Martha and Mickey

"Mmm." I murmured happily through my spoonful of ice cream. Sitting nest to me on the park bench was Mickey Smith, the man who was quickly becoming my very best mate.

"Like?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Do you have to ask?" I answered with a smile. He returned it.

"It's good to see you smiling again." I blushed. He didn't notice and continued to ramble. "I've discovered through experience, that ice cream and time are the cure to everything."

If there's a prize for rotten judgement
I guess I've already won that
No man is worth the aggravation
That's ancient history, been there, done that!

He paused to lick his own ice cream that was melting down his cone. I giggled as the sticky liquid became entrapped in his growing beard, causing him to very much resemble a kitten with milk on its whiskers. I handed him a napkin and he nodded in thanks.

Who'd'ya think you're kiddin'
He's the Earth and heaven to you
Try to keep it hidden
Honey, we can see right through you
Girl, ya can't conceal it
We know how ya feel and
Who you're thinking of

No chance, no way
I won't say it, no, no

You swoon, you sigh
why deny it, uh-oh

"Ice cream was my best friend," He continued through the napkin, "When the Doctor stole Rose away from me and Jackie for a year. He claimed it was an accident, but I think he still it was a laugh that I got charged with her murder."

He just had to bring up the Doctor, didn't he? I keep forgetting that Mickey traveled with the Doctor before I even met him. I forget that the Doctor hurt him, probably more than he hurt me, because my hurt was my own fault. I'd been naive in my belief that he cared for me as more than a friend and space filler. To him, I was someone to bounce ideas off of, and to me, he was my world. I tricked myself into thinking we were a couple and that he returned my affections even though he broke my heart time and again, and he didn't even notice. Then I went without him for an entire year and it was the slap in the face that woke me up and gave me the guts to get away. I don't blame him for his actions, now. He'd been in love and been hurt by it, and, as much as he liked me, he wasn't ready to let himself think of me as anything more than a friend. He wasn't letting anyone in his hearts because they still weren't whole. By now I know that feeling as well.

It's too cliche
I won't say I'm in love

I thought my heart had learned its lesson
It feels so good when you start out
My head is screaming get a grip, girl
Unless you're dying to cry your heart out
Oh

"That doesn't sound like the Doctor." I said, still defending him. Lack of love or not, meeting the Doctor was the greatest thing that had happened to me. It's because of him that I got a job and a medical degree, I saw the stars and saved the world, and I met good friends like Jack and Mickey.

You keep on denying
Who you are and how you're feeling
Baby, we're not buying
Hon, we saw ya hit the ceiling
Face it like a grown-up
When ya gonna own up
That ya got, got, got it bad

"Yeah, well you didn't know the old him, before he changed, I mean."

"Was he really different before he regenerated?"

"He had the biggest ears! And…"

"I meant his personality. I've read the UNIT files on him, I know what he looked like before his regenerations."

"He was sorta' war-scarred, battle-broken, haunted, you know what I mean?"

"Rose was what changed him, wasn't she?"

"She was a big part of it, yeah. Rose tends to do that to people, make 'em better."

"You must miss her." I also keep forgetting that Mickey has had his heart broken too. He was dating Rose when she ran off with the Doctor. Mickey had gotten the short end of the stick there, as Rose fell in love with the Doctor and out of love with him. Maybe that's why we became such fast friends.

No chance, now way
I won't say it, no, no

Give up, give in
Check the grin you're in love

This scene won't play,
I won't say I'm in love

"Yeah, Rose was my best mate." He smiled wistfully before bumping my shoulder, "Now, that honor is your's" I blushed again and swallowed my mouthful, letting the ice cream cool my flush.

"You've really pulled through for me the last month." I told him honestly. It was coming up on the one-month anniversary of my heart-breaking phone call from Tom to break off our engagement, during which he informed me that he had met his true love, an African tribal priestest, they were getting married, and traveling together throughout Africa curing people. "Besides," he said, "a long distance relationship spelled marital trouble from the beginning." The bastard.

I guess I couldn't expect him to be the same man he was when I first meet him; Hiding from Toclophane, defeating the master, telling a story, and spreading hope. He didn't remember any of that though. The end of the world can change a man. I was fooling myself in thinking he was the hero he should have been. I should have known better after what happened with the Doctor. I shouldn't have let him that far in, given him my heart to break. Guys were all the same.

"Yeah, but I'm your best mate. It comes with the job description. Mickey Smith, best mate, ice cream companion, good listener, hug-giver, and all-around trust worthy, and awesome guy."

You're doin flips read our lips
You're in love

You're way off base
I won't say it
Get off my case
I won't say it

Girl, don't be proud
It's O.K. you're in love

He grinned at me and I smacked his arm playfully. And then there was Mickey. I wasn't sure what to think when it came to him. He really had been there for me. Does that make Mickey the exception to my rule? I mean, all rules have at least one exception, right? Maybe, Mickey is mine. I was too scared, and scarred, to go down that road right now. For me, the idea that Mickey and I could be more than just friends, was thrillinng and, some how, wrong. Why would I want to ruin everything we have by dating him?

I scraped up the last bit of my ice cream and watched as Mickey shoved the tip of his cone into his mouth to finish it off. It isn't like I haven't thought about what we'd be like as a couple. Mickey'd be a great boyfriend; I have no doubt about that. But as far as I knew he didn't even feel that way about me at all.

Mickey stood, licking his sticky fingers, and I followed him up.

"Same time nest week?" He asked.

"You bet."

"Cool." We hugged each other tightly, like we have so many other times. Then, he surprised me, by kissing me on the cheek. I looked to him for an explanation of action. Grinning, he gave none. None was needed.

Oh, At least out loud,
I won't say I'm in love

Author Notes: Song: "I Won't Say I'm in Love" From: Disney's Hercules

Ok, the end of "End Of Time" was every Martha/Mickey fan everywhere! Here is my attempt at explaining what happened to Tom Milligan and why she and Mickey ended up together…..so yeah! Thanks for reading.