Oh my dear lord! Can it be true? An update? Why yes it is! A miracle I say.
I feel I owe you lovely people a bit of an explanation for the horrendous, inexcusable delay in this chapter. Well, I have no really good excuse just the usual like I was busy with travel, collage, exams and all that. Also, I was struck with a lack of inspiration and I don't like to force things out.
Anyway, I would like to sincerely thank all of you who have been continuously reviewing me over the last few months, reminding me that this story is not one to be neglected.
Just to say this is an entirely un-beta-ed chapter, so any mistake are mine alone.
You are all fabulous and this is just for you.
Chapter Seven: I Heard the News Today, Oh Boy
The Doctor growled and Rose giggled as a blue bundle of fluff hopped up on the bed they were both laying in. The Doctor attempted to kick the dog off the bed but to no avail. He just managed to free up more duvet for her. He grumbled as he wrestled some back from her sleepy grip and pulled her with them.
"I was having a good dream. How'd that damn dog get in anyway?"
"Well, I closed the door last night so the TARDIS must have let him in."
"Huh. At least I know she hasn't been damaged beyond all repair." he mumbled, sounding anything but glad as he shifted Dog away from him.
Rose grinned sleepily and buried further under the covers. "I think she's funny."
"Well, you know what's funny for me? You have to go to work."
Rose groaned and rolled out of the Doctors grip. He mumbled something in protest.
"You made the point that I have to go to work."
"Yeah, but I didn't mean it."
Rose rolled her eyes at him and moved into the bathroom to get dressed.
"I want the hot water back soon." She shouted through the door. "I can't use Ray's shower much longer. It's disgusting."
"Yeah, I have more important things to be doing you know. Like getting us out of here."
She emerged from the bathroom, pulling her hair up onto a loose bun, an eyebrow raised sceptically.
"Well, you haven't been very successful yet, have you?"
Her frowned and rolled over, facing away from her. She sighed and leaned over the bed, resting her hand on his shoulder. He was more prone too mood swings these days and took offence to the smallest thing. Must be cabin fever, she had later reflected.
"Ok, I'm sorry. I know you're trying your best. I'll see you later, yeah?"
He mumbled something inaudible and buried further under the duvet. No guarantee then. Dog yawned and curled up next to the Doctor's bulky form. Rose eyed the small blue creature.
"Traitor."
Dog cracked an eye at his new mistress but made no other signs of acknowledgement.
"Fine." She muttered as she left the room.
She flicked on the television the house's sitting room as she stuck on the coffee maker in the kitchen. The morning news showed the usual images of attacks, bombings, trials, politicians vowing to never back down. She shook her head. Suddenly the coffee maker began to splutter and whine. She hurried over to inspect the battered kitchen appliance but by the time she got there, it was already dead. She groaned to herself as she looked at the minimal amount of coffee in the bottom of the pot. It seemed like everything was against her this morning, including time, she noted as she glanced at her watch. She grabbed her bag and ran out the door, racing down the road and shouting a rushed 'good morning' to Andreus who watched, amused as she ran by.
She flung her coat over a chair in the kitchen and bent over, breathing hard.
"Are you ok?"
She looked up and smiled breathlessly at Ben. "Yeah, just had to run all the way here."
He grinned. "Gee, and here I was thinking you were all breathless because of me."
"Nope, sorry."
Ben disappeared back to the bar and Ray stuck his head around the corner. "Oh, you're here. I was about to dock pay."
She frowned. "I'm not even late yet."
"I said: about."
She nodded and grabbed her apron from a hook on the wall. "Hey, can I use your shower at lunch?"
"Again? Doesn't that useless house mate of yours do anything?"
"He's really busy with other things at the moment." Rose said, defending him, still feeling a little guilty for upsetting him that morning.
She walked out and got to work, taking orders and cleaning up. She grimaced as she stood in what she thought might have been vomit. She really hated this job.
