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Chapter 22 - The Return of Bad Wolf

They lay facing one another in the bed. Rose had woke up to find that the Doctor was still laying next to her. He looked so peaceful laying there sleeping. The clock behind him said it was 2:34 am. She moved closer to him and lay her head on his forehead.

He took a deep breath and never opened his eyes. He raised his hand up and cupped her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her lips gently. He said something to her in a strange language. He didn't move his hand away as he continued to sleep. She was sure he had never woken up. She closed her eyes and slipped off to sleep.

Meanwhile, in the Doctor's dreams, he found himself in the familiar old barn with the sand floor. He looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing jeans and an oxford. He felt his face and noted he had his beard. "Well, at least I'm me this time and not him!" he complained.

"What's so wrong with being him?" Bad Wolf asked him.

He turned to see her, sitting on the hay bale like she had appeared to him the few times before. He knew he shouldn't look away, otherwise she would disappear.

"Oh, I think you know." he told her.

"You hate him worse than anyone. Why? He's you!" Bad Wolf asked him.

He put his hands in his pockets and glared at her. "Nope, I'm not talking about that. I'd rather talk about this mess going on with Rose. Who's behind these attacks? I don't have any idea!"

"Well, you don't seem to care at all. Taking Rose out for a night on the town? Playing house? Playing Daddy? You seem quite happy to put your head in the sand. Look around, mate. It's everywhere here! Pick a hole!"

"Now, that sounds like my Rose." he told her.

"We are one in the same."

"Then you must have some idea. Is Shakes right?"

"There is a reason Summus the Quauhtin is a legend! But, even with that, I'm amazed he worked this out."

"So, it's someone that Rose has never even met that is involved-" the Doctor said.

"No! She knew Stacy. But, I took care of that."

"And me! Was it you or Rose that brought me back to life?"

"Oh, that was both of us. I'm fond of you. I enjoy our little chats in your dreams."

He smiled at her, "Come see me anytime. I love an intelligent conversation."

She laughed. "Enough to sing for it, apparently. That was brilliant! Rose loved it. She'll never forget it. She will mark the stars one day in the far future with her memory of the event. In the same place where you have hidden your name. She loves you so much."

"And I love her. More than anything I ever have."

"And her family. They have became precious to you."

"Yes. And Genie. The entire lot. It's been a crazy month here. I would have never believed I would be here now if you had told me this even a week ago."

"Rose and I believe you are due some happiness. We've been keeping the danger at bay."

"So, you are dissolving these guys before they can come and attack us?"

"We want you to be happy. You said yourself that you have never been happier. She loves you so much." she smiled at him.

"But?" he asked.

"Why is there a but?"

"This is me. It's never that simple." the Doctor reasoned.

"But, what if it was?"

He smiled. "It's not. Millions of years. It's never that simple. Granted this one is hard. I feel like I'm fighting a ghost."

"You've given up finding the people responsible for this. You are instead more focused on fixing relationships and getting laid."

"Well, do you blame me? Wow. She's something!"

The Bad Wolf laughed at him. "Typical bloke. Thinking with his - "

"Ah!" he warned her.

"We could only do it so long. The danger is not so much an individual, but an idea. I came to tell you to be careful."

"Be careful. What does that mean?"

"Just that. Be careful. Things are explosive right now and Rose and Genie need you. They will need you worse in the next few days than they ever have before. Be there for them. Comfort them."

"What's going to happen?"

"You know I can't tell you. But, I'm sending you some help. He's trapped in the Void now. An old friend of yours."

"Who?"

She smiled at him again. "Someone who can help. Someone, Rose needs to get forgiveness from."

"Who in the hell would that be?" he asked her.

"I won't say. It's more fun that way. Take care of your family. Enjoy them. Be happy. We'll chat again, soon."

She disappeared.

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His eyes shot open. He didn't realize he had gasped, but apparently he did because it woke Rose up.

"What's wrong?" she asked him looking into his eyes.

"I'm alright. What are you doing? Why aren't you asleep?" he asked her.

She smiled. "I was watching you sleep. You are so handsome, I was lost in you."

He laughed quietly at her and relaxed. "I do that to you, too."

He rolled over and rubbed his face. He lay there for a moment with his hand in his hair, thinking. "Rose. If you could have anyone here from the Prime Dimension, who would it be?"

"What are you on about?" she asked him as she lay down on his chest. He held her and kissed her.

Rose asked, "Anyone? Besides you and mum. Right? Cause I have you two from there."

