A/N: I waited three days for this?
Yup, I anticipate that feeling toward this chapter. A filler? Yes it is. Before I can move on, I had to get Rose and the spawns settled. Sooooo ... this is a short one explaining that. Now we can move on.
I would say enjoy, but I'm not entirely sure this can be called an enjoyable chapter.
Hoping to have more up later today... Fingers crossed!
~~oooOOOooo~~
The small group of Rose, Mark, Alirra and the wolves was remarkably quiet given their heart-wrenching experience. Despite having lost their home and the Doctor, there weren't any painful sobs or wails amongst them. Rose knew she couldn't dissolve in the manner that she wanted to. She couldn't. She could feel her son's confusion and terror at her side, and her daughter's confusion against her bosom. Both of them needed to draw strength from her, so falling apart was the absolute last thing she should do…
…But she really didn't know what else to do. She and her young children were effectively abandoned and exiled from their home. They had no money, nowhere to stay, and pretty much no hope at all. She lifted her head to the sky, all clouded over and grey, and let out a long and shaking breath.
God. What were they going to do?
"Mum," Mark said with a shiver. He was dressed in only a light tunic and trousers, with leather sandals on his feet – not at all appropriate for what she felt was a late Autumn day in London. "It's cold."
She winced. Of course they were. Gallifrey was never cold nor rainy. The skies were always clear and bright. Neither of her beautiful children had ever experienced a cool day, let alone a cold one. She opened up her robe and wrapped it around his legs. "Come here," she cooed softly as she waited for him to crouch and snuggle in. "This should warm you up."
He did as she asked, and pulled the robe around him. His chilly little body, his internal temperature the same as his father's, nestled up against her own warm body, and he let out an almost contented sigh. "Dad's not coming, is he?"
"Why would you say that?"
"Because I've got a big old Time Lord brain," he answered with a huff. "And I'm not dumb. The lady that looked like you – she wasn't letting him come with us."
She kissed his head and spoke against his hair. "Your dad won't let anyone stop him," she whispered. "It might take a while, but your dad will come."
"And what do we do until then?"
Rose sighed. "I don't know, Mark. I really don't." She cupped his head with the back of her hand and gently coaxed him to look up at her. "But whatever we do, we'll do it together, yeah? The family Lungbarrow … brilliant, we are."
"Yep," he popped out as a shadow fell over their huddle. "We are."
Romana's voice sounded almost ethereally behind them. "And they always look after their own."
Mark was immediately out of his mother's robe. He ran with open arms toward his aunt, and slammed into her for a hug, almost climbing her legs in the process. "Aunty Romana!"
She nestled her head against his and let out a long purr of relief. "Words can't express how happy I am that we were able to find you," she breathed out. Her eyes shifted to Rose, who had slowly risen to a stand, her young daughter tucked safely underneath the robe. "Rose. I know this is a sorely stupid question of me to ask you as your state is quite obvious, but I will ask anyway: Are you okay?"
Rose shook her head and strode three steps forward to come within quiet conversational distance. "Not really unless you can tell me that the Doctor sent you and you're here to take us home."
"I'm sorry," she answered with a shake of her head. "Brax and I can't even find him, let alone have worked with him to do that."
Her eyes widened and she felt a pit form inside her chest. "You can't?"
She closed her eyes and shook her head. She gently lowered Mark to the grass at her feet. "The Doctor left almost immediately after you did," she said gently. She noted the hopeful look in Rose's eyes and shook her head. "I'm very sorry, Rose. Brax…" she let out a breath. "Brax told me that he doesn't have any memory of you and the children. He left because that's what he does …"
"Run," Rose completed with a sad yet knowing nod of her head. She inhaled shakily and lifted her head to put on as much of a brave face as she could. "Because he needs to run."
There was a moment of silence between them. Rose trying to keep her cadence unbroken, and Romana simply stroking the head of a confused boy trying to maintain his own strength in the face of heartache.
Finally Rose let out a breath. "I don't know where to go from here," she admitted worriedly.
"You shouldn't need to worry about that," Romana offered with a smile. "Brax and I have been working to make sure that you and the children are looked after."
Rose tilted her head expectantly. "Are you taking us back to Gallifrey?"
"We did consider that," she said slowly before shaking her head. "But the both of us feel that it's best we keep you off planet for the next while – at least until we can properly determine the implications and severity of the war that this Bad Wolf spoke of. Our most important concern for you and the children is to keep you safe and as far away from this war as possible." She reached down to take Mark's hand in hers. "Follow me."
