Hi lovelies! I managed to keep my promise this time and update in a timely manner! I'm proud of myself lol. Before we get into the chapter, I just wanted to say that I LOVED your responses to last chapter's question. They were all so good and thought out? Like, you guys went above and beyond, and it seriously made my day. Your comments always make me smile, so thank you :). Anyways, onto the comments…

Replies to Comments:

Pastel-Potatoes: If she can be patient enough to handle the Doctor, I think she'd be patient with you lol. And, yes, Audrey's ninja skills lol. They play a big part in her background/what happened in Georgia, which will be addressed soon. I'm glad you liked their vulnerability! I liked writing a different side of them this time around instead of the happy-go-lucky pair who save the world. I hope you have a nice day and enjoy this next chapter!

LisaPark: I'm glad you like the fanfic and Audrey! I'm so happy to hear that you think she's a good fit for the Doctor. When I started this fic, I really wanted to create a character that people would like and someone that I thought would work well with the Doctor, so I'm really happy to hear that you think she's a good fit. And I'm sure if she were a real person, Audrey would like to be your friend too! I'm happy to hear that you like the original chapters and 10's characterization too, I was excited to show new sides to them. Thank you for your kind words about the updates, I always worry a bit that I'm disappointing the people that like the fic when I don't update often, but thank you for giving me a bit of reassurance. Hope you have a good day and enjoy this next chapter! With love, HaleyLynn xx.

Bored411: Yeaaaah, they had a bit of a tense time, didn't they? I love that description of Audrey so much! She is that kind of friend that would drag people around. It sounds like you guys would have a pretty functional dynamic, though. Hope you have a good day and enjoy this next chapter!

RiversCurls: This is just a whole big angst fest. You know me, I hate reading angst but live for writing it. I'm glad you like seeing their personal conflicts with each other because wow lemme tell ya, there's gonna be quite a bit. Audrey and I aren't THAT similar okay, but I still think you guys would get along. Thank you and I'm glad you like it. In the words of the loml, 'I'm good, I'm done'.

PrincessMagic: Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! Hope you have a nice day and enjoy this next chapter!

Fakira: Thank you, I'm glad you liked it! I completely understand what you mean because I feel the same way writing it! I love exploring the angsty side of their friendship but at the same time I'm like 'no, guys, please don't fight!'. And I can see what you mean about not being sure if you guys would get along because of similar personalities. Hope you have a good day and enjoy this next chapter!


The TARDIS landed with a strong thump and Martha silently applauded herself for managing to stay upright this time. She was getting better at that, she thought.

"There we go. Perfect landing. Which isn't easy in such a tight spot," The Doctor said, looking everywhere but at Martha. He seemed sadder, more distant. Martha couldn't blame him really.

It was only last night that they had returned from New York where the Doctor faced the Daleks. Their travels might have only just started but Martha knew him well enough to know that it was hard on him. It also didn't help that Audrey, who Martha realized was the Doctor's support, had disappeared shortly after the adventure and had yet to return. In the back of her mind, Martha hoped Audrey would show up in time for their next trip.

"You should be used to tight spots by now," Martha said, teasingly. Joking with the Doctor always seemed to be Audrey's go to move when the Doctor was upset, surely Martha could do the same. It didn't have the same effect and Martha looked away, "Where are we?"

"The end of the line. No place like it," The Doctor answered. Martha ran towards the doors, eager to see what was in store for them next, while the Doctor lingered at the console. At the door Martha stopped and turned to face him. When he nodded in encouragement, she threw open the doors.

Martha was surprised to find the view of her living room outside the TARDIS doors. She had been preparing herself for the view of an alien planet or maybe a different time period. Seeing her own home was a mundane sight in comparison. It was almost surreal, seeing everything exactly as she had left it, even after traveling with the Doctor. Everything was so normal. Well, everything except…

Lying across Martha's sofa was Audrey. She wore tattered clothes that were singed at the edges and had holes that look suspiciously like burn marks on the shoulders. The sound of her sonic screwdriver could be heard as she unlocked and relocked the door across the room in a bored manner. When she laid eyes on Martha, her face stretched into a grin and she jumped up.

"There you are! Can someone tell me where I am?" Audrey asked.

"Audrey?" The Doctor called, stepping out of the TARDIS. He furrowed his eyebrows. "What're you doing here?"

"Home," Martha cut in. "You took me home?"

