Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, the BBC does, I'm just messing about with them for my own entertainment, and hopefully yours.

The Doctor has been desperately searching for a way back to her. He is haunted by those words he never said at Bad Wolf Bay, and is determined to break through the void no matter the cost. But how? He slams his fists onto the TARDIS console in frustration. Immediately he feels a pinch in the back of his mind from the TARDIS, her indignation telepathically transmitted.

"Sorry, Old Girl…" The Doctor says, as he rubs one of her coral struts. The engines hum in begrudging satisfaction. Still, there must be a way to get back to Pete's World. He decides to set the circuits for Earth, Rose's time, even though she won't be there. It's the only thing he can think to do, the closest he can get to the woman he still loves.

Of course, wherever and whenever the doctor goes, trouble seems to follow. While wandering around the Tyler's old estate, he picks up some strange vibrations. Despite his loneliness, he has remained ever inquisitive and follows the disturbance to a major London hospital. It all culminates with yet another dangerous adventure, this time with a girl called Martha Jones, and a run in with the Rhino-headed Judoon.

Martha is adventurous and bright, but she clearly fancies the doctor. He almost decides to ignore the fact and take her on as a companion, just to ease the pain of being alone in the TARDIS. But then he thinks again of his Rose, and knows that Martha's flirting will only remind him of what he has lost.

The hospital safely returned to earth, Martha and the Doctor stand on the sidewalk surveying each other.

"So…" says Martha.

"So!" responds the doctor with a briskness signifying it is time to take flight once more.

"I guess this is goodbye, then?" Martha asks, whilst batting her eyelashes a little too obviously.

"Yep!" the doctor says, trying not to encourage her.

"Back to traveling then? All alone?"

"Uh huh. Well… I wasn't always alone. You see had this companion, well, I've had lots of them really. Well what I mean to say is…" the doctor babbles. He wants Martha to know once and for all that his heart will always belong to Rose, and even though they have just escaped death together, nothing she says or does can change that. "This girl, well woman really, who traveled with me... Rose, her name was, Rose… You see we were sort of, well we were together. I mean…"

"Together? Like, how'd ya mean, together?" interrupts Martha.

"Well, you know, together. We were always together. I mean not always, obviously."

"Did you love her?" Martha asks bluntly. The doctor realized he would have to be direct so Martha would stop coming on to him once and for all. Still he couldn't say the words to someone else, when he hadn't even said them properly to Rose.

"I would die for her." He answers, hoping that Martha has finally gotten the message. The doctor is sorry to hurt the girl, but is relieved all the same when her face drops in disappointment, finally getting the jist.

"Wish I had a bloke like that, somebody who would give his life for me…" says Martha dejectedly.

"Someone who would give his life", the doctor runs her words over in his mind. Give his life… Give his life… Give his lives!

"That's it!" shouts the doctor. "Gah! It's so obvious! Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Doctor, what? Think of what before? What are you on about?"

"Martha, you're brilliant, you are! Absolutely brilliant!" In his excitement the doctor grabs Martha and kisses her bang on the mouth, then turns at top speed and runs for the TARDIS. As the light starts flashing and the blue box dematerializes, Martha is left standing there jaw hanging open. As the TARDIS disappears completely, she shakes her head in disbelief and walks off with a bewildered smile at the attractive, but completely mental alien.

Thanks for sticking with me! The next chapter will be up soon.