The Doctor rushed around the console kicking levers and pressing buttons, giving out the odd strategic thwack with the mallet. Almost there, Rose, he thought, absently running his fingers over the mark on his wrist.
He brought the monitor around. 'Better let them know we're on our way.' He tapped a few keys on the keyboard, then returned his gaze to the monitor. He continued to dance around the console as the room was filled with the sound of the TARDIS' phone system dialing out.
What if she wasn't at Torchwood? He hadn't even considered that. Strictly speaking she didn't work there anymore. He'd just thought she'd be there since Jack was on Earth currently. Why weren't they answering? He was about to try another number, blind panic setting in, when Jack's voice filled the console room.
'Well, this is a-' Jack drawled, but the Doctor cut him off.
'Jack! Is Martha there? Put her on!' The Doctor gripped the console as the TARDIS lurched to the side.
Thankfully, Jack didn't question him, merely put Martha on the line. 'Hello, Doctor? This is a surprise, how-'
The Doctor cut her off. 'Yes it's lovely. We should catch up more, et cetera, et cetera. I need your help. Rose is pregnant – well, in labour, actually - and we need your medical expertise.'
The Doctor waited for a reply but heard nothing. He tapped the keyboard and whacked the side of the monitor. 'Martha! You there?'
'I... I'm here.' she said, her voice almost a whisper. 'How?'
'Long story, which I'd really rather not go into over the phone, if its all the same to you.'
Rose's voice echoed through the intercom. 'Doctor, please... it's getting worse.'
'Nearly there, Rose,' the Doctor said softly. 'Martha, please... We need you now.'
There was a short pause on the phone. 'Ok, where are you?'
'In the TARDIS, en route to Torchwood. Landing in… seventy eight seconds.'
'You're flying the TARDIS while you're on the phone?' Martha asked.
'Handsfree!' he said, stumbling slightly and falling against the console. 'And now really isn't the time to criticize my driving!'
'I'll get everything ready.'
'Dont worry about that,' he said. 'I've got everything you need in the infirmary. Just get yourself outside, I'll be landing by the lift.'
'Hold on,' Martha said. He heard rustling and muffled sounds over the phone, along with the murmur of voices.
'Ok, we'll meet you-' she was cut off mid sentence.
'Who's we?' he said, knowing he sounded angry and not caring. 'Martha, this isn't a Torchwood operation.'
'It's only Jack, he's insisting on coming.'
'Just Jack, then,' the Doctor muttered darkly. 'I've landed.' He severed the connection.
Two minutes later Martha and Jack entered the TARDIS, both looking slightly flushed.
'Come on,' the Doctor ordered. Without waiting for a response he spun on his heel and stalked out of the console room.
Martha and Jack shared a look, then followed after their friend. He was long gone by the time they crossed the console room and reached the corridor – his long stride having carried him much further into the ship. However, they'd both spent enough time in the TARDIS infirmary to know where it should be.
When they reached the infirmary they were greeted by the sight of Rose half sitting, half lying on the cot, clinging to the Doctor.
Martha turned to Jack. 'We need to get her to the hub's infirmary...'
'No…' Rose said, her voice strained.
'Not happening,' the Doctor said softly, running a hand up and down Rose's back. While his voice and his actions were soothing however, he was shooting a death glare at both of them over Rose's head.
'But, Doctor, 'Martha persisted, 'we have the best medical equipment down there.' She looked around the cluttered TARDIS infirmary disparagingly. 'We have all the technology needed in the hub to...'
'The best medical equipment?' the Doctor repeated. 'Terribly sorry, must have missed it when Torchwood acquired medical gadgetry from the 51st, 87th and 15th century. Right you are, Dr Jones.'
'15th?' Jack repeated, eyebrows raised.
'They had some good stuff,' the Doctor shrugged. He paled visibly as Rose grabbed his hand and squeezed, evidently quite hard, but kept his eyes on Martha.
As it became apparent that neither the Doctor nor Martha was going to back down, Jack stepped in and put an arm on Martha's shoulder. 'Martha, we need to help Rose. Look at her.'
Martha followed his gaze and looked at Rose, who looked deathly pale, but was smiling up at the Doctor as he used his free hand to brush her hair back out of her eyes.
'One: we both know that the Doctor has more sophisticated equipment and two: he's never gonna let you take her into the hub. So whaddya say we get this show on the road, huh?'
