AN- We have finally come to the end of my Christmas Special, this was a rapid-fire blast to write, and I am amazed at how many reviews this little fic has gotten! 15 reviews! I would like to thank all of you, especially those who have become regulars, *shoutouts* MirrorFlower and DarkWind, Dreamcatcher49, and Toester. You guys are awesome. And also, the followers and favorites this story has, thank all of you!
And now, onto the highly anticipated (by me at least) chapter in which Jackie learns her daughter is now a Time Lord and, as Rose aptly described it is "running off with her alien boyfriend." This is going to be a much lighter, more humorous chapter than the rest, and I hope everyone had a lovely holiday! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: If you think I own Doctor Who I'll tell Jackie to slap you.
The Doctor had complained endlessly about being dragged to the Tyler mansion. He apparently thought there were other important things to do, like run very quickly in the opposite direction. Rose was pretty sure she knew why be was so skittish, especially when he rubbed his jaw unconsciously as she talked about Jackie. And then she'd given him he'd best puppy dog eyes- she still hadn't seen what she looked like yet- and he gave in.
So as they landed, hurled laughing onto the floor of the TARDIS in each others' arms, Rose felt her own stomach twist nervously. Surely Jackie wouldn't resent her. Her mother's words at the Battle of Canary Wharf came back to her- "She won't be Rose Tyler anymore, she won't even be human." Rose had never told her, but that hurt, and now that she really wasn't human, Rose was terrified Jackie would reject her as her daughter. She didn't think she looked that different, shooting a glance at the Doctor out of the corner of her eye. He was waiting for her, not exactly enthusiastic about going in himself. Well, it was now or never.
Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, one hand locked in the Doctors, the other twisting itself into her hair. She'd noticed little things about herself that were different- instead of chewing her nails, she tended to fiddle with her hair: a nervous habit that was certainly more attractive than the former. And her fashion sense was... Odd. After she'd changed out of her ruined, dust-blood-and-dirt covered dress, she had put on a pair of leggings, grey flannel shirt, and cropped navy jacket, complete with knee-high leather boots. It was certainly a bit...(sultrier?) than what she'd have worn before. Her Mum might not even recognize her, heck she might not even recognize herself, if she could ever find a mirror.
"Rose? You okay? We don't have to go in you know. We can just skip it and go for some chips or something..." the Doctor said, tugging her back to the present. She realized with a slight blush that she'd been standing there, one hand on the door, for over a minute. One minute and 25 seconds, she told herself, enjoying that ability very much. She gave the Doctor a saucy grin, just like before, just like always.
"Its Christmas Eve, and 1:34 am, you really think there are any chip shops open?" Rose's face paled as she realized what she'd said. "No, no, no, I thought I said get me there right after we sent the Torchwood message?" she rounded on the Doctor with a moan, face drawn in horror. His face was confused.
"I we did, we sent the message at 1:15- oh." Comprehension dawned on his face and he flinched as Rose rounded on him, tugging ger hand out of his and crossed her arms in front of her chest. The glare on her fave was icy.
"It would have taken only ten minutes for Torchwood to inform my family; less because Pete is in charge. They think I'm DEAD!" she shouted, stalking towards him with a finger poking him in the chest, as he backed nervously into the railing by the door. Rose ignored his terrified, repentant look.
"At least its 19 minutes and not 12 months..." He had to know, as soon as those words slipped out, that he was done for. Rose slapped him, putting all of her frustration behind her hand, tinged with a little of the bitterness from being left here, and then immediately felt guilty when he clutched his jaw in pain. It didn't help that her new and still uncontrolled telepathic abilities picked up on his pain.
"Oh, uh, I'm sorry. Really, it's just that Mum's gonna be so upset, and she doesn't deserve to be left thinking I've died, and she's pregnant for g-d's sakes and this stress isn't good for her and come on, lets just get in there," Rose huffed, taking the Doctor's hand and dragging him along. She could feel the TARDIS' amusement at the entire situation, and her expression softened a bit.
"Just let me do the talking, Doctor," Rose said, opening the door and stepping up to the back door of the mansion, right into the ballroom.
