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Chapter 25

Danny inhaled deeply from the vape as he sat on the sofa with the sketch pad on his lap. The sun was setting low in the sky that afternoon. A college football game played on the television. A whistle blew as the play ended.

Danny didn't look up and spoke with the announcer. "And that's a First Down. Just what they needed."

"That's probably what we all need. A First Down." He grinned at the realization. "New Life. First Down. How about that? Danny's First Down."

A knock at the door did not distract him from his drawing. He rubbed an area with his finger. "Come in!"

Rose entered the apartment. "Hi." She smiled and closed the door.

"Hey!" He glanced up.

She could see he was drawing something.

"No, no. Don't get up." She insisted and sat down beside him on the sofa. She pulled her legs under herself and watched as he continued to work. It was on a large sketchpad that she noted was probably as big as one of the cushions on the sofa they sat on. Using his finger, he continued to spread out the graphite.

The drawing was already beautiful. It was clearly the beginning of a large city at night. Long lines seemed to hold the places at the top of the drawing. Then she realized that he may have had it turned upside-down to work on the night-time sky.

He wore the old sweatshirt that he had loaned to her that night of the blackout. She had only ever seen him wearing a nice suit or nude. This was such a contrast that she found him even more handsome than she normally did. He wore a pair of jeans with the grey of his socks propped up on the low table in front of them. His cologne mixed with the smell of coffee. His hands showed that he had been working on the drawing for a long while with how covered in graphite they had become. But, what she was surprised to see, she announced.

"Glasses?"

Small, metal-rimmed glasses hung off the end of his nose. He clearly wasn't using them as he looked over the top of the frames. He smiled. "Yeah. Glasses."

She giggled.

"I been wearing contacts too much lately, and need a break."

She smiled, "Yeah. Mum says that's different here. The way the contacts feel in her eyes."

"I forget I have them in most of the time."

"That's what she said, too. I know that Pete wears them all of the time."

"He probably wears the computerized ones."

"Computerized?"

"Yeah. They sync with your phone and display information across your eye. One of Stark's products. I had a pair for a while. But, after the Cyber Invasion, I went back to the plain ones."

"I suppose a lot of people did."

He glanced at her and nodded. "Yeah. Everyone felt it was too similar to the earbuds that had killed so many."

"You know. We've never talked about that."

He stopped and looked at her. "What?"

"The Cyber Invasion. Did you know anyone who died?"

"Everyone knows someone who died." He said without looking up.

"I mean, anyone close?"

He shook his head. "Not really. No."

His phone dinged to alert him that he had received a message. He stopped and looked at it. After sending a message, he sat it back on the low table in front of them and returned to his drawing.

"Russ wants to know about a girl I've been hanging out with."

She smiled, "What have you told him?"

His face spread into a smile. "Just the essentials."

"Essentials? I hate to ask."

He chuckled, "Nah. I've been very vague. It's driving the control freak crazy."

"Russ?"

He laughed, "Yes. According to him, I am deemed incapable of making my own decisions until further notice."

"And you are allowing this?"

"Absolutely. I need the break." He continued to work on the drawing.

"I've never thought about that. I guess that would be refreshing."

"Oh, it is." Danny laughed under his breath just as his phone began to ring.

He looked at who was calling and said, "And he knows you are here."

Rose giggled as he accepted the call.

He said, "We were just talking about you, Honey."

She could hear the male voice on the other end of the call.

Danny grinned and teased his friend, "I'm drawing you surrounded by three sets of twins, Russ."

She held out her hand. "Give him to me."

Danny rose his eyebrows in surprise.

Rose took it from him as he was about to hand it to her.

"Give the phone to her. I'm making your decisions, Dear. Pass it to her." Russ demanded.

Rose spoke, "Well, what is it that you want to know, Russ?"

"Ugh." Russ began. "How long have you been on the phone?"

"Long enough." She smiled.

Danny laughed under his breath and returned to his drawing.

"Oh, Well….Um…. I'm Russ. Danny's friend."

"Sounds like your more than his friend-"

"Oh hell, what has he said?"

Rose giggled. "Okay, not that friendly."

"I won't keep you, but I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Oh, an interrogation? Danny has already made me aware that I have to meet within your approval."

"You can't blame me. I only have his best interests at heart."

She smiled as she looked at Danny, "That makes two of us."

