Silver Leaves

By: SilverLunarStar

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Never ever will be. (Think if I say this often enough someday it will be?)

Author's Note: Here's another part for the Garden 'Verse! Again, slightly out of order (which is why I don't just put them all together in one story), but it should still make sense. Dedicated to yumimum on LJ. Happy Birthday dear!

After dinner, Rose excused herself, sighting she was tired. Since her mum's room had been basically torn to shreds by the killer Christmas tree, she told the older woman to take her room.

"But where are you going to sleep?" Jackie complained.

"I have a perfectly usable room in the TARDIS," she said, looking at the Doctor as if for confirmation.

"I'm really sorry about your room, Jackie. I'll fix it right up and it will be like new by tomorrow morning," the new, new Doctor declared eagerly.

Jackie looked at him, startled to say the least. He'd never offered to tidy up after the messes he always managed to leave behind. This was not an opportunity she was willing to pass up. "Go ahead then. But if anything is missing, modified, or otherwise messed with, your new face will have a reminder of my hand," she threatened.

He rubbed his face, wincing. "It's not something even regeneration will allow me forget," he answered dryly.

Rose was also startled by his offer. Her Doctor would never in a million, billion centuries have offered to clean up. It worried her slightly, but he was bound to be different, wasn't he? He'd more than proven that, no matter how much had changed, the basic template was still there. He was still a Time Lord, he still saved the day, he still hated violence but would stand for those who couldn't protect themselves, and his hand…his hand still fit perfectly into hers, maybe even more so than before. The question was, was he still her Doctor? She sighed, ignoring his questioning glance as she said goodnight to her mum and Mickey. "See you in the morning," she told them. Without looking at him, she left.

The Doctor entered the TARDIS, the weak sunlight from the morning touching the inside until he closed the door. He'd expected Rose to be in the console room. Sometimes when he had to do some shopping for parts, she opted to stay in the TARDIS. More often than not, he found her on the jump seat reading a book or, when she was tired, a magazine. On rare occasions he found her asleep and he'd feel guilty, but pleased. Today, there was no Rose around. Entering the corridor, he immediately saw Rose's door fully open. 'So she's not in there.' Ever since she 'signed up', she'd always left her door only slightly open and would only close it when she was cross with him. He went to look in the library, but didn't find her. There was only one other place to search then.

Opening the rose-embedded door, he started hunting her down. As he passed the rose bushes (short, but already with budding flowers), he finally spotted her underneath the candonwood. 'Of course.' He should have known. This was – is? – their spot. Any time either of them needed comfort, they'd come to the tree. It had grown quite a bit since they'd planted it. However, instead of sitting, she was standing and looking up. Directing his gaze to where hers was, his jaw dropped.

Eyes roving, he spotted five branches sprouting a silver leaf each.

Rose turned, hearing footsteps behind her. Her shy smile turned into a full-blown grin as he sent one her way. She ran the rest of the way to him and he caught her in his arms, holding her tight, before releasing her to take her hand in his. Her doubts and fears dissipated at once. "It's gorgeous."

He made a noise in agreement as they stood, staring at the five leaves as they shone in the artificial sunlight and beaming like proud parents. He snuck a glance at the pink and yellow girl, his hearts beating just a little faster at the thought of her glancing at a tiny portion of his long lost home's beauty, realising it meant nothing without her. Without her… His hand gripped hers a little tighter, in a silent promise to never let go.

Hmm…didn't turn out exactly like I wanted it to, but I think it's alright.

Thoughts?

~*Eli