Summary: In the parallel world the Doctor had a dream that seemed entirely too real.
Notes: I had this idea in my head for a while but wasn't sure I was going to write it until there was the prompt from @doctorroseprompts . I also found it very appropriate with the timing of the release of the new Beauty and the Beast movie what with the age old comparison between TenToo and Ten and the human Prince and the Beast after his transformation.
Read On A03
It was something he didn’t even realize was there - not until it was suddenly ripped out of him and he was left with a strange emptiness inside him.
He watched it all unfold before him and for a moment thought it had been him. He thought he had been the one in the TARDIS, every cell of his body burning with pain that had been suppressed for too long as he fought the inevitable. Then there was the oh so familiar tingling of the powerful energy of the time vortex itself preparing his body for a change.
He felt it growing and growing inside him getting ready to burst from him.
“I don’t want to go…” He had said.
And then -
He shot up, his heart pounding in his chest, his breath leaving his lips in short, quick pants.
He glanced wildly at the dark surroundings, trying to make sense of where he was and what had just happened.
Was he not just in the TARDIS? Was he not just about to regenerate? He could feel it. Clear as the eleven other times that happened before it.
“Doctor?” A groggy, soft, familiar voice and a gentle touch to his arm sharply pulled him back to reality with a gasp.
He turned around, wide eyed and was met with a half-awake Rose Tyler, propped up on her elbow, blinking up at him in concern.
“You alright?” She asked, now sitting up, fully taking in his frantic expression.
Just like that it all came crashing down around him.
He had not just been in the TARDIS, he had not been in the TARDIS for almost two years. He had been living with Rose - he was married to Rose - in the parallel universe. He had not been just about to regenerate - he would never regenerate again.
It had all just been a very vivid nightmare. It was not the first time he dreamed about his past - he missed space travel very much as happy as he was in this new adventure with Rose.
And yet…
And yet...it felt so entirely real.
“Doctor?” Rose prompted again, her hand now sliding into his.
“Yes I…” He paused, the words dying on his tongue.
He blinked rapidly trying to solidify himself in this reality. Despite the solid form of Rose beside him and her very real touch he felt extremely disoriented.
That dream was more vivid, more real than anything he'd ever dreamt before. He was finding it hard to believe it wasn't real.
“Was it a nightmare?” Rose wondered, keeping her eyes on his face.
His brow furrowed. “I don't know.” He said quietly, his eyes focused on the wall behind her.
She squeezed his hand again. “The time war?”
Finally he turned his gaze to her.
Her voice had been so quiet and tender as it always was when she approached the topic of the time war. Rose had spent many days and nights comforting him and he was always touched by how concerned she was for him every time she did.
The corners of his lips twitched. “No.” He breathed, relieved. Nightmares and memories of the time war had been less frequent since he became this version of himself.
However, it still left him with that surreal and uneasy feeling that he was feeling now. What he saw and felt and heard was not just a nightmare.
Rose also visibly relaxed but only for a moment before the concerned and curiosity returned to her eyes. “What did you see?”
“I was regenerating.” He told her and her eyes widened for a moment.
“Oh, Doctor…” She breathed. “Which time?”
He pressed his brow together, shaking his head. “That's the thing, Rose...it wasn't any of my past regenerations. It was like I was regenerating...me, the way I am now.”
“You said that wasn't possible though, yeah? That you'd never regenerate again.”
He nodded once, distractedly. “Yes, it's not possible in this human body.”
Rose nodded slowly. “So it was a dream then.”
He shook his head slowly, his frustration of his own misunderstanding growing with each second. He could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. It wasn't just the memory of regeneration- that was a similar feeling but not the same. It was like something was missing, like something was suddenly just gone-
He gasped suddenly, his eyes widening and Rose’s eyes widened in alarm.
“What is it?”
“Bloody hell...” He whispered and brought his free hand to his chest. Rose’s eyes darted down, following his gaze, brow furrowing in concern.
He felt his one heart solidly beating against his hand.
“Doctor, what?” Rose pressed, looking back up to him and inching in a little closer so their knees were pressed together.
“It wasn't me. Well, obviously it couldn't be me but it was real.” He met her wide eyes with his own. “It was him.” He whispered. “Rose, it was him…”
Roses face went almost blank, her body tensing. “Him….you mean…”
The Doctor nodded slowly. “I saw it, I felt it. I didn't even realize...but I suppose it makes sense in some way. I was created from him, I'm a part of him...so someway on some deep buried level we were connected.” He marveled for a moment at the miraculous discovery. Then he frowned deeply, that emptiness inside him now suddenly deeper than ever. “He's gone.” His voice grew deep and low. “He regenerated.”
His eyes drifted back to Rose and he could see the emotion building in her eyes.
After a small period of adjustment, Rose accepted him pretty quickly. They acted on feelings they denied for too long and led blissfully happy lives the last two years in Pete's World but he knew, he knew, Rose thought about the full Time Lord that had left them behind. There were periods of time she just looked so sad and he didn't even have to ask where her mind was. It was with him. And even though he was him, he also wasn't and just like the the Time Lord would always carry Rose around with him, Rose also carried a piece of the Time Lord with her.
She had that same look in her eyes now and he felt at a loss for what to say. He always knew to leave Rose alone when she was thinking about him because she would always come back to him with a smile and a twinkle of love in her eyes.
He felt the loss of the TARDIS every day. He felt the loss of time and space travel. He missed being a full Time Lord (most of the time - there were some perks about being human).
Though he could never feel what Rose felt - his loss - until now.
Oh the Doctor still existed, right there in him and in the now recently regenerated Time Lord, galavanting across the other universe with fresh eyes and - hopefully - a renewed spirit.
But just like when he has regenerated the first time in front of her, Rose’s Doctor as she knew him was gone.
Rose blinked quickly and tears pooled in her eyes but never fell. She took a slow inhaling breath and swallowed thickly.
“Was he happy?”
His heart broke as her voice shook.
He knew, they both knew, that when the Time Lord had left them on the beach he was not happy. He had given up his happiness to give them their chance that he could never have.
He knew what the Time Lord felt because he was him - he knew how much he loved Rose and how much losing her at Canary Wharf devastated him. He knew the sacrifice that had to be made for Rose on Bad Wolf Bay and...he knew Donna’s fate.
Was he happy?
He could feel the Time Lord’s pain as if it were his own - the physical pain from dying and suppressing regeneration but also the emotional pain.
I don’t want to go.
That is what he said. He was holding on to that version of him for whatever reason. The Doctor would live on but still he didn’t want to go.
“I don’t know.” He whispered and he knew Rose didn’t believe him.
Her jaw clenched and she averted her eyes, taking a shuddering breath.
“How did it happen?” She asked quietly, still looking away.
“I don’t know.” He answered honestly. “It was in the TARDIS.” He went on quietly and Rose slowly looked back at him trying fiercely to hold her emotions at bay.
“He was resisting it. We can...I mean...Time Lords can put it off...for a time. It’s not pleasant but it is possible and he definitely fought it for as long as he could.”
Rose furrowed her brow but stayed quiet and her unasked questioned just seemed to hang in the air.
Why?
He shook his head slowly. “He couldn’t hold it back forever. Though he could have chosen not to regenerate at all.” Rose’s brow shot up and explained cautiously. “I mean...he could have chosen to let whatever was killing him kill him. We don’t have to regenerate but most of the time it is a superior option to dying. So at least he didn’t want to die...that’s something I suppose.”
Rose’s lips twitched in a half, sad smile.
The Doctor took a deep breath. “It was strong - the regeneration energy.” He held out his hands in front of him. “It’s like I can still feel it…” He muttered and Rose frowned as she looked down at his hands.
She slowly reached out to place her hands under his, flipping them around so they were palm to palm and their fingers wrapped around each other's hands before slowly rotating so their fingers could interlock.
Rose lifted her head, meeting his eyes sadly.
“You were there...with him.”
“Sort of. It’s….complicated. Time Lords are a telepathic race but I’ve never connected with myself before and I have been in the same place and same time as one of my past selves. More than one actually and more than once. But I’m different...I’m him but I’m seperate. I never could have communicated with him, I don’t think but in his last moments in this body…” He drew his hands back to his chest, bringing Rose along with them and she easily came, practically climbing into his lap. “We were going to be separated for ever...the connection was as strong as it ever would be and then completely severed for good.”
Rose frowned and sighed deeply as she rested her head on his shoulder. He shifted his position, opening his legs so Rose could fit comfortably between them.
He rested his chin on the top of her head and stared off at the far wall.
“Was there anyone with him?” Rose asked, her voice quiet and he felt his heart breaking again.
He didn't remember seeing anyone but that didn't mean that there wasn't. Although, there was the ever present sting of loneliness.
“I'm not sure.” He answered honestly and held onto her tighter. “I could really only see him…”
He trailed off as a sudden memory flashed before him. At least...he thought it was a memory. He knew it wasn't his memory but perhaps it was something the Time Lord had witnessed just before he regenerated.
“Although…” He murmured thoughtfully send then trailed off again. Rose lifted her head curiously.
He tilted his head down to meet her eyes and as he stared into her captivating brown eyes, there was another flash. It was clear as day as if he himself had been there.
The freshly falling snow, the very smell of winter in the air and the echos of all of a London celebrating.
And a face...sweet and smiling….pink and yellow...and so young.
He quickly shook his head. “No that's impossible.”
Rose quirked a brow and leaned back to better look at him. “Doctor, nothing’s impossible with you. What is it? What did you see?”
His lips twitched up for a moment and then he inhaled deeply and lifted his shoulders in a shrug.
“I saw you.”
“Me?” She leaned back further in surprise and their joined hands dropped to her lap. “With him?”
He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “No...not exactly…” He used his free hand to scratch the back of his neck. “I saw him in the TARDIS but I also saw you but you're out on the streets...it's snowing…” He pressed his brow together. “You looked so young.”
Rose tilted her head, puzzled and he smirked.
“Believe me, I can't make head or tails of it either but it's definitely you. I'd know that face anywhere.”
He lifted his free hand to her face, caressing her cheek and she allowed a small smile, leaning into his touch.
“I bet you're going to have a really great year.”
Suddenly Rose froze in his arms, her eyes widening slowly. “What did you just say?” She whispered.
He blinked, quickly shaking his head. “It just sort of popped into my head. I think I must have said that to someone.”
He frowned in corners as Rose’s face flashed in recognition and then her eyes welled with tears.
“Oh my god…” She whispered and dropped his hand to cover her mouth.
“What is it?” He moved his hand to rest comfortingly on her knee.
She stayed silent for a long moment just slowly shaking her head and then she lowered her hand and sniffled as a few tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I remember.” She whispered.
“Remember what?”
