Length: Short Story (<10K) | Novella (10K-40K) | Novel (>40K)
Doctor: Nine | Ten | Tentoo | Fourteen
Rose: Human | Bad Wolf | Other
Character: Jack Harkness | Martha Jones | Wilfred Mott | Donna Noble | Mickey Smith | Sarah Jane Smith | Jackie Tyler | Mia Tyler | Pete Tyler | Tony Tyler
Setting: Prime Universe | Pete's World | Original AU | Other
Holiday: Halloween | Christmas | New Year | Valentine's Day
Bonus Content: Canon Texts | Related Readings | Illustrations
Index Post: A-Z List | Top 10 | Starter Kit
You can search for a specific type of story by combining tags and adding "from:tenroselibrary" to your Tumblr search. For example, if you wanted to find an action novel starring both Nine and Ten:
#nine #ten #action #novel from:tenroselibrary
More details on the collection below...
The Librarian
Came to Doctor Who for the time-and-space shenanigans, stayed for the TenRose ship.
I, too, did not want to go, so I sought refuge in fanfic following the end of the (first) RTD era. Next thing I knew, there was a Google Doc titled "The TenRose Library" on my phone containing a fanfic list in the triple quadruple digits. This is my attempt to organize it.
I'm not trying to be exhaustive since there are already several amazing collections out there with impressive organizational systems (some of them listed in the "Additional Collections" section below). This is more like a personal than public library, based on my own preferences. But I hope you'll find fics here that you'll enjoy too!
The Cataloguing
Entries include the following fields:
Link
Title
Author(s)
Publication Year(s)
Genre(s) (Action, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Mystery, and/or Romance - though it's all Science Fiction in the end)
Word Count/Category (Short Story, Novella, or Novel)
Rating
Doctor(s)
Rose(s)
Setting(s)
Other Important Characters
Summary (as provided by the authors whenever possible)
The Criteria
All fics in the library are ones I've enjoyed, posted in a random order, with occasional (loose) themes. Recommendations are based exclusively on my personal taste, which leans mostly towards adventure and comedy with a touch (or more) of romance. For now, I'm limiting myself to up to three fics per author (holiday bonuses aside) to ensure variety. Although I mainly read Ten and Tentoo (hence the library name), other Doctors are included as well, tagged accordingly. I also reblog weekly bonus posts about canon texts and related readings that fit the TenRose theme. In addition, a few of my favorite fics are featured in the ✩ starred tag.
Unless otherwise noted, all fics included are complete. The ratings range from general to explicit, noted within the entries. Explicit fics are also tagged "cold alien bits" (the memorable phrase from "Scratching the Itch") for filtering purposes, even when the bits are neither cold nor (fully) alien. Be aware some fics contain content warnings that I am not including here, so please check the warnings on the fics before reading.
Lastly, if a work is part of a series, I will mention that in the entry (or create an entry for the full series collectively) if I also recommend the rest of the works in the series. On the other hand, if I don't mention any prequels/sequels, that means I either haven't read them yet or didn't like them, but I won't anti-recommend any works since I want to keep all entries positive. In those cases, proceed through the series at your own peril.
The Credits
All fics are credited to their authors in each entry. I did not write any of the works included here. I'm simply a fan trying to organize the fics I've read and share some of my favorites. You can show the authors your appreciation by leaving comments and/or kudos on the original publishing platform.
If you are the author of a fic included here and would like me to remove it, please let me know and I will do so.
Thanks to all you writers for keeping TenRose alive!
The Sources
I read fics mainly on Archive of Our Own (AO3) and will post links to AO3 whenever possible. However, some (especially older) fics are available only on other platforms, most notably:
A Teaspoon And An Open Mind: A Doctor Who Fan Fiction Archive (AKA Teaspoon)
The Time and Chips LiveJournal Community (AKA TARDIS Tea Room) and Various LiveJournal Pages
Additional Collections
For other perspectives, check out the blogs below. All are currently on hiatus but have large backlogs.
Doctor Rose Fic Rec Lists (they are so impressive!) - pages and categories include:
Supremely Well-Organized Masterpost with docxrose fanfic 101
Author List Across Platforms
Ten x Rose
Tentoo x Rose
The Dalektables (also very impressive; focus on multichapters) - pages include:
The 2018 novelization of Rose (illustrated version depicted) includes the scene of the Tenth Doctor symbolically saying goodbye to Rose from The End of Time just before his prolonged regeneration.
Rose had a lump in her throat. Everything was new. Completely changed. And she’d been wanting to wait until after dinner, after they’d enjoyed just a bit of Christmas; after she’d had a chance to talk to her mother.
But she couldn’t wait. She couldn’t. She had to know.
‘Doctor…’ Rose stared at the grey ash on the ground so she didn’t have to watch his face, in case it shifted; in case he looked sorry and regretful as he told her something she didn’t want to hear. ‘What about you?’ she ventured, gently. ‘What are you going to do next?’
