A/N. Thank you for those of you who have been waiting for an update… and for those of you who haven't been. :)
Previously…
"This is going to be the most unbelievable thing I am going to tell you, Rose Tyler… I know I'd said your abilities to communicate with my TARDIS are extraordinary…"
"You'd like to know if I understand what is it the old girl keeps suggesting?"
"Not exactly how I'd have worded it, but-"
Rose exhaled, closed her eyes, inhaled, looked at the Doctor. "Yes, I do."
No Time Like the Present
Chapter Eleven
The Time Lord looked her over.
"Don't do that, all right? We're not exactly in the state to-"
The Gallifreyan thought differently, but let it slide. "Never mind that, Rose. If you understand her… you should be safe! Bad Wolf is the TARDIS, in a way… and you-"
"I should be able to somehow deflect her, is this what you're suggesting?"
The Doctor averted his eyes. "That wouldn't be wise, I'm afraid."
"Oh?"
"She would not approve."
"Yeah?" For once, Rose seemed confused. "Hasn't it been you who was told to-"
"To think, yes… But it's you who must do the hardest work. She is trying to change you, not me."
Rose didn't as much as flinch at his words. "And I should cooperate? Allow her in?"
He nodded uncomfortably.
She sighed. "Has she ever asked me before invading my mind and well… me?" Rose turned her look and words upwards. Have you, TARDIS? What about the pain? The weakness? "All of that just because she wants me to change? Change into what?"
"Into someone stronger… someone better," he quoted.
Rose shook her head, trying to get the unwelcome tension away. "Could we talk about something else?"
The Doctor smiled at her encouragingly. "Avoiding addressing complicated topics… It is not exactly going to help, Rose."
"I know," she admitted. Rose was aware it was better for her to face it all at once. All the risks, all the dangers accepting Bad Wolf inside her could cause…
"I admire your never-ending courage, love. But it could always wait for a bit longer.
You are suggesting?
"What about… we leave this room, you go take a shower, change into something comfortable, and then we find Jack and Martha to help you brighten up your mood, love?" Afterwards, we could deal with Bad Wolf and find out what she does to you.
Which couldn't necessarily have meant anything. The Time Lord saw it in her eyes. Felt it pulsating within her. It was in the air Rose exhaled. In the passionate kisses she gave him. An ordinary human would not have noticed it. But something in the way she smiled, in the way she cried, in the way she touched him… It was unearthly. Unearthly and very, very familiar.
The most curious thing was that somehow his fair-haired girl knew. Knew, understood or at least suspected…
"Doctor? Are you sure we won't be noticed?" Even if the old girl has shortened the path to her room considerably – Rose hoped she has – the possibility of being seen was still there.
He grinned at her. Don't underestimate the TARDIS, Rose!
Do I ever?
The Doctor pretended to be thinking, knowing the answer to the question no worse than she did. "I wonder."
"Shut up, you!" Rose giggled. "Let's go, before we are missed! I wouldn't like to face them all sticky, dirty and smelling of-"
He knew his faithful companion deserved as much. The alien would not have minded a shower himself. But one thing has rolled off his tongue before he has thought better of it. "Smelling off-" He prompted.
Stop being silly. Nevertheless, she accepted his rules in this game. "Of a Time Lord. Of quality love-making to the said Time Lord." Can we go now?
The Doctor blew a kiss towards her. Heavens, how much he loved this woman. Allons-y, Rose Tyler!
Their return has passed without any incident. Thank you, old girl! It was impossible to tell how much time they were given to shower themselves and put clean clothes on… Rose wondered about that, as the Doctor kept nagging her telepathically from the en suite in his room ever since he was done… And everybody knew patience and the Doctor hardly ever went in the same sentence.
Find something to do? Rose suggested him softly. I still need to fix something up.
Make-up? Hair? I can help you with that!
I'm sure you can! Whenever the Doctor began brushing her hair, however rarely that occasion has risen – Rose has made it clear long ago attending balls did not interest her – all she could do was freeze in place and try to fight the inexplicable desire to fall into the Doctor's embrace and do him all the things that have been – up until this day, at least – unacceptable and unimaginably wrong. Although she has only imagined things as simple as kissing him and burying her fingers inside his hair…
Rose exhaled. Don't taunt me.
Deal, he sent her. But only for until we are alone again, my darling girl.
The Doctor was self-consciously attempting to weaken Rose's resolve… But it wasn't working. He had to keep reminding himself this was to be expected.
Could we keep it plain and civil when we meet Jack and Martha, at least?
Sure thing, the Gallifreyan assured the girl, only barely realising they have been communicating telepathically all the while.
"Can't have that, can we, Doctor?" Rose's hand found his just as he was considering breaking down the door to her room. "Wouldn't the TARDIS get terribly upset if you did this? I would."
Fine. No more telepathy. "I didn't," he planted a kiss on her cheek. "I wouldn't. You should see just how annoyed she can get! Right. You absolutely shouldn't, my Rose."
"Okay," she agreed. "Not that I want to." Having witnessed the ship's anger at her pilot more times than she could count, the companion giggled instead. "Who could have said so many things would change between us in so little time?"
"Hmmm… Let's see. The TARDIS could have. Jack. Me. Yeah." Are you sure we can't just- Having been forced to use verbal communication after they had both been feeling so much at ease while employing mental connection felt as if it were almost physically hurting him.
"We cannot, stop over-dramatising everything, Doctor."
The Time Lord shrugged at her, amused. She was right, as always.
"Look who's here, Jack!" Martha was the first to approach the couple. "Do you even realise," her voice quieted down to a whisper, "how much time you two have spent heaven-knows where, doing heaven-knows what?" And then there I was, having been forced to listen to all sorts of- she grimaced. At least the ones to blame seemed utterly happy.
Jack knows, the Doctor could not resist adding, winking at Rose.
Rose fought back the wish to glare at him, grinning instead. "Let's just leave it there, Martha."
"With pleasure," the dark-skinned girl smiled at them uncertainly.
The Captain's voice and the smug look in his all-knowing expression has but reminded them some things could not be avoided quite so easily.
