A/N It's clear by the end of this chapter exactly where these two are headed next. With the chapter that follows I'll be writing two versions, giving two ratings options for those who do or do not want the steamy details. I'll be keeping the story T rated here, but it will be going up to M on Teaspoon.

Chapter 7

The Doctor and Rose had now been on Janyeer for two weeks. Against their knowledge, the fertility treatments Rose had been receiving designed to cause her reproductive physiology to become compatible with the Doctor's had been completed. As Dr. Kedra had told Professor T'neer, with this done, it was now up to the Doctor and Rose.

Some preliminary evaluations had been made, and they didn't foresee any major complications for Rose if pregnancy did occur. She was young and healthy, and her body should be able to adapt to the additional stressors this could place on her without being overcome by them.

At least that was the optimistic opinion. In truth, the biggest issue faced in this was the unknown. There just wasn't any information at all for them to go by on Time Lord pregnancies. Human, yes; but any information on the nature of Time Lord reproduction was starkly lacking – to say nothing of a human carrying a Time Lord child. It simply wasn't documented.

Whatever complications might arise, Dr. Kedra was counting on the Doctor's protectiveness of Rose to keep them here if conception did take place. Even if the two were unhappy about the furtive methods used in this, certainly he and Rose would both want her to have optimal care through this, and she believed their advanced medical facilities could provide that. And once the Doctor and Rose learned of what this could mean for Janyeer, surely neither could deny allowing this to save an entire race, could they?

It was now just a matter of time to find out if the treatments had been a success. Through more clandestine testing, she knew Rose was now entering the height of her fertility cycle. If everything went to plan, they may not have much longer to wait.

There was also another reason for even more optimism. The Doctor had begun to make notable progress in his efforts of finding ways to slow the mutation and the rate of cellular decay. Nonetheless, Dr. Kedra still believed her solution was the only certain and permanent answer for stopping this and eradicating it from her people.

Even still, the progress the Doctor had made together with Professor T'neer had led to the creation of treatments that were already showing the promise of extending lives. It was a time for celebrating the beginnings of success.

As another day ended after this second week of their stay, Rose had returned to the villa that night at the end of her shift, but the Doctor had stayed on a little longer at the hospital and told her he would meet her back there after he finished for the night.

Before he left, Dr. Kedra joined the Doctor and Professor T'neer in the laboratory and brought a bottle of vintage Janyeerian wine to toast their achievement thus far. After celebrating the long-overdue prospect of hope they were all finally feeling, the Doctor bid them goodnight and left to join Rose at the villa.

The Doctor didn't know the wine he'd sipped from his glass had been laced by Dr. Kedra with a potent Janyeerian aphrodisiac.

Dr. Kedra didn't know the aphrodisiac had been neutralized by the Doctor's system instantaneously.

It mattered little either way. The Doctor needed no aphrodisiac when it came to his desire for Rose.

-:-:-:-

Upon returning to the villa, Rose was feeling a little tired from her day of work at the hospital. She enjoyed helping care for the children – heart-wrenching as it sometimes was – but it was also demanding, especially with the hospital being so overcrowded and short staffed.

Despite her tiredness, Rose felt a lightness in her mood over the progress that had finally begun to be made. She was relieved not only because of the hope this brought for the people of Janyeer, but also because she'd seen the Doctor finally begin to relax marginally for the first time since they had been here. If the treatments that had just now begun at Shenreen's hospital had the success that was anticipated, they would soon be distributed throughout Janyeer. It was the first ray of hope that just maybe things could turn around for these people. It wasn't a cure, not yet; but at least it was a start, and she had every bit of faith in the Doctor that he would build on this success.

The Doctor was staying on late at the hospital, as he often did, so Rose decided to draw herself a bath and relax a little as she waited for him to return. She crossed the villa's courtyard into the bedroom, and then slipped into the en-suite. She'd not yet had the chance to take a long, proper soak in the tub since they'd been here, but it had been tempting her for quite some time. The TARDIS boasted an impressive tub with all the enhancements one could possibly want – including a convenient sonic setting for dry showers (the Doctor's usual preference), but there was something to be said for the simple pleasure of a traditional bath.

Rose turned the faucets and began filling the large stone tub with steaming water as she stepped back and shed her clothes, dropping them in a pile beside the tub. She then swept her hair up and pinned it on top of her head.

Although the inside appeared to be made of the same smooth beige stone as the outside of the tub, the curved interior was comprised of a slightly cushioned material, offering maximum comfort. Rose added several drops of floral-infused bath oil which filled the room with a soothing yet enticingly exotic scent.

Dimming the lights to a soft glow, she then turned off the faucets and stepped into the filled tub. Rose let out a deep sigh as she sank down into the soothing water. Curling vapors of steam rose from the surface, wafting through the air. She reclined back and closed her eyes, just enjoying the blissful moment of total relaxation and let the stress of the past couple weeks slip away.

