To Find Your Way by Drianna Harper
Part 2 of the Doctor Rose Tyler Series.
Summary: Doctor Rose Tyler and her companions ("Oi!") find themselves in yet another alternate universe. What happens when they meet cannon, post Doomsday?
A/N: Can't help myself. My Doctor Rose and her entourage find Cannon Doctor and Rose post Doomsday. I like a happy ending. Shouldn't be many Torchwood spoilers. But this is DW spoiler filled until early season 4, except for Rose's brothers name, which is just cannon. (No J/E happening here. I've already got 3 Doctors, 2 Roses, 2 Jacks, and a Donna to deal with. Don't need to add… well… You already know.)
And for the record, I do love Ten. I just can't help picking on him.
And yeah, I've stolen some bits from Joss Whedon. Can't help but thieve a bit from the brilliant.
Oh, and allusions to boy on boy action. Like I could leave Jack in a room with himself and nothing happen. That man…
Disclaimer- I don't own any of them. They own themselves.
Chapter 1
It took almost 10 years of multi-universal travel to find her. There were a lot of universes to find trouble in, after all, and they hadn't had a fixed point to track, the way Rose and Jack had with the Doctor. When they finally did cross into the right universe, the world was about to end.
Again.
Rose and Jack frantically scavenging parts in London, 2010. Check. The Doctor putting together a machine that would pump out waves of chemical toxic to the invading army, while still harmless to the natives of planet Earth. Check.
Jack running into Rose Tyler, heiress to the Vitex fortune, in a universe entirely not her own.
There isn't even a box to check for that one.
Doctor Rose Tyler and Captain Jack Harkness are sprinting through a park, arms full of parts, when she stumbles. While gathering up her fallen pieces, she grumbles at him to go ahead. He does so, and almost bowls over a familiar blond.
"Oi, watch it there, mate!"
"Sorry, sorry, in kind of a rush. And… holy crap." Jack thinks his eyebrows may have actually hit his hairline, his blue eyes wide. "Sorry, miss…?"
Rose, for her part, has managed to not let her mouth gape. She's clears her throat before answering.
"Tyler. Rose Tyler."
Jack can't help himself, throws her a saucy wink and bows under his load to kiss her hand. "And what is a nice girl like you doing in an alien infested park like this?"
She's about to answer when a voice sounds behind her.
"Damnit, Jack, what did we tell you about flirting while in a life or death or about to blow up the nasties sort of scenario?"
Rose comes skidding up next to them, immediately shoving part of her machine bits into his arms. He grunts a bit under the extra weight.
"Sorry 'bout him, he's a bit obnoxious. Don't let it get to you." Rose sizes up the woman standing in front of Jack. "I'm the Doctor, and you are?"
"Rose Tyler."
"Pleasure to meet you Rose. Run for your life."
The Doctor and Jack take off running again. Rose has no choice "I made my choice a long time ago." She runs after them.
10 Years Earlier
The TARDIS lands with more than a little bump. Actually, it's quite a large bump. Truth told, it's a 'send the pilots across the room' sort of bump, which is unusual for a ship with universe spanning capabilities, driven by three more than capable near immortals.
It's enough to make everyone a little nervous.
"Oh, that ain't gonna heal fast. Anyone catch the number on the lorry that hit us?"
"Sorry, I was more concerned with not breaking my neck. Not sure if I was successful or not."
"Good thing you can't die, then. Broken neck's nothin. What 'bout you, Doctor?"
There's a spitting, hissing sort of noise in answer. Rose moves straight to the console, and realizes that it's not her ship making the noise. "Doctor?"
"Shh. I landed on the Cat. He's about to… Ow."
The cat makes a dash into the Doctors TARDIS, still growling madly.
"Right then. Except for the claw marks up my leg, I'm right as rain. What happened?"
Rose is moving around the console, checking readings. "Well, we're on an Earth. 'Bout my original time line, actually. Huh. And…" The ships lights flicker a moment before going out. After a couple of heartbeats, they come back on at half power. "And there's something… I dunno… either draining the power or not allowing the ship to pull in energy like she usually does."
The Doctor strides across the room, standing behind Rose. He leans over her shoulder to read the diagnostics with her. Even after 20 years, his hip against hers makes her shiver. He notices, and grins for a second.
"Well Jack, you wanted something fun for your 'one-hundred years since your first death on the Gamestation' anniversary, this ought to be interesting."
Jack just continues dusting off his great coat. "And what makes this interesting?"
"Oh, bloody hell. I'll handle this. You boys just stay here."
"What are you handling? Why is there handling? It's my anniversary, I should be the one handling something!"
"You know how I keep telling you to keep yourself to yourself?"
"Yeah."
"I take it back. Do not handle yourself. At all. Got it?"
