Chapter Thirty-Five

The Master nodded at the guard who was operating the camera.

"That will be all." He said waving him away. "Go back to your duties."

The guard nodded. He turned and walked out the door as the Master sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Well, that's taken care of."

He frowned.

"There is the problem of Martha, however." he said to himself. " I can't let her continue to roam free defying me. She's setting a very bad example for the rest of the population. If they see her out and about speaking her mind, others might get the idea that they can do that too."

He glanced over at Lucy sitting on the couch.

"Isn't that right, my dear?"

Lucy turned her blank gaze to him.

"Yes." She said in a dull voice.

The Master nodded.

"So, I think we should send the Toclafane to Japan, both to kill Martha and show the rest of the world that resistance is useless. Kill two birds with one stone."

He paused and thought.

"Ooo, but then again Martha is wearing her perception filter, so the Toclafane won't be able to see her."

He smiled.

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to kill everyone in Japan then. That way we can be sure we got rid of the little menace once and for all."

He was about to summon a Toclafane to him when he had a thought.

"I better wait at least a day. That way, Martha will have time to get to the island. It won't do to devastate the Japanese if Martha isn't among them."

He stood up.

"In the meantime, I'll go check up on pizza face and see if he's become mindless yet."

He walked over to Lucy and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll be back later, dear."

"Alright."

The Master leaned up and grinned at her. He had hesitated at first with hypnotizing her further. But, looking at his quiet, obedient wife sitting there not causing trouble made him glad he did. It was one less thing he had to worry about. Sighing contentedly, he hurried off to the lab to check on the progress of the alternate Doctor.

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Martha staggered back and put her hand against a wall. She put her hand to her head. She had just finished going through North and South Korea and had teleported into Nagasaki. She stood for a moment getting over the effects of the teleport while she stared out at the sea.

She leaned back against the wall watching the waves lapping up on the shore. Another country to go through. Now it was the middle of November and the days were growing colder. It was no longer possible for her to sleep outside at night so she had to rely on the kindness of strangers to keep from freezing to death.

She leaned back up and sighed. Much as she'd like to take it easy and rest, there was work to do. She only had four and a half months left and she still had the southern hemisphere countries and then on to the US, Canada, Mexico and on and on until she got back to England. It seemed an impossible task, but she was proud of the ground she had covered so far and she knew that she could make it the rest of the way.

She glanced over at an old man making his way towards her. She cleared her throat.

"Hello!" she said in a loud clear voice.

The man instantly focused on her and he put his hand to his heart.

"Aye-yah, where did you come from?" he asked her in English.

Martha now knew it was the TARDIS translating for her. It was highly improbable that everyone she had met and talked to happened to speak perfect English. She thanked the TARDIS's translating abilities. The thought of it made her think of the Doctor and she sighed. She couldn't wait to get back and see him and her friends again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." She said. "I'm---"

"Martha Jones." The old man finished.

Martha was taken aback.

"You know me?" she said.

"Of course I know you. You're the crazy woman who walks the world."

"Oh gee, thanks." Martha muttered. "Nice to know people have a high opinion of me."

"You are very well known now. There are many stories about you." The man said smiling.

"Really, what kind of stories?"

"They say that you have walked over the entire world speaking to all the survivors and telling them your story." The man said. "They say that you have fought the Master and lived to tell about it. They say that you will kill the Master and free us all."

He leaned in and put his hand to the side of his mouth as he whispered in her ear.

"They also say you are completely insane and that no one should listen to you, but I don't believe that part." He said.

"Well good, because I'm not insane." Martha said. "And as for defeating the Master, I'm not the one who will do that. I have a friend who will though and I want to---"

"Tell us all about him? Yes, I know." The man finished.

Martha smiled. Her reputation was now preceding her.

Good, maybe now I won't have to tell as many people about the Doctor. She thought.

"Listen, um…"

"Toshi. Toshi Yakamura." The old man said.