They walked in to utter silence, all of the guests were gone, and their footsteps echoed eerily in the huge, empty hall. Rose's nerves were on edge again, and she hesitated at the foot of the stairs. The Doctor squeezed her hand, and the reassurance that he projected into her mind gave Rose the strength she needed to walk up towards her parents' room. She stopped however, when she reached her room and heard sobbing. Oh, this was bad, this was very, very bad. Rose felt like she was frozen in place, her hearts beating so fast she was afraid that they'd beat right out of her chest. As the Doctor nudged his way past her, she was so wrapped up in her thoughts that it was too late for her to do anything as he pulled open the door to her room and dragged her in.
"Hello there again Jackie, Pete!" Rose could slap him again herself at his cheery tone. Jackie's face was wet with tears, and Pete's own eyes were rimmed with red. Rose felt her hearts breaking, and when Jackie came to enough to recognize the man standing in the door her face darkened. The gleam in her Mum's eye was terrifying, and Rose supposed the Doctor was digging his own grave as he grinned at her, completely oblivious. Jackie hurled herself at him before Pete could stop her at an amazing speed despite her swollen belly.
"You- you have the gall to show up now? After she's dead? Where were you all those months? If you hadn't left her here and broken her she wouldn't have been so reckless, always working herself to death, jumping into danger, going off alone, and now she's DEAD and it's your FAULT!" she shrieked, her nose only a few inches from the Doctor's.
He shot an anxious look at Rose, and she knew it wasn't just because of his proximity to Jackie's palms. He was very concerned about her apparently reckless behavior. His priorities were about to shift as Jackie caught the glance. Her eyes, if possible darkened further as she looked Rose up and down, as if sizing her up. Jackie grabbed the Doctor's tie and yanked as he scrabbled to keep it from choking him.
"Jackie I didn't..." he started, but Jackie had already pushed on.
"And who's this? Your next 'companion' then? It didn't take you long to replace my daughter then, my Rose wasn't good enough for you?" That was when her hand finally connected with his cheek with a loud crack. Rose winced.
"She's not... I didn't"
Jackie let go of his tie to take in their joined hands and put her own hands on her hips, her eyes icy and expression one of complete contempt.
"Where'd you pick this one up then? If I can judge from your taste in clothing dear, let's just say I know your type," the cold look her own mother was giving her made Rose want to shrivel up, never mind that she had no idea who she really was. Unwillingly, Rose felt her eyes fill up with tears, and she automatically curled into the Doctor's side. Jackie's face darkened, but the Doctor was quicker. His face was that of the Oncoming Storm as he pushed himself in front of Rose protectively.
"Don't touch her. You have no idea what happened Jackie Tyler, so don't you dare insinuate Rose is anything but an innocent!" Rose facepalmed, waiting for the other shoe to drop as Jackie seemed to swell with anger. Pete had a hand on her shoulder, but his eyes were fixed on Rose, calculated and perplexed.
"You're delusional, utterly mad, off your rocker. Rose is DEAD and whoever the HELL this redhead is, she ISN'T ROSE YOU DAFT SON OF A -"
"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!" Rose finally shouted. Pete's eyes widened as he heard her voice, and Jackie just looked heartbroken. Her eyes watered at the sight of her parents, so broken. "Mum, Dad, it IS me. If you'd just let us explain..." her voice trembled, and she waited. When there wasn't any shrieking or slapping, she continued, face still half buried in the Doctor's chest. "I well, I sort of did die, but the TARDIS saved me. It brought me back."
"But with a different face," Jackie said, catching on quickly, searching her face, "like him." Rose gave a watery smile.
"Yeah. Do you... Do you remember when I went back to get him, when I opened up the heart of the TARDIS?" Jackie nodded, and Rose took a deep breath. Time for the bombshell. "Well when I did that the energy started to change me, only I didn't know it. When I... died tonight, the TARDIS finished the process."
"Change you? What do you mean honey?" Jackie's face was guarded, and Rose was reminded of her words once more.
