Travels in Time and Space

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty: The Rings of Akhaten: Connection

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

The Doctor made the tea and Rose warmed up the banana bread they still had left. The bone-deep exhaustion lingered, but the nervous energy was keeping her awake and moving. They were safe in the TARDIS. Rose kept reminding herself of that. Akhaten was behind them and they were in the Time Vortex.

"Here or the library?" the Doctor asked. His voice was gentle and soothing, his worry apparent.

"Library," Rose said.

He nodded and picked up the two steaming mugs while Rose carried the two plates with bread. They silently walked down the corridor to the library. The thick smell of books filled Rose's nose the moment the door opened for them. Most of the room was made up of tall shelves that were secured to both the floor and ceiling. Ladders on rails were on every shelf and Rose suspected that the Doctor's next body would have fun on those.

There was a small sitting area with a fireplace. A broken in sofa sat opposite the fireplace with a coffee table in front of it. There was a stack of books on the right side of the table that the Doctor was working his way through. Off to the right were an easel and a small stool and worktable that Rose occasionally painted at when the Doctor was reading.

Setting the plates down on the coffee table, Rose sank down onto the sofa and accepted her mug of tea happily. She took a long sip, letting the drink revitalize her. It was perfect, as tea always was in the TARDIS. The Doctor sat down next to her and while she could feel his expectant gaze, didn't rush her.

"It's hard to explain," Rose said. "I'm not really sure where to start. To summarize, I guess I should just say that a few years ago, an enemy of mine linked my mind with those of alternate versions of me. There were… hundreds of them. I almost got lost in them for awhile. The link was cut, but part of their memories stayed with me. They're usually just background noise if I even hear them at all, but sometimes something pushes through. A skill or an interest or a random historical fact from another world." She laughed nervously. "And yes, that last one is very confusing. I swear that I know more about the history of another Earth than I do my own."

"How-" The Doctor was gaping at her. "How did it happen?"

"He's called the Silver Lord," Rose answered. "Part Eternal and part Chronovore. He really hates the Guardians and since I helped the White Guardian out a few times, targeted me. He used this… still point in time to create this weird bubble." Rose frowned and shook her head. "Sorry, I'm not explaining this well."

"So you remember different realities?" The Doctor sounded torn between fascination and worry.

"Not exactly," Rose replied. "Remember isn't the right word." She took another sip of her tea, letting it warm her up. "After it first happened… things were difficult. I struggled to keep things straight and had a lot of dreams that were memories from other lives. I got some help from the Guardians in organizing the information and locking some of it away." Rose gestured vaguely to her head. "But its still rattling around up there. Sometimes something slips through. It's really not so bad. Like I said, sometimes I get odd little tidbits of skill or knowledge."

"I've never heard of anything like this," the Doctor admitted. "Rose… are you sure that you're okay? I mean-" He reached for her, but quickly aborted the movement.

"I'm fine," Rose promised. "I can't tell you details… but you're one of the people who saves me from the attempt. You and another friend of ours."

"Who?"

"You haven't met him yet… at least properly," Rose said. She smiled slightly, remembering Jack cutting in on her and the Doctor in Prague. "Please, try not to worry. When I need help, you'll be there to help. It's just weird timelines again."

"Those seem to happen a lot around you," the Doctor grumbled.

Then he fell silent and studied her. A few times, his Adam's Apple bobbed and Rose knew that he was trying to organize his thoughts. It was almost humbling to have brought the Doctor to this state, but also unnerving. Rose turned on the sofa so she was completely facing him and lay her head on the back of the sofa. Some more of the tension eased out of her body.

"Anyway… it has been useful," Rose admitted. "The skills help sometimes and once… once the Trickster tried to completely rewrite me. That was the incident with my father that I told you about after…" Rose trailed off, not wanting to remember holding her dying father's hand. "Anyway, because I sort of remember other times, I was sort of able to remember the proper timeline. I was even able to recover my memories and figure out that my father was the problem in the universe."

"All those memories... how aware are you?"

