Rose's immediate thought when she finally regained consciousness, was that it appeared to be raining. She liked it when it rained she decided and watched fascinated as a faint silver thread danced across her closed eyelids in time with the droplets against the glass, swirling into an impossible maelstrom of stars. There was something familiar about it, something, she thought, she should probably remember. It was then that she took stock of her current state. All limbs felt present and accounted for, she was warm and comfortable save for the dull ache in her hand, she tensed it experimentally. A drip, she surmised. Something had happened, the specifics hazy. She opened one eye slowly testing the level of light, pleasantly surprised to find a warm glow cast over the room from embers in the fireplace and an old lamp upon a dresser illuminating a still steaming mug of tea. A small clock on the mantle informed her it was five minutes past four in the morning. Her eyes drifted from the fireplace to the ornate double doors, immediately realising where she was upon seeing the old worn out book cases of the library. They reminded her of the old TARDIS, she smiled at the gentle hum from the back of her mind and breathed in the smell of old leather and parchment as it drifted though the room mixed with the scent of the fire, and something else she couldn't quite define yet knew as achingly familiar.
And then she saw him. Long brown pinstriped legs stretched out upon the desktop to hold himself mid swing, his head propped up with one hand and glasses perched precariously on the end of his nose, long forgotten book threatening to fall from his lap. The fire cast an exquisite glow upon his face making him appear both younger and incredibly more ancient all at once. Oh how she had missed his face, his smell. She breathed deeply once more, her eyes slipping closed as a warmth washed through her almost as if it was wrapping her in a fluffy blanket, tiny silver flecks swirling dreamily just behind her eyes. It was strange, she thought, but comforting and wonderful.
"You scared the hell out of me Rose Tyler." Her eyes remained closed as his voice echoed softly through her mind.
"I didn't mean to" She replied, gasping as a myriad of images and memories exploded across her vision. She cringed slightly at the onslaught but a silver thread reined them in, twisting and bending them until they flowed into something she could comprehend.
"How much do you remember?" He asked cautiously.
"Everything." Her mind whispered quietly in response.
"I had hoped you would," He replied steadily, "Your mind has stabilised, which is good. No end of the world for now. It'll take some getting used to though, but you appear to have grasped the general idea of how this works."
"It is permanent though yea?" She asked hesitantly.
"For now, yes." She felt his consternation, getting the undeniable feeling that if he wasn't sitting down he'd pacing and mussing his hair in frustration.
"What you did Rose, as flattering as it is, was so incredibly dangerous." He flared mauve in her mind. "You almost destroyed this universe, several more in fact, to make it even possible."
"I know, like I said I didn't mean to," She'd countered, refusing though to be even a little sorry that this connection with him had been the result, "I don't even remember half of it."
"One would think that I wasn't so forgettable that you wouldn't remember sharing a basic genetic transfer."
"A what?" Her face screwed up in confusion.
"A kiss Rose." He flared red in her mind, she could feel his fury "You bound yourself to my incarnations with a kiss."Her head snapped back and she groaned in pain as she felt him almost pull back from her mind entirely and her heart clenched.
"No don't, Doctor!" She cried sitting up abruptly, stopped only by a small weight on her stomach.
Her eyes flickered between the small boy in her lap and the Doctor still seated in the dark of the library, eyes wide open. Regret and remorse written clearly in his eyes and flooding her senses. She knew he hadn't meant it and breathed a sigh of relief as silver pulsed gently back through her mind, soothing it and calming her heart as it beat at a million miles a minute.
"Rose?" Jackie whispered voice laced heavily with exhaustion, she appeared from behind the blond mop of hair that was her son. "Oh Rose you're awake." She watched her mother move towards the hallway and call out to her husband.
"Pete," She called, eyes not leaving Rose, "Pete come quick, she's awake."
"Wose?" The tiny boy blinked up at his sister, barely able to keep his eyes open.
"Hello Tony." She smiled, tussling his hair.
"Wose I missed you," He sniffed clutching at her tightly through the blankets. "Pwomise to never leave again."
"I'm sorry I scared you little one." She shushed as Jackie returned to the room with a relieved looking Pete in tow.
"God love you gave us a fright." He chuckled kneeling down onto the bed next to her to place a kiss on her forehead.
"Here," Jackie fussed pouring water from a small decanter on the bedside table into a glass and gingerly passing it to her daughter, unknowingly blocking her view of the Doctor. "Drink this, you must be parched."
"Thanks Mum." She sighed becoming agitated at not being able to see him. She accepted the water gratefully though, downing it in one mouthful. "How long have I been out for?"
"Three days." Pete replied pulling Tony into his lap much to his protests.
"How do you feel love?" Jackie patted her hand gently making sure to avoid the cannula's still pumping fluid into her. She pulled herself up the bed to rest against the headboard.
"Bit stiff'." She admitted, mentally assessing if she was in any other pain despite the tenderness caused by spending three days in the same spot.
"I'm not in pain if that's what you're askin?" Jackie couldn't hold it in any longer; Rose reached out and pulled her into an embrace holding her until her tears subsided.
