Chapter Eighteen

Rose woke first to find herself still held in John's loose embrace. Carefully she disentangled herself and only when the growling noises her stomach was making threatened to wake him did she slip from under the covers and make her way to the shower room. She quickly stepped inside the shower cubicle and washed the sweat and other bodily fluids from her body. She was a little tender down below and she smiled as she remembered what they had done together. If he was capable of that whilst wearing a cast… Her mind wandered to what might be possible without it.

"Stop it Rose." she admonished herself. "He is not your play thing."

As she stepped out of the shower and towelled herself dry she decided to retrieve the tissue with the condom in it and flush it away. Only as she flushed the toilet did it occur to her that they had made love more than once and only once had John worn a condom. She flushed as she remembered first his fingers, then his tongue and then his thick shaft all buried inside her. Well it wouldn't matter she was on the pill anyway, that first time had just been her being super careful.

She dressed again and tried to smooth the creases from her crumpled clothing. She combed out her hair and tucked it behind her ears before silently unlocking the door and slipping outside. She stood for a moment and listened carefully. She could hear her Mother in the living room and from the baby words she was using she was with Tony. She decided to do as her Mother had asked her and be visible to her brother. When she walked in to the room Jackie looked up,

"Hello love you've been hiding in there for hours."

"We fell asleep. John is still asleep now."

Jackie didn't comment on Rose's damp hair but she had noted it. Rose perched on the edge of the sofa and caught one of her brothers waving hands in her own.

"I've just fed him so don't jiggle him about."

"I thought I'd make John and I some lunch."

"It's a bit late now."

"I know but I'm hungry and he will be when he wakes up."

Jackie raised an eyebrow but mercifully just nodded,

"He needs to eat well to get his strength back."

Rose nodded,

"He can't wait to get that cast off, his leg itches."

"He needs a ruler."

"I told him that."

Rose fell silent and released her brother's hand. She and Jackie spoke at almost the same moment,

"I should…"

"You should…"

"You first." said Jackie

"I was just going to say I should get us some food."

"So was I. The fridge is full."

"I don't know what he likes to eat." Rose's face fell, "I know so little about him."

"So make a selection of sandwiches, we have cheese, chicken, ham all the usuals and plenty of salad too and find out what he likes."

"OK thanks Mum I'll do that." Rose left and went to the kitchen. A short while later she let herself back in to John's room with a tray that was groaning under the weight of an assortment of sandwiches and a bowl of large mixed salad. She set the food on the dressing table and pressed her lips lightly against John's to wake him. As he stirred she spoke softly,

"Hey sleepy head. It's long past lunch time are you hungry?"

His brow furrowed and sleepily he wiped a hand across his face,

"Kissing."

"Yes I kissed you to wake you."

He nodded.

"Are you OK? You seem a little disorientated."

John shook his head,

"No I'm fine I think just waking up. I'm all sticky."

"Yeah sorry about that I took a shower; I could help you shower after we eat. Mum bought some of those plastic bags to put over your cast."

"I want this thing off."

"We take you back to the fracture clinic in a couple of days. You never know the way you heal it might be able to come off then."

"I hope so. I want to be able to swim with you."

"After lunch and once we've got you cleaned up we could go to the pool room and just relax a bit."

"Would you swim?"

"If you'd like me to."

"I'd like to watch. Just watch you move."

"Well OK but you need to eat first. I made some sandwiches and a salad but…" Rose looked pained, "… I don't know what you like."

"Why the look?"

"I thought that was obvious. I love you. We just made love… repeatedly," she grinned wickedly, "And yet I don't even know what to put in a sandwich for you."

John laughed before saying,

"So when I say woman make me a sandwich I should specify the filling!"

Rose looked away before saying "Yeah," in a small voice.

"Rose." John spoke gently, "Rose I was joking."

"I know but I just feel bad I've made no effort to get to know you. I just used you, pushed you away, you almost died and I still don't know what to put in a sandwich for you!" Her voice was breaking and John pushed himself up on an elbow and put his free arm around her,

"I like chicken, ham, cheese all the usuals."

"You sound like Mum." and she smiled weakly at him.

"Heaven forbid!" John said and threw his arms up in mock protest.

"Shut up." replied Rose rising from where she was seated on the edge of the bed and retrieving the tray of food from the dressing table. "Shut up and eat some of this." He did as he was told and they ate in companionable silence. When between them they had cleared the tray John was the first to speak,

"That was the Rose of old speaking earlier."

"What do you mean?"

"When you said shut up. You used to say that a lot to him."

Rose smiled at the memory,

"Yes I did but he isn't here and you are and you are still sticky. I'll go and get one of those bags I was talking about and we can get you cleaned up." She left immediately she had said the words and all but ran from the room. Why had he had to bring that up? She didn't need reminders of what was lost she needed to focus on what she had. How could she tell him that without him thinking it was the other him she loved? She did love the Doctor but not the way she loved John, not any more. She thought she'd always love the Doctor but her heart didn't break when she thought of him now; she loved him more as a brother than a lover. Rose found herself by the cupboard that housed the necessary bags and she opened the packet and pulled one out. Maybe she'd talk to him as she helped him wash or maybe later in the pool room might be better. It would be more relaxed in there and they'd have more privacy away from the main living area of the house. When she returned to his room he immediately spoke,

"I've upset you haven't I?"

"Not upset me as such no. You just reminded me of my old life but I have a new one now here with you so come on you get up and I'll get the shower to a nice temperature." She passed him his crutches and moved to the shower room. When John had carefully manoeuvred himself in to the room she helped him undress and carefully sealed the bag around his cast.

"You aren't joining me?"

"I don't know if I should."

"I think I might need help reaching certain areas by myself." he winked.

"I'll bet you do but no funny business."

"The only business I have with you in here is very, very serious."