AN: This chapter is 10,000 words long. It's mostly fluff, though the first section is a bit rough.
Chapter Four: The Bonds of Love
In the Doctor's mind, Pluvon was a watershed moment in their healing. After coming to terms with their deepest fears, he expected the healing process to be nearly complete. So he was surprised a month after Pluvon when Rose withdrew and seemed to lose her appetite—classic signs of depression.
On the fifth day, he felt his brows knit together as he watched Rose during breakfast. He'd made eggs and soldiers, hoping her favourite comfort food would encourage her to eat. Instead, she picked at the meal, taking a few bites, but leaving most of it behind.
"Are you feeling ill, Rose?"
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm all right, Doctor."
The words could simply mean that she wasn't feeling ill, but they still made the Doctor's concern deepen. He looked at her critically, taking in the dark circles under her eyes and slumped shoulders with new eyes.
"Have you been sleeping well?"
She pushed a piece of toast around on the plate with her fork. "Not much," she admitted finally. "I've kinda… there's something bothering me, and the TARDIS has been helping me a bit in the zero room."
The Doctor reached for her hand, and she flinched away from him. He couldn't hide his hurt, and she flashed him a completely unconvincing smile.
"You know you can tell me anything, don't you, Rose?"
It felt like a stupid question to ask. They'd shared a telepathic bond for three years now, and been married nearly that long. It took far more effort to keep things from each other than it did to share their thoughts freely.
And yet it was an effort Rose was expending, and had been for four days. When she looked up at him with haunted eyes, he knew there was something she was purposely keeping from him.
"I… I'm not ready yet," she whispered. "Is that okay?"
The Doctor dropped his hand to his knee and clenched it into a fist. It wasn't okay. Rose was hurting, and she wouldn't let him help. But on the other hand, Rose was hurting and she didn't want his help, and he wouldn't force her, just because he thought he knew what was best.
"All right," he agreed, almost choking on the words. "But if you want me…"
"I know where to find you," she promised. Another wan smile crossed her face. "I really will be fine."
The Doctor tried, he really did. But when he felt Rose enter the zero room that afternoon, his resolve broke. He knew deep in his gut that this was not something she could handle by herself, even though she was determined to do so.
"Right," he muttered as he hoisted himself up onto the grating. "I can go join her in the zero room, if I want to. You're my ship too, after all."
The TARDIS didn't seem to agree. The Doctor wandered the corridors for two hours, constantly going in circles and getting caught in dead ends. "I just want to help her," he growled finally when he was sent down the tenth dead-end corridor. "I'm worried about her—she isn't eating or sleeping, and she won't tell me why."
The ship rolled her eyes; clearly, she thought the Doctor should know the reason. Well I don't know why, he countered. Rose hasn't told me, and she's asked me not to poke around those thoughts. How am I supposed to know if she won't tell me?
Rose exited the zero room before the TARDIS could offer a retort, and he sucked in a breath at the turmoil she was projecting. He couldn't swear to it without seeing her, but he was fairly certain she'd been crying.
The bond led him to the library. The door was open, and a soft warning from the TARDIS encouraged the Doctor to quietly push the door open and observe her for a minute before announcing his presence.
There was a fire going in the fireplace, and Rose was sitting on the couch, staring into the flames. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, but despite the fact that he knew she was exhausted, she didn't seem to be falling asleep.
The Doctor frowned; if feelings had colours, then every single one he was picking up from Rose was blue.
He stepped quietly into the library and walked around to the front of the couch, waiting until she blinked her bleary, red-rimmed eyes up at him before he spoke. "Is this seat taken?" he asked, pointing at the spot beside her.
That didn't even get a smile from Rose. She did shake her head and pat the cushion though, so he knew he was welcome to join her.
"What's bothering you, Rose?" he asked quietly once he'd sat down. He wanted to reach for her, but he could tell, somehow, that she wasn't in the mood to be held. That alone was unusual enough to be alarming.
She bit her lip, and he waited patiently for her to tell him. "Do you know what day it is?" she asked finally. "And don't say time is irrelevant in the Vortex, or whatever. If we count our days from the day we met, then this is the fifth of July."
The Doctor frowned; the date itself meant nothing to him, but he knew their wedding anniversary was three months away. What happened three months before our anniversary?
Unease knotted in his gut when he framed the question like that. Something had happened three months before their anniversary… something major. What was it?
He looked at Rose, sitting with her head resting on her knees. Whatever it was, she didn't want to think about it.
The Doctor felt like the wind had been knocked out of him when he finally got it. Reeling from shock, his body sagged against the couch. His right arm shot out, looking for Rose, and as soon as he found her, he pulled her into his lap and held her tight.
In return, she wrapped her arms around him, one hand on his shoulder and the other holding his head to her breast as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Breathe, Doctor," she murmured, and he realised the tightness in his chest was his body begging for air.
He gasped, and oxygen poured into his body. "What day?" he whispered.
Her fingers paused in stroking his hair. "You don't remember?"
The Doctor shifted his head to look up at her. "I was in a catatonic coma for nearly three days afterwards," he bit out.
Rose flinched, and he kissed her cheek, while also passing an apology over the bond.
"I'm sorry," he told her. "It's just… it's a bit disconcerting to realise I honestly don't remember the date when the bond broke."
She relaxed, and the soothing motion in his hair resumed. "It's tomorrow."
The Doctor stilled. "You've been fretting about this for days. Why didn't you tell me?"
She looked away from him. "Well, at first I thought you'd remember and maybe say something yourself. But then I realised that somehow, you didn't know… And we've been doing so much better lately. I didn't want to dig up all those old memories."
Memories… The Doctor narrowed his eyes. "That's why you haven't been sleeping," he deduced. "You knew you would have nightmares if you did, and you were that determined to protect me."
