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She turned to look up at him. He was taller than her even in this new re-incarnation. Hundreds of different emotions ran through her body, each with it's own story, wonder, love, relief, joy, anger and forgiveness. She was lost again in those eyes, wells of knowledge and secrets that stretched over millennia in length. He in turn lost himself in the sight of her. Relishing in the thought that she might forgive him and love him again, yet dreading what consequences she might bring forth for his actions. Eventually Rose uttered a single word, tears welling in her eyes.
"Doctor?"
"Yes?"
They stood there a moment longer before Rose moved she brought her hand up and slapped him hard across his face!
"That! Was for leaving me on that beach for the second time!"
Man she could slap! The Doctor thought bitterly, and he thought Jackie's were bad! Not that he had expected otherwise, he knew she had been hurt by what he did and that he deserved retribution, what he did not expect was what came next,
"And this, was for coming back."
Then she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down into a crushing embrace, planting her lips firmly against his. It didn't matter that she knew these were different lips, she understood it was still him, even after having regenerated. Shocked the Doctor froze for a moment before his mind caught up with what was happening and he returned the kiss with equal passion. He forgot all about his worries and questions, living in that moment and giving all his attention to his Rose. They were brought back to the real world around them by Clara, who was feeling rather left out and ignored.
"So am I to suppose we're good to go?"
The Doctor and Rose broke apart in slight embarrassment, yet both were elated to have held each other in their arms once more.
"Yeah, I don't see why not, except this time, Rose? Will you come with us?"
Said the Doctor, praying over and over that she would promise to never leave him again.
"Doctor, there is nothing I would like more in this life than to spend it with you."
Replied Rose, adoration evident in her eyes as she looked up to the man she had searched for for so long. Again, she was sad at his regeneration, she knew it had meant his death, if only for that body. But it was still her doctor. Whilst the two lovebirds had forgotten her again Clara had given up and tried to get into the TARDIS. After all, it was obvious that Rose was the reason they had landed here. What surprised her, however, was that it still wouldn't open. Okay! still got a bit to go then! she thought.
"Doctor!" She called, thankful to be released from calling him 'James', it really didn't suit him! "The TARDIS still won't open! Apparently we're not done here yet."
"What do you mean? The TARDIS won't open?"
Rose asked in confusion. The Doctor frowned, like Clara he had expected the TARDIS's reason for landing was for him to find Rose. It was possible it was something else but he thought they would have noticed if something was up by now.
"When we landed here the TARDIS doors closed and she changed the lock so we couldn't get back in. I understand that this was necessary for Clara to meet you, but I don't know why she won't let us in now."
"Well, I have been here longer than both of you and I am not sure I was the only reason the TARDIS came. I was only staying at the Gate because I was investigating in this area. Otherwise I would have been staying at my old flat. It's still empty you know, no one else has moved in since my mum and I left."
"Investigating what in particular?" questioned Clara.
"My instruments are picking up an object deep out into space, it's too far out for Earth technology to detect, but it seems to be sending out a message to Earth. Again the alien technology is not being received even though the strength has been increasing since I managed to get hold of it."
"Hold up," Clara interrupted, "If Earth technology is not advanced enough to pick up the signals coming from this, object or detect it then how can you?"
"It's Gallifreyan technology, and the Doctor taught me how to use it. Back on the actual problem, all readings strongly suggest that the object is indeed a spaceship, albeit small. Probably holding a few passengers at most. Private craft most definitely. I haven't been able to decode the message but it appears to be on a relay of two words. Your thoughts, doctor?"
"My thoughts? How do you even have Gallifreyan technology?"
"Oh, have you forgotten the piece of coral you gave us to grow?"
Thick you are today aren't you! He thought to himself. Of course that was it! Mind you why couldn't he detect it and why wasn't the translation working? Anyway, time for that later, they needed to find out what was going on here and he didn't like the sound of it. Two words? Two words had always given him trouble. Sounded too much like what Donna had said to him before revealing that the whole of reality was in danger!
"Right!" he said, "Let's find your TARDIS and I'll listen to the message. I can translate and we can sort this out and leave, though I don't know why my TARDIS can't just bring the fact to attention after she's let us in."
"Ahem?"
That was Clara. She had moved over and tried the TARDIS door again. She had thought of it as soon as Rose mentioned the Gallifreyan technology. The TARDIS simply needed to get the message across that they weren't finished here. She knew the Doctor wouldn't leave if he thought there was something going on and after a reunion like that she highly doubted Rose would have remembered to tell otherwise.
She was right. The TARDIS was unlocked and opened when she pulled the door. Clara had learned early on that though the TARDIS tolerated the doors being opened the wrong way she extremely disliked it. The Doctor and Rose looked over at the sound of her voice and smiles lit up their faces as they looked at each other and then ran over to join Clara inside the console room. Sure enough the Doctor's TARDIS had picked up the same signal as Rose's and was beeping out in notification from a flashing screen. Not that Rose noticed. She was shocked at the change in the console room from when she had last traveled with the Doctor. The coral beams were gone, and it seemed so, so open! They were standing on a platform suspended in the middle of the room along with the main console. The drop behind the railings just served to increase the palatial atmosphere that was contained in the TARDIS. It was like an empty amphitheater marked only by the main console in the center, which still had the six sections but the corners were so much sharper, like an actual hexagon.
Clara and the doctor, who had seen it all before went straight to the console to check the flashing screen. Rose was right, it was two words, two words that had the Doctor scared silly. That was rare. No, oh no, no, no you don't! He thought frantically. This was not good! Give me Daleks and Cybermen any day just not this! And that was saying a lot, considering his history with those two species! No, you know what? I'm just going to leave now and that's it! This he directed towards the TARDIS, who in retaliation formed an ANSWER button on the console, conveniently written in English. Before the Doctor could move to stop her Clara's human inquisition had peaked and she had pressed the button. Horror filled him and he swore Clara was going to pay for that later. Until then he was just going to have to face this, to face those two words.
Again thank you for all the attention this story is getting!
Also: If anyone can correctly guess the two words I'll shout out to them in the next chapter!
