Marvellous Martha Jones

I'm recommending Martha Jones-centric fics all this week but they're not all Martha/Ten.

Story Bombardment of Positive Ions
Author: Carmen Sandiego
Author Summary: Martha Jones and the UNIT Christmas Party.
Characters: Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart, Harry Sullivan, John Benton, Liz Shaw, Martha Jones, Sarah Jane Smith, Second Doctor
Rating: All ages
Word count: 2601

This is a very humorous story about a Christmas get-together of the Doctor's former Companions at the Brig's house with a fair amount of amusingly snarky point-scoring from earlier Companions. And Martha gets to meet the Second Doctor:

Martha looked up. A sprig of mistletoe. Oh. Well she couldn't, obviously. And he -
The Doctor kissed her, and it was soft and gentle and entirely welcome. When he pulled away, Martha looked into his eyes and found no apologies or regrets or excuses. If anything, he looked rather pleased with himself.
"That was...nice," she said, unable to keep the smile from her lips. "Much nicer than last time."
"Last time!" said Jamie, poking his round the door. "Here, Doctor, what's this about then? You dinnae see me going around kissing lassies I've just met. I think you’ve got some explaining to do."

I've read this about 6 times since it was first posted and it makes me laugh every single time.

Story: Closed Circle
Author: Calapine
Rating: All Ages
Author's summary: A junkyard and a goodbye and everything starts again.
Characters/Pairings: First Doctor/Rose Tyler
Warnings: none
Word Count: 1,300 words

Recced because: Beautiful and heartbreaking, this is a tremendous story, and not at all crackfic as the pairing might suggest. Rose is an old woman, now, and one who has always loved and been loved by the Doctor; she returns to him, at the beginning, and we get a fascinating look at the circularity of time, and the way endings can be a beginning too. Careful, gentle storytelling and lyrical writing are the icing on the cake; she is old and she has always been in love, Rose reflects, a great premise with top-notch execution.

Story: People Used to Dream About the Future
Author: Calapine
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 36858
Author's Summary: The world ended sometime in March 2006. This is, of course, a lie. Just like everything else in this story. Nobody bothered to tell the Doctor, Jack or Rose though.
Characters/Pairings: Ninth Doctor, Jack, Rose
Warnings: None

Recced because: I almost didn't rec this fic, not because it doesn't deserve it, but because I'm really not sure I can say enough good things about it. It's just that good.

The Ninth Doctor, Rose and Jack arrive in London 2006 to find the planet on a precipice, a familiar enemy and a struggling group of survivors that contains more than one familiar face. This fic mixes classic and new who with more success than any other fic I've ever read, the pacing is brilliant, the characterisation superb. And as for the ending, after I finished it you could quite easily have knocked me down with a feather.

(Making up for yesterday's forgotten rec:)

Story: Smile Like You Mean It
Author: Calapine
Rating: All Ages
Author's Summary: At the end, the Doctor didn't leave.
Characters/Pairings: Eighth Doctor/Grace Holloway, the Brig
Warnings: None

Recced because: Grace Holloway is never going to win any Most Popular Companion contests, but I always enjoy watching her respond to the Doctor's TARDIS invitation with, "You come with me!" In this story the Doctor does exactly that, and the slow mutual realization of how wrong they are for each other no matter how hard they try makes for painful, sad and fascinating reading. Even if the TV movie made you dyspeptic (nobody could blame you), this story will show you another side of Grace's character and her conflicted, sometimes contentious relationship with the Doctor. To be read when in the mood to indulge in a good bout of melancholy.

Story: Love Of His Life
Author: Carmen Sandiego
Rating: Unrated
Author's summary: The Doctor loves - foolishly, unconditionally, brilliantly - through all his lives.
Characters/Pairings: Second Doctor/Jamie, Third Doctor/Jo, Theta/Koschei(/Ushas), Fourth Doctor/Romana, Eighth Doctor/Romana, First Doctor/Barbara (unrequited), Barbara/Ian, First Doctor/Cameca, Tenth Doctor/Reinette, Susan, the Brigadier, Martha and numerous other companions mentioned. Also, from the deity corner, Pain, Death, and Time.
Warnings: Should I warn for Gallifreyan mythology?

Recced because: If someone is a thousand years old or more (or even if they're the nine-hundred years they claim to be), it's very silly to presume that they've only loved once in their life. This fic expresses that concept beautifully. It's wonderfully written, with lyrical prose and a firm grasp of canon. The incorporation of Pain, Death, and Time--the three Gallifreyan goddesses--lends a perfect note of unease. I almost didn't rec this, because hasn't everyone read something by Carmen Sandiego? But this fic just gets it so very right that I couldn't help myself. If you haven't read this already, please do. (It's not really as long as the pairing list makes it sound like. It's actually just under three thousand words.)

I'd also like to say that it's been a distinct pleasure to rec to everyone this past week. Due to the generosity of our mods, who let me sign up for another week, I'll be back at the end of April. Quite frankly, I can't wait!