Finding His Reason

by WhisperingWolf

He grabbed her hand in his, a smile on his face as he told her to run, living mannequins chasing after them. Her life changed in that moment and so did his. Neither one ever imagined what would come next. Note: This story follows along with most of the episodes, but shows the bits in between. There are chapters with and without episode titles. No copyright infringement intended.

8. Chapter 7 - A Cry in the Dark

Finding His Reason

Chapter Seven - A Cry in the Dark

He had stayed next to her for hours, lying with her, holding her as she slept. The flower was still trilling as it rested between them, the sound barely loud enough for him to hear. Kissing Rose's cheek as he slowly moved from the bed, he watched as she turned on her side toward him and held the flower wrapped in both arms. She was beautiful and completely dangerous, he thought as he watched her sleep. Reaching out to her, he brushed his hand over her cheek before lifting the blankets to tuck them around her shoulders.

Walking toward the door, he turned back with his hand on the knob. His mind stilled at the image Rose made lying in his bed, her body hidden beneath the blankets with her flower tucked under her chin. He closed his eyes against the image his mind created, almost angry at how his hearts seemed to be conspiring against him. He remembered the night his son had been born, the image of his wife holding their child as she had slept back on Gallifrey. It had been a lifetime ago, and he was a different man now, but the image came back to him, only now it was Rose holding an infant instead of her sentient flower.

He had lost everyone. All of his people were gone, the planet was nothing but rocks and dust and he had been left behind. He shook his head as he looked down at his boots before lifting his eyes once more to the bed, a bittersweet smile curling his lips as he stared at Rose. The memories hurt, they burned through him as painful as acid some days, but Rose... Somehow Rose made it all worth it. She gave him a purpose again, and hope. The one thing that kept him from completely losing himself, from going too far, was the one thing he could never have.

"Doctor?"

Rose frowned when he didn't respond to her, her concern growing when she found that he hadn't even noticed that she had spoken. She had felt him move from the bed, the loss of his arms waking her slowly from her sleep. The darkness of the room had been lit in low tones by the ambient light cast by the universes painted on his walls. She had turned over, searching for him before she had even opened her eyes. Any words she had intended to speak had died on her lips at the sight of the expression on his face, his stillness pulling her from the bed. She had stepped toward him soundlessly, her bare feet gliding across the floor as she had moved toward him. His eyes never moved, her gaze following his back to the pillow she had slept on, and she knew that he was lost in his own thoughts.

"No, shh. Just stay there," Rose said softly as she set her flower down on the night table, the plant protesting being left behind. "I'll take care of him."

Turning away from the bed, she stepped up to The Doctor and lifted her hand to his cheek. He gasped at her touch, pulling back as though he hadn't known where he was, and she hushed him quietly. Her hand cupped his cheek as he met her gaze, the memories he was trying to hide burned bright behind his eyes. His gaze burned with the fire and pain, her eyes closing as she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his back. He held her tight as he bent over her, his hold desperate as though he wished to protect her from something that only he could see.

She knew how much it hurt. There were memories of her own that were too dark for words, memories that she would give anything to forget. She lifted her hand to his hair as they held each other, petting the short dark locks at the nape of his neck. He moved without sound, burying his face in her shoulder as though he were trying to hide, and she let him. Her hand rubbed his back as he stayed wrapped in her arms, taking the comfort she offered him so freely.

"There's a planet," he began, his voice soft and muffled as his face remained tucked in her shoulder. "It's got forests as far as the eye can see," he said as he released her from his arms and touched her cheek as he met her eyes. "The forest goes all the way to the water. It's the color of the sunset, the water is," he told her with a smile.

"It sounds wonderful," Rose told him, her soft smile growing wide at the sight of the adventure in his eyes. "We could go there?"

"I thought so," he teased her with a crooked grin. "Thought we could stay for a while. A few days at least. TARDIS could use a rest."

Smiling up at him as she laughed softly, Rose knew what he was truly saying. They both needed the rest, especially after the events on Satellite Five. The one thing they needed the most was each other. They needed to be still, to hold each other and be away from danger for a little while. Frowning as a soft thump caught her attention, Rose turned back to the bed and laughed at the sight that greeted her. Her flower had moved from the night table to rest on the pillow, the spherical pot and more than half its stalk hidden beneath the blanket. She turned back to The Doctor at the sound of his short laugh, amusement twisted her lips when she found him to be staring at Blue as well.

"Do you think we could take him with us?" Rose asked, half teasing him as she looked back at the flower.

"To the planet, you mean?" he asked and grinned. "The air will be safe enough, I'm sure, just keep him in sight. Sentient plants have a tendency to dig their roots into any new ground they meet. It could be tough to get him back out."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Rose laughed softly.

