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Thanks as always to the wonderful SonicJules, who provides endless support and encouragement!
Rose actually gasped when she saw the gorgeous, emerald water. The small bay sparkled in the late morning sun. She stood on the low cliff looking out over the sea for some time, almost mesmerized by the depth of the color.
"Like it?" the Doctor asked simply, although he was grinning widely at the utter joy reflected in her face.
"Oh yeah," she replied softly, then she twirled back to wrap her arms about his neck in a brief yet grateful hug. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome. Now you said you fancied a swim in nice, warm water, so go on," he waved his hand toward the bay below. "Get on with it."
"Are we in a hurry?" she asked.
"Not at all. But the water should be just about perfect now. I think you'll enjoy it the most if you can get in within the next thirty minutes or so." He glanced quickly at the pair of small suns high in the aqua sky.
"'Kay!"
Rose scampered down the natural path beside the cliff. Her beach bag swung from one arm, and her hair shone in the brightness of the suns. The Doctor watched her for a few moments, reminded again why he so enjoyed the company of humans. They were easily impressed, even enthralled, by the simplest things…
He followed her down the path, moving at a more leisurely pace than she had. For once he felt completely relaxed; there was nothing chasing him, no threats to the planet or time or space. Today there was just the beautiful beach, the glorious water, and his laughing companion.
Rose had reached the beach and dropped her bag in the sand. She wore a tank top and shorts over her bikini and quickly stripped these impediments away. He observed her with interest. Her bathing suit was yellow—bright, banana yellow—with something sparkly embossed on the bottom, just below the small of her back. The top tied at her neck and beneath her shoulder blades. The suit wasn't tiny by any means, but it certainly wasn't overly large, either.
As she took a few steps toward the water, he watched her legs, admiring the musculature in her calves and thinking that she'd certainly grown more toned and fit since he'd first met her. Not that he made a habit of staring at her legs, but it was difficult not to notice. After all, he was a man of minute observation, a scientist for whom the devil was more often than not in the details.
When the water swirled about her feet, Rose squealed. She turned back to address him.
"It's tingly!" she exclaimed in sheer delight.
He strode across the warm sand to stand just at the water's edge. "Yep, and it's at its tingliest just now. That comes from energy released by the plants, and this time of day, when the suns are just shy of their zeniths, that step in the photosynthesis process produces the strongest ions."
"So the whole bay's like a spa?" she asked with a giggle.
"Rather, but the natural effervescence is fairly mild. It'll make you more buoyant, and it's great for the skin—opens the pores and clarifies like you won't believe."
"I love it!" With those words of approval, Rose splashed out into the water.
The Doctor sat beneath a large, gaudily colored beach umbrella. He'd stuck it in Rose's bag, handily encased in its dimensionally transcendent pouch, of course. He'd removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves in the early afternoon warmth. Rose had been swimming for over an hour, and she showed no signs of tiring.
He kept an eye on her, although he wasn't sure why. There were only tiny, harmless fish in these waters. Nothing lurked beneath the rock formations lining the ocean floor or within the large leaves of the aquatic plants. He'd checked that out before leaving the TARDIS. Rose was a strong swimmer, so he really wasn't worried. Still, she did have a tendency to flounder into trouble, so he was reticent to look away for too long. Besides, he enjoyed watching her with her human energy and zeal for life.
She swam beneath a rocky arch, popping up from the water often to wave at him. He waved back each time, smiling at her enjoyment. He felt content, although he was growing rather peckish.
He reached over for the basket, rummaging beneath the clothes and flip flops for the bag of crisps he knew she'd packed. He was just pulling it from the basket when he felt the slight vibration.
The Doctor blinked, then his eyes rapidly scanned the beach. Nothing appeared amiss. Had he imagined the subtle movement? His gaze moved out to the water, and for a moment he thought he'd been affected by the sun, never mind the umbrella. The rocky arch where he'd just seen Rose looked different. He stood, watching and listening, and realized that the water was moving, undulating with the force of some sort of deep tremor.
"Rose!" he cried, running toward the water.
His eyes searched the surface, but he saw no hint of blonde hair or banana yellow bikini. His hearts began to thud in his chest as he comprehended that the arch had been altered; several large chunks had fallen from the highest point.
The water ceased its turgid churning, the sea becoming smooth again. He stood very still, focusing all of his attention upon the area beneath the arch, and then he saw a small hand flutter briefly upon the surface. He tore off his Chucks and ran into the water. The arch was about five meters from shore, and he swam to it in swift, sure strokes that belied the frightened thudding of his hearts.