Thanks for all the feedback! I wasn't going to update until tomorrow but I got six reviews for this chapter already and one of them was extra long (Pennie Laine: ULTRAHUG)

Chapter 11 rated T for violence, minor language and assault.


Chapter 11 – Deafening Silence

The Doctor didn't know why he had brought Rose here to Chicago in 1981, it was just the first place he had thought of, somewhere busy, bright and exciting.

Suddenly something in his pockets started to beep loudly. With a startled jump, he began searching through his pockets, cursing their ability to be bigger on the inside. As he continued to look for the incessant beeping item, he failed to notice Rose was no longer by his side.


The Doctor had guessed right, the flashing lights in the city around her helped Rose a bit, enough of a spark to want to go exploring. She blinked her eyes slowly as she gazed around the enormous city of Chicago. Either she had completely forgotten or simply didn't care that the Doctor was no longer by her side. In fact, she looked devoid of all emotion itself.

She passed by coffee shops, clothing stores, and locally owned cafes without anything registering on her face. People threw weird looks at her, but she didn't even acknowledge them, only continued walking. Without thinking, she wandered down a dark, dangerous-looking alley. Passing by a garbage bin, she flinched in just a hint of fright when three men stepped out on all sides of her.

"Oh look, what a pretty little thing." One of the men spoke with a raspy voice. "She must have been looking for fun if she wandered down here." Rose's eyes grew wide in fear but still her mouth stayed shut.

"What's your name Foxy?" The second man asked, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Ooh a silent one, even more fun. No one will hear her scream."

"I'm more interested on why she would want to cover up something like this." The third man grabbed the top of her camisole and let it go, snapping against her chest. The loud noise seemed to send another spark of life through Rose's body. She jumped back, tears running down her face but unable to cry for help. It felt like Jimmy all over again, but this time three times worse, and it scared the hell out of her. Why couldn't she scream?


The Doctor had found what had been making the incredibly annoying beeping sound, and he realized that somehow Rose's phone had slipped into his pocket. He looked at the screen and saw that she had a few missed calls.

"Rose, I think your mum is trying-" He turned to where she had been standing but to his horror realized that she was no longer there, or anywhere in sight.

"Rose!" He yelled, taking off. He looked down every street but there was no sign of her. Without speech, she could get lost, hurt, or worse...

He pulled a picture he had of her out of his pocket and showed it to a couple people walking down one of the streets.

"She might have been acting kind of funny, you know, like...out of it."

"Yeah, that might have been her, she went down that way." He continued to race down the streets, hoping to catch a sight of her bleached blond hair, but with no luck.

He stopped suddenly as he heard a crash down one of the alleys. He ran down it and immediately sprang into action at what he found. He pulled the first man off of Rose, who was sitting on the cold ground shivering in her bra and jeans. He roughly turned the man around and threw him into the wall, his head viciously cracking against the wall. The other two were so surprised at the Doctor's rage that they tried to run off but only the second one got away.

The Doctor slammed the last man against the brick wall, grabbing him with one hand in a locking grip around his throat. The Doctor's voice was laced with restrained anger as he tried his best to keep his violent actions in check.

"The only reason you're alive," he whispered dangerously, his powerful fingers digging into the man's neck. "is for the sake of that huddled figure over there, the most beautiful, compassionate, courageous and loyal woman I've ever met. The one you assaulted." His tempestuous gray eyes clearly showed he truly was The Oncoming Storm, and the man within his grasp was truly afraid for his life. He clawed at the Doctor's hand weakly, his constricted breath coming in short rasps. The Doctor just held him tighter, raising him a bit so his feet dangled above the ground.

"If I ever see you again even on the same street as her, you better pray to God that I'm not there too, or you'll be meeting Him." He threw the man as hard as he could away from Rose. The man took off further down the alley as if his feet were on fire, not even daring to look back.

