This story is a missing scene from the beginning of the classic Doctor Who episode, "The Twin Dilemma" (Season 21 - Episode 7). It occurs right after his regeneration, but before they disembark on Titan 3.
The Sixth Doctor is very well known for his favorite outrageous outfit, his quotes, and for being brash, arrogant, and moody!
The Sixth Doctor
Rose barely felt the transition as she left the Fifth Doctor's console room and slid straight into the next one. One moment she was standing in front of the blond Doctor whose lips she could still feel on her own. The next moment she was standing behind another Doctor. He was blond, too - with a head full of hair so thick and curly that she was immediately tempted to reach out and plunge her hands into it. However, she became a little distracted when she looked down. She had to blink several times before she would admit to actually seeing what was before her…
"Doctor, what the hell are you wearing?" She could not help but let the dismayed exclamation finally slip out as she referred to the garish combination of the multicolor patchwork coat, long polka-dotted tie, and brightly colored striped trousers that draped over the man's stocky frame. At the sound, he turned around to blink at the woman who had suddenly appeared at his console.
"What the hell am I wearing? More like what are you wearing?" he replied in a churlish tone. "As Peri so eloquently put it before…Yuck!"
"Well...I see that you are still rude…and still definitely not ginger!" Instead of getting angry, Rose addressed his apparent insult at her "jumping outfit" with a nostalgic smile as she remembered a conversation that she had partaken in with a future version of him.
"Alas, I do lament the continued lack of ginger, but…me…rude? Never!" The current incarnation answered sardonically before he finally seemed to recognize the familiarity in her tone and, consequently, looked at her more carefully.
"Hmm…" he muttered. "I seem to have some gaps in my memory today. Who are you again and what are you doing in my TARDIS?" At the question, he looked at her with eyes that were still bleary and tired from his ordeal. He could not quite remember who this woman was, but somehow, he knew that she was not a threat, and he even felt some vague affection for her. Therefore, he just shrugged and turned toward the console where he immediately started pushing buttons…apparently forgetting that they had already landed on Titan 3.
Rose, however, frowned at his strange behavior. He acted almost as if…
"By any chance, has he recently regenerated?" Rose whispered to the young dark-haired woman, ("Peri," the TARDIS supplied the name), who also stood next to the console – and who was obviously in shock herself.
...
Regeneration
Peri had just experienced the most horrible day of her life and was, consequently, so confused by it all! First, her sweet, kind Doctor had changed into this bad-tempered man… then he had chosen the most hideous outfit…before he tried to kill her! If that was not confusing enough, then a strange woman just appeared out of thin air and she and the Time Lord started insulting each other! However, the woman did seem to know the Doctor – even with his new face - and still acted quite confident, even affectionate – with his odd, bordering-on-downright-mean behavior. Therefore, Peri decided to trust her. What choice did she have anyway? She just did not think that she could handle the new Doctor on her own. She needed help.
Therefore, she nodded in agreement and whispered, "Just a few hours ago." Her breath hitched and she tried not to cry…as she remembered just how terrible that experience had been.
Much to Peri's surprise, though, Rose exclaimed in relief at the news. "Oh, thank goodness! I was beginning to worry that this was part of his new personality." She smiled brightly over at the new Doctor's broad back before her eyes returned to Peri. Her smile then turned reassuring as she also reached over to pat Peri's hand. "Don't worry," she explained. "Sometimes he gets regeneration sickness and will act strange for a little while afterwards."
"This is normal?" Peri cried out in disbelief at the idea since she was still confused and scared. "It's normal that my sweet Doctor changed right before my eyes into this one and then tried to kill me? He thought I was a spy!"
"What?" Rose exclaimed in dismay at the unexpected news and she grabbed the other woman's hands in support. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Peri. That is terrible! I mean, the worst thing he did after regenerating on me was crash the TARDIS...yeah? Well...then he also spent quite a bit of time in a sort of coma while I had to try and fend off an alien invasion with my ex-boyfriend and the Prime Minister."
