Darkness Falls

Rose sighed and tugged on The Doctor's arm. "You about through? 'M kinda tired …"

"I let you sleep for three hours …" He studied her face for a minute and then frowned. "You are a bit pale."

Rose swatted his hand away as he tried to scan her with the sonic screwdriver. Her head had been aching since she awakened, really it was what had dragged her from a deep sleep, but she wasn't about to tell him that, he'd haul her back to the villa and she wanted to see the rest of the town.

His eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Bit grumpy, Miss Tyler."

Rose huffed and rubbed her eyes. "I'm not sick, just didn't sleep well." She ignored his frown and looped her arm through his, nudging him to move. "Now come on, that's enough shopping. Let's find a snack, yeah?"

"Rose Tyler not wanting to shop? Now I know you're ill."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Am not, just think you've bought enough."

She pointed at the overflowing storage area of the push-chair they had just purchased. "Honestly, how much can one small baby need? You do remember the things you've chosen to have delivered, yeah?"

He grinned and led her toward a small café. "What's wrong with a well dressed Time Tot?" He stopped at a small glass table and guided her onto a chair. "You and Jake rest and I'll be right back."

Rose smiled at a couple of tourists sitting at the table next to her and then turned to her son. "You're going to be spoiled rotten …" He giggled and not for the first time Rose wondered how much he understood.

She stroked his cheek and thought about the changes in their lives over the last two days. Since connecting with his father's mind, Jake had seemed to pull away from her. He still let her know when his physical needs required attention but she no longer felt the constant hum of what she called his baby chatter.

She bit her lip. Was that her role now then? Provider of food and clean nappies? Don't be ridiculous, Tyler. It's just because The Doctor is something new he still loves and needs his Mummy. She mentally kicked herself for feeling left out but she couldn't deny that the thought had flitted through her mind all day that her Time Tot really didn't need her for much and once those few things he did need her for were over …

She shook her head and focused on the positive. Her little family was complete. The Doctor had taken to Jake like a duck takes to water and all was right with her world. She should be happy, ecstatic even. She bit her lip and admitted to herself that, while she was happy, she was also troubled by things she couldn't quite put into words.

Was it the sudden change in The Doctor? He'd embraced fatherhood so quickly after he'd found out Jake was telepathic. And really, that was another thing that continued to bother her and even though she'd told herself she'd simply ask him instead of worrying, Rose hadn't found the courage to broach the subject. Would he have acted the same if Jake hadn't been a Time Tot?

She also couldn't help but dwell on the future, more specifically hers and The Doctors. If she were honest with herself, she had to admit most of her current unease stemmed from not knowing how he saw their relationship progressing, if he even did at all.

Would he keep her around to care for Jake's infant needs and then drop her off on Earth so he could continue traveling the stars with his son? After all, what did he need with human companions now that he had another Time Lord?

A chiming melody flitted through her mind, carrying the words The Doctor had spoken to her so long ago. You can spend the rest of your life with me … I'm honored to have your forever …

Rose smiled and murmured her thanks to the Tardis, privately grateful that the Old Girl hadn't sent her a mental smack for being stupid. She shook her head and shoved all her doubts away. It was a beautiful day, she was in the company of the two people she loved most in the universe, and everything else could go hang; she lived with a Time Lord, best to be content with the now and let the future work itself out.

Absently rocking the push-chair with her foot, she glanced around the small square surrounding the café. Tourists and a few natives strolled through the streets but for the most part it was a sleepy little town. Rose smiled and thought of how nice it was that they were managing to get a real vacation.

She stared at the fountain standing in the middle of the small park, half-heartedly remembering all of the times The Doctor had tried to take her somewhere relaxing and ended up in the thick of trouble. The smile on her face faded as her vision blurred. She blinked and rubbed her eyes but everything remained hazy and indistinct. From beside the fountain a shimmering black shape appeared.

She gasped. That was the fourth time today that had happened. She blinked and, like before, the black shape was gone. A shiver ran down her spine and she started to rise, intent on alerting The Doctor but stopped herself when she noticed no one else was acting like anything was wrong. She shrugged and forced herself to relax, laughing at her over active imagination.

Rose occupied herself and Jake with a picture book for a few minutes but soon found her attention drawn back to the square. Her gaze swept over the trees and flowers before settling on the fountain.

She gasped and clutched her head as a tingling, stretching sensation began to pulse through it. Her vision blurred, the black shadow appeared and started to glide toward her as silence fell across the café.

She bit back a scream as she noticed that everyone around her, including her baby was still, unnaturally still, as if they were frozen. With shaking hands she moved to pull Jake into her arms but hesitated as the familiar lilt of the Tardis song filled her mind and urged her to run.

She shook her head, the idea that she'd leave her child unthinkable, but the urge came again, insistent and this time coupled with the idea that she was leading the danger away.

She got to her feet, knocking her chair over in the process. With one last glance at Jake, she ran.

A roar of rage carried through the silence, sending terror through Rose but the thing was chasing her, was moving away from her son, and that was all that mattered.

Rose ran like the hounds of hell were breathing down her neck, and really, she couldn't be sure they weren't. She tried to reach out to the Tardis for help but all she heard was white noise.

