And next chapter is out! Like always don't forget to tell me what you think of it. A million thanks to my beta penandpaper83 who is an angel.

Chapter 6:

Rose and a team of few soldiers were deep in the factory, surrounded by leftovers of broken machine and corpses of Sontarans when their radio suddenly crackled to life. Making almost all of them jump in surprise.

"Trap One to all troops, the Earth has been saved! I repeat the Earth has been saved! Trap One over!" called the joyous voice of Colonel Mace.

Rose felt the tension on her shoulders suddenly melting at the news. She knew what that meant: the Doctor had once again saved them all, swooping into action and being the hero. She smiled as her team cheered in happiness and even shared a few relieved hugs, chuckling at the sudden joyous atmosphere surrounding her men. But it was with a sad smile that she led them again into their mission. Because as she heard the different curious exclamations and silly reenactment. Everyone had their assumptions; even if almost all of them had the Doctor on the front of the action. She knew the truth. The Doctor didn't stick around for the clean up and the questions. He would have undoubtedly have already disappeared onto his next adventure.

Which deep down Rose knew was for the best. She wasn't ready to see him, probably never would be. But, it still made her heart tighten for a moment in her chest the more she considered this decision.

She suddenly smirked after noticing that Tygen, a private not more than 22, was trying to do his best impression of the Doctor being his impressive self. Making his comrades laugh more than anything else. She shook her head fondly. "Ok guys? Quite playing, let's go. Those aliens technology will not find themselves."

A few minutes later, as she was examining parts of what was a manufacturing machine before a few explosives turned it to scrap, she heard someone call her name. She turned and after a brief salute was offered, she nodded for the person to speak.

"Colonel, you have to see this!" The concerned soldier waved her over.

Rose frowned. She handed the bit of metal to the soldier who was working along her, and stood while dusting off her trouser leg. She followed the woman, who looked a rather concerned. "What did you find?" She looked at the nametag on her uniform. "Corporal Felden?" She also noticed that they were walking along the other side of the corridor they tried to gain access to during the battle.

Felden looked uncomfortable the closer they got to their destination. "We remembered during the fight that corridor was more heavily guarded than the rest, so we thought it would be a good idea to start here. At first we didn't find anything out of place. I mean a few things that looked a bit off, like the rest of the factory, but not really something worth raising an alarm over. Then we remembered that we could access the basement by that stairwell." As they passed by said stairs, she pointed it out for Rose. "But when we started to search it… Well it was another story."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose it was very alien?"

Felden made a face. "I'll let you be the judge of that, ma'am." They passed a number of doors and soldiers, who all saluted as she passed. Rose nodded absently, as she looked more and more amazed by the strange machinery that she was able to see in passing.

The corporal grinned as Rose had the same curious expression that they all shared the first they came down here. "As you can see, we have stumbled into science department heaven."

That comment made Rose snort. She could not wait to see Taylor's face when he got to see this stuff. And even she couldn't wait to have a closer look. She smiled inwardly, as she knew where she would be passing the rest of her holiday.

"But that's not all. We found something else," Felden continued, clearly still focused on her mission. They passed an automatic door that was heavily guarded by their own soldiers. Making Rose frown again. This was not a good sign.

At first Rose didn't see anything, her brain too focused on the alien equipment around her. Already considering how it would fit UNIT's use in the future, and how she could insert herself into the science department to be able to look at it from the inside. But then her eyes were drawn to the flurry of animation. A few soldiers and doctors were busy examining something on the floor. She made a few steps in their direction, before realizing with horror that it was the lifeless body of Martha that had everyone's attention.

She cursed loudly, drawing the attention of some of the people around her. She turned to Felden. "This is not good. Not good at all. We have to call Mace immediately!" If Martha was lying dead before them. Where was the Doctor? A frightening thought passed her, making her blood run cold. The Doctor could be in very big trouble, or injured, or worse dead. She couldn't stay here and do nothing.

She started pacing, gripping her radio until her fingers turned white. "Alpha Wolf to Trap One. Please report on the Doctor." She waited a few seconds, and when no response came. "Alpha Wolf to Trap One. I repeat, please report on the Doctor!"

Felden put her hand on her shoulder. "Ma'am, we don't have any signal here. That's why I came to get you."

"Ok, I'm going back upstairs. Don't move the body until then. Nobody who not already in this room can enter! And we need the scientific team asap! So if they are not already on the move, take a fire under their ass!" Without waiting for a response, she made a half turn and started to jog in direction of the flight of stairs. Rose knew that she was starting to lose her calm, knowing the Doctor could be in grave danger make her reckless. She knew that was not her job anymore, that she was not a companion, that she was probably only a memory somewhere. But he was still the Doctor...

As soon as she hit the last step, she grabbed her radio. "Alpha Wolf to Trap One, do you copy?"

"Trap One to Alpha Wolf. I copy. What's happening?" a response finally came, and Rose smiled, happy to hear Mace voice.

