Mickey had come home very late that night, as far as Rose could gather. The light streamed through the gap in the curtains, causing Rose to squint slightly. Mickey snored whilst she got out of bed and slowly got dressed, packing her small suitcase, and practically walking out of the door in a matter of moments. She was used to this by now, and it didn't bother her at having to get up so early.
She took a taxi to the Torchwood headquarters, knowing it would be silly to take her car there and leave it in the car park, then met Jack outside in the private field, beside his jet.
He smiled warmly at her and pulled her inside his jet, forcing her to sit in a comfy looking seat beside a window.
"There you go! Do you like it? It should be quite a nice trip today. I want you to relax, ok? Take your well deserved time out." He said.
Rose sighed.
"Jack, this better not be one of those ideas you've tried to make happen before. If those rumours are false and you sent me there just so I would get away from the office you will be in serious-"
Jack looked shocked.
"No, Rose! Of course not. I'm pretty sure these accusations need investigating."
"How come I don't believe you?" she asked accusingly, then made to get up, before Jack pushed her down again.
"Jack-" she warned, eyebrows raised. But Jack pouted.
"Rose…please go there. You're the best." he pleaded.
"…All right." She finally answered, knowing there wasn't much point resisting in this sort of situation. Jack grinned and stood, making Rose inwardly feel the urge to smack him for being so childish.
"See ya when you get back."
"Yeh."
He moved out of the jet, and on the way out, whispered something to the pilot.
"Keep an eye on her please."
"Sure." Replied the pilot, nodding.
Jack watched as the pilot got into the jet and it disappeared into the distance.
Sighing, he turned back to Torchwood, only to be almost run over by his secretary, Sarah. She ran towards him in her suit, hair flying out behind her, an urgent expression on her face.
"Jack! Jack!"
He almost laughed at her. What could be this important to send the usually quiet Sarah into a frenzy?
"It's the Doctor, Jack! He's in your office!"
She stopped in front of him, breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath back.
Jack froze.
No, she had to be lying…Instead of asking her anything, he dashed towards his office, and burst into it, almost collapsing when he saw the man in front of him, alongside a girl.
The man grinned and held out his hand.
"Hey Jack, its been a while."
Jack stared at the hand before taking it, and shaking it. He weakly smiled at the Doctor.
"Its really you…but...how?"
The Doctor shrugged and frowned.
"To be honest, I really don't know. The TARDIS obviously found a small gap into this universe…a gap I had overseen before…its pretty unusual."
Jack nodded and chuckled.
"Well," he said, "Its good to see you again."
The Doctor smiled at Jack's face.
"Same." He said, then he turned and beckoned over the brunette girl, "This is Martha. She's...travelling with me."
Jack turned to the girl and flashed a grin at her.
"Pleased to meet you."
"And you." She replied politely.
The Doctor looked pleased, but then turned back to Jack.
"I suppose you know what else I'd like to do while I'm here…" he said.
Jack shrugged.
"Travel on a Double Decker bus? Eat a sandwich? …See Rose?" he asked.
The Doctor's eyes lightened at the last part.
"Rose? Is she here? How is she?" he asked urgently, stepping forward. Jack ran a hand through his hair and the Doctor's face fell.
"Oh God…she isn't…?" he trailed off, his eyes darkening.
"She's fine, Doctor. In fact, lets sit down."
The Doctor and Martha slowly sat down, as did Jack.
"Tell me everything that's happened." The Doctor finally spoke up.
"Ok, let me think of where to begin…. oh yeah! Well, after your last visit with Rose on the beach, she recovered…kind of well…in a way…"
"In a way?" queried the Doctor, eyebrows raised.
"Yes," carried on Jack. "In a way. She went back to university and got some levels and degrees. She could have used them, but I offered her a job, here at Torchwood. Obviously, she accepted. And she's worked here ever since."
"But…" probed the Doctor, sensing something was coming.