She sniffled again and wiped at her cheeks. She cleared her throat as she turned to him. “Years ago, on New Years, just after midnight I was out with Mum. She wanted to stay out but I was just gonna go home. There was a bloke…” She pressed her brow together, shaking her head and she looked down at her lap. “He was hidden in the dark but completely pissed. Didn't even know what year it was.” She allowed a small smile before it quickly fell again. “He sounded like he was gonna be sick at any moment - moaning and such. He asked what year it was,” Her voice broke with sudden emotion and tears welled her eyes, “I told him...and that's what he said.” She looked back up at the Doctor. “I bet you're going to have a really great year.” She repeated breathlessly.
His eyes were wide as the realization swept over him. Of course it was her. The Time Lord had gone back in time to see her...to say goodbye.
“What year was it?” He whispered.
“2005.” She answered just as quietly.
“2005.” He echoed and a small smile twitched at his lips. “The year we met.”
She nodded, smiling a watery smile of her own. Her lips trembled and a few more tears rolled down her cheeks as the emotion visibly swelled inside her.
“It was you...I mean it was-it was him and I didn’t even know it. Oh my God, he was right there in front of me and he was dying and I didn’t even know…” She broke off with a sob and the Doctor’s eyes widened and he moved quickly, taking her face gently in his hands and looking intently into her eyes.
“Hey, Rose, look at me…” She took a shuddering breath but met his eyes. “He didn’t want you to know, alright? If I know him, and I do know him because I am him, he probably didn’t even have any intention of even talking to you that night. All he wanted to do was see you again and he couldn’t have risked visiting you at a time where we had already met - timelines, you know.”
She sniffled, nodded and let out a small whimper.
“I could have helped him.” She said in a small voice. “Even without knowing who he was I would have…”
“I know.” He smiled weakly and leaned in to press a tender, lingering kiss to her forehead. “I know you would have my beautiful, brilliant girl.”
She closed her eyes and a few more tears rolled helplessly down her cheeks and she leaned in to rest her forehead against his.
No words passed between them for a few minutes - the only sounds being Rose’s slightly labored breathing and the pounding of their own hearts.
The Doctor could do nothing but hold Rose and comfort her while she mourned. He had been a little frustrated when she first mourned him just after he left them on the beach, because the Time Lord was gone but he, the Doctor, the Doctor that loved her, the Doctor that remembered every single moment they spent travelling together was right there in front of her and she couldn’t see it. He gave the the space she needed and eventually she came to him with acceptance that he was the Doctor - the very same one she loved.
Now she mourned him again and this time he mourned with her. He knew the pain the Time Lord must have felt the last several years on his own. For surely, he was on his own. He knew himself well enough to know that after losing Rose and Donna his wounded hearts would not so easily take on another companion.
The only solace he had was knowing that a regeneration often came with a new outlook on life for him - in some way. He was still the same man but it was seeing the universe with fresh eyes and a new personality. One that was just as much fun to discover as the universe itself.
He hoped that wherever the Time Lord was that he got a good new body. One that might even -
“Rose,” He murmured against her hair and she hummed from her place now on his chest. “Do you think finally…I might be ginger?”
To his delight and relief Rose let out a laugh and buried her face in his chest, muffling the sound for a moment before she pulled away to look at him, smiling that Rose Tyler smile.
She sniffled and wiped at her cheeks, letting out another small laugh. “I dunno.” She shrugged. “Maybe. I hope so.”
He grinned back at her. “Yeah, me too...because that would definitely be a plus side to regeneration.” He turned his eyes upward thoughtfully. “Yeahhh, he’s gotta be! I’m telling you, Rose Tyler, somewhere out there in that old universe of yours there’s a brand new, ginger Doctor, travelling the stars in the TARDIS, saving species and planets and just being absolutely brilliant.” He looked back down at her.
She smiled for half a second then bit her lip and looked back at him through curious, hopeful eyes. “Yeah, you think so?”
“Absolutely.” He nodded and reached out to take her hands, his face softening. “It was time for him, I think….to move on. To face the universe again and have a brand new adventure...just as he gave us the chance to have our brand new adventure here - together.”
Her lips twitched up in a small, sad smile and she squeezed his hands and nodded. “I just want him to be happy.”
He released her hands and brought one of his hands up to brush a strand of her hair out of her face. “You saved me from self destruction.” He told her earnestly and her lips twitched up a little bit more. “You brought a light back to my life and along with it a joy I never thought I could feel again after the Time War. You made me the happiest I’ve been in a very long time and no matter what has happened since...I was created... and I went my way and he went his...he will always have those memories of you and I know he will always think of them with joy in his hearts. Sadness too...oh yes, there will be plenty of that but I think you will always be a source of joy for him, whether you’re there or not. That is why he choose to come to you just before regenerated. To say a final goodbye, of course, but more than that because your very presence would make him feel better. You said you wanted to help him, Rose...well you did, you helped him more than you'll ever know.”
Her lips trembled and then she hoisted herself onto her knees and propelled herself forward, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He let out a small grunt at the impact but easily welcomed her, slipping his arms around her and holding her tight to him.
She slipped one hand into his hair and buried her face into his shoulder, squeezing him tightly.
She lifted her head only for a moment to whisper in his ear. “I love you, my Doctor.”
His chest swelled with warmth and his throat tightened with a flood of human emotion.
The love he felt for the woman in his arms was immeasurable. He thought he had loved her when he was just a Time Lord, and he had, oh there was no doubt about that, but his human side fell for her harder and deeper than he ever thought possible. As a Time Lord he tried to understand human emotion and compared to the rest of the species, he did a fairly good job of it. Being human however brought brand new experiences and feelings the Time Lord couldn't understand if he tried. He had Rose who already made him more human than he ever had been and then he was made from Donna - one of the most compassionate and caring human beings he'd ever known.
“I love you, my Rose.” He murmured against her hair and she snuggled back into his shoulder.
After another few minutes of remaining wrapped in the comfort of each other's arms, Rose finally pulled away, releasing him and returning the spot in front of him.
Her cheeks were still tear stained but she seemed a little more at peace now.
She let out a small sigh and gave him a small smile.
“He’ll be alright, won't he?” She asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.
The Doctor smiled softly. “ ‘Course he will. He's always alright.”
Rose gave him a knowing look. “I mean...he'll really be alright. Not in the Doctor “I'm always alright but not really” sort of way.”
He chuckled quietly. “You know me too well, Rose Tyler.”
She grinned. “And that's just the way you like it.”
He took her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing a tender kiss over her knuckles. “Always.” He answered and they shared a loving smile.
“Yes Rose...I do think he’ll be alright.” He answered her seriously, wrapping his fingers around hers and resting their joined hands on his lap. “He’s moving on as we always have done. He’s brand new now….regeneration truly does wonders sometimes.”
Rose smirked. “New New New Doctor.”
He grinned. “Welllll technically he’d be the new new new new new new new new new new new new Doctor.”
She laughed quietly and lifted a brow. “How many new’s was that?”
“Entirely too many.” He laughed but then was hit with a sudden sinking feeling in his gut. It was twelve new’s. Twelve new’s for twelve regenerations which meant, much like him, the new new new Doctor would never regenerate again.
Rose thankfully didn’t notice any change in expression due to his sudden revelation.
She bit her lip and let out a small laugh and he gave her a small, half smile.
After they settled back into bed and Rose fell back to sleep curled up to his side, the Doctor’s attention was drawn to the window.
For once the dark skies were cloudless and the stars seemed to shine brighter than ever.
One life, that was all they had left. He was more than content living the domestic life with Rose and he hoped more than anything that the Time Lord, wherever he was, whatever he was doing , was finally content with his life too.
Summary: Rose is poisoned by an alien plant, the Doctor rushes to save her life.
Notes: This is a prompt fill for the ‘Hurt/Comfort’ prompt by @doctorroseprompts.
Read on A03
“One rule. I have one rule and I don't really believe it's that hard to follow. But do you follow it? Oh no, the second you step out of the TARDIS you have to go wandering off. You stupid apes and your curiosity and lack of patience. Can't do a thing you’re told. You lot are more trouble than you're worth most of the time.”
“I can hear you you know.”
The Doctor glanced down to the human in his arms. Her body was practically limp, her head curled against his chest. Her brown eyes peered weakly up at him through small slits.
He huffed. “Well good. You need a good scolding. Maybe that will teach you not to go wandering off on your own on a strange planet.”
Her eyes finally closed, unable to keep them open any longer and she curled further into his chest. “ ‘M Sorry..” She mumbled. “Jus’ looked so nice.”
“Dangerous things often do.” He snipped. “I told you, didn't I? I told you before we left the TARDIS that most of the vegetation on this planet was poisonous to humans. And you, Rose Tyler, just had to go swanning off into the midst of it all.”
A shiver rippled across her body and she let out a quiet moan.
His hearts clenched in concern, his eyes focusing on her red tipped fingers where she had touched one of the admittedly beautiful but definitely dangerous flowering plants he had warned her about.
He knew Rose was not stupid and would not touch anything he told her not to, she had been with him long enough to know better. Which meant, of course, that she just had not been listening to him.
His anger stemmed from that but more so from the deep rooted concern pooling in his gut. He gave his speeches, his warnings for her safety alone. The universe was a large, mysterious, dangerous place and Rose was a young, vulnerable human. She was curious and adventurous and brave - all qualities he admired in her but they were also qualities that got her into trouble when she didn't follow his instructions.
“You can fix it, yeah?”
Her voice was so low and weak that he almost missed it.
Another look at her face just heightened his ever growing concern. She was barely awake and he knew it would only be a matter of time before she completely lost consciousness.
“I can.” He confirmed, softening his voice, allowing his concern to make itself known. “But only in the TARDIS.”
He was kicking himself for not taking any sort of first aid with him. The poison was common with a very common antidote he had stored in the TARDIS med bay. He should have predicted that Rose would end up in trouble. He could have easily stored the antidote in his transdimensional pockets.
He had started to give her a brief tour of the planet and for a while thought she was right behind him. Then when he realized she had been strangely silent he turned around to find her nowhere in sight.
His frustration and annoyance grew as he searched the brush for his wayward companion.
He eventually found her sitting on the ground, staring dazed at her red hands with the dreaded plant in question hanging almost mockingly beside her.
They had both wandered a good distance from the TARDIS and in his hastening to find his lost companion, he couldn't even remember where exactly he had parked her.
Yes, he could fix Rose but only if he could find the TARDIS and so far, he wasn't having much luck.
Rose had now fallen completely silent and deathly still. The only evidence of her life was the slow rise and fall of her chest he could feel against him.
He knew the poison was slowly making its way through her body and it wouldn't be long before it reached the next phase.
Finally, finally, he could see the bright blue of his beloved ship parked on the hill in the distance.
He picked up his pace as best he could with the dead weight of Rose in his arms.
Nearly halfway there, her body suddenly lurched, her back arching upwards and he tightened his grip so he wouldn’t drop her.
Then seconds later a grin split across her lips and she let out a string of helpless giggles.
Any other time the sight would have been amusing but the Doctor’s concern only grew.
