A/N: Thank you, I am humbled by your interest in my scribblings...

DISCLAIMER: Only my love for the show...Enjoy!

Chapter Twelve: Adric Makes a Decision

The Doctor walked into the console room and absentmindedly took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves as he began searching for loose wires around the TARDIS console. The scene with Rose had left him with a feeling of dread.

Martha, sensing something was wrong, excused herself from the group and went to talk to him.

"Want to talk about it?" Martha asked, as he found a loose wire that needed to be repair. She watched as he searched his pockets for his sonic screwdriver.

"Now where did I put that thing?" He asked, scratching the back of his head as he tried to remember where he had it last.

Martha pulled the screwdriver out her pocket and handed it to him.

"Thank you." He replied looking at her as if she was his lifeline – which she was. "I don't know what I would do without you." He whispered.

"Let's hope you never have to find out." She reached out and placed a comforting hand on his and gently squeezed. "Want to talk about it?" She asked again.

"It's Rose," he began. "She didn't want to release me from her grip. It took Mickey literally ordering her to let me go and take hold of her mother's hand."

"Maybe she was afraid," Martha reasoned. "I have seen that happened among relatives with loves one in the hospital, they're afraid that they would hurt them if they touch them."

"I don't think that was the case," he said, unconvinced. "I think we should be preparing for a lot of screaming and yelling once she becomes aware of the nature of our relationship."

"Poor Rose," Martha sighed. "I…" she stopped in mid-sentence as Mickey stormed into the console room, he was visibly shaken.

The Doctor stared at him and frowned. "Mickey, what's the matter?" He asked his voice full of concern.

Mickey looked at the man that was once his rival for Rose's affection and sighed heavily. He eyed Martha wondering if he should be talking about Rose in front of her. He had seen enough clues to know that there was something between the Doctor and the mahogany beauty.

"It's okay Mickey," the Doctor assured him. "Martha and I don't keep secrets from each other."

Mickey nodded. "Okay," he replied. "Doctor, you are going to have problems," he said, shifting his eyes to Martha. "Rose is obsessed with you and her former life traveling in the TARDIS."

Martha looked at the Doctor, his face was grim.

"That's the main reason why she built the Dimension Cannon; she has been blasting herself through several universes trying to find you, in hopes that her fantasy would be fulfilled."

The Doctor and Martha locked eyes.

The realization of Mickey's words hit him as if he had been punched.

"This is my fault." He whispered as pangs of guilt stabbed at his hearts.

"Bullshit." Martha replied, she had been down this road before with the Doctor after the events on Midnight.

"But Martha, Rose ripped holes between the universes trying to get back to me," he explained. "I thought that she would have moved on from me and have a happy life."

"You would think so," Mickey scoffed. "The girl lives like a princess, but that wasn't enough, she wanted you and your spaceship."

"Oh god, what have I done?" he asked. "I never meant…"

"Don't you dare blame yourself for her actions," Martha hissed, hating the pained look on his face. "You did not make Rose Tyler do anything."

"She's right Doctor." Mickey agreed. "Listen to Martha; you of all people know how stubborn Rose can be once she has made up her mind about something."

The Doctor nodded in agreement.

"But to destroy worlds…I can't believe that the Rose Tyler I know would do something like that." he said, not wanting to believe it. "After all the time we'd traveled together, I thought she would have learned something."

"The Rose Tyler that I know would." Mickey replied. "Her selfishness is unbelievable."

"Martha, what am I going to do?" he asked, seeking her advice.

"I have a solution…"

The Doctor looked in the direction of the voice and came face to face with his clone.

Martha smiled encouragingly at Adric, urging him to continue.

"I have a solution." He repeated.

The Doctor stared at him for a moment before answering. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'm willing to go back to the parallel universe and make sure the Dimension Cannon is destroyed – permanently." He offered.

"We can't let you sacrifice yourself." Martha protested. "….Doctor, talk some sense into your twin."

"I appreciate the concern on my behalf, Martha," he smiled adoringly at her. "But the truth is I'm needed there, not like here where you have the Doctor."

"But…"

"A wise friend once told me that I have a brilliant and a fantastic life waiting for me," he reminded her. "Does it matter where I have this brilliant and fantastic life, as long as I'm happy?"

"No," she sighed. "Are you really sure? I mean, if you really have your heart set on living there then I'm happy for you."

"Then be happy for me, besides I can't stay here for obvious reasons."

The two Doctors exchanged knowingly looks – Adric knew he didn't have a chance in hell of living his life out with Martha. At least not on this world, but in the parallel universe he had a chance…

"Torchwood could use another good man." Mickey spoke up. "That's if you're interested…"

Adric nodded. "I'll accept the offer." He said, "But it will be only temporary until I discover what I want to do with the rest of my life."

"Fair enough," the two men shook hands. "Welcome to Torchwood, Adric Noble."

The Doctor looked at his human self, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"You've named yourself after Adric?" Adric was a companion of his fourth and fifth incarnations, who was killed and Geoff is the name of Donna's late father.

The Human Doctor nodded. "My full name is Adric Geoff Noble."

"You have named yourself after two good men." The Doctor replied, smiling approvingly. "And Donna…?"

"She approves."

A/N: I think little Rose is not going to be too happy about her toy being destroyed...lol Thanks for reading!