Retrouvailles: The joy of a reunion after a long separation. This is one of those "Ten words about love that can't be translated into English."
The Doctor felt Donna's eyes on him as he circled the TARDIS console slowly and took them away from the Ood Sphere. "What did Ood Sigma mean?" she asked as he threw the dematerialisation lever. "When he said your song would end soon?"
The ever-present ache between his temples grew stronger, and the Doctor slouched down onto the jump seat. He pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth as he considered how best to answer Donna's question without concerning her.
"The Ood equate telepathic connections to song," he explained. "Since their shared telepathic mind sings."
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Donna put one hand on her hip. "Yeah, but that doesn't make any sense then," she said. "You're not connected to anyone."
The Doctor winced when the dull ache deepened into a familiar pounding sensation. "I'm not now," he agreed, "but I was. I'm supposed to be. Ood Sigma is wrong, though. Our song will never end."
"You mean Rose." Donna walked over to lean against the console in front of the Doctor. "You had a telepathic link with her?"
He nodded and tried to ignore the pain that stabbed both his hearts at the past tense verb. "It was the way the Time Lords took a mate," he whispered.
Donna's jaw dropped. "You never said you were married!"
The Doctor looked up at her, and part of his brain registered that the rapidly worsening migraine was making his vision blurry. "It hurts to think about," he confessed. "Losing her physical presence was bad enough, but marriage bonds aren't meant to be broken. Ever. If I didn't talk about it, I could almost pretend it didn't happen."
Donna jumped when the time rotor chugged up and down behind her. "Where's she taking us?"
The ship brushed comfort over the Doctor's mind, and he smiled faintly. "To Legilo," he told Donna. "She's taken me here twice before: once right after I lost Rose, and once a year later."
He cringed when he thought about Martha's reaction to his explanation. She'd been less than impressed that he'd never told her Rose was his wife and had smacked him on the shoulder, telling him she would have left him alone if she'd known he was a widower. The Doctor shrugged; he'd thought he'd made himself clear when he'd told Martha that he and Rose were together. Even after nine hundred years, he didn't fully understand humans.
The TARDIS landed lightly, and the Doctor could already feel the pressure on the telepathic centre of his mind ease.
"So why'd she take us here, then?" Donna asked.
The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and stood up. "Legilo has a natural telepathic dampening field. The natives are among the strongest telepaths in the universe, so to quiet the chatter, the planet dulls telepathy."
Donna nodded. "Coming here is like, one of those sensory deprivation tanks, isn't it? You spend an hour here, and closed off from everything, you don't miss anything."
Anything being Rose. The Doctor tilted his head. "Yeah, I suppose it is."
The Doctor glanced at her as he put his coat on, trying to figure out how to ask her to let him go alone. In the end, he didn't have to.
"Well, I'm knackered after everything we've done in the last week," she said. "I think I'll stay here while you go get your treatment, Spaceman."
He smiled at her as he straightened the collar on his coat. "Thank you, Donna."
"Oh, don't get soppy on me." She rolled her eyes, but her smile was genuine. "Just feel better when you come back, all right?"
The Doctor sighed when he stepped through the TARDIS doors into the blissful telepathic silence of Legilo. Three years had passed since he'd lost Rose, but the ache of their severed bond hurt as much as it had the day she'd disappeared to Pete's World.
The TARDIS was parked in the shadow of a tall fir tree on the edge of a meadow, and the Doctor walked through the sun-dappled forest until he reached the clearing. The stone bridge still crossed the small river that ran through the meadow, and the Doctor walked over it and followed the path into the village.
Butterflies fluttered over fields of fragrant wildflowers, and it hit him then, as it always did when he came to Legilo, how much Rose would have loved this world. The beauty here was pure and unsullied, painted in vibrant colours, like a fairytale picture book.
A group of the lilac-skinned natives met him at the edge of the village. "You have come again in your blue box," one said. "We hear her every time you visit us. She sings to us."
"The blue box is sad. She misses the Wolf."
The Doctor's hearts clenched. "We both do," he managed to get out, his voice raspy.
Oh, this wasn't fair. Legilo was supposed to be his refuge from thinking about Rose, but instead, she was there everywhere he turned.
"You are not our only visitor today, Doctor," a third Legilan said. "We are having a feast this afternoon to celebrate our honoured guest's birthday, and we would be pleased if you would bring your red-headed friend to eat with us."
The Doctor hesitated, but this trip was already nothing like he'd expected. "All right, fine," he agreed, trying not to sound as petulant as he felt. "But until then, can I just maybe go into the village?"
The shook their heads in unison. "Preparations for the feast are already underway. You must wait another hour. Go get your friend, and you will be welcome when you return."
He cast one more glance into the village, then sighed and turned around. The bright colours he'd admired earlier were now annoying and overly cheerful, and he trudged through the meadow without noticing the sweet aroma of wildflowers.
