Title: Settling In
Author: Shen
Rating: NC-17 eventually, PG this chapter
Characters: Rose, Ten, Donna, Jack, Torchwood
Setting/Spoilers: Sequel to Looking Within, in my Peril-verse (see my profile). Recap of said 'verse is at http://shengirl dot livejournal dot com/8390 dot html
Teaser: Rose has landed back in her universe in truly dramatic fashion, and it's quite a lot to deal with when it comes to settling back in! Post-reunion fic.
Author's Note: Wow, I'm really sorry for the wait. I usually hold off until I've three chapters done and an ending in mind before posting something, and this is why. I did learn a fun new fact while writing this, however: Trying to employ a thesaurus while writing smut can be unintentionally hilarious.

Chapter 2: A New Morning

"Rose," a voice whispered, slipping through the folds of her unconsciousness. She nuzzled her pillow and ignored it. Then, an amused notion bypassed her ears and tickled her mind. She smiled broadly, realizing who it was and where she was.

"Good morning," she said as she opened her eyes. Wide brown ones gazed back briefly before closing. The Doctor kissed her.

"Hello," he purred quietly, "hungry?" Sleepy, half-opened eyes widened with excitement. She could murder a whole chicken! The Doctor picked a tray up from the floor and revealed it to be carrying generous portions of eggs, toast, and fried potatoes, as well as tea and orange juice. Between the food and the self-impressed look on the Doctor's face, Rose had to grin as she eagerly sat up and tucked in. He rested on the edge of the bed to watch her.

"This attentiveness is going to wear off, but for now I'm enjoying it," she remarked between bites.

Rather than teasing back, the Doctor blurted, "How did you do it?" Just a glance told Rose it was driving him mad. He didn't sleep as much as she, so it must have been torturing him for hours.

"You thought you could figure it out while I was sleeping, didn't you?" The Doctor's sheepish expression was all the answer she needed, and it made her laugh. "Well, I went to the Rift in Cardiff, reached through it, and found the TARDIS." He didn't look particularly amused at her vagueness.

"Ah. Of course. Grabbed my ship and asked her to meet you halfway, as a favor. Anyone could do that. No, really, how?" he almost whined. His eyes pleaded for satiation of his curiosity, but Rose's attention had been caught.

"Met her halfway?" The Doctor looked confused for a moment.

"I guess if you had to ask me if you succeeded, you don't remember landing, do you? You're in Cardiff. And that's another item of interest we need to discuss, but for now, can you tell me how you managed it?" Rose didn't miss his nervous glance at the ceiling with the words "item of interest," but she tried not to worry about it. If it was that urgent, he wouldn't be bringing her breakfast in bed and chatting. Instead, she concentrated on his face as she spoke, knowing he wouldn't like everything he was about to hear.

"You told me yourself that this psychic power I have comes from a link to the TARDIS. I mean, it goes beyond that now, but originally, that was it. The bit of Bad Wolf in me knows how to connect with her. I just had to learn how to connect with it, so of the thirteen months I spent in the other world, nine months had me in Japan, training with monks." The Doctor's eyes seemed about to burst from his head.

An octave higher than normal, he asked, "You used the Bad Wolf?" Rose's quirked a brow over her tea mug.

"What did you think I did? I don't remember getting here, but I do recall glowing yellow before I left." She shoveled more eggs down, but the Doctor seemed unwilling to let go of his rant yet.

"I thought... the Rift just pulled you through, or there was some Torchwood technology I was going to have to chastise you for chancing! Or you were just using... you! Not the uncontrollable entity that apparently somehow still resides in your subconscious!" Rose contemplated him for several seconds.

"Here, let me show you." She sat the decimated food tray on the bedside table and grabbed the Doctor's hands, gently pulling them to the sides of her head. He seemed bemused but did not argue. "Look." The couple closed their eyes, and the Doctor properly positioned his hands. A memory of sorts fed into their link, a visual representation of crossing the Void created by Rose to demonstrate for him. Molten gold pooled into a well behind a sort of screen – the Bad Wolf at rest. Then, the proximity of the Rift agitated it, making it bubble and send up flares. Bad Wolf was made to get me back to you, remember? Hands came along and dissolved part of the screen, and the entity burst from its prison, snatched a hand, and hauled it through the Rift. It homed in on its source, the TARDIS, them helped the hand grip it and pull with every iota of energy that could be drawn from the Rift. At that point, Rose ended the memory, and he Doctor let his fingertips fall from her temples.

"See? It's walled off. It couldn't even do what it was designed for until I unleashed it, and it took ages to even learn how to do that. It's anything but out of control. Alright?" Her bright tone was met with a skeptical look.

"It's never acted on its own?" Guilty silence.

Rose cleared her throat and conceded, "Once. But that situation was... special, and it made me realize that I needed to train it. For my own safety and fulfillment, besides hoping it would get me back to you. No danger now, promise." The Doctor still seemed hesitant, so Rose decided to go for broke.

"And you know what, Doctor? Even if I hadn't known that this power came from Bad Wolf, inter-reality name-dropper that she is, I would have tried to figure out how it could get me back to you. Would've tried anything, because I love you."

"...Oh," the Doctor responded, eyes suddenly wide with awe and – relief? Did he think she'd stopped? Still, she could use that to deal a killing blow to this track of conversation. Rose's brow furrowed, looking insulted.

"Don't you give me that disbelief. I crossed universes for you!"

