Here you all are-the next chapter! I thank everyone who gave a review, favorited, or followed this story thus far. It is very, very appreciated. It's always good to know people find my writing interesting.
So on we go with the story. Hang in there, we will be getting more companions soon, but the back stories have to be sorted out of course and that is kind of what this chapter is for. Also...to introduce a particular firey Scottish ginger. (;
Background: For those of you who don't know, there is a deleted scene from Joourney's End where the 10th Doctor gives the duplicate a piece of a Tardis so the duplicate and Rose can grow a Tardis to travel around their universe in. That is how Rose had her own Tardis in this one. Just thought I'd clear that up.
Hold on folks, things will start escalating soon and questions will be answered. I hope you enjoy!
Allons-y!
"Who are you?" the blonde demanded, her voice laced with fear. It broke the Doctor's heart to see her like this, and he wondered what could have possibly happened to bring her back here to this universe in such horrible shape.
"Rose, it's me, it's the Doctor. I changed faces again. And this is Doctor River Song," the Doctor spoke gently as he slowly inched closer and closer to Rose. She looked at him in confusion and then to River when he introduced her.
"What happened?" asked Rose helplessly as recognition flared in her eyes. She began to herself out of the crashed Tardis. Quickly the Doctor and River moved forward to help her. They managed to get her feet placed firmly on solid ground and then the Doctor had his arms wrapped tightly around her, while River kept up a watch for any sign of incoming danger.
"We were going to ask you the same question, but don't worry, you're fine now. You're safe," he murmured in her ear. Tears were welling in Rose's eyes as she clung to the Doctor. He stood their rubbing her back calmingly, trying to refrain from asking her all the questions bubbling in his mind. He especially wanted to ask about the tick marks. He knew what they were and why they were there, but he needed to understand the full circumstances.
"Doctor, how about we get back to the Tardis and discuss things there? It's getting dark," River suggested as she walked back to where the Doctor and Rose were just breaking their embrace.
"Right, of course, on to the Tardis then. Come on, Rose. It's had a makeover since the last time you were inside. River, let's get you off your feet. You look exhausted," said the Doctor very fast and very energetically. With a great leap the Doctor had moved back the way they came and was leading the way back to the Tardis, his Tardis. River rolled her eyes at him and waddled behind, one hand always resting on her pregnant belly.
"You're pregnant," Rose said slowly as she walked beside the pregnant woman. River turned and smiled at her and nodded.
"Almost six months along now, and I already feel like I'm the size of a planet," she told Rose then laughed as she saw the Doctor nod in agreement in front of her. "Sweetie, it's not nice to tell me I look like a planet."
"But you said it first! And I love planets!" protested the Doctor as he turned around and began walking backwards, so he could look at River and Rose as they spoke.
"You're pregnant and you've got a gun strapped to your hip," was Rose's next statement. This made an amused smile dance on the corners of both the Doctor and River's lips.
"Yeah, she does that, but it's better than her walking around without one because she's always getting into trouble. She couldn't avoid it to save her life," replied the Doctor with a playful grin.
"Oh, you know me too well, honey. But where's the fun in life with no trouble. You said yourself you love a bad girl," was River's mischievous reply. She sent a wink Rose's way before turning back to the Doctor who answered with the same playfulness in his tone.
"And you are the worst."
"You would know…."
"So, are you his new companion or something?" interrupted Rose, not quite understand what was going on. River glanced at Rose then looked at the Doctor with her eyebrow raised. He looked back at her with nervousness sprouting over the features of his face.
"What?" asked Rose, seeing the interaction between the two.
"No, I'm not exactly his new companion. I'm his wife," River stated proudly. Rose's mouth fell open at this declaration and she looked at the Doctor as she pointed at River's stomach.
"So that means that's your….?"
"I know!" answered the Doctor with glee. "Can you believe it?"
"No, honestly, I can't," replied Rose incredulously and shook her head in disbelief. At the exact same moment they had reached the entrance to the building where the Tardis was parked, but since the Doctor hadn't been watching where he was going he slammed right into the wall and feel to the ground with a very loud "Ouch!" Both River and Rose burst into laughter.
"Hey, that's not funny!" moaned the Doctor as he rubbed the back of his head and looked disgruntledly on at the women standing over him. He quickly popped back up and walked through the doorway facing the proper way followed by Rose and then River.
"He doesn't seem to be very coordinated in this regeneration," murmured Rose to River.
"He's really not. It's very amusing. And that's only the beginning of the quirks this go around. You just wait and see," River replied loud enough for the Doctor to hear. He pretended he wasn't listening, but she knew he was. He always was when the conversation pertained to him.
"All right, here's the old girl," announced the Doctor as they came upon the Tardis sitting proudly in the middle of a dimly lit hall still fully intact, which the Doctor was very relieved for. When he'd seen the crashed Tardis he had questioned if it had been his. In his mind he mentally reminded himself to ask Rose later why her Tardis was a blue police telephone box.
"Hurry up and unlock it, Doctor, the baby is kicking me right in the bladder," urged River. Once the door was open she rushed inside leaving Rose and the Doctor standing alone in the doorway.
