"Doctor come on, you've been in there for thirty minutes!" Rose exclaimed, leaning against the bathroom door and sighing. It hadn't been the shower that was taking up all this time; He had taken his in about seven minutes. What was taking up so much of their precious, already dwindled time was the Doctor and his ever so precious hair. The door began to open and she stepped away, allowing the Doctor's body to be shown through a crack in between the door and the doorframe. His hair looked the same as usual-maybe with a little less spike-but he wasn't wearing any clothing. His towel was wrapped loosely around his hips, being held up by one hand. The other was around the doorframe.
"Sorry Rose. Had to fix up my hair. Took me a really long time to get it to spike today. I think there's something wrong with your shower." Rose laughed heartily, causing the Doctor to frown in confusion. Rose's gaze trailed down from his eyes to the broad planes of his chest. The muscles were wiry, but strong. The hair on his navel seemed to be forcing her gaze upon it. God how she wanted to put her hands in the hair, especially the curls just a bit lower. She gulped, ripping her eyes from his body so he wouldn't notice her staring. The silence was deafening. "All your, then," He said, stepping aside and allowing her entry. She scrambled inside the bathroom, not quick enough to show her urgency but still, quicker than necessary. She saw the Doctor's eyebrows skyrocket, but thankfully he didn't comment.
Slowly she edged towards the sink. The mirror was a bit fogged from steam but still, she was able to make out her own shape through the mist. Her hair had grown longer; She hadn't bothered to get a hair cut as much as she used to. It was about six inches longer in fact, past her shoulders now. Her roots were coming in again. She liked it when they did though; The brown in her scalp matched the blonde dye well. As long as she didn't leave it go for too long, she didn't have to color her hair for several weeks after her roots came in.
Her mind wandered to the time the Doctor had taken her to Dorsett, A small city in a not very large planet, the residents were mostly female. The city was covered in small shops and nail salons, hair places and shoe stores. They were humanoid, except their skin changed color when their emotions changed. When she first saw it happen-a young girl was screaming at a little boy, her skin a deep red-Rose's eyes had widened in shock and she squealed, hiding behind the Doctor. He loved little shops, and upon spotting a hair stylist, he asked if she needed her hair done. She accepted and took some money his sonic screwdriver had made to pay for the coloring. She had been nervous, but with their wide variety of colors Rose picked out the color that most resembled the dye she used.
When her hair was done and ready to have the towel taken off, she called the Doctor in for the unveiling. The woman took off the towel and screamed; Her hair was yellow! The Doctor, laughing uncontrollably, didn't notice when Rose picked up a brush and began to beat him with it. Once the shock subsided, he laughed and she laughed and Rose forgave him. But she would never have her hair colored off world again.
She grabbed her long strands in her fist and alternated between up and down. Maybe she should keep it up? Curl it into a twisted bun? She decided to let her mum play around with it, let her choose. She stripped out of her clothing and hopped in the shower. The water was calm and inviting, but Rose knew her time was running out. The limo would be here in 45 minutes and, knowing her mother, she'd probably planned to do her hair in some special way that would take forever. She squirted shampoo in her palms and rubbed them together, then lathered it into her scalp. She rinsed and repeated with the conditioner, and six minutes later she was bounding out of the shower, shrugging on her dressing gown, and heading across the small flat to her bedroom. She really shouldn't have fallen asleep; She was out for far too long. When she awoke her head had fallen into the Doctor's lap; he was stroking her hair. She had turned over to face him and he stopped his ministrations, blushing. Rose has smiled and laughed heartily, then took his hand in hers, brought it to her lips, and kissed it. She wasn't sure where she got the nerve, but nevertheless, she hadn't hesitated. He smiled shyly and his blush grew, but he did the same to her; Bringing her hand to his lips and planting a gentle peck on every knuckle. She wanted those lips to touch somewhere else on her body, and she was sure he was thinking the same thing. His face had ever so slightly leaned closer to her's, her neck craned to be just a bit nearer to his lips, and then he pulled away. She had blushed fiercely, flushed with the disbelief that she almost kissed him and embarrassment when he didn't. She sighed and entered her room, not even thinking that the Doctor could quite possibly be starkers. But he wasn't. He was looking into the mirror intently, his fingers struggling to tie the bow tie around his neck. Rose smiled softly at the sight he made; A 903 year old Time Lord who couldn't tie a bow tie. Finally, after several agonizing seconds, he turned to her with a pleading look in his eyes that made Rose giggle. She stepped towards the Doctor, swatting his hands away from the loose fabric and tying it herself. It came out in a perfect bow. The Doctor stepped towards the mirror and looked in, his lips twitching into the wonderfully childish grin she'd learned to love so much.