Rose still wouldn't meet his gaze, and he had to fight back his impatience. "Please don't do that, Rose," he said quietly. "Don't sacrifice your well-being to keep me in blissful ignorance."
"I've slept some in the zero room," she protested. "S'calm in there."
Her feeble protest was ruined by an enormous yawn. The Doctor shook his head. "How much sleep have you gotten? A few hours, three times? Over the course of five days now? Even you need more than that, love."
He carefully stood up with her in his arms, only smiling a little when she squealed and tightened her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
"Carrying you to bed," he said matter-of-factly.
She went completely stiff in his arms, something he'd never experienced before. The Doctor stopped and looked down at her. "Rose?"
"Please don't," she whimpered. "Don't make me sleep. I don't want to see it again."
The Doctor slowly set her down, but held her hand firmly in his. "Come on, let's go get into our pyjamas and talk," he said, keeping his voice soft.
Rose's chin wobbled, and she nodded jerkily. "I… yeah… yeah, I guess…"
They changed for bed in silence, then pulled down the duvet and sat down with their backs against the headboard. "Why do I feel like there's something about that day that you haven't told me?" the Doctor asked quietly.
Rose flinched. "Maybe because there is," she admitted.
He waited, and when she didn't continue, he took her hand and said, "Maybe you could tell me now? I understand your reluctance for me to find out through your nightmares, and since we will be sleeping tonight, that means you should tell me first."
Rose drew a shuddering breath and cuddled closer to him. "It was… he came into my room…" She sobbed and shook her head. "I can't. I can't tell you."
The Doctor looked at her. "Would you rather show me?"
She nodded, then closed her eyes. A moment later, the Doctor felt her open the bond, enough for her to call up a memory and project it to him, so he could see exactly what the Master had done.
The Doctor's free hand clenched into a fist when the Master pulled out the necklace that they now knew would cut Rose off from all telepathic contact. He hated to admit it, but that really was a genius solution to the "problem" their bond had presented to the Master.
I should have realised he would try something like that.
Rose shifted and put a hand over his right heart. Don't, she told him. You are not responsible for anything the Master did.
The Doctor pressed his lips together, but finally, he nodded. It was hard to believe Rose didn't hold that against him, but he could tell she really didn't.
Can I keep going now? she teased.
Yeah, of course. Sorry.
They watched the memory unfold through Rose's eyes. The Doctor wanted to cry again when she started sassing back at the Master. Such a Gryffindor, he pointed out, and the real Rose kissed him on the cheek.
He did cry when Memory Rose told her Doctor she loved him. He vividly remembered the terror of that moment, and the agony that followed.
Even the memory of the bond breaking sent an echo of pain over the bond. Rose moaned and reached for her head, and the Doctor pulled her into his lap and pressed kisses to her temple.
Shhhh, he told her, even as he fought the ache in his own head. It's only a memory. We're safe; we're home.
Rose wiped the tears from her eyes. That's not the worst part, she warned him.
He started to ask how it could possibly get any worse… then the Master turned the volume on the CCTV up, and his own anguished cries filled her memory. Oh. Oh, Rose. I'm so sorry, love, he told her, wrapping his arms more tightly around her waist.
You see why I didn't want to be the one to remind you? she said. I watched you mourn and writhe in pain a year ago. I can't think about those first few hours after the bond broke without remembering the way your voice cracked as you called my name.
The memory ended with a closing image of Memory Rose crying herself to sleep. The Doctor held the real Rose close as she cried on his shoulder, and once her tears ended, he shifted them so they were lying down, facing each other.
"I think I owe you an apology, love." He brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
"What? Why?"
"Because all this time, even though I knew he made you watch, I've thought I had the worst experience with the bond breaking."
"You did," she protested. "You thought I was dead for three months. I only had maybe… fifteen seconds before I looked at the screen and realised what he'd done. You grieved, Doctor. I didn't have to do that."
The Doctor shook his head. "That's what I thought, too. But I didn't realise… Rose, you watched me grieve. You saw me in pain, and you couldn't do anything about it." He shuddered. "I remember how much it hurt when the Master had his goons beat you, and this must have been ten times worse."
More tears slipped down Rose's cheek and onto her pillow. "He would taunt me with how badly you were doing. I hated him so much when he took my ring, just so he could torment you with the inscription."
The Doctor ground his teeth together. He'd almost managed to forget that artful jab. "He was a bastard," he said succinctly. "And thankfully, he's dead. We'll never have to deal with him again."
Rose sniffed and shifted closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I don't wanna talk about him anymore," she mumbled, the words slurring slightly as her exhaustion pushed through the emotional trauma.
"Then we won't. Not right now, at least." He stroked her hair and smiled when her breathing evened out. "Go to sleep, love. I'll be right here when the nightmares come."
She was asleep in minutes, but the Doctor didn't stop the rhythmic movement of his hand. Soothing Rose gave him as much comfort as it did her, and he needed it right now. Watching what the Master had put Rose through on the worst day of their life had finally broken through the last of his sentimental affection for his old friend. He pressed a kiss to Rose's forehead and hoped fervently that the Master didn't manage to trick death yet again.
oOoOoOoOo
The next morning, Rose sat in the galley with a cup of tea while the Doctor made lighter-than-air Belgian waffles. There were raspberries and whipped cream on the table already, and bacon was sizzling in the frying pan. She'd offered to help, but he'd handed her the mug of tea and pulled out a chair for her.
"Just sit and wait while I cook," he instructed.
Rose swallowed a sigh and took a sip of her tea. She knew what he was doing. His manic energy bristled beneath the calm actions. This was part of the reason she hadn't wanted to tell him what day today was—she'd known it would send him into a frenzy of activity, determined to avoid the significance of the day, and she didn't have the energy to keep up with him.