To the planet’s natives, the plant acted as a hallucinative agent. It provided them with a blissful high, giving way to that same reaction: Unbridled joy and laughter.
For a human it worked similarly, however, the effects were too much for a human body to handle.
The Doctor knew the toxin had now reached her brain and if he didn't get to the TARDIS quickly, the chemicals being released into her body would overload her entire system.
Every peep of laughter from her lips, a sound that usually only filled him with joy, now filled him with dread.
His faithful time ship must have sensed his distress because by the time he reached the TARDIS the doors were already unlocked.
He kicked the door open and maneuvered his way in, struggling somewhat against the giggling, wiggling Rose in his arms.
Her cheeks were now burning pink, though whether that was from the incessant laughter or the excess chemicals leaking into her body he didn't know.
Nor did he want to waste anymore time thinking about it.
He quickly walked through the console room, thanking the TARDIS as he found the med bay had been moved closer.
He hustled them over to the nearest bed and placed a still wiggling Rose onto it.
As he released her and went to pull away, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his face between his hands, bringing him down so their faces were only inches apart.
His wide startled eyes locked on hers.
Her lips were curled into a wide smile, giggles still escaping her throat, her cheeks were only getting more red and were now stained with tears that leaked helplessly from her red-rimmed eyes.
She bit down on her lip, trying to control her laughter.
“You know what, Doctor…” She brushed her fingers against his cheeks and another round of giggles interrupted her before she managed to speak again, “...You've got really nice eyes.”
He huffed, lightly grabbing a hold of her wrists. “Well that's nice, Rose but would you please let go of my face?”
Rose continues to giggle. “They're so blue…”
“Rose…” He gently removed her hands from his cheeks and her fingers wiggled, immediately reaching back towards him but then she burst out into a hearty laughter, throwing her head back.
Her hands then fell to her stomach, her volume only growing.
The Doctor swore under his breath and hastened across the room frantically searching through all the drawers and cabinets to locate the correct antidote.
“Gotcha.” He nearly growled as he found a small vial full of a blueish green liquid.
He grabbed a syringe and clean needle and brought it back over to the Rose.
She was now doubled over herself, curled up on the bed, her chin tucked into her chest, her laughter muffled by her shirt.
“Rose, I'm gonna need your arm.” He told her as calmly as he could, already trying to peel one arm from where it was wrapped tight around her abdomen.
“My arm?” She bit out between peels of laughter. “You've got your own!”
He frowned at her and wondered how he was going to manage this. Hitting a human vein was hard enough when they were still, none the less when they were moving . And it wasn't like she could calm herself either.
“Rose…” He placed one hand over hers where they joined together at the center of her abdomen. “I know it's hard but I need you to calm down…”
Rose snickered, biting down on her lip as looked down at his hand. “You've got big hands Doctor…” Her head lifted and she spluttered out a few more laughs. “Does it mean the same thing for Time Lords as it does for humans?”
He resisted a sigh and clenched his jaw. It was like dealing with a child.
He struggled with her laughing form for a few more agonizing seconds and then finally managed to free her arm and pin it to the bed.
He tried to tune out every distraction- including Rose’s constant laughter and his own pounding hearts.
He quickly drew the appropriate dosage into the syringe and then moved to inject it.
He kept one hand against her wrist to hold it still, while he concentrated the other towards the vein in the middle of her arm.
He clenched his teeth, grunting in frustration as with each peal of hysterical laughter, Rose’s whole body shook and he could not even get near the skin.
“I will have to have words with whoever made this bloody thing intravenous.” He growled under his breath.
Rose suddenly let out a large bark of laughter, her whole body arching upwards and then she collapsed back onto the bed, completely still.
The Doctor only allowed a split second of relief that she was calm enough to inject the antidote before deep dread passed over him at the fact that she now needed it more than ever.
Without any more hesitation he quickly searched for her vein and then inserted the needle and injected the antidote.
He made sure every last drop left the syringe before tossing it to the side table. He grabbed a small gauze pad and placed it over her arm to stop any bleeding and then looked over at her for any indication that it was working.
Rose was still as stone and after a few more seconds he moved his other hand to search for a pulse on her neck.
He let out a small sigh of relief upon feeling the gentle, normal thrum of her pulse against his fingers.
He then removed that hand and used the back of his hand to lightly brush the tear tracks off her left cheek and then brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
After another few seconds the color in her cheeks slowly returned to normal and her previously tensed body had now relaxed.
“Don't know what I'm gonna do with you, Rose Tyler.” He told her, now satisfied that the antidote had started to work. “It's not really possible for a Time Lord to have a heart attack, given that we have two of them but you may be the cause of my very first, you know.”
He spoke easily to her unconscious form. These were words he dare not spoke aloud when she could hear them.
Rose Tyler gave him very human emotions most of the time and he wasn't afraid to let her know he cared - he just preferred not to show how much he cared. Sometimes it was even hard for him to.believe how quickly this human had wormed her way into his hearts.
He sat observing her for another minute or two, just to make sure she was properly recovering from the attack and then he started cleaning up.
It was another couple of hours before Rose started to stir.
She let out a small groan as she started to blink awake.
She flinched against the bright light and her arms wound gently around her middle.
“Doc…” Her voice was hoarse and she quickly cut herself off as a few coughs passed her lips and then she winced and groaned again. “Doctor?”
“Here, Rose.”
She turned her head and found the Doctor sitting by her bedside, a glass with a straw in his hands.
“Drink this, it will make you feel better.”
She groaned and winced as she slowly pushed herself up. She eyed the glass curiously as he extended it towards her. “What is it?” She raised, taking it from him.
He smirked.. “It's just water, Rose.”
“Oh.” She whispered and then took a few sips from.the straw. Immediately she let out a small sigh of relief, her eyes closing as the soothing water slipped down her throat.
“What happened?” She asked after nearly drinking the whole glass and turned back to face the Doctor inquisitively. “Why does my throat feel so scratchy and why does it feel like I got a killer workout for my abs.”
He raised his brow. “You don't remember?”
She furrowed her brow, pausing to think and then shook her head. “Not really...I mean we were on that planet. The one that looked like a giant greenhouse and I...,”
“Yes? You what, Rose?”
She paused to swallow thickly. “I dunno.” She muttered.
He pressed his lips together and leaned forward towards her. “I'll tell you what you did. You wandered off...again after I told you not to...again.”
Roses eyes widened for a second and then she bit her lip, trying to hide a sheepish smile.
“And then, you went and touched the very thing I told you not to touch.”
“Very Adam and Eve.”
“Indeed. The forbidden fruit in this case was a plant the locals like to call Joy - because it brings them.just that. Almost euphoric bliss.”
“Sounds lovely.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh it's fantastic...to them. To fragile little.humans though it's deadly.”
Roses face quickly sobered and she visibly tensed. “Deadly?”
“Yes, Rose, deadly.” His voice was calm and cool but there was a certain ice in his blue eyes that shook Rose to the core. She knew the Doctor was serious when he looked at her like that.
“But...I'm gonna be alright, yeah?”
He sighed. “Yes. Very luckily I was able to get you back to the TARDIS where I just so happened to have the antidote but not.before you nearly laughed yourself to death. Literally.”
She relaxed in relief and then her eyes widened in realization. “That's why my sides hurt. From laughing?”
The Doctor nodded solemnly.
“Well that would have been a hell of a way to go.” She whispered with a small laugh, her lips twitching up at the corners.
“Well I'm glad you find amusement in it. It wasn't very funny knowing your brain could explode at any minute.” He said tensely
Her brow lifted incredulously. “My brain was gonna explode?”
He rolled his eyes. “Well not literally no but the plant toxin would have triggered your brain to release a very large amount of endorphins. It would have flooded your system and overloaded you until you just completely shut down.”
“Oh.” She whispered, quickly sobering. She bit her lip, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry…”
He took in the sight of her, wide brown eyes filled with true regret, pale cheeks with just a hint of color and then sighed.
He visibly released the tension from.his shoulders and reached out to take.her hand. “It's alright.” He said and his lips turned up in a small smile. “I'm just glad to have you back.”
A smile lit up her face and a flood of warmth filled his belly at the sight.
She squeezed his hand and they locked eyes for a few moments.
Then the Doctor cleared his throat, released her hand and say back. “Now,” He said seriously, throwing her a pointed look, “How about next time you listen to what I tell you about alien planets, eh? I'm sort of an expert on the subject.”
Rose nodded. “Yeah, ‘course I will.” Her eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief and he narrowed his eyes at her.
“I will! Really, I promise...at least you know about the important things.”
He straightened up, looking affronted. “Everything I say is important.”
She light rolled her eyes. “But not everything is interesting..”
He gaped at her. “Rose Tyler, you take that back.”
She grinned. “Doctor, most of what you say is interesting. You know I love learning about the universe and planets and things but some stuff just goes right over my head. Silly little human remember?”
“Hm.” He huffed. “Yes but I don't think “toxic plant - do not touch” falls in that category.”
Rose smiled sheepishly, lifting her shoulders. “Alright I got a bit distracted, it was just beautiful and I thought you'd just be going on and on about the history.”
His brow furrowed. “History is interesting!”
“I know and I did listen...at first. I remember the planet’s name is Turalsa which translates to Harmony in English and that it's so full of luscious plantlife because the natives care about sustaining their natural environment and it has been flourishing for five thousand years.”
She smiled at the surprised look on the Doctor’s face.
“Yeah, that’s right, I did listen, I told you it’s just...then you just kept on going and going and I got a little bit distracted by everything. The sights and smells...it was so lovely there. I shouldn’t have wandered off though and I really should have known better than to touch anything.”
“Yes you should have.” He agreed seriously and then they shared a smile.
“I can’t promise that I won’t wander off again.” She admitted and he let out a small sigh of frustration though he knew the truth of it. “But I will listen to what you say about life on other planets and its dangers. Believe me, I want to see the universe not die before I get the chance to.”
His eyes darkened for a moment, his chest clenching at the dreaded thought. Every adventure he took her on put her in enough danger to potentially kill her.
“You better. My job is to show you the universe not be your caretaker.”
She raised her brow, biting her lip. “Your job? And isn’t your name the Doctor? Isn’t that by very definition a care taker?”
“Yes and I do take care - of the universe. I save planets and species and help them when they need help. It does not refer to saving one particular human over and over again when she decides she wants to get herself into trouble.” He raised his brow pointedly and she grinned, unabashed.
“Yet here you are, saving me again.”
“Well I very well can’t have you dying, can I?” He retorted, a little sharply and she only continued to grin at him. He crossed his arms sitting back in his chair and shook his head. “I, for one, am not going to be the one to tell your Mum that you got yourself killed by a plant of all things.”
Rose’s eyes widened for a moment at the mention of her mother and then she stifled a giggle. “Oh, she’d kill you…”
“Or worse.”
Rose let out a laugh and then almost immediately groaned, her face twisting up in pain as her arms once again wrapped around her middle.