Rose stood in the grimy shower letting the blessedly hot water wash over her, removing the strains and aches of the last day or so. It was incredibly tiring living in a city with so much crime and conflict. Not a week went by when she wasn't caught up in at least one shooting or robbery. The Doctor complained about how much trouble she got into but she was the only one who ever left the house. If he stepped out the door more than once he'd get shot at too. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel she had brought with her from the door. 'Always know where your towel is.' The Doctor had commented, throwing it at her one day before she left. She giggled at the reference and proceeded to wrap her hair in a smaller towel. She shrieked when the door flew open and clutched her towel closer to her chest.
"Ray!" she growled dangerously. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
He gave her a dirty smile. "Trying my luck."
"Get out of here."
He laughed and pulled the door closed. Rose leant her head against the cool tiles. That man could be so infuriating. Then, so could all the men in her life at the moment. All four of them. It suddenly dawned on Rose that they were all aliens to her. Or rather, she was an alien to all of them. It was a strange though considering she was used to being on earth really. She was the alien. Something she would have to adjust to.
She got dressed and grabbed a bite to eat in the kitchen before returning to work. The bar was busy. It was a weekend and everyone had come to escape their troubles. And there were a lot of troubled people in the city. Rose pushed her way through the crowd and began to clear tables when a cheery voice called her name.
"Rose? Rose!"
She turned to see the unusually happy face of C'trina bobbing towards her. She smiled at her friend and land lady, giving the older woman a hug as she reached her.
"Hey, what brings you here? I thought you didn't drink?"
"I don't, but you weren't at home and I wanted to show you this."
C'trina held out here hand. Fastened around her wrist was a bracelet that sparkled even in the smoky light. It looked to be silver, with multi-coloured stones set into it.
"Wow, it gorgeous. Umm…"
C'trina rolled her eyes. "It's a betrothal bracelet stupid. Vaslav asked me to bond with him."
Rose's eyes lit up in realisation. "Oh, that's so great C'trina. When's the big day?"
"Two months. You'll be there wont you?"
Rose stared at the woman for a moment. There was always the chance that the Doctor could have fixed the TARDIS by then. They could be on the other side of the universe or five million years in the future or past. She didn't know where she would be in two months. But then again… she smiled at her friend.
"Of course I'll be there. Wouldn't miss it."
The red headed woman beamed at her. This was the first time Rose thought she had seen C'trina really, genuinely happy. She was generally a stern woman, who held the worries of her entire family on her own back. It was nice to see some real joy in all the gloom of the war.
Rose dragged her friend over to the bar. "Here, a non-alcoholic beverage, on the house."
"Thanks Rose. You make sure you bring that David guy too. I want to see him for once."
Suddenly Helena was at their sides. "David here?"
Rose shot a look at her. "No, and I don't think he'll be here today either." She looked at C'trina. "I'll try and make him come, it's just he's not very…"
"Sociable?" Helena contributed.
"Well, I was going to say domestic."
"Oh. Well, for some reason, every time he sees me, he leaves. Am I ugly or something?"
The other two women laughed and C'trina took a sip of her drink. "No, Hunny, he's probably scared of you."
Helena scowled. "Why?"
"Well, you can be a bit…"
"Forward." Finished Rose with a nod. "You're very full on."
"Most guys like that."
"Not all guys."
"Like which ones?"
"Well, David for one. If you haven't noticed. And, I don't think Ben's the full on type of guy either. I'm sure we can find a few more if we look."
Helena pouted at the two of them. "Just you wait. I'll break them. I wanna sink my teeth into David and…"
Rose clamped her hands over her ears and moved away. "Oooo Kay, this is something I really don't want to hear. I'm gonna go do the work thing."
C'trina laughed and Helena scowled as Rose retreated from the conversation. Helena looked over the bar at the firey red head.
"What's her problem?"
"Personally," C'trina took a sip from her drink. "I think she's jealous. Classic denial."
"Her and Daivid?" Helena raised a sceptical eyebrow.
C'trina nodded. "For sure. Damned if either of them know it though. Blind as Zarri at night those two."
"I thought you'd never met David?"
"Ahh, just trust me on this one."
"Well, if Rose's to stupid to see what's in front of her, I have no problems making my move."
The other woman simply shook her head. "On your head be it."
Rose threw some orders at Ben and Helena as she tried not to get crushed against the bar. The room had gotten even more packed if that was possible. Ben, Helena and Rose were struggling with the customer volume but Ray was ecstatic. The place had never had so many people. Guess it came down to the fact that there were three bars left in the city and this was the only one that wasn't controlled by a gang/military member. Here, it was slightly less likely you were going to get shot.
