Hello lovely people! So, this one came way early... I finished and couldn't wait to post. Hope you enjoy!

A big shout out to all the amazing people who favourited and followed this story, and especially to those who reviewed:sickpuppy44, ChildofGallifrey7, krikanalo, and imsuchanut! You guys make me so happy :)

Again, I don't own Doctor Who.

EMPYREANAN'S SYMPHONY

"So! A billion places to go and all the time of creation… Where to next?"

Rose shifted from one foot to the other. It wasn't that she didn't want to do go on an adventure… She just wasn't up for another near-death experience. Not yet. "Can we go somewhere quiet?"

He looked at her, confused.

"Y'know…" she intoned, "somewhere beautiful and relaxing where we don't have to worry 'bout running for our lives?"

"Like a holiday?"

"Exactly."

The last thing Rose expected was the smile that broke across her companion's face. "Perfect! Been wanting one of those myself. And I know just the place." He smiled at her, springing into action as he danced around the console, hands flying as he twisted, pressed and yanked at different mechanical pieces. "Beautiful planet: Relaxing, serene, picturesque… No flame throwing chameleons." He stopped, grinning at her. "A proper holiday."

And with that the Time Lord released the handbrake, the TARDIS hurling through space at warped speed, tumbling towards the planet's atmosphere like a rocket.

The landing was not the smoothest one the alien had ever executed, but it served its purpose well enough, parking in the middle of a beautiful valley. "So, where are we?" Rose asked, excited.

The Doctor merely smirked, leaning on the console with his arms crossed over his chest. "Go see for yourself."

With a brilliant smile, the blonde bounded towards the door, swinging it open and stepping outside, awed.

It was beautiful. Quiet. Very quiet… Even eerily quiet, but gorgeous nonetheless. The flowers in the field they had landed in came up to her waist and were in all manner of colours, and the snow-capped mountain peaks seemed to touch the sky. Every plant in the valley bent and swayed in a breeze that felt much like a sigh.

Rose Tyler looked at the mauve sky in amazement. "It's so beautiful."

"It is." The Doctor walked up beside her, smiling triumphantly. Who said he couldn't go on holiday? Look at him! Look at them: First the cuddling the night before, now a relaxing holiday just the two of them… it was all very domestic.

Unbidden, the wonderful warmth of last night came tumbling into his consciousness, once again evoking feelings of happiness he never thought he'd feel again. The Doctor couldn't help but remember the way she'd touched him obsessively, as if making sure he hadn't disappeared; the way she'd cuddled into him; the way she'd ran her hands through his hair, massaging his scalp; the way she'd kissed the corner of his mouth, drowsy and half-awake.

He actively focused on the memory of her bare skin again his, of how good it felt to be her protector in the battle for restful sleep… He had let himself, however unwisely, run away with the fantasy of falling asleep like that every night.

He liked that idea more than he probably should have.

Upon waking the next morning, Rose had been as radiant as her namesake as she smiled and cuddled and thanked her alien companion. He considered himself lucky and cherished the contact, becoming more bold in both action and thought. He'd held her hand, kissed her cheek, stroked her hair. He'd let himself think that this trip would be different. That they could spend the entirety of the journey wrapped up in one another and never leave.

But that was an illusion. A fantasy. Because, as always, something wasn't right. "D'you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Exactly." He frowned, looking at the skyline as he started to make his way towards the nearest edge of forest.

"Doctor, hear what?" Rose repeated nervously.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." The Time Lord looked back at her, chewing his lower lip in concentration. "Don't you find that a bit odd? That we can't hear anything, I mean?"

"Well, are we supposed to hear something? I dunno; new planet, new population, new atmosphere… Maybe it's just naturally silent?" She said the last almost hopefully.

"No." The alien shook his head, dashing her hopes. "Something's wrong. Something's very wrong."

Rose had half a mind to roll her eyes. It wasn't that she was ungrateful or spoiled, but this happened every time. Was there no reprieve? Did they not get a break once in a while? But the blonde bit her tongue and looked at her companion with a forced smile. "Right. Let's go, then."

