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Chapter 28 . . .
The Doctor arrived at the Jones house and was immediately greeted by a solemn Francine. Her look alone caused his anxiety to grow and he glanced around her as he spoke, "Where is she? What's happened?"
Francine knew she had to let him in on her true motives for bringing him here. She stepped aside and allowed him entry before closing her door and slowly answering his concern, "You tell me. Two months ago my daughter came home and proceeded to act as if you never existed. So what changed?"
The Doctor was vexed. He narrowed his eyes at the mother of his companion . . . former companion and sternly prodded, "Mrs. Jones, I'm going to ask you one last time, where is Martha?"
"Probably at her sister's. It's her night off," her mother returned rather nonchalantly.
The Time Lord's gaze hardened as he realized he had been had, "You said she was hurt."
Francine undeterred by the daggers he was now throwing her way firmly replied, "Actually I didn't. You assumed but FYI, she is. Deeply. And I have a strong feeling you're behind it."
"I can't believe you brought me here under false pretenses. I thought . . ." He paused trying to banish all the horrible ideas he had conjured up before looking back to her and sharply concluding, "You had no right."
"When it comes to my children I have every right. When I see my daughter once again devastated apparently because of something you did to her, I have every right. Now tell my why you left her here."
"Or else what?" he coolly fired back.
Francine raised an eyebrow before taking a step closer to the alien and frigidly returning, "Or you will have confirmed everything I ever said to her about you."
Surprisingly, that statement had a deep impact on the Time Lord. He knew that the woman before him held a low opinion of him and could even understand it. Ever since he came into her daughter's life, there had been no shortage of upheaval and pain. But nestled in there were also genuine moments of joy and serenity and no matter what else happened, he refused to let anyone say that Martha didn't matter to him. So with a quiet exhale and less antagonism he replied to her declaration.
"Mrs. Jones, whatever you may think of me, I care about Martha and I did what I felt was best. That being said, what happened between us will stay between us. If she chose not to share it then I certainly won't be."
She wasn't surprised by his verbal response but was intrigued by his physical reaction to her prior statement. It didn't escape her notice that he stiffened when she implied that Martha was little more than a diversion to him. He obviously had an emotional investment in Martha. Now she just needed to get him to acknowledge it.
"Do you know what she's been doing since she's been back? She's been working herself into exhaustion at the hospital only to come back home and pass out until her next shift. She's been very closed off and refuses to talk about why. She's clearly not taking things very well. Is that the life you want for her?"
Francine knew there was more going on than she was saying, with Martha becoming more involved with Tom, but her first priority was to get the Doctor engaged enough to talk.
The Doctor exhaled. He had been trying to convince himself since the moment she walked out that he was doing the right thing . . . the best thing but a part of him knew it wouldn't be easy for her to pick up where she left off back on earth. He hated the idea of her being in distress but he was so muddle with his own emotions he didn't know what to do for her.
"I know you're concerned but we both know Martha is tough. She'll pull herself out of this eventually and move forward."
Francine shook her head, "And that's good enough for you is it? You could just leave her to wallow in her pain and hurt when you have the power to stop it?"
The Doctor studied her intently before asking, "What is it you think I can do?"
"Be there for her . . . show her how much you do care," she emotionally replied.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was the same Francine Jones who had warned him away from her daughter the first time they met. The same Francine Jones who had cringed when that same daughter decided to rejoin him in his travels. Now she stood before him, sounding as though she wanted him to fight to keep Martha in his life. It was a bit surreal. Yet he didn't yield.
"I can't."
"Can't or won't?" she pressed.
The Doctor exhaled sharply, "I can't."
"Why not?"
Usually he hated being pressured into sharing things he did not want to but as the mature women intently waited for a reply, he found words slipping from his mouth that he couldn't even admit to his closet friend moments before.
"Because . . . with Martha, a little has a way of growing into a lot. I end up doing things I never thought I would and wanting to do more than I can. It's like I can't do things part way and not having that control is overwhelming to someone like me. I could do things . . . things I can't afford to do because of how I feel about her," he quietly confessed.
She looked at him for the first time with something close to sympathy, "So you're frightened of what you feel?"
He didn't confirm or deny her assessment only held her gaze. Francine for her part knew the answer and persisted.
"Has she asked you to break any rules? I mean travel back in time to change something? Let her change something about her past? Place another planet in peril to protect her?" she randomly asked.
