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 Seven
Martha hadn't wanted to tell the Doctor about her condition. Hell, she hadn't even told Tom about her change. He had barely handled the fact that her son (from a different world) was part alien. He was busy in his Doctors without Borders work. Now that he had seen her world, he wanted her to join him in Africa. Even just temporarily, to "try it out" except that wasn't the same as the trips with Nathan. If Martha committed to Doctors without Borders she would stick with it.
But she knew she was more valuable in England, working with UNIT.
"Martha Jones."
She slid her engagement ring back on her finger. The Doctor's voice drew her back to the present. Rose looked significantly horrified and Jenny looked intrigued.
"Her telepathy hasn't developed completely." Nathan informed his father. "Her brain has been slowly rewiring that section with neural circuitry. When it kicks in completely, I won't be able to really help her with learning how to control it."
The Time Lord nodded, "You both hid this information from me."
"You were busy." Martha explained. "Jenny had just come around and Nathan had just revealed his presence to you. I didn't feel like you would be in a good state to hear about my changing DNA."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "and now was better?"
"It was more for Rose's information, rather than you." Martha informed him pointedly. "She kept accusing me of wanting you and I had to prove how I didn't want you in a romantic sense."
Nathan sighed, he would never exist in this world. His parents were too stubborn. He supposed, he existed now…even if it was by accident. This universe would never see his parents saving planets and groups of people from tyranny and disease. That woman's timeline he had changed would straighten itself out, even without a vortex manipulator because his parents weren't together. He had found his father with Donna in a creepy Library. They had tried to save a crew of archaeologists. Nathan figured out later that the Universe was weaving him into that woman's role. The half human had used his vortex manipulator to lock on to the TARDIS' signal. By locking on, he had been able to make his way to his ship and go to Earth to get Captain Harkness.
The universe had a funny way of giving people second chances.
He had taken advantage of the fact that the other man couldn't die. His plan had been risky and he could have come back later than needed, but the two TARDIS' had locked onto each other. They had known what to do, to ensure their Time Lords came back in one piece.
The Doctor stared Martha down in surprise. "You have a fiancé."
"Me thinketh doth protest too much." Nathan commented with a smirk. His brown eyes looked at the blond woman known as Rose Tyler. "My mother at least has the same empathy level as my father compared to you. She was willing to destroy her planet for the sake of the universe. You were destroying worlds for the sake of your feelings."
Rose bit her lip before she frowned at Nathan. "The Doctor loves Earth. I know he would frown upon it being destroyed. Besides, I think you're being unfair to me because she's your mother!"
"Rose, how many worlds did you go through before coming here?"
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The TARDIS groaned as it reached it's destination. The remaining companions all turned to look at each other. "Oh come on, do you think they're fighting?"
"Rose didn't look like she wanted to invite Martha to tea, that's for sure." Mickey pointed out.
Jack chuckled, "Martha could handle her own…but I don't think the Doc would let them fight."
"The children are there too." Sarah Jane reminded them.
Jackie bristled annoyed, the blond woman looked down the corridor, "I don't hear anything! How big is this thing? Where's my daughter?"
Donna looked at the screen. It definitely looked like Earth had reached the destination set by the Doctor. "She's probably talking with alien boy and his family."
"The TARDIS is quite big, they could be down the hall in any of the rooms."
"Except Martha was injured." Jack revealed. "My guess is that her testing of UNIT's jumper had a side effect."
The Doctor's companions were surprised to see Rose carried into the console room. Nathan paused in the doorway before walking towards Jackie with Jenny in tow. The two Time Lords deposited Rose next to her mother. "We're going to get everyone home while our parents talk. And you-" Nathan glared at Rose, "You are going back to the other world. You no longer exist here."
Rose sniffed, the other Children of Time could see that the blond had been crying. Jackie bent down to hold her daughter, except Rose pushed her away. "He won't let me go back."
"Your family is there, father would never keep you from them."
"It's not the same, I want to be here."
Jenny sighed, "What about your mother?" The youngest blond asked gesturing to the upset woman. She was surprised to see how upset Jackie Tyler was becoming at Rose's words.