Their conversation was then interrupted by a haughty voice that sounded from behind them. "Me…crash the TARDIS and then sleep through an alien invasion? Don't be absurd!" The Doctor paused, however, as he asked reflectively. "Which Prime Minister was it?"
"Harriet Jones," Rose stated calmly while she squeezed Peri's hands comfortingly again before she released them and turned around to face the Time Lord again – as if they were having a normal conversation about mundane events instead of such an incredulous discussion.
"Ah…yes…Britain's Golden Age…" the Doctor muttered in a disconnected kind of way as Rose realized that he had not really looked at her for some time.
Consequently, she studied him with concern. "Doctor, how are you feeling?" she asked. "I know that you can be a bit…disoriented…after a regeneration." Rose placed her hand over his and felt his foggy confusion. Therefore, she tried again in a different way.
{Doctor?} she asked directly to his mind, instead, in the hope that it might help break through his confused thoughts.
{Rose?} came the weak non-verbal answer as her telepathic voice finally pierced his mental fog and the Doctor's eyes lit up in recognition. "Rose!" he shouted out in a fond, but extremely loud, way that made the already nervous Peri jump. Rose, however, just grinned happily at the man.
"Hello, Doctor. Welcome back!" she returned his warm greeting with her own. He grinned at her, as well, and took the few steps necessary to cover the distance between them before he pulled her close and kissed her – simply, but with obvious feeling. Both of them ignored Peri's sound of surprise at the sight for the moment. and when they pulled apart, the Doctor leaned his forehead against hers.
"I'm so sorry, Rose. I seem to be having some…trouble…this time around," he murmured as he slipped out of her grasp and hit the smooth floor in an unconscious heap.
"Oh, no!" said Rose emphatically. "Not again!"
Peri just stood there and stared. "What's going on? Did you just kiss the Doctor? Who are you? What happened to him?"
"Just a moment, Peri. I know that this is all very confusing and I'll answer your questions as soon as I can. However, we need to take care of the Doctor first." She then shifted her attention to the ship. "TARDIS dear, he needs to rest – and he can't do it here. Could you bring one of the bedrooms up next to the console room, please? This new body looks a bit heftier than any of his previous ones, so I don't think that we will be able to carry him very far."
Peri watched in disbelief as the lights in the console room seemed to flicker in response to the request and as Rose said, "Thanks, Girl!" before she patted the mechanical console.
"Were you talking to the ship?" the young companion asked. "Why?"
Rose answered with a shrug, "She's not just a ship, you know. She's my friend…and the Doctor's…and we need her help. Now, we have to move him so that he can heal. Why don't you grab his legs and I'll get his arms…yeah?"
Peri realized that the words, while friendly enough, were more of a command than a request. She was reminded immediately of the authoritative air the Doctor always carried…that was always a part of his natural demeanor…even when he was being extremely kind at the same time. This new woman carried herself the same way. Ironically, Peri found that she was comforted by the familiarity of it, so she rushed to do as she was asked.
The two women picked the man up the best that they could and half-carried, half-dragged him out of the console room to the first door that they came to in the corridor. Rose gently lay the Doctor's top half back on the floor and opened that door to reveal a calm and serene bed chamber.
"This is my room!" she exclaimed in surprise and then flashed a little knowing grin at the wall. "What are you up to, Girl?"
The ship just sent a mental shrug and a feeling of smug satisfaction back to her. Rose simply shook her head with a bit of fond disbelief at the antics of the TARDIS before she picked up her half of the Doctor again and gestured for Peri to do the same. Then they proceeded to shuffle him, a bit awkwardly, over to the bed where they finally laid him down on his back.
Since he seemed to be as comfortable as possible there, Peri proceeded to take off his shoes while Rose removed his atrocious coat and tie while she muttered something under her breath about burning them. Nevertheless, in the end, she just tossed them onto the adjacent chair, instead, before she tucked her favorite alien in under the bedclothes. Peri then looked on in amazement while the unusual woman smoothed the Doctor's brow before she kissed his forehead with obvious fondness. She also watched while Rose held the Doctor's hand and monitored his breathing and heartbeats for a minute until she seemed satisfied. Only then did Rose ask the TARDIS (aloud for Peri's benefit) to keep an eye out for him and to let her know if there were any changes. Finally, she looked over at the other woman in the room.
