Chapter Two: Another Year, Another Adventure
Rose glanced at the familiar faces standing around the console as she worked quickly to set the coordinates. She tugged at the bond to get the Doctor's attention. He checked the destination and immediately nodded.
"Barcelona!" he enthused.
Rose smiled and sent them into motion while he started rambling about the planet.
"Gorgeous tropical resort. We've been twice. Beautiful beaches, gorgeous waterfalls to hike, and—"
"Dogs with no noses," Rose said along with him.
Donna raised an eyebrow. "You're both nutters," she said, shaking her head. "Dogs with no noses? How do they smell?"
The Doctor giggled. "Exactly!"
Rose planted her feet and everyone quickly grabbed onto something before the TARDIS landed on Barcelona with a teeth-jarring thud. "Barcelona," Rose said, waving at the door.
Donna and Jenny exchanged a grin, then ran up the ramp and pushed the door open. Brilliant sunlight streamed into the console room, and Rose could smell the salt tang of the ocean in the air.
"Oh, I have missed this!" Donna said.
"Missed travelling the galaxy, or not spending hours on a plane getting someplace?" the Doctor asked.
"Both!"
Jenny and Donna stepped back inside and picked up the bags they'd left by the door. Before they left, Donna turned around and pointed at Rose, then at the Doctor. "All right, we're going to leave you to celebrate your anniversary on your own. But you'd better come for us on time."
"Or you'll do what?" the Doctor retorted.
Rose groaned and pressed her fist to her forehead. She could hear the scowl on Donna's face when their friend answered the Doctor.
"Or I'll tie you down and bleach your hair blond," she snapped.
Rose's hand dropped to her mouth to hold back a laugh at the horrified expression on the Doctor's face.
Donna nodded once, sharply. "Excellent. We'll see you in a week, then." She left the TARDIS and swung the door shut behind her.
"But… That's…" The Doctor ran his hands through his hair.
Rose walked over to him and pulled his hands down, then smoothed over the most sticky-up pieces. "Don't worry, Doctor. I like your hair too much to let her do that to you."
He straightened his tie and preened. "It is pretty great, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I love your hair." Rose waited a beat, then said, "So I'll make sure I'm driving when we go pick them up."
"Oi!"
The Doctor grabbed for her, but Rose laughed and twisted away from him, adjusting the navigation settings as she went. She felt him following her movements and knew the moment he had remembered they were actually on their way to their own holiday destination.
"So do I finally get to find out what your secret holiday plans are?"
"Well…" she said, stretching it out the way he did. "I'm not sure if it's check-in time yet."
The Doctor narrowed his eyes. "This is a time machine," he reminded her. "Which I'm fairly certain you are aware of."
"Yeah, you might have mentioned it."
He raised his eyebrows and gestured at the console. Rose laughed, but she finally obliged him. "Prepare yourself for the holiday of a lifetime," she said dramatically as she threw the dematerialisation lever.
The ship spun into the Vortex, and Rose twirled the opposite direction, dancing around the console until she was next to the Doctor.
"Do you know what?" she asked.
He grinned and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before finishing the familiar line. "Travelling with you—I love it."
The TARDIS landed, and the lights in the console room flashed. He looked up at the time rotor. "It seems I'm not the only one excited for this trip."
Rose slung her deceptively small bag over her shoulder. "We've been working on this together. She says you've never been anywhere like this before."
"Welllll, I'm not sure about that. Not this exact place, maybe, but—" The Doctor pulled the door open and stopped talking immediately.
Rose stepped up beside him and took his hand. "Welcome to Critias."
The idea that had come to her while reading to Tony had taken a firm hold of her mind. As soon as they'd gotten home that night, she'd asked the TARDIS if it was even possible.
Is there a planet like Atlantis? Once they found the answer, they'd jumped at the chance.
