Sorry for the wait – as I mentioned, I was on holiday! Oh well, I'm back, and I'm afraid the end of this story – my baby! – is near completion. Not for one or two more chapters yet, but still.

Please enjoy, and review! Xx


Human Nature

Chapter 27

Upon reflection, the four of them must have looked quite an odd bunch as they left the Powell Estate. Jack was lugging Rose's large suitcase down the stairs, whilst the Doctor had acquired her shoulder bag and her straw sunhat, which was balancing precariously on his head. Donna walked behind them, every-so-often offering her help to either men, only to be rebuked each time, with Rose at her side, walking slightly awkwardly and looking rather bulky due to the extra layers she had pulled on. Eventually, they made it to the Tardis, which stood in the large courtyard outside Rose's building. Donna looked into the blue sky above, fondly remembering a day when she had stood in a concreate courtyard much like this one, watching the Sycorax ship sail above her. That had been almost four years ago, or would be this coming Christmas.

Blimey! she thought fondly, pressing her hand to her stomach, The things that had changed since then.

"Here we are!" the Doctor announced, dropping Rose's bag to the floor in front of his Tardis and digging into his pocket for the key. Rose paused, staring at the blue policebox.

"Are you for real?"

The Doctor turned, his hand poised over the ajar door, frowning, "What?"

Rose scoffed, "This is a box. Do…do you live in here?"

"Yeah!" the Doctor cried, "Donna and I have been rattling around in here just fine,"

Rose glanced at the redhead, who nodded humorously at her. With an arched brow, Rose looked back at the Doctor.

"No wonder you two are so close," she remarked drily. The Doctor opened his mouth to complain, but Jack stopped him with a small gesture, before stepping forward and taking Rose's elbow.

"Trust me," he grinned, "There's plently of room in there,"

Rose stared at him, "What? Really?"

"Really. It's like nothing you've ever seen before,"

Rose met his gaze, trying to find anything that suggested he was pulling her leg. Finding nothing, her face split into a wide grin and, suddenly eager, she rushed past the Doctor, bursting into the Tardis.

She stopped almost immediately, staring into the vast room before her. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and her mouth fell open.

It was…huge. Rose grabbed ahold of the doorframe as her knees weakened, and she could feel the Doctor's supportive hand on the small of her back.

"This is impossible!" she breathed, giggling hysterically, "How can it be…how can it be…"

"Bigger on the inside?" the Doctor chuckled.

"How can it be smaller on the outside?" Rose exclaimed, having not heard the Doctor. He did a double take, thrown off by this rearrangement of words.

After the initial shock, Rose felt brave enough to step in, climbing up the ramp until she reached the large console in the middle of the room. She stared around the enormous room in awe, turning on the spot and totally unaware of Donna, Jack and the Doctor following her in.

"What is this?" she asked, smiling widely.

"My space ship," the Doctor informed her proudly. She lowered her gaze to him, eyes huge.

"Seriously?" she asked. He nodded, smiling.

"This is the Tardis – Time And Relative Dimension In Space," he explained, "I can travel anywhere, anytime in this baby – and believe me, I have,"

Rose absorbed this all with no comment – after everything that had happened recently, it seemed like the least weird thing.

"So, this is a time machine too?" she asked, face alight at the possibilities.

"Yep."

"And a space ship?"

"Yep."

"That takes you anywhere in the universe?"

The Doctor nodded once more, "Oh yes. And may I ask why you are absorbing this so quickly? Most people don't believe me – well, I say most people…"

"Doctor, after everything I've seen…" Rose cut him off, "A magic box that's bigger on the inside isn't so weird,"

The Doctor smiled shyly at her, and Rose beamed back. There was a moment of comfortable silence, before Jack inturrupted.

"Anyone want some chips?" he asked, setting Rose's bags down on the grating.

"Oh yes!" Rose exclaimed, suddenly registering how hungry she was.

"Donna and I can go get some," Jack offered.

"Yeah, and give you two a chance to…chat," Donna added, pointedly looking at the Doctor before she led Jack out of the door. The Doctor awkwardly shuffled his feet, unsure of the next step.

"Soooo…" Rose breathed out, after a long silence, "What now?"

"Well," the Doctor began, rocking on his heels, "That really depends on what you want. Do you want to stay with your…"

"I can barely deal with my family on my own," Rose cut him off, "How am I meant to handle it with a kid of my own?"

The Doctor smirked to himself, "Alright. So, you want to come and stay with me?"

"I guess so, yeah."

Another awkward silence followed, Rose staring at the Doctor and the Doctor at Rose.

Finally, the Doctor broke the quiet.

"I'm not him, Rose. I can't give you what he could've,"

"I never asked you to."

"I know. But living in the Tardis…it's huge, but we still will live in very close proximity. I would hate for things to become strange here."

Rose laughed, "They already are! Doctor, I'm not expecting anything of you, other than being a good dad to my baby. I know that you can't offer me what Joh—"

Rose cut off suddenly, swallowing the end of his name. She still felt a pang in her chest when she thought of John Smith, despite the fact that he was – sort of – standing right in front of her.