"Tea?" she asked pleasantly. She smiled at Peri's uncertain nod…after all it had been a very strange day…and led the still shell-shocked young woman over to the galley. Fortunately, the TARDIS had moved it right across the corridor for their convenience so that they would not have to be very far from the Doctor.
...
Peri
"Okay, now let's focus on you." The air of benign authority was back as Rose gently pushed the other woman down into a chair. "I think that you're still in a bit of shock. Therefore, I assume that he didn't tell you anything about regeneration before it happened, huh?"
Peri shook her head sadly. "Why am I not surprised?" Rose asked the rhetorical question and sighed as she moved around the galley to make a large pot of tea for the two of them. After all, Peri certainly looked like needed it. Rose also knew that the Doctor would require his own when he woke up from his healing sleep. However, she strongly suspected that she would be making a new pot by then as she was certain he would be out of it for quite some time – especially if she used her pinstriped Doctor's experience as a gauge. As she thought about the Doctor…and the process of regeneration…her face suddenly clouded over as she also considered why such a extreme action was considered necessary.
"How did he…you know…?" she asked hesitantly.
"Die?" Peri whispered.
Rose nodded and Peri explained haltingly about how they were both suffering from Spectrox poisoning and how the Doctor had given her the antidote – since there was only enough for one. At the answer, Rose smiled wistfully, and she wiped away a few tears at the thought of the previous Doctor.
"I'm not surprised," she replied. "He was such a kind and gentle soul in that body."
Peri reacted. "He was sweet! I liked him! This new Doctor is not! He's harsh and he's rude and…" here her breath hitched again, "…he tried to strangle me!"
"Now, now, Peri," Rose murmured soothingly as she brought the younger woman a cup of tea and pulled her into a comforting hug – where she could really feel the turmoil of the woman's emotions. By that time, she was really just a roiling pit of fear, horror, surprise, and confusion. Fortunately, Rose remembered all too well what such a situation felt like and set out to put Peri's mind at ease. Therefore, she pulled away from her gently.
"The first thing that you need to know about regeneration," she explained, "is that it is like a volcanic biological explosion on a cellular level. All of the Doctor's cells died and then had to be rebuilt from scratch – just like that." She stopped and snapped her fingers for emphasis. "Therefore, there's no wonder that sometimes there are less than pleasing side effects…yeah? Unfortunately, that sort of manic behavior is one of them. The good news is that such effects are temporary. They won't last long and they'll soon go away completely. I promise."
"That's almost exactly what he said," Peri replied a bit sheepishly. She felt a little more reassured now that she knew that Rose had been through it all before, also.
"Yes, well, he is the expert with this sort of thing. However, the poor man seems to be having a harder time than normal with this one. At any rate, the second thing that you need to know about regeneration or his "renewal" as some of the earlier Doctors call it - is that inside, he is the same man. He has the same memories and the same core beliefs that make him the Doctor that we know and love. The outside package will change, though. His looks will be different and so will his overall demeanor and mannerisms. Nevertheless, you should start seeing little peeks, here and there, of your old Doctor soon. Then you'll realize that he never really left you at all. He's still there underneath the new face. In fact, every time I meet a new Doctor, I still see layers of all of the previous versions of him that I've known.
"How…how many?" Peri asked hesitantly, unsure about such a wild concept.
"How many Doctors?" Rose asked, making sure that she understood the question correctly. When Peri nodded, she answered, "The man we just put to bed is the Sixth one."
"How long have you known him? You two seem quite…close," Peri asked. She found that she was very interested in that unusual situation – especially since she felt much better after all of the shocks of the day. In fact, the tea and Rose's calm and simple answers had soothed most of her fears away.
