Title: Home

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who

Author's Note: This started out as a small one-shot, and snowballed. Here's hoping for another good story!

This story deals with depression, romance, fluff, love, hurt, comfort, trust, and new beginnings. This is life, in every way. Depression doesn't just hurt those who are depressed. Depression hurts everyone.


The first morning of married life was far more stressful than it should have been. The house was noisy with the final Christmas clean-up. The remaining staff that had been on holiday returned to the wonderful news of the marriage, and were excited. Due to the cold weather, Jackie insisted that her pack of Pomeranians be allowed in the main house.

Pete was working on grand new plans for a renovation of the extensive grounds. Jackie told him about a doll house that Rose had as a child, that her Pete build when Rose was born. Jackie had finished it after her Pete died, but it was still his gift to his daughter.

On the acres of land he owned, there was a lake. From the gazebo near the lake, you could see where the grounds were surrounded off by a 12-foot stone wall. His wedding gift to his daughter was going to be a house built near the lake. They'd be able to see the main house, and access all of the grounds, but they would have privacy, their own kitchen staff if they wanted, and not have Tony clinging to The Doctor's leg every time he came down the stairs.

"I want it to look rustic. The pictures are of the attic here. This is the style the house should have. Large, comfortable, with staff quarters, and a proper garage for their driver, with living quarters above. You have until March the first to have it absolutely completed. Can you do that?"

"Yes, sir."

"By the lake, there is a small gazebo I want it torn down, cleared away, and replace with a large one. I want it glassed in, lighting installed, and that swing in the center. There should be a way to raise and lower it, if they feel like dancing."

"I've got that covered. The gazebo can be done in 3 weeks."

"The garden surrounding it has seen better days. I want the path bricked, new garden table and chairs, and I'll have our landscapers put some attention on the plants." The contractors nodded. "I want all first plans on this table on Wednesday. Not one day later. The happy couple will give you any changes they want made. Final plans by the following Monday. I expect 3-D models on thumb drives, along with hand-drawn sketches."

"Very good, sir." The contractor shook hands with Pete, and the team filed out of the house.

"Cora," Pete called into the kitchen. Cora stopped chopping the fruit she was preparing for brunch.

"Yes, sir?" He gestured for her to follow him to the sitting room, as soon as the two were seated, he smiled.

"You're most certainly The Doctor's and Rose's favorite of the house staff." Cora nodded. While they were kind to everyone, she was often the one called upon. She also noticed an increase in her pay. "We're building a second house on the grounds for the two of them. I was wondering if you would prefer to be the household manager for them. You would still be paid through our payroll services, and your children's university education would continue without interruption. There would be a pay raise, and larger living quarters. The staff would be smaller, as the house will be smaller. There would likely be more work involved while you train a new staff."

"Yes, Mr. Tyler. If they'll have me. Tell me when, and I'll have my room packed up."

"If who will have you?" Rose asked from the doorway. "You're not firing Cora!?"

"No, Rose, I'm letting her make a choice. She can remain head cook here with the same pay, or be household manager for you and The Doctor."

"You're giving me a person?" Rose looked disgusted.

"No, I'm offering a very well-respected employee a chance at a bloody pay raise. She's got three kids in a university, and one married daughter with a baby due in June." Cora felt her jaw drop. He hadn't known her name for 11 years, and now he knew more about her and her family than half the staff did. "I pay my employees well, and they can leave if they choose to. They're not servants, Rose!"

"Miss Tyler, I'd love to come work for you, if you'll have me. I've two daughters your age, and I miss them less when I hear you laugh. The pay raise your father's offered doesn't hurt either." Rose felt the last of her anger drip away.

"We've got to find a house first. But, yeah. We'd love to have you."


"Doctor, Rose, since there was no wedding to pay for, I'd like to give you a proper wedding gift. Doctor, seeing as you work for me, we'd like to build you a house on the property, just east of the lake." He pulled up the plans on the laptop for the two to see.

"Dad, this is...a lot." Rose studied the plans. "Didn't I have a doll house like this?"

"That's what your mother tells me."

"What's that?" The doctor asked, pointing to a spot on the plans that was darkened.

"That, good Doctor, is a secret staircase, leading down to an underground lab and workshop. There will be secret rooms, hidden stairs, and only you two and Cora will know how to navigate them all properly." The Doctor and Rose met each others eyes, smiling.

"Pete, this is rather extravagant."

"You've married into this family. You can't take Rose away from her mother. Since you came to us, Jackie's been terrified that you'll take off with her again. This will ease her fears. You'll be over a half mile away. The grounds are quite extensive. You will have your privacy, your space, a home of your own, but without leaving Jackie."

"I'm grown and married," Rose started.