Jack, at this point, is more than a bit of a touch curious. "What are you handling, Rose? 'Cause…"
There's a knock on the door. And the sound of a key in the lock. It doesn't open.
Rose takes a deep breath and steps forward. "You."
Chapter 2
They're still running. Rose is shouting at Jack the entire time. He'd be inclined to ignore her, but the day is turning out even more strangely than he's used to.
"No more flirting in life or death, yeah? Thought we'd agreed on that after Cortos 6. The Doctor SAID he'd throw you into the next nova we found, you slowed us down so you could flirt. How many times with the lecture, 'cause I've got it on recorder now, I can play it as we run."
"Rose…"
"No really. I stopped counting once it got into the triple digits. Can you even remember how many?"
Rose shoves a door open with her shoulder, immediately moving to where the Doctor is frantically piecing machinery together.
"Here's the bits we got, should be enough."
"What took you lot so long?"
She shoots a meaningful look at Jack, who manages to look slightly chagrinned. "Was heavy, yeah? And lots of security, that Torchwood lot, not like the one we know, not just Ianto at the front. And it was a ways away."
"So Captain Flash wasn't flirting with the natives again?"
Jack and Rose exchange a look. His is more pitiful. She takes another step forward, pulls out her sonic to help. "After Cortos? He knows better. Wouldn't do it again, right Jack?"
"No! Wouldn't dream of it. I learned my lesson, couldn't think of a reason-"
"So what's with the tourist?"
The three turn to the door, where a slightly out of breath Rose Tyler is standing.
"Well, bollocks. I'm not covering for you again, Jack."
Jack is a bit upset. He knows the Doctor thinks he's off, a standing point in time. It's unnatural, and he's come to terms with that. He didn't expect to get locked out of the TARDIS, though. It's enough to make even a centuries old man want to cry. He steps back, resigns himself to retreating back to the hub. Then the door opens. And he's at a loss for words.
"And you lot stay in here, don't muck about with the navs again. I'll sort it when I get back. NO, not that! Just, stop touching things, you'll only make it worse."
Doctor Rose Tyler steps out of the TARDIS, carefully shuts and locks the door, and turns to face Cardiff. "Well, bit bright out here, innit? I'm the Doctor, and you are?"
There's the gaping she'd expected. What wasn't expected was the crushing hug she was engulfed in. She flounders for a moment, and then the sigh that's almost her name is in her hair, and she can't help but hug him back. He smells the same, this one, even if he isn't hers.
"Sorry, still didn't catch a name. I'm the Doctor. And you're… about to crush my ribs, actually."
There are tears, actual tears, in his eyes when he pulls back.
"Rose. Don't you know me? Barrage balloon? 1941?"
He looks so lost, so hopeful. She can't help but love him a little. "I wish I did. But I'm sorry, I'm not who you think. I'm not, we're not, from round these parts. We need some help, actually, that's why I came out here. Could use some guidance."
"But, Rose." He stops, takes three steps back, and lets his hand drop near his side arm.
"Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood. Who are you?"
How can it not be her? There's the same glint in her eye, the tongue touched smile. She looks so much the same. But he can smell the time on her. He almost breaks, having Rose so close but so far away. And then her smile fades and she sways. He goes to steady her, but she's leaning on her ship. She looks at him, through him, and her eyes brim the same way his did a moment ago.
"Oh, Jack. You too. I didn't know. I. I'm so sorry."
And she's in his arms again, the same desperate grip he'd had moments before in her grasp now. "I'm not her, not your Rose. You aren't my Jack either. But we are, at the same time. Why are you here?"
He can't let go, can't even when she proclaims not to be the Rose he loves. "I work here. You landed on the Rift, we work below, in the Hub."
She pulls back long enough to wipe her eyes on her sleeve and sniffle a bit. "Show me. We're all in a world of hurt, and my TARDIS wouldn't have brought us here if you couldn't help."
No matter what, it's Rose, his or not, and he could never deny her a thing. He offers his arm.
"Want to bring your companions along?"
She grins, takes the proffered arm. "Nah, they'd just be in the way, right. Go on then, I want to see your place of business, Captain."
Chapter 3
There's no time to sort it, no time for anything but action. They love it best that way.
All four of them.
Rose dashes away from the machine, nudges Jack into her place. She grabs Rose's hand.
"Boys. They never know what they're doing!"
"Oi!"
"Hey now!"
"We'll let them think they fixed it all, and we'll do the real work, yeah?"
Rose Tyler looks at Doctor Rose for a moment. Glances behind her other self. And her smile comes out.
"Still haven't learned, have they?"
The two blondes dash to the other end of the bunker. Older Rose tosses the other her screwdriver. "Function 640."
"What's that one, then?"
"Hooks those wires up to make a nice pink explosion."
A groan sounds from across the room. "Again, with the pink?"
