A/N: So I've decided to have this story completely written, so I don't fall behind, like on the others, so this may end up having a chapter a day. Also, this chapter takes place during JE.
Disclaimer: You can guess.
A Present for the Doctor
Chapter 2
Donna was spending spare time exploring when she stepped on the tail. The small cat hissed at her, and Donna was very tempted to hiss right back,
"DOCTOOOOR, WHY IS THERE A BLOODY CAT ON THE TARDIS?" Then the cat had the nerve to meow (Donna heard it as a screech or howl), "DOCTOOOOOOOOOOOOR!"
"DONNAAAAA?" Echoed along the corridor, accompanied by the rhythm of rubber soles hitting the ground. She could see him blurring down the stretch of floor, barreling at her quite fast, "What's wrong?" He barked, as he grew closer.
"What is that thing doing in here?" She jerked her thumb at the feline. As she watched, the Doctor's face grew soft, his mouth slackening and his eyes widening a tad,
"Oh, that there's Fluffy. Fluffy, Donna. Donna, Fluffy." He glanced between the two of them, gesturing nondescriptly, "She's my cat." Donna opened and closed her mouth a few times,
"Since when have you had a cat? You aren't exactly friendly with 'em." She folded her arms and glared at the cat, who in return, glared back. The Doctor looked at the cat, refusing to meet her eyes. Oh, it was from her wasn't it, "Doctor?"
"Rose. Rose gave her to me." He scooped up the disgruntled cat, and turned away from Donna, stroking the feline's head, "Isn't that right, Fluffy?" Fluffy purred, nuzzling her head into his hand. The Doctor sighed, and meandered down the corridor, mumbling and muttering to the cat in his arms.
Donna cursed to herself, of course "Miss-Perfect-Rose-Broke-My-Heart-Tyler" had given it to him. Good on her. At least he had a friend. Donna yawned and trudged to her room, a big day was ahead of them, and the Doctor was in for a surprise.
~oOo~
The first thing Rose did when they got back to the TARDIS, after everything was all well and done with, was find her room. Relief flooded through her to see that nothing had been changed, though there was a crinkle in the sheets that showed that somebody had slept their recently, and a lot more cat hair than she remembered.
Something brushed up against her leg.
"Hello there!" She grinned as she scooped up the kitten. Well she wasn't much of a kitten anymore, Fluffy had just about doubled in size since Rose had last seen her, "Was himself good for you while I was gone, Fluff?" The cat meowed and squirmed in her grip, "Fine, I'll let you down." The black and white ball curled up on her pillow, tail swishing contentedly, "Well someone's gotten more mature." She muttered, sitting down and making the bed dip.
She had been running for so long, searching for longer than seemed possible, she deserved a rest.
"Just close my eyes for moment, that's all."
Before long, Rose Tyler had fallen asleep with a cat curled up against her stomach.
~oOo~
The Doctor had noticed when Rose had left and he was starting to get worried, she'd been gone for the better part of and hour and still hadn't returned. He was going to investigate. Make sure she hadn't gotten herself lost or hurt or anything of the nature. The first place he went was the kitchen. Everyone but him, had left for the kitchen to make tea and find something to eat. Rose wasn't there. He checked the pool next. Nope, nobody there. He wound up in the wardrobe after a few minutes, and looked under piles of t-shirts, boas, and hats, but didn't find Rose. Eventually he ended up in front of The Door. The Door is to The Room, and nobody had found The Room, he'd made sure of it. Nervously, he opened the door without so much as a creek and looked around, and there was Rose. She had managed to wriggle one leg under the lumpy, pink comforter, and her right hand was gripping the corner of her pillow as she lay on her side. And... he almost missed it: there was a black and white lump snuggled up in the nook her bent knees and stomach made, Fluffy.
Quietly, he made his way over to the side of the bed she wasn't occupying and sat down, trying not to make the bed shift too much. Fluffy raised her head, and gave him what seemed to be a sleepy smile before nestling into Rose again. He smiled to himself, Rose was safe and hopefully she would stay that way.
~oOo~
It was decided, Rose would stay in Pete's World, with the metacrisis, and Fluffy would stay with him. Life was cruel.
