A/N. Cute, you say? :) That's a good thing, yes? Thank you for your reviews, follows and favourites. This means a lot! :)
Stay: Chapter Two
All the plans were crushed by a tired sigh coming from Rose's lips. "Are you going to give me something?" Her voice was nearly pleading, yet the Doctor believed he could still trace some joy in her words.
"Even though you believe it to be the best decision, I really don't think you need any kind of sleeping pills, Rose…"
"Of course not," the blonde did not object. The idea had only occurred to her for a mere moment. Pills, even those she had been forced to take – those easing her unbearable headaches, for example – was always the very last alternative. "I hope you'll come up with some brilliant idea while I am asleep," Rose spoke quietly, trusting the Doctor no matter what.
The Time Lord nodded at her with an assuring smile. "Of course I will! You go and dream about coming home to your mother," he winked at her. If that was what Rose wanted, she deserved all the possibilities she could get, real or not. He couldn't lie to himself – meeting Jackie in real life was never a truly pleasant experience for him.
Rose shook her head, smiling back at him knowingly. "Doctor… you cannot be meaning this."
"Why not?"
Rose shook his question away. She knew better. "I'll just go now, 'kay? Please… please, think of something!" At that moment, finally falling asleep was all she wanted.
"Be sure, Rose, I will! And you'll be well in no time." The Doctor certainly hoped she will. However, it did not look like it. Those small infections tended to have horrific side effects. If tiredness was the worst part of it for Rose, he knew she should consider herself lucky…
"Calm down. Try to avoid thinking." Hearing Rose sigh desperately, he shrugged. "Or, if you cannot… think about something pleasant. I'm sure you'll manage."
"I'll try." The blonde sent the Doctor a hopeful look, although she doubted these simple steps were going to work.
"See you in the morning?" The Time Lord grinned at her, assurance in his eyes.
"Um… Yeah, I guess," she gave him an uncertain smile and left, soon to disappear in her room. The Doctor assumed the girl was too exhausted to notice her chamber was now moved closer, so that the young human could reach the room in no time. Not many past companions of his were ever awarded with such a positive approach from the TARDIS.
"You really like her, don't you?"
The ship buzzed incoherently.
The Doctor grimaced. "I know what you're thinking, old girl. Just… stop it right here." Sometimes the Gallifreyan really wished his ship did not know him so well.
But this wasn't the right time to contemplate any of it. He needed to look through the results the TARDIS was quick enough to place right in front of him... But instead of some diagrams or scientific results he read a name. "Jacqueline Tyler."
What are you implying?
A bleep from the TARDIS suggested the Doctor had to figure the implication on his own.
And, with unsurprising speed, he did. Jackie, TARDIS, Jackie, TARDIS, Jackie… Rose! Her mother had to at least know about the risky situation Rose was in. The Doctor shuddered, but began dialing the number almost immediately.
"Rose! What have I done to earn your call? At this hour?" Jackie spoke too quickly for the Doctor to interrupt. He should have thought better before deciding to call her.
"Jackie, it's me."
"You. Who else would be crazy enough to call in the middle of the night?" Jackie did not attempt to hide her annoyance. "For a Time Lord, I think that's the name you use, right? – this is quite a terrible miscalculation," she spoke with mockery in her voice.
It was clear to the said Time Lord he had not woken the mother up – it seemed she had been waiting for something, or was simply unable to fall asleep. The Doctor said nothing, however. He did not allow himself forget the sole purpose of the call.
It seemed Jackie knew something was wrong. Terribly so. "Where's Rose?"
"She's asleep, and I would prefer if you did not wake her up."
"Of course she's asleep, it's half past three in the morning! In fact, you're just lucky I couldn't sleep!"
Jackie and her shrieking… "Turn the volume down," the Doctor became disgruntled. When it came to Rose, he was quick to lose his temper. Especially when something was apparently wrong with her.
