Nextie! Gotta get this up quick – I'm off to a wedding! Not my own, of course, a friend of my family. Should be fun.
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Rose swung her legs onto the bed, flopping back and closing her eyes. Joyful. Lying here for most of this scene, except the massive monologue before death, of course.
The friars (that being Laurence and John) appeared and had a quick discussion. Rose found her mind wandering, the words slipping by her. With a sigh she hoped wasn't very visible from the audience; Rose lazily opened her script and followed the lines. It was along way off, sure, but if she fell asleep or something and missed her cue, she'd never hear the end of it.
Now Xander was coming on, another actor in tow. Oh, right, Xander was Paris. And…he was off. Ramble ramble…him and his page. Rose closed her eyes. She still had a while.
A new voice. "Give me that mattock and the wrenching iron. Hold, take this letter; early in the morning see thou deliver it to my lord and father…"
Well, now, who could that possibly be? Rose grinned as she followed Romeo's lines in her own script. She could tell he was milking it for all it was worth. He might not admit it, but he loved doing this, she knew. An actor at heart – but then again, wasn't that normal? Using the psychic paper to assume a false identity, bluffing through situations.
She lay longer, listening to the words of Shakespeare. Juliet's two lovers came face to face and then fought, ending in Paris' death. Rose heard Xander's last death-bed request ("If thou be merciful open the tomb, lay me with Juliet…"), and Romeo's response that followed. A little more talking, then there was movement next to her. She guessed Xander and been put next to the bed (but on the stage) by the Doctor. The script did say something about Paris being laid in the monument.
Now it was onto his final speech. Rose could hear the Doctor as he moved…walked around the bed…so now he was on the opposite side to her. She was lying on the side nearest the audience. He sat down next to her.
Rose tried not to smile. She might put him off if she did that. He was, once again, feeling very real and emotional. She felt her hand lifted, and gave no resistance. His hands were warm, gently gripping her own. His words were sweet and praising.
Rose had closed her eyes soon after Paris walked onstage, and so was unprepared when the Doctor's lips brushed against her forehead. She couldn't help smiling, then, part of her hoping he hadn't noticed. He would have, of course, but she could hope.
His speech was drawing to a close. She heard his give his last line ("Thus with a kiss I die…"), his lips softly against hers, then the touch fell away as he dropped onto the bed next to her. Her head was facing him, away from the audience, and Rose eased open her eyes to find the Doctor's own staring back at her. There was a small grin on his face.
Friar Laurence was back onstage, fretting as he found Paris' blood and Romeo's body. There was a hurried conversation between Laurence and Balthasar, until, soon enough, Rose's cue approached. The Doctor winked quickly at her before closing his own eyes.
"The lady stirs…"Yeah, that was it. Now, she wasn't meant to notice Romeo just yet…keeping her face towards the priest, Rose dutifully read her lines. She was trying not to look behind her at the 'sleeping' figure.
The friar left. Discovery time! And, oh, be sad, be upset, he's 'dead'. Only a few lines left for her in the entire play. And another kiss? Fine with Rose. She kissed him slowly, softly, pouring her emotion into it. If only. It's not going to happen Rose, get over it.
Then it was the finale of Juliet. "O happy dagger!"
She pretended to stab herself (easier if she got a prop) and fell next to the Doctor. With her blocking the audience, his eyes opened again. He grinned, whispering to her.
"Nice death."
"Same could be said for you. Have we only been doing this a few hours?"
He blinked, the slow close of his eyelids acting like a nod. "Yup. The play's about three and a half hours-ish long."
"Lord." Rose smiled. "It feels like hours and hours."
"Ah, you're not used to the theatre, young Rose, unlike a veteran such as myself."
"Oh, shut up. By the way, you don't happen to have a Dictaphone or something on board the TARDIS, do you?"
The Doctor's brow furrowed as he thought. "Probably. Why?"
"I won't be able to remember those long spiels of Juliet's – so Xander suggested I record them and listen to them instead. Learn them that way."
"Right," said the Doctor, nodding slowly. "I can see how that would work."
There was a scattering of applause from the audience. The Doctor and Rose sat up, looking across to where Cassius was beaming. "Ah, marvellous! Can I have all cast up on stage, please, all cast."