The Doctor furrowed his brow, "Of course not. Martha's not that kind of person. She would never ask me to do something she knew I could not."
"And I dare to bet that she would stop you if you tried," she added.
He couldn't stop a small smile from coming to his lips, "Always."
Francine sighed, "Then I don't see the problem. Caring about someone is not something to be controlled. It's something to embrace and enjoy. What's so wrong with having someone with you who understands what you have to do and is willing to help you do it?"
He also sighed, "It's not that simple."
"It is, Doctor. It is if you just open yourself to it. Life is too damn short to live it alone, especially when you don't have to."
He swallowed hard. She had hit another nerve. The fact that life, especially human life, was just too short stood as another stumbling block for he and Martha. The thought of putting his hearts in the hand of someone who he would inevitably lose was never far from his mind.
Quietly, he responded, "You have no idea. Compared to my life span, human life is like a candle in the wind. Eventually I'll lose her, like I have lost everything else and I just can't deal with that."
Francine shook her head, "So you're telling me you're willing to sacrifice any happiness you could have with my daughter for what might come later?"
"What will happen eventually."
"I know you're supposed to be from a more "advanced" race but I think we humans have you beat in one sense . . . we know that nothing is permanent and live in spite of that knowledge."
She paused and studied the now silent Time Lord before going on, "As humans we know we only have a short time to live and love and take advantage of all life has to offer. We know it can be gone in a heartbeat which is why we love so hard and passionately. We don't always do it well but even the bad experiences are experiences worth having. The trick is making sure the good outweighs the bad."
She stopped again and moved a bit closer to him as she earnestly concluded, "You have to embrace the things you need and desire and cherish them for as long as you can so that when the time comes to part all the good memories you've created will overrule the sadness of the loss. Don't let the ending dictate the journey. That won't be fair to either of you."
He again examined the woman who had been one of the principal obstacles to what he and Martha were trying to build now trying to convince him they could make things work.
"Why are you doing this? I know you have never been very fond of me. I thought you of all people would be happy to have Martha home, safe and away from me."
She gave the first hint of a smile, as strained as it appeared, and softly mused, "It's true I've always been concerned about your relationship with my daughter but it was more about what you represented than you personally. She changed when she met you, doing things we never expected her to, and I wasn't ready for that."
The Doctor raised a brow and skeptically retorted, "And now you are?"
"There comes a point, when you have kids, that their wants and needs take precedence over your own. The fact is my daughter adores you and right now she is hurting because she can't be with you. Anything I can do to take away that hurt, I will do. So my question to you is, are you willing to do the same?"
The Doctor was completely at a loss. He'd seen an impassioned Francine before but instead of being the target of her ire he was overwhelmed by her present gentleness. She, like his ship, had urged him to embrace something he already wanted and not worry about what may come.
In his mind it made complete sense but visions of past losses continued to make him hesitate. All he wanted was to have all of space and time before him and Martha at his side to share it. Yet could he really let go of all the anxiety, pain and loss he had caused and endured and reach for it?
Francine could sense that he was wavering and decided to be blunt.
"Do you want her back in your life?"
His eyes found hers and before his brain could have the chance to stop him he squeaked out a quiet, "Yes."
Francine studied him for a moment before declaring, "Then go to her and make things right."
He shook his head, "She doesn't want to see me. She asked me to stay away."
Francine smiled again and this time did something even more unexpected. She placed a comforting hand on his face and answered, "I know my daughter. She can be stubborn, kinda like her mum, but if you're sincere, she'll come round."
He could see the certainty in the older woman's deep brown eyes and found himself desperately wanting to believe she was right, that he could do his duty and have something deeper with Martha. He held her gaze and quietly exhaled.
"Alright . . . I'll try."
Francine offered a relaxed smile which the Time Lord slowly returned before retreating from her touch. A long overdue understanding passed between the pair before he prepared to go.
Francine turned to watch him leave only to stop him before he could fully retreat.
"Doctor?"
He paused just inside the door and turned back to her.
"Take care of her."
He gave her a quick nod before continuing his trek, closing the door behind him.
Inside, Francine knew she had done the right thing but her apprehension did not fully dissipate. She wanted her daughter happy and if the Doctor succeeded in mission, she would have to come to terms with the idea that her baby girl would be gone again.
