Struggling To Adjust (Book Three of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

The Lazarus Experiment

The Doctor expected some form of an angry Martha Jones the next morning. He didn't expect her to stomp up and slap him hard enough to send him reeling back to the console. "What?!" he yelped.

"Your best friend!" Martha shouted at him. "Everything that happened between you two, and you had to slam it all right in her face!"

"Yes, I know," the Doctor replied. "I'm an idiot. Happy?"

"No," Martha replied, and the Doctor blinked. "I'll be happy when the two of you get sorted out."

The Doctor stared at her open-mouthed, and she folded her arms, leaning against the TARDIS railing. "What did I do to turn everyone on me?"

"I'll slap you again if you say something that stupid," Martha snorted loudly. "You figure out where we're going next, and I'll go wake her up."

The Doctor watched Martha leave, then blew out a breath and began flipping switches. "I really messed up, didn't I?" he asked numbly.

"Yes, you have," the TARDIS agreed.

***

Jessie slid on her trench coat as she followed Martha into the console room. She ignored her usual spot around the console and opted to once again hoist herself up into the coral. "So where are we going?" Jessie asked.

The Doctor flipped a lever and turned to Martha. "Quick visit home," he replied. "Figured you'd want a visit before we took off again."

Martha's jaw dropped, and she headed for the door quickly. Jessie jumped down after her, the Doctor behind them. "Home," Martha whispered, looking outside before turning to the Doctor. "You took me home?"

"In fact, the morning after we left, so you've only been gone about twelve hours," the Doctor replied with a smile. "No time at all, really."

"But everything we've done, that was all . . . ?" Martha asked, trailing off, seeming taken aback by the thought of it.

"Yep!" the Doctor agreed. "All in one night, relatively speaking. Everything should be just as it was. Books, CDs . . . "

"Laundry," Jessie muttered, holding up a pair of Martha's underwear.

Martha snatched it away. "But I'm not staying?"

"Quick pop in and visit," the Doctor assured her with a grin. "Of course, unless you really want to stay here at home."

The phone rang, and Martha went to answer it. "Hello?" she asked. There was chatter on the other line, and Martha frowned. "Yeah, I'll check it," she replied. "Bye, Mom." She hung up, then went to the TV. "Apparently my sister is on the news. How could Tish end up on the news?"

"The details are top secret," an elderly man announced from where he was at a stand, a younger version of Martha next to him. "Tonight, I will demonstrate a device which will redefine our world."

"She's got a new job," Martha continued. "PR for some research lab."

"With the push of a single button, I will change what it means to be human!"

Jessie's eyebrows flew up to her hairline. She turned to the Doctor, who was blinking, then she turned to Martha. "Hold on, did he just say he was going to change what it means to be human?!"

***

"Show off a little bit!" Martha coaxed as the two girls later went through the TARDIS wardrobe to find dresses for the party.

Jessie huffed. "Martha, I'm telling you, you know what it's like for me around too many people."

"There weren't any undercover things for SHIELD?" Martha asked.