Disclaimer: Don't own.
A/N: I decided to step out of my comfert-zone and write fluff, though I'm not too sure how good it turned out. I've wanted to do a fic in Victorian London for a while now, so here it is.
"Victoriana…London…1895. Oh, wonderful year!"
The Doctor pulled his head back in and grinned gleefully at Rose, "I love this year."
Rose giggled at his expression, "And what makes this year different then the last?"
"Oh, nothing noticeable. It's just all around better."
"You haven't been here before, have you?"
"Never in my life. But that's the fun of it!" He smiled. "Think about it, for once I'm as much in the dark as you are." Rose wished that that were true.
"No you aren't."
His expression sunk into one of mock-exasperation in record time, "Can I have my fun?"
"No." Rose replied in mock-annoyance, "Because the only reason I said yes is so I can follow you around and ruin all your attempts at fun."
"Well, that's not nice. Anyway, go on and get changed. Unless you want to be a timorous beastie, which might take the fun out of it. But didn't you just say that was your job? I--"
"I'll go get changed." In her time traveling with him, Rose had learned that interrupting was one of the best ways to break off one of the Doctor's rambles.
He watched her go for a moment and sunk down on the captain's chair, impatience pricking at every inch of his superior body. Victorian dresses took forever to get into, unless Rose decided she wanted to be a man this time around. Which would take less time, even with all the make-up and wigs. That'd be a sight to see, the Doctor mused, beautiful, feminine Rose as a man…
In the wardrobe room, Rose was having a rather difficult time finding an appropriate dress to wear. There always was that purple dress she wore last time when they were in Victoriana, but she wanted to wear something… new. But nothing was catching her eye.
She walked through rows and rows of dresses, but they were all too short, or too puffy, or too… 54th century-ish. All in all, nothing was right. Well, until she came to the one at the end.
It was a dark red, and stood out completely from the blue dresses flanking it. There was some black embroidery, but not so much that it took away. Rose grinned widely as she rather felt than heard the TARDIS's hum.
The Doctor was just finishing his book, 'War and Peace', when Rose came out. And when she did, he was left speechless, which was saying something for him.
"This alright?" Rose asked, gesturing to the her attire, "Right time period an' all?"
He fought to find words, and when he did his voice was cracking.
"T-that's perfect, Rose."
She smiled, "I think the TARDIS chose it. She was hummin' when I picked it up."
"The TARDIS is smart like that."
Rose giggled as he held out his arm to her. "Right-o, Miss Tyler. Let's go have a jolly good time on the town, shall we?"
She laced her arm with his, "Lead the way, Doctor Smith." And he did with an extra bounce in his step.
"Ooh, what is this?" The Doctor wondered as he studied a flyer.
Rose, whose arm was still entwined with his, was busy looking around at their surroundings. She always loved watching the people just simply live when they traveled in time. It was just amazing; here they were, two people from totally different eras in the middle of Victorian London, and no one even spared them a second glance.
"Rose, what do you say we go and see a medium?" The Doctor turned and grinned at her.
"A medium?"
"Yeah, you know, spirits and all that."
Rose widened her eyes, "It's real? I mean, I remember Gwyneth an' all, but that was… different."
"Well, it could be. Most of the time it's just an actor, but occasionally you get the real thing." He grinned, "So what do you say? Shall we go and see the 'Magnificent' Madam Frolix?"
"Why not?"
The Doctor had managed to get them fairly good seats, but really, no seats were good in that little theater. Up on the stage sat a woman in her later fifties. She was the picture of psychic with her hair wrapped in a colorful scarf and lots of jewelry and tattoos covering her body where there wasn't multi-colored cloth. In front of her was a table with a crystal ball.
A man in a black suit and a mustache walked out onto stage, "Welcome all to see the Magnificent Madame Frolix at work with the mysterious forces around us!" The Doctor snorted at that part. "During the show, Madame Frolix will be taking volunteers and connecting with their lost loved-ones. And without delaying you further, let the show begin!"
Several lamps went out, creating a spotlight of sorts on stage. There was a certain mysterious feel to the room now as Madame Frolix looked up at the crowd.
"Good evening, all." She rasped out in a foreign accent. There were some mumbled 'Good evenings' throughout the crowd. Madame Frolix's tattooed lips curved upwards into a smile, which Rose had a feeling was supposed to be mysterious.
"Do I have any volunteers?"
Several people raised their hands, and Madame Frolix chose a man with a thick beard in the back. He stumbled forward and sat in front of her. She took his hands in hers and closed her eyes as a look of intense concentration settled on her features. Rose leaned forward in wonder.
"And who do you wish to speak to this fine night, sir?"
"Er, my mother, Mary Vogal, if you'd be so kind, Madam Frolix."
Madam Frolix squeezed his hands in concentration, "I see her. She's coming! Oh, she's here!"
"Mother?" The man asked excitedly.
"Yes, it is I, my child." Madam Frolix now spoke with a London accent.
"Mother!" The man broke into a wide grin, "What is your opinion on Millie, mother?"
'Mary Vogal' smiled warmly, "I believe she is a very suitable spouse. Congratulations on your first child, my son."
A fit of spasms shot up her arms, shaking her whole body. When she spoke again, it was her foreign accent again.