Rose grabbed the glasses Helena had set on the bar and set out through the crowd looking for the owners of the potent alcohol in the glasses.
Rose had found her quarry and was heading back to the bar when there was a shout and a few screams from a far corner of the bar. Ben hopped over the bar and waded through the mass of people, Rose following in his wake. People were stumbling away from the corner, coughing and spluttering. Ben put his arm out to stop Rose and she looked at what had caused the commotion. Green gas was curling up from an air vent near the ground. One person was already lying unconscious at the table. Rose recognised the gas from the news. It was used by the Anaxine extremists. It was not immediately deadly but if exposed long enough the damage it caused could be deadly. Ben whirled around and stood on a chair.
"Everybody out! Now!"
The crowd turned and began to run for the door, people getting crushed in the process. Rose picked up a young woman who had fallen beside her and looked at Ben.
"Control the crowd. Make sure no one gets hurt. They're going to kill themselves if they keep going like that."
They heard a window breaking over the noise and Ben nodded.
"What about him?" He gestured to the man slumped over the table. They were beginning to cough now, the concentration of the gas getting higher.
"I'll get him. You go. Find Helena and Ray. Make sure they know what's going on and get them out."
Ben nodded and disappeared into the crowd. Rose grabbed a half finished drink and dumped it on her dish cloth. She pressed the damp rag to her face, the acrid smell of the alcohol making her cringe. Still it was better than nothing. She made her way to the wall and reached down, removing the cover to the vent from which the gas was coming. The device inside was small, with a glass vile of green liquid which was apparently what was creating the gas. She spluttered and swiped at her burning eyes. She had no idea how to stop the device from spewing the gas. She doubted smashing it would solve any problems. Probably only make things worse. Where was a sonic screw driver when you needed one?
She grabbed the man under his arms and proceeded to drag him out of the thick cloud of gas. She couldn't even see the door anymore as the struggled with the mans dead weight. She nearly cried with relief when she saw the watery light of day that signalled the door.
She fell out the door of the bar and dropped the man. Ray and Ben came running up. Ben picked up the man and carried him across the road to where he could breathe some clean air. Ray supported Rose as she tried to cough her lungs up.
"There you go. You're ok now. Just breathe."
"Trying to."
Ray laughed. "Well, I can see you're not that damaged."
Rose managed a weak smile as Ray led her to where she could sit down at the edge of the road.
"I couldn't figure out how to stop the gas thing. Sorry."
Ray smiled grimly. "Don't worry. I don't think anyone was seriously hurt. That bloke's just waking up now too. You saved him you know?"
Rose waved her hand dismissively as she coughed some more. "All in days work. Save this person and that. Thwart evil plans, save the world. Same old, same old."
Ray grinned at her. "Ahh, if only darling. That's some imagination you got there."
"Yeah sure."
"You ok by yourself for a second? I gotta go check on everyone."
"Yeah. Go on. I'm fine."
"You gotta stop lying girl."
"Go."
Rose closed her eyes as Ray walked off into the crowd that was milling around at a safe distance from the bar. Green smoke was issuing from the windows and the door but luckily the gas dissipated quickly out doors.
Rose threw her head back, breathing the relatively clean air and there was a deafening explosion.
The Doctor hit the main consol with his mallet and a light flashed, accompanied with a loud beeping. He looked at the read out on the screed and gave the console another light thump.
"Yes." He said to the screen. "That's all very well and good, but it doesn't help out situation very much now, does it?" The console blinked at him and he rolled his eyes.
"Women. No matter what you are, you're all insufferable."
He crouched down by a bunch of cables that was snaking across the floor of the control room and ran the sonic screwdriver over them. He made a clicking noise with his toung and checked the read out again on the screen.
"Yup. That's what I though. Time for a cuppa."