"Not very," Rose assured him. "The rewrite event with the Trickster is the only really clear lifetime. That's the only one that I can honestly say had an impact on me, but even that was only in some small ways. But it is where I picked up my musical abilities." Her attempt at levity fell a little flat. "Honestly, Doctor, I'm okay. It's fine. It's just a bit weird so I don't talk about it."

"Rose, a human mind shouldn't be able to deal with that kind of knowledge," the Doctor said. "It should be too much."

"Which is why the Guardians helped," Rose said. "I promise, Doctor, I've gotten help. And I'm fine. I don't feel any different right now. I'm a little sleepy, but that's it. Who knows? Maybe the sun really took the memories out." She didn't really think that was the case, but maybe it was possible. "Please, try not to worry."

"Are you sure you don't feel any different?" The Doctor pressed. "I've never heard of anything like this and you suffered a telepathic assault. Even if you aren't a telepath and aren't completely aware- that's still a horrible thing. Are you sure you feel alright?"

Rose frowned and closed her eyes. A few hazy visions flickered through her head. Nothing pushed itself forward. Her mind was quiet, but there was an awareness. Possibilities were shimmering through a closed door. All the things that she could have been. Rose had no temptation to look. In the glimpses she'd seen, she preferred her life to any other.

"Nope," she said. Opening her eyes, she smiled at the Doctor. "Still, secure. Nothing is poking through."

"Good." The Doctor's shoulders relaxed. "Good. If that changes… if you need help."

"I'll let you know," Rose promised. "But really, the Guardians were very helpful in the aftermath."

"The Guardians," the Doctor's nose curled up slightly. Rose bit her lip to keep from laughing. "You've never told me the story there."

"That's not one story," Rose said. "And it involves several other versions of you so…" Shrugging, Rose gave the Doctor a tongue touched smile. "There really isn't much I can tell you."

The Doctor grumbled, glaring at her a little. Rose just smiled and took a bite of her bread. It had cooled off during the conversation, but it was still good. She was aware of the Doctor's heavy gaze on her and felt a little sorry for him. A mystery he couldn't solve just yet. A puzzle without a photo to help.

"I can hear you thinking," Rose teased. "Really, it's fine."

"I could… I could check telepathically if you wanted," the Doctor said. "I'm just worried that the sun might have damaged the barriers. I don't want you overwhelmed tomorrow because something broke."

Rose paused to consider his concern. It was… valid. At least she thought so. A Guardian probably would have warned her if there was a danger, but the craziness of her life not everything could be predicted. Rose licked her lips and questioned herself about what she wanted.

"So… you'd be in my head?"

The Doctor deflated slightly. "If it bothers you-"

"No," Rose said quickly. "It's not that. I just… haven't had good telepathic experiences. You're really the only one I'd completely trust in my mind like that." Rose tugged nervously on a few strands of her long hair. "I'm more concerned about the timelines. What if you see something that's a problem?"

"You can block me out," the Doctor said. "Just imagine putting a memory behind a door."

He shifted a little closer to her, slowly reaching his large hands towards her face. The TARDIS dimmed the lights of the library and Rose inwardly scolded the ship. This was not the time for the Old Girl to be trying to play matchmaker. Even if anything happened, the Doctor would worry that she was emotionally compromised so something ridiculous like that. Then he'd feel guilty for whatever happened and that was not an option.

The Doctor slowly brought his hands up to Rose's temples. She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. It was tempting to keep them open and watch him, but there were closed now. They were breathing the same air and it felt too intimate. She didn't quite trust herself.

"Remember," he said in a hushed tone. "Anything you don't want me to see, imagine closing a door."

It was easier than Rose thought it would be. A scene manifested in her mind's eye. The Doctor in a long corridor full of doorways. She wasn't sure if the construct was his mine influencing hers or her own mind trying to organize itself. That wasn't the most important thing and Rose quickly tucked away every memory of the Doctor she could find. All knowledge of his next few bodies was tucked away. She hid her encounter with the Silver Lord in India but left a few glimpses of her meetings with earlier incarnations alone.

