Stay

Chapter Ten

Rose was pacing back and forth.

After confirming with Doctor Sanchez that she wanted to meet James, the necessary arrangements were soon made, and here she was in the family room waiting for James to come through. Her heart was racing, and her palms were getting sweaty and clammy from her fists being clenched and unclenched in a series of quick successions.

Would James like her? Would she like him?

A realisation suddenly hit her, causing Rose to stop mid-pace. Why was she so invested in James, who was a stranger to her? These people were telling her that he was her husband, but Rose had no recollection of ever having a husband, and she was fairly certain she would remember something as significant as that.

And of course, whatever was really going on, her brain was not letting her forget about the Doctor, despite people around her convincing her otherwise.

Rose was interrupted from her thoughts - maybe for the better - by a soft knock at the door. She turned to see Doctor Sanchez enter the room, followed by another, but rather familiar man.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Rose. I'm sure you've been anxious." Doctor Sanchez apologised with a smile. "Anyway, Rose, I'd like to reintroduce you to James Noble. James, this is Rose."

It was definitely awkward with Sanchez there, especially with him being formal with the introductions.

James Noble stepped into the room, and Rose audibly gasped. She couldn't believe it. This man was the exact clone of the Doctor. She was in trouble.

James didn't understand why he was so nervous. Doctor Sanchez had been keeping him updated on Rose's progress, and felt as though she was mentally ready for a meeting with him.

"Before you go in James, I would advise you to be very careful when speaking to Rose. I understand that she is your wife and there will be emotions involved, but she is still my patient. I am hopeful that this session will go very well and I do believe that Rose is ready to see you, but in the off chance that she's not, we should all respect her decision and rearrange it for another time."

"Understood."

"And as I stated before, Rose is under the impression that your name is not James, that you are a character called the 'Doctor'. It is important to gently remind her that the Doctor does not exist, and you don't believe that he does. If you find yourself in a tricky situation, my assistant and I will be watching via the one-way mirror, so we can further counsel you." James nodded again. "Are you ready? Let me lead the way."

Leaving Sanchez's office, James picked up the box he'd brought with him, as well as the photo album that he'd made with Mia. It felt like the longest walk ever to the family room, when in reality it was up one floor and down a corridor or two.

James didn't hear what Sanchez was saying, as his mind was racing with his own thoughts.

"I'd like to reintroduce you to James Noble. James, this is Rose."

Taking a deep breath, James stepped into the room, and looked up on hearing her gasp. He couldn't help but smile, relief washing over him. "Hello, Rose."

"Hi."

God she was beautiful, even in her hospital scrubs and washed out face (free from the light makeup she usually applied) and with her hair tied up in a loose ponytail. She was however, a little gaunt for his liking - meaning that he was a little concerned for her well-being -, and skinnier than he ever remembered her being, even before they had Mia.

It was awkward with Sanchez in the room, watching the interaction between them. James felt as though he was being approved by his girlfriends parents', and that he couldn't even be comfortable around his own wife.

Sensing the sudden discomfort, Doctor Sanchez cleared his throat. "I'll um, I'll leave you both to it. I'll be around if either of you need assistance."

Rose blew out a breath the moment the door closed behind him. "Thank God he's gone."

James let out a breathy chuckle. "You too, huh?"

"He's alright I suppose," she confirmed with a shrug. "I jus' find him a little weird." Rose commented, adjusting the jumper of her scrub.

James' eyes latched onto the discolouration of her neck instantly. "What happened there, then?" He wondered, nodding towards it.

Reactively, Rose clasped a hand over it, having forgotten about that particular incident. "Oh this? I um, I scraped it on the edge of my desk when I was looking for my pens I'd dropped." She replied feebly. She was never a good liar, and they both knew that, but she didn't want to go down this road just now.

An uncomfortable silence followed, with neither knowing what to say or do. Rose chose that moment to take in his appearance, and for the first time that he wasn't wearing the signature suit. Instead he wore jeans, a maroon sweater and a leather jacket. He did however, still have a pair of his typical converse, and his usual gelled up hair was flatter, and a little more unkempt. Rose tried to remind herself that this man wasn't the Doctor, but he sure was good looking.

James cleared his throat, and like the Doctor and his mannerisms, he scratched the back of his neck, a sign that he was nervous. "So, how have you been? You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you."

By the last time, he meant when Rose was in a coma. "It's taken a while," she admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and seeing no reason to lie. "To adjust I mean. I basically had to learn how to walk an' talk again, which took a while. It's not been easy."

"I can't even imagine." James sympathised. "I hate to be so forward, and I completely understand if it's too much for you, but would you mind if I gave you a hug? I – I've missed you … a lot."

Well, that wasn't pathetic. Well done, James!

He was blushing like a lovesick teenager, and Rose couldn't help but smile at his awkwardness. It very much felt like a first date, where you didn't know if it was appropriate to show any signs of affection so soon.

Rose was relieved that James plucked up the courage to ask first, because she was eager to hug him as soon as she saw him. "I'd like tha' a lot."

He suddenly looked up like a deer caught in the headlights, and he nearly dropped the box he carried in surprise. "Really?"

This time, Rose giggled. "I mean it."

