dk323 | FIC: Repercussions Part 1/1

Title: Repercussions
Author: dk323
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Ten, Martha, Rose (minor part)
Spoilers: AU! Human Nature/Family of Blood
Disclaimer: Don't own anything related to "Doctor Who"
Summary: Martha faces the consequences of her actions, but she still has things to do. Important things. Fortunately, someone is looking out for her.
Author's Note: This is my take on what could have happened if Martha had a boyfriend in 1913 and he was the jealous type.

Growing tired of waiting for the Doctor to come back after his talk with Joan, Martha walked through the grassy fields. She was slowly coming to the happy realization that things were back to normal and she wouldn’t have to deal with being in this harsh era any longer.

But there was this one guy who made things just a bit more bearable during her temporary stay in Farringham. His name was Thomas Clarke, and he worked at the local bakery in town, which was owned by his father. After one frustrating morning, she had stopped by there on her break. She remembered being pleasantly surprised to find a handsome man behind the counter smiling at her. He was friendly and courteous to her in a way that many of the white people in this era were not. While others typically ignored her or sent insults her way, Thomas seemed to go out of his way to make sure she was happy. Martha couldn’t help but feel taken by him and almost forgot that she couldn’t let things get too far between them – what with having to leave by three months’ time.

She had told him a few days previous that she had wanted to end things, but the look on his face still frightened her a bit. She had been getting the feeling that he had grown very attached to her, and if she had not moved to end the relationship, Thomas would have asked for her commitment. Though he said he was okay with her decision, the expression on his face left her with serious doubts about his feelings on the matter.

After hearing someone – Thomas she realized – call her name, she turned around and waited for him to meet her. Martha hoped he had come to say goodbye and allow her to leave on friendly terms.

“Martha, why are you here?” He asked, curious.

“I’m leaving. I’m sorry, Thomas, but it’s for good. You won’t ever see me again.”

He looked at her oddly, “What do you mean? Of course I’ll see you again.”

Martha shook her head, “You wouldn’t understand. I really have to go.”

“Alright then. I still don’t believe you, but if it is to be, then goodbye, Martha.” And he kissed her softly on the lips.

She sighed, almost wishing she didn’t have to do this to him. But all the same, she desperately wanted to leave 1913 after three unpleasant months in it. She would take the Doctor’s on-off coldness with her any day over being treated like a second-rate citizen in an unforgiving era.

She looked back at Thomas only once before heading back toward the TARDIS.

Martha smiled as she saw the Doctor, not John Smith – not ever again, walking toward her and his ship, who missed him after his months away; she was sure of it.

When the Doctor was only a few feet away from her, Martha saw Thomas walking quickly in her direction. What was he doing here? She wondered.

“How dare you!” Thomas shouted at her as he neared.

Martha could only stare back in shock at the outburst. She moved closer to the TARDIS, a sense of unease filling her.

He pointed an accusing finger at the Doctor, who had stopped walking a few moments before, looking uncertain of what was going on.

“It was him all along, wasn’t it? I should have known! Didn’t even think of what a scandal it would cause – the master and his maid! I thought better of you, Martha!”

Martha put out her hands in a placating gesture, “Calm down – let me explain.”

Thomas shook his head roughly, “No, shut up. I’m going to fix this once and for all.”

She shot a worried glance at the Doctor who sprinted over to her side when he saw the other man advancing toward her.

Thomas smirked when he took out a long, sharp dagger and the Doctor immediately placed himself in front of his Companion.

“I figured you’d do that Mr. Smith.”

“Just go. There’s no need to get violent.” He said, his calm tone effectively hiding his fear of what might happen.

Martha didn’t like what Thomas was threatening to do – and she wouldn’t let the Doctor get caught in the middle of something that had everything to do with her, not him.

“Thomas, please. Stop it. He didn’t do anything.”

“Tell me, Martha. How much would you care if I shoved this dagger into him right now?” He asked, ignoring her words and poking the Doctor in the chest.

