AN: Uh, so there's six more chapters after this one until the story's wrapped up! Are you excited? Are you dreading it? I think I'll be relieved but also saddened. Relieved, because it's been a big project as it's the longest fanfiction I've written to date, and I was determined to not quit! Saddened, because this story has been like my baby. I've cried and wanted to bash the character's heads together and smiled like an idiot.
Chapter 37- Teacher of Rose Tyler
The Doctor had just finished a book when he heard the TARDIS doors open. He walked out of the library towards the console room.
"Is that you again, John? Because I swear, I'm not-" he paused when he saw who it was and gulped.
"Hi," Rose said quietly. "What were you in the middle of sayin'?"
"Uh, just that I'm not trying to take Rose Tyler," the Doctor replied, blushing a deep red.
"How about teachin' her to fly the TARDIS? Can we do that?" she asked, flashing her tongue and teeth grin. And everyone knows, only a fool could resist that.
The Doctor sighed. "Yeah, we could do that."
Rose walked over to where he was standing. "Okay, what's first?"
"First, we flip this switch over here," the Doctor said, coming to stand behind her and moving her hand to the appropriate spot.
"Flip this switch, right," she nodded.
"Now, we pull this lever three times. And three times is very important, Rose Tyler, or else you might end up stuck in the vortex forever."
Rose gulped and followed his instructions exactly. "And then?" she breathed.
"Then you press this button," he pointed to a purple button shaped like a triangle.
She copied his movement.
"And now you set your coordinates," he moved her hand over, "here."
Rose watched with wonder as the numbers flipped over and over.
"I'm thinking just a small trip to start off with," he told her. "And besides, the TARDIS is so drained, it can only handle a short distance."
"What about to see Tony?" she suggested.
The Doctor nodded. "Okay."
She inputted the numbers correctly, and he triple checked the location coordinates.
"Now, you pull down this lever, just once," he instructed.
And then the familiar noise of the engines started and he felt the rush of the vortex beneath them. As suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Rose looked at him excitedly and rushed to the door.
"The ultimate test!" she called.
"And what's that?" he asked, amused.
"Can I drive better than the Doctor?" she asked, batting her eyelashes and running out the door.
"You little minx!" he accused, chasing after her.
He was a little disappointed to see that apparently his TARDIS was more loyal to Rose than to him.
The Tyler estate sprawled out before him, and he saw Rose happily skip up the doorstep and ring the bell.
Her mother answered the door, and peered out to see the Doctor just standing out there. "Well, are you comin' in or what?"
He rushed up the lawn and followed Rose into the house.
Much to his horror, the Tyler mansion was decorated in a lot of varying shades of pink. The only thing that wasn't was perhaps the staircase and Tony. He scoffed and followed Rose as she climbed the stairs.
"Tony?" she called. "I have a special surprise for you!"
"Special surprise!" he heard a child's voice squeal in delight, and then the thunder of small footsteps running across the hallway.
He stopped short when he spotted his sister and the Doctor.
"Who's that?" he asked quietly, pointing behind Rose.
She bent down to his eye level. "That," she explained, scooping him up into her arms, "is the Doctor. My best friend I was tellin' you about."
"The one that can never visit 'cos he's travelin'?" Tony Tyler asked, looking at the Doctor curiously.
"That's the one!" Rose beamed, bopping him lightly on the nose. "Are you gonna say hi to him?"
The little blonde boy waved shyly. "Hi."
"Tony," Rose said to him seriously, "Why don't you go to your room, and get out all your favorite toys, and the Doctor and I will be in to play in a minute." She set him down on the carpet.
"Okay!" Tony exclaimed happily, running to the room at the end of the hallway.
Rose walked over to the Doctor. "Too domestic?" she asked.
"Nah," he assured, clasping her hand in his.
She kissed his cheek. "I missed you. Now, let's have you sonic his toys and make them extra fun, eh?"
….
Five hours later, the Doctor was carrying a little blonde boy over his shoulder. Tony had fallen fast asleep after watching the Lion King with Rose and him. He had gotten chastised by Rose for singing along to all the songs, and ruining the movie for Tony. But he couldn't help it. The Lion King was his favorite Disney movie.
He gently place the sleeping Tyler into his bed, and walked back out to Rose.
"Ready to go? Don't want John to miss you."
"You're right," she sighed. "I had such a good time today," she smiled.
"Oh, me too," he grinned.
They walked out of the Tyler Estate and into the TARDIS for the trip back to Rose and John's flat.