Three hours, seven stores, two credit cards, and six shopping bags later, Jackie led the trio home, still exuberant after the shopping adventure. "Pete! We're home!" She called excitedly.
"Good, I was getting hungry…" the man muttered.
Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "You're hungry…? You didn't have to traipse around after mum all afternoon. I'm starved." She walked passed him to collapse on a couch in the living room.
"Rose! Your shoes! Get them off the furniture!" Jackie commented.
Groaning, Rose kicked her shoes off without moving. "Are we going to order out again, or are you going to make something, dad?"
"I'll… I dunno. Where's the Doctor?" Pete replied distractedly.
"Oh… I don't know. Doctor!" She yelled back out the door. "Where are you!"
There was a grunt and a crash from the garage, followed by mutters. He appeared a minute later, laden down by the shopping bags. "I miss Time Lord technology…"
Rose looked over her shoulder and burst out laughing. "Now there's a sight I never thought I'd see!" Her parents joined in her laughter and even the Doctor's frown quirked into a semi-grin.
"Well, now we've got to see it all on you!" Jackie said enthusiastically.
The Doctor groaned. "You'll see it when I wear it. I refuse to participate in any sort of 'fashion show.'"
Jackie smiled at him. "Well, be a dear and why don't you go shower before din. I'll put something together. Rose, help him carry those bags upstairs to the guest room, sweetheart, and make the bed in there."
Rose hauled herself to her feet and took a couple of the Doctor's bags and led him upstairs to the guest room. "Sorry 'bout my mum. She gets that way. She's always wanted to dress you. Since you wear the same thing all the time, you know."
"Ach… I should have known…" He grunted as he hauled the heavy bags up the staircase.
Rose pushed the door open to the guest room and raised the blinds to let light in after putting the bags on the window seat. She disappeared down the hall and returned with a set of linens for the bed. "Here ya go. You do know how to make a bed, don't you?"
"What?" He protested, looking miffed. "Of course I do." She turned to leave. "Of course, it'll go faster with two people…" He waggled his eyebrows at her and grinned. "What do ya say?"
"Oh alright." Rose picked up the mattress cover and handed him the other side, making a surprised noise as he grabbed her around the waist suddenly, pulling her closer, kissing her soundly on the lips. Writhing in his grasp, Rose pushed him away roughly. "What are you thinking!" She shouted at him, feeling her face go hot. "Make your bed by your bloody self!" She stalked out of the room into her own, slamming the door shut. That idiot! It wasn't like him at all! What was wrong with him! Rose took a deep breath, calming herself.
"ROSE!! Doctor!! Dinner time!" Jackie yelled.
Rose cringed. Ridiculous. Rose hurried down the stairs before the Doctor left his room. "Mum! Stop treating us like we're five!" She muttered some more to herself, helping to set the table before sitting down. Maybe it was time to move out…
"Oh, Rose," Pete said, half-way through dinner. "Did you want to return to work tomorrow?"
"Hm?" Rose looked up at him, her fork in her mouth. "Work?" She chewed and swallowed. "Sure, I guess."
"Good, good. Doctor, you're more than welcome to come also. Rose can show you around, and we'll find something for you to do."
"Wait a minute! Why am I his personal nanny? What is it with you two?" Rose glared at her parents, setting her fork down.
"I think it's a great idea!" The Doctor answered with a bright smile. And that was the end of it.
Rose spent the rest of the evening in her room, falling into bed early, passing out nearly as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Rose… Rose, take care of me…
Take care of yourself…. She thought tiredly. You're a grown man. 904 aren't you…?
Yeah… But I need you, Rose. I need you to watch after me.
That makes no sense.
You're always watching after me. You've saved me more times than I can count.
But that was different…
It's no different now. Just start all over again…
Start all over…
Rose woke, the dream fading quickly. She rolled over and turned her alarm off, frowning as she sat up. Ugh. Headache and stomachache. Her monthly was only a week away. Her hormones were out of wack. Just what she needed. The dream had disturbed her, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as she got up in search of advil and got ready to head into work. She headed passed the Doctor's room on the way to the bathroom and knocked on his door. "Get up, you lazy. We have work."
Rose passed the closed door again on her way to her room after doing her make-up and dressing. "Oi! Doctor!" Silence answered her. "I'm coming in." She pushed the door open, snickering. He was sprawled out on the bed, the night shirt bunched up to his armpits. "Doctor. Doctor! Get up!"
He muttered in his sleep, rolling over, arms wrapped around the pillow, holding it to his face.
"God, you're useless…" She grinned, amused, glad he was still asleep. She left and returned to his room with a cup of water. She dribbled some on his exposed stomach, pleased with his startled yelp, laughing uncontrollably as he got twisted in the sheets and fell onto the floor.
"Rose Tyler… That is highly unamusing…" He glared up at her.
"Good morning, sunshine. We have work," she said sweetly. Turning on her heel, she left his room and went downstairs in search of some breakfast.
