Title: A Kind Of Destiny
Author: trustno1, aka trustno1987, aka me!
Spoilers: Jack
Rating: Still K+
Pairing: Nine/Rose (just not immediately)
Disclaimer: Surprisingly enough, the Doctor, Rose, Jack and the general idea of Doctor Who does not belong to me. This story, however, does, as do any original characters within it, so © Lindsay.
CHAPTER 2 – Looks Can Be Deceiving
Beth walked through the double doors behind Rose, expecting to be crammed into something resembling a very small elevator. What she saw was certainly not elevator-sized. She stood stock still, just inside the doorway, causing the Doctor (she still didn't know what of, she'd have to ask that later, she thought absently) and Jack to squeeze around her and join Rose. After the initial shock of finding out there was a whole lot more to the 'little' blue Police Box, her brain scrambled into overdrive, attempting to explain the fact that the inside was significantly larger than the outside. She shut it up after less than a second. She wasn't even going to attempt to understand this one – her brain would probably explode. So, as she usually did with anything that was beyond her understanding or control, she just accepted it.
"The, er, initial size is a bit deceptive, eh?" Beth said mildly, casting her eyes over the strange, round room with a huge column protruding from the floor in the centre and surrounded by various wires, levers, buttons and screens. She guessed that that must be a cockpit of some kind. Though it wasn't exactly like anything she'd ever seen in Star Trek. Her eyes swept back to the trio, where Rose and the Doctor person had sort of gravitated towards one another again, and Jack was leaning against a metal (looking) support. All three were grinning at her. "Y'know, I had a flat like this once… kinda. It also looked like a closet from the outside – " She began to make her way up some steps towards them, her tone of voice informative, small frown on her forehead. " – it was only when you got inside, that you realised it was actually a shoebox," she finished, quite contemplatively.
The Doctor burst out laughing at this remarkable young woman, and the others weren't close behind. Beth began chuckling too, when she saw they actually thought she was funny. Clapping his hands together, he motioned for Jack to join him.
"Ok, we're gonna see if we can't fix the old girl, and why don't you show Beth round?" Rose nodded, and motioned her head towards the far side of the room, where Beth could now see a doorway.
"Sure thing – how long are you gonna be?" Rose asked as she led the two of them across the room.
"Half an hour? Not that it matters; I know what human women are like – you'll start talking, and be gabbing away for hours, completely forgetting about us! You're awful at keeping time." Jack muttered something that sounded like 'here here', and Rose shot them a stern frown.
"Like you're any better; and anyway – we're on a time machine!" Rose retorted as the exited the room, so Beth didn't hear whether the Doctor or Jack had responded or not.
II
"You know," Rose began as they walked through a labyrinth of dark corridors. "Are you sure you haven't been in a ship like this before? Only you seem to be taking it remarkably well. First time I ran in here – and I mean ran, we were being pursued by living plastic – " Before Beth had time to question this, Rose had continued on, and she decided she'd have to remember that one. " – I ran straight back out again. No word, nothing, just turned around and ran out!" She laughed pleasantly at the memory, and Beth found herself laughing with her, feeling as though she'd known her forever.
"No, I haven't, believe me. I just have a knack I suppose. If something's too confusing, or impossible to understand at all, or out of my control, I just say, 'ok brain, these are the basic facts; accept them, or you're likely to suffer a core meltdown.'" Rose laughed again, and Beth smiled. It had been such a long time since she had been with friends, and longer than she could remember since she'd actually made people laugh without embarrassing herself in the process, and she'd almost forgotten how good it felt. "It's like if you try and think how big the Universe is. It doesn't happen, not to us humans anyhow. So you just sorta say – 'Universe goes on forever? – okay'; or 'there's a reason behind algebraic fractions and equations? – fine by me'."
"So that's what you did, when you saw us turn up, and when you saw the inside of the TARDIS?" Rose asked as they turned a corner.
