~revised~

Chapter XXXIX

Mira

She was leaning against one of the columns in the console room whilst Rose had engaged the Doctor in a conversation about some market they had been together.

Rose knew it. Probably she had seen it on the TV. They had, after all, kissed in the bloody Olympic Stadium whilst lighting the Olympic Fire, in front of countless of people and cameras. Probably in front of the whole planet. Rose hadn't said anything yet, but she could feel how she was boiling on the inside.

With that things had become a whole lot more complicated. Not only between her and the Doctor, but also between the three of them. And she didn't have the slightest idea how this could have happened. Had it been her kissing him? Well, most likely she would have kissed anyone in a situation like that, surrounded by all those people, being completely overwhelmed by their feelings. Well, almost anyone. Some of her friends, at least. The crux of the matter was that it hadn't been just a smack out of friendship - as much as she wanted to believe it. Even though it had only been a really short kiss, it had been tender and full of affection. Not like the smack you occasionally give to close friends. And not on the lips, most of all.

She shouldn't have done it. She really shouldn't. Even if it had been him kissing her, she should have turned her head or something like that. So much for being companions, and only companions. Great. And if that wasn't bad enough, there was a part of her that wanted to repeat it; just properly the next time. Not that short, semi-smack-kissing-thing. But there was no way. No bloody way. She looked up and met his eyes. He was standing on the opposite site of the console with Rose was still telling him something, trying hard to sound as normal as possible.

Oh hell, he wasn't reading her thoughts, was he? She still wasn't sure if he could do that over a distance. Hopefully not. If she only knew what he was feeling about all this. It would have been much easier if she only was able to tell if it meant anything to him. But his emotions were still a black box to her.

"Good night," she suddenly said, pushed herself away from the column and left the console room hastily. She had to get out of here, away from him, to get things straight in her mind.

"Night!" she heard the Doctor say and felt his eyes on her back until she was out of his sight.

...

She headed for her room. At first, her steps had almost let her to the observatory, but he would surely join her there, and this time she really wanted to be alone.

Once in her room, she took a shower and was then lying on her bed. She didn't believe she could sleep now, but walking around in the TARDIS wasn't an option.

Why couldn't they have met in her universe? Everything would have been different then. Would it? She would have had the option to leave everything behind to travel with him for a while. At the same time she knew that that was impossible. She had too many duties, too many responsibilities back home. There always was so much more at stake than her private life and personal happiness. Not that she was complaining about that – it seemed to be her destiny and she had accepted it. It wasn't all that bad, really, but nevertheless, sometimes she was dreaming about living a life just like anyone else.

She finally fell asleep, only to wake up a few hours later from a very bad dream. One of those dreams – the second one in a short time. Normally she was used to having these dreams once a year or so. But just recently it had been the one with the black hole, and now it was about Rose. Something terrible was about to happen to her – and not only to her. The Doctor had felt it as well, she was sure by now that this was the storm he had talked about.

Apart from that, the fact that it was the second of those dreams within not even two weeks was slightly concerning. Maybe she was really getting more sensitive to these things the longer she was staying in the TARDIS. No wonder, with all this time travel. She wasn't entirely sure if she liked that – it was enough of a burden as it was, there really was no need for it to become even stronger. Maybe she should talk to the Doctor about it, it was his ship after all and he definitely was the specialist for all those time-things. But she abandoned this thought immediately. Well, at least she had to tell him about the dream, even though there was most likely nothing they could do now. Whatever was about to happen was fixed. Just like their arrival on Kroptor had been.

She got out of the bed, put on her usual black clothes and opened the door. She looked carefully into the corridor, but there was no sign of the Doctor or Rose. She really needed a coffee before she was able to deal with either of them.

Luckily, the kitchen was as empty as the corridor. She made a whole pot and finally sat down on the table with a large cup.

If nothing else, she ad least came to a conclusion regarding the kiss-situation whilst sitting, sipping her coffee. Probably pretending it had never happened was for the best. If he wouldn't bring it up, she would ignore it as well. No need to complicate things even more. She watched the coffee rotate in her mug as she was slightly moving it in small circles. Just moving it enough that it wouldn't spill over...

"Ah! I thought you were sleeping!"

She almost jumped off the chair and the coffee finally spilled all over the table and her hand. Her head flung around, but she already knew who was standing behind her. She took a deep breath to slow her racing heartbeat.

