Rippling Of Time

Gridlock

It was the morning after. Well, it was what The Universe assumed to be anyways. Telling time in the T.A.R.D.I.S was not the easiest thing in the world. She was just going off by how long she had slept.

The three travelers were back in the console room. Martha was sitting on the chair with her legs crossed, The Doc was fiddling with the console, and Uni was leaning against one of the few corals that decorated the room.

"Just one trip. That's what I said." The Time Lord announced, finally laying eyes on Martha. "One trip in the T.A.R.D.I.S and then home." He takes hold of the lever closest to him, not pulling it down just yet. "Although, I suppose we could stretch the definition. Take one trip into the past, one trip into the future." The Doctor then shifts his coffee-colored eyes back and forth between the two girls. "How do you fancy that?"

Martha smiles, brightens. "No complaints from me!"

His signature wild grin took over his face. "How about a different planet?" The Doctor asked as he yanked the lever down.

"A planet sounds fantastic." The Universe winked from where she stood. Judging by his playful expression, he knew what she was referencing.

Martha leans forward, suddenly coming up with an idea that sounds good in theory. "Can we go to yours?"

The playfulness on the Doctor's face faded a bit, before coming back in full stride. "Nah, there's plenty of other places."

Even though The Universe had watched 'The Day of The Doctor' almost a hundred times, as it was one of her favorite episodes, this Doctor did not know that he did in fact save Gallifrey and was still suffering from what he did. After all, he was 'the man who regrets'. "Gallifrey doesn't allow humans." She finally popped up, wanting Martha to drop it for his sake. "It's some kind of law, isn't that right Doc?"

"Well, it's more like a rule, but yes. Universe's right." The Doctor took the out she'd given.

"Oh, come on. Since when do you listen to rules?" Martha didn't believe it. "I mean, the planet of the Time Lords. That's got to be worth a look."

"Martha-" Uni started. She did not like this. Not one bit. She thought seeing it on screen was painful, watching it happen in real life was heart wrenching. The utter sadness clinging to his eyes made her want to wallop Martha against the back of the head for not reading the room.

"I want to know things too." She snipped slightly at Uni. When she saw her jaw snapped shut, Martha walked up to the Doctor, who was messing around with the nobs. "What's it like?"

"It's beautiful, yeah." The Doctor sounded defeated.

Martha continued, still not bothering to read the room. "Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?" She began to walk around using hand gestures.

"I suppose it is."

"Great big temples and cathedrals?" Her whimsical tone echoed through the time ship.

"Yeah."

"Lots of planets in the sky?"

"The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns." As he went on about his home planet, his eyes glazed over, like he wasn't in the room with the two women anymore. "Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow."

Martha got closer and closer, hanging onto the Doctor's every word. "Can we go there?"

"Nah!" The Universe almost shouted, ruining the quietness of the time machine. "I don't think that would be fun for him, would it? It'll be like us going back to Earth your time."