Here's Gridlock - the early days of Martha and the tenth Doctor (and late days for Jack, lol)

Up next will be the World Enough Time two-parter

Enjoy


They didn't have to wait for long as the Tardis immediately played the next video; the blank screen displayed the next title.

"Gridlock? That's an interesting title." Donna remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Both Martha and the Doctor's eyes widened as they shared a glance both sharing the same thought. Martha frowned slightly, this would be the first time she was properly featured in a video and she wasn't sure she was ready.

The group wasn't blind to the pair's shared glance. Mickey turned to his wife with a concerned smile, "You think you're involved in this one?" He asked her quietly.

"I think so." She sighed; she couldn't help but glance at Jack. If this was what she thought it was about, that was going to be an interesting revelation for him.

Turning to the rest of the group she shrugged, "Let's get this over with then." As if on cue, the video started to play.

In a car, a slightly static image of a woman is on the monitor with the logo of the Statue of Liberty. Sally – the woman on the monitor – introduces herself and gives a traffic report. The car shakes and one of the occupants – Ma – worries something is going to get in and there isn't any stopping them

"Sounds like this is staring well." Amy muttered, with a raised eyebrow at the Doctor. Her glance was ignored in favour of a shared look with Martha – this confirmed they were right about what this video was about.

The other occupant – Pa – says the police are on the way and he's sounded the alarm, he repeats over the radio they require urgent assistance. The computer thanks them for the call and tells them they're on hold.

"Just what you need when you need urgent assistance." Rose shook her head with a snort.

Ma tells him it is all his fault as he lied to the computer about there being three of them

"Three? Why does it matter if there's three of them?" Mickey asked with a concerned glance at his wife.

Martha grimaced as she realised the likely fate of these poor people, "Just watch, you'll find out."

Pa repeats his emergency call, getting more desperate. Then there are bangs and sparks fly, smoke starts to fill the car obscuring our view, the last we see is a hand sliding down the monitor

The group matched with shared grimaces as the pair disappeared from sight into smoke, the details of their fate unknown to the majority of the group but they knew it wasn't good.

"Really starting off well." Rory muttered sarcastically, sharing a glance with his wife. The whole room knew that Martha and the Doctor were going to get involved in this mess and find danger.

Sally on the monitor gives a weather report before signing off cheerfully

"Far too cheery, I don't trust her." Bill remarked eyes on the screen making her miss the knowing glance Martha and the Doctor shared.

In the Tardis, the tenth Doctor says one trip, one trip then home is what he told her, though he supposes he can stretch the definition and do one trip to the past and one to the future, if she wants that?

"You're still kind a new then?" Yaz asked curiously.

Martha nodded at the younger woman, "Yes, this was only my … 2nd trip? Yes, 2nd. We'd met, then gone on a trip to the past so this was our second actual trip."

Martha has no complaints, and the Doctor suggests another planet. Martha asks if they can go to his

The whole group winced at that; Martha really was new. Especially with that Doctor, that was a terrible request. The Doctor just moved her gaze from the screen with a closed off expression.

The Doctor waves her off saying there are plenty of others, but Martha pushes saying his must be worth and look and asking what it is like. The Doctor admits it is beautiful, and Martha asks about spires and cathedrals, the doctor gets more forlorn as he agrees

Martha sighed at her past self; she really hadn't noticed all the clues the Doctor was giving her about not wanting to speak about this. She mouthed a 'sorry' to the Doctor who just smiled sadly with a nod of forgiveness – she hadn't exactly been very forthcoming with why she didn't want to talk about it.

The Doctor tells her the sky is burnt orange and the citadel enclosed in a glass dome, below twin suns, mountains go on forever and slopes of deep red grass, after Martha asks

The group listened on to the conversation, pained as they heard the longing in the Doctor's voice and knowing the Doctor would never be able to go home again, not without the grief of all they'd lost.

Martha asks about going there again, the Doctor says no as there is no fun for him. Instead, he suggests year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth and they're going to New New York – the fifteenth of its name actually

"Wait!" Rose realised, turning to the Doctor. "We went there! With Lady Cassandra and all the cat people nurses!"

The Doctor winced at the reminder she hadn't even taken Martha somewhere new, but had instead revisited somewhere she'd been relatively recently – and with Rose too. It was her time to mouth a 'sorry' to Martha who just gave her own sad smile; they'd both had their own issues during their travel together and they hadn't exactly been healthy for each other back then – but they were better now, or at least working on it.

"Yes, but this is about 30 years after we came. A lot has changed." The Doctor explained for the sake of the rest of the room.

The Tardis lands in a narrow alleyway in Pharmacy town and they walk into rain. Martha is not impressed, commenting about the Time Lord version of dazzling

"You're not easy to impress." Amy grinned approvingly at Martha who shrugged back with a wink.

"Can't make it easy for them after all."

The Doctor argues a bit of rain never hurt anyone and suggests getting under cover. Elsewhere, in the Senate, a large face in a tank thinks at a kneeling cat attendant

No one missed the look that Martha and the Doctor shared at the sight of the face in a tank, but they knew better than to ask yet.

The face – Boe – declares he has arrived. The cat attendant – Hame – asks what she should do, and Boe tells her to find him before it is too late

"He's either friendly or an enemy." Ryan declared.

Yaz raised an eyebrow at him, "Yeah that about covers the options."

Novice Hame gets up and checks her machine gun. Back in Pharmacy town, Martha comments it looks like the same old Earth to her, a Wednesday afternoon even

"Very specific." Clara mused, "But somehow very accurate."

The Doctor tells hr to hold on while they he has a look, using his sonic on the monitor. On the monitor Sally gives a traffic report

Bill narrowed her eyes at the sight of Sally on the monitor, still full of distrust towards her.

On the screen there is a picture of high-tech Manhattan and flying cars and the Doctor says that is more like it as that's the view they had last times but they must be in the lower levels, the under-city. Martha isn't impressed he brought her to the slums

"It was an accident?" The Doctor tried to excuse themselves with a wince, Martha just shook her head in fond annoyance.

The Doctor argues that is more interesting as it's cocktails up there but this is the real city

"Uh huh." Donna's disbelief was very clear in both her tone and facial expression.

Martha argues he'd enjoy anything, and the Doctor agrees before commenting the rain stopped so it is getting better. Martha asks when he says last time, does he mean him and Rose

There were a few awkward glances at the trio, most at least partially aware of some of the history there but still finding it very awkward to watch first hand.

The Doctor admits it was, and Martha continues he's taking her to the same planets he took Rose

"It was unintentional I swear, Martha." The Doctor muttered earnestly; apologetic eyes latched on Martha.

Martha just sighed, "I know. The Tardis takes us to where we're needed, and we were needed here. This is just going to be … awkward to watch back." The Doctor nodded in agreement, that was one word for it.

The Doctor asks what is wrong with that, and Martha quickly says nothing but asks if he knows about rebounds. The stalls open in front of them, and pharmacists start shouting to offer different drugs/emotions – happy, anger, mellow – all competing with each other for the customers

"Wait!" Bill announced loudly, hands up in a time out manner, "Are they trying to sell you drugs?"

"No."

"Basically." The Doctor and Martha answered in sync before sharing a glance.

Martha raised an eyebrow and stared the Doctor down until she sighed, "Okay, kind of?"

