Chapter Fourteen
Rose was awoken by a scream. With a slight shock, she realized that it had been her own. Her cheeks were wet with tears, and her whole body shook. The sheets of her old bed were wrapped tightly around her legs. She took a few calming breaths and hoped that the Doctor hadn't heard her. He worried enough, and there was no sense in getting him worked up over a little nightmare. There was no such luck. He burst into the room, sonic screwdriver in hand.
"Are you alright?" he asked after realizing that there was no psychopathic alien that had found its way into her room. He wore a deep blue shirt and, Rose noticed with a slight blush, only his boxers.
"I'm fine," she said, wiping her eyes with the back of one hand. "Just a nightmare. Nothing I'm not used to." She wasn't lying. Ever since Canary Warf, memories-turned-nightmares of her moment of loss had plagued her. It had become almost routine to wake up in the middle of the night, images of either her or the Doctor vanishing into the Void flashing through her mind. Tonight, however, had been different.
It had started off like all of the others, with the moment that she realized what had to be done, her fingers relinquishing their painful hold on the lever, the all-powerful pull of the Void. But his time, after Pete had rescued her from oblivion, she was greeted in the other universe by steely glares from her family. "You abandoned us. My only daughter left me forever. And for what? A man." Each of Jackie Tyler's words stung the hatred behind them almost tangible. Rose tried to protest, but she found that she could no longer move. He needs me, she tried to yell, but no sound came out.
Then, she was back at Bad Wolf Bay, completely alone save the ghostly impression of the Doctor. "Why did you leave me Rose?" he asked, sounding heartbroken. "I'm so alone. I needed you, and you deserted me!" His image faded, taking her world with it. All that was left was the darkness and a familiar robotic voice. "Exterminate!"
Rose struggled to contain another wave of sobs. "I must seem like a wreck," she said jokingly. "I swear I'm not usually like this."
"It's alright," he reassured her. "You've had a rough day. It's a miracle you've held it together for this long." She sniffed and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you," she managed to choke out. "I just keep thinking that—that my mum thinks I've left her all alone, and she hates me for it."
"I know Jackie Tyler. Right now she's probably lying awake cursing my name. But never, not for one second, could she hate you," the Doctor said. "She loves you, she really does. And she's not alone anymore. She's got Pete and Mickey. They'll take care of her. Don't worry. It's all going to be alright. Trust me."
"Thank you," Rose said. The shock of the dream was beginning to be replaced with exhaustion. Her head dropped down to his chest, and she was lulled to sleep by the sound of his twin hearts.