"Awe Rose, you're brilliant you are!" He turned sideways, looking into the mirror and surveying his body intently. When he looked back at her again she was smiling with complete and utter joy. She took the few steps left in between them in one stride, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing around his middle. He hugged her back and she sighed, breathing in his scent. She loved the way he smelled; Even after a shower he still managed to smell clean and musky at the same time in a way that made Rose's knees go weak.
"Thank you. Thank you so much! I don't know what I'd do without you!" Rose exclaimed, burying her face in the soft, white fabric of the Doctor's jacket. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away from him so he could look in her eyes.
"Now then, what brought this on?" He asked, his face a perfect image of confusion. Rose smiled and laughed nervously,
"I know that you don't really do domestic. It's just... With Mickey and everything else that has happened lately," The Doctor opened his mouth, most likely to comment once again how the Silurian incident was not her fault, "and I just wanted to see my family again. I don't get to do that often, and going to this stupid party is a chance to get everyone together. Besides, even if it is my family-and the whole reason I'm going is to see them-I don't think I'd be able to survive without you. So thank you. For everything." The Doctor smiled at her, his wonderful teeth showing, his cheeks puffing out in that adorable way,
"Awe, anything for you Rose. Besides, all you have to do is say the word and we're here. You know that; It's your family. It's not like you're just expected to leave them forever without a quick visit every now and again." Rose's smile faded, her tone serious when she said,
"You're all the family that I need." The words were out and Rose instantly regretted them. She had said what she had ben thinking aloud by accident, not having meant for him to hear them. It sounded so intimate, as if they were together or something. She really hoped he took it as a brotherly love and not the way she actually felt. His mouth was agape ever so slightly and his eyes contained something that seemed-no, it couldn't be-hope? She shook the thought away as quickly as it had come; The Doctor didn't love her. At least not like that. He probably felt a sort of brotherly love for her; Like the way he stood in front of her when they were facing an enemy he was actually afraid of, or how he'd beg for whatever foreign species they'd encountered to have mercy on her when she had stupidly gotten herself kidnapped. Or even how he would take her somewhere nice after they'd just finished something so horrible, like taking her to see the first production of Hamlet after the Silurian child kidnapping and bringing her home after the Cybermen and Mickey. The un-informed observer might have suspected them to be in a relationship, but she was well-informed and definitely knew better than to think the Doctor loved her. In fact, she was starting to doubt he could even fall in love with somebody. He had told her he was married before, but when he talked of his wife it didn't seem with longing or love. For his children he did, but never the woman he was married to.
The silence had gone on for far too long, so Rose said,
"Right, well go on then. Don't want you in the same room while I'm changing." It took the Doctor a beat to register her words,
"Oh, right, yeah. Okay. Off I go then." And then he was gone, out the door and into the living room she suspected. Rose sighed and held the yellow dress in front of her face, examining the fabric as if to make sure it were real. The whole situation seemed surreal; her dressing up and going to a party, the Doctor coming with her, doing domestic. It had been so long since Rose had seen her extended family that she doubted they would recognize her. And even though she loved her family deeply, she wasn't sure how long she could stay in one place without going mad. For the Doctor even more so.
She sighed, beginning to shuck of her clothing and pull the dress over her head. When she looked in the mirror she was surprised that she looked so good without a stitch of makeup on. A smile began to play on her lips as she realized this could be an opportunity; Maybe this was her chance to finally tell the Doctor how she felt about him. Maybe she wasn't the most comfortable in a dress, but her courage did seem to spark whenever she knew she looked gorgeous. her smile grew at the thought of a potential relationship with the Doctor. He was, after all, the man of her dreams.
