Chapter Text
Martha Jones sits alone in her apartment reading the newspaper while drinking her coffee. She was thinking about her fiancé who was off in Africa.
~!~
Tish Jones was walking from the bus stop to her job as a personal assistant to one of the top London lawyers. She was stopping to pick up a cup of coffee when she saw him, Tom Milligan, sitting in a café talking and holding hands with a bombshell of a blonde woman. Tish watching him for as long as she could, because she knew that he was supposed to be in Africa working with Aids babies. When the light allowed her to cross the street she did. Then she called Martha.
"Hey this is Martha Jones. Sorry I couldn't answer my phone. Leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can," the voicemail message said. "Martha, its Tish. I was just wondering when Tom got back in the country. Okay I'll talk to you soon," Tish said then hung up the phone.
~!~
Martha was helping out with UNIT when she got the call from her sister, but she was too busy to deal with her sister. She was conducting physicals on the new Cadets. She would call her sister when she back in her apartment.
~!~ Later ~!~
"Hey Tish," Martha said as her sister answered her mobile phone. "Martha," Tish replied, "How are you?" "I'm tired, but fine Tish. I had a full day of giving physicals to the new cadets," Martha replied, "and how was your day?" "Busy playing gopher for the lawyer. Martha, when do you think my skills in public relations will be noticed," Tish asked. "I don't know Tish. Just stick with it," Martha replied. "So, Martha, when is Tom supposed to come home from Africa," Tish asked. "In a month and a half. Why," Martha replied. "Are you sure he's actually there in Africa," Tish asked again. Martha thought about her answer and then said, "No. But I can't normally get a hold of him when he's in Africa." "Then call him," Tish replied urgently. "Why," Martha asked. "Because I thought I saw him sitting in a café on my way to work today," Tish replied reluctantly. Martha was shocked enough to plop down onto her couch. "Martha? Martha are you there," Tish asked. "Yes," Martha replied quietly. "Are you okay," Tish asked. "Yes," Martha replied again. Martha sat on her couch stunned and she didn't know how to react. "Come on Martha answer me," Tish said. Martha had missed the question. "What," Martha asked. "That's it! I'm coming over," Tish said. Martha heard the click on the other end and then hung up her phone and just sat stunned.
~!~ 15 minutes later ~!~
Martha heard the door open to her flat. "Martha," she heard Tish call. Martha didn't even look up or call back. But she did feel the comforting arms wrap around her shoulders. "Oh Martha," she heard Tish say. Martha could feel the comfort coming from her sister. She just closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Tish. "I'm here Martha. I'm here," Tish said as she held her little sister.
After a few minutes the sisters finally looked at one another. Then Tish asked the big question, "What are you going to do?" Martha sighed, then responded, "Well I'm not going to do anything yet. I have to have more evidence. I need to see it with my own eyes to be completely sure." Tish didn't like the answer but she knew that was all she was going to have to enlist the help of Leo and possibly Jack. "Do you want some tea," Martha asked. Tish looked at her sister and nodded her response. Martha got up and went into her kitchen to put the kettle on.
Tish picked up her sister's phone and she scrolled through the contacts and found 'TORCHWOOD'. She didn't see Jack's name so she put the torchwood number in her phone. She then put the phone back onto the coffee table and waited for Martha. She heard the kettle whistling. "Tish do you want cream or sugar," Martha called. "Just cream please," Tish replied. Tish could hear Martha coming from the kitchen. Martha handed Tish her cup of tea and then sat down.
They sat in silence sipping tea and then Martha asked, "Tell me everything, please?" "Are you sure," Tish asked. She didn't want to be the one to crush her sister anymore than she had to. Martha replied, "Tell Me." Tish sighed, then said, "Well I was waiting to cross the street and I saw him. He had that hoodie mum got him for Christmas last year, on. He was wearing his nerdy specs as well. I could also see his keys and there was the Eiffel tower keychain that you got for him while you were in Paris. He was, and I'm sorry, he was talking to a blonde woman." Tish saw Martha wince with each word she had said. "What did she look like," Martha asked. "Well, she had blond hair from a bottle and wore this rather indecent shirt and skirt. But I'd never seen her before," Tish replied. With each and every word her sister was saying Martha's heart broke just a little more. "Are you all right Martha," Tish asked. "Not really. Just sort of numb," Martha replied. "Will you be all right on your own," Tish asked worrying about her sister's state of mind. "I'm always all right," Martha responded with a somewhat tired tone to her voice. Tish finished her tea then got up and said to Martha, "Please call me in the morning!" Martha nodded and then closed the door behind her sister.