"In his timeline or mine?" Rose laughed. "I've been lucky enough to have met him in all six of his incarnations so far…and in two of his future ones, as well. In fact, I'm really from his future. The Ninth Doctor was my very first Doctor. I traveled with him full-time in the TARDIS. He was the one who sacrificed himself for me and the one whom I saw regenerate without any prior knowledge - so I definitely know how you feel, because I've been there, too!" She paused to grimace at the memory before she smiled again.
"Nevertheless," she continued, "I soon became just as fond of his…successor…and stayed with him as long as I could, as well. Now, I'm traveling back up the Doctor's timeline because he's helping me with an important…project…you could say. In fact, that reminds me." She paused again as she shifted her attention to the ship.
"TARDIS dear, could you please run a current star scan for me?" she requested politely. "I don't know how long Mr. Clown Coat will be out of it…" She could not help but to smile at the alien's questionable fashion sense, "and you know how long the scan takes. Therefore, I'd rather not wait for him to be able to do it." Rose became quiet as she listened to the ship's mental reply before she responded again. "Thank you, Girl. You know that I'd never leave him like this…but who knows what he's going to be like for the next day or two? He may not even remember what I'm doing or why. Therefore, I'd rather not chance it...yeah?"
Rose glanced back at Peri, who had intently listened to her seemingly one-sided conversation. "Speaking of that hideous outfit, where did he get it, anyway?"
At the swift change of topic, and since Rose's opinion seemed to match her own, Peri just shrugged and grinned. "He found it in the wardrobe room."
"I wished that I'd known that it was there, then," Rose replied. "I would've hidden it, at least. He's probably already imprinted on the damn thing now, though. Once he finds an outfit he likes, he doesn't want to let it go." She then proceeded to amuse Peri with descriptions of all of the previous and future Doctors' wardrobe choices…before they went on to share stories of their most outrageous adventures of traveling through time and space with their special alien friend.
Rose found that she liked the young American, who had come from a time that was only about twenty years before her own. In fact, Peri reminded her very much of herself when she had first started traveling with the Doctor; excitable and brash, but still quite innocent in many ways. Therefore, the two of them were able to find enough common ground to spend a few hours in pleasant girl talk until the TARDIS interrupted to let them know that the Doctor was awake. At the news, Peri was witness to one of Rose's delighted smiles as she quickly made the Doctor some fresh tea before they crossed the corridor to go back to the bedroom where the man himself recuperated.
...
Awake
The Doctor was sitting up in bed and looking around him when Rose and Peri arrived. "This isn't my room – at least I don't think it is," he grumped as Rose sat down next to him and handed him his tea. Peri, though, sat in the chair with the Doctor's coat.
"Here, this will help you," Rose replied sweetly as she ignored his negative tone. "Free radicals and all that, you know," she added with a smile before she looked at him closely in concern. "Do you remember who I am and who this is?" she asked as she gestured towards both herself and the other woman.
The Doctor harrumphed again. "Rose Tyler…Of course, I remember you. How could I possibly forget? And yes, I know who Peri is, too. I have only experienced a renewal - not gone completely senile, you know!"
"You could have fooled me!" Peri remarked fervently from the chair while Rose just responded with one of those dazzling tongue touched grins that the Doctor definitely remembered. In fact, he felt his own lips turn up in an automatic response to the lovely sight.
"Good!" Rose replied with heartfelt sincerity as the two of them just gazed at each other for a moment. "Hopefully, your memory has stabilized then. I think it was flickering in and out there for a while. As for the room," she continued, "it's mine. I guess I didn't specify when I asked the TARDIS to send a bedroom up close enough that Peri and I could carry you to it."
To her surprise, the Doctor's smile faded as he gave her an intense look instead…one that, despite the difference in eye color, instantly reminded her of the way her leather clad Doctor would sometimes look at her when he did not think she could see him. It was a look that never failed to make her heart beat a little faster. His next words did not help her questionable condition, either.
"This is not the way I imagined being in your bed for the first time, Rose Tyler," he stated plainly. At those blunt words, Rose found herself blushing furiously as she also heard Peri make a strangled sound behind her.