The Doctor nodded at her words, closing his eyes before tipping his head down. His lips parted as he pulled in a breath to speak, his eyes opening at the same moment as he felt his mouth become dry. Her bare feet had been the first thing to greet him, his blue eyes darkening as he followed her pale skin up to where the tops of her thighs disappeared beneath the hem of his jumper. He cursed himself silently for forgetting her state of undress, his palms tingling with the desire to feel the silken skin of her bare legs. He had seen her in less, her body covered only by the scraps of cloth the TARDIS had gifted to her as a bikini, but the sight of her in only his jumper intoxicated him. Closing his eyes as he kept his head bowed, he took in a trembling breath and clenched his jaw, careful to keep his face hidden from her as he fought back his desire. He lifted his head slowly at the feel of her hand on his arm, meeting her teasing gaze and smiling at the sight of the joy in her eyes.

"Take us to that planet, Doctor," she told him with a smile. "I'll get dressed and make us tea."

"Rose, I..."

"Don't," she interrupted him and tipped his head down to kiss his brow. "I've never doubted you, and I never will."

He smiled as he released a heavy breath that both amused and relieved. She understood him as no one else ever had. Not even the wife he had back on Gallifrey had understood him as easily as Rose did. Tipping his head as he gave her a wide smile, The Doctor cupped her cheek in his hand as he kissed her brow. He told her that he would be in the console room before he turned and left the room, his hearts and mind focused on only one thing that was as dangerous as it was beautiful. Universe help him if Rose Tyler ever found out the affect she had on him.

:::::

She could feel the footfalls on the floor as Rose moved through the hall. Moving the water into the tea kettle, the TARDIS turned on the flame beneath it as she waited for the girl to enter the kitchen. She smiled at the way Rose greeted her, the smile on her face as she tipped her head up to look at the ceiling. Reaching out to her as they had both grown used to, the TARDIS warmed the air directly around Rose, spiraling it up from her waist to ruffle her hair before letting it dissipate.

Stepping up to the stove as the kettle began to whistle, Rose smiled when the flame beneath it turned off by itself. These were the moments that she was growing used to, the moments that she kept selfishly for her own. Taking the mugs down from the cupboard, she smiled at the way the tiny bowl with the minced plant pieces moved in front of her. Breathing in deeply as she prepared The Doctor's tea, she turned to her own and mixed half a teaspoon of dry black leaves with the pulp made for her chocolate tea. Looking up at the sound of footsteps outside the kitchen doorway, The Doctor's heavy sigh only served to amuse Rose as she met his gaze with an arch of her brow.

"It's my tea," Rose teased The Doctor, and carried their mugs to the table.

"What is that smell?" he asked her as he sat down, his expression changing when he realized how his words had sounded. "It smells good."

"Mmhmm," she returned with a soft laugh following it. "I wanted something different today. There were so many apples ready and those others, the...berries?" she questioned him as she moved to the oven and took out the muffins.

"What berries?" The Doctor asked as he stood and moved to gather plates from the cupboard.

"The ones that grow on the tree next to the apple tree," Rose told him as she eased the muffins from the pan and placed them into a bowl. "I was going to eat that," she told him with teasing annoyance when he plucked the piece of muffin from her hand.

"Rose, there are no edible berries in the garden," The Doctor told her only to be met with her disbelief.

"Someone's inventory isn't as good as they thought. You've got a tree in there that grows berries," she told him before lifting a bowl from the counter and handing it to him.

The Doctor stilled as he looked down at the fruit in the bowl and up at Rose. Taking it from her hands, he looked down at the grape-sized orange and blue spiraled fruits. He lifted one into his hand and sniffed at it only to look up when she told him that they tasted like a perfect blend of strawberries and peaches. He took hold of her wrist before she could take a bite of her muffin, and asked her how many of the fruits she had eaten.

She didn't understand his concern, her gaze asking him for an answer to his upset. He pursed his lips before telling her that the berry tree had been a gift from someone he had known a very long time ago. The berry was used for a specific purpose, the fruit meant to be turned into a juice that would allow the mind to open and accept the psychic energy of their people. She was human, Rose reminded him, not understanding how the berries would affect her, or even if they would. He cautioned her not to eat more of her muffin, offering her a banana instead and smiled when she laughed and took the banana from him.

"When nothing happens to me, you'll see that those berries are fine to be eaten," she told him, teasing him as she waved the banana in his direction.

"I'll be a bit more comfortable if nothing happens," he told her with a pointed look and nodded at her. "Now, eat the banana. Potassium is good for you."

"You and your bananas," she teased as she carried her mug of tea and followed him from the kitchen. "So, how long until we're there?" she asked as they stepped into the console room.

"Not too long," he told her with a grin and nodded to the jump seat. "You'll love it, Rose."

She listened as he told her about the planet, the way that it was covered in as much water as Earth, but held nearly twice the amount of forests. The waters rolled in ribbons of orange, red, and gold, the colors combining in a way that made it look like a sunset. Under the water were miles of natural vegetation that grew wild, the wildlife beneath the water feeding on fruits that were similar in taste to the peaches, plums, and pears that Rose was used to. He smiled when she asked about the people that inhabited the world, delighting in the way his excitement shined through brighter than she had ever seen it.