"I'm a Time Lord now. Like the Doctor Mum." Rose just stood there, waiting, and then she suddenly found her Mum's arms wrapped around her, despite the awkward hug because of her pregnancy. And then Rose was sobbing into her arms, and Jackie was just saying her name over and over.
"Oh honey, we thought you were dead. The Torchwood report says..."
"Uh, we may have faked that report. Couldn't exactly tell them I was an alien now could we?" Rose gave a weak smile, and Pete joined the embrace. He met her eyes over Jackie's shoulder, and she could feel it, his grief, as he knew what had to happen next.
"You're leaving." it was a simple statement, but it held so much pain, Rose could hardly meet Pete's eyes. She just nodded.
"But why honey? We still love you, even if you are an... alie- a Time Lord thingy," Jackie said fiercely. Rose smiled at her devotion, her willingness to overlook an entire species change for her daughter.
"Mum, I don't even exist here anymore. I never really did. And now... I'm gonna live a long time, a REALLY long time, and after... After you're all gone I'll be alone. I've got to go with the Doctor, Mum," Rose said, her voice breaking. Then she pulled away and stepped towards the Doctor, twining their fingers together. "But we've still got... 15 hours here?" she said, looking at the Doctor for confirmation.
"Yep! 15 hours in Pete's world before the Bridge closes and we have to leave. Plenty of time to pack up some of Rose's stuff, say good-bye-"
"Have a nice family dinner," Jackie said firmly. The Doctor ran his hands nervously through his hair, inching towards the door, but Rose caught him and pulled him back, wrapping her arms around his waist with a cheeky grin.
"That'd be great! Where's Mickey at? We need to invite him too," Rose said happily, and them wincing when she saw Jackie and Pete exchange guilty looks.
"We- uh you see when the reports came out, I, well I sort of chewed him out for not keeping a closer eye on you. He's probably at Torchwood now... I might have tried to fire him. Or tell him to check the reports himself and kill the alien that did this. Or both," Pete said sheepishly. Rose blinked in surprise, never realizing he had that much of an intense streak. He really did care about her.
"I... Thank you?" Rose said, unsure what exactly she should say but knowing she needed to acknowledge it somehow. He just smiled.
"Well go on then! Call Mickey the idiot back here!" the Doctor said, practically bouncing on the spot. Rose raised an eyebrow, as she could practically feel-scratch that she could feel the mischief and playfulness in him as he shot them all a beaming grin. Of course, he blithely ignored the warning glare she tried to give him. Pete just looked at him strangely, probably because of the smug, eager smile, but turned on his earpiece anyways.
"Director Tyler, can you request Agent Mickey Smith's presence at the Tyler Mansion immediately?" It was several seconds before he apparently got a response, and then he scowled. "No I don't care what he told you, I didn't fire him," his expression turned incredulous, "He can't quit, I didn't approve that! Order him to come over here now, or...or... Just do it!" Pete said finally, running a hand over his face and looking incredibly exasperated. Rose giggled, and decided she liked the sound of it, just a little more delicate than before.
Jackie gave her a sharp look, before asking softly, "You're still Rose... Right?" The look on her face, torn between loss and hope, made Rose remember how she had felt when the Doctor regenerated. She took a deep breath, but to her surprise the Doctor gave her a serious, searching look up and down before turning to Jackie.
"Jeopardy friendly, loves chips, way too compassionate to be real, loves people that don't deserve it, forgiving beyond humanly- er Time Lordly possible... Yep I'd say she's still Rose," though the words were directed at Jackie, his eyes were on hers, their normally guarded depths shining with something that Rose now recognized as love. Though she didn't really think she was as amazing as he claimed, to know that he saw her that way... Rose found it more romantic than any candlelit dinner or love song. He dipped down to meet her lips, and as his tongue explored hers in a long, languid kiss, heat and love flooded through her.
A quiet squeak of surprise brought her back to reality, and Rose pulled away reluctantly. She saw the Doctor lick his lips, disappointment plain on his face, but her amusement faded as she remembered the other occupants of the room.
"Oh," Rose breathed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment, unable to meet Jackie's eyes.
