It is here at long last! Again, I am so so sorry and I hope that updates will be continuous from here on. I've gotten over my depression and writer's block so whoopee :) enjoy the chapter
Since the wedding was small and there weren't too many guests, Rose and the Doctor had the wedding reception in Jackie and Pete's very large backyard. Now that it was dark outside, tiki torches were placed all around the house and yard. A big canopy had been put up and tables and chairs were scattered around underneath it. Paper lanterns had been hung up under the canopy, giving the dining area a soft, pink glow.
On the other side of the yard next to the pool, another canopy was set up, but underneath this one was a platform set up for dancing, completed by a sound system and a DJ. Originally, Rose had protested the DJ, not wanting her mother to overdo the reception too much. But as always, Jackie gets what Jackie wants. Jackie also managed to get a huge Mexican food buffet, complete with every kind of Mexican food you could think of, a table with two humongous cakes, and both a candy and cocktail bar that was at least ten feet long. Rose tried to explain to her that she didn't need food for a thousand, but Jackie insisted. She also wondered where her mum got the food, as she hadn't ever seen any Mexican restaurants anywhere near them.
Rose, who had been surveying the decorated yard from behind the glass sliding doors, stepped outside holding the Doctor's hand. While he kept the suit, Rose had ditched the veil and long train of her dress so she could move around more freely.
People slowly started trickling into the yard and Jackie directed them into the dining area. Rose and the Doctor went from table to table, greeting guests and chatting with them. Finally, every table was filled and the guests were released table by table to fill their plates. As Rose was placing a tamale on her plate, she noticed Tony digging in the candy bar, stuffing his face with sweets. Rose stifled a giggle as Jackie ran up and smacked his hand, carrying the screaming toddler away from the food and into the house.
Rose rejoined the Doctor as she sat down next to him at the table that was specifically designated for them.
The Doctor was cutting his enchiladas as he said, "Pretty nice of your old mum to go all out for us, huh?"
Rose laughed and rolled her eyes. "I tried to explain to her that we wanted it small, but you know what Jackie wants-"
"Jackie gets," he finished her sentence with a grin. "But I don't really mind. The food's wonderful," he added.
"Yeah, it's good. You know, I've never had Mexican food before," Rose said.
The Doctor looked at her with a slightly shocked look. "Really? You've been missing out your whole life! I can't believe you've never had Mexican food before."
"Well I did grow up in England. And some of us don't have their own spaceships to take them to Mexico when they feel up for a taco," she teased.
The Doctor pondered this and looked at her. "Mental note: take Rose to Mexico sometime in the future."
Rose laughed and returned to eating her food.
After they'd finished eating, they went around to other tables again to thank the guests for coming to the wedding. They got to the table that sat some relatives on Pete's side. An aunt of his squinted her elderly eyes at them and placed a pair of spectacles on her nose. "Oh, it's Rose!" she said, delighted, when she saw who it was.
"This is great aunt Matilda, Pete's aunt," Rose told the Doctor after giving the woman a hug.
He smiled and held a hand out the the old woman, who accepted it and shook it vigorously. "Oh I've heard lots about you from Jackie! I ought to say, though, you're much handsomer than she described you as."
The Doctor grimaced. "Yes, I'm quite sure. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Oh, and such manners, too! It's so difficult to find a pleasant gentleman such as you these days," she crowed. Matilda continued to babble on about the "good old days" she grew up in, and they were quite amused when she asked if they knew what a police box was.
When Rose heard music start up from the other side of the yard, she used it as an excuse to pardon herself from Matilda and her nonstop chattering. She hastily said her goodbyes and grabbed the Doctor's arm, dragging him away towards the dance floor.
People were starting to dance to the fast, upbeat song. The Doctor grinned and swung Rose around. She laughed and could barely keep up with his fast pace. He was incredibly agile as he danced, if a little bit dorky looking.
When the song was finally over, Rose was out of breath. "Where'd you learn to dance like that?" she panted, remembering his words that night with the gas mask zombies.
"Oh, I've had plenty of time to learn," he answered with a cocky grin.
Rose had to withhold a snigger as she wondered if the reason she sometimes thought she heard dance music while she slept on the TARDIS was because he was practicing. She had to bite her lip when she imagined him using the console room as a dance floor and practicing with Just Dance on the Wii, which was a favourite game device of his.
Rose and the Doctor continued to dance for a few more songs. Rose looked over the Doctor's shoulder and giggled when she saw Jack leaning on a table flirting with a very flustered Martha and Donna. He glanced over at her and winked with one of his charming Jack smiles. Jack was apparently a huge flirt in every universe, both immortal and mortal. She'd met this universe's version of Jack at Torchwood one day; he'd bumped into her one day and after introducing himself asked if he could have directions to her heart because he was "lost." Rose had almost died with laughter upon meeting him, but clearly stated that she was taken. They'd become fast friends afterwards.
The Doctor spotted Jack flirting from across the room and yelled, "Stop it!"
Jack put his hands up and shrugged. He turned back to his conversation with Martha and Donna, who both gazed at him with dreamy expressions.
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Can he go five minutes without finding anything to flirt with? Honestly!"
Rose laughed. "Jealous much?" she teased.
His cheeks reddened. "No," he grumbled. After pouting through for a while through the slow song they were currently dancing to, he asked, "Am I handsome, Rose?"
A huge grin broke across her face. "Oh, you are so jealous!"
"No, I'm not!" he remarked through his blushing. "I do not need to compete with him."
Rose stretched up on her toes and kissed him on the nose. "Well of course you are," she answered his question. "You're tall, slim, and a little bit foxy, remember?"
The Doctor was grinning too, now.
"Cassandra", they both groaned in unison.
The song ended, and they decided to take a break from the dancing for a while. As everyone ate cake and visited among each other, they went around to more tables, making sure they'd greeted and thanked everybody for coming.
When the reception was finally over, and people started trickling away, they stood by the gate bidding everyone goodbye and thanks for coming. The last people to leave were Jack, Martha, and Donna. Martha and Donna both hugged Rose and congratulated them for about the millionth time. Jack took her hand in his and lifted it slowly. He placed a small kiss on it and said, "M'lady. I'd congratulate you, but that'd mean I accept the fact that you're unavailable to flirt with."
The Doctor rolled his eyes again. "As if that'd stop you," he retorted.
Jack kissed the Doctor's hand as well, and then clapped him on the shoulder. "You know, Doctor, sometimes I get the weirdest feeling. Like I've known you for a long time, even though we've only known each other for about a year now. Do you ever get that?"
The Doctor suppressed a smile. "Yeah, I do, actually. Who knows, maybe in another life we did."
Jack put his hands on his hips. "Well, I guess I'm off. Good luck, you two." And with that he was gone.
And that concludes this chapter. I hope you liked it because it has literally taken me all this time to get it right and I'm still not completely happy with it. Please review, I love reviews. And feel free to hit that there Favorite or Follow button on your screen, too ;) also FYI this story is still not over yet there's more to come