"I need the whereabouts of the Doctor urgently. Something came up." She said while still walking. She wanted to tell him about Martha face to face. Not over the radio if she could avoid it.

She had a few seconds of static before she heard Mace again. His voice less assured than before. "Right okay. One moment." She could hear him moving around in his search, and was in view of the mobile HQ when the Mace's answer made her instantly stop in her tracks. "He has just left Doctor Jones in the East sector. Are we in danger? Do we need to call him again?" He inquired with just a touch of nervousness in his tone, but Rose was already taking the direction of the East sector.

"What do you mean he left Martha? Are you sure?" she asked in a strained voice. This was not good. Not good at all. It was the opposite of good!

"Uh yeah. I was just speaking with her on the phone. Why? Is there a problem?" His voice now took a confused tone.

She pulled out her gun and verified it was loaded. She would also have loved to take a few men with her, but she didn't have time to ask for them. "Yes that is a problem. We just found the body of Martha Jones in the basement of the factory. So how can Doctor Jones be in the East sector?" Before he could respond she continued, "Send me her coordinates. I'm not far from there. Just tell her not to move, and don't mention the body we found. If I don't contact you in the next twenty minutes, send the cavalry. Alpha Wolf over."

She packed away her radio, and resumed her progress with determination. A few seconds later they finally came across Martha, who was still on the phone, probably with Mace. Rose frowned. Something didn't look right. And then a second later she realized that 'Martha' had the Doctor's coat over her shoulders. The exact one which he almost never let out of his sight thanks to the sentimentality surrounding the garment. She could still remember the glee in his voice as he told her the story, almost like it was yesterday. "It was Janis Joplin's coat, Rose! She offered it to me!"

And the fact that this so called Martha had it, it triggered alarms inside her head.

"Hands up! Disclose your identity!" Rose commanded with a clear voice, her gun ready to shoot at any sign of danger.

As Martha turned around, her eyes wide and phone still in her hands, Rose noted with confusion that she was barefoot and dressed in a hospital gown under the Doctor's coat.

"I'll call you back, Colonel," said Martha with a distracted voice, also confused by the gun in front of her. She hung up and smiled, but was cut short by Rose who was still in full mode Colonel.

"State your identity and badge number. And how did you come across that coat?" Rose asked again with an icy voice.

Martha was visibly taken aback. "Doctor Martha Jones, UNIT, number 45873699. Who are you?"

Anyone else might have accepted that response and lowered their weapon. Rose however was still on edge while responding, "Colonel Marion Wolfe. Now, I'll repeat my question once more. How did you come across that coat?"

Martha seemed to realize the situation she was in, and replied in a calm yet urgent tone, "I was abducted by the Sontarans. The Doctor found me in time to save my life, but I didn't have time to recover my clothes from my clone. So the Doctor-"

Rose interrupted her to ask, "I'm sorry what? A clone?"

"Yes, but I didn't have time to explain that to the Colonel Mace." Martha laughed a little awkwardly, realizing that taking a moment to pass that information could have prevented this confrontation, but stopped when she realized that Rose didn't move a muscle. "The Sontarans abducted me, and put a clone in my place. Apparently she was supposed to spy on us, and stop the nuclear launch, but then the Doctor figured it out. I know it's a little confusing, we didn't really have time to talk with all that was happening. Just that I'm the real Martha. I think you will find the clone on in the basement of the factory."

It started to make sense for Rose, but she was still not convinced. "We already found it."

"Well that explains your comportment," Martha grumbles more to herself than anything. Suddenly she looked at Rose and squinted her eyes for a second. She then recognized who this woman was, and her eyes widened almost comically. "Oh my god, it's you!"

Rose looked puzzled. "I'm sorry?"

"You're Wolf! THE Wolf! Oh my god! I so wanted to find you again, but I didn't knew your real name, and with you not remembering...!" Martha enthused with an excited bounce, but was cut off by Rose, still confused and closed off as ever.

"Ok, slow down! Explain yourself, because I don't understand anything that you're talking about," Rose asked while lowering her gun a little at the same time.

"Oh right, you don't remember," said Martha after remembering that only a few people remembered what happened. "You saved my life during the year that never was. You sacrificed yourself to give me the time to go to London, and you helped me the best you could. I was very grateful. I really was! But you never gave me your name..." she trailed off with a small hint of sadness in her voice.

Rose shook her head. She was here during the 'Year that never was'? What was she on about? "I think we really need to talk, Martha Jones. I'm going to escort you to the Colonel, and confirm your version of events." She took out her radio. "Alpha Wolf to Trap One. We found Martha Jones. The Martha we found in the basement was a clone. I suggest we send a team of scientists to confirm what she just said."

"Alpha Wolf, a team is on their way. Report as soon as you can. Over."

Rose gave Martha a stressed smile. "You heard the Colonel. Let's go Doctor Jones."

However, before they had time to walk more than a few feet, they were stopped by the most wonderful sound in the universe.

The TARDIS had just materialized before them.