Authors Note:
I've been wanting to write a story like this for a while now so I hope people like it. This is the first in a series of ones offs which will explore the normalcy of Human life for the Doctor and Rose. Let me know what you think, there'll be more on this coming soon to this series I promise. All thanks to:
My lovely beta, who made this whole little story better. :D Beres xx
Christmas in the Tyler family was always full of traditions, especially now they'd been living on the parallel Earth. It'd been six months when the Doctor and Rose had finally moved out of the Tyler mansion and into the overly large flat they they'd managed to buy themselves. The Doctor had insisted on the fact that they got some sort of Office along with the usual bedroom, bathroom, lounge, kitchen and anything else that someone might have desired. Both of them on very reasonable Torchwood salaries, so getting things like that definitely wasn't a problem.
Although Rose had a feeling that perhaps it was because he wanted somewhere to tinker whilst his mind wandered back over his epic life. He'd never been particularly good at sleeping, he'd found himself waking in the early hours of the morning when he'd only been asleep for five hours. Five hours of sleep per day seemed to the norm for the Doctor, any more than that and Rose found she had an hyperactive Timelord on her hands which then resulted in pictures being broken when they fell off the walls as he jumped about on the sofas.
The large six foot Christmas Tree stood in the large Entrance Hall as The Doctor came in. He smiled, seeing Tony whizzing round the bottom of it with what seemed like a lot of tinsel tied together. He smiled as he put his bag down; the safely secured Laptop put away until later use, he knew full well that he'd be hidden away behind it until later on that evening if he wasn't careful. Work and emails seemed to be something of a regular fiddle for the Doctor late at night when the rest of the world was sleeping.
Torchwood had all closed early, in the Doctors department anyway. Once his Zeppelin from Australia had landed he'd been sent straight homes with confidence that he had nothing to do, and that they had everything under control. But he certainly knew that if anything were to go wrong then he'd be consulted straight away, although the chances of having Christmas ruined were pretty low. Things that happened in this universe weren't always at Christmas and hadn't happened for the last few years.
In fact nothing had happened at Christmas for the last few years, so the Doctor had spent five very good years watching Rose play with her little brother as he put the last of the Christmas decorations up.
He smiled hearing Tony's giggle whilst Rose ran around from behind the tree catching her little brother in her arms. He hadn't seen them eight weeks, what with Torchwood having shipped him off to Australia until next February to investigate an alien sighting in a sea side town near Perth.
And although the Doctor hadn't imagined he'd be home for a good six weeks, he'd managed to catch the last Zeppelin home. He'd liked Australia, but he'd missed Rose, England and Home more than he'd imagined and didn't want to be out there any longer than the six weeks he already had been. He wanted to come home, especially for Christmas.
Although he also knew that he'd have to fly straight back out within the next five days, but he didn't want to tell Rose that just yet (even though she'd probably guess anyway.) He just wanted to enjoy her company and enjoy Christmas. Not dampen the spirits by explaining he'd have to travel right across the world once again.
"Awww Rose!!!" Tony exclaimed.
"Awww Rose nothing." Rose replied, kissing his nose and laughing at the face he made, "I doubt Mum would be pleased if you managed to bring down the whole tree."
"I only did it once!" the seven year old protested.
"Twice including when you pushed me into it last year!"
Tony giggled. "That was Johns fault."
"I know, but you knocked it over cos he was too scared to pick the bowl up." Rose said remembering last years tree incident as she sat down on the large steps letting Tony run free from her arms. She smiled as Tony decided to make more use of the tinsel and put some on the stairs only letting herself bite her lip as he caught her side, opening up another bout of pain in her side once again. She closed her eyes briefly putting her hand over her belly, hoping beyond hope that the life she'd created with a man on a completely different continent was still there.
"Ohh Christmas decoration time is it?" the Doctor asked, managing to make Rose jump off her seat and begin to pull her jumped down in attempts to get rid of any visible signs of cuts from an earlier excursion she'd had. She knew what the Doctor was like, he'd only worry about it.
