It's been fifteen years since that day at Bad Wolf Bay and Rose Tyler and the Metacrisis' TARDIS is finally ready for it's first flight. The Doctor and Rose Tyler, off on an adventure again.
This is a birthday fic for my lovely beta and friend Veritascara. her choice for the prompt was Tentoo, Rose Tyler, 10-20 years after arrival in Pete's World, first flight of their TARDIS. Many many thanks to the wonderful FarDareisMai for being the beta me. I freely admit I suck at grammar.
-0-
"Are you ready?" Across the console the Doctor grinned at his lovely wife, Rose Tyler. It had been fifteen years since they had been left together on the sands of Bad Wolf Bay. The full Time Lord had given them a gift before he left: a chunk of TARDIS coral, so they could grow their very own Time Ship. Even with the helpful suggestion from Doctor Donna it took time to nurture the baby TARDIS to full growth. Now, fifteen years to the day later, she was ready for her maiden flight.
Those fifteen years that had passed had been busy ones. Even though the Doctor and Rose loved each other, it hadn't been perfect. It had taken time for them to sort out their relationship; both of them had changed. Rose had grown from a simple shop girl to a highly trained Torchwood agent with advanced training in physics and temporal mechanics. His experiences had changed the Doctor as well. He had become darker due to their separation, and he'd had to deal with the adjustment to a half human body. There had been fights, (it's really me Rose, why can't you see that?!) and making up. Plenty of tears, shouting, and a few broken appliances. Even true love required work but, in the end, they had built a beautiful life together complete with a wedding and a couple of kids. (Doctor, we are not going to name him Alonso.) Growing older, as long as they could do that together, really wasn't so bad. Finally, after all the time and effort they put into growing their TARDIS, they were ready to travel.
This first trip would be just the two of them. The formidable and caring, Jackie Tyler had taken on the job of looking after two rather extraordinary offspring. Even their Time Lord heritage didn't make them a match for their grandmother. Rose had compiled a rather extensive dossier on various planets. She had acquired it by asking questions from the occasional interstellar visitor that Torchwood had assisted. Neither of them wanted to risk the children until they had scouted them out and confirmed they would be safe for their rather precocious kids, however.
"I am absolutely ready. " Rose grinned at her husband, from her side of the console. She might be a few years older than when he had first grabbed her hand, but her maturity just made her more beautiful in his eyes. "You know, we could make our first trip back to the 1950's, that way our TARDIS could be that blue wooden police box," Rose offered.
The Doctor's hand stilled on the levers, and he gave Rose a searching look. The TARDIS had been imitating a garden shed at that moment. The interior carried on the old coral theme, with some modifications. The center console had been built for fewer pilots. The seating had been increased to accommodate their family. Additionally, all the parts were brand new instead of battered and worn like the old TARDIS. It even smelled new, but that would change with time.
"Is that what you want?"
With a negligent shrug she answered him. "I thought you might like it. The important thing for me is that we're together. What she looks on the outside doesn't really matter. She's so much bigger on the inside."
"I think we would be better off keeping the chameleon circuit in working order then breaking it so she could stay a blue police box. I mean I could always fix it, but there are some advantages to being unnoticed. Just think, we have our own camouflaged getaway vehicle." The corner of his eyes crinkled as he grinned at her. Time had added a light touch of silver sprinkled in his hair and he had filled out just a bit. Otherwise he had remained the same.
"You know, that could have come in handy before. How many times did people just know we were headed for that strange blue box?"
"Oi, not my fault it was broken. Besides you loved that blue box," he protested.
"Yeah I did. It was the ship I ran away with you in, and we had so many adventures together. I love our new ship no matter what she looks like, because this ship, it's ours, together."
The Doctor moved around the console and pulled his wife into an embrace. His lips slanted over hers and, when she opened for him, he deepened the kiss. His arms wound around her. When he finally pulled back he didn't go far, just enough so he could rest his forehead against hers. "I love you."
A warm thrill glowed inside Rose. No matter how often he said those words now they still had the same impact as when he first whispered them in her ear. That bit of awe, of brilliant joy, and the certainty she belonged there. One hand around his back, the other on the nape of his necklightly rested there.
"Time to make new legends, yeah?"
"Oh yes!" The Doctor dropped a kiss on her nose before he pulled away. Moving back to his side of the console, he started flipping levers. Grinning, Rose took her place and helped him start to pilot the ship. Outside a breeze kicked up, and a strange grinding, whooshing metallic sound echoed as what appeared to be an ordinary garden shed faded from sight.