He sidled out the door of the TARDIS and into the kitchen of the small house. He noticed that the coffee maker seemed to be broken, barely even half a mug in the bottom of the pot. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and watched with satisfaction as it sputtered back to life and continued on its coffee making way. He flicked the switch on the kettle and wandered about in a vain attempt to find a clean mug. Just as he finished washing one, he realised that there was no tea. Not in this kitchen anyway. He vaguely remembered Rose telling him that there was no equivalent to tea on this planet. He threw the mug back into the sink and grumbled to himself.
"They have chocolate, they have coffee. Why no tea? It's my opinion that all planets should have tea. Maybe when I get you fixed," He patted the TARDIS as he moved into the living room. "I can go back and introduce it to one of the continents around here."
He continued to muse to himself when he noticed the T.V had been left on by Rose that morning. It was on mute but the images flashing up on the news bulletin caught his attention. An image of 'Rays Place' with green gas billowing from the windows and doors flashed up and the Doctor dove for the remote on the sofa, scrabbling to turn the volume up. He listened intently to the news reader as she appeared on screen.
"… was used to flush out the patrons of the busy bar on to the street. After everybody was evacuated from the building a car bomb was set off, devastating the surrounding area. Most of the people from the bar had been in the area when the bomb was detonated. There have been at least fifty casualties with more than thirty serious injuries. No gang has yet come forward to claim responsibility for the vicious attack."
By the time the reader had finished the item the Doctor was already out the door and running down the street.
When he arrived at the scene it was chaos. Ambulances were lined up at one end of the street being used as temporary triage for the walking wounded, while more were rushing away from the scene. Many people were injured but not seriously enough to warrant hospital. They were milling around, waiting to be seen to by the medics. Everyone looked dazed and shocked and who could blame them. The Doctor searched the crowd desperately but he couldn't see any sign of Rose. He called her name but there was no reply. He got a sinking feeling in his chest. Where was she?
Rose clutched her head in her hands, trying to stop the ringing in her ears and the thumping in her skull. She had been thrown back by the blast and hit her head. Her ankle was sprained but there was nothing much more serious than that. Occasionally, her sight got blurry and she was hit with waves of dizziness.
'Concussion' she thought with a grimace.
She was one for the head wounds this planet.
She looked up suddenly, causing her head to ache. She was sure she had heard the Doctor's voice. She couldn't see him through the people and smoke and she was too tired. She must have imagined it, she though to herself, placing her head back in her hands.
There it was again. Her head shot up. She groaned as lightning shot through her skull. She was sure she had heard him this time.
"Doctor?" She called out. Her voice was scratchy and hoarse from the gas but it was still loud enough for him to hear her.
"Rose?" He appeared from behind a clump of people, a look of relief on his face. He rushed forward and engulfed her in his arms. Her head ached even more as he did and she was finding it hard to breathe, but she smiled in spite of herself.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you cared."
He pulled back, frowning at her and she rolled her eyes.
"Joking."
He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers. "Do you have to keep scaring me like that?"
"I see it as something of a hobby."
It was the Doctors turn to roll his eyes as he looked her over. "So, what's the damage?"
"Conked my head, sprained my ankle, my lungs feel like those of a fifty year old smoker. That's about it."
He looked at her, sceptical.
"Check me out yourself if you don't believe me." She reached into his jacket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver, waving it in his face.
He snatched it off her and she grinned as he ran it quickly over her body. He checked the reading and put it back in his pocket.
"Nothing life threatening, still, I'd like to give you another check in the med lab, just to be sure."
She nodded. "Let's go home."
"You mean back to the TARDIS."
"Yeah, home." She nodded but grimaced slightly and reached for his hand.
"What's that look?" He was giving her one of his stranger look but then shook his head.
"Nothing. Come on. You need help?"
"A little. Sprained my ankle when the ground broke my fall."
He put his arm around her shoulders and helped her limp down the road.
"You know, you've got to stop getting into trouble."
"Yeah, yeah. Oh, by the way. We're going to a wedding in two months."
"Oh no. No way. I don't do domestic."
"There'll be cake."
"… Fine."
End Chap.
Well, that's that out of the way. Coming soon: Wedding shenanigans. Oh yes my lovelies.
Don't forget to review now. We don't want another horrible delay and that is most easily avoided by you, feeding me with lovely reviews. As always constructive criticism is welcomed and flames are laughed at.
Slán