She could sense his smile. "Good. So, I'm not going to ask anything like what your name is or where you guys met or anything. That's your business."

"Okay. Then what do you need to know?"

"I'm just going to be blunt. I've taken it upon myself to ensure that Danny gets through this recovery and adjustment period safely and with as little drama as possible. He's simply been through too much. I refuse to allow him to be hurt or suffer in any way. So, having said that I'm going to tell you that if this goes against anything you may have planned, then we're going to have a problem."

She sat back in surprise. "Wow. You are blunt."

"Oh, hell." Danny groaned and held out his hand, "What has he said? Give him back to me."

She playfully smacked his hand away. "But, I like blunt. I always know where I stand with someone like you."

"It's just a curiosity I extend. I also offer "sugar-coated", but only on Christmas Day."

"I'll keep it in mind." She said. "And, Danny has told me a bit about you, already. He said that you are a control freak."

"I'll own it."

"Well, so am I. And I admire that you have taken upon yourself to see to his welfare."

Danny looked over at her and rose his eyebrow. "Damn. That's right. Don't take any shit from him, Rosie."

Rose smiled, "But, Russ. You have to admit that a relationship really needs to be between two people, and not three. Am I right?"

"Is this what this is? A relationship?" Russ asked.

"It's a partnership." Rose insisted.

Danny looked impressed and continued to draw. "I like that. Yes."

"Danny and I are both helping each other through the stages of grief. I would prefer not to go into it, but Danny isn't the only one who has been hurt. There are some things we understand about one another that someone else may not."

"Hmm. Meet in therapy or something, then?"

She smiled, "Something like that."

"Umm. I can totally get behind that. Danny needs to be going to therapy. It would really help."

"It seems to." She smiled and glanced back at Danny. "We seem to understand one another as we both work through some things."

Russ asked. "Do you think your hurt could possibly ever be as bad as his-"

"It's not a contest. And nor should it be."

"You tell him, Rosie." Danny smiled quietly.

Russ was quiet for a moment. "I like you. Okay, I approve. What shall I call you?"

Rose said it before she had even given it a second thought. "Wolf. The wolf."

Danny continued to work on his sketch as he playfully growled.

Rose put her hand on his thigh and smiled, "And what shall I call you, then?"

"Russ will be fine." He smiled. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Wolf. Exchange numbers with Danny so you can get in touch with me and call me anytime."

"Clearly." She handed the phone back to Danny and then it hit her.

Rusty Williams had just asked for her phone number.

She couldn't help it and covered her face before she screamed into her hands as she fell back on the sofa.

Danny watched her and shook his head, "That's so insulting."

Russ spoke on the phone to him.

Danny smiled, "Good to know. Thanks. What? Oh, okay."

She continued to lay on the sofa and look at him. "What?"

He grinned and shook his head. "Yeah, Russ. Alright."

He ended the call and tossed his phone back on the low table. "And Rosie now has Rusty Williams's phone number."

"I am still in shock." She giggled. "Do you think he knows who I am?"

He smiled, "I don't think there's anyone on his planet, nor in this Dimension, that doesn't know you-"

"No, do you think he knows it's …wow."

He laughed under his breath. "I remember the first time I thought about that, too."

She sat up and lay her head on his shoulder.

"I'll be finished in just a minute." His deep voice hummed.

She smiled, "Take your time. I love seeing you do this."

He grinned, "Really?"

"Yes." She giggled. "Where did you learn how to draw?"

"As you can see, I'm still learning."

"Danny, it is lovely."

He smiled, "My grandfather encouraged me."

"Encouraged?"

"Yeah. Not taught. He draws a bit, but usually, it's just…plans and such."

"Plans for what?"

"I wonder if that's different. What was my family like in your world?"

She propped her head up on her hand as she rested her elbow on the back of the sofa. "I have no idea."

"Not a fan, huh?"

"No." She smiled. "I only saw two of your movies."

"And that's because Russ was in both of them." He teased.

"That's not true." She laughed with him.

He continued to work. "My grandfather was from here. Just up the street and around the corner a bit. My father was usually gone for work, but we are from an old family where all of us lived together."

"Oh." She nodded, "That's interesting. Aunts, uncles.."

"Yeah." He continued. "But, well…"

"How about your Mum?"

"My Mum," He teased with his accent. "Yeah, she lived with us."

