8 Holiday
Rose and the Doctor spent several months learning their new normal. They haven't spoken about the day he took her through his memory. They know there are issues to work on, but both mutually (though independently) decided the issues could wait. There is plenty of time, and the Doctor isn't one to start those sorts of conversations. He is content to let it rest, knowing Rose will bring it up when she's ready. They visit planets, space stations, moons, and even once a passing cruise ship, all safe at the moments in which they arrive. That didn't mean there weren't problems to solve, and one puppy to rescue from a well, but mostly they were on Holiday. The TARDIS is uninterested in putting her companions in danger just yet. Ignoring several alarming situations, that will just have to wait, she allows the Doctor to get where he's going, and he's choosing for fun, not function.
Barcelona and the nose-less dogs were a remarkable success, though he had to put his foot down about no puppies on the TARDIS. The spa planet Autopia gave Rose a lovely tan, and the Doctor an unfortunate rash while investigating a native jelly fish he'd been warned about, but Rose stepping out of the beach house wearing scraps of blue fabric (is that supposed to be bathing suit) distracted him from the one he was a little too close to. Rose tried to be sympathetic, but the terribly itchy bright green dots were too much, and she could hardly look at him without dissolving into fits of giggles. It took three days for them to get better, no matter what the Doctor did. The TARDIS finally took pity on him, and synthesised a topical antihistamine that made his life at least bearable. Then there was way too much shopping, and some fantastic dinners on San Helios. He even found some TARDIS parts, so he wasn't too put out. They just lazed their way through a couple of galaxies, enjoying themselves. All these places kept them both busy and allowed them to settle back into a routine with each other.
Finally, as the last Holiday trip; he is taking Rose to the 26th Century city, Chelsea 426 above the swirling clouds of Saturn. He thought she might enjoy the wonders available in her own familiar corner of the Cosmos. He let the TARDIS choose when in the Century they landed, his only specification that there be a restaurant perhaps with dancing, thinking he might indulge Rose's love of it. Checking the monitor one last time and noticing that the 26th Century is a busy place around this City with all kinds of complicated incidents going on earlier in its span. Well, every place always has a few boring days, and the TARDIS is steering right to the heart of section towards the end of the Century. Satisfied with his surprise, he turns away, stuffs his hands in his pockets, and with a grin at his clever plan heads off to find Rose.
He can sense she's deep in thought and probably reading. He can almost hear her wheels turning-Library. She's been very studious recently, falling head over heals in love with Temporal Physics and Stellar Engineering. Of all things, it would never have of occurred to him that she would be a budding engineer! Koschei would have been amused with the irony. He couldn't even hardly understand all the stuff she was currently excited about. This morning's breakfast conversation was all about Omega and Rassilon working on plans to bring Time-travel to Gallifrey. While charmed at her delight with his own history, there is much to cover. Some of that same history is going to generate questions that he isn't looking forward to answering.
She has a real talent for wading through an author's pompous self-indulgent prattle and distilling the actual meat from the rubbish. He'd always felt so repressed when trying to push his way through. She just ignores the parts that hold no actual information. Luckily she doesn't have anyone testing her just as much on so-and-so's opinion, as on the real material. She also doesn't have the weight of millions of years of expectations to toil through. The Doctor envies her fresh perspective. Maybe he should try...nah!
Reaching the Library he pauses in the doorway to watch her. Recently, She'd had the TARDIS make her a desk built into the window. She is unreservedly enamoured of the view. He has come in before to see her just watching the clouds. Other times she has her work screens displayed across a portion of it while she's figuring out some equation or other, and a stack of books to her left.
One time, he nearly got a concussion when she startled him under the Console and he smacked his head into the edge of the frame. She had come running in screaming for him to come to the Library, before sprinting back the way she'd come. The TARDIS assured him nothing was wrong. Making certain he wasn't bleeding, he joined her in the room. Walking to the windows he was about to start complaining when he caught sight of what held her rapt attention. Below them was an enormous flock of birds twisting and cavorting in unison looking for all the world like a school of bright blue fish. The TARDIS had not previously given them anything in the view that moved beyond atmospheric structures and astronomical features. It had been centuries since he laid on the grass watching these birds twist and turn in the air. The imagined birds made him sad, but they were harmless. Rose on the other hand was glued to the display with tears rolling gently down her cheeks. Through the link he could feel her sadness at knowing they weren't real, mixed with utter joy at their beauty. Understanding both sentiments he didn't have the heart to take it away, and resolved to have a talk with the TARDIS about the realism of this construct. Taking her in his arms they stayed like that watching the long dead avians frolic in the pretend air currents.