"Okay, that's enough out of you!" she told the Doctor firmly when she had regained control of herself. "I think that you have poor Peri worried enough without making it painfully obvious that you have no filter between your mind and your mouth for a while after you regenerate."
"Trust me, Rose, that I did censor quite a bit of what I could have said! I didn't not even mention that I wanted to…mmph!" His words were immediately silenced by her finger over his mouth.
"You're being quite…forward…today," she answered quietly.
She was just not sure how to feel about him finally putting voice to some of the thoughts that she had longed to hear for so long – especially since she knew that it was only because he had been compromised by the regeneration process. She knew him (all versions of him) well enough to realize that he was going to be horrifically embarrassed by such admissions after he recovered fully from his ordeal. That thought just made her a bit sad, but she still wanted to protect him as much as possible – even from himself!
The Doctor himself thought about it, as well, and realized that maybe it was not quite the right time for such revelations, after all – especially since it was obvious that Rose thought that he was half out of his mind with regeneration sickness anyway. Therefore, he just took her hand away from his mouth, and then held it in his own.
"Yes," he admitted, "perhaps you are right, my dear. After all…even in matters of the heart…discretion is the better part of valor."
Rose nodded at the wisdom of his words…even while she was secretly thrilled at the apparent meaning behind them…before she reached over to brush a wayward curl off of his forehead.
"True," she answered quietly. "Now, would you like something to eat?" At his curt head shake in the negative, she continued. "Well, if that is the case, then you probably need to rest some more. Last time, you passed out. This time, you need some natural sleep in order to stabilize completely. Thankfully, you're already starting to look better, though…"
"I will not be kept in bed like some sick little Time Tot!" the Doctor interrupted her belligerently and he was obviously put out by not being the one in charge. However, once he realized that she was unimpressed by his outburst and was not going to budge from her decision, he tried another tactic. "What about your mission?" he asked. "I haven't forgotten about it, either, you know. I need to run the anomaly scan and then…"
"It's already been taken care of, Doctor." Rose was the one to interrupt this time...but she did it with a smile. After all, she was fully aware of what he was trying to do, and she was more than happy to thwart his plans. "I've already asked the TARDIS to run the scan for us. Plus, if an anomaly does show up and you are still incapacitated, what then? Are you going to force me to deal with another alien invasion – or something even worse – on my own? I suppose that Peri could take Harriet's place…" here she paused to wink at the woman who still sat quietly in the chair while she listened to them spar with an incredulous expression on her face, "but it wouldn't be the same without dear ol' Mickey, would it? He's still in the other universe, remember? Of course, I guess that I could send for Jack. He and I can probably handle it on our own, but …"
Here she was interrupted again as the Doctor made a rude dismissive sound. "As if that Pretty Boy, ex-Time Agent, Cassanova-wannabe could be as useful as me!" he exclaimed. "I'll just…"
"Get your rest, in case the need for your expertise and experience really does arise?" Rose finished his sentence for him and he realized with some chagrin that he had fallen right into her trap.
"Well played, my sweet and devious Rose…well played," he muttered as he gallantly kissed the back of the hand that he still held. He then gave in to the power of her answering smile as he reluctantly agreed to try and rest for a little while longer.
...
Goodnight
The Doctor awoke some hours later and he had to admit that he felt less like the weak and bedraggled kitten from before and more like his usual Time Lord self! Apparently, Rose had been correct in her diagnosis and prescription.
Rose!
His hearts lightened immediately when he thought of the woman who had come to mean so much to him over his many lifetimes. He was so very glad to see her again, but he also hated it so much that she had seen him in such a state – weak, disoriented, and at his lowest point physically and mentally. It was especially embarrassing when he remembered their last good-bye and how he had decided then that he would be strong and confident when he saw her again. He had planned to take her into his arms and tell her everything that his last few regenerations had not been unable or unwilling to say.
The Doctor cringed in embarrassment, however, as he suddenly remembered his blundered attempts to do just that earlier when the wonderful woman had brought him tea as he recuperated from the violence of his regeneration process. Unfortunately, he was afraid that he had made quite the fool out of himself, instead – and in front of Peri, too!