Rose lost all track of time as she basked in her watery oasis. She slowly opened her eyes and scooped up a handful of water, watching it slowly trickle through her fingers. It was then her peripheral vision caught sight of a silhouetted form in the doorway. It wasn't startling, but the realization did cause her heart to skip a beat as a wave of heat passed through her, and this time the rush of warmth wasn't because of the steamy water. She turned her head toward the shadows to meet the eyes of her admirer.

The Doctor stood leaning against the doorway, his darkened eyes fixed on her alone. His intense gaze slowly traveled down her body, following every curve and dip. The calm, clear water afforded an unhindered view as he took his time drinking her in. Pupils dilated with just a hint of chocolate on the periphery, his eyes slowly journeyed back up and settled once again on hers, locking in place. The two didn't speak for a moment as their eyes remained joined, but a silent, mutual language passed between them. Through their mind-link, the Doctor sent Rose his love, his passion, his desire in a rolling wave that passed through her entire being.

The intensity took her breath away as his name escaped her lips. Rose's eyes fell shut and her head lolled back as the sensation passed through her like sparks racing across her skin and setting fire to her soul. She opened her eyes and turned her face to him, once again speaking his name, but this time his true name, spoken in Gallifreyan. It wasn't something she used often – only in the most sacred moments between them.

The effect on him was like the pull of the Moon on the ocean's tide, drawing him instantly to her side. The Doctor crossed the space between them in a few long, purposeful strides. He lowered himself to his knees beside the tub, his darkened eyes now level with hers.

With one arm resting on the side of the tub, his other hand lowered and dipped inside, gently swirling the water around her in a slow, circular motion, the sensual rhythm almost hypnotic.

"Hello," he spoke to her at last with words, his voice rich and low.

"Hello," Rose echoed back, utterly lost in his eyes.

He didn't say anything more for a moment, nor did he make a move to touch her – not yet. He just beheld her with a look that spoke of what she was to him: the most precious thing in all the universe, and she quivered beneath the intensity. There were moments when their love was overwhelming.

Brimming with that love until he felt he couldn't contain it, the Doctor drew in a deep breath, and as he let it go, uttered four more words.

"I love you, Rose."

The Doctor was not one to simply say the words on a daily basis at the drop of a hat; but he didn't need to. He said it each day in big and small ways. Every look, every touch, every smile – every time he took Rose's hand and grinned at her madly as they ran for their lives, or just being there, holding her when she closed her eyes at night or opened them in the morning. Whether spoken or not, the words were always there, tangible and real.

Yet when he did speak the words, uttered with such fervor, it always stole Rose's breath. This time, however, they were spoken with a tinge of regret flickering beneath the surface of his eyes. "I...I know I don't say that to you enough," he added quietly.

Rose lifted her hand from the water and placed a single finger across his lips. "You say it every day," she softly whispered. "Not always with words, but I don't always need the words because you've put them in my heart."

She let her finger slip from his lips as a soft smile curved at hers. She knew exactly what she wanted in this moment. What they both wanted. What they would always want because it was a desire that would never relinquish. "Join me?"

If possible, the Doctor's eyes darkened further at her words. He slowly stood. Never taking his gaze from her, he began removing his layers of clothing one article at a time. His right hand went to his blue, swirly-patterned tie, tugging the knot loose until the silk slipped from his neck in a swoosh and he dropped it to the floor, adding it atop Rose's pile of shed clothing. He unbuttoned his brown pinstriped jacket and shrugged it from his shoulders. Next he worked on the cuffs of his dark blue oxford before untucking it from his trousers and bringing his fingers to the front buttons. He revealed his lithe form to Rose button by button until the shirt parted and he cast it aside. Rose's eyes had drifted from his in order to take in the sight of his gorgeous body, lean and strong and completely hers. He kicked off his trainers and removed his socks. The Doctor straightened back up as his fingers went to the button of his trousers.

Finally, his husky voice broke the weighted silence as his fingers toyed teasingly with the button. "Liking what you see then, Miss Tyler?"

Rose's eyes raked back up to his, her mouth parted and her breathing noticeably accelerated. She swallowed once to keep her reply from being nothing more than "Guh." Drifting over to the edge of the tub, Rose draped her arms across the side and rested her chin on her forearms. "The only thing I don't like about what I see is that you've stopped." Her eyes twinkled back at his. "Your trousers are going to get awfully wet if you plan on getting in like that."

A smoldering grin appeared across his lips as he spoke in a slow, seductive voice that had the ability to turn her instantly to liquid. "Well, we can't have that, now can we?" Done teasing, the Doctor unfastened the button and lowered the zip. Hooking his long fingers in the band of both his trousers and pants, the Doctor slid the last of his clothing from his hips, stepping out of them and shoving them aside with his foot.

Speechless. The sight of his gorgeous masculine body rendered her speechless every single time. This was a sight Rose could spend a lifetime drinking in and never be quenched. She was not disappointed to see that he was not yet as aroused as he could be in this moment. He was still holding himself back, but that was okay because she knew once he fully dropped those barriers and allowed his desire for her to take complete control, it would be instantaneous. It would also be unstoppable; and right now Rose wanted this to be slow. She wanted to savor each and every second of this night.