"Listen, Toshi, is there someplace that I can talk to the people?"

"Of course, Martha-sama, we have a building all ready. We have been watching for your arrival for many weeks now. We also have a room prepared for you and my wife Yoko will fix you a hot meal."

Martha grinned.

"Thank you, Toshi, I'd really appreciate it." Martha said.

For the first time since starting out on this mission, she felt confident that she would finish it on time.

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The Doctor lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling. He and Rose slept together in one of the guest bedrooms. Even though no one was around, they still didn't feel right sleeping in Elizabeth's or any of the other royals beds. The room that they had picked was very comfortable and the bed was nice and soft. After sleeping on bedding thrown on the floor, he had come to love the feel of the mattress on his ancient, aching back.

He sighed and closed his eyes. Guilt flooded his mind thinking of his friend's torment. He should have grabbed them all and forced them to come with him and Rose. He never should have left them behind. Thinking of them all lying in a cell near death, punished for nothing more than helping him and Rose to escape filled him with anguish. This whole situation was getting worse by the second and he wondered how much more darkness they would have to endure before the end finally came.

He felt the covers lift up and the familiar warmth of Rose as she slid in next to him.

"Doctor, are you alright?" she asked touching his face.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"And don't say "I'm fine" because I know you're not." She said. "I know you are far from fine so let me have the truth."

The Doctor sighed and opened his eyes.

"It's everything, Rose. Everything that has happened. It seems even though we escaped the Master that things are still going from bad to worse. Now, Martha's family and Lucy are lying on the Valiant beaten to the point of death with broken arms and it's all my fault."

"No, Doc---"

"Yes, Rose, it is." He said looking at her. "I am the one who thought up the escape. It's because of me that they almost died, so don't try to sugarcoat it and say it was their decision. I know you love me and you don't want to see me beating myself up, but sometimes I do deserve it. I let those people down. I should have made them come with me when I had the chance."

"How, Doctor, pick them all up in your arms, carry them to the pod and stuff them inside?" Rose said. "You are not responsible for everyone in the whole bleedin' world, Doctor. If they didn't want to go, then they had the right to make that choice. You are not like the Master, Doctor. You would never force people to do things against their will. That's why you didn't try to stop them or grab at them when you had the chance. You let them go and defend us because you allowed them the right to determine their own destinies. I'm sure that none of them blame you for what happened. I'm sure all of them are glad that we got away. You are the one who thinks that everyone is walking around angry at you because you let something bad happen to them. It's like I told you before with the other Doctor raping me, it was bound to happen sometime whether or not you revolted. The other Doctor and the Master are demented and they could have thought up any little excuse, real or imagined, to punish us and make us suffer."

She laid her hand on the side of his cheek.

"You are not God, Doctor. I keep telling you that. You can't be everywhere and protect everyone. I know how deeply you love the human race, but, you know what, it's just like a mother watching her child grow up. The mother loves the child and wants so much to shield him from every possible danger, but if she did that, then the child would grow up sheltered and weak and deprived of a full life filled with risks and adventure. It's painful to watch people make decisions that lead to bad outcomes, but that's the beauty of the human mind. We have freedom of choice unlike some races like the Ood. Do you see what I'm saying?"

The Doctor nodded.

"I do, Rose, and I agree with you one hundred percent, but it still doesn't make it any easier knowing that the Master punished them because they helped us escape."

She kissed his forehead.

"I know, and that's why I love you. You care about others unlike the Master and the other Doctor. It's just that sometimes you care a little too much and take on burdens you have no right carrying in the first place."

He ran her hand along his bald head and kissed his lips.

"Tell you what, why don't we go for a little walk? Get some fresh air and get out of this bedroom. It does no good for you to lie here tormenting yourself with your thoughts. Come and have a little stroll with me."

The Doctor glanced at her for a moment and then nodded. She gave him another kiss and helped him to sit up. Taking his hand, she helped him up and they walked out of the bedroom together.