Title: The Lion King
Rating: K
Summary: Rose and the 10th Doctor go to see The Lion King.
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or The Lion King.
Dedication: To whoever made our school sing schools from The Lion King at Presentation Day last year. Without them I wouldn't know the songs.
Note: If you look carefully in Rose when it shows lots of shots from the city, you can see an ad for The Lion King on the bus. This is inspired by that.
"Rose?" called the Doctor, tapping on the door. "Are you in there?"
"Yes Doctor," replied Rose as the Doctor stepped into her room.
"What are you up to?' asked the Doctor.
"Oh, I was just going through my diary," said Rose, indicating the book in her hand. "It's incredible. Just last week we stopped worms from taking over Egypt in the year 10,000."
"Good times," said the Doctor with a smile.
"And that's after stopping a ghostly child from trapping the world in a drawing," continued Rose, flipping through the pages. "And going further back, to before you regenerated. Meeting Charles Dickens and stopping the Gelth." The Doctor moved closer to get a better look.
And so we were trapped in the dungeon, with all the possessed people reaching through the bars, the entry read. I was so scared. But having the Doctor there beside me made it so much better. He held my hand and told me he's so glad he met me… The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
"Eh he," said a slightly embarrassed Rose as she flipped back more pages. "And look at how exciting life was before I met you. 'Picked up clothes from dry cleaning. Mum says I should sue them for the stain in my red jacket, even though she knows very well that it's from the coffee I spilled on it 2 years ago. She'll do anything to get some extra cash.'"
"Sounds like her," commented the Doctor. Rose responded by giving him a playful shove.
"'I met Shireen for coffee today,'" read Rose. "'She's got a new boyfriend that she met at a club the other night. She also told me she got the tickets for The Lion King. We'll be seeing it together next month …'" Rose's voice trailed off.
"What is it?" asked the Doctor. Rose checked her diary.
"2 weeks later I met you," she explained. "I never got to see it." The Doctor put an arm around her.
"Do you want to see it?" he asked.
"Well, I'd been saving up for it, and I'd been learning the songs so I could sing along," Rose replied.
"Hmm, 300 years ago I was babysitting a 5-year-old Kragophyte while its parents were fighting the invading Kragomytes," recalled the Doctor. Rose didn't bother asking what a Kragophyte or Kragomyte was. "So I switched the scanner screen onto the Disney channel, and The Lion King was just starting. It was quite good. Based on Hamlet, you know."
"Yes, and?" said Rose.
"Well, if you wanted to go I'd be happy to take you," said the Doctor. Rose broke into a huge grin and as she threw her arms around the Doctor.
"I'd love to!" she cried. "Thank you so much!" The Doctor smiled and left to program the TARDIS.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
First, they ordered the tickets. They weren't in the front row, but Rose didn't mind. She was just so happy to be going. Then they travelled a month into the future for the actual show. Rose found it weird that their only adventure here was watching a stage version of a Disney cartoon. She then wondered how the Doctor felt about it.
A hush sounded over the audience as the lights grew dim. Rose was so excited. She wondered if Shireen was in the audience. But then she turned to the body next to her and realised there was no one else she'd rather be there with. Suddenly the music started and the stage grew bright and colourful. Different animals began coming on. Rose knew they were only actors, but it still felt so real. She felt like she was actually in Africa, even though it was very different to her last visit there, when she and the Doctor had been chased by a herd of elephants.
From the day we arrive on the planet
And
blinking, step into the sun
There's
more to see than can ever be seen
More to
do than can ever be done
And that's without a machine that can take you anywhere in time and space, thought Rose. But she didn't want tonight to be about her life with the Doctor. she just wanted to enjoy the show. So she stopped thinking and started singing.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Long live the king!" said Scar as he let go of Mufasa's hand.
"Noooo!" cried Mufasa as he fell into the stampede.
They did that quite well, thought Rose, who had been happily enjoying the show. At first, she thought nothing of Mufasa's death. It was sad, but it was just part of the story. Then an image flashed in Rose's mind. It was her father, just as he was hit by the car. Immediately tears welled up in Rose's eyes. This had never really worried Rose as a child, as she'd never known her father, hadn't seen him die. But now …Rose turned to the Doctor, he bottom lip trembling. The Doctor understood immediately and pulled her towards him.
"Shh, it's all right," he whispered, planting a small kiss on her head. Suddenly Rose stopped. In fact she stopped breathing. She had to take in what was happening. As she started calming down, a small smile crept along her face.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hakuna matata, what a wonderful
phrase
Hakuna
matata, ain;t no passing craze
It
means no worries for the rest of your days
It's
our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna
matata
Timone and Pumba's lives are so simple, yet they have so much fun, thought Rose. It was so different to her life with the Doctor. But then again, despite all the drama, they were laughing about it the next day. After going to Kyoto in 1336 they had only just escaped, yet they were laughing. After her encounter with the werewolf she and the Doctor had been howling together. And she didn't have any domestic worries like money, shopping or a job.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Stepping away from the light-hearted side of the story, it was now time for Simba to sing to Nala. The last time Rose had heard this she had been too young to understand. Now as Simba sang, the lyrics Rose had learnt came flooding back to her.
Can you feel the love tonight Ha, it
actually is night,
It is where we are
It's
enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we
got this far
Wide-eyed wanderer? Rose anxiously looked at the man sitting next to her. He was a wide-eyed wanderer. Was he thinking the same thing as Simba? But Simba wasn't thinking! Simba was an actor dressed as a lion singing a song that Elton John wrote for about the billionth time! So why did it make Rose think these things? She had to find out if this was a message, or coincidence. She gave the Doctor a little nudge. He turned to her and smiled. It was a smile that said, "Yes?" Rose motioned towards the stage. The Doctor turned towards the stage, then back to Rose. He had no idea what was going on. Frustrated, Rose tried again. She put her finger behind her ear to suggest, "Listen. Really listen." This time the Doctor got it. He started into space, letting the words sink in.
Can you feel the love tonight
It is
where we are
He turned to Rose. She had a look of yearning in her eyes. She slowly put her hand on his. She continued staring at him, determined to bore this message into him. It was as if she was speaking the words to him.
Can you feel the love tonight
How
it's laid to rest
It's
enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe
the very best
As the song ended, the Doctor and Rose moved closer to each other. Just as the last note was sung, their lips brushed. After pulling apart they looked into each other's eyes, and smiled.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After the show ended, Rose and the Doctor walked back to the TARDIS, hand in hand. Rose remembered thinking that her only adventure that day would be watching the show. Oh, how wrong she'd been. For that day had sparked the beginning of an even greater adventure. It was called being in love.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If only it was that easy!