Rose x Nine, with a side order of Jack
Written for the Time Petals prompts "sundress," "summer dates or romantic gestures," and "dangerous summer situations, weather, or overheating." All sort of mushed together. Whaddaya mean, I need a reason?
The Doctor sat staring moodily out the shuttle's window. The view wasn't nearly as interesting as it had been hours earlier, when it was light out. The day hadn't gone quite the way he'd planned. He'd brought them to a leisure palace that recreated an old Earth theme park, of the sort that used to be famous in the American state of Florida. He'd wanted to show his two human companions something brilliant and amusing, but he'd a feeling that things had somehow gotten out of hand. Something about Captain Jack Harkness seemed to bring out a streak of rather petty competitiveness.
It was idiotic. He was a Time Lord - the last of the Time Lords, with the last TARDIS in existence. He had nothing to prove, certainly not to two primitives from Sol 3. But…he'd wanted to impress Rose. Wanted to see her smile at him, even if he wasn't as handsome and charming as the fellow whose arm she was leaning against right now.
He'd been so wrapped up in showing off that he hadn't stopped to think about the fragile human physiology wrapped up in the pretty ruffled pink and yellow sundress. Hadn't considered that the sun might be a bit strong or the heat too oppressive for someone who'd grown up in England of the twentieth century. No, he and the Captain had spent the day trying to outdo one another - who could tolerate the most outrageous rides, who could win the most prizes at the carnival games.
The very first prize he'd won for Rose - some sort of lavender-striped furry creature - was clasped tightly in her hand. The rest - a ridiculous number of them - had been handed off to children who couldn't manage to beat the games on their own. That was his Rose…bringing smiles to everyone around her.
But him…he'd let a day that should have been about her pleasure turn into a pissing contest with Jack. Always one more game, one more adventure. He should have known better. He should have known enough - cared enough - to see that she needed to sit in the shade or have something cold to eat or drink.
Jack blinked his eyes open. He smiled fondly at the blonde who was asleep on his shoulder, and mouthed 'washroom,' over her head. He half expected another comment about human stamina - and he'd certainly heard a choice litany of them today - but the Doctor chose to keep silent this time, watching as Jack stood and ever-so-gently settled Rose back into the center seat.
Rose frowned in her sleep, shifting in the seat.
"Hush, now," the Doctor murmured. "Go back to sleep."
She leaned towards the sound of his voice.
Te Doctor looked irritably at the arm rest dividing them, the glanced around. There were no stewards in sight, so he quickly soniced the arm rest, and shoved it up out of the way. He pulled Rose, still clutching that absurd stuffed toy, onto his lap.
"Better?"
She sighed, a drowsy smile on her flushed face.
"Doctor," she mumbled, "can we go again?"
"Whatever you want, Rose. And I promise, I'll look after you better next time. We'll sit by the fountain, and I'll get you one of those frozen fizzie drinks -"
She blinked her warm golden eyes at him. "I wanna go on the twisty coaster again. And maybe try one of those games you an' Jack was hogging. Bet I could beat you."
"I bet you could, at that," he chuckled. "Rest now. We'll get you properly cooled off once we get home."
"I had the best day," Rose whispered, right before she drifted back to dreamland.