"Rose what is this nonsense you're speaking?" Jackie asked. "Of course, you're coming home! Your dad's there. So is Tony! You would leave us to fly around in this, this box?" The older blond looked at her daughter as if she lost her mind. "I knew I should have never let you build that machine! You just want to leave for that man! Do you not understand how dangerous he is?"
"You can't stop me mum! I'm an adult!"
"But I can." The Doctor's voice caused everyone to look at the entrance way. The tall alien looked serious and a few of his former companions exchanged looks. They were used to a more casual Doctor. "You will be returning home."
Rose pushed herself off the grating and moved towards him. "This is because she's like you now!"
"That has nothing to do with it." His calm demeanor made the blond angrier.
"We promised each other forever. I came here to keep that promise." Rose Tyler felt her own eyes watering as she took in the alien's stoic look. "I can't believe you! All because she's an alien too!"
"Rose, pull yourself together and think about what you're suggesting." The Doctor fought the urge to comfort the blond. He didn't want to give her the wrong impression. And, if it came to it, he supposed if she hated him that was fine. As long as she left with her mother and stayed with her family. "The walls will be impenetrable this time. There will be no Daleks harvesting energy and using that to power your dimension cannon. There is no source of energy on Earth strong enough to power it. You stay here and you will never see your family again. I cannot keep you here with me. Your mother would never forgive me and I would never forgive myself."
"Too right, Doctor!" Jackie cut in. "Rose darling, we have so much going on in our lives now. We have Pete back and Tony needs us."
"He needs you mum." It was the most sincere sentence the blond had uttered all day, in Nathan's opinion. "I will be fine, Doctor."
The Doctor didn't look convinced that Rose had seen his line of reasoning. However, it wasn't his problem. She would be dropped off. She could go quietly or...
Or he would have to erase her memories of him.
He didn't like that idea, but her obsession was alarming. She had even stocked off after Martha and Nathan. If Nathan wasn't there would she have attempted to pick a fight? And the way she thought Martha's predicament was his excuse to leave Rose behind. It wasn't and it never would be, Martha wouldn't allow herself to be used that way. However, Earth was safely back in its proper place in the universe. "Alright, let's get you guys home!"
The Time Lord ignored the fact that they all had heard the conversation between Rose and himself. He would send them all home before taking her back to her world. "Good, I want to check on Gwen and Ianto." Jack informed him as he stepped up to the controls. "Let's do this."
Sarah Jane nodded as well. She wished the Doctor luck silently. The blond teen she had once worked with, seemed to have devolved from the wonderful girl she remembered. "I haven't had this much fun in the TARDIS in years." The brunette woman added, "it's nice to know you haven't been alone all this time."
"Sarah Jane." The woman smiled at him. The Doctor was reminded that this woman had traveled with two of his bodies and met more faces than any of his other companions. She was his best friend and he knew their time had passed. Gallifrey had needed him and he couldn't take her with him, not unless he wanted the Council to treat her like they did Zoe and Jamie. "Would you like to be dropped off first?"
"If that's alright." Sarah Jane agreed immediately. She wanted to check on Luke. She had left him with Mr. Smith and K9.
Donna approached the Doctor as silence fall in the room. "Alien boy." Her friend looked up at her with a deep look. "We did just save the universe."
"More than one." Nathan added, a warm smile aimed at the red head. "If I get back to my TARDIS, I can see if there's a chance...a chance to go home."
The Doctor looked up in surprise, he been focused on getting the Tylers back home. He hadn't thought about his son, from an alternate universe, leaving to look for his parents. This was his one shot to get back home. "Sarah Jane, I'm going to delay your drop off."
"Do what you need to Doctor." He saw the smile on her face.
"Hold on people! Nathan, Donna!" The two people in question took up positions around the console controls. Nathan dug his fingers into the fleshy navigation part of the TARDIS controls; he focused on his home and his parents. Donna pulled on a lever and glanced at the two aliens on either side of her. The ship started shaking violently before lurching. The Doctor couldn't help but laugh. His ship was hurtling towards something.
The crowded room was less than amused to be thrown around.
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Hoshi: Almost done with this story…a few more chapters (like two or three).
