Companion Appreciation Day
Chapter 7
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Oh, you guys… -wipes tears- you're so fantastic, you know…
Fantastical stuff I have planned. Guess what that dress is for, guys xD.
What I am doing is truly habit forming. I'm eating freezing cold ice cream on a cold rainy day in the most freezingest coldest room in the house.
New Doing: Eating Ice cream and writing this
Now Listening To: Gone – TobyMac (how appropriate for my detestation of John Smith at the moment!! "She said, 'you weren't true' and life's not blowing her kisses thanks to you! I wanna know what you were thinking! I can't imagine that it didn't even sink in – they say you never know what you got till its gone!")
I have NO idea how spas work, so don't kill me.
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"What's it for?" asked Rose as the Doctor laid the gorgeous silk in her arms carefully when she didn't take it. He looked genuinely pleased with himself as she continued to look astounded. "Doctor…"
"What's it for?" queried the Doctor back. He managed to look slightly quizzical. "It needs to be 'for' something?"
"Doctor…" She couldn't get passed his name. Her eyes started to tear up as her gaze locked onto the dress. "Doctor…"
The Doctor suddenly frowned; almost hurt – more afraid that he hadn't made the right choice. "You don't like it? I could – " Rose, for the second time that day flung her arms round him tightly, giving him a very big passionate kiss.
"I don't like it," whispered Rose, and for a moment the Doctor's countenance fell. "I absolutely love it." He wore a proper boy's smile as he leaned down to lightly kiss her again.
"I'm glad," he murmured into her hair. "Now, go have your shower and get ready."
"Get ready? Get ready for what?" asked Rose, slightly bemused as she pulled away.
"For me to know and you to find out," replied the Doctor huskily, pausing to kiss her viciously again before letting her escape from his grasp. Rose chuckled and walked towards the section to which he had pointed earlier. She was going to enjoy a long hour soak.
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When Rose got out of the shower, she was almost surprised – but not really – to find that the Doctor wasn't in the room at all. A nice, young lady brought her a heated dressing gown, white and soft. Her long hair was wrapped in an equally warm towel and she was led to a recliner.
"What would madam like first, a foot massage?"
Rose smiled, delighted. "Yes, please." She sighed and closed her eyes as the nice girl got to work. She drifted into relaxation as the lady's gentle and firm hands went over her feet.
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Soon enough she had gotten a back massage, a manicure, a pedicure and a facial as well. (Tells you how much I know about these things.)
Rose sighed again, one of pure relaxation as she stood up and walked over to where she had lovingly laid the blue silk. She picked it up and stroked the fabric gently. Where had he gotten this?
Two ladies hastened to her and took her arm gently. "Now madam, we shall help you dress." The one who spoke eyed it. "Hmm, you shall have to wear a corset with that, perhaps? And a – "
"Corset?" interrupted Rose. "Corset?" She didn't even own one!
"Yes, a corset. They were very stylish back when this dress was popular…"
Oh great. She was going to wear something stylish back when Laura Ingils was a kid.
"Do I have to wear hoops to?" asked Rose dryly.
The other lady frowned and looked over the dress critically. "No, I don't think so. A corset should do just fine – especially if we have one from the…" She bustled off to goodness knows where.
Rose wished for the Doctor and tried not to cringe when the lady came bustling back with the most massive and intricate thing she had ever seen. Her eyebrows went up. "I have to wear that?" she asked. The second lady nodded.
"It will only take a moment…"
Rose sighed and nodded her consent. This better be worth it.
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Finally, she was ready. Ready for what, she didn't know. All she knew that after an hour of hard labor, she was ready – well, presentable at least. Finally.
The two women who had helped her stood back to admire their handiwork. "You look absolutely beautiful, madam," said one of them, admiringly. Rose blushed, self-conscious. But would the Doctor approve? "I wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't keep his eyes off of you tonight," she added, grinning slyly, making Rose blush even more. They exchanged a smile, and Rose stood up.
"The master requests that you meet him in the… room down the corridor to your… left when you're ready." The other lady told Rose, her brow wrinkling in remembrance. Rose smiled in gratitude and stood straight, straightening her long and big skirt.
She opened the door and took a few steps forward, pleased that she had been able to find matching shoes. She had decorated her hair becomingly with two of the roses the Doctor had given her, and someone had managed to find a row of pearls to wind through her hair.
