A new diet meant a full restocking of Jackie Tyler's kitchen.
Which meant that their little family had three choices. Either all three could go to the shops, and Jackie willingly ride in a wheelchair as they shopped, which she declined. Or they could take Jackie home and let her rest, coming back out to get their supplies, which Rose refused, scared to leave her mother alone after they'd just installed four stents into her coronary arteries. The final option, which took some negotiating on Rose's part, was that they took Jackie home from hospital, then the Doctor stayed with her while Rose did the shopping.
Neither Jackie nor the Doctor were best pleased about that.
They did, however, have to concede to Rose's demands, as she made the best argument. She knew what Jackie would willingly eat on the list of approved foods, she knew the brands and recipes and preferences- everything needed for the shopping. Jackie was too weak and the Doctor too oblivious. He'd tried to make a half-baked argument about her going out alone and expecting but she'd quickly shut that down, pointing out how many other pregnant women on earth did many, many things alone and that she'd be fine.
So it was settled, Jackie was home tucked into her favorite chair with her feet up, and Rose had gone.
She'd been alone with the Doctor less than twenty minutes when she called to him, snapping his attention from the book in his hand to her. She eyed the cover as she looked him over, not able to make heads nor tails of the odd circular writing on the cover.
"You alright?" He smiled gently, and Jackie was almost shocked to see it was genuine, lighting up his dark brown eyes.
"Just had something I wanted to ask you, 's all." She answered, trying to sit up a bit. The Doctor automatically stood and came over, helping her sit a bit up in her chair. She thanked him and he took a seat beside her in the floor, legs crossed like a child on a kinder mat.
"What's up?" He ask once she appeared to be settled.
"Your-" She hesitated, like she was unsure of herself, "Your lot, your people..."
"Time Lords? Gallifreyans? Aliens?" He grinned as she rolled her eyes.
"Whichever one is to you like human is to us." She confirmed.
"Ah. Gallifreyan then. Time Lord is a rank, like Doctor. You have to go to Academy." He explained, and she nodded along.
"Right then. Gallifreyans. Does your lot... get heart trouble? I know you've got two." She seemed deeply worried about the potential genetic aspects that could've been passed to Rose, and now he could see her worry had traveled on down the line.
"I wish I could tell you no." He sighed, and Jackie was surprised again when he took her hand. "But I'm not sure human coronary disease travels the same lines... Our little one has my cardiac system, not Rose's. They're safe from that. And Rose eats healthy, runs a lot. Very healthy heart."
"Oh. Good." She gave him a weak smile.
"You need something? Tea?" He offered, and she laughed lightly.
"No, I'm fine. Thanks though." She relaxed back into her chair. "Just couldn't stop thinkin' 'bout that."
"I have a couple things I wanted to ask you, too." The Doctor confessed.
"Well, I am a captive, so you may as well." She gave another weak laugh.
Jackie watched as the Doctor held up a finger and disappeared down the hall into what was now the room Rose shared with the time lord. Back in a blink, he had a folder in one hand, a small box in the other, and he stood before her, hesitating. He made as if to hand the folder to her a couple times, but it was like he couldn't make himself come out with his question.
"Jackie." He started, "I-I know you've not always been my biggest fan, heaven knows you've good reason for that. But you're still so very kind and mothering to me, too. I don't know how to thank you for that."
"Oh-" Jackie breathed. Somehow she knew exactly what was about to happen. She'd expected it would be soon.
"Really." He said, meeting her eyes. "Thank you."
"Yeah. O' Course." She gave him another of the best smiles her exhausted body would allow.
"I just- I wanted to get your opinion on a couple things. Mainly..."
He clicked the box open and one of the most gorgeous, brightest diamonds Jackie had ever seen glimmered back at her from between two dark sapphires, along a white gold band. Something about the radiant white settled in between the blue put Jackie in mind of the TARDIS and it's top light, which she assumed was the point. The ring itself was absolutely breathtaking, Jackie couldn't imagine what the price on something like that would be. She felt her sore heart swell in her chest and tears rise in her eyes.
"If it's my opinion you want, Doctor, she'll love it. It's gorgeous." She smiled, "And if its my blessing you're after, you've got it."
She cracked a little, and the Doctor produced a tissue from his pocket for her, then pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"Thank you." He beamed.
"So what was the other thing?" She ask, wondering what could top an engagement ring that he'd shown her it first.
"How attached to this flat are you?" He ask, and Jackie scrunched her whole face at him.
"I mean, it's been my home for years, mate." She defended.
"No, I just... Would you willingly move out of it?" He explained his meaning.
"I don't-"
She was cut off when he finally stretched his hand out and offered over the folder, which she immediately flipped open.
Inside was a thick stack of paperwork, a deed and title to a house (in Rose's name, no less), and photographs. It was a large brick home, looked to be one of the post-war build back homes. It had a large garden, fine, intricate workings on the details; It was without a doubt one of the nicest homes Jackie had even seen.
