The dreams had faded slightly over the nearly three months since she was trapped in the parallel universe; they would only rear their ugly heads a few times per week rather than every night. She would awake crying, knowing from the instant she awoke that the Doctor was not with her.
She usually consoled herself by rubbing her lower belly. If she couldn't be with the Doctor, at least she could have his child. Her normally flat stomach had become slightly rounded with the 12-week-old fetus that was growing inside of her. She stroked her abdomen, talking softly to her unborn child, as she drifted back to sleep.
The Doctor was calling her. "Rose…" she could hear faintly. "Come to me, Rose." It was as if her mind was taunting her. In this dream, she was aware that the Doctor was gone. Why was he forcing her to hear the voice that she could never hear again? "Rose, Dålig Ulv Stranden," it was saying.
Rose awoke with a start. She knew right away she was alone, for she had been alone in her dream. Tears ran down her face – did this mean her Doctor would never visit her in her sleep again?
"Rose…" whispered a voice. I must be delusional, she thought. She was awake, but still hearing the Doctor's voice calling to her. "Dålig Ulv Stranden," the voice called. It was clearer this time. Rose's heart began racing; her palms began to sweat. The Doctor was calling to her.
She jumped out of bed and threw on a robe before running out into the hallway. She didn't bother to check the clock – it was nearly 3 in the morning. She ran as fast as her aching back would allow to her parents' room, but was stopped by a locked door. Dammit, she thought, those two have been going at it like rabbits for three months now.
Between her angry bangs on the door, she heard the bed squeak as someone grudgingly awoke. The door opened, and Pete's tiredness turned to worry as he saw the frantic expression on his daughter's face. "Rose, what is it? What's wrong?" he prodded, turning on the light.
"Wake mum, and come downstairs," Rose said. "There's something I've got to tell you. I'm going to wake Mickey."
Mickey had been staying with the Tylers since they arrived in the parallel dimension. He found that, having lost his grandmother so many years ago, seeing her face every day was bittersweet. So, he preferred to stay with Rose in her father's rather large estate, popping home to visit Gran every once in a while. He and Rose had never resumed their relationship; after seeing the heartbreak painted on Rose's face after losing the Doctor, he knew they could not be together again. She had never looked at him with those eyes.
The slightly-pregnant Rose flew into Mickey's room and ripped the covers off of his bed. "Mickey, wake up," she prodded. Mickey gave a disgruntled groan in response. "Mickey, seriously, it's important. I think I heard the Doctor."
At this, Mickey looked up at Rose with an expression of concern, and saw the hysterical look in her eyes. "Alright," he agreed, "I'll be down in a minute."
Rose ran down the stairs to see her mother and father sitting on the couch, holding hands. "What is it, Rose?" asked Jackie. "Is there something wrong with the baby?
Mickey began descending the stairs as Rose replied, "No, mum. But I heard the doctor. He spoke to me. He wants me to come to him."
"Oh, Rose," started her mother. The look in her eyes was one of pity – didn't her daughter realize that it was impossible? "Rose, sweetheart, you know that can't happen."
"But he said something, Mum. He said 'Dålig Ulv Stranden.' I don't know what it means, but he wants me to know something," Rose claimed. She wanted desperately for it to be true, for him to be calling to her. Had it been anyone else she was talking to, they wouldn't have believed her. But, they had met the Doctor – they knew anything was possible.
"'Dålig Ulv Stranden?' That's not English," said Pete, who was clearly thinking through what Rose had told him. He walked over to the desk in the corner of the room, where a computer rested.
"Do you know what it means?" said Mickey. He did not appear to be fully awake yet, but was willing to be there for Rose.
"No," called Pete from the corner of the room. "But I'm looking it up now." There was silence except for the rapid ticking of keys on the keyboard. "Here we go. It's a bay in Norway, about twenty hours driving."
"Well, we ought to leave now, then," said Rose, standing up off of the couch. Jackie grabbed her by the arm and spun her around.
"What do you mean, leave?" she said sharply. "We're going to drive to Norway?"
"Mother, you once sent me on a spaceship alone to find this man. Norway's quite a bit closer, don't you think?" Rose retorted.
"I agree with Rose," piped up Pete. "If there's a chance, any chance at all for my grandchild to have a father, we ought to take it." Mickey nodded his assent.
"Alright, then. I suppose I better go pack. Twenty hours, you said?" asked Jackie mournfully.
"Yes. I'll go start the car," Pete replied, walking out of the room.
Minutes later, they had packed up and began driving into the early hours of the morning. Pete was driving with Jackie in the front seat. Mickey and Rose shared the back.
Jackie, Pete, and Mickey played stupid games to pass the time. They counted red cars, looked for strange street signs, and played I Spy. But Rose spoke very little. She stared out the window, silent tears rolling down her face, rubbing her rounded stomach. It wasn't easily seen through her clothes, but when she lifted her shirt, you could see the slight bulge of the baby inside of her. With all of her willpower, she tried not to hope that the Doctor would come and take her away again. But it was too late – her hopes were held high, and she had the foreboding sense that she would be disappointed.
Rose was awakened by the stillness of the car. Blinking in the bright light, she looked around. "Are we here?"
"Yes," Jackie replied, turning to face her daughter. "We made good time – your dad's never been one to obey the speed limits," she said, nudging Pete playfully. She looked at the empty beach in front of her. "What do you suppose we do now?"
Rose didn't reply, but stepped out of the car silently. Pete followed, climbing out and placing an arm around his daughter.
"What exactly did you say this translated to in English, Dad?" Rose asked.
"I didn't say, but I believe it's called 'Bad Wolf Bay."