Barbara asked Martha if she'd help her in the kitchen, getting tea for everyone, and Martha agreed. The two men were left alone together. Ian watched the Doctor, not saying anything.

"You had better not try anything funny, Doctor." Ian finally broke the silence that permeated the room. His tone indicating that he still didn't quite believe that the man in front of him was who he claimed to be.

Faint laughter echoed from the kitchen as the Doctor frowned in puzzled protest, "What? You're my friends!"

"I have never laid eyes on you before in my life." Ian retorted, "And you broke in here with your..." He stopped abruptly as he realized that the women were returning from the kitchen.

"Oh, Ian! Martha here was just telling me the most wonderful story." Barbara said cheerfully, bearing the tray of tea-things, seemingly oblivious to any residual tension in the air, "She and the Doctor got to meet Shakespeare. Isn't that just marvelous?"

Only a few steps behind Barbara, Martha put in, "It wasn't all wonderful. There were these aliens, these Carrionites, and we had to stop them from invading London and the whole world."

Barbara set the tray down on the coffee table and seated herself in the armchair that Martha had previously occupied. As she started to pour the tea for everyone, Ian half-sat on the arm of the chair, leaving the sofa to be shared by Martha and the Doctor.

"Shakespeare? Really?" is all Ian said in reply. His tone was almost friendly, mixed with skepticism. Neither Barbara nor Martha seemed to notice anything wrong.

As the Doctor took a cup of tea from Barbara, he added, "Don't forget Queen Elizabeth, Martha. Mind you, I could've done without those guardsmen. They shot the TARDIS! My TARDIS!"

"The TARDIS? They almost shot us." Martha retorted.

Ian cleared his throat, "Speaking of the TARDIS, if you haven't got it then exactly how did you get here? You never said."

"Oh, right, sorry, yes." the Doctor beamed. He took a sip of the hot beverage that Barbara had given him, "Love a good cup of tea! Anyway, there's this species. Weeping Angels, they're called. They look just like statues, when you can see them. When you're not looking, they can move incredibly fast. If you close your eyes for even a moment, they'll send you back in time. Feed off all the days of your life that never were. And you're stuck, can't do anything about it. Unless you've got a time machine. Which I've got. Only it's there and I'm here, so we have to wait for it to arrive. It's a bit rubbish, having to wait. I thought it'd be a quick trip. Pop back, wait a few weeks, pop home. I must've lied. That's funny, why would I do that? Here, look, see?" One of Sally Sparrow's photographs was peeking out from beneath the tea tray and the Doctor deftly plucked it free and handed it over to Ian.

Martha glared briefly at the Doctor, "I still can't believe you never said!"

"Supposed to be a quick trip, Martha. I didn't want to worry you about something so trivial."

"Trivial?" Martha seethed while Ian and Barbara studied the photograph together, pretending not to notice the outburst, "You could've warned me. Said something. Then maybe I wouldn't have been sent back here by that stupid Weeping Angel!"

"Martha, I'm sorry. I really am very sorry." the Doctor said sympathetically, "But it's a fixed point in time. You can't change a fixed point. Rose tried, once, and she almost destroyed half the universe."

Rose. Again with Rose. Martha let out a cry of frustration and glared sullenly over her tea at the Doctor.

The Doctor returned his attention to Ian and Barbara, who were still politely ignoring the argument. "We just need somewhere to stay for a little while, until Martha can find a job in a shop."

"Until I what?" Martha couldn't believe her ears. That was the last straw. The absolute final straw. She was tired and cranky and had been essentially kidnapped against her will. She was a medical student, not... not...

Astonishing absolutely everyone, perhaps herself most of all, Martha turned and dumped her tea over the Doctor's head before standing up and stalking out of the room.

Tea and cream dripping from his ears, the Doctor just sat there and blinked.

Barbara covered her gaping mouth with her hand.

Ian stared for a moment before laughing heartily.