Chapter Eleven 

Dean 

It didn’t register at first, the extra person sitting at Ellen’s kitchen table. Dean was a bit preoccupied, with his still aching ass for one, but mostly with the information Jack had just tossed his way.  That Martha used to have a thing for this Doctor guy, which meant he didn’t look old, despite being old as hell. She talked about him like some kind of mentor, and his mind had instantly compared him to Bobby or Ellen.

But by the time Jack had started in on the guy’s intense brown eyes, the situation became pretty damn clear. It made sense, her moony looks when she talked about how smart he was, how the guy’d saved her so many times. She was in love him. And Dean felt like a damn fool for not realizing it earlier.

So yeah, to say he was distracted when he walked inside the house was an understatement. There was a heavy knot in his chest and he felt like hitting something, tearing the whole damn house apart. But more then anything he just—wanted her. So damn much.

“Hey Dean.”

“Hey Sam.” Dean replied distractedly. He was sitting his shotgun next to the door when his body froze, his eyes lifting up and sideways in matter of seconds. Sam stood up from the table, and smiled, that awkward, goofy smile Dean always gave him shit for. His brother looked the same, he’d changed his shirt, but there were nothing like the bruises and cuts Dean now sported, nothing that said Sam had done anything other then take a few days off from hunting. Like he’d been on fucking vacation.

He looked—happy.

Dean walked forward slowly, and Sam’s smile faltered a bit, eyes meeting his warily. Dean knew Sam was taking in his appearance, which was a pretty good reflection of the shit that had just went down. Bobby and Ellen watched them in silence, with Bobby moving toward Sam, his body tensed and ready for any possible physical confrontation. Dean heard Jack close the door behind him, but didn’t look away from his brother’s face.

“So.” Dean said, his voice slightly flat. “A spaceship huh?”

Sam’s eyes slid over to Ellen and Bobby, before coming back to Dean.

“It was also a time machine.” Sam said and Dean nodded at his words, his voice tight.

“That’s nice, sound very—cool.” He said, and Sam grinned.

“It was actually—”

“Yeah, that’s enough.”  Dean took in a deep breath, then stepped forward to pull Sam into quick hug. Sam was still for a moment, then returned his hug with one of his own, until Dean pulled away again, clearing his throat loudly.

“I missed you too Dean.” Sam said, and Dean threw a derisive grin his way before responding.

“It’s about time you got back, Bobby was worried sick, wringing his fucking hands like an old woman.”

“Really?” Sam said, lifting an eyebrow toward Bobby, who just glared at Dean in response.

“We were all worried.” Bobby said pointedly, before turning to Sam. “We’re just glad to see you boy, that’s all.”

“Good to be back.” Sam said. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff I’ve seen—”

“Yeah, well, there’s some pretty fucked up shit going on here too.” Dean said. “And your demon stalker bitch is right in the middle of it.”

Sam’s eyebrows shot up just as a woman emerged from the hallway behind him, her bright red hair illuminated by the florescent kitchen lights. She walked up beside Sam, then stopped short, looking back and forth between them.

“That’s not your brother.” She said, and Sam nodded.

“Donna this is Dean.” Sam said. Donna’s mouth opened, then shut close once more, her face taking on a practiced nonchalance.

“He’s a bit short then, ay?” she said.

“Short? I’m 6’1!” Dean said, and Sam just smiled. Dean crossed his arms over his chest, frown lines creasing his forehead.

“This is Donna.” Sam said as Jack passed by them to take a seat at the table next to Ellen. Jack grinned at her broadly, while she quickly looked away. Dean wasn’t sure, but he could swear she was blushing.

“Donna.” Dean gave her brief nod, then turned back to his brother, who eyed him expectantly.

“Ruby’s downstairs.” Dean said. “She’s under a devil’s trap right now—”

“And you haven’t killed her?” Sam said, shaking his head with disbelief. “Man, I don’t believe it. Who the hell stopped you?”

“What do you mean stopped me, why would you just assume someone…stopped me?”  Sam looked at Bobby who raised his hands in the air.