"By the way, Rose and I are, oh how do you humans put it? Hmm courting? No that's 15th century stuff; not trekking, that's what Falonians do, and saying we are engaged in pre-mating rituals sounds a little... kinky..." the Doctor looked deep in thought, and Rose had to stop him before he just made it worse.
"I think dating is the term. Now stop talking, I think Mum's about to have a heart attack," Rose grumbled, peeking at her face. To her shock, there was none of the animosity or even protectiveness shed expected- rather, Jackie looked happy and- was that a smug smile on her face?
She suddenly marched across the room towards the Doctor, looking quite determined, and Rose exchanged a panicked glance with Pete, wondering if she should try to intervene. Before she could do anything however, Jackie grabbed the Time Lord in a bear hug and pecked him on the cheek. The Doctor still looked terrified, and he held Rose's hand like a lifeline. She sniggered at his expression while her Mum simply beamed.
"I knew it, knew it from day one when you whirled her off in that magic box of yours, only why'd it take you too this long to hook up," Jackie said, completely oblivious to the Doctor and Rose's bright red faces.
Rose fixed her with a glare, "Mum..." but Jackie plunged on.
"And honestly, after getting trapped in opposite universes, with my daughter pinin' away for you every day, it's about time. So when's the wedding date, since I won't be able to see it, at least promise me you'll get married on Earth." Rose just hid behind the hand she'd covered her face with, and she could sense the gobsmacked, mortified, and utterly speechless Doctor beside her panicking just a little.
"Erm, Jackie, isn't this a bit early, I mean we haven't even... We just... Married?" he said, voice rising to a squeak at the end. Rose frowned as she felt his nerves spike again, and rounded on him before Jackie could continue.
"Well we haven't talked about it yet but I'm sure we will. Soon," she said to the Doctor firmly, emphasizing that between the two of them this conversation was so not over. Personally, she thought a wedding was a splendid idea.
Pete chose that moment to chip in his own thoughts on the matter, much to Rose's chagrin, "You are going to make an honest woman out of my daughter, aren't you? She's given up so much for you Doctor, and now she's even changed species, and I'm just hoping you're worth her devotion, seeing as you two being in another universe I won't be able to come after your skinny arse if you hurt her." The glint in Pete's eyes was fierce, and Rose was reminded warmly of how much he really had become her father these last few months. And then she felt the Doctor puff up beside her defensively and in indignation, and she groaned quietly.
"I would never hurt Rose, she is, quite literally the most important, brilliant, fantastic thing in my life. And I'll never lose her again either. Even if I have to hold her hand forever and never let go," he said earnestly, and Rose felt her hearts swell in love for this man, who had traveled across dimensions to find her and met her promise of forever. Then of course, in typical Doctor fashion, the one that usually resulted in the two of them running from a royally pissed-off group of aliens, he ruined it with his next words; "And anyways I highly doubt you could do anything to hurt me. I am, after all a Time Lord."
Rose rolled her eyes, muttering "pompous Time Lord," under her breath, though the Doctor's cheeky grin told her he'd heard. She was suddenly struck by the strange normality of it all, Mum and Dad, questioning if her boyfriend was good enough for her. It was surreal, and very, very weird. And about to get stranger, as Pete looked intently at the both of them.
"Well whatever you two do, I give you my blessing," he said softly, and Jackie just murmured an affirmative. They all stood there in shock for a long moment, before there was the sound of feet on the stairs, and Mickey's voice as he reached the room.
"I've been looking all over the bloody mansion for you. Some nerve you've got Pete Tyler, Director or not! Blaming me for Rose's... for that, and then firing me, then demanding I get back here. Well no more! I quit!" Mickey stopped mid-rant as he walked into Rose's room, mouth still open, having just caught sight of her and the Doctor just to the right of the door, across from where Jackie and Pete were standing next to the bed. He was too stunned to even say anything, but Rose could sense his pain, anger, and sadness as she remembered he still thought she was dead. She gave him a look of sympathy and pity but before she could speak, the Doctor dropped her hand and bounded forwards to shake Mickey's enthusiastically.