As soon as she'd put distance between herself and the black shadow the excruciating pain in her head subsided to a dull throb allowing her to concentrate on evading the creature but as her lungs demanded air and her legs cried for rest the thing behind her began to close the distance and the teeth gritting pain returned.

Rose sobbed and blinked away tears as her overwrought brain sought a plan. Her vision began to blur from the pain and she knew she wouldn't last much longer. Seeing the open air market up ahead, she forced her body into one last sprint and darted in, out, and around the vendor stalls, hoping to lose the creature long enough to hide.

The pain in her head had lessened and Rose smiled, thinking her plan was a success. She bent at the waist, preparing to duck under a display of colorful carpets, when a guttural laugh filled her ears and the she ran straight into the black shadow.

Pain, unlike anything she had ever experienced slammed through her head. She fell to the ground, her body twitching and tingling like she'd stuck her finger into an outlet. Wide-eyed, she watched as the black shadow shimmered and flickered before taking the shape of a man. She met his eyes and gasped at the hatred and anger simmering in the black depths. She whimpered as he bent and pulled her into his arms.

Rose recoiled, struggling to tear herself from the stranger's hold but his hands tightened. His smile was cruel as he brought his face closer. Rose tried to scream but words caught in her throat. She shook her head, trying to evade him as the man's lips hovered above hers, his hot breath turning her stomach. Heart racing, she closed her eyes, bracing herself for whatever was to come.

A curse from her assailant brought her eyes open in time to see him rearing back, disgust clear on his face as he stared at something behind her. His fingers dug into her arms as he leaned forward and spat through clenched teeth. "Another day, pup …"

Rose gasped as heat poured through her body and the air around her seemed to crackle and pop like fire. Mouth open, she stared as the man above her faded to a shapeless black shadow again before blinking out of sight.

The pain wracking her body ceased but her head continued to throb. She moaned and curled her legs to her chest, hands tugging at her hair. She jumped as cool hands stroked her face and a feminine voice began to murmur in a language the Tardis didn't translate.

The ache receded enough that she could tolerate opening her eyes but her field of vision was limited to narrow pinpricks of light. Though the face above her was cast in shadow the woman's eyes shone the deep red of rubies and exuded an aura not definable as comfort or kindness but of something Rose's scattered brain interpreted as right.

Rose blinked again but the urge to surrender to unconsciousness was strong. She struggled against the encroaching darkness and tried to speak but a soft finger pressed against her lips. "Rest now, young one," the strange woman's voice seemed to fill every nook and cranny of her mind, willing her to sleep.

Rose fought for a moment and felt hands glide across her temples and the lilting voice whisper, "The time has not arrived …"

Rose sighed and let the darkness enfold her. ****

"Rose!"

Rose groaned as hands grabbed her shoulders and several people shouted her name. She considered remaining in the fluffy, pain free cloud world on which she was floating but the voices were getting sharper and the hands around her shoulders were now shaking her.

"Come on, Rose, open your eyes."

Rose struggled for a few minutes, pushing away the comfort of unconsciousness, and then managed to open her eyes to find herself staring into the eyes of a very worried Time Lord.

His smile was full of relief as he dropped a hard kiss on her lips. "Good girl! You saved me from the wrath of your mother."

She smiled and then winced as her mother shoved The Doctor aside and enfolded her into a crushing hug. "Rose Marion Tyler! You scared me to death. Whatcha think yer doin' runnin' off like that? And leavin' the baby, Rose how could you? That alien git had better not've –"

"Mum!" Rose cut off Jackie's tirade and pushed out of her arms. "Where's Jake?"

Pete's face popped into view along with Tony's. "Jake's right here. We've all been looking for you." Pete frowned at Rose. "Very irresponsible of you, my girl."

She swallowed passed the lump in her throat and tried to speak but only managed a sob. Tears welled and flowed down her cheeks and she found it was all too much.

Rose scrambled to her feet and pushed past her parents to jerk Jake from his chair. She buryed her face in the soft skin of his neck and concentrated on breathing in his sweet baby scent.

Her arms shook as the realization that she could have lost him sunk in. "Mummy's sorry, so, so sorry!"

Her exhausted legs gave out and Rose collapsed to the ground, rocking Jake and sobbing uncontrollably as reaction settled upon her. She shouted as someone pulled the baby from her and slapped half-heartedly at the arms that lifted her but what little energy she'd had left after her encounter with the creature soon fled, leaving her numb.

A soft kiss landed in her hair and she lifted her gaze to find The Doctor carrying her. "Doctor … I'm sorry" She drew a shuddering breath. "Was the only way, I had to –"

"Hush Rose, it's all right." He pulled her closer to his chest and increased his pace. "We'll be back at the villa in five point three six two minutes and we can talk."

Panic started to claw at Rose. Her son, her family, that thing had been after her! She shook her head and pushed against The Doctor's chest. "Let me down! I can't lead it to, I've got to …, it's after me!"

The Doctor tightened his grip and his mouth thinned into a hard line. "Then whatever it is had better hope there is a deity to beg mercy from because it will find none with me."