The Doctor walked down the narrow alley as if in a trance and pressed his hand to the glass, fingers splayed out. A curious puffer fish swam forward to sniff at his fingers, but when he realised he couldn't actually reach them, he swam away.
"This is…" The Doctor paused, then shook his head. "This is incredible, love. Thank you."
"We explore the stars, but we never really touch this frontier," Rose said.
"Another adventure with you."
"Another year with you," Rose corrected. "Happy anniversary, Doctor."
Really, the Doctor reasoned, there was only one proper response when your bond mate wished you a happy anniversary. And so he wrapped an arm around Rose's waist and pulled her close for a kiss.
"Thank you," he murmured against her lips. "I love it."
Rose pulled back and looked up at him, her nose wrinkled up a little. "Enough that it makes up for not getting a present? I didn't get a chance to get you anything."
The Doctor rested his hands on her hips and smiled down at her. "Absolutely. Although…" He pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. "I don't have a gift for you, either."
Rose laughed. "You helped my mum and Pete set up their furniture last weekend, and you didn't start one fight with Mum. That covers you for at least our anniversary."
The Doctor chuckled. "All right. Now, where is this hotel?"
Rose pointed over his shoulder and he turned around to look at the building. It was positioned against the outer wall of the city, and he could easily imagine the kind of views the rooms would have.
He took a few steps down the alley, but Rose grabbed his hand and pulled him back. "I know I was joking when I said it wasn't check-in time yet, but it really isn't. I didn't want to waste half the day by not getting here until mid afternoon."
The Doctor nodded quickly. "Excellent decision. So, what should we do first?"
"Walk?" Rose suggested. "I can't get enough of the view from the edge of the city."
They moved from the alleyway to the path that snaked around the edge of the dome. "No, neither can I," the Doctor agreed.
A giant piece of brilliant red seaweed floated by, the current picking up little tendrils and tugging them in different directions. A few more metres down the path, they watched a family of seahorses swim by.
"Why did they build a city under the ocean?" the Doctor wondered as they walked.
"I looked into that actually," Rose said. "The planet was really struggling with overpopulation."
He snorted. "So they decided to spread into the ocean? They'd squeezed out everyone on the surface and now they'd move into the fishes' place too?"
Rose pinched him in the side. "Thought you were enjoying the trip," she said pointedly.
"Oh, I am!" he said quickly. "Just… You know what, never mind. You're right. So, there were too many humans on the surface—they are humans, it seems?"
Rose shook her head. "Nope. Critians are humanoid—I suppose you could say they look Time Lord—but they aren't human. I dunno how they're different exactly, but they are."
The Doctor bit his tongue before he could launch into a rant on Rassilon spreading the Gallifreyan body type around the galaxy. There was a time and a place, and this was not it.
oOoOo
Their suite was an incredible underwater oasis. The hotel was situated against the main exterior bubble of the city, and each room actually bulged out into the open sea.
The Doctor watched the fish swim by while Rose slept on their first night there. He finally fell asleep as a jellyfish lazily drifted past.
The view when he woke up was not so tranquil. Several long tentacles were wrapped around their domed ceiling, and a giant eye peered in through the glass.
His quick indrawn breath and suddenly tense muscles were enough to wake Rose up. "Wha's wrong?" she asked groggily.
The Doctor had processed what he was looking at, and he was a little embarrassed to have been so easily startled. "Just found a Peeping Tom," he said, trying to deflect from his own reaction.
Rose rolled slightly and looked up at the ceiling. The Doctor could feel her trying to grasp what she was seeing, and then finally she giggled. "Look, he's stuck on you, Doctor."
The Doctor rolled his eyes and huffed. "Really, Rose?"
Rose shifted closer to him, sliding her leg over his and wrapping an arm over his chest. "I dunno," she whispered against his neck. "Stuck on you's not so bad."
The Doctor hissed and tilted his head back when she kissed the sensitive spot on his jaw, just below his ear. Rose smiled and scraped her teeth over the spot before sucking gently.
