Damn this took forever. I was looking back and notcing, wow I haven't addressed so much. Here are some explainations and the last of the background chapters before we get back into the meat of the story. There is a "bad" word in here and some suggestiveness, but no more than I've put in past chapters.
"I don't know about this, Rose," John said, looking at the small building into front of him with unease.
"Come on, Doctor, where's your sense of adventure?" Rose teased, lightly nudging him.
"But, this is permanent, Rose. It won't wash off in the shower," he reminded her. She looped her arms around his neck.
"Why are you really scared?" She asked softly.
"What if something happens and this turns out to be nothing but a painful reminder of a failed relationship?" He said quickly.
Rose shook her head slightly and kissed him. "I love you," she whispered against his lips. "Nothing is ever gonna change that, Doctor. Ever."
He rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, too, Rose." He straightened up. "Ok, let's do this"
An hour later, they were both stumbling out, drunk on adrenaline. John was studying the bandage wrapped around his right bicep. Rose was adjusting her jeans around the gauze she had on her lower back. "Oh, Donna and Jack are gonna flip when they find out we got tattoos!" John cried out with a laugh.
"I know! Not to mention their mum." Rose giggled.
"Oh, I forgot about Mr. and Mrs. Harkness." he groaned, slapping himself on the forward. "They're gonna kill us," he grimaced.
"We're both eighteen, Doctor, and anyways, we don't need their permission." Rose said with a sniff.
John grinned and pulled her into a hard kiss. "Let's do something crazy," he breathed.
"We've got tattoos, Doctor. What's crazier?" she asked.
"Let's get married."
Jack groaned and pushed his pillow harder against his head hoping to drown out the sound of his ringing mobile. When he heard Donna knocking on his wall, he rolled over and snatched it off his nightstand. "Whoever this is better get a fucking watch." he growled.
"Ah! Good morning Jack!" He raised his head and yes, it was two-thirty four in the morning.
"What the hell, John?"
"I need a witness, Jack."
"For what?" he asked, not really paying attention.
"Rose and I are getting married!" came the cheerful announcement on the other end.
Jack bolted up right and tumbled out of bed. "Ow! Shit!" he cursed, rubbing his back.
"Jack?" John asked, concerned.
"Did you just say you and Rose are getting married? At two in the morning? John, we're not in Vegas!" Jack informed him, beyond stunned.
"Well, your dad could do it. He's a licensed…marriage person."
Jack frowned at the phone. "Are you drunk, John?"
"No, it's just….ah… I'm trying to talk-Oh, Rose." John groaned on the other end.
"Oi! Knock it off!" Jack hollered, finally getting to his feet and exiting his room and heading straight for his step-sister's.
"Right, sorry about that. Anyway, Rose and I were wondering if you and Donna could be our witnesses and if your dad could marry us." John explained.
Jack reached out and shook his sister's shoulder. "Donna. Donna wake up." He said.
"Piss off," she grumbled.
"Donna, seriously, wake the hell up." He growled.
Donna rolled over and glared at him. "What the bloody hell is it, Jack?"
"John and Rose want to get married. Tonight." He informed her.
"What?" Donna screeched, snatching the mobile out of Jack's hand. "Are you off your rocker?" She yelled.
"Good morning, Donna!" John greeted.
"Give me Rose." She ordered.
"Hello Donna."
"Rose, what the hell are you two thinking? You're only eighteen, why the rush? Oh, wait, you're not pregnant, are you?"
Jack paled. He wasn't ready to become an uncle. Especially at his age.
Rose had the nerve to laugh at Donna. "No, Donna, but The Doctor and I love each other and we want to be married. Mr. and Mrs. Smith," she said in a dreamy voice.
"Sweetheart, are you drunk?" Donna tried to reason.
"M'perfectly sober."
"Why the rush?" Donna asked again, desperate to know what was fueling the decision.
"We want to be husband and wife, Donna," Rose repeated.
"Ok, look, why don't you and John come by the house, yeah? Talk this over." Donna listened as Rose gave the suggestion to The Doctor, who agreed.
Jack flopped back onto his bed, absolutely exhausted. It took about two hours, but after seeing the tattoos, and realizing that The Doctor and Rose were just on a high, it was easy to talk them out marriage and into waiting until they were all settled in university. Tempers had flared and defenses had popped up, but all had been settled and Rose and The Doctor had gone back to the flat Jack's dad had built for them after The Doctor's parents passed away. It wasn't easy, suddenly having to share bathroom space with two new people, but they finally found their rhythm.
