Shoutout to MadGirlWithAMask (sorry I'm late with this), DoctorWhoHeHe, OtakuWhovian1224, Peagusfeather7, Rinnala and dawnknits for reviewing. (No I didn't forget 10th Squad 3rd Seat. Hi again.) Also to the Guests whoever you are. :) I'm really bad at acknowledging most of you and I don't tend to PM that often so sorry for that. I still greatly appreciate you. I know you're all glad I update so often but I'm afraid that I'm about to disappoint you. I'm going camping and will have no internet access. (*gasp*) I know. I'm sorry.
So in short, this will be the last chapter posted in July 2015. I will be back on August 1st at the earliest. I will try to get you a chapter as soon as I can. Technically I could post one more after this, but then I would have to leave you with a really, really bad cliffhanger. I don't want you all dying for three weeks so I'm giving you this nice fluffy chapter before all the heavy stuff.
Luv ya all! And Happy 4th to all the Americans. :D
The day of Rose and the Doctors wedding arrives. Last night we picked up the whole party so that we could have time to get ready before the ceremony on Women Wept. I stand in front of the full length mirror that the TARDIS added to my room.
I assess my appearance as it is reflected back at me. I didn't want to wear the traditional and heavy robes of the bride's "mother," so I went with something a little more breathable.
The dress comes up and over my left shoulder. There's gold embroidery where the single strap meets with the slight sheer train that flows behind me to my knees. In overall appearance it's long and elegant layers just reach the tops of my golden heeled shoes. The deep red color of the whole thing brings out the flush of my face and neck. I've never felt more regal than in this moment, seeing how tall the dress makes me look.
The TARDIS provides me with a shawl to wrap around myself so my arms can stay warm. The planet we are going to is covered with ice after all. I'm looking forward to seeing the waves frozen in time. I'm also looking forward to seeing Meta. He's been busy with preparations. He picked the best spot on the beach he claims. Plus he was studying the Gallifreyan words that are normally traditional in this kind of wedding. He spent days in the wardrobe trying to find the right ceremonial robe as well. I'm not sure about robes but if that's what the bride and groom want, who am I to argue?
Donna sweeps grandly into my room. She refused to go with the robes as well and instead opted for a simple gold dress. It's loose fabric drapes over her body in the most flattering of ways. The front of the dress reaches up to her collarbone but the back scoops to a little over half way down her back. Since red and gold are the traditional colors I look till I see the red shoes peeking out of the bottom of the dress.
"Is that all the red you're wearing?"
"Do you not see this?" She points to her hair which is curled and elegantly frames her face as it falls over her neck and shoulders.
I smile. "Yes I do. No need to be rude. You are in fact ginger."
"Rude and ginger have nothing to do with each other." She knows what I'm referring to but doesn't truly acknowledge it.
"What are you doing with your hair?" I sigh in frustration as I look back at my reflection. My hair is still in it's customary pony tail.
"I don't know. My hair never cooperates." She shakes her head at me a then practically throws me into a chair.
"It will for me." She pulls my hair free of the tie and grabs a hairbrush. She's not particularly gentle but she's by no means hurting me either. She doesn't let me see what she's doing till she's done. When she finally is, my hair is in a low side bun on the right side of my head, balancing out the the strap on my left shoulder. There's a golden barèt holding it in place.
"Thank you Donna."
"You're welcome. Now come on. We have to go help Rose."
Since Rose's mum did hair for a living, Rose insists on doing her own hair and we don't argue with her. We just help with everything else. As soon as the dress is on though, I leave to make sure everything else is in place. I go out the TARDIS and find Jack and Mickey setting the chairs up in a circle around the circular rug that the marriage will take place on. The rug is a deep burnt orange color with silver Gallifreyan writing embroidered into it. I smile sadly as I think of the sky and the trees that it no doubt is supposed to resemble.
Mickey brings me back to Women Wept. "Hey babe. You're a knockout today."
I smile at his brotherly affection. "Thank you." He refused the robes as well. Too much like a dress as far as he was concerned. He wears a red tunic and black trousers and boots instead.
Jack on the other hand, was totally fine with the robes. In fact, he was enthusiastic. "You look gorgeous." He kisses my cheek and I pull back to take him in.
"So do you," I say cheekily. The robes are rather like a monks. But the color is the same deep red of my dress and Mickey's tunic. However, the undershirt is gold as is the embroidery on the hem. He just winks at me.
I go into the kitchen next to find Martha and Ianto putting finishing touches on a cake. Ianto looks smart in his suit and Martha is rocking a classic silver gown. I try to swipe some icing but Martha smacks my hand.
"Ah! No you don't. That's for later."
I give her a pout but she doesn't budge. Ianto laughs at our antics and offers me a cup of coffee which I take gratefully. Ianto's coffee really is the best in the multiverse. The Doctor comes in wearing red suit with gold pinstripes. My eyes bulge out my head when I see him but I say nothing. Martha however does. I decide to leave since she's scolding him in his wedding fashion choice. It really is atrocious, but very him. Even down to the gold bow tie. Although, I'm not sure how that's going to end up.
The only members of the traveling party I haven't yet seen are Meta and Lee and it doesn't appear that I'm going to see them until the wedding. Which starts a half an hour later.
