AN: All mistakes are mine, I don't have a beta. I don't own any Doctor Who properties, so if you recognize it, it's not mine. This AU is kinda like Beauty and the Beast in some ways. I also drew some inspiration from the End of the World episode where she asks "Who are you?" and the Doctor responds, "This is who I am, right here and now, alright?" or something along those lines...anyhow. Enjoy!
There had always been whispers through the village and throught the forest about a place over the river that was forbidden. There was a lonely god, a trickster; no one that had met him had ever returned. Rose Tyler did not heed any such notions. If she was to meet her maker, so be it. Better than living here the rest of her life.
She winded her way through the trees on the outskirts of the village, the familiar path she had taken since she was old enough to explore on her own. The other villagers thought the forest represented the unknown and it gave them a sense of trepidation of being watched by a force they couldn't see. Rose, on the other hand, found it very comforting and peaceful, like she was being protected.
When at last she came to the stream, she took her drinking horn from her skirts and skimmed the water for something to quench her thirst. She lifted it to her lips and sighed contentedly as she drank. When she was full, Rose continued on to her hidden spot amongst the densest pines to read her book.
She sat down, her skirts billowing out in a circle around er and her boots tucked under her thighs. She retreived her book from her skirts and leaned back against the tree providing her shade for a very peaceful read.
However, she was only a few pages in when she heard, "What are you reading?"
She startled a little out of surprise of someone else daring to venture out to this section of forest, but quickly regained her composure. "La Belle et la Bete," she said, smiling at this new kindred spirit.
He was still mostly in the shadows, so she couldn't make out the details of his features. Just that he was tall, had broad shoulders, and stole all the attention of the environment around him.
"I am Rose," she introduced. "Live in that village over there, what about you?"
He took another tentative step forward, and she gasped as his features came into the light. He was once very handsome, she could tell. He had dark, shorn hair; piercing blue eyes the color of freshly poured steel; but a long gash running down the length of his face that had scarred and marred the rest of his physique.
His mouth twisted upwards in a small smile. "The Doctor."
"Just the Doctor, then?" she asked.
"What's it to you?" he challenged.
"It is just polite, is it not?"
He shrugged. "I suppose. I live beyond the forest, too."
Rose's eyes lit up. "Where?"
He searched her face. "Maybe some other time. Do you mind reading out loud?"
"Sure!" she exclaimed. "My pronounciation probably is not great," she frowned. "My father was teaching me before he...well. It was enough French to get by." She smiled at him again. "Why don't you join me?"
"If you read better in English, why are you reading in French?" the Doctor asked curiously. He sat in the spot she had pointed to.
"I do not want to lose the progress I made, you know? Besides there is no one to practice with. My mum was never as interested in French as I was, much as my dad tried."
"Je parle en francais," he told her eagerly.
"Oui?" she replied. "How did you learn?"
His eyes clouded over like a thunderstorm. "The academy."
Rose whistled low. "You must be very affluent then, you probably do not want to be seen with the likes of me."
"Why not?" he asked innocently. "You seem better than most people I come into contact with."
"I was an inventor's daughter, mon ami. Not a very succesful one at that."
The Doctor shrugged again. "What is so special about money anyways?"
Rose just shook her head and turned her attentions back to her book.
She read until her voice was hoarse a few hours later, the sun was setting low and she knew she had to start journeying home or her mother would send the village search party out.
Rose closed her book, startling the Doctor.
"Why did you do that for?" he protested. "You were not finished!"
"I have to go," she said ruefully. "My mother will worry. It is almost dark."
He looked at her thoughtfully. "At least let me walk you to the edge of the forest."
"Okay," Rose agreed. Not because she was scared of the forest, but she definitely did not mind spending more time with this strange man.
The Doctor fell into pace beside her as they walked her familiar path through the trees to the edge of the village.
"I will see you tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.
"Do you want to?" he asked, like he was surprised.
