Hi, I hope everyone is having a wonderful new year. I meant to have this up earlier but at least I've got the first chapter up. A sequel to Surrogate, the Doctor and Martha have been travelling together for a while. The story was inspired by my favourite season four special Waters of Mars which had the amazing one off character Adelaide Brookes (this story has nothing to do with Mars though). For those who didn't read Surrogate the only major thing you need to know is this is set after Journey's end and Martha is now half-human/half-Gallifreyan. I hope you enjoy and please review.

Chapter 1

The Doctor and Martha ran into the Tardis and the locked the doors behind them.

"Great job finding another peaceful planet," Martha teased.

"They were friendly the last time I was here," he defended.

"Of course they were Doctor," Martha said walking towards the console as the Doctor followed her.

The Doctor reached the console and sent it into flight as Martha leaned on it on the opposite side from him.

"Well at least they were hospitable," he added.

Martha looked around so he would see her disapproving look, "Of course how silly me, I should be grateful they locked me up and gave me whatever I wanted. How can I possibly complain when they only wanted to sacrifice me in the morning,"

"Well, that was the downside,"

"You're impossible," Martha replied shaking her head but smiling.

The people of the planet had mistaken Martha for a reincarnation of a past high priestesses which she had found funny at first until they decided she would make the perfect sacrifice to appease their volcanic god. The Doctor had managed to free her and they had sneaked out of the city in the cover of darkness. The city would have a rude awakening in the morning.

"Where to next?" The Doctor asked not expecting a reply. "We could try the Bursa planet. It's a superb planet for a holiday. Palm trees, an endless blue-green ocean and a never-ending white beach. A literal beach that never ends as the shore circles the circumference of the planet . I helped them overthrow a corrupt ruler when I was last there. Then they tried to made me their new king so I had to slip back into the Tardis." When the Doctor glanced up at Martha and saw her knotted brow he continued, "Probably not a good idea then but at least they were better than the cheetah people I met afterwards. Exceptionally aggressive but I guess now I should not be surprised given my general experience with cats. Though they had an odd obsession with shiny things, very easily distracted."

Martha playfully ran her hand across the console now only half listening to the Doctor's ramblings as he tried to choose the next destination. She knew no matter where they went they would find trouble. She didn't mind it, in fact she enjoyed it but she didn't want the Doctor to see just how much. She had left earth on the promise of a holiday on a 'peaceful planet' to think over her new identity, but of course with him that meant stopping a planet's core from exploding, negotiating a truce between three warring factions, uncovering a plot to kill a princess, and on and on until she was almost sacrificed to a volcano god. She had begun to wonder whether he was choosing these places as a ploy to get her to stay. She hadn't had time to think and they hadn't really discussed anything, like how they were both avoiding the obvious question of whether she would stay on the Tardis or go back home. It was just hopping from one planet to the next. She knew if she didn't bring it up he never would.

The Doctor had gone from discussing cheetah people to telling her about the time he met a half-robot pirate piloting a planet.

Leaning around to look at the him Martha interrupted him, "Doctor,"

"Yes,"

"We haven't really talked about us," she hesitated.

"Us?"

"Well, not us just mainly me," Martha replied.

"What about you?"

But before she could continue a buzzing sounded from the console and the Doctor turned away from her to look at the console screen which had began to flash.

Martha moved to stand next to him and looked at the screen, "What is it?"

"We are getting a distress signal, it's very faint," the Doctor said. Martha watched him type away as the screen continued to flash.

"Can you tell where it's coming from?" she asked.

"Not yet but this might help,"

He reached into his pockets and took out his stethoscope and placed it against the console. He listened attentively before exclaimed with glee, "Got it, let's find out where you're coming from."

Martha stepped back as the Doctor excitedly danced around the console pulling dials and flipping switches as he set the Tardis to follow the distress call. However as he pulled down the last lever the console suddenly erupted in sparks causing them both to retreat back.

Surprised Martha remarked, "I guess that wasn't supposed to happen."

"No, it seems the Tardis isn't too keen on us following that signal," the Doctor said stepping back towards the console. "I would suggest holding on to something."

Martha stepped further back and gripped the Tardis railings. Again the Doctor worked around the console but as he pulled down the lever again instead of sparks the Tardis jolted violently almost throwing them both off their feet. The Doctor clung to the console as she shook and groaned working to keep her on course. In her turn the Tardis ensured that the travelers did not have a pleasant flight rocking them as it tumbled through space to their destination. As a final she landed the Tardis almost flipped herself ensuring both the Doctor and Martha lost their footing and crashed on to the floor.

"You okay?" the Doctor asked springing to his feet and rushing to help Martha up.

"Barely," she said getting up gingerly.

"Shall we find out what's out there," he said eagerly.

They both stepped outside and they found themselves in a fairly big metal room with stacked crates. A door was the only thing visible from the other side the room.

Martha walked to one of the crates and softly kicked it.

"Can you tell where we are?" Martha asked.

"On a ship. We are probably at the back of it," the Doctor replied.

The Doctor walked to the door and pushed the door switch which opened it and revealed a corridor. He stepped through and as Martha made to follow him a loud alarm sounded in the ship causing her to stop momentarily and the doors slammed shut in front of her.

Martha ran the few short steps to the door and tried the door switch which the Doctor had used only moments before but nothing happened.

Pounding on the door she shouted, "Doctor, Doctor, can you hear me?"

Though the alarm drowned out his voice she heard him say, "I'm working on it,"

She stepped back expecting the doors to open immediately but nothing happened. It couldn't be that hard she thought, it was just a door and doors were never a problem. Well unless they were wooden but these most definitely weren't. Yet the seconds ticked away. Getting frustrated at being stuck she made to call to him again but the alarm stopped and then moments late the doors slide open.

Relieved Martha stepped through, "What took you so long."

"It wasn't me,"

"What?"

"The doors were deadlocked. I couldn't get them open," he explained.

"Then who?"

"Let's find out,"

The Doctor took Martha's hand not wanting to be separated from her again and they walked down the corridor. As they passed a door it opened on its own and the Doctor walked through. When this happened two more times Martha asked,

"You are aware we are walking into a trap,"

"Yep, but we need answers,"

As they approached another door it opened and they approached it. But this time as they stepped through they found themselves staring down three gun barrels.