Being a Doctor

by Syreene

(Just started appeasing a plot bunny that just won't leave me alone...I'm definitely planning on finishing this!)

Don't own any of the characters, of course.

The little red cell phone left on the console of the TARDIS began to vibrate and ring out in the empty room, its lonely chirping the only noise to be heard; that is, until a quick stomping of feet grew suddenly louder from one of the many hallways connected to the main console room.

As the cell phone shook precariously towards the edge of the console, the Doctor barreled into the room and dove towards the now falling cell phone, his coat flapping like a cape as he slammed onto the floor with the phone cradled in his palm.

He winced at the lump he knew was quickly forming on the back of his head and fumblingly flipped open the phone.

"Hello? Hi?" No reply. He gave the phone an evil look and turned the phone right side up. "Hello? Martha? Are you there?"

A sigh of relief answered him on the phone. "Oh God…Doctor! I was so afraid you wouldn't pick up!"

"I'll have you know, Martha Jones, that I even willingly inflicted physical pain upon my person in order to be at your service." The Doctor winced again as he got up from the floor and felt the bump on his head. "I've found that I am even more reckless without my personal doctor aboard," he said with a laugh.

"Speaking of being a Doctor….that's why I called you." Martha said in a breathless rush. "I'm at the campus getting ready to take my finals in 30 minutes, and I am so nervous that I don't know if I can do it!"

"Oh…come now…is this the same Martha Jones who saved my life on multiple occasions, as well as the entire world?" The Doctor answered with disbelief obvious in his voice as he sat in the Captain's chair and leaned his feet up against the console.

Martha laughed forlornly in reply. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like it…especially without you around. Now that I'm home and you're….whenever…it all feels like reality is crashing down around me and I've got nowhere to run anymore."

The smile slipped from the Doctor's face as he muttered quietly to himself, "Or no one to run with…"

Martha continued on, unfortunately too nervous to hear the Doctor's admission, "And that's why I need you."

"What…you want me to come get you right before your exams? You know I can't do that…you've been studying for this so long!" the Doctor said in disbelief.

"Oh no…no…that's not it…"

"Oh." The Doctor replied in a deflated voice. "Then what?"

"I need you to talk to me….tell me something to get my mind off of the fact that the rest of my life hinges on a few pencil marks I'm going to make on a piece of paper in 20 minutes….and I don't mean your usual trivia. I need you to talk to me…tell me something about you that I can hold onto." Martha paused as the Doctor gripped the phone tighter and swallowed hard as he ran his other hand through his tousled hair.

"Martha…I…"

"I know!" Martha said brightly, "Tell me why you became The Doctor. So many titles are out there: The Cook, The Cleaner, The Candlestick Maker, so why did you pick The Doctor? If you can tell me that, I'll tell you why I chose to become a Doctor too. Please, Doctor?