"Very clear answers as usual." Amy snorted in amusement.

The Doctor says no thanks and Martha asks if they're selling drugs, he corrects her as he thinks they're selling moods. Martha argues that is the same thing. The street gets busier with people listless and dressed in rags

"Not one of the nicest places you've taken people Doctor." Donna teased her, the Doctor just rolled her eyes.

The pharmacists continue to call out, one woman approaches one wanting to buy forget. She wants to forget her mother and father who went on the motorway, and the pharmacist sells her some forget. The Doctor interrupts asking what happened to her parents

"Something is absolutely wrong with that motorway." Graham declared pointing at the screen.

"What gave you that ide, grandad?" Ryan asked, voice laced with sarcasm, "The weird monsters in the fog that eat people?"

"Yeah, yeah." Graham waved him off.

The woman tells him they drove off, the Doctor suggests they could come back but the woman tells him everyone goes on the motorway in the end and they're lost

"Why go onto the motorway if you know people don't come back?" Clara asked bemused, "What kind of motorway is it?"

Martha and the Doctor just shared another glance, "Best to just watch."

"I hate that response." Clara frowned. The shared looks were already getting frustrating.

The Doctor keeps pushing she could find them, protesting as the woman puts the forget on her neck, turning to ask what he was saying. The Doctor reminds her of her parents but she doesn't care, walking off

The group all frowned at the young women, so desperate to forget her grief she turned to drugs. Apparently, some things didn't change much in the future.

Martha remarks this is what the human race is five billion years in the future – off their heads on chemicals

"Sounds familiar." Rory muttered.

A man grabs Martha from behind as a woman points a gun at the Doctor, the stalls all close their hatches

The group immediately tensed, some almost jumping in surprise as someone grabs Martha from behind. The mood in the room immediately changing. Mickey grabbed his wife's hand and squeezed it for comfort – for her or him she couldn't tell.

The man – Milo – apologises but says they need three. The Doctor protests telling them to let her go and offering to help with whatever they need but they need to let her go. The woman – Cheen – apologises too, as they drag Martha through a door, and she locks it behind them. They run along a passageway while the Doctor tries to open it

"What do they mean they need three?" Yaz asked, her mind immediately running through theories and questions as the Doctor failed to save Martha.

Amy tilted her head, "The people in the beginning mentioned something about needing three people as well."

"Whatever it means, the people that took Martha were desperate." Jack frowned; the pair didn't exactly seem like hardened criminals so their kidnapping was a case of pure desperation.

Mickey leaned in closer to Martha, "You, okay?" He whispered to her, concerned.

Martha smiled softly, "I'm fine, don't worry. Everything worked out in the end. They weren't bad people."

Based on Mickey's expression he wasn't completely convinced but was willing to let it go for the moment for the sake of letting the video continue.

In a back street, they approach a parked car. Martha tells them the Doctor is going to kill them, then corrects herself to say she's going to kill them, and let go of her

"You tell them Martha." Donna grinned approvingly.

Milo tells Cheen to give her some sleep, Martha protests and fights but Cheen tells her not to fight it and puts it on her, despite the protests, Martha falls asleep

Mickey tightened his hold on Martha, getting more and more concerned about his wife even as she tried to comfort him. Several others also gave her concerned glances, not liking the situation unfolding in front of them; it was bad enough that Martha was kidnapped, now she was being drugged too.

They get on board, and Milo starts the car, it takes off

"You better find her." Mickey gave the Doctor a demanding look even as Martha rolled her eyes next to him.

The Doctor held her hands up in surrender, "I do I promise, but Martha is very capable of looking after herself."

The Doctor gets down the back street calling for Martha, but they're gone. In the car, Cheen checks on Martha and finds her fine, before saying she must be rich based on her looks. Milo agrees and radios in to say they have three people and request access to the fast lane. The computer grants them access

"Oh! Does having three people mean you can get into the fast lane or something?" Bill asked, looking between Martha and the Doctor.

The Doctor grinned proudly, "Spot on, Bill."

Back in pharmacy town, the Doctor hammers on a closed hatch and the pharmacist opens up offering happy, the Doctor demands to know who they are and why they took her

"Gathering some intel." Jack nodded approvingly of the Doctor's strategy, he didn't miss the glance Martha and the Doctor shared at him speaking up. It wasn't the first time they'd shared a glance around him, and it was making him suspicious, but he knew that asking likely wouldn't lead to any answers at this point in time.

The pharmacists tell her they were likely carjackers and took her to the motorway, one tells him to give up as he'll never see her again

"Encouraging." Rory muttered.

A pharmacist explains the place used to be thriving but they all go on the motorway in the end. The Doctor asks what Milo meant when he said they needed three, they tell him it is a car-sharing policy to save fuel, and you get special access if you have three adults

"Not a bad policy, just seems to have gone a bit wrong." Graham mused with a frown.

"Seems about typical." Ryan snorted.

The Doctor asks how to get on the motorway and the pharmacist gives him instructions, still offering happy

"I think the Doctor's anything but happy." Nardole muttered with a wary eye directed at both the Doctor on screen and in the room with them.

The Doctor tells them to cash up, close down and pack their bag as when he finds Martha, and he will, then he'll be back and the street will be closed!

"Bit dramatic, Doctor." Martha said, eyes not meeting the Doctor's.

She'd always been nervous about her relationship with the Doctor and this adventure hadn't been off to a great start with them going to a planet the Doctor had taken Rose too first. But knowing the Doctor cared enough about her to make a threat like that, soothed some worries that still sat in the pit of her stomach despite herself, and she knew the Doctor well enough now to recognise the difference between the Doctor's anger from guilt and the anger from concern. That was concern.

In the car, Martha wakes and takes the tab from her neck as Milo and Cheen talk about how it will be worth it and imagine the view they will see

"I think they've been fed some fantasies." Yaz grimaced.

"Which doesn't suggest good things for how this is going to go." Rory nodded in agreement with the younger woman.

Martha points Cheen's gun at them while they are fantasising

"That's my girl." Mickey grinned at seeing Martha immediately grab a gun to deal with her kidnappers. She'd never been much of a damsel in distress. The rest of the group were giving her approving nods and grins, even as the Doctor shook her head slightly (mostly fondly despite the gun, she knew Martha wouldn't use it).

Martha demands to be taken back and she won't cause any trouble but take her back. Cheen apologises as it isn't a real gun, and adds she wouldn't even know how to fire when Martha argues she would say that. Martha admits she wouldn't either, and puts the gun down

"I do now." Martha said, it wasn't exactly proud, more resigned. The years had been hard on her, and she'd learned a lot she never would have had to if she hadn't travelled with the Doctor, yet she couldn't ever bring herself to regret her decision.

Cheen asks her name, and they all do introductions. Cheen apologises again, saying they needed access to the fast lane but as soon as they arrive, they'll drop her off and she can go back and find her friend

"If it was that easy to move around, they wouldn't be so desperate to kidnap people, so there's a few holes in their story there." Rose pointed out with a raised eyebrow at Cheen.

Martha asks if they are serious, and Cheen swears showing she is wearing an honesty patch

"So, it's just naivety then." Donna snorted humourless.