Never sit with your back to the door, she thought, and that was exactly why.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that," the Doctor said and grabbed a towel. "You didn't burn your hand, did you?"

"No, wasn't that hot anymore," she said and shook her hand. "Just stop sneaking up at me like this. Really." Well, it had still been hot, but not hot enough to actually scald her skin.

"I wasn't sneaking." The next second he was holding her hand and examined it closely.

"Hey, I said nothing happened. It's fine," she insisted and pulled her hand out of his grip.

"Sorry," he said and looked at her all innocent out of big, brown eyes.

Oh please, don't do that, she thought. She took the towel from him, wiped the table and filled fresh coffee in her cup.

"Want some?" she asked the Doctor.

"Coffee? Nah. Tea would be fine, but not coffee," he said and started making tea.


Doctor

A few minutes later he sat at the table with Mira and a cup of tea in front of him. He watched her from the side as she was sloping the coffee around in the cup again. She seemed to be absent, and he could only guess why. Was it because of what had happened at the Stadium? Probably it didn't mean anything to her at all. Humans were basically kissing each other all the time. Their friends, children, loved ones... And it had only been a little kiss. Nothing like the one that Reinette had given him, which had been rather explicit and had left no room whatsoever for interpretations.

Maybe he should talk to her about it. Maybe that was what she was waiting for. But what should he say?

"So," he said and Mira turned her head to him. Well, that was a start, but what now? Suddenly his head seemed to be as empty as the space between the galaxies. From one moment to the next he had completely forgotten what he wanted to say. Well, he still knew it, but he just couldn't bring himself to actually saying it. "Um. Well, yes." He scratched the back of his neck. "So, what do you think of the blue waterfalls on Periolli VI? They're full of crystals. And there's a market, it's brilliant, so maybe we should go there next?" He grinned at her widely.

Great. Hadn't exactly gone as planned, but well.

"Rose is in danger," she said instead of answering his question.

"What!?" he looked at her closer. She seemed to be serious. Had she felt the same thing as he had back on earth? But how could she know that it was about Rose?

"You've heard me. As you've said, a storm is coming. Something bad is going to happen, something really bad."

"To Rose?"

"Yes."

"How do you know that?" He already knew the answer. And since Kroptor and the blackhole he knew that he should better listen to her. He still felt terribly sorry for what had happened at the base. "Another dream?"

She nodded. "It's not only about Rose, something will happen to all of us. But she's particularly in danger. I don't know if she's about to die, but..." She paused for a moment. "Maybe the Beast was right."

"What is going to happen? And when?"

"I don't know."

Well, she had told him that most of the times she didn't know what would happen. That she just didn't understand these dreams. But she had also said she only had this dreams rarely. Twice in that short time wasn't really that rare, was it? He saw the scepticism in her eyes. No wonder, after he hadn't believed her the last time she had told him about her dreams.

"Look-" he started to say, but got interrupted.

"Take her home," Mira said suddenly. "Most likely it won't change a thing, but at least we have to try it. She's not safe here. Take her back to Earth, to her mother. Please."

Rose

She had stayed with the Doctor in the console room for a little bit longer and then went to her room. She couldn't bare his presence, knowing that they had actually kissed. She had seen it on TV. How could they? Well, she had expected something like that from Mira, but not from him. Not from him of all people. So, all their talking that there wasn't anything between them had been a lie. They had lied right to her face all the time. Deep down inside she had known it. At least since Kroptor and the look the Doctor had given Mira. But seeing an actual kiss had made it much more real. And she had no idea what she could do about it. She had no options left. That was it.

She had spent the last hours in her room, walking around in circles and trying to figure out what to do next. Should she confront them? No. She had some pride left.

When she finally headed for the kitchen to get something to drink, she heard voices from there. Slowly and quietly, she stepped a little bit closer to the kitchen door.

"Look-"

"Take her home. Most likely it won't change a thing, but at least we have to try it. She's not safe here. Take her back to Earth, to her mother. Please."

That was Mira's voice. Bitch. She had told him everything, hadn't she? She finally wanted to get rid of her.

"Do you really think so? Well, maybe it's for the best. But-" the Doctor started.

She didn't need to hear more. The next moment she stormed into the kitchen. Mira's and the Doctor's head flung around her. Caught red handed, huh?

