Chapter 11

After her lunch had been delivered and she'd had a chance to eat and catch up with her secretary, Jon told Rose about what they had found was going on with her physically, and that she needed to stay for observation. Rose took the news of her confinement to the Torchwood medical bay better than anyone expected she would. Truth be told, she wanted some time alone to see if she really was able to talk to her baby, without anyone around to suspect her of going daft. She spent the rest of the afternoon and evening playing with Tony, eating the pizza that Jon ordered in, and generally having fun with her family until everyone had to leave. Jon kissed her deeply and made her promise to call him the moment she felt she might be taking ill, or even if she was just lonely.

After she had bid everyone goodnight and had settled comfortably into her hospital bed, she reached over and opened the drawer of the night table and drew out the Bible that had been placed there. She didn't open it, she just held it to her chest. She didn't know why, but doing that had always brought her comfort, even as a child. She leaned back against the pillows, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply through her nose as Jon had taught her to, to enable a meditative state. She concentrated on relaxing every muscle in her body, then slowly searched her mind for the thread of thought that was her baby's.

They were walking in a park, hand-in-hand. Arianna looked to be about 5 years old. She positively glowed in the afternoon sun. Her hair was shiny platinum blond, and she was wearing a sundress and sandals. She skipped along with her mother, often looking up at Rose and flashing a brilliant smile. They walked along like this for awhile, not saying anything, but simply enjoying the day and being together. They eventually came to a beach, and saw a man building something in the sand. He was oblivious to their presence, and Arianna motioned for her mother to lean down so that she could whisper in her ear.

"Shh... that's my Daddy. He mustn't know we're here."

Rose pulled back and stared at her daughter wide-eyed, but said nothing. Arianna held her finger up to her lips, and then motioned for her to watch the man. They crept slowly up behind him, but stayed about 10 meters away. Rose recognized the Doctor. They watched as he worked, building some kind of machine out of bits and odds and ends of things scattered about him.

Rose leaned down and whispered in Arianna's ear, "What's he doing?"

Arianna whispered cautiously, "He's building a machine to get back to you."

Rose was stunned. "But he can't," she whispered, "he'll tear apart Time and Space!"

"He doesn't think so, and he's got help."

"Who?" Rose searched her mind for anyone who was that advanced and came up with no one.

Arianna looked at her sympathetically. "I can't say," she whispered, "I'm not allowed. But he will come here. We'll all be together."

"All of us?" Rose whispered in shock, "Even your d... - even Jon?"

"All of us," Arianna promised wisely, "but not the way you think. He needs us. All of us."

With that Arianna and John Smith vanished and Rose was left alone on the beach.

Rose woke up with a start. What could all this mean? She looked at the Bible she was now clutching to her chest and opened it, not seeking anything in particular, but simply wanting to look at something, anything to get the image of John Smith and his machine out of her head.

The Bible had opened to the second chapter of Luke, and Rose read about all the things said about the baby Jesus and how his mother treasured them in her heart. She put the Bible away, and then gently rubbed her belly and told her child,

"You are my treasure."

With that she went to sleep.