A/N

Disclaimer: Don't own Doctor Who. If you need me to crack a joke in order for you to understand this, please, head to the nearest hospital and check yourself in.

Sarcasm is present in the above sentence.

Anyway, this chapter- for all of you- is finally including the Doctor. And Rose. It's reunion time, folks!

Read on!

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Rose gave herself a brief look-over in the mirror. Apart from appearing a little pale and having a row of stitches down her arm, she looked fine. She felt much better, too. The shower had done her a world of good.

The dizziness from the portal had completely subsided, along with the urge to throw up. Her arm was throbbing, but it wasn't that bad, and she could ignore it for the time being.

She still couldn't believe it, though. At first she had been jealous that the Doctor had just replaced and forgotten her, but then Martha had told her about how the Doctor and Martha met- and how the Doctor had mentioned her, a lot.

Knowing this had made her feel giddily happy. The Doctor did care about her, and he didn't forget her- like he had done to Sarah Jane. He really did care. And he did miss her. She reached up to pat down a sliver of her blonde hair that had been sticking out, and sighed happily. This was the first time for almost a year where she could look into a mirror and see herself, truly, honestly, happy. But she knew- it'd get better when she could see the Doctor again.

Emerging from the bathroom, she looked around, wondering if Martha would still be upstairs waiting for her. No one was there.

She spotted the stairs, and made her way over to them, while curiously surveying the hallway in which she was in. Not extraordinarily clean, but not very dirty, either. There was a plant resting comfortably against the wall, a picture hanging on the wall on the opposite side. In that picture was a younger version of Martha- not much, maybe a couple of years younger, a girl looking very similar to Martha, and an older male person, all wearing identical smiles. Family?

Probably. Siblings, she'd guess. Rose recognised the two people who weren't Martha; they had been downstairs. She felt a flash of guilt. Had she intruded on a family reunion or something? Because, although Martha's mother- at least, she thought the person had been Martha's mother- hadn't been too happy to see a new figure in the household.

And there was Martha herself. Martha, the strange woman who had helped Rose when Rose had been -slightly- out of it. She didn't know how to react to Martha at first; however, she had come to like Martha, despite knowing her for only half an hour- or something around those lines.

There was one thing she couldn't understand, though. Martha- when she had first realised who Rose was, had looked almost jealous. Rose didn't know why- but she sure could guess. Was Martha jealous because Rose had returned? Was she jealous because the Doctor would- quite possibly- pay less attention to Martha? Or was she jealous because she was being forced into helping someone she didn't want to?

Or, maybe Rose was mistaken, and Martha wasn't jealous. Didn't really matter, either way. Rose liked Martha. And thus, anything Rose may or may not have seen flash in Martha's eyes was irrelevant.

Rose turned away from the picture, and began to walk down the stairs. As soon as she reached the bottom step, she could see Martha, leaning against the wall with her head down. Rose narrowed her eyes in thought.

"Where are the rest of your family?" Rose enquired.

Martha shot a glance at Rose. "They're in another room," Martha told Rose, and Rose frowned at the hoarseness of Martha's voice. She squinted close at Martha's face.

Martha looked tired. Defeated. Exhausted. What had Martha done?

"You okay?" Rose asked Martha, walking over to her.

Martha looked up, something glistening in her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Rose replied, wanting suddenly to get to the bottom of this. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Martha told her, before elaborating. "I rang the Doctor. He's coming now."

Rose managed a grin of complete and utter relief, but that smiled dimmed as she realised Martha still didn't seem cheerful. Which meant that Martha hadn't wanted to ring the Doctor. "Why are you tired?" Rose chose to ask.

"Long day," Martha answered immediately.

"Not what I meant," Rose said, deciding at that moment to question Martha about the flash Rose had seen in Martha's eyes. "You looked jealous, before… why?"

Martha looked down again, and Rose could tell she was thinking hard.

"I-I… you really don't want to know," Martha whispered.

"Why?" Rose narrowed her eyes again, trying to decipher what clues she had been given. Like a light bulb, she realised, and stared at Martha with a gasp of surprise. "Y-you… you like him, don't you?" Rose wasn't often one to be rude, but that was all she could manage, her shock making her temporarily lose control of her thoughts and speech. Martha liked the Doctor. Martha had lied to her! Or, Rose realised, she hadn't told her everything.

Martha glanced at Rose. "Yeah, I do," Martha admitted, "But I wasn't going to let it go anywhere!"

Rose continued to stare at Martha, trying to determine if what Martha was saying was completely honest.

"I mean it," Martha convinced her. "I would've told you if it was a big deal."

Rose knew Martha's statement wasn't true, but she could also tell the desperation in which she said it- and Rose deduced one thing. Martha didn't want this new information to affect their newly-formed friendship. Quite frankly, Rose didn't blame her. She had found it increasingly hard to stay friends with Mickey after all that had happened with the Doctor, but eventually they managed to find some sort of truce- a new friendship in replacement of the old one. It wasn't the same, but they were still friends, and that was what mattered, right?

"I know you would've," Rose lied back. Rose knew that Martha could tell what Rose said was also a lie, because Martha's eyes widened, in relief or gratitude Rose couldn't tell. Either way, Martha was grateful.