"Mickety-Mick-Mickey! How are you doing? Saving Pete's World I'm sure, not so much the idiot anymore, I see. Let me introduce you to my new companion… Fleur!" he said, grinning like a kid on Christmas. Rose firmly resolved to give him coal for Christmas next year. Or the next time they landed on Earth around Christmas time anyways. Mickey's face darkened, and Rose knew what he was going to do before he did. Even as he raised his fist and threatened to loose a right hook towards the Doctor's jaw, Rose intercepted and caught his fist. It was an exciting discovery to find that she was apparently stronger now too, as Rose stood there, grinning tongue-in-teeth with Mickey's fist stopped inside of her own hand. Strike foiled, he settled for glaring at the Doctor.
"You replaced Rose, with some French chick? Figures. You always did have a thing for French girls. Well, if you were here to try to convince her to come back to you, you're too late. She's dead, not that you'd care," Mickey said with a snarl. Rose flinched a bit at the French jab, Reneitte was still a sore point in their history. The Doctor just stepped up beside her before she could stop him, and had to open his mouth.
"Oh, well, my companion and I were just about to have dinner with Pete and Jackie. How'd you like to join us." Mickey looked at him, and then at Jackie and Pete, and Rose could practically see his brain imploding as he tried to figure out when everyone had lost their minds. Time to step in and end the charade. This isn't funny, Rose thought, trying to project the thought into the Doctor's mind. She figured she succeeded, with the guilty look that crossed his face.
"Mickey," she sighed, "It's me. Rose, my name isn't Fleur," she shuddered at the thought. "I… well, um, I sort of… regenerated into a Time Lord." The multitude of emotions that flickered across Mickey's face ranged from horror, loss, anger, and relief, to finally settle on joy, although his expression was still guarded.
"Rose? You're… alive? And, regenerated? You're like him then?" he asked, and she nodded, before dropping his fist. He looked searchingly into her eyes, and seemed to find what he was looking for. "You're perfect for one another now, not that you weren't before, but… it's like you really were made for each other now. I'm happy for you Rose." Rose felt her eyes flood with tears, despite the happy smile on her face. Mickey had grown so much since being her scared, jealous, but incredibly sweet boyfriend. He was a defender of the Earth too, and had become such a strong person.
"You were never a tin dog you know," she said with a soft smile. He just opened his arms, and she hugged him, her best friend forever.
"When you guys leaving? I know you won't stay here, so just get it over with," he said, voice tired. Rose fixed him with a look, and looked at her Mum and Pete next.
"Mum promised us a family dinner, so I suppose we ought to go down to the kitchens, yeah?"
The dinner, a strangely domestic event for both the Doctor and Rose, who were still contemplating their new relationship and miraculously brightened future, went surprisingly smoothly. They all avoided any talk of the impending departure, and instead talked about their lives in Pete's world, and the many differences between the universes, as pointed out by Rose and Mickey (did you know that here they don't have any mint-chocolate ice cream? It's awful!) It was several hours later that they finally retreated to the sitting room. The Doctor and Rose knew they only had a few hours left, and after her regeneration, Ros.e's energy was flagging. She hardly noticed when the Doctor carried her up to her room and laid her on her bed. As he started to walk away, she called out softly.
"Doctor? Stay with me? I just… I'm afraid I'll wake up and you'll be gone," she confessed softly, fighting off the waves of sleep threatening to shut her eyes. If she woke up and found this had all been an extremely vivid dream, dying and regenerating included, she thought she might die. For real. Even though she couldn't see his expression, she felt the Doctor lay himself down beside her and wrap her protectively in his arms. She nuzzled into his side, breathed in his warm, spicy scent and relaxed.
"I'll never leave you again Rose. Get some rest, I'll be here the whole time."
She only slept for five hours, but with her new stamina, Rose felt that was all that she needed, and there were still things to do before they left this universe, and her family forever. Rose spent another few hours packing up her things, not that she had much left here. Dumped in this universe with nothing but the clothes she'd been wearing, and dedicating her whole life to Torchwood, it was mostly work things that she had to sort through, and some of her journals and favorite outfits that she wanted to take with her to the TARDIS. She'd already transferred all of her Torchwood files to Pete, which fit with her cover of being 'dead.'