The TARDIS landed with a jolt, almost bouncing, and The Doctor looked at the screen before moving to the controls. The engines sounded again as he moved the ship off of the floating rock they had landed on. He moved to the doors, the feel of his excitement fueling hers and she laughed when he turned back to smile at her. He opened the doors with a flourish, the rush of air sweeping in chilled and carrying the scent of flowers. Rose's lips parted as she breathed in deeply, the air rolling over her tongue.

"I should get Blue," she said after a moment.

"Let's explore a bit before you do that," he told her as he took her hand. "Need a jumper?" he asked and watched as she shook her head. "Alright then."

He led her outside the doors, stopping when he heard Rose's gasp and looked back to find her staring wide-eyed at the trees surrounding them. The water was lapping at the shore near them, the sound of the waves adding to the ambiance and he watched as she took it all in. Her fascination intrigued him, humbling him as he saw the world through her eyes. They had come during the change of the seasons, when fall becomes winter and the cool breeze was tempered by the soft, warm light of the red sun. The trees stood taller than redwoods, but as full of branches as an oak.

The leaves were purple. The tops of the four-pointed leaves were dark enough that they almost looked black until the sunlight hit them and then they shined, royal purple interspersed with threads of glistening silver. The Doctor told her that it was the veins of the plant, the water running under the ground passing through silver veins and sugar streams. He watched as she lifted her hand to catch a falling leaf, her delight growing as she turned it over in her hands and ran her fingertips over it.

"It feels like silk," Rose said with wonder as she looked up at him.

"Smell it," he encouraged her, grinning as she lifted the leaf to her face.

"Plums," Rose laughed as she looked at him. "It smells like plums."

He watched as she stepped away from him, walking up to the nearest tree and placing her palm against the bark. She had expected it to feel rough and hard as the wood of most trees did, but instead it felt warm and flexible. Closing her eyes as she left her hand in place, she gasped at the feel of a pulse beneath her fingertips and turned back to The Doctor. His lips were turned up in the joy of her discovery, his smile ever-present as he went to her side and lifted his hand to rest on the tree next to hers.

"They're almost sentient," he told her with a grin. "They have a collective consciousness that allows them to watch the forest and take care of those within. The people here don't cut down the trees, or use lumber. Everything that is made, from the buildings to the smallest decorations, is from stone, metals, and soil."

"So the forests are left as they are?" Rose asked with a curious smile.

"Yes," he answered with a nod.

Her soft smile grew wide, her tongue curling up over her canine as she looked around at the natural beauty of the forest. There was something that he still hadn't told her yet, of that she was absolutely certain. She was beginning to learn that he held back the big things, not because he thought she wouldn't understand them, but because he wanted to surprise her. The Doctor seemed to delight in surprising her and where she used to hate surprises, he had taught her to love them. She turned back to look at the tree once more, her eyes catching a flash of gold in the forest behind it. Moving away from the tree, she followed after the flashes of gold curiously.

She wasn't certain what she was following at first, but as she pushed her way through a flowering bush she heard the giggles of a child. Smiling as she stepped closer, Rose laughed when the girl's giggles sounded again. Calling out to her as she stepped closer, Rose looked down at the calf-high grasses the child was seated in and moved to sit next to her. The clothes the child wore looked somehow both expensive and natural as though they were spun from natural fibers and strings of silver threads. The garment seemed to be both a dress and a robe, the band around her waist emerald while the rest of the dress was a shade of deep green that changed to purple depending on how the light hit it.

The child's hair fell in curls of gold down her back, the locks as fine and perfectly placed as a doll's. Reaching her hand to the girl's hair curiously, Rose gasped at the softness of it, the feel of it reminding her of feathers. She didn't understand, but smiled when the girl turned her head to meet her gaze. Her eyes were blue, so light and piercing that they reminded her of ice, but the spirit behind them was warm and open. Her skin looked delicate, her complexion that of peaches and cream. There were markings on the girl's face. She had ridges under her eyes that went from her cheekbones around to the outer corners of her eyes.

"You can touch them," the girl offered her, smiling at Rose's blush. "It's perfectly alright. It's how we greet each other. You don't have any," the girl said, nodding to Rose.

"No, no, I'm human," Rose said as she lifted her hand to the child's face and touched the ridges. "My planet's far away." Pausing with her hand on the girl's face, Rose tipped her head as she frowned. "Your mouth doesn't move when you speak."

"No," the girl laughed. "We never talk with our mouths. We talk with our minds, with our hearts."

"How can I hear you?" Rose asked and watched as the girl smiled.

"Because you speak like we do," she told her with a smile.

"But I don't," Rose denied, shaking her head. "I'm not telepathic."

"You speak with your heart," the girl told her as she lifted her hand to Rose's chest. "What is your name?"