Rose fell into stride beside Romana as they walked to cross the quiet street toward the townhomes along the other side. "From what I understand from the bad Wolf, the war is still centuries away from Gallifrey."
"Be that as it may," Romana answered with a look left and right for traffic. She stepped onto the road. "I am hesitant to have you on Gallifrey for many reasons, the most important of which is to keep you and the children safe." She lifted her long skirt with one hand to clear the curb on the other side of the robe. "There are many enemies that will try and use you against him as we move toward war. Whether he remembers you or not, I imagine there is a place for you that still exists inside his hearts, Rose." She smiled for the man as she led them up the path toward the front door of a house. "I can't risk that."
Rose looked around curiously at the neatly manicured gardens of the home, almost out of place in comparison to the homes that surrounded it. Blooms that should not exist on this planet stood out prominently in the tiny garden bed underneath the windows. "What's this place?" she asked quietly.
"Your home," Romana answered as she unlocked the door and pushed it open. She stepped inside, kicking off her shoes at the doorway and advising Mark to do the same.
Rose paused just shy of entering. "My home?"
Romana crouched to assist Mark in removing his sandals and looked up to Rose with a smile. "Did you think that Brax or myself would leave you to fend for yourself and not at least give you and the children shelter?" She tutted and rose to a stand, taking Mark's hand in hers once again to lead him into the corridor that led into the house. "As soon as the Doctor fled Gallifrey, Braxiatel sent out several orders to may of the staff to arrange a home and care for you and the children. We've been working for a month to get all of this put together."
Rose kicked off her shoes at the door, and stilled at Romana's words. "I'm sorry, did you say it's been a month?"
"Closer to two if I'm being honest," she admitted. "Brax was quite insistent that we try and monitor the Doctor's movements first, to see if he would move to come to you. When he didn't appear to be doing so, we put together a plan to ensure you and the children were well looked after." She led them toward the kitchen. "Which involved finding you shelter and a form of income for the immediate future."
Rose slowly walked the corridor, twirling with a gasp at the warmth and homeliness provided by her in-laws. She'd been to their home on Gallifrey many, many times throughout her life there – their home was rather unfeeling and sterile-looking. This. This was a home so much more apt for she and her husband … well … ex-husband, now. Her mouth gaped for her to draw in a pained breath. "It's beautiful," she managed. "Thank you."
Romana led them into an expansive kitchen, with wide windows that let in an incredible amount of natural light. "Braxiatel was quite focused on this room," she said with a smile. "He claims that you spend quite an amount of time in here, preparing meals and baking…" She rubbed at the back od her neck. "I'm not quite sure if you would consider that offensive and sexist."
That made Rose smile. "No. Not at all, actually. The Doctor and I spent a lot of time together in the kitchen, actually. It's a good meeting place." She set Alirra into a beautifully elaborate and pretentiously crafted high-chair and then walked to the stove and a stainless steel tea pot atop an unlit burner. "I'd ask if you want tea, but I suspect I have to go do a shop first."
"No," she corrected with a smile. "Brax made sure to have you with a full fridge and pantry, as he didn't feel that you should have to find the energy to do it for yourself at this time." She pursed her lips. "All supplies from Gallifrey markets, of course. He's quite opposed to the idea of heading into one of your local supermarkets and the riff-raff that frequent those locations." She let out a breath and shook her head. "My hearts do beat for that man, don't get me wrong, but he can certainly be a pompous and self-righteous wonder at times."
"At times," Rose sang with a teasing smile. "I'd say it is his default setting." She held up the kettle. "Tea?"
Romana nodded. "thank you, I'd like that."
Rose put the kettle on the stove and moved about the kitchen as though she'd been using it for years, not only seeing it for the first time. She autonomously removed fruit from a bowl and a plate from a cabinet, and started to prepare a small salad for her son. "I expect my wonderful Brother in Law has a few dire warnings for you to share with me during your visit."
She smirked. "You know him well."
Rose nodded. "I really would expect no less of him, really." She slid the freshly cut fruit to her son and looked toward the table in front of a wide set of glass doors that led to a small back patio and yard. "Share with your sister, please."
Mark popped a piece of magnolia in his mouth and nodded. "And leave you two alone to talk, yeah. I get it."
"Cheeky,' Romana said with a chuckle as she rubbed at his head. "And thank you, Mark. It's appreciated."
He shrugged and moved to the table, setting the bowl in between he and his sister. "Welcome.'