Both women turned to look at the Doctor with confusion written all over their faces. Audrey, as per usual when she had just jumped, had absolutely no idea what was going on. She looked over at Martha, seeing that the other woman was just as surprised as she was and she knew something must've gone wrong. Why would the Doctor be taking Martha home?

"In fact, the morning after we left, so you've only been gone about twelve hours. No time at all, really."

"But all the stuff we've done. Shakespeare, New New York, old New York?"

"Spoilers," Audrey muttered, half-heartedly, "Not that anyone really pays attention to those."

"Yep, all in one night, relatively speaking. Everything should be just as it was. Book, CDs, laundry," The Doctor said, picking up a pair of underwear from the clothesline. Martha snatched them out of his hand quickly, a blush fanning across her face, "So, back where you were, as promised."

"This is it?" Martha questioned, and the Doctor nodded.

Audrey sighed, "I have no idea what's going on."

"I'm not sure I do either," Martha mumbled. Audrey looked to the Doctor, who was shifting around on his feet awkwardly.

"You, Alienboy, explain."

"It's- er, yeah. We should probably just-"

The Doctor held out a hand for Audrey to take, nodding towards the TARDIS. Audrey wasn't about to leave without an explanation. She knew some things were guarded by spoilers, but she deserved to know why they were leaving Martha behind. Before Audrey could protest, Martha's phone rang.

"I'm sorry," Martha told them as the answering machine picked up.

Audrey shrugged, "It's your house."

"Martha, are you there? Pick it up, will you?" A voice on the machine said. Martha rolled her eyes, explaining that it was her mother. "All right then, pretend that you're out if you like. I was only calling to say that your sister's on TV. On the news of all things. Just thought you might be interested."

Martha picked up a remote and flipped on the TV. An elderly man was making a speech and a young woman was standing at his side.

"Tonight, I will demonstrate a device which will redefine our world. With the push of a single button, I will change what it means to be human," The man on the screen declared, while Martha tried to explain her sister's new job to them.

The man was called away as reporters flooded the scene and bright lights flashed in his face. The three of them stared at the screen a moment longer before Martha switched it off and apologized again.

"Sorry. You were saying we should…?"

The Doctor was still staring at the screen, his gaze calculating. His reaction was delayed a few seconds but he eventually turned to Martha and nodded, "Yes, yes, we should. One trip is what we said."

"Yeah. I supposed things just kind of escalated."

"Seems to be a reoccurring event for us," Audrey mused lightly.

"Thank you," Martha told them sincerely, "For everything."

"It was our pleasure."

The Doctor walked back into the TARDIS, followed closely by Audrey. When she was certain they were out of sight, Martha took a deep, shuddering breath. She stepped back from the TARDIS, expecting it to dematerialize but instead the door opened a crack. On the other side Martha could hear the voice of the Doctor but he seemed far away. A sliver of Audrey's face could be seen through the crack.

"Give me, like, two minutes. We'll be back," Audrey promised. After her hurried words, she slammed the doors shut and the TARDIS vanished.

On the other side, Audrey was leaning against one of the coral spirals, watching as the Doctor paced back and forth around the console.

"Change what it means to be human?" The Doctor said. He was mumbling to himself and Audrey doubted he even realized she was listening.

"Yeah, that's what he said. Guess we'll never know," She replied. "So where are we going?"

"What did he mean?" The Doctor asked himself, rubbing the back of his neck in thought.

"We could always… stick around and investigate, but that would require getting into the event. We could always use the psychic paper, but I bet Martha's sister has got an invitation. Too bad you said goodbye, huh?"

The Doctor shook his head. Audrey smirked as he rushed back to the controls and piloted the TARDIS back to Martha's. He hurried past her, throwing open the doors and Audrey thought she could hear Martha's surprised gasp.

"No, I'm sorry. Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?"


Audrey and Martha took their time in the TARDIS wardrobe looking for dresses for the event. The room was seemingly endless with dozens of stories of clothing racks going wall to wall. Martha had already chosen a dark purple dress that she had put on, but Audrey was still deciding. Martha sat on a chair, judging each dress that Audrey tried on.

"Hmm, what about this?" Audrey said, holding a blue dress up to her frame. Martha wrinkled her nose and Audrey looked down at it again, "You're right. Not my color."

"So, where've you been?" Martha asked curiously. She picked up Audrey's ruined shirt that she had been wearing before from the floor, "Wherever it was, it looks like it took a toll on you."

Audrey had been a bit of everywhere recently. After her brief argument with the Tenth Doctor, she'd been able to stay a few hours longer before being whisked away to another Doctor. It hadn't been the Doctor from the Byzantium that she was worried about, but it had been the Ninth Doctor and since she didn't get to see him as often, it was easier to forget her worries and have fun with him.