The waffles and bacon were ready at the same time, and he spun around, a plate in each hand and a wide grin on his face. "Are you ready for the best breakfast you've ever had, Rose Tyler? You can't have a good day without starting right with a good breakfast, you know."
She swallowed a sigh and took the plate he offered. "Of course, Doctor." Despite her low mood, she had to admit the waffles looked delicious.
The room was quiet for a few minutes as they both enjoyed the food, but after eating half his waffle, the Doctor drank some tea and sat back in his chair. Rose tensed, pretty sure she knew what was coming.
"So. Where would you like to go today? We've been spending a lot of time on beaches lately—I thought maybe we could visit the mountains? Or the prairie! Amber waves of grain, Rose. Have you ever seen the way the wind moves over a field, and how it displays the shifting shades of gold as the wheat ripens?"
"Doctor…"
"Oh! Or maybe it's time for another trip to Earth's past. We never did make it to Victorian Naples, or the Ian Dury concert, for that matter."
"I think…"
"Or a marketplace? Do a little shopping? Retail therapy?"
"I don't want retail therapy," Rose mumbled.
"Then where do you want to go? Anywhere you want."
Rose picked up her mug and wrapped her hands around it. "Can we… I just… I don't want to go anywhere," she admitted finally.
He frowned, and Rose could feel his impatience and panic roiling beneath the surface of the bond. "Don't you want to go do something to… distract ourselves from what today is?" He leaned forward slightly. "Wouldn't it be easier if we pretended it never happened?"
"I don't want to pretend it never happened." she retorted. "I want it to actually never have happened. But since I can't have that, I want to face it and move on, so that this day doesn't haunt us every year for the rest of our lives."
The Doctor slumped. "You're right. I know you're right. But I'm not much good at this "facing the difficult past" bit. I do better at running."
Rose stood up and moved around the table to sit in his lap. "I know. But I don't want to be running from this forever. And… and I'm tired, Doctor. I want to stay here, at home, with you." She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Nothing will make me feel safer than that."
The Doctor made himself look at her—really look at her. Despite sleeping for seven hours the night before, there were still dark shadows under her eyes. And if he were honest, he could feel the emotional exhaustion pouring off of her, too.
Truthfully, the notion of staying completely safe from all danger appealed to him as well. He hugged her tight, feeling his urge to run settle when she rested her head on his shoulder. "Then we'll stay home," he agreed.
In the end, they stayed home for two weeks, the longest stretch of time they'd gone without travelling since right after Christmas. Rose's nightmares were not easily slain, and the Doctor battled his own revived memories of those first few days without the bond.
The TARDIS prodded at them one morning, asking to take them somewhere. The Doctor and Rose looked at the ceiling, then at each other. "It's your call, love," the Doctor said finally.
Rose bit her lip, but still nodded slowly. "Yeah. All right. I trust you, old girl."
They were buffeted by a wave of affection as they walked to the console room, where the time rotor was already in motion. "Well. It seems she doesn't want us to waste any time." The Doctor checked the coordinates before he opened the door; after all, it had been the TARDIS who had taken them to a Pluvonian monsoon.
His worries were groundless, and he and Rose had a delightful afternoon on the market planet of Klapar. That one trip broke their last reservations about travelling, and soon, they were back to their life of hopping around the galaxy.
One thought nagged at Rose as the weeks went on, however. Their third anniversary was now only two months away, and she had no idea what to get the Doctor. He'd taken a clandestine trip a few nights before and returned pleased as punch, so she knew he already had something planned.
"And his gifts are always so perfect," she muttered as she hiked through the pear orchard room. "He loves my paintings, but I want to give him something different this time."
She pressed her hand to the door of the fairytale cottage. "Any ideas, dear?" she asked as she stepped inside.
It wasn't really a surprise when she found a velvet pouch on the table. She tipped the contents out into the palm of her hand and held one of the gemstones up to the light. It was intensely brilliant, shining with a blue and pink light. "Is it a diamond?" she asked.
The TARDIS hesitated, then gave a non-committal answer she interpreted to be, In a way.
Rose put the stones back in the bag for safekeeping. "Well then, I think we need to make a trip to Juvelo and Juvelo," she said, referring to the jewellers who had helped with their wedding bands. She slid the bag into her pocket and started for the door. "Can you make sure we land only a few years after we were there the first time?"
She felt the time ship begin her trip through the Vortex as she entered the corridor. The Doctor sent her a query over the bond, as she'd known he would, and she smirked.
My turn to take a secret trip, love, she told him. Stay where you are until I get home—and no peeking at the coordinates later.
As you wish.
Rose's heart turned over, and she sent her love back to him. There had been times in the last year when she really hadn't known if they would make it to the other side of healing. But then they'd moved past both their worst fight ever and the worst day of remembrance, and come out stronger on the other side.
The TARDIS landed as she reached the console room, and Rose grabbed a jacket and her purse on her way out the door. They were in the same park as before, and she called upon the three-year-old memories to lead her to the jewellers'.
When she entered the shop, Zeyyn was manning the counter while Xira worked on a project in the work room at the back, half-hidden by a curtain that was partly closed. "Hello." Rose waved awkwardly. "I don't know if you remember me; I bought my husband's wedding band from you a few years ago?"
Zeyyn rocked back on his heels, an odd smile on his face. "Of course, Miss Tyler. The couple with the unique circular engraving."
"Yeah, that's us." Rose reached into her pocket. "Anyway, our anniversary is coming up, and I wondered if you would be able to do a custom piece for my husband." She placed the velvet pouch on the counter in front of Zeyyn. "Could you maybe use these and make a pair of cufflinks?"
