Author's note: Hi readers! I'm sorry it took so long for me to update this chapter. I did have a lot of fun writing it, though. I hope you'll like it as well. Please let me know what you think!

Eleanor

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters, settings or plots.

6.

'I look like a whale.' Rose turned round and round in front of the mirror, examining her body from every angle.

John put his head round the open door of their bedroom. 'Of course you don't look like a whale. I've seen whales, they look completely different.' Rose shot him a cold look. '…But that's probably not what you meant.'

'I've got stretch marks!' Rose moaned. She lifted her t-shirt. 'Look! Stretch marks!'

'I can hardly see them.' John walked over to her and took her hands in his. 'Besides, haven't they developed some sort of cream for that yet? Isn't this universe supposed to be more technologically advanced?'

'Yeah, they have… But still! Stretch marks!' Rose pouted. John laughed at her expression.

Time had seemed to pass twice as fast. Rose and John had been busier than ever; looking for a new flat, finding affordable baby furniture and deciding on a name. They had found a flat when Rose was 28 months pregnant. It had three bedrooms and the lounge was light and big. It was perfect. They moved in, painted their bedroom and decorated the nursery. They had decided to keep the baby's sex a surprise, so they had kept the walls a neutral white.

'It's not so long anymore. A few more weeks…' John said in a comforting voice.

'I know, I know. Honestly, I can't wait. This is a ridiculous shape to be in. You have no idea. I can't see my own feet, let alone reach them!'

'Well, maybe that's for the best, because they seem to be a bit swollen.'

'Shut up,' Rose hissed.

'Come on, I'll massage them.' He walked out of their bedroom. Rose followed him into their lounge. He sat down on the sofa and turned the telly on. Rose sat down on the other end of the sofa and put her feet in his lap.

'There's never anything good on the telly on Sundays,' John said.

Rose nodded. 'I'm bored.'

'I hate Sundays. I used to skip Sundays. Now Saturdays! Saturdays are the best.'

'But we didn't do anything yesterday either. We did the exact same thing we're doing right now.'

'Yeah, but still…'

John massaged her feet for a while. They weren't that swollen, really. He had just been teasing her. But she often complained that they hurt, and he knew she loved it when he massaged them.

'I'm so hungry,' Rose said. 'Do we have any instant mash?'

'No… But we have potatoes. I could boil them and mash them for you?'

'What? No! That's not the same. I need instant mash. I need… I need… Whipped cream! But I don't think we have any, have we?'

'No. We do have custard, though.'

'Yes! Custard and…' Rose pulled her feet from his hands, got up from the sofa and opened the freezer. She rummaged through it for a few seconds. 'Fish fingers!'

'What?'

'Fish fingers and custard!' Delightedly, Rose started preparing the fish.

John got up from the sofa as well. 'Are you sure about this?' he asked tentatively.

'Yes! Do you want some?'

'Err, no thanks.'

'Okay, just fish fingers for me then,' Rose said, shutting the oven. 'Where's the custard?'

'I – I don't know,' John answered.

'Don't lie to me. Where is it?'

'It's in the fridge, but I don't think–'

Rose pushed him aside and pulled an opened carton of custard from the fridge. She poured it into a bowl. 'Hmm, custard. That looks so good.' She dipped her finger in it and put it in her mouth.

The phone rang. Rose, who was still busy eating custard with her fingers, gestured that John should answer it.

'Hello?'

The voice coming from the receiver was not hard to recognize. 'Is that my mum? Give her here.'

'Hang on, Jackie, I'll put her on.' John held the phone out to Rose. She held up her hands, showing him the sticky mess of custard on her fingers. She turned her ear towards him, and he pressed the phone to her ear.

'Mum?'

'Hi, sweetheart, I wanted to ask you if – What are you eating?'

'Custard.'

'Well, stop it. Sugar isn't good for you.'

'You don't know that!'

'Of course I do! It was on the telly yesterday!'

Rose put another finger of custard in her mouth. 'Something you wanted to ask me?'

'Yes. Did you want any of Tony's old baby clothes? I put them in boxes, and you can have them if you want. They're all in the attic.'

'Yeah, sure! If it's a boy.'

'Most of it could be worn by a little girl as well!'

'Err, yeah, sure Mum.' Rose didn't remember Tony wearing anything that she would want her daughter to wear. 'I gotta go, Mum, my fish fingers are almost ready.'

'Oh, Rose, get a grip. Cravings are just in your head.'

'Yeah? I remember you eating raw onions two years ago.'

'Onions are good for you!'

'I'm sure they are,' Rose laughed. 'I just don't think you're supposed to eat them like apples. See you, Mum.'

She watched as John took the fish fingers from the oven and put them on a plate. The two of them walked back to the sofa. Rose sat down next to him, and put the bowl of custard between them on the sofa. She took one of the fish fingers and dipped it in custard.

'That looks disgusting.'

'So good,' Rose answered, her mouth stuffed with fish and custard. She dipped another fish finger in custard and offered it to him.

'No way. I'm not eating that.'

'C'mon, try it. It's really good.'

'No.'

'You know you want to!' Rose held the fish finger closer to his face. John rolled his eyes and took a miniscule bite. He chewed slowly.

'Wow. That is quite good, actually.'

'I know!' She gave him the rest of the fish finger, and dipped a new one in custard for herself.

'Can I have another one?' John asked when he'd finished the first one.

'No. You said you didn't want any.'

'Well, then you shouldn't have made me eat them! Now I want them too!'

'NO!' Rose took all the remaining fish fingers in her hands and stuffed them in her mouth. John looked at her for a moment, not quite sure what to say. Then he burst out laughing.

Rose swallowed the fish fingers with some difficulty and stared coldly at him. He stopped laughing.

'O, come on!' he said. 'That was funny! That was funny and you know it, Rose Tyler.'

Rose stared at him for a few more seconds, and then laughed as well.

'I'm sorry,' she snorted. 'I really can't help myself.'

'I know, it's fine.' John smiled and took the empty plate from her lap. 'Did you want any more custard?' he asked, pointing at the half full bowl. Rose shook her head. The custard suddenly seemed revolting to her. John stacked the bowl onto the plate and put it on the coffee table.

He took one of her hands in his. 'Listen, I've been thinking… Since we're already having a baby together anyway, I thought maybe you'd like to get married, some day after the baby's born.'

Rose stared at him, her mouth slightly open.

'So?' John asked after a few seconds of silence. 'Do you – do you want to get married?'

'Hang on!' Rose blurted out. 'This is not how it works! I should be standing up. I should be standing up and you should get down on one knee!'

'Rose, you're almost nine months preg–'

'On one knee!' Rose commanded.

John sighed. 'Fine.' He got up from the sofa and kneeled on the floor. He took Rose's hand again.

'No, wait, I have to stand up!' Rose struggled to get up from the sofa. John got to his feet and helped her up before kneeling again.

Rose gave him her hand en smiled. She thought he'd smile as well, but instead, he frowned.

'What's wrong?' she asked.

To her utter surprise, he replied: 'Rose… Did you just pee on our sofa?'