Doctor 10.5 and Rose find a rift in the universe and time is about to collapse. What happens when they travel back to their own universe, only to bump into a new Doctor and the Ponds? I don't own DW. If I did, Donna would still be around.
Hello
How was he even supposed to begin to explain Rose Tyler? The Doctor ran a hand through his shaggy hair, resting his elbows on the console in defeat. Amy gazed at him with scruitinizing eyes while Rory just looked sympathetic. Good old, Rory. He knew when to stop pressuring people. Maybe that's why he and Amy worked well together, they were opposites. He was trying to ignore them, but he couldn't. Years of supression and angst were bubbling to the surface and he couldn't keep it in any longer.
"She was the first companion I had after the time war," he started quietly.
He didn't want to tell them that he was in love with a human girl. That she was the best thing to happen to him. That she taught him to love when he was still mourning the loss of the family he once had and Galifrey as a whole. The ache in his hearts grew. His granddaughter, Susan, had grandchildren by then. No one survived, and it was all his bloody fault. How was he supposed to explain that she had saved him time and time again, only for him to leave her? He couldn't even admit that he loved her. "Rose Tyler" were the only words he managed to choke out in her presence. He didn't quite understand. His other incarnations were quite all right with letting companions go so they could move on with their lives, but no, not anymore. Rose changed him. She made him more sentimental. She eased the pain and lonliness he carried with him, and she made it alright to have friends. His thoughts travelled to Donna, and he felt miserable. She would never remember him. Maybe it was for the best. She had a life and a husband and most likely children. He couldn't destroy that like he'd destroyed so many other lives. He once again landed back on Rose. Did she and his clone have children? Most likely. Ten was so obvious about his feelings, even if he didn't say them out loud. Nine absolutely adored her, even if he claimed he didn't do domestic. He didn't want to explain that he kept her room, as if it were a shrine. Nothing had been touched, and the smell of her perfume still lingered in the air. He didn't want to explain the room of pinstripes and leather jackets, either. Or why he kept a stock of bananas in the fridge.
He looked back up at the couple, wiping his face.
"Doctor," Amy sounded conflicted. She had never seen him so upset.
"You don't have to tell us," Rory spoke up, taking Amy by the elbow.
Amy nodded begrudgingly, letting him lead her to their room.
"Thank you," he nodded curtly.
Jackie and Pete had been wary of letting the pair grow a new time machine. When they saw it had been growing, Jackie went off on a rampage.
"I've finally got you home, and now you're going to off zipping to Mars again," Jackie had complained.
"There's a crack, a hole between the two worlds mum. We've got to fix it," Rose tried to explain as calmly as she could.
"Again! I thought that bloody crack sealed itself. Listen here, Doctor. If you get her hurt or stuck in that world, I swear-" Jackie looked threateningly at her son-in-law.
"Mum!" Rose shouted.
"It's just...I want grandchildren," she pouted defeatedly.
"I don't want them to only be five years younger than their uncle," Rose said in reference to Tony.
"So you have thought about it," Jackie clapped her hands together.
The Doctor stared at the pair of blondes bicker back and forth, amused. He'd been confined to a bed for a week due to a silly cold, and he was lacking entertainment.
"Let's go," Rose pulled the Doctor along to the yard.
Rose and the Doctor walked in the back yard of the Tyler's estate, heading towards the back corner, hidden from view. The Doctor ducked into a small shed, Rose following. In front of them stood their newly grown TARDIS.
"Fantastic," the Doctor grinned.
Rose stared at it in disbelief.
"It worked," she said.
"Oh, yes," he enthused, hugging the blue police box.
He licked it and let go, "It doesn't taste the same. It's more bitter."
Rose rolled her eyes in amusement, but she was still excited. She opened the door, feeling as if she was thrust back to the first time she entered the TARDIS all those years ago. The shining beams and hum were welcoming and she felt as if she were home. The Doctor stood behind her, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him, the tears welling in her eyes. She threw her arms around him, kissing him quickly. His arms wrapped around her waist and he hugged her tightly, equally moved by the thought of being home. Rose pulled away, cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. She wiped her eyes and laughed.
"Let's go, explore, then. Allons-y," the Doctor intertwined his fingers with hers as they set off inside the box.
They examined the console and the chairs thoroughly. Rose ran her free hand over the high seats, still in awe. The Doctor's hand twitched, wanting to immediately set coordinates. They climbed the stairs, relishing the moment. Every room imaginable was there. They were empty, understandably, but there.
"My room," Rose poked her head in the doorway of an empty space.
The Doctor sent her a soft smile. He debated on whether or not to tell her that he had kept her room in the first TARDIS, but decided against it. They moved back to the console room and the Doctor pressed a few buttons.