Panicking slightly, the Doctor yelped, "No! No, Rose, it's not disbelief. It's awe. What did I do to deserve you?" His wonder at her devotion was making her uncomfortable. Besides, she could think of things more fun than praise.

"'S just luck of the draw. And statistics. In 900 years, you'd almost have to run into someone as stubborn and talented as me who happens to fancy you. And you know what you can do in return?" Her signature cheeky grin was in play, eyes glued to his and form leaning towards him.

"Yes?"

"Kiss me. Snog now, existential questions later."

"I love you, too." It was so sudden and simple, it shocked both Rose and the Doctor to silence. He looked like he had just been given a passing grade to a final exam he'd been sure of failing. Then, she hauled him to her by his lapels and began to snog him within an inch of his life.

"Miss me?" he squeaked as she began to ravage his neck. She pulled away to give him a mock stern glare.

"Doctor, didn't you hear me? I've been living like a monk." He looked earnestly shocked.

"Literally? I thought you were joki- aaah." One strategic nibble, and all thought trains were derailed.

Donna was sitting in the kitchen, munching toast and reading a magazine, when Captain Jack sauntered in.

"Rose up yet?" he inquired hopefully.

"The Doctor took her breakfast a bit ago."

"How long ago?"

"Maybe 30 minutes, why?"

"...I'll be back in like an hour. Or five."

Their lovemaking was a balance of gentle, cherishing caresses and possessive clinginess. She tangled both hands in his hair, kissing him firmly, as he maneuvered them to fall back on the bed. He drew her collar aside.

"You're here," he breathed before biting where her neck met her shoulder. Rose sighed at the solid feel of him, the pain reassuring her that it wasn't a dream. A grounding sensation that she repaid by digging her nails into his shoulders.

"Here and never leaving," she whispered.

"And mine," added his rough voice. Rose arched into him, making sure to catch his eye with her heated gaze.

"Only yours." The Doctor let slip a helpless growl before claiming her mouth with his own. Rose immediately began tugging at his buttons and made swift work of the suit jacket. She pushed him off her with a smirk, making him sit back on his heels.

"Jacket off..." she pushed it down his arms, pausing only to lick up his neck. He stiffened against her, in more ways than one. The tie was cast aside, and the shirt only suffered the undoing of four buttons before Rose gave up and hauled it over his head, along with his vest. Her eyes twinkled excitedly, suddenly gifted with Time Lord chest to explore. She nudged him onto his back and began to kiss it, starting at his collar bone and working downwards, hands ghosting his sides. Right around when she got to his navel, she squeezed his bum. It made him jump, and she laughed as she undid his belt.

"Cheeky thing," he chided, snagging her upper arms and pulling her up his body until he could roll and pin her. Held only by her upper arms, she bent at the elbow to tickle his sides with a smirk and caused a rather unmanly giggle. Giving in, the Doctor freed one of Rose's limbs to run the back of his hand down her cheek. She leaned into his touch, sharing a look of pure adoration with the man above her. Then, he was unbuttoning her pajama top and unhooking her bra, only letting her sit up long enough to wriggle out of them. He laid her down to taste each breast in turn, making her moan and run her fingertips up and down his bare back. The gentle ministrations were wonderful, but Rose was at the point at wanting more. Her urgency flitted through their link and caused the Doctor to give her a look of well-nurtured ego before lowering his head to kiss her stomach. Finally, he drew her trousers and knickers down as one before moving on to his own remaining clothes. In moments, his weight rested over his lover's again, and tongues entwined desperately. Pure need and fire shot from one to the other, rebounded and amplified and all-consuming.

The Doctor slid into her slowly, managing to be mindful of her long abstinence even in his want. Rose gasped at the filling sensation of her Doctor, pushing aside pain to rock her hips into his. Slowly, they danced with gently increasing tempo as the Doctor dove in for another kiss. Bodies and mouths interlocked, he still wasn't close enough for Rose. She massaged his scalp and mussed his hair with one hand and rested the other on his back, pulling him to her harder. She wrapped her legs around him to give him a better angle. As he thrust harder and faster, she gave a lengthy moan of pleasure long-anticipated. The Doctor took the opportunity to pay her neck special attention, orally fixating in ways that drove her mad.

"I missed this," she said, drawing a bite from her lover that made her gasp. He was looking her in the face when she opened her eyes again.

"I missed you." He held her close and slowed his thrusting for a moment. Speed he replaced with technique, rolling his hips in a circle and making Rose's chest heave even harder. Coherent thought almost entirely escaped her, but she could manage one statement with utter conviction.

"I love you." The next plunge into her body was forceful, rocking them both with pleasure. The Doctor grabbed her hand and pinned it at her side, squeezing tightly as he bucked into her.

"Rose Tyler, I love- you!" The rhythm was erratic now, and a surge of devotion slammed into Rose along with the words. She clutched his hand and shoulder firmly, overcome with bliss.

"Oh- oh god-!" and it was over, drowning in the feeling until a second later, when blue and brown bursts of color buoyed her, achingly familiar as they spun through her head. The Doctor spilled inside her, body and mind, until he finally lay bonelessly atop her. They gasped for several moments until he rolled away and dragged her to him. They cuddled in contented silence for several moments.

"So," she squeaked, going for matter-of-fact and achieving only well-shagged, "what was that thing you said needing discussing about Cardiff?" To her alarm, his hearts kicked up a faster beat.