The Doctor sat on the edge of the table, the corner injecting itself slightly into his rear, but he didn't seem to notice. He wondered if Rose was planning on telling her family the truth about their 'travels.' He was certain Jackie had made an excuse for her absence-possibly said she had gone traveling, went abroad with a friend, ran away with a strange man she just met-but either way he knew whatever Jackie told them probably contained a portion of the truth. Jackie Tyler may be a frightening woman, but a lier she was not. He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets and began to pace around the room. He'd do this for Rose, but as soon as this party was over and she had another night with her mother, they were leaving. He couldn't stand being in one place. Maybe if they were somewhere nice, like Woman Wept, Raxicoricofallapatorius-the residents might be terrifying, but the planet was actually quite beautiful-or even Earth in another time period. But her time was just so boring. Maybe after all of this is over, he thought, I'll take her into the past; Somewhere nice. Maybe even aboard the Titanic. Yes, that's what he'll do. Hearing the sound of her door he turned, excited to suggest boarding the luxury liner for their next adventure, when he saw her.
Somehow seeing her now, she looked even more beautiful than the first time he saw her in it. Maybe because she had taken careful attention to herself; shaving and rubbing lotion on her legs, washing her face, getting her nails done. The dress wasn't overly revealing; It had no straps, was only held up by her breasts, and had a small gap in between that exposed beautifully pink and yellow human flesh. The dress itself wasn't overly long, but down the back was thin, loose yellow fabric that made her long legs look even more so. Her pumps had a peep toe, and through the slit he could see a dark blue that looked oddly familiar. She was a Goddess. The breath left his throat when she smiled cheekily at him, her beautiful pink tongue poking in between her teeth, and did a little spin. The fabric clung to her form in doing so, the loose sides fluttering behind her in a beautiful twirl. His hips hitched and he sucked in a large amount of air, hoping Rose didn't notice. She may not be aware of his irregular breathing, but he was certain her eyes just might venture over the tent in his trousers. He gulped.
"Well..?" She asked, hands clasped behind her back, her body rocking back and forth on her heels. His breath caught, the Doctor had no answer. Rose flashed him a cheeky smile and said,
"Oh you- you're speechless! I-Rose Tyler-have left the Doctor speechless!" Rose giggled in delight and smiled. The Doctor opened his mouth, about to protest, when the sound of a door opening caught the pair's attention. Jackie Tyler emerged from her bedroom, clad in her beautiful red, business-woman dress. She grasped the wall for support; Her heels may not be tall, but she was used to her trainers and wasn't sure she'd be able to walk without tripping. The Doctor's face was a mirror of shock and happiness,
"Oh Jackie, now don't you look lovely! Howard's deffinitely going to think so as well!" He said, having his speech back. Jackie beamed, flushed, and said,
"Thanks Doctor." Rose frowned in mock agitation and exclaimed,
"Oi! So she's lovely and I'm what-blank? Couldn't draw one adjective outa this man. Speechless mum!" Rose couldn't keep the fake vexation out of her voice and cracked, giggles pouring out of her mouth. Jackie looked appalled,
"With that gob? Not possible!" The Doctor's cheeks flushed and he turned, tugging at his ear,
"I don't talk that much," He pouted. Rose giggled and replied,
"I can never get you to stuff it! Probably wouldn't be able to shut you up if I snogged you!" The Doctor flushed and mumbled 'Of course it would,' under his breath. He turned to make some sort of retort, but Rose and Jackie were gone. He could hear their steps leading into the bathroom and followed, his shoulders hunched. He found Rose leaning up against the sink, her mother behind her tying her hair into a beautifully twisted knot at the top of her head. Hands in his pockets, he fingered his sonic screwdriver, watching as Rose's limp hair became an elaborate bun.
"Don't you look beautiful darling!" Jackie exclaimed, tugging on a few loose ends and twirling them back into the hair tie. Rose turned and looked in the mirror, then squealed delightedly,
"Oh mum it's lovely! You're amazing!" Then she turned and hugged her mother. Lost in each other's embrace, the two Tyler women forgot the Doctor, but he didn't mind. In fact, he like watching love moments between the mother and daughter. They reminded him of his family and, even though he held no love for his wife, his children were true blessings. But they were gone now, lost during the Time War. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door, smiling. Rose was gazing at him from behind her mother's arms, a kind smile spread on her lips, one that was only directed at the Doctor. That smile held so much more that when she gave it to him, the Doctor liked to think it meant more than Rose really intended it to. He smiled back, flashing her a happy smile, but turned his head at the sound of a car parking outside the estate. Looking up at the small clock above the fireplace, the Doctor noticed the car must be theirs; right on time. He turned back to the two women, their hug over, both gazing at him merrily. Apparently they had heard it, too. The Doctor outstretched his hand, offering it to Rose,
"Ready, Dame Tyler?" Rose grinned back at him, her tongue poking out between her teeth. She took it and held on tightly, as if she were falling and his hand were the only variable between life and death. Cheekily, she said,
"Of course, Sir Doctor."