"I want to know what the hell is going on. Now!" she yelled at them.

"What? What should be going on?" he asked in return as if really not knowing what she was talking about, making her even more angry.

"Oh stop it. The whole dammed world could see it!"

"Rose, please, calm down. It was just a kiss, it didn't mean anything!" Mira said.

"Didn't it?" the Doctor fell in and looked at Mira. "It didn't," he hurried to say as he saw the look on her face.

"Shut up, I'm not talking with you!" she yelled at Mira. "You're lying anyway. It was your plan all along to get rid of me! The whole 'I won't tell him anything, I don't want to take anything away from you' thing. As if." The next moment she immediately regretted it and covered her mouth with her hand. Had she said too much? She had assumed that she knew what they had been talking about. Assumed. The look on the Doctor's face somehow told her that she might have been wrong.

"Tell me what?" the Doctor asked and stood up.

She took a step backwards, away from the Doctor who was approaching her. "No- Nothing," she stammered.

"No, no. That didn't sound like nothing," he said and glared at her.


Doctor

He turned his head to Mira, who was still sitting at the table, as Rose lowered her gaze.

"Mira, what didn't you tell me?"

"Nothing," she said.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Well, at least for once they seemed to work together. But had it to be right now of all times?

"One of you - and I don't care who - is going to tell me what you mean. Now."

He knew that they were keeping something from him – he had known it the whole time. And he had been right. Mira was now leaning back in her chair, her arms crossed and looking at Rose intently. She was obviously not about to tell him what was going on.

"Rose?" She seemed to shrink under his glance and nestled with the sleeves of her sweater.

"Fine. We can spend the whole night here. Until one of you finally feels like talking." He leaned against the counter top so he could see both of them. He didn't expect Mira to speak up, if she wanted to hide something she would most likely stick to it. But he had hoped that she would be honest to him, all after what had happened between them. Or did it really mean nothing to her?

"Does it matter now?" Rose said eventually, without looking at him. "You're going to bring me home anyway, I've heard it."

"Yes, because you're not safe here. Something's going to happen, I know it, Mira knows it, and even though I don't know what it will be, I probably can't protect you! So would you just tell me what happened?"

Rose finally looked up at him and he could see tears forming in her eyes. "I... It was on Kroptor. I.. I can't even remember what exactly happened, but I think I said something, and suddenly everyone was saying that Mira should stay behind and I... I didn't want that, honestly, I-"

"You did what?!" He stared at her in utter disbelief. Hadn't Mira told him she had suggested that everyone should stay behind so that the Beast couldn't escape? Hadn't this been the reason why she had stayed behind on her own?

"I didn't mean it, you have to believe me. But I thought you were... dead. I... I told them that Mira had seen it coming, this black hole and everything, I mean, you yourself accused her that she betrayed you and... I was so angry, but you have to believe me, I didn't want that, please!" she hastily said, her voice shaking.

For a moment he could only stare at her, completely lost for words. No wonder that she had looked like the incarnate of a guilty conscience lately.

"Is that true?" he asked Mira.

She only nodded in response.

"Then why did you tell me it was your fault you were left behind?"

"Because it probably was. I have no idea if the things Rose said actually made any difference," she said calmly, her eyes resting on him.

"I see. That's why it was 'none of my business'?" he asked her with sarcasm in his voice.

"It's a thing between her and me. Besides, I don't think she meant it. She was on edge, because-"

"So that's it? A thing between her and you? You could have died down there! And now you're defending her?" He shortly looked over to Rose, who was seemingly unsettled. "Did she mean it or not? I don't think you of all people have to rely on guessing."

Mira looked at him for a moment, then lowered her gaze.

That's it. Enough is enough, he thought.

He had forgiven Rose once, but obviously to no avail. She hadn't learned a thing of it. And it would probably just continue like this. He couldn't turn a blind eye to it any longer, no matter how much he wished to. Maybe it would have been different if Rose had told him. After all, he had asked her what had happened on Kroptor.

"Pack your things," he said to Rose as he walked past her and out of the kitchen.


heroherondaletotherescue, InfinityMars, Carrera, rainbownarwhal, Don´t Define Me, oXxgeorgiaxXo, bored411, Ronin Kenshin, 10th Squad 3rd Seat, BringOnTheChaos95, aicia dayle , and Guest: Thanks for reading and reviewing :-)