Without further hesitation, James put the items he was holding down and practically wrapped his arms around his wife, hugging her so tightly that he lifted her slightly off her feet. To Rose is felt like old times, after a particularly taxing adventure where they were unsure of the outcome, they would always hug as though they'd never see one another again. They clung to one another in desperation, and Rose inhaled the Doctor's – James's – familiar scent of grease from mechanics, bananas no doubt from his shampoo, and a touch of pine. It was an odd combination of smells, but it was some of Rose's favourites.

James eventually let go for them to breathe, but still clung to her lower arms. They gazed into one another's eyes, lost in their own thoughts. Finally, James pulled away, as if a lightbulb appeared over his head. "Oh! I've brought some things for you." He turned to the box he'd placed on the nearby table and the purple photo album. "It was Doctor Sanchez' idea actually, he said it might jog your memory."

Rose decided to let him ramble, and took a seat on the sofa, hoping it would calm her beating heart. "Wha' did you bring?"

"Well, the first thing I have is something that you created yourself. It's mementos that you've collected throughout your youth and over the years." James came to sit beside her, and placed the purple box on the table in front of them.

Rose of course, did recognise this box from her past, and she usually kept it under her bed in the TARDIS, as it contained some of her most precious memories. "I'd rather see what you've brought though," she pointed out, tongue in cheek. "I can look at wha's inside the box later."

James cleared his throat, not expecting this answer. He then collected the photo album and handed it to Rose. "Mia and I made this together … hoping it would help you." He admitted with a blush.

Rose blinked in confusion. "Who's Mia?"

James' heart broke a little, knowing that his wife was unsure as to who Mia was. It wasn't fair! How could she forget Mia? "You really don't remember, do you?" Rose shook her head, avoiding his saddened gaze. "She's … she's our daughter."

"Oh." Rose had grown up with the idea of never wanting children, understanding the responsibility that it took to raise a child. It had never appealed to her. "How old is she?"

"Eighteen months," James told her in a quiet voice. "Almost two years old. We wanted to make this for you so you could see her progress. We didn't know how long you'd be in a coma for, so we didn't want you to miss out."

Rose opened the specially crafted photo album, and was instantly greeted with a drawing clearly created by a child. It was mostly a bunch of scribbles on the paper, with the colours blended together making a sludgy brown shade. There was a handwritten note in the corner: 'To Mummy, I miss you. Love from, Mia. Xxx'. The next page was a double spread, and on the first one there were two ultrasound scans taped in. At the top was Rose's name, Rose Tyler-Noble, and in between the scans was a positive pregnancy test, two in fact. The following pages contained photos of Rose, cradling her slowly expanding stomach that got bigger, and rounder. The photos were clearly of her, but Rose couldn't recall the memories she was looking at. In the photos of herself, Rose appeared to be very happy with her current situation. The photos then progressed onto Rose in hospital, presumably during labour, and finally a family photo of her, James, and little Mia wrapped in a pink blanket. Photos of a tiny Mia were followed with Jackie and Pete each holding her in turn, and even one of Tony looking very confused. The next selection of photographs were of Mia's first days growing up, and one of a little girl with blonde hair and brown eyes – very much looking like Rose – smashing her hands into some chocolate cake and having it smeared over her face, giggling. More photos of the family were added, without Rose present, which indicated to Rose that she must've been in the coma at this time.

"Thank you for this." Rose said appreciatively, closing the album. "It's lovely. M'only sorry tha' I don't remember any of this. If I am her mother, then how can I forget my own child? It's somethin' pretty hard to forget."

On auto pilot, James reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently in comfort. To his surprise, Rose did not flinch. "Don't feel guilty," he reassured her, his voice calm and tender. "It's not your fault that this has happened. It's unfortunate what has happened, but if you carry on the path that you're going down, you'll be back home with us before you know it. Mia misses you, I miss you, but we understand that this sort of recovery will take time. I don't want to rush you, and I don't want you to feel pressured in any way. Do this in your own time, okay? I want you to come home happy and healthy."

Rose nodded, appreciative of the gesture. "Thank you, James. Tha' means a lot." A thought popped into her mind, and she pondered for a moment before speaking aloud. "Do you think, if there's another visit, tha' you could bring Mia?"

The question surprised James, although his heart burst with pride and joy, and he grinned like a complete loon. "That sounds like a brilliant idea! I'm sure Mia will be delighted to see you."

The two spent the rest of their visit swapping stories – well, mostly James since Rose couldn't really mention the Doctor – about their lives, and before they knew it, the hour was up. For the first time in a long while, Rose felt lighter than she had done since waking from her coma. There was something about being with James, where it felt safe in his company. He was reliable, and dependable, and he seemed to comfort her without her asking for it directly.

Once the session had ended, the two said goodbye, and Rose was taken back to her room, walking with a little spring in her step. The door to her room was unlocked, and Rose thanked the orderly before he left. She stepped inside the room, and straight away, her room felt off. At first, she didn't understand why, but it didn't feel safe any more. Her walls were covered in her drawings of her travels with the Doctor, but upon closer inspection, she saw red smeared across several drawings. Rose took a step back, and gasped aloud when she saw what it was.

The words 'Bite me, bitch' were written in what she hoped was paint, all over her drawings. It was a warning, and Rose had a fairly good idea as to who could've done this.