So just a warning, I'm not completely getting rid of Martha. I suppose if there was a similar situation I could compare it to it would be the Ponds' thing with 11. I only know that 11 comes back at really wide time periods then takes them traveling, then brings them home. It'll be like that with Martha so I can use her when I feel like I need to.

The police came, followed by ambulances and people who wanted a story. I wasn't interested. I was just tired and wanted to get back to the TARDIS. A person came and took Lazarus' body and wrapped it up. We walked outside, I leaned on the Doctor for support, and watched as they rolled him into the ambulance. I gripped my wrist, the pain had lessened by when I'd stabbed Lazarus with glass it had cut my palm. The Doctor noticed and faced me.

"What did you?" He asked me.

I kept a straight face, "What did you do? That blast knocked the wind out of me for the thousandth time today."

Martha looked at my hand and frowned, "You said you punched Lazarus?"

I nodded, "Yeah, then I stabbed him with glass and threw a tablecloth on his head."

The Doctor gaped at me, "You didn't get hit by the blast right?"

"No, I ducked to avoid his tail." I pulled my arm away from Martha, "I just got the echoes of the main thing."

"I'm still worried," The Doctor looked me over, "The blast killed Lazarus because he was spread too thin and he was still technically human. You aren't any of those things."

I waved him away, "I'm fine. I just need a nap or something."

"Well, last time you said that you ended up dying." The Doctor argued.

"She's here. Oh, she's all right." Tish stumbled up to Martha and hugged her.

She was followed by Martha's family, her mother and brother.

"Ah, Mrs. Jones. We still haven't finished our chat." The Doctor started pleasantly.

He was then cut off by a slap to the face from Martha's mother. I winced, Martha's mom must hit hard because it was a loud slap. The Doctor's head jerked to the right and he cupped his cheek.

"Keep away from my daughter." Martha's mom demanded.

"Mum, what are you doing?" Martha looked shocked.

So did the Doctor, "All of the mothers, every time." He rubbed his cheek.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "All the mothers? You'd think you'd get used to being slapped then."

"He is dangerous. I've been told things." Martha's mother said softly.

"What things?" I asked.

"Look around you," Martha's mother ignored me, "Nothing but death and destruction."

I opened my mouth to argue back but stopped. I felt something, like the feeling when I was near Lazarus. I felt the air shatter around him like he'd broken himself and anything around him. I stepped away from the Doctor and Martha and Martha's family. I tugged on the Doctor's sleeve like a child trying to get their mother's attention.

"Doctor, we need to go." I whispered.

A crash echoed from a street away. I knew what it was and I ran, we ran to the ambulance that once held a dead Lazarus. Except that all the people were dead besides Lazarus when we arrived.

"Lazarus, back from the dead." The Doctor huffed and turned to me, "Did you know that this would happen?"

I looked at him, "I'll explain later."

He raised his eyebrows, "You've got a lot of explaining to do."

"Yeah," I nodded, "I do."

"Where's he gone?" Martha asked as Tish caught up with us and the Doctor began to scan the area with his sonic screwdriver.

"Probably to the church." I noted.

"That way." The Doctor confirmed while looking up at the building.

"Cathedral. It's Southwark Cathedral. He told me." Tish inputted, trying to be a little useful.

I rolled my eyes, "He tells everyone."

We walked quickly to the cathedral, following the Doctor who insisted on leading the way with his sonic screwdriver. We stepped inside and I felt that sensation more than ever. A broken human.

"Do you think he's in here?" Martha breathed.

"This place is from his childhood." I whispered, "It's like his sanctuary."

We approached the altar, a table with a tablecloth with red flowers covered our view of Lazarus. We circled around the table and saw a shivering, whimpering Lazarus. The Doctor tucked his sonic screwdriver into his suit and we watched.

"I came here before," Lazarus said airily, "a lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat here, just a child, the sound of planes and bombs outside."

The Doctor walked to stand in front of him, Martha and Tish stayed by the table and I couldn't really move. I felt like if I even breathed too hard I'd shatter the already broken man.

"The Blitz." The Doctor named his memory.

"You've read about it." Lazarus concluded.

"I was there."

"You're too young." Lazarus shook his head.

The Doctor took a breath, "So are you."