"—and this is my desk. So you know where to find me." Rose looked over at the Doctor, planting her hands on her hips in annoyance. "Oi. Are you paying any attention to me in the slightest?"
"What? Oh. Right. Yes. Your desk. Find you," he turned to look at her quickly and then looked away, characteristically rubbing the back of his head as he frowned. "You know, is that an energy particle handler?"
Rose shrugged. "Beats me. Look at it later. There's a bunch of stuff here that we have no clue about. I'll show you where the storage rooms are. Follow me." She turned and headed down the long corridors to the warehouse area, swiping her card in front of the access pad, the light flashing and the door sliding open.
"Ooh, fancy," the Doctor commented, slipping his hands into the pockets of the jeans that Jackie had bought him the day before. He was also wearing a pair of brown loafers (the red converse carefully tucked away in his closet), and a white button down shirt, the long sleeves rolled up passed his elbows. Rose had to admit that it did look incredibly appealing on him.
"Here's one of the rooms with stuff that we have no idea what it is." She flashed her card again and the door clicked open. She pulled it open and walked in. "Be sure to prop the door open with something or else we'll get locked—" Rose sighed heavily. "The door just shut."
"Aah… Well. Yup. It would seem that it did…" The Doctor grinned sheepishly.
Rose growled to herself, pushing her bangs out of her face. Great. Exactly what she needed this morning. Walking over to the door, she pounded her fist on the cold steel. "Hullooo! Is anyone out there! We're locked in!" She waited a moment and then turned to him. "Doctor, would you—" She broke off and took a deep breath. "You don't have your sonic screwdriver."
"Ah, no."
"Bloody wonderful!" Rose threw up her hands. "Now we're stuck here."
"I didn't know!" He protested casually.
"They have to notice we're not around eventually…" she replied glumly, patting her pockets. "I left my cell on my desk too…"
"It's alright. This gives us some time together. Right?"
"Since when have you ever been the optimist?" She leaned her head back against the wall and slid to the floor.
The Doctor was silent, perching himself on a nearby crate.
"You really are useless, you know," Rose said dully after several minutes of silence. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.
"What? Naaaaah," the Doctor drawled with his usual levity. "I wouldn't say 'useless,' perhaps rendered ineffective, temporarily out of commission, momentarily off the ball, not—"
"Without your sonic screwdriver and the TARDIS, it's like you're missing half of you," Rose murmured, examining her fingernails dispassionately. She really needed to get rid of the chipped polish…
The Doctor was silent, his expression hardening with something akin to grief. She'd hit too close to the mark.
"She's your other half, isn't she… Now you're only half of him," Rose continued, fixing him with a gaze that told him everything.
"You blame me!" he said incredulously, in a flash of insight. "Rose—"
"What am I? Your bloody nanny? He asked me to look after you—and I'll do it—but why couldn't I go with him? Am I just here to clean up his messes? To take care of his rejects?" she demanded with an angry toss of her hair.
"I'm…" The Doctor trailed off, hurt crossing his face before being covered by a carefree façade. "Course you're not my nanny, you're—"
"If you're him, explain to me why, then." She glared at him, the hurt angry tears glistening in her eyes. Maybe she was going too far, but the words kept coming, wanting to hurt him, so he'd know how she felt. This jealous catty feeling was unlike her, but Rose went with it. "I want to know why, Doctor. You owe it to me. Why am I second best? Why am I dropped here with you, a reject. A faulty product. Explain, please. After all, we've got plenty of time."
The Doctor stood with a sigh, his back to her so she wouldn't see the anguish on his face. "I love you, Rose Tyler. He loves you. We're the same, except I'm part human. I can grow old with you. We can live together. Imagine how it was for him to let you go. He didn't want to. But he couldn't take you with him. And he couldn't stay here. He belongs in that reality, just like your place is now here."
"I didn't want him to let me go!" Rose retorted hotly, swiping away her tears as her pride deteriorated.
"But he had to, you see!" The Doctor whirled to face her, his face twisted with emotion. "He had to, because he doesn't belong in this parallel world. He couldn't have me tagging along, and you belong with your mum, who would probably find someway to kill me if I didn't bring you back to her like I promised, and you'd have no future with me, traveling around, and if I took you with me, then I'd just have to watch you grow old and die, and that would be too hard, Rose Tyler! It would be too bloody hard! What I said way back then is completely true: I want you to have a fantastic life!" he rushed out, his hands balled into fists.
Rose stared at him, her first Doctor's words crashing down on her. Not knowing what else to do, she dropped her head onto her knees and sobbed.
"Rose! Rose!" The Doctor rushed to her, kneeling at her side, his hands hovering around her, unsure what to do. "I mean it…"
"Why…" she murmured through her sobs, her voice cracking. "I didn't want…to be left behind… I was searching… I was looking all that time… I tried so…" she hiccupped. "I tried so hard to find a way back to him…!" Her body shook as her emotions broke through, vocalizing them hurting so much more than merely thinking them.
