Watching the Doctor

Gridlock

"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 monitor]: The weather is at 36 degrees, and it's blue skies all the way home. This is Sally Calypso, signing off. Missing you already.

"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.

[Tardis]

DOCTOR: Just one trip. That's what I said. One trip in the Tardis, and then home. Although I suppose we could stretch the definition. Take one trip into past, one trip into future. How do you fancy 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: No complaints from me.
DOCTOR: How about a different planet?
MARTHA: Can we go to yours?

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.

DOCTOR: Ah, there's plenty of other places.
MARTHA: Come on, though. I mean, planet of the Time Lords. That's got to be worth a look. What's it like?
DOCTOR: Well, it's beautiful, yeah.
MARTHA: Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?
DOCTOR: I suppose it is.
MARTHA: Great big temples and cathedrals!
DOCTOR: Yeah.

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.

MARTHA: Lots of planets in the sky?
DOCTOR: The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow.

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: Can we go there?
DOCTOR: Nah. Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home. Instead, this is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth. Second hope of mankind. Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. One of the most dazzling cities ever built.

"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.

[Pharmacy Town]