Rose smiled at her boy and looked back toward Romana. "So. Out with it. What message does Brax have for me?"
"You can't look for him," she said firmly, the look in her eyes begging no argument. She waited until Rose's eyes met hers before elaborating. "And if you happen to see him, walk in the opposite direction."
Rose closed her eyes and let out a breath. "I had a feeling you'd say that."
"I'm monitoring the timelines, Rose. I promise you that." She reached out to cover Rose's hand with hers. "As soon as it's safe to do so … when we can find a branch of his timeline where your meeting again will be safe for reality, I will find him for you."
"And if it turns out there is no way?"
"Then we will return you to Gallifrey," she vowed. "You and the children. When it's safe, you will return to Gallifrey with Brax and I." She squeezed Rose's hand. "My husband is quite firm when he says that you, his niece and nephew won't be alone."
Rose forced out a chuckle. "I didn't know he cared."
"The sister he wishes he had," Romana said with a smile. "Of course, he uses the excuse that if he didn't make sure you were cared for that his mother would return from the tomb to haunt him mercilessly." Her smile broadened. "Terrified of the paranormal, my Braxiatel. So very unlike his brother."
"They're more alike than either of them would like to admit," Rose said with a small smile. She put the kettle on the stove and moved around the kitchen to prepare tea for the both of them. "Sometimes I think Brax reverts to being a pompous git to hide the fact those hearts beating inside his chest are capable of caring very deeply toward others."
"I agree," Romana half whispered. "And I admit that it's nice to have someone who understands that side of him."
"He's got as much human in him as the Doctor does," Rose said with a shrug. "Despite trying to convince himself otherwise. He's going to care – it's what we do – he can't fight it." She smirked. "But he's also got as much Time Lord in him, which makes him wholly capable of not giving a shit toward those he doesn't much care about."
"Polar opposite ends of the spectrum," Romana agreed. "Which actually makes him so much more dangerous than even the Doctor."
"I wouldn't want on his shit list, that's for sure," Rose said with widening eyes. "I'd make the Doctor mad before I'd upset Brax. I've seen the two of them wage war upon the other … I know who scares me the most out of the both of 'em."
"Then it's a good thing you're not on the shit list," Romana said with a chuckle. "Which is a remarkable saying. Do you mind if I use it?"
"Go right ahead," Rose said with a shrug. "Not that anyone'd understand what you're on about in Council Chambers."
"Which makes it more appealing when I point to a member who has upset him and remark that he's now on the shit list." She tapped at her chin. "And saying it in your language would make it even more interesting. How do I say it in English?"
Rose spoke the two words slowly in her own language, being careful to enunciate each letter carefully. She chuckled as Romana repeated the phrase. "Use your TARDIS translator," she suggested with a smile.
"Nah," Romana drawled. "You took the time and patience to learn the language of the Time Lords without reliance on your own TARDIS translator, it's only right that I offer the same respect." She rolled her jaw and tongue around the words.
Rose looked on with a smile and turned as the whistle on the kettle called out a shrill cry. "So anything else from Brax other than don't look for Thete lest the universe collapses on itself." She looked up. "That might've sounded better if I tried to actually imitate his voice."
"No," Romana said with a laugh. "I got it … and I heard it in his voice."
"Of course you did," Rose remarked with a smile as she pouted the water from the kettle into a teapot. "It's one of the reasons we get along so well, we read each other well."
"More often than not, yes," she agreed. She then slouched on the top of the breakfast counter with a lean on her forearms. "As for Brax's other instructions, well, he'll outline them when he drops by to check on the three of you." She looked at the wolves sniffing at the back door hoping to be let out. "Five of you."
"C-can we expect to see you and Brax often?" she asked with a quiet voice. "Or once we're settled, you'll disappear?"
Romama looked up with surprise at that particular question. There was no doubt inside hers or her husband's mind that they would remain a big part of Rose and the children's life going forward. She saw the shudder inside Rose's frame and realisation dawned. While the incident with Bad Wolf was nearly two months passed for her, it was only moments ago for Rose and the children. Without taking care for propriety, Romana quickly stood from the chair and walked around the breakfast counter. She wrapped her arms around the shuddering woman and held her firm. She gently shushed her with a quiet hush between her teeth when she started to cry on her shoulder.
"One thing my husband has insisted upon is that you and the children will never be alone," Romana said firmly. "He made a vow to his brother, and he intends on keeping that vow. We intend on keeping that vow."
