"Come on! Not much farther!" the Doctor yelled as he dragged Rose behind him in full sprint as arrows whirled by their heads.
After what seemed like an eternity of running, they reached the TARDIS and the Doctor fumbled with his key for a moment before they both raced inside, breathing heavily. "Quick!" He instructed, "Lock the doors back while I get us out of here!"
Rose gave a nod as she slammed the door just as an arrow went firing at them. She bolted it shut and turned to lean against it, catching her breath.
"Let's go to the Island of Horagu he says. It will be fun he says," Rose huffed, rolling her eyes slightly in a playful manner. "I swear... I can't go anywhere with you without almost dying."
"Oi...I can hear you!" he said with a smirk, "And besides, I'd never let my Rose Tyler die!"
"Oh, so I'm your Rose Tyler now?" She grinned as she leaned away from the door once she heard the dematerialization sound and knew they were heading for the vortex.
"What? I mean...you know what I mean," the Doctor stammered, a blush on his cheeks.
"Yeah yeah, I know," she smiled, "But I have to pick on you don't I? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and take a shower. That place was so hot and humid!"
"Right...I'll just uh, be here or something," he mumbled. 'Just would I need...a visual of Rose in the shower!' he thought.
Rose sauntered off down the hall and sighed to herself as she went into the bathroom and turned on the warm water. "Why am I being so flirty with him lately? I have to get a grip!" She muttered to herself.
She got into the shower and let the water cascade over her as she leaned on the cool tiles. "He doesn't like you like that Rose...you're just imagining things," she sighed.
Back out in the console room, the Doctor had given himself a literal face-palm. "My Rose? Really? Why did you call her that out loud you idiot?"
The TARDIS gave a groan of response. "Oh I am too an idiot dear. Rose...Rose doesn't...no...," he sighed.
The TARDIS groaned again, this time sounding more adamant. The Doctor simply rolled his eyes, but didn't argue this time. He knew it wouldn't get him anywhere. The TARDIS was just as stubborn as any woman.
Suddenly, the TARDIS lurched and stopped moving. "What have I done to you!?" he exclaimed, "Come on! Move!" He flipped some switches and yet she still refused to move. "Oh not moving until Rose and I talk eh? You're not my mother you know!"
The TARDIS moaned stubbornly and still didn't move. The Doctor sighed to himself and ran a hand through his hair.
"Why's the TARDIS stopped moving?" Rose asked as she padded down the corridor in her bunny slippers, hair damp from her shower.
"I uh, I'm not sure." The Doctor lied nervously. "Don't worry though, I'll do some poking around, see if I can't fix the old girl."
"Oh alright," she smiled, "Need any help?"
"Well, I won't know until I know what's wrong with her, but I could always use the company," he grinned, smirking at her slippers.
"Oi! Don't laugh at my bunnies! They're comfortable," she teased, smacking him lightly on the chest. "And I love keeping you company."
"Good," he smiled, and as for the bunnies, I think they're cute. Very fitting of you Rose."
"Cute huh?" Rose smirked , "Hmmm...I'll keep that in mind for my future wardrobe choices..."
The Doctor chuckled lightly and wondered how he was going to go about pretending to hunt for a problem with the TARDIS that simply didn't exist. "I don't think bunnies would be suitable for any other part of your wardrobe," he grinned.
"Well I do have other things in my closet Doctor," she grinned, throwing him a wink as she sat down on the pilot seat. 'My God! What is wrong with me!?' she thought.
"Other things with bunnies?" He smirked, one eyebrow raised as he slipped on his black rimmed glasses and learned down, pretending to mess with some wiring.
"Very funny...you think you're so smart," she sighed, with a roll of her eyes as she pushed him gently with her slipper clad foot.
"Oi watch it woman," he grinned, "I'm working. You shouldn't try and distract me with your playful antics." As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt his face get hot. That hadn't been exactly what he had been intending.
"Was that a challenge? Because I certainly think it was Doctor," Rose smirked as she stood up. "Time for a game of distract the Doctor."
"Oh you know it wasn't..." he sighed, "Really... I mean, you know I have to fix the TARDIS or well just float here..." he replied, grasping at straws.