"Yeah, I like being stuck on you."
The Doctor's eyes blinked open, his gaze still met by the steady curiosity of the squid. He arched an eyebrow, then rolled over so he was looking down at Rose. "I'd rather watch you than our friendly cephalopod," he murmured.
Rose laughed again, just as he pressed his lips to hers.
oOoOo
The squid was long gone by the time the Doctor and Rose were enjoying breakfast in bed. "What do you want to do today?" the Doctor asked in between bites of a fluffy pastry.
She shrugged. "Whatever you want. It's a new planet to both of us—it might be fun to just hit all the main tourist spots."
She bit into a pinkish fruit, and her eyes widened. "Try this," she insisted, holding a bite out for him.
The Doctor wrapped his fingers around her wrist to hold her hand steady, then he bent to pull the fruit off her fork with his teeth. As soon as the flavour hit his tongue, he knew why Rose had been so insistent.
"Mmmm, banana." He smacked his lips and immediately selected another slice from the tray. "A sea banana," he added gleefully.
"Did you know there were other fruits in the galaxy that tasted like banana?"
He scoffed. "If I knew there were other perfect foods in the world, we would have them at home."
Rose shook her head and laughed. "Of course, why did I even ask? I guess finding some sea bananas to take home is going on the list of must-see attractions."
"Oh yes!"
They shared bites back and forth, enjoying all the unique flavours of Critian food. Once the platter was mostly picked clean, Rose kissed him on the cheek and slid out of bed. "Why don't you look up things to do while I take a shower? I bet you can find out what that fruit is and where we can get some."
The Doctor took the tour guide tablet from the nightstand and made quick work of his research. He learned that kaju, the sea banana, was a favourite food of the Critians. There were several speciality food shops selling it, but only one farm you could tour. He'd just booked two tickets for the morning tour when Rose exited the en suite, wrapped in a fluffy white robe.
"Your turn."
He handed her the tablet. "Why don't you find something for us to do this afternoon?" he suggested.
Rose waited until she heard the shower running, then she pulled out the outfit she'd hidden at the bottom of their suitcase. The soft denim of her favourite dark jeans fit her perfectly, moulded by countless wears.
But her top… She sighed when the soft wool jumper brushed against her cheek as she pulled it over her head. The TARDIS had put it in her closet yesterday when she'd been packing, and Rose hadn't needed help connecting the dots.
She'd just laced up her black boots when someone knocked on the door. "Concierge service!"
Rose walked to the door, leaving her leather jacket draped over the chair. A uniformed employee stood on the other side of the door, a tray in hand.
"Hi!"
The concierge held out the tray and Rose took the envelope. "Your tickets to the underwater garden just arrived," they said.
Rose blinked, then she shook her head. "I don't suppose that's where those delicious sea bananas are grown."
As she asked, she heard the shower turn off. She started a mental countdown to when the Doctor would appear.
The Critian tilted their head, a hint of confusion crossing their face. "If by sea bananas, you mean kaju… then yes, this the one public farm where it is grown. After the tour, you will be able to buy some of the fruit to take home."
Rose laughed. "I bet we will. Thank you," she told the alien. The employee bowed and exited the room.
"Who was that?" the Doctor called from their bedroom.
"Concierge services with our tour tickets," Rose replied.
"Oooh, excellent! I hope they have a little shop. A little shop to buy all the kaju we want! Can you imagine, Rose?"
"I'm pretty sure I won't need to use my imagination by the end of the day," Rose said under her breath.
"I heard that!" The Doctor's voice was coming closer, and Rose rubbed her palms on her jeans. "I'll have you know…"
His mouth fell open when he saw what she was wearing. From a man as verbose as him, his silence was extremely gratifying. "Doctor?"
The Doctor slowly lowered his hands from his tie and walked towards her. His eyes were dark, and anticipation buzzed through Rose as she waited for his response. "That jumper is mine," he said, his voice raspy.
