37 Traveling Eternity's Road
"Mum! Seriously, what's all the fuss? We're just going out for dinner," Rose says in a huff, batting her mum's hands away from her hair for the thousandth time.
"For the first time in months! An' I know where you're goin', and you should look nice. 'Sides, himself's wearing a tux. He said so," Jackie replies with a smug smile, patting a blonde curl into place.
Groaning, Rose whines, "Not the tux of doom! Everytime he wears it, bad things happen, mum!"
"Said you'd mention that, and he says it won't be that one," Jackie beams at her daughter in the mirror when their eyes meet, and Rose chuckles. "No telling what he'll be wearing then."
It's been just over a month since they arrived, and Rose is feeling more and more like herself. She thinks of her son every day, misses him every day, and she and the Doctor make a point to share a thought about him every day, but he no longer occupies every space between every moment. That first morning with her mum made all the difference. Whenever she had a question or felt like she'd somehow done something wrong, her mum was right there with an understanding word or her own memories to help Rose along.
Rose had thought she could deal with her grief and loss alone, but she'd been so wrong. Having her mum reminded her every day to be grateful. The days were counting down and she knew it. Rose already decided that she didn't want to be there when the ghost shifts started, and the Doctor felt they only had another week or so before Torchwood started mucking about with the fabric of reality.
Rose could see her husband was becoming antsy, too. The Doctor and her mum were getting along better than she'd ever hoped, even after he failed to improve another toaster. They'd found a shared goal in Rose's happiness. And while sometimes Rose wanted to scream when she felt like they were smothering her, the mood would generally pass quickly.
The Doctor spent most of his time in the TARDIS during the day, coming out for meals and the occasional dose of television. But for the most part, he tinkered under the console or deep within the ship, taking the example of the new desktop as an opportunity to upgrade some systems he'd been ignoring.
Rose's first glimpse of the new desktop had left her speechless just within the doors. When she'd finally gotten around to exploring, the TARDIS had preened for days under the exclamations of surprise, wonder, and approval. Pleased with Her success, She chose to shock the Doctor less often when he was mucking around in Her wiring as a reward.
Tonight, the Doctor has a little surprise for Rose, and Jackie's in on it. He, the TARDIS, and Jackie have been working on this for the past week or so, and tonight will bear their sneaky fruit.
From Rose's vanity they hear the TARDIS doors squeak open, followed closely by a muffled curse that draws a grin to the face of both women.
"Every time! You'd think that plum would remember where the table is, but no," Jackie whispers in her daughter's ear, and they both giggle. Seeing her husband's shadow darken the door, Rose turns and gasps at how handsome he is.
Dressed in a burgundy velvet tuxedo with a matching tie and black dress shirt, Rose is completely incapable of words, and her mother gently closes her gaping jaw with a finger. The Doctor grins in satisfaction, turning for the women and preening in delight at their shock.
Returning the favour, Rose stands and turns to face the Doctor in a full length dress of glittering tiny black sequins over a red so dark it too is almost black. The slip beneath the dress is a bright red and peeks through the side along a slit that begins at her thigh. Her hair is piled on her head in a cascade of curls, with just a few framing her face. Above her left ear, Rose's mum had slid a hairpin of clustered red poppies in amongst the curls where they glow happily.
The pleased smirk on the Doctor's face freezes at the sight of his wife. Even before Midnight, it had been quite some time since they last dressed up to go out and enjoy a night on the town. Thinking back, he realises it was their last night on San Helios, the night they'd lain in the sand as the suns set, the night they'd made their son. His smile turns a little bittersweet, and Rose knows exactly why, having mirrored his thoughts with her own.
Rose steps to him, sliding her arms around his chest and leans up to kiss him. They will always remember their son with a twinge of regret and opportunities missed, but Rose refuses to have Midnight be the only part of his short story that gets remembered. The night of his creation will always be one of her favourite memories, and she makes sure the Doctor senses that from her, sending him a naughty moment from that night as an image through their bond.
He blushes lightly and laughs, hugging her closer. Over her shoulder he shares a wink and a grin with her mother, who's still masquerading in her favourite pink track suit. After they leave, she'll change and meet them at the restaurant later, once they're finished with dinner. She can't wait for dessert!
"Doctor, tonight has been perfect. Thank you," Rose says, holding his hand across the table. And she means it. Everything from the view across London, the food, the service, the wine, the music, and most definitely the company, has been perfection. She can't imagine it getting any better.
"Oh, I assure you, Rose Tyler, it can get better," he tells her with a cheeky wink, catching her thought. The Doctor gets to his feet and stands next to her chair holding out his hand for her. "Would you dance with me?"
