SIXTEEN

'Give way to the stream of life and tumble into the chasm, not knowing… It is only when we're lost in our wondering that we can come into our sacred world'

– Priscilla Cogan, Winoma's Web

It was dark now. The air had cooled and a peaceful calm had settled over the city. Some of the buildings were lit from campfires below and shone dimly standing firm against the coming night. The sound of crickets danced through the twilight air and gave off an almost hypnotic rhythm of peaceful calm.

And that's how Martin felt… Blessed with a peaceful calm.

He was sat deeply in bedded in his deck chair looking out over the ancient city. A tartan blanket was wrapped around him and he was sipping at one of the Doctor's 'Master Blaster Coffee Special's. It was a coffee that came highly recommend by The Doctor who had apparently picked it up on the planet Sheridan 5 whilst battling his arch nemesis and the evil Zippaframes… or something. Martin could never really keep track of all that The Doctor was saying. He talked far too fast sometimes and Martin just couldn't keep up.

It had been forty minutes since his Nan's 'Visitation'. Forty minutes since he'd been told 'The First of Many Truths'. Forty minutes since he'd seen his Nan's beautiful, pain free angelic face reflecting back all the love he could ever dream to be possible. Forty minutes since he'd been giving the One Truth that humanity craves to know for sure…

That Life is Eternal.

That the soul goes on. That death is just a door. That there is more to life than this mortal existence and that…

…Love is forever

After Alice Brigg's image had disappeared Martin had cried deeply. Not tears of sadness but tears of complete release and total joy. It was as if his heart was about to explode such was the outpouring of emotions eradiating from his centre. He had eventually crumpled up in a comfortable heap on the ground smiling through his subsiding tears.

After about five minutes of relative silence The Doctor had left him alone and disappeared inside the TARDIS before returning several minutes later with a glass of pure orange juice.

"This is just what The Doctor ordered" He had beamed as if he'd never said that joke before. "Now you follow me, Marty… I've got just the thing for you."

The Doctor had led him to gently inside the TARDIS and down several flights of stairs before entering a large wood lined bathroom. In the centre of the room was a huge, white bathtub, which was full of light blue bubbles and steamed proudly with piping hot water. There were even candles around the outside of the bath.

"Now this doesn't mean we are going out or anything, Marty" The Doctor had said cautiously "It's just a bath… For you… on your own" He nodded at Martin who just smiled at The Doctor wondering why he would even think anything else in the first place. "So just chill out… choose some music… Get you head together and then we'll carry on… ok?"

Martin just loved the bath; it felt so good to wash all the sand out of his hair, the dirt from his hands and the damp sweat from just about everywhere. He also loved the way he could name any music aloud and the song would play magically in the air and seemed to dance inside the mist (A 'gift from Britney', apparently). The temperature of the water too seemed to adjust itself to the occupant's current thought, so it always remained the perfect temperature. And even the beautiful, blue bubbles moved gracefully over his body as if they were literally washing him, like tiny workers happily doing what they were born to do. Maybe that's what they were? This TARDIS of the Doctor's truly was a remarkable craft.

Whilst bathing amongst the bubbles and melodies in the air Martin thought back to the events of the last few hours. From the fear and utter desperation of what he saw above Mount Sinai and in The Doctor's 'photo album', to the love and perfection he had seen and, most of all, felt since 'The Book of Life' had been opened.

What a journey…

…And it wasn't over yet.

After he had spent a good half an hour soaking up sounds and soap Martin lifted himself out of the bath and dried slowly with big fluffy white towels. He found his clothes washed, ironed and hung on the bathroom door wrapped in transparent plastic with the words 'K9 Kleaners Inc' written on in a 'futuristic' logo. The Doctor must have put them there at some point but Martin had not seen or heard him enter.

After dressing he had made his way up the stairs to the main control room. The room was empty but The Doctor's voice sprang from the pitch black 'coffee making' room just off to the left of the central console.

