Dinner that night was something Rose would never forget. Jack came in whistling jauntily, which was enough to make the Doctor cast Rose a look that was part "prepare to run" and part "told-you-so". Rose laid her hand over his where it rested on the table and whispered, "I don't hear anyone shouting for the guards."
A porter announced the arrival of the emperor and his bride. Rose, the Doctor, and Jack stood until Napoleon and Josephine were seated. Jack shared intimate, smug looks with the emperor, and Josephine gained a satisfied, flushed look whenever she looked at her husband or the former Time Agent.
Rose and the Doctor exchanged an uncomfortable look, and Rose withdrew her hand from where it still lay on the Doctor's.
Josephine was a gracious hostess and kept the conversation flowing lightly. Even so, Rose begged off as soon as she could, claiming she was not fully recovered from travelling. Seeing the Doctor's stricken look as she moved to leave, Rose gave him an encouraging smile, but she still headed back to her room.
Getting out of the corset was one of the most liberating experiences Rose had ever had. Never before had she properly appreciated the ability to take a deep breath. Dressed, with the help of Marie (who had since excused herself for the night), in her simple cotton shift, Rose lay on the bed and stretched her arms above her head so that her lungs could expand in all directions. Greedily, she gulped down huge breaths. She watched her chest rise and fall, smiling softly at the feel of her ribs stretching.
The panel in the wall snicked open. Rose couldn't be bothered to shift out of her current position, which she knew must look like it was inspired by a porn-star. In fact, she wasn't sure she wanted to. He'd been playing with her since they'd landed the TARDIS, and it was about time she joined the game.
"Moon still bothering you?" Rose asked, knowing full well that it hadn't risen yet.
"Yeah," the Doctor said in a choked voice as his eyes trailed over her form. Rose was aware that in her current posture, her nipples pointed towards the ceiling and, under his scrutiny, they began to pebble, which only strengthened his interest. "I…uh…" He seemed to try and fail to rally himself.
Rose took pity on him, and (after one last deep breath which the Doctor watched avidly) she sat up, propped on her elbows. "What is it, Doctor?" she asked him.
He snapped his mouth shut from where it hung slightly open. Pulling his shoulders back, the Doctor forced a professional attitude.
"Spoke to Jack," he said almost tersely. "He said we can leave tomorrow. I think it's a good idea; the TARDIS is probably getting lonely."
A pang shot through Rose. Part of it was guilt for enjoying her time with the Doctor, his lanky frame wrapped around her each night while the TARDIS sat alone with no company but an intergalactic felon. But, if Rose were honest, she would admit that even more she hurt to know that, when they returned to the TARDIS, the Doctor would have no reason to seek her out at night. Whether it was boredom that drove him to her bed at night, or loneliness, he would not need her anymore. With the TARDIS' voice in his head, he wouldn't be alone at night, and tinkering would easily keep him busy.
She forced a smile, knowing she was being selfish. She had no hold on him and no right to try to form one.
"Then let's leave in the morning. It'll be good to be home." She held out a hand to him. "And I we're going to be leaving early, then I'm going to need my beauty sleep, and you standing there won't help me sleep."
The Doctor grinned and shucked off his jacket before taking her hand and allowing himself to be pulled down next to her. They lay still for a moment, fingers entwined, faces inches from each other, breath warming each other's face.
Then, the Doctor rolled away and began to unlace his boots. Rose sighed. "I'm surprised Jack isn't trying to postpone us leaving since he's found a new toy." She said it as much to distract herself as anything. There was a thump as the Doctor got his shoes off and let them drop to the floor. He blew out the candle by his side of the bed, and lay back down next to her.
Finally, he spoke. "Not sure what he was talking about, but he said he was doing me a favor."
He rolled so that he propped himself up above her, their chests brushing against each other. It was all Rose could do to not moan as the cloth of his jumper rasped against her breasts through the thin cotton of her nightgown. When he rolled back off of her, the room was dark.
Though she could barely make out his shape, Rose turned to look at him, searching for some meaning in his recent actions. His hand snaked out and wrapped around her waist, pulling her to him.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead which, despite its softness, burned when he pulled back to whisper, "Sleep well, Rose."
Rose buried her head in his chest, trying to ignore the ache in her chest. It was all about to end.
*
When Rose woke the next morning, it was to the sound of a rapid knocking.