"I didn't disappoint you, did I?" Her tone was a mixture between worry and satisfaction.
"No, not at all. Thank-you, Madam Frolix. Wait until I share the news with Millie!" He shook her hand earnestly and walked of the stage.
"Hmm." The Doctor commented next to her.
"Was that real?" Rose asked him quietly.
"Hard to tell." His voice was no more than a whisper in her ear, making her shiver.
Another volunteer walked up onto the stage and Rose focused her attention on the show again.
With each coming and going of a volunteer, the Doctor would comment on it distractedly, but it was always just 'Hmm.' And that made it very hard for Rose to decide if she believed the act or not.
"One more person." Madam Frolix announced after a middle aged woman walked off stage, "One more person and the show ends."
The Doctor grinned, "Shall we find out if it's real?"
Rose turned to face him, "What are you planning?"
He just grinned.
When the medium on stage asked for the volunteer, he grabbed her hand and shot up.
"Please, Madam Frolix, our mum died she was giving birth to Lulu here," He raised their entwined hands, "We would be so very grateful if you could contact her for us."
"Yes, yes. Come up here, both of you. Madam Frolix would be honored to reunite a family so broken." Madam Frolix said without hesitation.
The Doctor shot her an excited grin as he led her up to the stage. He sat her on the chair, always the gentleman, and he kneeled down beside her.
"Join hands." The medium commanded as she grabbed Rose's and the Doctor's hands. Her hands were rough, and she held on too tightly for Rose's liking.
"What was your mother's name?"
"Gertrude Bartholomew Huckle." The Doctor announced.
Rose stifled a laugh.
"She's entering… and she's here." The medium squeezed her hands tighter until Rose thought she was going to cut off her circulation.
"Mummy?" The Doctor asked excitedly.
"Yes, love, it's me." A London accent again.
"Are you happy where you are?"
"Yes, it's a very enjoyable place."
"Can you still see that horrid red pot daddy bought?"
'Gertrude' frowned, "Yes, love, I see it. He hasn't gotten rid of it yet?"
Rose felt the Doctor squeeze her hand, and it was certainly more comfortable then when the medium did it.
When the Doctor said nothing, she took this as her cue.
"No, not yet, I'm afraid." After a moment's hesitation, she added, "Mummy."
"A disappointment indeed."
Madam Frolix's frame began shaking again and she released their hands. When she opened her eyes, she was gazing at them expectantly.
"Er, thank-you Madam Frolix." Rose muttered when the Doctor said nothing.
She nodded, "I'm happy to do my part."
"Does that give you your answer?" The Doctor asked Rose once they were outside.
Rose smiled and nodded.
"Just a damn good actress, conning their people out of their money."
"But what about the first one?" She asked, remembering how the medium knew things that the man didn't tell her.
"Oh, the man? He was most likely an actor too, placed among the crowd. You know, like those live shows on TV? A complete fake."
Rose couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, but she shook it off.
"Not that anyone really find out," The Doctor continued, "Madam Frolix becomes a huge sensation. Like this era's Miley Cyrus, only her rep is a bit better. She performs for the royals, even. And no one even finds out that she's lying."
"Except us." Rose put in.
"Yes, except us. But you're not about to go off and ruin her are you?"
Rose shook her head.
The two walked in comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from Rose's shoes on the cobblestone and the daily life around them.
"Oh!" She gasped when something cold and wet landed on the top of her head.
All around them, raindrops began to fall faster and faster, turning the stone ground several shades darker. All around them, people began swarming around faster, hurrying to find shelter, until it was just her and the Doctor left outside.
The Doctor looked up at the sky, frowning. "That's odd, there wasn't single cloud in the sky when we came. Mind you, weather can change in an hour, but this looks rather severe, don't you think, Rose? Rose?" The Doctor turned to see that his companion was, in fact, missing. "Rose?" He asked again and turned around to see if she got left behind or if she just wandered off.
He did find her behind, but she wasn't doing what he had expected. She was twirling around, letting the raindrops fall against her skin, her skirt flown out around her. The Doctor watched her amusedly for a moment before curiosity got the better of him.
"What're you doing?"
"Dancing." Rose said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Why?"
"I've always wanted to dance in the rain."
"In Victorian London?"
She stopped and looked at him, "Well, there are people I know in 21st century London. If anyone looked out their windows, I wouldn't care 'cause I'd never see 'em again."
He smiled as she started again. It was moments like this that made him think it wasn't possible to be any happier. So he stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and twirled her around. When she was in front of him again, he grabbed her other hand and began the waltz, making her grin grow wider.
Rose laughed, loud and free.
"What?" The Doctor asked rather indignantly, though he was still smiling.
"We're dancing in the rain," She giggled, "In Victoriana! That's brilliant!"
He couldn't help but laugh along with her, loving the sheer wonder reflected in her eyes.
"Oi!" A window opened up in one of the houses to reveal an old, tired looking woman, "I've never seen the likes of it! You two, get quiet or get out!" The window slammed shut again.
The Doctor and Rose looked back at each other. Get quiet or get out? There was only one obvious choice.
"Lulu, darling, I should think it's time to be heading home."
"Lead the way, brother dear."
How was it? Did I just get everyone totally out of character? Review?