Title: Loyalty
Summary: "Burn with me!" Her eyes snapped shut as she tried to shake off the fear that coursed through her body.
Rating: PG
A/N: Set after '42'
"Burn with me!" Her eyes snapped shut as she tried to shake off the fear that coursed through her body. It had been days since the incident on the ship, but she could still hear his voice screaming in her mind. Still see his face, dark and smouldering as he stared at nothing. He'd brushed it off, shutting her out and carrying on like everything was fine.
He rarely spoke of his life, his family, the people he'd met. Only once had he mentioned any of those things in detail. When he'd explained about his home planet. His family were all gone, killed by a race that never seemed to be fully erased. He hated them with every fibre of his being; he freely admitted it.
Sometimes though she wondered whether he hated humans too. He praised them every now and then, such as their ability to survive throughout the universe until the end of time. He protected them like he protected all life, but somewhere in the back of his mind she knew he hated them. They'd caused him more pain and heartache in his life than any other species besides the Daleks. They were the reason Canary Warf had happened. The reason he'd lost Rose; the girl he silently mourns with each beat of his heart.
Sometimes, as she watched him save more humans, yet again putting their needs before his, she wondered how long it would take. How long would it be until he snapped? Until he couldn't take the pain and control his anger anymore? The creature from the sun that had controlled him had let him release his anger and rage at the humans who had once again acted selfishly. Would he be the same after feeling such release? Could he go back to protecting something he had had tried to kill?
Martha tried to shake off the feeling of foreboding that danced up and down her spine. How long could the Doctor keep up his charade of happiness? How long until he burnt all patience for humanity? How long until she burnt with him?
"Burn with me Martha!"
Could she stay with him if she feared him?
Her eyes snapped open as she forced herself to look over at the Doctor who was happily milling around the control centre. He smiled his goofy grin, happily playing with his ship, like a kid with his favourite toy. Innocent yet wise. Gentle but dangerous. No. She couldn't leave him. He needed her. Needed someone to keep him in control, to remind him that not all humans were bad. Some were brave. Some were loyal. Martha was both.