As the Doctor looked out the window of the Zeppelin, he realized the landscape was wrong. They apparently weren't going to Torchwood. He looked at George. "Going back home am I?"
George nodded. "She's staying late, and said you were done for the day."
"Well, I guess I am then." He actually was relieved; he could recover a bit before he had to face Rose.
He put his elbow on the armrest and his forehead in the palm of his hand. He was feeling nauseous. That last wave had taken a bit out of him. She was apparently finding more power somewhere. He should have been far enough away for it not to affect him like this. If he had stayed in his office, he would be out cold by now and woken up to all the idiocy that would have caused. He hoped his brother was paying attention to the seal, she might be getting close to cracking it. Originally they both were supposed to seal the breach. A seal in each universe. He tried, but his incompatibility with the energy here made that impossible. So it was all up to his brother.
When he got to the house, mansion really, Jackie was waiting at the door. She smiled at George, who had apparently been told to provide door to door delivery service. "Care to come in?"
"No ma'am, I need get back, she'll want a report." George seemed eager to go.
"Alright then, you have a good trip back, tell her I said not to be too late," She turned her attention to the Doctor. "Oh, you get in here," she chided. "You've gone and made yourself sick again haven't you. I wish you would let me tell Rose."
The Doctor struggled up the steps feeling a bit faint. "No, please don't, there's nothing she can do. I'll be alright once I have some of your tea." If Rose found out he was sick, she would start having tests done and discover he was dying much faster than anticipated. It would cause her to redouble her efforts to get back to universe prime, adding his illness to the list of reasons why she needed to get back to his brother.
Jackie smiled. "I put on the pot as soon as I saw the Zeppelin. It does help, doesn't it?"
"Yes, it does." He assured her.
In the kitchen the Doctor saw a tea cup already set out for him. The room was a bright yellow, daisies on the table cloth and curtains. The cabinets, yellow birch, the 'in' wood at the time it was built. An open and airy a space, designed to lighten any mood.
Tony was playing with a truck on the floor. He smiled when he saw the Doctor and ran to him. "Hi Dockor," (He couldn't quite manage a t after a c yet.) "Can we see Shadow?" The Doctor crouched down, balancing on the balls of his feet to greet the child, his illness temporarily forgotten, as he enjoyed the welcoming embrace.
"Maybe later, I have to have my tea now, or you Mum will be mad." He gave the child a final squeeze, and ruffled his hair affectionately. He stood up and made his way to the table where Jackie was pouring his tea for him. She had a staff to help her with the mansion, but she enjoyed being domestic from time to time. Taking care of the Doctor was definitely one of those times.
He smiled at her as he sat down. "Thank you, you've really been kind putting up with me like this."
"Oh don't be silly. You're no bother at all. And Tony loves you."
"I'll take Tony out when I am done with my tea."
"Now, I don't want you pushing yourself. I know how bad you are after you go on these jaunts of yours."
"Not as bad as if I stayed in the office," thought the Doctor. "I'll be fine; the walk will do me good, and your tea does help," He paused, gathering his thoughts, trying to think of how to ask what he needed to. "Jackie where did I go wrong with Rose?"
Jackie shook her head as she sank into the chair next to him. She reached out across the corner of the table and patted his hand. "Dear, it's not you, it's Rose. With her it isn't about the having, it's about the wanting."
The Doctor stared at her intently, trying to understand. "What do you mean?" He furrowed his brow as he asked the question.
Jackie looked at him sadly. "Oh you poor thing, you really are out of your depth here, aren't you? All that knowledge of time and space and everything else, yet, in this you're just like every other man. Once Rose has something she wants, she doesn't want it anymore. Look at how she treated Mickey, crying when he stayed here, then not interested in him when she was here with him.
"Your brother got her a father, something she always wanted, and then, she couldn't care less. You told her you loved her, you gave her what he wouldn't. Once that happened, she really didn't want you anymore. Well, that may be a bit harsh. You're just not that important to her. I'm sorry, she's just that way. I love her, but I see how she treats you, and a mother shouldn't say this, but, I don't like her very much."
The Doctor contemplated her words, pulling on his lower lip. His brother never said he loved her, never slept with her, so that is what she still wants, not him, who had so quickly given her both. No wonder she considers him to be a pale copy. His elbows on table, chin resting on his folded hands, he looked at Jackie intently, almost pleading and asked. "Is there anything I can do to start over, get a reset, a mulligan as it were?"
Jackie shook her head. "No, not unless your brother left you a spare TARDIS around here somewhere," She put her hand up before the Doctor could correct her. "I know, I know, personal timelines and all that other gibberish you and Rose are constantly on about.
"Maybe, if you took her on a trip somewhere. She may have seen all those planets, but she hasn't seen much of this one. Show her new things just like he did. Take her on one of those cruises to the South Pacific or something. She might come around. If nothing else, it would give you a break and frankly you need one. Pete and I never did thank you properly for getting us together, you could consider it our little gift."
The Doctor nodded and smiled, that just might work. It was a better idea than anything he had come up with so far. If nothing else, it would get her far away from Torchwood, and all the damage she could do while she was there. He was about to reply, when Tony started tugging at his arm.
"Dockor, we go see Shadow now? Mum not mad, we go see Shadow?'
Jackie got up from the table laughing and pried Tony off the Doctor, picking him up and resting him on her hip. "I'll show you who's not mad, you rascal," She tapped him on the nose with her finger. "Leave the poor man to his tea; he should at least have another cup." Jackie put the kettle on.
When she first realized he was getting ill, she had checked out various teas until she found one that helped his nausea and the general weakness that accompanied it. She was proud that her tea had helped the Doctor recover from difficulties regenerating before, and she was keen to repeat that success. She poured him another cup as soon as it was ready.
"Now, you drink that up while Tony and I fix a snack to take with you."
"Thank you, I'd appreciate that."
As soon as the Doctor finished his tea, Tony was ready to go. "Dockor, go see Shadow now?"
"Yes Tony, He's going to take you to see Shadow. Here," Jackie handed the Doctor a large paper bag. "this should tide you over till dinner."
The Doctor hefted the bag. "This would tide the entire British army over till dinner. How many of us do you think you are feeding?"
"There's something there for Shadow too."
The Doctor nodded.
Tony was at the door, impatient to leave. "Come on Dockor, we go see Shadow now."
"Alright, alright, we're going Tony." The Doctor laughed. "Let's go see Shadow."