Title: Settling In
Author: Shen
Rating: NC-17
Characters: Rose, Ten, Donna, Jack, Gwen, Torchwood
Setting/Spoilers: Sequel to Looking Within, in my Peril-verse (see my profile). Recap of said 'verse is at http/shengirl dot livejournal dot com/8390 dot html
Teaser: Rose has landed back in her universe in truly dramatic fashion, and it's quite a lot to deal with when it comes to settling back in! Post-reunion fic.
Author's Note: How about some fluff, people? I had to split the final chapter into two chapters, but the last bit is at the betas, so it'll most likely go up tomorrow. :)
Last time, on "Settling In": Jack, Gwen, and Donna are off spreading the word that the ressen military are kidnapping tourists and performing experiments on them to develop psychic weaponry. They do this under the guise of administering their galaxy-famous psychiatric help. Rose and Ten, meanwhile, have barely managed to escape the military personnel on the hospital ship with the help of some medical personnel. A ressen doctor hid them in a supply closet in a forgotten corner of the ship, where they were to wait out orders that would return it to the ressen planet. Finally, they felt the ship turn around.
Forget what ressen look like? For that and more Peril-verse alien visuals, go to the Peril-Verse Alien Encyclopedia at shengirl dot livejournal dot com/22921 dot html
Chapter 14: Another Reunion
"Ppbbbbt!"
"Hehehehehe!" The Doctor grinned at his helplessly giggling companion. Before she could quite catch her breath to protest, he lifted the hem of her shirt, pressed his mouth to the sensitive skin of her stomach, and blew.
"Ppbbbt!" To his delight, Rose let out a little squeal before cackling some more. Finally, she gathered the coordination to weakly bat him away from her. Throwing his arms up in mock surrender, he sat back on his heels. It was about as far away as he could get in their closet hiding place.
"Stop!" she managed to gasp. "Why do you keep doing that?"
"Because you react the same way every time! The giggling never gets less. It's just the same." He dove in and demonstrated, drawing the expected laughing from his Rose. "I forgot this quirk." The Doctor felt thankful for this unchanged bit of his so recently reclaimed Rose, and he mentally cataloged it with all the other similarities and differences he'd noticed. Suddenly, the door to the closet swung open. The ressen doctor who had hid them in the first place stood there looking somewhat dour.
"That is not a very good job of being discrete." The couple had the grace to look sheepish.
"Sorry, but we thought we were safe once the ship turned around," Rose explained. "We are going back to your planet, right?" The ressen nodded.
"I still do not wish to leave you alone with any of the soldiers, but the psychiatric wards shall be safe enough. Many witnesses there. And it will be more comfortable than this supply room." The Doctor and Rose thanked her profusely as she led them to what must have been an employee lounge, where they waited to reach the ressen planet.
Planetfall was met with a barrage of cameras and questions for everyone stepping off the ship. And there, at the head of the throng and in front of the local equivalent of police tape, were Donna, Jack, and Gwen. The ensuing five-person group hug made for a heartwarming, fantastic action shot, delighting the photographers.
"Gwen, I didn't know you cared!" joked the Doctor good-naturedly.
"I'm actually here for Rose," Gwen corrected him with a smirk, giving the blonde an extra squeeze. This drew a pout from the Doctor and laughter from everyone else.
"I approve of that sentiment," added Jack with a leer at Gwen's arm around Rose's shoulders. Then, Donna saved both women from defending themselves by giving Jack a sound thwack on the arm. While the immortal whined jokingly at the redhead, Rose spoke to Gwen.
"You gave the media and everyone all the information you found?"
"We gave it to three separate sources, so there's no lack of evidence."
The Doctor said quietly, "Good. I don't know if you've been told, but we don't like to stick around for the cleanup. Too many questions, and I'm not fond of reporters anyway. Well, not most reporters. Not gossip reporters or sensationalists – a close friend of mine is an investigative reporter. Now there's a class of news personnel that's important. Like on Midgel 3, no one knew what their socks were made of until one newsman-"
"Or like now, Doctor," Rose teased him, partially to save Gwen from the full force of his rambling. "I'd say kidnapping and torturing tourists is a more serious covert operation than socks."
Regarding her solemnly, the Doctor said, "Not with what these were made of."
After giving everyone the slip, the weary travelers made it back to the TARDIS and agreed that it was a good time for tea and snacks. However, Rose held Donna back from the crowd for a moment.
"Um, Donna... You've been traveling with the Doctor for a while, right? Got into the habit of TARDIS life with just you and him?" Rose asked nervously. Slightly alarmed but at least trying to conceal it, Donna nodded.
