Hello again. I forgot to mention last time, but this episode is probably placed sometime after The Satan Pit. Mostly because I love the prophetic 'valiant child' but I hate Love & Monsters. The italics are flashbacks, of Rose's obviously.
From her position inside her tiny cell in the slaver transport, Rose listened to the bustling of the three-man crew. The Captain was a dark-skinned 'Neo-human' called Jas, who ruled the 'Bad Wolf' with an iron fist – he knew every single inch of his ship, top to bottom, with his nephew Jayden following in his footsteps. In contrast, his second-in-command Markl was a 'soft touch', kind to everybody, which was odd considering his profession. However, Rose was grateful for his presence, as he was often the one who took the edge off of Jas' temper.
Rose looked sideways at her 'cellmate', Brywen. Brywen was an alien from the planet she and the Doctor had been visiting. Xak-Tsaroth natives, like Brywen, had dark hair and skin, but violet, pupil-less eyes. Though perturbed at first, Rose had soon been able to see why slavers took so much interest in them – both men and women tended towards extreme beauty. Brywen smiled over at her, sharp canines flashing before the head of long, curly hair tilted back towards the window of the cell, which only showed a view of space, space and more space.
They exchanged looks of mutual un-enthusiasm as the distinct sound of Jas' boots grew louder. As he appeared in the doorway, his grin was one of a man whose type her mother had always warned her about. It made her feel uncomfortable in her own skin, for a start.
"Well girls" Both girls shivered at his tone "Let's see if I can't get the truth out of you this time"
Rose snapped upwards, grappling with her sheets as the dream continued. Half-awake, but still half dreaming, she tried to take stock of her surroundings and failed. She froze instinctively when a pair of hands grabbed her, the strong grip holding her in place while a familiar male voice called out for her.
She stared at the man leaning over her, blinked and stared while he leaned back, cocky smile at the ready.
"Jack?" She exhaled the name, disbelieving.
"In the flesh" He grinned at her, though instead of reminding her of how she had seen him last, she instead thought of the RAF officer she had met in the London Blitz. Shallow, slightly bitter and fake. She would have been reminded of that if she had been able to process anything other than the fact that Jack was alive, in front of her. She gathered what strength was left in her body and flung herself across the short distance, arms going around his torso as she grabbed on for dear life, feeling him hug her back with just as much ferocity. She buried her face in his neck, tears welling up on their own even though she felt like she had used up her stores of tears on the ship. Her joy wasn't just for seeing Jack again, but joy at seeing any face again, on Earth. Sitting next to Brywen she even would have given anything just to see Darren Pye's face again, none the less Jack's. She knew her nails were going to leave marks of his back and her shoulders were starting to hurt from his strong grip but she couldn't bring herself to care.
"Thought you were dead" She muttered into his shoulder, gulping back more tears without much success. He pulled back slightly, smiling at her with red-rimmed eyes and she couldn't bring herself to be surprised when he leaned back in and planted a more-than-friendly kiss straight on her mouth. She grinned at him when he pulled away.
"Miss me?"