"Um…it's a long story, Mum."
"I have time. You can tell me on the way to work." I sighed. Once I finished getting ready, Mum and I got into the car, by ourselves. Dad and Mickey were riding by themselves, so Mum and I could talk.
"What's going on, sweetheart?" I took a deep breath. I don't know whether to tell Mum or not. If I lie, she'll find out the truth eventually. If I tell the truth, she might be angry with me.
"Let me see the tattoo again, Rose," Mum commanded. I took off my jacket and lowered the strap of my camisole.
"It's beautiful, Rose. It looks foreign."
"It is."
"You didn't get drunk and let some alien ink your skin while you were away?"
"No, Mum. Well, I did let an alien do it, but I wasn't drunk and I wasn't away. I was here."
"Why would you let an alien put permanent ink on your back?"
"Will you just let me explain?" Mum nodded. "Do you remember my dream where the Doctor was calling for me?" She nodded again. "Well, the night after Bad Wolf Bay, I dreamt about him again. We were in the TARDIS. We spent all of our time just crying, in each other's arms. The second night, we traveled to the Renaissance. Last night, we…" I paused.
"You? What did you do, Rose?"
"His planet, Mum, it's called Gallifrey. There's a bonding ceremony. It's like a marriage. Anyway, there are two things that result from it: a telepathic link and matching tattoos."
"So, you and the Doctor are married?"
"Technically." Mum didn't get mad. She wasn't sad about it. She was calm and rational which was surprising with her pregnancy. Our arrival at Torchwood stopped her response.
"Ms. Tyler, your father would like to see you in the Holding Cells," an agent told me.
"Thank you…"
"Louis, ma'am. My name is Louis."
"Lovely to meet you, Louis. I must be going." I went down to see Dad.
"This one was caught in the night. We don't know what it is. Do you have any idea, Rose? Please say you do." Dad was exasperated. I would be too, a mysterious alien showing up in the night. I didn't recognize it, but I knew that the Doctor would have. He knows most types of alien.
I really wish the Doctor was here, I thought.
I am there, Rose. Only inside your head, I'm afraid, but I'm still there.
How?
Our link, the bond, whatever you want to call it. The ceremony linked our minds, Rose. Dimensions can't stop that. Nothing can. Well, except death.
Babbling, Doctor.
Sorry. Now, what is this creature you wanted to show me?
"Rose?" Dad asked. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Dad. Just give me a moment." I held my index finger up, indicating that I needed a moment. Dad stopped talking.
That's a blagnok, Rose. They have poisonous teeth and claws. Be sure to avoid those. It's weakness is the back of the neck. Poke it with something sharp and you can knock it out for hours.
Thank you, Doctor. Can you be here to help?
Any time you need me, Rose.
If you need me, for anything, just let me know. I'll try to help you as much as I can.
I will. Goodbye, Rose. I love you.
I love you too, Doctor.
"Well?" Dad asked.
"It's a blagnok. The teeth and claws are poisonous. Avoid them if you don't want any fatalities.
The Doctor said the weakness is the back of the neck. You can poke it and knock it out for hours."
"How did you know that?"
"The Doctor told me once." Mum, who was standing behind me, just looked at me. Her look told me that we would speak later.
Today, I helped with more aliens. I also learned a little bit more combat. I was actually getting pretty good at fighting. I hated it, though. I hated it all. I hated that I was here, separated from my Doctor. I hated fighting. I hated how everything felt being in this world, Pete's World.
Rose the Doctor whispered in my mind.
Yes, Doctor?
The TARDIS knows about the dreams. She won't tell me unless you are here. Can you come into my mind?
Yeah, hold on. I sat down before entering the Doctor's mind.
I caused the dreams, The TARDIS told us.
How?
You are connected. Ever since Bad Wolf.
Bad Wolf?
Ever since you became Bad Wolf.
The Doctor took that away from me.
No, he took most of it. You are still Bad Wolf.
How am I still alive?
There's only a little. You aren't fully human anymore. You have Time Lord in you.
How is that possible?
Bad Wolf. That is all you need to know for now. The rest of the information you need to discover yourselves. Rose, the Doctor can teach you how to control Bad Wolf. You'll be able to reach it at will. But you may never use it like you did before.
"Rose!" I heard. It was Mum.
I've gotta go Doctor. I'll see you later?
Tonight. Goodbye, Rose. I was out of his mind. My mum was standing over me, looking alarmed.
"I know you didn't know about that alien."
"The Doctor told me. Through our new telepathic link."
"Were you just in his mind?"
"Yes. I miss him."
"I miss how you are with him. You were so happy. I missed you, but I knew you were doing something you loved, with someone you loved."
"Thanks, Mum."
~X~
"I have a new companion," the Doctor told me later that night. "Her name is Martha. She's a doctor. Not a fun one like me, a people doctor."
Martha left, like we all do. We usually can't help it, but we all leave him eventually. And then he met Donna.
And then I met Donna.