I know I should be finishing over stories, but this came to me last night and I couldn't help but make it into a new fic. It's pre my story The Ones He Left Behind, about what happened to Rose and John in Pete's world before they went back to our earth. You don't need to read that one first; in fact it's probably better to read this one first! I know there are a lot of 10.2 and Rose fics out there but don't stop, give this one a chance, please?
When the Doctor left them together on Badwolf Bay Rose thought everything would be ok. She thought now they were together, with no aliens or no wibbly wobbly timey stuff to spilt them up, they would never be apart. Never again. That's why she was just a little overprotective; rushing to his side whenever he so much whispered, keeping him inside almost like he was her little pet. Until one day that little bit of Donna Noble inside him snapped, he was bored of staying inside all day, even if the Tyler Mansion was pretty cool to explore, Pete's world's version of Jeremy Kyle was as un-entertaining as it had ever been.
Lying on the sofa in the evening of the dawn of the second month John had been there, the highlight of his day was when Rose came home. His head perked up and he sat waiting for Rose to wonder in. When she did it was uneventful, she gave him a tired smile and flopped exhausted on the otherend of sofa, her eyes already fixed on the TV. So this was what they had become, John thought silently to himself, only the second month of being together and already they were behaving like a married couple.
"This is the fifth time I've seen this" He mentioned, flicking his hand at the TV, his voice lace with boredom, in a slight attempt to begin conversation.
"Really." Rose replied not taking the hint, and carried on staring intensely at the television.
"It would be nice to get out…"
"You're not ready." Rose snapped slightly, turning away from him on her position on the sofa.
"Not ready?" John suddenly sat up, his voice animated "Rose Tyler I travelled the skies for over 900 years!"
"You didn't." Rose replied rubbing her temples "The Doctor did. You're not ready. It's different here. You just don't understand…" Rose's voice trailed off as she continued the conversation in her head; What if you go out and meet someone else. It's not like we have all of time and space to explore anymore. It's just us…
"Rose…" Slowly he uncurled and slid over to where she sat on the other side of the sofa. "We could get out. Go travelling. Find a nice little flat."
"Well…" Rose smiled considering it; letting him wrap his arms around her "We could… But the money…"
"Shhh" He placed his finger lightly on her lip "I could work. Torchwood might take me. We could save up, buy a nice place. Anyway your father's not exactly short of cash. You could do with a holiday, the Maldives; they still have them here right? Or Bahamas, wherever you wish…"
"It's too soon." She whispered
"Too soon? Rose we've been to the end of the world together." John saw Rose open her mouth to contradict him "I'm still him. Look at me Rose." He clutched her head in his hands and looked in her eyes "It's me. Molto Bene! Allonsy! Apple Grass, Old Queen Vic, Werewolves, Olympics, Tardis, Badwolf. Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Sarah Jane Smith, Jack Harkness!" He exclaimed gasping a little for breath at the end to the list. "Remember, we were going to be together forever, and now we can be."
Mutely Rose nodded enclosing her arms tightly around his body "We are. Together, I mean. Let's get you a job, at Torchwood, with me. Then, then we'll see."
John started at Torchwood the next month. Arriving with a stack if fake information and wearing a smart brown pinstriped suit, something he had proudly found lurking inside a little charity shop.
He called himself John Noble, after the person who had help create him. And he was a doctor, a research doctor; at first Rose tried to persuade him to be part of the actual field team, like she was. But he wouldn't carry a gun. And anyway he told her, he knew a doctor once, and he wanted her to be proud of him.
On Monday he walked into Torchwood Rose guiding his way. "You have to sign in here" She pulled him over to the front desk where a fiery red head woman was sitting doodling on a pad.
"Hello my name's Donna Noble, how may I help you? The woman asked looking up with a fixed smile.
"This is John, John Noble, he's new today. Say 'ello John" Rose introduced him and stood back smugly to watch as a slow steady grin spread over John's face.
"Donna Noble! Great to meet you" John clasped Donna's outstretched hand. "Fantastic in fact! Just fantastic! You work here? With Rose?"
"Yes." Donna flicked an un-amused eye over John "There's your security pass. You must keep it with you at all times."
"Thanks!" He grinned cradling the plastic pass in his hand and ogling at Donna.
"You better get a move on, work starts at nine. Norris will show you the way, won't you Norris?" Donna smirked slightly as she issued the command.
"Ah Norris" John nodded knowingly. Even in a different universe she was obviously still Donna's enemy.
"Bye Doctor John" Rose laughed leaving in the opposite direction.
"So, Donna then" John started as Norris led the way "how long has she worked here?"
"Donna?" Norris spat out the name as if it was poison. "Only a few years. I've been here for much longer. I know everything that goes on in here, all the gossip." She winked at him
"But you're still below her?" John asked, ignoring the wink "Only she seemed quite the boss back then."
"Well…" Norris glared unpleasantly "We're really at the same level, it's just…"
"Really?" He asked disbelievingly
"Ok" Norris sighed, giving him a fierce glare in defeat "She is a little higher than me. But I'm much better than her! They're just still waiting for the opportunity to promote me to an even higher post that's not yet become available."
"Right…" John told her doubtfully whilst silently rolling his eyes, causing the rest of the tour to be held in silence with only the occasional disapproving suck of teeth from Norris.
"You're in here." Norris waved her hand dismissingly at a smart glass door and turned her back.
Taking a breath John pushed the door, letting it swing slightly before entering.
"Mr Noble!" A booming voice echoed from across the room "I was just tell these about you" A large stout man beamed at John and began wobbling over, a crowd of students following. "Students" He waved his hand dismissingly at the group behind him. "New applicants, just showing them the labs."
"Mind if I join you?" John asked, and without waiting for a reply began cruising along beside the man.
"Can anyone tell me what this is?" The man asked gesturing to a selection of tubes and wires. The students stared back mutely, and the man was just about to explain when a voice began at the back.
"It's the Newburn experiment Sir. I read about it, it's working with energy collected from the vortex trying to create a different type of energy, one able to act as a force field for earth Sir."
"Exactly" The man beamed "And your name?"
"Martha Sir. Martha Jones."
Second chapter will be up shortly, there will be around 10 chapters in this fic that is if enough people like it! So please review, tell me what you think and I will love each and every one of you!