“Wasn’t me.” Bobby said. “You know I’m not really the keep demons around kinda guy.”

“Ellen?” Sam said, as Dean blew out a hard puff of frustrated air.

“It wasn’t fucking Ellen—why the hell does it have to be anybody?” Dean said. “We need information that she has, I’m not gonna shoot the bitch while she’d still useful.”

Sam was quiet for a moment, then turned to Jack, who shook his head.

“Wrong gender.” Jack said pointedly, and Sam’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked back at his brother.

“Wait a minute…you were with Martha—The Doctor’s friend, right?”

Dean felt his muscles twitch at the mention of her name, but was able to keep his face somewhat impassive. He opened his mouth to respond when they heard the back door swing open, followed by footsteps that made their way to the room.

“Yeah.” Dean said as Martha walked through the doorway. “I was.”

Her eyes were bright with excitement, and the small dimple on her cheek was impossibly deep as a man walked up behind her. He was tall, all skinny and pale, with brown hair that seemed to shoot out from his head, like he’d been electrocuted at some point during his life. He was wearing the lamest suit Dean had ever seen, a brown pinstriped jacket and pants, and converse tennis shoes that geeked him up even more. Nothing impressive, nothing that screamed this dude was a time traveling bad ass—but still….there was something in his eyes that felt familiar to him. That heavy, aged look he’d seen in demons time again, like he’d seen hellfire first hand, got close enough for it to burn the skin. But this guy wasn’t a demon—at least, Dean didn’t think so. Hell, his life would be a lot easier if he was.

He wouldn’t have to see her standing next to him.

“Everyone, this is The Doctor.” Martha said, and the man smiled happily and gave a quick wave.

“Hello.” He said, brightly, his eyes scanning the room. Bobby grunted a response, and Ellen’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“The Doctor? That’s it, no last name?” Ellen said, and he shook his head, shrugging his thin shoulders.

“No, no last name, just The Doctor. And you are?”

“Ellen.” Martha said quickly. “And that’s Bobby, they’re both hunters of—demons.” Martha stumbled over the last part, glancing at him apprehensively, before looking away. The Doctor eyed her, eyes curious while she turned to Dean, her smile instantly growing softer.

“And this is Dean Winchester.” She said. Dean couldn’t meet her eyes, choosing instead to focus on The Doctor, who stuck out a hand in his direction.

“You’re Sam’s brother.” The Doctor said.

“Yep.” Dean said, and The Doctor grinned.

“Sam thinks quite highly of you, did you know that?” The Doctor said, and Sam jumped slightly at his words, an uncomfortable grin on his face.

“Oh really?” Dean said, and Sam shook his head.

“I didn’t—that’s not really—ahem, so you’re Martha?” Sam said, turning to her. She nodded, her head lifting a bit higher because of his height.

“And you’re Sam, I feel like I know you already.” She said.

“Likewise.” Sam said glancing over to The Doctor. The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes drifting from the two of them to the books on the kitchen table.

“What are those?” he said, and Donna sighed dramatically.  

“And we’re off. At least we got to act normal for a bit, ay?” she said, and Martha moved over to her, pulling her into a tight hug.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Martha said, and Donna returned her embrace, patting her reassuringly on the back.

“Oh, now, you knew I couldn’t stay away—were else would I be?” Donna said as they parted. “Oi, I’d be whipping up beans and toast for mum if it weren’t for this lot.” She said, and Martha nodded.

“I know what you mean.” She said. Dean saw Martha glance his way again, and felt his stomach twist even more then before.

“These are demon texts?” The Doctor said as he sat down in front of the books, and Dean walked off to the side, grabbing another beer from the refrigerator. Bobby walked over beside him and grabbed the drink from his hand, quickly placing it back inside the fridge.

“What the fuck Bobby..” Dean said, and Bobby moved closer to him, lowering his voice so only Dean could hear.

 “You’ve had enough of those tonight, you need a clear head if you’re gonna deal with this shit. Stop your fucking sulking, and get over there and help.”