"We'll see..." she grinned as she threw him a wink and started circling the console with a gleam in her eyes.
"Oh I know that look..." he sighed. "I'm in trouble now aren't I? Look, Rose, you know I didn't mean it as a challenge...although...I suppose it won't hurt to be distracted for awhile... we haven't really just spent a day in the TARDIS for a long while.
"What'd you have in mind?" she asked as she stopped at his side and poked him in the chest with one of her pink nails.
"I dunno really...we just, well...we haven't really spent much time together relaxing and you know...not running for our lives," he shrugged. He knew the TARDIS wasn't moving until he told her, stubborn old girl, so he might as well take some time and get his courage up.
"That's true...sounds nice actually. We could watch a film in the cinema or something...I mean if you want to? We could have popcorn and everything...I mean if you want I mean..." she said shyly, biting her bottom lip.
The Doctor grinned at her nervousness and looked up at her as he rose back to his feet. "That sounds just fine to me. You go choose a film and I'll be in, in just a few minutes. Ok?"
"Really?" Rose beamed, "Great! Don't keep me waiting too long..." She skipped off down the corridor, her slippers hitting the grating with quiet thuds. 'We're gonna watch a film like a normal couple for once! Wait...Rose...not couple...we're not a couple...' she thought.
Once Rose was out of earshot the Doctor looked up at the console and frowned. "There are you happy now? At least it's a start!"
The TARDIS gave a happy groan that, to the Doctor's ears, sounded a bit like she was smirking. 'Go on now Doctor...your Rose is waiting for you,' he heard in his head. He sighed heavily and shook his head as he took off his glasses and started walking toward the theatre.
Rose looked up as he walked in and smiled. "How about a classic? I was thinking Casa Blanca...but you could choose something else if you like. That one always makes me cry, its just so sad, but a good kind of sad, you know? The kind of sad someone could get addicted to."
"No, no, that's great. I love that movie. And don't worry, I'll be here for you if you cry...have a great shoulder you can lean on. I'll even give you free rent," he smiled as he sat down on one of the sofas.
"Oh thanks, you're just so kind," she laughed as she walked over and put the movie reel on the old-timey spool before coming and sitting next to the Doctor, curling her bare feet up under her and settling into the couch.
"You know...this is actually one of the original copies...it's just so much better that way without all the digital remastering," he rambled, "You probably want me to shut up now so we can watch the film..."
"I don't mind," Rose smiled as she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "I love listening to you talk, you know that."
"Don't you ever get sick of my rambling?" he asked as he reached for her hand. "I just have to keep my mouth constantly occupied I suppose..."
'Oh I could think of some ways to do that,' she thought to herself before turning beet red, glad for the darkness around them. "No, I like it. I love listening to your voice and the confidence you have when you speak. I could listen to you for ages."
"One of the many reasons I love having you here Rose," the Doctor smiled as he squeezed her hand. 'There...happy now?' he thought to the TARDIS, who groaned in reply.
'You know that isn't what all I want,' the voice sounded in his head again. He frowned a bit, but not enough to let Rose notice. Her eyes were now glued to the screen, though her hand was still wrapped around his.
"I've always loved this film...so sad, but so romantic ya know?" Rose said, looking up at him before she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Yes... it is," the Doctor nodded before shifting and getting more comfortable, wrapping his arm around her. "It is one of the best classics by far." He looked down at her, taking in her blonde hair and big, beautiful eyes. 'Why can't I just tell her?' He thought to himself. Some part of him felt a foreboding sense of sadness at the thought, but also a sense of elation.
"You're a bit like Rick in this...letting go of everything and everyone you love," she sighed, "Well, except you don't have the hat...but you've got the coat..." 'Way to go Rose...make him feel bad then talk about his coat...that long, wonderful, amazing coat,' she thought.
The Doctor sighed, seeing the truth in her words and squeezed her a bit tighter. "I haven't let go of everyone...you're here aren't you?"
"Yeah...and I'm not going anywhere," she said quietly as she looked up at him with a small smile.
