FIC: That's just how it is

[dk323]

Title: That’s just how it is

Author: dk323

Rating: PG-13, slight R

Characters/Pairings: Ten/Martha, Donna, Tom (cameo)

Spoilers: AU! Takes place between Planet of the Ood and The Sontaran Stratagem.

Disclaimer: Don’t own Doctor Who, just playing with its characters.

Summary: The Doctor needs Martha’s help. Martha does what she can.

Author’s notes: Taking a cliché and hopefully putting a different spin on it. I'm not sure if this story turned out okay, but I just had to write it. 

Martha and Tom were walking peacefully down the dimly lit street. They were on their way home after a pleasant evening. They had been dating for a few months now and their relationship was moving along fairly well. Martha had high hopes for this relationship and she was grateful that she had managed to move past the Doctor. To realize that there were other great men out there, ordinary men doing extraordinary things. The Doctor had told her that time and time again. She couldn’t help but wonder what he would think of Tom.

 

And here she was, thinking about the Doctor again.

 

Before she could mentally berate herself, Tom had stopped her with a hand to the shoulder.

 

Martha looked at him questioningly, and he pointed ahead of them.

 

A panicked-looking woman, possibly a redhead from what Martha could discern, was walking particularly fast toward them.

 

The woman, after throwing a quick side glance at Tom, looked carefully at Martha before grabbing her arm and leading her away.

 

“We need to talk. Call off your bloke, all right?”

 

Wrenching her arm away, Martha glared at her and was about to ask what this strange woman was on about before she saw him.

 

The Doctor was only a few feet away, slipping rather ungracefully as he tried to lean on the TARDIS for support. Martha could hear him moaning and his eyes were closed.

 

“The Doctor said you would call first, Martha. But as you can see (she pointed in the Doctor’s direction), he needs help and he said that you’d be the one to ask.”

 

Martha nodded, a bit flattered that the Doctor had thought of her considering their history, “What’s your name? And how’d you two get here with the Doctor like that?” She waved her hand toward the Doctor.

 

“It’s Donna. The Doctor said something about an emergency protocol. I think he has it set to you.”

 

Martha rolled her eyes, “Thought he would throw my mobile in the bin after I gave it to him. But here he goes overcompensating after the fact. All right, hold on. I have to talk to Tom, and then I’ll help. It’s nice to meet you by the way, Donna. If only it were under better circumstances…”

 

“Oi, don’t see a calm day with that Martian mucking about.” Donna replied, Martha grinning at her response.

 

She turned around, but found that Tom was nowhere in sight after scanning the nearby area. Crap.

 

Martha went back over to Donna and said, in a businesslike tone, “Tell me what’s wrong with him.”

 

“What about your bloke, Tom?”

 

“I’ll deal with him later. I can’t refuse our resident alien here, now can I? Did he tell you I’m a Doctor?”

 

“He mentioned you were a medical student – doctor-in-training. Among other things. All good, promise.”

 

But Martha raised her eyebrow in disbelief, “He went on about me fancying him, didn’t he? I’m sure that did wonders for his ego.”

 

“I set him straight. ‘Cause I’m not having any of that nonsense, let me tell you. And I made it clear to him that you were doing him a favor by fancying him. The last thing he needs is ego-pampering.”

 

Martha laughed, “I think I like you already, Donna.”

 

“So you’re a proper Doctor now?”

 

Martha was stopped from replying by the Doctor’s hoarse voice.

 

“I can’t control it any longer. Just tell her, Donna! Now!” He said, now sitting beside the TARDIS – his legs giving out a few moments before.

 

Martha had a vicious flashback to the Doctor saying similar words when he was possessed by a living Sun.

 

“He’s been infected with alien sex pollen. And he won’t let me help. You were the only one who could, according to him. If you could make sense of that.” Donna explained quickly.

 

“You are kidding me. I’m in a serious relationship with Tom – I won’t cheat on him. You hear me, Doctor? Let Donna help you. You chose her as a companion. Just don’t ask this of me. I won’t do it. I can’t.”

 

Martha saw the Doctor shaking his head, eyes still closed, his face deathly pale and sweat coming down his face.

 

He held out his hand, and looked at Martha – his eyes now open and she couldn’t help but notice how bloodshot they were.

 

“Come closer. I have something to say to you.” He whispered, though there was an unmistakable urgency in his tone.

