(The Doctor & Rose)

"Where did you land us now?!" Donna asked the Doctor, narrowing her eyes and poking him in the chest.

"What? How…this can't be possible!" The Doctor turned back to the TARDIS and ran inside to the control console. Grabbing the monitor, he punched in a code, staring at the screen displaying the results in circular Gallifreyan. He fell back into the jump seat. "No…it can't be. Not again…"

"Doctor? What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong." Donna sounded more and more panicked with each passing second.

The Doctor looked up at Donna. "We've fallen through another crack in reality. Found another parallel universe. But…how? All the walls should have been sealed by now." He scrubbed both hands down his face as he looked back at the display, trying to understand what had happened and why.

"Where's Rose and John?" Donna's voice tore through his thoughts again.

The Doctor looked frantically around the console room. "Rose?" he called. Pushing himself off the jump seat, he ran down the ramp and back outside, where he found her standing perfectly still a few feet from the TARDIS. John sat on the ground at her feet looking toward the town in the distance. He picked John up.

"Rose?" he whispered her name, resting a hand on her shoulder. She turned toward the sound of his voice and he saw her eyes glowing gold for a couple minutes.

Rose smiled at the Doctor. "S'alright. She made it safe for me. Well, you helped too, taking most of it out of me all those years ago. 'Cept for that little bit that refused to leave. But…he's here," Rose nodded her head toward the city in the distance. "That's why She brought us here, to find him. I remember, I…we created him. After you siphoned off your regeneration energy, and we left the TARDIS…onto the Crucible…I tripped. Remember? I accidently touched the container. Instantaneous Biological Metacrisis…He must have fallen through a crack and it brought him here."

"Rose, what are you talking about? Who are you talking about?!" The Doctor turned her to face him, his worried look deepening.

"Doctor, think about it. Your hand jus'…disappeared. Your hand, regeneration energy and fresh DNA… Put it together Doctor."

"No…"

"Oh, my God! There's another you out there!" Donna exclaimed from behind him.

"Oi! Don't say it like that!"

"But, where are we? Looks like renaissance era."

The Doctor nodded looking back toward the city. "Yeah, 1700 –ish, Earth. But it's off a bit, like there are influences that shouldn't be present yet."

"Let's go change into something more fitting, yeah?" Rose suggested as she turned back toward the Doctor and Donna. "Hopefully the dress code's not too different than our own history." She took John from the Doctor, carrying him back inside the TARDIS. "Feel like playing dress up?" she asked him playfully.

"It's late," the Doctor pointed out. "We could just stay in the TARDIS tonight, or," he grinned his manic grin at her, "were you thinking we stay at that inn I saw in town?"

Rose smiled back. "You know me so well, Doctor. Allons-y?"

"Allons-y!" The Doctor agreed.

They went back into the TARDIS toward the wardrobe room and found outfits to wear. Even the Doctor dressed up. They packed a 'bigger on the inside' pack with toys and a cot for John and a few other modern conveniences that would need to be kept hidden most of the time.

After they returned to the console room, Rose set John down to give her arms a rest. She and Donna stood waiting for the Doctor. It was unusual for both of them, normally it was the Doctor waiting on his companions. Not the other way around. John toddled over to Donna just as the Doctor bounded into the console room. Donna picked John up in an attempt to hide the fact that she was trying not to laugh. It didn't work so well and she burst with laughter. The Doctor stood just inside the console room, leaning against the corner of the entrance, legs crossed at the ankles and arms crossed over his chest, left eyebrow raised giving Donna a significant look. He was dressed in a blue-grey doublet and matching trunk hose, a loose fitting white shirt and tall black boots.

"You look ridiculous!" Donna said through her laughter.

"Oi!" the Doctor pouted and looked to Rose to restore his dignity.

Rose turned to look at the Doctor and whistled low, though she too was trying not to laugh. Pressing her lips together she pointed at him, waving her finger up and down his form. "Sexy."

"Thank you. I am, aren't I?" he asked, ignoring the amusement in her tone. He sauntered up to Rose, pulling her into his arms and kissed her softly.

"Deeesgusting!" John exclaimed at the sight.

"Very." Donna agreed. "Come on, let's leave those two to be disgusting for a bit, yeah?" John nodded and Donna carried him outside to wait for the Doctor and Rose.

The Doctor chuckled low in Rose's ear after Donna hand taken John outside. "I plan on doing some very disgusting things to you later, Rose Tyler," he told her in a low, seductive tone. Cupping her face in both hands, he kissed her more fervently.

When they broke apart, she spoke. "We should catch up, yeah?"

