Rose thought long and hard if she wanted to go through the ordeal with her father. She still told the Doctor about what happened with her father and made a half-hearted request to see her father.
"That would be a very bad idea." The Doctor said already knowing if she asked again he would take her.
"Why is that, Doctor?" Rose asked teary eyed.
"If you interfere with a fixed point in your timeline, a paradox will form." The Doctor said.
"But in Cardiff you made it seem like history could be changed." Rose pushed back. She knew she needed to sound like this was new territory.
"That wasn't necessarily a fixed point, your father's death. It is a direct event in your past that has made you who you are." The Doctor explained.
"Can we at least go and sit with him? He doesn't deserve to be alone." Rose said, finally making her choice.
"I don't like it, the temptation to save him will be strong." The Doctor warned already putting in the coordinates.
" I can do it." Rose said a steel to her voice. While the Doctor doesn't know that she can do it because she has done it before but she does know she can because she has.
They land several minutes before it happens, giving them time to look like a couple doing some shopping. The two exit their third shop, where Rose purchased a couple of toiletry items for herself simply because she liked the smell. That is when they heard the tires screeching. They both turned to see the beige car hit the man in the road.
Rose dropped her bag and ran to be with her father. She yelled as she ran and the driver came to a screeching halt ten yards down the street.
"Oh Daddy, I know you don't know me but it's me Rose, all grown up. Mum never forgets you and raised me to love you." She whispered to the man as she cradled his head.
The man blinked, tears gathering in the corner of his eyes. He tried to wheeze out her name but it was barely audible. By the time his last breath passed his lips the paramedics were arriving and the driver was being loaded into a police car. There were several bystanders.
The Doctor couldn't take his eyes off of his crying companion and wrapped her in a hug when she came back to him. She had to give a statement and when she was done they made their way back to the TARDIS. When they got in there the hall lit up showing the kitchen just beyond the doorway. There were two steaming cups of tea.
Rose wandered to her room not long after draining her cup. The Doctor sighed. He made a snap decision, using his money he was already accumulating as his past self worked with UNIT during this time he got a basket of flowers with condolences from an anonymous source. He was surprised to learn that another anonymous benefactor had already paid for a funeral and several months of support for the recently widowed Jackie and baby Rose.
With his impromptu errands run the Doctor returned to the TARDIS and set coordinates for somewhere he knew Rose would cheer up at.
Rose woke up several after being soothed to sleep by the Tardis to feel it land softly. While it was never as bad in the other rooms as it was in the console room it wasn't usually as smooth as this landing. Rose took a quick shower and saw that there was an outfit hanging in the wardrobe that was not one of the ones that she packed. It was a pair of denim shorts that when Rose put them on hugged her just right to not be uncomfortable but also highlight some of her curves. The shirt was a light yellow that faded into a soft orange at the bottom with babydoll styled sleeves. There was also a straw sunset and stylish sunglasses. There was also a beach bag that had a bathing suit and wrap that matched her top and a beach towel with alien creatures swimming along a reef.
Grabbing the black sandals from the floor she left her room and met the Doctor in the console room.
"Ah there you are. I thought a relaxing trip after the last few trips we have made was warranted." The Doctor said trying to avoid staring at Rose
"And just where are we? I assume it is somewhere tropical." Rose asked, seeing the discomfort in the Doctor and cheering internally.
" We are on the planet Priaria 6. It is a tropical beach planet and in about 300 years, humans will find it and it will become a resort planet. But for now we will be all alone with just the animals." The Doctor said, referencing one of the screens. "Oh and you will want this. Don't worry it is a 30th century diving mask and it will automatically recycle and provide air that you need and you don't need special training that you do for your 21st century scuba gear." He said tossing her a plastic mask that would cover her entire face.
"Thanks, do you have anything to swim in?" Rose asked.
In response he held up his own bag that the TARDIS forced on him as well as a packed picnic basket and his own mask.
Rose beamed and the Doctor smiled in spite of himself.