With a hesitant smile, she takes his offered hand and allows him to help her to her feet. Walking her to the dance floor, the live band strikes up a waltz, which he leads her through effortlessly. An hour passes without them noticing when the Doctor spies Jackie near the window. Spinning Rose out and bringing her back, the Doctor pulls her close swaying to the music and catches the eye of the maître d', nodding slightly.
"Rose Tyler, have I told you lately that I love you?" he asks, his voice a little husky, and he surprises himself by feeling a little nervous.
"Every day, Doctor, but I never get tired of hearing it," Rose replies, and he can hear the grin in her voice.
The music comes to an end, and there's an expectant hush in the room. Rose abruptly picks up on the excitement and looks around, suddenly spotting her mother dressed in a gorgeous and unusually tasteful gold dress of artfully draped silk. Rose's eyes nearly bug out of her head when Jack Harkness steps up beside her mum dressed in a cobalt blue silk suit with black shirt and tie. Seeing him, Rose now distinguishes the buzz that denotes their 'future Jack' from all the other noisy minds in the room. And by the weight of knowledge in his eyes, she also knows that there's another Jack Harkness currently still in Cardiff. Linked arm in arm the unlikely duo move toward where Rose and the Doctor are standing in the middle of a now conspicuously empty dance floor.
Rose's eyes snap back to where the Doctor has never let go of her hands, and sees that he's now kneeling at her feet. Kissing both her palms, he releases her right to pull a small velvet box from his pocket. He keeps her left hand in his as he captures her gaze and her mum and Jack come to stand beside them—Jackie next to Rose and Jack beside the Doctor.
"Rose Marion Tyler, you have never asked for more than I was capable of giving. Sometimes this meant that I had to get over myself to realise I was worth the effort, but you always knew. I have never regretted a single instant that we've known each other. You are my wife, my lover, and my inspiration. When we were bonded it was the best day of my life, but now I realise it was missing something...two somethings, and they're here now." The Doctor nods at Jackie and Jack and receives their nods in return.
"I also lately realised that I had not recalled a small but vastly important detail." Jack takes the box from the Doctor so he's only holding a ring.
Rose glances away from the Doctor for one amazed second at her mum's stifled sniff, seeing her gingerly dab at her eyes to not smudge her makeup. Rose feels the Doctor take her ring finger between his long elegant ones, and looks back down to watch him slide a dark gold ring onto her slim finger. At its apex is set a shimmering emerald green stone that seems to shift and breathe, its colour so clear it breaks her heart a little—it's exactly the colour...
"Would you do me the honour of wearing this as a token of our forever and all its pieces that will never be forgotten, all the joy yet to come, and all the adventures we have yet to find?"
Speechless, Rose stares at the Doctor for a long second before she grabs him by the lapels of his suit, yanking him to his feet, and proceeds to snog him senseless.
"She said, yes!" Jack yells to the crowd of hopeful, clueless onlookers.
There's a general shout of congratulations and a chorus of huzzahs. The music starts back up in earnest and the floor is cleared for Rose and the Doctor to have their dance—Paper Moon. As he spins her across the floor, Rose laughs in giddy delight, beaming at her husband.
The next dance for the Doctor and Jackie, is Wink And A Smile, sung by Harry Connick Jr. Rose can hardly contain her laughter at how cheeky the song is, and she just knows her mother must have picked it.
Next up is Rose and Jack and of course, it's Moonlight Serenade. How could he have picked any other song? They smile at each other as he dances her around the floor thinking of their first Doctor and chance meetings. Before its end, the new, new Doctor cuts in to finish the song out with Rose, to much hilarity at Jack's over-acted rejection.
The rest of the night is filled with laughter and good times. It only takes one glass of wine and Jackie spills the entire story, much to the Doctor's good-humoured embarrassment.
It was Jackie that suggested (perhaps a little forcefully) to the Doctor that on Earth marriage involved a ring and no matter how not human Rose was currently, it wouldn't change the fact that she'd grown up that way. Jackie also knew that if they planned something a little grandiose, then she could be there. This was her only opportunity, and she wanted her future self to know that though she missed the weird alien bonding ceremony (whatever that meant), she was at the reception, and watched the Doctor place a ring on her daughter's finger like a proper gentleman should.
It was also Jackie who suggested the Doctor should invite his friend Jack. He should have someone stand up for him, and they were friends, right? Jackie didn't need to know that he'd taken the TARDIS out when she and Rose went shopping and retrieved their future Jack, the knowing ship landing them on the 1st of January, 2007. Now he knew why the 2009 Jack had given him that date. Jack had looked harried and a little sad, but excited when he burst through doors of the TARDIS once She'd surprised him and landed inside the Torchwood 3 Hub.