"Yes. Anyone else. Someone who could help us, and you need to get forgiveness from."

She raised up, holding the duvet cover over her breasts. The Doctor realized in that moment that they were both still nude. No wonder he was so comfortable.

"I have no idea. What is this about?"

He put his arm behind his head and looked at her. He rubbed her back. "I had a weird dream."

"A Bad Wolf dream sounds like." Rose said seriously.

"Yeah. That was it. She was warning me to be careful. Chewing me out for taking you out, shit like that." he said as he rubbed his face.

"Well, honestly. I knew I was safe. I was with you."

He smiled. "You felt safe with just me there?"

"Of course. I know you wouldn't let anything happen to me."

"Thank you, Rose. That means a lot. But, I need to be honest with you. Would you be mad if I told you it wasn't just me there? I really feel bad keeping from you, but I wanted it to be like a real date. Back when we were just us. Not us and our ensemble!"

"Having body guards getting on your nerves?"

"A bit. Thankfully, I get along with them better than I have gotten along with bodyguards in the past."

"What?"

"Nevermind. Don't ask. VERY long story, that I don't want to talk about."

"Okay, carry on. Who was there besides us?" Rose asked.

He held up his hand and counted on his fingers. "Jake, Shakes, Lewis, John, Sam and I think Lavatch and Gobbo. They are in the backup Quauhtin guard."

"How many of these Quauhtin are there?"

"Shakes told me twelve, but it just seems like it's more everytime I talk to him. I have no idea. I don't mind. They are good at what they do."

"Why were so many of them there?" Rose asked him.

He laughed and rubbed his face. "They found out I was going to sing in order to get you to let me read your paper."

Rose pointed at him. "I knew it! Didn't I tell you I figured that out. You clever old man!"

"Ha! I always get what I want, Rose Tyler! Better you know that now."

"Did they not think you would do it?" Rose asked.

"Hell, I didn't think I would do it! I know one of the asses got a damn video of it too! I just have to figure out which one has it!"

Rose laughed at him. "Donna is totally showing right now."

He rolled his eyes. "Those pains in the ass. They begged me to come. Shakes just told me 'tough', and he was bringing the entire guard as a night off."

"Well, who is with Genie?" Rose asked.

He waved his hand, "Phh... Aemilius is there. I think that's who he said."

"And Jake came too?" Rose asked.

"He was the ring leader! I assure you that $1,200 tab they ran up was mostly him! And Lewis! The rest of them don't even drink! Hell, Lewis didn't even come back! He left with some Fraulein! Probably drunk off his ass!"

Rose was laughing hysterically at him. She fell over in the bed. "Oh my God, that is so funny."

"Oh, I'm sure he's going to be speaking some German in the morning!" he nodded. "Oh yes! Fraulein is going to teach that man a few things! Germans! Woo!"

Rose was laughing. "So much Donna right now."

He shook his head. "Those guys!"

Rose lay down on his chest and looked at his face. "I love that you have friends that come to support you when you do something that will scare you to death. That's good friends."

"No, it isn't. It's a bunch of idiots who's only ambition in life is to irritate me."

"Sweetheart. That's male friends."

"Well, I suppose that's true. Do you know that Howie, Pete and Jake...oh...and now Ryan all have a bet about me? And that's all your fault, woman!"

"Me! What the hell did I do?" Rose asked him in surprise.

"You asked me how many of the Royal family I had slept with. They all have bets on it now. They've each picked a number. They are asking me every chance they get! That's your fault!"

"Me, hell! Seems like that would be your fault! I didn't sleep with any Royal family member! That's all you, old man!"

"Ugh."

"What's their numbers?"

He glared at her. "Are you serious?"

"What?"

"You are going to get in on that!"

"Oh, hell yeah I am! Those are some high rollers!" Rose exclaimed.

"Ryan is winning this one. His bet is that I won't tell before the house is finished. That's the time limit. So, I just have to keep my mouth shut until then."

"Well, good luck with that. Meanwhile, I'll ask Howie to send you over a few more cases of that damn whiskey. Wear lots of lingerie. Play with your hair, and use all of your favorite sexual positions."

"Oh, hell yeah! Go ahead! I still won't tell you! Nope. I've kept secrets for millions of years. That's one of them. Absolutely not!"

"If anyone can get it out of you, it's me! I'm texting Dad now. I'm in on this!"

He shook his head and lay back on the pillow. "Domestics."

He smiled at his cleverness. Rose had never backed down from challenge. He couldn't wait for her to try her best on him.

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