Welcome To Torchwood Part 07
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Eh, sorry bout all this. Hope you didn't mind me not writing this story for a while… anyway, here we are.
Oh, I love one specific line in the Stone Rose… well, I love EVERYTHING, but the one I make reference to is when the Doctor is talking to Mickey – which is also my favorite line: "What was I supposed to do, wrap her in cotton wool?? Tell her, "'HERE, I could give you the universe but I'm not going to in case you get hurt'." 'Heh… I LOVE his fierceness.
Oh, and… "'Rose is prettier than you,' he told it. 'THANKS.'"
"Looks like everything is coming up roses! –pauses- No pun intended."
"Well, bye for now, take care, don't do anything I wouldn't…We'd LOVE to stay," the Doctor said insincerely as he put a hand on Rose's shoulder. "Love to, love to, love, love, love, LOVE to… but I'm afraid we have a date to keep." "We have?" "I thought that was obvious,' the Doctor said. 'You and me are off to ancient Rome.'"
"Don't want to cause a panic so we'd better wait until nightfall…Oh who am I kidding, I can't wait that long, let's start a panic! Oh, and let's hope this does what I think it does or there might be a linching instead."
"'Bit of a shock for you both,' said the Doctor. 'Might have been a bit easier if I had explained earlier that Ursus is an…uh… evil sorcerer who's been going around turning people to stone. Then again, might not of.'"
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Rose ran from the shop back to Jackie's, flushed but not breathless. Her new 'Time Lord Powers' made it easier for her to run, which she was thrilled about. Now she could keep up with the Doctor evenly and not be insulted at her slowness – which also meant she could easily chase him about the TARDIS when the occasion called for it.
She burst into the door, all too aware how long she had been gone. She cringed, knowing she didn't have a reason that the Doctor would accept. The Doctor must have seen her run up the sidewalk, for as soon as the handle turned he was in a shot at the front door and enveloping Rose in a warm hug. Rose sighed deeply and returned his hug – careful of the packet of chips - burying her face in his warm chest.
"He was getting anxious," called Jackie from the living room. The Doctor blushed slightly as Rose raised an eyebrow at him.
"I was… slightly… worried," admitted the Doctor, non-committal.
Rose chuckled and hugged him tighter. "I'd be disappointed if you hadn't been," she whispered, smiling.
"SO, where were you?!" asked the Doctor, fighting to keep the rising anger out of his voice. Rose had been gone for more than an hour and he had been helpless to do something about it, which was what made him angry – but not at Rose, at himself.
Rose frowned, sensing his mood. She squeezed his arm gently as she reminded him, "You can't wrap me in cotton wool." Mickey had told her what happened in Rome – the Doctor wouldn't have told her in a thousand years.
The Doctor frowned back and shook his head. "As much as I want to," he murmured. He suddenly leaned forward and kissed away her frown, making his go away in the process.
Rose closed her eyes before smiling. "Shall we?" she asked, offering her arm as she smiled at him.
"We shall," teased the Doctor as he accepted her arm and they re-entered the living room.
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"So, you got chips?" asked Jackie, looking at her daughter.
"I did," replied Rose cheerfully as she dropped the still warm packet in her mother's lap.
She joined the Doctor and he pulled her gently along to their seat, whilst Jackie went back into the kitchen, calling back over her shoulder, "Who wants chips?"
There were several grunts and murmurs of approval as everyone once more settled in to a comfortable silence. "Let's go help," suggested Rose to the Doctor, who grinned.
"Let's go kick Jackie out," he agreed.
The couple stood up and hand in hand entered the kitchen, passing Jack, Ianto, Tosh and Owen who were now mesmerized in playing a round of "Skip-Bo" – that the Doctor had produced out of one of his many and never-ending pockets – on the carpet.