“I did not realize that laughing could actually hurt this much.”
The Doctor frowned as he uncrossed his arms and leaned forward toward her. “You were doing quite a bit of heavy laughing for a good few minutes.”
She flinched again as she rubbed her hands over her sore abdomen.
“Now, I know you don’t like to stay put…” He gave her a pointed look and she looked up at him with small smirk. “...but you are going to have to rest for a bit. Your body needs time to heal and though the antidote did negate the toxin’s effects on you, your body still needs to flush it all out as well as the excess hormones that your brain already released due to the toxin. It will probably be another 12 hours or so before your body returns to normal. You don’t have to stay in here, I have already stabilized you and you are not in any need of careful medical watch so if you’d like you can go to your room or perhaps we can set you up in the library….Rose?” ‘
He paused, noticing Rose staring off past his head with a blank expression. She slowly turned her head to look at him and blinked slowly. “Sorry, what?”
He narrowed his eyes slightly. “Were you listening to me at all?”
She continued to stare at him blankly, just blinking quietly for a few long moments. Then a smile slowly pulled across her lips and she let out a small laugh. “I’m just teasing.” Her tongue poked out between her teeth. “ ‘ Course I was listening. The library sounds wonderful...with some tea, yeah?” ‘
The Doctor let out a small groan, closing his eyes for a moment and shook his head.
He reopened his eyes a moment later to find her still smiling at him, a twinkle in her eyes and he shook his head again, returning a small smile of his own.
“Alright - with tea and I suppose you want biscuits as well?”
“That’d be great thanks.” She grinned and he resisted a small eye roll.
Yes, most of the time humans he found humans to be more trouble than they were worth.
Summary: A night of relaxation and fun under the fireworks could change the Doctor and Rose's relationship forever.
Notes: This was previously posted on A03 a few months ago but I am now creating a new fanfiction blog and migrating things over.
A03
“Where are we?” Rose asked eagerly as the TARDIS landed.
The Doctor had been very secretive about their destination giving her only that it'd be a much needed relaxation day.
She had been a little down since they returned from the parallel world and left Mickey behind. The thought of never seeing her dear friend again left an ache in her chest.
She perked up a little when she walked into the galley and found the Doctor grinning with excitement and as much as she begged and pleaded he wouldn't tell her where they were going.
He remained secretive all throughout the journey and even now as he grinned from ear to ear and motioned towards the door.
She grinned back at him and then bounded toward the doors. Her pulse thrummed heavy through her veins as she grabbed hold of the handles. No matter how many travels they went on, no matter how long she stayed with the Doctor she knew she’d never get tired of this moment; Opening the doors to a brand new world.
She released a breath and then pulled open the doors and stepped outside.
The landscape was vaguely similar to Earth, she noticed. She stood on what looked like Earth grass and just out in front of her was the edge of a cliff, overlooking a violet sky with two lavender moons shining brightly.
On either side of her was a forest of tall, thin, multicolored trees and her eyes widened in awe at the variety of vibrant colors.
She turned around when she heard the doors closing and grinned at the Doctor. “This is beautiful!”
He continued to grin back at her and it was then she noticed he had a folded blanket thrown over his arm.
“Oh yes.” He agreed, walking up to stand next to her.
“What's the blanket for?” She wondered and he smirked but only nodded toward the cliff face.
“Go on, look out.”
She bit her lip eyeing him for a moment and then walked forward.
Her jaw dropped as she looked out and saw miles stretched wide of pink sanded beach meeting an ocean as deep a purple as the sky. And thousands of people gathered on the beach as far as the eye could see.
“What is all this?” She asked as the Doctor approached from behind.
“It's Independence Day!” He explained. “And it's brilliant because it's not a country or even a continent wide celebration. It's a planet wide celebration! About, oh, 5000 years ago they had been invaded by a nasty race, called the Mokols. They came in and took over everything, burned down villages and forests, slaughtered almost the entire population and then enslaved the survivors.”
Rose frowned deeply, her heart clenching at the thought. “That's awful…”
The Doctor hummed in agreement. “Yes, and their reign of terror lasted almost 4000 years with generation after generation just being held prisoner on their own planet. But, as small of a population as they were, they were clever, oh so very clever. Those thousands of years they weren't sitting around letting it happen. They started planning a revolution and it took thousands of years to plan and gather enough supplies to actually go through with it but once they did...oh they were brilliant!” He grinned and Rose smiled back, listening intently to his story.
“The Mokols had their headquarters in the city just a few miles that way.” He pointed behind them beyond where the TARDIS sat. “So the battle, the victory battle happened right here on this beach. Because you see what the Mokols didn't know was that the revolution was run in secret because only a select few knew about it, and those select few adapted over the years to live and breathe underwater. So they hid,” he pointed out over the ocean, “right there for hundreds, thousands of years...The Mokols never even thought to look there so they never saw the attack coming. As with any war, lives were lost on both sides but the planet was victorious and ran the Mokols off the planet for good. So every year people from all over the planet come to this beach and celebrate.”
Rose smiled. “That's lovely. So we're going down there?”
“Er...um, no.” The Doctor tugged at his ear. “No we’re not.”
Rose furrowed her brow. “Why not?”
“Welllllll because they had been invaded and enslaved for millennia they really are not too fond of other world travelers especially on Independence Day.”
“So we’re not supposed to be here is what you're saying.”
“Yep.” He said popping the “p” and then grinned at her. “But when have we ever followed the rules Rose Tyler? More fun this way.”
She held back a chuckle. “And if we get caught?”
“Well, trespassing without proper papers might land you imprisoned for a few days until you can prove why you are on the planet has peaceful means.”
“Not too bad, we've had worse.”
“....yes but trespassing on Independence Day is a planetary crime worthy of months if not years of imprisonment.”
She turned to him quickly, her eyes wide. “Doctor!” She laughed. “Why are we here then?”
“Because it's beautiful! The fireworks sing, Rose! And we should be safe up here. Safe-ish. Maybe. But,” he exclaimed loudly, “fun though!”
Rose shook her head with a small scoff. “Alright so if we do get caught...you said we just need the proper papers and stuff yeah? The psychic paper will do?”
He blinked silently, avoiding her gaze. “And just look at the view! You wouldn't get this from down there.”
She folded her arms, turning to face him. “Doctor…”
He sighed and looked at her. “You worry too much! We won't get caught. But, um, no the psychic paper will not work. There are very few races who have the psychic ability to see past the psychic paper’s ability but this is one of them.“
She let out a breath. “So what you're saying is you've landed us on a planet where trespassing is viciously illegal with no way of defending ourselves just to watch some fireworks?”
“Musical fireworks. It's brilliant!”
She shook her head, reaching out to squeeze his arm affectionately. “Doctor I really think you need to redefine your definition of relaxing. Cuz to me it sure isn't threat of imprisonment.“
He just grinned. “Day in the life, Rose Tyler. We should be fine up here. The trees hide us. And besides, we wouldn't want to be down there anyway. Too crowded. It’s much more private up here.”
Rose lifted one brow. “Private? What do we need privacy for?” It was then she was redirected back to the blanket thrown over his arm.
Catching her line of sight, the Doctor smiled and took a few steps back and then shook open the blanket before laying it on the ground.
He looked over to Rose, presenting it proudly and she smiled brightly.
“A picnic under the fireworks?”
She tried to push back the fluttering feeling in her stomach. The Doctor, alien as he was, probably didn't realize how humanly romantic it was. She couldn't begin to hope he did.
“With the best view!” He nodded.
She bit her lip softly and then giggled quietly as she made her way over to the blanket.
She plopped herself down and she was joined a few seconds later by the Doctor who had shed his brown coat and tossed it to the side of him.
He leaned back against his elbows and she noticed then that his suit jacket and shirt had the first few buttons undone and he was even missing the tie revealing just a little bit more of his skin. She realized that was about as relaxed as he was going to get. The Doctor had a thing for layers, in both the bodies she knew him in. Her first Doctor was rarely seen without his leather jacket, even when inside the TARDIS and the same went for this Doctor and his suit jacket buttoned all the way up.
She tried not to stare at the revealed skin and definitely was not thinking about how she'd like to undo just a few more buttons.
She swallowed thickly and quickly averted her gaze, collapsing onto her back and looking up the sky before the Doctor caught her staring.
The colored leaves danced high above her head in the gentle, salty breeze from the beach below.
“What's this planet called?” She asked the Doctor.
“Hm? Oh, I didn't say?”
She turned her head to look back at him and found him staring down at her.
She smirked. “No, you didn't. You mentioned the invaders but not the planet's name or the people.”
“Right, sorry about that. Well, the planet's name is Vabnaraum. The people are called Limniotas and the subspecies, the ones who evolved under water, are called Limnio-ti-iotas. Ti is their native word for sea, so after their defeat of the Mokols they were still similar enough to the Limniotas to retain the species name but due to their differences, and the fact that they led the victorious rebellion, the Scientific Council decided to reward them their own specie name. And Vabnaraum is their word for victory. This planet's name, before the invasion, used to be Maskaopan but when the Mokols took over they renamed it to Mokol-35.”
Rose scoffed. “What seriously? How original.”
“Yes well, all the Mokols did was invade other planets. After awhile it just became easier to name it after themselves than create something original each time.”
Rose frowned. “Mokol-35, you said? So they've done this 35 times? 34 other planets were taken over?”
The Doctor nodded. “All over the universe, yeah. And that was a thousand years ago, there are probably more than that now. Some don't last as long as others. Mokol-6 only lasted for 3 years before the natives won it back. They even tried taking over Earth once.”
“Did they?” Rose’s eyes widened.
The Doctor furrowed his brow. “Or will do. In the year 7,899. Of course you humans fought for your little planet.” He grinned. “Oh many have tried taking over Earth but you humans are stubborn and fierce and well, you can invade other planets no problem but God forbid anyone try to take your planet from you. And you know, in the end, the planet's destruction came from its own sun.”
Rose nodded solemnly remembering watching her own planet explode in front of her. “And then came New Earth.”
“Yep! And all sorts of species live on New Earth and humans, well you remember, Cassandra was the last true human, all others cross bred and expanded all over the universe.”
Rose rolled her eyes. “I'm sorry but being a flab of skin does not make you human. Cassandra was more human when she took over the body of that poor genetically made boy if you ask me.”
The Doctor chuckled, grinning. “You'll never get over that will you?”
She sat up and shot him a look. “On my first trip into the universe you took me to the day my planet exploded and the last human was a bitchy trampoline and they thought a jukebox was an iPod! I mean where did they even find a jukebox in the year 5 billion!”
She couldn't help but smile as he fell completely onto his back in giddy laughter. She always did love it when the Doctor laughed so joyous and genuine
“Oh you loved it though!” He looked up at her with a grin.
She narrowed her eyes at him for a few seconds and then finally smiled, her tongue poking between her teeth. “Well yeah...our first date. Can't beat that.”