"Well, that was fast," Donna said when he found her in the library. "I thought you'd stay there for at least a couple hours." She glared at him. "It hasn't been hours, has it? Time on your ship is weird."
"No, it hasn't been hours," the Doctor told her. "It seems we've been invited to a feast—there's some important guest visiting, and it's their birthday."
Donna stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of her trousers. "Birthday? Do we need to bring a gift or something?"
"They didn't ask us to. Just told me to go back to my blue box and bring my red-headed friend with me to the party."
She put her hand on her hip and glared at them. "Hang on, how do they know about me?"
He sighed and massaged at his left temple. Being on the TARDIS away from the full effects of the dampening field was bringing his headache back.
"I told you, Donna, they're extremely telepathic. They probably pulled an image of you from my mind the moment I stepped outside."
"I don't like the idea of random aliens poking around in my head," she grumbled, reminding him so much of Rose that it hurt.
"They don't go poking on purpose," he told her patiently. "To the Legilans, picking up on your thoughts is just like you looking at them and seeing that their skin is lavender. It's something you see and you register, but you don't really dwell on it."
She tilted her head and stared at him for a few moments, then finally nodded. "All right, fine. When do we leave for this feast?"
"Now would be good," he told her. "By the time we walk back to the village, they should be ready to let us in."
"They wouldn't even let you into the village before?" Donna smirked at him as they walked through the TARDIS. "I think I like these aliens after all."
The Doctor pouted. "Will you side against me every time?" he asked.
"Do you know how rare it is for you to be told no?" Donna retorted. They pushed open the TARDIS doors and started for the meadow. "I'll enjoy it when it happens."
The building ache in the Doctor's mind dissipated, and he let out a long breath.
"Is it really that bad, not having her there?" Donna asked, all the teasing gone from her voice.
"Do you know what phantom pain is, Donna?" he asked. "After an amputation, the brain still thinks the limb exists, so it'll shoot pain along the neurological pathways. But you can't do anything about it. There's no limb to bandage, no itch to scratch."
His voice broke, and he rubbed at his forehead in between his eyebrows. "Every day," he said quietly. "I can feel where she's supposed to be every day, and I try to find her, but she isn't there."
"Doctor."
The deep sympathy in her voice reminded him that he didn't travel with Donna because of her sarcastic wit, or because she called him Spaceman and Martian. He swallowed back the lump that rose up in his throat and picked up the pace.
"Come on. By the time we reach the village, all the good food will be gone."
Donna was blessedly quiet the rest of the way to the village, leaving the Doctor to brood in silence. This trip hadn't been the balm a visit to Legilo usually was. In fact, he had a feeling that when they left and he no longer had the benefit of the dampening field, the ache for Rose would be stronger than it had been before.
Two Legilans greeted them at the edge of the village. "Welcome, Doctor and Donna Noble. Allow us to escort you to the table set up for the guests of honour."
The Doctor cocked his head. "I thought your other guest was the guest of honour, and we were just… crashing the party."
A strange smile crossed the face of both aliens.
"You are all honoured guests," the second explained. "But today is her birthday, so we insisted on holding a feast in her name."
The Doctor opened his mouth, but whatever he'd planned to say was forgotten when he heard familiar laughter. The Legilans stood aside as he bolted past them, running towards that sweet sound. It wasn't possible, and yet it would make sense of all the odd behaviour today.
And there, on the other side of the green, was the one person he most wanted to see in all the universe. "Rose!" he shouted, and she spun towards him, her face a mask of disbelief.
Then they were both running, arms pumping hard as they raced to bridge the remaining 100 yards separating them. They met in the middle of the green, right in front of a table laden with food. The Doctor caught his wife up in his arms and laughed as he spun them in circles.
Her bright pink top had short sleeves, and their bond buzzed between them where his fingers rested on her bare arms. He blessed the fact that their touch telepathy allowed them to bypass the dampening field; he wasn't sure what he would have done if he'd been able to see her but not feel her.
"Can I, Rose?" he whispered as he set her down. "Please?"
Her hands reached for his temples, mirroring his own, and the connection surging through them nearly sent them to the ground. The Doctor had just enough presence of mind to wrap one arm around her waist, tugging her close and giving them enough stability to stay standing.
Chaotic messages were passed back and forth over their bond without any sense of who thought them first. I missed you. I love you. I never thought I'd see you again. How did you get here?
"Oi, Spaceman!" Donna's strident voice broke through their daze, and they jolted apart to look at her. "I hate to interrupt, but you're blocking the food table."
Rose laced her fingers through his before he could protest and pulled him through the buffet line. Neither of them were willing to relinquish contact, so she held a plate while the Doctor heaped food onto it.
"Sorry about that," Rose apologised to Donna as they worked their way down the table. "I'm Rose Tyler, by the way."
"Yeah, I kinda figured Martian boy here wouldn't be clinging like that to anyone but his wife," Donna said.
Rose shot him a quick glance as they made their way to the table at the centre of the green. Martian boy?
