Chapter 3

Nothing the Doctor tried to read could hold his interest. His mind kept coming back to his "dreams". What was happening to him? Was he losing his mind? If so, at least he was doing so in a mostly pleasant way. Was someone manipulating his dreams? That seemed more likely. But if so, whom, and why? Their intent didn't seem nefarious in the least, it seemed someone was trying to comfort him. He set his book down and sighed, looking up at the ceiling and addressing the TARDIS, "Is it you, old girl? Are you trying to make me feel better?" Her answer could be loosely translated as an innocent "Huh?"

"Not that you'd admit to it, anyway." Besides, he told himself, she simply didn't have the sheer mental power it would take to make such detailed projections into his mind. "I suppose I'll try one more time to get some sleep." Secretly he was looking forward to seeing if it happened again.

He was in a picturesque meadow near a large pond. He plucked a wild rose from a bush and stuck it in his buttonhole. Behind him, on top of the hill, he could see Rose and Jon's house. He was alone this time. No, wait, he wasn't. On the other side of a weeping willow he could see someone feeding some ducks. He walked closer, it was a blond woman. Rose. She had on a summer dress and a jacket, her feet were bare. He stopped dead in his tracks, his hearts pounding. Wait, he thought, supposedly I'm just a little out of sync with this reality. Besides, none of this is real. He walked over, she turned and looked straight at him.

"Hey you, what are you doing home so early?" She flung her arms around him and kissed him firmly on the lips. He startled a little.

"Wow, that seemed real enough," he said, mostly to himself, and taking a backward step.

"What are you getting on about?" She looked at him quizzically, eyeing his brown pinstripes. "When did you get that suit? I thought you were gonna avoid pinstripes from now on."

For a moment he considered playing along. None of this was real, but real or not, he couldn't lie to Rose, and playing along would be lying.

"Rose, I'm not Jon, I'm me. The original. The Doctor."

Her mouth dropped open, gob-smacked. "You – you're really him? You're here?"

"Yep." He popped the 'p'. "Wherever..."

SMACK!!!

"OUCH!!! For Rassilon's sake, do you Tyler women teach your little girls that even before walking?? THAT REALLY HURT!" He rubbed his cheek with one hand while defensively blocking Rose from delivering another slap with his other. "I can't believe that didn't wake me up!"

"That was for dropping us off here like so much baggage without even asking us what WE wanted!" Rose blurted furiously. "And what are you talking about, 'waking up'?"

"I'm beginning to think perhaps this is real," he said, "although I don't see how it could be. I'm actually asleep in my chair in the TARDIS library in the other universe. I'm not really here."

"I assure you, Doctor, you are here. How else could I slap you?" She glared at him, hands on hips.

"Rose," he started to explain, then caught himself, "What am I doing, explaining myself to a figment of my imagination? Well, I guess anything can happen in a dream."

"Doctor, I'm not dreaming. You might be, but I'm having a perfectly normal day, until now, anyway."

He stared at her, perplexed. "Apparently I feel even more guilty that I realised about dropping you off here, and my mind is working overtime trying to resolve it." He rubbed his face where she slapped him, feeling a welt rising. "And any more slaps like that ought to about do it."

She stepped forward to look at his face and he stepped back hastily. "Oh no you don't..."

"Oh stop it, I only wanted to look. I'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't realise I had that much anger in me."

"Neither did I, or I wouldn't have dared approach you. I think I'd better leave. Trouble is, I don't know how." He started backing away.

Tears were welling up in her eyes. She begged him, "Doctor, I really am sorry! The one person I most wanted to see, and what did I do? I hurt you! Please, forgive me. Don't go!"

He stopped and considered. "I could do with some tea."

They were in the kitchen sipping their tea, "Do you see that? One minute we're by the pond, then suddenly we're here. Do you remember walking up the hill?"

"No." Rose said, puzzled. "I guess this must be a dream. But it's so weird, yeah? I mean, it feels so real."

"They do." The Doctor hesitantly started telling Rose of his dreams – or visions – or whatever. Rose was astounded as he described in detail what he'd seen and heard.

"That's exactly how things happened!" she exclaimed. Meanwhile, in the back of her mind, doubt was growing as to this being the Doctor. This is Jon playing a trick on me, she thought. I'll play a trick on him.

"So, this is a dream, yeah?" she asked.

"It has to be," the Doctor stated. "What else could it be?"

Rose stood up, hitched up her skirt, and slid in between the Doctor and the table, straddling him. As his eyes widened, she started loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

"Er – Rose? Are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Why shouldn't we?" she asked innocently.

"Well, you're married to Jon and all..."

"Yeah? So?"

"Well, do you really want to be unfaithful to him?"

"How can I be? This is a dream, yeah? And you look exactly like him. Who's to say you're not really him?" With that she flung her light jacket away and grabbed his head, kissing him fiercely. He couldn't help but respond a little, and kissed her back. Rassilon, she tasted just as good as he thought she would. She guided his hands under her dress and up to her breasts and moaned as he cupped them. She looked him in the eye and said breathlessly,

"Doctor, I've waited a long, long time for this, and I won't take 'no' for an answer!" She stood up, grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him up, then wrapped his tie around her fist and led him to the bedroom. She pushed him onto the bed, pulled her dress up over her head in one fluid movement, and pounced upon him, hungry like a wolf.

He stopped her. "Wait, Rose," he panted.

"What?" she gasped in frustration. She was really into this game, and was determined to see it through.

"There's something that needs said. Something I should've said a long time ago, when I had the chance."

She stopped, mesmerized. "Then say it," she whispered.

"Rose Tyler," he swallowed the lump in his throat, "I love you," he whispered hoarsely.

She melted into him, kissing him long and deep, melding her body into his. He rolled over on top of her, then jumped up off the bed and nearly ripped his clothes off as she watched expectantly, then was back on top of her, sealing his words by claiming her body totally. As they reached the inevitable climax, a golden fog surrounded them.

The Doctor woke up in his chair. He panted heavily, catching his breath. He placed a hand over his chest, and found a wild rose in his buttonhole.