Exhale

Summary: There's a mysterious teen with a penchant for saving Martha Jones. Who is he? Why does he keep helping her? And what's his connection to her? Martha is in for one big surprise as she tries to unravel the mystery. A surprise that may end up saving the universe.

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who

Chapter Six

Nathan bandaged Martha's rib cage. She had removed her military gear and with the alien's help, had rolled her shirt up until it was right at the bottom of her bra. "Experimental equipment, definitely needs some tune ups." Nathan informed her as he clipped the bandage together. "I suppose this is the best outcome."

"It would probably be worse if my body were still human." Martha winced, as she checked the tightness of the bandages. "You've gotten better."

Nathan shrugged his shoulders as she let her shirt fall. "You and Tim taught me well."

"Tom." Martha corrected him. She rolled her eyes and then smiled at him. Nathan really reminded her of Leo with hints of the Doctor's quirky personality.

Nathan shrugged, "Right." He dismissed her correction, as usual. "So that was Rose?"

Martha nodded. Her dark brown eyes studied his body language. "Nathan…"

"She's as mature as I thought." He informed her. "She's close to my age. Was he going through a midlife crisis?"

"I'm only a few years older than her."

"With the maturity of a woman far older than your age." Nathan reminded her. "She almost started having a tantrum when she found out about Jenny and I being his children."

Martha frowned, "Nath-" Her words were cut off when the door to the medbay was forcefully opened.

Nathan turned to the door and sighed as he saw the last person he wanted to see, "Rose."

The blond nodded, looking between the two of them. "Why are you in here?"

"Well," Nathan exaggerated the word, "It's a room full of medical equipment and mum's removed most of her military gear. My educated guess would be bandaging an injury."

Rose crossed her arms, "I'm not daft. I know which room this is." Her brown eyes landed on the quiet, but alert Martha Jones. "I suppose, my actual question is why does the Doctor have your mobile?"

"Not for an alien crisis, that's for sure." Nathan snarked. Martha moved around him to face Rose. Nathan leaned against a nearby cabinet, watching the blond.

"I gave him that phone, for exactly what Nathan said. In case there's emergencies that require him." Martha explained kindly. Unlike Nathan, she didn't hold any feelings of ill will towards the blond. "You made a really strong impact on him."

Rose frowned and looked between the two of them. "You're looking down on me."

"I am." Nathan confirmed. "You blasted a hole into my universe and when you left, I was shuffled off into this one. I was nearly trapped in the void, but his TARDIS connected with mine. I nearly died, because of you. My parents are dead because of you."

The blond look shocked. "I didn't mean to cause trouble." Rose looked troubled, "I needed to get back to the Doctor."

"You needed to do what he wouldn't dare to do?" Nathan challenged.

Rose crossed her arms. "I'm sorry bad things happened when I went through your universe, but you can't blame me!" She huffed, "Besides, I made it here! That's proof that he could have reached me."

Martha frowned thoughtfully as she looked at Rose. She wasn't sure she comprehended the blond correctly, "The universe was almost destroyed by Daleks led here by you."

"That wasn't my fault."

"Humanity does not have enough power to get a dimension cannon working. Not even in Jack's time." Martha reminded her. "You were a companion to the Doctor. Surely, you stopped and thought about why yours started working?"

"The universe wanted us to be together."

Nathan laughed, "The same universe that ripped you both apart at Canary Wharf? I don't think so."

Rose glared at them both. "You're just jealous and you…you don't understand."

Martha placed a hand on Nathan to keep him from moving forward. "Rose, the Doctor loves you. He made that abundantly clear during my time with him. I thought you were someone that was worthy of his love, someone better than this desperate act." Her words were carefully chosen. Martha knew her relationship with the Doctor had changed slightly, for the better. She also knew her relationship with Tom had changed, for the worse. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if she ended up breaking up with him in the near future. It had nothing to with Nathan. More to do with them as individuals. Specifically Martha's refusal to move abroad and work with Doctors without Borders.

Rose didn't get to respond as the door behind her opened. The Doctor stepped in and he looked concerned. He looked at Rose's back to Martha and Nathan. "Is everything alright in here?" His voice sounded a pitch higher and he had tilted with one hand scratching the back of his head.

"Doctor!" Rose exclaimed turning around. A smile crossed her face at the sight of him. "We were just talking about the phone in the console room."

"She was interrogating mum about why you kept a her mobile. Crazy of you, dad."

Martha sighed, "I just want Earth back in one piece." She didn't want to debate the semantics of the conversation with Rose and Nathan. The doctor didn't want to recap how jealous Rose sounded before the alien arrived. She wanted to get home and lay down until her ribs were completely healed. And she definitely, did not want Nathan mentioning her change of DNA.

The Doctor looked at Martha and nodded, "We're almost back to Earth's proper coordinates. Are you alright? You were favoring your side earlier."

"Just some bruised ribs." Martha waved him off. "I'm going to go check on Donna and Jack." It was a flimsy excuse, but the human doctor didn't want to get any type of argument with the blond or the Doctor. Unfortunately, he had different plans.

The Doctor grabbed Martha's arm as she went to pass him. "They're fine without us. Rose, what did you need to know about the phone in the console room?"

"You had a mobile from her. I just wanted to know why."

His ancient brown eyes looked at the blond in confusion. "To keep in contact, should Martha need me. Came in handy today as well." The Time Lord looked at blond human woman. "Rose, why are you actually back here?"

"You know why," Rose responded with a slight lisp. "Besides, he said that the universe wanted us apart."

Sighing deeply, The Doctor released Martha. The UNIT doctor closed her eyes, before she spun around to face the blond. "The universe did tear us apart." He informed her. "It was traumatic for both of us, I burned up a supernova to say goodbye."

"You could have come for me."

"I would have destroyed two universes in doing so."

"And you have destroyed more than that in your misguided attempt to reach this world again. You have caused the deaths of so many people." Nathan added, "And yet none of that matters to you because you're here again."

The Doctor nodded, "Rose…"

"Stop being nice to her." Jenny added quietly as she entered the room. "You told me off when I was wrong dad. Yet with her…you're trying to hold her hand." The blue eyed, blond woman looked at her father's former companion. "My father's ideals and beliefs must have escaped you since your time apart. He's a pacifist. He doesn't believe in senselessly killing entire universes for purely selfish reasons. He was the last of his own race…until Nathan and I entered his life. He values life so much because he's had it all ripped away from him."

Martha nodded, "I can only hope that their words reach you Rose Tyler."

"You." The brown eyed, blond whispered. "You turned them all against me."

Martha raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that?"

"Because he loves me and you want him to yourself."

"If I wanted him anymore, I probably wouldn't be hiding the fact I have two hearts right now." Martha snarked. "I also, would definitely have told him that I am no long just a simple Homo Saipan…."

Nathan chuckled at his mother's backhanded reveal. "I ran the testing myself. If mum REALLY wanted dad…she probably would mention she's part Time Lord…and you know has a longer life span than you."

The Doctor and Jenny looked at the two of them in surprise. "Martha's what?" The Time Lord exclaimed in surprise. His brown eyes studied her intently, searching for a hint of falsehood. Except she slide her engagement ring off and he could feel her mentally. In the part of his mind that had been empty for so many years (barring the Master's brief return) until Jenny and Nathan…

Rose Tyler covered her mouth in silent horror.

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Hosni: I couldn't contain myself. XD