This has been burning a hole in my brain so I just had to write it. It starts when Martha and the Doctor meet in End of Time, but Martha is single, the Doctor isn't dying and all of the events of EOT didn't happen (I just needed somewhere to start). This is a ship fic and the adventure is just an excuse to move their relationship forward. Enjoy.
Chapter 1
Martha ducked behind a wall and looked across the open yard. She held her gun close to her ready to fire. She scanned the open yard again certain he was somewhere here, she just didn't know where. Thinking it was clear, she ran across the yard and hid behind another wall with her gun poised.
Unseen by Martha, the Sontaran commander , she was hunting, had his own gun aimed at her head. The Sontaren readied himself to pull the trigger but a swift blow to his lower neck caused him to drop unconscious.
Martha heard the loud thump of something hitting the ground. She turned to see the slender frame of the Doctor holding a hammer in his hand and the Sontaran commander at his feet.
"What are you doing here?" she asked surprised but before he could reply she answered herself, "Never mind of course you'd be here, with aliens and all."
"Hello Martha," the Doctor said smiling.
"Hello Doctor," she said equally pleased to see him.
"You look different," he stated pointedly staring at the gun she was holding.
"It's been a while since we last saw each other," Martha said slinging the gun over her shoulder.
"But this doesn't seem like you," the Doctor said frowning, "a huge gun, chasing an alien, alone."
"Maybe you didn't know me as well as you thought," Martha replied as she bent down to placed a metal bang around the Sontaran's wrist which would keep him imprisoned until someone came to pick him up.
"When did UNIT, start sending their chief medical officers to chase aliens," he asked.
"I quit UNIT," Martha replied standing up straight and adjusting her gun strap.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes and said in angry voice, "If Jack has you chasing after aliens alone I will-"
Cutting him off Martha said, "I don't work for Torchwood either."
"Then what?"
"I freelance," Martha replied before she turned and started walking away.
It was now the Doctor's turn to stare after Martha surprised.
"You're a gun for hire, hunting aliens?" the Doctor said, as he came up beside her.
"Yes, is that so bad?" Martha asked.
"Hunting aliens like me?" he asked.
"You know full well it's not the same thing,"
"Martha what happened?"
"Nothing, this is what I want to do," Martha replied.
"And weren't you engaged to Tim," the Doctor asked.
Martha stopped ad sighed heavily, "It was Tom and that's over,"
"Want to talk about it?" he offered.
"Nope," Martha said.
The Doctor still looked at her expecting her to say more, but ignoring it she said,
"I have to call this in,"
"Go ahead," the Doctor said.
Martha made the quick call and looked back at the Doctor.
"Where's Rose?" Martha asked surprised she hadn't shown up yet.
"She is in the alternate universe with my twin," the Doctor answered.
"Are you okay?" Martha asked concerned. From the year she traveled with him, she knew just how much he had wanted Rose back.
"It was for the best. They will be happy there together," the Doctor said.
"I'm sorry, it couldn't have been easy," Martha said. She didn't ask about Donna because before she left UNIT she saw a report that Donna was back home and had completely forgotten the last year of her life with the Doctor.
"It wasn't. But back to you, why won't you tell me about your life?"
"There is nothing to tell," Martha replied.
The Doctor frowned and said, "Fine,"
He started walking away from her but stopped and asked, "You coming?"
Despite herself Martha followed him. She wasn't sure why but she blamed it on force of habit. The Doctor lead her to the Tardis and she entered the familiar old ship.
The Doctor walked over to the console and knelt against it. He looked at her as if considering something.
"Doctor?"
"Yes,"
"What is it?" Martha asked.
He pushed himself off the console and placed his hands in his pockets,
"Have you thought about staying?" he asked.
"Staying?" Martha asked raising her eye brows.
"Yes staying on the Tardis again,"
Martha blinked trying to think if she had ever really considered travelling with him again. She had to admit when she first walked away there were many times she had thought of calling him up and asking to travel with him again. But for the longest time she never considered it an option.
Finally she answered firmly, "No"
"And what reason do you have for not staying?" he asked.
"Well I have my job," Martha said looking at the floor knowing it was a lie.
"You freelance, emphasis on the free,"
"My family," she continued.
"Who I'm sure are doing just fine without you,"
"And I have my flat," she ended
The Doctor didn't give a reply but a smile formed on the Doctor's lips as he knew he had won.
"Doctor just no," Martha said folding her hands.
"Why?"
"Just because," Martha said shrugging one shoulder, "Isn't that enough?"
"No,"
"So what, I don't have a choice then," she asked.
"Of course you have a choice,"
"And what choice would that be?" she asked.
"Tell me what's going on with you," the Doctor said.
Martha opened and shut her mouth again.
Throwing up her hands she said, "Fine I'm staying then,"
"Its fine if you don't want to talk about it that much," he said.
Frustrated Martha asked, "Is my room still were it was before?"
"Yes,"
"Good, as I need a shower and some rest,"
Martha marched out the console room and as soon as she was out of sight of the Doctor she stopped and took a deep breath - I'm travelling with the Doctor again, she thought.