"I know you can't offer me what he could." she finally stuttered, swallowing a lump in her throat.

The Doctor finally lifted his eyes to hers again, and Rose was surprised to see that his chocolate brown orbs were filled with an emotion she couldn't place – passion, fire, determination?

"I can offer you everything he could, and more." he declared powerfully, his voice tremoring slightly. Rose's eyes widened slightly, but other than that, she displayed no reaction. The Doctor's emotional eyes never lifted away from hers, and in the end it was Rose who broke contact, turning away and playing with the handle of her suitcase.

"Where do I sleep?" she asked quietly.

The Doctor's shoulders slumped, and his face resumed an impassive mask, but not before Rose had seen the stab of hurt and annoyance in his eyes. Defeated, he scooped up Rose's bags and led the way deeper into the Tardis, the pregnant blonde following behind him.


Jack and Donna strolled casually up the London street – he was holding two paper bags of chips, and Donna had one all to herself, which was already open and half of its contents missing.

"God, if only we men knew what pregnancy did to you guys!" Jack exclaimed, watching as Donna continued to devour her dinner.

"Shut up," Donna muttered, elbowing Jack, but afterwards she slowed noticeably down on her chip consumption.

"Speaking of the baby…" she continued, a moment later. Jack perked up, turning his head to her, "Yeah?"

"Today, when we told Jackie and Pete – well, when you told Jackie and Pete…"

"Is that the problem?" Jack cut her off, frowning, "That I told them?"

Donna shrugged, nibbling her lip worriedly, "Well, yes, a little bit. It was my news, my pregnancy, my problem – I don't want you taking it upon yourself to pretend to be the proud father just because we don't have one."

"Donna, I'm not taking you on like you're a burden!" Jack exclaimed, stopping and turning to face her properly. Donna drew to a halt too, refusing to look at him, "I am proud, of you for going this and of your little sprog. I'm sorry if I was treading on your toes announcing it like that, but –"

"You weren't stepping on my toes, Jack. I'm ecstatic that I have someone offering to be a father figure to my kid, and I'm more than happy for you to be there for us." Donna said suddenly. Jack frowned.

"Then…what's the problem?"

Donna sighed, squeezing her eyes shut, "I know you're a father already, I know that if you want to take this role, you'd be an amazing dad-figure to my little one, but it's a huge responsibilty, and some of the stuff you may wany in return…I don't think I could handle it, right now, Jack."

His frown deepened, even more confused, "I haven't asked for anything in return."

"I know, but you might. Or the baby might, when its older – both of you might want us to become a happy little family, together."

Jack stepped back, surprised and slightly hurt. Donna grew silent immediately, terrified that she'd got it all wrong and that she was pushing away one of the closest men to her.

"You're saying you think I want a relationship with you?" Jack asked, stunned. Donna nodded, not meeting his eyes. Jack gaped at her for a moment, before stuttering, "Donna…I would love to be together with you – in that sense – but I would never make you do anything you didn't want to!"

Donna finally looked up into his face, eyes wide and full of tears.

Jack swallowed, "After everything that's happened these past few weeks, I did think that something was going to happen here, but…if you're not ready…"

After an awkward moment of silence, she stammered, "After everything that's happened, and losing Chris—"

Donna's words fell away, as she dissolved in tears, clutching the chips close to her chest as she nearly doubled over. Jack quickly turned and put his two bags on the low wall behind him, before stepping forward and gathering Donna in his arms.

"It's okay, darling," he soothed, holding her into her sobbing subsided, "I'm here, it's alright…"

"Don't leave us," she gasped against his shoulder, sniffling quietly. Jack nodded, stroking her red hair.

"Never." he swore, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Never, ever."

It was almost fifteen minutes later that Jack and Donna returned to the Tardis, hands firmly clasped. Inside, the Doctor was sitting on the jumpseat, flicking absently through a book, and Rose was nowhere in sight.

The minute the couple entered, the Doctor looked up, eyes blazing.

"About time!" he snapped crossly, leaping off his chair and grabbing the bags from Jack's hands, "They'd best not be too cold!"

Jack and Donna stared, stunned after him.

"Well, one of you best fetch Rose," the Doctor muttered, sneering slightly over her name, "She's in the room next to yours, Donna."

"Oh…okay…" the redhead stammered, edging towards the corridor. Never in the four years they'd spent together had Donna seen the Doctor in such a state!

"By the way, I've sent the course for Chiswick, early tomorrow morning." the Doctor told her, pulling a lever and sending the Tardis into flight, "We're going to go see your family!"

Donna faltered, turning on her heel and staring at the Time Lord, "What!"

"You said you wanted to go see them."

"Yes, I do – when I'm good and ready to tell them I'm pregnant out of wedlock!"

The Doctor turned to look at her, large eyes boring into hers, "Well, let's be ready soon - we're landing in an hour."

Donna's eyes narrowed, but she nodded her acceptance as she backed out of the room – something had gone off, and she was determined to get the story out of Rose.


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