"I was afraid she'd maybe be a bit cross, I didn't ask her opinion. But I just-" He closed his eyes as Jackie took in his nervous posture, "I need a good life for this baby, Jackie. I failed my other children, my first wife, so badly and I can't ever fix that, even with a time machine. Trust me, I tried... I want to be a better man, father, if Rose allows, husband..."
Jackie didn't have anything to say. There was nothing she could, and in her weakened state she could do little more than blubber, so the Doctor knelt beside her chair and took her outstretched hand.
"And I am asking you to come with us." He admitted. "Six bedrooms, but also an detached finished, fully furnished flat over the garage. Gran's choice."
Again, Jackie had no words, she simply sniffled and nodded, then grinned at him through her tears, which he returned.
The two sat in silence for a moment, before the Doctor tucked both the ring and home-buyers packet away so Rose couldn't find either one and ruin her surprise. Jackie had calmed herself back down, and had even taken a glass of water the Doctor offered her, as he'd reminded her that even happy tears cost the body moisture. Once she was refreshed a bit, and the Doctor had given her a new dose of her pain meds, she cleared her throat.
"So 'ave you jus' been made of money this entire time?" She ask, more exhausted by the excitement he'd given her, her words slurring slightly.
"Not exactly," He laughed, "I have a day job! I am a salaried employee here. On Earth."
"Oh Salaried. Fancy, you." She teased.
"No, really." He explained. "I am President of Earth, Protector under Shadow Proclamation, and also Chief Scientific Officer for Xenolinguistics at UNIT. Huge office I've used... maybe twenty times in heaven knows how many years. It's nice, they keep it current in style and technology. Spoke with them, they seemed thrilled with the idea of me working full time for a while."
"President of Earth is a real thing?" Jackie scoffed. "You're daft."
"Afraid not." He handed her the ID, a face she did not recognize in the corner, but the information matching otherwise. "They said I have a new one that'll be in office soon. And its not like Prime Minister or the American President. UNIT and other countries equal agencies all agreed I was best fit to protect earth and speak to other alien races on your behalf. So I took it."
"Right then." Jackie sighed, sliding back into her pillowy spot. "So when do you plan to ask her?"
Rose had forgotten how much she hated the shopping.
The shop was crowded and naturally there were a dozen of her mother's old friends who were just thrilled to see her and had a million questions about her life since she'd taken off, most of them noticing right off that she was expecting due to the fit of her blouse on her baby bump, and the questions would simply start over again, so it was taking much longer than she'd meant for it to in order to get everything they'd need.
She'd all but finished and was reading labels on coffee creamers, trying to choose the most heart-smart option when she heard yet another voice call out her name.
Except this voice she knew too well, and it made dread hit like a weight in her stomach.
She turned slowly, giving herself time to force a smile before she was face to face with both the owner of the voice, Trisha Delaney, who was hand in hand with the key source of Rose's dread, Mickey Smith.
"Oh! Hey!" She tried her best to sound simply thrilled to see them. Mickey looked her up and down with an almost disgusted look, but Trisha looked very genuine, and even released Mickey to grab Rose in a quick hug.
"Look at you!" She complimented, "You look so well!"
"Thanks, yeah," Rose nodded, "You, too. You look amazing, actually!"
"Lost five stone, yeah!" She exclaimed happily.
"You look fantastic!" Rose found she was giving Trisha a real smile. After all, she was much happier with the Doctor, though Mickey was a childhood friend and she hated how they'd parted ways.
Mickey gave a thinly veiled scoff and rolled his eyes, and Trisha gave him a hateful look.
"Oh it's alright. Let's hear it then, Mickey." Rose held her head high.
"Just sorta looks like you found some of what Trish lost-"
His words were cut off when the other young woman gouged him sharply in the ribs with her elbow.
"Mickey Smith! You know better!" she scolded. "Besides, I think... I'm sorry Rose, one shouldn't assume but it just-"
"Almost five months, yeah..." She beamed, remembering the Doctor's explanation for how their baby grew vs a fully human child.
"So Jack or the Doctor, then?" Mickey ask, arms folded. Trisha looked over, horrified, and Rose simply laughed.
"What a stupid question." Rose laughed. "You know my heart has been the Doctor's since 'run'."
Mickey grumbled something under his breath, but Trisha had quickly ducked behind Rose and grabbed the item they'd came for and was currently trying to shove him away from Rose. She'd called behind her about how sorry she was and how nice it had been to see her, good luck with being a mum, etc, and had ducked down an aisle away from Rose.
Rose couldn't help but be slightly thankful that it wasn't the Doctor she'd first been with that she'd have to tell this tale to. He'd likely hunt 'Rickey the idiot' down and pummel him. Of course, the newer one still had the same temper, so it wasn't totally unlikely it would still happen. Either way, it would be a fun story to retell to her mum.
She couldn't help but be a bit impressed with how little the interaction had hurt her feelings. In fact, if anything, it solidified her knowledge that she was where she needed to be, and she hoped that Mickey was treating Trisha well.
Rose found herself smiling the rest of her time in the store.