Jack had readily agreed to the Doctor's proposition and thoroughly enjoyed harassing the Doctor about timelines, crossing them, and the implied dangers. But when told where they were in their timeline, he'd sobered immediately and helped pilot them back to the flat in contemplative silence.
Much, much later, after putting a happily inebriated Jackie to bed, the trio lounge in the TARDIS library, talking more easily than they ever have. The hulking shape of the first generation Harkness Harmoniser chirping away quietly to itself where it's working in the middle of the room.
"That thing's going to get smaller, right?" Jack asks, eyeing the unit that's currently the size of a large dog.
"Of course! I plan on it being wearable—a wristband maybe or perhaps even a ring, depending on how small I can actually make it," the Doctor replies with a superior smirk.
"I told him you'd look like Peter Venkman if you tried to wear that thing," Rose laughs, gesturing toward the big beeping lump. Jack snorts at the reference.
"And no, before either of you insults my magnificent creation further, it will not beep. Can't exactly be discreet if you're beeping all over the place. Not that I generally think of you as particularly discreet, Harkness." They all laugh at the good-natured ribbing.
Rose looks between her husband and her dear friend with happiness. Looking down at her hand brings another smile to her face. She doesn't think she's smiled this much in ages. She looks up, catching the Doctor's eyes as a soft tendril of love wraps around her mind. Giving her a lopsided grin of his own, they both focus on Jack as he starts speaking again.
"I always wondered how long you were gone that time. I know it was only a couple of weeks for Donna and I, but I just had a feeling you were gone longer. Truthfully we knew you needed to be gone longer." His eyes are guarded, but the smile is genuine as he recalls the memory.
"Thanks for coming to get me this time. I can't tell you how much I miss this," he says, gesturing at the TARDIS. She flickers her lights, and they all feel her let him know that She misses him, too. "Thanks to you, too, ol' girl," he replies, looking up at the ceiling.
"And truthfully, I miss you two." This Jack is so much better at hiding his feelings, but in this instance she can see and feel his sincerity.
He's mentioned Donna several times, completely casually. Rose wonders if maybe she's the one who's making a bigger thing of the current lack of Donna than it is. Rose doesn't want to think Jack and Donna would break up, but it's better than the alternative. Rose gazes at him, thinking about where future Donna is, when a thought strikes her.
"You knew! You helped us out a couple of months ago for us, but in your future and told us when to come get you. You knew then, but you even knew this time when the Doctor came to get you. You already knew about Midnight." Her tone isn't accusing, but he looks away guiltily.
"Yes, I know, so I would have then too. You unlocked all those memories for me in that chippy, Rosie—many you still don't have. Most of them are great, but some...well, some aren't. Midnight...is the worst... I can tell you that, but I won't tell you anything else; you both know I can't." It's obvious to both Rose and the Doctor that he's hiding things from them, but like he said, he has to.
The Doctor gazes steadily at Jack, the previous carefree mood lagging. He knew about that moment in the chippy. It's one that he regrets for Rose, though he can't see how she could have managed any other way in those circumstances. Damn bothersome, curious Harkness!
Sighing, Rose looks from her hands up to Jack's remorseful eyes. "I know, Jack. Thank you for telling us it doesn't get worse. That's a good thing, right?" she asks, her eyes shining, but with a genuine smile. Sniffing, she laughs a little, gesturing towards the harmoniser, "Ha! Without that accidental chippy night we wouldn't be here now, enjoying each other's company so comfortably."
Rose reaches for her glass of wine, raising it in a toast. When the Doctor and Jack mirror her, she says, "Here's to friends old and new, family, and magnificent Time Ships! May they always bring comfort in times of stress and hardship, and may they always be there when you need them most."
All three of them privately wish very hard for this to be true in the future. They all drink and manage to smile naturally, determined that their fine mood be restored. They talk into the very wee hours, before Jack suggests they take him back to his time.
"Jackie will be up soon, and I know you don't want her wondering why I'm not the one she thinks I am. When are you leaving?"
"A week or so, before the ghost shifts start. I don't want to be here for that. Leaving will be hard enough, but knowing what's coming…" Rose trails off, shaking her head at the unspooling memories.
"I hear that, darlin', but you'll want to leave soon, then. By the date on that menu earlier you only have three days before Hartman gets the go ahead for those experiments, over my objections, and Canary Wharf lights up like a Christmas tree in the Void."
Finding out they only have three days puts a bit of a damper on things, but truthfully Rose feels okay with leaving. She'd needed the Doctor's gift of this time with her mum, and the fact that Jackie will regain the memories after Rose steps through the portal to the Sphynx and her new life, makes it worth every moment of the upcoming farewell.