"Rose," she answered and watched as the girl's eyes widened. "What is it?"

"There is a legend among our people, but it's nothing more than a story," she said. "Would you like to hear it?"

"Please," Rose said with a smile.

Her voice was soft inside Rose's mind, almost lyrical as she told Rose the legend of her people. There would be a day of darkness when an innocent life would fall in sacrifice to bring peace to the land. A child's life would be lost in a war between the three species that shared the planet. The child would be special, but forbidden. She looked up when Rose asked why the child would be forbidden, her eyes falling to her lap as sadness overtook her expression. The child would be a hybrid, a life born from the love of the sky and the sea. One day a flower would come from far away, a rose that would hear the cries of the child.

Rose frowned at the sight of the crystal drops falling from the girl's eyes, her tears dampening her cheeks. Reaching out to embrace her, she brought the girl into her lap and held her close as the child lifted her hand to her cheek. Rose gasped as she felt the ground disappear beneath her, light blinding her only to disappear as the day turned into night. Her heart was beating frantically as she ran, her bare feet pounding against the plush grasses as stones hidden in the soil cut the bottoms of her feet. She could hear the voices calling out to her, the screams and footfalls of all those that chased after her.

They were calling to her, screaming at her and she didn't understand why. The voices weren't making sense to her anymore. The gentleness and love gone as only anger and hate remained. She turned left, the ground disappearing beneath her feet when she ran off a cliff she hadn't known was there. The wind carried her, the strain of muscles she rarely used burning through her shoulders and down her back as she tried to fly. Her cape wasn't a cape, but wings instead, and Rose felt her mind both at peace with the knowledge and equally terrified.

These wings were structured like a butterfly's wings and meant for gliding, but she was doing her best to push them beyond what they could do. She needed to escape, to find safety, but cried out as she felt her left wing tear under the strain. It was her father's blood that had changed her wings and made them different from her mother's. Her mother could fly, she could soar and dive and race with the wind, but she couldn't. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, her lungs burning when she found that she could no longer breathe and fell when the sky could hold her no longer.

There were those that lived on the land had wanted to bridge the gap between the sea and the sky, to live at peace with all those they shared the world with. So many had been in agreement, but there had been those of each species that believed in the purity of their own kind. Her birth had been kept a secret, her life lived in shadows until the day her mother had taken her to the forest to learn how to fly. She had fallen when the wind had shifted and met a man of the forest, her fear over taking her until her mother assured her that the man was a friend. But he was the man who had betrayed them both. There had been only moments between her meeting the man and her mother screaming at her to run.

Rose cried out in fear, her scream full of terror as she felt the pain ricochet through her. Muscle tore from bone, wings that had never been built for racing were damaged from her attempts to run and she knew that they would never work again. Tears filled her eyes, blinding her as she fell from the sky. Her hands reached out, hands smaller than she remembered as she clawed at the trees she crashed through. Her skin ripped open time and again, bones breaking as she slammed into one branch after another. In seconds she was on the ground, her body in too much pain to move as she struggled and fought for each aching breath.

The warmth of summer left her as she felt her body grow cold, the pain becoming distant as those who had chased her found her where she lay. She could hear her mother scream for her as she grew closer, but the sound grew softer instead of louder. Her eyes fell closed only to slowly open again, the knowledge that she was dying was both frightening and welcoming. The pain left her as her mother bent over her, covering her with wings as strong and warm as an eagle's. The anger of the crowd turned to fear and disbelief, the hate turning into sorrow. As the world faded from her view, the last words that she heard were a declaration that with her death the fighting would end.

Rose blinked quickly, tears falling from her eyes as the last images of the vision left her mind. Her arms tightened around the child that she held as her tears refused to be stopped, her heart breaking from all that she had seen. Looking up at the sound of footsteps in the grass, Rose met The Doctor's eyes, his concern and disbelief unnerving her. He moved toward her slowly, cautiously as though he was afraid of her somehow and she didn't understand.

"Rose," The Doctor knelt in the grass as he watched Rose. "Rose, where did you find that?" he asked her.

"Find what?" she asked him as her tears continued to fall.

He studied her silently as he looked at the body she held, his eyes closing when he realized they were seeing two different things. What he saw, the reality of what was, wasn't what she saw. He could see the bits of cloth that remained behind, the dried skin pulled taught over bone. The body in her arms was that of a child, female if the blonde hair was anything to go by, but she was long since dead. He sighed as he reached out to Rose, cupping her cheek in his hand as his worry grew, his hearts aching for the impact he knew the truth would have on her.

"Rose, tell me what you see," he requested of her as he watched her cradle the desiccated corpse in her arms.

She looked down at the girl in her arms, smiling sadly when she found the child to be sleeping against her shoulder. Reaching down for the cloak, Rose pulled it up over the girl to cover her as she slept. She told The Doctor about the child, how she talked to her and what she had been shown. Her words grew softer as she described how the girl looked and the color of her cheeks. Her arms tightened around the girl when The Doctor reached out to take her from her, her eyes meeting his in confusion.