"Rose, Jackie lost everything when she came here. She only had the two of us, and Mickey. Mickey's gone, you're married, and she and I have a very different history for the last 24 years. For her, you getting married is like leaving her in a parallel universe alone. I would build a house onto this one to make her happy. This is for you two, and for Jackie." Rose gave her husband a pitiful look.

"The house looks fine, Pete. Thank you," The doctor said, smiling. He knew what Pete felt; he would give up everything to make Rose happy.

The three went over the plans, made a few minor adjustments, and e-mailed the plans back to the contractors.


Three months of being married, and living with Rose's parents was taking its toll on The Doctor. He was irritable, and moody. His weekly meetings with Dr. James felt pointless, because all he did was complain about little things. Dr. James offered suggestions, but nothing of them felt right.

Three months, 5 days after the wedding, movers came into the attic and removed all of their things. Two days later, Pete was called, saying all of their stuff was unpacked. Miles, one of the drivers, brought them to see their new home for the first time.

The 4-story Victorian-style home was painted blue, with white trim. The Doctor smiled at the color. It reminded him of the TARDIS. Lilac was growing over and archway and yellow roses lining the foot path. There were old-fashion rocking chairs on the porch, and a swing. Rose turned back to see the view from the front porch. The house faced the lake and the sunset.

The Doctor lifted his wife into his arms and carried her, laughing, through the door. Upon entering the house, the first thing she noticed was the flowers on the table, with a card, written in her mother's hand writing. Deciding to read it later, she continued though, with The Doctor close behind. There was a sitting room that opened to a sunroom. The sun room opened up on one side to the back garden, and the other side to a lovely dining room. The next room was the kitchen, that also opened to the back garden. It circled around to The Doctor's library, followed by the main living room and foyer. The stairs up lead to 5 bedrooms, and another set of stairs, presumably to the attic.

"There's supposed to be a reading room up there," The Doctor informed. They trotted up the stairs and opened the door. The over-stuffed chairs were situated near a few smaller bookshelves. The books from the bedroom at the mansion were here.

"What is this?" Rose asked, seeing a stack of papers, tied together, with a Rose resting on top.

"That is my wedding gift to you." She lifted the packet of papers. It was a draft of a book, called "The Doctor's Rose." It was very thick. It would take her days to read it, at least. "It's all of our adventures together. I started with us, but I've got all twelve books planned out."

"Twelve?"

"The ten versions of me as a Time Lord, me as I am, and one about the war."

"You started with us?"

"It won't be the first book, but it is going to be the longest. And probably a romance rather than a science fiction."

"I love it. I can't wait to start reading." When she smiled, The Doctor kissed his new wife and led her down the stairs to their bedroom.

"You've got a lifetime to read it," he said laying her on the bed.

"Can we talk a little?" she asked, snuggling into his chest.

"About anything in particular?"

"Is it possible for us to have children?" she asked softly. "I mean, we've been...well...we haven't...we've been together for 6 months..."

"We had a few months where I could barely get out of bed. There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to. Just haven't hit the lucky time."

"Have you had children?" The Doctor took a breath.

"Yes. Grand children. Possible great-grandchildren. The Time war was only 30 years ago, for me. I was well on in my 870's. My youngest son was 300 when the war started."

"Youngest son? How many children do you have?"

"7. No, 8. Jenny." He swallowed hard. "Jenny was sort of a clone. She didn't live long. Just a day."

"Jenny is a human name."

"Yeah. Donna named her." Rose felt her jaw clench. "Jenny was a clone of me, made by a computer during a battle. It isn't like I had a baby. She came out a full-grown adult, in a uniform, as a soldier. She died in a senseless war, like her brothers and sister. Jenny had shining blue eyes, hair, the same color as yours. Not tall. She had my big smile. My other children had a mother, grandparents, each other. Jenny had only me. I guess you could say she was my favorite." Rose held him close.

"If you aren't ready-"

"Oh, I think the opposite is true. Even though I was held at gunpoint, and my DNA stolen to create her, I loved her. It hurt much worse losing her. But losing Jenny showed me that I wanted that back, so badly. I will love ours. The love you feel for your children is like no other. It's like air. Once you know how to breathe, you must breathe. You really want to have our baby," he stated plainly. "I really want to have our baby with you. I love you.

"I love you, too," she whispered into his ear, and then called him by his true name. The love that filled his eyes, hearing it from her lips was no less than every fiber of his being. He rolled her back onto the pillows.

"Rose, I love you, and I want children with you. At least three dozen!" he laughed. Rose couldn't help but laugh with him. "Well, we'll start with three or four."

"One, we'll start with one, sweet heart." He smiled broadly at the pet name.

"We'll work on one, Love."