~!~ 20 minutes later ~!~
Tish stood in side her flat and she dialed the 'TORCHWOOD' number. She heard a click and then she heard, "Captain Jack Harkness." "Jack? Is this the same Jack that was with my sister Martha Jones," Tish asked. "Is this Tish," he asked. Tish smiled, "Yes." "What's wrong Tish? Is Martha all right? Has something gone wrong with UNIT," Jack asked in rapid succession. "Martha is okay, but I need your help," Tish said. "Are you all right Tish," Jack asked as both concern and suspicion colored his tone of voice. "Not really. Martha is engaged to a Doctor Tom Milligan. He, aledgedly, works with Doctors without borders. He is supposed to be in Africa but I saw him sitting quite comfortably with a blonde bombshell," Tish said. "What," Jack asked. "Yeah," Tish responded. "Does Martha know," Jack asked. "I told her, but she won't do anything about it until she has more evidence and she sees him with her own eyes. Jack, I don't want Martha to get even more heartbroken," Tish said.
~!~
Jack sat and thought about what Tish said. He looked around the Hub and saw just how bored his team was. He wasn't sure what they would think of him taking on such a dynamic roll as being the peacekeeper between a squabbling couple. But then again he didn't want to see Martha hurt.
~!~
"What do you want me to do, Tish," Jack asked. "I don't know, but I don't want my sister to have an even more broken heart," Tish replied. "Okay I'll work on it so I'll give you a call in a week or two," Jack said. Trish felt relief in what she'd asked of Jack, a man she had only knew when she'd been forced to feed him while they were trapped don the Valiant. "Thank you Jack," Tish said. "No problem Tish," Jack replied. After Tish hung up with Jack she called Leo. She hoped that between the two of them and with help from Jack they could get the evidence that Martha needed.
~!~ Two weeks later ~!~
Martha was cleaning up her office after a UNIT grunt decided to get angry with her for the assessment of his health. So she was picking up the papers that had been strewn about. Once those were all picked up Martha had to pick up her broken picture frames. She was all alone trying to be care of the glass when she heard, "What's a beautiful girl like you doing on the floor?" Martha was startled and cut her hand on the class and she grabbed a bit of gauze and looked up ready to scold whoever it was to knock next time, when she saw Jack in his traditional WWII era coat. Martha's eyes lit up. She stood up and asked, "What are you doing here in London, Jack?" "I was in the neighborhood and I thought I'd offer to buy you lunch," He replied, "But I think you should let me see to that injury." Martha laughed and asked, "Are you a doctor Jack?" Jack went to Martha's side as he took her injured hand in his and said, "No, but I can look at it and possibly get the glass out of it." "Fine," Martha said. Jack then helped her to clean her hand, and then bandage it up. Once that was finished he finally looked around Martha's office and then asked, "What happened here? Looks like you had a captive alien in here." Martha looked around and then sighed in frustration. "Let's just go to lunch," Martha said. She grabbed her purse and took Jack's offered arm and then left UNIT headquarters.
~!~ Café ~!~
"…And then I looked around and saw that we ALL were naked," Jack exclaimed. "No way," Martha said as she laughed hard. "Way. The King was so angry and was about to kill everyone in the room until I told him it was all the rage in London," Jack said. Martha laughed so hard she could hardly catch her breath and then said, "No that wasn't you! That is so the story of the Emperor's New Clothes!" "Yes it was me. And let me tell you he was no emperor. He was just a king," Jack replied proudly and then joined Martha in her laughter. Then both focused on their lunches. After a few minutes Martha stopped eating.