She sighed in mock annoyance. "Well, I would hope so-"

He laughed.

"Brothers? Sisters?"

"One brother. Mike." He told her without taking his eyes off of his drawing. "Older. Much older. We're not very close."

"What does he do?"

"He works with our father."

"What does your father do?"

"Mostly imports and….such like that."

"Oh."

She found it soothing to sit there, smelling his cologne, and watching him work. She realized that she had never thought about artists and their work. How long does it take to actually draw something? Was it done in parts or all at once?

He reached over and sharpened his pencil before starting again. Just like a master, she watched as he directed the graphite where he wanted to it go.

He laughed under his breath. "Are you watching me, or the game?"

"Does it bother you for me to watch?"

"Nah," he shook his head a bit. "I've never had anyone do it before."

"Really?"

He hummed that it was true and then suddenly stopped and looked up at the television. "And, hang on."

There was a play in which Rose didn't understand.

Danny smiled, "Fumble. I love that part. That play changes this entire game."

She rolled her eyes, "Is this the same game?"

"From when?"

"The time before when I was over here."

"Ummm." He thought, "I'm not sure. Most likely."

She laughed, "I don't know why you do that."

"It defies all logic."

He began to rub his finger on the drawing again and then using the pencil, he put some more shading in the sky.

"How long have you been working on this drawing?"

He didn't look up, "I started it after I got back from lunch. How was shopping?"

Lewis had insisted that Rose get out of the apartment, per Danny's suggestion. She had only just returned from being out all day shopping throughout the city. For a girl who had grown up poor, she had really enjoyed herself.

She had gotten her hair done, which she loved. Instead of the bottle-blond she had worn for so long, she decided to go back to her natural color of dark blonde with some highlights. She was amazed at how it had lifted her spirits.

She felt beautiful wearing the new make-up that she had professionally done. She knew he hadn't been able to get a good look at her yet, or surely he would have noticed.

She was wearing a new jumper and a pair of jeans that oddly fit just like her favorite pair from the old Dimension used to. She had found them hanging in her closet that morning. She must have brought them with her from London and had pushed them to the back of the closet. She would have sworn they were the exact same pair, only the knee was completely mended. And plus, that would be impossible.

With a jolt, she remembered the appearance of the white robe that the Bad Wolf had given her in the dream.

Danny grinned and told her quietly, "There is something you need to know about me, Rose. I will sit here and draw forever. So, you'll have to tell me when you are tired of it."

"Your hand doesn't get tired?"

Just as if her words had spoken it into fact, his hand began to cramp. He pulled it away from the drawing and flexed it. "And I'm done!" He announced and looked at her.

Pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, made Rose's heart skip a beat. Why did something so simple drive her crazy? They only accented his beautiful, dark eyes.

Eyes that had just met her own.

She could feel herself blushing. "Hi." She smiled.

He sat the drawing pad and pencil he had been using, on the low table in front of them. "Bad day?"

"What?"

He looked at her a bit closer. "Yeah, you look like you are moments from screaming about something."

She took a deep breath. "I wish I knew how you did that."

"What? Look at you and-"

"See right through me?" She finished his sentence.

He continued to flex his hand. "What did Pete say?"

"It wasn't Pete. It was Mum."

He nodded. "Want to talk about it?"

"No." She wiped a tear that had gathered in her eye.

"I love your hair. Where did you go?"

She laughed despite everything. "I have no idea."

He ran his hand through his hair and teased, "I noticed a little grey in my hair this morning. What do you think? Should I be worried?"

She covered her face and began to laugh. "Danny."

He rubbed her thigh, "You're going to ruin all of your make-up, Rosie."

She dropped her hands. "Why do you call me that?"

He smiled at her and playfully barked.

"I love how you look in glasses, Danny." She said before she even knew it. Was she even in control of her own mouth?

He looked surprised and then smiled, "I just threw away all of my contacts, Rosie. I love how you look when I wear glasses, too."

She giggled like a school girl when he leaned over and kissed her. It made her quickly stop and cover her mouth from embarrassment.

He laughed, "I love the sounds you make, Rosie."

She was certain her face had to be glowing red now. She giggled.

"Let me wash all of this off my hands and we'll figure out what we're doing."

He gave her a quick peck of a kiss. Just as she thought he was going to stand up, he looked into her eyes. "I'm so glad you're here, Rose."