"It's alright Mum really I'm fine now." Rose promised, glancing at Pete and her brother in his arms. "I'm sorry I scared you, I didn't intend to I promise you." The last directed towards the Doctor.
"I know love." Jackie sniffed patting her hand lovingly. "The Doctor told us what happened."
"Oh," Rose nodded blinking awkwardly and looking anywhere but at her mother, "Of course he-"
"You were dying sweetheart, "Jackie squeezed her daughters hand gently. "Said you'd become caught in time, oh love he was terrified, didn't know what to do, said you needed help from his people, Rose, I've never seen him like that."
She silently thanked him for not elaborating on anything to her mother, she attempted to mentally glare at the amusement that bubbled back through their link.
"Donna said Mummy yelled at Dokta." Tony's small voice emanated from his father's lap. "You shouldn't yell at him you know, he's magic, Donna told me stories, about how he saved Wose from the monsters."
"Oh shush you," Jackie tutted her son, his now almost complete grasp on the English language continuing to amaze her.
"Come on Tony," Pete stood and smiled, holding out his arms to his son. "You can see Rose in the morning. It's time for bed."
"No I wanna stay." His argument cut short by an enormous yawn.
"I know you do," Pete chuckled, "But Rose needs her rest and she can't very well have it with you taking up all of her bed hmmm?"
"I guess," Tony agreed, much too tired to argue "Night Wose." Tony muttered softly, head lulling on his father's shoulders, he giggled as the Doctor winked at him, holding a finger to his lips.
"Goodnight Tony." Rose called as they left the room, he was so adorable. Jackie resumed her seat beside the bed.
"So," Rose began, "Must have been one hell of a row for Donna to-"
"It was a misunderstanding alright," Jackie stopped her short. "I was scared and he wouldn't tell me what was wrong and I took out my frustration on him." Rose reached over and squeezed her hand.
"I didn't mean to." Jackie fiddled with a tissue in her lap. "It just shook me to the very core you know. He's the Doctor, he's supposed to know all the answers Rose and I lashed out and I'm sorry. I should have never doubted him."
"I'm sure he knows that Mum," Rose smiled.
"He never left your side not once. Even after the fever broke and the seizures stopped, every minute of the last three days he's been no more than a few feet away, always watching, the slightest sound and he was there. I've still never met anyone quite like him."
"Unfortunately," Rose replied sadly. "I'm sure you never will."
"I know." Jackie breathed. "But he's got us now. A family. A home."
"I'm sure he knows that too." Rose assured her. "And as for knowing everything, well, if the Doctor knew everything then where's the fun in that."
"You're both mad, you know that don't you." Jackie shook her head chuckling. She smiled wearily up at her husband in the doorway.
"Why don't you go get some sleep," Rose nodded towards Pete. "It'll be light soon yea."
"Besides the Doctor's awake." She spoke softly, glancing over at him now leaning against a book case. "He can keep an eye on me. Go get some rest yea."
Jackie was hesitant to leave, but sheer exhaustion and her daughter's assurances forced her hand and she nodded.
"Goodnight then sweetheart." Jackie pressed a kiss to Rose's head and reluctantly allowed
Pete to guide her from the room. She stopped as they approached the door, turning her voice softly in the Doctor's direction. "Thank you." She whispered receiving a small nod in response. And they were gone, a soft click from down the hall signalling their retirement for what was left of the dark hours of the morning.
She sighed, closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. When she opened her eyes to find him still hiding in the shadows she patted the space on the bed next to her, shifting over so he could fit. Slowly he approached her, flicking off the lamp and machines as he went before gently taking her hand and removing the IV cannula's, smoothing over the red, irritated marks they left in her skin with his soft fingertips. He sat down in the space she made for him and pulled her suddenly but gently into his lap.
"What happened before," Rose whispered leaning back into him, "I felt you slip away and for one horrifying moment it hurt so badly I- I couldn't breathe."
"I know," He breathed into her hair holding her tighter against his chest, "I didn't mean to."
"It felt like I was dying, like my heart was gonna tear out my chest." She breathed and clasped his hand, bringing it up against her cheek, almost nuzzling against it.
"Trust me," He gently rubbed his knuckles up the length of her exposed arm. "A perpetual bond and what I did would have killed us both."
"Please never do it again?" She pleaded in his mind.
"I promise, never again." He pressed a kiss to her hair.
"Can you hear me?" She asked softly. "All the time I mean?"
"I always could," He admitted, head falling back onto the wood of the bed frame with a thud. "At first only when we touched, it was hard sometimes though, to ignore it when your mind was screaming out at me even if you didn't realise it. Eventually I just naturally became attuned to certain thing."
"Like what?" She murmured, more than a little curious.
"Oh boring things like vitals you know, heart, blood pressure and the like," He breathed. "I knew though, every time you had a nightmare, every time you'd cried over Mickey or worse because of -"
"Me and Mickey were over a long time ago," She assured him. "And never on the TARDIS, once I went with you I never, well, you know-" She murmured, a gentle blush creeping across the top of her ear.
"No," He nodded, lip turning up slightly, "I know you didn't. Most of your time was spent with me anyways."
