldn't get back here, but look, here I am now!" He gave a disbelieving laugh as he patted the bench before them. "Look! Solid!"
"Yes.."
The Doctor placed his sonic screwdriver back into his inside pocket. "I've got to find her."
Bemused, Martha shook her head, "Who?"
"Rose."
"What about my Nan!"
The Doctor turned to watch the woman exit the park and continue to totter up the road. "She looks healthy to me" He then span from Martha with a swish of coat hem, leaping into a fully-fledged sprint across the park.
Martha stared after his retreating form, "Doctor!" She gave a frustrated sigh at his lack of further explanation, proceeding to run on after him.
My first Doctor Who fic, so be nice! I'm planning a short ficlet for this, so I hope you enjoy it. Martha was hard to make into a character seeing as so far we've only seen her in one episode. I hope I did the Doctor justice, because I love his characteristics! Please leave a review.