She wrapped her arms around him just as his lips met hers again. She could feel herself relaxing with each one of his kisses. Her heart was racing already.

He leaned back and smiled at her. "Okay?"

She nodded that she was and swallowed hard.

"No, you aren't."

She sighed. "Why do you even ask me questions?"

He laughed and pulled his sweatshirt's sleeves up as he walked over to the kitchen area and washed his hands. "So, what do you want to do tonight? We really didn't talk about that part of the date."

Her phone beeped to notify her of a text. She picked it up and suddenly remembered what had happened earlier. She groaned. "Running away may be a possibility."

Danny smiled. "Finally! She's attempting to wander off. I get to use some sort of force."

She shook her head in disbelief. "Yeah, try it, mister."

He turned off the water and dried his hands. "Sounds serious. Sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

He nodded, "Alright."

Rose sighed, "I rang Mum. And I can't even believe it. She just text. Anyway, she mentioned me staying here in New York for Christmas with Lewis and Arla."

"Really?"

"She said it was something her and Pete had talked about. I just. I just feel forgotten. It's….I can't even describe it."

He sat back down on the sofa. "Well, she's expecting. Every pregnant woman I've ever known is a different person when she's baking a loaf."

"Baking a loaf?" She smiled.

"Why, what do you call it?"

She shook her head and laughed.

"She doesn't mean to hurt your feelings. You have to also remember that she's going through a lot, too."

"Well, that's true. She's really struggling with all of this….servants and maids that she has now. She wants to just manage the house herself-"

"Bad idea." Danny insisted. "Trust me."

She grinned, "Pete is asking her to give it some more time. They are practically family to him. And he's already lost so much."

Danny nodded, "Yeah. That's true. But, he also gained a lot, too. You. A new Jackie. A new baby. It only lasts a few months, and then your brother will be here-"

"We don't know if it's going to be a boy or a girl yet-"

"I think it will be a boy."

"Why?" She grinned.

"Because a little brother will be the most annoying thing to you. And life just seems to toss at you the worst version of whatever it can. But, if it's a little girl, you'll be thick as thieves getting your hair done together, going on vacations together. She'll be like a little Chihuahua you carry around in your bag. Hang on, what other names has Pete used for his pets?"

She laughed at him. "You are such a pain."

He took her hand and brought his mouth to kiss. "Just go ahead and prepare yourself that until this baby is born, she's going to be a fruit loop."

"She was a fruit loop before."

"Well," He started, "Maybe, fruit loopier."

They laughed.

"Pregnant women are just…in a class of their own. And don't get me wrong, I have no idea what it's like. But, seeing a child be born….just…..wow. I have no idea how women do that. So, because of that, I say that they have the allowance to just….be as crazy as they want to be. Seeing something as big as a watermelon coming out of such a small place. Nope. Eat all of the chocolate. Watch whatever you want on television. Don't make me do that."

"Clearly, you are traumatized from it." She smiled.

"Yes." He agreed. "Very much so. I actually have it in every contract before I shoot a movie, that there will not be a childbirth scene. No way."

"How many times have you seen a child born?"

He thought for a minute. "I think it would be appropriate to say about one-fourth of a birth."

"A fourth?"

"I passed out." He smiled. "Can you believe that?"

She laughed. "Did you really?"

"Yeah." He laughed, "I had a black eye for days."

She laughed. "Oh my gosh. No, you didn't!"

He nodded and laughed. "I sure did."

"Who was it?"

Danny's cell phone began to ring on the low table. He picked it up and saw who it was calling. "Huh, and it's not Russ."

"Go ahead, it's alright." She said.

"I've been trying to get in touch with this idiot for days." He complained and answered. "About damn time you called me."

Rose smiled and leaned over to kiss Danny's cheek.

"I'll be straight back." She whispered.

He turned and silently kissed her lips a few times before smiling at her and returning to his phone call. "Yeah, I'm in town. No, over at Russ's."

Rose walked to Danny's small bathroom that sat just behind the kitchen. She didn't have to use the loo, but wanted to give him some privacy for his phone conversation. She decided to check her make-up.

Looking at herself in his mirror, her spirits lifted as she saw how beautiful she was. She pulled her hair back and puffed out her lips. She wished she had brought her lipstick so she could retouch it.

Just as she thought that, she looked down to see it sitting on the cabinet top.

