XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chapter 14 -
The weather had gotten cold again, and Rose slipped on the ice as she walked from the limo. Thankfully, Lewis was right there beside her and caught her quickly.
"Are you alright?" He smiled.
She giggled and stood back up. "Thank you so much, Lewis. These heels aren't meant to walk in."
Lewis leaned back and looked at them. "How do you walk in those?"
"Badly!"
He smiled and offered his arm. "Best hold on then so you don't break something."
They walked together into the large building. With all of the photographers outside, she was grateful for Lewis helping her.
As they entered the lobby, a young man in a tux directed them to the party which was straight down the hallway. They stopped halfway there and Lewis checked their coats. A bodyguard asked to pat Lewis down.
"He's my bodyguard." Rose explained.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. It's just standard procedure."
Lewis unbuttoned the jacket and held out his arms. "It's alright. I'm glad they are taking security seriously. I'm not armed. It's fine."
The bodyguard laughed under his breath, "An unarmed bodyguard."
Lewis rose his eyebrow and when the man rose up, he was standing looking Lewis face to face. "Yes. I'm unarmed and I'm her bodyguard. Is that a problem?"
The man grinned, "Not for me. But, you're not my bodyguard."
Lewis studied the man long enough to see sweat bead upon his forehead. He then smiled and pat the man's chest. "I'm working right now, but if we need to discuss this further I'll leave my number."
The bodyguard smiled. "Have a pleasant evening."
Lewis turned and offered his arm to Rose again. "Ready?"
She took his arm and they continued down the hallway. "I thought you were going to punch him."
"Ah. Bodyguards. All of us are tough guys that are continuously sizing everything up."
"Well, I feel confident you could have taken him."
He nodded, "And you're right. Easily."
Rose stopped which forced Lewis to stop and turn around.
"What is it?"
She smiled, "Lewis. I'm just thankful you are here. Thank you."
He returned her smile. "You bet. Come on, we need to get you to a party."
She took his arm and they continued to walk down the hallway together.
Rose spoke quietly, "I never had a bodyguard before I came here."
He teased, "Well, don't worry about it. I've been a bodyguard long before you ever arrived."
She giggled, "Tell Arla that I said she is a lucky girl."
"I promise I will." He winked at her, "Perfect for the next time she's questioning her taste. Which I'm sure she probably does often."
Rose laughed as they entered the large room. It had been decorated for Christmas. Trees surrounded the perimeter of the room, with stunning decorations and lights that twinkled. With the combined lights that were overhead, it appeared as if they were in a winter wonderland.
Rose was immediately thankful that she had worn a dress with long sleeves. The opened back was drafty and she wondered briefly if the nipple covers she had stuck on her breasts would work as well as they usually did. The room wasn't cold, but the dampness outside sent a shiver up Rose's spine.
Lewis noticed, "Are you alright?"
She shook her head. "Just….something stupid."
"Tell me so I can decide."
She smiled, "The man I used to travel with-"
"Doctor…"
"Yes, the Doctor."
Lewis rolled his eyes at the insistence. "The Doctor. Yeah."
"He used to say that tuxs are bad luck."
Lewis smiled. "I'm in a tux and I'm not worried."
She grinned, "Stupid, huh?"
"Nah." He insisted and looked around the room. "Your feelings are never stupid. This Doctor guy…may be."
Rose laughed.
There was a live band who was playing some instrumental Christmas tune. The room was crowded with many people. Celebrities that Rose knew both from watching television in the other Dimension and this one.
Women were dressed in bright evening gowns, and all of the men were in tuxes. With servers walking around giving refreshments off of plates, Rose was reminded of the first night she had been in this Dimension.
She was working at the Tyler Mansion with the Doctor. Her heart ached with the familiar sick feeling she had suffered from since her arrival.
Lewis took a champagne glass and gave it to Rose. He asked the server for water.
"Yes, sir. I'll send the water to you."
"Thank you."
Rose was looking around the room to see if there was someone she knew that she wouldn't be too embarrassed to talk to.
Lewis sighed. "Is it Christmas again?"
"It's once a year, Lewis."
He shook his head. "Time makes no sense."
She giggled, "It's a common problem."
Just then, a woman with long, red hair walked up to her and exclaimed. "Oh, I'm so glad you made it! I just spoke to Pete!"
Rose hugged the woman and then introduced her. "Lewis. This is Pepper. She works for Tony. Dad does business with him."
Lewis took her hand and greeted her. "It's a pleasure, ma'am."
Pepper was all bubbly as she normally was. Rose had only seen her twice, but both times had left her feeling welcome around her. The feeling wasn't the same with anyone else that she had met while she had been there. They had all been famous and stuck on themselves. Pepper, though, seemed "normal." If there were such a thing.
"Well, did you hear?" Pepper asked, "They found Tony."
Rose's eyes lit up. "Did they? Is he alright?"
Pepper laughed, "That remains to be seen. Rhodey called me this afternoon and let me speak to him. It was hilarious. I don't know what they have him on."
Lewis asked, "What did he say?"
