Bookstore
Geoff was sitting outside of his favorite used bookstore, reading a dog-eared copy of A Christmas Carol. It was December, near Christmas and seeing as it was unseasonably warm for the time of year, was trying to drag himself into the spirit of the season as best he could.
So far, the words on the page had yet to translate into anything outwardly.
Sighing, quite a defeated sound in his ears, he placed his paperback on the small table in front of him and lowered his head in his hands. He rubbed his face with such vigor that he thought for a second that he'd send his contacts flying off of his eyeballs.
"Hey, mate, you all right?" said a voice in front of him.
It took Geoff awhile to realize that the voice was speaking to him. It was a pretty voice. Could voices be pretty? he thought. He wasn't sure, but if they could be, the one speaking to him just now most certainly was.
Lifting his head and uncovering his eyes in the process, he began, "I'm so-." But that is where that question ended, for when he opened his eyes and saw the pair of honey ones staring back at him, he most surely thought he felt his heart stop.
She was gorgeous. A pile of unnaturally blond hair was piled on her head, tendrils of it framing her face. It was the eyes, however, that made him feel like he was dying and living at the same time.
Unable to articulate, he sat there, staring at her.
Geoff saw as she quickly pulled out the chair next to him and how her forehead wrinkled in what he guessed was confusion. Her lips were moving, a controlled but frantic motion - if such a thing existed.
Suddenly, she placed a hand on his and just like that, it's like the world came into focus again.
He coughed and said, "Come again?" his voice sounded like a squeak, but he was so out of sorts it didn't even occur to him to wince.
"Are you all right? Your eyes…went a bit out of focus there…."
Nodding before she even finished her sentence, he quickly scrambled for an actual answer, "Yes, yes…I'm' fine actually just…a bit tired, is all…" A meek excuse but an excuse all the same. She was a stranger after all.
Her hand left his (oh, that's a shame) and she smiled a brilliant hypnotizing smile at him – all teeth, "My name's Rose."
"Geoff…Geoff is me…hi," so lame he thought.
Rose chuckled good naturedly, "I was just inside looking for something for my…friend and I saw you lookin' kinda…well…stressed and that's why I asked how you were."
Geoff smiled awkwardly and was about to ask her something about herself when a shadow came into view, covering them. He turned to look and saw a tall man dressed in leather, his brow furrowed and, had he met the man before, could swear that he looked almost…angry.
"What's this then," it sounded like it should be a question but was so stern that it came out an accusation.
Rose rolled her eyes and stood up, a paper sack hidden from view behind her back. "Nothing Doctor, just making new friends is all."
Friend. Geoff rather liked the sound of that.
The Doctor (he wondered what the man's real name was, but decided he didn't particularly want to die for asking that question) folded his arms to his chest, a defiant and threatening look if Geoff ever saw one.
"Is that right," again, not a question.
Geoff saw Rose place her hand on the Doctor's leather-covered arm and saw how his scowl had almost magically faded away. Ah, he thought, so that's what this is.
"Come on then, almost time for Christmas," she smiled brightly, her pink tongue sticking to the side of her mouth to her teeth. It was an adorable mannerism. He saw that the Doctor was probably thinking the same thing.
"All right then," and in a motion that Geoff could tell he'd done many times before, the Doctor gently grasped Rose's hand and smile down at her – a smile that was meant only for her. He tugged, leading her away.
Rose laughed. A laugh that was more than just a laugh and that suddenly made Geoff feel very lonely.
Thinking he was quiet forgotten by then, he stood up and grabbed his book.
"Hey!" said the voice again.
Geoff turned and was surprised to see her, Rose, again in front of him. Looking beyond her, he could see the tall and menacing man waiting impatiently for her.
"Y-yes?"
She smiled, all teeth and tongue again, he felt his confusion soften.
Rose tip-toed slightly and placed a surprising kiss to his cheek, "Merry Christmas!" Before he could register what had happened, he saw her running to her Doctor. He saw the Doctor smirk and roll his eyes and talking something about "pretty."
Geoff continued staring at them until they turned the corner. A smile growing on his lips, he turned and walked the way towards home – feeling a lot more in the Christmas spirit.
Water
The water was warm and drowning her completely from neck to toes. She felt semi-weightless as she let her mind wander to what she liked to call the "danger zone." Memories of a life long ago on a different soil shot at her as she closed her eyes, surrendering herself to it. It hardly happened anymore – life had taken its toll, but sometimes she couldn't help but let the veil cover her like it so often did when she first got to her new world.
Rose felt the wisps of hair plaster against the wetness of her neck. Her hair was darker now and she idly wondered what he'd think of it. Memories of his short, hardly there hair of his first life (with her) melted in her senses. She missed the Doctor, all of him, but the first one had a special hold on her. How he wore his jacket like a shield, his ocean-colored eyes piercing through her caused her a chill even then. Red bicycle when you were twelve, she still couldn't believe he'd done that for her – but was it really that surprising? She had nearly killed herself for him and him for her – nothing was impossible to believe. Not anymore.
Like a slideshow, images of the second Doctor with wild, unruly hair crept in. A sliver of hurt pounded in her chest. In some ways, he had seemed more broken than the first. But she remembered holding his hand properly that one Christmas, ash falling around them. They were tentative – the strings of doubt entangled with their words. As soon as she touched him, however, she knew…oh she just knew it was him. Rose wondered where he was at the moment – if he still thought of her from time to time. Did he wear a different face? She let out an exasperated sigh as she decided that she didn't want to know if he did. She'd love him no matter what he looked like – but she couldn't and wouldn't think of it.
They could have spent so many more years together.
Rose sighed as she stood up from her bath and wrapped the fluffy purple towel around her. Humming to herself, trying to forget the nostalgia, she patted herself dry and pulled on her clothes. Feeling as comfortable as she could, wearing her black sweats and an old Torchwood sweatshirt, she padded barefoot down the hall and into the TV room. The loud voices of George Bailey and his angel Clarence flooded the room.
She smiled as the nostalgia lifted from her mind so she could focus on the very real present.
"It's a Wonderful Life Rose!" exclaimed the Doctor – his excitement in every syllable. He was sitting on the sofa, the lights of the Christmas tree setting a soft glow on his face. The only light in the room and he still looked gorgeous.
Rose sat down next to him, pulling her feet up and under a cushion to keep warm. His arm came around to gather her closer to him. She snuggled, her head on his chest – the sound of his single heartbeat beating steadily in her ear. Rose listened to George Bailey's incredulous remarks to his salvation.
"It most certainly is," she whispered as the Doctor's free hand intertwined with hers.
Hope you like, more coming each day!
