Title: Trigger
Author: Shen
Rating: PG-13, to be cautious
Summary: A self-indulgent re-write of the last few minutes of 4x12.
He is running. Careening. Driving himself towards her with the force of long-separation and blinding, marrow-deep love. The Doctor's Rose is doing the same, awkwardness from carrying a comic book-sized gun be damned. From afar, Donna watches with a peaceful smile, glad for her best friend and about two seconds from weeping like the giant romantic she is.
Movement in the corner of Rose's eye whips her head around and draws the Doctor's with it. A Dalek. Two faces twist into masks of shock and horror.
Then, a twitch. A spasm of reflex born of years of field work. Even while Rose's mind reels, her body brings her weapon to bear and pulls the trigger, barely stopping before she's blown bits of Dalekanium all over the road. The bastard thing couldn't even finish the word "exterminate."
The Doctor gapes at her work, along with both women. Blinks at Rose, who blinks back before shrugging. The look in her eyes is cautious, not sure how he'll take the show of soldiering prowess from her.
"Ace shot!" shouts Donna as she begins to clap. And then the Doctor shakes himself off and begins to run again. He and Rose meet halfway with a- clatter?
"Oof!" they both grunt, holding their stomachs and ribs where the gun of gigantitude got squished between them.
"That was graceful," the Doctor manages, breathless. "Like a Judoon on ice skates."
"Sorry." Rose sets the gun aside before launching herself at the Time Lord. The hug is seamless, each person molding to the other like the edges of smoothly-broken glass, not even air able to sneak through.
"I missed you, God, Doctor, my Doctor..."
"Rose, Rose, Rose!" His voice has something like reverence, and oh, how she missed the breathy quality with which he spoke her name. Only the Doctor could make her cry just by saying it. "I never thought- but I'm so glad!" And with that, he planted kisses on each tear-stained cheek before zeroing in on her mouth.
Thus Jack found them when he appeared, ready for Daleks and instead greeted with a happy sight indeed. They were totally lost in each other while Donna watched, becoming more uncomfortable by the second. Ah, no wonder; the Doctor's hands were beginning to wander, and Rose was making a noise not completely fit for polite company.
Jack took a moment to appreciate the happy circumstance of their reunion.
Then he wandered over to see if he could join in.
END