"Fire-breathing queen. Impeccable style, surprisingly well-mannered. Well, that is until I accidently stole her crown. Long story, lots of fun," Audrey responded, distractedly. She continued flipping through a rack of dresses in front of her until she pulled out a specific one she liked.

Audrey didn't show Martha the outfit right away. Instead, she pulled off the dress she had tried on previously and changed into the new one. Martha closed her eyes and played along with Audrey's dramatic reveal.

"What do you think?"

When Martha opened her eyes, she was quiet for a moment. Audrey was bouncing lightly on her feet and smiling excitedly while she waited for Martha's answer. The dress she had chosen was white, went down to just above her knee, and hugged her figure nicely. On the left, the white fabric was peeled back and pinned to the space above her ribs to reveal a second layer, this one made of black lace. It managed to find the perfect balance between classy and sexy, which suited Audrey perfectly. Martha's face stretched into a smile and Audrey's own brightened.

"I think the Doctor is going to have a heart attack when he sees you," Martha told her, grinning.

She crossed the room, pulling Martha up and admiring the girl's dress, "Martha Jones, you look stunning. Between the two of us, no one in the building will be able to look away."

The two of them laughed as they moved on to the hair and makeup portion of their night. They had hurried back to Audrey's room, laying out all their supplies on the bed and taking turns doing each other's make up like they were school girls. Audrey could remember doing Phoebe's makeup before her school dances and dance recitals, so the routine felt oddly familiar. It was easy to imagine for a little while that her and Martha were college friends getting ready for a party or a date. Audrey liked being able to act like a normal person with someone else.

Martha chose a sparkly headband to hold her hair back while Audrey styled her own hair in a bun. Both of them wore little makeup and though both of their outfits had taken a short time to put together, they had spent at least a couple hours in the process of it. Which, by the end of it, made for a very impatient Doctor.

"Will you two hurry up?" The Doctor called back into the TARDIS. They were already parked outside the event, but Martha and Audrey were still nowhere to be found. Finally, Martha came out of the hallway, walking to meet the Doctor outside of the TARDIS doors. When he saw that Audrey wasn't with her, he rolled his eyes and called for her again.

"Perfection take time, Doctor dear," Audrey laughed, slipping on one heel at a time.

She came into view a moment later, watching as the Doctor's eyes met hers. His annoyance faded and was replaced by a more undistinguishable look that Audrey had never seen before. He took a moment to scan her appearance before clearing his throat and looking back at her face.

"You look amazing," The Doctor told her. Audrey was taken aback for a moment by his sincerity.

There were people in her life that complimented her looks, from family to friends to strangers, but none of them ever did so in a way like the Doctor. He didn't say it just to be polite, or to get something out of her, he said it as if it was a fact, like it was the most honest thing he'd ever known. The feeling she felt in the wake of his words was new and unfamiliar, making Audrey grow uncomfortable.

The teasing and the flirting were okay, they were safe. But this was walking on thin ice. He was just so damn sincere, and it constantly caught her off guard.

"Thanks, Doctor. And look at Martha's dress, yeah? I told her, that color looks fantastic on her," Audrey exclaimed, directing the attention to Martha, who seemed smug about Audrey and the Doctor's whole encounter.

"What? Oh, er- yes! Martha, it does, you do. You look very beautiful," The Doctor complimented nervously. Martha thanked him politely and there was a beat of tension before the Doctor changed the subject.

"Oh, black tie. Whenever I wear this, something bad always happens," The Doctor said, and Audrey laughed lightly.

"That's just you," She teased. She took a moment to observe him, seeing the nice suit he was wearing. It looked good on him, but her attention was instantly drawn to the bow tie around his neck, "Oh, look! You're wearing a bow tie."

The Doctor gave her an inquisitive look that had her back tracking fast.

"Oops, never mind. Spoilers and such."

"Anyways, I think it suits you. In a James Bond kind of way," Martha commented.

"James Bond," The Doctor repeated, fixing his tie, "Really?"

The three of them continued towards the massive building with 'Lazarus Laboratories' written in big letters. The building was decorated fancily on the outside and, judging by the people getting out of the limos in front, they could expect the same level of extravagance from the partygoers.

Audrey was right. The event was held inside a massive reception hall that was filled with well-dressed and seemingly wealthy people. The room was centered around a large white capsule that sat on display. It was roped off for the moment but Audrey wondered if that was the device that Lazarus had spoken about on the news.

