25 The Joy Pandemic

Awakening slowly and with much blurriness, Rose is unsure of her surroundings. It takes her a minute to recognise the Zero Room. Taking a moment to assess her situation, she feels out her body, and it seems all her parts are in their proper places. Her head feels thick, but otherwise fine, and her time sense says she's only been unconscious for an hour.

/Where's the Doctor…,/ she begins thinking, when the memories of what happened in the Gallifrey Room and what she had experienced, crash in on her. She feels panic start to creep in when…

-Rose, I'm right here beside you. Everything's fine. Well, I think it's fine. No clue how we got to the Zero Room, but I feel fine, and you feel…ummm fine…,- she hears the Doctor in her mind; but as she realises this, she also notices it is much more than that. She can feel his concern for her, his love, and 'oh hey!' She also has a pretty clear idea that that...right there...would be blatant desire. Flushing red, she looks over at the Doctor who is suspended next to her, wearing an extremely filthy grin—very Cheshire cat in its broad disregard for her blush.

"Good morning, wife," he says aloud, with a chuckle.

Incapable of keeping a matching grin off her face she replies, "I hardly think being unconscious for an hour qualifies it as morning, husband," she replies with an affected haughty tone, but unable to maintain it, begins to giggle. Reaching out, he pulls her to him, and after a round of intense tickling, he stops the game in its tracks with a kiss that melts her hearts and curls her toes.

The look on her face when he finally pulls back and the intensity of the kiss, draws a purring growl from the Doctor's throat.

"Umm, wow! Can we please continue this somewhere where we aren't floating? It's a little distracting. Do you think there's any reason we can't go out?" Rose asks the Doctor.

"You mean other than the lack of a door?" he says, looking over Rose and around the room.

Just then a door appears, and they are allowed to gently come to their feet, still embracing.

~My Thief and my Wolf, I am glad you are both well. I was worried when the Bonding was so powerful. I had taken precautions, but the backlash initially destroyed several rooms. They will be restored once I repair the damage. My Thief's Matriarch and the Brave One are safe. I brought you here to allow time for healing.~

The TARDIS sounds extremely pleased with herself, even after describing what must have been colossal damage.

"What…ummm..right, well uh…Thank you?" splutters the Doctor. He had completely forgotten that the TARDIS had said he would hear Her as Rose does once they were bonded, and he can absolutely feel that She is utterly delighted to have surprised him so. Cheeky ship! Their previous 700 year relationship had been interesting before, when only images, a few word concepts and sensations were possible; now tinkering under the Console may have a whole new angle. Not being able to decide if that will be better or worse, he finally notices that Rose and the TARDIS are laughing at him.

Feeling a bit disgruntled, which has the marvellous ability to dampen his ardour, he looks at Rose, the Oncoming pout starting. This only serves to make her laugh harder as Rose steps forward to take his hand.

"I'm sorry, but your face—it's priceless. Darling was so looking forward to surprising you. She's really hoping that freer communication will keep you from getting so fried under the Console," Rose finishes with a knowing grin.

"Darling? Getting fried? Is that what you call it?" he says looking up at his ship. "Well, I have been doing a bang up job for 700 years keeping you in shape, and a little gratitude would not be out of place!" he says to the air around him, crossing his arms and flashing an indignant look that the TARDIS shows Rose his Sixth self was famous for.

~Indeed, my Thief. Without you, I would have been decommissioned and eventually would have chosen to pass back into the Universe from disuse. You saved me, and I have been grateful every moment since.~

Arms falling open to his sides as his eyes go wide with fresh awe and affection, "Oh, you gorgeous, magnificent Ship! I would have died of boredom alone, if I'd stayed on Gallifrey, not to mention what may have happened to Susan. We saved each other. Thank you," he replies thickly, eyes glassy. All indignant thoughts are gone, and only a deep abiding love and trust remain for his dearest friend, which he sends to the ship to punctuate his words.

"Rose! This is totally amazing! Who knew the fringe benefits of being your husband would be so wonderful?" he grins at Rose, nearly bouncing in his toes.

