Part 3
They have only been in Kyoto for two days. Rose mentioned wanting to visit the temple gardens so off they went. There was a strange light a few miles from their room early this morning and they are now tracking it as best they can, hiking to where the sonic screwdriver is guiding them. Sure enough there is a ship waiting for them – or anyone really – to stumble across it. Thankfully, the ship belongs to a peaceful race that is simply traveling for research purposes and maybe a bit of tourism but they had an issue with the ships electrical systems and needed to make an emergency landing.
With the three alien researchers, the Doctor, and Rose all working towards getting the ship repaired they make quick work of the damage, the aliens say their goodbyes, and take off three hours later. Hand in hand Rose and the Doctor head back to their room.
Palms pressed together, fingers laced, arms swinging easily, they are nearing their room when Rose starts laughing.
"What's got you so happy?"
"I just didn't realize how much I missed this. You know, meeting aliens without a tactical support team and everyone armed to the teeth. Just using nothing more than our words and our wits. This is what I want to do. Exactly how I want to spend the rest of my life. Holding your hand and traveling and meeting adventure and mystery head-on."
The Doctor gives a gentle tug on her arm and she allows herself to be pulled closer. He kisses her then, a soft thing that grows in intensity before it tapers off. Their lips part and the smile the Doctor gives her makes her think of apple grass and cat nuns. "If that's what you want then that's what we'll do. It sounds better than anything I could have thought of and I'm brilliant. The one adventure I thought I could never have and I get to share it traveling with you."
They are both natural born wanderers. Neither has a set plan or destination unless there is something specific that they have heard or read about. Towns, cities, countries, continents; they want to go everywhere, see everything, and experience as much as they possibly can in the one life they've been gifted.
Rose sends postcards to her mum telling her in brief lines about all they are doing. Sometimes a story, sometimes a funny line, sometimes an apt quote. The Doctor has upgraded her phone so that she will always have a signal (Superphones are dead useful.) and she has phoned her mum a few times but without fail Jackie always wants to know when they are coming back. Neither of them know what to say since there is always more to see, one more place to go, and that question is always left unanswered. Jackie is no fool and, whilst she isn't exactly happy, she can't say she's surprised by any of this.
They continue on like this for several months.
They've found an abandoned villa in the north of Italy and they both instantly want to see the inside. Deciding to have a picnic for dinner they head back to the small village they recently passed through to get some crusty bread, cheeses, fruit, bottles of water, and tea in travel mugs (neither of them really care for alcohol) then head back to the villa.
It's easy to slip inside as no one else is around and after a brief tour of the rooms they choose an upstairs back bedroom for their dinner since its exterior wall is missing as is part of the roof. From here they'll have a perfect view of the setting sun and the starry sky.
It's the sun that wakes them the next morning. They are still in the villa and their blankets and makeshift pillows are rumpled between them but their hands have found each other, unexpectedly and instinctively, during the night. They squint their eyes against the rising sun and smile at each other.
The Doctor stretches, "Didn't mean to fall asleep but the floor was more comfortable than I thought it would be."
"I didn't mean to either but we've been traveling a lot and I think we're both exhausted." Rose turns on her phone to listen to the messages that she knows are there while the Doctor packs up their belongings. She always keeps the phone off now but tries to remember to check it everyday so that if there is an emergency they'll know.
There are five missed calls from Jackie, those aren't a surprise and three from Pete, those are. Before she can return his calls her phone rings again. Pete. "Is something wrong?"
Within the hour the Doctor and Rose are on a zeppelin heading back to London. Apparently Torchwood is having trouble with some rather hostile aliens and could really use some assistance.
The hostile aliens are only being hostile because Torchwood's translator is malfunctioning and the agents have been unintentionally insulting their visitors for hours. The Doctor and Rose sort things out fairly easily and their guests are permitted to continue their business without anymore problems. The situation leaves the Doctor marveling over the fact that Torchwood appears to be rather incompetent in every universe apparently.
Before they leave, Pete calls them into his office. He has an offer he would like to make them and he would appreciate it if the two of them would hear him out before they disappear again.