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English
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Published:
2012-11-21
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361
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1/1
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40
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523

Her Eyes Believed in Mysteries

Notes:

Stand-alone fic set in the same universe as Crossing Into Established Events. This ficlet can be read on its own; the original story establishes why Martha is traveling with Nine. Written for my prompt table at fc_smorgasbord

Work Text:

He wanted to show her Cacia Prime, a moon once inhabited by hundreds of millions of humanoids, now desolate and deserted.

"It's one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the universe."

"Unsolved? As in, you don't even know?"

"I have a better idea than most, but no, I don't know what happened."

"Well that makes it sound even more interesting."

They wandered through the Fornacis Ruins, ancient arcology settlements long since abandoned for reasons even he did not fully comprehend, and he watched her, full of life, enthusiasm, curiosity, a strong desire to learn and understand. It was then that the Doctor finally understood why he was drawn to Martha. Physical beauty was of no interest to him. Intellectual curiosity was not a unique trait. But as they walked through what was once a thriving community looking for clues, admiring the architecture and technology that made these settlements great, he saw in her eyes that one quality he craved, the thing that pulled him toward her like a moth to a flame.

For her eyes believed in the unknown, the impossible and improbable. Where there were no ready answers, her eyes shone with possibility, the mystery in discovery. In her eyes he saw the gleam of riddles yet to be solved, a love of the paradox and the anomaly. And yet it was not paired with blind faith; there was challenge there, a demand for deeper understanding, a desire to give voice to all that she encountered. She questioned, confronted, did not settle for the simple answer. In Martha he'd found a woman of science with a mastery of words, and in her eyes he found everything that made the world captivating.

"According to this old dataport," Martha said, "there's a medical wing three levels up. Do you think it's safe to go up there?"

"Only one way to find out," he replied, smiling broadly, the brightness matched only by her own. Her eyes, lit with wonder, believed in mysteries, and the Doctor believed in her. Martha wrapped her hand around his extended arm and they briskly walked toward the center stair and any new secrets the upper floors may hold.