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

Gridlock

Just a heads up, there are lots of italics in this chapter. If the italics contain conversation between the Doctor and Jessie, it's telepathy.

That is all. Enjoy "Gridlock!"

***

“Doctor,” Jessie called out in her mind as she headed for the console room. “You’re really not going to take Martha home, are you?”

“Don’t you want it to be just the two of us?” the Doctor asked.

“Really? I thought you meant one trip to the past. And maybe one to the future?”

There was silence, and then a mental equivalent of a sigh went through her head. “All right, but that’s it!”

Jessie laughed as she entered the console room, seeing Martha sitting in the captain’s chair. “So,” the Doctor said, giving her a quick nod when she entered. “Just one trip. That’s what I said. One trip in the TARDIS, and then home.” Jessie began hopping on one foot while she slipped her sonic screwdriver into her boot, and he rolled his eyes affectionately at her. “Although,” he said slowly, and Martha perked up. “I suppose we could stretch the definition. Take one trip into the past, one trip into the future. How do you fancy that?”

“No complaints from me!” Martha cheered.

Jessie smiled. “How about a different planet?” she asked.

“Can we go to yours?” Martha asked with a smile.

The Doctor stopped what he was doing, and Jessie stopped as well, looking at his posture. Rigid, tense, like someone poised to run. “Um, Martha . . . ?” she said slowly.

“Ah, there’s plenty of other places,” the Doctor said quickly.

“Come on, though!” Martha pleaded, completely ignoring the head shakings Jessie was doing. “I mean, planet of the Time Lords. That’s got to be worth a look. What’s it like?”

“Martha,” Jessie warned.

“What?” Martha snapped at her.

“Well, it’s beautiful, yeah,” the Doctor agreed.

“Is it, like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?” Martha continued.

“Martha, shut up!” Jessie snarled at her.

“I suppose it is,” the Doctor admitted, walking around the console closer to Jessie.

“Great big temples and cathedrals?” Martha continued.

“Yeah.”

“Lots of planets in the sky?”

With that, Jessie placed herself in between the Doctor and Martha. “Martha, that is enough,” she growled, reaching out and gripping the medical student’s shoulder angrily. “Do you have any idea what it is you’re talking about?”

“The sky’s a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns,” the Doctor whispered in her mind. “Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow.”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m always all right.”

Jessie glared at Martha. “You have no idea what you’ve just done,” she whispered.

“But can we go there?” Martha asked, looking over her shoulder at the Doctor.

“Nah!” the Doctor exclaimed, darting back around the console, and Jessie smirked at Martha triumphantly. “Where’s the fun for me? I don’t want to go home! Instead . . . ” He began flipping switches and doing all sorts of stuff on the TARDIS console as Jessie pushed Martha back towards the captain’s chair. The TARDIS shuddered to a halt, and the Doctor grinned. “This is much better! Year five billion and fifty-three.”