The Doctor hummed in agreement but said nothing more but the smile still on his lips told her she hadn't gone too far by yet again calling it a date.
“This is nicer though.” She said, now resting back just a little closer to him than she was before. “Scenery wise, at least.”
The Doctor smiled wider. “Yeah? Glad you think so. And just wait until you see the fireworks! Colors like you wouldn't believe!”
“You've been here before, have you?”
“Nah! Just heard stories...always wanted to though. Thought it should be with someone special, yeah? If you're going to risk imprisonment to see some fireworks it'd better be with someone you like.”
A grin blossomed across her face. She always liked to think she meant something to the Doctor, something more than just his companion so when he spoke about her like that she really believed it .
Rose giggled. “Are you saying you didn't like your other companions?”
His brow shot up and he lifted himself back onto his elbows. “Oh no they were all brilliant but would I want to spend months or years trapped in a cell with them?”
Her heart thundered. “You'd want to spend months or years in a cell with me?”
“Welllllll I wouldn't want to be trapped anywhere but if I had to, yeah I wouldn't mind it being with you.”
Rose grinned. “Yeah? Me neither.”
He smiled back at her, eyes twinkling in delight. They stared, grinning at each other for a few moments and then it was broken as the Doctor quickly sat up, gently clearing his throat.
“Should start soon.” He said as he looked out at the darkening sky and her smile faltered only slightly. The first step into a little more intimacy and the Doctor took a step back from it, just like always but Rose couldn’t complain. How could she when she got to experience all of this to begin with? And with a man who definitely enjoyed her presence, perhaps not in the way she wanted but they were friends - good friends and she was content with that for now.
A minute later the Doctor started talking again, going deeper into the planet’s history and Rose hung on his every word.
She slowly made her way closer to him to rest her head on his shoulder and though he didn’t pause in his speech, he smiled widely and glanced down at her, fully accepting of the touch.
Holding hands, hugging, her head on his shoulder, these were all things Rose was incredibly grateful the Doctor had no trouble with doing.
He talked until the sun completely set beneath the horizon and the first firework was set off, reaching high into the sky and exploding in an array of color and to Rose’s utter delight and amazement, music.
The sound climbed the musical scale from low to high as the fireworks launched from the ground into the sky. Then as they exploded with bright, vibrant colors, a swell of beautiful harmonies filled the air and as the colors faded, drifting back down through the air, the music faded along with it.
It started off with just a few fireworks, one going off one right after the other. Then they started to increase in speed and frequency and soon different types of fireworks collided in the sky together, creating a painting in the sky to a beautiful soundtrack of music.
The Doctor turned to watch Rose, her eyes lit up in awe and wonder and his hearts were working double time. This was one of his favorite parts of traveling, getting to show his companion something new, something beautiful and amazing that they never could dream of seeing before. And showing Rose, seeing that smile on her lips, and the joy in her eyes, to see how very happy their travels made her, made him happy beyond anything he thought he could feel after the war.
After a minute of watching her intently, he suddenly jumped up onto his feet. Rose caught the movement and turned to look up at him, her brow furrowing curiously.
He grinned and held out his hand towards her. “Rose Tyler, would you care to dance?”
Her eyes widened for a second and then a breathtaking grin spread across her lips.
She placed her hand in his and he helped her to her feet. “I don't think we've danced since you regenerated.” She bit her lip. “Think you've still got the moves?”
He waggled his brow, causing her to giggle. Then she squeaked as he brought one hand to the small of her back and pulled her in closer. “Oh Rose... I definitely still have the moves.”
Her free hand rested over his chest and she could feel his hearts beating rapidly against her palm.
He tapped his fingers against her back to the beat of the music of the fireworks and then when the time was right, he grinned and pulled her into a dance.
She squealed at the sudden movement and then laughed once she caught her footing and followed the Doctor’s lead.
The Doctor kept perfect time with the music (he was a Time Lord after all) and twirled her around the small clearing.
The grin would not leave his face as Rose’s laughter joined the constant melody of the musical fireworks and he made a mental note to dance with Rose more often if he could get her to smile and laugh like that.
They danced in circles all around the clearing, both grinning and laughing, for several minutes.
Then as they circled back towards the blanket, Rose’s foot caught on the edge and she tripped.
With a small squeak she started to topple sideways but the Doctor was quick to react and wrapped both his arms around her middle
She grabbed fistfuls of his suit jacket and once she was sure she was steady, she threw her head back and let out a long laugh.
The Doctor eyed her in concern for a moment and then smiled seeing she was alright and laughing.
Their bodies were pressed close together, so close he could feel twitch of her muscles as she laughed heartily.
His breath caught as he took in the sight of her. Her head tilted back, a large grin on her lips, eyes closed and the colors of the fireworks lighting up her pale face.
Slowly her laughter began to fade and she lifted her head, opening her eyes.
She stopped breathing as she caught sight of the Doctor’s gaze.
His eyes were locked on hers and his pupils were dilated, making them appear darker.
Her throat went dry and she swallowed thickly, parting her lips slightly to finally take in some air.
It was a rare moment when she and the Doctor were this close in such an intimate way. And when they were, the Doctor always pulled away and then quickly changed the subject.
Rose waited for him to do the same now.
He didn't.
His gaze darted down to her lips and her heart leapt.
He wouldn't….
The Doctor knew he should pull away but Rose was pulling him back in.
His eyes focused on her pink lips, parted ever so slightly and beckoning him in.
His tongue darted out to lick his suddenly dry lips and he started to lean in towards her.
She gasped quietly and he paused just inches from her lips.
Oh he wanted this and he was almost sure there was no going back at this point. He was also fairly sure Rose wanted it as well, he could smell the pheromones on her and feel her rapid heart rate and hear her quickened breathing.
Still, he couldn't risk doing anything she didn't want to do. “Rose…?” Her name left his lips in a whisper.
She whimpered, tightening her grip on him. “Yes.” She whispered back, a soft, desperate plea.
His hearts leapt and then his lips were on hers.
She gasped softly, parting her lips slightly as his mouth made contact with hers.
The Doctor’s arms tightened around her waist tugging her even closer. Rose felt like her insides were going to melt from the flood of warmth that pooled inside her. She could not believe that this was actually happening. She had a vague memory of Cassandra kissing him using her body but she was locked away inside her own head, she didn’t get to really experience what kissing him felt like and it was better than she ever imagined it to be.
They both pulled away several seconds later as the last of the fireworks exploded in the sky with a loud, harmonious sound.
They watched as the last of the colorful sparks fizzled out into the now dark black sky and the crowd below burst into a thunderous applause.
Rose swallowed as she was suddenly aware that she was still pressed up intimately against the Doctor.
She hesitated to look back at him, fearing that the moment would be over and he'd pull away, like he always did and pretend like it never happened.
But how could they, after this? The last kiss she wasn't herself and it could be easily swept under the rug.
This kiss, it was all theirs and Rose knew she would want more of it.
Finally she braved a look back to the Doctor and her breath caught as he looked back at her, meeting her eyes..
His eyes were slightly wide but unreadable and he made no move to run away.
She swallowed again and a small smile twitched at her lips, which then slowly pulled into a shy, sweet smile.
As soon as the smile fully formed her lips, a similar smile spread across his face, reaching all the way to his eyes and that was all Rose needed.
She suddenly leapt at him, throwing her arms around his neck going for his lips again. The force and shock of the impact sent him toppling backwards and they both let out a small shriek as they hit the ground.
The Doctor landed on his back with a groan and Rose landed on top of him, half sprawled over his torso.
Once they got over the initial shock of the fall, they took one glance at each other and burst into laughter.
They laughed for a few good seconds but the Doctor faded off first, quickly becoming acutely aware of Rose’s heaving chest pressed against his own.
His hand was at her hip, holding her to him and her shirt had ridden up in the fall so his fingers grazed her bare, hot skin.
It took another few seconds for Rose to realize he had stopped and slowly her laughter faded as she looked down at him.
Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders and the warmth and joy In her eyes, combined with her beaming, beautiful smile on the backdrop of the navy sky and colored treetops made her completely irresistible.
His eyes darkened and he gripped her tighter. She let out a small squeak as he suddenly rolled them over and pressed her into the blanket.
Her widened eyes met his and he grinned down at her, catching her mirrored grin only for a half a second before he swept down to reclaim her lips with his.
Rose let out a pleasured sigh, her hands flying up, threading her fingers through his hair.
A low moan escaped the back of his throat as her fingers caressed his scalp and pulled him closer, deeper against her.
He pressed one hand to the ground beside her head, supporting his weight, which was slowly beginning to feel like jelly as he lost himself to Rose.
Their lips moved together in a natural, tender rhythm. It was heated and passionate but not frenzied as they both took the time to explore and enjoy the feel of a long awaited kiss.
Rose was just beginning to feel the burn at her lungs and the Doctor could feel the first click of his respiratory bypass when they suddenly were stopped by a bright white light shining down upon them and a myriad of distant shouting voices.
The Doctor looked up, alarmed, and squinted against the bright light. He couldn't see anything against the blinding light but he knew what it meant.
He quickly glanced back down to Rose, meeting her own widened, slightly panicked eyes.
Then his lips curled in a mischievous grin and he pushed himself off of her and onto his feet and pulled her up a second later.
They grinned at each other and the Doctor secured his hand around hers. “Run!”
Rose let out a small squeal and grabbed the blanket off the ground before they both raced towards the TARDIS.
As the blue doors shut behind them, the shouting slowly faded and they both were laughing as the Doctor finally released her hand and threw the ship into the vortex.
Once the ship had safely taken off as the constant grind of the time rotors indicated, they both leaned against the console in a deeper, hearty laughter.
“Oh, we won't get caught, he said!” Rose barked in laughter as she grinned at him.
“Oi!” He laughed right back. “We're safe and sound in the TARDIS. We did not get caught, then did we?”
“Almost, Doctor.” She teased, her laughter slowly fading but giving him her famous tongue touched smile.
“Almost is the fun stuff, Rose Tyler. Thrill of the chase!” He grinned.
She shook her head affectionately and then took in the sight of him.
She had seen him happy, and this body of his in particular almost always wore a smile, but now he was practically glowing, a big bright smile, a light in his eyes and something more that made her heart flip. He looked thoroughly kissed. His wild hair was in disarray from her fingers’ work and his lips were slightly more pink and swollen.
She realized as the Doctor’s expression slowly changed that she must have looked exactly the same.
Her smile softened and she bit her lip, tossing the blanket over the railing before taking a few steps closer to him.
His smile slowly faded as he watched her but his expression was still soft.
This was more natural territory, the awkward silence that fell over them whenever they got a little too close. Though what they had done outside was nothing like they had ever done before and the more silent the Doctor was, the more anxious Rose became that he would sink back into that zone of his. The zone where he refused to acknowledge that there was something between them, something a lot more than friendship and companionship and if Rose had ever doubted that her feelings were reciprocated those doubts were long gone. She had never been kissed like that before and she knew it had to mean something.