 

Martha folded her arms in defiance, “No, Doctor. You have Donna. Let her help. I have nothing to say to you and whatever you want to say to me is too little, too late.”

 

The Doctor groaned and pushed himself to his uncooperative feet. With obvious effort, he walked toward Martha (who was too distracted with the fact that he was actually crazy enough to cause more stress on his body), grabbed her arm, and pulled her forward so she landed on top of him as the Doctor landed roughly on his back.

 

“You were never –“ He started.

 

“No, leave it. I don’t want to hear it.” Martha detached herself from him, though not before she felt his growing arousal.

 

“Martha – he could die. If you won’t help – which I completely understand – then what else can we do?”

 

Martha looked grimly at the Doctor’s current companion, “There’s a Plan B, of course. Help me carry him inside the TARDIS. We’ll take him to the Med Bay and I’ll give him the antidote.”

 

The Doctor, who was once again sitting on the ground, started moving away from Martha and Donna after hearing his former companion’s words, “No, you can’t. It’ll kill me! Martha, please. Please, please, please, please!”

 

Martha shushed him gently when silent tears started coming down his face.

 

He looked pleadingly at her, tugging on her arm, “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. For how I treated you. Just don’t do this, I’m begging you. Please…” But his voice drifted off as he succumbed to exhaustion.

 

“What was he on about? About the antidote killing him?” Donna questioned.

 

“He was just being overdramatic. As if I could ever kill him. Help me carry him, will you?” Martha advised.

 

After the two had settled the Doctor on a bed in the TARDIS’ Med Bay, Donna spoke up as Martha busied herself with preparing the antidote.

 

“How do you know about the antidote?”

 

Martha looked back at the redhead, “In the way you expect. Would there be any other way?”

 

“So has the antidote been used on him before?”

 

Martha shook her head as she measured some colorless liquid, “No, he told me about it, but then he said it was no good. That it was the coward’s way out. And as you know, at the time I fancied him, so I willingly let him – you know. I never found out what was so bad about the antidote -- the Doctor never did tell me. If it would kill him, he never would have mentioned it to me.”

 

She smiled as she held the antidote-filled syringe in her hand, “Just a shot of this and he should be fine after a few hours’ rest. How long has it been since he was infected?”

 

“Not too long – an hour or two.”

 

“Considering he’s been fighting it to the point of exhaustion, it may take a little longer for the antidote to work properly.” Martha said thoughtfully.

 

Martha went over to the Doctor and rolled his sleeve up. After disinfecting a small area on his arm, she injected the antidote into his system.

 

“So, what does the antidote do then? Don’t tell me it’s able to simulate sexual intercourse. That’s a bit too much to take seriously.” Donna said, disbelief in her voice.

 

But the look on Martha’s face told Donna that she wasn’t far from the truth, “Yes, that’s just what it does. Now I’m worried about potential side effects. Since it is a Plan B, I don’t think it’ll be as effective as the real thing. You’ll be sure to monitor him?”

 

“You’re leaving then? So soon?”

 

Martha ignored Donna’s remarks, “When he wakes up – make sure he doesn’t exert himself right away. He needs rest and some tea should help keep him calm.”

 

Donna nodded, but then went closer to the younger girl, and said quietly, “You have unfinished business with him, Martha. You should really talk to him.”

 

Martha sighed, “That’s just how it is between us, Donna. It’s never the right thing at the right time. Tell him that I wish him well. And I will call him – but he knows that anyway.”

 

“You don’t want to stay and chat? Tell me about your time traveling with him?”

 

“No, I can’t. Just enjoy yourself, would you?” Martha said, and started walking toward the console room, Donna walking alongside her.

 

“We’ve been to Pompeii on volcano day and an alien planet. Can’t say it was barrels of fun for all of it, but it was still amazing. Surreal, I’d say.”

 

Martha gave her a genuine smile, “There’s always danger following the Doctor around. You have to make the most of it to last with him.”

 

Martha hugged Donna, “I’ll be seeing you again, I’m sure.”

 

Donna nodded, pulling back, “You better. You owe me a story or two.”

 

Martha grinned, “Yeah. Or two. Goodbye, Donna.”

 

And with that, she opened one of the TARDIS doors and left.

 

*

 

A few days later…

 

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Martha commented dryly as she saw the Doctor stumble out of the TARDIS, which had materialized inside her kitchen.

