Thank you so much for support & I'm extremely pleased that people seem to like Donna as much as I do! Off we go ;)
And the past echoed – Pt. 2
(set as a replacement for 'Silence in the library')
"Sweetie, I'm River Song," the woman winked while giving Rose a hug, "and I'm incredibly happy to see you."
"Do you want some tea?" Rose asked, checking her cupboards for teabags.
"Yep, green tea would be nice," River replied, sitting down on a chair.
It was half an hour since Rose Tyler arrived at her house and found out there was a woman in her bedroom that knew about her and the Doctor. The first five minutes of their talk all Rose could do was freak out about how much River knew about the Doctor but the most shocking thing was the fact that the Doctor himself told Song all of this.
Rose didn't know herself why she trusted the woman she met half an hour ago so much. Maybe, the woman was lying and she knew so much about the Doctor because she was some sort of an alien that looked like humans – just like Time Lords – or she was simply working in an organisation that was following Doctor's every step and needed him for experience.
However, all her doubts disappeared as Song mentioned Rose's relationship with the Doctor. Only a couple of people knew about them – and mostly these were Rose's and the Doctor's friends. River then told her that she knows of Rose's confession on Bad Wolf Bay and it put Rose in a complete confusion. There were only 3 people, apart from herself and the Doctor, that knew about this – her parents and Mickey. When Rose started asking how River knows all of this the woman replied that she can't answer because it will destroy the time line and greatly affect the universe. For herself blonde concluded that River was Doctor's friend or companion.
"So, I know that you can't tell me about yourself," Rose started, boiling the water, "and about your relationship with the Doctor..."
"That's right," River Song sounded encouraging.
"But can you answer this question: are you human?" Jackie's daughter asked, sounding generally curious. She was still unsure about the whole situation but River looked like a friendly person so Rose wasn't feeling shy about asking.
"You can say so, yes." The mysterious woman replied, looking around her kitchen. "Can I ask you a question in return?"
"Feel free to," Tyler nodded, "because I doubt there is anything that you don't know."
River laughed at this remark – she liked Rose more and more with each moment – no wonder Doctor loved her though much. Despite it, the mysterious woman didn't feel happy because she knew that her time was coming up.
"Well, for starters, if this TARDIS blue?" River asked, pointing at the walls in the kitchen.
"Oh, yeah." Rose gave out a nervous laugh, sheepishly looking at the said walls. "When I moved in the walls were yellow but the paint was so old that I decided to paint it differently and, while being in shop, I've seen this colour and, well..."
"... it just felt right, didn't it?" Song reassuringly finished. "I know this feeling: when I was looking for some wrapping paper for Christmas presents I chose this blue shade. There were thousands of different colours and shades and I still chose this blue! Incredible!"
Both women smiled at this remark and both felt the calmness of the moment.
Nevertheless, confused blonde needed to know exactly why River was looking for her.
"River, I think it's time we talk seriously." Rose remarked, turning off the kettle and pouring water in both cups. "Why are you here and why do you need me?"
"Ahh, and here I was, enjoying the conversation," Song smiles, "but you are right – it's time. I can't tell you just how much I know but I can tell you that I can travel in time and space – just like the Doctor because of this bracelet." The woman motioned to her hand. "Of course, it isn't TARDIS and these travels give me a slight headache, as well as the fact that I'm not immortal and can't continue this as long as the Doctor. Anyway, long story short, I come from the Doctor's future."
"Doctor's future?" For a moment Rose looked lost but then she came to realisation. "It's actually possible?"
"I assure you – it is, though it sounds almost impossible, but after meeting with Doctor we all start to enjoy making the impossible possible, don't we?"
"I guess... alright, I know you can't tell me a lot, but just how further in his personal time line did you meet him?" Rose took her cup and held the other one to her new friend that smiled at this gesture.
"You see, this is a delicate question," River looked concerned, "though you don't need to think about it, love. As I was saying, I met Doctor a couple of years into the future and... I've seen it all, Rose. The fire and blood and anguish. And you are the only person that's able to save him."
"But... how- what?" Doctor's ex-companion sighed – she was confused once again. "If you mean him being alone then I'm sure he already found a new companion or will find one in near future."
"It's not about feeling lonely, Rose," Song softly replied, sounding much more mature that she looked, "because, as you know, Doctor feels lonely almost all the time. I don't want to offend you but even when he was travelling with you he was feeling lonely. It's more about... loss. He lost his people – his family. He lost or left so many companions but among all these people and aliens you, Rose Tyler, are the one he had feelings for. After the Time War he had a difficult time while trying to adjust to the thought that he is now the only Time Lord in the whole universe. However, the time passed and he got better. After he lost you he became that man again – the Lonely one, the Lost one. He didn't know neither where to start nor where to go and he became harsher, not giving others any second chances."
"What you are saying – my loss provoked him?"