"Oh, he was certain that he had been abducted by aliens who were helping him get well. He even told me that they were taking him to another planet to do some sort of procedure."
Lewis laughed only when Rose and Pepper did.
Rose said, "They must have him on some good stuff."
"Rhodey told me they did. He's on a base…someplace. You know they can't tell me. But, I know Rhodey is with him, so I'm not worried. He can keep him on a leash almost as good as I can. Now, Tony….loose on an alien planet. That would worry me. Oh, there is someone I want to introduce you to."
Pepper looked around the room just as Rusty Williams stepped beside her. "And Rose Tyler is here. Introduce us, Pep."
Pepper smiled, "I was just looking for you. Rose this is Rusty-"
He offered her his hand, "Russ. Call me Russ."
Rose was sure that her mouth had dropped open. The sexiest man she had ever seen on television and had been very open of how big of a fan she was of his, was standing right in front of her.
"TALK!" Her brain shouted.
She continued to stand silent. She managed to lift her hand, which he took and kissed.
RUSTY WILLIAMS KISSED HER HAND?! She may never wash it again. The room started to go grey at the edges, and then everything was black.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Rose woke up with an odd feeling in her head. She groaned and lifted her hand.
"Hang on. Don't move." A familiar voice said.
She felt a cool wet cloth lift from her head and it was replaced with another one. It seemed to help her fuzzy thoughts.
"Where am I?"
"Shhh…." The deep voice said. "It's alright. Lewis will be back shortly."
She tried to lift her eyelids to see who was there with her. The light was too bright and she closed them tightly with a groan.
"Hang on. Alright, go ahead and open them."
She did as he asked and saw that Danny was sitting next to her. With one hand, he held the cold cloth to her forehead. The other one was shielding the light from her eyes. "Feeling better?"
She closed her eyes tightly. "What happened?"
"Oh, you probably don't want to know right now." He smiled.
"What?" She raised her voice a bit which she immediately wished she hadn't. She grabbed the back of her head.
"Nope." He said, "Lay down. You're probably going to pass out again."
Her thoughts continued to dance around her head. She took a deep breath and couldn't make sense of anything. "Danny?"
"Yeah, it's me. Shhhh. Just rest, Rose."
She wanted to ask what he was doing there, but could only manage, "Danny?"
"Lewis went to get the car. I told him I'd stay with you."
Rose was so confused. "What?"
The sound of a door opened and she heard Lewis' familiar voice. "Thank you, Danny. I'm glad you were here."
Danny continued to hold the cold cloth to her head. "It's no problem. If you don't mind, I'll catch a ride back with you."
"Sure." Lewis agreed. "Timon, give Rose a hand and get her to the car. Sam will receive you at the apartments."
"Yes, sir." Timon said.
Rose didn't remember moving and woke up a bit later. She was lying against someone's chest in the limo. She felt safe in his arms and asked where Danny was.
She felt someone kiss her forehead. "I'm right here. Shhh. Just sleep. You're safe."
The car stopped and she felt someone brush her hair from her face. "Just sleep, Rose. I'm here."
She relaxed and drifted back to sleep.
She was back on the TARDIS with the Doctor. It was jumping all over the place. The Doctor fussed, "Damn these potholes. Rose, I've got ya."
She felt safe. If her Doctor was there, she knew nothing would hurt her.
She felt him kiss her forehead. He stepped back and smiled at her. "You are lovely, you are." He told her with his beaming smile. How she had missed that smile.
He began to dance all around the TARDIS' control room. "It's a pity, Rose! I was going to ask you to dance."
"Oh, no you wasn't."
"Of course I was. I can dance."
She laughed at his foolish movements.
She was floating through colors. She jumped and looked around. She looked down and couldn't see where it began or ended. "Help!" She shouted.
She felt someone take her hand and whisper. "Shhh…. Just sleep, Rose. You're home. I'm right here."
She was able to stand up. She began to walk and look around at the colors.
The deep voice seemed to come from her left. "Tell me what you see."
"Colors." She said as she looked around. "A rainbow."
"That's the drug. Just sleep. I'm here with you. I'm not leaving."
She felt her hand be gripped tighter. She looked down and it and didn't see who was holding it. "Don't leave me." She whispered.
"I won't. I promise." She felt someone kiss the back of her hand. "Rose, just rest. Stop fighting it."
"It's strange."
"I know, Baby. But, I need you to relax. Alright?"
"I'll go to sleep."
"I'll be here when you wake up. Just sleep."
"I don't want to sleep."
"Shhh." She felt someone tuck the hair behind her ear. "The Doctor is going to give you something to help. I'm right here."
"Don't leave me."
"I won't leave you." He reassured her. "Go ahead, Doc. She's alright."
Doc.
Her Doctor was there.
This entire thing had to be a bad dream. She had also heard the word, 'drug.' That explained everything. How she had ended up here. With her father who was alive. And rich. And why the Doctor had abandoned her. Now he was sitting next to her, holding her hand and keeping her safe. She knew it was all a bad dream.
"Shhh….Rose." The voice spoke quietly to her again. "I'm here. Rest."
She relaxed and drifted into a deep sleep.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