The jeweller poured the stones out into his hand and looked at one through his loupe. "Are you aware of what you have here, Miss Tyler?" he asked after a long moment.
Rose shifted her weight from one foot to the next. "It's a type of diamond," she said, trying to sound certain and not questioning.
"In the most basic sense, yes." Zeyyn set his loupe down on the counter and turned the stone in his hand. "Do you see the way it catches and holds the light? You would not find that brilliant quality in a standard diamond." He looked up at Rose. "This is a white point star. Until today, I had only seen them in books. They originated on one planet only, and legend has it, that world was destroyed."
Rose's heart stopped. "Gallifrey," she whispered.
The jeweller nodded solemnly. "After your last visit, my sister and I researched the language of your inscription. Circular Gallifreyan—no wonder we had never seen it before."
Xira came up front to join them. "We're honoured the last two of the Time Lords came to us for something so precious."
Rose stared at the stone, her lip caught between her teeth. Gallifrey was one subject on which the Doctor was completely unpredictable. Even after five years together, she could never tell if mention of his home planet would send him into melancholy for a day, or incite a rant against the High Council, or just bring up bittersweet memories.
The TARDIS had suggested it though, and while the ship certainly had her own ideas of what they needed, she was usually right. Rose nodded and reached into her purse for her pencil and sketch pad.
"This is what I was thinking," she said when she was done.
Zeyyn picked up the sketch and nodded his approval. "You are an excellent artist, Miss Tyler. Have you studied jewellery design at all?"
Rose shook her head. "It'll work, won't it? I'm sure it's a little unusual, but the Doctor said you're the best metal workers in the galaxy."
"Oh, it won't be a problem," he assured her.
She exhaled. "Oh, good. And when will you have it done?"
The siblings exchanged a look. "We have several clients ahead of you. Allowing time to work on their commissions first, and to cut the stones as you specified and do the intricate metal work, I think we could have this done in a month."
Rose bit back a sigh, and Xira raised an amused eyebrow. "The legends said Time Lords could travel in time," she reminded, her voice mild. "Though I would like to point out that if you skip ahead until your order is complete, you'll still have to wait to give it to the Doctor."
"Yeah." Rose chuckled. "And it's not easy, keeping things from him. All right, fine. I'll see you in a month. Linear time."
oOoOoOoOo
The morning of their third anniversary was one of the rare times Rose woke up first. She stretched out, enjoying the crisp, smooth feeling of the hotel sheets against her bare legs. Her foot brushed against the Doctor's leg, but he grunted incoherently and went back to sleep.
Rose laughed silently, then placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and climbed out of bed. The sunlight streaming in through the picture window called to her, and she went to bask in it.
Barcelona. The view still took her breath away as much as it had over three years ago. The cliffs rose off to her right, exactly like she remembered, and she could smell the salt breeze through the open window.
But the air seemed clearer, the sky bluer, the perfume of tropical flowers more heady. The difference, she knew, lay in the struggle they'd gone through to get here.
Yesterday, the Doctor had crowed jubilantly as they'd stepped out of the TARDIS into the balmy, tropical air. Rose's laughter had stilled when he'd spun around and wagged a finger at her. "Don't tell me you didn't doubt we'd actually make it this year, after being thwarted twice."
He was right, and he knew it. He was as familiar with her pessimistic fears as she was with his. Maybe finally making this trip would help diminish the trepidation they still felt every time they left the TARDIS.
The Doctor's presence in her mind slowly brightened as he woke up, and a moment later, she heard the sheets rustle as he got out of bed. Rose sighed when he wrapped his arms around her waist.
He nuzzled her hair out of the way and kissed her shoulder. "Happy anniversary, Rose."
A smile stretched across her face, and she turned in the circle of his arms so she could look at him properly. The warm happiness she could feel over the bond glowed in his eyes. "Happy anniversary, Doctor."
She reached up and brushed her knuckles over his cheek, then closed her eyes and leaned into him when he bent down to kiss her. As their lips met, she mirrored the tender caress on the bond, sighing into his mouth when he did the same thing. The combination of physical and telepathic intimacy still made her weak in the knees, even after three and a half years.
He finally released her lips with a soft pop, and Rose's eyes fluttered open. The Doctor brushed his thumb over her lower lip, his eyes darkening when Rose's tongue darted out to taste it. He pushed a strand of hair over her ear, then traced a line down her back with a single finger.
"You know, this is the first time I've brought you to Barcelona without some kind of interference."
Rose blinked up at him, trying to focus on the conversation and not the way his hand felt, resting above the curve of her bum. "What do you mean?" She reconsidered as soon as she said it. "I mean, outside of trying to get here two years in a row and being without the TARDIS both times. But our landing was perfect the first time we came here, too."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "You're clearly not remembering the first time I tried to bring you here. Woolwich? The Hoix?"
Laughter sparkled in Rose's eyes, and she shook her head teasingly as she draped her arms around his neck. "We got here eventually, though, didn't we?"
"But I wanted to take you someplace special for our first time."
"Oh, but I'm glad we were home for that," she confessed. "Those twelve days we spent in the Vortex… that was the perfect way for your room to become our room." She licked her lips, then looked up at the Doctor through her eyelashes. "Plus, I like being reminded of such a special moment every time I walk into our room."
The Doctor's hands glided over her silky nightgown to rest on her hips, and Rose played with the hair at the nape of his neck. "You're right," he agreed. "Our first time was perfect, and I wouldn't change a thing. Not now. But I can't tell you how frustrated I was when I thought we'd landed here, and you looked out the door and said, 'Warehouses, Doctor? You take me to the nicest places…'"
Rose laughed again, and he couldn't resist leaning down to plant kisses along her exposed neck. When he reached the hollow of her throat and suckled at the soft skin there, her giggles broke off on a gasp. She sighed and tilted her head back in clear invitation. The Doctor hid his smile against her clavicle, then scraped his teeth over that sensitive spot before laving it with his tongue.
