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Despairs Darkest Destiny

Chapter Five

Rose was hiding again, this time she was outside, she could feel the icy winter air clawing at her face and tearing at her hair. The bitter wind stung her face as her quick breaths appeared in the air as little clouds. Her hands went to her forehead and she felt a cold scar from where warm blood had fallen only moments before. She shivered as her bare feet sunk into the fresh snow, burying itself between her toes and burning her – Rose didn't move or speak, she didn't want to be noticed. Her fingers were clinging onto a dark granite rock in front of her, it was fresh and new and stuck out of the ground – it was a gravestone. Rose couldn't see the name on it because she was hiding behind it, but she had a pretty good idea. When she heard voices Rose dropped to her knees, the cold wetness of the snow marking her. She didn't know if she was shaking from the cold or from the fear of being caught. Rose heard a faint murmur and realised Isabella was standing in front of the grave, she didn't know that Rose could see or hear her – she didn't know Rose was there. Isabella's pale face was marked with faint bruises that were fading away, blonde hair blew around her face in the wind – every time it settled it would get caught in a gust and fly up again. Her eyes watered with tears that spilled freely down her ghostly cheeks, her eyes were grey and held so much wisdom, fear and sorrow in them that Rose felt as though she was intruding – the woman's frail body was loosely covered in a black dress that hung off her skeletal frame. Rose could see that she was once curvy and beautiful, but now gaunt cheek bones protruded from her pale, lifeless skin. Bones stuck out of her hands as she dropped petals onto the graveside. The delicate black petals floated soundlessly towards the grave – their darkness marking the fresh innocence of the snow.

The woman – who Rose recognised as Isabella, crumpled and fell to the floor, her head sunk into her hands and her sobs shattered the silence. Isabella's shoulders trembled as she sobbed from her soul. Roses' fingers trembled on against the stone as she wished she wasn't there – that she wasn't intruding on this final goodbye.

'I'm so sorry' Isabella whispered 'That should have been me, not you' her voice was cracking with pain now – Rose winced knowing she was talking to Beau, silent tears streamed down Roses' face as she saw the life flicker from his eyes in her mind. Her hands went to her cheeks to wipe away the tears; instead they sunk into her cheeks

'My baby' Isabella whispered 'My beautiful baby boy' she fell forwards onto her hands and let the sobs take over. Rose lent back against the large grey stone, its coldness burning into her back. It was silent apart from the innocent tweeting of birds and the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow. Rose looked up to see a hunched figure approaching from across the snow, the figure wore all black and her features became apparent as she approached Isabella. The lady was in her sixties, her grey hair poked out from under her black head scarf, her face was lined with wisdom and time, and her grey eyes held worry as she place a wrinkled pale hand on her shoulder. Isabella turned and her face crumpled when she saw who stood behind her

'oh, Ma!' she cried out

'It's okay Izzy, I've got you' the old lady murmured as she knelt beside Isabella nad held her in her arms

'Oh, Mama' she sobbed reverting to a child in her mothers arms, Rose sat behind the stone, her heart breaking as she felt the woman's pain. The elderly woman rocked her daughter back and forth

'Where did I go so wrong?' she whispered heart broken. The woman stroked her hair

'You've got to be strong sweetheart, for Maddy'

'Maddy…' Isabella whispered 'Poor Maddy'

Roses' heart froze

'Maddy…' she whispered. Everyone froze when they heard a mans' shout from the house. Rose felt the tension grow around them. Isabella squeezed her mothers hand

'Go! Before he sees you – go!' Isabella begged. Her mother nodded before pressing a kiss to her forehead

'I'll send Maddy to stay with you for a while' she said suddenly meeting her mothers eyes – her mouth dropped

'So she can be safe. I can't let two of my children die in his hands' she whispered, her voice cracking. Her mother nodded and smiled gently before creeping back into the woods

'Look after yourself' she called back. Isabella nodded before walking slowly towards the house with the enthusiasm of a woman who knew her fate was sealed – Isabella knew she would die in this house.

Rose crawled out from behind the gravestone and sunk into the snow in front, her fingers trembling as she traced the engraving on the stone. Her fingers ran over the words

Beau Cannon
Aged Two
May He Lie With The Angels Forever
A Son, A Brother – Greatly Loved and Missed

Rose closed her eyes and lent her forehead against the stone, gentle tears streamed down her face

'I'm sorry – so sorry' she whispered, haunted by his eyes.

The Doctor was sitting at Roses' side on the medical bed, her hand was lying in-between his. He watched as her eye lids fluttered open, this time they weren't filled with pain or fear, they just glanced around until they settled on the Doctor. She gave his a small smile and held his eyes

'You okay?' he asked as he stroked her hair, she nodded

'Nightmares?' he asked, slightly shaken by her clam

'It wasn't like the others' she murmured 'I wasn't scared – I wasn't being hurt' she said perplexed 'I was just… listening' The Doctor stroked her cheek

'Isn't that better?' he asked gently. Rose frowned

'I don't know – it was more… unnerving' she decided. The Doctor watched her thinking, suddenly Roses' face brightened

'So you fixed me up then?' she asked looking down. A white blanket lay over her

'Yep' the Doctor told her standing up and pulling back the blanket revealing her beaten body again. The Doctor winced at the rapidly darkening bruised but Roses' face lit up

'My cast!' she exclaimed pointing at her leg. A hot pink cast covered her leg from her ankle to the top of her thigh. The Doctor beamed