"But…she's been a bit strange. She's lived with Mickey in a flat for a few months, but she's so…absorbed in her work. Her family rarely see her anymore. She hardly eats, and I know, because she's gotten so much thinner. Believe me Doctor, I have tried to get her to take time off, but she refuses. Every time. Something's changed about her, but she won't talk to anyone…"
The Doctor felt couldn't help but tense up when Mickey was concerned, but listened to Jack with a hunger for more information. A million questions were buzzing around in his head. But there was just one he needed a definite answer to. He slowly stood up, Martha following his actions.
"Where is she? I want to see her."
Jack sighed and shook his head.
"She's gone for a few days to investigate some rumours up North about alien sightings. Actually, I didn't think that they sounded truthful, but she deserved a break…"
The Doctor looked frustrated, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
His Rose. His Rose had changed…and he hadn't been there to see why."Okay," he said after thinking, "I'll see her when she gets back…until then, do you mind if I see Jackie and Pete?"
Jack nodded.
"Sure, their address is on Roses desk. Her office is down the corridor."
The Doctor nodded and turned to Martha.
"Stay here. I'll be back in a moment." He said, before marching out into the hallway and down it…
His jacket rustled behind him, and he stopped in front of a large looking office door, with the name Rose Tyler engraved on the front in capital letters. He felt so much happiness in that moment, that he felt like he was the stars and the planets themselves. But then there was the dampening emotion of her not being there to feed his curiosity…
Rose…he could see her again…soon.
Smiling slightly, he made his way into her office and looked around.
The laptop was off, and her desk was full of papers. Curious, he glanced at a stapled stack and flicked through it.
Gabrielle May-Seemed almost eccentric on her 'supposed' sighting of seeing the slitheen in her house. Was given a full interview, and Torchwood investigated this, but to no avail. The woman was determined as 'over stressed' and 'delusional' before being subscribed to some drugs by Torchwood's hospital.
He chuckled, and mused over Torchwood having a hospital. The woman's photo sat below the statement, looking strange amidst all the writing. Knowing that he had drifted off what he had oriiginally come here to do, he tried to figure out which part of the desk he should examine first to find the address of her parents.
His eyes widened as he looked at a small photo beside her laptop.
Rose and Mickey held hands and were smiling at each other, Rose was wearing a suit and Mickey wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. Although she was smiling, it didnt quite reach her eyes... He gritted his teeth. He really did miss her. It was hard to think that it had been a few months ago since he had lost her, whilst it had been a year for Rose. A year that he had missed out on. Where she had gotten on with her life.
In a moment the Doctor realised something. He was jealous.
Shaking his head, he resumed his search and finally found a small card on her desk with every address and number of everyone she knew enlisted on it. He tucked it into one of his many pockets and walked back to Jack's office, finding Jack and Martha smiling and talking with each other.
"Anything interesting happen while I was gone?" he asked, leaning on the doorway.
Jack and Martha immediately turned round, and both looked guilty. The Doctor wanted to laugh so badly at their faces.
"Its all right, its all right." He said, smiling at both of them. "I'm sorry for the intrusion. But Martha, I think its best if you stay here while I visit Rose's parents. Jack, you willing to look after her?"
Jack brightened and grinned.
"Sure am, Doc. I'll show her around the place."
Martha looked embarrassed, but nodded eagerly.
"Good," said the Doctor, clapping his hands together, "Then its settled. I'll be back in a few hours."
He left the office before either of them could utter a goodbye.
Jackie sat in the kitchen, stirring a mug of coffee, absorbed in her own thoughts when a short knock at the door woke her up.She had heard that knock before…
Frowning and wondering who this could possibly be this early in the morning, she walked towards the front door in her pink dressing gown.
Oh…what if it was Rose?She knew she shouldn't get her hopes up. She hadn't seen Rose in ages, but still, she hastened her pace, and unlatched the door, allowing her to see who was on the other side.
"Oh." she just about managed to whisper, as she stared at the man in front of her, who was grinning like a lunatic.