"Go sit down outside, Marty. I've set up our chairs and there's a blanket for you. I've just getting us a 'Master Blaster' sorted!"

"Thanks for the bath, Doctor… And the clothes!" Martin had called as he made his way to the TARDIS doors. "That's a hell of a laundry service you've got going there!"

"Yeah, well… I've got to give the little fella something to do!" The Doctor had shouted in response. "He doesn't like been locked in his kennel every day!"

Martin wasn't even going to ask about who 'The little fella' was so he made his way outside and towards the deck chairs.

Now here Martin was… Totally relaxed and completely calm. Slumped as far inside his deck chair as gravity would allow whilst staring out over ancient Nazareth in the year 29AD. It was almost as if all of this was the most natural thing in the world. That this was something that everybody did every day.

"So…" The Doctor began, finally breaking the forty-two minutes of (almost) silence "How are you doing?"

Martin looked around at The Doctor and smiled contently. "I'm wicked, Doctor. I'm totally chilled and I just feel… great, yeah"

"Great?" The Doctor frowned disappointedly "Wicked and great? Is that it? Oh, Marty… I was hoping for a little more colour!"

Martin laughed "Sorry, Doctor… But what do you want me to say? It's been amazing… all of this has… It's just been incredible. You've shown me so much and… I've seen so much… I've learnt so much… And I cant thank you enough for what you've done for me…" He reached out his hand for The Doctor to take. The two men shook hands and smiled at each other.

"I wasn't after compliments, Marty… Although they don't do any harm" He said as an afterthought "I was just wondering if you're ready to carry on? We've only scratched the surface here you know. You've only read the first sentence from the book. Wait until you get to chapter 333… It's a real belter!"

Martin reverted his eyes to the city. His voice was soft as he spoke "Do I have to read anymore, do you think?"

The Doctor was slightly taken aback, his face dropped as if in disappointment and then he scrunched up his lips tight under his nose, his mouth drooping at the sides. "Well, you don't have to do anything, Marty. The question is… Do you want to read any more?"

Martin said nothing and continued to stare out into the dying light of the city. The Doctor tapped him on his leg to get his attention and, as soon as he did, he looked into the time traveller's piercing gaze.

"Do you really want to know the secrets of life? The True nature of God? The Truth of existence itself?" The Doctor eye's penetrated Martin's. "Only you can decide what you want to know… and what you want to remember. And you can do that anytime. It doesn't have to be here and now. It can be when I take you back home. You can be alone… with yourself… and still know the Truth because, as you've always been told, The Truth is within you… And you are never truly alone." The Doctor gestured around to their surroundings "We can end all of this right here and right now if you want to. Just give me the word and I'll set the TARDIS to take us back to 2009. We can leave it all here and you could just have learnt that one truth…" He returned his gaze to Martin, "But it'll only be leaving a job half done… And that wouldn't really help save your world, would it?"

In all the turmoil of seeing his Nan again Martin had almost forgotten what The Doctor had previously said: That the Earth of the early 21st Century was in grave danger and he himself could somehow help The Doctor 'Save The World'.

"No, Doctor… I do want to carry on" Martin nodded slowly. "It's just that it… gets scary sometimes. It's like… I do want to know… but I'm frightened it'll destroy my mind… That knowing will drive me mad… Like, we're not supposed to know, are we? Life is a mystery for a reason, isn't it? Maybe that just learning… or remembering… that 'Life is Eternal' is all I really need to know… And that my soul been touched by God is more of a gift than anyone could dream of… And I should be happy at that… More than happy at that!" He looked around at his surroundings and then down at the book "And maybe I should just leave all this here…"

"Well…"

Before The Doctor could speak Martin interrupted him. "But there's more going on than that, isn't there? I'm here for a reason… A really important reason. This is more than just about me, isn't it? Now's not the time to be selfish, is it?"