"Rose!!" Jake shouted looking round the blackened room. They'd managed to get stuck in a crater near by, in which was a impossibly large tree house like hut in the middle of the craters walls. However inside were what looked to be death traps all over the place, including a large drop with spears which reminded Rose terribly of a Tomb Raider game Mickey had been addicted to years before. The lights had gone out suddenly and the room quiet. "You still there?"
"I'm here Jake." Rose said slipped her hand into his gently, the lights going out were never a helpful coincident and the fact that they couldn't see anything didn't help what so ever. Especially when she knew that there were creatures roaming around that could quite easily rip them to pieces.
"Where's the rest of the team?"
"I don't know." Rose answered truthfully, "I really don't, they were here a moment ago but right now I'm not too sure. I think... Jake I can't see anything, when they went out that door if they'd fallen we wouldn't have been able to help them..."
"Just don't think about it Rose..." Jake answered quickly putting his arm round her and canoeing them to the side of the room where they knew a wall was.
"There's a drop, must be fifty feet at the least." Rose said quietly, "Right behind where we were standing. They could have..."
"You don't know that they fell.."
"No your right I don't," Rose replied looking at him, "But I do know that can't see a thing and surely they'd have answered by now."
"I hope so..." Jack whispered looking round, "Maybe we could find them... they had their pagers on them right?"
"I think so yeah..." Rose replied quietly, she scanned the room whilst Jake paged them and let out a sigh of relief when she couldn't hear anything. "They got away?"
"I'm presuming so." Jake replied before pressing the button on top of the torch and shining it over the ground. "Straight ahead... we'll be alright."
A roar echoed through the room and Jake found himself being dragged straight across the room. Rose stopped, suddenly unable to move and looked round, Jake was standing still in the middle of the room. A terrified expression on his face and yet she didn't know why. The torch was only providing only a screen of light for one of them when Jake shone it in the wrong direction.
Rose shivered as she felt a breath on her back, she closed her eyes.
"Great..." She thought to herself silently, "I'm gonna die in a Tomb Raider style..."
Rose felt a tear go down her cheek silently, and before she could see or do anything to change the situation she felt herself falling into unconsciousness, her hand resting over her stomach protecting the small life within her.
The Doctor could only grin as Tony came running over hugging his legs, surprise evident on both their faces. "Hello Mr..."
"I thought you were in Ausbalia!!"
"Australia." the Doctor chucked, correcting the child on his vocabulary gently. "And I wanted to come home, I haven't seen you all in six weeks!"
Tony wriggled excitedly and the Doctor placed him on the floor, running over to the kitchen shouting, "Mummy!!!!!!!!!!!!" at the top of his voice as he did so.
Rose could only stare for a moment as she got up from the stairs, she was smiling and she picked up the star that was knocked off as Tony ran past in his quick manner.
The Doctor grinned not standing still for a moment longer and striding over and kissing her cheek gently. "Hello to you too."
Rose smiled looking at him and squealed softly as he lifted her up, the large star going on the top of the tree as it did every year. Rose grinned down at the Doctor before he lifted her down and pulled her into a hug. She could feel him pressing against her side but hid the wince and cuddled into him, glad of feeling secure in his arms once again.
"Oh it's so good to see you..." Rose whispered into his ear. "I thought you weren't going to be home until February!!"
"Well," the Doctor started before a startled cry from behind him stopped his speech. He laughed seeing Jackie, much like Rose she was surprised he'd been there.
"Oh I don't believe it!" Jackie exclaimed, "I need to peel more potatoes!!!!"
The Doctor could only laugh as she waddled away towards the kitchen, the swell of Jackie's own pregnancy just starting to show. Although Pete's wages was more than enough to mean they could employ more staff for the kitchen. Jackie had insisted that they didn't have any help with the kitchens, Rose knew her Mother enjoyed cooking. And having a large American sized fridge was just one of the dreams that Jackie had fulfilled whilst being here on the parallel world.
"What made you come home?" Rose asked once she herself had stopped laughing. "I thought..."
"I wanted to be here..." he put his hand on her cheek, caressing it gently as he did so. "I wanted to be with you... you're all I've got now Rose."