Martha still declares it a kidnapping and asks where they are. Milo explains they are on the motorway and when Martha asks about the fog, Cheen tells her it is exhaust fumes

"Lovely." Clara muttered.

Milo explains they're going to Brooklyn as everyone says the air is cleaner and they couldn't stay, Cheen cuts in adding she's pregnant and they found out last week and the scan shows it will be a boy

"I mean that's great and all, but that doesn't mean you should kidnap people?" Bill suggested.

"I get the increased motivation but doesn't make the decision right." Amy agreed.

Martha asks if she is supposed to congratulate her kidnappers, and Cheen protests the title

"That was definitely kidnapping we just witnessed, so by definition they are kidnappers." Yaz argued, the knowledge from being a police officer not really needed in this case.

Martha declares them idiots if she's having a baby and wearing the patch, pulling it from Cheen's neck

Rory nodded approvingly at Martha, "Good shout." They may not know anything about these future 'moods' but they couldn't be good for a baby no matter what people may claim.

Milo says they'll be as fast as they can and Cheen adds it is only ten miles. Martha asks how long it will take and Cheen says about six years

"Six years?!" Mickey shouted in shock, glancing at Martha who just raised an eyebrow at his outcry.

Martha is shocked, as Cheen continues it will be just in time for their kid to start school. Martha asks about the ten miles in six years and how it takes that long

"That's a very long drive." Nardole muttered.

"I know where to avoid." Jack joked, missing the look that Martha and the Doctor shared.

In a lay by, the Doctor unlocks a metal door and steps onto a small balcony, coughing in the exhaust fumes. Below is stationary traffic stacked in all directions. The car nearest the balcony opens its door and a figure in WW2 flying jacket, helmet, goggles, and white scarf over his face calls out. Brannigan calls him an idiot and tells him to either get out or get in

"Interesting style." Amy grinned; she hadn't seen much of him but she already loved his attitude.

The Doctor gets in Brannigan's car and gasps for breath, Brannigan is shocked at his behaviour as a dark-haired woman puts an oxygen mask on the Doctor

Martha turned to the Doctor with the sternest look and declared, with no hesitation, "You're an absolute idiot."

"Oi-" The Doctor tried to protest but was cut off as Martha continued.

"Which is saying a lot because I already knew you were stupid, but you keep finding ways to surprise me somehow." Martha continued her rant. "And no arguments, Mister!"

The Doctor held up her hands in surrender under the weight of Martha's gaze, unsure what to say in her defence. "I'm sorry?"

"You better be!" Martha finished with a firm glare before turning determinedly to the screen.

Valerie helps his breathing. Brannigan removed his scarf and goggles, and shares a story of a woman standing in the exhaust fumes for a solid twenty minutes and by the time they found her, her head had swollen fifty feet

"Real nice." Donna raised an eyebrow.

Valeria says he's making it up as Brannigan tells her to think of it, imagine picking that nose

Mickey got a chuckle out of that, "Love the way he thinks."

"Course you would." Martha rolled her eyes fondly at her husband.

Valerie tells him to stop it, then tells him they're moving. Brannigan says he's on it, and they all move forward slightly. Brannigan declares it a good day as they moved twenty yards, before asking who the Doctor is and saying he's well-dressed for a hitchhiker

"This whole situation gets more depressing every moment." Clara shook her head. She couldn't imagine being on that road for years at a time, stuck in a small car just holding onto hope that it will all be worth it in the end.

The Doctor thanks him and introduces himself. Brannigan introduces himself and his wife, Valerie, and then the rest of the family behind him. The Doctor draws back a curtain to reveal a litter of kittens in a basket

"Those are kittens." Bill stated bluntly, pointing at the screen.

"That they are." The Doctor smiled fondly.

"Is no one else having issues with this?" Bill continued, ignoring the Doctor.

Amy shrugged, "We've all seen weirder at this point."

The Doctor says that is nice and asks how old they are, Valerie shares they are two months old. Brannigan chimes in they've never known the ground beneath their paws, poor souls. The Doctor asks about them being born there and Valerie tells him they couldn't stop as they heard there were jobs going and they thought they'd take a chance

"They're all so desperate." Rose frowned; she hadn't exactly grown up well off but to do something like that meant they were truly desperate.

The Doctor asks if they've been driving for two months, and Brannigan corrects him to twelve years

"Twelve years!" Ryan's eyes widened in shock unable to really comprehend that, "That's a very long time to be stick in a small car driving."

Brannigan continues they started as newlyweds, and it feels like yesterday to the Doctor's shock, Valerie comments it feels like twelve years to her

Valerie's comment got several find chuckles from the group, all enjoying the pair's dynamic.

The Doctor asks how far they've come and where they started if they've been driving twelve years. Brannigan tells him about five miles back to the Doctor's shock

"That's unbelievable." Rory shook his head, struggling with the very concept.

BRANNIGAN: I think he's a bit slow.

"That he is." Martha grinned; she was a bit sad she missed the whole interaction.

Valerie asks where he is from, and the Doctor waves the question away, explaining his friend is in one of the cars and he needs to get her back, and he should get back to the Tardis. Brannigan tells him he is too late as they passed the lay-by, and the next one isn't for about six months

"Not gonna work." Clara shook her head. She, like many of the others, was nervous over what the Doctor was going to try and do to get Martha back. There were limited options available and the Doctor wasn't known for being the smartest when it came to their own safety, especially when a friend was in danger.

Milo's car drops down through rows of cars as Martha asks how many are out there

"Far too many." Martha answered her own question with a grimace and glance at the Doctor.

Cheen tells her no one really knows before asking if she's hungry, Martha isn't and asks how far down the fast lane is. Milo chimes in it is at the bottom, underneath the traffic jam as not many people can afford three passengers, and rumour says you can reach up to thirty miles per hour

"Speedy." Ryan muttered sarcastically.

"Why is it so hard to get three people?" Amy asked confused, Martha and the Doctor shared a look before shrugging.

Martha asks how they're supposed to live in the tiny car, and Cheen explains they're all stocked up with self-replicating fuel, muscle stimulants for exercise, and a chemical toilet where the waste products are recycled as food

"Lovely." Bill grimaced; nose wrinkled in disgust at the idea.

Martha dumps her dry biscuit

"That's the right response." Mickey nodded solemnly at his wife.

Milo is excited for another gap, and calls in about their descent down, getting the go ahead

The group all shared a look, the tension in the room rising as Martha made her way further down to where the first car that they'd seen had met its fate. They didn't like how this was going.

In Brannigan's car, the Doctor hacks into the communication system trying to call the police but he is put on hold, despite his protests

"I don't think there's anyone there." Rose said with a worried glance at Martha. She didn't miss the exchange between Martha and the Doctor, and it didn't make her feel very reassured.

The Doctor asks if there is anyone else, and says he met the Duke of Manhattan once, can he get through to him. Brannigan calls him lordly as the Doctor pushes that he needs to find his friend. Valerie tells him the motorway is completely enclosed so they can't make outside calls

"That's convenient." Donna remarked, arms crossed and eyebrow raised. They were all getting the feeling there was something else going on behind all they were seeing – or more likely there was nothing going on, and that's the problem.