Today she's curled up in a chair next to the fire reading the oh-so-interesting treatise on Singularity Manipulation by one Marnelavandortorvalon. Blech! She's still awfully cute, dressed in blue lounge pants and thick purple sweater, no matter what she's reading. He's positive the pretentious prig that wrote the book would have been scandalised if he could see her now. Grinning, the Doctor makes his way over to Rose's chair.
"Some light reading this evening, I see?" Perching on the arm of her chair and pulling out his brainy specs, he makes of show of looking over Rose's shoulder to see what she's reading.
"You goof. It's actually fascinating once you get past all the posturing," Rose says with a smile, looking up at the Doctor. "I can't believe how much tree pulp your people wasted blithering on about how they learned what from who, how they proposed such-and-such, and so-and-so's approved...blah, blah, blah!" Laughingly she pokes him in the side,"obviously the running off at the gob trait was genetically instilled into your race!"
"Oi! I do not 'run off at the gob'," he protests. "And it's now your race too! I will have you know that everything I say is vastly important! Such as...we didn't use tree pulp. It's masticated grass fibre, dissolved in the guts of trillions of specialised bacteria who pooped out pulp that was turned into strands and woven into the finest paper in the Galaxy."
Pleased with the reaction he continues, "Also vastly important...Rose Tyler, would you like to go out on a proper date with me tonight...dressed up and everything?" He is thoroughly amused to watch her face go from a pinched moue of disgust to a delighted grin. Yup! Still got it.
Dropping the book to the floor, Rose reaches up grabbing his tie, and topples her Time Lord from his perch directly into her lap. He's skinny, she's stronger than she looks, and neither of them cares a whit as Rose rewards her Doctor with a breath stealing snog for having such a wonderful idea. There have been loads of wonderful ideas lately, and Rose feels that she may have finally made up for one snog-free year, no more than that, but definitely at least one of the Pete's World ones. Still have four more to work off though; two in the TARDIS and two more without.
Respiratory bypass or not, they both need to surface for air at some point. Pulling back from Rose, the Doctor is glassy-eyed and adorably disheveled. Yep, she's got it! Rose is tempted to keep him here. Well, to be fair she's always tempted to keep him here, but they have mutually (for real this time) agreed that there isn't any reason to rush things. They have gone through a great many disparate though similarly traumatic incidents, and taking some time to learn and trust, and just know each other is altogether worth it; so long as the snogging continues.
The Doctor is being so much more open with her. Of course their link helped, and as her physiology settled, she is picking up all sorts of new and particularly useful features both psychic and physical. Such as, she can tell when the Doctor is lying; his aura turns puce at the edges, like a bruise. That is new too, seeing auras around every living thing. She has fine tuned it, so that she can ignore them, but when she wanted to see, the aura will show as a coloured outline. Also, and maybe her favourite so far, is the telekinesis. She can't move much yet, just roll a pencil off her desk, but oh the possibilities! Of course, not to be outdone, the Doctor has also gained from their link. He is now starting to see hazy colours in emotions and auras, too. Her's apparently turns a sick greenish-yellow when she lies. She'd attempted to hide that she had in fact eaten the last of the strawberry jam. He'd crowed with delight when he discovered his new little talent, much to her chagrin.
Physically, she is also much faster and stronger than she had been. She always liked the running during an adventure, but now it is so much fun she runs through the halls of the TARDIS each day. Darling will shift up the dimensional bridges while she's on the move to test her reflexes. The Doctor thought he'd join her on one of these sessions, and had collided with a wall resulting in the use of the dermal regenerator when he missed a sudden unexpected left. Afterwards, he decided that running for their lives was good enough for him.
Just the other day she had finally given in and allowed him to perform the full set of scans as a baseline. There didn't really appear to be anything too unusual, but he liked to pore over them researching this or that weird piece of biology. It made him happy, and now when he started jabbering on about nucleotides, polymerases, mutations, and gene sequences, she could return the favour with event horizon characteristics, space-time geometries, or the peculiarities of wormhole dynamics. She could tell, he wasn't exactly satisfied with her scan results, but she was stable, and as he liked to say...that was brilliant!
Gazing into the warm chocolate gaze, she sighs in happiness. Pulling him close for one last quick kiss, she then dumps him unceremoniously on his back side as she stands and stretches, back popping and enjoying a magnificent yawn.