“Sulking?” Dean said. “I’m not—why the fuck would I be…”

“You ain’t the only one with eyes boy.” Bobby said. “She don’t belong to you Dean, she had a life before—”

“I know.” Dean said, even though he didn’t, not really. Every time he looked at her, she felt like his, like she belonged with him. Not that—fucking suit.

“Well, act like it.” Bobby said. “Cause there’s more demons on the way, you know that, and we gotta figure this shit out before—”

“The Dark One.” The Doctor said, his eyes wide as he looked up from the book. “Who is this—why is this…”

“It’s me.” Martha said, and The Doctor’s mouth opened slightly, before closing again. He looked down at the pages for a moment, then looked at her, his face noticeably grimmer then before.

“You’re the Dark One?” Sam said, and she turned to him, confusion in her eyes.

“Yes, why? Do you know something…”

“I think.” Dean said, looking around the room. “That we all might need to compare some fucking notes, don’t you?”

Everyone nodded, and The Doctor looked at Jack.

“Do they always swear this much?” He said, and Jack nodded.

“Welcome to America Doctor.”

Martha 

She was trying to make sense of it all, but it was difficult. In part because it seemed so impossible, that the sun—entity or whatever it was had mentioned that name, the one the demons insisted on calling her. Sam was apparently part demon—the TARDIS had taken The Doctor on a physical trip down memory lane—it was all just….impossible. And yet she knew better than to dismiss impossible things, learned that pretty early on.

Plus, it didn’t help matters that Dean had withdrawn from her again, from everyone actually. It didn’t make sense, he was fine before….before….

Before she saw The Doctor.

Bloody hell.

He was jealous, first of Jack and now of The Doctor. It was petty and annoying, and yet—slightly thrilling, it had never happened to her before. Tom was always so damn trusting, it became a bit insulting actually. It never occurred to him that she’d look at another man, turn away from him for any reason. That another man could want her just as much as he did, maybe even more.

She was pretty sure she had Jack to blame for Dean’s state of mind, and he’d conveniently joined Ellen outside the house, helping her “reinforce her protection spells.” Which meant her reaming of him would be delayed a for a bit.

Donna was in the living room, checking on her mother and grandfather and Bobby was checking on Ruby, which left just her with The Doctor, Sam, and Dean to sort out what appeared to be a hopelessly convoluted mess.

“So these things—demons you call them—have been chasing Martha this entire time?” The Doctor said. Sam looked up at her, his green eyes sympathetic, so unlike his brother’s which remained hard and impassive.

“I’m sorry, that really—sucks. Having those things chase you, I’ve been there.” He said. Martha gave him a thankful smile, briefly shrugging her shoulders.

“Oh, it was fine. Not the first time I’ve been on the run away, doubt it will be the last. And I had—Dean was there. He was fantastic actually…”

She saw Dean’s eyes shift sideways at her words, before looking back to his book at the table.

“Yeah, Dean’s good at that, helping people.” Sam agreed. “And he can also be kind of a dick when he likes somebody.”

Dean’s eyes lifted at this and Sam stared back at him, his eyes never wavering from his brother’s.  Martha found herself looking down at her hands, wishing she had something, anything to do with them.

And then it hit her—what she was doing, letting others stare at those damn texts while she fretted over Dean, whether he was angry at her or not. This wasn’t who she was, what she’d do at a time like this. And those sideways glances from The Doctor told her he’d been thinking the same thing.  Martha quickly walked over to Dean, tearing the book away from his hands with a newfound determination.

“Hey, I was—” Dean protested, but she just ignored him, moving her body closer to the stack of books.

“Excuse me.” She said, and began to look down at the pages intently, praying that the new information from Sam and The Doctor would lead to answers. She heard a hitch in Dean’s breath as he prepared to speak, but then… nothing. Which disappointed her more then she liked to admit.

God, he didn’t even want to argue with her anymore.

