"What are you carrying?" the Doctor asked as he ran to the entrance to take a few boxes from her. "You shouldn't be lifting heavy things."
"Mum insisted on giving us things for the baby. Apparently, it's going to be a girl. She swears she's psychic or something. There are two more outside. Can you—"
"Already on it," he responded as he flew past her to bring them inside. "Everything go all right?"
Rose hid the flush surprisingly well. "Yeah. She was just giving parenting advice. She also let me know how terrible it is to have a kid inside you and how painful it is to get the kid out. Tell me you have drugs or medications for that."
"We will," he promised. "I'm going to get all the equipment we need. I doubt a regular hospital would know what to do with a wolf-dog."
Her eyebrows went up. "A wolf-dog?"
"You said we're having a wolf-dog instead of a liger, remember? That does make perfect sense. You're the Bad Wolf and I'm the hound dog."
She laughed. "Sounds about right. What have you been up to?"
He took her hand and dragged her to the seat. "Seatbelts! That way, whenever we travel, you won't fall around the TARDIS. And…" he kept leading her through the hallways and gestured grandly. "Railings! Every hallway. Again, in case we hit turbulence. Safety first."
"You've thought this through."
"I have," he smiled proudly. "You are flying in style and security, Rose Tyler. Nothing going to happen to either of you."
He had that adorable grin and she wanted to kiss it right off his face. Her eyes were focused on his lips, and it took a lot of effort to respond. "You're the best, Doctor."
"Yes, I am. And so are you. Now, I'm going to move these boxes to one of the extra bedrooms. I assume that'll be the nursery. Nursery. Huh. That'll take some doing."
She watched him pick a few boxes and smiled breathlessly. "Doctor."
"Rose?" he called behind him, still moving.
"You seem really happy. I wasn't sure if you were this morning."
He paused. "Neither was I."
His figure disappeared into the extra bedroom and she curled up on the seat in the console room, enjoying her flexible body while it was still intact. Once the boxes were put away, he started to hit buttons and roll knobs. "I have to go pick up a few things from the year 4107. Buckle up."
She clicked the seatbelt as they shifted around dramatically. "Why are we going to the year 4107?"
"That was the first year that prenatal care hit its peak. Hang on!"
They came to a stop and he pulled on his coat, beaming. She unbuckled and got ready to go with him, but he stopped her. "You stay put. I'll only take a minute."
"Why can't I come?" she complained. "I will not be held captive in the box just because I'm in a 'delicate' state."
"If they think I'm here for personal reasons, they mightn't let me 'borrow' what I need."
"Personal reasons?" she echoed. "Just tell them I'm your business partner."
His face turned red. "Well, they might not believe me."
"Sure they will. You have the psychic paper."
"It's not that simple."
"It always works."
"Not always. It takes precision and concentration."
She studied him carefully. "And I'd distract you."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Rose."
"Doctor?"
"Stay here."
"No."
"Yes."
"I said no."
"And I said yes."
"At least be honest about why I have to stay here."
"I was being honest!"
"No, you were being honest while holding back the whole truth."
"That's not so."
"It is so."
Somehow, they had moved closer and were inches apart. His brown eyes were gazing down at her in a way that made her crazy, and his voice was soft. "You can't come because you'd distract me. You'd distract me because of your 'delicate' state. Then, they'd figure out why I'm 'borrowing' their equipment."
"So you'd be worried about me? That something might happen to my health?"
"No, not worried."
She couldn't be more frustrated. It was like pulling teeth. "Then why?"
"Like you said…I'm happy."
The words hung heavily in the air and she was stunned by the admission. He snuck out and locked the door behind him as she was reeling. When she noticed that he was gone, she groaned and reluctantly stayed back. She grabbed a book and did some reading, unable to focus on the pages for imagining snogging the Doctor senseless.
Meanwhile, the Doctor was in a clinic with his psychic paper. He claimed that he was recalling certain equipment for testing, as well as various medications and vitamins for Rose. While he was waiting on them to arrive with everything he asked for, he thought back to his afternoon alone on the TARDIS.
Earlier in the console room…
Upon leaving Rose with Jackie, the Doctor tried to fiddle with the TARDIS. The TARDIS would have nothing of it, and clearly she was trying to tell him something.
"Yes, I know!" he grumbled. "You brought me there because this was supposed to happen. Her becoming pregnant is a fixed point in time. That doesn't mean that anything afterwards is fixed, now does it?"
The console completely shut down.
"Don't do that! I'm trying to make a point. What if the baby doesn't survive? What if it does only to die young? I don't want to go through it again. I've already lost my children. You know how that made me feel," he retorted, watching a few lights come back to life. "What's that? This is about Rose?"
He waited and saw confirmation in the form of the console glowing.
"Yes, I do. All right? I do feel that way. And I do want…blimey, you know what I want. So, yes. You're right. There. I said it. There's always risk. Always. But there's a chance it could be brilliant. I'm going to be a father again. Me. A dad!"
As he grew more excited, the TARDIS came back to life in agreement.
"I'm having a baby with Rose Tyler. A little one. Half her and half me. That's…that's…fantastic! I need to make this safe for her and our baby. Seatbelts, railings, eventual childproofing. Where did I leave the…" he stopped as the panel opened to reveal the proper box. "Thank you, TARDIS. I can always count on you!"
In the moment…
"Sir? Sir?" the hospital attendant had tried for almost a minute to get his attention.
"Right. Sorry," the Doctor answered embarrassedly. "Where do I sign?"
The TARDIS door opened and he wheeled the machinery inside, carrying a bag of medicines over his shoulder. He was humming a cheerful tune and went straight to the medical bay to set everything up. Rose heard him enter and snuck up behind him as he worked. "See you got everything."
He leapt slightly. "Rose. Hello. Yes, I did! Everything we need right here. If I remember, I'll return it. If I don't, oh well. They've got three of everything back there."
"Is this going to be a habit? Saying I'm too distracting to bring along?"
"Never," he smiled reassuringly. "It was just today."
She didn't buy it and she loved to tease him. "Are you sure about that? What's so different about today?"
"Everything," he answered automatically, thinking of all the joyous emotions he had nearly forgotten. She always had a way of making him remember. "Next appointment with me is in a few weeks. Until then, we'll go wherever you want to. As long as it isn't dangerous."
"That rules out most places with us, doesn't it?" she laughed and he laughed with her.
Their gazes met and they both fought the urge to kiss each other. If the tension got any worse, they'd surely break down. Fortunately for them, everything in their lives always got worse.