A/N: - Quite a long while ago, I had a request to delve more into Rose's life in the Parallel Universe and go into detail about how the illness developed and such. Thank you, THANK YOU and THANK YOU to all the brillopad people, who've put me onto their Alerts and stuff. If all those Alerters took two seconds to put a simple =( or a =) in a review, then I'd love it even more! *hints* This has NOT been Beta-ed and is in the process of being Beta-ed at the moment, so if you'd like to read a perfect no-mistakes-at-all, I suggest you don't read this and wait until I've put up BETA-ED on the summary. I've only put this up today, because I just felt like ti for no reason at all! =D =D =D =D TTYL, me.

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1:30, in the limo, Parallel Universe.

Mum rattled away about this and that while I was busy pretending to listen and allowed myself to nod at the appropriate moments, occasionally adding the general 'Yeah,' or 'Nope,' for good measure.

Kingsley joined in too, putting in jokes and happily yapping on about all the latest gossip with mum. My mind drifted away into oblivion as I looked outside at the cars and city landscape that rushed past us. The watch was still a noticeable yellow, tucked uncomfortably under my lap; the dizziness refused to go as my vision blurred even further and sent the inside of the car whirling round and round crazily. When was this going to stop? Never, that was the answer. I shut my eyes and drifted into a semi-conscious daydream – mulling over what had sent me to this point in my life, so that I was too helpless to defend myself…

***

I'd been in a complete and utter wreck when I was first locked up in this Universe. One whole hour after the breach had closed, I was still sat leaning against the wall, sobbing my heart out and trying to will it back open. In the end I was dragged off set by force, by a merciless Jake and Mickey, when I refused to budge. But other than that, they left me alone and took it into heart, that I had just lost someone I… loved and wasn't in the mood to have a good argument. Yet, anyway.

I lay tossing and turning on the bed, head feeling like it was going to explode. Head on fire, I outstretched my arm and grabbed the box of pain killers on my bedside table and rammed a capsule down my throat, swiftly downing it with water. The pain didn't stop.

That was what I was like in the first week after the breach had been shut. Mum wasn't any better, neither was Mickey. We were all suffering from what the (newly supplied) Torchwood scientists called, 'The after effects of the closure between the two Universes.' Apparently it was because, now we were permanently sealed off from our home Universe, our bodies needed time to heal and become immune to its new surroundings.

To hell with that. It was bad enough with me crying myself to sleep every night, but having this on top of it all? It was a living hell. We all stayed in Pete's mansion, coping with each other's moaning and groaning. (When Mickey first settled down in this Universe, he had occasionally stopped by to set up house in Pete's Mansion and he permanently settled down with us in those first couple of weeks.) Thankfully we only had to put up with it for a week, and then it sort of… disappeared, if you like. Then it back again, for me it did anyway, because I was pretty sure that hearing your heart thump out loud wasn't really an everyday phenomenon.

Two weeks after the breach had closed, Pete had set up Torchwood properly and it was up and running for business. In the next few days, dozens, maybe even hundreds of people lined up for job interviews and just seven days later Torchwood was fully stocked up and rearing to go. This Torchwood wasn't really like Yvonne's war-driven, power crazy version; it was better, in a sense. Violence was only a last resort now and no lethal weapons were permitted to be used, unless it was something darn right serious; only then
was a full on bullet gun supplied. Other than that it was only stun guns, low-voltage tazors and weak tranquilizer guns we used.

Torchwood just collected whatever it came across, the natural way of course and not the 'build-a-giant-skyscraper-just-to-scavenge-an-alien-artefact' way. The Doctor would've been proud, if he was there… I mostly stuck to black and other dark coloured items of clothing at Torchwood, and suits weren't my style so I definitely did not wear them.

Pete had promoted me from a Researcher to the manager of the Field Agents in one week. I protested of course, and told him I didn't want to be treated differently just 'cause I was his daughter. But he wasn't having any of it. So, at work I got on with all my set assignments and made new friends; acting as if I didn't have a care in the world. I shoved all the headaches and heartburn and fevers out the way and left them at home, where they should be. I smiled and worked with surprisingly enthusiastic determination, though mum and Pete took my attitude as a bad sign and started to worry. Mickey did occasionally bombard me with questions. Nevertheless, he gave up when I repeated the same answer and finally he actually gave me some peace. I tried and tried to forget him, but with everyone interrogating me it made me feel suffocated and it made me think of him more… It really did not help.