"Of course, right…" Jackie attempted, albeit not with much success, to lower her voice. "What's the matter? This unexpected call has something to do with my daughter, I assume?" She knew the Doctor would avoid her at all costs if there wasn't trouble.
As the alien appeared to be wording his answer, the mother blanched, her head suddenly filled with horrifying ideas. "What have you done to her?!"
The Doctor sighed tiredly. "Just listen to me." The silence on the other end meant the woman was listening.
"Good. The thing is… Rose doesn't feel well. She really wishes to see you, but-" In fact, she had sounded absolutely desperate… but Jackie did not need to know this.
"But? Just bring her to me!"
"I can't. She can't leave the TARDIS."
"Of course she can!" Jackie was becoming hysterical once again. No matter of what species the alien was, he was not going to stop Rose from seeing her!
"Jackie." The Doctor's voice suddenly became deadly cold and terrifying. "I really am sorry, but… for all I know, one step outside the ship could kill her! I cannot allow her move away from the TARDIS. Do you understand?" It required a great deal of concentration from the Gallifreyan to not show his panic. Anger seemed to mask it fairly well.
Rose's mother tried to. "No, I don't," she admitted, fear colouring her words. "You have promised to keep her safe. Multiple times. Just tell me, Doctor… will you save her?"
The Time Lord had no chance to reply, his attention now turned to the familiar blonde coming up to him. The sight of dishevelled Rose made him grin wildly at her. However, her words wiped the wide smile away from his face at once.
"Doctor?" a painful whisper came his way. "I can't sleep. Have tried everything – pleasant thoughts, then what appeared like no thoughts... I tried relaxing, remembering as many pleasant things as I could… even tried counting sheep, for god's sake! But nothing helps." It seemed the girl was feeling guilty to have come to him with such a tiny annoying problem.
The Gallifreyan could feel a renewed wave of panic coming back to him with double force. Rose's well-being was all that mattered. And the illness, whatever had caused it, had to be cured. The fact his companion could not sleep was complicating things. Good night's sleep was essential for every human, and especially to one that needed healing…
"Come here, Rose… Talk to your mother," he handed the mobile to her. "I will think of something, I promise," the Doctor watched the young Tyler put the phone to her ear with strange determination. He hoped hearing Jackie speak to her would have some positive effect on Rose.
"Mum. Why are you calling? At this time of night?"
The Doctor did not interrupt the conversation, his eyes asking of Rose to turn the speaker on, which she did without a shrug.
"The Doctor called me. He's worried about your health," Jackie shrugged.
"I'm tired, that's all." Rose glared at the Time Lord, who pretended to be oblivious to whatever was happening. "He's been kind of unquiet these days."
The alien glared back at her, mouthing the word to her, incredulous. Unquiet?
"He's not telling you everything, I assume…"
For a painfully long moment, the Gallifreyan was considering grabbing the mobile out of Rose's hands and smashing it to pieces.
"I think I have just come up with a perfect way to put you to sleep, Rose!" The Doctor's glee neither seemed nor sounded natural, but Jackie got the idea. "He's right, darling. You should go to bed and have some proper rest… I could do with some myself," she spoke assuringly. "I hope to see you again as soon as you feel better!"
The companion seemed perplexed. "Me too. I love you, Mum." She hung up without saying goodbye.
"So soon? I thought you'd want to talk to her for a longer period of time, considering-"
"What?"
"That you can't go see her."
"I have promised you to stay, haven't I?" The blonde gave him a tired smile.
"Just until you feel well again, yes…" The Time Lord felt he should assure Rose she was free to go home as soon as the irksome condition was gone completely...
She shrugged, uncomfortable. "I'm still waiting for the perfect way – any way – to make me fall asleep…"
The Doctor hoped the look he sent his beautiful Rose wasn't as helpless as he imagined. Suddenly, the absurdity of the idea that had seemed a possibility minutes ago struck him. Still, there was nothing wrong in trying…
"Well… What about- what about a lullaby?"
A/N. There you have it…What do you think? :)