The Doctor stiffened. That wasn’t a ‘we’. That wasn’t a ‘What are we going to do next?’ Was she trying to let him down gently? Was dinner a farewell? If he’d known, he’d have skipped the sprouts. He sighed. What else could he say?
‘Well… back to the TARDIS. Same old life.’
His face had changed. His world did not; he couldn’t blame Rose for not wanting to continue. She must have really… she must have been very fond of the last incarnation. Some change was too much.
She looked up at him, tentative and nervous.
‘On… on your own?’
He answered too quickly he realised, even as he was speaking.
‘Why, don’t you want to come?’
There was a long pause as each tried to gauge the other’s mood. Rose could feel her heart speed up. Would he? Could she?
‘Well, yeah,’ she said, stiffening, preparing for rejection.
‘Do you, though?’ said the Doctor, wary she was just being polite.
‘Yeah!’ said Rose again, more emphatically this time.
‘I just thought…’cos I changed…’
‘Yeah, I thought….’cos you changed… you might not want me any more.’
A huge beaming smile cracked across the Doctor’s face. ‘Oh, I’d love you to come!’
Rose mirrored his expression, filled with glee. ‘Okay!’ she said, and they beamed at each other like idiots, as if they were the only people there.
Shout out to my main bro @singingsupper for this one ✌🏻💕
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Title: The Ginger Solution
Author: Kelkat9
Publication Year: 2016
Genre: Comedy
Word Count: 7K, Short Story
Rating: Mature
Doctor: Tentoo
Rose: Human
Setting: Post-Journey's End, Pete's World
Other Important Characters: Jackie Tyler, Pete Tyler
Summary:
The Doctor and Rose have a lot to work out after returning to Pete's World. Kidnapped by aliens, both of them find that perhaps circumstances weren't so confusing and they were still the Doctor and Rose, the stuff of legends and happily ever after was their reward.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Title: Better Living Through Domesticity
Author: cereal
Publication Year: 2013
Genres: Drama, Romance
Word Count: 12K, Novella
Rating: Mature
Doctor: Tentoo
Rose: Human
Setting: Post-Journey's End, Pete's World
Other Important Characters: Jackie Tyler, Pete Tyler, Tony Tyler
Summary:
And there, between their palms, is a first. The first time, it's not just her sweat-slicked hand dampening their grip. It's his hand, too. Warm and wet and (part) human.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Title: What've We Missed?
Author: PaleEmeraldNebula
Publication Year: 2014
Genre: Mystery
Word Count: 6K, Short Story
Rating: Teen+
Doctors: Ten, Tentoo
Rose: Human
Setting: Series 2, Prime Universe, Post-Journey's End, Pete's World
Other Important Characters: Jackie Tyler, Mickey Smith
Summary:
The last thing they both remember is defeating the Sycorax, eating Christmas dinner, and then going to sleep in separate beds. So why are they waking up naked in the same bed and wearing wedding rings? And why does the Doctor have only one heart?
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Title: The Lost Day
Author: WhoInWhoville
Publication Year: 2016
Genre: Drama
Word Count: 45K, Novel
Rating: Teen+
Doctors: Nine (Briefly), Ten
Rose: Bad Wolf
Setting: Series 1, Series 2 (AU), Prime Universe
Other Important Characters: Jackie Tyler, Donna Noble, Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Summary:
Ten has been living with the loss of Rose to the Bad Wolf for almost a year. He’s stuck on Earth living in a home with doors, but no carpet or mortgage. He's just making do, until a certain pink and yellow girl shows up at his door.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Title: The Next Christmas Invasion
Authors: Goldy & mrv3000
Publication Year: 2008
Genres: Action, Comedy
Word Count: 15K, Novella
Rating: General
Doctor: Tentoo
Rose: Human
Setting: Post-Journey's End, Pete's World
Other Important Characters: Jackie Tyler, Pete Tyler. Tony Tyler
Summary:
The Doctor and Rose are looking forward to a completely ordinary first Christmas in Pete's World. Unfortunately, their version of ordinary involves an alien invasion.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Title: Counting Down
Author: rudennotgingr
Publication Years: 2013-2014
Genre: Romance
Word Count: 79K, Novel
Rating: Mature
Doctor: Ten
Rose: Human
Setting: Series 2 (AU), Prime Universe
Other Important Characters: Jackie Tyler, Jack Harkness
Summary:
Rose manages to persuade the Doctor to participate in one holiday event per day, to count down the days till Christmas. Let's be honest, all she had to do was ask.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Title: Where the Dead Go
Author: Margaret Ann (Manderson)
Publication Year: 2016
Genres: Drama, Mystery
Word Count: 14K, Novella
Rating: General
Doctor: Ten
Rose: Human
Setting: Series 2, Prime Universe
Other Important Characters: N/A
Summary:
The Tenth Doctor and Rose find themselves in a strange town populated by...the dead? It's a mystery they can't ignore, especially if they want to get home!
