Chapter Six
The Doctor and Rose continued their walk. They talked to each other as they walked along enjoying the fact that they were together once more. As they passed by some shops, Rose suddenly tugged on the Doctor's hand.
The Doctor looked at her quizzically.
"Um…Doctor, would you mind if we played another prank on Mickey and Martha and…my mum as well."
The Doctor smiled.
"I'm always up for a prank, you know that."
"Well, I just figured since you were in a new body; you might not like that anymore."
"Rose, I know that my personality changes somewhat every time I regenerate, but some things about me will never change and I'll always love a prank."
He put his arm around her shoulder.
"What'd you have in mind, my little schemer?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
Rose looked into his eyes and smiled as he saw her old Doctor reflected in them. Just as she had seen the 9th Doctor reflected in the 10th Doctor's eyes. She took comfort in that knowing that no matter what he looked like; at the core he would always be the same man. She grinned and pointed to a nearby shop.
"I want to give you a little bit of a makeover." She said. "After seeing you in these black clothes, I've had a brilliant idea."
"Oh boy, I have the feeling that I've just agreed to something I shouldn't have." The Doctor teased.
He smiled as he took Rose's hand in his and let her lead him across the street into the shop.
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"Hey, everyone, we're back!"
Martha and Mickey, who were sitting side by side on the couch, looked back as Rose entered the room.
"Hey," Martha said. "Did you have a good wa…"
She paused when the Doctor came into the room after her. Her eyes bulged out of her head as she stared at him. He was wearing jet black eye shadow and lipstick and had several piercings on his face and ears.
"Hey, Martha, look at me." He said happily. "Rose convinced me that since I'm wearing black now; I should just take the plunge and go for the full Goth look. I kinda like it. What'd you think?"
Martha and Mickey stared at him in shock.
"I think you look like a nightmare." Martha finally said.
"Really? You mean I'll scare all my enemies now?"
"I mean you'll scare everybody! Not to mention the fact that it was hard enough fitting in on other planets and in other times without you looking like Count Dracula."
"Aw, come on, Martha. Be more adventurous." The Doctor said sitting down in a chair beside her. "Stand out from the crowd. Be different."
"I can be different without looking like a complete weirdo, thanks." She replied. "And if you insist on looking like that, I think I'll stay here."
The Doctor grinned at her and winked.
"Relax, Martha, it's just a joke." He said.
He gestured to Rose who was sitting beside him.
"It was Rose's idea. She took me to a shop and got some black eye shadow and lipstick and also some clip on earrings."
"So, none of those piercings are real?" Martha asked.
"Nope."
"Oh, thank God for that." Martha said putting her hand over her heart as the Doctor giggled.
"Yup, I think you'll find that Rose has the ability to talk me into a lot of things." The Doctor said, winking at Rose. "She's very persuasive."
"I guess so. I don't think I could have ever talked you into putting black makeup and piercings on your face in a million years."
"I tried to get him to put black nail polish on his fingernails, but he wouldn't go that far." Rose said.
"Nah, this was more than enough for me." The Doctor replied. "I don't need to blacken up my fingernails for one little joke."
They looked over as they heard a door open nearby.
"Rose? Is that you? I'm sorry, love, I was in the bathroom." Jackie said as she came out of the hallway into the living room. "Did you have a nice wa…"
She paused when she finally caught sight of the Doctor.
"HEY MA, I'VE GONE GOTH!" The Doctor yelled at her.
Jackie stared at him for a moment and then without another word turned on her heel and went straight into the kitchen. The Doctor giggled as Rose slapped his arm. He gave her a wicked grin.
"JACKIE!" he yelled.
He waited a moment.
"JACKIE!" he yelled again when she didn't appear.
"WHAT, DOCTOR?" Jackie said, exasperated, as she came into the living room.
"Sorry to bother you, Jackie, but I'm in the mood for some music. Do you have anything by The Cure, or The Smiths?"
Jackie turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen.
"HOW ABOUT SOME MORRISEY?" the Doctor yelled as Rose giggled.
Jackie came back out of the kitchen.
"Doctor, I don't know what the bloody Hell prompted you to fix your face like that, but you will go to the bathroom and get it off. My husband and daughter will be home any moment and I'll be damned if the first thing they see is you. Now go and take that junk off or go back to your TARDIS!"
