Thanks for the numerous story alerts guys! Hope you like this one…
John arrived home from his first day at Torchwood full of tales. "…And it was Martha Jones! Martha! Can you believe it?" Rose shook her head mutely. She knew Martha, vaguely; she was the one who replaced her, the one with the Osterhagen Key, the solider, the doctor. John was too involved in his story to notice Rose hadn't responded. "So of course I persuaded him to choose her! Isn't it brilliant?" John gabbled grinning with delight.
"So you enjoyed it then?" Rose asked from the sofa.
"Oh yes! And guess what?" He grinned some more, pulling a bouquets of flowers out from behind his back "I'm taking you out to dinner!"
Rose eyes lit up "Dinner?"
"Yes! Come on, I've got a reservation." He held out his hand "come on, your dad's let me use one of the cars"
"Give me three minutes" Rose told him, before dashing upstairs and reappearing a while later in a long black silk dress. She'd brought it ages ago, when the Doctor had first left her, in the hope that if he ever come back she could wear it for him. So the large beam on John's face made her heart pump and if it wasn't for the steady pile stair rail that she was clinging on to, she thought she could faint with delight.
"Miss Tyler" John held out his arm for her as she reached the bottom of the stairs "would you do me the pleasure of accompanying me to dinner?"
"Of course sir" she returned his beam of affection and linked her arm around his.
Inside the restaurant Rose allowed herself to relax for the first time since the Doctor had left her with John. Seeing him now, his eyes alight as he gabbled animated about the stars and adventures, she knew it was him. He was the Doctor. Not some makeshift copy, but the Doctor, it was almost like he had been made just for her, so they could live and die together. As John produced for her a large red rose, brought sneakily from a man touring the tables with a violin, while Rose had been daydreaming. Rose knew this was where she wanted to be. Not with the Doctor, not in constant danger, but here with John. All these years of waiting were finally over.
Realising John was staring at her confused Rose opened her mouth to begin a conversation "So" She asked over a dish of lobster "what happened when I went?" it was the first time they had talked about this time properly, and although at first Rose hadn't really wanted to know, somehow the words just tumbled out.
"I… I… I wanted to die" John stated jerkily, concerting his eyes on the spaghetti twirled on his fork. "I was so angry, I almost did something stupid. But, Donna, she… she stopped me. It was her wedding night" He laughed hollowly "and yet she was saving the world and my life instead."
"You travelled with Donna all this time?"
"Nope" John popped the p, considering the question "I wanted her to come, but she wasn't ready"
"You never really can be" Rose laughed quietly "it's not something you can really be prepared for."
John nodded carefully "I met Martha. Martha Jones. She was absolutely brilliant" John beamed his face alight, then suddenly his smile faded "and I ruined her life."
Involuntarily Rose left her muscles tense. That could have been her, that could have been her being brilliant, Rose shook her head slightly, she bet he didn't even mention her. Not once.
"But" John carried on unaware of Rose's feelings "I never told her. Just took her for granted." John paused considering that year. Well, two years really, counting the year that never was. He started skimming over the details, painting over the bruises. He didn't tell her about Martha's crush, about John Smith and Joan, about Jenny, or River Song, or the Master. He didn't want to tell her about the people whose lives he ruined, or ended. Instead he moved on, delighting and intriguing her with tales of the stars and running through old memories. It was only later when he went to collect the bill that he thought about the Doctor. About what he was doing, who he was with. But his thoughts were broken by the familiar sound of a female laughing. Intrigued he turned, spotting a young woman enter the restaurant, her family in tow and her voice ringing out as she told them with a laugh how she had "got in!" The sound of Martha brought him to a stand still for a moment, and in silence he stood there just listening. He watched as the waiter led them to a table, Tish and Martha's faces filled with laughter, they looked so innocent, John noticed, compared to their parallel selves. There was no scar along Tish's arm where the Master had whipped her, and Martha's smile was still her real one, not the worn, tense one he'd seen her wear. Eventually a waiter ushered him back to his table."What's the matter?" Rose asked noticing that look on his face when he arrived back. "Are you ok?" John nodded allowing her to pull him close and wrap her arm around his. "Come on. You've got work tomorrow" Rose twisted her hand tighter around the rose. "Never use to I like rose. Because you think they're safe. But then suddenly you're caught unaware and it's spike's digging into your palm; ruining its perfection."
