Curb Appeal

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Previously in Chapter Two...

Getting Rose undressed, the Doctor began washing away the evidence of his failure, revealing scrapes and cuts and bruising as he cleansed the wounds, determining their order of repair by the severity of each injury.

There were so many mars on her once perfect skin. Oh, the dermal regenerator would repair the damage. It would generate new skin and leave it scar free. But what of the emotional scars this ordeal would leave her? Could he magically fix them as well?

He was so stupid. This was his fault - his blame to take and no one else's - and he wondered if she'd ever forgive him for it.

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Chapter Three:

Actions and Consequences

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She awoke almost instantly, blinking in the bright light of the Infirmary and knowing exactly where she was the moment her eyes opened. Rose couldn't remember how she'd arrived here, but she knew she was safe.

"Doctor?" Her voice was low and raspy, but still harsh to her own ears in the wake of the surrounding silence. But the room wasn't quiet for long. Her body literally jumped when she heard the abrupt clang of something metallic falling to the floor, followed by footsteps, and then the Doctor as he appeared in her line of vision.

"Rose? How are you feeling?"

"I, uh, feel all right, I think. Maybe a little numb. What happened?" She looked around the sterile room before meeting his gaze once more. "What am I doin' in here?"

"You don't remember," he spoke softly, his words not meant as a question.

"No, that's why I'm askin'," she stated abruptly.

"Let's not worry about that now. Your memories will return soon enough. Right now I need to know your pain levels. I can give you something of course, and I will. But I want to be sure I've missed nothing during my assessment and treatments."

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you soundin' so, so formal? You're makin' me feel like I'm at Casualty."

The Doctor sighed and dropped his chin to his chest, then sat down beside her hip on the couch. "Rose, you were in a very bad accident. I'm merely concerned, that's all." A gentle hand cupped her cheek as he looked into her eyes.

"An accident?"

"Yes. It happened right in front of me," he replied, sighing deeply as he dropped his hand from her face, using it to rake his fingers through his hair instead.

The memory was obviously unsettling to him. And suddenly Rose knew why.

"Oh! Oh no!" She was moving about nervously, trying to sit up and breathe and speak all at once. The Doctor grabbed her shoulders, intent on persuading her to lie back down, but Rose was having none of that.

"No! Let me sit up!" And he did, realizing fighting with her would be counterproductive to her recovery. She rewarded him by holding onto his shoulders, her arms extended as she fought the weakness she felt.

"Doctor! We were in London!"

"Yes," he answered slowly.

"You were workin' on the ship, and me and Shireen and Mum had been shopping." She looked at him, waiting for confirmation. The Doctor nodded, choosing not to speak so that she would continue. "We had lunch, went to a few shops, and were comin' home - no, wait - we just got home, well, almost there. Shireen was drivin', and I was in the front seat, Mum was in the back. We were just pulling into Powell Estate and Shireen was turnin' into the parkin' lot, and ... There was this truck, right? I remember a truck comin' straight for us! He hit the car we were in, didn't he? Doctor - is that what happened? Is that why I'm in here?"

He looked down and nodded somberly, then met her eyes with his own. "Yes. I almost lost you, Rose."

"Hey, but you didn't," she comforted with softly spoken words. "I'm right here, yeah? You fixed me up."

He grinned and she did too, then they hugged one another. But Rose suddenly became stiff within the Doctor's arms and he pulled back quickly, thinking he was perhaps hurting her.

"Rose?"

"My Mum! Shireen! Where are they, Doctor?" She was suddenly panicked, looking all around the Infirmary.

Before the Doctor realized her intentions, Rose rolled herself away from him and off of the couch. Her landing was less than graceful, her body unwilling to do as she wished. She ended up in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Rose!" The Doctor was beside her instantly, holding her steady as she weakly tried to sit up.

"Doctor - where's my mum? Where's Shireen? Oh my God," she continued, giving him no time to answer her. "They're dead, aren't they?"

"What? No! No Rose, they're not dead, they're fine." He spoke with reassurance, easing her upwards until they both stood, he holding onto her, offering support as he eased her back on the bed.

"Yeah?" she began, looking him dead in the eye with sudden clarity. "Then where are they? Why aren't they here? I mean, I can understand not bringin' Shireen on the ship; she'd probably go mental or somethin'. But my mum, she's been in here before! Where is she?"

The Doctor had the good graces to look away from Rose before speaking. "I left her outside," he said softly.

"You, you what!?"

"Listen Rose. I didn't have time to be cordial with the woman. She was insisting I leave you be and wait for the ambulance, but you were hurt badly and I couldn't. You were on the left side of the vehicle where the truck hit. Jackie was on the right in the back seat behind Shireen. But you, your body absorbed most of the impact. Between the blunt force of the blow and the glass that flew in, you were a right bloody mess. And I had to make sure you would be all right - I, I just had to. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do. But do you understand what you did? You took me away from my mum, Doctor. And now she's out there, somewhere, and doesn't know if her only child is dead or alive."

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