Chapter Two
(Meanwhile on the TARDIS…)
The Doctor smiled at Rose, as he led her down a corridor. They had just had a lovely dinner and now the Doctor had planned a surprise for her. He looked back and smiled at her. She had dressed in a lovely blood red evening gown, was carrying a small, red purse and had her hair tied up in a bun. She looked like a vision, and the Doctor couldn't remember any woman looking lovelier. For the trillionth time since he met her, he thanked whatever deities were listening that he had met her.
He turned down another corridor.
"Where are we going?" Rose asked, looking around. "I don't think I've ever been down this way before."
"Ah, there are many rooms in the TARDIS that you haven't seen," the Doctor said to her. "I am taking you to a very special room. I call it the terrace room."
Rose was intrigued. She quickened her pace a bit, nearing closer to him. They turned another corner, and the Doctor stopped at a door. He smiled at her and put his hand on the doorknob.
"Close your eyes," he said.
Rose nodded and shut her eyes. The Doctor opened the door, took a peek inside, and then let her into the room. He stopped her, shut the door behind them and came up behind her. He put his hand on her shoulders.
"Open your eyes," he whispered.
Rose opened them and gasped. They were standing on a terrace on a moonlit night. Beyond them lay green, rolling hills. She could even fell a warm, gentle breeze on her face. She looked at the Doctor.
"What happened? Where are we?"
The Doctor grinned.
"In the TARDIS," he said.
He chuckled at the shocked look on her face.
"Oh, come on, Rose, don't you think my ship is capable of creating anything you can find on Earth? I mean, TARDISes are meant to be lived in, you know."
"The more I see this of this ship, the more I love it," Rose breathed.
The Doctor nodded.
"Now you know why I'm so fond of her, and why I'm so upset whenever there's a chance I might lose her."
He raised her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. Smiling, he led her over to the far left of the terrace where a baby grand piano stood.
"Ta-daaaa, your surprise," he said to her.
Rose stared at him, wide-eyed.
"You can play the piano?"
The Doctor was annoyed.
"Yes, I can play the piano. Beethoven taught me and believe me, it was hard learning from him. He couldn't hear me whenever I asked him a question, and I never was sure if I was playing correctly since he couldn't hear the music. I finally had to go to Mozart just to make sure I had really learned how to play the piano properly. Anyway, I did learn, and now I will play for you."
He pulled back the piano bench and sat down. He patted the seat, and Rose sat down beside him. He cracked his knuckles and poised with his fingers over the piano keys. Then he began to play a soft melody and Rose smiled, as he looked at her and sang.
Once in your lives, you will find her.
Someone who turns your hearts around and next thing you know, you're closing down the town.
Wake up, and it's still with you, even though you left her way across town.
Wonderin' to yourself, hey, what have I found?
When you get caught between the moon and New, New York City.
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the moon and New, New York City
The best that you can do, the best that you can do, is fall in love.
The Doctor, he does as he pleases.
All of his life, his TARDIS is his joy.
And deep in his hearts he's just, he's just a boy.
Living his life one day at a time, he's showing his Rose a pretty good time.
He's laughing about the way they want him to be.
When you get caught between the moon and New, New York City.
I know it's crazy, but it's true.
If you get caught between the moon and New, New York City.
The best that you can do, the best that you can do, is fall in love.
Rose laughed when he picked up a saxophone that had been resting against the piano leg.
"Took lessons from Kenny G too," he said.
Rose sat, staring at the Doctor, enraptured, while he played a sax solo. After he completed the solo, he put the sax down and finished the song. When he was done, Rose clapped enthusiastically.
"Oh my God, that was brilliant. Is there anything you can't do?" she said.
The Doctor pretended to think that over, as Rose laughed and slapped his arm playfully.
"No, there isn't a single thing I can't do," he said to her, shrugging. "I'm brilliant at everything."
Rose snorted.
"Yeah, right, pull the other one," she said, rolling her eyes.
The Doctor giggled and pulled her into an embrace.
"Are you questioning my brilliance, Rose Tyler?" he said, grinning.
"Yeah, I am, and apparently you are too, since you just said in your song that deep inside, you were a little boy. Are you trying to tell me that you have the brain of a five year old then?"
"No, I was trying to tell you that even though I'm 901 years old, I still can act youthful, like a little child."
"No, I think it means you can throw temper tantrums like a little child when you don't get your way."
The Doctor stared at her.
"Don't you dare, Doctor. I know that look," Rose said, trying to wiggle out of his arms.
"What look, Rose? Oh, you mean the, I am gonna tickle you until you pee your knickers look? Is that the look you mean?"
"Don't you dare! Don't you dare, Doctor! I mean it! I'm warning ya! I'm…"
Rose was cut off when the Doctor thrust his fingers into her armpits. She howled with laughter, as the Doctor tickled her unmercifully.
"Doctor, quit!" she screamed. "We're gonna fall off the bench! Quit!"
"Don't ever mock my brilliance, Rose Tyler. That is a big no-no!" the Doctor said, breaking off the assault. "I am the Oncoming Storm, Ka Faraq Gatri, The Lonely God, Mister Wonderful, Hunky Boy, Foxy Man, Studly Stud, The Beautiful Boy with the Bountiful Buttcheeks, The Alluring Alien with the Amazing Ass, The Sexy Studmuffin with the Sonic Screwdriver, and B.O.B."
Rose stared at him.
"B.O.B.?"