"Oh yes!" she said enthusiastically, before biting her lip, embarrassed. "I am sorry," she apologized. "That was improper."
He smiled at her, a proper ear-splitting grin that she loved instantly. "Me too."
She smiled back at him. "I will finish the story tomorrow."
"Nice to meet you, Rose," he said sincerely, extending a hand towards her.
She went to shake his, but he brought her hand to his lips. Briefly dropping a kiss to her knuckles before he dropped it and rushed off, leaving Rose with a warm flush in her cheeks.
…
Rose rushed through her chores the next day, more excited than ever to get to her hideout and spend more time with the lovely strange man she met yesterday.
"Rose!" her mother scolded when she dropped her stitch for the fifth time that day. "Your reading isn't going anywhere, love. Pay attention!"
She scowled to herself but did as she asked so she could finish and be done for the day.
Rose barely remembered to kiss her mother on the cheek as she ran out of their cottage, book and drinking horn tucked into her skirt, plus an apple for the Doctor.
She skipped to the stream, pausing to drink as usual. She ran to her spot, and was pleased to find him already awaiting her patiently.
"Hello!" she called breathlessly, waving vigourously.
"Hello," he said simply. She could tell he was pleased to see her even if he did not smile.
"I hope I did not keep you waiting long," she apologized. "I was in a rush to do chores and made a fool out of myself. I was too excited."
"About what?" he asked cluelessly.
She decided he was the most adorable person she had ever seen.
"To read!"
"Oh." He smiled lovely once more, making her feel warm and fuzzy.
"I brought you an apple," she remembered, producing the fruit from her pockets and brandishing it to him.
'What for?"
"To thank you for walking me home," she replied.
He took the apple from her hand, his fingertips making an electric current pulse through her own.
"Shall we begin?" she asked, a faint blush appearing on her skin as she sat down next to him.
"Ready whenever you are," he told her.
Rose started reading immediately and when she finished she closed the book quietly. They both sat in companionable silence, digesting the text.
"Do you think it is possible?" was all the Doctor asked her suddenly, turning to study her.
"Do I think what is possible?"
"That a beast like that would find love? Someone that sees past his physical deformities and wants to stay with him?"
Rose studied him now. She had a feeling he was talking about himself now, and she tentatively reached a hand out to his face, her fingertips brushing the lightest touch across the scar on his faec. "Why not?" she asked softly.
He did not say anything in answer just turned away, making her feel surprisingly empty.
…
When she returned the next day to the spot that was quickly becoming theirs, he was waiting for her with a book of his own, a blanket, and some bread and cheese.
"A peace offering," he told her at her surprised look.
"For what?" she asked.
"My weird tone yesterday. Can you forgive me?"
She shrugged him off. "You were already forgiven when it happened."
The Doctor shook his head in wonder at her. "Would you like me to read?"
"Please," she said eagerly.
He cleared his throat before he began. His voice was rich, like chocolate, and deep in cadence. He had the right kind of voice for reading aloud, she decided. He was reading a poem about a solider.
His eyes were misty when he finished, and Rose wiped her own. "What was that one called?"
"Dolce et decorum est."
…
The next day he meets her with a smile in his eyes and he takes her arm. If they were in the village, this would be considered very forward and a sign that they were courting. But this was the Doctor, and they were not in the village.
Rose does not say anything as he leads them past their spot and off to the right. He picks some wildflowers in a clearing and bundles them together except for one. He places this one in her hair behind her right ear, his fingers lingering longer than necessary by her hair.
She takes her ribbon out of her hair to tie his bouquet together and he leads her to a headstone, unmarked. He does not offer any information, he just places the bouquet on top of it. He looks serene and also sad.
She briefly squeezes his hand, her thumb pressing into his palm. They are pleasantly rough.
When he leaves her at the edge of the forest that night he places a chaste kiss to her cheek.
…
Today he takes her to a different village. She asks him if this is where he lives. He shakes his head.
"I am here for her," he said softly, pointing to a ginger haired woman his age laughing with a man and two small children.