He was suddenly grateful that Rose had not let him continue with his ill-timed confession. In fact, he realized that he would just have to find a way to do it…properly…in another time and place where she would be able to believe that he actually meant what he said and not that his temporary condition was responsible. Just as he decided on this particular course of action…and felt better for such a decision…the door to the adjacent loo opened. The woman about whom he had just been thinking stepped out of it wearing her favorite pair of pajamas. The Doctor spared a thought that the TARDIS must keep them in storage for her between visits before his hearts almost stopped beating for a minute when he realized that she had obviously planned to get into bed – the same bed that he currently occupied!
"Rose?" he therefore asked with a sudden uncharacteristic uncertainty.
"Oh, hello, Doctor," she answered tiredly. "I was trying not to wake you. How are you feeling now?" She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at him with eyes full of concern as she reached out to smooth another wayward curl.
"Well," he responded as he sat up a bit and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "It turned out that you were right and that I simply needed more sleep for these pesky new cells to recharge. Therefore, I am feeling much better now – thanks to you."
Rose noticed the cute movement and remembered that her pinstriped Doctor had often done the same thing. Maybe it was a leftover mannerism from this one? She did not mention that particular tidbit of information to him, but she did answer him with a smile.
"Good, I'm so glad!" was her sincere reply. "After all, you fell asleep almost immediately after you finally stopped arguing with me. Therefore, Peri and I left you alone to rest. However, she was also exhausted by the events of the day, so I sent her to bed, as well. You gave her quite a scare, you know, but we talked things through for a while, and I think that she will be alright now. At any rate, I stayed up for as long as I could because I didn't want to disturb you. I then decided that this was my bed and that you would just have to share it with me…especially since your TARDIS decided to hide all of the other bedrooms…and even the library and its sofa. She's quite devious when she wants to be, you know."
"That I do!" agreed the Doctor cheerfully. "However, I can't find it in my hearts to complain about it right now – especially if it means that I get to spend the night with you in my arms again." The last part was added in an eager tone that matched the look on the man's face.
"Mmm…I must admit that I like the sound of that, too…" whispered Rose as she took his words for an invitation and slipped between the sheets in order to snuggle up to him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and her sigh of contentment mirrored the wordless joy that he suddenly felt, as well. After all, he knew, deep inside, that this was the way that things were meant to be! That feeling only intensified when she suddenly lifted up her head and kissed him. It was a short kiss, but it was deep and heartfelt, as was her murmured, "I'm so glad that you are okay now." Then she laid her head back down in the hollow of his shoulder and her breathing deepened and evened out almost at once as she fell soundly asleep.
The Doctor realized then how worried and exhausted Rose must have been all day. Nevertheless, she had not said a word. She had just soldiered on and spent the entire day taking care of both him and Peri – even though she still carried her own burdens, as well. That was simply the way of his Rose, though.
He adjusted his position slightly so that he could look at her while he held her and thought about how much more comfortable their position was compared to the last time that they had slept together. The night, so easily remembered…even if had been long ago for him…had been wonderful – despite the fact that they they spent it all cramped up on the library sofa.
At the pleasant memory, he reached over to lightly brush a stray hair from her face as was also immediately reminded of a quote from Emerson: There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.
The Doctor smiled at the absolute truth of the statement as it applied to the woman at his side. He then gave into the demands of his new body that was almost-but-not-quite-ready and fell back to sleep, as well – even as he continued to hold tightly onto the most important woman in all of his lives.
...
Good Morning
Both the Doctor and Rose were rudely awakened when Peri burst in the room early the next morning.
"Doctor, Doctor," she all but shouted, "there is some kind of alarm going off at the console and I can't find Rose anywhere… Oh!"
The shocked young woman just stood there for a moment and stared in disbelief as the sight of Rose snuggled up in bed with the Doctor fully registered in her mind. She was just grateful that they were both still fully dressed or she suspected that it might have all been too much for her to human brain to take. There may have even been an explosion. Peri did not know why she was so surprised, though. From what she had seen the day before…and from her conversation with Rose…she definitely knew that the two of themwere fond of each other. In fact, she had seen them kiss, but…this…was a bit too much to process – especially with the new Doctor!