"No," The Doctor said calmly, "Now's the time to be 'centred'… Self centred… but in a good way" Both men smiled. "You're here to help me…"

"Save the world" Martin finished The Doctor's sentence for him. "And that's where I'm scared all over again? What if we fail?"

The Doctor looked down at The Book of Life, which was lying at his feet, his face calm and soft. "Then they'll be nothing to fear anyway because life is Eternal" He looked over at Martin, his eyes smiling. "You of all people should know that by now"

Martin smiled back and felt a radiant calm wash over him. A peaceful serenity wrapped in an echo of God.

He nodded at The Doctor and then down at the book. "I want to carry on. I want to know everything… How it all fits together…What it is I need to do to help… and, whilst we are here… There's something I've not forgotten about… You did promise to take me to see a certain spiritual master…"

The Doctor laughed. "Jesus? You still want to see Jesus?" His eyebrows were raised and excitement danced within his eyes.

"Well, it seems a shame to come all this way and not meet him" Martin said innocently. "And I do really want to meet him. And I'd love to see what he thinks of 'The Book of Life'…" Then a thought occurred to him, "I bet he's already read it, hasn't he?"

The Doctor nodded knowingly "Oh Yeah… several times I think" He smiled broadly and gave the book an affectionate tap as it lay, resting on a large biscuit plate. He claps his hands together "So, first thing in the morning, then, we'll have a trudge down there and see if he's in town. I'm sure a guy like Jesus wont be too hard to find… And, anyway, I know all his usual haunts so we'll soon find him"

"I thought you said you knew him?" Martin frowned.

"Oh yeah, I do… That's why I know all his usual haunts," The Doctor said shrugging defensively. "Me and Jay have often spent the odd night in 'The Sandal and The Donkey' putting the world to rights. Me and him… We're like that" He locked his fingers together in a show of solidarity and then suddenly sprang up from his seat. "Right! I'm off to get some firewood. We need a fire and I'm so much in a camp fire mood that I just might explode if I don't get one soon! You stay here, Marty, and keep an eye on the TARDIS. Don't let anyone near it and help yourself to coffee…" He began to walk away.

"Erm, Doctor?" Martin had to raise his voice towards The Doctor's departing figure. "Do you think it's a good idea to get a fire going? Won't that, like, attract attention?"

"Oh Marty" The Doctor carried on walking and all but his voice disappeared from sight. "Don't be afraid of attracting attention. If you're not attracting attention you're doing something wrong…and, besides, I think it's far too late to start worrying about that…" His voice trailed off into nothingness.

"What do you mean?" Martin tried desperately to see The Doctor's figure but anything further than fifty yards away was now swallowed in complete darkness. He raised his voice as loud as he felt he could without it been heard by the city below. "Does someone already know that we're here?"

The Doctor didn't respond.

"Doctor?" Martin tried again, panic rising inside his voice "Doctor!" He shouted through clenched teeth.

Nothing.

Martin turned his view back to the city and shook his head "Why does he have to be so mysterious and enigmatic all the time?"

"Don't worry… He's even like that with me"

The male voice came from somewhere over Martin's right hand shoulder: The complete opposite direction from where The Doctor had departed.

"What?" Martin spun around in shock. He could see no one through the increasing darkness. "Who…Who are you? Where are you?" His eyes darted around the area the voice had come from.

"Have no fear, my friend… I come in peace and wish only to talk with you" The man's voice was soft and gentle and held no malice within its tone.

Martin's heart almost froze as he could now see a dark figure moving from out of the shadows. The man wore simple, light garments his hands held out to Martin in greeting. His face came into focus: It was kind and welcoming and his radiant smile outshone even The Doctor's. His skin was light brown in tone and his hair cropped short and neat. His eyes were a perfect, piercing blue.

"Peace" the man said as he approached Martin. He looked into Martin's eyes for a spilt second and then put his hands on his shoulders and kissed him gently on both cheeks.

Martin's initial reaction was to step back confused and bewildered. "Yeah, cheers" he said cautiously "Ermmm… Have you been here long?" He looked back over his shoulder hoping The Doctor would suddenly appear.