"I think Rose deserves it! After all, first time, saving the world with us!" The tongue behind the teeth isn't the only thing that matches when the Roses look at each other. There's also the flicker in the eye, that one bit, that likes to torment the Doctor.
Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth, turns first. "Bright pink, yeah? Bubble gum colored. Like Pepto-Bismol got thrown 'cross the room?"
"If you two ladies don't mind, we're trying to stop the world from ending over here."
Rose snorts, making the younger Rose pause. "World's saved, Time Lord. Have you been watching what we were doing, or just thinking up clever retorts?"
Sulking looks good on him. Really, it does. As does the 'gotcha' face on one Rose Tyler. Looks better with two. Until the first breaks. "Yeah, and we should… run, right now!"
"You're Ianto. I've been waiting so long to meet you!"
The hug's shortened by the following close inspection of the over office. "This is all it takes? I've been working too hard all these years… Do you know half these travel logs are out of date?"
"How's about we go into the hub, before Ianto has a heart attack?"
"Ooh, toys."
Rose dashes into the hub, seemingly oblivious to the team at work. "Oh, this is gorgeous. And…is that a pterodactyl?"
Tosh stands, starts to form an intricate explanation.
"Oh! And that's a bi-spatial neuron tetraloniscope?"
Everyone in the hub looks at the blond. "I read a lot."
She smacks her hands together. "So, anyone have a clue what's going on? Cause, I do, but that's cheating. Yes! Didn't catch your name, sorry, but you look more intelligent than these blokes."
"I'm Dr Martha Jones. And I think.. I think…"
"Yeah?"
"I think we could use a Doctor."
"Dr Jones,"
"Martha"
"Right, Martha, you're fantastic. Question is, which one?"
Chapter 4
As explosions go, it's a very effective one. World saved, destruction averted, the only casualties are the building holding the machine and the Doctors jumper.
The sonic wave caused them all to lose their footing. Jack ended up covering the human Rose under him to protect her from shrapnel. The Doctor ended up with his determined bond mate sprawled on him, still breathlessly arguing who was more expendable. After making sure they weren't on fire, said bond mate proceeded to snog him senseless.
Jack is the only one to get a good look at Roses face. Heartbreak doesn't work on her.
"Come on, kid. I'm not exactly a runner-up prize here. Could be worse people saving you from flying metal."
"It's not… it's nothin'. Really. I'm fine."
"Yeah, that line works for her too. Except, wait, no, it never has. What's eatin' at ya?"
"Nothing. I should go report in," she turns away, starts to trudge towards Torchwood tower.
"Rose."
It's the other her, beckoning her back. She isn't sure she wants to know. It isn't fair, to be so close, so hopeful, and know she's going to lose again in the end.
"I think we need to talk. But I need to ask a few things first, yeah? To make sure."
"Of what?"
"Of who you are. What's to come. Come sit with me for a bit."
"I've already called the Doctor, but he's a bit… twitchy in his arrivals. May take…"
There's a distinctive sound in the Hub, joined by a fierce wind. Owen and Tosh frantically grab at their loose paperwork. Rose closes her eyes and hums a bit in her throat. This is going to be dodgy, but she still loves the sound of the TARDIS.
Rose strides over to a terminal, sits down and swings her legs up on the desk. "This should be interesting."
The Doctor steps out of the TARDIS, sees Jack, and begins to bluster. "It must have been something really important, you made Martha ring me. So what's so important that it couldn't wait 'till the next time…"
Rose swings her chair around, raises an eyebrow. "So important you couldn't stop by? I'd say we have a bit of a disaster on our hands."
The Doctors face goes blank. "Rose…"
Her face softens as she stands. "No. I'm not her. Really I'm not. But, I think we can all work together to figure this out. And I've got quite a lead on you in the solution department."
The Doctor moves to her quickly, grabs her arms. "What have you done?"
Rose has one look at his hands grasping her biceps, rolls her eyes, and he's on the floor under her boot before he's aware she's moved. "Really though. Pinstripes. I'm hoping I never have to see that. I prefer the leather, thanks.
"Right then, lets have a bit of a sit down here. Get everyone up to speed and all that. I ain't from this universe, not even one close. My TARDIS is equipped to move through all of 'em, even one's you ain't dreamed of yet. We sort of crashed here, and my ship don't crash. Means something's causing it. Once we get what that is, me and mine can get back to travelin' as per usual, and leave you lot alone."
She lifts her boot.
"Any questions?"
"Yeah, a few, blondie."
All heads turn to the TARDIS. There's an irate ginger leaning on the door.
"Let's start with, who the hell are ya? And, then maybe, why you've got the Doctor on his arse. Not that it ain't a nice sight, him taken down a notch every once and a while, but still. Think there should be some answers in the coming moments, yeah?"
There's silence in the hub for a moment. And then, of course, Rose utters a word, just one word.
