a/n: I am so sorry. The holidays have been crazy busy. This story has been on my mind and I've finally had the time to write it out. It's a little shorter than my usual. My apologies for that as well. Please continue to review. My usual thanks to my reviewers, favoritors, and followers. You guys are awesome.
Chapter 21
They spent a few days aboard the TARDIS, ignoring the world and its demands. Rose continued to pester the Valeyard about finishing what they'd started. She was ready to fully merge with Bad Wolf and his reluctance was starting to grate on her.
"You said the condition was to marry you. We are married now. It's time to hold up your end of the bargain. I'm ready to go home Valeyard," Rose told him one afternoon as they sat in the TARDIS's kitchen preparing lunch. There was no whine in her voice. It was a demand.
The Valeyard sighed. He wanted to leave as badly as Rose did but he was also afraid of losing her. He didn't want to lose her right after he got her back. Things were finally going his way and he didn't want to risk anything. To delay having to respond, the Valeyard took a large gulp of very hot tea. It scorched his throat causing him to go into a fit of coughs. Rose didn't even attempt to help him. She simply looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Fine. We'll do it in two days," he said in defeat.
"But-" Rose began.
"I have things I have to get together before we leave. Please be a little patient." He set his cup down and went to her side. He pulled her into a gentle hug and placed a kiss on top of her head. "Don't fret my love. We will get out of here. We have all the time in the universe."
It was Rose's turn to sigh but she smiled. They did have time on their side. What was two more days?
His office was exactly as he'd left it; if you didn't look at the stack of papers in his inbox. The Valeyard looked at the stack in disgust. Paperwork. He hated paperwork. Torchwood liked to keep track of things and of course they all needed the Valeyard's signature. No matter how hard he tried, people here insisted on writing everything down. Scientists loved to keep records.
Thankfully paper burned.
Ignoring the pile of hell, the Valeyard logged on to his computer and looked through some of his files. He saved all the information pertaining to Rose on an external hard drive then proceeded to wipe them from Torchwood's server. He was sure that information was saved elsewhere but he had a plan for that. Once he left there would be no trace of him or Rose.
A knock sounded and the Valeyard turned to glare at it. He didn't want to deal with these miserable humans any longer. He wanted to get his work done and then get out of this pathetic universe as fast as possible.
"What?" he said loudly.
The door opened and Jane's head appeared.
"Sorry to bother you sir, but there is a few matters that need your attention."
"I thought I told you to take everything to Andrew. Only come to me if it is major or if Andrew is unsure what to do."
"Yes sir, I know sir. It's just that Andrew is unavailable at the moment. He's out in the field and we need help translating an incoming message from a craft circling the planet. We don't have anyone as capable as you at translating alien languages."
The Valeyard knew that this place would fall apart without him. He wasn't worried but it still amazed him at their incompetence. He had set up classes on the different alien languages that each agent had to take. It drove him mad.
"Fine. I'll be there in a moment."
Soon. So very soon he would be out of the hell-hole that this place had become. He wouldn't have to worry about the incompetent idiots working for him any longer. Alien threats would no longer be his concern. In fact, they wouldn't be of any concern to Torchwood at all. The Valeyard liked to clean up after himself.
Jane was waiting on the other side of the door. He frowned. Did he need an escort? No. Again with the idiocy. As they walked, the Valeyard allowed her pull ahead of him. He studied her. She had been a useful spy. She could blend in anywhere. Jane's work had been a great help. Being grounded had taken its tole on her and now he found her an annoyance. It would be a pleasure to put her out of her misery.
Rose floated in her bedroom. The lights were off. The only source of illumination came from the brilliance of the stars and planets above her. She was looking at the Milky Way. A pang of longing shot through her heart. She just wanted to be home.
Our bedroom
The voice had remained silent for the past few days but its reappearance made her grind her teeth. She had hoped that it would go away but apparently not. She should have known not to get her hopes up. How many times had she hoped and how many times had she been disappointed? Why did she even bother anymore?
"Our bedroom. Blimey."
You share your life with the Valeyard now. What's yours is his.
"And what's his is mine?" she said in a doubtful tone.
The voice did not respond. Rose was not surprised.
It still bothered her. The voice had appeared with the regeneration. Something had happened. But she could not remember what. It drove her crazy. The voice did not explain it. Unfortunately the TARDIS chose not to comment as well. This TARDIS seemed to be as temperamental as the Doctor's. Rose didn't usually mind but at the moment she was ready to scream. Some part of her knew the ship could answer her question and yet the TARDIS remained silent. Why?
"Why?" she asked aloud.
There was no response; only the continual sound of the TARDIS's unique song.
Rose closed her eyes and tried to picture the wall containing Bad Wolf. She couldn't find it like the Valeyard could. She tended to get distracted by small things that brought her back to reality. The Valeyard could focus his thoughts and navigate someone's mind easily. Of course he had quite a lot of practice. All she wanted was to break the wall herself. Was that too much to ask?
After her seventh failed attempt, Rose gave up. She would just have to wait for the Valeyard. Being dependent on him for something so important to her was a bitter pill to swallow. Despite all her power, she was still dependent on him. Rose had been proud to be independent. She had been able to take care of herself. The past few years seemed to have robbed her of that independence.
Dwelling on past memories was not something Rose liked to do often. It brought up too many painful emotions. She had been through so much. Sometimes it surprised her. She'd experienced more things than the average person would live through in a lifetime. Being a companion to a time traveler tends to have an effect on that.
What would have happened if the Doctor had not appeared in the shop that day? What would have happened if the Nestene Consciousness had not come to Earth? What would have happened if she had not gone down the basement? What would have happened if the Doctor hadn't said that one word? The one word she could never forget. The one word that changed her life forever.
"Run," she whispered.
The Doctor had decided to wait. He hovered in space near the crack, watching, waiting, praying.
He did not like to wait. He was not known for his patience. Going through time in the right order was painful. So very painful. But he had no choice. He didn't know exactly when Rose would appear and he had to be present when she did. He had to make sure the crack closed behind her. He could not endanger the universe. And he wanted to be there if anything went wrong.
His feelings were not helping with the weight. Anxiety caused him to toss and turn, to pace the TARDIS, to have the desire to pull his hair from his head. The Doctor was not used to feeling anxious. Fear? Yes. Nervousness? Yes. Anger? Rage? Pain? Yes. Yes. Yes. But anxiety? That was definitely new. The pressure on his chest was uncomfortable. He had always been a quick thinker. He had to be. But the racing thoughts that ran through his mind were new.
The Doctor sat with the TARDIS doors open, his legs hanging over the edge. The beauty of space was all around him. Rose was coming soon. She had said so herself. There was only thing for him to do now.
He had to wait.