"What're you doing?" she asked.
"Furnishing the rooms, of course," he said.
"How?"
"Internal memory," he stated as if it were obvious.
"Right," Rose clicked her tongue.
She crossed her arms across her chest, leaning against a chair. She watched as the Doctor worked, and for a moment, it felt as though she never got stuck in Pete's World. The Doctor still had two hearts, and they were not in the Tyler's backyard, but floating in space.
The large screen in front of them glowed and the Doctor typed something in.
"How's the rift," she bit her tongue.
"I think it's just big enough that we can get through, but not cause any problems. We have to go where the rift is widest, first," he replied.
She nodded.
"How'd you manage to keep this a secret from Torchwood?" he asked.
Rose gave a sly smile, "I have my ways. I know how to hack the system and change the data."
"You have no idea how proud I am," the Doctor said.
"So, are the rooms ready?" she asked.
He nodded, watching her glide up the stairs. She flung the door to her room open, gasping at the sight of the light pink walls. Pictures of her and the Doctor in his ninth and tenth incarnations lined the dresser. Her bed was the same. Everything was the same. She opened the dresser, but found it empty.
"We can bring in our clothes from the flat," the Doctor stood in the doorway, arms crossed.
She nodded, turning to face him.
"I s'pose we're ready to go," she said nervously.
The Doctor nodded. They popped out of the TARDIS, headed towards their flat to pack. Once there, the Doctor couldn't help but chuckle. Rose had kept her love of pink, but now she finished off her outfits with a leather jacket. Her jeans had begun to be replaced by wide-legged trousers, sometimes ones with thin stripes.
"What?" she asked.
"We're starting to dress alike," he laughed.
She looked at the stack of clothes both had assembled onto their bed. Stripes, solid coloured shirts. A few ties. Jeans. Chucks. Rose bit back a laugh before snorting.
"Oh, sweetie," Jackie clung to her daughter for dear life as they stood outside the TARDIS. Pete and the Doctor conversed quietly, giving the pair to say goodbye properly. Little Tony stood, staring at the blue box.
"Mum, we'll be fine," Rose assured her, breaking free of the death grip.
Jackie sighed, "Doctor, take care of her. I expect you to be back. If you end up staying-"
"Don't worry, mum," Rose gave her another hug before bidding farewell to Pete and Tony.
Truth be told, Rose would have stayed on Earth with the Doctor if he had asked her to all those years ago. Now, it was different. She had a life, a job, her family, and the Doctor, all in one place. She wouldn't trade it for anything.
The Doctor and Rose stepped into the TARDIS, closing the door behind them.
Rose took a seat next to the Doctor, heart beating rapidly in anticipation. He punched in the coordinates.
"Allons-y," he grinned, setting off.
Amy wrinkled her nose as she, the Doctor, and Rory stepped onto a beach.
"Where are we? This is so not Rio," she shivered.
Rory looked at the Doctor for answers, and he shrugged.
"That's odd," he looked around, recognizing the beach. "We're in Norway, I think."
"Norway! How could you confuse Rio with Norway?" Amy crossed her arms over her chest.
He ran back into the TARDIS, looking at the coordinates. He ran back out, rubbing his head.
"No, no. Impossible," he muttured, pacing back and forth.
The noise of the TARDIS was heard, but it wasn't coming from their TARDIS.
"Where are we?" Amy demanded over the din. Norway wasn't a very concrete answer.
"Bad Wolf Bay. Impossible!" the Doctor threw his arms in the air, frustrated.
"Is that...? Rory gaped as an identical blue box began to materialise in front of them.
The Doctor could feel his heart beating erratically. Amy looked at him with equal amounts of fear and confusion. The fully formed TARDIS clone faced them, and the door swung open to reveal a tall man in pinstripes and a blonde woman in a leather jacket.
The Doctor stared at Pinstripes, mouth agape. Pinstripes stared back in confusion.
"Doctor," the blonde looked at Pinstripes, eyes wide. She glanced at the Doctor before turning back to her Doctor.
"Doctor? He's not the Doctor. He is," Amy jerked her thumb at the Doctor.
"What?" Pinstripes sputtered, looking at Rose, "What?" he repeated.
"I regenerated," the Doctor said apologetically, eyes fixed on Rose. She had gotten older. This incarnation looked closer in age to her than any of the previous ones.
"WHAT?" Pinstripes said again. The blonde took his hand and squeezed it, visibly shaking. She stepped forward, taking Pinstripes with her.
"You've changed again," she told the Doctor sadly.
"Hello, Rose Tyler," the Doctor choked out.
Please review, I'd really appreciate feedback. They meet again, at Bad Wolf Bay.