Author's Note: This was written in response to one of Jessa L'Rynn's September Challenges, just a little bit that popped up in my head. I'm not entirely sure that the story isn't complete rubbish and might leave it at this point.
I don't own Doctor Who. I only own a potted plant (and mine is not called Ursula - okay, maybe it is, I never asked).
Rose Tyler determinedly closed the last oft he boxes which contained the interior of her office at Torchwood and left her key card on the now clean desk. Without a last look at the stunning view over London she picked up one of the boxes and her favorite potted plant, a half sentient being from a planet with an absolutely unpronounceable name, nicknamed Fred (the planet not the plant, her name was Ursula, of all things), walked towards the door and left the building for the last time.
She stepped on the street, walking slowly towards her flat. She was forty now and had spent literally half of her life saving the universe, the multi-verse or at least Earth from one or another alien invasion. Not that the universe had thanked her for that. Separated from her first true love, thrown in another universe and when she finally had found a way home, sent back again with his clone. What had he thought? She was Rose Tyler, the Bad Wolf, who had turned a whole fleet of Daleks into dust and now he thought she would be content with settling down with his clone? The three, well four, big C's: Clone, Children, Cooking, Church (not that she was religious, but she actually had met the devil and lived to tell the tale). And the first incarnation she had met had called her 'Stupid Ape!' Although at first she had tried to make it work because his clone had said what he obviously could not or would not admit. But it soon became apparent to her that she had changed too much since she first fell through the void. The first incarnation had loved to be challenged by her, his second hated it. This counted even more for his clone as he was born in war. Some days they had spent together were beautiful memories, on others they fought but mostly they didn't even speak to each other, let alone talk. Finally they separated and the last she had heard about him was that he had moved to France and lived with an actress called Sophia Arthur. Well, maybe she could keep him happy.
On the other hand she had to admit that it was her fault she was stuck in this universe as she had kissed his clone like the stupid girl he obviously thought she was. If only she could go back to that day on Darlig Ulf Stranden. Although what she really wanted was to go back to Satellite Five and stop him from changing if she was honest to herself. Her best friend, her true love with the thick Northern accent, piercing blue eyes and those adorable ears…
'Stop it!' she told herself firmly. You are forty years old and sound like a lovesick teenager. On the other hand that was exactly the problem. She was forty and still looked not more than twenty-three at the most. A few years ago she had stopped dying her hair which made her look older and had increased the effect by using make up differently. At the moment no one was suspecting anything as there was no one left who knew her when she first came in this universe. Her mum, Pete and her brother Tony had died seven years ago in a car accident, leaving her alone. Mickey had stayed in the old universe and Jake, well, Jake had been killed on a Torchwood mission while he tried to save her. Yet another death on her conscience. Anyway, she had to leave Torchwood or she would end up as a lab rat, a destiny she would like to avoid. So she was going to be solely the Vitex heiress from now on, spending her money for charity and planning to finally disappear from the public like an aging film star – just without the aging part.
She had planned this for almost a whole year, dropping hints that she was going to leave because of failing health. But despite her preparations Rose still wondered what she was going to do with her life. Her old Doctor had once told her to have a fantastic life, on the day that was the second turning point of her life. Just vanishing from the face of the earth was not going to work for her anymore. It hadn't back then and it wouldn't now. She couldn't bear being an invisible shop girl or a waiting lady again. She had to make a difference somehow. Okay, she had already done that. She had made a difference for herself. Trapped herself here, and now she was transporting a half sentient potted plant named Ursula home. She still wondered why the plant had insisted on that name, snapping for her fingers whenever she spoke of her as a thing. Almost like in The Little Shop of Horrors, now she came to think of it…
'Stop rambling! You're almost as bad as him!' she told herself. If only she could go back to that fateful day. There had to be a way to change events without destroying the whole fabric of time and space. She really didn't want to see any Reapers again. There had to be a way. She would do anything for another chance with her first him.
Out of a sudden there was a whooshing sound she had not heard for more than ten years. Slowly she turned around and saw a familiar shape materializing. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"
A/N: I have not decided yet who will leave the TARDIS. Could be anyone (although I'm fairly certain it won't be Ten, at least not her Ten). Let me know if you think that the story is worth to continue.