"Well, when you turned up, I was more excited than anything else, so I barely had time to think that, but yeah, I definitely did when I came inside – 'the inside is far bigger than it should be – why not! Go with the flow!'" Rose laughed again as she pushed open a door, flooding the corridor with light. Beth just managed to gasp 'wow'. Rose watched her eyes light up in disbelief and excitement, and knew why the Doctor loved showing her new worlds and different times so much.
"Welcome to the astronomy room, Beth."
II
"Is this gonna make Rose insanely jealous, and hopefully push her towards me?" Jack asked after almost five minutes of relative silence whilst the Doctor prodded wires and made blue sparks jump out from alien panels. He now halted, and poked his head out from a bundle of wires to look at Jack, a confused frown on his features.
"What?"
"You inviting that lovely young woman on board. I mean, personally I don't mind how many people you invite – the more the merrier in my opinion," he said suggestively. The Doctor rolled his eyes and resumed fiddling, even though he had determined that the navigation was working perfectly fine, and the TARDIS simply didn't want to tell him where and why they had landed. Not just yet.
"And why would asking Bethany in – and asking Rose to give her a tour, I'll remind you – make Rose jealous? She's usually the one picking up every stray we come across." He shot Jack a pointed glance then, indicating he was one of said strays.
"Yes, but all her 'strays', as you so nicely put it –"
"Thanks."
" – are all men – "
"Pretty boys, stupid apes, fly-boys."
" – and are more likely to make you jealous," Jack finished eventually. The Doctor glanced innocently at him.
"Why would I be jealous?" Jack made a rude noise and stalked around to where the Doctor was examining another monitor.
"I know – at least I hope – you aren't that stupid. Or was that very obvious glare you gave me when I came aboard my imagination?" The Doctor moved around to another monitor, trying to ignore Jack and failing miserably. He knew he would not let this one go. So, as usual, he pretended ignorance in the hopes he might eventually get bored and leave the uncomfortable subject alone. "Y'know the one I mean, when you and Rose were 'dancing' around the console. That was a 'keep off' look if ever I saw one."
"Is there a point to this?" the Doctor asked, exasperated.
"There's a reason you asked Bethany on board, isn't there? And it isn't because Rose misses girlfriends, 'cos you probably wouldn't notice that anyway; it isn't because you like her, 'cos I know you wouldn't do that to Rose – " the Doctor decided to ignore the implications of that comment for the moment. " – and it isn't because she saw the TARDIS," Jack said, his voice rising steadily with each point that he ticked off on his fingers as he stood in front of the Doctor. Who now sighed, trying to figure out what to say that would make Jack back off, but wouldn't give away too much information – not that he knew a great deal at the moment anyway.
"The TARDIS landed there for a reason; it's happened before. Kind of. But until I figure out exactly why she did it, I want to keep an eye on Beth." He kept his eyes on Jack, challenging him to disagree, and continue interrogating him, whilst praying his roundabout half-truth would actually work.
Jack returned the stare, but didn't see anything in the Time Lords eyes to suggest this wasn't true, and though he didn't believe that was the whole truth, he knew it was all he was going to get, so, admitting defeat, he headed towards the couch.
"So, what next?" He asked eventually, beginning to get bored of watching the Doctor pushing buttons and staring at monitors. As he cast his gaze upwards to him, Jack could have sworn he saw uncertainty in the Time Lord's blue eyes, but he blinked and it was gone.
"Thought I'd take the TARDIS for a spin, see where we end up," he replied conversationally, some of his usual excitement creeping back into his voice.
"Well, I'm never one to pass up an adventure, so let me know when we're off." He began towards the door intending to go back to his room and do some work of his own for a while, but the Doctor halted him.
"Actually, I thought we'd go now – no time like the present, eh? Go find Rose and Beth would you?" Jack shrugged as a reply and set off down the corridor, leaving the Doctor alone in the control room, mulling over everything Jack had said, and what to do next.
II
Senator Jovik sat alone in his office, lights dimmed just the way he liked them, so he could just about make out some of the stars above the haze of the city.