The Doctor calmly opened one eye, however, and looked at her reproachfully. "Pray tell, Peri, do you really think that all of this commotion is completely necessary?"
When the woman did not answer…mainly because she was still shocked into silence, he just sighed and asked, "Is the console chiming?" At her nod, he explained. "It's just the completed star scan. Kindly go and hit the green button on the center panel twice and the noise will stop. Hopefully, the noise in here will cease with your exit, as well." With those words, Peri recovered quickly from her surprise paralysis and huffed indignently before she stalked out of the room. At her departure, the Doctor chuckled briefly before he leaned forward to place a kiss on Rose's forehead.
The woman stirred and said, still a bit sleepily, "This new you is a little bit mean, you know! You can't blame that on regeneration sickness." She finished opening her eyes and smiled at him, regardless.
"I am not mean, I am confident!" he retorted – with a smile of his own as he looked down at the sleepy and tousled, but always beautiful, woman in bed with him.
Her only response to that comment was to finally give in to her urge from the day before and plunge her hands into the inviting curls that covered his golden head. {I have so been wanting to do that!} she admitted in the thoughts that she sent to him. Then she fisted his hair and pulled him down for a long passionate kiss that was reminiscent of the one they had shared in the console room with his last self. The Doctor groaned with the pleasure of the activity and immediately took the lead. He proceeded to explore her mouth with his in a daring way that none of the previous Doctors would ever have dreamed of doing!
"Confident, indeed!" Rose stated breathlessly as she reluctantly ended the amazing kiss and forced herself to pull away from him in order to head into the bathroom to complete her morning ablutions. After all, she knew that if she did not exit immediately, she was in serious danger of losing control and doing a lot more than simply kissing him!
She had felt the want and the need in his embrace and knew that, with his stronger natural abilities, he had felt the same in hers, as well. Nevertheless, even though she knew she loved and wanted every him, she also realized that their relationship was way too complicated to even consider doing something like that at the current time…no matter how much she might want to do so!
...
At first, the Doctor was powerless to do anything but lie there and grin like a loon after Rose had left the bed. After all, the woman certainly brought out of side of him that had laid dormant for so long that he had almost forgotten that it existed! After a moment, though, he realized with quite a bit of amazement that it was probably for that exact same reason that Rose had pulled away from him. In fact, he had felt it to be true. She wanted him, too!
Even though he was disappointed with her decision to stop and leave the exciting path that they had been on, he also completely understood her probable rationale. As far as she was concerned, their future together was still uncertain. He knew better, of course. Once this star problem was sorted out, they would be free to travel and be together without interruption.
Nevertheless, he also knew that he had not yet managed to convey that certainty to her…and would consequently just have to find a way to show her, instead. With that decision made, he also realized that he finally felt fully recovered from his regeneration ordeal. Therefore, he was energized and ready for anything. In fact, he practically jumped out of the bed in order to finish dressing in the extremely stylish (No matter what Rose and Peri had to say about it!) coat and tie that he had been lucky enough to find in the wardrobe room this time around.
He was fully dressed before he heard the shower and realized that Rose would still be occupied for some time. He realized that it was a good thing that he had decided to dress first, because it helped him to fight off the completely inappropriate-at-the-current-time urge to join her. Therefore, in order to keep his resolve…and to give her some time to complete her preparations…he went off to find his own room where he could freshen up a bit, as well.
After all, he wanted look his best when he saw his Rose again!
...
Goodbyes
The three current occupants of the TARDIS eventually met back up in the console room.
The Doctor was the first to make it there…and, once she entered herself, Rose knew from one look at his face what the final verdict was from the star scan. The Doctor realized that she already knew the outcome, as well – especially since she was already wearing her usual "jumping" outfit - the same one he had unintentionally maligned during his sickness - even though he actually quite liked it. In fact, to him, that outfit symbolized, not only the importance of the woman's mission, but of the woman herself, as well!
