You guys are so sweet. thanks for all the love, can't believe how much fun this one is to write. Seriously thanks for making this story your favorite and reading it and all that. I am enjoying this journey

She'd slept through dinner. It was inevitable. Every time she got on that ship, there was always some form of Jet Lag she had to accommodate within the first few days. It seemed to hit her harder this time, when she awoke, it was dark. The large bay windows gave a view of technicolor beauty, muted in darkness. All three suns had set, and Martha felt that odd disconcerted feeling like waking in the TARDIS and not know how long she had slept.

A check of the crib and Martha knew someone had been in her room. Th cot was empty, and for that she was both worried and relieved.

She found the two of them in the sitting room of the large suite. The Doctor was sprawled across the sofa in the parlor, one arm around Adric while his other hand steadied a copy of Charles Dickens 'A Tale of Two Cities.' His brainy specs perched atop his slender nose; his face bore a look of peace that Martha rarely saw covering his features.

"You're awake." he smiled as she jumped.

"I thought you were asleep." Martha moved to gather the fussing infant in her arms. The Doctor was unwilling to let him go, but the squeal that emerged from Adric made his protest moot.

"I was." The Doctor began to unfold himself from his comfortable position. "He gets his feeding time, and you missed yours."

"Jet lag." Martha answered.

"I brought you a take away if you're hungry." he offered sleepily. "Curry."

"Probably not the best thing for me to eat." Martha looked down at Adric then back at the Doctor.

"Oh, right, sorry" He grinned, stood up quickly and reached for his coat. "Right then. I'll go and rummage for something more suitable."

"It's all right, Doctor. Really. I'm fine. I'll go and get something in a bit." Martha watched him hover at the door, wavering as if the answer she gave was not good enough. "Why re you being so nice?" she asked quietly.

His features could not mask the confusion of her words. "Nice?" he asked. "I don;t know what you mean. It's just curry."

"This." she gestured with her free arm around the room. "This isn't you. You aren't like this. This isn't just curry."

He thrust his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "It's to be expected." he nearly whispered.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Nothing to be sorry for, Martha." the Doctor grinned. He sat next to her on the small sofa and moved his arm round her. Her first instinct was to move, to not allow his alien invasion into her personal space. "This is a vacation, its been a bit of a rough year."

Martha could not argue with that; yet she found a way to. "It's been a rough couple of years."

He nodded again. "Yeah, yeah, it has."

In the end, he ordered her a sandwich, and she put her feet up and listened as he talked. He went on about life, his life; he was open, and honest and Martha felt as if she was talking to an old friend that she had just met. He spoke of his past 'lives,' companions he had loved, and lost. Martha held the baby as he tlked, and even allowed him to stay seated next to her on the couch. It was the familiarity of the thing, that old odd feeling she had first noticed in the TARDIS. The feeling of absolute safety and satiety being near him,

"You know, I have probably, at one point or another, in one face or another, been to every point in Earth's time. " His hand slid behind his neck. "It's a real wonder I don't run into myself more." He stopped then, a sort of sad stop. A moment crossed his face that Martha thought was an eternity of solitude. She realized then just how foreign and alien he really was. He was not some guy she had met at work, or picked up in a bar. He was a proper alien.

As fast as the look had crossed his features, they were gone again. He smiled big and sat up straighter. You know, there is a guest here, an old friend, who, I think would love a visit." he smiled.

"Really?" Martha said. "An old friend? Mine or yours?"

"Little of both, actually. Well when I say both I mean..." he stopped suddenly, noting the look of agitation on her face. "I am doing it again, aren't I?"

"You do love to dazzle." Martha said by way of agreement.

"Yeah," the Doctor admitted. "Just this once, will you let me surprise you?"

"Is there a possibility of any danger visiting this friend."

The Doctor held up two fingers. "Scout's Honor." he offered in mock seriousness. "Please? I promise, you will love it."