"Rose..." He looked down for a brief moment, sadness in his gaze when he met her eyes. "She's not alive, Rose. She hasn't been alive for a long time."

Rose shook her head as she tried to move away from him, doing what she could to protect the girl in her arms when he reached for her again. He kept his voice calm as he reached out to her again and tried to reason with her, but she refused to let him take the body from her arms. She stood from the grass, cradling the body to her like a mother protecting her child, and he knew that she wouldn't see the truth until she was made to see it. He guided her back through the forest, the silence between them heavy with all that was left unspoken.

"It's alright," The Doctor encouraged her when they came to a clearing, inhabitants from the planet waiting for them.

"No, it's not," Rose denied as she refused to move closer them. "She's not safe with them. Not here."

"Rose," he reached out to her, uncertain how the three people waiting for them would react.

"Her name is Rose?" a woman asked as she stepped closer, her hair the same pale gold as the child's.

"Yes," Rose answered, looking between the woman and The Doctor. "Does it matter?"

"We've been waiting a long time for you," the woman told her before looking at her companions. "I am Ryk'Tara, Empress of the Sky. Jonyel," she motioned to the man standing at her left, his skin appearing almost reflective of the light as he bowed to Rose, "Emperor of the Sea. And this," she motioned to the man at her right, "is Mikayal, Emperor of the Land. Please, come with us. We have much to discuss."

"Doctor," Rose shook her head in confusion as she looked at him.

He knew that she was scared, more for the body she held in her arms than for herself. Offering her an encouraging smile as he moved closer to her, he placed his hand in the small of her back as he guided her forward. They were led to the edge of the forest, the water lapping against the grass. There were five animals waiting for them as one guard stood sentry beside the beasts. The animals reminded her of horses, though they had both wings and gills. They were the one animal, the Empress told them, that could live anywhere on the planet.

"Come on, Rose," The Doctor spoke to her as he stepped up to one of the animals. "Fantastic," he cheered as he mounted the beast and settled into the saddle before reaching down for her.

He knew that she wouldn't relinquish the child's body, knew that he still thought the girl to be alive and sleeping in her arms. There was no warning, nothing to prepare her for the moment when she was too distracted to notice The Doctor leaning down from the saddle toward her. Rose cried out in surprise when she was gripped around her waist and lifted off the ground and deposited into the saddle. His arms slipped around her waist as he gathered the animal's reins and held Rose close at the same time, her back to his chest.

Rose shivered in his arms when he spoke in her ear, his breath warm against her ear. She knew that he was trying to comfort her, but she felt unbalanced instead, somehow intoxicated by him. Closing her eyes as she held the child in her arms closer, Rose fought to steady herself before she embarrassed them both. She could hear his voice whispering in her mind, not The Doctor's, but Jimmy's instead. The memory of his words acted like a wash of ice water over her, and in an instant, she felt the growing arousal she had for The Doctor turn into aching sorrow and fear of memories she wished to forget.

"Close your eyes, Rose," The Doctor encouraged her as he touched her shoulder. "It'll be at least two hours before we reach the main city."

"You think I'm tired," she teased him, tipping her head back to meet his gaze.

"I know you are," he told her as he nodded to the child in her arms. "Talking with her the way you talked would be rather draining for you."

"Think you're so smart," she responded and listened as he snorted in amusement.

"I am so smart," he assured her, grinning when she leaned against him.

He had thought she would rest as he bid her to, but she remained awake instead, asking him about the people they were with and the planet they were on. Each question she asked was answered by The Doctor, or one of the nobles they were with, her curiosity allowed free reign. It was Jonyel who spoke up in the break between conversation, giving voice to the legend the child had told Rose as they neared the town. The Doctor's arms around her waist tightened when the animal they were on angled up, beating its wings against the wind as it flew faster and higher to climb above the buildings. She leaned back against The Doctor, trusting him as she always had, and looked down at the child in her arms.

"She's still sleeping," Rose told him with wonder. "I thought she would have woken by now."

The Doctor glanced down at her as a heavy breath escaped his parted lips. He knew that the truth would hurt her. It would devastate her. She believed that the girl in her arms was alive. She saw her as being alive, when the truth was that the girl had been dead for at least a century. All she held were bones held together by dried skin and covered in tattered cloth. His eyes turned down to her when she moved, turning against him just enough to press her cheek against his chest. He knew that she was tiring, knew that she would fall into an exhausted sleep soon. The spirit of the child was feeding off of Rose's own energy in order to keep the connection open and he doubted that she would last much longer.

"Go to sleep, Rose," The Doctor bid her softly, lifting his arm from around her waist to cover hers as she supported the child she held. "I've got you both."

"You always do," she replied, her voice soft as her eyes fluttered closed.