"Yes, we should." He answered and offered her his hand. She took it and they went outside to find Donna still holding John and waiting for them. They walked toward the town, to the only building that still had lights in the ground floor windows. As they approached, the Doctor noticed a painted wooden sign above the door depicting a man in red and gold robes carrying a gold staff with a howling wolf at his side. It sent a shiver down his spine and a sense of foreboding washed over him. He wondered if Rose saw it too, though if she had, she hadn't said anything.

They entered the inn and were greeted by a rather beautiful woman. She was tall for a woman of that era, with angular features. Her eyes shone like sapphires and her blue-black hair was pulled back into a top-knot pony tail, displaying her pointed ears. She wore a corset that barely contained her and a skirt that hooked on one side, open nearly to the belt at her waist, showing more leg than was normally appropriate for the time period. A silver chain hung around her long neck and the smile she wore on her face seemed almost forced until her eyes fell upon John. The Doctor noted that her smile seemed sad, if a bit relieved then.

"Welcome, travelers, to The Wolf and Sorcerer," she greeted with practiced ease. "Is it a meal, room or…entertainment you seek?" She wouldn't quite meet their eyes at the last half of her question and flinched at the word 'entertainment'. The average person probably wouldn't have noticed. It was at this point the Doctor's attention returned to the silver chain around her neck that reminded him more of the kind of thing you put on an unruly dog rather than a delicate necklace far more suited for the young woman's features. The Doctor was about to open his mouth, ask who dared make her wear such a thing and what the hell was wrong with everyone else that no one had yet to do anything about it when he felt Rose squeeze his hand to remind him this wasn't their world.

"Two rooms for the night and meals, please." Rose answered the woman softly.

She smiled genuinely at Rose and nodded, disappearing behind the counter and into the back kitchen, returning a few minutes later with a tray. She set down a bowl of stew and a dark amber bottle in front of each of them, two in front of Donna and a glass of milk. As well as a small loaf of warm pumpernickel bread.

"The milk's for the boy." She said smiling sadly at John. "He's beautiful." She met John's eyes for a few seconds, then smiled a little brighter, ruffling the boy's hair. "Let me know if you need anything else." She stood upright and walked back behind the counter. They ate in silence, giving careful attention to their surroundings. Even John seemed to be observing quietly from his perch on Donna's lap. There were two other women dressed similarly to the one who now stood behind the counter with a few other patrons in the far corner of the room. The Doctor couldn't help the feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was just wrong here. When they finished eating, Rose approached the woman at the counter.

"We're ready for our rooms now…I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"My name is not important, my Lady," she inclined her head towards Rose in a respective gesture and came around the counter, reaching into the pocket at the side of her skirt. "Follow me."

"I can't exactly go around shoutin' 'Hey you' whenever I need somthin' can I?" Rose asked lightheartedly. The woman laughed a little sadly.

"Would be more than we usually get. But, alright. Gwines, my name is Gwines, my Lady."

"Rose…just, Rose is fine."

Gwines smiled. "Thank you…Rose." They reached the top of the stairs and Gwines opened two of the doors for them. They were thankfully next to each other. Donna offered to take John for the night so the Doctor and Rose could get reacquainted with each other. As he worked on setting up John's cot, the boy sat down beside his father, trying to help by handing him things.

'Daddy? What are slaves?' His innocent tone belied the seriousness of his question, leaving the Doctor somewhere between horrified at having to answer and proud that his boy was smart enough to ask at only two years of age. The Doctor sighed heavily.

'A slave is someone who is, basically treated like property. They are, more often than not, bought and sold like cattle and used for a variety of things, though usually labor.' John's face scrunched up at the explanation.

'Are they treated well? People take care of their property, right?'

'Sometimes…not…not often, but sometimes.'

'Is Gwines treated well, do you think?'

'No. She's…No, I don't think she is.'

'Can we buy her, Daddy? You and Mummy would be good to her. And maybe she will be happy traveling with us.'

The Doctor opened and closed his mouth several times. How could he explain? 'We can't buy her, son. It's wrong. Would make us no better than those who have her now. And since this isn't our world, we can't really interfere either. I just don't know what we can do for her.'

'Oh.' John looked bereft. 'But…can we ask her? If she wants to come, I mean.'

The Doctor smiled at John as he finished putting the cot together and hugged him. 'I'll ask in the morning, ok?'

'Ok!' John smiled, hugging his father back before going over to play with some building blocks. The Doctor watched his son play. He had been rubbish as a father before and now he worried bringing John with wasn't any better than leaving his other children behind had been. He stood up, thanked Donna for keeping the boy for the night, and then joined Rose in their room.