He had just sent an updated report to Ambassador Zoch, currently stationed on Captain Harva's Space Station, and now leant back in his chair for a well-earned rest. The last few weeks had been particularly stressful for him, even for someone used to the stresses of running a planet, and having the burden of having an entire civilisation resting upon him and his decisions. He had spent a lifetime clawing his way through society to this position, and hardly any of it had been plain sailing. Especially the last few months, after contact with the new race, and the time leading up to the signing of the Peaceful Relations Treaty. Some of his Ambassadors from around the planet – those that had already demonstrated their differing opinions to the majority of his Senate – had been acting particularly hostile and unco-operative, even threatening resignation.
And then, quite suddenly considering these were politicians after all, they settled down, agreeing wholeheartedly with proposals, behaving gallantly to people they had previously looked down on in disgust, and participating with other groups of Ambassadors, where before they had remained in their own section. All in all, a remarkable breakthrough – if the Senate were no longer so divided in opinions over the lower classes, this set a wonderful example to the rest of those in society who still held old fashioned views.
The Senator didn't like it one bit. He had spent most of his time as Senator delivering speeches to Ambassadors about the importance of his decisions, the importance of a world that was as united as possible in the fight against the upper and lower class divide. And all of a sudden they decide now is the time to change their ways, and cease to cause the Senator trouble over division within the Senate. If he were a weaker minded man, one far more trusting than he was, he would have accepted this behaviour, probably gratefully, and believed it was through dozens upon dozens of speeches that he had managed to convert them. Jovik was not that man. He had come a long way through society, more than most, and he had learnt early on not to trust initial appearances, and always keep your guard up. Now, more than ever, was the time to keep his guard up, and not to believe that those who had previously shunned him because of his background had suddenly warmed to him.
He would keep a discrete eye on them, as he had done for many years without them realising it – they didn't regard him very highly in that respect, which was perfectly fine for him; he liked an element of surprise. The change of behaviour was certainly unsettling, and he decided he would tighten the leash around them as it were. Unfortunately, dismissal wouldn't be an option – it would arouse far too much suspicion within his people, and most likely provoke a riot; plus, many of the rebellious Ambassadors were highly skilled and valuable in other areas, and such a dismissal would be foolish to do.
As he called in the head of his Secret Security force and receive and update on the situation, he still hadn't realised the grave mistake he had made in judging a certain Ambassador's character, and the serious repercussions this would have.
II
For the third time in less than an hour, Beth was at a complete loss for words, unable of coherent thought, and unable to move. After Rose had practically dragged her out of the astronomy room with the promise she would return and show in detail where they had travelled to, she'd taken her to the gardens that she had recently discovered, but they were now standing in the largest music room Beth had ever seen. She thought there must be every instrument known to man in that room, including a gorgeous, black grand piano, and she was sure there were some she had never seen before. Trying to breathe calmly, and not jump up and down in the undignified way that she really wanted to, she settled for grinning inanely around the room. Rose stood beside her, taking in her reactions as she had done for the past few rooms they had seen, and loving every minute of it. Travelling through time and space was absolutely fantastic, but being able to show someone else just how amazing it was, somehow made the experience even more worthwhile. She supposed it was because she hadn't had the greatest encouragement from her mum and Mickey that she was dying to show everyone she met why she faithfully followed the Doctor, and loved every minute of it. And Beth was the perfect person to show off her new life to. Adam was okay to begin with, but he was a bit of a know-it-all, and ultimately very stupid, and didn't respond nearly as well to Rose's tour as Beth was doing. And Jack, being from the 51st Century, wasn't the best person to show off to either, with space and time knowledge.
Rose was brought out of her daydream when Beth tapped her arm lightly.
"D'ya think the Doctor would mind if I played?" she asked, quite timidly in Rose's opinion, inclining her head towards the piano. She shrugged and smiled reassuringly.
"Don't see why not – probably hasn't been played in years knowing the Doctor." Beth grinned and hurried over, sitting down and gazing at the keys as if she had never seen anything like it before.
"What's the Doctor a doctor of, anyway? You keep calling him 'Doctor', but is he like a medical doctor or is it some weird alien name?" she enquired, not quite wanting to start playing just yet for some reason.
