I Can't Even

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Okay, here's the deal," Genie said. "We're stuck on a dalek ship and more are on their way since I shot the others." She set down the pistol an the console.

"We're stuck? Wait- How did you do that? The gun thing," Martha asked. She had been watching through the pull down screen.

"Well, I live in the country, so I just grabbed a pistol from the armory," she explained. "You know, they say southern girls are all 'yee-haw' and stuff like that but I say it's more Indiana and Illinois. The south actually has yuppie girls and boys. And just in case you didn't know, I live in Indiana, in the US," she finished. "Doctor, what's up with the TARDIS?"

"Oh, recalibrating," he said as he fixed the TARDIS so it was invisible. "Something here... We'll have to go out there and find the main controls and reverse whatever settings they used to trap us here."

"Okay, let's go," Martha and Genie said in unison.

"Oh, no. Not again." He shot a glare at Genie. "Especially you, Genie Diamond." Genie smiled. She just realized he was calling her by her first and last name- how very TFIOS of him, even if it wasn't her middle name. "Why are you smiling? I just told you you couldn't go!"

"Oh I'm going," said Genie. The Doctor had almost died out there before she got out there, and besides, it was the Doctor! How many people watched Doctor Who and thought it was fake? Everyone! And yet here she was. "I'm going and you can't stop me!"

"Me, too," said Martha.

"Oh, great. No. You're both staying in here and that's it!"

"Oi!" said Genie, pulling a British accent. "I say I am!"

"I say you aren't!" replied the Doctor incredulously.

"I say I am!" and she walked out the door, grabbing the pistol off the console.

"Martha!" the Doctor said, doubling back from the door.

"Right! Staying here." she said.

"Good!" he said and ran out the door into Genie. In silence, they started walking. Since they were apparently in a main room, they went out into a hallway, checking each room.

After a while, Genie said, "What? You're not gonna try and talk me out of it? I mean, I'm not going to go back in there, but-"

"Yes, I know that, and that's exactly why I'm not trying to turn you around."

"Good."

"Yes, good."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Silence. They checked more rooms.

"Aha!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Here it is!"

Genie went in behind the Doctor in the room to find a large control room with dalekanium plates all around. Eggs, she thought, thinking of Rory. The Doctor was mumbling and talking to himself. She scoffed.

"What?" asked the Doctor.

"Nothing. Can I do anything to help?"

"No, this is beyond you," he said.

"Pft"

More silence as the Doctor worked away.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Well..."

"It's not that personal. Just... a question."

"Okay then. What?"

"It's just... do you know that Martha fancies you?"

"What?"

"Well, she does. I'd advise you to be aware of this. I've always wondered how you couldn't tell. The way she looks at you... Are you over Rose?"

"What do you mean over?" he said as he sonicked a control panel in the middle of the room.

"Like, well, I know it's only been like three, four weeks, and you were very close, but you know, over as in- is that why you didn't recognize? Oh, it has to be! I have totally cracked the code."

"What? What code?"

"You loved Rose. That's why you couldn't see that Martha loves you. Oh, Doctor," she said as she realized.

"Genie Diamond." He turned around. His eyes were so... sad. "Please."

Genie ran and hugged the Doctor. The Doctor, taken aback, tensed, but Genie kept hugging him. Finally, he settled into the hug, realizing what was happening. How much loss and pain he had been through- and what was to come. Genie tightened her embrace.

"It's not fair," she said.

He pulled back. "What isn't?"

She smiled sadly. "Life," she said simply, and tightened her embrace once again.