Hello! A huge thank you for all the follows and favs. I got some feedback about the last chapter that has definitely been taken on board, thank you :D
Also I've been asked to do a recap before each chapter, which I think is a good idea :) I won't do one for every chapter (unless that's what you guys want) but when I feel there's something important you need from a previous chapter I'll add one here.
So: "Something was wrong with Rose, something serious, and the most concerning part was that the TARDIS couldn't identify exactly what it was… There was one thing he could do, but he didn't know what the side effects might be... Rose was on her last legs and if he didn't act right now there would be no chance of her recovering. Without anymore hesitation, he got to work."
"Alright, then. Out with it," Rose demanded.
"I'm sorry?" He asked, not quite sure what she was talking about.
"Whatever's wrong with me," she clarified. "You've been on edge since I came back and I know it has something to do with those side effects from whatever you did to save me when I arrived. So spit it out."
"Now?!" He asked incredulously, "You want to talk about this now?"
She shrugged. "Why not?"
It had been almost three weeks since Rose appeared in the TARDIS console room and she and the Doctor had spent their time bouncing directly from one adventure to the next without stopping.
In a silent, mutual agreement, neither of them mentioned returning to Earth. The Doctor suspected that Rose was avoiding it for a very specific reason. When she went back to London next – the place that had been Home for nineteen years – and no one was there waiting for her, the situation would become all too real.
He was happy to humour her, for the moment at least, so they kept running. That is, until they'd been charged for breaking some obsolete law on the planet Beyeca and tossed in jail amongst the indigenous species' criminals, which was where they were now.
He was pacing up and down in the limited cell space that was available and she was cross-legged on the floor, eyes tracking him back and forth as she waited for a response. Of course, she would want to talk about the very thing that was eating away at him in the most inappropriate place possible.
"We're not exactly in the most private of locations," he reminded her pointedly. "Uh, no offense." This was directed at their cellmate – a rotund, orange-skinned Beyecan with a heavy-set jaw.
The alien grunted. "Don't mind me."
"See? He doesn't care," Rose said cheekily. The Doctor rolled his eyes and she continued in a quieter voice. "Besides, I… I'd like to know, please."
He couldn't argue with her there. She had a right to demand an answer about what was happening to her whenever she wanted. He inhaled deeply. The moment of truth. He'd been dreading this ever since he knew what was going on. How would she react? Would she hate him? Want to leave, maybe?
Crouching in front of her and taking her hands in his, he started to explain. "I want you to know that I wouldn't have done this if I'd seen any other way –"
"Doctor," she cut in, eyes gazing steadily into his. "I know you would never intentionally hurt me. Whatever happened was because you were saving my life." She placed a hand on his cheek before continuing. "Whatever it is, it's not your fault, you hear me? Just tell me what's wrong, please."
Rose lowered her hand back into his and he swallowed nervously before restarting his explanation. "I sent you some of my regeneration energy. It wasn't until after I transferred the energy that the TARDIS worked out you were having issues at a molecular level, though we still don't know why exactly. Normally if you'd been hurt to the extent you were and I'd given you some of my regeneration energy it would have fixed you up and nothing more, but for some reason your DNA was fluxing when I tried to heal you, allowing the energy to combine, and alter it."
"Hang on, my DNA? You mean I'm not human anymore?" She looked horrified at the thought, and he brushed his thumb lightly over her fingers to comfort her.
"You're perfectly human, trust me. You've just got a bit of… Time Lord regenerative capacity. It means that you're now tied to my regeneration cycle – you won't age, or die of old age, until my final regeneration does."
There. It was out. She must be appalled at the way she'd been trapped into this life. He braced himself for screaming accusations, or hopeless crying, or both. Instead, she blinked.
"That's it?"
"That's – what do you mean that's – how –" he spluttered, forcing himself to take a breath. Rose clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation yet. She would be cursed to live as he did, losing everyone she got close to, having her heart broken time and time again. And she would be stuck with him, because he was the only one left who would understand how it felt. His hearts soared at the idea of travelling the stars with Rose until the end of his days, but he pushed aside his own feelings to focus on how much pain he will have caused her.
