A/N. UEFA EURO 2016 is a wonderful thing. The fact my friends prefer basketball to football is... just my problem, I suppose. Wales is now in the semi-finals! What's there not to love? Anyway. 30C outside does nothing to stop me from writing, see?

Previously…

"Do you want to get us kicked out again? The Doctor has said 'no quarrelling,' remember?"

"Fine, fine. With his precious blondie doll not here, I'm sure we can live without any of this," Martha's eyes glinted mischievously.

Donna kept her mouth shut. If there was anyone getting herself into trouble without realising it, she, Donna Noble, was not that person.

Essentially Together

Chapter Twenty-One

Things Never Said

"If you could just stop, it would do you a great deal of good, Martha," Donna said with the most neutral expression on her face she could manage. "Look, even the surroundings look brighter and feel warmer now that the ship is back to her glory! Fancy watching a film?"

Donna Noble was ready to do anything to get Martha's thoughts off poor Rose. "You can choose!"

Martha could see the ginger woman through, but smiled at her instead. "Are you sure? What if I want to watch some opera or a ballet instead?" She teased.

Donna pouted inwardly. Three hours of her life wasted. But for a good cause… "I don't see why not."

"Ha. I can read it in your eyes, dear. Instead of some Wagner, let's watch Mamma Mia! Yeah?

The redhead sighed in relief. Not that she knew who that Wagner was other than some sort of a composer of some... whatever that was.

"Yeah. We could do with something light," Donna sighed in relief and smiled, this time sincerely.

Back in parallel London...

"Know what, Doctor?" Suddenly every need or wish to get out of the bed seemed like nothing but a distant possibility, their fully-dressed selves completely aware of both the possibilities and the risks in front of them.

"Hm?"

"I don't think I am supposed to be wearing this gorgeous dress to bed," Rose rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly.

The Doctor eyed her curiously. The girl was almost sure he was about to say something silly like 'why not?' Before he did, she jumped off the bed. "Do you fancy a walk, Doctor?"

He blinked. "Right now? I am not sure this is a good idea," a shrug accompanied his words.

Why not? They all see me as a spoilt Tyler child. I can do whatever I want, Rose grinned at him. "That is, if you would accompany me? Doctor?"

It was impossible to say no to his bond-mate. "Whereto, love?"

"Outside, for a start?"

He grimaced. "More posing for the never-asleep paparazzi?"

Rose grinned at him, watching the Doctor getting off the bed expectantly. Only if we leave the Tyler mansion.

"What do you mean, if? Love?"

"This place is huge. The time is late," Rose gave him her tongue-touched grin. "Let's race to the gate?"

Rose- He warned her. Not everybody was asleep.

"Thought I'd find you two somewhere here," Jessica Seawell cooed at them. "A lovely night, wouldn't you say, Rose? John?"

"This is exactly why we're here," the Doctor spoke nonchalantly, his hand holding Rose's firmly. "A wonderful night."

"Rose?" Jessica looked at the girl, waiting for her response with the eagerness and determination that were supposed to feel threatening… except they didn't.

"Yes. We have been intending to make this night the night of our lives."

For Rose, it has surely been exactly that. "But, unless you fancy witnessing our-" the Doctor directed his hungry look at the Time Lady. The companion licked her lips.

Jessica grew uncomfortable. There was no chance for her to try befriending the one necessary for her plan to work when Rose's mind was filled with nothing but spending the night with her husband. Of course, nobody said it was going to be easy. "Right. I'm leaving you both to it, yes?" Her grin was seemingly unnoticed.

However, as soon as the woman left, a mutual sigh of relief could be heard.

There it is - self-declared professionals giving us so many unnecessary obstacles… The Doctor exhaled. The fact Rose was a changed person now did not mean she was safe from all the dangers always waiting for them wherever they went… But wasn't this the reason they were together? To fight the dangers? To make the world just a tiny bit better? The Time Lord shrugged at his bond-mate, welcoming the thoughts that have once belonged only to her.

"Race to the gate, you said?"

Rose grinned at him, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "What do I get if I win?"

"What do you want?" The Doctor knew it was unlikely for him to ever lose – unless she tricked him into it.

You. Nothing else.

"You can have me whenever, you know it. And everything else I can give you."

"You're no fun, Doctor," Rose rolled her eyes at him playfully. "But I'll remember this promise," she warned. "What is it you want?"

"I want… I want to make you moan, breathe, scream out my name in every language that has ever existed. Want to show you the most secret ways – want you to discover the most secret ways to- to make me come, to- to make myself yours. Forever.

Rose's mouth went dry at his confession. "Are you sure… still sure about the race thingy? I could-" Her tongue travelled down his neck, treacherously slowly. He gasped. "-could do this to you instead," she breathed, sensing his approval.

Please.

They did end up racing to the gate and back anyway, but the result did not matter, as neither of them could say who has finished first. Rose's Gallifreyan wedding gown, the Doctor's cherished clothes – no longer including the pinstriped suit jacket, for obvious reasons – they looked nothing like they used to. Covered in grime, sand, dirt, even with traces of grass on them – that was how their first night at Jackie's happened to be. Nobody was supposed to know that nothing happened between them that night. Games, sometimes childish, sometimes almost violent, with quite a lot pushing and pulling the other onto and off the ground… and making out. Touching. Caressing. And making out.

