Wow, I'm on a roll today! Granted, the fact that I've been home sick all day with nothing to do but type on my laptop might have something to do with it…
Anyway, enjoy the new chapter; I'll have the next one up at some point. Not quite sure how to write the next one, since the whole story is done over the course of writing letters…I'll think of something…Enjoy!
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Dear Martha,
Please use a different font next time you e-mail me. Even in my language, it was awful to read.
Always start out with something funny. No matter what the news enclosed in the letter is, unless it's to tell them that someone they love is dead- which thinking about it now, he had done before- always start off on a light note.
I-
The Doctor took a sip of tea. He had had this response so carefully planned after reading Martha's note, why couldn't he remember it now?
The thing of it is, Martha…I can't…
The words were so jumbled up in his mind…it had all been so organized earlier. The entire letter had formed in his head literally seconds after he was through with Martha's. Now, the words seemed to escape him.
I used to be able to do things like this…
Now they were starting to come back, the sentences piecing together in his mind and then typed onto the screen. The terrible, awful phrases he was about to say, the things he feared the most.
It's not that I'm afraid to 'go domestic', Martha, it's just that…
There it is. A blatant lie. It was hardly anything intimidating, the sight of a human filled house, full of nothing but questions and concern and love and warmth. He knew he shouldn't be afraid of it, he knew he couldn't be afraid of it, but he was. He was terrified.
The last time I went anywhere near a family, I…
…He what? He became attached? Is that right? He sighed…it was right. He had become deeply attached to…that last family, and now that they were gone had no desire to do it again. He couldn't take another goodbye, not yet.
I'm sorry.
He looked at the words on screen, and at the printed out words of Martha's e-mail. She was desperate, he could tell, for her sister's acceptance. It was a natural human instinct for her to want that. It was all she wanted in the world right now…and he couldn't give it to her.
I'm so sorry.
Despite her keeping him in check, keeping him from destroying whole races and empires without so much as a thought, he still couldn't bring himself to giving her this one thing she wanted. She had kept him sane, and now he was about to drive her mad. He sighed and took one last sip of tea.
Dear Martha,
Please use a different font next time, even in my language it was awful to read. Whatever possessed human being to write in little symbols resembling spaghetti is beyond me.
Anyway, moving on.
In regards to Tish's e-mail, I need to make one thing clear before I answer. I don't do domestic. I used to, I used to be able to do things like this all the time without a single thought, but now I can't. There are several reasons for this, most of which if you're as smart as I think you are you should be able to figure out on your own. I have to keep myself from becoming attached, remember that, I cannot become attached.
That being said, I'll come with you to meet Tish. Ten minutes, that's all I'm staying for. Feel free to stay as long as you like, just let me know and I'll come and pick you up when you're ready. I don't want you to feel like you're being cut off from your family by traveling with me, a homesick companion is never fun to have around, but ten minutes is all I give myself for. I'm sorry.
Meet me in the console room, I promise I'll be there this time.
Sincerely (does that sound too formal?),
The Doctor