"Well" John reached out and took the rose from Rose's hand. "I think they're beautiful." He smiled, ignoring the sharp pain that followed as he clasp his hand around it.
The next few weeks were hectic, filled with work and surprises. Thanks to a Siltheen attack in Edinburgh, John had to make do with quick phone calls to and fro from Rose, as the Torchwood field team tried to deal with the attack.
Slowly, but steadily John had got used to his new job. With Martha starting work at the same time, the two replied solely on each other's help to find their way around.
"Which way is Dr Carter's office again?" Martha asked in a frenzy, her arms filled with old files.
"Umm" John pulled a confused face "I really can't remember. Here" He reached out and divided the pile of files in her arms, scooping up the larger half. "Let me help." Gratefully Martha let them fall out of her grasp and followed John down the poorly lit corridor.
After a while Martha let out a small sigh "I'm not sure if it's this far." She told him pointedly, as they walked further and further.
"Hmmm, me too, maybe we should turn back…" John was interrupted by a low moaning coming from further down the corridor.
"Did you hear that?" Martha asked her voice rising in fright, and yet she carried on walking down the corridor in the same purposed stride she had begun with.
"Martha" John warned her "It might not be safe"
For a moment Martha paused, before turning her head slowly "Someone's hurt. It sounds like someone's hurt…" a little more cautiously now, after his warning, she followed the sound until reaching a solid wooden door. Touching it softly she gave it a gentle nudge. Suddenly a large creature rushed out of the room. It was over nine foot tall and its bony arms curved into large claws. As it rushed out the room out of its out came a harsh angry howl, and as it pushed past Martha it left a trail of blood.
"Martha!" John cried out, catching her as she fell, the beast knocking against her. It was a moment before she was trying to get back on her feet, and the monster was far down the corridor. "Are you alright?" John asked helping her up.
Martha shook her head in response "I'm fine. We need to go after it, it's hurt and scared."
"It's dangerous. I'll ring and get the base defence team down here."
"No" Martha looked John firmly in the eye "There's no point, they'll be ages, anyway they'll kill it, just boom" Martha made the flicking movement of a gun with her right hand. The monsters howl interrupted their conversation, preventing John's reply. In a second Martha was pounding down the corridor after it, and John had no choice but to follow.
Reaching the top of the stairs Martha let out a silent gasp as she saw the monster's first victim, the woman's head was lolled to its side and a huge gash in her chest was draining her of blood. Dropping down to help John caught her arm pulling her back up "It's too late. Come on!".
Tripping over the stairs they ran until they reached the foyer of the building. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Norris's furious screams brought John and Martha's attention to the main desk where Norris was fiercely hitting it away with a swivel chair.
"Stop it! Norris stop it! You're making it worse, its hurt!" Donna yelled over the top of the screams.
Suddenly the creature lashed out, ripping the chair away from Norris and leaving her defenceless. "Oi! You!" Donna yelled "Get away from her!" The creature turned curious "Yes, that's right" Donna shrieked "I'm over here!" The creature lurched forward slashing its claws towards her and trying to grasp her, instead it fell letting out a long painful howl. Frighten Donna stood still, her heart pounding and before long it was back on its feet staggering towards her.
"Donna!" John yelled grapping her hand, and turning to give her a huge grin "RUN!"
And I'm going to leave it there, hope you liked it. I know there was quite a lot of Martha and John and not much Rose, but don't worry this is a mainly Rose/John fic so it the other chapters will be predominately about them. Please review and let me know what you think!