Ch 14
Rose was a bit slower to recover and by the time she got out of the bathroom John was already dressed and standing at the window.
She had only had the strength to slip on her tshirt while it was hard to tell he had expended any energy at all. This was something she'd have to take into consideration, she grinned like a naughty school girl, recalling her past lovers who usually were only good for one round.
She was just about to suggest they spend more 'quality time' together when John spun around, "you aren't going out like that are you?" he asked giving her the once over, "it's pretty windy."
Rose put on her most seductive smile, her flagging energy restored by the idea of having another go, "I thought maybe we could stay in..." she got up on her tiptoes and nibbled at his ear.
"You said we could go exploring," John looked out the window once again, "it's nice, if a bit chilly, the sun's out so it should warm up!"
Seeing the beams of light reflecting in his dark eyes and the way his body leaned, almost imperceptibly towards the window Rose abandoned her plans and finished getting dressed. She couldn't bear to deny him anything, especially when he had the same look on his face as The Doctor did when he was about to step foot on a new world.
Keeping him locked up inside would be like caging a beautiful exotic bird she sighed inwardly as she finished tying her shoes.
Once he got this round exploration out of his system, only then would she lure him back to bed, she promised herself. Besides, she grinned once more, it would give her time to rest up.
John was trying to be patient but by the time she had slipped on her hoodie he was almost dancing in place. Part of her wanted to delay a bit more, see if he would explode in a ball of nervous energy, but she finished quickly and reached out her hand, "come on, the world, well, the estate awaits!"
Clasping her small hand in his long fingers John took off at a dead run, pulling Rose along with him. She laughed delightedly, her feet barely touching the ground, as she remembered doing this with The Doctor.
Just the two of them, exploring, discovering and making the strange world less so by being together. Then coming back to the TARDIS to talk in excited tones about their most recent adventure.
Suddenly they stopped. John was no longer smiling in anticipation, he was looking at her like it was the first time he had ever clapped eyes on her and was not happy at what he was seeing.
"What's wrong?" she asked wondering why he was staring at her like that.
"You called me 'Doctor'," he whispered, his voice almost impossible to hear.
Rose was confused, she hadn't been aware she had said anything at all, to her it had sounded like she just had been laughing, until she replayed the events in her head, "I'm sorry," she stepped in close, "I got a bit confused there, that's all."
Her words did not have the soothing effect she had been hoping for, "do you wish he was here with you now, instead of me?" he asked, his face unreadable.
She tried to reach up to cup his cheek in her hand but he moved out of the way. She swallowed hard, "I will always miss him, but he couldn't, I mean he would never be able to love me the way you do."
He stood still, silent as he listened for the truth in her words. She wished she had something she could say to take that lost puppy dog look out of his eyes and replace it with the shining excitement that had been there just moments before.
"John..." she started but in a flash he was gone. Running, this time alone and away from her.