Chapter 10 - The Age of Steel
Author's Note: FINALLY - lemme know what ya'll think!
They sat on Jackie's couch, silent and slightly uncomfortable. Rose still had tracks of tears on her cheeks that had failed to stop even after she'd been properly mothered by Jackie. The Doctor sat three cushions away, staring at the wall and still trying to process the last several days. Neither spoke, unsure of what to say. Both wanted to help, put the other at peace and yet how could they? The Doctor had no words of comfort for someone whose best friend chose to live in another universe and Rose couldn't believe that her petty words could heal a man who carried the guilt of the universe on his shoulders.
Timelines were hovering, shifting, floating in time and waiting for them to make a move. The Doctor could feel the weight of what was about to happen and knew that it could change an already set future. He almost laughed. A moment so small and insignificant in comparison to all he'd ever done, and yet time still paused and waited for both of them to move or speak. Anything to set the path of the future.
Rose, as if she understood his thoughts, looked at him, waiting for him to say something. He looked so guilty and regretful, and she feared that he may just leave her here. What was she but just another thing that he would worry about, another person to break his hearts and leave him, alone and broken. But what would she do without him? A job, the apartment, bills, inquiring friends, the entirety of the life she would have swam before her eyes and overwhelmed her.
The Doctor looked back at her, seeing the fear in her eyes. What could she possibly…..oh, oh, ooohh. His heart broke slightly as he saw another tear slip down her cheek, her bottom lip quivering as she tried to contain herself. She was terrified that he would leave her again. That wasn't an option anymore, maybe before they'd been to the parallel universe. He could have left her in Mickey's charge and he would have known that Mickey would try, at least, to make her happy. But now, it was just them. He had a feeling even Jackie knew that. He couldn't leave her even if he wanted to, he needed her.
Another tear fell down her cheek and he scooted forward to gently wipe it away. She sniffed, wiping the other tears with the palm of her hand. Timelines fluxed and he could feel them impatiently urging him to act, threatening him with the future, but somehow he had only one conscious thought. He gathered Rose in his arms and held her.
"It's just us now isn't it?" he let the question hang in the air before he slipped his fingers through hers. "Come on, let's go home"