The trio finish their wine and move to the console room to return Jack to the beginning of 2007. Arriving the day after he'd been picked up, they land in the Hub to the startled and wide-eyed team of Torchwood 3.
They spend the morning meeting everyone. Toshiko and the Doctor laugh about meeting before when he recognises her and then has to explain why she doesn't recognise him. Jack introduces Rose to Ianto shyly, and she greets him gladly, though still wondering about Donna. She and Gwen hit it off like houses, and both Rose and the Doctor decide Owen is an arse. Owen tried briefly to impress the Doctor with his knowledge of alien species and was immediately, though goodnaturedly, trounced.
Jack's goodbye is bittersweet, but Rose promises they'll be back soon with another version of the harmoniser. He truly smiles when the Doctor readily agrees with her, reiterating that the next will be much smaller.
There are waves and hugs, and then they're in the Vortex. The TARDIS allows the Doctor to pilot them to a landing exactly thirty seconds after they'd left and they step out into the flat just before dawn. The Doctor takes Rose's hand, and pulls her outdoors and up stairs to the roof where they watch the sun rise over London, wrapped in each other's arms.
The next two days are quick and busy. Jackie wants to make up as much time as possible and store up as many memories as she can for the time when they'll be all she has of them. Both Rose and the Doctor understand, indulging Jackie's whims and using the TARDIS to go places they couldn't reach in such a limited time frame otherwise.
So it's forty-eight hours, twelve beaches, two mountain ranges, six theaters, three pyramids, a great wall, and the moon (just because they could) before they tumble out of the TARDIS exhausted but happy into the night before the ghost shifts begin.
"Oh, sweetheart, I don't think I can see anything else impressive. I'm all filled up, might just burst. Ya never know," Jackie says facetiously, throwing herself down on the sofa dramatically.
Laughing, Rose teases her mum back, "I don't think anyone has ever over-vacationed, mum!"
"It was so hard to not buy any souvenirs! I really wanted those little red dogs they sold on the Wall...oh well." She sounds disappointed, but her eyes are closed and a happy smile rests on her lips.
Rose looks, really looks at her mum, and loves seeing her so happy. "Mum, we're going to go ahead and leave now," she says as the Doctor returns to her side, a small bag of items they couldn't leave behind in his hand. She'd already absconded with a few things she wanted to have with her.
Blinking, Jackie sits up and looks carefully at her daughter and son-in-law. Rose is standing confidently in a pair of jeans, a blue hoodie and Beatles t-shirt. The Doctor stands beside her, his hand on her shoulder still wearing that awful blue suit, but at least he's wearing a red henley today and looks much more relaxed than he did when he'd first arrived. Jackie decides that she completely approves. This arrangement was never in any way one she could have ever dreamed of, but it suits her daughter to a 'T'. The adventure, traveling, and even her change only made her...more Rose. She was exactly where she needed to be, and what mother could want more than that for her child?
"I know, Rose," Jackie says with a sad but clear smile, her eyes shining as she gets to her feet. "Before ya do the memory thing, I want you both to know that I love you very much. Doctor, we may have had our differences in the past, and I still don't entirely forgive ya for that one year," she tells him, shaking her finger at him, her cheeks flushing. "But you're the best thing that's happened for my Rose, and I'm glad that I can tell ya that m'self."
Rose embraces her mum as she starts to cry, but Jackie isn't quite done. "Rose, you're my baby girl, and I know I was hard on you growin' up. I was overprotective and meddlin' and everythin' else ya called me when you were a rude teenager." They both laugh and sob together, remembering those fights. "But I always knew you'd grow up to be amazin', and I'm so glad I could see it." Embracing her tightly, Jackie tries to memorise everything she's feeling right now. She takes a step back, holding Rose at arms length. Jackie looks to the Doctor, whose eyes are suspiciously wet, and releases her daughter to embrace him as well.
"Come 'ere, you plum! You get one, too." Holding him close, the Doctor realises that she's whispering, "Thank you, thank you," over and over again. Deciding that's his cue, he hugs her tight, and whispers, "You're welcome." Then swiftly, he slides his fingers to her temple and catches her as she collapses into his arms.
"Gah, Rose, your mum's not as light as you are," he huffs as he carries her to the sofa easily, laying her out, pouring her a "forgotten" glass of wine, and kneeling beside the sofa.
"Oi! Do not make fun of my mum while she's comatose!" Rose swats him on the arm in her mum's defence as she lightly drapes a throw over her legs.