Rose bit back a smirk. "The TARDIS put it in my closet," she told him. "Think that means it's mine now—possession is nine-tenths of the law, after all."
His Adam's apple bobbed.
The sleeves hung past her wrists, and Rose pressed her wool-covered hand to her cheek. "'Sides, I like it. It's soft."
His fingers twitched, and Rose waited just a second longer before smiling brightly at him. "Come on, we need to get going if we're going to make our tour."
The Doctor gaped at her—at Rose, standing just six feet away from him, wearing clothes that used to be his. Rose, who was now giving him a cheeky smile as she waved the tickets in front of his face.
"Don't you want to go see the kaju farm?" she asked, almost managing to sound innocent.
He growled and moved quickly to pull Rose into his arms. He could hear her heartbeat speed up and his two hearts held tempo with hers.
"Rose Tyler…"
Her pulse was racing now. "Yes Doctor?" She smiled, teasing him with the tip of her tongue.
The Doctor dipped his head down and pressed his lips to hers, following her tongue back into her mouth. Rose slid her hands over his shoulders and a moment later, he felt them in his hair.
He shivered, and before he could lose himself in the kiss, he slowly pulled back. Rose's eyes fluttered open, and her passion-glazed expression tempted him again.
Instead, he slowly removed his hands from her waist, tugging on the hem of the jumper as he pulled away. "We'll come back to this later," he promised.
She blinked a few times, then smiled up at him. "Oh, yes," she agreed.
The Doctor took her hand. "But for now, kaju!" Rose laughed as he pulled her out of their suite, and he giggled along with her.
Rose hip checked the Doctor as they left the hotel. He glanced down at her, his eyebrow raised in question. She smiled and shifted closer to him, putting her free hand on his arm.
Nothing. Just love you, that's all.
Yeah? I love you too.
The Critias streets were busier than they had been the day before, and they arrived at the garden entrance just as the tour was starting. "Wait wait!" The Doctor waved their tickets over his head. "Two more!"
A teenager waved at them from behind the counter. "I can take your tickets!" she said, her high ponytail bobbing with each word. She smiled brightly when the Doctor handed them over. "Have fun! Corin will show you all around the farm."
They joined the queue, and a young man with a shock of black hair draped over one eye scowled at them. "We all ready then?" he asked.
"Oh yes!" The Doctor bounced on his toes. "This is going to be the highlight of our trip."
The guide rolled his eyes and turned around. "Come on. The entrance to the tunnels is this way."
"Tunnels?" Rose asked as he led them along a boring hallway.
He shot her a look over his shoulder. "Well yeah. Kaju grows under the sea. How did you think we were going to get there?"
Rose had half a mind to call him out for his surly attitude, but the Doctor started talking before she could. "I bet you love your job," he enthused. "You probably get all the kaju you want, for free."
The kid huffed. "Why would I want any of that nasty stuff?"
They reached a glass door in the exterior bubble of the city, and he turned around and held his hand up. "All right, listen up everyone!" he called out, raising his voice to be heard over the hum of machinery coming from the next room over. "We have built glass tunnels in a path around the kaju beds. Along the tour, you will see kaju in various stages of growth. At the end, you will have a chance to taste fresh kaju, and to buy any of the products we make in the factory you hear behind you."
He crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. "Please stay with the group at all times. If you do not, you will be escorted out of the tunnels and asked to leave the premises."
The whole group murmured their assent, and he grunted and opened the doors.
The light in the tunnel was dim. Rose squinted, trying to get a glimpse of the garden before stepping out under the sea. She and the Doctor were at the back of the line, and she gasped when she finally realised why the light was so eerie.
The glass tunnel had formed an arbor for a network of tangled vines. The artificial lights used by the farm filtered through the greenery, like sunlight through the leaves of a thick forest. Rose pressed her hand to the glass and watched the way the leaves drifted in the current.
"Why don't you like kaju?"
