A/N: A short chapter that ends the Sontaran episodes. As always much love to all of you lovely viewers! Thanks for your patience! :D

Chapter 20: Unscheduled Detour

Martha made a quick call to UNIT and the company sent a jeep to pick them up, a larger one since there were more passengers. Private Ross Jenkins was the driver and both the Doctor and Rose were relieved to see the young man alive. While she was unconscious and keeping her clone alive the colonel made orders for the soldiers to wander around the ATMOS factory while the Sontarans were invading it. As it turned out her friends along with the Brigadier convinced the officer to let them retreat. The drive back to the UNIT base took a detour when Donna requested to stop by her home to check on her mother and grandfather. The Doctor told her that they would pick her up in a few hours to let her be with her family and make sure they would be okay.

After dropping her off, the atmosphere in the jeep seemed tense at first. Rose was still upset with the Doctor after his near-suicidal approach at stopping the Sontarans from raging a war on the planet, sitting in the back of the vehicle with Martha while he sat up front. But she was calmed down from her furious diatribe after his return and still takes calmly. In Gallifreyan, to boot, it sounded like earlier when she scolded him. Rose was really becoming the Doctor's wife if she began to speak in his native language now. It made Martha's insides warm up. Seeing her friends acting like their gushy selves was always a nice picture to witness.

She still hoped that her current relationship and future marriage would be at least a fraction of what those two shared. One could only hope for it. She called her family back at home to check in on them as well and promised that she would see them shortly. She missed travelling in the TARDIS with her best friends, missed all of the great adventures they would have, but she was building a career and another life here on Earth that she couldn't turn her back on.

"Who's gonna be the one to explain what happened?" Martha asked when they were almost at the base. "I know you're not one to deal with the clean-up."

"Leave it to us," the Doctor said with a sigh. "They'll be expecting a report, and I'm guessing they'd love it if it were to come from me."

"Who better to explain than their own scientific advisor," Rose teased.

They could practically hear him rolling his eyes in the front seat. The base was in their sights and Ross pulled them inside. It wasn't chaos anymore and everything seemed to be returning to normal, the workers doing their jobs and moving around the building with ease.

"Here we are then," the Doctor proclaimed. "Back to your job. Although…you could always come along with us," he added with a lopsided grin.

Martha shook her head and gently pushed him. "No thanks. As much as I miss life on the TARDIS with you two, I've got a job to do here on Earth." She gave them both pointed stares and pointed a finger at them. "But don't think you can get out of visiting every once in a while."

"We promise to come back when we get the chance," Rose told her with a smile.

"Whenever you two keep your hands off each other, you mean," Martha said jokingly, making them blush. "Speaking of which…" She peeled off the Doctor's coat and held the collar gingerly between her fingers. "I'm gonna change out of this and get some clothes. Ones that I know exactly where they've been what they've been through since I last saw them."

The Doctor frowned and retrieved his coat, his opposite hand moving to scratch the back of his neck bashfully. Martha shook her head and made her way down to her office. Luckily she had another outfit to change into before she went to visit her mother.

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Searching through the base the Doctor and Rose finally found the Brigadier located in another office close to the command center sifting through some papers on his desk. "So," the Doctor said casually, leaning against the door frame. "Operating the Valiant now, huh?"

"Only for emergency purposes," Alistair replied, organizing his desk. "Like I told you, Doctor, I had a plan. And I'm sure you appreciated it afterwards despite your opposition."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. It was a brilliant idea, I would've never come up with that."

The other man hummed. "Don't always know everything, eh?"

"I see where the colonel gets his cheekiness from," the Doctor said with an arched eyebrow. "All in a day's work, eh, Alistair?"

"Pretty much sums up every time we meet, Doctor," the older man said, straightening up. "I can't ever seem to get away from you."

"He could say the same for you too, Brigadier," Rose teased. "'S not like he's a burden though, right?"

Alistair smiled. "Most certainly not. Catching up with old friends are always a pleasure in my books."

"Until Doris has a say in it," the Doctor put in.

The other man chuckled and moved away from his desk to stand before them. "So, I suppose you want to give us a report now."

Both the Doctor and Rose explained the situation thoroughly to the Brigadier, informing him of the Sontarans and what had become of their plans and about Luke Rattigan's involvement with the situation. The older man stood with his hand to his chin and listened intently to their elucidating, nodding understandably.