"Donna."
Chapter 5
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
"Enough with that, I'm tired of it. I'd like some answers. Now would be good."
The two Roses sit next to each other on a bench in the park they so recently saved. One keeps casting looks to the TARDIS. The other doesn't need to.
" I have to ask some questions first. I'm sorry, but I have to be sure."
"Sure of what?"
"That it's really you. Do you know how may Rose Tylers I've met? Trying to find EXACTLY the right one. It's tricky."
"But you ARE me, shouldn't you know?"
"An infinite number of worlds, and infinite number of us. You think I haven't met us before, almost gotten close? I have to know. To preserve the timelines, the universal constant."
"How many of us have there been that's done this? Walked two worlds, been part of neither?"
There's a sigh, and a crack of the back. "Okay, Rose Tyler. Ready for the hard questions?"
"All the questions need answering, and she starts by telling me my own name. Yeah, I'm Donna. Who the hell are you?"
"I'm the Doctor."
"What?"
Rose doesn't bother looking down at the startled man on the floor. "And you're Donna Noble. Brilliant, you are! Me and my companion had to break into HC Clemmons once, stop a bunch of nasty spider things. I temped with you for about a month. We were good friends."
"What?!
At this, Rose does look down. "You know, I'm actually answering the intelligent questions asked, 'what' ain't really a question. And making it louder and higher pitched? Not helping."
Jack chimes in at this point. "You've said you're the Doctor twice now. Are you, what, his next regeneration?"
Rose can't help the half snicker, half snort that comes out. "No, I don't know if we can change gender in regeneration, but trust me when I say, it's a long story. Now, can we get back to the bit where we get my TARDIS fixed? 'Cause I don't like the idea of her staying on half power. Can't be healthy for her."
"Didn't you say she's designed to travel through parallel universes?"
"Yeah, that's what makes it weird," Rose brushes her hand through her hair. "Took me almost fifty years to work out the circuits, but in the forty years since, we haven't had a single problem. 's no reason it should have done this now. It's like-" Her pocket starts to ring. Rolling her eyes, she pulls out her mobile.
"Like a couple of toddlers, can't leave them alone for… Yeah, what? No, I'm fine. 'M just havin' to do the whole explaining bit, this lot keep interrupting. No, I don't need you to help. 'Cause you get all condescending and 'I'm so much better than you apes' and… you do. Yes you do! You bloody well, oh forget it. Come on then, shift it. I'll get one of 'em to let you in."
Flipping the phone shut, she closes her eyes and rests a hand on her forehead. "Gonna give me a migraine, they are. Ianto, could you be a love and go let my two idiots in? They're likely to break something up there without supervision."
Everyone is silent for a moment, taking in all that's happened. The Doctor finally gets back to his feet, staring at Rose. "I can't, you know."
"What?"
"Change gender. Born male, always will regenerate male. And what do you mean, 'when we regenerate'? Rose Tyler is human."
"And I was, long time ago. Not anymore, though. One hundred percent Time Lady, me. Took me a bit to work it out, but I did."
"That's impossible."
"There's a word I really don't like. Here are two that might help you sort things a bit- Bad Wolf."
The Doctors expression turns to one of shock. That's nothing compared to the look he has a second later, as the Doctor comes skidding into the room.
"Rose!"
"Gods above, the overly dramatic entrance wasn't necessary. Told you I was fine."
"You told me you were fine after Tredawlis, too. Forgive me for being more than a little concerned about my wife."
"Wife?" The pinstriped Doctor passes out.
"Wife?" Donna stops eyeing the new arrival, a bit put out.
"Wife?" Jack looks a little too interested.
"Wait a 'mo. Where's… oh you didn't. You left him up there with Ianto? Bugger it. And you'd better hope that's just a turn of phrase."
Rose takes off at a dead run. As she passes Jack, she points a finger at him. "And don't even think about it. Keep your bits to yourself. Your OWN self."
Chapter 6
"Where do Slitheen come from?"
"What?"
"It's the first question. Where do Slitheen come from?"
"Well, they're eggs, so I don't really know…"
"I meant, what planet?"
"Should 'ave said, if that's what you meant. Raxicoricofallipatorius."
"I'll try to be more specific, yeah. What's the grass on New Earth?"
Rose's eyes close in pain. "Apple grass."
The Doctor squeezes her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know it's hard."
Rose flinches. "You shouldn't do that, right? No touching the baby."
Sigh. "No, that's only you in your own timeline. And only if you're human."
"But…"
"No, we'll get to that. Can I keep going, you okay?"
Rose takes a deep breath, squares her shoulders. "You even have to ask?"
"No." There's the smile again. "I know what you're capable of, Rose Tyler. Amazing things, that's what we're a part of. And what we've become."