"What is her name?" Rose asked softly.
"Donna."
"Why can we not say hi?"
"She has to forget," he murmured. I cannot be seen by her."
Her fingers press against his palm again in comfort for a few seconds again, but this time his fingers grasp hers and entwined them together. She does not complain.
They watch the family until it is dusk and her face is pink with sunburn.
…
There is something wrong. She can tell before she has even reached t heir spot that something has gone horribly wrong. She runs as fast as her legs will let her, huffing over the last clearing before what she sees turns her stomach into stone and makes her sick.
There are two men kicking and punching the Doctor. He is trying his best, and he does have quite a bit of muscle, but he is outnumbered.
Rose does not think, just grabs a long, thick branch and charges towards them. She hits the men as hard as she can, giving them every bit of her anger she felt at the sight of seeing someone she cares about in danger. He better not be hurt, because...he has gained the advantage because of her help, and the men run off.
His eyes catch hers and he gives her the adrenaline fueled, ear-splitting grin. She does not return it, but drops the branch. "What the hell was that about?" she demanded before he drops to the ground.
Rose panicked, rushing back to the stream and ripping a piece of the bottom of her dress to soak in water. She ran back to the Doctor, sitting him up against the tree, and carefully cleaning his head. The only thing that is injured is a shallow gash across his eyebrow. The water makes him come to again.
"Rose," he croaked, but she shushed him.
"Another time," she sighed.
…
Today he takes her hand as soon as she sees him.
"I am sorry about yesterday," he said fiercely, pleading with her to understand.
"You were forgiven as soon as it was over," she waved him off.
"I want to give you something," he said.
"You already give me enough," Rose assured. "Just giving me your company."
"No, something else." He reached into his jacket pocket to pull out a small ring.
"What is this?" she asked.
"My ring I got when I graduated the academy. When you give it to someone it means they are a kindred spirit, and they will be bonded to you for life. "
"Like...lovers?" she asked, her heart skipping a beat.
"Oh, no!" he exclaimed quickly. "Friends, soulmates."
She tried to ignore the flutter in her stomach when he says that word. "Okay," she said breathlessly.
He lifts her hand to place the ring on her pinky, dipping his lips to her knuckles, to kiss them like he has every day sincle they have parted.
She cannot help feeling the unspoken moment that has passed here, and she feels like she is part of the very universe, turning on her axis. Shaken to her core.
The ring has a sapphire rose in the middle, surrounded by small silver leaves making the band.
…
Her mother is waiting for her in the kitchen that night instead of doing some mending by the fire. Her eyes are blazing, her arms are cradling Rose's ripped dress from yesterday, and she is clutching a piece of paper in her fist.
"Rose Marion Tyler," she begins with a warning that she is in for it, "who are you meeting in the forest?"
"What?" she asked. "Why do you think-"
"Don't lie to me, Rose," her mother said tiredly. "You rush off as fast as you can, more than you used to anyways, you always look like you're floating on a cloud when you come in, and I've recieved this." She handed the slip of paper she was clutching to Rose to read.
Madame, your daughter has been meeting with a man in the forest and he is dangerous.
Her cheeks flushed with anger. "Who gave you this?" she demanded.
"Does it matter? Is it true?"
"Yes," Rose admitted. "The most wonderful man, he is learned and handsome and-"
"The Doctor?"
"How do you know that?" Her lips pursed.
"The rumors, Rose. They're true. The Doctor is a trickster, and he lures young men and women in with the promise of adventure and they're never seen from again. Your father told me. He was passing through a village once, on his way home from an invention fair and it was decimated, it was the Doctor's doing. He ran off before anyone could catch him but he resurfaces every now and then to get mroe friends."
"No," Rose hissed vehemently, shaking her head. "You are lying! He would never do that to me, he-"
"Loves you?" her mother asked. "Oh, sweetheart, that's what all hs victims think. The Doctor can't love anyone."
"You are wrong," she insisted. "He is different than some rumor."