“Go inside the TARDIS, Martha.” The Doctor whispered urgently to her.

She shook her head, determined to stay with him.

“This is between you and me. Leave him out of it!” Martha told Thomas firmly.

“He became involved when he took advantage of you! Really Martha, what did you think would happen? You would have only been the girl on the side – the mistress – when he grew tired of his wife!”

“You don’t know what you’re saying! Just leave, alright? You don’t understand, would never understand.” Martha yelled at him.

“All’s well that ends well.” Thomas said sarcastically before he drove the dagger in—

Martha quickly pushed the Doctor aside just in time to have the dagger slide into her body.

She gasped in shock and the Doctor caught her before she fell to the ground.

At the Doctor’s furious look at him, Thomas made a run for it.

“You didn’t have to do that.” He said quietly as he cradled her in his arms.

Martha looked up at him, “It wasn’t your fault. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“All of time and space – I loved every minute of it. Tell my family – tell them I love them, will you?” She sighed and closed her eyes.

“Martha? Say something…you can’t--” The Doctor knew it was too late when he felt no pulse.

He carried her back into the TARDIS.

And set the coordinates to take her home – and tell her family the last thing he wanted to tell them. That he hadn’t brought back Martha Jones safe and unharmed. That he’d messed up and didn’t see this coming – if only she had just let him take the fall. If she just hadn’t been so human. Who was he kidding though? That’s why he loved humans – because they were so willing to do anything for those that they loved.

Those that they loved.

He knew without a doubt that she had loved him though he felt undeserving of it with the way he had treated her – hot and cold. And now she was dead and he couldn’t make it up to her.

Well, there was one way…

A few days later…

After taking Martha back to her family and then the funeral, it didn’t take long for him to come up with the resolve to do something he knew he shouldn’t do. Crossing personal timelines was something he tried to avoid – the temptation to change an event was all too strong.

But he did it anyway.

The TARDIS landed a few months before he had met her.

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and watched as Martha Jones made her way toward Royal Hope hospital – on her mobile fielding calls from her family, he guessed from the slightly annoyed look on her face.

But then she smiled and she looked so alive.

And he desperately wanted to come up to her and warn her – to never come along with him – or, when the time came, to listen to him and get inside of the TARDIS.

A shout brought him out of his thoughts, “Doctor!”

The Doctor whipped around trying vainly to find the source of the shout.

He recognized that voice though, but it couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. But then again, the impossible seemed to happen to him everyday or almost everyday.

He couldn’t find her amongst the crowd of people walking up and down the sidewalk.

A heavy sense of wrongness weighed him and caused his attention to be redirected back toward Martha.

Just as a Reaper swooped down and ate her.

The Doctor stared in absolute shock – it wasn’t just that the Reaper was there in the first place, but that no one else had noticed it. And the Reaper had only gone after Martha – no one else.

How was that possible?

He went back inside the TARDIS, which had not changed like it had back in 1987 when Rose had saved her father.

If the Reaper was attacking only Martha – then there was no choice. He had to go and investigate, which meant going through her personal timeline to see if there was a pattern.

She was close enough to touch the blue wooden police box before she saw it dematerialize.

“I could help you.” She said quietly.

She put a loose strand of blonde hair behind her right ear, and sighed. She knew she was on her own with this; she was resigned to the fact. But with the chance of seeing the Doctor, she couldn’t help but try to catch him before fate intervened.

It was too soon to see him. She knew that all too well.

“Keep following him.” She said to the device wrapped around her wrist. Special technology devised by Torchwood.

“Yes, I know what I should be doing, Mickey. Never hurt to try though.”

She faded away a moment later.

--------------

Rose Tyler followed the TARDIS as it – she, she corrected to herself - went back in time – one year ago, two years ago, three, four, five…

-------------

It wasn’t changing. The Reaper came like clockwork – only a few minutes after he exited the TARDIS. He didn’t understand why it was doing this – it was almost like it was trying to wipe Martha Jones from existence. What could have possibly gone wrong?