Around her eyes were some silver and blue sparkles, setting off the tone of her skin wonderfully. Rose took a steadying breath, and began to walk. Why was she feeling like Esther going to spend a night with the king? This was the Doctor, not some big old fat guy. Rose laughed out loud before she could stop herself. Not as if anything's gonna happen. The fact that she had dressed up for him was enough to make her nervous.
She gave a little knock, shook off the butterflies in her stomach, and entered as the door automatically swung open. She inhaled sharply. Around her was a huge dance floor. There were a few couples dancing around the floor, in oblivion to her entry. She thoroughly looked at the other women. They were all dressed in similar clothing, and it suddenly became clear. She smiled and began to casually look around for the Doctor.
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The Doctor had heard the door swing open and had been making his way to meet Rose through the throng. When he finally did see her, both his hearts caught in his throat. She was wearing the dress he had picked out for her, as well as his roses in her sparkling hair along with a ring of pearls. He was absolutely stunned into silence, so he didn't call out. He stood there, absorbing her features – everything about her stood out – the slender curve of her milky neck, one of her hands lightly holding her skirt as she tread softly on the ground, the flash of her brown eyes as they swung dancingly and enticingly from person to person in an intense search for only one. Him. The Doctor snapped out of his trance as he beamed, oh so proud of her. He hastened to her side, wondering if perhaps he had made a mistake in inviting people to this dance – he no longer felt like sharing her with anyone in this room. He sidled up to Rose without her noticing and caught her hand. Rose whirled around delicately with a glowing smile dancing on her lips. Lips that he wished to kiss so badly. So he did.
Rose and the Doctor separated after a moment and she reached a hand up to trail along his jaw. "Thank you for that."
His brown, bambi-eyes crinkled in amusement. "For what?"
"For giving me those gifts."
"My pleasure," he replied, as he squeezed her hand and tugged him into his chest.
"How did all these people get here?" asked Rose, evident wonderment and curiosity in her voice. Her tone was worth all the strings he had pulled.
"Ooh, that's the beauty of a large ship," he explained, still smiling tenderly at her. "You see, that door –" He pointed to a far corner. "That leads to their world. They can't see any other door, including the one that you entered. Why don't you mingle?" he teased, flashing a crooked grin at her.
"Did the TARDIS suggest this?" asked Rose, smiling with unshed tears in her eyes.
"She did," admitted the Doctor. "I carried it out, though. She wanted you to have a special CAD."
Oh, thank you, TARDIS. Thank you so much, Rose whispered to the ship.
You're very welcome, my dear precious Rose.
"Wait a minute, she's not your dear precious Rose, TARDIS," protested the Doctor good-naturedly. "She's mine." He tugged her closer and kissed her passionately, proving his point effectively.
You have to learn to share sometime, argued the TARDIS.
"Who says?" replied the Doctor indignantly.
"Doctor, TARDIS, stop. TARDIS, you know I love you. Doctor, you know I love you. Why don't we just leave it at that?" Rose was starting to get slightly uncomfortable being the rope in their Tug-Of-War game.
The Doctor grinned and wrapped his arms around Rose, lifting her up and kissing her. "Sure, sweetheart. Whatever you want."
"Sweetheart?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow. The Doctor shrugged and she laughed.
"Let's dance," suggested the Doctor, grinning. He pulled Rose onto the floor and clapped once. The music slowed to a romantic song as the lights dimmed.
"Can I really dance in this?" asked Rose, tugging gently at her long skirt.
"Just wrap it like so…" The Doctor efficiently and quickly tied the hook that held her skirt around her wrist. "There."
Rose beamed, pleased. "Perfect…" The Doctor's mouth got in the way of her words.
"Yes, you are," he murmured, holding her breathtakingly close. He inhaled, smiling softly as he kissed her neck. She smelled of the loveliest roses.
"Thank you," she whispered back, resting her head on his shoulder in blissful contentment.
This way they danced into the night, just holding each other. Several people tapped the Doctor on the shoulder to cut in, but he refused to hand over his partner even for a moment, much to the delight of Rose and the despair of the other men.
"Thank you," she whispered again, and they kept dancing.
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Not over yet, to be continued.