With an eye roll, Rose takes him by the sleeve, and starts pulling him through the TARDIS who helpfully shifts Her rooms around for her.

"Wait, Rose…what are you doing? Shouldn't we check on the damage?"

"No," she says quietly but firmly.

"But it could be substantial, and we…" the Doctor continues.

"No," Rose states more emphatically.

"Roo-oose," he whines at her.

Stopping and turning to face her Doctor, Rose releases him and crosses her own arms; wearing a look that says he's dribbled on his shirt. "Doctor, I've waited for years to have the chance to make love to you, and I am done waiting. You're my husband, and we are about to consummate this marriage thing—right…now. Do you really have a problem with that, because a few minutes ago, I got a snog that definitely said you didn't."

"Nope," he says succinctly, and leaning forward, he picks Rose up in his arms despite the surprised squeak she lets out. Striding off towards the door to their room, Rose senses the well of desire that she has just tapped. She'd had no idea that he previously fantasised about her. The images that he's currently sending her though, say otherwise. Not to be outdone, Rose begins sending some of her own fantasies his direction. This, serves to have both of them panting slightly and definitely flushed when he finally reaches their door. He could swear the TARDIS made that further than usual.

Entering the room, the Doctor steps confidently to the bed, and unceremoniously throws Rose into the centre of it with an enormous grin, that starts her giggling. Able to finally see his eyes, she's even more turned on when she sees them dark with desire for her. Stepping to the side of the bed, he looks down at Rose a moment before speaking, concern in his body language that is at war with the naked desire in his expression.

"Wife, I most definitely do not have any problems making love to you, any time you so wish it. But Rose, I need to warn you that this will be extremely intense. The first time we join fully mind to mind during…while making love, we will share all of ourselves with each other. We will know everything the other knows—no secrets, no hiding places, and neither of us will ever truly be alone again. I need you to make sure this is what you want. The storm of information could be overwhelming, especially from my end; not dangerous to you, but…intense." He's looking at her with all the love and trust she can feel coming to her through their new Bond, but she can also feel his vulnerability. Though it would pain him deeply if she said no, no it would be, for however long.

Overwhelmed a moment by his trust in her, and his deep desire to do everything in his power to insure her comfort, Rose experiences a moment of unworthiness that she should have this amazing man as her husband. Taking his hand in hers, she looks up and stops him from replying to her feelings of doubt with a look.

"You daft man, I made my choice a long time ago. I said forever, and I meant it. I didn't mean with only part of me. I've loved you since the word 'run'. I don't have any secrets to keep, or want places to hide. I am yours, all of me," she says simply, trying to mirror all the love and trust she had seen in him.

With an inarticulate "HA!" of pure joy, the Doctor joins her on the bed, and he was right; the storm they created swept her up in its tidal forces, and she was very nearly overcome. But with an iron determination on her part, and an infinite well of love to draw upon, she was able to take the knowledge stream and give it its own place in her mindscape; only picking up vague impressions from the enormous load of memories. Hers may not have been as vast, but it was certainly filled with more than enough information to keep the Doctor's mind busy for a while. He was frankly amazed at the lengths she had gone to in saving him, and all the implication in what she, or rather they, may be capable of. He was entirely grateful for whatever good he had finally done that had earned him a place in Rose Tyler's heart…err hearts.

Once the initial joining of minds was complete, there were several days where the routine of their lives was punctuated by shagging…everywhere. They christened all the main rooms, absolutely by accident, no planning at all…of course. It was a complete surprise 'to the Doctor' when reaching down to pick up a dropped spatula for Rose as she was cooking, that he noticed she was wearing garters. Dinner was burned completely by accident…completely.

Rose had no idea how good TARDIS grease smelled until she handed him a spanner one day, and that was enough to set her off, and them, under the TARDIS tree at the base of the Console, mood lighting supplied by the lovely bulbs hanging around them. Darling did make it known after that, that they could keep their biological activities away from her main sensor systems, thank you very much.