Rose blinked; that was the Doctor's voice, but it was coming from the other side of the tour group. She looked around and spotted him standing next to their guide, his eyebrow arched in surprise.
Corin was a good six inches shorter than the Doctor, and he scowled up at him. "Because it's a disgusting fruit and I don't know why anyone would eat it."
Determination pulsed over the bond, and Rose groaned. "Excuse me," she said as she made her way through the tour group to join the Doctor.
"Have you ever had kaju pancakes?" the Doctor asked. "Or kaju toffee pie?"
The kid sneered. "No, thank you."
He spun on his heel and addressed the whole group. "What you see above you is an arbor of fully grown kaju. As you can see, the plant is a vine that needs some sort of support to grow on. If you'll follow me, our next stop is a bed of kaju seedlings."
The group moved slowly through the tunnel. The light changed as the vines overhead thinned. Finally they entered a large, round room, big enough for everyone to look out at the ocean floor.
"Like most vines, kaju can be grown from starts. However, one of the things we sell as a commercial garden are seedlings. Ambitious gardeners buy kaju plants from us to start their own garden."
"Oh!"
Corin levelled a glare at the Doctor. "They do have to be grown under the ocean, so unless you have a proper growing environment, don't even bother."
The Doctor pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth. "Right. Yeah," he said slowly.
Rose narrowed her eyes. We've got regular bananas, remember? She wasn't sure the TARDIS could make an underwater room, and even if she could, Rose had no desire to start a kaju farm.
The Doctor pouted, but she shook her head firmly. Bananas are perfectly good.
Bananas are brilliant! he corrected. Rose raised an eyebrow and the Doctor rolled his eyes. All right, you win.
They were given five minutes to watch the gardeners carefully tend to the young plants, then Corin led them down another tunnel into a different open room.
Row after row of vines draped over arbors spread out around them. "These kaju plants are at the height of their production cycle. Much of the kaju you eat comes from plants just like these."
The group murmured and spread out to watch the workers carefully trimming the vines and harvesting ripe fruit. Rose blinked when she realised the whole fruit was small and round. It looked much more like an orange than a banana.
"What about fried kaju? Or kaju served with ice cream and chocolate?"
Rose debated pulling the Doctor back, but Corin really deserved to be pestered. He had been rude from the moment the tour started. So instead, she rocked back on her heels and watched.
"I can't stand the smell, or the taste, or the texture," the kid spat out. "The seeds get stuck in your teeth and if you eat too much, it stains your tongue bright pink."
The Doctor backed away half a step and blinked several times. Corin nodded sharply and spun around to walk away.
Rose joined the Doctor then and tugged on his sleeve before he could chase after the kid. You can suggest other preparations later, she told him, feeling slightly mischievous. Maybe he should try kaju bread, or chocolate dipped kaju.
The Doctor nodded, then stuck his tongue out for her to examine. "Ish ma tongue bwight pink?" he asked.
Rose laughed. "Nope, just regular pink. Apparently you haven't had enough kaju yet."
It was mesmerising to look at the evenly laid out rows of kaju and the careful way the attendants cared for the vines. But after ten minutes, they were directed down another tunnel, back to a door.
"The garden part of our tour is over," Corin declared dramatically. "Behind this door, you'll find the factory where we produce kaju jam and other items for sale. Please take a pair of noise cancelling headphones when you step inside. The machines are incredibly loud."
Rose winced when he opened the door. The entire group pressed their hands to their ears until they passed through the door and could take a pair of the headphones.
How are we supposed to hear the dulcet tones of our tour guide like this?
She needn't have worried. His grumpy voice came through the headphones, and when she looked at him, she realised his headset had a microphone as well.
"Today we're manufacturing kaju pie filling," he said, gesturing at the conveyor belt where empty glass jars were filled with a creamy, kaju coloured filling. "The filling is produced in that large vat over there." He pointed up at a vat near the top of the production line. "Raw kaju is cooked down and blended, then sugar and spices are added."