The Doctor asks about other cars, and Brannigan admits they have contact with some of them yes, but only those on their friends list. He checks nearby and finds the Cassini sisters (a pair of older women and their number)), calling them

"Better than nothing." Jack sighed; he was hopeful that Brannigan knew someone who could help as he didn't doubt that the Doctor reached Martha (seeing as they were both here okay). Though knowing Martha there was just as high a chance she rescued herself.

The Doctor grinned, reassuring he group a bit, "Ah, you should never discount the power of friendship, Jack!"

Ryan groaned embarrassed, "That's so cheesy Doctor."

Alice tells Brannigan to get off the line as he's a menace, and he asks the sisters if that's any way to talk to an old friend. Alice corrects him that he knows very well they aren't sisters and are in fact married

"Even better." Bill grinned properly for the first time in a while. It was always good to see more LGBT representation across space and time, and a pair of happily married woman was especially great for her to see.

Brannigan calls himself an old-fashioned cat, and explains he has a hitchhiker by the name of the Doctor. The Doctor chimes in that he's looking for his friend Martha who's been carjacked, and he doesn't know which car she's in. May puts down her knitting and picks up a large book, asking what entrance they used. Brannigan tells them Pharmacy town

"Promising." Mickey muttered leaning forward slightly in his seat.

Martha rolled her eyes at her husband and pushed him back into his seat, "Cool it, idiot."

"You love me, really." Mickey grinned teasingly at her.

"I don't know about that." She grinned back despite her words.

The Doctor adds it was about twenty minutes ago, and May says she'll have a look while Alice says it was just her luck to marry a car-spotter

"Very promising." Rose grinned, turns out Brannigan had some very useful friends. Martha and the Doctor may have a chance after all.

May tells them there was fifty-three new cars from the Pharmacy junction in the last half hour. The Doctor asks for more specifics and May tells him all in good time

"Not sure we have time." Clara grimaced, glancing between the screen and Martha in the room.

May asks if she was car-jacked by two people, the Doctor says she was. May finds it, explaining only one of the cars was destined for the fast lane which meant they had three on board – car number four six diamond six

"One step down. You've found the car; next problem is reaching it." Amy pointed out.

"And knowing the Doctor, they're going to be stupid about it." Rory continued, earning a pout from the Doctor.

The Doctor asks how to find it and May admits she can't help there. The Doctor tells Brannigan to call them as they have their car number, but Brannigan explains they can't if they're in the fast lane as it is a different class

"Of course, it is." Mickey sighed, things really couldn't ever be easy, could they?

May suggests trying the police and the Doctor tells them he was put on hold. Alice tells him to keep trying as there is no one else

"I don't think there is anyone full stop." Yaz frowned.

The Doctor thanks them. In Milo's car, they're still heading downwards as he says they have another ten layers to go and they're scorching. Then they hear a distant growling sound

The group all grimaced at the sound of whatever monster lay below. They'd seen what had happened to the car but they still didn't know what it actually was. Whatever it was wasn't friendly though.

Martha asks what it was as it sounds like it is coming from below them. Cheen says it's that noise, like from Kate's stories, they're true. Martha asks what stories and Milo cuts in that it is just the air vents as all the exhaust fumes travel down so the base has air vents

"I don't think those are air vents." Nardole stated the obvious, or the obvious to the group watching at the least.

"I wish they were." Martha sighed.

Cheen adds the stories are much better and they claim people go missing on the motorway, cars vanish to never be seen again and there is something living down in the smoke, something huge and hungry. Another roar

"I think those stories are closer to the truth than the air vent one." Donna grimaced.

Milo presses that it is the vents as they continue to descend. Martha points outside asking if it looks like the air vents are working, Cheen agrees it doesn't, Martha asks what it is then. Milo calls it kid stuff as he continues down

"Martha's the only one thinking as usual." Jack said with a small smile at Martha.

"Why keep going down when in doubt and hearing those noises?" Rose asked.

Martha shrugged, "They were desperate. Desperate enough to kidnap me and desperate enough to keep going."

In Brannigan's car, the Doctor tells them to take the fast lane, to take him down but Brannigan refuses. The Doctor protests they have three now, but Brannigan is stubborn that he's not going

"He's smart, annoyingly at the moment, but smart." Amy nodded at Brannigan on screen.

DOCTOR: She's alone and she's lost. She doesn't belong on this planet, and it's all my fault. I'm asking you, Brannigan, take me down.

Martha glanced at the Doctor, expression soft as she could see the real concern and desperation, they had felt for them. It was always a nice reminder that the Doctor did care.

Valerie chimes in that it is a no, they aren't risking the children down there

"Understandable." Martha conceded, she would do the same if it was her kid at risk.

The Doctor asks why not and what the risk is but Valerie refuses to discuss it saying the conversation is closed

"They know something." Clara narrowed her eyes at the screen.

"Maybe they take more stock in those stories." Rory theorised as he agreed with Clara.

The Doctor says they just keep driving then, for how long? Brannigan tells him until the journey ends. The Doctor grabs the radio handset

"Yeah, the Doctor's not just going to accept that." Jack grinned fondly; the Doctor was predictable in that at least.

He calls the Cassini's again and asks how long they've been on the motorway. Alice shares they were amongst the first so about twenty-three years now

"Twenty-three years, blimey." Graham exclaimed. Somehow, they were all still getting shocked by everyone's acceptance of how long they had and would have to be driving on this motorway, but it was hard to get their head around it all.

The Doctor asks in all that time have they seen a police car, May admits she isn't sure, so the Doctor tells her to check her notes. She does, finding nothing, and he pushes have they seen an ambulance or rescue services or anything official ever. May argues she can't keep a note of everything

"That's a no." Donna said bluntly. "There's no one out there."

No one missed the look that Martha and the Doctor shared. They were onto something.

The Doctor asks what if there is no one out there, Brannigan snatched the mike back telling him to stop it as the Cassinis did him a favour. The Doctor argues someone has to ask as they might not talk about it but it si there in their eyes – what if the traffic jam never stops? Brannigan counters there is a whole city above them, and they wouldn't just leave them

The group winced, something was up but none of the drivers wanted to voice it, all they had left was that hope keeping them going.

"They're not going to want you to ruin all their hope Doctor." River gave Brannigan on screen a sympathetic smile. She'd been quiet for most of the video so far, just watching and taking in everything going on but she couldn't stay quiet now.

"Doesn't mean it's not true." The Doctor argued.

"It doesn't, but it's not what they want to hear right now." Rose pointed out, continuing on from River's argument.

The Doctor pushes where are they then? What if there is no help coming ever, what if there is nothing but motorway with cars going round and round, forever

"Sound like hell." Nardole grumbled.

Valerie shouts at him to shut up. ON the monitor Sally interrupts them saying it is that time again, the sun is high above the New Atlantic, the perfect setting for the daily contemplation. Brannigan tells the Doctor he thinks he knows them so well, but they aren't abandoned, not while they have each other

"A nice sentiment, if nothing else." Amy smiled softly; she was really liking Brannigan.

Sally continues this is all for those on the roads, they're sorry, drive safe. A choir sings a beautiful song about holding onto the past and looking to the future. Everyone on the motorway joins in, including Martha but excluding the Doctor

"Kill joy." River nudged her wife, a teasing grin on her face. The Doctor just rolled her eyes in response, she couldn't deny it was beautiful but she'd been too caught up in trying to rescue Martha to appreciate it.