"How strange." She thought as she picked it up. Why was her lipstick in his bathroom? Had another woman been there?

She picked it up and upon inspection realized it was exactly the same one she had used before she had come over. She must have brought it over without realizing it.

But that didn't make any sense at all. She knew she had left it at her flat with the rest of her make-up. I remembered closing the lid of it as she stood up.

She could hear Danny laughing on the phone and looked up at herself in the mirror. Her reflection smiled at her. "You are so powerful, Rose."

Rose screamed.

Danny rushed into the bathroom. "What is it?"

"Umm." She looked back at the mirror and only saw her own reflection. "Nothing."

Danny looked at her and rose his eyebrow. He put the phone back to his ear and began to talk again as he left the doorway.

Left alone, Rose didn't want to look back at the mirror in fear of what she would see. Instead, she closed the door and sat down on the toilet to collect her thoughts. She rolled the tube of lipstick around in the palm of her hand.

"There is no way this is the same one." She reasoned.

She slipped it into her pocket and left the bathroom.

Danny was still talking on his phone. "No. Well, yeah. Well, maybe." He laughed.

Rose walked over to the fridge and took a soda.

Danny walked over and sat on a barstool across from her. "Yeah. Thanks." He ended the call.

"And I'm sorry about that, Rose. I've been trying to get in touch with him for days. Literally days. Russ wants him for this project we're working on. And he's in town, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it. He's leaving tomorrow and damn, I still haven't shown you that script."

She sipped her drink. "What's it about?"

"It's a remake of an old film. This group of about ten con-men rob a bank."

"I know this one!" She realized.

"Yeah. How did it do?"

"Good! Everyone saw that one. Well, I didn't."

"Well, Russ is planning on being in this one, so you may be more interested."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"So, what are we doing tonight? You told me not to plan anything, so I didn't."

"Your friend is in town."

"Yeah, but I told him I was busy. I'll see him later."

"You need him for this project and he's leaving tomorrow."

"Well, yeah but-"

She reached over the bar and took his hand. Her eyes met his. "Danny."

He rose his eyebrow at her, "What?"

"I really think I'd like to go back to my flat for a bit, grab a kip, and you can pop by afterward."

He looked puzzled at her, "Just tell me. Did I forget to flush the toilet? Is that why you screamed?"

She laughed at his mad remark. "Oh my gosh, NO! I'm fine-"

"I mean. Woman, I shit. Shit happens. Did they have that in your world? Shit happens. Do people over there shit? I mean, I have seen that you have an-"

"Oh my gosh. Stop. You are completely barking mad. Go catch up with your friend."

"Are you sure?"

"I am." She smiled. "It actually works out rather well. I didn't realize how tired I am from shopping."

He nodded, "Yeah, I get that."

"Bring me back a dessert."

"Deal." He dialed the number on his phone, "Hey. Can you meet me tonight? Yeah, same place."

He listened and watched Rose's eyes through his glasses. Rose thought of the Doctor, when he would put on his brainy specs to make himself appear smarter.

With a pang of guilt, she realized she was falling for Danny and growing even angrier at the Doctor.

Why hadn't he came back for her? Why was she so worthless to him?

As Danny squeezed her hand, she realized that she already meant more to him than she ever would to the Doctor.

Maybe it was time to move completely into this world, and leave the other Dimension in the past.

She smiled at Danny and mumbled, "Rose's New Life, Day One."

Danny looked up at her and smiled.

Even if he listening to someone on the phone, the rest of his attention was completely on her.

Had the Doctor ever fully given her his attention?

Danny made the thought fall completely out of her head as he kissed her hand. He spoke into the phone, which only gave Rose more time to take in the scene completely.

She knew she wanted to never forget this moment. How the room looked with the evening sun setting behind the tall buildings of the city, bouncing all sorts of beautiful colors through everything that the eye could see. A beautiful shade of yellow seemed to radiate throughout the flat, giving it a much warmer atmosphere.

Rose breathed in and relaxed in a way she hadn't in months.

Danny grinned at her and told the person on the phone, "Yeah, I can be there in fifteen minutes, hang on, I have to take that damn elevator. Make that thirty-nine minutes."

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I thought about ending this book here but have decided to answer a few more questions. I would like the next one to be when the Doctor duplicate arrives in Pete's world.

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