"Miss Rose!" Marie's voice rang out. "It's time for you to be getting up!"
A panicked glance to her side revealed that the Doctor was already gone. Her gaze flew to the secret door which was closed. Instead of relief, Rose felt only longing and abandonment.
"I'm up!" she called, barely resisting an urge to grouse.
Marie swept in, bearing another elegant dress. Rose bit back a groan.
"I thought we were leaving this morning?" she asked hopefully.
"But of course, miss," Marie said smoothly. "But their majesties have begged for your party to stay for a breakfast in your honor. Then we'll get you back in your travelling clothes and you'll be on your way."
"I see," Rose murmured. "Well, if I'm to spend the next two weeks in a dusty carriage, I'll need a bath."
She expected another argument like the morning before, but was surprised by the sly grin on Marie's face.
"I though you might say that," the maid commented, opening the door behind her, allowing in the servants who were waiting in the hall bearing a steaming tub. Once the tub had been put down and the men were gone, Marie briskly stripped Rose down and ushered her into the bath.
Rose was ready for breakfast much quicker than the day before. Likely this was so that the Doctor, Jack and she could get on the road as early as possible. They had a long trip home, after all.
When she arrived at breakfast, Jack was already there, waiting.
"Where's the Doctor?" Rose asked.
"You don't know?" Jack seemed genuinely surprised.
"I haven't seen him since last night," she said honestly.
"Oh," Jack said with disappointment. "Well, he's down helping to get our carriage ready. He wants to get back as quickly as possible."
Rose nodded, sadly recognizing his eagerness to get back to the TARDIS.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, and Rose was aware of Jack's scrutiny. When Napoleon arrived, his wife on his arm, he sported a new crown, one of golden laurels. Rose looked over at Jack who threw her a grin when Napoleon whispered something in Josephine's ear. She didn't want to know how he had managed this, she really didn't. All reports said that Napoleon and Josephine were practically a storybook couple. Rose was going to try to keep that image firmly in mind, despite how Jack's salacious grin would try to chase it away.
It was a pleasant meal, or would have been if Rose hadn't been increasingly aware of the Doctor's absence. After nearly half an hour, the Doctor finally emerged.
"Is the carriage ready?" Josephine asked politely.
"Nearly. Your majesties have been kind enough to equip us with provisions. As soon as they've been loaded, and once Lady Rose has had time to ready herself for travel, we can be on our way." As he said this, the Doctor sat himself at the table, but not in his customary spot. Instead of sitting firmly at Rose's side, he grabbed the seat next to Jack, on the other side of the table from her. He didn't so much as glance her way.
After the Doctor had wolfed down a light breakfast, he went back to see to the packing. Confused and hurt, Rose headed off to her room. She almost saw the grey shift as a solace. If she could hide her skin, maybe she could hide everything else. Anyone in this dress should be somber, so it shouldn't seem out of place for her to be quiet. She knew that if she didn't bite her tongue, she was likely to start screaming, begging for answers, and she also knew no answers could be forthcoming. No explanation could soothe her, anyway. He had turned himself off towards her.
Back in the bland, skintight dress, Rose cast a quick glance at the mirror. The person who looked back was world weary and pained.
She forced a small smile into place, bid a fond farewell to Marie, and stepped out into the hall and back to normal.
*
Everything was different on the ride back to Rome. The Doctor spent all of the first week sitting up front with the driver. When they stopped for the night, Rose was still required by custom to sleep in the same room as her guardian, the Doctor. However, he now spent the night in whatever chair was afforded to him. When he woke her in the morning, it wasn't with the low rumble in her ear that she had grown used to over the past couple weeks, nor was it the excited call to adventure that he usually used in the TARDIS. Instead, it was a curt, almost cold voice that roused her.
Jack must have recognized Rose's distress, which was only natural as she made little effort to hide it. He didn't ask her about it even though they were alone, but he did do his best to cheer her up. She tried to let it work, and then she tried to seem like she was cheered, but he knew better. He began to long for the trip to be over.
At one point, he even proved that he could get there just as quickly without the carriage by running alongside it. Eventually even his 51st century body tired and he clambered back into the coach, panting.
Rose smirked at him. "Stop harassing the driver." Jack saw her smile and beamed.
"But it's so much fun," he said petulantly.
