Chapter 4. Fears love and reputation.

The Doctor sat on a stool next to a desk facing the bed, resting his elbows on his knees, gazing unblinking at Rose who fidgeted under the look from her lover and companion. She sat on the edge of the bed staring at her fingernails.

'Well, got anything to say?'

Without making a sound Rose began to cry, her shoulders shaking with the effort of trying to be quite. But the Doctor heard her and his hardened face softened a little. He almost smiled at Roses curse of her hormones.

'I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you. I mean I'm not your first companion and apart from a bit from what you've said I have no idea about a Time Lords life or anything. I know you're the last – or were – and I didn't know about any traditions you have and if you were to uphold them if you did. But now, what about your family, what will they say?'

She was openly crying now and was terrified. She was only 19 coming on 20. While he was 900 years old and not even completely human! He knelt down in front of her and took her small hands and covered them with his own larger ones. He looked up at her in the eye and found himself desperate to give her everything, a need to be with her always, to never let her die like the others.

'Rose you should have still told me you were pregnant. I've been worried sick about you. It doesn't matter if you're not my first companion, I didn't love them like I love you. About my life, well as they can find me through the baby, you will find out when they get here. If I let them on board is another matter. If they disown me, so what I'll have you and . . . and . . . our ba. . . child. God this is going to be difficult. I never thought of me as the father type.'

Rose took a while to take in the information before she asked her next question.

'Why have you always said you don't do domestic?'

The Doctor sniffed and placed his hand on Roses stomach, over his child. He scolded himself on not protecting her. He was far more fertile than human males. Rose mover her own hand and covered his. His head was swimming with déjà vu.

'Before I was old enough to follow my father, when I had to stay at home and look after my siblings, I feel in love. I was only a child but old enough to know my feelings. Our parents agreed and we were to be married. Our society had a very strict rule on no sex before marriage, and the parents of both people had to agree on the marriage so Time Lords didn't do what I have just gone and done. But many people were very young when they wanted to marry and did it anyway, and never got caught. I'm the last in a line of a very old family and like man others in my family I rebelled and for my 'sin' she became pregnant. Our families knew, because at birth everyone is fitted with a sort of homing beacon. It monitors our health, and alerts our closet kin's to any danger we are in, regardless of when or where. On the downside it also tells them when we are to be parents and from who. Women were considered lower than men that's why Time Lords take companion away from our home planet, because they've grown up to be more independent than women at home. They also take all the blame for outer marriage pregnancies. She was killed in front of the whole city. No on blamed me, except me. In our society it was all her fault!'

He paused to unzip her jacket. He lifted up the hem of her shirt to see her slightly rounded stomach. He replaced his hand over her belly button and tried to calm himself down. Rose lifted his face with her hands and wiped away his tears and smiled.

'You do realize it's supposed to be me with the raging hormones and roller coaster mood swings you know.'

He laughed weakly and caught her by surprise by kissing her –hard. She fell on her back and pulled him with her. Before he couldn't stop himself he pulled away and stared into the blue eyes of his soul mate. He knew he had been searching for her with every companion. They all looked similar but were completely different.

'I can't loose you. I don't know what I'd do if they sent you away. They'd send our baby with you, I'd never be allowed to contact you let alone be with you and watch our child grow up. I won't be able to live without you.'

Rose moved his hand from her side to her belly and held it there with her own.

'There is no way we are going without you. My baby needs a father. I never got to know mine, my children will get to know theirs, no matter what. I'll go with Jack until you can get to me if I have to. You can't leave me, I won't let them keep us apart.'

By the end both were smiling, laughing and crying. As they kissed their worries away for the time being, the judge on the future of the small family arrived, not impressed by ht events. Time Lords don't love its reputation and acquaintances.