In Milo's car, they finally make it to the fast lane and drive along the empty fast lane, level 50

"Don't think that's a good thing." Mickey grimaced with a worried glance at Martha who attempted to give him a reassuring smile in response – it didn't seem to help much.

Back in Brannigan's car, the Doctor tells them if they won't take him, he'll go down himself. Brannigan asks what he thinks he's doing and the Doctor replies he's finding his own way as he usually does

Martha glanced at Rose (who was watching the Doctor in concern), there were times when the Doctor was just a bit too lost in their head like this. They were so desperate to find Martha that they weren't willing to enjoy anything or accept help from people at times. At the time she'd been a bit blind by her own affections for the Doctor to really notice the impact that Rose's loss had had on them. They'd both been blind to the other.

The Doctor sonics open a trapdoor in the floor of the car, the computer wants them the capsule is open. Below them, a car stops directly and the Doctor says here they goes

"You're not." Jack shook his head, hoping he was wrong with his theory.

River just sighed, "Of course they are."

He throws his coat to Valerie asking her to look after it as he loves it, Janis Joplin gave it to him

"Priorities, Doctor." Clara sighed disappointed but not remotely surprised.

Valerie tells him he can't jump and he replies, if it is any consolation, right now he's having kittens

"At least you admit it." Amy sighed, rolling her eyes.

Brannigan says this Martha must mean a lot to her, the Doctor is sad as he replies he hardly knows her, he was too busy showing off and lied to her, he couldn't help it, just lied. He then says bye

"Oh, Doctor." Martha muttered sadly, with a soft glance at the Doctor, who swallowed and looked away from anyone else. They clearly had more to speak about.

The Doctor drops onto the roof of the car below. Valerie declares he's completely insane, Brannigan agrees but adds also a bit magnificent

"That just about describes the Doctor." Bill snorted.

The Doctor sonics open the roof hatch and drops in on a man with very pale skin wearing a white suit – Whitey. He asks who the hell the Doctor is, and he tells him Motorway foot patrol and he's doing a survey. The Doctor takes his comment and wishes him a nice day, opening the floor hatch and hanging out it until a new car stops below him

"Surprisingly decent excuse." Donna remarked, with a raised eyebrow in surprise at the Doctor.

He drops into a car with two young Asian women, passing straight through onto the next thanking them for their cooperation, and asking to borrow a small blue headscarf which he uses as a mask despite commenting it isn't his colour

"Better than nothing." Rory sighed, if the Doctor was determined to be stupid at least they were going to try and protect themselves a little, even if it was the least, they could do. It was better than nothing.

He drops into a nudist's car next and moves on quickly saying not to mind him

The group snickered at that one, enjoying the brief break in the tension as they waited to see how Martha was getting on.

"Quick move on that time Doctor." Rose laughed.

Then into a red man's car and on and on. Back in Milo's car, Cheen tells him to try again as Milo taps exit 1 on the motorway only for the computer to tell them the turnoff is closed. They try the next one to the same message

"More signs that not all is as it seems." Mickey remarked with a wary glance at the screen. The group had tensed up upon seeing Martha again, all trying to prepare themselves for the trouble they knew was to come.

Cheen asks what they do, and Milo says they'll keep going round, do a whole loop and by the time they come back round they'll be open

"Hopeful thinking." Rory muttered.

There's a growl and shuddering. Martha asks if they're still calling it the air vents and Milo asks what else it could be

"Anything else." Yaz declared, those noises did not remotely sound like air vents, and it really didn't look like there were any vents working.

Cheen asks what it is and Milo suggests hydraulics but Martha argues it sounds alive. Milo is stubborn that nothing could breathe in all the exhaust fumes. They get a call from another car (Javit) and they reply asking who is there and where they are

"Someone's calling you. Why is someone calling you?" Nardole asked, turning to Martha and the Doctor in question. The Doctor shrugged not knowing, but Martha just smiled with a shrug, they'd find out eventually.

Javit explains they're in the fast lane, about fifty yards behind. We get a glimpse of her, and two pale girls in the car with her. Javit asks them if they can get back up, out of the fast lane. Milo argues they only have permission to go down and they need the Brooklyn Flyover. Javit tells them it is closed and to go back up – something is hitting their car

"I think you should listen to them." Mickey said worried, glancing between the screen and his wife next to him as if to reassure himself she was still safe.

Milo says they can't and will go around instead, Javit pushes saying don't they understand? They're closed and always are, they're stuck down there and there is something out there in the fog. She asks if they can hear it, there is a big roar

"I hear it." Bill muttered with a wary glance at the screen. "I think they're right; you should really go up."

Martha grimaced, "I wish it was that easy." The group all groaned at that, of course things could only get worse, it was never that simple for them.

Milo tells them it is the air hents and Javit asks what are they, stupid kids? Get out of there. There is a big thump and the car tilts sideways

"They are young still, and desperate." Martha sighed, looking back on it she'd been a bit young and desperate too. This was almost painful to watch at times.

"Desperate people can be stupid people." Donna argued.

"I'm not denying that." Martha smiled at the other woman.

Milo asks what the noise it and Javit shouts they can't move and it has them. Milo asks what is happening and Martha wants to know what has them. Javit shouts at them to just drive and get out of there

The group all grimaced, tension in the room high, as they realised what was happening to Javit's car was the same as whatever happened to the pair at the start. And whatever was happening to them was going to happen to Martha, Milo and Cheen if they didn't get out of there, and soon.

Milo asks if they can hear him, but there is no response. Martha shouts at him to just drive and do as she said and get out of there. Milo asks where and Martha says to go forward and fast. Cheen ask what is it

"Less talking, more driving." Amy declared, focus firmly on the screen, as was the rest of the group.

The Doctor drops into a gentleman's car, he's wearing a bowler hat and pinstriped suit. The gent asks if it's legal for the Doctor to drop in

"When has the Doctor cared about legal?" Yaz sighed, it had been a bit of an adjustment to go from police officer in training to regularly breaking various laws (even if it was for good (usually)).

The Doctor apologises claiming Motorway Foot Patrol again and asks if he has any water, the Gent does and give shim some. The Doctor asks if it is the last layer and the Gent tells him they're right at the bottom, nothing below but the fast lane

"You're so close." Ryan said, "But how are you going to get to the right car?"

Suspiciously, the Doctor was avoiding any eye contact, earning groans from the group as they realised they were going to continue to be stupid.

The Doctor asks if he can drive them down but the Gent tells him there is only two of them and they need there to go down. The Doctor suggests they cheat and the Gent admits he'd love to but the system is automated and the wheel would lock

"So how did the couple at the start manage it?" Rose asked perplexed.

The Doctor shrugged, "No idea."

The Doctor says excuse him and opens the floor hatch. The Gent warns him he can't jump as it is a thousand feet down, the Doctor reassured him he just wants to look

"Good, you've not completely lost your mind yet." River sighed, rolling her eyes at her wife who just grinned unrepentant.

They hear a growl and the Doctor asks what it is, the Gent tells him he tries not to think about it

"Smart man." Rory muttered.

