Like Nothing You've Seen Before
Rose asks for a stop at Henrick's, where she accidently meets herself pre-Doctor Days. She has a few choice words for her younger self.
This takes place shortly after the events described in "Just 'Cause"
To Erynmarie: The problem has been resolved. Thanks for the heads up!
-XXX-
He groaned as she tugged his arm, leading him toward the console room. "It's my birthday, shouldn't you be respecting my wishes?"
"No." Was all she said, before cheekily grinning her way out the TARDIS doors.
Roughly five seconds later she stepped back inside, realizing pajamas were not appropriate shopping attire. After a quick run through the TARDIS wardrobe, she hurried back to the doors, ignoring the Doctor's broad smirk, hissing a "Don't. Even."
Rose turned on to the street, taking a moment to locate herself. She was approximately three blocks from Henrick's. Closing the door behind her, Rose sighed. It was July, hot and sticky and terrible. Thank God Henrick's had air conditioning.
When she reached the store front, she realized she had no clue when they were. The store didn't look much different than it had when her days of employment. None of the window displays were familiar. The last time they had visited Jackie she had mentioned the store's reconstruction. Perhaps he had taken her to two thousand and six? Later, even?
Eight seconds into the store, and she found out.
"Oi! Rosie, whatcha doing in here?"
She spun around. Leaning against the welcoming makeup counter was Jonas. Neat and prim in a three-button navy suit with silk tie and horned-rim glasses, he looked just as he was the last time she had seen him—nearly a year ago.
"J-Jonas," She stuttered.
"Rose, it's your day off, why are you mopping around this joint?" When speaking to friends Jonas dropped his proper, polish accent for his native dialect of London. His eyes and voice were tinged with concern. "You okay?"
She found herself warmed by his display of unease. She had forgotten how much she missed Jonas.
"I'm fine." Rose assured him. "Just here to pick up a birthday gift for an old friend." She restrained herself from adding emphasis to the word "old." "Using that employee in-store discount, you know."
He laughed. "Mickey?"
"Nah, another guy. You don't know him."
"Oh-oh. Should Mick be worried?" Jonas teased.
Rose rolled her eyes. "He's always worried anyways. I don't think it'll matter anyways."
"Right."
"Well, I better start…" Rose hugged him hard. In just a few months he'd be out of job (temporarily—as the cosmetics manager, Jonas wouldn'tve been fired), and she would be gone. She'd never had a chance to say goodbye. "I'll see you later, yeah?"
He agreed. "Of course. We still set for lunch Thursday?"
"Um—" She struggled for a moment. "-Yeah, just remind me. Right. Bye!" Another tight squeeze, and she wandered toward the men's department.
It was incredibly lucky that her younger self had the day off. How had the Doctor not realized he'd sent her directly in way of her own time line? Sure, the TARDIS had a tendency to make such mistakes, but honestly, how could he not check?
"We do stop in London a lot. He can't always be sure. Besides, nothing major has happened yet." She mentally reassured herself. "I mean, it could be worse."
After browsing through belts, wallets, shoes, handkerchiefs, cufflinks, pipes and watches, Rose had to admit to herself that perhaps Henricks had not been the best choice for gift shopping for the Doctor. He wasn't a wallet-and-cufflinks sort of man. She couldn't imagine him smoking (unhealthy), or caring to wear a watch (no point—he's the Lord of Time), or taking a belt serious (he might wear it, but it was a rather odd gift). At a loss, she walked the tile pathways between departments, browsing aimlessly. He surely couldn't expect her to be back any time soon. It couldn't hurt to do some normal shopping, anyways.
It's when she hit the purse and handbag department that she saw how wrong she was.
Rose Tyler, 19, stood by a clothes rack, rearranging blouses and surveying the store for customer problems. She was wearing a green jacket Rose recognized, pink trainers, and her employee lanyard. A blank, almost dull, expression lay across her face. Not quite misery, but close enough.
Jonas had been wrong.
She ought to leave. Walk out now, go back to the TARDIS. Forget this had ever happened. Maybe make the Doctor a cake. She needed to go. And yet…and yet….
Perhaps it was the weather. Maybe that smile of Jonas. But it was most likely her own expression. Her 19-year-old self's bland look, empty eyes and slack mouth. That's what it was. The emptiness of her younger self's life.
Rose plucked a pair of dark sunglasses from a stand a few feet nearby, then a long burgundy scarf from a rack as she passed through the aisle. As she strode down the tile, she wrapped it around her head tightly, flinging the ends around her shoulder. The glasses she perched on the bride of her nose. It was just enough. Closing in, Rose along snagged an article of clothing from a display table, not even checking the size, price, colour, or what exactly it was. She casually rounded the corner nearest her younger self, going toward the department counter.
Naturally, younger Rose sprung to attention. She hurried to the counter, going behind the register, setting a cheery smile onto her face. Her older counterpart offered forth the clothing.
"Is that all?" Rose asked sweetly.
The customer nodded. "Yes, thank you." Her voice was lowered an octave, breathier, but still her younger self tilted her head. She smiled, confused.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"No." Rose assured her. "No, you don't."
"Oh." She continued ringing up the purchase, folding the garment with great care. "You just looked a little familiar."
Rose smiled. "I get that a lot. I just have one of those faces, I suppose."
Her younger self laughed. "I do too, sometimes."
Then she sobered, blank face coming back into place. She finished folding and bagging Rose's things before turning over the sharp paper bag. Gold script ran across the side. Henrick's. "I'm sorry, it's just been a—" She sighed. "—long week."
"Listen…" She hesitated. "Rose, you've got to hold on. Just a few more months. Because, when your time comes-it's going to be like nothing you've seen before."
Rose just gaped, hazel eyes the size of balloons.
"I know, it sounds weird, but, I swear," Rose paused. "You've gotta trust me. It gets better."
"H-h-have a g-good d-d-day." The younger girl stuttered sharply before Rose accepted the bag and walked away.
The girl watched, feeling her emotions swell upon reflecting on the woman's words. "It's gonna be like nothing you've seen before…It gets better."
Lately it had seemed as if her entire life was a VHS tape, to be played and rewound every day. Rinse, wash, repeat. Wake up, go to work, lunch with Mickey or Jonas, work some more, go home, watch telly, eat chips and then…the same thing, the same time, every day.
It was draining her life away.
"It's gonna be like nothing you've seen before…It gets better."
Would it? Would it truly? Rose leaned heavily against the counter, breathing long, wispy gusts of air, dreaming of this different tomorrow.
-XXX-
She left the glasses and scarf in a bathroom, then left the store.
Once outside, she looked in her bag to find what, exactly, she had bought.
To her great surprise, it was a dark blue, v-neck cashmere sweater. A size large. Perfect for the Doctor.
"I'm a fantastic shopper even when I'm not looking." She mused, striding merrily back to the TARDIS. She'd given herself a bit of hope. She had bought the Doctor quite a nice birthday gift. And the day had just begun.
Smiling to herself, Rose looked back at the store once more, the place where her new life had began with the simplest of words—"Run!"-and hoped maybe her words would have some sort of impact.
-XXXX-
This was a random prompt listed under my "One Shot" file. It takes places directly after the events in my one shot "Just 'Cause" from my Cravings series. I hope you liked it, please review!