The Morning After
Rose Tyler sat at her dressing table biting her nail. She looked at herself in the mirror, her morning dressing gown draped over her. She laughed as she thought of it- the man of her dreams, perfect in every way she wanted, still had problems like the rest of us. Keeping the smile charmingly on her face, she turned and looked at her Doctor, sitting there on the bed in all his glory wearing nothing but a pair of Pete's boxer's she had stolen the night before.
The Doctor sat nervously on the bed. This was a problem he was, humbly admitted, woefully under qualified to handle. He had stared down death numerous times, prevented the end of the Universe more times than most people get haircuts, laughed in the face of Daleks, shunned Cybermen, defeated everything from Autons to Zygons. But this was something he was truly scared of…love. He looked back at his muse, his world, his everything. She was looking at him playfully, smiling her toothy smile. The early morning sunlight made her natural beauty obvious as she beamed with no make-up. He had to say something to her.
He could think of only one thing.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for last night." He blurted out finally.
"It's fine!" She laughed. "Really, it is. I enjoyed it."
"Oh come on. It was awful and you know it. I…just…"
"Look, and I know you don't want to hear this, but it happens to every guy."
"Well, surely, but still…"
"Doctor, you're fine. Really. I was just happy to be with you."
"Rose, that's really like saying 'it's not you it's me.'"
"Well, in most cases you would be right, but come on…you're the Doctor and I love you."
"I know, but…it's embarrassing."
"You're embarrassed. I'm elated. Besides, it brings you down a peg or two and you need that."
"Please, it's not like I haven't done it before." The Doctor wished he had his TARDIS as soon as he said that.
Rose didn't care, but she had to toy with him. "Oh really! Was the great Doctor a gigolo in one of his incarnations?" She teased.
"No! That's not what I meant. I mean that…well…you know I'm 900 years old!"
"Oh for shame, Doctor. And here I thought you'd been saving yourself for little old me for nine hundred years. I'm really hurt, y'know." She said coyly.
The Doctor, thankfully, picked up on the sarcasm. He sighed as he smiled at his love.
"You…"
"Oh come off it, Doctor. You think me and Mickey just held hands and tickled each other when my mom wasn't home." Rose wish she had the TARDIS as soon as she said that.
The Doctor raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Was the great Rose Tyler…"
"Don't even go there!" She replied quickly. The Doctor chuckled to himself.
"But seriously, Doctor, it doesn't matter to me. I love you and that's all that matters. You'll get better."
The Doctor let out a sound of disgust as she said that. "I better because this feeling…" He looked at her at a loss for words.
"…sucks?"
"Yes. It sucks" The last word nearly made him gag with its obtuseness.
"Well, if anything I'd say your just out of practice, is all." She got up seductively and climbed onto the bed with him. "And, if it were up to me, we can practice as much as you want." Rose climbed on top of him, leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. "Doctor, if that was the only reason I loved you then it wouldn't be real, would it?"
"No, I guess not."
"I love you, Doctor. All of you. You put up with my ignorance towards all that…what's the term you use?"
"Timey-wimey."
"Yeah, timey-wimey stuff. You saved my bacon on more than once occasion. You showed me the wonders of the Universe. But through all of that there was a man, a man standing there in a fitted suit with a brown overcoat. A man with great hair, bad skin and mole between his shoulder blades."
"Is it still there?" He asked excitedly.
"Yeah!" She giddily smiled back.
"Terrific!" He smiled as they shared a nerdy moment together.
"Anyways, Doctor. That man, who always made sure I was safe. The man who made me laugh. The man who broke my heart and fixed it. It's you, Doctor. And two hearts or one, Time Lord or no, that's the man I fell in love with."
The Doctor looked deep into the soulful brown eyes of his muse. Reaching up, he cradled her head as he pulled her down to him and kissed her passionately. The kiss could've lasted an eternity and yet mere seconds passed between them. "Rose Tyler. You are my second heart."
She smiled sweetly at him. Simply put, that was the most romantic thing that had ever been said to her. Actually, come to think of it, it quite possibly was the most romantic thing that could ever be said to her. They stared into each other, relaxed, moved and loving. Quickly she popped up. "Well then, being as your now human, I think some breakfast is in order."
"You know I am actually quite hungry. What are we having?"
"How bout…some eggs, biscuits and bacon. Orange juice to wash it down."
"Sounds…fantastic?" He said, trying his luck with an old phrase. Rose puckered her lips and shook her head. "Alright, alright. Sounds brilliant!" She smiled as she bounced up and down.
"K. Now get dressed, comb your hair and meet me down there. We've got a big day!"
"Oh really? How so?"
"We've got to find you a job."
The Doctor bawked. "A job. That's a laugh. I have no name, no experience and no education that can be proved."
"Oh, come of it, Doctor. We'll figure all that out. Besides, if you can convince someone your half as good as you think you are, I'm pretty sure getting a paycheck will be easy." She tossed the last part out as she tied her robe close and walked out of the door.
The Doctor popped up shortly thereafter. Stretching to get the day started, he did something he had literally never done before. Doing some yoga to get the kinks out, he passed a loud and smelly fart that surprised him so much he reached for a sonic screwdriver that was no longer there. He laughed after he came to, realizing that was now something he had to deal with. Making sure to spray some air freshener, he made his way to Rose's enormous walk-in closet. She had admitted to him the night before that she had bought clothes that reminded her of him. To put it mildly, she wasn't lying. An entire half of her closet was dedicated to suits tailored exactly to his size. On top sat eight or nine pairs of trainers in different shades, all his size. To most it would seem desperate. To him it was amazing. This girl truly loved him, there was no denying that. He chose a wardrobe that felt familiar- brown pinstripe suit, white dress shirt, brown and green patterned tie and some cream trainers. Finally, hanging there in the back, was his big brown trench coat, exactly like the one he had grown so used to. Putting it on, he looked at himself approvingly in the mirror. There was no doubt about it- he was a very attractive man.
Making his way down the stairs, he could smell the freshness in the air- eggs cooking, bacon fried and biscuits rising in the oven.
"Rose, don't let this go to your head, but that may be the best smelling breakfast I've ever encountered. Which is good, because frankly after last night I am famished."
"Well, Doctor," he nervous voice rose from the kitchen "you may have to wait a bit to enjoy it. It would appear we have guests."
Guests?" The Doctor quickened his pace. "What kind of guests?" He asked right before entering the kitchen. He was greeted by a half dozen men in military garb, automatic weapons in hand. Seated there at the table, along with the rest of the Tyler family, was a face familiar, albeit with a few differences.
"UNIT guests, Doctor." The man replied. "I'm sure you haven't lost your famed hospitality." The self-assuredness heard in the man's voice must've been genetic, from his father's side.
"Don't count on it. Who are you?"
"A man whose father you knew quite well apparently." The man smiled a smile that also must have been genetic. "Pardon me, where are my manners…I know you're the Doctor." He said pointy to our hero. "And you are the famous Peter Tyler." He said pointing to Pete, who was sitting there in a green bathrobe and slippers. "And you, my lovely young lady?"
"Rose Tyler." Rose replied nervously, but without fear.
"Ah yes, the Doctor's love. You seem fit for the job. And you, fair lady?"
"Jaclyn Tyler." Jackie's voice had more indolence and annoyance than anyone else's in the room. "And I don't know or care who you are, but you're interrupting breakfast!" She shot towards him.
"My apologies, ma'am, but this is a matter of grave importance. I'll be out of your hair shortly. But, I digress. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Brigadier General Smith Everard Lethbridge-Stewart." The Doctor gulped as he realized the gravity behind the name. "And I have a job for you, Doctor."
