Domestics and Divisions
Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next part.
Disclaimer: Nothing you might recognise belongs to me
Part two: Reunited
"Yeah!" Kirsty beamed with a hopeful look on her face, "A couple of months gone now."
Rose finally managed to pull herself out of her shock and squealed. "Congratulations Kirsty! Oh God, it's all happening to you!"
"I know," Kirsty laughed, accepting a hug, "I'm so excited!" She looked over to her left where a tall, dark man with dark brown hair had been watching them with amusement in his eyes. "Oh, this is Scott, my fiancé," Kirsty said proudly, "I can't believe you two haven't met before!"
"Heard a lot about him though," Rose said, smiling at him,
"All good I hope," Scott joked back, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Rose,"
"Likewise," Rose said, liking the look of him, "This is the Doctor," she continued, grabbing her lover by the hand, "The bane and love of my life and that tall, handsome stranger is Jack,"
"You missed out sexy!" Jack called, walking over and shaking Scott's hand.
Everyone laughed.
"Oh, Jack," Lauren said, "Matt told me to tell you- and you two, of course- that he's visiting his grandma today but he's back tomorrow and can't wait to see you,"
"That's cool," Jack nodded, "How's he doing?"
"He's good," Lauren nodded, "Getting a bit stressed by attempting to become a barrister,"
"Did he get into one of the Inns?" asked Rose,
"Yup, eventually," Kirsty confirmed, "Right then, do you want to go shopping? I think Bambino are having a one day sale today and I need some more maternity clothes,"
"Sweetheart," Scott groaned, a look of panic in his eyes, "You already have a wardrobe full of maternity clothes, ones suitable for every trimester!"
"A girl always needs more," Kirsty said, linking arms with Rose and Lauren, "Will you gents be joining us?"
"No, thanks," the Doctor said, a look of horror on his face, "I know what Rose is like when faced with clothes,"
"Oi!" Rose said, "Right, for that you can give me your credit card,"
"Oh, but…" protested the Doctor.
Rose frowned at him and he sighed and handed it over; earning a beaming smile and kiss from her before the girls walked away.
Jack smirked and made a whip cracking noise with his mouth.
"Wrapped around her finger?" Scott asked knowingly.
The Doctor groaned.
After a hard morning shopping, the three friends collapsed in a café for lunch.
"So, what's going on with you and the Doctor?" Kirsty asked Rose after taking the first bite of her sandwich, "Has he mentioned marriage at all?"
Rose let out a sigh. "No, I don't think he ever will," she said, "We'll probably just be lovers forever, never husband and wife. I mean, I don't even know if his people did that sort of thing!"
"At least you've got a boyfriend!" Lauren said,
"No luck yet then?" Rose asked sympathetically,
"Nope. Ever since Chris and me split up at the end of second year, there's been nothing. It's like I'm repelling men rather than attracting them," Lauren said miserably,
"Aww!" Rose said, leaning over and hugging her, "You'll find someone who'll sweep you off your feet, I know you will,"
"I hope so," her friend said dismally, "It just feels like you two are running ahead of me in relationships and leaving me way behind. I mean, you're getting married, Kirsty, and you, Rose, you've been in a relationship for… how long now?"
"Five years next month," Rose answered promptly,
"You see!" Lauren cried out, "Five years with the man of your dreams even though he never seems to propose,"
"Lauren, you'll find someone," Kirsty said encouragingly, "Rose, have you actually spoken to the Doctor about it?"
"Nope," Rose said, "I'm too scared to,"
"What about Jack?"
Rose shook her head again.
"Maybe you should talk to Jack," Lauren considered, "I mean, he might have more of an idea what's going through the Doctor's head being male and an alien at least to this time period,"
"I suppose," Rose said slowly, "I just really want to get married to the Doctor. I love him, he's my soul mate and I know he's the one,"
"That's how I feel about Scott," Kirsty agreed solemnly,
"That's how I feel about my imaginary boyfriend," Lauren groused to the amusement of her friends.
After finishing their lunch, the girls decided to head back to the Powell Estate as Kirsty's feet were beginning to feel sore. They lugged their numerous bags onto the tube and off again before arriving outside the TARDIS to discover no-one about.
"Want to come in for a while?" Rose asked, fidgeting for her key,
"Sure," her friends nodded, following her inside.
Rose expected the TARDIS to be empty as the lights were all off when they entered but as they automatically switched on, she noticed a slumped figure in the captain's chair. "Doctor?" she asked, dropping her bags and scooting over to him, "What's up?"
"Hmm, nothing," he replied, with a smile, "I was just thinking."
Rose looked at him before swivelling her head to her friends. "Do you two want to go on to the lounge? Maybe pick out a movie we can put on."
Lauren and Kirsty nodded and disappeared into the bowels of the TARDIS, remembering the way to one of the few rooms they had visited.
"Thinking about what?" Rose asked, "Why were the lights off?" She was unnerved with his strange behaviour,
"It's nothing to worry about, my love," the Doctor replied, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him, "OK?"
"What happened?"
"I was just as the pub with Jack and Scott- nice bloke, by the way- when I got one of my feelings…"
"Oh," Rose said. His feelings usually meant bad news,
"Something's bugging me, something's not right," the Doctor confessed, "I don't know what it is but I want you to be extra careful, OK? Promise me that, Rose,"
"I promise," Rose said immediately, hugging him, "You be careful too,"
"I'm always careful," the Doctor grinned offhandedly,
"Doctor…" Rose moaned, "Please. I don't want to lose you,"
"Hey, you won't," he reassured her, stroking her cheek gently, "I promise I'll be careful too. What's bought this on, Rose?"