"I see," he said when they finished. "So it turns out that the young man himself was working as a cohort to the Sontarans this whole time. To my understanding that's what many have suspected since the start of this case."

"It wasn't really his fault, though," Rose said. "You've dealt with those potatoes before, Brigadier, yeah? You know how hypnotic they are."

He nodded. "That I do. From what I recall though, the last time that I was appointed to dealing with them they were kidnapping scientists."

"Ah, right," the Doctor said with a nod. "Blimey, that was a long time ago. Actually happened not too long after I became affiliated with you lot. I've run into them a bunch of times since then, though."

"Back in the old days of when you began working for them," Rose said, crossing her arms.

"With them, yes," he corrected.

"Doctor, you've got files. Even Alistair says you still work for them."

"Well…"

The Brigadier chuckled. "Why else would you be in our classified section?"

"Now that you mention it," Rose spoke up. "About Luke Rattigan…he's got experience with alien life now, wouldn't you think he'd fit in around here?"

"He helped an alien race try to conquer the planet which contributed to the deaths of hundreds of people, Miss Tyler," Alistair reminded.

"Yeah, he did," Rose said with a nod. "And that was every level of wrong for what he did and should be punished for that. But he's still clever. He's got a good mind, he just needs some direction. It's been a long time since anyone's told him 'no' and he can be a bit of the bratty type, but if you trained him he could become someone special here. After all, your chief scientific advisor isn't always around," she added, looking back at her husband who slung his arm around her shoulders. "Could be useful having another brilliant mind working here."

The Brigadier seemed to consider her suggestion and was lost in thought. "I suppose we could use another man working around here," he finally said after a moment. "Sometimes people deserve a second chance after their actions."

"Too right," the Doctor agreed, rubbing Rose's shoulder.

"I'll look into it and put it through to the colonel," Alistair told them. "It would be more than convenient to know that they're close by and around the area. Can't always say the same for you, Doctor."

He shrugged. "Busy life," he replied. "You know that all too well, Brigadier. And you," he added. "You kept your promise when you said you'd see us again sooner than we'd probably think. You didn't happen to be shown the future now, were you?"

"Of course not," Alistair laughed. "It's just like I said, Doctor—I can never get away from you or this life. One way or another we always end up running into each other again."

"Hence the 'moderately retired', right?"

"It's a vacillating decision."

"As I could imagine." The Doctor extended his hand and the other man shook it. "Always good to meet you, Alistair."

"And you, Doctor," the Brigadier said. "Until we meet again."

"Think it'll be soon enough again?" Rose inquired with a smile.

He turned to her and offered her his hand and she shook it. "It's always a possibility. It was nice to see you again, Miss Tyler. Or should I say 'Dame' Tyler?"

Rose giggled. "No need for formalities, you know you can always call me Rose. You really dug up the information for that, didn't you?"

The Brigadier looked a bit sheepish. "I did my homework on you, yes. Being labelled as the Doctor's wife, while pertaining to a superior authority as that is, apparently deserved some more background. So I was sure to make your file top status, and including being knighted by Queen Victoria herself seemed appropriate. Any UNIT base will be able to recognize you."

"Thanks, Alistair," she told him, stepping closer to kiss his cheek. "For everything."

He smiled at her. "Always a pleasure, Rose. I would say to keep that husband of yours straight but your devotion to him, much like his to you, is greatly implied."

"His stubbornness can be too, you know," Rose added jokingly.

"He is still standing here," the Doctor spoke up from behind, waving a hand. Both Rose and the Brigadier laughed at him while he raised a hand to his cheek. "And, believe me, she keeps me grounded in more ways than one."

Alistair arched a brow and studied him for a moment before turning back to Rose. "Let me guess, he tried to handle the situation his way?"

"Yup," Rose replied.

"And it was by another sacrifice, yes?"

"Yup."

The Doctor groaned. "Oh, don't start, Alistair. I've already been hit once already today."

"I wouldn't dream of doing it now," the Brigadier assured. "After all, Rose can handle you all to herself."

Rose threw her husband a teasing grin and poked him in the chest. He arched an eyebrow at her and chortled through his nose. "Give Doris our best," he told the Brigadier.

"I'll do just that," the other man said then shook his head. "I wish I could say that she'll do the same for you since she knows you're one of the reasons why I keep coming out of retirement."