Martha looked at Rose again then gave a curt nod, recognizing that Jack was right. 'We need to get her on the cot, I need to check her vitals. If you two are staying in here you can help.'
'Yes ma'am,' Jack said, grinning.
Ignoring him, Martha gestured for the Doctor and Jack to ease Rose back onto the cot then moved around to examine her. Sensing the Doctors eyes on her, she checked both Rose's and the baby's heart rate. Both were racing.
She shot an uneasy look towards the Doctor and Jack, 'The baby's in distress, Rose needs to give birth now.' Martha started to move around the cot to talk to Rose when the Doctor stepped towards her.
'I can help,' he said, his tone almost defensive.
'No, you can't.' Rose's voice was barely audible, but he still heard it.
'Rose, I can. Really I can.'
Martha stepped between Rose and the Doctor. 'We've had this argument before, Doctor.'
Jack moved a few steps until he was standing just behind the Doctor. 'Let Martha work. She'll take care of them.'
'But I can...' the Doctor started but Jack cut him off.
'I wouldn't trust anyone else with Rose and you know that, 'cos you wouldn't either. You wouldn't be here if that wasn't true. Especially not if you thought you could handle this yourself. Now let her work.'
The Doctor obviously wanted to argue but knew he was outnumbered. He closed his mouth with an almost audible snap then pushed past Jack to the other side of the infirmary. he turned and leaned against a shelf piled high with various medical gadgets, arms crossed over his chest, his expression carefully blank.
Satisfied the the Doctor wasn't going to intefere any more, Martha moved around the cot until she was standing by Rose's legs. 'Ok Rose, I'm jus' gonna check how many centimetres you're dialated.' She shook her head. 'Not quite there yet, we might have to...' Martha was cut off mid-sentence when the Doctor rushed past Jack, almost knocking the captain off his feet.
'Clear the room!' the Doctor said suddenly , his eyes wide.
'What? Why?'
'Can't you feel it?'' the Doctor asked, almost frantic. 'Jack! Surely you can-'
'Oh my god!' Martha breathed. 'Look at Rose!' she backed away from the cot.
The Doctor and Jack stared. Rose was… golden. She seemed to be at the centre of an epanding mist of golden light. A loud bell tolled, somewhere deep within the TARDIS.
'No… no… no…' the Doctor muttered, starting forwards.
Before he could move much more than a step there was a blinding flash of light. When it disappated.
Rose was gone.
'Doctor?' Jack asked, worry written all over his face.
'She'll be back in a moment,' the Doctor said, slipping his glasses on and studying the screen still displaying Rose's vitals. 'I hope.'
'Back?' Martha repeated. 'Where's she gone?'
He turned, studying Martha intensely over the top of his glasses. 'Martha, you've got kids… what – or, more precisely – who do most women experience a sudden need for during childbirth?'
'I dunno,' Martha said, glancing at Jack in confusion. The captain shrugged. 'A midwife? And I don't have kids, Doctor.'
'Don't you? Are you sure?'
'I think I'd remember!'
'Right, course you would. Ignore me. Their mothers.' The Doctor said, as though it was obvious.
'What?' Martha and Jack asked.
'They want their mothers, Martha,' he repeated patiently.
'But Rose's mom is-' Jack began.
'Yep.'
'So Rose is-' Martha said.
'Yep.'
'But she might get stuck!' Jack said.
'Yep. Well… no… she won't get stuck.'
'How can you possibly know that?' Martha demanded, exasperation bleeding into her tone.
The Doctor sniffed. 'Felt the baby. Just before they disappeared. While Rose was… glowing.'
'You felt the baby?'
'Time Lord, Martha. I felt the baby's mind. And she knows she doesn't belong there.'
'The baby's a girl?' Jack asked, willing to be conversational if that was what the Doctor was going with.
'No. Well… yes, actually. But I was talking about Rose. Rose knows she doesn't belong there.' He paused, tilting his head to one side as though listening. 'Three, two, one...'
As the Doctor reached out and pushed Martha away from the cot, Rose reappeared. 'Good to have you back,' he smiled at her.
'I didn't go anywhere!' she gasped.
'Course you didn't. Forward, Dr Jones!' The Doctor said. 'I think we're ready.'
/
