Chapter 1
"Well, that went well." The Doctor deadpanned, glancing around at the beach with a sniff and a raised eyebrow.
"You always were rubbish at goodbyes." Rose squeezed his hand a little tighter, "Consistent though, I'll give you that."
"Still." He murmured.
"No point pretending this was gonna end any other way." She replied softly, biting her lip as she glanced up at his face.
"I should've realized sooner." He mused, releasing her to slide his hands into his pockets, "Idiot that I am. Too much yet never enough-"
"Time has never really been on our side." Rose turned away from the rising tide, nudging him with her shoulder as she passed, fingers twitching at her sides already missing the familiar weight of his hand.
"No, it hasn't." He agreed, falling into step beside her.
"All things considered though," He continued as they strolled up the beach, "I think I demonstrated an obscene amount of restraint in not punching myself in the face."
"I don't think he would have stopped you either." She admitted, slipping her hands into the warmth of her jacket.
"Probably not," He agreed with a snort of derision, "Glutton for punishment not matter the regeneration."
"Sounds about right." She smirked.
"Shut up." He mumbled, his lip turning up in amusement.
"So, Bad Wolf Bay then?" He enthused sarcastically, moving ahead of her up the beach in a few long strides, "Good to know this universe has a sense of humor."
"I hate this place," She scrunched her nose up, mindful of her footing as he held out a hand and pulled her up the dunes, "Funny thing is, I'm pretty sure I had a hand in how things turned out. Not that ya drivin' seems to 'ave improved since-"
"Oi!" He objected indignantly, pausing to let her pass ahead of him, "There was a huge risk involved in bringing the TARDIS through the void into this dimension let alone moving her any further away from the breach than necessary. Besides, as you well know-"
"The TARDIS has a will all of her own," Rose agreed, "I should know better than most."
"I should say so." He huffed quietly, trailing along behind her as they climbed the narrow staircase cut into the cliff face.
"Can't fool me though," She added as an afterthought, "Know for a fact you didn't pass ya pilotin' test."
"I'll have you know there is nothing wrong with my driving Miss Tyler." He made to adjust his noticeably absent tie, "And I did not fail, thank you very much."
"More like, maybe," He drawled, scratching his chin and the rough stubble he found before defaulting to his neck, "Missed the test entirely?"
"More like skipped the whole flippin' class." She smirked, "I've seen your UNIT file-"
"Checking up on me were we?" He remarked smugly.
"Someone had to keep tabs on ya." She mused, "Knew you'd never admit it though-"
He stopped abruptly. "Admit what?"
"Bein' an unlicensed driver of a Time and Space machine." She laughed.
"Oh," His eyes widened in realization.
"Why?" She eyed him curiously, "What did you think I was- oh-"
"Never mind, my mistake." He mumbled rubbing the back of his neck as she stopped to turn and face him.
"No," She began to assure him, "I didn't mean it like that-"
"It's fine," He shook his head, clearing his throat as he looked away towards the beach.
"No, it's not." She sighed, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes, leaning heavily against the stone wall.
"You alright?" He queried softly when she dropped her hands.
"Yes, No? Maybe?" She turned back to him, with a watery laugh, "Shouldn't it be me askin' you that anyways?"
"Yes?" He offered a small smile and a shrug, "No? Maybe?"
"Git." She laughed quietly and he smiled up at her, scuffing his shoe along the stone steps.
"I'm sorry." She breathed after a long pause.
"What on Earth for?" He looked up at her sharply, brow furrowed in confusion.
"I hurt you," She replied, eyes unfocused as she looked down at the bay below them, "Then and now."
"Rose-"
"Don't-" She began, facing him as he stepped closer, "Don't tell me it's alright, yea? 'Cause I know you won't be- you'll-He'll-"
"He will carry on, because he must." He offered, staring down at his feet, "Do- do you regret-"
"No," She cut him off, "He made his choice."
"Course." He nodded, his eyes closing off as he took an unconscious step away from her.
"Idiot." She muttered, eyes softening as she reached out to fix a stray hair that had fallen across his face in the wind. He looked up in confusion at the feel of her fingers against his scalp.
Of course he'd misunderstand her intentions. "Thought my choice was rather obvious yea?"
"Yea?" His lip twitched as he caught her meaning.
"Yes." She shook her head, rolling her eyes as he tried, unsuccessfully, not to grin madly.
"Pretty hard to miss really." He cleared his throat, motioning for her to continue up the cliff with a nod of his head, "I just wanted to be sure you know-"
"If this is the part where we argue about you really bein' you Doctor-" She began, turning back to face him with a scowl.
"You called me Doctor." He beamed.
"Well of course I did," She shook her head in disbelief, "Unless there's somethin' you wanna tell me?"
"Nope, well not yet anyways-" He added as an afterthought, but if she'd accepted he was who he said he was then he was more than happy to leave it, "No arguments from me."
"Good," She nodded, turning back to the stairs, "Cause the last thing I need right now is you havin' some sorta identity crisis."
"Nope, right you are, still me, still the Doctor." He rocked back on his heels, grinning like a loon.
"Still mental." She rolled her eyes, waiting as he jogged up the few stairs remaining between them.
"Don't recall you complaining before." He smirked, striding past her with a wink.
"Poor form to question the designated driver apparently." She quipped as they appeared from the shrubs that overhung the barely used path.
"Oi," Jackie called wearily, "Bout time you two got up ere'."
"Jackie Tyler-" The Doctor spread his arms wide, obnoxiously pleased grin on his face despite almost forgetting she was there with them.