The drive to the Tyler Estate had been-there was no other world for it-posh. Elegant. Luxurious. They had driven in a limousine to Rose's uncle Todd's home, drinking champagne in their seats. They had picked up Howard at his house; Thin but muscular, Howard was a kind man with greying hair and sky blue eyes. He was a bit younger than Jackie, but the way that they looked and acted towards each other, one would think they were married. He shook the Doctor's hand and hugged Rose, pulling her off the ground and twirling her in a circle before setting her down so the four could get back into the car. The Doctor was surprised how much Howard already knew about him,
"So you're the Doctor 'eh?" The Doctor nodded,
"And you must be Howard, the man who stole Jackie's heart." The two men shook hands for a second time. The Doctor reached for the champagne just as the limousine began to move.
"So how long are you and Rose staying? Jackie says you're traveling." The Doctor had sputtered into his champagne flute,
"Pardon?" He asked after coughing into his elbow. Some of the fizzy beverage had ended up going down the wrong pipe. He looked to Rose, but she was equally surprised; if Jackie had told Howard the truth about their 'traveling', she had not informed her daughter of her intention to. Howard opened his mouth to answer, but Jackie did for him,
"The Doctor and Rose are planning on leaving at the end of the week. Their flight leaves early in the morning." The Doctor let out a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. So he didn't know the truth; at least not all of it. He looked to Rose and saw her face illustrate the same relief of his own. Involuntarily, his hand meandered over to Rose's and snaked it's way between her fingers, palms tightly clasped. Not even hesitating, she squeezed his hand. After a few long minutes of silence, Howard broke the tension by asking where Rose and the Doctor had traveled to last. Instinctively, Rose had said, "Barcelona." She had smiled, the Doctor had laughed.
As soon as they had entered the Tyler Estate, Rose was bombarded by family and friend alike. Apparently, Rose was quite popular with the employees at Clifford Chance. Knowing almost all of them by name, Rose would shake hands-sometimes a hug-exchange pleasantries, and then depart, continuing her search for her uncle Todd. After a half an hour Rose spotted his wife Madison.
"Madi!" She turned and, upon seeing Rose, smiled brightly and rushed towards in. She was gorgeous; Her jet black hair pinned at the top of her head, long legs exposed from the bottom of her short, blue dress, feet placed in black high heels. She engulfed Rose in a hug, grinning brightly when they separated.
"Rose my gosh, look how big you've gotten! You truly are a vision!" She turned to her side, her eyes locking with the Doctor's. "And who might this be?" She asked with a knowing smirk. Rose blushed hotly at her remark. Before she could respond, however, the Doctor said,
"I'm the Doctor. Rose and I travel together." He shot out his hand and she excepted it, shaking it firmly. When their hands departed, Madison raised an eyebrow at Rose.
"Traveling together?" She inquired, both eyebrows making an escape behind her side swept fringe, "Sounds... intimate." Rose blushed hotly under her gaze but didn't answer, instead changing the subject all together,
"Would you happen to know where uncle Todd is?" Rose wanted to know. Madison thought for a moment, then nodded.
"In his study. Best not to disturb him though, he's still working. He promised he'd be down to dance; I didn't dress up nice for nothing. But don't worry, he'll be down. A Tyler always keeps his promises, yeah?" Rose nodded and smiled at the obvious inside joke. "Well I better go, people to greet. Gotta stand by that door and say hi to everybody. I love them to pieces but my gosh can't they let themselves in?" Rose smiled and they exchanged goodbyes. Before Madison Tyler disappeared, however, she leaned in and whispered something in Rose's ear. She may have been too quiet for a human to hear, but with his superior Time Lord physiology the Doctor heard every word. "You should keep this one. He's cute." And then she was off, leaving a slightly breathless, blushing Rose behind her. She looked back over at the Doctor and smiled, then asked,
"I'm hungry. Are you hungry?" the Doctor nodded and threaded their fingers together. Slowly, they made their way through the throngs of people to a large table filled with food and drinks. The Doctor, upon seeing the food, squealed delightfully and sprung towards the table,
"Ooh I love nibbles!" Daintily, he picked a small piece of squid from a metal tray and popped it into his mouth. Rose giggled at his enthusiasm towards food, but made no further comment. Beside him, Rose picked up a small, chocolate covered biscuit from an array of different flavors and bit into it. A moan of pleasure escaped between her lips as the chocolate exploded across her tastebuds. The Doctor gulped, thinking about other ways he could elicit a moan like that from Rose Tyler. Her eyes had closed in the pleasure of the flavor, and when she opened them her face was an image of pure delight. She stretched her arms out, offering him the biscuit.