"Oi! Whaddya do that for?" The Doctor whinges from the floor. Laying back on his elbows, and crossing his ankles, he smiles up at Rose's movements. She thinks he looks a little like a cat being all nonchalant...'of course I fell, I meant to.'
"I can't exactly get dressed with you in my lap, you prawn. You said dressed up, so dinner...and maybe dancing? Will there be dancing, Doctor?" Rose lets out the cutest squee, and claps her hands at the thought. It's moments like these where the early 20's shows through, and the Doctor loves it.
"Well, I don't know, Rose Tyler, but maybe."With a grin of his own he watches her shout in delight and head for the door.
Stopping in its frame, Rose looks back at her man-critter sprawled on the floor, eyebrow raised haughtily. "You have two hours Mister to meet me in the Console Room, and you had better not be in that suit!" With that she flounces out of the room wholly unimpressed with the whining and cursing her parting shot has elicited. He hears her fading laughter as she heads off to her room.
Two hours! What is he going to do for two whole hours? And change his suit, what's wrong with his suit? He loves his suit. He especially likes today's tie. The TARDIS has made him a lovely deep mahogany one with swirls of pale blue and dark navy. He loves ties, and he really loves his suit. Now he has to go dress up, and this was his idea! Grrr...women. Sighing to himself, he can't help grinning. Rose's delight is so palpable and infectious. She will look marvellous, and the least he could do is dress up for her, too. Oh, he knows exactly what to wear! He has just introduced her to Daniel Craig as James Bond, and she had loved his tuxedo in Casino Royale. The appreciative noises she'd made were proof enough of her thoughts on that regard. He'd considered being jealous, until she'd told him how he would make the handsomest Bond ever. The Doctor is almost positive there'll be a similar one upstairs in the Wardrobe waiting for him. He's glad she approved of that Bond, she hadn't been so keen on Terk'lon the Terrellian Bond from the 45th Century remake of From Venus with Love. Her idea of James Bond didn't involve him being blue or tentacled. Human sensibilities, so limiting!
Making his way to the Wardrobe, he can hear Rose singing in the shower. She has a lovely voice, and he always enjoys the moments he can catch her using it. After pausing a moment listening to her belt out a portion of Take Me Too the River Annie Lennox style, he continues on his mission to find the perfect tux. He doesn't seem to have great luck with tuxes, but he knows Rose is going to like this one, and he's determined to have one last easy fun night with her. He's aware that the TARDIS has been keeping them safe, and that will need to end soon. He knows there's issues that require tending to. Soon he and Rose will be saving someone from something, but tonight is just for them. Taking the stairs three at a time, he goes digging for the perfect Bond-ish tux.
Once finished with her shower, Rose takes her time getting ready. She's given herself two hours, and she is going to use them. Darling has outdone herself laying out oils, scents, creams, and all sorts of strange unguents that she thinks Rose might like. They talk about what to use where or for what purpose, and then Rose gets down to business. She has felt the growing undercurrent of tension in the TARDIS, and knows that soon they'll need to get back to work, but She's giving them at least one more trip to finish off their Holiday.
/Thank you so much, Darling for letting us have this time./
~You are welcome. I have enjoyed seeing you happy. I hope you like the dress I made for tonight.~
/Oh! I'm sure I will! I know we have to get back to work soon; I've felt the anticipation of trouble./
~You are very perceptive my Wolf. I have kept the trouble to a minimum, but there are matters that need tending. You are ready, and I think my Thief needs an adventure.~
Sending waves of affection and laughter, they both enjoy the process of getting Rose ready. In recent weeks Rose has come to use less and less make-up. Her new skin is too sensitive even for the super high-tech Future stuff which still seems heavy and smells weird. Brand-new and blemish-free, Rose can't stand the feel of covering her skin. She still does her eyes, though using much less mascara. Noticing that Darling has laid out a selection of warm browns and golds for her eye-shadow, makes Rose is curious to see her dress. Being evening she paints her lids dark and smokey making her eyes glow and look molten.
Her mum would have a fit, thinking that you must to put all this goop on, or you aren't made up proper. She'd probably go on about airs and graces, too. Reading up on being a Time Lady, would imply airs and graces, but that just isn't Rose. Thinking of her mum, Rose hopes she's happy. She remembers the Sphynx saying she'd see her soon, so she holds that notion close, and doesn't grieve. With a large sigh Rose pulls her thoughts back to the present. Finished with her make-up, she plays with her hair. It has become long, she loves the colour and natural wave of it. Brushing it out till it looks like spun gold, she opts to leave it mostly down. Pulling a portion of the front up, and braiding the sides back she clips it all from behind with a golden barrette in the shape of a feather. It was a gift she had received from Jack after finally escaping that truly awful experience on Arkannis Major with he and her first Doctor.