Lazarus laughed before groaning in pain as he crackled. The Doctor circled around to Lazarus' as he talked, looking up and then back at the man. I looked up too, the Doctor was probably forming some sort of plan.

"In the morning, the fires had died, but I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again. So defenceless. I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it."

"That's what you were trying to do today?" The Doctor had made a full circle.

"That's what I did today." Lazarus looked over his shoulder.

"What about the people who died?" I asked quietly, "They didn't even know death was coming today."

"They were nothing." Lazarus sat straighter, "I changed the course of history."

"Anyone can do that." I growled under my breath.

"You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that." The Doctor stopped walking, he spoke from experience. His voice held years of first hand experience that were probably reminders of all the things he'd done so far.

"No, Doctor." Lazarus snarled, "Avoiding death, that's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fibre of being. I'm only doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more successful." He arched back in pain again.

"The whole universe has that impulse! Doesn't mean you have to go around mutating and killing." I shouted.

The Doctor held out his hand towards me, a signal to quiet down. I huffed, I guess that I didn't like being shut down but I shut up anyways.

"I call it progress. I'm more now than I was. More than just an ordinary human." Lazarus whispered.

The Doctor put down his arm, he was saddened by the man in front of him, "There's no such thing as an ordinary human."

Lazarus crackled and convulsed again.

Martha leaned towards the Doctor, "He's going to change any minute."

"I know," the Doctor whispered back, "If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I've got an idea that might work."

"Up there?" I looked up at the high ceiling.

Lazarus crackled, "You're so sentimental, Doctor. Maybe you are older than you look."

The Doctor began to circle him again, "I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle, tired of losing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything turn to dust. If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone."

"That's a price worth paying." Lazarus replied.

"It's not." I mumbled, I could hear the pain in the Doctor's voice as he spoke those words. I could feel something break down in the already broken man and I could feel something shift in me. A small click, like a door opening a path or a section of a library that had been locked. It was a whisper of a click. A hidden, far away door opening to knowledge I'd never known. At that moment I was being human. I stepped towards the sound and waited for a chance to read the new books. I breathed, I will wait until later. I will. I clenched my uninjured fist so that my nails dug into my palm.

"I will feed soon." Lazarus gagged and crackled.

The Doctor shook his head, "I'm not going to let that happen."

"You've not been able to stop me so far." Lazarus had his eyes trained on the Doctor, he didn't notice Martha step behind him.

"Leave him, Lazarus!" She demanded, "He's old and bitter. I thought you had a taste for fresher meat."

I strolled up to Martha, resting my elbow on her shoulder, "Martha, did ya hear? He says we've not been able to stop him," I smirked and looked at him, "That's very strange because I believe that we've stopped you about two times now."

"Martha, Charls, no." The Doctor looked at us with wide eyes.

Lazarus jumped up and lunged. I laughed, maybe out of nervousness or maybe I enjoyed the thrill. Martha, Tish and I ran to the top of the tower.

"Doctor! What's the plan!" I shouted as we ran.

The two sisters paused, "He's changed again."

I grumbled, "Yes, we know! Now keep going."

"We've got to lead him up." Martha realized and continued running.

I heard the Doctor call for us, we peeked out of one of the narrow windows.

"Doctor!" Martha shouted.

"Take him to the top!" The Doctor told us, "The very top of the bell tower, do you hear me?"

"The top!" I repeated and continued to run.

We ran through the corridor, Lazarus hurrying after us, although he barely fit under the low ceiling. We rushed through a wooden door, the bell tower. It was a circle room with a long drop below us. No way out.

"We're trapped!" Tish exclaimed as we looked down.

"It's up to the Doctor now." I told her.

"All right, so then we're not trapped. We're bait." Tish concluded.

"He knows what he's doing. We have to trust him." Martha pleaded.

I faced the door, we stood opposite and a hole in the floor gave me a little comfort that we wouldn't be caught.

"Ladies," Lazarus growled as he entered the room.

I shouted at him, "Oi! Not a lady!"

"Stay behind me. If he takes me, make a run for it. Head down the stairs. You should have enough time." Martha hurriedly came up with a backup plan.

I faced her, leaving my back open to Lazarus - again, not a feeling I was comfortable with. "Worst comes to worst I could always punch him again."

"Only one of us is dying today!" Martha argued.