Donna, Jack, Lee and Martha are already outside in their places. Ianto comes out with me. I notice Donna winking at Lee in his rather expensive looking suit. I smile at how cute they are. Ianto sits down and I take my place.
Meta and the Doctor then make their appearance. The Doctor evidently decided to keep the odd suit. But I'm actually glad. He wouldn't look right in anything else and he wanted to keep the theme. Meta on the other hand, is wearing the robes. Jack is the only other one doing so but it still works fine. Meta's is black with red and gold Gallifreyan stitched into it everywhere it seems. It should look busy but somehow it works.
His eyes lock on mine and my breath catches. His gaze runs over my form and he smiles. When he's close enough for me to hear he whispers. "That's a good dress on you." I can't even manage to say thank you since I'm too busy trying not to blush. The red dress wouldn't just wash me out if I blushed.
I don't have time to muse over any of it since Rose makes her appearance on Mickey's arm. Traditionally the bride would enter with the groom, but Rose wanted this human custom. I hear the click of a camera and I know that Martha is busy documenting the event.
Rose looks stunning. Her up do is elaborate, with braids and little curls escaping to frame her face. The strapless gown fits her curves
nicely and flows out from her hips to the ice covered ground. Lacy red stitching dances up from her left hip to the side of her breast. Her gold and ruby earrings enhance the flush of her face and neck. But her smile...her smile is what makes her so beautiful. It lights up her her whole face and makes her glow with happiness her joy is infectious as it radiates from her.
I turn to see the Doctor's expression. His jaw is slack and his lips are slightly parted. He's entranced by her as she makes her way to him. Try have no eyes for anyone but each other. When her hand slips into his, a smile blooms on his face. And I notice something. The ever present darkness in his eyes is gone. There is no regret, or pain, or sadness residing in their depths. He is smiling without restraint and it makes me happier than I have felt in a long time. Maybe ever.
Mickey stands next to me and Meta begins to speak. The lyrical words of the language reminding me of how the elves would speak in Lord of the Rings. In fact, I recognise some of the words as just that. I never bothered to learn it but now I wish that I had. Perhaps then I would know all of the words being spoken now.
He switches to English as he speaks the human portion of the ceremony.
"Rings?"
Rose and the Doctor each produce a gold band with Gallifreyan etched on them. Meta continues. He has them each place their rings on the others finger as they repeat the words. "With this ring, I thee wed."
The next part is slightly modified from the human version. "Do you Rose, accept The Lord Doctor as your husband, through every regeneration, until final death do you part?"
"I do." Her smile has never left her face as she looks at her almost-husband.
"And do you Doctor, take Rose Tyler as your wife, through every regeneration, until final death do you part?"
He swilled as emotions nearly consume him. "I do."
Meta pulls out a long gold rub ion and motions for them to hold hands as he wraps the cloth around them, binding them together.
"Do the guardians of the bride give consent?"
Mickey speaks his part. "I consent and gladly give."
And then I speak mine. "I consent and gladly give."
"Do the guardians of the groom give their blessing?"
Jack has cheeky grin at being called the Doctor's guardian. "My blessing is freely given."
Donna looks smug as she takes her turn. "My blessing is freely given."
"If none have any reason why these two should be joined then I will continue."
The pause is short since we all know that there isn't one of us that isn't happy about this. So Meta continues with barely a breath in between. "By the power resting on me from the High Council of Gallifrey, and the Shadow Proclamation, I now pronounce you husband and wife, partners in life, from now till the end of time."
He smiles broadly as he says the last part, which is a human custom and not Gallifreyan. "You may kiss the bride."
We all clap as the Doctor pulls Rose into what seems to be a rather spectacular snog. Jack is whistling and making cat calls and all of laughter bubbles on our lips. Donna embraces her fiancé. Martha and Mickey lovingly entwine their fingers together. And Meta slips his arms around my shoulders as we head back into the TARDIS.
The rest of the day is spent in revelry. The TARDIS ballroom was made out to house a fun party. Music plays as we dance or sing karaoke and I get Mickey to sing a High School Musical song. (After several hyper vodkas.) All in all, the whole day is fun and light hearted without a hitch. There laughter and singing and dancing, and I know for a fact that there will be dancing.
I gasp for breath as I lean against the wall after a particularly fast paced song and I feel the TARDIS hum in my mind and vibrate against my back. She's happy too and I smile. Today is my new favorite day. "You will remember this for the rest of your life." The sad tone of the whispered voice is unfamiliar to me. I look around but see nothing. There's no one there. Everyone is still on the dance floor or eating or drinking.
"Is that you?" The TARDIS doesn't answer me. I'm not sure if that's a confirmation or not. Before I can question it further, Rose calls me over. I head to her laughing as she drags me into another dance, this time claiming me as her partner just like that night in Pete's world so long ago. And the whispered voice is forgotten.
The Doctor and Meta say they have one last surprise for all of us before we head to bed, since all of us but the time lords are beginning to fall asleep on our feet. They lead us outside and with sonic screwdriver in hand, the Doctor sends out a signal. A moment later fire works burst in the dark sky.
Orange and red and gold and blue and green fire erupt in showers of light. Everyone watches the intricate designs in awe, but Rose and the Doctor are only seeing the fireworks in each other's eyes. It's cliché, but very true. I look back at the sky and smile, content, and at peace.