Title: Just Calling
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: Martha, Ten
Rating: G
Word Count: 599
Warnings: silliness
Summary: She never should have given him her phone.
Author's Note: My first thought when she handed him that thing was "What would they talk about?" Also, I guarantee you that, by some magic AU crossover twist, the brunet is Light Yagami. Guarantee it.
JUST CALLING
“Hello?”
“Hullo, Martha!”
“Wh-y-it’s supposed to be for me to call you!”
“Fortunately for me, telephone service goes both ways. Also fortunately for me, you left all your contacts in the list. Who’s ‘Hot Brunet’?”
“I was a little drunk, all right? I never called him. …why am I telling you? What’d you call me for, anyway?”
“Well, I don’t know. Just calling.”
“Nobody ‘just calls,’ Doctor. You must have some reason.”
“Not really. Though I guess it’s nice to hear somebody’s voice that isn’t mine, much as I do love hearing myself talk.”
“Never would’ve guessed.”
“My most closely-guarded secret, that. Don’t let it get out to the press, mind you.”
“It’ll be in the tabloids tomorrow. You haven’t found anybody, then?”
“Not as yet, no. There’s never any pattern to how long it is between one and the next. I could put up flyers, but I don’t think I’d want to bring any person who’d answer to whatever I’d end up writing on them.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
“Oh… I don’t know… ‘Time-traveling, space-faring companion wanted. Strong stomach recommended. Risk of sudden death on a daily basis. Creepers need not apply.’”
“Don’t know if that’ll deter them.”
“Yeah… never done flyers. How do people meet people? Maybe I should go to a pub. Introduce myself to some hot brunets.”
“Oh, that’s very funny. That’s a riot, that is.”
“Another of my many talents. Maybe I should try a gentleman, though.”
“What about Jack?”
“Jack defies the Sudden Death Clause of the flyer-contract.”
“You’d better find someone soon; you’re going mad. Madder.”
“Ah, but how will you tell the difference?”
“Doctor, listen. Don’t think about it too much. You stumble on people-you always do; you find people everywhere. All you’ve got to do is find someone who fits. Just find someone who needs you and needs the TARDIS and needs that great, big universe you’ve got unlimited access to. Find somebody who has got nothing, whose regular life just isn’t enough, and give them that. Give somebody a chance to show you what they’re made of. Fill somebody’s emptiness. Make their life worth it.”
“Yes, but… where do I find somebody like that? Most of you humans-”
“Here we go.”
“-shut your brains down the second the time-space continuum comes up. It’s just too big for you to think about-too big for you to process-and your instinct is to hide.”
“I didn’t.”
“Most of them aren’t like you.”
“Doctor, just… do your thing. Do what you always do. Run around, save the universe, spout some nonsense, be the Doctor. Somebody will find you, and they won’t want to let you go again.”
“You think so?”
“Know it.”
“There you are, then.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That’s why I called you-because I needed to hear what you just said, Martha Jones.”
“You’re welcome, Doctor.”
“Right-thanks.”
“Call again sometime, will you?”
“Might just make a habit of it.”
“Oh-if my mum picks up, you’re a telemarketer, yeah?”
“But Mrs. Jones, you need a vacuum cleaner strong enough to pull the asteroid belt into Earth’s orbit!”
“You’re a bit too good at that.”
“Perhaps it’s my calling.”
“…that was terrible.”
“It really was. Call me if ever you need me, Martha Jones. Some time, any time, whenever you like.”
“I will, Doctor. And I don’t want to hear ‘Can’t talk now; running for my life.’”
“I’ll try my best. Goodbye, Martha.”
“Goodbye, Doctor. And good luck.”
“Who needs luck when you’re a hot brunet?”
“…I’m hanging up now.”