The Doctor asks about the lights and what is down there as he needs to see. He sonics the car computer saying there has to be some sort of ventilation and if he could transit a pulse, he could trip the system and give them a bit of a breeze

"I doubt it's going to be a pleasant view." Mickey grimaced, tightening his hold on Martha's hand in concern. Martha gave him a sympathetic smile but didn't argue. She hadn't gotten a proper look at the Macra but she didn't need to know what they were like.

Back in Brannigan's car, someone if cutting through the roof hatch and Brannigan says just what the need – pirates. Valerie says she's calling the police as Hame hangs upside down through the hatch asking where the Doctor is

"You've caused enough of a ruckus to have people after you as usual." Donna remarked with a raised eyebrow at the Doctor. "How did they track him?

"Maybe traced the phone calls?" Yaz guessed with a shrug.

"That's Novice Hame!" Rose pointed out, recognising the cat from her own time on New Earth, "Why is she after you?"

The Doctor nodded, "It is. She's changed her tune since you saw her though. As for what she wants, it's best to just watch."

Rose sighed at the non-answer but turned her attention back to the screen to see how things played out.

In the Gent's car, the Doctor is connecting wires and says it should shift the fumes a bit and give them a look. The Gent asks what the shapes are and the Doctor says they are alive as they see giant claws snap up at them. The Doctor tells the Gent they're Macra

"Of course." River grimaced, "Macra." The Doctor nodded in agreement while the rest of the group watched on confused.

"Erh, what are Macra?" Graham asked. Glancing between River, the Doctor and Martha.

The Doctor shook her head, "Just watch."

In Milo's car, something hits it and Cheen tells him to go faster but he's already at top speed as they weave through the grabbing claws

"Oh god." Mickey glanced between the screen and his wife next to him, concern rising with every second.

"I'm fine." Martha murmured quietly in an attempt to reassure him.

Mickey frowned, "I know but I can still be concerned."

The computer tells them there is no access above even as Milo shouts it is an emergency; the police tell them they're on hold. Martha tells them to turn everything off, and Milo shouts she has to be joking

"No, she's very clever." Jack's eyes widened as he made the same connection that Martha had, giving said woman a bright grin. "It's Martha, I shouldn't be surprised at this point."

Martha tells them to listen as it is fog out there so how do they see them, suggesting it is the engine, sound, heat or light she doesn't know but turn it all off and they might not be able to find them

"Very smart." Clara grinned.

Milo asks what if she's wrong and Martha argues it can't be worse than this so do it

"Anything's better than driving around in a panic barely avoiding the claws." Bill said.

The car goes dark and outside goes quiet, Cheen says they've stopped and Milo agrees but reminds them they're still out there

"You know how to avoid them but it's only a temporary thing, how are you getting out of there?" Amy asked with a glance at Martha in the room with them.

Martha just gave the watching group a small grin.

Cheen asks Martha how she thought of it, and Martha admits she saw it on a film as they used to do it with submarines but problem is she doesn't remember what they did next. Milo sys she better think of something as they've lost the aircon so if they don't turn the engines back on, they won't be able to breathe. Martha asks how long they have and Milo estimates eight minutes at maximum

"And a time limit, because it wouldn't be a dangerous adventure without a time limit." Clara sighed, still eight minutes were better than nothing. Martha was smart and the Doctor was on their way, she was sure they could think of a plan before they ran out of time.

Back up in the Gent's car, the Doctor explains the Macra used to be the scourge of the galaxy as they fed off gas – the worse the better, and they built a small empire using humans as slaves and mining gas for food

"Lovely folk then." Graham snorted.

"You don't know the half of it, Graham." The Doctor hummed in agreement to the sentiment.

The Gent counter they don't look like empire builders to him, and the Doctor admits it was billions of years ago and they must have devolved since then, now they're just beasts, hungry ones and his friend is down there. There is a clang on the roof and the Gent is annoyed saying it is like New Time Square in there, Hame drops in

"Now you're in trouble." Jack glanced at the Doctor.

"When isn't she?" River snorted.

"Oi!" The Doctor tried to protest.

River just raised an eyebrow, "You know I'm right Sweetie."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"But you do."

"Shut up."

The Doctor declares he's invented a sport

"I don't think it's going to catch on." Rory shook his head.

"Don't kill my dreams, Rory." The Doctor pouted.

Hame declares he is a hard man to find. The Gent is annoyed with the guns, saying he's not having it and Hame says she only brought it in case of pirates. She turns to the Doctor saying he has to come with her, he asks if he knows her. Hame says he hasn't aged at all but time has been less kind to her. The Doctor realises she is Novice Hame and then says hold on as last time they met, she was breeding humans for experimentation

"She was what!?" Donna exclaimed in shock.

"You put a stop to that right Doctor?" Yaz asked hopeful.

The Doctor glanced at Rose before turning to answer the room, "Don't worry, that's far in the past. Rose and I stopped it on our visit to New Earth. Novice Hame has grown a lot since then." She tried to reassure the group, who didn't look particularly reassured.

"I'm sure if it's important we'll see it." Rose offered, privately hoping they didn't. Watching your past self on screen like this was just embarrassing half the time.

Hame explains she has sought forgiveness for many years under his guidance, but if the Doctor comes with her, she might be able to redeem herself

"His? Who's this 'he' and why haven't they done anything to help these people?" Jack asked watching the screen with thought.

Martha and the Doctor shared a glance, both getting more nervous as they got closer to the reveal about Jack's fate. Neither of them answered to the group's collective frustration.

The Doctor argue she isn't going anywhere as they have Macra living underneath the city and his friend is stuck down there. Hame demands he comes with her now, and the Doctor counters she is coming with him, as they have three passengers now

"Yes, get Martha!" Mickey nodded frantically at the screen, so caught up in his concern he barely realised he was talking to an image.

Hame apologises, saying the situation is worse than she can imagine

"I don't like the sound of that." Nardole declared.

"None of us do, Nardole." Bill agreed.

Hame grabs his wrist and teleports them out despite the Doctor's protest. The Gent is left alone as the vanish

"He must be very confused." Bill muttered quietly.

"No!" Mickey cried in frustration. Martha just gave him a smile before giving the Doctor an understanding nod. It was at least interesting to see things from another perspective, and find out what took the Doctor so long to find her. Maybe it was worth all the cringe and embarrassment.

Hame and the Doctor arrive in the Senate and pick themselves up from the rubbish-strewn floor. The Doctor realises it is a rough teleport and she can go straight back down and teleport people out, starting with Martha. Hame admits she only had enough power for one trip

"Of course, she did." Clara sighed, that was so very typical for how these messes unfolded.

The Doctor demands she gets more than before asking where they are, Hame tells him they are in the over-city. The Doctor wants to have a word with the Senate of New New York as they have thousands of people trapped on the motorway. Hame says they are in the Senate right now and uses her teleport bracelet to turn on the lights revealing the senate is populated by skeletons, she adds they died, the city died

"That would explain why no one has been helping." Amy grimaced at the sight of all the skeletons.

"What killed them all like that?" Rory asked, in full nurse mode as he tried to work out what could kill so many people so quickly.

The Doctor just grimaced and nodded at the screen in answer.

The Doctor asks how long it has been and she tells him twenty-four years. He asks what happened and Hame explains it was a new mood – bliss, everyone tried it and a virus mutated in the compound and became airborne killing everyone in seven minutes flat. She continues there was just enough time to close down the walkways and flyovers, seal off the under-city, and all the people on the motorway aren't lost but saved

"That's a weird way to save people." Ryan argued. He wasn't sure he'd count being stuck on an eternal motorway with monster crab things at the bottom being 'saved'.

