Here is Chapter 12 Defying the next chapter shall be up either today, tomorrow or Thursday

Important: I have deleted the Author Note and it has been replaced with a short chapter called Floating in between Seeping Through and Painful Words. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE READ IT BEFORE YOU CONTINUE, IF YOU HAVEN'T GO AND READ IT NOW!!!

Disclaimer: Don't own either!

XII

Defying

The Doctor straightened out of his crouched form, hearing her laugh. Rose launched herself at him, causing him to topple over backwards and hit his head on the floor.
"I thought I would never see you again," she mumbled into his shoulder. "You said it was impossible."
"Yeah, but you didn't give up hope did you? Oh ye of little faith?"
"Well," she glanced at Jackie, "I didn't. No."
The Doctor grinned.
"Anyway…I want a proper answer. You said it was impossible."
"Well…I'm brilliant!"
Rose rolled her eyes.
"It's a long story, I'll explain later."
Rose got up, dragging the Doctor by the hand with her.
"Good. I want breakfast now. You want anything?"
The Doctor nodded. "I'm starved."
"How long has it been since you've eaten anything?"
They began walking towards the kitchen.
"Oh...I don't know. No one really reminds me to eat, Artemis and Foaly just sort of got their own food."
"Who?"
"Oh! I'll tell you later."
Rose just nodded. Suddenly the Doctor yanked on her hand, running towards the kitchen and dragging her with him.
"Allonsy!"

"Rose?" asked the Doctor around a mouthful of pancake.
"Mmmm?" she answered.
"Do you…um….do you still want to come back?" he asked, looking hopeful, "Cause I don't want to make you give up this," he gestured around him.
"What the kitchen?" asked Rose.
The Doctor started laughing, and choked on pancake.
"No…not the kitchen. I mean "this." This life. This family. It's not fair for me to take it away from you."
"Doctor, this isn't me. This isn't my life. My life is in the TARDIS, travelling though time and space."
The Doctor grinned.
"So…does that mean you're coming?"
Rose rolled her eyes.
"Yes!"
"But what about your family?" Seeing Rose's face fall, he added quickly, "They can come too…if you want."
"Will we able to come back here again?" asked Rose.
The Doctor nodded.
"Then I don't mind! It's not fair on me to make them give up this kitchen."
They both laughed.
"And this life. Their decision."
The Doctor nodded again. He got up and took his plate to the sink, then reached into his pocket and drew out the Artemis Fowl series.
"Ah ha! I've still got them in here! Brilliant!" He turned around to Rose, "You'll have to read these."
"Wait a minute…I've seen them, in bookshops. Why are they important?"
"I went to a different universe accidently where the characters of these books are real."
Rose looked puzzled, but she nodded. She got up and took her plate the sink as well, leaving it for someone else to wash. Seeing the look on Rose's face the Doctor's smile faded.
"No! I am not going and talking to that dragon, Rose! You can't make me!"
"Dragon?"
"Jackie." He whispered.
Rose just shook her head, sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Tough luck!" she said.
The Doctor pouted, but let Rose pull him by his hand back to the gym.

She withdrew her hand when they reached the door.
"I'm going to get changed." she said, indicating her pyjamas.
"No! Rose! You can't leave me alone with the dragon!" he grovelled at her feet.
"Please! No! No! No!"
Rose grinned.
"Good luck!" she said. Before turning and walking up the stairs to her room.
The Doctor considered waiting outside the door until she got back, but it opened and Jackie came out, Tony on her hip.
She frowned at the Doctor, who was still sprawled on the floor.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing!" he said, jumping up and brushing off his suit.
"You're taking her away aren't you?"
"It's her choice. Not mine. You can come. Return to your old universe. All of you. If you want?"
Jackie held eye-contact with the Doctor. Couldn't look away from his chocolate-brown eyes, the hundreds of years running through them. She lifted her chin, and held her head higher.
"I'm not going!" she exclaimed defyingly.
The Doctor moved back a step.
"I never said you had to."
"I made myself a life here, Doctor. I can't leave it now. I belong in this universe. But Rose doesn't. She can go if she wants. But…can she come back? Can both of you come back and visit?"
The Doctor nodded.

"Doctor?" called Rose down the stairs.
"I'm here." He called back.
Rose descended the stairs with a pack on her back and looked from Jackie to the Doctor and back again.
"You can go, sweetheart," she turned to the Doctor, "As long as you visit!" she glared at him.
"Yes Ma'am," he swallowed.
Rose set down her pack and picked up Tony.
"I'm going to miss you Tony!" she said.
"Wosie!" he said, chubby hands reaching out to put his arms around her neck. She smiled and set him down, and he ran off.
She went and hugged her mother. Jackie was whispering to Rose and the Doctor felt awkward, scratching the back of his neck. He picked up Rose's pack, and nearly dropped it at the weight. Rose gently prised herself from her mother, hearing him say.
"What have you got in here? Daleks?"
She grinned.
Jackie reminded them she was still there.
"You have to say goodbye to your father sweetheart." She told Rose.
Rose nodded.
"I promised him!" the Doctor said, "We'll go to…Torchwood?" he asked Rose.
She shook her head.
"We left Torchwood. Mickey, Dad and I. Got our own business now."
"Which is?"
"We help aliens which have crashed on Earth. Get money from the government for it. No guns."
The Doctor beamed.
"So where is he?"
"Shed." Rose answered shortly.
She hugged her mother once more, dashing away the tears that were forming in her eyes, and left the room. The Doctor and Jackie stood silently for a moment. Then Jackie spoke.
"Promise me she will always be safe, Doctor."
"I can't." he shook his head sadly, then turned and left.

He found the shed easily enough. Rose was in there hugging her father.
"Bye Dad! We'll come back and visit soon!"
He just smiled over her shoulder at the Doctor.
He went over and shook the Doctor's hand.
"Doctor."
"Pete."
"Take care." Pete whispered as they left.

"So where's the TARDIS?" asked Rose as they walked along the street away from the house.
"Not here!"She's back in Artemis's universe. We're getting back with this!" he drew the red button from his pocket. Rose raised her eyebrows at it.
"It's not instantaneous though, because we tried that first. And it didn't really work, as you remember. So Artemis, Foaly and I changed the design so it takes several hours to cross now."
"What we see Daleks and Cybermen in the void?"
"I didn't, but maybe. During the journey you can read those books."
Rose nodded.
The Doctor got the chain off the button and put it around both their necks, and pressed the button.

It's really important that you've read "Floating" before you continue, if you haven't GO AND READ IT!

I apologise for the meanness in my last sneak preview!

Skitching Sneak Preview

"The bubble was punctured. It was just a small invisible tear, but the oxygen was seeping out. They were running out of air."

The Purple God =D