The Doctor didn't seem to notice those. He was checking everything gently. A strange careful brush over her memories that seemed more like a caress. Rose didn't have the words for it. Everything shifted and yet it was pleasant and reassuring. The image of the corridor solidified and Rose could clearly see a glowing door on the far side. She knew at once that it led to the Doctor's mind. Staying still, Rose turned and kept focusing on checking over her own memories. There was no manifestation of the Doctor that she could see, but she was aware of him. A weight, the heavy burden of his memories and knowledge, was behind her.

"This is strange," Rose said. Her voice echoed in the hallway. "But nice. I can feel your mind, but it doesn't hurt like the Silver Lord's attack."

They stayed like that. The Doctor gently shifted through Rose's mind and his body leaning towards her. Intimate. Yet the sense of safety nearly lulled Rose to sleep. She was safe. He wouldn't harm her. He wouldn't put something here that didn't belong. The rush of trust was overwhelming and Rose was grateful that she was sitting down.

She allowed the Doctor to see her interaction with his sixth body at Jane Grey's grave at the Tower of London. His confusion and amusement washed over her, making Rose giggle. He lingered a few times, watching memories of Rose with Sharon and Shireen or Eve. Even watching one of Jackie. Rose allowed him to glimpse a few of the precious memories of her life in the Trickster's timeline. His anger and grief for her experience rolled through her and Rose reached up to cover his left hand.

Then, at last, the Doctor retreated. Rose's chest tightened. Her mind began to fill dimmer, the brilliant light of the Doctor's compassion fading from her. He made a soft sound to reassure her and gently kissed her forehead. Opening her eyes, Rose met his gaze only inches from her face. Then he was completely gone.

"Oh…" Rose breathed. Words escaped her.

The Doctor coughed a little. "Everything looks… well, not normal, you don't know how to do normal, but as it should be."

"Good," Rose whispered.

They were too close. Their faces still mere inches from each other.

"I'm going to paint a bit," Rose announced.

Nervous energy filled her hands and feet. She needed to stand up and move away from the Doctor before she did something that he'd chalk up to an aftereffect of the mental contact. Standing up, she went straight over to her easel and the small end table with her supplies.

"I would have figured you'd be tired," the Doctor said. He sounded a little out of breath.

"Nope." Rose shifted the easel and reached into the box behind it to pull out a blank canvas. "I'll crash soon I'm sure, but at least I can get something started."

"What are you going to paint?"

"Well… evil sun aside, Akaten was very beautiful," Rose said. "That first grand scene when we stepped out of the TARDIS. That deserves to be remembered." She opened a tube of red paint. "Sure the fumes won't bother you?"

"TARDIS will filter the air," the Doctor said. He sounded amused now. "Just like she always does. Do you want me to read?"

"If you don't mind," Rose replied. She picked up a hair tie and bound her hair up in a messy bun. "It's nice. My very own audiobook maker."

"Oi!"

"It's a compliment and you know it."

Rose turned and gave him a soft smile. The Doctor blinked and then relaxed. Swinging his feet up onto the sofa, he picked up the top book from his stack and settled down to read. Satisfied with the events of the day, Rose picked up her painting pallet and selected a nice red color to start working with.

….Up Next: Planet of the Ood…

Rose jumped out into the snow with a joyous laugh. It was perfect. Completely soft and clear. Behind her, the Doctor snorted, but Rose didn't care. She glanced up long enough to notice what looked like a manufacturing plant down the hill.

"Happy?" the Doctor asked.

"I like snow," Rose huffed. "I mean, not insane quantities, but a bit to play in every so often is fun." Bending over, Rose formed a snowball and grinned. "Packs well. Do you want to build a snowman?"

The Doctor groaned loudly. "Do not, Rose. Do not."

"You're the one with every Disney film ever to be made."

Then a loud roaring sound echoed off the snow. Looking up, Rose watched a rocket looking spaceship sail overhead. It was going toward the manufacturing plant.