"They didn't have any other options." The Doctor shrugged.

"Knew the moods were bad." Martha grimaced; very glad she'd been right about that much at least. The idea of a virus killing everyone in seven minutes flat was terrifying and she was kind of glad she'd missed this part (the Doctor had explained some things but not in this detail – they'd both been a bit preoccupied).

The Doctor clarifies everything is running on automatic and Hame agrees, saying there isn't enough power to get them out and this was all we could do to stop the system choking

"Who's this 'we'? And why didn't Hame do anything?" Donna asked, glancing between the screen and the Doctor in search of answers.

Martha and the Doctor shared another glance before Martha answered, "Just watch."

The Doctor asks who 'we' is and how she survived, Hame says he protected her and he has been waiting for the Doctor all those years. Boe calls to the Doctor and he recognises the Face of Boe

"Oh, the Face of Boe!" Rose grinned recognising the giant head from her first proper adventure with the Doctor. Only the Doctor and Martha noticed the way Jack's face crinkled in thought as he was sure he'd heard that name before somewhere.

Boe says he knew the Doctor would come, and Hame shares she was made his nurse in the old days as penance for her sins. The Doctor calls him an old friend and asks what happened to him

"At least you've found a friendly face." Yaz nodded, glad the Doctor's luck was looking up a bit.

"Literally." Bill couldn't help but mutter.

Boe is failing. Hame explains he shielded her from the virus using his smoke but with no one to maintain the city its power died, and the under-city would have fallen into the sea, the Doctor realises Boe saved them. Hame agrees, adding Boe wired himself into the mainframe and is giving his life force to keep things running

"Which is why they haven't been able to do anything." Mickey grimaced, still very tense and eager to see what happened with Martha but also curious despite himself to know how everything had come to this.

The Doctor argues there are other planets out there and they could have called for help, but Hame explains the last act of the Senate was to declare New Earth unsafe and the automatic quarantine lasts for a hundred years

"Protecting others." Amy sighed, "Guess they didn't want to risk a resurgence of the virus."

The Doctor clarifies the two of them stayed here on their own all those years, Hame says they had no choice, the Doctor counters they did, and Boe begs him to save them

"They sacrificed a lot hoping to save those last people." Rose frowned, maybe she was willing to try and forgive Hame for her past sins.

Back in Milo's car, Cheen asks how much air is left – two minutes

"You're running out of time." Rory grimaced. The group had all tensed upon the video cutting back to Martha's situation, all of them eager to see how she escaped.

Martha says her friend of hers might think of something but Milo tells her no one is coming. Cheen comments the Doctor looked kind of nice, and Martha says he's more. Cheen asks about their relationship and Martha shares she thinks he likes her sometimes but other times she thinks he just needs someone with him

The Doctor glanced away from the screen and the rest of the group, even as she felt their glances weigh upon her. Martha closed her eyes for a moment as she took a breath, apparently the Doctor and she really needed to have another talk. She's been right in a way, the Doctor did need someone with them, and he had liked her just not in the way she wanted at the time.

Cheen asks where home is and Martha says it is a long way away, before adding she didn't really think and just followed the Doctor, her family doesn't know where she is and if she died there they'd never know. Milo asks who the Doctor is and Martha admits she doesn't really know, as there is so much he doesn't say

"That doesn't change apparently." Yaz muttered quietly, mentally she made a note to have a talk with Martha when she could.

Cheen comments there only hope right now is a complete stranger and that's no use. Martha argues it is as they haven't seen the things he can do, and to trust her, as they have their faith and songs and hymns, but she has the Doctor

"You have to have something to keep you going." Graham nodded solemnly.

"Thank you, Martha." The Doctor offered softly, awed by the trust Martha placed in them even so early into their time together. Martha offered her own smile and subtle nod back.

Milo turns the car back on and the systems come back online. Milo says good luck and Martha returns it as they start flying through snapping claws again

"Come on Doctor." Mickey muttered largely to the screen, leaning forward in his seat as he watched the car fly around barely avoiding the snapping claws. The Doctor was really cutting it close this time.

In the Senate, the Doctor has the computer working and tracks down Martha's car saying he knew she was good. He thinks through the problem, saying to take the residual energy, invert it and feed it through the electricity grid but Hame argues there isn't enough power. The Doctor counters they have him as he is brilliant with computers, he tells her to put every switch up to maximum, saying he can't power the city but all the city needs is people

"You have an idea." Clara grinned recognising the look on the Doctor's face even if it was a different face to the ones she was most used to.

"I had an idea." The Doctor grinned back.

Hame asks what he is going to do then and the Doctor says this before flipping a big switch and the lights go out to his worry, muttering no. Down below, Milo's car is grabbed by a claw but another one knocks it free again

The group all tensed as Milo's car was grabbed and the Doctor's plan seemed to be falling to pieces. No one was sure what to say and none wanted to speak and delay finding out how Martha escaped, so they watched on silently with tensions high.

The Doctor explains the transformers are blocked and the signal can't get through. Boe calls out to him, saying he gives him his last. With a breath, power comes back to the computer. The Doctor order Hame to look after Boe, telling him not to die on him, as he has to see this – the open road

"Come on!" Mickey was almost bounding in his seat as it finally looked like the Doctor's plan was going to work. "Please work, and fast!"

In Brannigan's car they hear a clanging sound to their confusion, Valerie realises it is coming from above and Branigan asks what is happening

"What have you done Doctor?" River asked with a small smirk, eager to see what her wife had done this time. Knowing her and how Branigan was apparently noticing something, the Doctor wasn't going to save Martha, they were going to try and save everyone.

The Doctor just grinned in answer.

In the Cassini's car they say to hold on. Back with Brannigan, he looks through the roof hatch and is shocked to see the roof over the motorway start to open

"Wooh! They're all free." Bill cheered, glad to see everyone free. It was going to be a big adjustment, especially finding out about the senate's fate but at least they were free from the motorway and away from the Macra.

Valerie asks what it is as daylight streams in, other travellers all start to laugh

"Freedom." Rose smiled.

They're all celebrating, and Valerie is happy to see the sunlight. On the monitor, the Doctor apologises for no Sally Calypso explaining she was a hologram and introducing himself. Brannigan declares him a magician

"Don't inflate their ego more." Amy grinned despite herself.

The Doctor tells everyone to f=drive up, right now. Brannigan asks if he is serious. The Doctor continues on the monitor saying he opened the roof on the motorway and to drive up, the whole under-city, drive up, fast

"To get them out of the way and allow space for Martha to drive up." Clara smiled as she worked the Doctor's plan out.

The Doctor says they have to clear the fast lane, and then calls out to Milo's car, telling them to drive up. Martha is happy pointing out to the others that it is the Doctor

"Go, go, go. Drive up!" Mickey encouraged the trio on screen, eager for Martha to be out of the danger zone finally.

Milo argues they can't go up as they'll hit the layer but Martha shouts to do as he says and go up. Milo steers the car up out of reach of the Macra. Cheen is shocked to see daylight and the real sky, Martha is happy he did it, telling them she told them he would

"Wooh!" Bill grinned as the rest of the group all cheered at seeing the trio escape the fast lane, and the rest of the people trapped on the motorway.

