Thrills

Final Chapter: Rose

That's right, final chapter! And no, I'm not going to do any more! This'll be the end! Nine chapters! Although I'm planning a sequel ... which is going to be even longer! 10Rose fluff is so much fun to write!

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who.

xxx(it couldn't even fix to honour the last chapter)xxx

"I thought there weren't any fish here?"

Everything was confusing Rose at the moment. The Doctor was now no paler than usual and seemed his lively self again. A moment ago he'd been shivering and sickly.

He led Rose away from the catapult, not saying anything. Rose followed suit, still finding it hard to believe the Doctor was in love with her.

He hadn't said so. But it was obvious.

Was she pleased?

Yes, she told herself. She was. She loved the Doctor too. It was just hard to tell him. Rose kept forgetting he wasn't human, and when she remembered, it just made it harder to do.

Maybe now it would be easy. She would have to wait and see.

She looked down at her hand. It was still clutching the Doctor's. She gave it a squeeze.

The Doctor started, then smiled at Rose. Rose grinned shyly back, glad to see his smile again.

It took them a while to find a hook-a-duck stall, but find one they did. It was situated among a lot of childrens' rides, including a small swinging pirate ship and a tiny roller coaster - a train that crept along a track with a hill about a metre high.

"Here we are! There is one after all!" the Doctor said.

Rose, slightly annoyed by his ignorance of what had just happened, tried to bring it up again.

"Doctor, about before -"

"Now now, Rose, not in front of these kids," the Doctor muttered, only half-serious, "We save that kind of talk for the TARDIS, don't we?"

Rose sighed but didn't protest. She knew the Doctor too well. He was very strange when it came to things like this.

He was very strange when it came to anything.

He paid for a go and plucked a plastic duck from the artificial 'river' straight away. He certainly looked strange, browsing through all of the tacky prizes designed for young children before picking out a fish.

Rose took the bag, with a little gasp of delight. Swimming in the water was a tiny reddish goldfish, its scales shining in the light from the stall.

"D'you know what it's called?" the Doctor asked.

Rose shook her head. She couldn't talk at all.

"Its name's Rose."

Rose watched her fish open and close its mouth. She blinked - two tears splashed down her cheeks, and before she knew it she was sobbing into the Doctor's shoulder while he held her tightly. Rose the fish was swung about a bit in the process.

A young girl walked past with her mother.

"Mummy, why is that lady crying?" she asked.

"Sh! Come on -"

Rose heard them. Embarrassed, she let the Doctor go. She was crying over a fish.

No. She was crying over the person who gave her the fish.

"Doctor," she choked, "Doctor, I -"

What did she want to say?

"Doctor -"

His name? She wouldn't get anywhere by saying it over and over again. Yet it was all she seemed to be able to say.

"What is it?" the Doctor murmered, putting his face closer to hers.

Rose gave up. Shaking her head, she wiped her eyes.

"You know what it is. It doesn't matter. Sorry ... it can wait ... erm ..." Not sure what to do now, Rose attempted to change the subject, "Because right now, little Rose here is lonely, isn't she? She needs a Doctor!"

She paid the woman at the stall, hooked a pink duck and peered at all the fish.

"Which one looks most like you?" she asked.

"How can I possibly say that, they're fish!" The Doctor joined Rose, "Although ... aha! There's the most handsome one. That's me alright."

Rose asked for the fish, then held the two bags next to each other. Rose and Doctor swam to meet each other in the middle, floating curiously.

"We can't really take them on any rides, can we?" the Doctor chuckled, "Imagine all the poor wet people. Shall we go back to the TARDIS now?"

Rose nodded.

"Yeah. Let's do that."

A question hit her as they set off.

"Doctor, where are the fish going to live? We haven't got a fish bowl or anything!"

"I'm sure we can find something for our finned friends."

And they could.

As soon as Rose stepped into the TARDIS she saw a brand new counter with a fish tank on it, just the right size for two little goldfish.

"It's perfect!" she gsaped, running over for a closer look. There was some water weed for oxygen, and a fish-sized ornament of the TARDIS.

"Wow!"

"I think you'll find it's the perfect temperature, it's been standing for a long time, and you can add the fish straight away," the Doctor explained, "If we put them in with their water it'll contain the perfect amount of water for them, too."

"They'll love it, I know they will ... what about the real TARDIS, though? They'll be bumped about a bit, won't they?"

"Oh, I forgot about that," said the Doctor sarcastically, "The tank is secured to the counter - thank you sonic screwdriver - and when we're travelling, the fish go into their TARDIS. The technology's stretched for their use as well."

He carefully removed the tiny TARDIS and opened the door. Rose stared inside - just like the real TARDIS, it was huge.

"You never cease to amaze me," she smiled, as the Doctor put the ornament back, "Or the fish. Come on, let's get them in."

So the bags were opened and the fish were introduced to their new home. Rose couldn't help but feel a bit like a mother as she watched the timid fish explore their surroundings.

If she was a mother, the Doctor was the father.

He was looking at Rose, his face serious. Rose knew what was coming - he was going to say what had been on her mind before. And he was going to say it straight to her. He wasn't going to stutter 'Rose - Rose - Rose -'. She squirmed slightly.

"Rose, I kissed you tonight," the Doctor began, "And I did that because I love you."

That was it. He said it so confidently that Rose was taken aback. She was expecting more - maybe a long, rambling speech or something, but she wasn't displeased that her expectations were wrong.

And now he'd done it she could do the same.

"Do -" she decided against saying his name yet again. She merely swallowed, and said, "I love you."

"That was all I needed to hear," the Doctor smiled. He put his arms around Rose and kissed her again, only this time Rose was ready, and it lasted much longer.

For Rose, it was the biggest - and best - thrill of the night.

xxx

The end! I hope you liked reading it. That sounded weird.

If you did, a sequel is in the making! And also a story where the Doctor meets Sarah-Jane Smith again, a School Reunion one, a New Earth one and a parody. I'm not sure what they're going to be called yet, but look out for them!

TTFN!