"I thought you just liked sexual harassment," she chided.
"All types of harassment have their uses," he told her with a wink. "I'm not nearly as discriminating as you think."
Rose laughed and shook her head. "Way too much information, there, Jack." She sat back and looked at the world slowly passing by the window. It was nearly an hour before the glow of contentment faded.
When there was only four days left in their journey, Nature threw a tantrum as violent as the one Rose wanted to have. The horses turned out to be very well trained as they ignored the rain, lightning, wind, and thunder and persisted on their journey. The driver had warm, waterproof clothes made of waxed canvas. With a wide brimmed hat he was as dry as anyone in the carriage. And in the carriage was one extra person. The Doctor had been chased reluctantly inside by the storm. Well, the storm and Rose's pleading. She didn't care that he was endowed with superior physiology, and she told him so. He'd be more comfortable inside, and that, as far as Rose was concerned, was that.
It turned out that Rose would have been more comfortable with him out in the rain. The Doctor sat so stiffly, taking care that he didn't touch her. Instead of stretching his legs out, he folded them in a way that had to be uncomfortable. Holding back the tears that stung the corners of her eyes, Rose pressed herself into the side of the carriage as they rolled on.
For awhile, Jack tried to initiate conversation, but the Doctor only gave monosyllabic answers. Rose made an effort for awhile, but every time she spoke, she could see the Doctor tense, so she, too, lapsed into silence.
The rain droned on outside the window, muting color and sound. Rose hadn't been sleeping well lately, but she didn't think the Doctor had slept at all. And, in the silence and warmth of the carriage, with its gentle rocking, the Doctor fell asleep. Rose watched him quietly for awhile. She tried to ignore how much it hurt that he wasn't comfortable enough with her anymore to sleep when alone in a room with her.
The carriage jolted as they hit a pothole hidden by the rain. Rose nearly jumped out of her skin when the Doctor slouched to the side, using her as a pillow. He breathed in deeply, and the tension that had been in his face, even in sleep, evaporated. Rose was frozen by indecision. She should push him away, wake him up. But he'd been so distant that she craved the trust he was showing in his sleep. Before she could make a decision, the Doctor's arms snaked around her waist, pulling her against him. Her name was whispered into her neck. Rose knew she flushed crimson.
"Well," Jack murmured so as not to wake the Doctor. "He seems to know what he wants. To have and to hold as it were."
Rose wanted to tell Jack to shut up, but she had no grounds to do so, under the circumstances. She also wanted to melt into the floor. But mostly, she wanted to know what the hell was going on in the Doctor's head.
Aware that none of this was likely, Rose just shot Jack a warning look and settled into the Doctor's embrace. She knew she was too far gone to do much more than take whatever she could get, at least for now.
Eventually, the roaring hiss of rain came to an end. The silence in its wake was nearly deafening and the Doctor jerked awake. Instantly, he straightened. If he even realized how he had been sleeping, he didn't acknowledge it. He cast her a quick glance that Rose thought was full of longing, but it had disappeared so fast that she wasn't sure. He opened the door and jumped out, sprinting forward to the driver's seat and hoisting himself up. Rose knew if she had tried something like that, she would've broken her leg. It was an effective escape.
Jack shrugged in sympathetic confusion, and Rose slumped back into the seat.
The rest of the trip passed the same way, in cold distance. As soon as they arrived in the Vatican, Rose hurried off to return the dresses she'd been loaned by the nuns. Jack and the Doctor went towards the TARDIS to destroy the death crown that Jack had stowed in the carriage, and to properly secure the prisoner who had impersonated the pope.
When she reached the room she had stayed in, the Mother Superior was already there. Rose stopped dead in the doorway, causing the servant who was carrying her trunk to nearly run into her.
The Mother Superior smiled indulgently at Rose. "Keep the dresses. That Doctor of yours seemed to like them." Rose opened her mouth to protest, but the Mother Superior kept on, allowing no argument. "Besides, making new ones will give us something to do. It does get so boring in here." Rose stood, slack jawed, as the nun swept past her. Halfway down the hall, the older woman stopped and turned back towards Rose. "By the way, you're living in sin." She winked. "I'm required to say that. Now get to it, my child." And, with that, she strode confidently down the hall.
Uncertain of what else to do, Rose took her trunk from the servant, dismissed him, and headed down to the TARDIS.