"Rose, I'm sorry-"

"'S what we do, right? We save the world. Every world."

"We'll go somewhere nice next, I promise. A real pleasure planet."

He'd been saying that a lot lately.

The blonde merely nodded, sidling up to the Time Lord and taking his hand, squeezing gently. She wasn't angry or fed up, not really. She loved this life, with him… Sometimes, it just got to be tiring. Sometimes, she just needed one day of relaxation to recharge.

Most days, this didn't happen. But she had to remind herself that it was worth it, it was always worth it. The Doctor looked at his companion, concerned. This time, she did roll her eyes, walking ahead with a jump in her step. "Are you coming?"

He followed, grinning at her back as he caught up, once again amazed at how wonderful she was. And resilient. Wonderful, resilient Rose. "You won't be too tired?"

She turned, frowning at him. "Since when have I ever been too tired to save a world?"

"I just thought-"

"I'll be fine, promise. Now come on, this silence is too loud."

They began their trek through the forest, hand in hand, the planet's beauty not lost on Rose Tyler. The colours were exquisite, every organism coloured so brightly she could hardly wrap her head around the fact that it was natural. "It's beautiful here," she said softly, finger stroking a mauve leaf.

The Doctor nodded. "The planet Empryeanan. Known as the Jewel of the Five Great Systems… Sister to the great planet of Rhodenesia: the first civilization of the Great Men. It's a conservation planet, the first of it's kind. Brilliant idea, actually: this planet, for the most part, remains untouched by any alien life forms. It's used as a tourist attraction, like the national parks you lot have on Earth."

Rose frowned. "Then, it shouldn't be this quiet."

"Exactly. No tourists, no Marun, no animals. We haven't seen a single-"

"Marun?" Rose asked.

"Marun Yuld. He's the chief biologist in charge of this project. Actually, he's the only biologist. Shouldn't have been, this planet is too big and rich for just one person, but Marun was intent on being the only person living here. He's brilliant; a true visionary in his field. In fact, he was the revolutionary that completely changed the environmentalist movement in the Dark Age and brought human kind to the sustainable living it has now."

"So… he saves us? I mean, everything on the telly these days goes on about global warming and the world ending. Marun Yuld saves us?"

The Doctor looked at his companion curiously. "No, you all save yourselves. Eventually, people start to realize that the environment is important, and they make changes. The most brilliant man on Earth can discover the perfect way of life, but if nobody changes the way they live, nothing changes. The Human Race decides to collectively save itself and spread out among the stars… Brilliant, isn't it?"

"Brilliant." Rose smiled, bumping shoulders with the Time Lord. He grinned back before continuing: "Well, Marun Yuld started this project. He lives in an eco-lab just south of here and studies the wildlife, never further interfering with the balance of things. He brings in small groups of tourists and gives the tours himself."

"Doesn't he get lonely?"

The alien paused. "…Dunno. I'd expect so, late at night. But that's the job."

A rustle in the bushes behind them cause the pair to jump, turning quickly while brandishing the sonic screwdriver. "Hello?" the Doctor called, "Marun?"

But once again, there was complete and utter silence.

Cautiously, the Time Lord walked up to the vegetation, parting the bushes and looking at the forest floor, Rose close behind. "Oh my God," she breathed.

It was the carcass of some small animal, long rotted in the earth. Nothing crawled in and out of the rotting flesh: no maggots, no other strange organisms… There was no smell, either, just dried blood on a torn open body, pieces of meat hacked off viciously and trailed across the floor. Bones had been broken, and the blonde could see sparkling white ribs that had been picked dry of meat. "Doctor?"

"Keep moving," he said seriously, lowly. "Something's not right."

They walked more than briskly, hearts pounding as another bush rustled. Breaking out into a run, the pair raced through the wood, running through shallow streams and over hills, never looking back. Through valleys and over fallen trees the Time Lord and Human ran, both too uneasy to stop.

Dark would be falling soon, and neither were ready.