The Doctor…"Hey Jackie. Bet you weren't expecting to see me here."
He moved forward into the house and looked around.
"Nice place." He commented. "Pete home?"
Jackie stood, hardly believing her eyes and ears.
"Um…thanks…and no, he isn't in at the moment…"
The Doctor nodded, and in one fast moment Jackie squealed and grabbed him into a tight hug.
"You're back…wow…you're really back…" she muttered, crushing the Doctor under her colossal grip.
He was extremely surprised at this and only just about managed to choke out a reply.
"Yeh…yes I am, Jackie. Now, could-you please let-go-of-me. I'm starting to suffocate."
Jackie spurred into action at this, and let go of him, grabbing him and pulling him into the kitchen to follow her. He sat down opposite her.
"Before you ask how I got here, I don't know. I thought it was impossible, but hey, it turns out the impossible is possible in certain circumstances."
This made Jackie give a flicker of a smile.
"And," he carried on, "I guess it's obvious I want to know how Rose had been doing…"
He looked at her in a hopeful way, but she shook her head.
"I…I don't know Doctor."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I…" Jackie sighed, "I haven't seen Rose in months."
The Doctor evidently looked shocked, and he leant back in his chair, averting his gaze to the floor.
"Why haven't you seen her in so long?"
"She's always busy. Work and things like that. To tell the truth, I don't even think Mickey sees much of her anymore, and he lives with her for gods sake."
The Doctor felt himself tense yet again at the name of Mickey, but shrugged it off.
He sighed. He really didn't know what else to say. It was obvious that Rose was becoming a loner.
"Jackie, I know it's been a short conversation, but I really have to go now, because-"
Jackie stood, and glared at him.
"You're not going anywhere. How do I know you won't disappear again? Rose will never get to see you…you might be able to help her…"
She crossed her arms as the Doctor stood.
"Jackie," he said gently, "I really can't wait until I see her again. There hasn't been a day when I haven't thought about Rose and how much I miss her. Not a day when I wished that she was still travelling with me. To hear her voice, her laugh…to see her face…just one more time. Its…"
The Doctor searched for the word to use, but gave up and Jackie suddenly realised how hard it had been on him as well. She moved forward and hugged him again.
"I don't care about that TARDIS thing of yours, you're staying here tonight. I have a few extra rooms in this house."
"Ah…well, you see, there's another girl with me now. Martha…is it possible for her to stay as well? If not I better stay in the TARDIS."
The Doctor flinched, as though expecting a slap from Jackie any minute now, but she didn't look phased at all.
"It must have gotten lonely." She stated, looking at him.
"It was hard for me to have another …assistant. After Rose. Martha…kept my mind off it." he admitted, eyes shadowing over. Jackie stared at him for a few moments, her eyes filled with pity, then nodded understandingly.
"You and Martha can stay here. You will stay here."
The Doctor couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by her gaze…he had seen Darleks and Cybermen, but nothing could meet Rose's mother's stare. He nodded and quickly made his way out, before popping his head round the front door.
"Cheerio!" he blurted in a merry tone with a small grin before heading towards Torchwood again.
Jackie stared after him, shaking her head with disbelief.
Honestly, she thought, what a strange man. Human... Alien... Thing…
But she couldn't help but smile at him.
For a second, she thought about ringing Rose and telling her. But she knew that would be a mistake. She wasn't sure how Rose could take it, and besides, it was the Doctor's choice on how or when he met up with her.
She just hoped that it was possible he could help change her back to the normal, lovable, friendly and kind Rose, she used to know as her daughter.
No, she didn't hope. She prayed.
Authors Note: Wow! Thanks all you reviewers, you inspired me, lol. And here you go, more stuff for you to read, not to the best of my ability, but hey, hopefully it'll be all right. Anywayz, as before, please review, or at least, I hope you review. Doesnt take much time ya'know, and also, I hope you liked it. Next chappie will be up whenever I feel like it...Which should be soon. : )
x X x gothlyssa x X x