Chapter 14

When she woke again, he was there, sitting beside her bed on the upholstered chair. His eyes met hers momentarily. He looked- uneasy, almost afraid. The Doctor leaned forward, resting a hand on hers.

"Rose?" he asked cautiously.

The IV was gone. A bandage pressed a small cotton ball where it had been. Her hands were free, and she sat up slowly, momentarily confused. Soft blankets surrounded her, cocooning her in warmth. She felt…better.

"Doctor?" she asked.

He nodded. "Right here, Rose."

She shook her head lightly. Things weren't making sense. Had he changed his mind?

He remained quiet, sitting calmly, waiting for her to speak. Her colour was better- she looked a bit more like herself. The disc's readings were good. She should be feeling close to normal, health-wise, anyway.

Her voice was strained. "How? Wh-why am I still here?"

She still seemed confused, not understanding. "Rose, you live here- on the TARDIS with me. We travel together. You were only at the Women's Facility by mistake- but you're here now, and you're safe."

She shook her head slightly. "'S not what I mean, Doctor…" she trailed off.

"Your room, then?" he asked.

"No," she whispered. "How am I still here? I shouldn't be here. I've seen it before. While I was there- I know I shouldn't be here."

"I don't know what you mean, Rose," he said softly. "What are you talking about?"

"The IV…I know what it does," she said in a hushed whisper.

He turned his head glancing at the pole sitting behind him. "Rose, the IV was to help replace fluids. Just a simple saline solution. Is that what you're talking about?"

She huffed softly, letting out the air in a soft puff. Her fingers raked through her blonde hair, expressing bewilderment and confusion. "But…why didn't it help her, then?"

Licking his lips, he took her small hand in his larger one, squeezing her fingers with his own. "Who didn't it help?"

"The girl that was brought in." Rose paused a moment. "Raina."

He nodded slowly, indicating that she continue. Rose obliged. She told him everything she remembered from the time she was dumped off like an old pile of rubbish until the matron pulled the sheet over her cold, still body.

"And…and he left her. She was sick, Doctor…and you told me I was sick…and I just thought that…" she trailed off, sniffled softly, and looked up at him. "It hurt her. She cried and she shook and…" she let out a small sob and gulped in a mouthful of air, "I thought you were doing the same to me."

He put his thumb under her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his. "But you know now that that wasn't true, Rose. I was just trying to help you. I meant what I said- I'll never hurt you." His hand again rubbed circles on her back, trying to soothe her.

She clung to him as she cried softly. His leather jacket creaked a bit as she rested her head on his shoulder, sniffling lightly.

Rose rested against the Doctor for a time before she picked her head up. "Why didn't it help her? The IV, I mean." she asked, her voice still thick with tears.

He paused briefly- it was doubtful that the matron had intended to kill the girl. It didn't seem to be the way of the planet, and certainly not that of the facility. Women were treated like cattle, but not purposefully and maliciously killed. He chose his words carefully.

"I believe Raina was already very unwell when she came back, Rose. The IV given to her didn't contain a saline solution- it was probably the same concoction you received by injection, but stronger. It had to completely erase the memory of her first husband in order to prepare her to learn everything all over again."

He cupped her cheek with his hand, thumb stroking her cheek. "She was likely too sick to endure such pharmaceuticals. They're not all that safe for healthy women, let alone someone who is already weak and unwell. Her body just gave out." He rubbed a hand over her back.

She nodded, sniffling, looking down at her hands. Faint red marks showed on her wrists. Her mouth opened in a silent question as she ran a finger over the mark.

He saw her staring and said gently, "You scared me earlier. Thrashin' about and all- I had to restrain your hands so you wouldn't hurt yourself."

Rose blinked, nodding. "I'm sorry. I- I didn't-"

"No need for apologies. I had no idea what you'd witnessed- I could've done a better job of explaining things."

The bed squeaked gently under their weight as he shifted slightly. "Would you like to come see something on the ship with me? I had an idea while you were sleepin', thought you might like to-"

Her stomach growled, interrupting his thought.

He raised an eyebrow, giving her a smile. "Or maybe it's time for lunch?"

Rose's hand covered her belly as she flushed pink. "Sorry," she whispered, looking embarrassed.