When the Doctor entered the room, he found Rose standing by the window. The white linen chemise she wore clung to her body, the neckline barely holding on to her shoulders. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and kissed the juncture of her neck and shoulder. She placed a hand on his arms where they crossed over her stomach and reached behind his head with the other, lacing her fingers in his hair.

"Our son has his mother's compassion." He told her.

"I'd like to think I taught him that, yeah."

"He wants me to ask Gwines to come travel with us. How do you feel about that?"

Rose gave a small laugh. "M'not surprised he would ask that. I wouldn't bother me, if she wants to come. I know she doesn't like where she is. Ask her, if she want to come, we'll take her. At least get her out of here. I know we can't save everyone, but it's a start, yeah?" The Doctor nodded behind her.

He continued to kiss along her exposed skin; across her shoulder and back up her neck. Each press of his lips to her warm flesh becoming more desperate, soft nips soon followed as he pulled her flush against him. She could feel his erection against the small of her back and his hot breath, lips and teeth on her skin. She tried to keep focus, there were things she needed to tell him, but he was not making it easy for her. She dropped her head to his shoulder to give him better access, moaning out his name as she arched into him.

He pressed himself against her as he reached for the neckline of her chemise, fisting the fabric as he pulled it away from her shoulder, nearly ripping it. He wanted to, he realized; wanted to rip it right off her and take her wherever and however she would let him. He felt her shiver and heard her breath hitch as he finished the thought. Oh, right! The ring he had given her allowed her to pick up on his thoughts when they touched. And would become stronger once they bonded, no longer needing touch to communicate.

"Arkytior…Rose. My Rose. I have missed you, my love. I have missed you with an ache in both my hearts. I have missed seeing your beautiful face each morning, your teasing smile, the depth and warmth and love in your eyes when you look at me. Even when I'm being a complete git. I have missed this," he lightly squeezed her where his arm was still wrapped around her waist, "simply holding you close, feeling your warmth, your soft skin, pressed against me."

He swallowed around the lump forming in his throat. "I have missed your scent, the sound of your laughter filling the air. And the sounds you make as I make love to you in our bed. It's been cold there, without you. I don't think I've slept in it since I lost you. I avoided sleep for as long as possible. When I had to sleep, I'd always find myself at your old bedroom door. Somehow…it gave an odd kind of comfort. Being surrounded by your things, buried under your bed sheets, holding your pillow close to my chest, I could pretend you were still with me for a while." He choked out the last as a tear fell onto Rose's shoulder.

Rose turned in his arms, reaching up to wipe the tears away from his eyes, hers glassy with the threat of her own tears. She stood up on her toes to kiss him, carefully at first, as if afraid she might break his still-fragile hearts. But when he increased the pressure, swiping his tongue along the seam of her lips, she opened up to him and gave as good as she got. Her fingers worked at the buttons of his doublet and he helped her divest himself of it, wrapping his arms around her again as it fell to the floor. As their kiss became more and more fevered, Rose moved to guide the Doctor back away from the window toward a desk against a side wall, pushing him down onto it so she could remove his boots and breeches. He stayed there, leaning on his elbows and looking up at her with love and need. His hair was more disheveled than usual, the shirt he wore hung loose and the lacing at the neck had come undone, revealing some of the smattering of hair on his chest. His hearts pounded in his chest as he watched her in anticipation. For someone with a respiratory bypass, he was having a hard time breathing properly.

She hauled him back onto his feet and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist and arms around his neck. His own arms wrapped around her for support, using the desk behind him to help keep his balance as she reached between them to align him at her entrance and sank down his length. She gave herself a moment to adjust before moving again. Two years…two excruciatingly long years since she held him in her arms. Two years since she felt his love. Two years since she said 'I love you'. Two years since that God forsaken beach. And why did her mind have to bring that up now? Why?! The question screamed in her mind now as it did then. Deep down she knew it wasn't his fault, or even his choice she had been stranded in that other universe. But those unspoken questions kept coming back.

She drew up as her hands found his skin beneath his shirt, her fingernails scratching deep marks down his back as she slammed back down his length. She repeated this, over and over, taking out two years of frustration, sexual and otherwise, on him. The Doctor just stood still, his hands keeping hold of her hips and trying to keep from falling over. He didn't try to stop her, or even slow her movements. He knew if it had been him who had taken control, he'd be pounding into her just as hard. But he could hear her questions assaulting both their minds.

'Why? Why did you leave me there? It was hell without you! Why didn't you come back for me? I needed you and you weren't there!'