"Doctor don't say that." Rose said softly looking at him before pulling him into a hug again ignoring the pain she'd gotten in her side once again. She buried her head in his shoulder, taking comfort in the nutty smell he smelt of along with the small scent of Bananas. She smiled against him, only he would smell like Bananas. But she wasn't complaining, she found him all the more adorable.
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Rose looked on as the Doctor lifted his heavy suitcase onto the baggage cart at Torchwoods overly large air field. Although Heathrow was nearby, when it was required to go overseas Torchwood insisted that their employers (although that may well have been Petes influence!!) travel privately. And Rose wasn't complaining, she didn't like planes as it was so flying privately with Torchwood always made her feel slightly more comfortable about the whole endeavour.
She stayed quiet as the Doctor came back over, the decision having been made that he'd go to Australia only the evening before and Rose knew that she had to respect his decision. However she also knew he'd be missed, they'd spent the last five years on this planet and Rose knew full well that most of that time had been spent together.
She could remember the first time he'd come home after work, pale, quiet and obviously in need of a very large cup of tea. He'd gone straight over to the sofa, sitting down but not bothering to take off his coat. He hadn't whispered a word to Rose as she pulled him into the hug he needed, happy to let her hold him as he cast his mind back over his epic life and mourn the loss of something he'd held very dear to his heart.
"You gonna be alright?" the Doctor asked, the wind blowing over their faces as the Zeppelin got ready to take off.
"Always yeah..." Rose replied wincing slightly at the way it had come out. She looked down at the floor and sighed softly. "Do you have to go?"
"You know I do." the Doctor answered, "Still... I'll be back before you know it."
Rose nodded silently feeling his arms come around her in a tight embrace, they clung to each other until Petes voice rang out over the airfield signalling the beginning of the Doctors departure.
"I've got to go..." the Doctor said gently.
Rose stayed where she was, his hand falling away from his as he walked up to the Zeppelin. Flashes of their lives together flashed before he eyes and she ran over to him quickly, taking his hand and stopping him from going any further. He turned around and she quickly pulled him into a desperate kiss, letting that explain everything else that she couldn't and hadn't for the last five years.
The Doctor, obviously been taken by surprise at her signs of affection she'd shown to him. Rose had pulled away after a minute after realising he hadn't responded before she felt his arms going around her waist, pulling her closer. A horn sounded, knowing full well that The Doctor had to go, Rose reluctantly pulled back breaking their kiss, and moaned softly before burying her head in his shoulder holding onto his waist before looking up into his eyes and stepping back, both knowing his departure was evident. She leaned up to his ear, whispering him goodbye and watched as he stepped back to enter the zeppelin.
Rose stepped back into the safety circle that Torchwood had made; watching as the Zeppelin took off and made it's way to Australia, taking the Doctor with it. Rose stayed quiet; a lone tear on cheek.
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"And then there was this giant sort of... well it was like a mosquito which well lets face it it's Austrlia so it's not exactly unsual but it really wasn't the normal size, oh no, it was so much bigger than that. I mean see that Turkey there?" the Doctor said happily pointing to the large Turkey Jackie had slaved away over for the last few hours. "It could have eaten all of that in one big go! I mean really, and that was just like having a starter. So I said to Dave...Dave's my partner, comes from Sydney, lovely bloke you'd love him Rose. Does gorgeous Chestnut Stuffing! But I can tell you more about that another time, anyway the point the is, this massive, and when I say massive I'm not understating I actally do mean massive, decided that it'd come running after us!! And I tried to hold it off, belive me, I tried throwing more Chickens at him, which weren't always cooked. Not very nice raw but it saved someones life that's the main thing really isn't it? Anyway, so we're running, and I mean running all the way through this Australian wilderness, three hours away from the base and then, this horse just appears out of nowhere and..."
"Ohh my Daddy went to Ausbalia too!!!" Tony exclaimed, completely runining the punch line of the Doctors monolouge.
The laugher inside the dining room rang out and the Doctor smiled bleakly at Tony who giggled softly, unaware that he'd just ruined the punch line of such an epic tale. However the Doctor had been rambling for at least five minutes now and somehow, he didn't think that he'd be too popular if he carried on for much longer.