The taste of her desire aroused him, as it always did, but it was the sweetness of her happiness that made him groan against her throat. The idea that he could make Rose this happy, simply by loving her and being with her, was more powerful than any aphrodisiac.
Her hands moved restlessly over his bare back, then into his hair again. "Doctor."
Thoughts were swirling in her mind, but he could tell she was having trouble concentrating on what she wanted to say. He grinned again, then straightened up and admired the reddish bruise that was already forming on her neck.
"Yes, love?"
She scratched his back lightly. "Maybe you could show me what you had planned, if we'd made it to Barcelona that day?"
Rose's suggestion stirred up the memories of his aborted plans, and he quickly went over the necessary arrangements he'd need to make. "Tonight," he promised. "Those plans require getting dressed and leaving our room, neither of which I'm inclined to do at the moment."
He scooped Rose up and carried her to the bed. "Now, where was I?" he teased as he set her down and then stretched out beside her. He traced the outline of the love bite he'd left earlier, then smiled wickedly at her. "Oh, thats right," he whispered against her skin as he licked at it. "Right here."
oOoOoOoOo
Rose hummed to herself as she got ready for dinner. She'd let the Doctor clean up after their day lazing in the sun, but then had shooed him out of their room. She'd tucked something into her bag that would make today the perfect reenactment of those foiled plans, and she wanted it to be a surprise.
The turquoise sundress shook out completely wrinkle free, and Rose blessed futuristic fabrics for their practicality. After months of travelling to warm climates, her pale skin was sun-kissed, setting off the colour of the dress even better than it had the first time she'd put it on, over three years ago.
After putting on a pair of sandals, Rose did a quick twirl in front of the mirror. The skirt flared out around her knees in a way that made her hope the Doctor planned to take her dancing. When she stopped and looked at her reflection, her hair floated around her face in loose waves and her cheeks were pink with excitement.
Her neck looked bare, though. Rose had ignored the jewellery box the TARDIS had slipped into her bag, but now she pulled out the simple diamond necklace the Doctor had given her for her twenty-third birthday. She hadn't worn anything around her neck except for her key since they'd left the Valiant, but maybe it was time.
She fumbled with the clasp, but once it was hooked and the cool metal of the setting rested against her skin, a weight lifted from her shoulders. Bit by bit, they were taking back their life.
Plus, she thought as she looked in the mirror again, it looks perfect with this dress.
She picked up her purse and left the room. I'm coming down. Prepare to be dazzled, love.
You always dazzle me, and I'm never prepared, he replied immediately.
Rose clutched her handbag and made a quick change in direction, going down the stairs instead of the lift. He was always so caught up with her appearance that she never really got a chance to admire his. Just for once, I want to see him first, she thought as she quickly descended four flights of stairs.
When she pushed open the lobby door, the Doctor's back was to her. Rose's hand went to her throat and ended up grasping her necklace as she stared at him.
He'd left his suit jacket in their room, so she could admire the way the dark blue Oxford stretched over his shoulders. His hands were shoved in his pockets, and she could see a glimpse of bare forearms exposed by his rolled up sleeves. Brown pinstriped trousers showed off his perfect arse.
Rose? The Doctor raked his hand through his hair, and Rose imagined how those fingers would feel later tonight as they explored her body.
She took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows. He could tell she was there somewhere, and she was ready to get on with the next part of the evening.
"I'm right here, Doctor."
He turned towards her voice, and his eyes widened when he saw what she was wearing. "Really getting into reliving the old plans, are you?"
She smiled when he reached for her, his hand going around her waist and pulling her close. "I brought it on a whim," she confessed. "But it seemed like the right thing to wear tonight."
He tapped the diamonds resting on her bare chest. "And you're wearing your necklace."
"Yeah. I was ready." The Doctor beamed down at her, eyes full of pride, and Rose took advantage of the heel of her sandals to stretch up to kiss him quickly. Then she straightened his tie and took a step back. "Now, where to?"
The Doctor reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "A part of Barcelona I've never shown you." They left the hotel, and he led them for the cliff face instead of the paths that would lead them into town.
"Doctor?"
He smiled down at her. "You'll love it, I promise."
The sun was sinking towards the horizon when they reached the clifftop, and the Doctor patted himself on the back for timing the evening perfectly. Rose walked faster when she spotted the ticket office.
"Is it a chair lift down the side of the cliff?" she guessed.
The Doctor beamed at her. "Yep! Rated the best view in Barcelona for fifteen years and counting."
"Sixteen," the ticket agent corrected.
Rose nudged the Doctor in the ribs before he could argue. Maybe we're here a year later than you thought, she pointed out.
He nodded. "Sixteen. Right. I forgot that this year's results had come out."
The agent shrugged and held out his hand. "Two return tickets will be thirty credits."
Five minutes later, the Doctor helped Rose get comfortable in the wide chair lift and waved at the operator who brought the safety bar down over their laps. She smiled up at him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Best view in Barcelona, huh?"
"Oh yes," he assured her. "And I think I've timed it just right…"
"Well, you are a Time Lord, after all."
Her tongue teased him, and he ducked his head down to kiss her quickly. "That I am," he agreed after he pulled back. "Now stop distracting me, or we're going to miss the show."
They dropped over the edge of the cliff, and Rose's giggle turned into a gasp. The sun was low on the horizon over the azure waters of the Barcelonian sea. Wispy clouds had moved in during the late afternoon and now caught the pink and purple rays of the setting sun.