Inside, Rose and the Doctor moved in sync calling out instructions and encouragements across to one another. With a console built for a smaller number of pilots, it made for a much smoother landing. The Doctor practically bounced from the console to the door, but he paused when he realized Rose still stood at the console. "What are you doing?"
"Oh normal stuff, like making sure we are on the right planet, the atmosphere isn't going to kill us, a general check of the year. You know, the kind of things responsible adults do?" She tipped sideways to see him around the console.
"But Rooooose I'm sure it's fine. We have a brand new place to explore out there. Come on!" He held his hand towards her, and his fingers waggled incitingly.
But Doctooooooor, we have to get into good habits for when the kids are with us. Plus, think of all the trouble we could have avoided if you had remembered to do this stuff before." Rose gently teased him.
"But that was half the fun! You know I'd be a lot more careful with the kids. Isn't that why we are scouting out places first?" he protested, but a smile graced his lips and the twinkle stayed in his eyes.
"That's one of the reasons anyway." Her voice dropped into a husky tone as she gave him a sly look. "The other reason is so we could have a bit of adventure, just the two of us."
The Doctor's eyes darkened. With a little growl he stalked back towards his wife. Gently but firmly grabbing her arm, he pulled her into him as she laughed. "Oh yes, that is a brilliant reason. We need to take advantage of that, repeatedly, and in many different ways."
Playfully, she put a hand on his chest, and lightly shoved to give herself some space. "Down boy, adventure now, shag later." At the start of his pout she rolled her eyes, laughter still in her voice. "Don't worry I have plenty of plans for later. Just remember, there will be no shagging if we land in an alien jail cell, so please try not to break too many laws."
"Well fine if you are going to be all responsible-like, just suck the fun out of everything." He replied with a mock sigh, but he couldn't keep up the pretense of sulking too long. Excitement and energy infused his mood and movements.
"There, all done and we are all set." The look of mischief in Rose's face was the only warning the Doctor got before she darted around him and made for the door.
"Hey!" He dashed after his laughing wife, who reached the door first. Rose yanked it open, and darted outside.
-0-
She stopped after a couple of steps, a look of awe on her face as she took in the alien landscape. The Doctor moved up beside her, reaching to entwine her fingers with his. His smile softened as he took in her expression. Even after all these years, after everything they had been through, she could still hold wonder for the universe.
"I told you it was a bad idea."
The Doctor gave Rose an injured look from his seat across the room. At the moment, they had been left in a rather comfortable interrogation room. One of the nicer ones Rose had ever been stuck in throughout her time as the Doctor's companion and as a Torchwood agent. "Just because it was okay in our old universe doesn't mean it's okay here," Rose scolded her husband who started to look guilty.
"I know, I know, I've said it too, but it seemed harmless enough." The pathetic look he shot her way had her lips curving in an involuntary smile.
"Just because you think it's harmless doesn't mean they do." Rose shook her index finger at him from her spot leaning against the wall. She relented with a chuckle. "Though, before it was always me getting us into trouble. That doesn't mean it's your turn."
He brightened at her laugh. "Well if I recall correctly, Rose Tyler, we both managed to get ourselves in and out of trouble on a regular basis. What makes you think that would change?"
Before she could retort, the door flew open and an apologetic looking scaly green alien burst in. It stood upright, like a human, yet had a graceful tail sweeping out from behind it. The style of scales and the face strongly resembled that of a lizard. Pattered cloth draped around its form tied at one shoulder and left the other bare. It had a four fingered hand with opposable thumbs, and instead of fingernails it had claws. With a light tenor voice, it respectfully addressed them both. "I am so sorry for the misunderstanding Ambassadors, and for your wait."
Rose didn't even bat an eye at the change in how these creatures started addressing them. "Quite alright, our fault for not verifying that anyone was properly notified we were coming."
The Doctor immediately picked upon her bluff, and played along as he spoke up. "This was just supposed to be a bit of a cultural trip. We didn't want any special treatment. Sometimes experiencing local culture without a guide is the best way to really get to know what it's like. Though, it does tend to lead to misunderstandings."
The lizard's coloration deepened into a darker green as it gave them a half bow. "My many thanks for your understanding, and I apologize for your wait. It took a bit of time to reach the proper authorities on Earth to verify your credentials. I have a message for you from them as well." The creature reached forward and offered a slip of paper to Rose. She took it with a nod of thanks. Stepping back, the lizard looked between them. "It would be our honor to give you a tour, but if you truly wish to be left on your own, we shall. Someone will be waiting when you are ready to depart." Ducking back out, the lizard shut the door behind itself.