So she refused to let it just slide past them and let the Doctor act like it never happened.
Her heart was pounding but she knew she had to confront him. “Not that I'm complaining, Doctor, really because that was…,” she paused to let out a breath, “brilliant,” His lips twitched in a smile and she smiled, knowing he agreed, “but...where did that come from? I mean…” She lifted her shoulders. “Why did you kiss me?”
He stared at her for a few moments, his expression now calmly blank and then he averted his gaze, turning in towards the console.
Rose frowned, already feeling her frustration growing. “Doctor.” She prodded and then huffed quietly. “Was it a ‘heat of the moment’ kind of thing or…”
“No.” He answered quickly and her brow shot up. “Well, yes, sort of…” He groaned quietly, rubbing at the back of his neck nervously. “It may have been a heat of the moment action but...the emotions behind it…” He lifted his head, staring at the rhythmic movement of the time rotors and he swallowed thickly. “No.” He concluded quietly. “Those weren't new at all.”
Her stomach flipped and the smile returned to her lips and she stared at him in disbelief. Did he really just admit to having feelings for her?
Though her heart sank a little when she realized he was still avoiding her gaze. “Okay.” She breathed. “Doctor...why aren't you looking at me?”
He visibly winced and bowed his head again and she sighed.
“Doctor, we can't ignore this! It's happened and it was great and...we can't just pretend like it didn't.”
“No, we can't.” He agreed. “And we shouldn't.” He closed his eyes and gripped at the edges of the console.
She swallowed, her face softening and she knew there was some kind of war raging inside his head. “Then what's wrong? You're holding back from me, Doctor, why?”
He sighed quietly. “Do you remember what I told you? About my life span?”
She nodded once. “Yeah, it's longer than mine.” Then she remembered something else he had said. “The curse of the Time Lords.” She slowly shook her head and then scoffed. “No offense, Doctor, but that's a load of crap.”
His head whipped up sharply and dark eyes met hers. “It most certainly is not.” He snipped, turning to face her.
“Timelines and ages and life spans, none of that matters to me, Doctor!”
His jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed. “It matters to me. You are not the one who is going to have to watch me die, Rose!”
He snapped his jaw closed and his eyes widened slightly.
Rose’s expression softened in realization and then understanding. “That's what this is all about?”
He kept his eyes on her, sad and dark and full of longing and fear.
“Doctor,” she breathed and took a few steps closer to him until she was close enough to touch him. She reached out and placed her hand on his wrist and he looked down at it.
“You said you were never going to drop me off like you did with Sarah Jane, yeah?”
He glanced back up at her. “Never.” He rasped and she gave him a small smile.
“And I'm never going to choose to leave so what's the difference between going on, traveling about as we have been, or moving forward with whatever this is between us? You're going to lose me, Doctor, we both know that and no matter what we do...it's going to hurt when it happens.”
His body tensed as he looked down, his face scrunching up and she squeezed his arm gently. “But don't you think it would hurt more if you also lived with regret?”
He lifted his head and slowly turned to meet her eyes.
“Doctor, with what just happened out there, I don’t want to go back to what we were, I don’t think I can. If you didn’t want this...well, I wouldn’t leave you, Doctor, no matter what but...do you really think we can just ignore this?”
His eyes softened. “No.” He answered quietly, his lips twitching. “And I don’t want to either, Rose, but…”
“But what?” She pressed him gently, imploring him with kind eyes. “Doctor, tell me what you’re thinking.”
He sighed, his lips twitching into a small, sad smile. “I don’t deserve you, Rose.”
“What?” She gasped and slipped her hand down into his, entwining their fingers together as she tugged him to look at her. “Of course you do, Doctor. You deserve all the happiness in the universe.”
His eyes met hers, brown eyes full of pain, guilt, fear, sadness and sprinkled with tears and her heart broke a little for him. He was filled with such self loathing and he truly believed he didn’t deserve her.
It was she who didn’t deserve him. He was a wonderful, brilliant, amazing Time Lord and she was just a simple little human. It still amazed her that he would even want to travel with her at all none the less feeling any sort of attraction towards her. But she would do anything to make sure he knew that he was loved - so fully and completely by her.
“Precious girl…” He murmured, bringing his free hand to cup her cheek and she smiled as she leaned into his touch. “You really want a daft, old, alien like me?”
She squeezed his hand in hers and pressed a feather light kiss to his palm. “Of course I do. I always have and I always will.”
He let out a shuddering breath at her soft, intimate gesture and swayed his body in just a little closer to hers.
“It doesn’t matter to me that we’re different species, Doctor. What you and I have is...so much greater and deeper and more real than anything I could ever have with another human.”
He sighed again. “You say that now, Rose….”
She frowned. “Wherever am I going to meet anyone like you? There is no one like you Doctor not anywhere and certainly not on Earth. I made my choice back when you still wore leather, had blue eyes and big ears. This is the life I want and I want it with you. If we have to stay just friends than fine but I don’t want that Doctor and I don’t think you do either if that kiss was anything to go by.”
His lips twitched up and she swore his cheeks turned a little pink which caused a little thrill in the pit of her stomach. She didn't even know Time Lords could blush and it was adorable and she made it a silent point to try to make him do it more often.
His thumb brushed lazily across her cheek, sending little tingles down her spine and he smiled softly.
“You are right.” He admitted finally, hesitantly. “I do...I do want this, I want...you... I have done for, well...quite a while.”
Her heart soared and a grin blossomed across her face at the words she had longed to hear for so long. It was strange to see him stumble over his words and that was how she knew he meant it.
“I know this must be all new for you, Doctor, these human emotions. From what you’ve told me about Time Lords they didn’t really do romance, yeah?”
He nodded in confirmation. “It was discouraged and very frowned upon. They didn’t like those kinds of emotions to get in the way and well, I always did rebel against them, stole a TARDIS, ran away, fraternized with Earth and the lives of so many other species and planets...but I never experienced that. Oh, I cared for my companions, every one of them but never in that way. I couldn’t...and then you come along,” he smiled at her affectionately and she returned it, “All pink and yellow and clever and I was...so broken. You brought me back to life, Rose, I hope you know that. Suddenly you were a bright and shining light in my life and I knew I never wanted to let go of you. I can’t bare the thought of losing you, Rose, and you’re right...that is why I have held back for so long. I thought putting some distance between us might make it better when the time comes and I know it will. Precious, fleeting human lives...so fragile…” He whispered, looking deep into her eyes.
“Not that fragile.” She assured him with a small smile.
“Fragile enough.” He muttered darkly, the same darkness passing over his eyes.
She looked into those eyes and tried to convey as much truth and emotion as she could through her gaze. “Alright, so if I die tomorrow, wouldn’t you be glad to have the memory of what we just shared? I know I would and we can create hundreds of more memories just like that. Happy memories to get you through the dark times and that’s another thing, Doctor. You haven’t lost me yet, and we may not know when it’s gonna happen, but you shouldn’t live thinking and dreading the day that it will. We make each other happy, don’t we, Doctor?”
He smiled genuinely and caressed her cheek. “Oh yes. You make me so happy, Rose…”
“And you, me Doctor. I never dreamed I could have this sort of life and feel the way I do...about you. You have to see that what we had was amazing but we can have going forward could be so much greater than that.”
He stared at her for a few moments, a hundred different emotions passing through his eyes and she watched him in anticipation.
Then his eyes softened and his smile widened and he took yet another step in closer to her. “You are so incredible, Rose, you know that?”
Her cheeks flamed and she smiled. “I dunno about that but I just want you to see what I see. You see us moving forward as a risk, and yeah, maybe it is, but it's a risk well worth taking for the gains, yeah?”
He eyed her for a long few, silent seconds and then his other hand shot up to gently cup her other cheek and he guided her once again to his mouth.
She smiled against his lips and slid her hands up onto his chest where she felt both his hearts wildly beating.
The kiss was over shortly and she pulled back, her head spinning as she grinned up at him. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the look he was giving her, so full of passion and joy and love.
He removed his hands from her cheeks and let them fall at his sides but quickly then reached out to place them on her hips, drawing her in even closer.
“Rose.” He started seriously, looking deep into her eyes and her heart stuttered. She didn’t know what to expect from him but she hoped the kiss was a good indicator of something good. “If we do this...I fear I won’t ever be able to let you go. So I need you to be sure…”
She quickly shook her head and cut him off with another short but passionate kiss.
“You never have to let me go, Doctor.” She whispered once they parted and pressed her forehead against his. “I’m yours, forever.”
He made a small choking, gasping sound at the back of his throat and then tightly wound his arms around her waist, crushing her body against his and capturing her lips in a searing kiss.
Her arms flung around his neck as she lifted herself onto her toes to press herself deeper into him. He slowly started to back them up until he hit the console and he sat perched there as they eagerly, hungrily, desperately explored each other.
“Forever’s a long time, Rose.” The Doctor gasped against her mouth in between kisses and she paused long enough to reach up to touch his cheek and smile at him.
“I know and I’m looking forward to every second of it.”
“Brilliant.” He breathed out before he dove in for her again.
If there was anything the Doctor knew it was that nothing lasted forever and time was not set in stone. He saw an unlimited amount of possible futures laid out before them and Rose’s horribly short timeline would sit heavy on him forever but he also knew something else. He wanted Rose Tyler and Rose Tyler wanted him and he was not going to hold back anymore. This day marked their new beginning as something so great and so wonderful. The Doctor and Rose Tyler, in the TARDIS, in love, as it should be.
Summary: Shortly after the events of New Earth, the Doctor and Rose discuss regeneration.
Notes: This was previously posted on A03 a few months ago but I am now creating a new fanfiction blog and migrating things over.
A03
The Doctor stood at the console, waving his hands around enthusiastically, pointing to each button, knob and handle as he explained what each one did.
Rose had asked what he was doing as she walked into the console room that morning to find him fiddling. Somehow a simple explanation had turned into a full on lesson on the inner workings of the TARDIS.
He was vaguely aware of Rose sitting on the captain’s seat, her legs curled under her and she watched him with fond amusement but fully attentive to everything he was saying. She clearly hadn't expected to receive so much information, and he hadn't been expecting to give it, but he was quickly learning this new body of his certainly liked to talk and Rose seemed open and welcome to it.
He was suddenly broken from his long winded explanation by a quiet giggle from Rose.
The sound was sweet and musical and his attention was immediately drawn to her.
“What?” He asked with a smile and quirked a brow.
She was smiling at him, bright and warm, all the same affection she held before he regenerated. “I was just thinking…” She mused and then paused and bit her lip. Then her cheeks flushed and she shook her head, averting her gaze. “No, nevermind…”
He turned to face her fully, now completely intrigued. “What is it, Rose? Something I said?” He didn't know how how anything about the TARDIS’ cooling systems could cause that reaction in her but Rose Tyler was constantly a mystery.