'I thought you'd like it' he warmly told her 'They're just fractures so you'll need the cast for at least a month, maybe six weeks' he told her seriously. Rose sighed, the Doctor moved to her stomach, his fingertips lightly dancing across her skin

'I checked for internal bleeding' he began as Rose froze 'there was none' he quickly told her 'You were lucky' she nodded as she followed his gaze to the boot mark on her stomach – it made the Doctor want to vomit, for Rose it just reminded her of the face that belonged to the boot – the face of a human monster. Roses' ribs were covered in bandages; the Doctor rested his hands there as Rose winced

'Under the bandages is a numbing lotion' he told her – she smiled gratefully 'But I'll have to change it regularly to keep it working' he quickly added. Roses' face lit up with laughter

'You just like undressing me' she teased, the Doctor joined her laughter

'Well I can't say that I'm complaining' he cheekily replied. Rose heaved with laughter and tried to sit up – she faltered instantly. The Doctor was holding her within a moment – his face deadly serious

'So I can't do that yet' she muttered, biting her lip trying to smile

'Don't worry' the Doctor murmured 'I'll up your pain meds and your torso should begin to loosen making it easier for you to move' he assured her

'You mean moving my totally flexible leg?' she asked sarcastically, he eyes gleaming. The Doctor paused awkwardly trying to think of what to say – Rose could see him worrying

'Moving on' she told him

'Oh yes' he murmured as he dragged himself away from his thoughts.

'Your scratches will heal and there are ten stitches in your forehead' he finished with his hands tenderly resting on her face. Rose nodded and looked at him

'So I'll live?'

'You'll live' the Doctor promised. Rose smiled sweetly at him and raised her hands to his face

'Thank you' she told him tenderly before she pressed her lips against his. The Doctor froze for a moment under Roses embrace before softly kissing her back. They kissed for a few moments before Rose moved her head to his shoulder holding him tight. He wrapped his hands around her bare shoulders and held her close

'Thank you so much' she whispered.

'I'm never gunna lose you' he promised her, his voice cracking 'not now – not ever' he vowed. She sunk into his arms having never felt so safe in her life.

A little while later the Doctor gently untangled himself from Roses arms, she looked up – her eyes questioning him

'I need to know – about the dreams' he said shortly. Rose paused for a moment then she told him everything. The Doctor lay along side Rose on the medical bed, she lay with her head on his shoulder as his arms wrapped around her keeping her safe. She told him everything – every detail of the dream no matter how silly, small or insignificant it seemed. The Doctor just absorbed everything she said as he stroked her hair listening, she could feel his body filled with tension and his eyes harden with anger every time she spoke of her beating and her fear. When she'd finished she looked up at the Doctor – he smiled down at her

'I'm so proud of you – so proud' he told her, she looked up at him surprised

'Why?' she asked dumbfounded. He traced her cheekbones with the pad of his thumb and smiled truly

'For being so brave – If you'd been anyone else you'd have had a breakdown by now – but not you, you're too strong' he warmly praised her. Rose blushed not knowing what to say

'I wouldn't have survived without you' she finally murmured. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and honest

'You're my rock' she quietly admitted. The Doctor held her closer

'Good' her murmured as he pressed kisses into her hair 'because you're mine' Rose beamed before she let herself fall drowsy in his arms. She could feel sleep coming but was trying to fight it

'Sleep' the Doctor whispered 'I've got you and I won't let go, you're safe with me' he promised her. She looked up into his eyes and saw the raw truth off his words there. She smiled gently at him before a yawn took hold of her. Rose rested her head against the Doctors hearts as they soothed her with a lullaby of gentleness. Soon Rose was asleep, safe in the Doctors arms – but he couldn't protect her mind. Rose snuggled against the Doctor who held her close, slowly giving into sleep himself. On the medical table, Rose – still dressed in only her underwear, was safely encircled in the arms of the Doctor who wore on his trousers and shirt. As Roses' toes gently grazed the Doctors shin neither of them knew what the night held for hem – with their hands intertwined they were ready to go through it together.

As Rose began to move restlessly in her sleep the Doctor joined her. The bed creaked and moaned under its loads but it didn't give up. Soon the Tardis's lights were beginning to flicker as the ship moaned, outside the windows, rain was pelting against the glass, each droplet unsuccessfully attempting to shatter the glass. The curtains blew in the gale that crept through the cracks, once inside the room the wind seemed to become more violent. The Doctor and Rose shuddered as they moved closer to one another searching for warmth neither of them awakened as the rain followed the wind and slid through the room marking their skin. The Tardis began to rock in the gales that were tearing through the ship inside and out, the wind screeched as it reached every corner sending cutlery and trays crashing to the floor. Sill the Doctor and Rose didn't awaken. Rose tried to turn in her sleep – the movement prevented by her injuries – a further pain set off inside Rose; it was as though her body was fighting her mind. An internal war that she couldn't control her soul shook as her mind began to triumph pulling her further and further into her nightmares. With her blanket blowing away in the gale, Roses body had no defences left; her body admitted defeat and dropped Rose into another nightmare – one she couldn't escape from. The entire bed shook as Roses' body violently fitted in reaction. The Doctors hand had fallen onto Roses' temple so he could see everything going on inside her mind – only he was powerless to help.

Rose was hiding in a doorway, that was all she knew, well that and the fact that someone was certainly going to die tonight