"Try it, it's delicious!" She exclaimed, nudging it towards his mouth. He raised an eyebrow in question at her, to which she replied, "Open." Now understanding, the Doctor opened his mouth so the biscuit could slip between his lips. Her thumb brushed against his lower lip and he took a sharp intake of breath, his hearts pounding. Then as quick as it had come, it was gone. He chewed thoughtfully and then realized why Rose was so enthusiastic. He moaned softly at the astounding taste. Grinning, Rose said,
"No doubt Madison made them; she's a great cook." Needing a drink, the Doctor retrieved two champagne flutes from the long table and handed one to Rose.
"Cheers," She said, tipping the glass his way and taking a sip. He did the same, the bubbles tickling his lips and leaving behind the wonderful taste of the drink. Bringing it back to his mouth, the Doctor downed the rest of his drink in one gulp. Rose makes a soft sound of contentment and follows his lead, finishing her beverage in one large swallow. She smiled lazily at the Doctor and leaned against him, her head against his shoulder. He wrapped his arm protectively around her and laid his head atop her own. Smiling, he craned his neck and pressed a kiss to the top of her head,
"Having fun?" He asked when he pulled his lips from her scalp, his head returned to it's original perch.
"Much," She replied, "Though there is something that could make this day much better."
"Oohhoo?" The Doctor asked, pulling away from Rose so he could look her in the eye. Without hesitation, she said,
"Well, I may have been wishing for you to ask me to dance.." The Doctor smiled brightly, took her hand, twirled her-which caused Rose to squeal in delight-then said,
"Then leave it to me, Ms. Tyler, to help fulfill your fantasies." The smile she gave him was so genuine, beautiful, and full of such joy that the Doctor could do little more than grin back. That smile left his knees weak and his legs quaky.
He had no idea where they were supposed to dance, so he simply let Rose lead him through the mansion. She stopped at a large room, music pouring out and people dancing inside. Rose giggled at the Doctor and swung their arms back and forth. Then, giving him a flirtatious look, she said,
"Show me your moves." He grinned at her, his reply a wink, and led her onto the dance floor.
They had been dancing for only about an hour, but for the Doctor it felt like a life time. At first, they had swayed and twirled, causing Rose to squeal in a mix of shock and delight. Soon after they had begun dancing, more and more people came onto the dace floor. When there was practically no room to breathe, the music turned crazy and wild. Rose had giggled at the Doctor's shock. He had thought this to be a very elegant event, but never the less a jumble of people around them began to rock out like they were at an ACDC concert. But after a while, Rose tired and said she needed to sit. He took her hand and guided her off the dance floor and to a table that was occupied by a lone man who nodded at them, but didn't offer any furthur recognition. The Doctor was relieved about this; he couldn't even remember the man's name - Bill? or was it Phil? - and he certainly couldn't remember if he was Rose's family or an employee. Rose slumped down in the chair closest and rested her arms on the table top, her hand resting on them. The Doctor affectionately patted her back in a way a mother might do to her child. "You tired?" He asked, her fatigue evident on her face. Rose nodded her head back made no further comment. His hand rested against her back and began to rub across the skin there in small, tight circles. She moaned softly and closed her eyes.
After about five minutes of this, and presuming Rose was asleep, the Doctor reached out to her arm. He was right about to pull her into his arms and carry her back to the car to sleep and wait for Jackie and Howard, when a strong voice called out her name, "Rose?" The Doctor looked up and spotted a tall man with a receding hair line and bright, blue eyes. At first, the Doctor thought he were staring into the eyes of Pete Tyler. But he was dead, so the only person it could be is his brother, Todd. Rose groggily lifted her head and looked in his direction. Immediately, her head perked up, her eyes went into focus, and she jumped from her chair to his embrace.
