Title: Never Give Up
Rating: M in later chapters.
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Rose...eventually.
Author's Note: Plot bunnies love to attack me when I'm doing research for essays. This particular one, bit me hard.
Disclaimer: Yes, they don't belong to me! They belong to the BBC and RTD and all those other Gods that work on Doctor Who.
Rose plonked herself at her desk, sighing as she stared at the large pile of paperwork awaiting her. If she knew Torchwood meant mountainous amounts of paperwork, she would of stayed well clear and just become a shop girl again. Well, if being a shop girl included chasing aliens all over the planet and not having to do the accompanying paperwork, then yes, she would of chosen that option.
She reached for the top file and flicked it open. She frowned a little, unsure about exactly when there was a werewolf roaming London. She looked at the date. She was in Cardiff that day, checking the recent rift activity. Typical. She goes to Cardiff, a werewolf comes to London. She chucked that file in her drawer, deciding to deal with that when she had a moment. When she actually could be bothered chasing up the people who worked on that case.
She stared up at the clock on her wall. Two minutes until she would be allowed to leave. Well, leave the building. Didn't mean she couldn't go and have a wander to a certain room that, despite the recent renovations, hadn't been touched at all. Not since that day when she miraculously came into existence in this universe.
She walked the long way to the room, to make sure she dodged Mickey or Jake or her dad. They all thought she was over her past, which she led on as the truth. Which it was. Slightly. They didn't know how she still dreamt of his beautiful voice calling her. Soothing her. They didn't know she still carried the TARDIS key everywhere she went. They didn't know she marked the day she was ripped from her life on her calendar.
She suddenly realised that she had arrived in the room and was already leaning against the wall. She pressed her ear against it, hoping to feel a slight presence on the other side.
She knew though. She knew she would never feel that calmness of his warmth through the wall. She knew, deep down, he would be with someone else by now, having adventures, being chased by monsters. She knew he would be gripping someone else's hand and yelling, "Run". But most of all, she knew that was what she wanted. She didn't want him wallowing in misery. She didn't want him being alone. She just wished it were her who was with him.
Rose pushed herself away from the wall, coming to a decision she should have made 5 years ago. She reached around her neck, removing the chain, which held the key. Looking around, she found a small crevice right next to where she had cried non-stop for years and placed the key in it.
This was her saying goodbye. She knew he would never want her to be alone. She was set on fully acting on achieving the title she had been given years back.
Rose Tyler. Defender of the Earth.