"Well, since you said please."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning the Doctor waited in the parlor of their suite as Martha got ready for their meeting. She had know idea who they were meeting, and the Doctor offered no more clues. He paced the length of the room with Adric on his shoulder. "The thing about women, Adric, well the main thing about women. When I say the main thing, I mean the only thing that I know, specifically about human women. " he rubbed the small boy's back as they continued their up and down pace of the floor.

"The thing is, they will keep you waiting as long as possible. The best I can figure, its some sort of intricate defense mechanism. They do it to see if you are wiling to wait. I have discovered, that this is a test, Adric, to see how far they can push it. There is nothing romantic about it, it's just the way of their people."

"Quit filling his head with nonsense." Martha huffed as she entered the room.

"It's not nonsense, " the Doctor defended. "This is a valuable life skill. He is a nearly human male, I am sure when he comes of a certain age, he will want to date someone human...ish. I am merely providing necessary information." The Doctor finished his rant with a knowing nod.

"Right then," Martha nodded and leaned over to mock whisper into Adric's ear. "He's especially full of himself today, Adric, just go with it."

"Are you undermining me?" The Doctor asked.

"Nope, just making sure my son does not grow up a misogynist." Martha kissed the baby's head, the Doctor sniffed audibly in supplication and followed her to the door.

The hotel was divided into five separate buildings. Martha and the Doctor were staying in the oldest, and therefore most prestigious (snooty) of the compound. A path floated in the middle of the precipice that led to the actual floating building. It was far more modern, nearly hyper pretentious in its odd shape and stand out design. The Doctor barreled ahead, as Martha took a deep breath with every step over the canyon. Halfway through, she made the mistake of looking down, telling herself she should look, if only for the experience.

So she looked down.

There was nothing. The open view of hills and fields underneath her feet in oil paint colors nearly made her fall to her knees in fear and awe.

"Martha, you alright?" He had stopped next to her, wondering if she was going to faint.

Martha nodded bravely, closed her eyes and attempted to right herself. "Yeah," she promised.

"Looked down, did you?" he asked with a grin.

"It's absolutely dizzying."

"Like looking up a tall building and falling backwards." Martha nodded. "Oh yeah, i've done that. Remind me to take you to the planet of Ghkyrti. One great big city. The buildings are so tall, that the streets hav to be navigated on a three dimensional grid." He took her hand in his, offering comfort where it was needed, and was surprised that she allowed him. "It's just one of the places we will visit. I promise."

"Right," she nodded, still looking forward.

He came closer to her, walked beside her now instead of slightly ahead. He leaned closer into her and whispered. "Martha, don't look down." It came from his lips as a wistful hope, and Martha wondered if he was still talking about the walk. As he moved, sometimes her shoulder would bump into he,. Or his arm would invade her personal space.

Martha smiled back at him, she held off mentioning the year; that everything was tentative and fleeting. He seemed to really be trying, but the past loomed over them like the hotel floating in the clouds. She wanted to believe him, she really did. But, she also knew that there would come a time, given his past history, that hee would forgo the arrangement of absolute honesty. Yesterday, even in it small affirmation,, had proven that. Sooner or later, the second trainer would fall.

The inside of the modern hotel was as fantastic as the outside. The walls were all transparent , The Doctor explained to her that each individual room could modify its wall for opaqueness. "You know," he sniffed. "For privacy and all that. You humans love your privacy, but surprisingly, most come here and choose to leave, at least the outer walls, completely open."

"If you were this hotel, you would be as solid as the castle over there. Walls half a mile thick." she accused.

"Is that how you see me?" he spoke, stunned. He stopped moving through the great hall and had turned to face her.

"Yes," she admitted. "you keep so much close to your breast, nothing worn on your sleeve."

"It's all up my sleeve." he remarked, without any mirth. "There is so much, Martha. I thought last night, you could see I am really trying."

Martha was surprised at the hurt in his voice, and her righteous indignation quickly turned into remorse. He had taken the mick out of her faster than anyone ever had. "I didn't mean=..." she tried.

But, he had already turned forward, hands in pockets, strolling purposefully to the elevators.