"Yes, it's my own personal acronym. Stands for Brains of Brilliance. I thought of it in the bath one night. I was sitting there playing with my rubber ducky, and I suddenly said to myself, I KNOW, I'LL CALL MYSELF B.O.B! Yet another example of my awe-inspiring cleverness."
"You…have a rubber ducky?" Rose said, amused.
"Yes, why, don't you have one?"
"Um…no."
The Doctor sniffed.
"I pity you then," he said. "Everyone should have a friend like Clarence, he makes bath time fun."
Rose eyed him.
"Doctor."
"Yes?"
"You scare me sometimes."
The Doctor stared at her for a moment. Then, an evil grin spread over his face and before Rose could get away from him, he was tickling her again.
"I'll show you real fear, Rose Tyler, when you soil yourself from laughing!"
He giggled when Rose howled with laughter and tried to wriggle free from his grasp. As he tickled her, he suddenly heard her mobile ringing.
"Doctor!" Rose yelled. "Quit, I gotta answer that!"
"No! I won't let you alert the outside world that you are being tortured! You are mine, you hear me, mine!"
"Doctor, I swear to God, you let me answer my mobile, or I'll bite your nose off!"
The Doctor quickly let up and put his hands over his nose.
"No, I can't let you damage my beautiful nose, I'll let you go!" he said, in mock horror.
He leaned into her ear, as Rose grabbed her purse off the top of the piano and reached into it for her mobile.
"For now," he purred.
Rose gave him a playful push and looked at the menu screen.
"Mum," she said to the Doctor.
The Doctor rolled her eyes.
"Well, of course, who else would it be?" he muttered to himself.
"Hey, mum, what's up?" Rose said, ignoring the gagging noises from the Doctor.
She frowned when there was silence on the other end.
"Mum, you there?"
"I'm here, sweetie."
Rose frowned. It sounded like her mother was forcing herself to be cheerful.
"Mum, are you alright?"
"Yes, dear, I'm fine. I…just miss you."
"I miss you too, mum."
"I don't," the Doctor muttered.
Rose eyed him. The Doctor shrugged.
"What's going on?" Rose said, turning her attention back to Jackie. "You sound weird. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, love. But, is the Doctor nearby? I need to talk to him."
Rose was taken aback. She could tell the Doctor heard it too because he was muttering to himself about why she needed to talk to him.
"You…want to talk to the Doctor?" Rose said, not sure if she heard her right.
"Yes, love, I need to talk to the Doctor right away. It's urgent. Is he nearby?"
Rose glanced back at the Doctor. He sighed and held out his hand.
"Probably saw a bloody spider and needs me to come back and stomp on it," he muttered to himself.
"He's right here, mum. I'm giving the phone to him now," Rose said.
She handed the mobile to the Doctor. The Doctor put it to his ear.
"Yes, Jackie, what do you want?" he said to her.
"They're back, Doctor."
The Doctor frowned.
"Who is?"
His eyes widened when he heard a male voice yelling in the background, and Jackie's yell, as the receiver was dropped to the ground. He glanced at Rose. She had heard the clatter when the receiver hit the ground and was staring at him fearfully. He put a hand on her shoulder.
"Jackie, are you there?" the Doctor said.
He gritted his teeth when he heard Jackie yelling in the background.
"Jackie!" he yelled.
He laid his hand against Rose's cheek when he saw the fear in her eyes.
"Jackie, are you there?" he yelled.
"Is this the Doctor?"
The Doctor narrowed his eyes when the male answered the phone.
"Yes, who is this?" he demanded.
"My name is Lucius, Doctor. I am an immortal, and I was a friend of Ian."
The Doctor's face turned white.
"No," he murmured.
"Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked.
"You killed my friend, and I and my fellow immortals want you to pay for your crime," Lucius hissed. "So, here's what I want you to do. My friends and I are going to wait here at Ms. Tyler's flat, and if you don't get back here pronto and surrender yourself, she will be drained of every last drop of blood. Do you understand me?"
"Perfectly," the Doctor said, between gritted teeth.
He looked at Rose and noticed that she could hear every word he was saying. He stroked her hair when he saw the fear in her eyes.
"Mum," she whispered to herself. "Oh, God, mum."
"The date here is November 27th, 2006, and it's now 7:06 p.m. If you are not back here before 9 o'clock p.m. on this exact date, Jackie Tyler dies."
The Doctor was about to say something when Lucius hung up. He lowered the mobile and sighed deeply, as he looked at Rose.
"I'm afraid our worst fears have come true," he said to her. "The vampires figured out what I did, and now they want revenge."
"Oh, Doctor, what are we going to do?"
The Doctor swallowed hard.
"You're not going to do anything. I'm the one they want. I'm going to surrender myself to them."
"No, Doctor, I'm coming with you! I won't let you go alone. I…"
Before she could say anything more, the Doctor put his fingers up to her temples, quickly entered her mind, and knocked her out. He caught her when she started to fall backwards off the bench and held her close to him.
"Oh, my love," he murmured, holding her to his body. "I almost lost you once to a vampire. I won't risk losing you again. I'm sorry, but you and the TARDIS must go far away from me, so they won't get either of you. Forgive me, my hearts, I know you would willingly die for me, but I won't let that happen. I love you too much to see you turned into one of them."
He kissed her temple. Standing, he gathered her into his arms and brought his leg over the bench. Staring at her lovingly, he walked out of the terrace room towards Rose's bedroom.