'Arkytior…Rose, I…'

She cut him off with a hard, rough kiss, plundering his mouth with her tongue and he gave in to her. If she needed this, to be the one in control, he'd give her that. He only wished he could quiet her fear and anger. Well, he could, but thought perhaps it was better to let her get it out, even as he felt her shudder. She broke the kiss, moving along his jawline and down his neck with more teeth than lips. The Doctor reached behind him with one hand, better bracing himself on the desk, moving with Rose, meeting her stroke for stroke with the same force and speed. His own frustrations and guilt catching up to him.

'I tried, Arkytior sam. I tried so many times to get back to you, to bring you home. I'm sorry, sham gar'ngun, Arkytior. Rovalionn ti, forgive me.'

She bit down on his shoulder, as she fought her tears back. Fingernails digging into his back as her inner muscles tightened around him. They came together, with their names on each other's lips. Rose's grip on the Doctor tightened, burying her face in the crook of his neck, the tears she had been holding back finally came like a flood. He carried her to the bed and tried to lay her down on it, but she refused to release her hold on him. So he lay atop her, holding himself up on his elbows and dropping soft, slow, wet kisses across her body, making love to her a second time with achingly slow movements. He kissed away her tears and confessed his love over and over and whispered his name to her. When she came apart around him, it was his real name on her lips and he wished he had told her sooner.

He cleaned them up and cuddled in next to her, holding her close and resting his chin on top of her head. She snuggled into his chest and breathed in his scent; tea and honey and time. He told her of his travels since they were separated, how he regretted the way he had treated Martha, and he told her about Donna and how he had come to truly see her as the sister he never had. She comforted him at his confession of how he had treated Martha and laughed at the stories of his antics and adventures with Donna. He pulled back from her, curling a finger under her chin to lift her head toward him and kissed her tenderly.

"Will you bond with me?" He asked her tentatively and so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

She looked at him with such love and tenderness, it nearly broke his hearts. "Soki, yamu'sati. Of course I will."

He growled low, ready to pounce on her again. Wait…did she just?!... "Arkytior?"

Her eyes and skin both glowed gold as she rolled him onto his back to straddle his lap. His hearts hammered against his chest and for the briefest moment, he had the urge to run. But he held on to her hips instead as he looked up at her in awe with a healthy dose of fear. Her hands found his skin beneath his shirt, resting them over each of his hearts and gave him her tongue-touched smile.

"You remember when I told you earlier, she made it safe for me? I meant the TARDIS. That bit of artron energy that wouldn't leave, yeah? It changed me." She paused a moment to let in sink in. She slipped her hands out from under his shirt to take his hands and placed them on her chest. When he felt two heart beats, he pulled her down to hold her close.

"I'm so sorry, Rose," he whispered.

"Why are you sorry? I'm not. I can heal faster and I can heal others, if I concentrate. I seem to be aging slower. Don't know if I can regenerate. Haven't had a cause to find out and I don't plan to anytime soon. But maybe it means I can really promise you forever. And I can understand Gallifreyan. The TARDIS' song, yeah? I can understand when she's singin'" She didn't see the smile that spread across his face or the tear that slipped from his eye.

"I love you, Rose Tyler."

"I love you too, Doctor."

He could feel her wound tight around him, but she didn't feel quite right. He looked down at the woman in his arms to see that, in fact, she was not Rose. Yet, he held her for a moment more, taking in her features. Her eyes were closed from sleep and he smiled down at her. She might not be Rose, but the similarities were striking. This woman could pass for Rose's sister. She had a longer frame and more angular features. She quite reminded him of the woman who had greeted them downstairs in that aspect. Including the pointed ears, only this woman had dark blonde hair.

His hand slid from her back to her hip and he could feel the heat of her through the cooler fabric she wore. She was warmer than a human, and if he had to compare her heat to anything, he'd say she felt quite like standing too close to a fire. In fact, he'd say she felt at once like a comforting hearth and a dangerous wildfire. Touching her burned, in its own way, but he couldn't seem to get enough, didn't want to let go. Eventually though, he did, slipping out of her hold and easing out of the bed to look for the oil lamp and lighting it. He gave her another look to make sure he hadn't disturbed her and went to the desk where he found some paper and pencils. He began to draw her as he saw her; bright and beautiful. His angel, his fire. It was just as he was finishing the drawing that she stirred, sitting up to address him.

"Sati? Come back to bed, Sati," she beckoned, lifting her arms out to him, as she smiled sleepily at him. He went to her, setting the oil lamp down on the table beside the bed, blowing it out after crawling in next to her. He wrapped himself around her, resting his head on her chest, finding comfort in the sound of her heartbeat.