 

The Doctor looked up at her, Martha noticing that he looked uncharacteristically pale.

 

“You left. Just like that.” He said as he sat down in the empty chair across from her at the kitchen table.

 

Martha shrugged, “Yeah, what’s wrong with that? You’re okay. Not dead or - should I say - regenerated. Point for me. End of story.”

 

He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, “No, no point for you this time, Doctor Jones. Now I’m out of commission for a week or so. You know why they call it Plan B, Martha? Because it’s not as good as-- “

 

“—the real thing.” Martha finished, looking down into her cup of tea as if it held untold secrets.

 

She looked directly at him and said firmly, “I wasn’t about to cheat, Doctor. I could just imagine the conversation with Tom. ‘I did it with an alien, Tom. Please forgive me?’ He’d probably have me sectioned before anything else.”

 

“I’ve missed you.” He said softly, reaching out to hold her hand.

 

Martha let him, squeezing his hand gently as a silent peace offering.

 

“You feel cold. Colder than is usual for you,” She remarked.

 

The Doctor took his hand away quickly, “It’s nothing. I think I’ll make some tea for myself.”

 

He slowly stood up and held on to the table for moment or two before going over to the counter.

 

“Doctor? You don’t have to. Let me make it for you. You don’t look so well.”

 

He almost dropped the cup; his hands were shaking so badly.

 

Martha went over to him, concern evident in her voice, “Is this because of the antidote? I didn’t know it would be this bad.”

 

The Doctor looked at her, “I never told you. It’s my fault. But it should pass. Just a bit under the weather for a short while and then I’ll be good as new.”

 

“Where’s Donna?” She asked as she took the cup from him, setting it on the table before helping him back to his chair.

 

He tugged on his ear, looking sheepish, “She’s asleep in her room on the TARDIS. It’s the middle of the night, isn’t it?”

 

Martha gave him a half-smile, “Lucky I was up then. Had a nightmare, couldn’t sleep.”

 

The Doctor looked at her, “What sort of nightmare?”

 

“You know. I’d rather not talk about it.”

 

“Martha, I could --”

 

“No, my decision still stands. It’s a part of me – I don’t want to make it go away, no matter how tempting it is.”

 

“I could just soften the sharp edges. Not take them away completely. You won’t have nightmares anymore.”

 

Martha cleared her throat, signaling the end of the discussion, “So why me?”

 

“Sorry?”

 

She waved her hand, “Why’d you want me to help you with the sex pollen? And no need to flatter me by saying that it’s because I’m good in bed. Though flattery is appreciated.”

 

“You had prior experience with it. I thought you’d understand. And honestly--”

 

Martha smirked at him, “Honestly what, mister?”

 

He looked embarrassed for a moment, “Donna thinks I’m just a ‘long streak of alien nothing’. I didn’t think she would want to do it.”

 

“Ah, I see. Lucky I kept your ego intact, right? Otherwise we’d have a problem,” Martha said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

 

“Oh, be quiet. You had your moments, Miss Martha Jones. At least you don’t call me names.”

 

“Oh yeah, heard her call you Martian. It fits you.” She said, cocking her head to the side, amused.

 

He looked mildly affronted (but Martha could tell he was just pretending) before he leaned forward, placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her right on the lips.

 

“You’re horrible, you know that?” She breathed out, obviously still affected by the sudden gesture as she pulled away.

 

“This story of ours. It isn’t a fairy tale.” The Doctor said matter-of-factly.

 

“No, it isn’t,” Martha agreed, but then said, “You know what though?”

 

“What?”

 

“I like things just the way they are. Emergency protocol, mobile and all.” She said, grinning.

 

The Doctor groaned, “Donna told you, didn’t she?”

 

“Oh yes. It’s flattering really. I haven’t been left speechless in ages.”

 

“What about now?”

 

“What do you –“ She began before the Doctor cut her off by kissing her again.

 

“What was that?” Martha asked as the Doctor pulled away, leaning back on his chair.

 

“That, Miss Jones, was me leaving you speechless. Point for me. Make sure to get that down.” He replied, sticking out his tongue at her.

 

Once the tickling started, everything else just seemed to fade away.

 

And the Doctor had to admit, he had missed the sound of Martha’s laugh.

 

Fin.