The Doctor's mouth twisted a bit. "Yeah…I might be the last person she'll wanna see. She might actually make me cook dinner again."

"What?" Rose said with a surprised laugh.

"Or let you do some yard work," Alistair said with a grin. "There's always work to be done in our garden. She'd take a liking to Rose, I should think."

"Not surprising," the Doctor said warmly, dropping a kiss to the top of his wife's head. "She has that effect on many."

"That she does," the Brigadier said with a nod. "Until next time, old friend."

The Doctor gave the man a lazy salute before he and his wife walked out of his office, his arm still around her shoulders. They passed by a few soldiers who saluted them on the way out and he waved them off dismissively, saying they didn't have to do so. Rose giggled.

"Takes you back, huh?"

"Not everything changed around here," he replied.

"Yeah, you're giving orders now."

He shot her a look and shook his head as they made their way back to the TARDIS. "How you feeling, by the way? Still sick?"

"Nah, 'm better now," Rose answered. "All this excitement chased it all away."

"That so?" he snorted.

"Or my aggravation with you must've cancelled it out."

"'In sickness and in health'," the Doctor reminded with his brows raised. She playfully swatted his chest and he made a happy sound. "Still, I'll stock up on those pills just in case. Who knows when one would need them."

"Good thing you're a walking travel bag."

"That's all I'm good for?" he asked with a laugh.

"Nope."

Up ahead they noticed Ross chatting with some fellow soldiers. He looked over and saw them approaching and nodded at the comrades, sprinting over to them.

"Ross, me boy," the Doctor proclaimed. "Good to see you doing well."

"Same goes for you two," the young man said with a grateful smile. "You saved the world, sir, and my life. You're both true inspirations for each and every member of UNIT."

He threw them honorable salutes and the Doctor shook his head. "Please, don't salute. There's been far too many of those today, you don't have to go to the trouble."

"It's no trouble at all," Ross assured, lowering his hand as the Doctor extended his and shook it.

"Take care of yourself, Ross," he said.

"It was nice to see you again, Ross," Rose said. She stepped up and gave the man a kiss to the cheek. "And thanks for everything."

"Just doing my job, ma'am."

They gave the young man grins before he joined his group again.

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Donna sat in the kitchen with her grandfather, sipping tea and waiting for her mother to come back with the groceries. She finally was in a good mood after the Doctor fixed everything with the gas, but she had a feeling she was still cross with him. Still, both she and granddad were safe now. In the time that she had been back on Earth with her family she kept thinking about what she would do from this point on. As much as she wanted to spend some time here at home with her grandfather, especially since he hasn't got so many years left despite his usual chipper attitude, but having talked to him for a while, he wanted her to go back out there, to fly across the stars. Just like he wanted her to.

"The streets are half-empty," her mother said as she came in with bags. "People still aren't driving. There's kids on bikes all over the place, it's wonderful. Unpack that lot, I'm gonna see if Suzette's all right." She set the bags down on the counter and left the room.

"I won't tell her," her grandfather told her. "Best not. Just keep it as our little secret, eh?"

Donna nodded. "Yeah."

"And you go with those wonderful people, the Doctor and Rose. You go and see the stars." He smiled warmly at her, tears brimming his eyes. "And then bring a bit of 'em back, for your old Gramps."

She nodded again, and stood from her seat to give him a hug. All she wanted was for him to be happy, and he knew how much she always wanted to see bigger and brighter things. And with the universe being so massive, that's all he wished for her to do.

She kissed the top of his head. "Love you," she whispered, pulling back to leave her home.

She fought back the tears threatening to fall as she left them behind again. Life with the Doctor and Rose was dangerous for sure and it wasn't safe. But looking at the bigger picture, it wasn't safe anywhere. Her family wasn't safe either way, whether she stayed or went. But she was going back to her friends, to her life as she knew it now.

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Now changed into clean clothes Martha headed out of her house and walked up to the TARDIS parked in her mum's garden, taking a deep breath. It's been a long time since she stepped foot into this magnificent ship. She kept her key with her at all times just in case because knowing her friends like she did, they could pop back at any random point in time so she would make sure to keep it close to her. She placed a hand on the door and pushed it open, smiling at the familiar creaking sound as she came inside. Both the Doctor and Rose were standing at the console.

"Still looks the same inside too, I see," she remarked, shutting the door behind her.

"Of course it does!" the Doctor cried happily, running his hand up the glowing time rotor. "Why mess with perfection?"