"I should've known. What'll it be, then?"

She smiled back. "I can cook for us," she said hopefully. "Whatever you'd like, Doctor."

He debated. Rose looked almost happy at the prospect of getting into the kitchen. Fixing one meal wouldn't hurt her, especially if he kept an eye on her as she did it. After picking up the folding screen and tucking it into his pocket, the Doctor nodded his consent slowly. He was rewarded with a very large, very genuine smile.

~OOoOO~

Rose tied on an apron, pinned up her hair, and turned to the Doctor, suddenly feeling shy. The need to please him, to make him happy, dominated her thoughts. She didn't want to muck this up.

The Women's Facility had all menus planned in advance- Rose only needed to ask matron or to view the planning boards to see what she needed to prepare. Not knowing what the TARDIS had available in the kitchen or what the Doctor wanted felt intimidating. She poked around the kitchen, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the task at hand.

He sat at the table, watching her work. She seemed a bit lost, wandering around, opening this cupboard and that, looking but not touching anything. After a few moments of peeking through the galley and looking flustered, he cleared his throat, causing her to jump and look at him.

"Don't overdo it, then, Rose," he said gently. "If you're not feelin' up to this, I'll gladly fix us something."

She shook her head, eyes widening a bit. "No, no. I'm feeling good, Doctor. 'M just not sure what you'd like."

"Well then," he said with a smile, "can you fix us a couple sandwiches?"

"If that's what you want…" she trailed off, looking a bit disappointed.

He smiled. "Rose, you'll have plenty of time to cook. Right now all I need is a sandwich. You'll find the bread in the pantry, and everything else in the fridge."

She nodded.

The pantry door swung smoothly on its hinges and, as promised, a large variety of loaves sat on the top shelf. She studied them intently, finally selecting a simple loaf of wheat bread. The refrigerator held a vast array of meats and cheeses, tucked away neatly in a small compartment that was, not coincidentally, bigger on the inside. She smiled as she patted the fridge, grateful that she'd been able to find what she needed.

The TARDIS hummed pleasantly as Rose assembled the sandwiches, and she finally felt in control of something. It felt good to be busy. She set a plate down for the Doctor at the table, and placed her own on the counter.

"Aren't you going to eat over here?" he asked, patting the chair beside him. "I don't bite, Rose."

She hadn't intended to eat with him, but was grateful for the invitation. They shared their lunch together at the same table.

"What do you suppose would make you happy, Rose?" he questioned. "Shall we visit your Mum?"

She shifted in her seat. "I've no need to visit anyone. 'M with you now. 'M to take care of you."

"But you must want to see your home." he said softly, wanting her to want it- even if it meant dealing with Jackie.

Taking a bite of her sandwich, Rose chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "Doctor, sir, my home is here with you."

"No, you're home is in London. You're traveling with me- and you do live here- but you're home is on Earth."

She dropped her sandwich. "Do you-"

"No." He interrupted. "I want you here with me." He reached for her hand and squeezed it. "Maybe some other time we'll visit your Mum."

Once he dropped the subject, she relaxed. It worried him that she had no interest in Jackie, her home, or any of the things that should be important. Still, it had only been a day. Patience…he needed patience.

Too soon the food was gone and Rose stood up, gathering their plates. She washed the few dishes quickly dried them quickly while the Doctor tucked the meat and cheese back into the refrigerator.

"Well done, Rose," he said quietly. "It was a very nice sandwich."

Her smile was shy, but the gentle blush of her cheeks told him he'd been right in paying her the compliment. As she turned away, he sighed softly. It appeared he'd have to tolerate domestics for a time.

A/N: Hello everyone. This chapter is a shorty, but the next one will not only have more content, but also begin to explore Rose remembering what happened to her and how she'll deal with it. I'm sorry I've only been posting every other Friday, but Lord have mercy, my job has been insane. By the time I drag myself home, cook dinner, clean up, and do all the other adult stuff, I've little time or energy to write...or edit, in this case. We are literally leaving to go camping as soon as I finish posting this, but I'm taking my laptop with me in hopes that I'll be able to do a bit of writing and/or editing this weekend. Thanks so much! ALC