"So keep going, then. I want answers, and I ain't gettin' them till you do your game show deal. Been on one of those, you know. Next question, contestant number one!"
"What color are the Chucks?"
"White, but he picked up a pair of god awful red ones, so not sure what he's got at the moment."
"Why are you here?"
There's a shudder before her answer. "I slipped. The lever, it was movin'. And I had to stop it, get rid of the Daleks. Into hell, Mickey said. I got it back into position, but I couldn't… It was suckin me in, yeah? And I couldn't… It was too much. I lost my grip. I can hear him screaming, in my head, still, every night."
She's only just finished when the other Rose has her in a tight embrace. They're both like faucets, trembling against each other. "One more question, Rose, just one, and then I'll tell you everything you want to know."
"Get on with it then." She's still crying, they both are, knuckling away the tears. Even now though, neither can let go.
"What's the first word he said. Just one word. Oh, so long ago."
"Run. Just… Run."
"Rose Tyler. I've spent years looking for you."
"But why? You have the Doctor, the TARDIS, Jack. Why look for me?"
"'Cause your Doctor asked me to. And how can I say no to the man I love, even if he isn't the right one?"
They can hear the argument as it comes down the hall. One side irate, the other side pained. It's loud enough to wake the shell shocked Time Lord on the floor.
"How many times. How many? Really, I'm asking this time, 'cause I want to know. Can I keep a checklist, maybe?"
"Rose-"
"No. Nu-uh. No getting out of it this time, I want an answer. How was snoggin Ianto on the travel desk not in any way against the rules? Rules set up for YOU, I might add. You know the risks."
"I do, however-"
Rose hauls Jack into the hub by an ear, clearly not willing to listen to Time Agent logic.
"Whatever with your however. Big problem, right, and you're snogging a man you've barely met like a teen, and…"
Rose takes a moment to view her audience. "No. No one touches him. Have to boil him in Lysol first, anyway. Man's shagged halfway cross the known universes." She looks at Captain Jack, Torchwood. "And I already said not to, you. Get that glint out your eye, right now. I've never let him have twosomes or threesomes or twentysomes on my ship, and with ya both, you're like to have half the galaxy shagging in the gallery.
"Right then. There will be questions coming, some from me too, let's all take a mo' to think of them, then we'll figure it all out. Or maybe just run for our lives, never too sure here. Cause, I seem to be the only one trying to work on the problem instead of having a meltdown."
The Doctor is behind her, budging her up. "Found something else out, while you were down here making friends. Something draining the TARDIS, not just the usual parallel issue. We were brought here for a reason."
She nudges back, leaning into him. "So it wasn't my clever inter-substational system threw us off?"
"Nope. Was something specific. Something wants us here. Not just us, but them as well. Wouldn't have put us atop the rift, otherwise. It's not a rift the TARDIS can use for fuel. Something wanted us here. And if it has a waxed moustache, I'm taking a sick day on THIS problem."
"Don't get sick time in my TARDIS. 'Fraid it's part and parcel. Have to think up another excuse."
"Could take out my pain and suffering in trade."
He has her up on the rail in a moment. Her legs are around his waist before his lips land on hers. Then he moves back, unwinds her thighs. "Hrmph. Maybe I should remind you of that later."
She looks over her shoulder, sees the looks on the faces, and steps back on the platform, straightening her jacket.
"So. Any ideas? Martha, you seem quite clever. What 'you think?"
"Erm. Well… er."
"Come on, you were doing so well!"
"Invading army? Someone trying to catch the Doctor, and getting two…well… three, mixed up in the process?"
The Doctor in brown swivels his head over. "Oh Martha, you are brilliant."
The Doctor in pink and black snorts. "She's more than brilliant. She's figured out half the problem."
The Doctor in leather adds, "Something that can track Huon energy, Time Lords, and the Bad Wolf. She's more that brilliant, she's fantastic!"
All three Doctors grin. Martha hesitates before she asks. "No clue on what it is, though?"
"No."
"Nope."
"Not a one."
Chapter7
"I don't understand any of this. You figure I'm the Rose you're after, yeah? How's that? And the questions? And my Doctor?"
"Right. Gimme a sec, let me put it in some sort of order. " Rose closes her eyes for a moment, tilting her head up into the sunshine. Her brow creases for a minute, and then she looks back to the confused human.
"Right, I'm gonna just throw everything out at once, then you can ask what you like, alright?"
The other Rose nods and the Doctor takes a deep breath.
"That TARDIS over there? It ain't his, it's mine. My timeline was 'round the same as yours, right up till the Gamestation. Your Doctor told me he regenerated on the 'station. Mine didn't. The energy that triggered regeneration in your universe caused the TARDIS to split into two and shift universes. My Doctor was thrown into another 'verse, and I woke up in mine a full fledged Time Lady. After I figured out how to fly my ship, I went back and snagged Jack, and we went looking for my Doctor. With me this far?"