“The sun called me The Dark One, and this calls me the death bringer.” Martha said. “You said it was afraid, that you felt its fear when it—”

“Yes.” The Doctor said quickly, obviously not keen on the subject. Martha nodded, then went on.

“Right, and Sam….you said he caused fear as well, that it killed all those Daleks.”

Sam’s body visibly tensed at her words, and he looked quickly at his brother, whose eyes were dark with anger.

“Yeah.” Sam said, then turned back to Dean. “But it wasn’t like I did it on purpose, it just happened—”

“I got it.” Dean said tightly, and Sam sighed.

“Dean, I promise I didn’t…”

“I know you didn’t.” Dean said. “You told me you wouldn’t use that demon blood shit, and I believe you. The end.”

Sam nodded, but Martha could see his brother’s reaction still bothered him, hell it bothered her. Apparently the idea of his brother using his—gift, or what have you was a sore subject between the two.

“Well, alright.” She continued. “So from what you’ve said…the commonality between those events is…”

“Fear.” The Doctor said, his voice matter of fact. Which told her that he’d already made that connection, was just allowing her to catch up to him.

“If you already know what this is…” she said, before he cut her off.

“I don’t.” The Doctor said, finally meeting her gaze. “I know what it appears to be, what it seems. If I accept that there are actual demons, that evil can exist in concrete physicality, then yes. I believe I may know what this means. “

They watched him carefully, and he looked around the table, meeting each of their gazes.

“But I don’t believe that.” He explained, and they each rolled their eyes. “And therefore, I don’t really know anything at the moment, nothing that could be of use anyway.”

“Jesus, would you just tell us what you know already?” Dean snapped. “I realize you think this is a fucking joke—”

“You’re wrong, I don’t think that at all.” The Doctor said, nodding toward Sam. “What I felt from him was real, there’s something inside him. And it’s connected to the sun, and to the TARDIS…”

“Doctor.” Martha said quietly, and he looked back at her. “I believe him. I think its real, the demons…”

The Doctor was silent for a moment before responding.

“Don’t you mean you believe them?” he said, and she felt her face flush, but refused to look away.

“The sun was a demon, wasn’t it?” she said, and he looked down at the book in front of him for a moment.

“If I….yes, if what they believe is true, then logic—logically what I felt could be considered some sort of… possession.” The Doctor breathed out this word harshly, as if finding it difficult to say. Martha looked over to Dean, who eyed The Doctor with newfound suspicion.

“How’d you get it out?” he said, which made Sam speak up.

“The TARDIS.” He said. “We brought him back there, and it just kinda—took it out of him. He was fine after.”

“So this demon was afraid of me, Lilth is afraid—that I’ll what, kill them? Bring their death?” Martha said. “That’s—you can’t kill demons, not with that Colt, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Dean said. “But there’s a reason these things want you gone, which means there must be something else we don’t know about.”

“There’s one downstairs, you say?” The Doctor broke in, and Dean nodded slowly as Sam ran a hand through his hair.

”Yep, Sam’s hellspawn groupie.” Dean said. “Bobby’s down there with her right now, trying to make her talk..”

“I need to speak…”

“No.” Dean said. “We’ve heard enough from that bitch, and she just lies anyway. Almost had me summoning another one before I got some fucking sense. “

“Another demon?” Sam said. “But why…”

“She says he’s obsessed with me, or something.” Martha said. “That he thinks of about me all the time, wants me—dead, apparently. Which makes no sense, I haven’t done anything to make someone hate me that much, dead or ali—”

She stopped short as a face rose in her mind. The pale skin, cropped dirty blond hair. Slightly crazed brown eyes, and that laugh—dear god, a manic laugh that sent chills down her spine.

“Martha?” she heard Dean said, and The Doctor placed a hand on her arm, leaning in closer.

“Martha are you…” The Doctor said, and she bit her bottom lip for a moment before finding her voice.

“I know who it is.” Martha said quietly. An angry heat began rush through her, and she felt her face muscles harden, her hands clench tightly in her lap.