"Good," he grinned, "I wouldn't know what to do without you Rose Tyler. You are what keeps me sane; what keeps me moving forward."
Rose felt her cheeks go pink and snuggled into his side. "Thanks..." she grinned, poking her tongue between her teeth.
They sat together that way for a long while in happy silence, watching the story before then unfolding on the screen, until the Doctor heard Rose sniffle, though she had been trying to be quiet about her crying.
"It's alright Rose..." he whispered as he squeezed her tightly, "You can cry if you want...I'll be here to wipe away your tears."
His words, mixed with the sadness of the movie mad a small sob escape her as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Thank you," she whispered. "I know you're always there. Even when no one else is."
"Hey...come here. It's alright," he said, trying to comfort her; he hated seeing her cry. "Come on now...I hate to see you cry love..."
A small smile formed at her lips at the affectionate nickname and she tried to dry her eyes. "Sorry, I told you it always made me cry though."
"Yes, and I told you I'd wipe them away," he smiled. He reached with his free hand and turned her head, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "There...that better?" he asked with a small smile, his ears shining down at her.
She nodded lightly as she looked up at him, seemingly transfixed by his gaze. "Thank you," she breathed, a bit surprised by his tenderness.
The Doctor felt the TARDIS nudging at his mind again. 'Kiss her...for the love of Rassilon kiss her Doctor!' he heard.
He fought with himself for a moment before the TARDIS won out and he leaned down, placing a soft, gentle, feather flight kiss to her lips. Both his hearts were hammering in his chest.
Rose's eyes went wide for a moment before they fluttered closed, her breath caught in her throat; literally taken away by the sheer emotion running through her. 'Oh my God...Oh my God...h-he's kissing me! The Doctor is kissing me!' she thought.
He pulled her a bit closer, deepening the kisses since she didn't seem to object or pull away. He simply couldn't help himself. She felt so good in his arms.
'Do something Rose...you're just sitting here letting him kiss you! You've got hands...use them!' she yelled internally. Her hands found their way up to his shoulders and eventually she knotted his fingers in that really great hair of his.
When the Doctor finally pulled away for air, he looked down at her exasperated. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that..." he breathed.
"You don't know how long I've wanted you to do that..." she panted, "What took you so bloody long?"
"I dunno...fear, pride...my ego...there's a number of things really," he rambled as he ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the rolling credits on the screen. 'There, better?' He thought to the TARDIS, whom he could feel watching him.
The TARDIS gave a happy groan of delight in response. "I'm glad you finally did...was starting to think all that flirting and tension between us was nothing...thought I was going mad," she mumbled, looking down at her hands.
"No Rose...if anything it's me who was mad for not saying anything sooner." He breathed as he looked down at her and lifted her chin up so he could meet her eyes. "I love you Rose Tyler."
Her eyes filled with tears once again and she quickly wiped them away. "I-I love you too Doctor...so much," Rose said before leaning up and kissing him the way she'd wanted to for so long; slow and languid and perfect.
The Doctor wrapped his long arms around her and held her close, reveling in their kiss, the smell of her hair, the softness of her skin; everything that made this moment perfect. About that time, they both heard the low hum of the TARDIS and they could tell they were moving again.
"We're moving again?" she asked, breaking away, a furrowed expression on her face.
"Uh yeah, I suppose so," the Doctor smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Bit odd...she stops...we watch a movie...we kiss...she starts moving again...Doctor, did you set this up?" she asked, a smirk on her face. "That's too precise to not be planned."
"Uh well... actually..." he replied nervously. "The TARDIS sort of set us up on her own, I just went along with it."
Rose glared up at the ceiling, but then cracked a smile. "Guess the ol' girl's been listening in on both of us and finally got sick of nothing happening..."
"I suppose so," the Doctor chuckled as he pulled her to him again and just sat there holding her. "Hey Rose..."
"Hmmm?" she mumbles, snuggling into his chest.
"Will you be my Rose?" He asked nervously. He didn't want to use the term girlfriend because it seemed to simple for how much Rose meant to him.
"Thought I already was...my Doctor?" she asked, turning her head around to properly look at him.
"Without a doubt," he grinned before kissing her again.