Disclaimer: I don't own any of Doctor Who. I'd like to, though.
Features Rose and the 10th Doctor.
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Glimpses of the Future
Rose was wandering down a busy alleyway on the third moon of the planet Derian. She glanced over her shoulder, but the Doctor was still immersed in a conversation with a trader they had met. They had been arguing about the metaphysical properties of the Time Vortex for about an hour and Rose was bored. She had eventually got tired of not understanding a word that was being said and the Doctor had barely noticed when she said she would go for a walk. As long as she stayed closed, surely the Doctor would not mind her doing some exploring by herself. She knew the way back to the TARDIS and the Doctor had given her some of the local currency, in case she wanted to buy something.
She spotted a little booth with heavy red velvet curtains and all sorts of astrological models hanging on both sides of the entrance. The sign by the door read: "Palms read, cards consulted, pasts, presents and futures explained." Rose was amused by this, although there was no reason why such pretenders should be restricted to Earth alone. She was about to walk straight past the booth, when a hand beckoned from within and she heard a voice call out:
"Rose Tyler, come in and I will show you your future!" Rose gasped and turned back toward the booth. She saw a beautiful young woman standing on the doorway, motioning her to come closer. The woman had glossy black hair and black eyes, but from her elongated fingers and flattened ears Rose guessed that she was not completely human. Intrigued, she walked towards the booth.
"How did you know my name?" She asked the woman.
"You and all the people who pass think I am a fake", the woman replied, "but I have the gift and sometimes I can show people their futures. Come in if you wish to see yours." The fortune teller moved back from the doorway and on an impulse, Rose followed.
The booth smelled strongly of incense and dried herbs and it was lit entirely by candles. To one side was a small table with two chairs and that was where the woman was waiting for her. She held out a chair for Rose, who sat down cautiously, and then placed a battered metal bowl on the table. The bowl was half full with cloudy liquid, to which the woman added couple of drops of what looked like black ink. She sat opposite Rose and motioned towards the bowl.
"Look deep within the liquid", she said, "and you will see what the future has in store for you."
Rose leaned closer, sceptical, but strangely curious. The ink was swirling around the bowl without any stirring and Rose stared deep into the strange patterns that were being created. She did not really believe she would see anything and therefore it took her by surprise when the liquid cleared into a sharp picture. Rose gasped as she saw before her a vision of a newborn baby boy, spitting image of her, except for the tuft of dark brown hair and familiar brown eyes. It was clear that he had inherited his father's sharp eyes and wild hair. Rose had to blink back the tears as she marvelled how beautiful her son was.
After a while, the picture faded into the swirling liquid and the fortune teller leaned back. "That is all I have strength for", she said, sounding exhausted. Rose nodded mutely, left couple of coins on the table and stumbled out. As she stood blinking in the daylight, she put her hand on her flat stomach and tried to imagine carrying a baby within her. More than that, she tried to picture herself carrying the Doctor's son, their best features crystalised in their beloved son. Rose was utterly unprepared for the range of emotions that flooded her heart. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. She had never really considered becoming a mother, but now she could not wait to meet her son.
In the meanwhile, the Doctor had finished the philosophical debate and was looking for Rose. He knew she would not have gone far and this was confirmed when he saw her step out of a fortune teller's booth. He was about a call out something witty about her and believing in horoscopes, when he saw that she was white as a sheet and holding her stomach. He immediately rushed to her and gently turned her to face him.
"Are you okay?" He asked, clearly concerned. "Are you in pain?" He was bewildered to see that her eyes were glistening with unshed tears and utterly wild, with terror and wonder shining in them in equal measures. She choked back a sob and a tear rolled down her cheek. This made him even more confused, because she did not appear sad but rather both happy and astonished.
"I'm fine", she said finally, blinking at him like she was coming out of a trance. "I'm a little dizzy, though. Perhaps I should go lie down?" She took an unsteady step in the direction where the TARDIS was parked.
"Hold on, hold on", he stopped her. "Let me help you." He wrapped his arm around her and started steering her back to the TARDIS. Rose leaned on him, grateful for the support.
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Some time later, the Doctor was striding through the alleys with a determined expression on his face. He had left Rose in the TARDIS, clearly shaken by something, and now he was headed straight for the alley they had been earlier. He waved briefly at his debate partner as he passed and walked into the fortune teller's booth without slowing down. She looked surprised when he barged in, but there was a flicker of recognition in her eyes.
"I don't know who you are", the Doctor started, now angry, "but I want to you to tell me exactly what you did to Rose. She was barely able to talk when she came out of this booth."
"I will not tell you what passed between I and your friend", the woman said and held up her hand before the Doctor could interrupt her, "but I will show you." She gestured towards the chair opposite her and the pulled out of her pocket a small vial of ink.
"Very well", the Doctor said as he sat down, "but this better not be a trick." He was still glaring at the fortune teller suspiciously.
"No trick, I swear", she assured him, while adding some drops of ink into the murky water. "Now look deep into the bowl and I will show you Rose Tyler's future." The Doctor glanced at her sharply, but then did as he was told and bowed his head over the bowl.
The picture emerged from the swirling ink quicker for him than for Rose and he gasped just as she had done. He saw the same imagine of a baby boy, half human and half Time Lord. There was no question that the child had his eyes, but he also looked just like Rose. As he stared at his son in wordless wonder, he knew that it was not just Rose's future he was looking at, it was their future together. Some day in their future, they would be not just friends or even lovers, but also a real family.