"Rose…" Pain seeped through the Doctor's voice. "Rose, he did it so at least I could be with you… You understand, don't you…? It was all selfish. He couldn't stay here, but he loves you, so he wanted you to be happy. It might not be the way you wanted, but it works out for everyone but him. He's the one who ends up unhappy. But he wanted you happy. And I…" His voice caught as he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her. "I want to make you happy, Rose Tyler. I want you to smile for me, right? That smile you always gave, Rose? I want that back. None of this teary nonsense, eh?" He pulled her tightly to his chest. "I'll even get a mortgage for you…"
Rose gave a choked laugh through her sobs, leaning against his chest.
"I'm sorry I'm just the reject, but with me you can make a life! Rose, we can be together, you know…? You remember? When we talked—we thought we were stranded on that planet circling the black hole? We'll get a house, I'll get a job… We can even share…"
Rose half-sobbed, half-laughed into his chest, uncurling enough to wrap her arms around his waist. "But what about you…? What about the TARDIS? What are you going to do without her?"
The Doctor paused, taken aback. Was that what this was all about? He smiled. "Baaah, I don't need her. A man's only supposed to have one woman, right?"
Rose pulled back and looked up at him, her make-up horribly smeared, still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She gave him a hesitant smile. "And your sonic screwdriver…?" She lifted a hand to wipe away her tears.
The Doctor took her hand, wiping them for her tenderly. "Well. There's enough technology here that I could probably make a new one, well, or I could make something like it. It wouldn't be the same, of course, but I could probably put something together." He grinned.
Rose grinned back hesitantly, recognizing his eagerness. Maybe he wasn't so different from her Doctor after all… Maybe… Maybe he deserved half a chance. "Alright then… Mr. smarty-pants… Let's see what you can do with all of this junk."
The Doctor stood with his characteristic grin. "Yes ma'am. Absolutely ma'am! Right on it!" He rifled through the boxes for a while as Rose sniffled and fanned her face, embarrassed slightly by her outburst. She found something metal and set it up, attempting to fix her make-up, slightly regretting she hadn't used the waterproof stuff, and embarrassed for thinking so. She sighed and gave up, no longer caring. "Anything you need me to do, or anything I can help with?" She asked, leaning over the Doctor's shoulder. She waited for his response, rolling his eyes as she saw his brow furrowed in concentration, scattered parts around him. She walked around him and squatted down, noting with amusement, his tongue poking between his lips as he worked. His face was a mask of concentration, but his lips were pulled up in a sort of smile, joy in putting something together.
"Rose, would you hand me that…" He swung a hand behind him, pointing at an object sticking out of a box. "That ion stream converter/analyzer—"
"The round thing with the coloured buttons. Got it." Rose stood and wrestled it from the crate, handing it to him.
"Ah! Brilliant!" He grinned up at her in a familiar way that made Rose's heart ache all over again. "Always know just the right thing!" He looked back down and continued with his work. "Oi, you haven't happen to have—ooh, I like that, haven't happen to have. Right. Have to say that more often. Ah, a pen. You haven't happen to have a pen on you, do you?"
Rose patted her pants pockets and shook her head. "No. Oh wait!" Her hands flew to her hair and she pulled a pen out of her bun, the hair falling loose around her shoulders.
The Doctor blinked at her, breaking into his heart-stopping smile. "Will you lookit that! Oh you are brilliant, Rose Tyler."
She handed it to him. "It's convenient. It holds my hair up, and it's there should I need one and I'm not at my desk…" She looked away, feeling almost awkward at his praise. "Well, I'll….um…" She ran her hand through her hair and adopted a more no-nonsense expression. "I'll go over here and see what else I can find that might be useful." She turned to walk away, dropping her hand, stopping as it fell into his.
"I mean it, Rose Tyler. You are brilliant." He looked up at her, his hand warm around hers. "Always have been. That's why I need you with me. You always know just what to say."
This time, Rose did blush. "Doctor…"
"No really," he said earnestly. "Really, Rose."
"Alright already. Lookit you… making me blush, you grease monkey…"
"Hey now! Cheeky!"
Rose laughed and pulled her hand from his to ruffle his hair. "I hope you don't go bald for a long time… It would be a shame to lose all of this hair."
The Doctor grinned at her and waggled his eyebrows. "Good thing for me, then, that I've never been bald! Well. The first me you knew was rather lacking in hair, wasn't he. Well. He had hair. Short. But hair. Yes. Yes, I've always had a rather hairy head." He grinned again.
"Well thank goodness for that," Rose said exaggeratedly, placing the back of her hand against her forehead.
"Right. Don't worry. I'll have us out of here before you can say Raxacoricofallapatorius! Or well… perhaps not re—"
"Doctor. You'll get us out." Rose gave him a smile. "I'll just wait for you to save the day, as usual."
The Doctor looked up at her and grinned, his eyes bright and warm. "Ohh yes!"