Rose has been thinking about Jack a lot lately. She hasn't brought up any of her thoughts on wanting to see him again to the Doctor, but she will soon. She has been researching what they could do make him more palatable. Well, at least to be around. She isn't interested in how he tastes. Grinning to herself she hopes her theories work. If they do, even Darling should be able to accept him, without being constantly bothered. Checking herself in the vanity one last time, she bounces out to her room, excited to see what delightful confection the TARDIS has made her.
Walking out of her en suite in nothing but black lingerie, she rushes to the bed to see a shimmering silken oddly-coloured frock all laid out with shoes, and a black bigger-on-the-inside handbag. Slipping the dress over her head, it falls in liquid glory across her skin. Seeing it has no closures, Rose turns to the mirror. Stepping forward, the shifting watery colours of the dress confuse Rose; it's like it can't decide what colour it wants to be. It's pretty, she likes the soft fluttery sleeves, but it's kind of shapele-...Oh! As she watches, the heat from her body must activate something in the cloth as it warms against her skin. The dress shortens to just past her knees and hugs her curves like grown for her, but the skirt stays softly full; perfect for dancing. The hem turns black and as she watches, the colour creeps up the dress. At the tops of her thighs it starts blending to gold, and upon reaching her shoulders has shifted completely to a deep rich topaz; complimenting her hair and makeup beautifully.
Staring open mouthed at the mirror, she's amazed at the transformation. Turning, she looks at the shoes, wondering if they are just as amazing. At first glance they look like a clear flat with ribbons for her calves, she steps into them. Wrapping the ribbons around her calves and tying them off, she turns to walk back to the mirror. As she steps closer the shoe moulds to her foot and adds a shaped built up heel. She feels like she's in her most comfortable slippers, and instead she's wearing dead sexy heels. These are spectacular! They look amazing and she can even run in them. So clever.
/Darling! You've outdone yourself. This is the prettiest dress I've ever worn, and the shoes!/
~You are very welcome.~
Pleased with Herself the TARDIS sets about landing them near the location the Doctor requested. She has arranged everything to make certain they have a marvellous time. Tonight should be perfectly safe; then back to saving the Universe.
Feeling quite smug at finding exactly the tuxedo he'd wanted, the Doctor not so patiently awaits Rose in the Console Room. Being ready first, he'd become bored. He tried the Library, but was too keyed up to read. He wandered around the corridors whistling to himself, but couldn't find anything entertaining there, all the usual rooms and storage lockers, were where they usually are—boring. The TARDIS directed him to his room at one point, and it took getting him trapped in a corner, before he noticed she meant for him to go in. There on his nightstand was a gold pocket square and a box. He recognised the box. It was a present he'd bought for Rose on San Helios while he'd been scouting for parts. Apparently the TARDIS thought this was the appropriate time. Silly meddling machine! Fingering the square, he notices it's murr-cloth. Really?
/What have you been up to, Ol' Girl? I haven't seen murr-cloth in ages./
Getting the distinct impression that he is just going to have to find out for himself, he slips the box into his bigger-on-the-inside pocket, tucks the square into his upper tux pocket, and heads back out to see if Rose is ready. He loves surprises, well the kind he's responsible for, not the caught in danger you're about to die variety, but the Ooo, I have a prezzie for you variety. Yup, present wielding surprises are the best!
Now pacing the grating, about to give up and insert himself under the console, the TARDIS arrives at their destination and lands. She comes to a surprisingly gentle stop, with barely a thump. Well that is impressive. Either she's showing off, or this location was just really easy to slip into. He votes for the latter. Trooping down the ramp, he opens the door to peer out and see what's about. They're tucked into an alleyway, next to a bustling thoroughfare filled with brightly dressed laughing people. There's the thump of music, and he can smell the distinct odour of humanity having a good time, with a small dose of alien tossed in. Happy—it's a good smell overall, even if mixed with sweat and enough pheromones to excite a boulder.
Closing the door, he's now determined to go find Rose, and drag her out half dressed or not. Oh, half dressed, that could be fun, not the out on the town fun he was planning, but the stay in snuggle and snog sort of fun. Although half dressed is halfway to...Right, focus. They've mutually agreed to take it easy, but that doesn't mean that the insidious thought of shagging Rose Tyler doesn't creep in at the most inopportune moments.
