Fic: The First Day of Work
Title: The First Day of Work
Series: A Series of Firsts
Author: arwen_kenobi
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine. No profit. Just for fun. Please don’t sue
Pairing: 10/Rose (Journey's End Compliant)
Spoilers: Series 2 and 4, especially "Doomsday", "The Impossible Planet", "The Sontaran Stratagem" and "Journey's End" .
Summary: Third story in "A Series of Firsts". It was Monday. The first day of work Monday. The first day of the rest of your life Monday.
The alarm clock rang and the Doctor slammed the snooze button down for the second time. It was eight twenty-five in the morning, the glaring green numbers told him with to the second precision, and it was Monday. The first day of work Monday. The first day of the rest of your life Monday. He’d been excited before but really it was too early for him to be enthusiastic about anything except more sleep.
“Come on,” a familiar voice told him. “Up and at ‘em.”
He rolled over to behold Rose, all dressed and ready to go, standing on the other side of the bed. He hadn’t even heard her come in. “Do I have to?” he yawned. “This sleeping thing is brilliant.”
“You still owe me twenty quid,” she reminded him, “and yes. Go have a shower and I’ll make you some coffee.”
He threw the covers off and pushed himself off the bed. “Skip the sugar,” he grumbled. He needed the offensive taste of black coffee to bring him to any level remotely resembling awareness.
“Will do.”
- - - -
Coffee was the best invention to the working man, the Doctor decided. He was fully alert and was once again excited to see how this Torchwood worked. Beside him Rose was scanning through the morning news report on her mobile. She was dressed in a pair of black trousers and blue spaghetti strapped tank top covered by a pink button up blouse. Professional but approachable, perfect for her.
The Doctor, on the other hand, was wearing a brown pinstriped suit that looked almost identical to the one he’d worn in the other universe. Rose had not raised any objection.
“Why didn’t we ride with Pete?” he asked. He held on to the bar tighter as the bus went over yet another bump.
“Dad went in early.” Rose took a quick glance at the time before putting her phone back in her purse. “We could have gone in with him but that would have meant waking up an hour earlier.”
The Doctor shuddered and held on tighter. “Don’t you have a car yet?”
“Oh God no,” she scoffed. The Doctor sighed but then became suspicious of the grin crossing her face. “I do have motorbike.”
“A motorbike?”
“A motorbike.”
“Then why the deuce aren’t we riding that to work?”
“It’s in the shop,” she said matter-of-factly. “I tried to ride it into the other universe.”
Rose really had to stop surprising him this way. He was sure that the expression on his face was utterly ridiculous. The old woman sitting next to Rose looked up at him in disproval and the young boy giggled and tugged at his older sister to look at him.
“What?”
“I tried to drive it into the other universe,” she repeated. “Thought it would look spectacular arriving to save the universe with an awesome bike.”
“So what happened?”
Rose sighed. “Apparently motorbikes aren’t compatible with dimension cannons. Betsy took quite a bit of a beating. She should be in later this week, hopefully tomorrow or Wednesday.”
He blinked at her. He heard more laughter and tried to tune it out. “Betsy? Seriously?”
Rose glared at him. “If you have an issue I’ll buy you a bus pass.”
“No, no issue!” the Doctor assured her. “Besty, good name! I had a car called Bessie once, actually. She was a-“
“Our stop, Doctor.”
The bus lurched to a stop, almost sending him flying. “Right,” he grunted as he rushed after her.
- - - -
The Torchwood Institute in this universe was still located at Canary Wharf. The Doctor was not too pleased about being here but it was something that would pass. He had no right to complain when Rose had worked here for the past four years and had managed to get used to it. “Being in the room where we all were at the end was hard,” she admitted, a pensive look passing over her face. The hand that wasn’t fixing her ID badge to her blouse grasped his hand tightly and then quickly withdrew. Part receiving comfort and part giving it. “I didn’t need to be in there a lot in the beginning so I had time to warm up to it. It’s part of Science and Technology now, so you’ll probably see it more than I will.”
The Doctor praised himself on being able to hide his scowl. She opened the door to the building and he stepped in to what was clearly reception. An elderly woman was plugging away at a computer and assuring some distraught journalist on the other end that she was confident that Mr. Tyler had told them everything that they needed to know. They had only just reached the desk, Rose leaning over it and giving the woman a sympathetic look while they waited for her to hang up.
“Honestly,” the woman huffed. “They should have younger folk deal with this.”
