Prompt: Baby

Someone prompted me baby, but I don't touch baby fic, but this idea came to me. Hope you love it!

Super angst warning

XxXxXxXx

Problem sorted, but after chasing a Grask all the way across London in 1987, the Doctor needed to get back to his TARDIS, which was a whole other problem. He was studying the map of the underground, wondering how he hadn't managed to memorize the network of tunnels in all time periods yet when he heard a voice he'd never thought he'd hear again.

"Oi! And where do you think you're going?" Jackie asked and he spun around to make sure it was really her. Sure enough, it was her. Jackie Tyler in all her furious glory and nearly 20 years younger than when he knew her, with a pram beside her.

"Just to get the tokens, Love," Pete responded.

"Hurry up, I gotta use the loo," she ordered and the Doctor nearly laughed out loud. Oh, that woman.

Jackie peeked in the pram for a moment, then sat down on the bench nearby, rocking it slightly.

Unable to help himself, the Doctor walked over to the bench and sat down himself, near her, but not close enough for her to take a swing at him. From his vantage point, he could see her inside. And Rose Tyler was staring right at him with those baby blues that would turn into brown with little gold speckles. The pram she was in wasn't much. He could tell it was the cheapest thing they could get. Probably the only one they could afford, if they even bought it. It wasn't what someone who would become the Goddess of Time, even for just a few minutes, should have been in. If he could have, he'd have given her the most beautiful and safe furniture and clothing from across the cosmos.

But he couldn't, that was the point. She had to live this life to become the woman who saved him from himself.

Jackie caught him staring. "Beautiful baby," he told her and watched her face become soft.

"She's a little madam," she replied proudly. "Aren't you, Rosie Posie?"

Ah, that would explain why she couldn't stand anyone to call her Rosie, except Jack. On cue, she began to cry softly and Jackie stuck a pacifier in her mouth.

Before things could become awkward, Pete came back and before Jackie left, the pacifier popped out of Rose's mouth. "Did she stick that silly thing in your mouth again?" her father asked when she started crying. "There's no milk in that, is there?"

Pete picked his daughter up and put her over his shoulder, patting her on the back softly. After a little burp, Rose settled down.

"How old is she?" the Doctor asked, knowing the answer, but needing a reason to keep looking.

"Almost 2 months," Pete replied.

This was fascinating and strange, even for him, seeing this baby and knowing she'd become the woman he- well, it wasn't the first time he'd seen Rose as a baby, but he'd still had her then, he hadn't felt the desire to change her past.

Knowing he should be going, he instead reached out to nudge her tiny hand, quickly, then he'd leave. She opened it and closed her fist around his finger, gripping tightly and gurgled.

"Tight grip you've got there," he told her. Touching her, he could feel the tiny consciousness that was beginning to get personality. She was curious.

"Just like 'er Mum. Bet she'll have a temper on her too," Pete joked.

"I bet," he agreed. She would, she so would.

"Aw, now Little Princess, you've gotta let go of the man's hand," her father told her when he tried to lay her back down and she took the Doctor's arm with her.

"It's okay, She-reminds me of someone," he said sadly. "But I should be getting going, I really should. I've gotta get back-" Back where? He had nothing left, but the TARDIS.

Rose let go of his finger and he pulled his hand back. He stood up, but couldn't resist saying one thing to Pete before he left. "Take care of that little girl, spend every moment you can with her, and make sure she knows you-love her. You never know when it'll all end." For Pete, it'd end in about four months.

Pete looked up at him, startled for a moment, then he became sad. He was about to say something when Jackie called to him. "Thanks for the reminder, mate, but the missus is callin' now."

"Better get on, then." Once again, he watched Pete carry Rose away from him. This time, though, he could have sworn she was smiling.

He had found his reason to keep fighting.

XxXxXxXx

When Pete met up with Jackie, she asked, "Who were you talking to?"

"Some bloke. Thing is, the way he looked at Rose-"

"He isn't a freak?" she questioned worriedly.

"No, I think he's grieving," Pete replied, looking back at the man, who was slowly walking into one of the cars on the train.