"I'm sorry, my dear," he therefore spoke with heartfelt regret, "I had hoped…but it would appear as if neither this time nor this body were meant to be the ones to aid you in your quest." He shook his head a bit sorrowfully as Rose stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him comfortingly.
"It's okay," she murmured back. "I'm sorry, too…but I guessed as much when I saw that the TARDIS already had my outfit ready for me. She knew that it was time for me to leave."
They just held each other for a moment – while Peri looked on. The young woman had returned to her own quarters for a while after she had turned off the offending chime earlier, but she had just reentered the console room in time to witness the melancholy scene. She did not know exactly what was happening. However, Rose had explained…albeit in vague terms…about why and how she was jumping into each of the Doctor's lives. Therefore, Peri could guess from their demeanor that Rose was about to leave again and move on to the next one in line. After all, Rose had said that there were at least ten of him out there...and that one of them would turn out to be the one who could help her.
Nevertheless, Peri could not help but to notice that the new Doctor looked quite upset at the idea of Rose's departure. Peri still did not know how she felt about the current version of the man, but she knew that she did not want to see him sad. Therefore, she interrupted them to ask, "How about some breakfast…before…?"
Both the Doctor and Rose nodded with relief to find an excuse to defer her departure for a little while. Consequently, Peri headed out of the console room to start preparing something for them all to eat. Before she left, however, she saw the Doctor lean down and a place a single sweet kiss on Rose's forehead before they followed her out into the corridor.
Perhaps he's not so bad, after all, Peri mused contemplatively as she easily recognized the gentleness of his actions and feelings. In fact, he was beginning to remind her more and more of her old Doctor. Apparently, Rose had been right about that, as well.
...
The three of them shared a quick and simple meal in the galley. Before they knew it, however, they were finished and back in the console room together again for the last time. Consequently, Rose said her goodbyes to Peri, hugged her, and then whispered for her to give the new Doctor a chance. Peri returned the affectionate embrace, nodded in acquiescence to her request, and stepped back to allow the Doctor to say his goodbyes, as well.
"Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness. Know that, like life, things sometimes must fade, before they can bloom again." He quoted softly as he gathered Rose up in his arms one more time.
"Even though I don't want to," he continued earnestly. "I know that I must let you go if I am to see you again and secure our future." He watched her eyes widen a bit in surprise at the implication in his words. Then he sent a private thought, meant just for her, directly to her mind. {Regeneration sickness or not, I meant what I said yesterday.} He then looked back up into her startled eyes that had started to gleam with good humor.
{Still feeling confident, then?} she thought slyly and he nodded happily as he bent down to show her just how much.
"Oh, I like this you!" she breathed aloud after they parted - with two sets of tingling lips and three rapidly beating hearts between them.
The Doctor smiled a little at that as he leaned his forehead against hers, but then he shook his head sadly. "I am sorry that this was a wasted jump for you, Rose. There were no adventures…no fun…and no solutions – just a sick Time Lord."
"No, don't apologize, Doctor," she admonished him gently. "Time that I get to spend with you – any version of you - is never wasted…and I'm so thankful that I got a chance to meet and know this you!" Rose was gratified to see his eyes brighten a little then…before they dimmed again at her next words.
"Goodbye, my Doctor." She reached up to stroke his face one more time before she stepped back and typed the necessary jump sequence into her wrist comp.
"Until we meet again, my Rose," he replied quietly as he felt the keen irony that even as a Time Lord, he never seemed to have enough of that valuable commodity with the woman in front of him.
In fact, there was just enough time left for Rose to give a friendly wave to Peri and to blow a kiss to him before she disappeared. The Doctor then turned towards the young American with a sigh of regret for what he had to do as he reached up to surreptitiously repress the memories of Rose in her mind. Just then, they heard a tremendous crash outside on the surface of the asteroid where they had been parked the entire time.
At least things won't be boring, he thought gratefully before he locked away his own memories of that amazing woman – until such a time as he was fortunate enough to see her again.