Gallifreyan Nature: Chapter 16

[nevermoreraven]

Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: Teen
DISCLAIMER: Other people have actually read this one before the internet.  Yes, I know.  It's weird.
Summary: This is a rewrite of the Human Nature/Family of Blood two-parter, because I really liked Latimer.  It's long.  I liked it pretty well at the time, as did the other readers, so let's see how well it held up.  ...so far, so good.  also I actually bothered to tab for once on this one.
This chapter has kissing and questionable Doctor decisions.
It's not finished, but it's fairly close.

 

The next day, he was cold and shivery in the way people always were when sick.  His fever had lessened somewhat, but the delirium was there, like a bad thought lurking on the edge of the mind.  At times, he stared past her, aware of her presence but also lost in his own mind.  Martha stated her intention to stay by his side, to take care of him when he couldn’t, but Dan shook his head, as stubborn and unyielding as the Doctor.  “You mustn’t.  You have to go to work.  If Mr. Smith becomes suspicious, if he comes searching for you…bad things will happen to me and you and, worse yet, he’ll be vulnerable.  The Family’s already abroad.  If they find him unprotected, it could be the end.”

She didn’t want to leave, but in the end Dan’s smile encouraged her.  Doctor Jones worried.  He didn’t seem the fittest person on the block, and she really didn’t want him dying while she was away, but he assured her that wouldn’t happen.  It wasn’t life-threatening, he told her, just extremely annoying, worrying, and painful.

After a pause, he added, quieter and more serious, that even if it was, he’d be able to regenerate.  It wasn’t a word Martha was familiar with, and, with a slight smile, he told her he’d explain it to her…sometime.  He sat back and leaned his head against a tree, still shivering, even with the blanket around him.

 

During the next few nights, Doctor Jones tended to her Doctor, bringing him food and some water.  He never had more than a few minutes of hallucination, but every time it happened it worried her.  For the most part, he was aware and extremely thankful for her presence.  At times, he seemed to be getting better, but then he’d go off into a trance again.  The time even came when one of his hearts stopped beating entirely.  Martha listened to his chest, noticing the weak thump of the other one, though it was seemingly trying as hard as it could.  She was reluctant to do what she’d done after the witch had stopped one of the Doctor’s hearts-she was afraid any punishment, however well-intentioned, would convince his body to shut down entirely.  He’d slightly nodded off, but after persistent shaking she managed to wake him.  “What do I do?” she questioned him, almost in tears.

Somehow, he managed a smile.  “Kiss me,” he whispered brokenly.

“What?”  That didn’t sound like any medical procedure she’d ever heard of.

“I need energy.  Borrow some.  Shock helps,” he explained, exhausted beyond anything she’d ever seen.

Without hesitation, she kissed him.  This time, he barely returned the kiss, so it was up to her to give it the energy it needed.  She did her best.

When she finally pulled away, she was pleased to note that his pallor had returned to something approaching normal.  He blinked several times in rapid succession, breath quickened.  His expression still was tired, but what really made her happy was the beginning of an energetic twinkle in his eye.

Then she fell.  She didn’t have a clue of how tired she was, how the nights of looking after her Doctor had worn her out, or of the work they’d made her do.  It must’ve been worse than usual, she could tell that much.

Luckily, Dan had put out an arm to cushion her fall, though he wasn’t looking much better than her.  She wondered where he got the strength to do it all.  After a minute, he started laughing.  She managed a quizzical eyebrow. 

“We make such a pair, don’t we?”  He just grinned at her, that grin that should make her worry but instead makes her just as excited as he is.

“We do indeed, Mr. Winters,” she returned, smiling all the way.

He sighed and looked deep into her eyes.  “Things are gonna start popping soon.  I can only assume the whole of the Family is here and assembled.  Which means it’s…well, gonna get exciting.  Probably more than your good Mr. Smith has seen in his whole entire life.”

Miss Jones giggled at the thought.  “That wouldn’t be hard.”

“The watch is important, Martha.  We have to find it.”  Dan didn’t blink or show any of the conventional signs of lying-he couldn’t.  She’d notice.  Some of this timeline had to go exactly the same as the last time, or they really would lose.  The watch wasn’t important, but as the servant she had to follow John into the village, to the dance.  The pieces had to be in place.  He felt a heaviness in his hearts at using her like this, just as he had so long ago with Ace, to fight Fenric.  Still, it wasn’t as if he was doing the Merlin; that was so much more using her than this was.  This was just…a misdirection, necessary to keep her safe…

‘And in harm’s way,’ part of him whispered angrily.  His only reply, so sad, aching for his beautiful, daring Martha, ‘I don’t have any other choice.’

He stroked her hair solemnly, wishing, not for the first time, that they could just stay out here in the woods and not have to deal with the Family, hoping that the little time he had would be enough, but by Rassilon, he really, really wanted to live, more than he could ever remember.

She nodded, completely trusting.  She’d probably never know what trickery he’d gotten up to, but he still felt pangs for her.  “I’ve got other things to do, to get ready.  But I’ll be there, when you need me.”  He kissed her lightly, jumping to his feet.  He imagined she waited to watch him walk off before going to her own duty.