-------------

Somewhere around ten years ago – Martha was 13 and looked so young and untroubled – Rose caught the Doctor just before he was heading back to his ship.

“Doctor, I know what is going on!” She called to him.

The Doctor quickly turned around and caught a glimpse of Rose before she was gone.

He shook his head, must be seeing things, he thought.

---------------

Rose landed roughly on a grassy field.

“I hate you.” She said to the device on her wrist.

But she knew that she didn’t really mean it. It wasn’t Mickey’s or anyone’s fault – she couldn’t control fate. She could only wait until the right moment would come and she could see the Doctor, her Doctor, again.

Rose found Thomas Clarke walking nearby, Martha in the distance.

“Hey!” She yelled at him.

Thomas looked at her, puzzled as to why a stranger was addressing him.

“Give me the dagger. Now.” She said, her tone brooking no argument.

He smirked. “What are you going to do if I don’t? You’re just a girl.”

Rose stared him down, “I don’t like people insulting me. I’m giving you a chance here – give me the weapon and I’ll let you go.”

“How do you know about the dagger?”

“Because you’re about to do something stupid and unlike you, Martha Jones has things to do. Important things. Now, give me the dagger!”

“No.”

Rose grinned at him. She was going to enjoy this.

Before he realized what was happening, Rose had tackled him to the ground and had retrieved the dagger hiding under his coat.

“Thank you.” She said, dagger in hand.

“Who the hell are you?” Thomas asked as he stood up and backed away from her.

“I am the Bad Wolf. And you better thank your lucky stars that I don’t plan to use this dagger on you.” She said, waving the dagger in his face.

“You’re absolutely mad!” He yelled.

“Run away, little boy.” She only said as he turned around and did exactly that.

“I’m finished here. Take me back.” Rose informed the device.

She faded away – back to her world.

--------------------

The first thing she heard upon waking was music.

“Martha, wake up.” She heard the Doctor say.

She could just see him standing by her bedroom door before he left in the direction of the console room.

Martha yawned and stretched her arms, hoping that a cup of tea would wake her up better.

Checking on her hands, she was glad to find that they were healing nicely with the special alien lotion the Doctor had given her. She had almost forgotten how smooth her hands used to feel before her time in 1913 Farringham.

She quickly dressed, curious to see what the Doctor was up to.

Martha followed the sound of the music, which she was sure she had heard before. It was a classic, she knew. Jazz or was it swing?

She found herself in the console room, the Doctor dancing around the console. Oh, how she missed him – it was so hard to look at John Smith day after day knowing that she was the only one who knew who he truly was.

The most wonderful alien she had ever met.

The Doctor grinned when he noticed her arrival.

He beckoned her over to the other side of the room.

“What’s with the music, Doctor?” She asked once she was closer to him.

“It’s by the Glenn Miller Orchestra – thought you could use a break after that time in Farringham. Care to dance, Miss Jones?” He offered her his hand and she took it.

“Of course, how can I refuse?” She said with a small smile, as he placed his hand on her waist and her hand went on his shoulder.

There was a pause as the Doctor wheeled her around the console. Then he looked at her, really looked at her and began to speak, “I wanted to apologize for 1913. My human self was not the most pleasant of people toward you, and for that, I’m sorry.”

“Well, I did get to slap John Smith. That helped a bit.” She said lightly, giving him a half-smile.

The Doctor still looked cautiously at her. “If you want to go home…”

Martha smiled reassuringly at him. “You’re not done with me yet, Doctor. We have all of time and space to see and I’m not backing out now.”

“Oh, Martha Jones – you are a star. Absolutely brilliant.” He grinned at her.

“You’re not half bad yourself, mister.” She replied, grinning back at him as he dipped her so low that her head almost touched the console grating.

No, she thought, Thomas Clarke would never, could never compare to the Doctor. All of time and space at her fingertips. And she loved every minute of it.

FIC: Repercussions Part 1/1

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