Out of the corner of her eye, Rose saw the Doctor nodding. She shook her head; she had a feeling there was a kaju pie in their future.
They watched the assembly line for a few minutes longer. After the jars were filled with pie filling, lids were tightly sealed on and labels wrapped on the jar. Then they shot down to the end of the line where they were packed in boxes by workers.
"If you'll follow me."
The tour group slowly filtered out of the factory back into the blessedly quiet hallway. Two employees were waiting, one ready to take the headphones from them and another with a tray of sliced kaju.
Corin opened the door to the sales room and gestured through it. "That concludes our tour. You are now free to buy as much kaju merchandise as you would like."
The Doctor sidled up to him. "Have you ever tried kaju bread?" he asked.
The young man's face turned red, but the Doctor ignored it.
"What about chocolate dipped kaju? Dip slices in chocolate and then freeze them. Fantastic treat for a hot day." He paused and scratched his sideburn. "Er, is it ever hot here?"
"Listen," Corin growled. "I do not like kaju. I will never like kaju. It doesn't matter how it's prepared, it's a vile fruit and I refuse to eat it." He smirked suddenly. "But if you like it so much…"
He ran off quickly before the Doctor could say anything. A moment later he was back with a jar in his hand. "Kaju jam." He ran off again and returned with two large tubs. "Kaju butter and kaju yogurt." He left and came back with bags in hand. "Kaju fruit leather, chocolate covered kaju, and dried kaju."
The Doctor's arms were full. He stared down at the bounty then up at the guide. "Thank you!"
The uncharacteristic smile melted away into the familiar scowl. "You are an absolute nutter," the kid growled. Then he spun around and stalked off.
The Doctor heard something rolling on the floor and turned around to see Rose with a trolley. She took a few items out of his hands and they filled the cart with everything the guide had brought.
"What was that about?" the Doctor asked, still wondering what had gotten into the guide.
Rose laughed. "I think he thought that if he brought you enough kaju products, you would realise it was disgusting. Then you'd have to find a way to put it all back."
"Huh." The Doctor scratched at his sideburn. "Well, let's see what other kaju products we can find."
Thirty minutes later, they left the farm with several bags full of kaju products. By mutual agreement, they detoured to the TARDIS to put it all away.
The ship sang to Rose as they walked through the door, and she started laughing. "Someone's glad I talked you out of growing our own kaju," she told the Doctor.
oOoOo
The street lights had shifted from their bright daytime mode to a nighttime setting when the Doctor and Rose finally made their way back to the hotel. Street musicians played beneath the street lights, and stray cats darted into the shadowy corners to hide.
The Doctor swiped their keycard over the pad and the door slid open. It closed silently behind them after they entered the room. Rose tapped the lamp and soft light filled the room.
"So was that a good way to spend our fourth anniversary?"she asked him.
He chuckled. "It was a brilliant way to spend our anniversary," he agreed as he shrugged out of his coat.
He had just tossed it onto the coat rack when someone knocked sharply on the door. Rose raised an eyebrow, and he grinned at her. "Just a little late night snack I ordered for us," he told her. "Why don't you go get settled in the living room and I'll bring it in." He waited for her to move into the living room, then tapped the door control.
"Your dessert, sir," the server said, presenting a covered tray with a flourish.
The Doctor lifted the silver cover just enough to make sure everything was as ordered. Chocolate, kaju, mellora berries, and a decanted bottle of Rigellian wine. Perfect.
"Thank you." He took the tray and the server nodded once, then walked away.
Rose was curled up on the sofa under a blanket when the Doctor entered the living room. He set the tray down on the coffee table and crossed the room to the fireplace controls. "This will warm things up pretty quickly," he said once the cheery gaslit flames started.
He stuck his tongue out at Rose as he walked back to her. "I suppose it's a good thing you filched that jumper from me," he teased. "They don't exactly keep the ambient temperature of Critias very warm."