They managed to stop for dinners out on a couple of safe and exotic planets, that got Time Lord christened as well. One unfortunate and badly timed coupling, involved running for their lives starkers, straight for the TARDIS; leaving all of their clothes behind. It wasn't until they were safely in the TARDIS, listening to the barrage of primitive grenades, that the laughing began. They could hardly control themselves at the ridiculousness of the situation. Who knew that the tree they'd accidentally ended up against was sacred to the God of Flatulent Fruits? Flatulent fruits!? Another round of giggles, ensues until the TARDIS reminds them that are still in the vicinity, and perhaps the Doctor would like to retrieve his clothing, pockets stuffed with all kinds of things the locals should definitely not have contact with. After retrieving the pile of hastily discarded clothing, they decided a shower would be marvellous, and resumed their interrupted activities there.

It took them a couple more weeks to get to the point where Rose felt they could be in public without wanting to shag all the time; let alone, the time needed to figure out the complexities of their new Bond. They had talked about the initial biological imperatives that went along with full Bonding, but she'd had no idea what that actually entailed. She wasn't complaining, not at all, but it would be really inconvenient to have their companions stumble across them in a hallway, the pool, the Library, hell, even the kitchen table. The Doctor finally saw the sense in this, when Rose pointedly suggested he think about what Donna's reaction would be. That sobered him right up, as did the notion of what Jack would think. Neither of them were interested in sharing—at…all.

Plus, Rose could tell that the Doctor needed some real adventuring. He was getting a little stir crazy, and some of the improvements he was suggesting to the TARDIS were being met with preemptive shocks in Her attempts to dissuade him, and he was frustrated with not getting anywhere yet with her proposed Harkness Harmonising Adapter.

Upon waking after the one night a week that they agreed to rest, Rose looks over to see the Doctor still sleeping. It is so rare that she's the first to awaken that she indulges herself and just watches him. His face is so much more relaxed than when she had first returned, and he has finally put back on some weight. The haunted look that had lingered in his eyes after the incident with John Hart, was also gone. He would still get a little weird about small spaces that weren't in the TARDIS, and he had only just started wearing ties again, after spending the first couple of weeks wearing jumpers with his suits. All in all she decided, married life suited them both perfectly.

"Yes, it does. Well, the 'married to Rose life' suits me perfectly," he says sleepily. Opening his eyes and smiling at the startled squeak Rose lets out as his sudden words surprise her, "Good morning, luv."

"Good morning, my darling man," she replies, kissing him soundly in forgiveness for surprising her. "So, I think we should retrieve Jack today, and get ready to pick Donna up, too. I miss them."

Picking her up with a giggle and rolling over so she's laying atop him, she listens with a smile to his hearts beating, and the lovely rumbling of his voice through her ear pressed to his belly.

"I miss them, too…oddly. I barely know this young Jack, but I remember how much fun we had before Satellite 5, and I miss that. Donna is special. I am actually excited to show her all the places she could never imagine, you know?"

He had been talking while absently rubbing Rose's back, but stopped at the 'you know?' Looking up at him and meeting his gaze, she smiles her understanding, "I know exactly what you mean. The excitement they have upon seeing the wonders of the Universe for the very first time, making it new for you again as well. You haven't taken your wife everywhere yet, you know. I am sure I could muster up some wonder for you. That is, if you have anything impressive to show me," she teases him.

"Oh, I'll show you impressive, Rose Tyler." Just as they are really starting to enjoy the kiss, the Cloister Bell tolls, and both of them leap from the bed, throwing clothes at each other to get dressed faster. Racing to the Console Room, the Doctor swings the screen around to see what the issue is. With an eye-roll and a groan he pushes the screen around to Rose on her side of the Console and begins to pilot them to the noted location.

"Uh-oh, it's Jack," Rose says, recognising the coordinates.

"Yup, it's Jack. I knew he wouldn't be able to stay out of trouble."

A/N: A shorter chapter, but a happy one. I hope you enjoy it! The next will have some action! :-) Many thanks to all my loyal reviewers as well as the brilliant new ones. THANK YOU! Starting to think about the next installment. Cheers!