Gwen, who had never heard of the game, sat forlornly watching in Jack's empty seat, gazing alternatively at Jack and Owen in turn. She sighed, wondering if there was something else to do. As Jackie entered the room –having been kicked out by her daughter and her alien boyfriend – Gwen considered briefly talking to her, but she figured that the poor woman didn't need her right now. Jackie was content enough to join Mickey who was watching a football match.
"Jackie!" came the Doctor's voice in the direction of the kitchen.
"What?" she called back over the noise.
"Where are the clean dishes?"
"Did you check the cupboard?"
Gwen could hear Rose giggling.
"Yes!" sputtered the Doctor.
"Then you'll have to wash 'em!"
There was a noise something akin to a groan and a moan as Rose's bubbly laughter carried through the thin barrier.
"Who's winning, Mick?" asked Jackie with mild interest as she curled up in Owen's abandoned chair, blowing gently on her fifth cup of tea since the group had arrived.
Mickey yawned. "Toronto," he muttered, sticking out his tongue in such a ridiculous way Gwen burst out laughing. He glanced over at Gwen before defending himself, slightly on edge. "What?"
"Nothing," managed Gwen, smiling as she shook her head.
Mickey's eyes narrowed. "You're a terrible liar."
"Thank you," she replied sincerely.
Mickey suddenly lightened up into a grin. "You're not bad."
Gwen blinked, but smiled back. "I like you too."
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The Doctor and Rose were having fun in the kitchen trying to do dishes. The Doctor had managed to cover Rose in soap suds while Rose was laughing uncontrollably as she tried to dry a dish that kept getting wet.
"So Rose," started the Doctor, stopping in the fun. "You never did tell me why you took so long." He looked into her eyes, refusing to search her mind for the answer that he was seeking.
Rose smiled at him, her tongue poking out between her teeth. "For me to know and for you to find out."
The Doctor dropped his serious look and tone right away. "Aw, Ro-ose," he whined, sounding like a five year old who's had his favorite toy taken away.
Rose laughed delightedly. "Want some cheese to go with your whine?" she teased him, smiling as she easily judged his playful slap and moved athletically out of the way. The Doctor stopped in his tracks, slightly gob smacked. "What?" she asked him. Then a big grin spread across his face.
"Brilliant!" He made a move to tickle her but Rose darted out of the way, easily evading his fingers. The Doctor frowned mockingly. "Oh, I think I liked it better when you were a slow, pokey ape," he told her affectionately as she allowed him to capture her, eyes gleaming into his.
"Really?" she whispered hoarsely as his face moved closer too slowly.
"No," he hissed back, lips finally meeting hers in a passionate kiss.
"Nice," murmured Rose, finally backing away. The Doctor shot her a warm smile and grabbed her hand.
"Hurry up, you two, I'm starving!" Jack called into the kitchen.
Rose and the Doctor laughed and together finished washing, rinsing and drying the dishes.
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Rose and the Doctor entered the room balancing - what would have been impossible for a human – plates for eight people. The plates were full of crispy golden toasty warm chips, each serving identical down to the very last speck of grease.
They began handing them out, and were received with big exclamations of gratitude. As Rose handed a plate to the game-obsessed Owen he paused to smile up at her, but she had already moved on to Jack. As Owen watched, Rose lingered near Jack long enough to exchange a gleaming and excited grin.
The Doctor then offered the last plate to Rose, and Rose smiled at him as she accepted it. Only then she realised that he didn't have one. The Doctor grinned and led her to their little corner before tugging her carefully onto his lap. "Do you mind sharing?" he whispered, much to her delight.
"Course not," she told him, smiling back. "Used to it by now."
Their fingers brushed more than a few times, merely by accident, and they exchanged small smiles. As Gwen watched them from where she sat, the Doctor took a few moments to whisper something into Rose's ear and notice her beam at him. Rose tilted her head back as the Doctor fed her a chip, grinning as she pretended to chomp down hard on his finger.