Rose chuckled. "Attachment."

"Oi, you know you're fond of the coral theme, too."

"How could I not be?" Rose said with a smile, running a hand along the console. "She's beautiful no matter what design." The blonde turned to Martha. "How were they? Your family okay?"

Martha nodded as she came up the ramp to join them. "They're doing good. It affected Leo a little with his breathing, but he's fine now."

"What about this man of yours, Tim?" the Doctor asked.

"Tom," Martha corrected at the same time Rose rolled her eyes. "He's fine, too. Still ways away from here, but where he's at there's not many roads or vehicles so it wasn't much of a problem for him. What about you two? You okay?"

"Couldn't be better," the Doctor replied.

Martha watched with amusement as the he and Rose moved around with ease, checking to make sure the Old Girl was in tip-top shape. The former was babbling about some of the controls that seemed off while the latter disagreed with him and said it was a different set. In a way it felt as if she had never left them and they were picking up from where the three of them left off. Of course there were a number of changes since she last saw them. For one thing Rose now held her very own sonic screwdriver and psychic paper after persuading her husband to share some of his toys with her. Not only that but she also learned how to fly the TARDIS, a great deal of his home language, and some other random bits of knowledge that perked her interest.

One thing that didn't change was their obvious love for each other, and Martha was glad none of that changed one bit. If anything, it grew impossibly more than it already had since she last saw them. Last time they were beginning their healing after living through a year of Hell, and now they were back to themselves. And it was beautiful. Just seeing their twinkling looks they gave each other was enough to make Martha smile. This was the Doctor and Rose that she knew all too well.

The TARDIS doors creaked open and Donna entered. "How were they?" Martha asked.

"Oh, same old stuff," the redhead answered, trying to sound casual as she wiped away a tear. "They were a bit shaken up, but they're fine."

"You're sure that your mum won't come after us?" the Doctor asked warily. "'Cause I can't deal with mothers, most of the time."

Rose snorted. "That's sayin' a lot. Donna, your mother scares him just as much as mine."

"It's very close to the top spot," he said.

"I'll be sure to let her know that," the ginger said before turning her attention to Martha. "So! You gonna come with us? We're not exactly short of space."

She smiled, her eyes moving up the time rotor. "Oh, I have missed all this, I really have…but, you know, I'm good here. Back at home. And I'm better for having been away. Besides, someone needs me," she added, flashing her engagement ring. "Never mind the universe, I've got a great big world of my own now!"

"Well, you know you can always give us a ring whenever you wanna see us," Rose said, pulling her into a hug. "That phone of yours is always on."

"It better be," Martha laughed, moving to the Doctor.

He smiled and gave her a hug as well. "Always nice to see you Martha," he told her. "Take care of yourself."

"Same goes for you two. I'll see you guys later." Pulling back she then turned to Donna and gave her a hug. "And Donna, it was really nice to meet you. Just make sure you keep those two in line."

"You bet I will," the redhead said. "It's harder trying to keep their hands off each other when others are within close quarters."

Martha chuckled. "Married couples, what more could they be doing with themselves?"

Pulling back she nodded at them and made her way down the ramp…only to be puzzled when the doors suddenly slammed shut, followed by a violent jolt that rocked through the TARDIS. Martha and Donna each grabbed onto a coral strut while the Doctor and Rose anchored themselves on the console.

"What?" he cried, his eyes widened. "What!?"

"What's happening?" Rose hollered over the Old Girl's rumbling.

"Doctor, don't you dare!" Martha warned. She just said that she missed this life, but that didn't mean she wanted to go on a trip unannounced and without alerting her mother.

"No no no, I didn't touch anything!" he yelled, bringing the monitor around to look at the readings. He shook his head frantically. "We're in-flight, it's not me! Rose?"

"Don't look at me, I didn't touch anything!" she cried, grabbing onto the edge of the console. "Why are you doin' this?" she asked the ship, but there was no clear response.

"Where are we going?" Donna asked.

"I don't know, it's out of control!" the Doctor replied.

"What?" she demanded.

"It's the TARDIS, She's flying herself!" Rose said in shock. "We can't do anything!"

"Doctor, just listen to me!" Martha shouted with seriousness. "You take me home, right now!"

The Doctor just continued to stare at the monitor in disbelief. All they could do was hold on for the ride and find out where their destination was.

Oh boy.