With Brannigan, he declares the Doctor not bad, not bad at all. In the senate, Hame is tending to the Face of Boe, as the Doctor tells Brannigan to keep driving because it is all waiting for them, and to not forget he wants his coat back. Brannigan thinks that's a far bargain

"More than a fair deal I'd say." Martha smiled at the Doctor.

The Doctor tells Milo's car he's sent them a flight path and to come to the Senate, it's been a while since he's seen her, Martha Jones. Hame shouts to the Doctor as a big crack is spreading across Boe's tank. Shortly later, Martha runs in to see all the skeletons

"Not a fun opening sight." Rory grimaced at the reminder of all the skeletons.

"Better than almost being food for the Macra." Martha argued with a shrug.

Martha calls to the Doctor and he shouts back to her, directing her. She asks what happened out there

"I know now." Martha muttered to herself, that was one benefit of these videos at least.

She sees the tank and asks what it is. The Doctor explains it's the Face of Boe, and to come say hello, it's all right. He also introduces Hame, saying she's a cat, and then adding Boe's the one who saved her, not him

"Fun intros." Amy shook her head, "Only with the Doctor would that be normal."

Hame adds Boe gave his life to save the city and now he is dying. The Doctor says not to say that, not old Boe, plenty of life left

"Not Boe." Rose protested, eyes wide as she glanced between the Doctor and the screen.

Boe says it is good to breathe air once more, and Martha asks who he is. The Doctor admits he doesn't know, but legend goes the Face of Boe has lived for billions of years, turning back to Boe to say isn't that right, and he's not giving up now. Boe counters everything has its time, and old friend, the Doctor knows that better than most

"Why am I getting the feeling that he knows you better than you know him?" River asked the Doctor softly, eyes latched curiously on the screen.

The Doctor just smiled softly, "He knows me very well, and I know him well too, just under a different name."

Her remark got several questioning and curious looks from the rest of the group but she wouldn't say anymore, her own gaze turned on the screen.

Hame chimes in that the legend says more, but the Doctor says not to as there is no need for that. Hame continues anyway, adding the legend says the Face of Boe will speak his final secret to a traveller

"That sounds like the Doctor alright." Yaz muttered solemnly.

The Doctor argues not yet as who needs secrets, eh? Boe says he has seen so much, maybe too much, and he is the last of his kind as the Doctor is of his

The Master scoffed from his little corner armchair, clearly taking offense to Boe's words. The group just ignored him, as was the smartest thing to do. He'd thankfully been very quiet so far, scowling away from his corner as he watched the events unfolding on screen.

The Doctor says that's why they have to survive, so don't go. Boe says he must, but says the Doctor must know, he is not alone. Boe breathes out for the last time and closes his eyes, Hame weeps

The group gave Boe a moment of silence for his passing, they hadn't seen him for very long but he'd saved a lot of people and seemed to be a good friend to the Doctor.

Martha, Jack and the Doctor all shared a look knowing very well what Boe meant by those words, and it hadn't led to anything pleasant. Martha and the Doctor shared another look as they realised the weird time loop that Jack had put himself in, and he wasn't even aware of it yet.

The Doctor frowned to herself as she reconsidered Boe's last words, maybe he meant that Gallifrey was alive at the time, who knew when it came to Jack.

"What does he mean by that?" Graham asked, "Obviously the Doctor's not alone, they've got us."

"I think Boe meant more Time Lords, grandad." Ryan rolled his eyes.

The Doctor managed a small smile, "He did Ryan but I appreciate the sentiment, Graham."

Back in Pharmacy down they find the whole street closed down and Martha asks if he is happy – he is, and New New York can start again, as they have Hame, just what everyone needs cats in charge. Now, it's time they left

"Hopefully it goes better than the hospital." Rose muttered; she was still upset about Boe's death.

Martha asks what the Face of Boe meant about him not being alone, and the Doctor admits he doesn't know. Martha points out he has her and is that what he meant, the Doctor apologises but doesn't think so

"Sorry." The Doctor mimicked her words on screen with a sheepish look at Martha.

Martha just gave her a reassuring smile, "It's good Doctor."

Martha asks what then, and the Doctor says it doesn't matter but they should get back to the Tardis and leave

"I think you both need a break after that mess." Clara sat back in her seat, relived that the mess was mostly over.

Martha straightens up a chair, sitting down, arms and legs both crossed

"Stubborn as always Dr Smith." Jack grinned, trust Martha to not allow the Doctor to get away with all the secrets.

The Doctor asks if she is staying, and Martha says she is until he talks to her properly. She reminds the Doctor of Boe's words about him being the last of his kind, asking what that means

"Impressive, she can out stubborn you." River nodded proudly at Martha; it was always so good to see that the people the Doctor chose to travel with could actually deal with them.

The Doctor tries to say it doesn't matter but Martha isn't having it, saying he never talks, why not?

Martha winced; she hadn't been aware of the can of worms she was opening at the time but she couldn't bring herself to regret her decision - it was better for both of them for the Doctor to open up.

They hear singing from the city

"It's beautiful." Bill declared staring in awe at the screen.

"A song of freedom." Donna remarked largely to herself, as she couldn't help but think back to her adventures with the Ood.

DOCTOR: I lied to you, because I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky. I'm not just a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else.

"Oh, he was very much wrong, but not in that way." The Master let out a humourless laugh. Arguably the Master could be considered the last of the Time Lords with the Doctor's species up in the air, then again, she had achieved the rank of Time Lord like he had (she just wasn't apparently Gallifreyan).

Martha asks what happened as the singing continues. The Doctor admits there was a war – the last great Time War where his people thought the Daleks and everyone lost, and they're all gone now. His family, friends, even the sky all gone. He adds she should have seen it; the second sun would rise in the south and the mountains would shine, the leaves on the trees were silver and when they caught the light in the morning they looked like a forest on fire. When autumn came, the breeze would blow though the branches like a song

"Oh Doctor." River breathed out as the video faded to black, the Doctor's bittersweet reminiscence of Gallifrey heart-breaking for them all to hear knowing it was all gone again.

The Doctor refused to meet anyone's eyes as she spoke purposefully ignoring her last words on screen, "Well that's been an adventure. I think we should all get some sleep before continuing in the morning."

"Doctor…" Martha tried to speak up to reason with the Doctor.

The Doctor faked a yawn (making a few people in the room actually yawn), "So tired, see you all in the morning." With that she scurried out of the room to hide in the room as the rest of the group watched her make her escape.

Jack and River shared a long look, having a silent argument over whether to go poke the Doctor or leave her alone to sulk for now. With a matching sigh they decided to leave her for now, they'd come up with a plan for the morning.

"Well like the Doctor said before she scuttled away, let's get some sleep before we see what the Tardis has in store for us next." Jack grinned at the room; the smile only slightly fake.

With a few shrugs, muttered conversations and rolled eyes the group started to break away. Some headed straight to their rooms while others made their way to the kitchen for a drink or snack and some light conversation before, they made their own way to bed.

They had seen several emotionally charged episodes in a row and were all desperate for a real break. Once they had some sleep, they would be in a better place to deal with whatever the Tardis was going to throw at them next.