The Doctor pouted. He rose from the chair and stomped to the bathroom as Rose bent over laughing.
"Sorry, mum, it was my idea." She said when she saw Jackie glaring at her.
"I shoulda known you'd have something to do with it. Honestly, Rose, you wouldn't know the two of you were adults sometimes by the way you act."
She shook her head.
"Supper's about ready and he better get that stuff of his face. I'm not gonna be eatin' my bangers and mash while Marilyn Manson is sittin' across from me."
"He will, mum. We just wanted to play a prank on all of you."
Jackie shook her head.
"You two were meant for each other, that's for certain." She said going back into the kitchen.
Rose giggled. She looked over at Martha.
"Sorry, I just took one look at his outfit and the idea just popped in my head." She said. "I bet the two of you had fun playing pranks on each other."
"Um…actually, we never did." Martha said. "This is a completely different side of him that I've never seen before."
"You mean he never acted silly with ya?" Rose asked.
"Well…he did, to an extent, but not by playing pranks like this. Frankly, he was unhappy a lot of the time and after what happened with us and the Valeyard; he kinda retreated into himself. This is the first time he's laughed and smiled in months."
Rose's heart ached as she remembered the Doctor's story.
"The Doctor told me what happen to you and the Doctor. I'm so sorry." She said.
Martha shook her head.
"It's alright. It's over now. All I know is after we got out of there; he became even more determined to find you. I know his torment had something to do with you, and I think he wanted to make sure you were really all right. And…I just think he needed you near him again even more than before."
She smiled.
"And I'm so glad he did. It's nice seeing being playful and goofy and not crying his eyes out or sulking in his bedroom. If you have the ability to bring that out of him then I'm glad you're coming back with us. Hopefully, we can keep it going. I heard stories about what it was like when you traveled with him and I was envious because it sounded like you had a blast. The Doctor isn't much fun to travel with when he's constantly grieving."
"Well, we'll just have to make sure he doesn't do that anymore, eh?" Rose said.
Martha nodded.
"What about me? Aren't I going to be involved with any of this?" Mickey asked.
Rose looked at him.
"You wanna come?"
"I'd like to."
He sighed.
"I've been thinking about it, Rose, and I realized that I miss traveling around and having adventures. I thought I was through with it after the Doctor left, but now that he's here; I want to see the universe."
He looked at Martha.
"'Sides, Martha and I have been talking and we have a lot in common." He added.
Rose grinned.
"So, you two..."
Martha blushed.
"Well, I think we'll get to know each other a little better and take it from there." She said.
They looked over as the Doctor walked into the living room.
"Okay, I took all of it off. I hope Jackie is satisfied now." He said pointing to his face.
"I am. You look sinister enough without the black makeup and earrings on top of it." Martha said.
"Sinister?" the Doctor said, hurt. "I'm not sinister at all. I'm a big, cuddly puppy dog, aren't I Rose."
"Yup, you're my little Doctor puppy." She said as the Doctor walked over and kissed her on the lips.
"What about that big Amoeba creature on Xapthera? When you blasted him to bits; I doubt the last words that came to his mind was the Doctor is a little, cuddly, puppy dog."
Minos was about to absorb you, as I recall, and I gave him my usual warning to back off or else. He wouldn't do it, so I killed him to save your life. He was a bad guy and I'm not a cuddly, puppy dog when the forces of evil around."
He looked at Rose.
"Rose Tyler, however, is a different story. I see her and I melt like hot butter and she knows it."
"As for my black outfit, I told both you and Rose the reasons why I chose it."
He leaned back up.
"And to tell you the truth, I think I look quite dashing in it."
"I agree." Rose said.
He smiled and leaned down to give her another long, lingering kiss on the lips.
"Oh bloody Hell, is this gonna be happening every five minutes now?" Martha said.
"Pretty much, yeah." The Doctor said coming up for air. "Now if you'll excuse me…"
He dove back in and snogged Rose like there was no tomorrow.
"Get used to it, Martha. The Doctor wasn't kidding when he said this kind of thing'll be happening frequently." Mickey said.
"Well, I'm gonna be in my room reading a lot then." Martha replied.
As the Doctor and Rose continued to snog, they heard the front door open.
"Doctor, someone's coming." Martha said. "Ix-nay on the nog-say!"
The Doctor didn't hear her. He was so distracted he didn't notice that Pete had come into the room until he said.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"