"Nasty little minx," hissed the Doctor, though he smiled. He leaned forward and blew gently against her neck, making her shiver noticeably and press closer to him. He grinned wolfishly at this with a gleam in his eye as his hand slowly crept round her waist to pull her closer. Rose smiled at him and leaned contentedly against his shoulder, starting to hum with pleasure. The plate of chips was soon demolished between the two of them.
"My little vixen, you are," whispered the Doctor as he gently kissed her fingers. Rose simply smiled as she flung the hand he held around his neck, leaning in to kiss him. His other arm came around the other side of her waist as he pulled her as close to him as he could. "Can we leave now?"
The smile she gave him was answer enough. It held enough promises to last a lifetime. The Doctor hastily stood up and caught Rose in his arms before she could even imagine stopping herself from tumbling off of his lap. "Natural Time Lord reflexes are still much faster," murmured the Doctor in her ear as she grinned and allowed him to cradle her against his chest. "I'm carrying you."
"Fine with me," Rose replied with a smile.
"I'm ready to head back to the TARDIS," the Doctor said, looking pointedly at Jack. He took the hint and hastened to his feet.
"Yes, we should really get back," agreed Jack, glancing apologetically at Jackie. "Thank you for tea."
"Thank you," each of the team echoed.
Jackie practically beamed. "Love to have you again sometime…" She stood up and looked at the Doctor and Rose, who was still cradled against his chest. "Please make sure I see my daughter again sometime," she added, practically glaring.
"Will do," replied the Doctor hastily, and in a bolt he was halfway out the door, Rose still captured in his arms.
"Bye Mum! Love ya!" Rose had time to shout back before giggling as the Doctor pressed his lips to the back of her neck and making weird sucking noises. "Stop – that tickles!"
"Love you too," murmured the Doctor as he carried her into the TARDIS, grinning.
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"I have something for you," said Rose later after they had dropped Owen, Ianto, Gwen and Tosh off with a reluctant promise to return their Captain shortly. Jack had given the team the day off and he was planning to enjoy his time with Rose and the Doctor as much as he could. Currently he was crashed face first on the captain's chair after spending the night at a bar on the planet Torito. He could afford a few hours – it wasn't so bad. However, he had made the Doctor and Rose promise not to leave his sight – even if he was unconscious. So Rose and the Doctor were leaning against the centre console.
"Really?" asked the Doctor delightedly, raising his eyebrow and wiggling it.
"Really," Rose giggled, wiggling her own eyebrow back at him.
"What, what, what, what, what??" asked the Doctor back, getting excited. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
Rose laughed and pulled out of her pocket a small, black velvet box. "For you," she said, suddenly shy – as if wondering if what she had gotten him was good enough.
The Doctor eagerly yet solemnly took the small box into his hands, and his fingers trembled as he suddenly flicked it open. He inhaled sharply. It was a thick gold band. When he raised it, he could see words clearly engraved in a flowing cursive on the rim outside. It said in Gallifreyan, Forever yours my Doctor, all my heart, your Rose with a small picture of a rose beside it. It was absolutely breathtaking. The Doctor slipped it on the fourth finger of his left hand and noticed it fitted perfectly and felt comfortable there.
He grinned and grabbed Rose into a hug, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Oh, Rose… thank you so very much," he whispered hoarsely. He knew he needed to apologize as well. "Was this where you went today? To get this done?" He squeezed her to him gently, trying to convey that he wasn't mad at all – just sorry.
"Yes," replied Rose as she hugged him back. "I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you."
"Not at all!" answered the Doctor, grinning. "I, for one, am glad you didn't."
Rose beamed. "Thanks." He gave her a little kiss, asking her forgiveness. She granted it easily, smiling against his lips as she kissed him back much more fiercely.
Just then Jack groaned and sat up. The Doctor and Rose broke apart suddenly and glanced at him. Jack frowned, grumbled a few incoherent words and fell back down onto his face.
Rose and the Doctor exchanged glances before bursting into laughter at their unconscious friend as he lay silent and unmoving, lost in the deep, overwhelming power of slumber.
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