"Right well... I'm shattered and I think it's somebody's bedtime." Jackie announced and got up picking up Tony despite his whine of disapproval. "Come on Mr...can you do the dishes Pete?" Jackie smiled getting up and kissed Roses cheek gently. "Night Sweetheart."
"Goodnight Mum." Rose said quietly, seeing the Doctor heading into the kitchen out the corner of her eye.
"You alright sweetheart?" Jackie asked gently, wiping some hair behind Roses ear gently. "You look pale..."
"I'm fine Mum... when am I not?" Rose lied.
Jackie looked up laughing slightly seeing the Doctor inside the large kitchen putting on yellow rubber gloves.
"He's never done the dishes before..."
"Exactly." Rose started, staying quiet for a moment, "which is exactly what's worrying me." Rose got up and walked into the kitchen, watching as the Doctor leant against the side of the cupboard, his eyes were closed, breathing light but Rose could tell there was more to it than she'd thought.
"Doctor?"
He spun round, looking at her his face the usual mixed masked of emotions that meant she couldn't tell anything properly. He kept himself so locked up usually it was always hard to see what he was thinking, which if they were in danger came in handy however when she wanted to find out if he was alright.
"I can do that..."
"No it's fine." the Doctor said smiling at her before turning away from her, and letting the hot water fall over his hands as he washed the many plates beneath it. Rose stayed quiet walking forward and wrapping her arms round his waist, kissing his shoulder gently wondering what his sudden change in mood was about.
"You can talk to me you know Doctor, if something's wrong then just..."
"Rose nothings wrong." the Doctor turned round looking at her, "Alright I might seem a little more domestic now I'm back."
"Yeah exactly," Rose laughed slightly looking at him, "Since when did you want to do the dishes? Usually you moan until I give in and then flounder me with cups of tea..."
"Well I make very good cups of tea..." the Doctor murmured softly. He felt Roses grip on him tighten and he turned round in her embrace, he smiled and touched her face with his un washing up glove hand. "Never mind me, are you alright you look a bit pale?"
"Of course I'm alright." Rose said smiling at him nusseling the hand on her cheek gently before looking at him, the warmness in his eyes she knew was something that he saved for her, and for that she knew she would be eternally grateful for it. Neither of them knew who iniated the kiss, all either of them knew all of a sudden was that they were kissing. They heard a clunk as the rest of the washing up was fortunately sent into the washing up bowl rather than the floor. Rose moaned softly, hands on the Doctors waist pulling him closer before she felt the pain in her side intensify and she groaned pulling away from The Doctors lips. She looked up at him, concern obvious on his features.
"What's wrong?"
"My side..." Rose groaned again feeling her breath stick in her throat "I can't breath, help the baby..." Rose started before she could stop herself. She hadn't mentioned the fact that she were pregnant to anyone, not even The Doctor. But it was times like this when people tend to let things slip and this was one of these times.
"Rose what...."
"The baby...Doctor I can't..." Rose slumped as fell into unconciousness before the Doctor could do anything to defuse the situation.
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"Well if you think you're going to be swanning off to Australia for..."
"I'm not swanning off Rose!" the Doctor laughed slightly whilst Rose went around the room attempting to tidy the table up from the Doctors array of papers he'd scattered there over the following weeks.
"Well swanning off or not, you're still going." Rose huffed softly getting a peeler from the draw and beginning to peel the carrot. "So Doctor, I'm making sure that this is a night you're going to remember so when you get to Australia your definitely going to come back."
The Doctor raised his eyebrows stilling her hand on the carrot, "And what makes you think you might not come back?"
"I have no idea!" Rose exclaimed looking at him, "But for all I know you might find something better over there and decide to stay there forever..." Rose stalled in what she was doing sniffing slightly. She couldn't face him not ever coming back, it was hard enough that he'd be away until February let alone the rest of eternity.
The Doctors hand on Roses cheek made Rose look up at him, he smiled softly at her before wrapping his arms around her. "It will all be over in a heartbeat I promise..."