Jack laid his arm around his eyes, blocking out the sunlight. He didn't know what his parents would've done if Rose and The Doctor had insisted on following through.
"Why must you go?" John whined, pulling Rose closer to him, hoping the feel of his skin against hers would be enough to keep her with him.
"Doctor, we talked about this," Rose answered, snuggling further into his chest, "If we're going to get married, we both need good jobs, which means a good education, yeah?"
"But, why America. There are plenty of good universities over here."
"I was born in America, John, I should at least take advantages of the schools they have over there." She reminded him, taking a deep breath so she could remember the smell of his skin. She wasn't actually going to go to school in America, she would miss him too much. But since her dad was going over there, she could at least see what kind of universities they had. They were only going to be gone three weeks. Nothing to other people, but a lifetime to them.
John began placing several soft kisses along Rose's collarbone, hoping to entice her to forget the trip. She moaned and arched against his body. "I need to get dressed," she choked out, "so, I can pack."
"No packing. Packing bad." John mumbled against her chest. "Packing takes you away from me."
She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled him up for a kiss, their tongues dueling for dominance, with John's the clear winner. He rolled her onto her back and pulled the sheet up and over their heads.
"John? Rose? My dad wants to know if you're all packed, Rose." Jack asked, knocking on their door. It opened to reveal a grumpy John, wearing a frown and black boxers with bananas on them.
"She's getting her things now," he grumbled, going back to the bed and throwing himself face down.
Jack smiled at the childish scene The Doctor made. Rose came out of bathroom, zipping up a small traveling kit. She looked over at her boyfriend before smiling and shaking her head.
"He's upset that he couldn't seduce me into staying here." She explained.
Jack threw back his head and laughed.
"I can hear you," John complain louder.
Rose zipped shut the last duffel bag and handed it to Jack, who took it and left the room. She sat beside John and rested a hand on his back. She felt him tense beneath her fingertips. She began to trace soft patterns along his back and shoulders, but he wouldn't relax.
"Are you really this upset with me?" she asked softly. He didn't answer her. She hummed softly under her breath, leaning down to trail kisses along his skin. She would miss this, this quiet time with him, feeling his skin on hers, having his weight pressing against her, making her feel safe and wanted. She would miss his kisses and his touch and the way he could make her melt with a single look. She would miss all out of it.
"What if you find someone in America? Someone better than me?" John asked quietly.
"That's impossible," Rose answered him, laying down beside him and resting her head on his pillow. He turned his head to face her.
"What if you meet someone and you fall in love with him? Someone who's better for you than me. Someone who's not so clueless about dating. Someone who isn't so tainted and guilt-ridden." He told her, lowering his eyes.
Rose cupped his face. "There isn't anyone in this universe, or any other for that matter, that I will ever love more than I love you." John raised his eyes.
He took her hand and laid it against his chest so she could feel his heart beating. "Sometimes I feel like I need two hearts, just to hold all the love I feel for you, Rose Tyler."
Rose blinked back tears and kissed him, needing to feel him inside one last time.
"You're certain this is where you want to be Rose?" He hadn't seen her since she left almost two months ago. It was supposed to be just a free trip with her dad back to her birthplace, but it turned into longer, once she fell in love with New York University. She applied and was accepted and finally all her paperwork in, she was to begin classes the following week at 20. She had rang John and asked him to come see her. He was 22 and just beginning his undergrad classes and his doctorate and had found some time to finally get to the states. He already knew what she was going to say when he entered her flat.
"Yes, John. NYU had everything I've been looking for. The programs and majors that they offer are incredible and I still haven't picked one yet." Rose told him.
John ran a hand through his hair. "Are you going to stay here forever?" He asked, fiddling with his keys.
"No, 'course not, but I can't tell you when I'll come back. I feel like I need to find myself, John. And I feel like I can do it here." John nodded. Neither one of them said anything for a long time.
He finally lifted his head. "I love you, Rose. So here's the deal. Five years from now, from this moment, if you've find what you're looking for, come back to England. And we'll be together. Right now, you and I are just beginning our different careers and maybe we need to focus on that instead of each other. So, five years, and then we'll start our lives together."
Rose nodded. Five years.
As John caught a cab back to the airport, he could help but think, people always leave. No exceptions.
Aww, how sad. I know I said that they had a good break-up, but come on. Even The Doctor would be sad about breaking up with Rose.