"Unfortunately, yes – now he's much sharper and serious, probably like his ninth regeneration. Remember him?"
"Yeah, when we met he was acting really silly on occasions but most of the time he was serious and didn't talk about his past," Rose agreed and made another cup of tea. "I still don't get it – will you send me to him? And how will I save him?"
"Yes, Rose, we will travel to his exact destination and you will be able to stay with him while knowing that you won't be able to go to this universe. And here comes the best part: you don't need to do anything to save him – just be by his side."
At that moment Rose finally realised everything – she was going to parallel universe, to her Doctor and had a chance to stay with him forever! If everything was as simple as River said...
"I will never be able to come to this universe? Even with you?"
River didn't wasn't to upset Rose (and confuse her) by saying that for her this was their last meeting, but she already knew that her previous self won't allow it.
"I'm afraid not so, before we leave, you'll need to say 'goodbye's to all people you're friends with in this universe. I can only take one person – which is you – with me and I know it might be hard but Doctor needs you more than he thinks he does."
Rose Tyler - the saviour of the Universe - didn't know what to do. She was always so eager to meet her Doctor again and travel through space and time but she knew that it meant her final goodbye with her parents. Was she ready for it – to abandon her family, Mickey and all the friends she made here to travel with the Doctor? She still loved him, without doubt, but she still wasn't sure if he reciprocated these feeling. Besides, something might go wrong and they might not meet the Doctor. Decisions, decisions...
"How much time do we have?"
"Around 12 hours with all that travelling just to find you," River replied, happy that Rose made a right decision. "You better call your parents and meet up with them – as well as your friends. It's better we're finished as fast as possible because with all this timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly you can't be possibly sure in anything. See what I mean?"
"Where did this 'timey-wimey' come from?" Rose asked because she was sure it wasn't something an ordinary human would say. But then again, just as the Doctor once said – there weren't any ordinary humans, and if there were, River would definitely stand out.
"Oh, that's just something that Doctor's eleventh regeneration says all the time," Song said off-handily but she soon realised her slip while looking at Rose. The girl was obviously curious. "Yeah, I can't really tell you anything about his eleventh regeneration – sorry."
"It's fine – I'll find out someday, right?" Rose smiled and, putting her cup in sink, ran towards her room. "I'll call my parents and Mickey now, 'right?"
"Please do," River replied while sighing. Rose only knew her for about 40 minutes, yet the girl trusted River so much. It was amazing how bright Jackie and Pete's daughter was and it made all the more difficult for Song because, in all honesty, she didn't want to go. Nobody would, really, but now, after all the things she went through and wanted yet to see...
It wasn't only about Doctor and taking Rose with her to change their future and her past. Her marriage to the Doctor was a good thing – she never doubted that, of course – but she also knew that having someone as happy, unpredictable and exciting as Rose Tyler by his side would change Doctor for the best. After finding out that she's going to die soon River decided to sacrifice her life with the Doctor by travelling to parallel universe and taking Rose with her. She had no idea how it will affect her past and relationship with the Doctor and she wasn't fully sure if she made a right decision but here she was, sitting in Rose Tyler's kitchen and having an easy conversation with the girl that, supposedly, will take her place as the Doctor's wife.
"I already called my parents and they'll come in an hour or so," Rose announced, coming in the kitchen and putting down her mobile phone. River saw the uncertainty and worry in her eyes but she wasn't surprised at all: her own mom and dad wouldn't want her to leave home and place herself in a danger of travelling through time and space where she would always meet some aliens that would want to kill her.
"While we are waiting, would you mind doing me a favour?" River asked, standing from her chair.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Can we take a picture of both of us, standing against your kitchen wall?"
The question was rather odd but, nevertheless, Rose agreed to it, and soon the picture of both of them smiling appeared from the Polaroid. River took it in her hands and, smiling, touched both of their faces.
"Keep it, Rose," Song said, giving her companion the photo, "and try not to lose it. Better get a notebook and stick it in there."
"Why would I need a notebook?"
"I have one – and it has TARDIS' design. I write there about everything I go through – which is a lot so I'll never forget."
"How can you forget about amazing adventures through space and time?" Rose laughed but was met with seriousness in Song's eyes.
"Time passes by and you start to forget these little things that make you who you are. In ten years time you might not remember that you used to drink coffee when you were stressed out or what your favourite colour used to be. Memory doesn't only define your personality. People might say that love is the most important thing in the world, to be honest, memory is. Would you like to wake up one day and not remember anything about your friend that you once considered as your closest friend? I guess my notebook just helps me to live on and not forget a detail of my life."
Rose smiled at the remark, "I think I will get one. Mind going to 'Rymond' with me?"
∞ DW ∞
"I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense, Pete!"
"But Jackie, what would you do? Tell her to stop thinking about the Doctor? Jacks, he's a huge part of her life – just as you are – but she already knows that you are here with me, safe and have a son to raise. Do you think she would leave us without knowing that you're alright?"
