Author's note: Honestly this story would have never seen the light of day without heather916's influence. You all have her to thank that it wasn't an angsty 'I hate the world' Rose, so please thank her.
"I said no."
Her mother's voice was nearing the shrill tone Rose had associated with the many times she had pushed her mother's patience as a teenager. Knowing that her mum was just starting to gear up she sank further into her chair, as if drawing herself back would keep her away from her mother's rage.
"Jax," Pete held his hands up in a placating manner and Rose let a small smile slip. She recognized that tone too. It was the same exasperated tone she adopted when trying to get her mum to understand the importance of a situation. Rose had used it plenty of times growing up, and even had one or two opportunities to use it over the past two years- when her mother was being particularly stubborn over some matter.
Pete had been trying to coax her mother into The Plan for over an hour now she could have told him he was wasting his time. There was no way he was going to persuade Jackie Tyler, even if it was the only logical idea any of them had had.
"No, Peter Tyler, I won't do it." Her mother answered, her arms crossed in front of her. The same stance, Rose noted, her mother often took when she was ready to tell someone off.
"Then what are we supposed to do? How am I supposed to explain a new wife that looks exactly like my old one?"
"Happy coincidence." Her mother answered, her tone indicating that the discussion was over.
"Jax, if there was any other way, don't you think that I would try it?"
Truth was there was no other way. She and Mickey and Pete had tried for days to come up with another reasonable answer, but had found nothing. This world already had a Jackie Tyler, and even if she had been a ruthless uncaring woman, she had been Pete's wife. This wasn't only the best plan they had, it was the only plan.
"Jackie." Mickey started to speak, in a tone that clearly intended to calm her mother. He should have known better.
"No, Mickey. You don't do this to a woman, you don't!"
Rose curled her legs up under her and tried to stifle a giggle. She had chosen a chair well away from the other three. She had been doing this ever since being trapped in this universe - separating herself from the three of them, only joining them when forced. But she had been waiting for Mickey to enter the argument; always dependable, her Mickey.
"Jax," Pete tried one more time. Rose tried to hold back the smile. No matter what her dad - Pete - said it wouldn't change her mother's mind. "We tried to come up with another way. But explaining Rose and how she perfectly matches both our DNA is going to be hard enough. I can't have a clone of my dead wife and a new daughter. The press would have a field day, there would be questions that none of us want to answer, and more scrutiny then our story will be able to handle. Jax, the only way to make this work is for you to take my Jackie's place."
Her mother's head, which had been intently studying her shoes for the last few minutes shot up at that statement. Rose suppressed a groan. Pete had been doing so well, but he'd had to remind her mother that The Plan required her to step into the shoes of a dead woman. And that was a role her mother wasn't too keen to try.
Rose made to stand, knowing that it would be up to her to convince her mum of The Plan now. But Pete's next words stopped her, "We've both already lost each other once; I don't want to lose my second chance."
Pete stared at her mother, his eyes pleading her to understand. Rose could see the absolution he was begging for in his eyes. The absolution, Rose felt, that he deserved. Rose wasn't sure what these two were to each other, but she knew they needed one another. Despite the circumstances that had brought them here, her mum was happier than Rose ever remembered.
Her mother stood still, looking at each member of the room in turn before turning on her heel and fleeing. Pete made for the door, but Rose called out to him. Finally rising from her seat, she walked over to where the other three had stood apart and looked at the two men. "Let me talk to her, kay?"
Both men seemed shocked that Rose was willing to take some part in this discussion. She understood their hesitation at giving her time alone with Jackie. Rose hadn't 'adjusted' as well as either man had hoped. Yes, she had gone along with what ever they told her. She had sat in their 'meetings' about The Plan and supported their ideas; but she wasn't willing to believe that this would always be her life. He would find a way, or she would, it didn't matter as long as one of them figured it out. But now she realized her hesitation to assimilating to this new world wasn't helping her mother. Maybe it was time for things to change.
"Rose," Mickey started, taking her hand before she could go after Jackie. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."
Rose smiled at him, her Mickey. Mickey who had lived here for over three years now, Mickey who she had left for a life with the Doctor, Mickey who had had left her to find his own life, Mickey who hadn't left her side in the two weeks since Canary Wharf. He knew just how hard this was for her and even after all she had done to him he was still trying to protect her.
She gave his hand a squeeze and pulled away, "Not sure if it's a good idea either, but I've got to try." At their looks of confusion she continued, "I'm the only one she is going to listen to right now. Probably the only one she would listen too in the first place. If we want this to work it's gotta come through me."
Rose moved towards the door, but paused and turned back to the two men who had watched over her and cared for her since that horrible day. "I'm sorry I haven't been as supportive of this as I should. I promise to try to do better." Then she hurried out, not waiting for either man's reply.
After a quick stop in the kitchen, she found her mother on the balcony off the room she and Pete now shared. She stopped in the doorway to watch her mum for a few moments.
Jackie Tyler had gained a whole lot in the past few weeks, a home, wealth, a husband, but she had lost everything familiar to her. Rose understood the need to cling to something that made sense, something that tied them to the universe they came from. Rose's hand unconsciously strayed to the key that now hung around her neck, rubbing it between her forefinger and thumb. She and her mum had been flung across universes with only the clothes on their backs; both had left so much behind.
"You miss him, don't you." Her mum said quietly
She wasn't surprised at the statement. She hadn't exactly hid her emotions the past weeks. But she was surprised at the tenderness that carried in her words. She had expected her mother to be happy, jubilant even, that Rose was no longer traveling. But here she was, offering sympathy.