"I think so. You're like the Doctor? And, Jack, he didn't die on Satellite 5?"
"Exactly. So, we run round for a while looking, then I start thinking maybe we shouldn't be stuck looking in one universe. Jack and I figure out how to make my ship move through the Void, and off we go! Took a while, but we found the Doctor, and we all kept travelin'. His TARDIS is in the console room of mine. And then, one day, we ended up in your home universe."
"My… You met my Doctor?"
"Yeah. Had to stop an evil plot, like always. In the middle, I quizzed your Doctor 'bout you. Things I should know, how to tell if I really found ya, as opposed to all those other Rose's. That's why, with the questions. Some of it I already knew, some he told me, so I could narrow it down. He misses you, so much, Rose. So, here's where the big question comes in."
"Yes. If you can get me back, I want to go. I'm living a half life here, I need him. There's not even a question."
"Good to know, but that's not what I was going to ask. I already figured that bit out, with the longing looks you're sending my ship. But no, really, what I was gonna ask is-
"How do you feel about cats?"
"So, your ship travels through parallel universes?"
"Was wonderin' how long it'd take you to ask."
Rose and the Doctor are working on scavenging bits from the TARDIS to graft with pieces of her ship. The Doctor and Jack are in the other, trying to up the energy input. The Torchwood team are tracking all the incoming interplanetary items to see if they can narrow down the threat.
The Doctor had been shooting looks at her for a good twenty minutes before he asked, as innocently as he could, the question she'd been waiting on.
"What happened to your Rose? You and Jack both thought I was her, right off. Where is she?"
She watches his face close down, and shakes her head. "I'm married to the Doctor. I know all those little 'I don't want to talk about it' tricks you've got. Ain't gonna work. You can tell me, and I can try to help, or you can be all avoid-y, and nothin gets fixed."
The twitch at his left eye gives him away more than anything. "Your eye twitched when I said 'avoid-y'. There it went again! You lost her in the Void, didn't ya? Don't give me that look, I ain't scared of ya. Something happened, she slipped through universes, and because MY ship's the only one can move in the in-between, you can't find her. Am I right?"
His face is blank, but she's a master at reading the eyes of the Oncoming Storm. She lets her voice soften, trying to soothe. "I can try. Every 'verse we travel to, I can look. But there aren't any promises. There's a billion different universes out there, and I ain't got a place to start. So how 'bout you give me something to work with?"
When he speaks, the voice is rough, almost harsh. "Like what?"
"Tell me about her, your Rose. Things only she'd know, so I can make sure it's really her. I can offer you hope, not anythin' else. But there's a chance. And ain't that better than nothin?"
In the end, they're on the floor, her cradling his head on her lap, him clinging to her. He tells her everything. Because hope is better than nothing.
"Tried to name the cat Hope. Doctor thinks it's a girls name."
Chapter 8
"Doctor?"
The two look up from their embrace to see Jack leaning over them. His eyebrow raises. "Now, definitely potential here."
"Shut it, you. What you want?"
"Well, disaster averted, world saved. We sticking around? 'Cause either you need to help the Doctor coax the Cat out from his wardrobe room so we can scram, or I'm going clubbing. Just want to know how to dress."
Rose snickers slightly. "Same Jack, any universe. Places to go, people to shag. Oi, did he get into trouble on Nexlon 3 too?"
The Doctor giggles. "Yeah, right fix, that was. Would've worn a nicer bra, if I'd known we'd end up near starkers. And that bloke, you know…?"
"Yeah, the blue one. Wasn't bad lookin', 'cept for the 'gonna execute you now' thing he had goin'."
They grin at each other for a moment. Then the Rose in the black leather coat sobers. "Go ahead and have your fun, you. Some things need doing in this 'verse before we take off. Doctor'll have to sort the Cat out his own self."
Rose frowns. "But, I thought-"
"Please. You think we're going anywhere before we've explained things to Mum? She may not be my mother, but I ain't taking you any sort of where until we tell her what's going on and that you ain't leaving for good. I saw her smack my husband, I ain't fixin to have her do the same to me."
"But, you're me. She wouldn't-"
"I'm Rose, but I'm also the Doctor. And not quite willing to take that risk."
They stand together. "Go on then. Tell the Doctor where we're headed, and don't you dare bring anyone back to the TARDIS. She knows not to let you in with a plus one, you know."
"And how are you going to explain to her your added guest when you get back?"
The Roses exchange looks. "Oh, she knows this one. Knows her heart. Won't be an issue."
It's anticlimactic, at the end of it all. Though more clever than most, the bad guy ends up still only grasping at things he can't possibly understand. It takes them a few tweaks of the TARDIS, a bit of knocking the lackeys about, and a click of the fingers later. There are four dumbstruck looks before the Jacks take him down.