But the Doctor was more interested in how the shifting colours danced over Rose's features. Her blonde hair caught the pink light of the sun, making it look like rose gold. He reached out and brushed a strand out of her face, and she turned to look up at him.
My pink and yellow Rose, he said as he leaned down to kiss her. Happy anniversary.
Rose sighed when he caught her lower lip between his. Happy anniversary, Doctor.
Her hand crept up over his shoulder to play with the hairs at the nape of his neck, making the Doctor shiver. He nipped at her lip, then slowly pulled out of the kiss. Rose pouted up at him, and he shook his head. "We're missing the view," he told her, nodding to the sky.
She sighed, but settled against his side. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rested his head on top of hers. Sea birds were silhouetted in the setting sun, soaring over the waves and diving down into the water when they spotted a possible dinner.
"So, this was part of your original plan?"
Rose rested her right hand on his left knee and absently traced patterns over it with her index finger. He could tell she wasn't aware of what she was doing, which made it even more intoxicating.
"Doctor?"
The Doctor blinked; Rose had asked him a question… "Oh! Yes, sorry." He looked down at her again, admiring the pink glow to her skin. "And the view is as perfect as I imagined it would be."
A blush spread over Rose's cheeks that could not be attributed to the sunset. "Well, you're as dashing as I thought you'd be. Though back then, I didn't know how impressive your skills at romance were—this would have absolutely stunned me."
He hummed happily and pulled her closer. "Well, if you think this is impressive, wait until you see where we're going to have dinner."
Rose smiled and leaned against him to watch the view, but to her surprise, the sunset disappeared only a few minutes later when the chair lift lowered them through a hole in an outcropping. She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the cave they'd entered. The salty tang of the sea air was even sharper in the enclosed space, and goosebumps broke out on Rose's bare arms.
The Doctor rubbed her arms briskly. "It'll warm up in a minute," he murmured. "See, it's already getting lighter."
He was right. The shaft they were in appeared to be opening up, letting more light in as they neared the bottom. "Did they build a restaurant in the cliff?" Rose asked.
"Yep! Just wait until you see it though—it's truly indescribable, Rose."
A uniformed employee let them out of the chair lift when they reached the cave floor, then led them through the maze of tables to one situated against the railing at the front of the cave. Rose waited until they were seated and the server had walked away to lean over the table and whisper, "Did you use the TARDIS this afternoon to go back and make a reservation for the best table they have?"
She'd felt the shift in her bond with both the Doctor and the TARDIS after she'd kicked him out of the room so she could get ready, so the question was more to let him know she'd noticed, and she appreciated the effort he'd gone to.
The Doctor leaned back in his chair and waved at the ocean, displayed for them in full living colour. "A little bit of a time travel cheat," he admitted. "But isn't it worth it?"
Rose looked out at the water. The sun was completely gone, and the vibrant colours of ten minutes ago had faded to soft pinks and violets. "Definitely."
The sea breeze lifted her hair slightly off the nape of her neck, and lanterns hanging from the railing lit the cave. The rhythmic swoosh as the waves lapped at the cliff thirty feet below blended in romantic harmony with the string quintet tuning their instruments beside the parquet dance floor.
A different server appeared. "Can I bring you any drinks while you look at the menu?" Rose nodded when the Doctor shot her a quick glance, and he ordered both wine and dinner for both of them.
Rose was more interested in the opportunities provided by the floor length white table cloth. While the Doctor was ordering a three course meal, she slipped her right sandal off. She reached out and brushed her toes over his calf, making him stumble over the order. He raised an eyebrow at her and finished quickly, handing the menus to the server.
Once she had the Doctor's complete attention, Rose slid her foot under his trouser leg, feeling his coarse hair against her toes.
He took a breath and let it out slowly. What are you playing at, love?
Rose smiled at him, letting her see the tip of her tongue as she slid her foot up as high as it would go. Just teasing, like I would have if we'd made it here that night like you planned.
You would have been bold enough to tease on our very first night together?
Rose pressed her lips together to contain her laughter. Doctor, I was bold enough to start stripping in the console room so you would take me to bed.
She watched his adam's apple bob. Yep. You were.
Rose giggled softly at the squeak he couldn't contain, even in his telepathic voice.
The Doctor's eyes narrowed, and then Rose felt the ripple that meant he'd paused time for a moment, and she realised he held her foot firmly in his lap. Her mouth went dry when he started tracing random designs on her ankle. The lower his fingers moved, the harder it was to breathe.
His left hand disappeared, and his right shifted to wrap around her ankle. Rose stared into his dark eyes, waiting and wondering. He won't actually…
Then he ran one finger from the tip of her big toe all the way down to her heel. Rose pressed her lips together to stifle her moan. Doctor…
The firm press of his knuckles to the arch of her foot sent fire through her veins, and she couldn't suppress a whimper. "Doctor, please."
He chuckled, then let go of her foot, leaving Rose feeling both relieved and aching for more. Don't tease if you can't take it in return, love.
She took a shaky breath, and gladly accepted the glass of wine from the server who appeared at precisely the right moment. I'll keep that in mind.
Once her heart rate was back to normal, she looked over at the Doctor, who looked entirely too pleased with himself. I think you cheated, though. You definitely wouldn't have done that on our first trip to Barcelona, because you didn't know yet how sensitive my feet are.
The Doctor smiled at her over the rim of his wineglass, and Rose's heart thudded in her chest. Oh, Rose. If you think I'm going to pretend I don't have three years' worth of intimate knowledge of how your body reacts to mine…
Their teasing banter continued throughout dinner, and for once, Rose was unable to regain the upper hand. I wanted to woo you that night, he explained as they finished their meals. I wanted to completely sweep you off your feet, to make you feel utterly adored and desired and cherished.
