Hey everyone, it's been so long since I wrote a chapter fic but I've had this idea stuck in my head for the past week I just had to write it down. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who
Rose always kept a personal calendar on the TARDIS ever since she began travelling with the Doctor. She put it on the fridge in the kitchen, and crossed off every day as she went along, only doing this in order to keep in track with her birthdays, holidays and her menstrual cycle, she never anticipated just how useful this calendar would turn out to be.
The Doctor had left. He went to save Reinette, without a second thought. Rose simply stood there, ignoring Mickey's constant questions about what they were to do next, tears falling slowly down her cheeks. After about 4 hours, Rose was snapped out of her trance by Mickey shaking her, his hands gripping onto her shoulders.
"Rose, babe, you've got to eat. Come on, I'll make us both something in the TARDIS, okay?" Rose simply shook her head.
"I'm not hungry." Mickey sighed and went into the TARDIS. A few more hours passed and Rose could barely stand up, her tears had formed dried up trails of mascara mixed with salt down her face. Her eyes were empty and lifeless, she was no longer aware of the where she was and when she was, all she knew was that the man she loved had left with no way to get back to her. For the second time, she was brought back to reality when Mickey came to coax her into the TARDIS again.
"Come on Rose you need to sleep, I'm sure the Doctor will be back soon but you need to rest." Mickey lightly pulled her arm but Rose quickly pulled away.
"He'll be here any minute, Mickey, have some patience." She snapped back, but her body betrayed by swaying slightly as Rose stifled a yawn. Mickey shook his head and put an arm around her.
"You're dead on your feet babe, come on I'm taking you back to your room." Rose tried to protest but she was too fatigued so she gave in and allowed herself to be half carried to her room. When they got there, Mickey didn't even get a chance to ask if she wanted him to stay the night because she collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep instantly. "Night babe," he whispered as he turned the light off and went to his own room.
The next morning Rose woke with a start; realising she had slept for about eight hours she ran to the Doctor's room in the hopes of finding him. He wasn't there. She ran to the console room, the kitchen, the library, the gym, she ran to every room in the TARDIS but the Doctor was nowhere to be found. Eventually she ran out onto the spaceship, shouting frantically for the Doctor. There was no reply.
Rose clasped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to subside the sobs that racked her body as her knees gave way and she sunk to the ground. Her other hand was clutching her chest as she tried to quell the intense pain she felt in her heart and the loneliness had gripped her, her mind was trying to comprehend the fact that the man she trusted more than anyone in the universe had left her. The Doctor promised her the stars, he promised her forever, and yet he broke his promise as quickly as he made it. It was as if he punched her in the gut and left her there winded and alone. She didn't register the footsteps coming towards until Mickey's arms were around her, wrapping her in a tight hug and she clinged onto him for dear life.
"He left me, Mickey!" She cried and she looked up at Mickey with desperate eyes, "he left us both." She whispered, tears streaming down her face. Mickey just held her tight, he wanted to tell her how he told her so, how he knew the Doctor would do something like this, but seeing her so broken he couldn't bring himself to.
"He'll be back, Rose, he's the Doctor, he'll find a way." He said to her, but Rose didn't calm down. He released her to grip her shoulders. "Rose. Look at me." Rose reluctantly looked into his sincere eyes. "Let's not give up on him yet, okay? The Doctor wouldn't, so neither should we." Rose took a deep breath and nodded, giving Mickey a small smile. She knew Mickey had always been jealous of the Doctor, so she was grateful he had put those feelings to one side to give her some hope.
"Thanks, I'm surprised you're not still moaning about him though." She said weakly, Mickey chuckled in response.
"Nah babe, save that for when you're not crying." Rose laughed slightly and hit him playfully.
"Shut up," she said, before standing up and walking with Mickey back into the TARDIS. "Come on, I need some breakfast." They walked to the kitchen, and Rose went to get some milk out of the fridge for a cup of tea when she saw the calendar, the last date crossed off on the calendar was May 6th 2006. She sighed and crossed off "today's" date, May 7th, and carried on making her breakfast.
The next six days were all the same, if Rose wasn't sleeping or eating, she would sit outside on the spaceship staring at where the Doctor left them, waiting for him to return. The TARDIS helped Rose and Mickey out, showing them an endless stash of non perishable food that was put there in case of an emergency such as this. The TARDIS had grown fond of her golden human, ever since Rose looked into her heart to save the Doctor the time machine had become protective of her, looking after Rose in any way she could.
Mickey had tried his best all week to be patient with the woman he loved, he knew she was in pain and despite it hurting him that her pain was over another man, he knew she needed him. By the end of the week however, his patience was wearing thin. He missed home, he missed the pub, he missed the footie, he missed London, he missed his life. Mickey knew it wasn't going to be an easy topic to approach with Rose, but his trust in the Doctor had completely disappeared and he needed to find out if there was any way for them to leave without him. On the seventh day of being stuck, Mickey confronted Rose whilst she was waiting on the spaceship, staring at the broken mirror as usual.
"Rose, we can't wait here for the rest of our lives, for all we know the Doctor might not have made it." Rose sat frozen for a second, then stood up and faced Mickey, her eyes stormy.
"Don't you dare say that again, Mickey! He'd never leave me like that!" She shouted. Mickey threw his arms up in exasperation.
"But he did, Rose! He did!" He shouted back, Rose shook her head and turned away, trying to fight back the tears threatening to fall. "I'm sorry babe but enough is enough, it's been a week! I can't take it stuck here any longer, I'm going mad on my own in the TARDIS while you just sit there with your sad eyes, it's not fair on either of us!" He shouted back, Rose turned back to face him, tears now falling freely down her face.
"Well what do you suggest, Mickey? If you can fly the TARDIS, be my guest, but I'm not leaving the Doctor." She replied firmly. Their conversation was interrupted by a whirring from the TARDIS, her light flashing to catch their attention. Rose and Mickey ran into the TARDIS immediately. "What is it old girl?" Rose asked, "Can you take us back?" The TARDIS hummed in confirmation and Mickey laughed, relief washing over him. Rose wasn't as joyful.
"That's great, Rose! We can go home!" Mickey exclaimed and Rose gave him a forced smile.
"Yeah it is, go on and pack your bag then, okay?" She said softly, Mickey nodded and ran to his room. Rose sighed and stroked the TARDIS. "You know I can't leave the Doctor, right?" The TARDIS hummed in understanding. "You know what to do then?" She said, and the TARDIS hummed again. "Thank-you" she said softly and she walked to the door just as Mickey walked into the console room carrying a bag.
"Rose? Where are you going?" Rose turned and gave Mickey a sad smile.
"I'm sorry. Look after mum for me." She replied, and with that she walked out of the TARDIS, the door locking automatically behind her as she heard Mickey banging on it and shouting. The TARDIS disappeared and reappeared within the next 30 seconds. Rose walked in slowly, looking round to see the console room empty and she took a deep breath, stroking the TARDIS in gratitude.
"Looks like it's just you and I for now, old girl."