Looking down at the folded slip of paper in her hands, Rose's lips twitched. "Well it's nice to have some back up."
The Doctor bounced up from his chair and moved to her side. "What does the note say?"
Opening it up, Rose silently read through it. Looking over to the Doctor she had to grin. "It's from the Director of Torchwood, who kindly informs us to make sure we set up advance plans when we return to Earth to make sure our credentials will clear. But look at the date." She showed him the paper.
"Oooh. When they say advance plans, they really mean advance plans." He tugged on his left ear. "Well, advantage of having a time machine?"
"That's one way of looking at it. You are the one that's going to have to explain this to Dad and Jake when we get back." Rose lightly slapped the slip of paper on his chest and the Doctor took it.
"As long as I don't have to explain it to Jackie. She's scarier than anything else out there, ever!" He took the paper and folded it, sticking it into his pocket for later.
"Oi, my Mum is not that bad!"
"If she's not that bad, then you explain this to her," the Doctor challenged.
"Or we could try not to get into any trouble that would require explaining things to her." Rose reached for the Doctor's hand and linked her fingers with his.
"We never try to get into trouble, trouble finds us, remember?" He grinned as he lightly squeezed her hand.
"How can I forget? Come on, trouble, let's see about a proper tour and play our part since Torchwood so kindly vouched for us. The least we could do is bring back information for them." Rose lightly tugged on his hand and led him towards the door.
-0-
Later, much later, the Doctor held his wife in his arms as she slept in their bedroom on the TARDIS. He didn't require as much sleep as a human did, even though he did require more than he did as a full Time Lord. The Doctor never resented the extra time Rose spent asleep because it meant he got to hold her in his arms. It had never lost its appeal, lying there with her wrapped up in his arms. In fact, it had become a simple and very satisfying pleasure. If it made him a bit domestic, well, he had long ago found the benefits of being domestic with Rose Tyler.
He lightly brushed a hand over her hair, his mind full of memories as he watched her sleeping face. So many precious moments came from their life here in this universe; though he had some treasured memories from the time they first traveled together. Those bright shining moments he knew would always be horded in bot his mind and that of the Full Time Lord that traveled in the original universe without her. Sometimes he still thought about him, mostly with pity, as that man lost out on their greatest treasure of all, Rose Tyler. It left him feeling grateful and lucky to be the one that got to spend his life with her. Very easily it could have gone a different way, especially if that man had been honest and open about what they had both felt.
As he softly kissed Rose's forehead, an idea bloomed in his mind. He didn't know how Rose would respond, but the Doctor could hoped that she would see it the way he intended it. That is, if that planet had a twin in this universe that didn't differ by too much. The Doctor gently eased himself from bed, needing to find out if it existed or not.
An hour later Rose stirred, and her hand searched the bedding for her Doctor. When she only found cool sheets, she sat up and looked around. Failing to see him in the room, she frowned and slipped from the bed, intent on finding where her spouse had wandered off to. Before she could leave the bedroom though, their TARDIS gently nudged her mind.
With a frown, Rose looked up to the ceiling, concentrating on what the ship tried to convey to her. She and their TARDIS couldn't communicate as well as the Doctor could with the sentient time ship, but the two of them managed. Mostly they spoke to each other using emotions and images. Slightly surprised when she realized what the TARDIS wanted, she moved to get dressed before heading out to find the Doctor.
Once dressed, Rose made her way to the console room only to see the door left open to the outside. Normally the Doctor would never do that., so it probably meant he had landed them somewhere he didn't expect anyone would try to get into the TARDIS. Either that or he waited outside not far from their beloved ship. She took two steps outside the TARDIS and halted.
Spread before her, an alien landscape that held so much familiarity to it. The spires of rock arched and twisted around them. Pairs of graceful creatures danced together, soaring through the sky. A few steps further from her stood the Doctor in his blue suit, watching them. In another universe, she had stood here and made a promise.
A single promise that had haunted her dreams when she became separated from the Doctor. This same promise, had twisted inside her heart while she tried to reconcile the love she had for the man that would become her husband and the one that left her on a beach. In the end, she had not broken this promise. Not to him, never to him. She had, and always would, do her best to keep it.
Her feet propelled her towards her Doctor and she reached for his hand. When he turned his head and smiled at her, she knew just what to ask him. "How long are you going to stay with me?"
"Forever."