"Rose," he tried in slighter calmer voice, "This is terrible. You'll have to travel with me until we die! You'll live hundreds of years!"
Her eyes narrowed abruptly. "Oh, I see."
Startled by the drastic change in her countenance, but thankful she finally seemed to understand how serious this was, he sighed in relief. When she practically ripped her hands away from his, though, he started worrying again. She had a right to be angry with him – it was his fault after all – but for some stupid reason he'd held out hope that she would forgive him. Her next words sounded slightly bitter, and he felt as if someone had tipped a bucket of ice water over him upon hearing them.
"If that's how it is, why did you even bother saving me?"
So, that was it. She would rather have died than live in such a way. If he had known at the time, what would happen and that she would prefer death to such a painful existence, then he would have let her go. It would have utterly destroyed him, he was certain, but if he'd known it was what Rose would have chosen he would have done it, for her sake.
"If I had known, I wouldn't have…" he trailed off as hurt flashed across her face.
Okay, now he was confused. What did she want from him? He would have honoured her choice, even if it shattered him.
"Fine," Rose said in a clipped voice that he had never heard from her before and hoped he never would again. "As soon as we're out of here I'll get you to drop me back on Earth and you'll never have to see me again."
She was going to leave?! He gritted his teeth and chanted to himself 'whatever Rose needs, whatever Rose needs'. She hadn't asked for this, the Doctor reminded himself. He had forced it on her, and he wouldn't stand in her way in she wanted to start a new life without him.
"If that's what you want."
"OF COURSE THAT'S NOT WHAT I BLOODY WANT YOU IDIOT!" She shoved him and he toppled over, landing on his bum.
The Doctor was officially lost.
Rose lowered her voice and continued somewhat shakily. "You've made it pretty clear that's exactly what you want, though."
Where the hell had she got that from?
"Of course I don't want that! There's nothing in the universe I'd like more than for you to stay with me!"
"But you said it was awful! You made it sound like the thought of me living for hundreds of years was unbearable!"
Ohhhhhhh. He was stupid. He was so unbelievable thick. Dense Doctor from Slow-on-the-uptake-ania, that's who he was. Trust Rose to be convinced that what he was so upset about was the thought of travelling with her forever, not over the fact that she would lose her whole world.
He attempted to clarify. "Rose, you're going to live for a very long time. You'll have to watch everyone you know, all your friends and family, age and die. There is nothing worse, nothing more painful than that. And I did that to you. If you want me to drop you off on Earth when we get back to the TARDIS, or find somewhere new to build a life without me I'll respect your decision. But you have to know it's the last thing I want."
Rose had visibly calmed down, and the Doctor could tell she was no longer angry with him – although he wouldn't have blamed her if she was.
"Doctor," she said, voice quiet but determined and full of emotion. "Everyone I know that would age and die is trapped in another dimension, and I'll probably never see them again. You are my family. If this means I get to stay with you, to stop you feeling pain like you just described to me, then this is the best thing that could've happened to me."
He held her gaze for a minute and, seeing that she was serious, a huge weight lifted off him.
She grinned his favourite tongue-in-teeth smile, cheeky and full of warmth. "You're stuck with me now."
"Stuck with you?" He played along with an answering smile, "That's not so bad."
A little more seriously, as if she needed to make sure he really was alright with her presence, she asked, "Forever?"
The Doctor pulled her into a warm hug.
"Forever," he confirmed.
They stayed in the embrace for a moment longer, until the unexpected sound of applause broke them apart. They twisted to see their cellmate beaming at them.
"Woo! That was better than an episode of 'My Inner Beye'!"
The Doctor very nearly rolled his eyes at the reference to the Beyecan daytime soap-opera equivalent. Instead, he settled for shooting the alien a sharp glare and the man hurriedly closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. Rose merely snorted in amusement.
The Doctor had planned on waiting a few days before bringing up the idea of a trip to Earth sometime in the near future, but to his surprise Rose beat him to it.