"Oh, look, they've got nibbles! I love nibbles," The Doctor said, giddily. He grabbed a few pieces of food off the tray of a passing waiter.

"Hello." A voice greeted. A young woman approached them suddenly, smiling brightly. Martha's own face lit up in recognition when she saw her and Audrey assumed this must be Martha's sister.

"Tish," Martha replied, hugging her sister.

"You look great," Tish said, eyeing Martha's dress in approval. Then, she looked around the room, nervously, "So, what do you think? Impressive, isn't it?"

Martha nodded, "Very."

"And two nights out in a row for you. That's dangerously close to a social life."

"If I keep this up, I'll end up in all the gossip columns."

"You might, actually. You should keep an eye out for photographers," Tish warned her, "And Mum, she's coming too. Even dragging Leo along with her."

"Leo in black tie?" Martha asked, raising an eyebrow, "That I must see."

As if just realizing that Audrey and the Doctor were there, Tish's eyes darted between them and Martha a few times. Martha got the hint her sister was trying to get across and went to introduce them.

"This is Audrey and the Doctor," Martha told her sister. The Doctor shifted the food he had taken into one hand so he could shake hers. Audrey greeted her politely as well.

"Are they with you?" Tish asked. When Martha confirmed this, Tish's smile became tense, "But they're not on the list. How did they get in?"

"They're my plus…two?" Martha tried, sounding unsure. Knowing they had used the psychic paper to create an identity for Audrey and the Doctor that allowed them to be here, Audrey hurriedly changed the subject.

"This professor, Lazarus, he's your boss?" Audrey questioned. If there was one thing that could distract anyone, it was giving them the opportunity to talk about themselves. Especially their job. People were either always eager to talk about how important a job they did or how much they dislike what they do. Audrey was proven right when Tish gave them a proud smile and seemed to forget about how they arrived.

"Professor Lazarus, yes. I'm part of his executive staff," Tish informed them.

Martha rolled her eyes, "She's in the PR department."

"I'm head of the PR department, actually," Tish corrected her. Her expression said that she was offended at Martha's condescending remark and Audrey could bet that Tish was the younger sibling. Audrey recognized that 'need to prove myself' streak from all the years she'd spent with Phoebe.

"You're joking."

"I put this whole thing together."

"So, do you know what the professor's going to be doing tonight? That looks like it might be a sonic microfield manipulator," The Doctor cut in, drawing the attention back to the situation at hand and away from the domestic sibling disputes.

"He's a science geek. I should have known. Got to get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later."

Tish left after excusing herself, leaving the three time travelers on their own. The Doctor returned to eating the nibbles, but looked at Audrey curiously.

"Science geek? What does that mean?" He asked.

"You know, it means that you're, like, really passionate about it," Audrey replied. She appeared to think about it before patting him lightly on the arm, "Quite fitting really."

He smiled brightly, "Oh, nice."

"Martha," An older woman called, grabbing their attention.

Martha rushed over to the woman when she saw her and pulled her into a tight hug. This must be Martha's mother, Francine, and the younger man with her must be Leo, Martha's brother. Audrey watched her friend interact with her family, she was smiling but on the inside she could feel a twinge of sadness lying there as well. Martha's family resembled her own so much that it was making her feel slightly nostalgic.

"All right, what's the occasion?" Francine laughed as she pulled away. Martha's expression twisted into one of confusion and she shrugged.

"What do you mean? I'm just pleased to see you, that's all."

"You saw me last night," Francine pointed out.

It was then that Martha realized the time difference between her and her family. She glanced back at the Doctor and Audrey with a nervous look before brushing her behavior off as missing her family.

"I know. I just miss you. You're looking good, Leo," Martha commented, directing the attention to something else for a minute. Her brother, a smartly dressed young man in a suit, grinned at his sister.

"Yeah. If anyone asks me to fetch them a drink, I'll swing for him," Leo joked.

"You disappeared last night," Francine cut in.

"I just went home," Martha lied. Her mother didn't seem to believe her, though.

"On your own?" Francine asked. Her narrowed eyes darted to Audrey and the Doctor who stood behind Martha. She watched them suspiciously before looking back to her daughter. Martha seemed to realize what her mother was implying.

"These are some friends of mine. Audrey and the Doctor," Martha introduced. Both of them waved at Francine and Leo politely, Audrey stepping forward to shake their hands. Francine shook her hand briefly, but her eyes were still lingering on the Doctor.