Xander got up from the floor to sit on Rose's other side on the edge of the bed. "I think that went okay. I still don't see why you were worried Rose, you were fine, even reading cold."
On Rose's other side, the Doctor grinned at Xander. "She's human. The worriers of the universe, they are."
Rose glared at him as he pulled a seemingly innocent face. "What? I am compelled to say the truth."
Cassius was waving his hands for attention. "Well, I think we've got a splendid play here, my players. A little work on lines, some more blocking, and it'll be a show to remember!"
The cast cheered and applauded. Rose couldn't help but grin at their apparent enthusiasm.
"And our two visitors! Well, I don't think we were quite prepared for your talents!" Cassius was smiling widely – almost creepily – and directly at them now. Rose shifted slightly under his gaze, but the Doctor appeared to be basking in it.
"Well, we do what we can, esteemed director."
"Yes, we can see that! I propose a meeting tonight at the Quill. A cast wide meal, some wine, and some discussions as to how we can make this play more beautiful than it already is. Who is with me?"
More cheers. Rose glanced at the Doctor and he shrugged. "We shouldn't seem to isolate ourselves in our box, nor should we shun hospitality. It might be quite fun."
"What, eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers?"
"Did I say that?"
"A while ago, but yeah."
"Sounds like me."
The cast was dismissed. Rose was informed by Xander that it was only mid afternoon. He asked her and the Doctor if they wanted a tour of the surrounding town, but the Doctor declined, saying he should check on the TARDIS. Rose took his lead and also said no, telling Xander she was going to record her lines like he suggested.
"You could've gone with him, you know." The Doctor said to her as they watched Xander walking away. He hadn't seemed disappointed or anything, simply grinned and said he'd see them at the Quill.
"If I don't record my lines now, I don't think I will. I wanna get it out of the way."
"Whatever you say. I think he's taken by you, though."
Rose did a double take. "Who? Xander?"
"Yeah. Sometimes happens to actors. There's this system called method acting, right, which means that the actors get so into their character and their character's emotions that they can start to think like them. Create a history, things like that. Makes it more real to the audience."
"And…?"
He shrugged. "And Paris loves Juliet."
"So…you think he's so into in his character that he's got a thing for me now?"
"Well, yeah. Happens all the time – what about all those Hollywood stars who run off with their co-stars after a film? Same thing."
"If you say so."
"I do say so." They had walked back to the TARDIS now, and the Doctor was looking in his pockets for the key. "Most actors experience it, if they're that devoted. For some it's easier; especially if the feelings were already there. That sometimes happens, too."
Rose willed herself not to blush. Was he talking about her? Or…himself?
Get. A. Grip. Rose.
The lock clicked and the door swung inwards. The Doctor bounded up to the console and began digging around under it. "I'm sure I had a vocal recorder somewhere…ah, got it."
He straightened up, holding a small silver casing. "Red to record, press again to stop. Green for playback, use the disk at the top to select the file. Oh, and pressing red when you're selecting will delete that file. Got that?"
"Yeah." Rose left the console room and headed to her room. Last thing she needed was his laughter as she tried to recite her lines. Just because he didn't trip over Shakespearian words.
ooooooooo
"…to whose foul mouth no wholesome…healthsome air breathes in…shit."
Rose clicked the device off. This was the third time she'd tripped over Juliet's really big monologue. Damn it – at this rate, she'd never get it done. It was the last big block of lines, too. Rose found the sound file and carefully deleted it, before switching the device back to record and beginning yet again. "Act four, scene three. Just before she drinks…Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again. I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins…"
This time, she managed to get through it. Sighing in relief, she looked up in time to see the Doctor enter her room. "Didn't think I'd interrupt. You know, I can hear you swearing in the console room?"
"Oh, thanks…"
"It's about time to meet at the Quill. Come on."
She left her room, following the Doctor back to the console room. "You know where to go?"
He grinned at her as she shrugged on his trench coat. "One, it'll have a quill on the sign – go figure. Two, he might know…" The Doctor pointed over by the door, where Xander had appeared. He waved at Rose, who waved back.
"Now, shall we go?" The Doctor grinned as he ushered Rose and Xander out. "Lead on, Xander."
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There – hope that's okay. I hope to update soon, and I'll make an effort to this time!