Jackie Tyler huffed, knowing that Pete was right but still not wanting to agree with the thought of her daughter leaving for the second time – and now without a chance to see each other again. "Well, you should have at least given me the damn phone an' I could try and convince her to think over it."
"Love, it's Rose we're talking about – do you really think she would agree to continue living an ordinary life in this universe while having a chance to travel with the very man she loves?"
"Well... I could have at least tried... anyway, I'll get Tony dressed and you get in the car – at least I gonna see my little girl for the last time and... and..." Jackie suddenly started crying but Mr Tyler expected as much. Instead of hugging her – which, he knew, will make her cry all the more – he placed his palms on both sides of her face and lifted it up so she can look him in the eyes.
"Like you once said, I don't know her as much as you do but if there's one thing that I know she would do is go with the Doctor – that crazy man in blue box – and save the world. She wants you to trust in her and, just for a second, think about all the times you told me how they saved the world and remind yourself of the excitement you had while telling me these stories. She's an incredible girl, this Rose Tyler, and I doubt there will ever be a girl like her."
"'course there won't," Jackie quietly said while weeping off her tears, "'cause you won't be able to find a person like her in the whole freaking universe. Rose is my little girl and also the saviour of the universe."
"That's the spirit, Jacks!" Pete smiled while releasing his wife and picking up car's keys. "Now show Rose this spirit and tell her what you really think she's worth."
"That's right, 'cause she's worth millions!"
∞ DW ∞
"So, I guess that's a final goodbye then, eh, Rosie?" Mickey said with a weak smile on his face.
"Oi don't call me 'Rosie' – that's so cheesy!" Rose laughed while hugging her friend. "Or else I might call you 'Mics'!"
"'Mics'? Really?" Smith sounded unimpressed and almost like he expected it. Then he started looking through his pockets and took something out.
"Wait, is it..?"
"Yeah, it's the bracelet I got you for our first anniversary."
A sad smile, "Yeah, and you were also late and brought me roses – which was an incredible cliché, if you ask me, but while buying them you didn't realise how unoriginal it is to buy roses for Rose."
"What, did someone got you roses before?"
"Someone?" Jackie's daughter gave out a short laugh. "You should be joking, right? Every bouquet I got was always a bouquet of roses. That isn't funny, you know, and everyone thought they were original by getting me roses."
Mickey snickered, "Well, I almost got you daisies for our second anniversary."
"That would be original, though I'm kinda happy that you didn't - I can almost imagine the waiter's face when he saw us with a bouquet of daisies!"
Both laughed and the moment of contentment passed between them.
"Rose, I..."
"Mickey, I hope you don't finish this sentence, or else you gonna be really sorry!" Rose said fiercely, her brown eyes full of confidence. "Don't apologise for anything, regret nothing and don't you dare thinking over our past and saying that both of us should have found someone else before everything went wrong. I, Mickey Smith, don't have any regrets and I certainly wouldn't want you to have any as well. Are we clear on that?"
"I only wanted to tell you that I hear you parents' car but... okay." Mickey said a bit shocked because, well, he did want to talk about it.
After Rose ran out of the house to meet her parents, Smith walked towards River – they didn't really have a chance to talk privately as Rose was always nearby.
"Can you promise me that you will get her to Doctor and won't suddenly appear in some random time on some random planet without a chance to get back?" Mickey asked seriously, though he already knew the answer.
"Yep, 100% assurance." Song nodded but then she added, "Well, 99, to be exact, but Rose is an incredibly lucky girl, so don't you worry, Mickey-O."
"'Mickey-O'? Why do people keep giving me some weird nicknames?"
"Don't want to offend you, but your name is so typical that people almost feel the urge to make some nicknames for all the Mickeys, James', Toms and Petes in the world just to differentiate them." River winked. "Anyway, anything else you want me to promise to you?"
"Nothing you can handle but if you see the Doctor, please tell him that if something happens to Rose – and I will find out – I will travel through parallel universes, find him and make feel sorry for being born."
River just chuckled and nodded, "I will definitely tell him that."
When Rose and her parents came in, Mickey went to stand by the wall while Tylers and River had an intense discussion about Rose's future. Hearing shouting and frustrated sighs Smith only smirked: there was no way Rose would not go with this strange woman. Even if her parents were completely against the idea of letting their 'little girl' going with River, Rose would still go, but Mickey could see that Mr Tyler was quite calm and Mrs Tyler was slowly, but surely giving up.
Everything was happening as it should have.
In about fifteen minutes Rose and River went towards the centre of the room and Rose's parent went to stand next to stand next to Mickey.
Rose Tyler and River Song held hands and, after Rose screamed 'I love you all!', River pressed a button on her bracelet and they disappeared in a flash of light.
Rose was gone now. Forever.
A/N: sorry, a lot of talking but I promise I'm almost finished and soon you'll see action. reviews make me happy :)