Here's chapter two. I don't know what you guys were expecting so I'm sorry if it disappoints you. I''d just like to make it known that for the moment I do not intend for this to turn into a rewrite of 11's seasons. I already have a rewrite of seasons 1,2,3,4 going so to make this one as well would just be exhausting. Also, if you didn't already notice in the last chapter I mixed around some of season 2's episodes so Mickey was already gone when TGITF happened.
To answer BelindaDuvessa's question: You can either look at it in the way that the pull wasn't as bad for the Doctor and Rose in Doomsday and she was inside a building at the time or you can take your explanation from a future chapter where stuff is going to happen but 'Spoilers' for now, sweetie ;)
PS. Thanks for your awesome feedback!
The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and onto the pavement. A cool breeze ran through his hair and he closed his eyes, simply enjoying the sensation. After a couple of minutes of standing in the breeze he opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings.
He was in a park of some description, that much was obvious, but it didn't look like any park he recognised, at least not yet. Dashing back inside the TARDIS he checked the monitor to see where he'd landed, something he should have done as soon as he'd landed but he was a little too preoccupied to care. Seeing where he was he just strolled back outside, deciding that he may as well take a walk while he was there.
"Rose!"
Rose groaned when she heard the voice of her co-worker calling to her. She had tried very hard to like Penny, but sometimes she couldn't help having a little grudge against the occasional person. Of course, if anyone else knew the kind of life she'd had to give up they would be able to understand why working long hours in an office building and being squeezed like sardines into cubicles would get to her.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"I was just wondering if you were coming tonight."
Rose blinked at her for a second before remembering they were gathering at the pub to farewell Gary. She'd only met Gary twice and he seemed like quite a nice guy, but not nice enough to take her down time from her. Living alone in the universe had changed her, whether for the better or for the worse she was yet to find out.
"No, sorry, I've got plans," Rose lied easily.
Penny nodded, seeing straight through her lie. "Come up with something better than that next time," she shook her head and walked away.
Rose sighed and gave her head a little shake. Checking her watch she was relieved to find that it was finally time for her to go home. Home. The little flat she rented was just about every other word except home. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly cosy or personal in any way. Who knew going back to school to get you're A levels and moving out of your mum's old home would cost so much?
Walking across the car park she bent down and made her way quickly along a row of cars, not wanting to get caught talking to anyone else in the lot. Ever since the day she left 'him' she had lost her cheerful manner and positive attitude, settling instead for a more inconspicuous and brooding personality. It almost scared her how easy it was for her to change and it made her wary of everyone around her.
Making her way through the park she kept her head down, concentrating on the task of getting home. Taking a different path to her usual route she nearly ran straight into someone coming the other way. She looked up to see a somewhat strange looking man wearing a bowtie, suspenders and a brown tweed jacket to top off the odd ensemble.
"Sorry," she murmured quietly, wanting to get the awkward apologies over and done with so she could continue on her way home.
"No problem," he replied, barely glancing at her as he passed.
She couldn't help but turn her head back to look in his direction, pulling her dark brown hair out of her face. For the first time in about three years Rose Tyler smiled, and though she didn't know why, it only made her smile all the more as she watched the strange man continue on his way, completely unaware of her scrutiny.
The Doctor wandered down the path even further, thinking back to the woman he had almost run into. He didn't want to seem rude but he also wasn't in the mood to be cheerful. He was alone for the time being and he couldn't help but feel agitated towards everyone.
Sighing he made his way back to the TARDIS. Maybe if he stayed the night and waited it out he'd feel better about it tomorrow.
Rose groaned when her alarm sounded in the morning and she had to get up. Moving out of bed and to the bathroom it took her a few moments to realise it was Saturday and she didn't have to get up.
Growling in irritation she trudged back into her room to get her clothes to change into after her shower. Life had become a tiresome and depressing task for Rose Tyler. She was no longer an adventurer or a traveller. Now she worked in an office, she had no family and no friends to speak of. She had no one to love her and to catch her when she fell.
After a nice, long cold shower she made her way back out of the bathroom and towards the kitchen to have a quick breakfast before going down to the café on the corner to get her usual morning coffee. Her hot water bill had been rather large the month before so she'd had to cut down anything that wasn't absolutely necessary, except for her weekly coffee down at the café; nothing would deprive her of that.