He started to pour two glasses of the wine, while still watching Rose from the corner of his eye. She rubbed her cheek against the jumper again and shook her head.
"That's not why I wore it," she said quietly.
The Doctor set the decanter down and turned to face Rose. Her playful attitude had faded into something softer and warmer. "Then why did you wear it?" he asked, genuinely curious. "To turn me on?"
Her eyes twinkled. "A little. But mostly…" She reached for his hand. "This jumper is something from who you were when I met you. Today's our anniversary and…" She brushed her thumb over his pulse points. "And I married that Doctor, too."
The Doctor opened his mouth, but he couldn't push words past the lump in his throat. Instead, he slid closer to Rose on the sofa and reached for her over the bond at the same time.
I love you. He brushed his fingers over her cheek, and when Rose tipped her face upwards, he took the invitation and pressed a kiss to her lips. I love you now and I loved you then. You are my forever, both past and future.
Rose sighed and scraped her fingernails over his scalp. I loved that you, with your leather jacket and jumpers. I love this you, with your suits and Chucks. You have always been my Doctor.
The Doctor moved his hand down to Rose's waist so he could pull her closer. As she shifted into his lap, the feeling of soft skin under his hand pulled him out of the kiss. He looked down at the bare leg slung over his own and swallowed.
"Are you…" His voice squeaked and he cleared his throat. "Are you wearing anything under that jumper?"
Rose slid her hands over his shoulders and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Why don't you find out?" she suggested.
The Doctor closed his eyes and took several shallow breaths. Then he shifted his weight and pushed himself to his feet, holding Rose close as he stood up. "I think it's time for a change in venue."
oOoOo
A visit to Critias was almost like a beach holiday, except in all the ways it wasn't. Their ocean view room gave them a view into the underwater life instead of the surface. They didn't see their squid friend again, but several other forms of sea life floated by to say hello.
They rented diving equipment and went out into the water, but they couldn't feel the sun on their faces. The marine animals around the resort were so accustomed to visitors that they didn't move as the Doctor and Rose slowly swam past.
But the strangest difference, and the one that helped Rose when it came time to leave, was that there were no sunsets. She loved watching the sun set over the ocean, but they couldn't even see the sun from who knew how many leagues under the sea.
There were no stars, either, and after a week beneath the surface of the ocean, both she and the Doctor were ready to be out in the open air.
They packed up their belongings and paid their bill, then walked back to the TARDIS.
The Doctor slung his coat over a strut and circled the console, adjusting the navigation controls as he went. "Be careful," Rose warned as he spun a dial wildly before stopping it and twisting it into place. "Remember what Donna threatened to do if we don't pick them up on time."
He clapped his hands to his head, protecting his hair. "That is not happening," he declared adamantly. "Not in this lifetime. This body would not look good with platinum blond hair."
Rose nodded. "Then watch what you're doing while you're setting the coordinates."
The Doctor huffed, but he slowed down, being careful to notch each dial in exactly the right spot. Rose watched, and she nodded when he set the last one in place.
"All right, let's go." Being closer to the dematerialisation lever, she grabbed it and shoved it into place.
The TARDIS made a grinding sound as she moved into the Vortex, and Rose stroked the console. "Come on, old girl," she muttered. "I know you'll take us where we need to go." The grinding didn't stop, but a soft hum joined it. Both Rose and the Doctor let out a breath.
The landing rocked them a little, but they straightened up and walked to the door. The Doctor reached it first and reached for the handle. "Come on, Rose. Let's enjoy the look on Donna's face when she realises we've made a perfect landing."
The first thing he registered when he opened the door was that it was night. Well, a few hours off, he reasoned, even as his hearts sank into his plimsolls. Maybe we're early, even.
But not only was it not morning, they were nowhere near a city. He stared at the large house in front of them, trying to make sense of where they were.
Rose patted him on the arm. "I think you'll look gorgeous as a blond."