The Doctor collapsed at Rose's side and gazed into her fear-filled eyes as she shivered violently, tears coming in steady streams down her face.

"Oh Rose." He hugged her to himself as her body shook with silent sobs. He was immensely angry at himself at what he had let happen to her, yet surprised that she was showing emotion, albeit negative.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered into her ear repeatedly as he rocked her back and forth. Still she remained silent, and the Doctor wished now more than ever to hear her voice that he hadn't heard in so, so long.

"We have to get out of here." He told her as he began to pull her up. As soon as they were upright, Rose began to sway and immediately collapsed unconscious into the Doctor's arms. Without a second thought he put her head on his shoulder and put his other arm under her knees. He clenched his jaw determinedly and took a deep breath as he carried his love back to his home. No, their home.


The Doctor rubbed his face wearily. He hated being in this position; it reminded him too much of when he had to sit and wait by Rose's unconscious side after she had absorbed the Bad Wolf.

And again he had no idea what was wrong with her. He gazed at her sadly, sleeping silently on the TARDIS' med table. The Doctor had gone searching into Rose's closet, until he found a light purple button-up blouse with ruffle sleeves, one that he particularly liked on her. She lay there wearing it now, covering the vicious bruises on her stomach and chest that she had received because of his stupid mistake to take her to Chicago. Chicago indeed, in 1981 no less! Was he a bloomin' idiot? He swore he heard Jackie's voice in his head.

"Jackie!" Remembering Rose's cell phone, he pulled it back out of his pocket and stared at it fondly. This wasn't the phone Rose had when he first met her, he had accidentally destroyed her previous one by testing to see how much sonic residue it could hold. It couldn't hold much, but Rose was grateful for the chance to get a new cell.

He scrolled into the contacts and let the button hover over Mum. What could he possibly say to her? That Rose had nearly been sexually assaulted because of him? That she couldn't speak, hear or comprehend anything? That he didn't know what was wrong with her?

He threw the phone away angrily, clattering against the TARDIS' floor. No, Jackie would have to wait.

His large ears perked up like a dog when he heard the TARDIS buzzing softly in his head, sending him impulses and images. Nodding, he stood up and walked over to the door.

"Yes, you're right. It's been way too long since we've refueled you at the rift. Now's as good a time as any."

"And off we go, into time and space!"

The Doctor suddenly halted upon reaching the doorway. He turned around and looked back at Rose's silent, sleeping form, as if she lay on Death's door. He clenched his fist and swallowed a sick feeling in his mouth, before turning back around and leaving the Med Bay.


The TARDIS made a soft thump as she landed in Cardiff.

"Status?" The comforting buzz in reply told him that Rose was fine but her scans weren't done. He gave a small smile at the TARDIS' last thought to him.

"Yes, again you're right. It's been forever since I've tinkered with you and we got to spend some time together. This whole mess with Rose has worn me down to the bone." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and knelt just under her console's screen.

"Alright, but only for five minutes." He smiled as the TARDIS sent him reassuring images of Rose, bright eyed and energetic, along with the message that she would be alright. He got the distinct feeling that the TARDIS missed her just as much as he did. "For both our sakes I hope you're right."

He didn't flinch nor get up when the TARDIS door opened and Captain Jack strolled in nonchalantly.

"Hey Doc, where's Rose?"

"In the Med Bay, wait, Jack!" He yelled to him as Jack immediately ran down the hallway.

"No!" Jack cried, rushing to Rose's side. The Doctor appeared in the doorway and followed him in.

"She's a lot worse than the last time you were here." The Doctor said.

"No damn kidding!" Jack replied. "What happened to her?" He ran a finger lightly over an enormous bruise on her cheekbone. He gasped at the extensive harm done to her beautiful body as he lifted up her blouse and blanched at the bruises on her waist and chest.

"I happened to her Jack."

"What?" Jack spun around, his face a mixture of disbelief and confusion. The Doctor took his hands out of his pockets and growled bitterly. He spat his words as his voice grew in volume.