"Shut it you," She waved him off, crossing her legs, "I'm too bloody old for rock climbin' Doctor."
"Nah," He smirked, unrepentant, "Spring chicken you are."
"Still rude and cheeky as ever," Jackie scoffed, propping her elbow up against the makeshift chair arm, "Oncoming Storm my arse."
"I'll have you know I've matured greatly over the last few years," He objected, stuffing his hands back in his pockets, "Become more responsible if you will- indeed very manly, a bit- serious even?"
"I'll bet." Jackie huffed, resting her head back against the stone and closing her eyes.
"Do you still stick your fingers in the jam?" Rose whispered, rounding him to lean on an outcropping beside her mother.
"Maybe." He muttered.
"Some things never change." Rose smirked, the oncoming pout practically squashing her until she shifted over to accommodate him on the rock she leant against.
"So what now?" He asked softly, staring out at the darkening sky and the wild torrent of waves now enveloping the beach.
Rose's giggles subsided as she followed his gaze. "Dunno really."
"Pete's sendin' a car out from Bergen," Jackie offered, "Been about a half hour now, should be here in a few minutes I reckon."
"Well then, I guess there's our immediate future settled." The Doctor sniffed, a small shower of rain pelting against them as the wind picked up.
Rose watched a droplet seep into the shoulder of the Doctor's blue suit jacket, thinking of the man in brown. "You loved that coat."
"Ah, it doesn't matter," He shrugged, "I can always find another."
"Yea?"
"Yup," He gave her a lopsided smile, "After all, I got to keep something precious too."
He pulled the TARDIS coral and his sonic from his pocket, waggling his eyebrows at her. "See?"
"Smooth Doctor," She groaned, rolling her eyes, "Real smooth."
"Rose Tyler," He teased, "Fishing for compliments were we?"
"Shut up." She crossed her arms, trying to ignore him as he continued nudging her elbow with a ridiculously smug look on his face. The sounds of an engine in the distance reaching his still superior ears.
"Oooh what's that then?" The Doctor stood up to glance over the rock they'd been sitting on.
"What is it?" Rose followed his line of sight warily.
"Our chariot awaits." He nodded towards the black sedan that appeared over a rise in the distance, Jackie coming to stand beside them as the car approached.
When it finally came to a stop the driver wound down the window, greeting them with a smile which the Doctor returned fully.
"Hello," He beamed, reaching his hand into the car, "I'm the Doctor and you are?"
"Mr. Tyler sent me to fetch you to the airport," The Driver greeted in a thick accent,"Markel is my name, please come, before the storm settles in."
"Good man." The Doctor beamed, opening the door for Jackie and Rose to slide in. "All aboard."
"Wonder where Pete booked us in, it's tourist season ya know," Jackie muttered, tapping the driver on the shoulder as she slipped into the back of the car, "Where we goin' then?"
"The Clarion, Mrs. Tyler." He replied, steering them slowly back along the winding road atop the cliffs until they hit smooth bitumen.
"Oooh," Rose groaned, the Doctor raising his eyebrows, "They've got those little bath bombs-well –things I guess, but it's like the TARDIS, a million tiny little- what?"
"Nothing." He shook his head with a smirk, "Spoilt rotten you were."
"Bit of a short straw this time round though?" She mused, "No TARDIS and all."
"Ah well," He shrugged, crossing his long legs, one arm snaking its way across the seat behind her. "Could've been worse."
"Yea?" She raised an eyebrow in question.
"Oh most definitely," He sniffed, surveying the scenery as it flashed by, "All of reality could have collapsed after all, and let's not forget it could have been your mother trapped in the TARDIS with my spare hand."
"Doctor!" Rose hissed, backhanding him lightly in the chest.
"Oi." Jackie warned, narrowing her eyes across her daughter, "I heard that, don't think I won't come over there Doctor."
"Oh it'd be just my luck." He grinned despite her threats.
"Shut up you." Jackie waved him off with a snort, "Just behave yourself until we get to the hotel."
"Ooooh does it have those little bottles of shampoo or the little mints?" Jackie looked at him as if he were daft, "Or a shop, you know how I love a good little shop Rose? Do you remember that hotel on Haiti, the planet obviously, those blue shots with the-"
"Is he always like this or is that the ginger talkin?" Jackie quirked an eyebrow at her daughter.
The Doctor spluttered indignantly. "I'll have you know Jackie Tyler-"
"Yea no that's pretty much him all over." Rose grinned at his raised brow.
"He's like a twelve year old on a sugar high." She muttered turning back to her window, missing the tongue he poked out in her direction.
"Stop that." Rose laughed.
"Not sorry," He paused scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "She's right though, well not about the sugar, adrenalin is fueling this body for now, could certainly do with a cuppa for a start."
"Oh god yes," Rose agreed, leaning her head against his shoulder, "And a nice hot bath, with bubbles of course."
"Of course," The Doctor agreed adamantly. "Ooh and those fluffy robes with the matching slippers Rose, and chips, I could murder a great big plate of hot, salty chips smothered in-"
"Vinegar." They grinned at each other, both clearly of the same mind at that point in time.
"You two are hopeless." Jackie sighed, rolling her eyes at the pair.
"Nah not us," The Doctor beamed, "I think we quite like hope, don't we Rose?"
"Yea," Rose agreed, "Hope is definitely good."
A/N
This is a short little reunion fic on the tail end of Love & Monsters since you all seemed to love it so. Hope you enjoyed the first Chapter...and remember Reviews = Love
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