"You're not even going to be here for Christmas." Rose whispered not looking at him again.
"I'm sorry... but you know I have to go." the Doctor said, "If I don't then..."
"Then what Doctor?" Rose asked looking up at him, "You'd just be stuck here with us humans like the last five years? Australia gives you a chance to travel again otherwise you'd be stuck here with me, not the travelling around in a Blue Box which I know you want to do. You're settling for second best..."
"Rose Marion Tyler you know that's not what I meant at all." the Doctor said looking her straight in the eye. "If I had to choose between the universe and you, I'd pick you any day. It doesn't matter what type of eternity I might be getting afterwards, I'd be with you. And b you/b Rose Tyler are the most important thing to me in the world..."
"Why?" Rose croaked. "Surely if I mattered then..."
"I love you," the Doctor interrupted, "Isn't that enough?"
Rose didn't know what to say or what exactly happened next, she didn't think the Doctor had either. It was only as they found themselves backing into the nearest bedroom, clothes getting throwing away as they began their night that they'd never forget. However little did they know at the time that they'd soon realise this night was going to mean more than a casual step further in their relationship.
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The sound of a heat monitor was never something that comforted Rose as she came to from the world of darkness. However she soon realised that this wasn't the first thing that she was brought to her attention.
Pain.
There was a small pain in her side, she couldn't imagine what it might have been like had it hadn't of been somewhat hidden by what she assumed where drugs making her drowsy. She could hear hushed voices that she recognised and knew quite well that her Mother must have been bantering on to the other occupants in the about something and from what she was saying, she definitely wasn't amused.
"And she just went floundering off into a battlefield!!" Jackie exclaimed, "Do you honestly think it was safe to let her go and do such a thing?"
"Jackie I didn't even know she was pregnant." Pete was saying, "If I'd known..."
Was pregnant? Roses heart sank at the words that Pete uttered. She'd known... somewhere inside of her she'd known that something was missing within her. For the last two months, two weeks. She'd felt different, she'd felt pregnant even though it'd only been within the first two months. But now she just, felt empty."Well shouldn't you have had her checked out before she went? I thought it was a protocol!"
"It is a protocol for every month." Pete replied calmly, although if Rose were to look at him she'd known he was close to blowing.
"Jackie!" the Doctors voice said rather loudly, "This isn't Pete's fault alright?"
"Doctor, Rose has been severely hurt surely you're slightly mad that Torchwood didn't have the intelligence..."
"Yes!" the Doctor shouted, "I am! But right now I'm more worried about Rose coming out of this alive because believe it or not Jackie Tyler, I do not fancy losing something else in this family tonight!!"
That seemed to send the room into silence once more and Rose couldn't help but be slightly thankful for the Doctors outburst. She didn't think she could face her Mother going on about how she should have been more careful right this very second. However when Rose opened her eyes and looked around the room, she felt her nerves starting to kick in. Especially when she caught sight of the Doctors face, she could tell right there and then that he wasn't happy. Not that she blamed him, she knew that this would have hit him badly.
"Rose!" Jackie eclaimed flying over to her daughters side, "How are you feeling..."
"I'm fine... Mum... no Mum stop fussing." Rose said sitting up as she did so, managing to waft her Mothers hand away from helping her up whilst being careful not to pull her heart monitor off.
"I'd have thought you'd have found it difficult to get up considering you have a massive gash on your side." Jackie said looking at her, "Just you take it easy Rose."
"Mum it's not that bad honestly I'm fine..." Rose gasped as moved, feeling the pain in her side intensify. The Doctor was first on his feet this time helping Rose to lay back against the safty of her pillows before looking at Jackie.
"Can you tell the Nurse that she's awake Jackie? And Pete there should be a little shop..." the Doctor said looking round at Pete. "I've heard Grapes are rather good with hospitals you may care to get some."
"Doctor..." Rose started but Pete interrupted her.
"No Rose it's ok..." Pete smiled at her reassuringly, "I need to get something out the car anyway... come on Jackie."
"But..."
"Jackie come on." Pete said again and took his wifes hand leading her out quickly, leaving the other two alone.