"No. No WAY. After all this, thinking it was some great big plot, maybe Daleks or something again, and it's HIM?"
The other Doctor looks just as put out. "Universes away from home, this is, and it's YOU? You're just sad, you are, Move On."
Rose just leans against a wall, clicking her fingers for amusement. "Wax on, wax, off. Regular Scooby-Doo villain, you are. Can't believe you managed to get all of us here. SO sad. All that knowledge in your 'ead, and you use it to solve a bunch of our problems by accident."
Click. "Been in the TARDIS." Click. "Seen time and space." Click. "And you STILL haven't grown your hair out to cover that up?" Click."
"Just stop it, all right? You win, I should have known better than to try and outwit you, and your companions."
"Oh God. He doesn't have a mustache to twirl, but I think you still won your trade, there, Doctor."
Adam just looks confused. "Trade?"
"Nevermind, I'm sure you wouldn't understand anyway. As it is, we're taking you to get that out your head, and then dropping you somewhere safe. Like, maybe the middle of a plague. They always come back, don't they?"
Chapter 9
Jackie already has a broken look on her face as she stands before the TARDIS. She knows, has always known the choice her daughter would make. She wants to be strong, wants to be happy for Rose, but she's grown to hate that blue box. She knew one day it would take her child away again, even after the good-bye in Norway, she knew.
Rose darts out of the box, laughing. "Mum, you'll never guess what I did today!"
Jackie clings to her, trying to imprint her feel in her skin. She happens to glance up, and freezes.
"It's not what you think, Mrs Tyler. I ain't takin her away for good. Just for a bit, yeah? Takin her home, but I can bring her back, too. Whenever you wanna see her."
Letting go of the Rose in her arms, Jackie steps to the one just outside the ship. "Rose?"
"Yeah. And also, no. Rose, from a different universe. Hi, Mum."
Jackie gathers this Rose into a hug as well, pressing her face into the blond hair. "You're still my Rose, too. Thank you. I know she ain't happy here. I don't want her to go, but I want her happy more. So." She steps back briskly. "Tea?"
Both Roses smile back. "Yeah, that'd be nice. You and I can talk while Rose packs. Oh, and you'll need my mobile, in case she doesn't visit often enough. I can go snatch her for tea, and her Doctor won't even have a say!"
With a laugh, Jackie snags the Doctor round the hip and starts the walk back to the mansion. "I think I may like you, Rose Tyler!"
"Think I like you too, Mum-from-another-verse Tyler! But here now, Rose told me she has a little brother. Would like to meet him, 'fore we head off. Where's this fabled Tony?"
Adam has his head fixed, and is retconned. They leave him in Denver, Detroit, Darlington, somewhere starting with D. Not abandoned, new life in his head. He should be successful, just not genius.
"Now, I don't do the same as the other Doctors, see. I keep in touch when I leave. So, you've all got my mobile number, call when you need, yeah? Even if it's just to talk about boys." The last is thrown to Martha and Donna with a wink. "Once we've been to a world, it's locked into the TARDIS memory. Can return whenever I want. So I want a promise from everyone to give me updates."
There's hugs all around, and if she clings to the Doctor in brown, it's for both of them. "I'll do my best to find her. And if I do, I'll bring her back as soon to now as I can. You don't do well without your Rose. Glad to see that doesn't change. But if I bring her back, you have to make me a promise."
"Anything. She's… I… Rose Tyler, I…"
Rose smiles. "Quite right, too. You promise to tell her, you hear? No more blustering. No more hiding. It may take me a right long time to find her, and if I do, you make it up to me by telling her how you feel. Or there's no deal."
The Doctor looks at her for a long moment. "I'll tell her. I will. I," he draws a deep breath, holds it for a couple beats, and lets go, his shoulders sagging. "I love her. And I won't let myself not say it again."
She kisses his cheek. "Good. Now keep hold of that, and I'll have her back, quick as I can."
One more squeeze, and she's off to her ship where her companions are waiting. "Bye everyone! Remember to call. And Jack? Go take a shower, you both smell like sex. How many times. Really, how many? You shag everyone, even yourself… What? I never needed to know that! And… Eww! Stop sharing, right now! No, I don't want to know how you used that! It's a miracle Ianto can still walk without a limp."
Chapter 10
The Doctor can't believe he's here. He doesn't do domestic, him. And yet, he's in the Tyler drawing room, taking tea. There's only one explanation for this. He glares at his wife. He'd almost got away with it. 'I don't do domestic.' 'I'm not having tea with Jackie-the-slaps-a-lot Tyler.' 'I'm the Oncoming Storm.'
'You're the one with the Cat.'
He knew that'd come back to haunt him. Stupid household pet.
He has to admit, though, his wife does look lovely with Jackie's two-year-old perched on her knee. Almost makes him think…
Things he's really not thinking. Not a bit.