"Thanks," Martha said, eyes still glistening.

"So..." Rose trailed off. She hated silences- and awkward ones especially. This was an awkward silence, brought about by two people loving the same person. One was destined to get him. The other understood this, but had tried to hide her feelings, in order to keep person number one happy.

Rose shifted slightly, her mind registering revelation. Martha had told her something, admitted something to an almost complete stranger. And she had admitted it willingly. Suddenly, all thoughts of anger revolving around Rose about Martha vanished, replaced with guilt. Martha had given up her chance to be with the Doctor by calling the Doctor, and asking him to return. Martha had given up her chance at love to a person she had met less than an hour ago. And abruptly, Rose decided that Martha needed something in repayment.

"Ask me anything," Rose told Martha.

Martha's eyes widened as she stared at Rose with surprise. "W-what?" Martha queried, confused.

Rose elaborated, slightly. "You told me something, I'll tell you something. Ask me anything." Rose knew it was probably completely idiotic to open herself up like that, but at the moment she couldn't care less. She owed Martha.

Martha stopped, thinking hard. Rose could almost see the thoughts buzzing around her head like bees to honey.

"How'd... Why'd you leave the Doctor?" Martha asked her, looking directly into Rose's brown eyes.

Rose sighed. So it had been a bad idea to open herself up for questioning. But she had said she'd answer, so that's what she was going to do. "It was... well, did you know about the Canary Warf fiasco?"

Martha nodded. "Yeah, my cousin died because of it," Martha glanced down in sadness.

"I'm sorry," Rose comforted.

Martha shook her head, as if to clear it, and said, "Continue, please..."

"Well," Rose had no idea how to phrase this. "There were things called Daleks-"

"I've met them!" Martha intervened.

"-and Cybermen-"

"Haven't met them," Martha said in retrospect.

"And they were trying to destroy the world," Rose stated blandly, as if impending world doom was a daily occurrence- which, granted, it probably was. "Anyway, the Daleks had come from a place called the void- which is, uh, the gap between universes."

"Like space between planets?" Martha guessed.

"Sort of. The Doctor told me it was timeless, and empty. And dark," Rose explained.

"But... wait... if you had to get to this universe from another one, you'd need to cross it, wouldn't you?"

"Well, yeah... but that's yet another long story," Rose grinned.

Martha chuckled at that. "Complicated?"

"Yeah, somethin' like that." Rose laughed along with her, before sobering and continuing with her story. "Well, they had managed to bring Cybermen along with them- the Cybermen were from the alternate universe that I was on. And to get them away from Earth, we needed to suck them back into the void."

"How?"

"There was this... I don't know... space-gunk stuff that you had stuck on you if you'd been out of this universe..."

"Residue?" Martha guessed.

"Yeah, residue," Rose agreed. "Well, if the void was opened up, all things with the residue on them would get sucked back. And the Doctor and I had been in another universe before- the same universe as the Cybermen, and so we both had the residue on us."

Martha opened her mouth to interrupt, but closed it again, for which Rose was grateful for. Retelling this story wasn't easy, for sure.

"Well, we were holding onto something so we wouldn't fall in, and... well, I lost my grip."

"So you fell into the void?" Martha clarified, questioning.

"No..." Rose looked for words to explain. "Someone from the alternate universe used a transporter-"

"Like the one you used to get here?" Martha asked, pointing to the two devices that rested on shelves near the staircase.

"No... This one would only work if the void was opened on both universes."

"Oh. Right."

"Like I was saying, someone- my father- came through and caught me, then transported back to the other universe. The Doctor told me that there was no way I could get back, because the opening of the void would destroy both universes."

Martha paused to process the information. "Then, how...?"

"Time Lords found me," Rose announced. "And they built a different device to get through the void." Rose pointed to the bigger of the two devices.

Martha walked over to it, picking it up and staring at it in blatant fascination. "How does it work?"

"All I was told," Rose said, "Was that it worked by making my body a 'bubble'- a small one, at that- but a bubble all the same- to be transported through the void directly."

"But... weren't the Daleks... and the Cybermen... still in the void?"

"Yeah." Where was this going?

"How'd you get past them?" Martha asked her.

Rose frowned. "I don't know. Programming of the transporter, I s'pose."

"Probably, yeah," Martha agreed.

There was another pause. This time, though, it wasn't awkward- which Rose was happy about.

"Do you want anything?" Martha asked Rose. "Drink? Tea? Coffee? Water?"

"Nah, I'm fine, thanks," Rose replied. She was staring at the door, watching out for any sign of the Doctor, and listening out for any sound of the TARDIS. It still hadn't sunk in yet. The whole situation seemed unreal, and it felt to Rose as if she was in a dream. But she was too scared to pinch herself- if this was a dream, she didn't much want to wake up.

She was on the edge of her seat- metaphorically- and couldn't wait until she saw the Doctor's face again, glimpsed his warm smile, hugged his perfectly fitting body. She loved the Doctor- and she hoped the Doctor loved her back.