The duo then exited their ship and set out their beach towels. They spent several hours soaking up the rays from the planet's sun, building sandcastles before they both returned to the TARDIS to change. When they emerged from the small changing rooms, decorated like those on Earth, the TARDIS wouldn't allow them to go in any other room, they went back out to the beach.
They then spent the next several hours splashing in the shallows. Rose struggled to keep herself from staring at the Doctor's bare chest. She did take a glance when she could and saw that he wasn't overly muscular but he was fit. He was perfectly the Doctor. Rose herself felt the Doctor watching her from time to time as well.
After spending a while swimming and playing in the waves they put their masks on to explore underwater. After swimming several yards off the beach, far further than they went earlier, they sank beneath the water. Rose gasped in shock. The bright colors were just amazing and they watched as various fish darted around the reef. There was a small pod of dolphin-like creatures.
These animals had four flippers instead of two, they were still mostly gray but they had purple stripes across the top. Their eyes and snout were similar to a bottlenose dolphin. Unlike a dolphin on Earth their eyes were a bright violet purple. The pair played with the dolphins as various other fish swam around them. In the distance, further out to sea they did see a large shadow pass and the dolphin-like creatures nudged them to shore while the other fish hid in the reefs.
The Doctor and Rose figured the shape was a large predator and decided to call it a day. The creature waved before disappearing beneath the water again. Neither realized they did it until they made it to the towels but as they trudged through the shallow waters they grabbed each other's hands.
They laid in the setting sun, finishing the food in the picnic basket and watching the sunset. Rose looked over at the Doctor who was looking over at her. They both began to lean into the other, Rose quickly glancing down then back into the smoldering blue eyes of the Doctor licking her lips. They were about to close the remaining inch to actually kiss when a splash distracted them and they flew away from each other.
"Right, well it's been a long day of fun, let's head back to the TARDIS." The Doctor said internally arguing with himself. On one hand he wanted to swoop Rose up and give her a kiss, the other side was raging. She was so young and human, she was so innocent, he was an old broken alien and he didn't want to tarnish her with his darkness.
Rose nodded, a quick look of disappointment passed over her face before she bounced up to help clean up their little picnic area. She took one last look over the sea as several of the dolphin creatures performed a series of acrobatics.
Rose went to clean up before making them each some tea, the Doctor meanwhile set the TARDIS to drift in the time vortex before they were ready for their next adventure. He rubbed his face with both hands.
"What was I thinking? I can't be with her, she is too good to be dragged down by me." The Doctor whispered only to be shocked by the console. He glared at the rotor only to be shocked again. Finally after the third shock and the flickering of lights in the hall he made his way to his room. He noticed that Rose's door was now right across from his and he sighed. The TARDIS was clearly mettling now. He let out a small groan and entered his room.
He began tinkering on one of the many pieces of junk in his room and nearly fifteen minutes later he heard a soft knock on the door.
"I thought you may want some tea before bed." Rose said.
The Doctor hurried across the room and opened the door. "Come in, thank you."
"It's very you." Rose said, looking around the room.
"Thanks, the tea is wonderful by the way." The Doctor said taking a sip to help fight the urge of kissing Rose.
"Oh, thank you." Rose said, sitting on a spare chair and watching his tinkering, asking questions until she fell silent.
The Doctor peered over his shoulder and saw her empty cup dangling from her hand as she dozed. A small sunburn showing across her nose. He put the cup on his work bench before taking her in his arms and carrying her across the hall to her own room. He kissed her forehead and whispered good night. She made a small noise of content as she rolled slightly in her bed. He smiled and backed out of the room. He leaned against the closed door and let out a sigh. He was in trouble, he thought to himself before making his way to his own room and bed.
~AN~
I didn't think that a Rose who had already seen what could, and would happen, if she saved her father would still try to save him. I did still want it in this story though because it is one of the moments, I feel Rose and the Doctor begin to draw closer together. I also wanted there to be something that the Doctor does to acknowledge the pain of her loss, hence the flowers. Yes, we will find out who paid for a nice funeral but not for a long time, though it shouldn't be too impossible to figure out. Up next begins the Empty Child saga. After that will be several original adventures. Enjoy!