"Don't know if you can call anything about life with him a habit, since every day's so different, but, well, yes." She stared at the younger woman, bewildered. Rose bit her lip but looked her in the eye.
"It's just, I got to thinking on the long ride back here. Hadn't had much time for it before then, what with falling into your life and readjusting to it. Settling in, you know? Never mind jetlag; switching universes is a killer," Rose rambled and followed it with a nervous giggle. Donna nodded, now even more confused. The blonde cleared her throat and sobered somewhat.
"Well, I realized that... I haven't asked, have I? And the Doctor just assumes; he's good at that. Are you going to stay with us? Because I'd love you to," she blurted. "You helped save us, and, well, I like you. You're fun and funny, and he loves you to death." Donna opened her mouth in an attempt to comment on this string of revelations, but Rose interrupted, gesturing a little wildly. "But- but don't feel pressured either! I didn't want it to sound like pressure. I'll understand if you feel shoved off; I've been there myself." Thoughts of Rose's first meeting with Sarah Jane ran through her head. "But seriously, do whatever you want. Like - I'm not even here!" Finally, she ceased her rambling and looked at Donna expectantly. The other woman gave her a flabbergasted look in return.
"Are you kiddin'? Let me explain, sweetheart. Before you popped up, I'd wander the TARDIS halls aimlessly, bored to death while he locked himself in some nook to work on her. Like a great, sulking teenager with less acne but a bigger 'no one understands me' complex. Then, I'd be trying to sleep or get time to myself, and he would bounce in, all energy and cute, giant, aggravating smiles, and drag me off somewhere! But now, when he's holed up, we can keep each other from being bored, and I'll still have plenty of time to myself while you two are shagging." After a moment, Rose pulled Donna into a crushing hug.
"Oof! Blimey, Rose, I don't have a respiratory whatsit like your boyfriend," Donna croaked, suddenly deprived of oxygen.
Blithely, Rose exclaimed, "Oh, good! I'm glad you're staying." She pulled away to look the redhead in the eyes. "And if we ever start acting stupid, I trust you to give us a good thump in the head, alright?" Donna took a moment to cough and reacquaint herself with the feeling of air in her lungs.
An amused, almost ominous, "Cross my heart," was the response.
After food and caffeine revived everyone, the Doctor decided to make another go at landing on Bellwats at festival time. And, to everyone's surprised relief, it worked. They spent a few hours taking in the event, playing festival games, watching shows, and shopping for trinkets. Just before the multicolored, incandescent insect mating was set to begin, Rose and the Doctor ran back to the TARDIS to drop off her unusually large number of purchases.
"I can see that's another thing that hasn't changed, unless it's for the worse," he teased her as he slipped an arm around her waist. She playfully bumped him with her hip.
"Excuse me, but some of us have an evolving sense of style and need new clothes after months and months. I didn't pick up that much in Cardiff, you know."
"I still liked you in your old clothes."
"They don't all fit anymore, though! I lost weight. I also lost some of my pink obsession. Actually, that was dying down before I ever left; I much prefer the TARDIS' shade of blue." As she said that, Rose put a hand on the wall and stroked it lightly, drawing a contented rumble from the ship.
"Brown-nosing my ship! Next thing I know, you'll conspire to have her turn off my hot water next time I make you angry. Again."
"I missed her, too, you know. In a way, she's a part of me. And anyway, when I come out of a trip covered in glowing, yellow goo, and you're practically pristine, I'm allowed a little bit of revenge." The couple strode into the console room as they bickered.
"It's not my fault you were more in the trajectory than me!"
"Yes it is; you dragged me in front of you like some kind of meat shield!" Just as she was about to open the TARDIS door, Rose heard a beep from the ship. Turning, she saw that a monitor had come on.
The Doctor scratched his head and commented, "That's weird. That doesn't usually come on by itself." But Rose had already seen the screen and began to grin. Jack and Gwen had decided to stake out the clearing around the ship to view the vibrant lights. He even laid out his greatcoat for them to sit on.
"Look, Doctor, Jack's taking a leaf out of your book!"
"But why is the TARDIS showing us this?" he asked, bewildered.
"Either she doesn't want us interrupting them, or she knows I'm holding out on you. She loves you, so of course she wants you to get laid again." Rose was pleased to see this bit of crudeness had the desired effect. The Doctor crinkled up his face like a child given pickled beets.
"Eeeewww." Stifling her giggle, the blonde leaned in to watch the scene closer. It even had sound! Part of her said it might be a little wrong, but while she may have grown up quite a bit since she started traveling with the Doctor, the moral high ground was not always going to be hers. Not with gossip and eavesdropping, and especially not with a meddler like Jack Harkness.