"Rose, are you alright? You've lost a lot of weight, you know. It's not good for you, we can go and see a doctor if--" Mum said to me one day, cornering me in the kitchen.

"Mum, I'm fine. If Pe... If dad's been talking to you about me. It's all not true. I'm alright; 'm getting on with my life now…" I replied bluntly.

"You don't have to keep all your feelings bottled up, it's better if you express them sweetheart. Rose, I'm always here for you, you know that right?"

"Mum, just leave me alone! I want to be independent now, I'm not your little girl anymore; I've changed a lot since back then. I'm not the young girl in pigtails who came home crying, when the junior kids beat me up; I'm not the moody preteen that threw tantrums over nothing and I'm not the broken fifteen -year old that went out clubbing till midnight and came home half drunk. I'm different, can't you see that? The Doctor changed me… "

"Rose--"

"But NOTHING! Mum, I can't--" I sighed and rubbed my forehead, pausing. "Mum, I can't go on like this," I used my hands to gesture. "Not anymore. I've tried, tried to forget it all. Tried to forget about him, but you goin' on about how I am and reminding me about the life I lost just makes it harder for me. This isn't the life that I want; getting up late, going to work, going back home… This isn't home."

Those were the types of arguments and conversations I'd ended up having with mum. It'd often end up in unwanted tears and feisty rows, but I never wanted it to turn out that way. But deep down, I knew it was true - on the outside I put on a happy, confident front to please everyone and make it seem like everything was OK - but inside, I was breaking. It was a completely different story once I got back to Pete's mansion; as soon as I'd talked to the family, had dinner and watched a bit of TV, I'd rush upstairs and not appeared again until morning. Most nights I cried myself to sleep because the memories of my old
life kept haunting this new one and I still couldn't believe that he was gone. All those memories, all those laughs and all that warmth I experienced when I was with him had just disappeared from my life and I couldn't ever get it back. It wasn't fair.

About two months after that day, it started happening to mum again; the headaches, the temperatures and a new addition in the form of puking. Just great; I was secretly pleased, because I thought I had somebody to share my pain with. But then I took her to hospital and we found out that it was good news; mum was pregnant with another Tyler. We told Pete and he was overjoyed; Mickey soon found out and our mansion was full of happiness and celebrations. I was surprisingly excited and delighted too, because now I knew mum really did have Pete to help and support her. And that was when the side-effects were blamed on mum's pregnancy and everyone agreed, wiping their hands clean of the matter. I knew and I was sure Mickey knew that that was definitely not the
case, as it still didn't explain our illnesses. Because you see, I wasn't pregnant, and Mickey certainly never would be. Unless they'd developed some sort of weird technology, to make men pregnant; but that was highly unlikely.

Mum was so much happier and better after that, but it wasn't the same case for me. Pete and mum thought that the pains had ended and everything was fine, excellent, and top-notch. But they weren't for me, not really. The grief decided to plague me once every fortnight for two days running, twice a fortnight if I was that unfortunate. I'd spend those nights tossing and turning in bed, with my temperature undoubtedly soaring way over anything healthy and head throbbing painfully. I couldn't stop it, no matter how many pain killers or penicillin I took, it'd harass me throughout the day and night. It was the
same with Mickey, I could tell by the huge bags under his eyes and the same familiar weariness I had.

It developed into me having the ability to hear my heart beat loudly wherever I went, and soon enough it was like the same routine over and over. The fortnightly Sundays to Thursdays were brilliant and I was better than ever, but then came the Fridays and Saturdays which brought me a whole load of headaches and heart hammering in my ears. I didn't want to talk it over with mum in case she got worried, because I didn't want her to stress her out during her pregnancy; she was fretting enough as it was. I spent endless
nights tossing and turning in bed; temperature sometimes running over 40 degrees, migraines overwhelming me and the occasional heart burn ruining my sleep, over all her pregnancy classes! To be honest, I didn't know why she needed them; she went through nine months with me perfectly, without any of the fuss. I was sure of it.

