Title: Ombres de l'amour
Authors' name: Sinéad
Disclaimer: I think you all know Doctor Who isn't mine 'cos believe me if it was, Chris would be filming the next season right about now and I wouldn't be sat in my study, in Ireland, with a packet of chewing gum and six euros eighty in my pocket.
Distribution: Distribute away just let me know where it's going. If you want it, all you have to do is ask.
Category: Drama/angst/romance.
Pairing: Nine/Rose! Yay!
Spoilers: I don't think it'd be wise to read this if you hadn't seen all the episodes so far. Obviously the last couple of episodes aren't going to count. No serious spoilers though, things might just be thrown in now and again.
Rating: PG or less for the moment.
Summary: She wanted more. Will a weekend away bring romance or is there something strange lurking?
Authors Notes: Hope you enjoy! This will be a multi-chapter fic so I hope you stay with it. Thank you so much to my brilliant beta Bexi Lexi and Laura Isaac's kind offer. I really, really appreciate feedback especially since this will be my first multi-chapter DW fic!
Chapter One: Pas Assez Plus
The lights flickered on and off as the pulsating tower pumped the central disc up and down. The TARDIS was in flight. A loud grating noise echoed throughout the console room. The coral support columns quivered as the time machine shook with effort, propelling its inhabitants to their chosen destination. A man was poised over the main operations, a wide almost over exaggerated grin splayed across his prominent features. He tapped and squished and spun the controls egging the machine on as she flew through time and space.
A blond sat nonchalantly on the leather sofa toward the far end of the room. Her posture was relaxed as a strand of her hair was twisted slowly round her finger. She held a magazine firmly in her other hand and rested the glossy pages on her lap as she browsed the gossip columns half heartedly. Her reading was distracted by a stormy sea of thoughts whose waves insisted on repeatedly crashing and breaking through her muddled mind. She glanced to her travel companion and then quickly averted her eyes back to the article she was pretending to read. Sometimes Jaxconiher the 31st's new set of stomachs was just not interesting enough to hold her attention; especially when she was so preoccupied with her thoughts.
She was beginning to wonder if this was what she really wanted. She didn't mean travelling the universe, the new sights, touching the stars and gliding along the galaxy; that was beyond amazing; but the companion bit. She bit her lip cautiously as she let her inner self ponder these not so new thoughts. It wasn't that she didn't like travelling with the Doctor. Of course she did. He gave her the chance to live this wonderful life but in the end was that enough? Was travelling the universe enough in the be all and end all of everything, probably not she admitted hesitantly. She thought she could never leave the Doctor. He was her best friend. She had a connection with him like no other, but that wasn't enough for her anymore. She loved him. She knew that she couldn't carry on acting like this. Acting like she didn't feel the way she did. She had to admit it to herself and she needed love. She could leave her old life behind in the blink of an eye but she could never say goodbye to love.
When they had first met it was for her at least, love at first sight. She pondered that thought and giggled inwardly a little, well, if she was honest her first thoughts had been "this bloke is off his head" but then she hadn't wanted him to leave her behind. She had wanted in on the action. There was an attraction there. It may not have been physical at the time but she had felt pulled towards him. He was exciting and adventurous and he challenged her like no other had before. She had wanted to be with him and that was enough, until now. Now she needed him more than ever. She wanted a relationship. She wanted to be able to tell him that she was in love with him. She knew he loved her but that just wasn't adequate anymore. She wished it were simpler, wished they could just be together. But there was a problem, he didn't do domestic, he apparently danced but did he do relationships…
"Rose, can you give me a hand please? That round light there," he pointed in a vague direction to the left of where he was standing, "needs pushing," he finished.
Rose quickly snapped out of her reverie. She brushed her thoughts off hastily, now was not the time to analyse. Now was the time to enjoy herself, to visit the rest of the universe, her troubles could wait, until she had a quiet moment at least. Casting the magazine aside she tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled warmly. She dashed to the general direction he had pointed at and pressed upon one of the various blinking lights on the dashboard of the controls. A light whirring noise began and she gave the Doctor a quizzical look.
"'S alright, she's just a bit grumpy today. Aren't you?" he questioned soothingly, gazing up to the high bound ceiling. There was a noticeable shudder in reply and he focused his attention back to the wheel he had been spinning.
"I just hope we get where ever we're goin in one piece Mr., not like that time we only half ended up in Yubisslavnisa yeah?" she teased her tongue poking mischievously from her impish smile.
"Oi, it was only the once and I fixed it anyway, didn't I? I'm a genius me, we're right on course," He puffed his chest out a little and flipped another knob.
"Where we on course to then?" she asked leaning on the console slightly and letting that "genius" comment slide, until he messed it all up again anyway.
"It's a surprise!" the Doctor bellowed adding a smug grin to his proud stance.
"As long as you ain't taking me to another palace where the guards got pitch forks, I'm up for it." Rose responded with a casual air. She leaned even closer, her hands outstretched along the console challenging him.
"Oh come on, you were asking for it," he replied in an offended manner.
"I laughed!" Rose cried, not one bit apologetic.
"Which is a punishable offence on Jerwasmin," he retorted sounding matter of fact.
"Which, I didn't know." Rose countered.
"Minor detail, the fact was and still is, it was your fault," the Doctor stated plainly. He nodded a little smile and crossed his arms confidently.
"Actually it was yours, you never warned me." She said, righteously continuing her complaint.
"Yeah well, the past is the past and all that." He dismissed casually.
"'S'pose," Rose grinned shaking her head slightly at the Doctor's nerve.
A loud thud sounded and the grating stopped. The lights went a lighter green and Rose adjusted her position, leaning lower, even closer to the consoles' monitors. "Where you brought me then?" she asked, a teasing edge to her question.
"You wait and see. It's all beyond that door if you just look and I can almost promise there won't be any pitch forks," he gestured towards the blue exit with one hand and directed a knowing smile towards her.
"Almost promise eh? That'll do I expect." Rose laughed and skipped towards the large brass handle on the door. She looked back at him, a playful grin questioning if it was safe. The Doctor gave a quick nod and watched and waited. He knew she'd love this.
Rose opened the heavy door guardedly, what he thought was safe and what she considered was safe were world's apart however she knew it couldn't be that dangerous. He'd never let anything happen to her. She peeked around the door and a hazy sunshine beamed down upon her. The feel of its warmth was oddly refreshing and exhilarating.
She stepped out onto the cobble stone pavement and a wave of sensations overwhelmed her. The sun warmed her body and a soft sound of music danced along the air. It was a jazz piece and it couldn't help but make her feel lively and cheerful. She could smell the invigorating scents of fresh bread being baked and it beckoned her invitingly. Her smile became even brighter when she took in her surroundings.
She was in a cobble stone backstreet; she could just make out the opening to the main street in the distance. It was a small alley way between a pair of towering yet architecturally beautiful apartment blocks. The stone work was aged and some of the champagne coloured paint was chipping but she could easily see the beauty these buildings would have had in their heyday. Each apartment had large windows and painted green shutters complete with freshly watered flower boxes. Her eyes travelled up the vintage style architecture knowing she had seen something like it but where from she couldn't be sure. Her engrossed eyes skimmed past the elaborate yet dishevelled looking marble cornices and the tiled grey roof and onwards to the light blue sky.
As she looked to the right a towering construction stood out across the skyline. She gasped in delighted astonishment, the Eiffel Tower. It took her a few moments to comprehend, she was in Paris.
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