Remembering the Forgotten [2] (The Parallel Series) ✓

Gridlocked

Martha looked down saddened that she was now meant to go home and just live on with her life forgetting Rita and the Doctor and all the wonderful things that she had seen, aliens, space, time travel it was amazing, beautiful and magnificent and she didn't know what could top it. Her mood was very different to the Doctors however, he practically bounced around the TARDIS in joy. He stopped in front of Martha who sat in the jump seat. "Just one trip. That's what I said. One trip in the TARDIS, and then home. Although The Stone suggested something suppose we could stretch the definition." He held back the smug smile seeing Martha's eyes widen at the idea. "Take one trip into the past, one trip into future. How do you fancy that?" He looked over at Rita who leant against the console smiling.

"No complaints from me!" Martha beamed.

"How about a different planet?" The Doctor suggested.

"Can we go to yours?" The smile on Rita's face fell and she looked down remembering the pain. She wished it wasn't gone and she knew he did too, for once she didn't want to think that she was alone. He had been alone longer and only when it had been just over a good 3 weeks it hurt knowing it was just her and the Doctor, the last of the Time Lords.

"Ah, there's plenty of other places." The Doctor shrugged it off glancing over to Rita and seeing the pain in her eyes even though Martha could not.

"Come on, though. I mean, planet of the Time Lords. That's got to be worth a look. What's it like?" Martha asked.

"Beautiful" Rita blurted out looking at nowhere in particular, just staring at nothing.

"Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?"

"I suppose it is." The Doctor smiled seeing Rita's eyes turn from hurt to awe remembering her home.

"Great big temples and cathedrals!"

"Yeah." Rita breathed.

"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. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow."

"Nothing has ever smelt as good as that grass" Rita sighed.

"Can we go there?" Martha asked looking between them. The Doctor shook his head and didn't realise that he had somehow moved over standing extremely close to Rita while he described Gallifrey.

"Nah." He shook his head and slightly moved away as Rita snapped out of her thought remembering something, someone, but they didn't have a face, not one that she could now remember anyways. But there was a name and she didn't know whose, but it was a beautiful name.

"Where's the fun for us? We don't want to go home. Instead, this is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth. Second hope of mankind. Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York." He explained while pulling a lever and jolting back as the TARDIS travelled through the vortex and materialised. "Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. One of the most dazzling cities ever built."

The Doctor gestured for Martha to walk out first but then moved in front of the door before Rita could leave. "Are you okay?" He seriously asked her in a quiet voice.

"I'm fine Doctor" She forced a smile, he nodded knowing that even if she wasn't she wouldn't tell him and he couldn't force her without making a scene and Martha finding out what was going on. He moved aside and let her out then went himself into the pouring rain.