Thanks so much for all the great reviews and the continued interest in my story. Here's a short but important chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 26 . . .
Meanwhile, back on the TARDIS, the Doctor had spent the past couple of months bounding around from place to place. He was constantly moving, his ship recognized, as a means to pretend that he was not hurting by how things had turned out with he and Martha. His ship, though, knew better. Not only could she sense his true moods but she had observed him since Martha walked out. Little of the joyful glee he once had about everything was present now. He hadn't even considered bringing another companion on board and she watched as he moped around the corridors whenever they weren't dashing to a specific place. She noticed how he'd often look about or speak about something until he realized there was no one there. He had also taken to walking a bit slower past Martha's old room and more often than he would ever admit to, he would study the photo the pair had taken on the top of the Empire State building in New York.
It was as though he had lost his best friend and in reality he had. Martha was as loyal and faithful as any of his other companions. Even more so considering how much baggage he had been toting around when she came on the scene. She dealt with his gruff, insensitive behavior constantly but would not walk away. She would challenge him when needed it but also knew when to back off. She sacrificed time and time again for him all the time knowing, or believing, that he would never give her more than he was. The TARDIS sensed that he had only now realized how much he had taken that, and Martha, for granted. Now that the young medic had finally had enough of playing second and third fiddle, of his abrupt shifts in demeanors, did he finally recognize how important she had become to his life. The ship watched all of this transpire, waiting for her moment. Like Martha, she knew it was all about timing with the Time Lord.
She finally decided, after another trip that ended with him staring blankly into space while floating in the Time Vortex, to put him out of his misery and gently touched his mind.
"How long are you going to continue this way?"
He sighed in his mind, "Don't. I'm fine."
"I'm not one of your companions, Doctor. I know the truth. I know you."
"Just leave it."
"Why? It's obvious you can't. You miss her, admit it."
"I did what was best for both of us," he defended.
The ship sighed this time, "You keep saying that but I don't know how being miserable is best for either of you."
"I'm not miserable and I doubt Martha is either. We tried. It didn't work. Now drop it."
"Not until you face the facts."
"What facts?" he replied in an almost bored tone.
"That you let Martha go, not because it was what was best but because you were scared . . . terrified of what she made you feel," the ship firmly countered.
That accusation had the Time Lord on his feet and forcefully replying, "That's enough! If you know me so well then you know there's very little in this universe that "terrifies" me."
"Except having someone get so close that you begin to depend on them. I've seen this show before, Doctor. I've seen you begin to let someone in only to stop yourself all because of fear . . . the fear that they would matter too much. But with Martha I thought you had finally found someone you would be willing to let share some of that burden but the fear was just too much for you to overlook."
She paused giving him the chance to deny it but when he only stared forward defiantly she continued, "How long are you planning to go on denying yourself any extended happiness?"
The Doctor groaned with frustration, "For the rest of my lives if needs be."
The ship joined him in exasperation, "Why?"
"Because I don't deserve it! I don't deserve the kind of loyalty Martha has given me. I don't deserve to have the kind of happiness she could bring . . . not after what I've done."
He paused and sighed, "I condemned my whole species to extinction. I committed genocide against my own people. And my punishment for that is to carry the burden as last of my kind. I have a whole universe to look after because of my actions. I lost the option to get a happy ending the moment I pressed that button."
"So what? You intend to do your penance by denying yourself someone who loves you and who you love?"
"Yes."
"Then it will be lives wasted. No matter how much you regret what happened, we both know it cannot be changed. No amount of penitence can alter the past but at least, with Martha, you have a chance at a brighter present and future. It's not fair for you to penalize yourself, and her, for a situation that was not of your making and an action that was your only option."
Rationally, he knew his friend was right. If he'd done nothing the whole universe would have been lost but still . . . How he could he go on with a merry existence when Gallifrey and everyone on it was gone by his hand? Before he could even begin to respond to her words, he was startled from his thoughts by a familiar ringing.
He reached across the console for the silver contraption and, in spite of all he and the TARDIS had just shared, he briefly let hope slip in. He knew it was a very unlikely Martha was calling since she made it clear she wanted no contact between them but until he flipped it open and his eyes found the id, he had a reprieve from his grim thoughts. That hope quickly turned to bewilderment as he studied the name glaring at him. Mum.
Why in the world would Francine be calling him? A few ideas rapidly raced through his mind. To tell him off for hurting her daughter again . . . to gloat . . . or maybe she thought she was dialing Martha. He thought about just ignoring it before another, more ominous, thought seized him. What if something had happened to her? He'd only assumed that Martha would go back to the hospital but what if she rejoined UNIT, just to spite him, or Torchwood for that matter?
As the device continued to chirp away, the Doctor finally let the sudden anxiety at all the less than desirable possibilities finally guide his finger to the talk button. He pressed gingerly and tentatively brought it to his ear, "Mrs. Jones, what can I do for you?"
Francine didn't respond right away, which instantly put him on alert.
"Is everything alright?"
The older woman seemed to finally find her voice and hesitantly begin, "Doctor, it's about Martha."
He promptly cut in, "Where is she? What's happened?"
The worry in his voice could not be masked nor was he interested in trying to hide it. Francine sighed into the receiver as though trying to find the right words before eventually being very blunt, "Can you come back to earth?"
His sense of dread only grew with her lack of explanation and stilted tone, "You need to tell me what's happened. Is she hurt?"
"It's not something to talk about over the phone. Will you please come?"she replied.
He was officially alarmed and abruptly replied, "I'm on my way. Where are you?"
"Come to my house. I'll be waiting," was her response before the phone clicked down.
Moments later the Doctor was busy setting the coordinated back to earth and London. He felt the TARDIS's worry and softly tried to soothe both the ship and himself, "She's going to be fine."
Francine felt a twinge of guilt at letting him think something was wrong with her daughter but her gambit had gotten him to agree to come. Besides, she hadn't been completely dishonest. Martha was hurt, even if it was emotionally instead of physically. She needed to know if this thing with her daughter and the Time Lord was really over. If his tone over the phone was any indication, it was apparent there was still something there. Francine briefly recalled the scene just a few months ago at Martha's bedside in Cardiff.
When he thought no one was watching, when it was just him and her daughter, the Doctor looked like a man afraid of losing something dear. She needed to know if that vision was genuine. She was aware both he and Martha would think her mad. After all, wasn't this what she had always wanted, him away from her daughter? Francine, though, had grudgingly begun to accept over the months her daughter had been with him that they were good for each other. Martha was never as happy or radiant as when she was with him and the Doctor seemed less frenzied in her daughter's presence. Now she needed to figure out, quickly, how to approach him and get him, and ultimately her as well, to realize they were much better off together than apart.