Tears pricked behind her eyelids, and she reached for his hand. If tonight is a sample of what that night would have been like, you would have succeeded, she assured him. And you always make me feel like that when we make love.
The server cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, and Rose abruptly remembered the native Barcelonians were all low-level telepaths. He couldn't tell what they were saying, but doubtless, he recognised a telepathic conversation when he saw one. She let go of the Doctor's hand and sat up in her chair.
"Would you care for any dessert tonight?"
The Doctor shook his head, surprising Rose. "No, I think we'll just enjoy our wine and then some dancing before we return to our room."
"Very well, sir. Shall I bill this to your room?"
Rose waited until the transaction had been finalised, then raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. "No dessert?"
His answering smile reignited the desire that had been simmering all evening. I have something waiting for us in our room.
Rose took a sip of wine to hide her strangled moan. The Doctor was determined to kill her tonight, it seemed. Looking for anything to distract herself from the way he was purposely trying to seduce her, she suddenly remembered the small box she had in her purse.
"I have a gift for you."
The Doctor smiled when Rose handed him the small, gift-wrapped box. "I have something for you, too," he told her, leaning over so he could retrieve it from his pocket. "Happy anniversary, Rose."
She smiled, and her nose crinkled up the way it did sometimes when she was truly happy. To the Doctor's surprise, as soon as she tore the wrapping paper off and spotted the jewellery box, she started to laugh.
"Unwrap yours," she told him, without opening the box to see what it actually held.
A glimmer of suspicion entered his mind when he picked up his gift and realised it was the exact same dimensions as hers. His laughter joined hers when he removed the wrapping paper and set the identical red velvet box down on the table, directly across from hers.
"No wonder he had that look on his face when I came in," Rose finally said, once the main rush of amusement was over. "He looked like he was keeping a secret, and I never thought to ask why."
The Doctor shook his head, still chuckling. "He looked plenty pleased with himself when I picked up your gift. Which, speaking of." He pointed to the box in her hands. "You first."
Rose opened the box and pulled out the pendant he'd ordered for her. The small wolf was made of laurium, but traces of gold had been worked in around her eyes. She touched the glittering eyes with her fingertip.
"It's called a white point star," the Doctor explained, his voice soft. "It was the Gallifreyan diamond. I thought… You could put it on the chain you keep your key on?"
Rose reached into her purse again and pulled out the chain with her TARDIS key, and he watched her undo the latch and slide the wolf onto it. The charm clanked slightly when it bumped into the key, and she held it up so the candlelight glinted in the diamond eyes.
"The Bad Wolf and the TARDIS." She stood up partway and leaned across the table to kiss him. "Thank you, Doctor," she said after she sat down. She rubbed her thumb over the wolf, then put the chain in her purse for safekeeping. "Now it's your turn."
Rose bit her lip while the Doctor opened his box. Now that she'd seen her gift, most of her reservations regarding his had evaporated. Clearly, he was ready to see a daily reminder of Gallifrey. But would he like the design she'd come up with?
The Doctor pulled one of the cufflinks out of the box and turned it in the light. "You designed this, didn't you?" A white point star flashed in the centre of a golden rose. The floral design rested atop a rectangular pedestal, and around the edge of the base were the Gallifreyan characters spelling out "Forever."
"Yeah. I thought… you like to say that…"
The Doctor reached for her hand. "You are my forever, Rose."
She exhaled loudly. "Yeah."
"Did the TARDIS give you the gems?"
Rose nodded. "I didn't know what to get you, and she suggested something with that, so I took it to…" Rose let the sentence trail off. "We must have gone to the shop to place our orders on the same day," she realised. "Either that, or Zeyyn lied to me. He told me that until that day, he'd only seen white point stars in books."
The Doctor chuckled. "He certainly enjoyed playing his part in our surprise. You say he was smirking when you placed your order. He was even worse when I picked mine up a few weeks ago."
Rose smiled and shook her head. "They're good people," she said quietly.
"And amazing jewellers." The Doctor turned the cufflink, studying it from all angles. "This is incredible."
"You like it, then?"
"It's my second favourite anniversary gift you've ever given me."
Rose furrowed her brow. "I've only given you two anniversary gifts," she pointed out. "I know we had fun with the camera, but surely these are better than that?"
The Doctor stood up and held out his hand for Rose. "I'll tell you about the best anniversary gift you ever gave me while we dance." She let him pull her to her feet and lead her to the dance floor, where the string quintet had just started a waltz.
He held Rose close for a turn around the floor, then pulled back enough to meet her questioning gaze. "One year ago today, I woke up thinking it was the first of many anniversaries I'd suffer through without you." He pressed his lips together and willed away the tears that threatened. "That night, I went to bed knowing that if all went well, I would see you again in only two more months."
Rose's calm, steady presence in his mind warmed and spread into the painful memories, and he took a shuddering breath before continuing. "Last year… last year you gave me one of the best gifts I've ever gotten, anniversary or not. You gave me hope."
"I'd almost forgotten that happened on our anniversary," she admitted.
"I never will. I was looking at your picture, trying to find the strength to get through the day, when Lucy Saxon came in with my lunch, looking more agitated than usual. She stumbled purposely so the glass of water would tip over, and while I helped her clean it up, she said…" The Doctor closed his eyes and relived that moment.
"Doctor. The Wolf has only been silenced—your story is not over. And… she says you get a pass this year, but you'd better take her to Barcelona for your next anniversary."
The remembered relief made his knees weak, and Rose moved closer to him, supporting his weight with her own. The Doctor pressed his cheek to her temple gratefully as the emotions swelled and then faded.
After a moment, he straightened up and looked down at her. "And here we are, finally."
Rose slid her hands over his chest to link them behind his neck. "I thought that might convince you the message was real."
