'Rose…' Jack nudged, placing his hand on her shoulder.
That did it. She snapped. All at once she felt the hurt and the pain of every moment for the past two and a half years. She felt the unbearable aching in her head. She felt the loss of her Doctor as fresh as it was the day of Canary Wharf. She would not let these people take the only thing she had left. Her hope.
'No. No it will work. I am going to make it work. There might be another chance one day and I am going to be ready.' She shouted, trying to fight back her tears. She ran from the room, the others calling after her, but she didn't stop. She ran down at least ten flights of stairs to get to the basement where the cannon was being built. One of the guards tried to stop her, but backed down when he saw the fiery expression in her eyes. She immediately went to work, testing the barrier between the universes, trying to find one sliver, one weak spot that she could squeak through, but there was nothing. She tweaked the cannon trying to find another way to get it to work, but there was nothing. She didn't stop though. She worked for hours, she couldn't give up. This was all she was holding on to.
Jack came down to find her later that night. He suspected she hadn't eaten anything all day so he brought her some supper.
'Rose? I brought you some food.'
'Not hungry.' She mumbled, barely acknowledging his presence.
'No Rose you need to eat. Come here.' She didn't reply, just continued fiddling with the dimension cannon.
'Okay, I think that's enough for today.' Jack said, coming over to take the device away from her.
'No!' Rose practically screamed at him. 'I've almost got it. I'm close, I can feel it.'
Jack just looked at her sadly. He had been working almost as hard as her for the past two years, but he knew it would never work. If they even attempted a jump, they would end up collapsing two universes. There was no way.
'Okay Rose.' He said sadly. 'Just take a five minute break. Come on you need to eat.'
'No Jack, really, I'm not hungry.'
'Rose, you haven't eaten a thing all day! Now come here and eat this or I will shove it down your throat!'
She had no doubt that he would to.
'Okay, Five minutes that's all. But really, I'm not hungry at all.' She walked over to the tray of food he had brought her.
'Ha. He loved bananas….' She recalled sadly, picking one up off the tray and peeling it. She had only taken two bites when she threw it right back up again.
'Oh, god Rose.' Jack exclaimed, holding her hair back. 'Come with me we are going to get you looked at.'
'No Jack I'm fine really. I just haven't eaten all day, my body isn't used to that.'
'You're white as a sheet, and swaying on your feet Rose. We are getting you checked out. Don't make me carry you!'
'No…just… I'll stop working. I don't feel like being tested on. I just need to rest.' Rose mumbled. She didn't want to stop working, but she really didn't feel like having to explain the headaches and sickness.
Jack sighed. 'Okay. Head straight home and go to bed. I'll call your mum and tell her wh-'
'I'm not a kid any more Jack! I can handle myself, okay? I'm fine…just tired. I'll go home and get some rest. I'll be good as new in the morning. See you tomorrow.'
'Goodnight Rose.'
It was already 11:00 when Rose got home. She went straight to her room without speaking to anyone and collapsed onto her bed. She wasn't tired, not in the slightest, just defeated. All of her work had only brought her further away from the solution to the dimension cannon. She was almost positive that the others were right, there was no way through. But that wouldn't stop her. She refused to accept her fate in this universe. She would keep trying until she got it to work, or collapsed two universes trying.
Sorry there isn't much happening yet. But it will get better I promise! And the Doctor will make an appearance sooner or later...