A man had walked into the café. She couldn't believe who she was seeing. Martha's mind was trying to convince her that the man she saw wasn't her Tom, because he was in India and had been sent there right from Africa a week ago, but her heart knew that it was him. "Are you all right Martha," Jack asked. Martha ignored him as she watched Tom meet with a rather Barbie-like woman. "Oh, who is that find specimen of a man," Jack asked. This time Martha looked at Jack to see just where he was looking and she noticed he was looking right at Tom. Martha looked down at her plate and felt heartbroken. "That's my fiancé," Martha said. "Then who is the blonde with him," Jack asked. Martha just shrugged her shoulders. Martha wouldn't even look up when Jack touched her hand. "Did you want me to arrest him," Jack asked. Martha snorted and then said, "You aren't a part of the police, Jack. I think a lying man is just out of your jurisdiction." "Well then let me bruise his face at least," Jack replied. "No Jack. That would be wrong. Warranted, but wrong. But I am going to find out just who the woman is," Martha said as she stood up. "Do you want me to come with you," Jack asked. Martha declined and said, "Just wait for me here."
She stood and walked over to Tom and his mystery blond. She heard, "So Tom when are you going to visit again?" "Tom," Martha asked as she stopped at the table to see her Tom look up at her. "MARTHA? What are you doing here sweetheart," Tom asked. "I should be asking you that, because you should be somewhere in India working with children," Martha demanded. "It's not what it looks like," Tom said as Martha rolled her eyes. "Who is this tom," Martha asked as she pointed at the blonde. "My name is Ashley. Who the hell are you," the blonde replied angrily. "I am Martha Jones, his fiancé," Martha replied. "Ashley is my travel agent. She was helping me to determine where my next trip will be," Tom said nervously. "Right. That's why her lipstick of Pepto-Bismol pink is on your lips. Must be a hell of a trip," Martha said disgustedly.
Then she turned and began to walk back to Jack's table. She was too upset to even speak. "Martha wait," Tom called after her. Jack stood up and paid for lunch then took a hold of Martha's shoulders and practically led her out the door. "Martha please stop," Tom pleaded. Both Jack and Martha stopped and turned to glare at Tom.
"WHAT," Martha growled. She watched as he fidgeted from her glare. Then Tom realized who was standing with Martha. "Well, what about him," Tom asked defensively. "Hello, I'm Captain Jack Harkness and the only reason you are just now meeting me is because Martha didn't tell me. Oh and I already have a boyfriend you pig," Jack replied in a low menacing tone. Tom stood stunned and Martha asked, "How long? Just how long have you been lying to me? No, better yet, how long have you been unhappy with me?"Martha was holding her emotions in as she demanded, "Tell me Tom! How long have you been with other women when I was here just waiting for you to come home safely?" Tom began to stammer but Martha interrupted, "I'll see you later. I can't even look at you right now without feeling like I'm going to vomit." Then turning to Jack she asked tiredly, "Will you take me back to work?" Jack nodded and escorted her to the black SUV. Tom just stood there alone.
~!~ In the SUV ~!~
Jack kept glancing at Martha as he drove her back to UNIT headquarters. He was worried about her and how she was taking the news of tom lying to her and cheating on her. "I'm sorry you had to be there Jack," Martha finally said. "Well I'm glad I was there. Why didn't you have me check into him first," Jack asked. "I'm a big girl, Jack. I should be able to find a man on my own," Martha replied. Jack just remained quiet.
After a few minutes of quite Martha said, "I should have listened to Tish and Leo." "What do you mean," Jack asked acting as if he wasn't already clued in. "Tish and Leo have been calling and texting me telling me that Tom was lying to me, and I not only denied it, but I got into an argument with them both about it," Martha replied, "So Now I feel stupid and I have to apologize to them both. What am I going to do Jack?" Martha looked at Jack and she saw that he was thinking. "Well I will take you back to the Tower of London UNIT base, and then wait for you so that after work I can help you get your things and get you set up in a Torchwood safe house just until you find your own apartment. How's that sound," Jack asked as they turned into the lower parking deck of UNIT. "You'd consider allowing me to live in a Torchwood house? What's the catch," Martha asked. "No catch. You are a friend Martha, so that allows me to help you when you need it," Jack replied. "You're a good person Jack Harkness," Martha said.