Hey look! An update! Sorry about the wait, I had the worst time trying to write this one…not sure how I feel about it yet, maybe it'll grow on me. Anyway, thanks for not giving up on me (and as always, thanks for the reviews!!) The next chapter should be up soon, as I'm about to start a three-day weekend, so I'll have LOTS of time!

Enjoy!

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Dear Doctor,

I would like to apologize on behalf of my sister's insensitivity during your short visit to her flat. I believe that-

God no. That sounded like a business letter, not an e-mail to a friend. And here she was suppose to be comforting. That definitely wasn't going to work. Maybe a different tactic?

I really hope you're not put off of families forever, mine just happens to lack manners.

Lacking manners, it was definitely true about her family, if not a complete understatement. Maybe…

…mine just happens to lack tact.

All right, there it was. Perfectly described her sister's behavior, lacking tact, though perhaps lacking sensitivity was a bit more accurate…Martha sighed, and leaned back in her chair as she stared at her laptop with contempt. This letter was never going to be written right…if only she could find…

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door.

"Martha?" said a low, familiar male voice, "Are you, er…there? Could I come in?" Martha smiled a bit and sat up.

"The door's open, Doctor." The door opened to the Doctor standing in the hallway.

"Ah," he said, motioning to the doors, "Right…I can, er…"

"You can come in," said Martha, smiling. He had never been in her room before, just like she had never been in his. He had told her in the beginning that he preferred no one to see his room, and she had accepted that, knowing only too well by then that he had plenty of reasons to keep things hidden. When the time came that she finally got a room however, she made it quite clear that didn't mind other people entering it, human, alien or otherwise. Growing up in a small house with two siblings and a set of nosy parents had made her quite used to others randomly wandering through her "private" space, and she had always found it a bit odd that the Doctor insisted she be left alone. He had never once come in for a visit.

Now, however, he stood nervously in the center of the room, hands in deep in his pockets as he rolled backwards on his heels. He looked a bit like an awkward schoolboy at his first school dance. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the few decorations and souvenirs she had collected on their travels so far, until finally resting on a small stethoscope left on the table next to her bed.

"Is that my stethoscope?" he asked, smiling.

"Course not," answered Martha, "Why would I need to take yours, I came with my own."

"That you did," said the Doctor, "Stethoscope, lab coat and all."

"And all you had was a screwdriver." He grinned.

"Sonic screwdriver," he said proudly before an awkward pause, "I…er, suppose I would…"

"Suppose you would what?"

"I suppose I would like to apologize,"

"Would you?"

"Yes, I would," he sighed, "I could have tried a lot harder to be…er, friendlier, I suppose."

"Wasn't your fault," said Martha, "Tish was acting stupid and hit a nerve, that's all, no reason to apologize."

"It wasn't Tish's fault and you know it," Martha gave him a look. He scratched the back of his neck and sighed, "I'm terrible at this," he said finally.

"You're not too bad for a man that doesn't do domestic,"

"I don't mean that, I…" he hesitated, "I suppose it's…emotions, in general, that I'm terrible at," he sighed, "never been completely fond of them, I have to say."

"I've noticed," Martha agreed, "though for an alien, I'd say you're dealing with them fairly well."

"Not well enough," the Doctor replied seriously. Martha smiled, and looked him straight in the eye.

"That's why you have me," she said calmly.

"The human touch?" he asked.

"That's me,"

"I suppose that's good to know," he sighed, his expression turned pained, "We should go back…"

"You don't have to, you know."

"Yes, I do," he said simply, "Console, five minutes, if you'd care to join me."

"Haven't really got much of a choice, have I?"

"Nope," he replied, grinning, "Sorry." He turned and started towards the door, "Coming?"

"I'll be there in a minute," she replied, "Just have to finish something,"

"Alright," he said, "Works for me," Martha smiled.

"What exactly are you planning on telling my sister?"

"Oh, I can think of a few things," he answered, grinning, "See you in a minute!" Before Martha could respond, he was gone. Rolling her eyes, she turned back to her e-mail, and deleted it, opening a new page immediately afterwards.

Dear Tish,

Brace yourself.

Love,

Martha