“What—you—who the fuck is it?” Dean said. Martha looked up at The Doctor, who shook his head with confusion. And she smiled a sad, derisive smile. The only one she could manage under the circumstances.

“Guess I should have voted Saxon, eh?” she said.

The Doctor 

The drumming.

This wasn’t possible, what she was saying. He’d watched him die.

Can’t you hear it?

Felt the life leave him, he didn’t regenerate. Refused, even though The Doctor begged him to.

Inside my head. I thought it would stop. But it never does. It never, ever stops. Inside my head. The drumming, Doctor, the constant drumming.

But if what she was saying was—then he was trapped in some dimension, sending these things to find her, kill her or worse. Because of him.

“Do Time Lords have souls?” Martha asked him, and The Doctor could only shake his head.

“I’m not—this isn’t…we have biological imprints, life echoes….we are time- the beginning, the end….” His hand ran through his hair, making it stand even more on end. “But we die.” He finished. “They all did, everyone on my planet.” He said. “And they never came back. If they had…I would have found them by now.”

The Doctor saw Martha’s eyes soften at his, and was hit by a sudden urge to touch her, slide a hand across her cheek. He quickly looked away, his gaze resting on Sam’s brother and found the boy glaring at him, arms crossed tightly across his chest.

Why was he….

“But he died here.” Sam said, as they all looked at him. “The people on your planet didn’t die here, this Master guy did.” He shrugged. “Maybe hell is an Earth exclusive or something.”

“Then how do you explain the demon sun?” Dean interjected, and Sam just shrugged. “I can’t. None of this makes any fucking sense, and it’s not going to unless….”

“Unless we summon him.” Martha finished. The Doctor instantly began to protest, but stopped himself, realizing that she was right. If any of this had the remote possibility of being true….

“Yes.” The Doctor said, standing to his feet. “We need to bring an end to this, and if performing your—ritual helps us do that, then….”

“This is a mistake.” Dean said, and Martha sighed heavily.

“Dean, I know you…”

“No, you fucking don’t.” he snapped and The Doctor’s eyes narrowed a bit.

“There’s no need for that.” The Doctor said, and Martha put a hand on his arm, shaking her head.

“It’s fine...” she said.

“No, it’s not.” The Doctor replied, looking back up at Dean. “You seem like you’ve had a—difficult life so far, perhaps too difficult for one so young. And I sympathize with that, but that’s no excuse for taking it out on those around you. Pain is personal, it’s yours to bear, to cope with as best you can. Don’t make it anyone else’s—especially not hers.”

Dean stared at him coolly, before a crooked grin broke out on his face.

“That was lovely Obi-Wan, seriously.” He said. “And hell, I’d be shamed as fuck if I didn’t know personally that summoning a demon—any fucking demon—is a mistake. I’ve made it, Sam here’s made it, hell….my dad even made it, and now he’s dead.”

Dean looked around the room at each of them, his frustration evident.

“This guy—if he is what you say he is, could come up here with shit you ain’t even heard of, he’s a fucking alien-demon hybrid thing. If that don’t scream hold the fuck up, I don’t know what does.”

“Folks.”

They turned to Bobby, who’d entered the room slightly out of breath.

“If we’re gonna make a move, now’s the time.” He said. “Ruby’s….happy. Smiling like a pig in shit, and well….that’s always a bad thing.”

Martha 

Dean was right.

As she watched them begin to chant words from the old text, she realized that, deep inside. It wasn’t just fear, even though the thought of seeing him again, meeting those crazed eyes was the last thing she wanted, but this was more. It was ominous, like something bad was almost certain to happen if he came.  And Dean felt it too, every time he looked her way. He was worried about her. Maybe even scared.

But there wasn’t another way, not one they could find as quickly this.

“You’re saying it wrong.” Ruby interrupted, and Bobby looked up from the book in irritation. Apparently Sam was the resident summoner among them, but Dean wouldn’t let him near Ruby, no matter how much he protested. Which was apparently the right thing to do, the disappointment on the demon’s face was palpable when he didn’t enter the room with the rest of them, her mood darkening considerably ever since.