The Doctor grins at her, unrepentant, and places both hands to either side of Jackie's face. Diving into her mind, carefully avoiding anything other than his goal, he finds it surprisingly well organised for a human. Taking the last month's memories, he hides them away deeply and sets the trigger he and Rose discussed. In their place he leaves a series of half memories drawn from similar earlier ones that should fill the gap. Jackie's own mind will supply the rest.
"Done," he tells Rose as he sits back up.
Rose, gazes at her mum, as the Doctor gets to his feet, giving her room. Taking his place she kisses her mum lightly on the brow, and takes one last look at her. There's been plenty of hints that they'll see each other again, but this moment right here is only theirs.
Rose steps away from her mum and takes the Doctor's hand. They move into the TARDIS and in moments are gone from the room. Several hours later, Jackie Tyler wakes with a horrid headache and blames the wine. She also blames the wine for the silvery ghost that appears in her kitchen later that afternoon.
Eight weeks later, Jackie doesn't notice the heaviness that appears in her jean jacket pocket as she's sitting in the TARDIS, mistakenly taken along when Rose and the Doctor go to some Torchwood place while investigating the ghosts.
Three days after that, Jackie ignores the pockets again when she hangs that same jean jacket at the back of her new huge closet. She can't bear to part with it, but she doesn't want the reminder either. Closing the door, she can easily hear Rose's sobbing from down the hall.
And finally, after three years of building a life in a new world, Jackie, Pete, and Mickey watch as Rose turns to look at them, a hole in the fabric of reality coruscating in front of her. The look raises alarms in Jackie's head and she starts running, leaving the two men to catch up to her. She hears Rose's scream as she reaches into the hole, and then the rip is gone, taking Rose with it. Coming to a stop just shy of Rose's footprints in the sand, Jackie turns to be caught in Pete's arms, sobbing in fear and—
Wait...what? Abruptly, an extra month's worth of memories slide into place in Jackie's mind and her sobbing turns to laughter—frightening and confusing Mickey and Pete.
Her explanations, once believed, have all three of them dancing like loons on the sand, obscuring the last marks of Rose in Pete's World.
Three more days filled with Jackie's reminiscing finds them all finally back at the mansion. They hope to never see Norway again. Mickey and Pete are downstairs enjoying a whiskey before everyone turns in for the night. Jackie is too restless to stay with them and, claiming a need check on Tony, she finds herself in Rose's room instead. Everything is just as they'd left it only days earlier. Seeing it now, Jackie smiles, knowing Rose is well, better than well even.
Still feeling restless, she moves to her own room. On a whim she opens the closet. Walking in, she's drawn to the very back, behind her fancy dresses. Pulling them out of the way, she spies her old jean jacket still hanging there, abandoned on the most incredible day of her life. Smiling, Jackie reaches to take it down. It gets caught on the hanger, and while yanking on it a small parcel flies out of the inner pocket, landing at her feet.
Jackie picks it up, seeing Rose's handwriting and begins to tremble, her heart beating faster against her ribs. It's addressed to her, Pete, and Mickey.
Jackie makes her shaky way back downstairs to the boys. Pete takes one look at her and leaps to his feet, at her side almost instantly.
"Jacks, what is it?"
"It's from Rose, Pete. I've had it all this time, and I didn't even know it. It's addressed to all three of us."
Handing it to Mickey, she motions for him to open it. Pulling off the TARDIS blue wrapping, he finds a card that he hands to Pete and a stack of photos. Mickey moves to the large table at the back of the room, followed by Jackie, and begins laying the pictures out as Pete reads the note aloud.
To my family on Pete's World,
I can see you smiling as you read that, Dad. Mum can tell you all that's happened, and I'm sure she's already started. It's a long trip back from Norway. I wanted you to know that I love you all very much. I am, as I write this note for the TARDIS to hide with the photos, the happiest I have ever been. The Doctor and I are on our way to pick up a couple of friends for a trip to Imperial Rome.
I hope one day to see you all again. Never say, never ever or impossible—the Doctor and the universe have taught me that.
Know that I'll think of you every day, and please tell Tony, his sister loves him.
All My Love, Forever,
Rose
A/N: There, a fluffy ending to a horrible chapter in the Doctor and Rose's lives together. I hope you liked it. :-) Ash and I are already working on the next chapters, so hopefully they will be up soon.
Many, many thanks to Veritascara for being willing to beta this portion for me. It was a journey for both of us, and I couldn't have done it without her.
Many thanks, as always, to my dear Ashlanielle, who still gave me great story advice, even though the subject pained her. -hugs-
If you are so inspired, please review. I love knowing your thoughts! :-D Cheers!