They arrived at room 1408, the Doctor had managed to slip into his normal mania, while Martha still brooded about her actions. Before knocking on the door, he turned to her and spoke. "It's important to not say too much, yeah?" he said, his hand on the baby strapped to his front. "It's all right, but, when you see. You will know."

They were greeted by a handsome man in Daisy Dukes and a tank top. "Can I help you?" he asked in perfect English in an accent Martha could not place.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor, this is Martha...Dr. Martha Jones. Is he free?"

The man in the provocative dress moved aside and swept his hand in front of him. His demeanor had gone from professional to friendly. "Oh, mah, yes, doooo come in! He hasss been waiting for you!" The young man ran his eyes over the Doctor's form, rendering the ancient alien a bit uncomfortable. "I can see it," he grinned.

"See what?" Martha asked with a smirk." She did not receive an answer, as the man had turned and bid them follow him through the sleek rooms. Every wall was open, rendering a feast of color and surreal landscape at every glance.

He was seated in the tank, in front of the window. Martha noted he was younger than when first she saw him on New New Earth, and the Doctor noted the same thing, but referenced a different time. "Hello old friend." he smiled, placing his hands on the glass.

The Face Of Boe's expression became on e of absolute joy. "Doctor, I see you made it."

"Course I did," he grinned.

"Martha," The Face of Boe turned to the woman next to him, who had come to place her hands on his tank as well. "I always loved getting a visit from you, if this tank wasn't here..." his letcherous grinn engulfed his giant head.

"Not now Jack!" The Doctor moaned and rolled his eyes.

"Course, you could always climb in here, Nightingale. I got plenty of room..."

"Oi," the Doctor warned. "You're talking about my..." but his words stopped. An uncomfortable glance exchanged between the couple, and Martha felt her face begin to burn.

"Well, well, would you look at that." Jack chuckled. "Nice to know I can still make you blush, Martha."

But, Martha had sat on the couch as far away from the Doctor as she could find. "So, what are you on vacation, then?" she asked by way of a subject change.

"Welllll" Jack hemmed, " Yes and no. I was hoping to catch you. Had to wait til I knew the two of you were coming for you honeymoon."

"Jack..." the Doctor warned, ignoring Martha's need for distance, he came to sit next to her and handed Adric into her hands.

"Oh, the little one." Jack said. "Oh it's so strange to see him stil in diapers."

"No spoilers, Jack." the Doctor warned, shuddering at the memory of someone else who warned of Spoilers.

The three friends spent the afternoon going over old and recent times. Martha felt a sense of disconnect at the haphazard use of tenses, that she had just left Jack, young and still full bodied, in the 21st Century. And now, here he was, in his much later years, god only knew how far into his near endless future. "How old are you now, Jack?" she asked with a smirk.

Jack mocked indignation with a sigh, then answered. "Old enough to know better, and young enough not to care about the consequences."

"Yeah," The Doctor added. "We met your house boy."

Jack smiled again, "Oh he is delicious, isn't he? So nice to have something to look at in my waning years." he sighed.

"Waning years my arse." Martha snorted. "You are a horny old man, dirty to the core. And, the worst part is, you were like that when I met you."

"I will have you know that I was not that old when we met." Jack defended, but smiled all the same. "It's really nice to see the two of you, especially traveling together. And Addy."

"Addy?" Martha asked. "Oh, no, you are not giving him that nick name. That is horrendous."

"He already has it" Jack explained. "But, this could have been where it started. Hw old is he now?"

"Nearest I can figured," the Doctor answered, actually scratching his head deep in thought, "Bout a month, two maybe. It's all pretty wibbly-"

"...wobbley yeah, I get that." Jack answered. "Listen I need your help, On Zybtha IV. People are dying mysteriously. They say its a plague, but you know the Zybtharens. They're like Apple computers, they don;t get sick."

The Doctor's face became a stony mask of determination. A plague." he repeated. "That is high improbable."

Jack nodded. "I would have gone myself, but..." Jack closed his eyes and sighed. "Not as spry as I wonce was. Besides, I knew I would find the two of you here."