"Uncle Todd!" She squealed, her arms wrapping around his waist. He hugged her tightly to his body and spun her in a circle. She giggled as he twirled her, then finally set her down. Her eyes were glittering brightly and, not even knowing why, the Doctor was grinning like a mad man. Maybe it was because she looked so happy. Or maybe it was because he loved to hear that little giggle.
"Ah, and you must be the Doctor. Jackie has told me a lot about you." The Doctor held in a groan. He could never tell how much information would fly around when it came to Jackie Tyler. He smiled tightly,
"And you're Todd Tyler, Pete's brother." The shook hands and exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes, when out of the blue Todd said,
"Oh, I almost forgot! Rose, Keneau and a couple other people were looking for you. Apparently it had something to do with your travels?" Rose's face turned from laughter to confusion, then to fear. She looked over at the Doctor with a scared expression. The Doctor was also suspicious.
"About what exactly?" He asked after a moment, trying to sound disinterested. Todd shrugged and looked in the direction of the room with the food. Apparently, the people looking for Rose were in there. He wondered if Jackie had let it slip that their travels weren't exactly 'local.' Taking Rose's hand, the Doctor followed Todd into the next room. In a back corner, about seven people were sitting at a table, wine in most of their hands. When the trio approached, the group began to smile, a chorus of, Rose! rising above the din. Several people lifted their glasses in homage to her. Rose lifted her eyebrows when she noticed her mother and Howard sitting in the throng. She cast a confused look to Todd,
"Uncle Todd, what's all this about?" the Doctor eyed her quizzically. She elaborated, "These aren't just people, they're our family members." Eyebrows lifted in confusion, that signature Tyler frown, and her hands on her hips, Rose Tyler looked absolutely frightening. He wondered how her uncle wasn't cowering in fear. Probably used to it.
"Well, considering you wouldn't tell me anything about your travels, I thought they could convince you." Rose's face went from disdain to complete shock,
"You're blackmailing me!" Todd laughed,
"It's only emotional blackmail sweetheart, I assure you. Take a seat." She was hesitant, but sat down. The Doctor sat next to her, his hand going instinctively to hers. She took it without hesitance. Jackie raised an eyebrow in annoyance, as if to say, Do you really think I'd ask you to tell them that? Rose sighed at the silence, looking at the Doctor. His face portrayed the same expression as her's; fear. Then it softened into something much kinder, and then, giving into their humor, the duo began to laugh. Obviously they could answer their questions to quell their curiosity without letting out the Doctor was an alien and they traveled in time and space.
"What do you want to know?" Rose asked, giving in. Her family gasped. Apparently, they had not been expecting Rose to comply. They all shifted in their seats with excitement, looking at one another. Finally, Todd blurted out,
"Where have you been for the past two years? You haven't called, haven't written, and you certainly haven't told us where you've been. You came back last Christmas but had no desire to see us. You didn't even give your mother a proper explanation. We're your family, don't you think that we deserve a little more than that?" The Doctor felt a pang of guilt, knowing most of their secrecy was because of him. Rose also seemed to be guilty and even a little hurt, the expression passive on her face. His thumb stroked against her knuckles of their own accord.
"For the past two years the Doctor and I have been traveling," Rose said. "We didn't call because there usually wasn't any reception, and we couldn't write because there was never any time." Her family gave her skeptic glances, so she looked to the Doctor for support. He butted in.
"The places we travel to are remote. Plus with the beauty of the place, the people, the danger; we sort of forget about all of that." Pete's voice raised an octave,
"Danger? What danger?" The Doctor gulped. He sure as Hell didn't mean for that to slip out. Rose helped him out before he was eaten alive by her family,
"Sometimes the Doctor and I run into.. things that we shouldn't. Crimes being committed that the police couldn't take care of. We sort of, helped out." Okay, so that was true. She was talking about the crimes against threatening the Earth and the police being the Shadow Proclamation. His Rose was very clever. His Rose? Well that sure sounded possessive. Rose's family seemed interested now, intrigued with their lifestyle.
"Tell us?" And so their stories began.
