Title: Valiant Child
Author: Seraphina Jones aka The Mad Traveler
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: [Rose Tyler, Tenth Doctor]
Rating: T because I don't ever pick anything else in an attempt at not breaking rules
WARNING: It's Rose and Ten people, it's gonna hurt.
Rose was thrashing around in her sleep. She'd been having the nightmares since Krop Tor. Every night the devil's voice rang throughout her head, taunting her, saying she would die in battle.
She shot up in the darkness of her room, and the TARDIS slowly lit up the room and the ever-present, ever-comforting hum grew slightly louder as if to remind her that she was safe. Krop Tor had scared her more than it should have, and it didn't help that the Doctor had started looking at her differently.
It wasn't only the way he looked at her that had changed, he'd started holding her hand just slightly tighter, and his gaze lingered just a few seconds longer. It was subtle enough to go by unnoticed by most, but not her.
When it came to the Doctor, Rose could see the smallest changes in him. She could read him pretty well anywhere except for where she was concerned. Maybe it was because she refused to see it, or he hid it too well, but either way, she was blind when it came to his feelings towards her.
Krop Tor had changed them both, but they didn't talk about it. The Doctor was too afraid to get too close, and Rose was convinced she had to be strong.
It was when Rose awoke with a scream, that the Doctor knocked on her bedroom door.
"You alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I thought I saw a spider, is all."
He didn't believe her for a second, that was not a spider scream. There was pure, unbridled fear in her scream, and even through the door he could hear her voice shaking. Something was wrong.
"Rose, can I come in?"
She looked down at her pajama pants, oversized t-shirt, and - thankfully - sports bra before she said, "Yeah."
The door opened slowly and he entered wearing his usually pinstripe suit. "What's wrong?"
"Nothin'," she assured, "I told you, I thought I saw a spider."
"Liar," he said as he sat down cross-legged on her bed, his voice teasing, but his eyes were serious.
"I'm serious!"
"Rose, what is it? And don't say nothing, because I know something is up."
"It was just a nightmare," Rose admitted self-consciously.
"Just a nightmare?"
"It isn't the first, but I'm fine."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"'Cause it doesn't matter."
"When did they start?"
"Krop Tor."
The Doctor let out slow breath. He'd known she'd been scared by the events on Krop Tor, but he thought that she'd have told him.
"It's just, I don't know, he said I was gonna die in battle. And I know you think he lied, but you almost died, and…"
"Oh, Rose. Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were so adamant about moving on…"
"Oh…"
"Why were you so sure that I would get out?"
"I believe in you."
"Why?"
"Don't you know?" He furrowed his eyebrows.
"Know what?"
He took a deep breath as she held hers. "I love you."