"Heal Thyself" (Prompt: Forever)

[evilawyer]

Title: Heal Thyself
Author: Evilawyer
Rating: PG
Characters: Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones
Time Frame: End of LotTL
Disclaimer: The BBC owns these characters
Note: Written for the prompt forever


He could stay like this forever. Martha's arms around him, giving him an acceptance he neither asked for nor wanted. Right here, right now, in the midst of all the tragedy, he has what he needs. He realizes now that he's needed it for a very long time, and that he's had it ever since Martha first laid her stethoscope to his chest.

But Martha's acceptance isn't for him so much as for his suffering. She stops his pain but she can't stop him.

Martha's a true Doctor. She heals others. He needs to learn to accept and heal himself.

Comments

[amphigorym_2011]

So true. And I think Donna had a lot to do with what healing he did do (because he never truly admitted how far out of control he was). She was what he needed-someone who wasn't in love with him, wasn't particularly in awe of him, and was more than willing to call him on his bullshit.

[evilawyer]

Yes. I think Martha was a very good character --- intelligent, loyal and moral --- but she wasn't going to ever be able to function as the firm hand Ten really needed. She couldn't fix him. No one could. Which she realized in the end, I think, no matter that her exit speech was couched in terms of "You like me, but you don't love me so I'm leaving"-speak.

Thanks for commenting.