"What does he look like, Rose? Has he ever talked about his past?"
Rose did not say anything.
Her mother sighed. "And anyways, it doesn't matter what we think, Mickey Smith's grandmother came by today to tell you he wants your hand in marriage."
"Mum! Tell me you did not!"
"Rose Tyler, they're the richest people in this village, if you want any hope of being married and having a family, there's no better. I'm sorry if this hurts you."
"I do not love him."
"I know, sweetheart," she said, "but what choice did we have?"
…
Rose left her cottage the next day at dawn. She reached their spot and she waited for him.
He opened his arms for her as soon as he saw her. "What is it?"
She rushed into them, burying her head in his chest. "Do you love me?"
He moved her to arms length to look at her. "What?"
"You heard me," she said weakly. "Tell me right now: do you love me?"
"Why?" he hedged, eyeing her warily.
"Someone knows I have been coming to meet you," she sighed, flopping down on the ground. She heard him start to pace.
"They left a note for my mum on our door, she found the rip on my dress."
"And?" he pressed.
"She told me what everyone thinks of you. That you destroyed a whole village. That you kidnap young men and women and promise them love. She said I was not special."
He made a noise like a wounded animal behind her. "You are."
"And the rest?"
"Why does the rest matter? Who I am, here and now, this is who I am!"
"I am betrothed to another," she said flatly.
"This whole time?" He sounded hurt.
"No, since yesterday. My mother accepted on my behalf. He is the wealthiest bachelor in the village, and money matters."
"Rose-"
She stood up suddenly. "No, it is okay. You do not have to tell me that I am another stupid girl to fall for your tricks." She shoved the ring towards him. "Take it."
"No," he insisted, "it is yours."
"I do not want it!" she yelled. "Take it back."
"No."
She flung it into the forest as hard as she could. "Fine. I hope I never see you again."
Rose ran as fast as she could, tears streaming down her face and ignoring the Doctor's calls behind her.
…
She was lost. She was in mourning and because of this, she had taken a wrong turn somewhere and was in a completely foreign part of the forest to her.
She had thrown her promise to him into the forest, before listening to what he had to say and now she would probably never get the chance to tell him again. She was not watching where she was going and tripped over a tree root, coming down hard on her ankle and crying out in pain.
"Rose?"
The most beautiful sound she had ever heard in that moment, and one she thought she would ever hear again.
"I am so sorry! I was awful to you!"
He sat beside her, his arms reaching to wrap around her, one hand clutching her desperately to her. "You were already forgiven as soon as it happened," he told her.
"I have lost the ring because I foolishly threw it," she lamented.
"I have it," he told her quietly. "I also went looking for you."
She had nothing to say for herself. "I do not care what anyone thinks of you."
"I care what you think of me," he said sincerely. "What of your engagement?"
She sighed. "I do not want to go through with it. Never did."
"I never answered your question," he said.
"My question?"
The Doctor pulled her flush against him, a hand tangling in her hair to tilt her face up to his. He kissed her lips passionately.
When he pulled back, she held her lips in awe. "Me too," she said smiling.
"You are the most important person in the world to me, Rose," he told her. "And because of that, I have to tell you that the rumors about me are true."
A pit developed in her stomach, she felt cold.
"Let me finish," he said at the look on her face. "I did destroy a whole village, my own. I was in the war, there was an attack on my village. The only way I could save everyone was to destroy everyone. I was the only survivor. I was so lonely for a while, I was traveling, looking for someone to be my companion. I met a man, an American, another soldier. I was so happy, but he died in another battle by my side. And Donna, you already know fate befell her. It is not my fault, Rose. Everyone I touch turns to dust, and I am terrified."
Rose cupped his face. "You should not be. I know what I am doing."
He reached into his pocket to pull out the ring and placed it on her finger again, kissing her knuckles as he did so.
"Now, would you like to see your new home?"
She reached down to hold his hand and smiled at him. "Yes, Doctor."