"Hold on though," She frowned, "how did you know I didn't, not even with Jack?" She lifted her head to look up at the side of his face suspiciously.
"You humans ooze pheromones," He shrugged noncommittally. "If anyone had done anything I would have known, more senses than your species, not to mention the TARDIS would have alerted me, couldn't risk conception mid flight, the chances of genetic mutations due to Huon particles would've been highly likely."
"Was definitely no chance of that happenin then," Rose mumbled recalling some of the most frustrating times in her life, "No one even tried to make a move on me, not even Jack for all his flirting."
"Wouldn't have mattered if he did," He sniffed, "Time Lord genes are dominant, my ship, my rules. Jack and Mickey wouldn't have been able to have done anything even if they'd had enough of a nerve to try it."
"Cause you would've launch them out an airlock?" She snorted, recalling his Captain envy as she like to refer to his brooding as. She lightly traced the outline of his fingers with her own.
"Well there was that," He mused, choosing to ignore her thoughts, "But it wouldn't have been necessary, I render them all practically useless."
"Oh watch that ego Doctor," She grinned, tongue between her teeth in an expression he hadn't seen in such a very long time, "There'll be no room left for me."
"Hmm, cheeky," He smiled indulgently, "But you forget Rose, I remember all those times we met before I found you in that basement." She blushed and tried to hide it in his shirt collar.
"Don't know what you mean." She stuttered feigning ignorance.
"You kissed me," His expression, she thought, was the very epitome of smug. "A lot of me in fact." His eyebrow rose suspiciously. "I think you may have developed quite a fetish."
"You, Rose Tyler have a severe case of Doctor related obsession." She snorted and he nodded seriously.
"How could I not though," She pressed her face back into his shirt, breathing him in. "They were all you."
"Indeed they were," He agreed, "However my point is still valid, you Rose Tyler, are the only one to blame for your lack of action, as you referred to it, aboard the TARDIS."
"You what?" She spluttered.
"You heard." He grinned waggling his eyebrows.
"I wasn't the one who left my genetic imprint and manipulated by biodata across time and space," He continued, "As soon as we met, my biological imperative, unknowingly to me I might add, recognised you, and despite me not actually being allowed to remember until this point," He held up his finger to silence her until he was finished. "Rendered any and all other males of any species ineffectual."
"You could have said something ya know." She slapped him in the arm, her mouth agape in disbelief.
"Like what?" He snorted helping her shift around on his lap so she was almost face to face with him, despite her inability to meet his eyes.
"I don't know?" She dropped her head into her hands. "Argh you're so infuriating sometimes. And, and all that flirting you, god, you drive me mad-" His laughed echoes through both rooms at that, slipping sideways down the headboard in hysterics.
"You could have offered to help ya know." She grabbed a pillow and swung it at his head.
"Oh from what I remember you were doing quite well on your own." He challenged, eyes dancing with mirth.
"Damn you Alien git." She squealed as she retracted her arm for another swing at his head only to be reefed up off the bed in one smooth motion and placed over his shoulder.
"Alien git I may be" Came the smug reply over his shoulder, "But I recall no damning. Other things yes."
"Oh my god," She screeched, one hand gripping tight to the back of his jacket, the other attempting to cover the now deep crimson colour of her face, "How do you even know about that."
"I'm not blind or stupid for one." He threw back over at her.
"No it would appear just stubborn and enjoy causing me great frustration." She mumbled.
"Plus like I said humans emit pheromones," Ignoring her muffled comment even though he heard it quite clearly, "And you Rose Tyler, more so than anyone else, all those raging hormones and such," He spun round experimentally eliciting a small squeak from her. "Besides, what did you think would happen in a ship that shares a telepathic link with her pilot."
"I think I'm going to die of embarrassment that's what." She groaned.
"Oh come on," He teased, "It's not that bad."
"Really." She muttered, hanging loose in resignation. "It is, trust me."
"It's all perfectly natural." He smirked pulling his sonic out with a flourish. She made no reply as he gently let her slide down his chest until her feet touched the floor, he grinned down at her and she tried unsuccessfully to hide behind the lapel of his suit jacket.
"Fair play to you though, quite the imagination for one so young." He added, sliding an arm around her back so he could help take some of her weight, her legs not quite ready after so long a period unused.
"Oh shut up," she mumbled into his chest, clinging to his lapels, legs shaking not only due to their slight atrophy.
"I have a surprise for you." He whispered into her hair. "We've been a bit busy while you were asleep."
"We?" She frowned curiously up at him, cheeks still flushed a delightful pink.
"Oh yes." He exclaimed holding the sonic out in front of them with flourish.
"Are you ready?" He whispered, and at her nod, activated the screwdriver.
The most beautiful sound in the universe filled the room around them, a sound she'd know anywhere, the sound of the universe itself. And then she saw it. The TARDIS. In all her glory, bright and shiny and new. She stepped forward, pressing both hands against her outer shell, laughing almost giddy as a delightfully warm pulse travelled up through her fingers and arms and spread across her chest. She was practically bouncing on the spot as the Doctor produced a shiny familiar key from his pocket and slipped it into the lock, inching the door open before turning to grin madly at her.
"Welcome home, Rose Tyler."