“No.” She giggled again and lifted her eyes back to him. She eyed him for a few moments, clearly debating with herself whether to continue. Then she took a deep breath and spoke, “I just find it funny is all…” She trailed off again.
His brow pressed together and he briefly glanced towards the console to find what could possibly be so funny. “What?” He prompted again as he looked back up.
She let out a quick breath and twitched in the seat. “That before...I mean...you would always complain about how I brought “pretty boys” aboard.”
His smile faltered and one of his hearts stuttered as he thought back to Adam and then Jack. Pretty boys, indeed. Pretty boys that flirted with Rose and who Rose flirted right back with. He sniffed, “Yes, so?”
Her cheeks flamed again and she smiled almost sheepishly. “Well it's just…” She visibly swallowed, but her head turned and she gave a cheeky smile. “You're a bit pretty now, aren't you?”
His hearts soared. The corners of his lips twitched but he forced them to stay in a firm line as he glanced down at the console, fiddling with one of the knobs. “Am I?” He shrugged innocently. “Hadn’t noticed.”
Rose scoffed lightly. “Yeah, alright.”
The smile that had been threatening finally pulled across his lips.
He had noticed, in fact it was the first thing he had noticed upon looking in the mirror.
He had done a quick check of himself upon first regenerating, and knew at once the hair was worth noting and certainly impressive but he didn’t have much time to consider his appearance between having to explain regeneration to Rose and crashing the TARDIS.
His new gob had gone away with him when he asked Rose if he was sexy and hoped fluttered in his hearts when she blushed and smiled at the comment. Still, he hadn’t had a good look at himself until later when he finally got into the TARDIS.
He thanked the universe and the regeneration energy that this body certainly was better than the last one and was indeed, pretty.
He was drowning in the leather his former self wore and tore through the wardrobe until he came across a brown pinstripe suit that seemed to fit his new, alarmingly skinny, body perfectly. He sent a silent thank you to his ship for bringing it to his attention.
He had been a little anxious about his regeneration, especially because of Rose and how she’d take it. It broke his hearts to have her look at him the way she did - in fear and suspicion...like he was a stranger.
He had convinced her though, at least that was what she had said, and with this new body he hoped he could impress her. He was still an old Time Lord but he didn’t feel like one anymore. The burden of the Time War had slowly been lifting the longer he spent in Rose’s presence and his regeneration lifted even more weight off his shoulders. There would always be a guilt that would never go away, a deep ache in his hearts for the loss of his people and planet but he felt alive again. He felt like the Doctor again. Not to mention, this body had boundless energy.
A pretty face, a new outfit, a new outlook on life...everything he needed, and wanted, to continue on his travels with Rose Tyler. He’d never be worthy of her, no matter how he looked, but at least it was a step closer.
“Did you do that on purpose?” Rose stirred him from his wander into his thoughts and he looked up to find her grinning at him, her tongue between her teeth and her brow raised inquisitively.
“Hm?” He was momentarily distracted by the sight of her but quickly cleared his thoughts and registered her question. “Oh, ah, no. I have no control over it. I get what I get...though I do try to hope for the best, usually.” He grinned. “I could be anything, look like anyone. Two heads, though that’s never happened. It could though, theoretically, I suppose. Some Time Lords have even changed gender from time to time.”
Rose’s eyes widened. “What, really?” She eyed him curiously. “Have you?”
He shook his head. “Nope! Only ever been male, me.”
Rose nodded thoughtfully, chewing lightly on her lower lip. “How many times have you...what’d you call it, regenerate?”
“Regenerated, yeah.” He confirmed and then pursed his lips in thought. “This is number ten, I believe. Hard to keep track sometimes.”
Rose’s brow rose. “Ten? You’ve had ten different bodies?”
“Over nine hundred years.” He said with a nod and then smirked. “Bit of a rebel, me. Time Lords could go thousands of years before regenerating but as you know I have a certain knack for getting into trouble.”
Rose laughed quietly. “You could say that again.”
“Well it certainly doesn’t help my companions are equally predisposed to danger, Ms. Jeopardy Friendly Tyler.” He teased.
Rose just shrugged with a smile and he chuckled. She laughed right along with him, grinning brightly and then slowly it faded.
He frowned as her expression changed to one of shy nervousness and his stomach twisted. He hated that she was still so unsure around him and he knew it was his own fault for not warning her long before his regeneration. Rose had never been this way around him before, not even when they first met. The man she had come to know, to care for was suddenly gone and the new him stood in his place and she didn't know how to react.
“Rose?” He questioned quietly, taking a step towards her. She met his eyes and the corner of her mouth twitched up slightly.
“I know you're the same.” She started quietly and then let out a soft sigh. “But you changed, Doctor...and you've changed ten other times before this...into someone different every time and over nine hundred years I just have to wonder...do you remember everything?”
“Oh Rose…” He breathed and crossed the space between them to sit beside her on the captain’s seat. She moved over to make room for him and he tried to ignore the sting of the small space she left between them as she stared up at him curiously. Usually she'd be curled right up to his side, not an inch of space between them.
He wanted to take her hand, as he had done so many times before. After a couple seconds of debating this, he hesitantly reached out to place his hand over hers. When she didn't try to pull away, his fingers curled around hers and he gave them a gentle squeeze.
He smiled at her as he answered her. “Yes, Rose I remember. Exceptionally sharp memories Time Lords. And even if that weren't the case, I'd never forget you, Rose Tyler.”
He was delighted when the light returned to her eyes and her lips curled in a smile. She straightened up and inched that much closer to him. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He confirmed. “My face changes, my body changes, some very basic personality traits change but who I am, all my memories, my thoughts, my feelings, my values and morals, they never change.”
There was a flicker of something in Rose's eyes when he mentioned his feelings. Hope, perhaps and he smiled reassuringly. He didn't like to think too much about his feelings for her, because he couldn't allow himself to go there, but he knew that for sure that they haven't changed. If it were possible, they might have even grown stronger at the fear of losing her. He couldn't bare the thought of her leaving, especially if it was because of his regeneration, so he needed to let her know that his feelings, whatever they were, had definitely not changed.
“Okay.” She muttered but her smile grew and she bit her lip for a moment before slowly leaning her head to rest on his shoulder. “Good.”
An immense relief swept over him, accompanied by a grin to match, at the familiarity of the simple action. Rose still accepted him as the Doctor. It would take a little time for her to get used to the very alien concept of regeneration but this simple action spoke volumes that she would get there.
“So,” she began a few moments later, letting go of his hand and instead slipping her arm around his. She turned her head up to look at him with a little mischievous grin.
He chocked an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.
“You said you were from the North, and that lots of planets have a North, but clearly, your accent has changed so you're not really from the North, are you?”
He laughed and leaned into her. “No, clever girl, I'm not. Though I think you suspected that before. Northern Gallifreyan wouldn't sound like Northern English, would it?”
She hummed in agreement and her tongue poked out at the corner of her mouth. “So?” She prompted.
“Well, to be honest, I'm not sure where the last accent came from but this one...well, I think I've got you to thank for that.”
Her head lifted off his shoulder and her eyes widened in surprise. “Wha’? Me? What have I got to do with it?”
He smiled fondly, hearing the almost accusation in her tone. “You haven’t noticed it’s similar to yours?”
She shrugged. “Well, yeah...I guess I have but…” She slowly shook her head. “I don’t understand how I’ve got to do with your sudden change of accent.”
“Well, as I’ve said I have no control of it but I’m thinking….you’ve been such an integral and important part of my life for the last year.” Her lips twitched up at that, her cheeks flushing and he grinned. “You have. So, I think, somehow your constant presence influenced how I would speak. I mean, you were right there in front of me and the last thing on my mind before it happened.”
And during it. He added silently. All he could think about was that his next body would be good for her, and so far, mercifully, it has been.
“So, I changed your accent is what is you’re saying?”
He smirked. “The regeneration energy changed my accent but I think there’s a pretty good chance you were the influence, yeah.”
“Has that happened before?” She wondered.
He pursed his lips for a moment and slowly shook his head. “Not that I can specifically recall, no. Regenerations are usually random and it could be just mere coincidence I sound like you.”
“But you don’t think it is.” Rose concluded, still smiling.
He eyed her for a moment, taking in her expression, trying to read her. She didn’t seem put off by the notion. In fact, judging by the light in her eyes he would say she seemed happy, if not honored by the notion.
“No,” he told her with a blossoming smile, “I don’t think it is. Rose Tyler, you’ve changed my life in so many ways, seems only right you’d change my accent too.”
She started beaming, her mouth pulling into that full smile that he loved so much. “And you like it?” Her voice was teasing but as she softly bit her lower lip he could see the genuine question and hesitance in her eyes.
He grinned brightly. “Oh, it’s brilliant! No one I’d rather sound like, Rose Tyler. Really, there’s only one complaint I have about this new body of mine.”
Her brow twitched as she blinked at him, almost nervous again. “What’s that?”
“Not ginger!” He exclaimed and reached up to ruffle his hair.
Her features immediately relaxed and she let out a good laugh. “I don’t know, Doctor...it’s still some really good hair.” Her eyes focused on his head where his hair was no doubt sticking up in all odd angles because of the ruffling. He seemed to have magic hair this time around but if it could put the look in Rose’s eyes that was currently there he would not be complaining.
He had a sudden flash to the day before when Rose, well Cassandra-Rose, had suddenly kissed him and ran her fingers through that hair. It may have been Cassandra forcing the action but it was Rose’s fingers and he suddenly longed to feel her touch again.
He viciously fought the thought down, ignoring his pounding hearts.
Still….Rose still had her eyes locked on his hair and he knew what they both wanted.
He smirked at her. “Oh, go on then!”
His voice seemed to startle her out of her thoughts and her eyes dropped to his. “Wha’?”
He didn’t say anything, instead tilted his head down and towards her.
“Really?” She laughed, catching on and he could see her hands rising but hesitating on the move.
“As you said it’s some really good hair. We might as well enjoy it, eh?”
She bit her lip and hesitated a moment longer before she grinned and finally lowered her hands down onto his head. Her fingers started to gently comb through the strands and his eyes shut at the sensation. Oh yes, he loved having hair.
He smiled once she started giggling again, her fingers continuing to play with his hair. “This is a bit silly, Doctor.”
“I think it's fantastic.” He practically purred, surprising himself. He truly was enjoying this just a little too much. Finally he pulled back, already missing her touch, but she took one look at him and burst into a hearty laughter and that more than made up for it.
“What?” He questioned with a grin.
“God, Doctor how does it do that?” She asked between laughs, pointing to the top of his head.
He moved his hands to his head, attempting to flatten out his wild hair. “Time Lord hair.” He winked at her.
She let out a few more peals of delighted giggles. “Is that a real thing?” She asked incredulously.
He looked affronted. “Of course it is! I don't have human hair!”