The Doctor had just finished the story of the time he and Rose had seen the "ghosts." His story, however, had to be told very cautiously as not to give away the secret of time and space travel. Everything he had said was true, but it was bent and he may have left out a few major details. He turned to Rose just as she was finishing up her recount of when they had gone to New New Earth and her body had been taken from her by Cassandra. Her aunt, Janie Tyler he believed her name to be, asked,
"But how did this implant keep you under her control?" The Doctor made up an excuse to save Rose from making something up that made no sense,
"The implant is a small device hooked up to your brain waves that control body and mouth movement. Cassandra got a hold of one and used it to make Rose do or say whatever she bid." Okay, maybe his explanation didn't make much logical sense either. He just hoped none of them realized that technology wouldn't be available to them in at least sixty years. Rose cut in,
"Whoa, whoa, whoa; i think I remember somebody getting one of those in his brain as well. Someone who then lost all sense of personal space and said some very erotic things in my ear." Their small audience gasped or squealed. The Doctor scowled in mock annoyance,
"Rose Tyler, you know as well as I do that she forced me to say those things.." Rose laughed and squeezed his arm with both of her hands, her face inches from his. He could feel her breath on his face. Then, all too soon, it was gone. He scowled again. Rose decided she'd finish her story.
"Then, Cassandra let us go and we took her to see her, er, sister. But Cassandra was sick, and died in her sister's arms." Jackie gasped,
"But that's awful!" Rose nodded her head sadly, a tight smile on her lips. The Doctor instinctively reached a hand out to her and wrapped it around her shoulders. He pulled her in close and rubbed the pad of his thumb across the exposed skin of her shoulder. She hummed her approval and leaned her head on his shoulder. Next thing he knew, Rose was asleep at the table.
"Rose?" He asked quietly. When she didn't stir, he was positive she was out. "Looks like we should be getting going," he said to Howard. Jackie was currently laying against his arm, her eyes drooping, not exactly focusing on anything. He nodded. Rearranging Rose so she'd be more transportable, the Doctor reached under her bum and pulled her into his arms bridal style. Her head lolled on his shoulder, but she didn't stir. The Doctor stood and faced the Tyler's, "It was nice meeting all of you. I'd shake your hand, but that doesn't seem to be able to happen." He nodded his head at Rose's uncle, "Todd." He said in parting. He knew Rose would be upset that he didn't wake her to say goodbye, but he didn't have the heart to wake her.
They made their way across the house and out the front door, saying their farewells to the people they passed. Once to their limousine, the four crammed in and sat in silence, too exhausted to speak. Jackie was the first one to take advantage of the limo's plush interior. She lay down across the seats and sighed in pleasure. After Howard laid down, the Doctor did the same, bringing Rose gently down with him. He stroked her hair as she instinctively nestled into the crook of his neck. The three humans may be asleep, but the Doctor was wide awake. He had not told Rose the way he felt about her and it was driving him mad, and her burrowing into him wasn't helping his dilemma. He may not need as much sleep as humans did, but lying down next to Rose always seemed to make him sleepy. He knew that if he fell asleep in the limo, he'd be awake all night while the other three were asleep in their beds. So he sat up and stayed awake, telling himself he'd sleep when they were back at Jackie's.
"What time is it?" Rose grumbled. The Doctor looked at Howard's watch,
"Five twelve." Rose slumped against him and put her hand under his jacket and around his waist. She sighed in contentment but made no further comment. At first he thought she was asleep, but then she asked,
"Are we there yet?" He smiled and looked out the window. They were actually fairly close,
"Not yet, but soon. Maybe ten more minutes." Rose made a small noise that she understood and burrowed into his side more than she had been before. About ten minutes later, they arrived at the flat. The abrupt stop woke Howard and Jackie, but Rose was still fast asleep. Or maybe she was just too tired to move.
"Thanks mate," Howard said to the driver. He tipped his hat but did not answer. Jackie and Howard clamored out of the vehicle and began to walk towards the flat without a glance back their way. Apparently Howard was staying over. The Doctor got out of the car and leaned down to speak to Rose,
"Rose?" She made a noise to indicate she was awake. "I'll carry you up, but you have to get out of the car." Her eyes still closed, she stepped out of the car, almost falling, until she was caught by the Doctor. He scooped her into his arms and carried her up to the flat. Thankfully, Jackie left the door open, so he slipped inside and shut the door with his foot. He carried Rose back to her room and set her down. She was too tired to take off the little make up she had on, and she didn't mind sleeping in her dress. The Doctor laid her down on the bed and took off her shoes. He took his own off, followed by his jacket, then slipped into bed beside his companion. She rolled onto her side and fit her body into his. Before he fell asleep, he noticed that their shapes fit together perfectly.