"Welcome back to the Tardis, Rose," smiled the Doctor waving her inside. Her pretty eyes grew very wide as she took in the very extensive interior of the time machine. She was used to the bigger on the inside bit, but it was quite a bit bigger than last time.
"It's….wonderful," she sighed as many old and slightly bittersweet memories rushed to the forefront of her thoughts.
"Yes, I am fond of it, but when have I ever not been?" This speech was followed by the re-entrance of River who was looking much more content than when she had disappeared.
"Honey, how about we get off this planet before I have to waist more bullets on the rude inhabitants," suggested River as she sank gracefully into one of the chairs around the console.
"Yes, you're right. Let's go somewhere cool. How about….."
"We have to go see Dad, Sweetie. Remember? He was going to get a very understanding friend do an ultrasound on the baby…." River looked at him expectantly waiting for him to remember. At her words his face lit up and he looked very excited. His movements took on an extra flourish as he gallivanted around the console to send her into flight. As he was doing this Rose had wandered down below to explore the strange new Tardis and get her thoughts in order.
"Yes, yes, of course! The first ultrasound of our baby. Can't miss that for the world. Pond residence, here we come!" The Tardis jerked into flight and River sighed before getting to her feet and pulling down a lever.
"The baby hates your driving," she informed him disapprovingly before moving to descend the stairs to the lower level.
"Where are you going?" he demanded, choosing to ignore her statement.
"Girl time, my love, stay where you are," she flashed him one of her cheeky smiles before disappearing to the lower level where her fierce eyes fell rather softly on the young blonde leaning up against one of the walls.
"Hey," River greeted in a low tone so it wouldn't carry to the floor above where she had no doubt the Doctor would be intently trying to listen in.
"Oh, hey," Rose answered as she turned around in surprise.
"I just needed a moment. You know, it's a lot to take in after so long….away."
"Yes, I understand, but just to warn you—this is only the beginning. It only gets more complicated from here," River informed the younger girl with a knowing glint in her playful gaze.
"Only gets more complicated?"
"You'll see what I mean when you meet Mum and Dad, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about…" River's voice trailed off as she searched Roses' face for something, but Rose didn't understand what.
"Then what did you want to talk about?"
"I just—I wanted to make sure you were okay. The whole bit with the Doctor and I was just dumped on you and I know about the past—between the two of you. I wanted to make sure this wasn't too much for you to handle," explained River a little breathlessly as she moved closer to the blonde, her face full of earnest concern.
"Oh, yeah, don't worry about me. Honestly. It's no big deal. I've moved on. I have a life of my own now. I couldn't expect the Doctor to pine over me for the rest of his life. All I ever wanted was just for him to be happy. And with you—he seems really, really happy," replied Rose kindly, flashing a sweet smile in River's direction. River looked up through the glass floor and watched her beloved Doctor hopping about wildly and she smiled at him with love burning in her eyes.
"I hope he's happy. Things between us can just get so complicated. I can never be sure if he's truly happy," her voice was just above a whisper as she spoke and there was such tenderness in her eyes.
"The way he looks at you, River—I've never seen him look at anyone that way before. Not even me," replied Rose, but as she said this the tenderness disappeared from River's face and the playfulness returned. She preferred to keep the soft side of her personality tucked safely away.
"You said you have a life of your own now. What is it you do?" she asked in a lively tone as she moved to perch on the edge of the steps to relieve her aching pregnant feet. She leaned up against the railing and wrapped her arms around her stomach then waited for Rose to speak.
"Well, you know the second Doctor, the one Donna accidentally created stayed with me in the other universe, yeah?" River nodded and urged Rose to go on. "We got married. And—we have a little girl. We called her Maddie. She's almost seven now." A small laugh full of joy tumbled out of Rose's mouth as she said this and River looked on with understanding in her eyes. Despite all that the Doctor and Rose had been through they had managed to pick up the pieces of their broken lives and find happiness. They were both married with children. The thought made River smile.
"And you fly through time and space protecting your universe just like this Doctor does?" inquired River, quite sure of the answer.
"Yeah, we were on our way back home when the Tardis started acting funny. That's how I ended up here. I don't know what happened." Rose looked away as tears began to form in her eyes. "Maddie was with us. I hope she's okay. I hope she's safe." River was up in an instant and at Rose's side to comfort her. She grasped Rose's shoulders and looked firmly into her eyes.
"Don't worry. The Doctor will figure this out just as he always does. He'll find your daughter and we'll get whatever happened to you sorted out," she stated and believed it fully with both her hearts.
"Yeah…" Rose began, but stopped as the Doctor's head popped down from the floor above as he hung over the side to speak with them.
"I hate to interrupt all this secret girly chatter, but we've reached the Pond residence and if we don't get out of here soon your mother will be banging on the front doors, River, and I really don't want to deal with her cross," announced the Doctor.
"Ah, time to visit the parents," sighed River and she led Rose back up to the main console room floor where the Doctor was prancing about impatiently.
"Okay, here we go!" he proclaimed then launched himself at the Tardis doors to yank them open and find a very disgruntled ginger standing there with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.
"You're late."