Now she began to get nervous. What if he saw her and got angry? Or what if he walked back out, leaving her? All that trouble, all the hassle of getting to this universe, saying goodbye to her family, what if that was all for nothing? What if-

Her thoughts were abruptly cut off as Martha's mother's door burst open, and in a flurry of movement the Doctor was standing in front of her, brown coat flapping wildly, holding in his fist the buzzing sonic screwdriver, which was- of all things- pointing directly at Rose's face. Rose could only blink in shock.

Lonely brown eyes met lonely brown eyes.

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It was like a western stand-off, Martha thought to herself as she surveyed the Doctor and Rose eyeing each other with surprise. That surprise turned to shock. Then shock turned to disbelief.

"Doctor?" Rose asked, desperate to know what reply she'd receive.

The Doctor turned to Martha, and Martha took a step back, terrified of the absolute fury emanating from the Doctor. "Martha?" the Doctor snarled. "What's this?"

"It's me," Rose said, desperate. "It's Rose!"

Martha glanced at Rose again, watching with dismay the tears of hurt beginning to fill Rose's eyes. And suddenly, Martha felt Rose's complete and utter despair. Rose had returned, going through God knows what, and the Doctor dismissed her. Just like that.

"Doctor..." Rose whispered.

The Doctor glanced at her. "Rose?" said in complete denial.

Rose smiled, a tear falling down her face and landing on the floor. "Yeah."

"Rose?" the Doctor whispered, and Martha could tell he was still in disbelief.

"Yeah," Rose whispered back. "It's me."

"But..." the Doctor murmured. "It's impossible..."

"Never say never ever, remember?" Rose smiled again, another tear making a track down her face and falling of her cheek. Plop, as it landed on the floor.

"Rose?!" the Doctor exclaimed, lowering the sonic screwdriver for the first time.

"Hello!" Rose greeted.

"Rose!"

It all happened quickly after that. In a rush of feet and arms and the flapping of a coat, Rose and the Doctor were suddenly joined, hugging as if their lives depended on it.

Martha almost gave a happy sigh at the sight. Rose, although she was crying into the Doctor's jacket, looked happy- no, ecstatic. The Doctor, clinging to Rose, had one tear of astonishment, shock and joy running down his face, which ending up buried in Rose's blonde hair. Then the Doctor picked Rose up and swung her around, making the two laugh with surprise and relief and delight and a million other things no human could hope to define. But overall, with love.

Martha fully comprehended at that moment how much the two cared for each other. The amount of devotion echoing around the room was radiating from the Doctor and Rose in equal quantities. And this devotion- or the sense of devotion- completely removed any other tension from the room. Except for one thing.

Martha still felt jealous. And for that, she hated herself. But she knew- there was no chance- ever- of the Doctor staring at her like he did Rose. Never. And while that broke her heart, she was still glad- proud- that she had the willpower to completely shatter her own voice in order to give someone else's a chance.

Apparently, the Doctor agreed too. Martha blinked, finding herself out of the maze of her thoughts, and into the grateful brown eyes of one Doctor.

The Doctor surveyed her for what seemed like ages, probably taking in her rumpled exterior- and shattered heart- and pride in herself. "You're a good person, Martha Jones," he told her, completely honest, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She savoured the feel of his warm hand against her shoulder, knowing that it was most likely the last time she would see him- be alone with him- and be with Rose. Martha placed her hand where the Doctor's had been, taking her last chance to wish for something different to have occurred. A dream. Dream. Meaning- 'A wild fantasy or hope'. One that would not ever come true. That era had long since faded. Maybe it was time to wake up.

For when she looked upwards again, the Doctor and Rose were gone.

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TBC...

A/N

G'day all!

I had to write this like that... I needed to add Martha in, and I needed to have that last... y'know... longing when Martha's involved. I quite like how this chapter turned out though, despite the fact that it is shorter than normal. I hope y'all enjoyed it.

Finally. A sixth chapter. Five has to be my unlucky number- for some reason, writing any story's sixth chapter is incredibly hard to accomplish. But I have! Ha ha! Yes!

Right then. Time to thank people, yeah?

Thanks heaps for the fantastic reviews (I'm glad you all liked how I portrayed Martha and Rose in the previous chapter): Talia-Taylor, JeMS7, VampMistress, White Purity, Tigerprime, QuiteRightToo, gaiafreedom21, MythStar Black Dragon and x-EmilyTennant-x.

Thankyou to everyone (big, huge hugs) who put this story on their favourites: Draco167, DramaQueen1133, I'mTheMasterOfWhatever, JeMS7, Kaia-S, QuiteRightToo, Rosie-Jess, Sunny angel, Talia-Taylor, The Chibi's Are Stalking Me, Tigerprime, VampMistress, Wanabee, gaiafreedom21 and jimmybeam.

A huge thankyou and a life-sized David Tennant huggable plushy to all those that put me on their favourite author list: Draco167, I'mTheMasterOfWhatever, Johnny-B-reading, Mara Jade Snape, QuiteRightToo, Rosie-Jess, Talia-Taylor and VampMistress.

And, last but not least, thanks to all those that added this story to story alerts, and adding me to their author alerts.

Seriously. I love you guys.

Thanks again,

SnowFox3