"Yes Jack, I let this happen to her. I let three weak, human bastards beat her up and nearly kill her, just like I let her lose herself into this horrible silence." His face contorted in self-anger. "I was so selfish! I just had to keep her by my side, expect her to love a broken fool like me, all the while putting her in danger greater than anything I can protect her from." He gestured towards Rose and Jack softened his gaze, knowing the Doctor still wasn't done. The Doctor's voice dropped down to a normal level, his every word shaky.

"I miss her Jack, I miss her more than anything. How is that possible? I lost all of Gallifrey but I'd rather hear Rose's melodic voice, just to put the bright spot in my day again." He paused, fighting his rushing emotions. He looked away from Jack's eyes full of pity, hating that his tough facade was crumbling. "I miss her shining brown eyes, her laughter like an angel's, her smile brighter than any super nova." He suddenly snapped. "She's the greatest thing that ever happened to me, and no matter what I do, I can't stop her being taken away from me!" He turned around and slammed his fist against the wall, the noise reverberating around the room. Without another word he departed out of the Med Bay. He stomped down the hall, mortified at the tears coming down his face but unable to stop them, feeling the lowest he had ever been.

After he had left, Jack sighed sorrowfully and ran his smooth fingers through the long blond curls cascading down Rose's shoulders and chest, her serene features looking like an angelic specter.

"Oh Rose, can't you see how much he needs you?"


The Doctor continued to race down the hallway until he reached a door, one he hadn't stood in front of since before he met Rose. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and entered into the One Room.

He had originally created the One Room to replace the Zero Room that had been destroyed in his Fifth regeneration, but found it was a perfect place to keep his memories of Gallifrey alive. The One Room wasn't exactly the most creative name, but he did find himself at peace and at One whenever he resided in here.

The Doctor took off his boots and socks and set them by the entrance so he could feel the holographic red grass gather and flow beneath his feet. Just like when he was young, except it was the real deal back then.

He continued to walk until he came up to his favorite tree, the one on a hill that overlooked the entire Citadel. He brushed away a few silver leaves that had fallen to the ground and sat underneath the tree's shadow,. After a few seconds he changed his mind and moved a few feet away and into the twin sunlights. He collapsed on his back and closed his eyes to the artificial rays of Gallifrey's twin suns.

He neither flinched nor opened his eyes when he heard Jack sit down beside him. The Captain uttered not a word, but instead gazed at the beauty of the Citadel hundreds of feet below them. The Doctor took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"How long has it been since you left for Paris?" The Doctor asked him, keeping his eyes closed.

"Eleven years." Jack replied, smiling sadly. "Started to get a bit worried." He paused. "Guess I had a good reason to."

"She's deteriorated so much in these last few weeks, and I couldn't do anything to stop it." They both were silent, until the Doctor opened his eyes, letting them roam the orange sky.

"Why must I lose everything Jack? First I lost my wife and our adult son, then I lose Susan, all of my home planet and now Rose." Jack was quiet for a moment, contemplating.

"I think it happens to everyone who lives forever." The Doctor sat up and suddenly felt more compassionate towards his friend who knew a portion of what he was going through. "You live for hundreds of years, and pretty soon everything gets taken away from you." Jack stood up. "I'm gonna go back and be with Rose for a bit, haven't seen her in over a decade." The Doctor nodded and Jack left the One Room.

The Doctor sat where he was, imagining the Citadel to be populated with thousands of Time Lords and Ladies, and not a computer generated hologram designed by his own hand.


Sad Doctor makes me wanna cry :'( If anybody could shake the Doctor up that much, it'd be Rose.

I love Rose's hair in curls and waves, don't get me wrong I like it straight too, but Billie could pretty much play an angel with her hair like that.

Next Chapter: Rose's results come in, Jack has a good idea, we see a familiar place and familiar foes! (A lot to fit into one chapter huh? :D)