“You can shut the fuck up any time.” Dean said, and she rolled her eyes, holding out her hand for the book.

“I can do it for you…”

“No.” Dean and The Doctor said simultaneously, then eyed each other with wary eyes. The Doctor had circled Ruby upon seeing her for the first time, then studied the devil’s trap on the ceiling with just as much intensity. She’d laughed at him, but he’s just ignored her, until she finally fell into an uneasy silence, her blue eyes apprehensive every time his gaze turned her way. He’d been watching the proceedings carefully, only asking the occasional question now and then, but his reaction to Ruby’s request was immediate, and just as intense as Dean’s.

“Start over.” Dean said to Bobby who nodded in agreement. The chant was unfamiliar to both of them, one used to call forth demons of wrath and vengeance. Or in this case, a big assed grudge of some kind.

Martha looked over at The Doctor, wanting to say something to him, but not sure what would be appropriate under the circumstances.

Bobby finished up the incantation, then lit a match to throw in a small pile of ingredients at his feet. They stared at the small flame for a moment, then looked about the room, bodies tense and ready.

“How long does it—” The Doctor began, but Dean quickly shushed him. There was a few seconds of silence, then—“ But it seems like…”

“Shhhhh..” Dean said again, causing The Doctor to throw his hands in the air in frustration.

“Honestly, is quiet absolutely necessary for this sort of thing?” he said. Dean grinned at him.

“If it’ll shut you up, hell yeah it is.” He said, and Martha felt the corners of her mouth twitching a bit. She quickly smothered the smile at the sharp look from The Doctor.

“You find that amusing?” he said, and her lips parted as she struggled to find an answer.

“I—yeah, sort of.” She said without the smallest hint of guilt.

“That’s lovely, you’ve only been here a few days and you’re…”

“Well, you do talk quite a bit.” She said. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just—“

“You sound like Donna.”

“I like Donna. So thank you.” Martha smiled at him, then turned to find Dean staring at her now, his eyes lit with something indefinable. But whatever it was, it made her want kiss him to bits, and the light in his eyes made her wonder if he was thinking the same thing.

“I never thought I’d see the day.” Ruby said, and they turned towards her, Martha with a bit of confusion.

“What the fuck are you..” Dean began, but was cut off when Ruby pushed out a hand towards him, an invisible force knocking him backwards into a nearby wall. Martha flinched at the sound of Dean crashing to the floor, and felt The Doctor reach for her arm, pulling her behind him. Bobby was also sent flying, grunting in pain as he collided with a heavy beam.

“I never thought I’d see the day when Martha Jones threw over her precious Doctor.” Ruby said, as she turned toward them. Martha watched as the blue irises began to fade, becoming a frighteningly bright solid white. Ruby’s head tilted to the side as she eyed them, her mouth forming a disapproving frown.

“I mean—it makes you lose faith a bit. Bloody hell, I know I’m getting choked up. Siding with that—human boy, when there’s a Time Lord at your side? What sort of companion are you? Flighty bitch.”

Martha felt The Doctor push her toward the door.

“Run.” He said, and she shook her head, her eyes finding Dean’s unconscious form.

“No, I can’t...” Martha whispered.

“She’s in love, you stupid tosser.” Ruby said, as she began to walk towards them. “And not with you. That’s got to bruise the old ego a bit, yeah?”

“Whatever you are...” The Doctor began, but his mouth shut when she held up her hand, tossing him off to the side like a rag doll. Ruby turned toward Martha, who began to shake her head slowly, not wanting to accept what she knew in her heart to be true.

“Hello Martha Jones.” Ruby said, then ran a finger down her cheek. “I’ve been wanting to see you again, for so—very long…”

“No...” Martha whispered.

“I can see you Martha Jones…” Ruby said, her voice slightly sing song in tone. “Come on little girl…” The voice grew harder, the eyes so bright, it was almost painful.

“Come on and meet your Master.”