"Doctor what?" She questioned. Her eyes were narrowed and Audrey could tell it was because of the idea of some man she had never heard of suddenly being so close with her daughter.

Martha shook her head, "No, it's just the Doctor. The three of us have been doing some work together."

Leo stuck out his hand in a friendly manner, "You all right, mate?"

The Doctor shook his hand and then Francine's. Seeing that the woman was still unsure about him, he tried to redirect the conversation in order to break the ice.

"It's lovely to meet you, Mrs. Jones. Heard a lot about you," The Doctor continued.

"Have you?" Francine raised an eyebrow. "What have you heard, then?"

"Oh, you know, that you're Martha's mother and…" The Doctor stumbled over his words, obviously not having expected her to reply in such a way, "Er, no, actually, that's about it. We haven't had much time to chat. You know, been busy."

"Busy? Doing what, exactly?"

"Oh…you know. Stuff."

"You might want to shut up now," Audrey muttered to him. She put a hand on his arm, turned to Francine, and gave her the politest smile she could muster, "Hi, Mrs. Jones. I'm sorry about my…"

I can't believe I'm doing this, Audrey thought.

"Fiancé. He can be a bit oblivious," Audrey finished, trying to lighten the mood.

Francine looked mildly pacified at this answer and nodded. Audrey wasn't sure if it was because of the reassurance that the Doctor was taken or because she now understood that the Doctor didn't understand the implications of what he was saying.

The Doctor, however, turned to her with a strange look that she didn't totally understand. There were bits and pieces of it that she could distinguish, such as the shock at hearing her cover for him and a little bit of smugness. Then, there was something else in his eyes… a bit of pride maybe, or perhaps she was reading into things.

There was a tapping on glass that called for the attention of the room. The Doctor looked relieved to be out from under the scrutinizing gaze of Martha's mother, while the rest of the group was just as uncomfortable.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I am going to perform a miracle," Announced an old man standing in the middle of the room. There was a spotlight shining down on him and a few camera flashes that cut through the darkness, "It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon."

Audrey had to applaud him for his confidence, even if it did come off as slightly arrogant. Audrey's mother had taught her that believing in yourself and your work was the first step to success. Whether or not his work was actually that important, it was obvious he took pride in it.

"Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you will wake to a world which will be changed forever."

Everyone in the room watched on in fascination as Lazarus stepped into the chamber. A few scientists stood around the outside and started up the machine. The four columns around the chamber started to rotate as a bright blue light blinded them all. People were shielding their eyes and ducking away from the light, but everything else seemed to be going as planned. Then, an alarm rang through the room.

"Something's wrong. It's overloading," The Doctor noticed.

The alarms grew louder as sparks began to fly into the audience. The scientists were rushing around the computers, trying to shut them off, but they were unsuccessful. The Doctor ran over to the control panel, using his sonic screwdriver. Audrey followed after him, while Martha tried to usher the crowd away from the machine.

Audrey wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but she pressed the buttons that Doctor pointed at on her side of the panel while he pressed the others. The controls started smoking, causing the woman who was operating it originally to back away.

"Somebody stop them. Get them away from those controls!" Lazarus's wife, Lady Shaw, shouted.

"He knows what he's doing!" Audrey shot back, pressing another button.

"If this thing goes up, it'll take the whole building with it. Is that what you want?" The Doctor asked, angrily.

Lady Shaw didn't look pleased, but she didn't try to argue any further. The Doctor jumped over the control table and pulled out a power cable from the back of the computer. Lazarus's machine began to slow done before it eventually came to a stop.

"Get it open!" The Doctor yelled.

Martha was the first to react, rushing forward to pull open the chamber door. There was a white mist, and then a man who staggered out unsteadily. This man was much younger than the Lazarus they had seen previously. He looked to be in his early thirties. In the crowd, Lady Shaw was smiling and seemed the slightest bit surprised, as if she hadn't expected it to work.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Richard Lazarus. I am seventy-six years old and I am reborn!" Lazarus exclaimed. He threw his hands up in the air victoriously as the crowd cheered and cameras flashed.

"Holy hell," Audrey breathed, stunned. She couldn't tear her eyes off of him, they were rapidly searching for a fault or some kind of evidence that would hint towards it being a trick or a stunt, but she found nothing.

"He did it," Lady Shaw said, "He actually did it."

Audrey and the Doctor shared a knowing look, both of them knowing what the other was thinking.

What exactly has he just done? And how?


Question: Is there an episode in particular that you are excited to see Audrey be a part of?