"He's just The Doctor. A Doctor of life – not of anything specific – at least not in the human sense of being a medical doctor or anything. He kind of knows everything really – which can be pretty irritating at times, believe me," Rose added with a roll of her eyes and a long suffering smile.
Beth nodded and turned her attention back to the piano. Gingerly, she pressed a few of the shining white keys, testing the tone, and feeling rather out of practice. A slow melody began to play itself through her fingers, one she hadn't played for a long while, and an almost overwhelming sense of nostalgia swept over her. Pushing it away, she continued playing, gradually gaining more confidence on the instrument, and began to lose herself to the music, as she so often used to do.
Rose watched her newfound friend as she played a hauntingly beautiful melody on the grand piano, fingers flying deftly over the smooth keys, body swaying ever so slightly as she kept in time. Her brown eyes clouded over with intense emotions as the music rose and fell, and Rose realised there was a lot more to this young woman than any of them had probably first thought. As the tune reached a climax, she suddenly ceased playing, staring at the keyboard in embarrassment, with the air of someone who had given away too much information about themselves. Abruptly, she turned to Rose, forcing a smile.
"Sorry, I haven't played that one in a long time; I don't remember any further." Rose nodded, not believing her, but not wishing to put her on the spot with something she was obviously uncomfortable with. Instead, she sat down to Beth's left on the piano stool and pressing a few of the keys absently.
"S'ok, the rest was beautiful though." Beth smiled properly this time, gratefully.
"Thanks. I haven't played properly for almost a year, since I left England. I didn't realise how much I missed it until now," she admitted, and Rose wasn't sure whether she was referring to the music or England.
"I played a little in secondary school – I only know a few songs though," Rose confessed, playing a chord progression. "Did you ever watch Top Gun?"
"Did I!" Beth said with a grin. "Tom Cruise in fighter pilot's uniform? And the volleyball scene? What girl would miss that!" Rose laughed, and played the chords a bit faster.
"One of my mates at school – she played the piano too – loved that film, and made me learn 'Great Balls of Fire' so we could play it together. I think I can still remember it." She glanced hopefully at Beth and was pleased to see her face light up in a happy grin.
"Wanna try? No-one around to hear us getting it wrong," Beth said eagerly, incredibly grateful to Rose for not questioning her about why she stopped so suddenly. She might tell her later – she felt remarkably close to her considering they had only just met – but right now she was very grateful for the distraction.
"Lets go; the Doctor can wait," Rose smiled. "Ready?…"
II
Fifteen minutes after the Doctor sent Jack to find Rose and Beth, he returned, slightly out of breath, looking apologetic and annoyed all at once.
"I can't find them anywhere – I've looked all over, and I think your ship keeps shifting the damn corridors around," Jack said irritably. He had searched corridors and rooms for what seemed like ages for those two, and was damned if he was gonna look anymore. If the Doctor wanted them that bad he could go find them himself in his opinion.
The Doctor sighed, leaving Jack sitting moodily on a couch, and set off into the TARDIS, silently begging her to be co-operative for a change.
He was about five minutes from the control room, just past Rose's room, when he heard giggling up ahead. Curious, he hurried up, and found the music room that he hadn't been in for years. Standing in the doorway he found the cause of the giggles – Rose and Beth were together at the grand piano, playing Great Balls Of Fire enthusiastically, and singing along (in between bouts of uncontrollable giggles) equally enthusiastically. Despite the fact that they frequently started singing different verses, resulting in another burst of delirious laughter that he found so endearing, they weren't half bad at singing, he thought. And they both looked so relaxed, at ease with each other, that for a moment he found himself wishing they didn't have a job to do, and that there wasn't a specific purpose for Beth being here.
In between the death defying adventures, he occasionally managed to take Rose somewhere where they weren't being pursued by hostile locals, or preventing a planet from being destroyed; somewhere he was able to let her appreciate the beauty of the Universe at a more sedate pace than running past it all, like they usually did. He had made he laugh like she was now with Beth – with almost childlike innocence and happiness; a beautiful sound in his ears that made his hearts beat that little bit faster when he heard it.