The Doctor brushed his thumbs over her hips. "Do you know what my first thought was, when I dared believe it?" Rose cocked her head, and he smiled down at her. "You and I are joined by the bonds of love, Rose, and he could not break that—not with a thousand swords."
Doctor. Her lips parted, and love shone in her eyes. The Doctor cradled her face between his hands and kissed her tenderly. The memories of the previous year made him cherish the feeling of her in his arms even more than he usually did. Rose was here—they were here. It could have gone so differently.
When she sighed into the kiss, he eased away from her and smiled down at her. "Ready to head to the room?" he suggested.
Rose blinked up at him, then stepped back and took his hand when his words registered. "Definitely," she whispered. His hand flexed around hers, and she let her gaze linger on his lips for a moment. I'm ready to be alone with you, finally.
After a quick stop at their table for her purse and their anniversary gifts, they returned to the chair lift and settled in for the ride to the top of the cliff. It was chillier in the open air than Rose had expected, and when she couldn't contain her shivers, the Doctor wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Rose knew his only intent in the gesture was to keep her warm, but after an evening of teasing and blatant seduction, feeling his hand on her bare skin was almost too much. Maddeningly, he didn't seem affected by their closeness at all—although she could tell he'd just become aware of how affected she was.
He jumped when she rested her left hand on his knee. She left it there for a few minutes, until he started to relax, then she slowly let her fingers move, tracing along the seam of his trousers.
A soft groan of her name escaped his lips, and she smiled innocently at him. "Yes, Doctor?"
He caught her hand and brought it to his lips before lacing their fingers together so she couldn't tease him anymore. "Minx," he whispered in her ear. "Do you know what I would have been thinking at this moment if we'd come here three years ago like I planned?"
Rose tilted her chin up so she could look up at him through her eyelashes. "Hmmm… calculating exactly how long it would take to get to our room? 'I should have known Rose would be a tease—her tongue has been driving me crazy for two years?'"
The Doctor threw his head back and laughed. "Well, probably," he admitted. "But no… Do you remember what I told you before we went to Makuyu, when you thought I didn't want to bond with you?"
Rose wrinkled her forehead. That seemed like so long ago—much longer than three and a half years. "Not really," she admitted finally. "I remember that you'd thought I wouldn't want a bond with you, though."
He nodded. "I tried to explain that maybe you wouldn't want to share a permanent telepathic connection with someone who has the kind of dark memories I have."
"That's right." Rose reached up and stroked his cheek. "I've never found your mind to be as dark as you thought it was."
The Doctor turned his head and pressed a kiss to her palm. "Partly, that's because it didn't occur to me when I said it that not every part of my mind is dark. I have plenty of happy memories as well." He pulled her closer to him, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "But also, love, you have an amazing gift of helping me focus on those lighter parts. And when the darkness threatens, you're there to hold my hand and help me through it."
"For better or for worse," Rose whispered.
"That's right. If this last year has shown me one thing, it's that you truly are my other half. The bond makes that natural, of course, but even before we bonded, you still brought light to my life." She felt him press a kiss to her temple. "I love you so much, Rose. That's what I would have been thinking three years ago, and it's what I'm thinking tonight."
"Oh, Doctor." Of course he would have made a beautiful comment like that. His ability to find the right words in any situation had saved planets and brought down governments, and his words made her fall in love with him, over and over.
Like so many times, she wished she shared that talent. Instead, Rose focused on the bond, opening it just enough for him to feel how overwhelmed she was at the moment. The mélange of emotions coursing through her was too confusing for her to pick apart, but she knew she loved him, and she focused on that.
He turned his head and his nose brushed against hers. Moonlight cast his face in shadow, but she didn't need to see his eyes to know what he was asking.
Rose reached up and tugged his head down for a kiss. The Doctor's lips were warm and soft, and his mouth tasted of the rich, red wine they'd drank with their meal.
In all their talk about what this night would have been like, Rose hadn't forgotten how things had actually gone when they'd become intimate. She called up that full memory now, focusing for a moment to make it as vivid as possible. Then she shared it with the Doctor, reminding him of the playfulness and the passion, but also the tenderness when they'd finally joined for the first time.
He groaned and dropped a hand to her hip, trying to tug her up and into his lap. He grunted his disapproval when the safety bar got in the way.
"You know," a stranger's voice said, "you'd probably have better luck if you let me get you out of that chair, first."
Rose felt her face turn red, but she was honestly too tired of waiting to be any more embarrassed. She sat back in the seat and the young man undid the safety latch, letting them go.
The Doctor jumped out first, and Rose saw him drop a handful of coins into the attendant's outstretched hand. Then he reached for Rose's hand, and the zing of electricity that went up her arm as soon as they touched confirmed what she already knew about how turned on he was.
The sound of the attendant's chuckles faded into the night behind them as they jogged up the path towards the hotel. The lift was blessedly empty, but when Rose expected the Doctor to take advantage of the privacy to kiss her, he shook his head and maintained the slight distance between them.
Her protests vanished when she heard him in her mind, whispering promises of all he had planned for the rest of the night. Rose's mouth fell open and heat swept over her body as she silently urged the lift to hurry up.
When they finally reached their room, Rose was surprised by the food service cart that was right inside the door… until she remembered the Doctor's comment about dessert.
"What is it?" she asked, reaching for the silver domed lid.
"Take a look," he invited, moving to stand behind her.
The small pot of melted chocolate wasn't a surprise; Rose had smelled chocolate the moment they'd stepped into the room. But she hadn't expected the bowl of mellora berries.
Delicious memories of the last time they'd shared the fruit made her belly tighten with desire, heightened by the kisses the Doctor pressed to her neck and shoulder. "I thought I'd like to combine three of my favourite flavours," he told her. "Chocolate… mellora berries… and you."