He heard her soft sigh as she fell asleep in his arms. Turning his head down to look at her face, he wished that he could see what she could, see the child through her eyes. The sound of another horse flying next to them drew his attention, but he kept his eyes on Rose as he waited for the rider to speak. He could feel the eyes watching him - watching them - and he knew in that moment that it was the Empress who had come alongside them. There was a feel to the woman he recognized, a familiarity in the air that told him she was far older than she looked.

"She's beautiful," Ryk'Tara said as she looked at Rose. "The connection is powerful, unbreakable between the two of you as it should be between a husband and wife, but the relationship is far more complicated."

"She's not my wife," The Doctor denied as he looked up from Rose.

"Perhaps not now, but she will be. That much is clear to those of our kind," she told him with certainty. "There are stories carved in stone. Stories that our people learned from other planets. Stories that are beyond time."

"What stories?" The Doctor asked, his voice at one both curious and suspicious.

"The stories are older than time, older than language," she said as the horses began to descend, the animals wings folding in as they dove at a shallow angle toward the ground. "I'm certain we'll have time to talk about it later, but for now, your...companion needs to rest. I'll have you shown to your room."

"Our room?" The Doctor asked as he carefully dismounted his horse before reaching up and taking Rose into the cradle of his arms. "You knew that we were coming?"

"No," Ryk'Tara laughed softly, a quiet breath of amusement rolling from her lips. "No, we never knew when you would come, only that you someday would. A room has been kept for you both since the night the girl died. The man of time and the rose that flew on the wind," she whispered the last words with a bittersweet smile as she stepped away and called to one of the servants.

If you're a legend, how come I'd never heard of you before? The Doctor thought as he looked down at Rose. He followed behind the young servant girl as she led them down one hall and through to another. She never spoke to them, though she treated them with the highest respect. Her actions and quick glances were those of a devout believer looking upon their god. She led them down to a room at the end of the hall, the doors made of intricately carved stone and gilded with ivory and gold. They stretched from the floor to the high ceiling, the scene carved into the stone giving him pause.

"How?" The Doctor asked as he stared at the carving of himself holding Rose and a sleeping child.

"A elder seer," the servant told him, her voice halting and soft as though she was afraid to speak too loud. "She was the one who instructed the royal architect in the design of the door. She died a few years ago, but always spoke of a woman made of gold. That's all anyone knows."

"A woman made of gold," he repeated, his brows rising and falling as he both accepted and dismissed the words in turn.

"I'm to take the child," the servant said when The Doctor turned to walk into the room.

"I can't let you do that," The Doctor denied her as he stepped into the room. "Not until Rose is ready."

"She's waking, sir," the girl said as she nodded to the left. "Turn toward the mirror."

He regarded her quietly for a moment before looking down at Rose. Her heartbeat and breathing hadn't changed. There was nothing to tell him that she was waking, but the girl seemed certain that she was. Turning toward the mirror, he watched their reflection as Rose began to stir in his arms. He never noticed the expression on his face, the way his eyes softened as he looked at Rose, or the way he held her closer when she breathed in deeply and turned her face into his chest. The only thing he could see was Rose, the servant girl watching them from behind as she looked at the mirror.

Rose moaned softly as she sighed his name. Lifting her hand to her face as her eyes opened slowly, she breathed in deeply only to still when she looked into the mirror. Her eyes widened as her breath came faster, shaking her head as she whimpered and looked down at the girl she had known to be in her arms. It was wrong, what she was seeing was wrong and frightening. She had been holding a living little girl, and now all she held was a desiccated corpse.

"Doctor," Rose called to him, her voice trembling as she spoke his name.

"It's alright, Rose," The Doctor calmed her as he turned away from the mirror. "Let her take it," he said as the servant stepped closer and reached for the body.

"I don't understand," Rose said as the girl took the body and left the room. "She was alive."

"No, Rose, she wasn't," he said as he set her on her feet. "She hasn't been alive for a very long time."

"My head," she whimpered, The Doctor catching her when she stumbled.

"You need rest," he told her as he held her.

He spoke to her softly, calming her as he led her to the large bed. He knew that she was afraid, knew that she still didn't understand what had happened between the moment she had fallen asleep in his arms to when she had woken. To her the child had been alive, warm and breathing. She hadn't seen the bones - the truth - until she had seen their reflection. Cupping her cheek in his hand, The Doctor kissed her brow and helped her into the bed, tucking the blankets around her.

"Sleep now, Rose. I'm going to go talk with the nobles and find out exactly what's going on, and what they're expecting," he told her as he touched her cheek. "I'll see if I can find something for your headache."

"TARDIS," her voice was weak as she spoke the ship's name.

"Hidden where we landed, until I know more," he said and watched her nod as she grew closer to sleep.

"Go," Rose told him with a tired grin. "I know you're curious. I'd come, but..."

"But you can barely keep your eyes open," he teased her.