Come on, he whined. Can't you be touched and happy that I told my new companions about you?
She sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. I am, she promised him. I thought maybe… you'd try to forget me.
The Doctor brushed his lips over Rose's temple, relishing the way the bond flared at the intimate contact. Forgetting you would have been impossible, love, he promised. You're part of who I am.
Her happiness shot through him, and the Doctor wondered how much longer they had to stay at the party. Even with the aid of touch telepathy, their bond was restrained by the dampening field, and he wanted to feel his wife without any barriers between them.
Rose took a bite of a potato dish. We can't leave yet.
But I want to take you home. The Doctor ran his thumb over her knuckles, relishing the shiver that elicited from her. It's been so long.
Rose shook her head. You can be patient. They went to a lot of effort to put this feast together for us. She raised an eyebrow. And by the way, keep those thoughts PG. Remember why this planet has a telepathic dampening field in the first place?
The Doctor felt his face turn bright red, but he didn't look away from Rose. I haven't seen my wife in three years. They can't possibly be surprised, if they do happen to catch a glimpse of my thoughts.
The Legilan on his left clear her throat and chuckled. "Not surprised at all, Doctor," she agreed in a bland voice. "And Rose Tyler, you need only stay until the meal is over. We would all understand if you and your mate preferred to share a private celebration." Rose groaned and banged her head lightly on the edge of the table.
They understand about the bond, the Doctor told her. I need to be able to feel you fully in my mind, like you're supposed to be, and we can't do that as long as we're on Legilo.
Donna leaned around Rose and jabbed the Doctor in the side. "Listen, I've been talking to Elgim here," she said, pointing at the Legilan on her other side. "He's said it'd be all right if I stayed in the village tonight when the two of you go back to the TARDIS."
The Doctor furrowed his brows. "I hadn't really planned to stay on Legilo," he admitted.
Donna snorted. "Well, that's too just too bad, Sunshine," she said, drawing a giggle from Rose. "Because I definitely do not want to wander in on your reunion shag, and I don't trust you to keep your hands to yourself long enough to drop me off at home."
Not to mention your driving isn't the best when you're… distracted. Rose reminded him of London, 2012, and the time he'd tried to park the TARDIS while she teased him.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. You didn't play fair that day, he countered. Unless you're planning to rub yourself against me while Donna's in the room, I think we can avoid that kind of mishap.
Rose's cheeks turned pink. Let's just eat our dinner so we can go home.
oOoOoOoOo
After thanking their hosts, Rose followed the Doctor out of the village, matching his long stride as best as she could. She tried to focus on the flowers, the butterflies, the beautiful colours, anything but the Doctor. On any other planet, she would have tugged him down into the sweet-smelling meadow and made love to him right there, but not when their activities would be projected to every native in a hundred mile radius.
The late afternoon sunlight cast an autumnal glow over the forest as Rose finally caught sight of the TARDIS. Her hand trembled when she reached for it, and she had to suck in a breath to hold back tears when she felt the weathered wood under her fingers for the first time in five long years.
"Can I?" she asked, but then the door opened without either of them using their keys.
"I think she knew you would be here," the Doctor said quietly.
Rose didn't know what she was supposed to feel as she stepped through the doors. Under all the joy of being home and with her Doctor again, she was so tired from the years of trying to get back to him, and a little sad about leaving her family behind in Pete's World.
Then she looked away from the console and back at her Doctor, who was leaning against the door staring at her with dark eyes.
Lust pooled in her belly, and Rose shrugged off her blue leather jacket and tossed it over a strut as she sauntered over to him. When she was within reach, she grabbed his swirly tie and walked backward towards the ramp, tugging him along with her.
He stumbled over his feet for a few steps, but then he planted his hands on her hips and walked with her in a sensuous dance. "In a hurry to get someplace, Miss Tyler?"
Rose stopped and closed the distance between herself and the Doctor. "Well…" she drawled, mimicking him, "I thought we could go to the media room so I could catch up on the last few years of By the Light of the Asteroid." The Doctor blinked, and Rose pushed herself up on her toes so she could whisper in his ear. "Or, you could carry me to our room and we could start making up for too many long, lonely nights," she suggested. She scraped her teeth over his earlobe before dropping back to the floor and delighted in the full-body shudder that drew from him.
"Or," he murmured huskily. "I think or is the better option."
Rose danced back a few steps and raised her eyebrows. "Then what are you waiting for, Time Lord?"
The Doctor growled and lunged for her. Rose shrieked with laughter when he caught her up in a bridal carry and started for their room. "You seem to have forgotten the penalty for teasing, love."
The laughter died in Rose's throat as several very pleasant memories washed over her. Still, the desperation in his eyes inspired her loop her arms around his neck and murmur, "Shall we see who can hold out longer, Doctor?"
He lowered her to her feet and pressed her against their bedroom door. "Oh, Rose Tyler… you have got a deal."