I clicked my tongue, "It's a good thing I can't die then."

"You don't know that!" Martha exclaimed.

We ducked as Lazarus swung his tail at us. Martha ran to the left and Tish to the right. I was stuck in the middle. No place to run. Lazarus slammed his tail down towards me, knocking the wooden rail down. An organ began to play, loud and dramatic. I scooted as far back as I could, but not towards either of the Jones sisters. Lazarus swung his tail again, nearly knocking me down. I winced as the organ got high pitched and made the air shiver. I clamped my hands over my ears and noticed the effect on Lazarus. I ducked down and rammed him into the center. He fell to the bottom and changed back. Back to a dead human.

I heard the Doctor call for us, "Martha! Charls!"

I fell to the floor and Martha ran to her sister.

"We're okay!" Martha shouted back, "All of us!"

I whimpered and continued to clutch my ears. Hearing an organ go up to eleven had hurt more than I thought. I wonder how much damage I took? Not enough to change...right? I huffed, catching my breath and losing it immediately. I kept my hands on my ears still. Every noise seemed to be followed by a ring and every movement seemed to stab me between the ribs.

We'd managed our way down the stairs, barely. I'd barely made it down the stairs. Martha and Tish were alright other than some adrenaline from being scared. Martha jogged towards the Doctor and was scooped into a hug. I rubbed my ears and straightened up.

"I didn't know you could play?" Martha let go of the hug.

The Doctor swayed, "Oh, well, you know, if you hang around with Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up."

"You've met Beethoven?" I scoffed, my injuries could be dealt with later.

"Sorry?" The Doctor shoved his head towards us.

I laughed, I guess that he'd lost some hearing. A stupid fool.

We'd made our way back to the TARDIS or rather, Martha's room because we'd stayed parked there. Really, a stupid idea - what if someone walked in and took it away? Martha and the Doctor resumed their positions from when we'd tried to say goodbye last time. I sat on Martha's bed, examining the dark purple blossom that had appeared where my knuckles connected with Lazarus' nose. I poked it, a regular human thing to do. It hurt but that was to be expected so I poked it again.

"So, what do you say, one more trip?" The Doctor asked.

"No." Martha shook her head, "Sorry."

The Doctor's voice went high, "What do you mean? I thought you liked it."

"I do," Martha told him, "but I can't go on like this."

"What're you talking about?" The Doctor said quickly.

Martha shuffled, "I've still got my dream of being a doctor and I can't keep being a passenger. I don't have time to be a tourist in your TARDIS."

"What am I?" I wondered aloud then ducked my head, Whoops. Said that aloud.

The Doctor's face dropped, "Okay, then. If that's what you want."

"Right," Martha began to walk away then stopped, "But we've already said goodbye once today it's probably best if you two leave."

"We could always visit." I raised my bruised hand and examined it.

Martha glanced at me, "I would like that."

The Doctor gave a tiny smile.

I gave a sly look at him, "You're going to miss her but you still got me to look after. I'm pretty reckless."

Martha faced me, "You're brilliant, Charls."

I tilted my head and smiled, "I'm just clever." I looked at the Doctor, "So we'll visit soon, right?"

The Doctor laughed and opened the door to the TARDIS, "Definitely."

"Good, 'cause I need a real doctor to look my injuries over." I nodded and gave Martha a quick hug then walked to the TARDIS.

"I'll see you soon, then." Martha grinned.

"You'd better study hard! You're leaving me with a madman!" I exclaimed.

The Doctor feigned offense, "Excuse me but you're the one injured right now!" He hopped towards Martha and held out his hand.

"What?" She looked at his open hand.

"I need your mobile." The Doctor told her.

Martha handed him her phone and he opened up the backing, taking out his sonic screwdriver and fiddling with it, "Right, there we go. Universal roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again. Feel free to call."

Martha bumped the Doctor and took her phone back, "I'll do that."

"See ya soon, Martha Jones." The Doctor closed the TARDIS doors.

I sighed and plopped into the yellow-ish chair.

"Thanks." The Doctor said quietly.

I heard him, fainly, but I pretend like I'd heard nothing, "What?"

The Doctor whirled around and faced me, "Thank you." He repeated.

I smirked, "I just figured you would like to visit."

The Doctor smiled, "Yeah, visiting's good."