Ignoring the comment, Rose moved closer. "How'd ya know I was there?"
"I always know where you're at, sweetheart. Comes with being a mum."
Rose smiled and moved to the wicker bench her mum was sitting on. "Brought you some tea, thought you could use a cuppa."
"Yeah." The sigh seemed defeated and Rose felt her heart clench. Placing the mug on a side table, she turned back to her mum. "Budge over."
Jackie moved to the side and Rose sat beside her, leaning her head against her arm. "He got us into a right mess this time, didn't he."
Rose knew that she didn't need to explain to her mother who he was.
"Oh, I don't know." Her mother answered. "He seemed to get it mostly right, this time around. Not like the time he let a Christmas tree attack our flat."
She felt rather then saw her mother smile. They lapsed into a companionable silence watching the sun slowly sink behind the trees that bordered the garden. Rose closed her eyes listening to the sounds of twilight. Growing up on the Estate she had gotten used to the noise of the city, of people. Here, at Pete's house, it was the sound of the wind, the trees, the sound of time slowly passing. It made her feel more at home than she had thought possible. She was lost in the memories that seemed to plague her now. Memories of him and what they nearly had. She had made resolutions of what would happen the moment she saw him again. She was done wasting time, she was finished skirting about the issue.
"Are you going to be okay, sweetheart?" The question startled Rose out of her thoughts.
"I'm always okay, Mum. More worried about you."
"I'm fine."
Rose looked up at her mum, disbelief on her face. "So that little outburst in the library was you being fine? Cause if that is fine..." her voice trailed off knowing that the point had been made.
"Did ya know it's 2009 here? We're both three years older. Forget 40, I'm 43 now. And you, about 25 now, I think. And don't argue with me missy I am counting that year that disappeared with the first Him. Don't care if it was only a few days. I had to sit by myself on your 20th birthday thinking you were dead."
Rose had been ready to argue but this final statement silenced her. She hadn't always been fair to this woman beside her; maybe it was time Rose put someone else before her own wants and needs. Sitting up she turned to face her mother.
"Mum, what is really wrong? I know it isn't the age difference." When her mum went to protest she continued. "Mum, you have dad back. I know you and you'd give a lot more then three years to have him back in your life. So tell me, what is so horrible about The Plan?"
Rather than answer the question, her mum replied with a question of her own. "Did the Doctor ever have anyone else who traveled with him?"
Rose bristled at the question. It was the first time in two weeks anyone had mentioned his name.
"Of course he did." she answered, knowing her voice conveyed her confusion.
"Imagine if you met one of them." Rose smirked, trying to hide her amusement but failing. "Ah, you have. Now imagine if this other woman looked exactly like you. No, more than that - had the same thoughts, ideas, habits, and dreams that you had. How'd you feel knowing you were stepping into this woman's place. That it was her life that you were living; that every time he looked at you, you had to wonder if it was you or her he was seeing. Can you imagine what that does to a person?" With tears in her eyes, her mum stood up and walked to the balcony. With her back now to Rose, she continued, "Can't you see why I can't do this? I want him to love me for me. Not because I am exactly like her.""
Rose sat momentarily stunned before action compelled her forward. "You're not at all like her." Feeling the first stirrings of passion and conviction that she'd felt since Canary Wharf
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Okay, you look alike," she conceded, "take your tea the same way, and have the same birthday but it ends there. I met the Jackie Tyler of this world, mum, and she was a bitter woman who cared only for herself. She was an act, a fake, and horrible. She and Pete had separated. Did you know that?"
Her mum shook her head and Rose continued, "And he doesn't see you as a replacement. If he didn't want you in his life, he'd have figured out something else. I know that much about him." Her voice got quiet as she recalled the first night they had met and his refusal of her.
"Rose, you've only known him for a few days, you can't know-"
"I know." she said, cutting her mother off, her voice steely and allowing no room for further argument.
They both stood there for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts, Rose didn't know how she could make her mum see why The Plan needed to go forward as they had discussed. But it was her mum that finally broke the stalemate. "So, say if I was to agree to this plan. I'd need some promises out of you, missy." Rose started to protest but her mother put up a hand to stop her. "No, let me finish."
Nodding her consent, her mum started again, holding up one finger. "One. You go and work with Mickey and Pete. I don't want to hear nothing about you not putting down roots here. We don't know how long it is going to be before he comes for you, and I won't have you wasting your time moping around the house. Two," she ticked off another finger. "you will start eating again. I don't want to hear any denials. I know you haven't had a proper meal since we came here. And three, no matter what happens you'll never give up hope. After all these years I have my Pete back, but I'd given up on so much Rose. I don't want to see you be that way. I don't want to see you be the woman I was – you're so much more than that Rose Marion Tyler, so much more."
Rose felt the tears welling in her eyes. As a teenager she hadn't ever wanted to be like her mother. In fact she had made promises to herself that she never would be. Now looking at her mum she knew that if she had half the strength her mother did, she would be very lucky indeed.
"Mum, you're so much more than you think you are."
She threw her arms around her mother and held on tight, the tears were now flowing freely down both their faces but neither moved.
After a few moments her mum pulled away and wiped at the tears that had fallen down Rose's cheeks. "We'll make it through this, Rosie Posey," she said, using a childhood nickname she hadn't used in years. "We Tyler woman are strong."
Rose nodded her agreement, not trusting her voice.
Smiling, her mum took her hand, "Come on. Let's go find Pete and Mickey and you three can tell me more about this plan of yours and how exactly you are going to raise Jackie Tyler from the grave with a 25 year old daughter."