Turning to head back up the ramp, the Doctor comes to a full stop. He'd been too wrapped up in his own inner monologue to hear Rose enter the room, or feel her amusement at him through their link. Now, all thoughts are completely stilled. There is a total vacuum in his mind; all his designs evaporating at the image of the goddess in front of him. His hearts stutter back to life, and the burning in his chest reminds him to breath again.
"Rose! Blimey, you look gorgeous!" the Doctor blurts out. He ought to be more eloquent, but the golden vision in front of him, has him nearly speechless.
Pleased with his reaction, and very pleased that he's changed for her, she glides down the ramp towards him. Fixing his tie, just to have something to do with her hands as she leans in for a short, but passionate kiss. Stepping back she openly leers at him. "See, I knew you'd be the handsomest Bond ever." Seeing the matching pocket square, she touches it and then her dress. "What is this made of Doctor? It's the same as my dress, and it sort of shaped itself, right on my body?"
Shaking his head to clear it, he uses the explanation to try and retrieve his wits, and maybe a touch of control over himself. Following her back up the ramp to retrieve her bag, he begins, "Ah-hem...It's murr-cloth."
Going over to the monitor he pulls up the image of a small system with several planets and enlarges the image of a little greenish planet fourth out from the sun. "The murr were a very peaceful farming culture out on the other side of the galaxy. They discovered a tiny telepathic creature, barely more than an amoeba on their world, that lived in colonies and reacted to temperature, moods, and the thoughts around it. Some clever individual figured out how to grow it into cloth that could remake itself into whatever the wearer wants, and to condition it to impress itself to only one person. The once peaceful farming culture is now a hub for the elite fashionistas of the Galaxy. It's a small obscenely rich little system, with a wait of as much as a decade for an appointment to see a specialist that will grow the clothing only you will ever be able to wear."
Turning away from the monitor and back to Rose with a mischievous glint in his eye, "That dress will only ever fit you, and will fashion itself at your whim. Look at you, Rose Tyler...the envy of all around you, and you could've likely bought a moon with it." The Doctor teases Rose.
Eyes wide at this she asks, "You mean it's alive; the dress is alive? It's living on me...right now?" She can't decide if she should be impressed or creeped out.
"Well, not on on you. It takes its nutrients from the air around you, and maybe a little from your bodily oils, but not much, and nothing you'll miss," he finishes with a grin.
Choosing impressed, Rose thinks this might be the coolest piece of clothing she's ever owned. She'll have to play with it later. Rose grins at the Doctor-airs and graces...ha!
Grinning back at her, the Doctor slides a hand into a pocket preparing to offer Rose his arm, and show her a night on the town, when he encounters the box he'd slipped in earlier. Looking up at her excitedly,"Rose! I have a present for you!"
"Oh, I love presents,"she says. Taking a step forward, then she stops abruptly and gives him the Eyebrow of Doom. "This isn't another one of those presents that no one wants to get is it?"
"Now Rose, that was an honest mistake. How was I supposed to know the egg still had a live draconeet in it? At that time of year, they should have all been hatched," he whinges back at her. Other than the slimy little baby lizard/snail that had defecated all over Rose's hand, it had been a good day. Those eggs are highly prized and made completely out of opal. Attempting to placate her though, "No, no, this is one I know you'll like, and no smelly residue!"
"Oi! Cheeky Doctor. Smelly residue? It took me the rest of the day to get that stench off my hands,"she huffs as she swats him lightly on the shoulder
Laughing now at the memory, she takes another step forward. The Doctor removes the box that's about the size of her palm from his pocket, and gives it to her. Opening it, she sees laying on the cream satin inside is a necklace and earring set. It is composed of beaten gold circles in various diameters connecting in and through themselves. There's green, pink, yellow, and even black gold circles all linked. The earrings dangle just long enough to touch her shoulders and they are perfect. After helping her put the necklace on she turns back and rewards him with another sound snogging and her thanks, "I love them. Thank you!"
"They're even more beautiful on you, than I thought they'd be." With a gasp and a shine to her eyes, the Doctor realises blushingly that he said that out loud. "Right, Rose Tyler. Let's go paint this town red." Then with a head shake, an affected American accent, and a deep tone to his voice he sing-songs, "Ain't nobody party, like Time Lords party!" Giggling at themselves they head out of the TARDIS and off for a night to remember.