Which wasn't enough, he realised, with a frown. He didn't make her laugh like that nearly as often as he should do. Humans could be funny little things sometimes, he mused. He took her all through space and time to make her happy, which he did, he knew, but here they were, playing on a piano, singing old rock 'n' roll songs when they weren't laughing, and having the time of their lives. It was times like these that he realised how alien he was, not thinking that silly little human things could be all Rose needed when she was homesick, and not going to watch the birth of a star, or the lightening storms of space like he insisted on showing her.
The Doctor sighed and shifted his position against the door. No matter how much time he spent with humans, there was always something new he found out about them, and in cases like this, himself. He found himself deciding he was going to let Rose decide how they were going to have fun once in while, and if it was normal, boring human fun, then so be it, because if he could see that look on her face and hear the delirious laughter all the more, then it was worth it. It was quite amazing, when he thought about it, how much Rose had succeeded in changing his view on things (namely humans), whether she knew it or not – remarkable, really. And speaking of remarkable, he remembered he came here to take them back to the control room, not stand staring at them, so they could hopefully test his theory out.
Clearing his throat he strode up to the grand piano and leant on the side, next to where Rose was dissolving into another fit of giggles, and Beth was only just managing to keep playing.
"Not to interrupt your fun, but I'm gonna need you in the control room now. Honestly, I said to give her a tour of the TARDIS, not have a karaoke session," the Doctor said with a small smile, which grew into a grin as Rose looked up and smiled at him, leaning casually on his arm.
"Oh, lighten up, it's just a bit of fun," Rose retorted, giving him a small shove, knowing he didn't mean it maliciously. "Did you enjoy it?" At his questioning look, she rolled her eyes and got up from the stool, Beth following her lead. "You've been standing there for the last five minutes, so it can't have been that bad."
"Unless he's tone deaf," Beth said as they headed into the corridor. "You are an alien, so maybe that was like a opera or something," she added with a grin. The Doctor snorted and caught hold of Rose's hand, much to Beth's interest, although neither of them noticed.
"I've been to many operas, the best in 19th Century Italy in fact, and that was definitely not opera. It wasn't without its charms though," he added hastily, wisely deciding that not being on the best side of two women probably wasn't the cleverest thing to do.
They were just entering the control room when Beth remembered something she wanted to ask Rose, about the first time she entered the TARDIS.
"What was that thing you said earlier, about the living plastic?"
"Oh that! Well, that was when I first met the Doctor. I was in the basement where I worked, and all these plastic shops dummies sort of came to life, and were about to attack me, when in he comes –" she inclined her head towards the Doctor who was grinning at the memory. " – grabs my hand, and tells me to run! Then he went and blew up my work to try and kill them, or something,which didn't work –"
"Not my fault."
"So I had to help him find the hiding place of the Nestene Conscious – it controlled anything that was plastic y'see, made it come to life – coz he's completely useless on his own –"
"I would've found it on my own eventually."
"Then I saved his life when he was attacked by autons – they're the living plastic things – "
"That is true," he said quite fondly.
"And then he asked me to come with him, and here we are," she finished triumphantly, to a suitably awestruck Beth, who was thanking whatever power profusely for landing these people in front of her.
"Wow," she managed eventually, circling the controls to sit next to Jack, who was also looking quite impressed with the story. "I hope all this exciting stuff rubs off on me – the last interesting thing that happened to me was that I saw a bright yellow latrine by the side of the highway with 'el lobo malo' graffiti-ed on the side," she said with some disgust. Rose saw the Doctor perk up at this, and frowned enquiringly at him.
"It's Spanish, for Bad Wolf," he said quietly.
"Yeah," Beth said, apparently having sharper hearing than the Doctor thought. "People write the weirdest things sometimes. I wrote some of the best ones down actually," she continued conversationally, quite oblivious to the concerned glance shared between the Doctor and Rose.
END CHAPTER 2