Because Rose Tyler was a person of her word. They were not going to break down and lose themselves to something like wild lust when her mother was under the same roof.

You know this is for the better, my Doctor. It was better to return back into the house looking like a couple of bruised dirty children after a fruitful day playing than like the two people who actually had a plan to painlessly stop what could have ruined their lives forever.

Keeping Seaweed's attention on anything but her plans was of primary importance. Even when she was theoretically no longer able to harm Rose, not in the way she planned… The Doctor took Rose in his arms and carried her into her room. "Isn't this what a husband should do?"

"Today, yes," she nuzzled into him. "But we need to wash ourselves… change our clothes first, yes?"

The Time Lord eyed her gown sadly, letting her body down. "I think so," he agreed. "But no sooner than they see us, remember?"

She nodded. Come, Doctor. Come to me. Assuming the alien's reaction to her initially unexpected but very much appreciated action with her tongue was what he wanted, what he needed right now…

Yes. Oh, yes… The memories came flooding back. However, the Doctor stopped her from actually starting her ministrations the following instant.

"Rose. My love, my wife, my bond-mate, my life…" He already hated himself for his upcoming words. Even though it might have hurt less when softened by their telepathic connection, the alien decided to pour it all out at once.

"I know merely the memory of playing someone else must still be fresh in your mind, I know you hated it wholeheartedly… But we might need to continue pretending, just a few days more, I am sorry, so sorry…"

Rose considered giving him a slap for a moment, then shook her head. "You mean, until Jessica leaves? Or until I have to say farewell to Mum? Which is basically-"

The same day. Yes. I am sorry. We are already toying with things dangerous beyond our imagination. It might be the TARDIS won't be able to protect us from afar. He was aware much too little time has passed from Rose connecting herself to the ship to allow themselves to stop worrying completely.

The slap came, eventually. Much later in the day. From a Tyler other than his Time Lady bride. Jackie did not

With Rose having agreed to play the role of a naïve, amorous newly-married girl seeing nothing in life but her John, Jackie Tyler has finally got a way to be alone with the Time Lord.

"You are putting our lives at risk because you simply want Rose to be happy?"

The Doctor said nothing to Jackie's fury, seemingly well-deserved. "You are making her meet the woman who might take her away from me? Away from you, you idiot?!" The mother slapped him hard.

He muttered an apology, choosing not to point out to her this Jessica was her friend.

"What would have happened if you did not manage to keep her safe? If Jess would have succeeded? Do you understand?!"

"Do you really want to know, Jackie?" He asked darkly. "About the ways Rose's mind would have been experimented on?"

The mother shook her head. "I suppose I'd rather not. But she is safe now? Truly, properly safe?"

The Doctor was shocked anew at her honesty. "I don't know," he was foolish enough to admit. "Right now, she is. But later… Nobody knows."

Jackie's second slap was more violent than ever. "I'll show you 'I don't know'! I know. If something happens to my daughter, you will be the one to blame! After all, it's you who is causing all the trouble in her life!"

The Time Lord was more reasonable now and allowed Jackie to vent. Soon, her anger has evaporated.

"Are you sure this visit of my baby is the very last? Am I not allowed to see her again?" Jackie gave him the question she knew the answer to.

"Yes. It has to be. I am sorry. But you have your baby boy now, or am I mistaken?" It has only entered his mind then that no trace of Tony, no trace of any children living there was present anywhere.

"He is away. Far away. In Italy. Funny how our little boy was advised to travel somewhere with a lot of sunlight, especially now that-"

"You might want to get him back now, yeah?" The Doctor encouraged. "We will be gone soon, either tomorrow or the day after…" I am sure your son will be very happy! Just… don't you dare leave him for- How long has Tony been away? A month? Two months?"

"Close to six," Jackie admitted, suddenly feeling like a very bad mother. "I- I have never intended for it to be like this, but with Pete constantly away from home- I did not think allowing my baby grow up without a father – for it felt like that sometimes – is a good decision. Do you understand, Doctor?"

The Time Lord peered at the woman. For one reason or other, it felt as if the boy had been pushed away from her mind. "Do you love your son, Jackie?"

Jackie gasped, insulted. "More than anything!"

"Having been forced to bring up your Rose without a dad has never been a problem grave enough to try and send her away, yes?"

The mother was fighting back tears now. "I thought it was going to be too hard for me to live throughout all the trouble again!"

"Take him back. More news for the press, more fame, more rumours, more-"

"That was what I have been trying to tell her, Doctor," a soft voice filled the room. "We will be gone, Mum… and you will have my brother all to yourself! Even Pete might return, yes? Remember his excitement… and his frustration after you have chosen to-"

"Eeryone's entitled to make mistakes and learn from them, love. Even your Mum," the Doctor smiled at his bond-mate softly. "Think about this. Tony loves you. You love him. Your husband loves you both," he reminded Jackie, leaving the room and closing the door after them. The sudden changes in Jackie Tyler's behaviour were… startling.

"How did your conversation with Jessica go?"

She's a proper nutter, Doctor! The sooner we leave-

A/N. Well?