Jack is regaling Jackie with a tale of the universes biggest marketplace, shiny bits wherever you can see. The human Rose is still packing. And Pete Tyler, head of Torchwood, has joined the group, bringing along Mickey.
The idiot.
Yeah, so, he admitted that Mickey wasn't an idiot in the universe he was sent to, those years ago. But this one still bristles when he says it, and he can snicker at that. Helps to ease the fact that he's taking tea. With the Tylers. Rasillon help him.
Rose with the rucksack bounds into the room, drops down onto the sofa next to Rose with the toddler on her knee. Tony looks at both women, frowns for a moment, and then fits himself in the space in between, cuddling up to both at once. The Roses smile at each other.
"So," Doctor Rose begins, "here's where we decide what's about to happen. 'Cause, you know she's coming with us."
"Actually. Erm, I had an idea." The younger Rose pipes up. "I'm goin with you, yeah, that ain't even a question. But it's the when I'm thinking on."
"If you want to stay a bit longer here, that's fine. We can come get you when you're ready."
"You think I went ahead and packed for my health? When you lot leave, I'm going with you. But, I was thinking…" she trails off. "Maybe, I dunno, I could travel with you for a bit, regain my sea legs, as it were. I just. I want to be back with 'im, you know? But it's been so long. And things are different now, yeah? It's not one or the other. I can still see everyone here, and be back travelin. See this one," she glances at the now slumbering Tony, drooling on the Doctors shirt, "grow up. I was willing to lose that, I was, but now I ain't gotta…"
"Rose?" It isn't even strange, anymore, seeing someone who looks so much like her comforting the human. "We have all the time you need. You want to travel with us?" One look answers the question. "You're welcome, more than. Just keep away from Captain Shags a Lot. And when you're ready, we'll take you back. Here or there. Anytime."
Jackie reaches across the coffee table. "You aren't my Rose, but you're just as smart. And you'll bring her back?"
The Doctor smiles, squeezing Jackies hand. "Whenever you want. Even if she disagrees. Don't forget, I've got a Mum of my own, I've learned to go back once a week for Sunday roast."
Everyone seems to be willing to concede with the plan. Then the Doctor touches her tongue to her teeth. "But, can we be a bit evil?"
This is why he doesn't do domestic. Really. Donna wanting to shop with the D… Rose? He shouldn't even allow it. He waves at the other Rose as Donna skips over to her, on their way to a day of spending. He wonders how the Doctor and Jack are taking it, sitting in the TARDIS while the women go to shop. He almost hadn't taken the call, when it came.
"This is the TARDIS, how'd you get this number?"
"Please, like the TARDIS wouldn't take a call from me. We were visitin your 'verse to shop, yeah, and I thought Donna might like to as well. Wanna drop her off? Give us a couple hours, then meet us in the chip shop cross the way. Should be done by then. And you can carry her bags."
So now here he is, waiting until they're done. He wants to rage, wants to yell across time that she should be out there looking for Rose instead of shopping in London. But he can't. She's already given so much, looking for his lost one at all. So, instead, he ticks off the minutes until he can collect Donna and be off again.
Finally, the time's up and he trudges to the shop, bitterly wondering why she chose here, their first date. She had to have known, she has the same memories until the Gamestation.
There's laughter as he walks in. The familiarity of it makes him grimace. This is just cruel.
He spots them at a table across the restaurant, the two facing, with a bleach blond with her back to him.
"You done then?"
"With the shopping, yeah."
His hearts seem to stop. The blond swivels in her chair. "Chip?"
He can't breathe, can't think. She stands, walks straight up to him and starts fixing his tie. "Blue. You didn't ask me that, you know, he was all brown when I left. And your tie is a disaster. What did you do without me?"
This time when he forces out her name, almost beyond disbelief, she grins back. "Hello."
"But," he glances at the table. The Doctor and Donna grin back at him. He doesn't know what to do.
"Rose told me that you had something to say. You promised her, she says. Think I'd like to hear it." She wraps one hand around his neck. "What was it, Doctor? What were you about to say on that beach? On the worst day of my life? Rose implies a lot, but…"
She's cut off by his lips on hers, his tongue pushing into her mouth. She doesn't exactly mind, but still…
When they pull back, she asks again. "Whu-"
He bends to her ear. Whispers the answer. With a shared grin, they take off running for his ship.
Rose and Donna look at each other. "Well, if they take off without me, can I tag along with you?"
Rose finishes the last chip. "Yeah, sure, long as you keep your hands off Jack. Wasn't joking when I said he'd shagged half the known universes. And I can't even count how many versions of himself. Think this one thought he was special. You've no idea how many times Jack's ended up in a three-way with himself and Ianto. Was just trying to curb the inevitable, I was."