A few mornings after they'd snuck out of the Beyecan prison she asked him if they could visit London, biting her lip as she waited for his answer.
"Of course we can. I'll set the coordinates now. Any particular reason?"
She shook her head. "Just missing Earth, is all."
The Doctor hesitated, wondering how to prepare her for the disappointment ahead but Rose caught on to what he was thinking.
"Don't worry, I'm not expecting everything to be back to the way it was," she assured him. "I just want to spend the day somewhere familiar."
"Sounds good to me, then. The year will have to be after…" he cleared his throat. "How about 2008? Still fairly close to your time stream but won't interfere with anything that's already happened and cause a paradox."
Rose shuddered and he assumed she was remembering the paradox she'd caused while trying to save her father. Although maybe she was upset about the timing.
"We could try a different time, if you like?" He offered, giving her an out if she didn't want to go back so soon after Canary Wharf.
"2008 sounds perfect!" She bounded up to him and looped her arm through his. "We can have chips!"
The Doctor wrinkled his nose in fake disgust.
"It's 8 o'clock in the morning!" He protested.
"So?" She responded promptly. "You've got a time machine! Land us at lunchtime, genius."
He laughed at her expression and started the TARDIS dematerialisation sequence.
Rose kept up a stream of chatter all the way to the chippie and the Doctor was content to listen as she talked about her attempts to find a place that cooked decent chips in Pete's World.
"When Mickey started suggesting where to try next, mum just about lost it. Said we were wasting way too much time for a few fried potatoes," she chuckled. He was about to respond when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
He instantly stopped moving and Rose, who had been holding his hand while they walked and yanked back at his sudden halt, turned to him in concern.
"Doctor?"
"Something feels… off," he told her.
"Your Time Lord senses are tingling or something?" She snorted, raising an eyebrow.
"Something like that," he grinned. "But where…? Ah."
All around the hospital up the street he could see tiny disturbances in the air, as if it were shimmering.
"Plasma coils," he informed Rose. He waggled his eyebrows at her invitingly. "Care to take a look?"
x
"I can't believe you talked me into this," Rose muttered as she prodded the jelly on her tray. She'd just been admitted to Royal Hope Hospital, and she was definitely not impressed with their meals.
Beside her, the Doctor dipped his finger into her mashed potato for a taste.
"Well, it couldn't very well be me, now could it?" He argued calmly, and she hated to admit it but he had a point. "Two hearts, I'd be found out in no time."
"I suppose so," she grumbled. She was about to complain to him for the third time about the hospital gown she'd been forced to wear, when an older nurse bristled up to them.
"You'll have to leave now," she ordered the Doctor. "No visitors overnight."
Feeling panic begin to rise in her chest at the thought of being kept away from him, Rose tried to focus on controlling her breathing.
"Sorry, no can do," the Doctor told the woman flippantly, taking Rose's hand from under the tray and tracing random patterns with his thumb, which calmed her somewhat.
"Yes 'can do'," the nurse insisted with narrowed eyes. "No exceptions!"
With his free hand, the Doctor pulled out his physic paper and flashed it in front of her. The woman read it before relenting in alarm.
"If that's the case then - this once - you may stay." With a suspicious scowl at Rose, the older woman beat a hasty retreat.
"What on Earth did it tell her?" Rose wondered in amusement.
"Says here that you're a potential threat to the Royal family and I've been employed to keep an eye on you. Not sure how she bought that one but I'll take it." He winked at her and she laughed, attempting (and failing) to turn it into a coughing sound when she noticed the older nurse's distrustful glare from across the ward.
The Doctor chuckled and shook his head, thoroughly entertained by the whole thing, and she poked his side.
"Oi! What was that for?"
"You're laughing at me."
"I would never!" He defended. "I'm laughing with you."
She grinned and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Sure you were."
I'd love to hear what you think :) Also, opinions on the recaps for when I do them: would you prefer me to summarise, or do it in quote form like I've used for this one?
Next chapter we really get into rewrite territory!