He waited by her side until she fell asleep. Removing his sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket, he scanned Rose over twice, reading the results each time before he felt comfortable with the idea of leaving her. Her health wasn't in any danger that he could tell, she was simply drained of her energy. Standing from the bed, he moved across the room to close out the drapes, allowing her to rest comfortably in the darkened room. There was something missing, he thought as he looked back at her, something she should have that she didn't.

"Blue," The Doctor said with a fleeting smile as he shook his head.

He turned away from her, walking toward the door as he thought of the sentient flower he had grown so used to seeing. She had changed him, he realized. She had taken away some of his anger, more than a bit of his pain, and replaced both with wonder. Rose had shown him the world through her eyes, and he had never noticed it until that moment. Stepping to the door, he opened the heavy stone and turned back to look at her once more before leaving the room.

There was a guard waiting for him, a man who looked to be of the land species, though he had wings that told of his mixed heritage. He introduced himself to The Doctor with a low formal bow and told him that he was honored to be their escort during their stay. The legend of the rose who could hear the child was known across the planet, her coming foretold in the manner of a god. He listened as the man told him of the legend again, answering the questions he asked and those he hadn't.

"You all speak, but each of you is also telepathic. I can feel it," The Doctor said and watched the guard beside him nod, his expression one of sadness.

"The war began, in part, because we couldn't understand each other. Each of our races is telepathic, but we couldn't communicate telepathically with each other," he told The Doctor as they turned down a corridor. "Those that wanted peace had found a way, created a universal language. The language is the same as you hear it now - a spoken language. There were those that considered it wrong, blasphemous even, to speak aloud. The child, the hybrid, was unique. She was of the sea and the sky, but no one could understand her. Not even her own parents, it was said."

"Her parents must have communicated somehow," The Doctor said with a frown.

"No one knows how. That's why your Rose is so important to us. She is held in higher regard than even our royal family." The guard paused, meeting The Doctor's gaze before taking in a breath to speak. "Our people have united through a treaty, but it is said that The Rose will bring peace, true peace to our people."

:::::

Rose shifted beneath the blankets, drawing in a deep breath as her eyes fluttered open slowly. She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep, and while she was still tired, she had been woken by the knowledge that she was no longer alone. It wasn't The Doctor that was with her, she had known that before she'd even opened her eyes, but she had never expected what she found. Lifting her hand to her face and rubbing her eyes, she pushed herself up to lean on her elbow and looked at the children sitting around her on the bed.

They were each young, anywhere from three years to seven years, by her estimation. One child in particular, a little girl who looked to be born of the earth and sea people. Her eyes were a brilliant ice blue, her hair a dark brown highlighted with strands of gold. The girl was watching her curiously, her eyes following her every movement and Rose couldn't help but find amusement in how she was being studied. Lifting her hand from on top of the blankets, Rose reached out to the little girl with a smile and brought her closer when the child placed her hand in hers.

She noticed that the door was open, another child sneaking into the room before it closed again and Rose shook her head in amusement. Never could she have imagined that she would someday be the center of curiosity as she was now. She waited for one of the children to speak, even closed her eyes and listened to see if they were trying to talk to her telepathically, but there was nothing.

"My name is Rose," she offered the children and watched as each of them widened their eyes. "Oh, don't," she reached out to one of the children by her feet. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. Haven't had my bed full of kids before," she told them with a smile.

She waited as she asked for the children's names, each of them offering their own in hushed whispers. There were twelve children in total, an equal mix of boys and girls. Moving slowly, Rose sat up in the bed and tucked the pillows behind her against the headboard. She invited the children closer, some choosing to cuddle against her while others laid against her legs or sat at her feet. One of the older girls asked her if she was truly the rose of legend, and she laughed as she shrugged.

"I suppose I am," Rose said, looking up when the door to her room opened again, smiling in wonder and disbelief at The Doctor as he entered the room.

"Making a collection then?" he asked and Rose laughed as she invited him closer.

"Woke up with them here," Rose told him with a wide smile. "Seems I'm a bit of a celebrity, or something."

She waited for The Doctor to join her on the bed, laughing when he rolled his eyes as the children who couldn't fit around her cuddled against him. It was just a look between them, a simple glance that they teased each other with. His distaste for domestics and her ability to make new friends with alien races so easily. It was the first time since traveling with Rose that she was the one that was revered and not him. There was no jealousy, only curiosity mixed with concern. These people revered her, worshipped her even, and it worried him for the simple reason that he didn't know their intentions. He had met so many different races and species over his nine hundred years. Some of them were peaceful, others warriors, but there had been some of those aliens he'd met who worshipped there gods by eating them. He hoped that this wasn't one of them.

It was almost an hour later that the Empress and the two Emperors came upon them, the guards having reported that the children residing inside the castle had seemed to have gathered in the Legendary Room. Rose had turned her attention to the door at the soft knock, smiling when she nodded to the royals, and turned her eyes on The Doctor. She was still tired, still suffering the headache from earlier, but refused to let it be known that she was in any kind of discomfort. Two more people requested to enter the room, Rose finding amusement in the expression on The Doctor's face. She knew that he wasn't fond of the situation they were in now, the gathering of the children around them both something that he would see as very domestic.