"What are the symptoms?" Martha asked, her curiosity peaked. She loved a good medical mystery, but the idea of people dying, especially otherwise healthy people, made her itch to help, to stop what ever it was that was causing it.

"There are no symptoms. The Zybtharens do not get sick. They present as healthy, then just drop dead. "

Martha pondered this. "Wait, if they don;t get sick, then are they immortal?"

"No," the Doctor answered with a shake of his head. "Zybtharens have a predetermined life span, like certain plants. They are born, they like for 67 of their years, and they day. Same day 67 Zybtharen years later. "

"That's depressing." Martha said. "To know exactly when you are going to do, to have that hovering over your head your entire life. How do they do it?"

It was Jack who answered her. "They feel its liberating, Martha. You should read some of their literature. They know exactly what they want to be from an early age, they map their lives out. No surprises."

"Well, except for poorly timed accidents." The Doctor interjected. "They can die from trauma, but its a world that knows that nothing lasts forever, they have it etched into their exxistence from the moment of conception. Accidents aren't really a problem, because every one takes everything into account. Its a near Utopian society."

"i find that hard to believe." Martha added.

"There are a lot of things that you have not yet seen, Martha Jones. I am surprised that you are so closed minded about a society that can actually get on with each other." Jack shook his head reproachfully.

"I have seen the nature of humans, Jack,"

"They aren't human Martha. Barely humanoid in fact. " He turned back to Jack and leaned forward toward the tank. "If we go there, wil they let us on? They are frightfully xenophobic."

"oh yes, I already arranged everything. " Jack said. "They are waiting for the two of you."

Martha and the Doctor shared a look the same thought passed beside them. Neither one wanted to take Adric into a dangerous situation. Neither one wanted to leave him either. It was a situation they knew would eventually happen, but both chose to ignore the possibility, as if it could be avoided by simply not discussing it. It was the story of their relationship.

Jack seemed to understand the situation. "Might I offer a suggestion?" he purred.

"We're all ears. Martha answered and clasped her hands around Adric a bit tighter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"He'll be fine," Donna assured the two nervous parents. Their demeanor would have made her laugh if they had not been so tragically serious. It was like parents going out for the first time and leaving the baby with a sitter.

"We should be back before his next feeding." The Doctor said.

"Provided you fly that thing right. " Martha humphed. "If I miss more than four hours of his life, I am gonna so get you." she folded her arms and leaned against the front of the ancient ship. "Honestly, what is the point of having a machine that travels in time if it's never gonna go where you want it to?

The Doctor reached over and lovingly stroked the side of the ship. "She knows this is important, she will get us back on time." he smiled. Martha had to agree, something about the sentient ship seemed to sing since Adrisc had been born. She was gentler in landings, and never moved his room.

"Oh, go on now." Donna insisted, holding Adric as if he was the last baby in the universe. Martha dipped down and planted a kiss on his cheek. He smelled like warm milk and talcum. "Donna. If anything happens to me/"

"Stop it, artha/" Donna shook her head.

"No I mean it, just make sure you..."

"I will." Donna nodded. Just go so you can get back before he gets to thinking I'm take away."

Martha followed the Doctor into the TARDIS and finally allowed him to shut the door.

"We will get back, I promise. " He tried to reassure her.

"I'm gonna go to the infirmary and get some stuff together. " She tried to hide the crack in her voice, but she knew he heard it; but he was nice enough to not point it out to her.

By the time they made it to Zybtha, Martha had assembled a barrage of instruments for medical testing. She had heaped them onto a cart and parked it by the door. "I would rather do the testing on site." she explained when the Doctor asked why she was absconding with half his ship. "I would rather not =run the risk of any pathogens in here."

He nodded, the Doctor had always appreciated Martha's intelligence and her pragmatic approach to situations. She really was a Doctor, something, that he seemed to overlook at times. "Ready then, Dr. Jones?"

"Absolutely. Let's go save the universe...again"