"You're making me paranoid!" she said, "And… and we keep arguing and I'm scared it's gonna damage us," she finished in a small voice,
"Oh Rose," the Doctor said, hugging her, "All couples have arguments,"
"But we've hardly had any before," she whispered, "And suddenly we've just been having loads,"
"Maybe we're making up for them or something?" the Doctor shrugged, "I wouldn't worry. We're still as close as ever, aren't we?"
Rose nodded, managing a small smile,
"Well then. Anyway, like I said, there's nothing to worry about. Go on, Kirsty and Lauren will be waiting for you,"
"Do you want to come and join us?" Rose offered,
"No, thanks," the Doctor said with a chuckle, "I'll be fine here. Plus you won't be able to gossip about me when I'm in the room."
Rose grinned, a blush staining her cheeks, her mood restored. "Alright, Doctor. But the offers still open if you change your mind."
The Doctor nodded before leaning in and sweetly kissing her. "Love you," he breathed,
"Love you too," Rose said before getting up and joining her friends for movies and gossiping. But all through the afternoon, she couldn't get the Doctor's words out of her head. Was something wrong? Was something coming? Rose felt very uneasy.
The next couple of days passed pleasantly enough. Rose spent time catching up with her friends and mother and making friends with Scott. He seemed an incredibly nice person and got on well with the Doctor and Jack. They were even debating whether to let him into their secret about who they really were and what they did.
Matt turned up the day after their arrival to a great welcome. Rose thought he looked pale and tired and he explained that apprenticing to some barrister chambers was really taking it out of him. He was also a bit heartbroken still as he and his former boyfriend Jake had parted ways since the TARDIS trio's last visit. The Doctor and Rose were sad to hear this as they had really liked Jake, but Matt said they had just grown apart. Jack took Matt off for the day and he returned home looking a lot happier, Rose had no doubt that Jack had worked some of his magic on her friend.
Kirsty had mentioned to Rose that she wanted to visit a big marital shop somewhere outside of London and so it was four days after their return to Earth that Rose was standing outside the TARDIS doubtfully watching the Doctor doing something to a motorcycle that he had found in the depths of the TARDIS. She let out a sigh, thinking back to the evening before when she had asked Kirsty how they planned to get there.
"Motorbikes," Kirsty had said enthusiastically, "Scott's an ace motorcyclist and he said he'd give me a lift. He's bringing one of his best mates to give Lauren a ride and he said he can bring another for you unless the Doctor can ride. Can he?"
"Erm, kind of," Rose answered, thinking back to the last time she'd been on a moped with the Doctor during the Queen's Coronation, "Not sure he ever passed his test though. But then again, I'm not sure he ever passed his test to pilot the TARDIS…"
Her friends giggled.
"So, does he have his own bike?" Kirsty asked,
"I dunno," Rose said, "He might do somewhere in the TARDIS. I'll ask him and text you the answer,"
"Right," Kirsty nodded, "Well, Scott said he can get a spare one if he doesn't. So, we'll meet you at nine o'clock outside the TARDIS tomorrow morning. See you then!"
As it happened, the Doctor did have another motorcycle and at Rose's urging and much to his disgust, he found himself practising how to ride it at eight o'clock the next morning.
"Oh, there you are!" he said, standing up and turning around to see her, "Did you find it?"
"Yup," Rose said, brandishing the pink helmet that she had originally worn on their adventure in 1953, "It was in the wardrobe next to the skirt and jacket. I was so tempted to put them on as well but thought it might look a bit out of place plus I remembered what a killer it was wearing a skirt on the moped."
The Doctor grinned and ran his hands over her arse. "I prefer you in jeans anyway. Get to see your delicious figure…"
Rose smiled and rewarded him with a kiss. "Have you been practising?" she then asked,
"Yeah," he nodded, "Get on, I'll show you."
Kirsty, Scott, Lauren and Scott's mate arrived at the Estate about an hour later to discover Rose grounding to a halt on the motorbike, her hands on the handles, with the Doctor sitting behind her, his hands over hers. They watched as the Doctor leant forward and whispered something in her ear which made her giggle and smile, lean back against him and say something back to him. Whatever it was made him smile proudly, wrap his arms tightly around her and kiss her sweetly.
"It's rather nauseating, isn't it?" Lauren remarked.
Scott shook his head in disbelief. "Why the hell aren't they married?" he said, "They're just perfect and obviously in love,"
"Welcome to what we're all wondering, including Rose," Kirsty said, "C'mon, let's go break it up or we'll never get there."
The four of them wandered over, pushing the two bikes with them. The Doctor and Rose broke apart when they saw them coming and smiled welcomingly.
"This is Danyal, my best mate," Scott said, gesturing to the young man beside him. He was tall and well built with very dark brown hair and smouldering brown eyes,
"Hi," Rose said with a grin,
"Hey there," he replied easily, "I go by Dan most of the time. Good to meet you both. Shall we go then?"
"I just need to get something. Won't be a min," the Doctor said, disappearing into the TARDIS. Scott and Dan raised their eyebrows at just why he was going into a police box but didn't say anything. Seconds later, the Doctor was back, wearing something over the jeans and t-shirt he had decided to don for the outing.
It was his previous reincarnations leather jacket.
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