"Doctor..."
"It's gone Rose." the Doctor said looking at her, "When that... thing whatever it was, hit you. It damaged you more than Doctors thought and so you miscarried. "
Rose didn't look back at the Doctor, her hand just went to her stomach protectively in an attempt to try and withhold the life that had been inside her a day previously.
"You've been asleep for three days I thought..." It was only when his voice cracked that Rose dare to look at him. She sniffed slightly herself and reached out to grasp his hand despite knowing that it'd hurt her side slightly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" the Doctor asked looking at her, "Why didn't..."
"You were in Australia..."
"I rang you everyday... you could have mentioned it." the Doctor said, his tone bitter.
"Are you angry?"
"Yes! No... maybe, I don't know." He sniffed slightly turning away from her. She didn't need a mirror in front of his face to know he was upset, crying wasn't something the Doctor did often but Rose knew when something really got to him. And this, seemed to be one of those times. Especially when in true Doctor fashion he seemed to be hiding it.
Which was what hurt.
Rose tugged on his hand gently, "Doctor look at me."
He looked round, although perhaps slightly glassy eyed he did attempt to smile. "We'll talk about that later... need to concentrate on getting you better not..."
"I'm so sorry Doctor..." Rose sniffed, letting some tears of her own fall. "I didn't think, I..."
"Shhh..." the Doctor said softly, wiping the tear away. "I'm sorry I got mad then... I didn't mean it."
"I'd be mad at me... I am mad at me."
"Well works both ways then doesn't it?" the Doctor replied softly. Rose smiled before coughing slightly as her words choaked in her dry throat. She lay back after the Doctor had helped her to drink the water, before yawning softly. She smiled as she felt the Doctors lips on her cheek and cuddled into his side, trying not to wince at the pain in her side again.
"The painkillers will help when you get your next dosage." the Doctor whispered, stroking her hair gently. Rose stayed quiet listening to the sigle heartbeat inside his chest. She closed her eyes remembering laying in bed next to him that night their baby had been cocived. It wasn't that she didn't want the baby, but Rose hadn't really been able to get her head around the thought of it until now. Which was probably why she found herself sobbing into the Doctors chest all of a sudden, repeting "I'm sorry." over and over again.
"It's not your fault." he whispered in her ear. "It's gonna be ok..."
"It was a living thing Doctor... with a nose, mouth and ears and little tiny..." Rose sniffed. "And it's all my fault..."
"Shhhh..." the Doctor soothed holding her close to him.
"I'm so sorry." Rose said looking up at him, "I've ruined it all..."
"It was an accidental mishap in our life Rose." the Doctor said softly, "Because that's the thing with life isn't it?" the Doctor said looking at her, "Things happen all the time and yet we can't do anything about it, we can't just sit back and leave things alone when actually sometimes it just makes things worse. Sometimes we're too afraid to own up to things and so when we finally do, it's too late. The point is, Rose accidents happen, all the time."
"I know but... I was so scared. I didn't tell you because I was scared... I didn't think you'd want a baby."
"Of course I want a baby..."
Rose laughed slightly before thinking better of it when her side began to sting once again. "That's a good joke Doctor...please stop doing that."
"Rose I'm being serious."
"What?" Rose looked up, looking at him, "But... you don't do domestic."
"No, he doesn't do domestic." the Doctor said looking at her, "When I said I'd choose you over the universe any day, I meant it. Alright, I might not have liked being here at first, it was costraphobia... and...but now, I'm used to it. Rose this is my life, my only life now and I'd much rather spend it with you and any children we may have than alone and unhappy."
Being pregnant had but things into prospective for Rose, she'd finally seen for once in her life that there was perhaps more to life than just her own. She wanted to share it with someone and she knew she could with this version of the Doctor. She should have known those five years ago when he whispered those unforgettable words on Bad Wolf Bay to her.
"Thank you..." Rose whispered.
Rose closed her eyes and pulled the Doctor closer to her, letting herself fall into his embrace gently.
"Oh Rose..." the Doctor replied gently looking at her, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
TBC:
AN: More coming soon, let me know what you think. :)