Entering the café she found it almost empty, to her surprise. The cheerful lady who ran the place caught her eye and grinned at her. For some unknown reason the lady had taken a liking to her weekly flat white and two sugars costumer and Rose couldn't help but smile back every time. Nicole was one of the few people she could tolerate in her life, mostly because she gave her the weekly hit of caffeine she needed, but also because she told funny stories to cheer her up and her smile was the most infectious Rose had seen since...well since she knew how to smile properly herself.
"Flat white, two sugars," Nicole announced, moving to sit opposite her.
"Thank you." Rose took the cup gratefully. "How've you been?"
"Not bad since last week," Nicole grinned and Rose found herself mimicking her once more.
"I really don't know how you stay so energetic," Rose laughed. "I've only known one other person in my whole life that is as hyper as you are".
"Was that the guy that broke your heart?" Nicole asked gently.
Rose froze for a second before nodding. She may have tried to move on and change her life, but there were some things that she just had to share with someone, no matter how much it hurt. Gradually Nicole had been working at her layers and every now and then on those Saturday mornings the old Rose Tyler would emerge if only for a moment before being replaced once more by the stoic mask that she had transformed into.
Just as Nicole was about to speak again the bell on the door jingled and another customer entered the café.
Nicole looked up and automatically grinned, looking back to Rose who hadn't even bothered to look up. "Hey check this guy out, kinda cute, aye?"
Rose glanced over at the man and she automatically felt a grin growing on her face. "I nearly crashed into him yesterday in the park," she explained quickly. "He has very interesting fashion choices".
"You can say that again," Nicole laughed, sending both girls into a fit of giggles.
The Doctor ordered a piece of banana bread and a glass of lemonade, telling them to hold the straw. It may be too early in the morning for fizzy drink but the Doctor had spent the last two hours running around lost in London so he thought he deserved it.
Sitting in his chair he picked up a newspaper to see what had happened since he'd last been to Earth when laughter filled his ears and he glanced over to where two girls sat on one of the other tables. One was wearing a uniform and obviously worked there while the other was wearing a simple hoddie and jeans, her dark brown hair covering most of her face from view. But it wasn't her face that was bothering him. No, it was her laugh. It was almost as if the universe had decided to play some sick prank on him.
Her laugh nearly perfectly mimicked his precious Rose's laugh. No, she was not his Rose. By now she was probably someone else's Rose, married and happy living a life on the slow path.
He observed the two women for a few moments more before his order arrived and he tucked into his treat. By the time he had scraped the last crumbs from his plate the girl in the uniform had gone back behind the counter and the other looked like she was preparing to leave. Something deep inside him made him want to stop her.
"See you next week, yeah?" she called to the uniformed woman. Yet again, the sound of her voice made his chest ache.
"Yeah, catcha later, Rose," the other woman called back, causing the Doctor to freeze temporarily.
After coming out of his daze and paying for his food he raced back outside, looking around desperately for the woman who was just in the café. It couldn't be her, could it? Logically it was possible, likely even.
It was too late though, she was gone.
Hold on, she'd said next week. Saturday. He could see her Saturday. Next week. Oh, it all started to come together then. He would see her again next week, maybe even talk to her. What would a week be to him when he could get to spend time with Rose Tyler again? Just a couple of weeks and he'd be fine for a while. Just enough time to figure out the basics of her new life and she wouldn't even know it was him.
Guilt coursed through him at that thought. What if things got out of hand and they became too close? What if she fell for him and he then had to tell her who he was, or worse, what if he couldn't leave her when the time came? Despite them both having changed there were still other obstacles that couldn't be overcome. She would still die too soon. Of course to him any time was too soon, but even her entire lifespan would be little more than a few decades, passed in the blink of an eye.
Even though the guilt would weigh heavily on him it would not stop him from seeing her again. She was everything to him, and for a while he was everything to her. He couldn't be too late. Such precious feelings could not be gone forever.
Ok. Before you say anything about things moving too fast I will say that for what I have planned they are not :P The random people mentioned in this chapter (Nicole, Gary and Penny) are just made up. I don't know anybody by those names, (and those characters may or may not be explored later if I want to make them significant.)
Thanks for reading! Next chapter may be a little while as I have several others to update as well and school work, piano lessons and work on top of that, so sit tight. :)