At last, it was time. Rose couldn't hug her parents without tears flowing down her cheeks, her hearts aching with the knowledge that they would never see her again. There weren't any words that she could offer them to stop the loss and grief on their own faces. The Doctor stood awkwardly by the TARDIS as she said her good-byes, he wasn't much for them himself, and Mickey likewise, was perched somewhere halfway between Rose's family and the TARDIS.
"Honey, we're going to miss you, but I know that this is what you want. Pete's right, you could never do normal, and now you have a chance to be happy. We could see it, you know, that you were never happy here. I don't want that for you. Rose Tyler and the Doctor… you're soulmates, never let go of that," Jackie said. Rose just nodded, and laid a hand on her mother's belly.
"Just tell my little brother about his big sister Mum. And how she travels through the stars with the Doctor. Please," Rose choked on her sobs and cut herself off, and Jackie just hugged her again.
"We're going to call him Tony. It was going to be a secret until after he was born, but we figured you could know now, since…" Jackie broke off, and Pete wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he approached Rose, eyes shining with love for the daughter he'd never expected to have.
"Rose, I love you like a daughter, even though I've known you for… seven months. I'm so thankful that I got to know you for even that short time, and I wish I could've had the chance to raise you to the amazing woman you are today. Good luck, darling." Rose gave him a soft smile.
"Dad, you really are my Dad, even if I've known you for, as you said, a really short time. I missed you, or at least a version of you, my whole life, and I'm glad I got this time with you. Everything you've done for me, with Torchwood, and my life here, and just being there and understanding me… thank you." Rose couldn't stand it anymore, and she took a step back, dropping her Mum's hand and practically bolting for the TARDIS. She met Mickey's gaze as she stood outside the doors, the Doctor already opening them and waiting.
"I'm staying Rose. I have a life here now, got friends here. You've been my best mate since we were kids, but I've known for a long time now that that was it. The Doctor and his life are for you, but this place is for me. I know that you two are going to go save the universe- well, the other one anyway, so I figure someone needs to be here to save this Earth. Just… remember us." Rose nodded at Mickey's request, hugging him one final time and looking back at the family she'd lost and gained, so many times and in so many ways, and reflected on the fact that this was what had to happen. They were together, and she was together with the Doctor.
"Good-bye," she whispered, and then followed the Doctor into the TARDIS, clutching the console and drinking in the TARDIS' comforting song. For a ship that didn't technically have a family or emotions as per usual, she certainly understood it. And then the TARDIS projected to Rose that she did have a family, showing her a picture of the Doctor and herself, her Thief and Wolf.
"Are you sure, Rose, I mean, leaving your family?" The Doctor said softly, and she could see him, worried for her and afraid, still that she'd choose them over him. Rose nodded her head, and pulled him into her for a kiss as he pulled the last switch and directed the TARDIS through the Bridge and back to their home universe. This was where she belonged, on the TARDIS, saving the universe. The Doctor and Rose Tyler, as it should be, forever.
AN- This was long, but I enjoyed writing this dialogue-heavy chapter. It's bittersweet, I know, but I felt like it had to end this way. One of those things, the story just wrote itself. I don't see them all wanting to leave their lives in the parallel universe, it just felt to me like everyone except Rose had adjusted, and while it would be heartbreaking for her to say goodbye, it would also be sort of expected. You never know, maybe there's hope they'll see one another again. Someone requested a sequel, and I've thought about it, but it's still on the back burner. I have around 7 'ideas' right now, and the question is whether I'll be able to finish them if I publish them all at the same time… Maybe I'll just do a sequel for next Christmas? Make a Christmas only plotline… Nah, that's too long to wait. Oh well. We'll just see what come of this 'verse, shall we? And so I bid you all good-bye, and for more Rose x Doctor awesomeness, check out my other stories. With this finished, Seeking the Light is going to progress a lot faster. (Shameless self-advertising, check.)