Then came the voices. Every night, I'd have dreams with an oh-so familiar soothing voice calling me, through a hazy mist. It was the Doctor, he was calling me. I could still recognise that voice and it felt so damn good hearing it again. It soothed all the headaches and troubles in my life; that's when I was told to follow the voice. I told mum, Pe-- dad and Mickey. We got in dad's old jeep and drove for miles, following the voice. We ended
up in Norway, on a beach called 'Darlig Ulv Stranden'. I was soon to find out that it translated as Bad Wolf bay. Funny thing that those words still haunted me during the worst day of my life.

I met him, the Doctor, for what he said was the last time ever. But he was just a hologram, pushing through the surface, I couldn't even touch him. We had a hurried goodbye, and half of the time I was lost for words. In the end I admitted my love for him and I swore he was going to do the same, but then he faded away… I can remember that day as clear as anything, as if it happened yesterday. He had looked so alone and broken that day. It wasn't fair. I was here in Norway with my family, still crying even though I was really lucky to have people that loved me – while the Doctor was all on his own with nobody at all.

As soon as we got back to England I browsed for flats in my spare time and, when I found the perfect one, I told mum and Pete my new found decision. Mum protested at first and even dad was rather shocked, but I almost immediately coaxed them into allowing me to move out. I chose a small but comfortable looking apartment in the heart of London, quite close to work so I could still walk. It was good enough for me, and even though it was my house, I could never call it home. My home was with the Doctor in the depths of the TARDIS and London, in the Powell Estate with mum and my mates, where I spent my life before I met the wonder that took me away from it all.

But it wasn't all that easy. Dad insisted on having a look, and as soon as he scarcely glanced at the inside, he said no. He maintained his stronghold and refused to let me stay there, saying it was shabby and unclean. Instead, he bought me a huge expensive studio flat in some really posh estate. It was enormous, I tell you, and it must have cost a fortune because it was so modern. I protested and declined the proposition, because I couldn't just accept something like this out of the blue, it was unfair that he cared so much for me, even though I wasn't even his real daughter. But, I allowed it in the end, after endless debates which mum put an end to with a straightforward: "It's not good for the baby."

I moved out a month after Bad Wolf bay and him, going quietly without any going away party, though I still got a long weepy goodbye from mum. I promised her I'd visit often and call her, but she knew that wasn't to be trusted. I heard news, not long after, that Mickey had moved out too because he didn't want to "Disturb the family peace." I told 'im it was stupid to move out of the mansion, but he didn't listen to me and admitted that he wanted to get his own mansion so he could make his parallel Gran live with him.

Rose Tyler, a London shop girl living in a studio apartment…

***

My eyes flashed in worry at the outside world, we'd just passed Park Street so that meant we had already gone past the Mortimer Estate – where my apartment was.

I leaned forward and said, "Kingsley, sorry to bother you an' all, but we've just gone past the Mortimer Estate. So if you just turn back, we can--"

"Oh no you don't, young lady," mum declared firmly, hand on my shoulder. "You're not going anywhere; you need a good feeding up, you do. Look at yourself, you're just skin and bones. There's no flesh on you at all!"

"Mum?!" I whined.

"My apologies Ma'am. So, should I turn back or…?" Kingsley inquired, looking into the mirror.

"No, no, just keep going, you're doing a great job." mum's eyes were still locked firmly onto mine. "Don't listen to a word this young madam says. Talking nonsense, Rose is. To think I'd let you just swan off and go 'ome, after all you've been through… I'm taking you back home. You need a decent meal, at least! I don't know what kinda muck they fed you at 'ospital, but it certainly didn't do you any good. I have a good mind to complain."

"Mum, it wasn't their fault; I just didn't have an appetite there. Why can't I--"

"Exactly my point! You can go home after a day or two, just not today."

"But..."

As it always was, there was no arguing with Jackie Tyler and that was for certain. It looked like I was stuck there; well, at least it gave me another excuse to see Tony. I flicked through all the different possibilities; flood the bathroom? Nah, he'd already done that. Bought an army tank off Ebay? Possible, but unlikely because he barely knew what the heck a computer was. My mind buzzed with ideas, as I wondered what the damage was today...

A/N: - Bit long, but shorter than the last one. Thanks for reading once again and please press that lovely tempting lil REVIEW button, down there. I hope you liked it. Just to let you know, next chapter will be up pronto and the next chapter from Rose's POV will all be about Torchwood and the most recent years on this Universe. =D =D =D