Rose rolled her eyes affectionately. “I know that but I mean, is that really what makes it do that?” She waved her hand above her own head, indicating the wildness of it.
“Well, you've felt it, I don't have anything in it and oh you should have seen the hair I had in some of my other bodies! Just because I didn't have much hair the last time doesn't mean this is the first time and it certainly is not. I had curls once, Rose, curls! Couldn't do a thing with it, it was just sort of-” His hands flailed wildly around his head and she laughed again.
“I can't imagine that.” She said softly.
He hummed. “It was something, alright. I was blonde too, once or twice.”
She eyed him, raising a brow, clearly trying to picture this. “Oh you are so going to have to show me. Please tell me you have pictures or something.”
He nodded. “Should do, somewhere…”
Her smile widened for a moment as she nodded and then it slowly faded again.
He knew she must have a thousand questions and he'd answer as many of them as he could to make her comfortable with it all.
“Why didn't you tell me, Doctor? That this was something you could do.”
Guilt tugged at his hearts and he frowned as he regarded her almost sad expression. “It didn't occur me to say anything.” He answered honestly. “It's just a normal process for me, it's like having to explain sleeping, you just wouldn't think of having to explain that to anyone. And also...it had just happened. I just regenerated shortly before I met you in that basement and it never has happened again so quickly...I thought I'd have time….”
He could see the question in her eyes and he knew he never fully explained what had happened on Satellite Five. She was owed an explanation but it wasn't something he wanted to go into presently.
“I'm sorry, Rose.” He said quickly before she could ask. “I should have told you. It was wrong of me to just surprise you like that so quickly. But I'll tell you anything you want to know now.”
She nodded, biting her lip thoughtfully. “Are there any other surprises about you I should know? I mean...you did grow another hand…” She glanced down to his right hand that was now rested on her knee.
“That doesn't happen regularly.” He assured her. “It was only because I was so recently regenerated, the healing energy was still within me. If I lost a limb now I'd be tragically limbless.” He smirked and her lips twitched in response. He sighed quietly, knowing she wasn’t completely satiated by the fact. “Alright let’s see then…” He inched in closer to her. “Two hearts, longer lifespan, regeneration, being absolutely and utterly brilliant,” She nudged him lightly and he grinned down at her, satisfied to see a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.
“Colder body temperature.” She noted as she reached for his hand and the warmth from her naturally higher body temperature radiated deep into his skin.
“Right-o, Rose Tyler.” He praised, bumping his shoulder against hers and she smiled. “I think that about covers Time Lord 101, actually.”
“You sure? Because Doctor, if I get another one of these life changing surprises I might just slap you into your next regeneration.”
His eyes widened slightly at the threat. He could definitely hear a bit of Jackie Tyler in her tone and knew she was serious. Rose Tyler would do it first and then Jackie would do it after and that’d be two regenerations gone. He carefully wracked his brain to make sure there was nothing else too huge that might happen. He swallowed as she watched him with narrowed eyes and then after a moment he shot her a big, reassuring grin. “Positively sure, Rose. And you have my word if there is something else I’ve neglected to mention then I probably deserve being slapped into a new regeneration.”
She hummed in agreement and nodded shortly. She eyed him seriously for another few long moments and then her features relaxed and she leaned against him.
“Alright?” He asked and she nodded with a small smile.
“Yeah, alright.”
He nodded and debated his next words. She had said it several times but he had to ask, to ease that little bit of doubt still tugging at the back of his mind.
“Still the Doctor, then?”
Her eyes met his and her lips softened into a smile, a pure, wonderful smile. “Of course you are.” She assured him, wrapping her arm around his again. “I’m sorry if I’m being weird but...this is...very weird, Doctor, you get that, yeah?”
“Yeah.” He nodded with a small, relieved smile. “ ‘Course I do, yeah. You need time, Rose...I get it.”
“I do.” She nodded slightly. “And I think I’m mostly there. Just sometimes I still look up and expect to see him...I mean...the other you, I mean…”
“I know what you mean, Rose.” He said quietly, assuring her with a small, comforting smile.
She smiled back and continued, “But I know its still you and I want to be here. I still love being here with you and you changing your face is not going to change that, Doctor, not ever.”
He grinned at her and she grinned right back and he thought his hearts were going to beat right out of his chest. His brilliant, clever girl still wanted him...still wanted to stay.
She jumped, startled, as he was suddenly on his feet and racing towards the console, excitement pulsing through his veins. He spun around to face her, that grin still plastered on his face.
“Where to then, Rose Tyler? We’ve still got a whole big universe to explore, just you and me!”
She grinned and jumped off the seat, bounding towards him. She settled to stand at his side, her body pressed against his as he raised his brow in anticipation of her answer.
She tilted her head, tongue poking out between her teeth, eyes twinkling in delight. “Surprise me, Doctor.”
At once a million different options ran through his head, there were so many different planets he wanted to take her too, so many things to show her, so many moments to share and they had all the time in the universe to do it in.
Summary: 9/Rose. On a sleepless night Rose discovers something a little surprising about the Doctor
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler
Word Count: 1,534
Rating: T
“Doctor?” Rose padded into the TARDIS console room expecting to find the Doctor where he always was late at night: under the TARDIS console fixing things. But as she stepped in she found the console room to be eerily quiet and dim, the only sound being the dull hum of the TARDIS herself.
Rose frowned at the lack of the Time Lord’s presence. She couldn’t sleep and he was always good for a long chat when she needed something to do. She loved listening to him talk about different planets and different parts of the TARDIS that he was trying to fix, using words that she had never heard of and wouldn’t even try to understand but she didn’t mind the least bit, it was all just so captivating, his knowledge of everything.
She was so looking forward to listening to whatever was on his mind at the moment and wondered where he could be. The TARDIS had infinite space, she knew because she once asked him to take her on a tour and he laughed and said, “that, Rose, would take years.” She hadn’t quite believed it at the time, it was when she first started traveling with him and though she’d been to the future and the past she didn’t quite grasp how unbelievable this all was.
Now though, well, she definitely believed now. After seeing her own dead father alive and well and being nearly killed by time soaked reapers, well nothing seemed impossible anymore.
She didn’t even know where to start looking for him. She’d gone exploring on the TARDIS a few times and tried not to get lost. She found the library (and was amazing to find a swimming pool in the library) and he had shown her the wardrobe room on her second trip with him but anything beyond that Rose hadn’t a clue.
But she was wide awake now and she knew there was no use going back to sleep so she went out on a mission to hopefully find the Doctor and not get lost.
She knew the pathway from her room to the console room like the back of her hand and she knew the way from her room to the library pretty well too but from the library there were two separate hallways to venture down and Rose was clueless as to which one he might be down.
Suddenly the lights in the corridor to her right flickered and the humming of the TARDIS grew louder. She wasn’t sure what that meant and part of her was telling her not to go down that corridor (perhaps that was the part of her that watched too many horror flicks) but she ended up walking that way anyway.
She made a few turns here and there each new corridor being lit up as she walked and she quietly called out for the Doctor, hoping he’d be around.
She was just about to give up all together and head back to bed when she heard noise coming from a distant corridor. It sounded like people were talking and not just any people, people on a television. Did the TARDIS have a television? She wondered and curiosity led her towards the sound. As she drew near she caught flickering colorful lights drifting out of an open door along with an unmistakable sound she’d recognize anywhere.
“....it means no worries for the rest of your days...”
She approached the room quietly and peered in through the doorway, gawking at the very large screen that took up most of the theatre sized wall.
“...problem-free philosophy: Hakuna Matata.”
Still gawking, Rose looked around the room. It was an immense room, definitely the size of a small cinema theatre but instead of rows and rows of chairs she only saw one arm chair rested in the center of the room and in that arm chair sat the Doctor, his feet propped up on the foot rest in front of him.
She quietly tip toed into the room, like a child trying to sneak in some cookies in the middle of the night and crept up behind the chair to observe him from behind.
“...what’s a motto?”
“Nothing, what’s amotto with you?”
A deep, hearty chuckle rumbled from the Time Lord and her eyebrows lifted in amusement. Even quieter still, she shifted so she could see his face and found a small smile on his lips and then when his foot started to tap along with the music drifting from the speakers she had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing.
Finally she could keep quiet no longer and she leaned up against the back of the chair. “I never would have guessed.”
The Doctor yelped and flew out of the chair, whirling around to face her, his eyes stern and ready to fight. Then he caught sight of his supposed attacker and his face softened to one of annoyance. “Blimey Rose, don’t do that. Don’t you know it is not a very good idea to sneak up on a Time Lord?”
She ignored his scolding and only smirked at him, her eyes dancing in amusement.
He sighed heavily. “What?” He snapped.
“Nothing.” She insisted innocently with a shrug. “Just...I never guessed you would be watching a Disney movie.”
“There is nothing wrong with talking animals, Rose.” He huffed and collapsed back into his chair, propping his feet back up.
“Yeah,” She swung around the chair, now grinning, “If you’re five. Not something I’d really expect from a nine hundred year old alien.”
He shrugged non-chalantly. “Shows how much you know about nine hundred year old aliens.”
With one eyebrow raised she glanced back at the screen where Timon and Pumbaa were now trying to get young Simba to eat some “grub”. She shook her head slowly and turned her amused stare back at him. “It’s a disney movie.”
He sighed once more. “It happens to go down in Earth’s history as one of the best animated feature films.”
“It’s a cartoon.”
“Animated feature film.” He corrected, annunciating every word.
Rose bit down on her lip softly and chewed on it softly, crossing her arms and once again looking back at the screen. She watched in silence as the meerkat, warthog and lion sang about Hakuna Matata and as the song faded into the next scene of the movie, she finally glanced back at the Doctor whose steady gaze was fixated on the screen in front of him.
“Alright then Doctor,” She released her hands from their folded position on her chest and he quickly glanced at her. “I’ve only got one thing to say to you.”
She now had his full attention and he was staring at her with a cocked eyebrow, intrigued by her words and craving for her to continue.
A grin split across her face and she jerked her head to the side. “Scoot over.”
His other eyebrow popped up. “I’m sorry?”
“Scoot over.” She repeated.
He looked down at the tiny space next to him in the arm chair and then back at her, his expression unwavering. She rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh, marched over to the chair and crawled into the minimal space next to him, swinging her legs over his lap.
She looked up at him and he was staring down at her with a perplexed expression but he didn’t try to stop her and he wasn’t protesting so that was good enough for her. She rested her head down against his broad shoulder. He wasn’t wearing his trademark leather jacket and she was pleased to discover, as she cuddled into him, that he was quite muscular and quite warm. She smiled against his chest, listening to the sound of his two strong heartbeats for a while and then finally focusing her attention on the movie she had watched so many times in her nineteen years of life.
If she weren’t so captivated by the singing, talking animals on the screen she would have noticed that for twenty full minutes, his intense blue eyes were not focused on the screen but on her and a pure, warm, adoring smile formed his lips.