The two newcomers introduced themselves with low bows, their conduct formal as they told her they were the high priestesses of the temple. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she turned her eyes to the elder priestess and asked which temple they were referring to. Rose turned to The Doctor at the answer, her expression one of disbelief and uncertainty when she was told that the temple was hers. All it took was a look, his blue eyes focusing on hers, and she knew that they would both be alright. No matter the danger, he always made certain that everything was alright. She trusted him to do that now and he had never let her down.

The questions came slowly, the royals and spiritual leaders asking as to the child she had found in the forest. She answered what she could, revealing the life and the death of the child as tears formed in her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks. There were moments that Rose would pause, shaking her head as she listened to their questions and found that they still hadn't learned the lesson the child's death had taught. The girl's life had brought to light the answer they had been seeking for the one question they wouldn't ask. Looking up as she took The Doctor's hand in hers, Rose turned her eyes on the adults in the room with them and forced down the anger that had come without her permission.

"You still don't understand. None of you do," Rose said as she looked down at the children tucked against her and The Doctor. "Stop speaking, stop hearing, and listen!" she told them sharply. "You all spend so much time trying to hear each other that you've stopped listening. She could hear everyone, but none of you could hear her. Listen with your hearts. Just listen and have faith in each other."

"How did she hear everyone?" The Doctor asked Rose as he tightened his hand around hers in an offer of comfort.

"She closed her eyes," Rose said as she looked at him before turning her attention back to the royals and spiritualists. "When the man who betrayed her mother - betrayed her - came upon them, she closed her eyes. She closed her eyes so that she could hear him, but anger and hate made no sense to her! She couldn't understand him because of it!"

"Rose," The Doctor spoke to her softly as he sought to calm her.

"Haven't any of you wondered why your children never need to speak out loud? Why they can hear each other and talk to each other without ever needing to actually speak?" Rose asked as she looked at them. "Children don't know hate. It's not something anyone is born with. It is something that they are taught, something that they learn. Stop teaching them hate, stop telling them the old stories. Just let them learn for themselves."

"There is no hate here," the high priestess said only to be met with Rose's angry stare.

"You're a fool if you think that," Rose declared. "You're of the land species aren't you?" she asked and waited as the old woman nodded. "Each of these children on the bed with The Doctor and I have a little something that tells me they come from mixed families. You," Rose nodded pointedly at the priestess, "won't look at any of them. You look at me or The Doctor, but you won't look at them. You consider yourself above them, something more than spiritually. What is it then?" Rose asked as she studied her. "Pureblood," she said after a moment. "You consider yourself better than these children because you have no mixed blood. Is that it?"

The old priestess pulled back, her eyes wide and accusing. There was no reason to validate Rose's claims. The child back then and the children now had been nothing more than a mixing of the species, mongrels in her view. Turning her attention to the empress, Rose revealed the truth that no one talked about, the truth no one wanted known. There would never be peace so long as there were those who believed that they were better for not having mixed heritage.

"Don't you see?" Rose asked as she looked at the royals. "The children of your world can communicate and live in peace because they are blind to what they are. You will never have peace until you learn what they are born knowing. Love is blind. If you want peace, then you must learn to see with your heart and not your eyes."

She stayed in the room with the children gathered around her and The Doctor long after the others had left. Leaning her head against The Doctor's shoulder, she sighed as she wondered if her words had had any impact on them at all. A child's life had been lost because those who believed in the purity of their own species couldn't see that they were the ones creating the problem. The children stayed with them until the sun had fallen below the horizon, the world around them cast in darkness. The Doctor gathered her close, encouraging her to rest through the night as he held her and promised to keep her safe.

"I felt it," Rose told him, sniffing back her tears as she began to cry. "Everything she went through. Everything she felt and saw and experienced," she sobbed. "I felt it as though it were happening to me."

Hours passed by, night turning into day as The Doctor kept vigil by Rose's side. He waited for morning before helping Rose up and leading her back to the stables of the castle. The guard who had been assigned to them helped them to saddle and mount their steeds. He had thought that Rose would be pleased to have her own horse, but she was quiet and withdrawn instead. The moment they were inside the TARDIS Rose turned and made her way through the halls to the kitchen, The Doctor following behind her.

He spoke her name when he found her leaning against the sink with her back to him. He knew she was crying, knew that her heart was breaking, and stepped up behind her. There was a moment of silence as he reached out to her, Rose turning to him as she fell into his arms. He held her tightly as she began to cry, her tears breaking his hearts as he petted her hair and did his best to comfort her. The hardest lesson of traveling in time and space had just been learned by Rose Tyler. Sometimes, no matter how hard you tried or what you did to help, you couldn't change a thing. Sometimes, the good side didn't win.