"Oh yes, I've been there quite a while" The man calmly said turning his head back to the area from where he came. "I've been listening in, to be honest. It's been fascinating… Really, really interesting. It's sounds like you've had quite a journey" The man returned his gaze to Martin.

"Yeah, you could say that!" Martin was really taken aback by this newcomer. He spoke with such confidence and, most confusingly, spoke with total calm. Wouldn't a man from 29AD be freaking out at Martin's mere presence by the now? After all Martin's clothes were a definite anachronism and the deck chair was surely a dead give away that Martin didn't really belong here. And that wasn't even mentioning the large blue box only metres away.

As he looked at him Martin suddenly realised he'd seen this man before. He looked a bit like a man that worked in Martin's local supermarket that, in turn, looked like a different man from The Doctor's photo album. Was this the same man? Could this be…

"Did he take you anywhere else before you came here?" The man was looking towards The Doctor's TARDIS, which was stood proudly, and humming gently, a few metres away.

"Ermmm. Yeah, he did" Martin stood up to follow the man who had started walking towards the time machine. "But, to be honest, I don't know how much of that was real because The Doctor said…" Martin suddenly stopped speaking.

The man looked around "Yes? What did The Doctor say?"

"He said it was all in my head. He said that I created it out of my fear and… why am I telling you all this?" Martin looked at the man puzzled.

"Because you want to?" The man offered with a smile. "You've nothing to fear with me, my friend"

The man had moved right up to the TARDIS now and gently stroked the side of the blue, wooden time machine and then looked up at the glow coming from the windows.

"He's always bringing people here, you know? You're the forth one this week" He raised his eyebrows at Martin's confused expression. "Did he not tell you that bit?"

"No" was all Martin could whisper.

The man nodded knowingly "Typical. And I bet he didn't tell you he's really…"

"Well, well, well…" The Doctor's voice rang out from behind them. "Look who it is… Speak his name and he will appear… Like a genie in a lamp!"

Martin spun around to see The Doctor standing a few feet away from them, firewood filling his arms. His huge grin was bigger than ever and his eyes burnt bright with happiness. He dropped the firewood where he stood, reached in his inside pocket, drew out his sonic screwdriver and, looking down, pointed it at the collection of sticks and branches. With a gentle hum the sonic glowed blue and flames erupted in the middle of the wood. The Doctor then strode purposefully towards the newcomer with a beaming smile and arms outstretched. The two men embraced and kissed each other on the cheeks like life long friends. The Doctor put an arm around the man and turned him to face Martin.

"Have you introduced your self yet?" The Doctor asked the man squeezing his shoulder as he did so.

"No, not yet" The man smiled once more at Martin. His eyes were the most amazing eyes Martin had ever seen. "We've only just met and I've not had the…"

"Can I do it?" The Doctor interrupted. "Please? I love this bit"

The man laughed and nodded knowingly at The Doctor who seemed as excited as a little child on Christmas morning. "Be my guest, Doctor… I know how much you love playing up to this part" The man nodded and winked at Martin who smiled back, confused yet bemused by The Doctor's behaviour.

"Martin Briggs" The Doctor began clearing his throat "It is my up most pleasure to introduce to you one of my best mates in the whole universe. He's a guy that I would trust with my life and ranks up there with…"

"Doctor! Please stop!" Martin interrupted "Your embarrassing yourself! And him!" Martin nodded over at the smiling man. "I know who he is. I've known since the moment I saw him"

Martin looked directly into the man's perfect blue eyes. They were filled with such love and compassion that they could only belong to one man.

"He's Jesus"

'Ask, and it shall be given to you;

Seek, and ye shall find;

Knock, and it shall be opened to you.

For every one that asketh, receiveth;

And he that seeketh, findeth;

And to him that knocketh it shall be opened' -

Jesus' words, Matthew 7:7-8, The Bible