Ch 26

Rose didn't stop her quick pace, pulling John along like some reluctant poodle or a rebellious toddler until they had reached her car. She opened the passenger door and for an awkward moment John wondered if she was going to stuff him in, and visualised her using a plunger to help her with this task. Shuddering at the picture of a Dalek filled his head he stood in the open doorway.

"Get in!" she barked at him, as she strapped her seat belt around her.

John made no move to follow her orders and she wondered if he had heard her. Reaching over she yanked on his trouser leg, "get in!" she repeated as he bent down to meet her eyes.

"No," he stated simply.

She took longer to process this than such a brief answer would normally require, mostly because she was shocked by his refusal to obey her. She had gotten used to his seemingly pliant nature and now this asserting himself took her by surprise.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I said, 'no," he didn't drop his gaze, instead met her frown unwavering.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" she glared at him.

"I think that is a pretty straight forward word, it doesn't require a lot of explanation," he smiled wryly and shut the door, turning to walk away from the car.

Rose was out of the driver's door in a shot, and ran to catch up to him, "what do you think you're doing?" she demanded, hands on hips.

At first she thought he was going to ignore her, his long legged stride not faltering as he continued to walk away from the car. Then just as suddenly as he had taken off he stopped, he looked at her his dark eyes filled with the same spark of danger she had seen in The Doctor when he was angry about something.

He opened his mouth but she cut him off, "I know I've been behaving like a spoilt child, but when I found out Pete was going ahead with this I got scared, and I know that doesn't excuse my treatment of you..." she bit her lip and tried to gauge the effect it was having on him, "and I am sorry."

Contrary to her hopes John was unmoving, his eyes still danced with barely contained anger, "you don't know what they," she gestured at Torchwood, "have done to some of the beings that have walked through those doors voluntarily under the guise of 'checking them out' and I was worried that you would be harmed, and if something happened to you I don't know what I'd do!"

As her eyes filled up a bit she could hear John take in a shaky breath, and then she felt his long arms wrap around her and pull her into his warm embrace, "I'm fine," his voice rumbled in her ear as she pressed it to his chest. He held her tighter for a moment then relaxed his hold, "let's go home."

Taking a moment to compose herself, hastily wiping away the tears that had spilled over she slipped her hand in his, "I promise to not try to order you around again," she crossed her heart with her free hand.

He snorted, "I won't hold you to that."

She pretended to be offended at his comment but the edges of her mouth quirked up despite her best efforts, "you just watch me," she finally laughed.

As they approached the car again, Rose had an idea, she fished in her purse and tossed the keys at John, "you drive!" she laughed climbing into the passenger seat. John looked surprised for a moment shooting the keys a look as if he expected them to bite him, then he shrugged and slid in behind the wheel.

Rose waited until he was settled before asking, "you do know how to drive don't you?"

"If I can fly the TARDIS," John fitted the key in the ignition, and turned it and the car roared into life, "I can certainly pilot something as simple as this," he put the car in gear and checking the mirrors pulled into traffic.