“You’re the best though, Ellen,” Rose assured her. “And we really do appreciate it. You have more patience than us field agents.”
“That’s for bloody sure,” Ellen grumbled but with amusement in her hazel eyes. Then her attention went to the Doctor. “Well hello, you must be the rookie.”
The Doctor opened his mouth to inform her about how much of a rookie he was but a sharp nudge from Rose stopped him. “John Smith,” she said formally. “Meet Ellen Davenport, our Public Relations super woman.”
“Pleasure,” Ellen said and held out her hand. The Doctor took it and assured her the pleasure was all is. She smiled brightly at him and then she disappeared under the desk for a moment. When she emerged she reached over and brought out a camera. “Say Brie.”
The Doctor looked quizzically at Rose, but she offered no explanation. He smiled and said Brie. The flash must have blinded him for several moments since the next thing he knew he was holding an ID badge like Rose’s. He took a moment to study the slightly flattering photograph and then read the text beside it.
Dr. John Smith
Science and Technology
Torchwood Alpha Team
“That has to be on all the times while you are in this building,” she told him. “Take it off during your field work and any other reason you’re outside this building.” She gave a pointed glare at Rose. “Don’t put it on until you get in either.”
Rose gave a mild look of apology. “I’m pretty sure the entire country knows I work at Torchwood anyway,” she shrugged.
“Rules are rules,” Ellen lectured, a hint of amusement once again hidden in her eyes. “Now, off you go children. Mother has to appease the masses.” Rose waved and the Doctor did the same as he followed Rose to lifts.
- - -
Everyone was a part of a department at this Torchwood, Rose had told him. Not everyone was a field agent, and thus not everyone was on a team, but everyone was a part of a department. People like Pete and Ellen were Administration, which covered everything from communications to public relations. Legal, meaning both Earth laws and galactic laws, used to be a part of that but was now oversaw by a lawyer called Clive Bailey and a small army of overeager law students. Clive was a nice guy according to Rose, though she’d only met him twice. Legal mostly communicated with the rest of the staff via memos and the occasional minion, usually which ever law student was on Clive’s bad side at that moment.
“Everyone knows the important laws,” Rose had explained. “Not much use for them unless things get very complicated or we need to create a new treaty or something.”
Rose was a part of Extraterrestrial Relations, he had elected to be a part of Science and Technology. Others were Life Sciences, Defense and a few other ones that made the place sound like a small government. “You work most of the time together with your team if you have an assignment,” she’d replied to his question as to how everyone functioned as being a part of two committees as he saw it. “You do meet with your department about once a week.” The lift stopped. “Don’t worry,” she smiled. “It’s really not as complicated as you think.”
The Doctor decided he would try his best to believe that. “So where are we headed?”
“Science and Technology. I thought you’d want to take a look at the dimension cannon.”
The Doctor’s mouth dropped open. “Oh yes!” He bounced out of the lift and started rushing down the hall..
“Doctor!”
“Yes, Rose?”
Rose was still standing by the lifts and was beckoning him the other way. He rushed back to her side and followed her eagerly.
- - -
Science and Technology was organized chaos, which was exactly what he’d hoped for. He’d feared it would be too sterile and organized for him to deal with but the sight of every surface covered with either Earth or alien technology, not all of which he recognized, made him feel as if his birthday had come early.
The department seemed very small, which was explained when Rose said that the department had sustained heavy losses during the “Darkness Affair” as they were calling it. Rose had not been the only one to use the dimension cannon to go to the other universe to help. A fair few teams had gone out to help and half the people they’d sent had not come back.
Before the Doctor could express his condolences Rose introduced him to the people who were currently there. A rush of names was tossed at him but only one stuck right away and that was the name of the head of the department.
Bradford Bradstreet asked to be called Brad, which the Doctor could deal with. He looked like a young Albert Einstein in appearance. Brown hair was standing up every which way and he had a look about him which screamed mad scientist but not in an out to destroy the universe sort of way.
“Rose assures me you’re old hat at this sort of thing,” Brad said as he took him aside. Rose remained behind to catch up on what appeared to be office gossip with four of the scientists he’d just met.
“Very old hat,” he agreed. He wasn’t sure what Brad knew about him and decided it would be best to play it safe.
“Thank God for that,” Brad sighed. He scrubbed a hand across his face. The man was very clearly overworked and overwrought and his words soon confirmed it. “John, I don’t know if Rose told you but we lost a lot of S and Ts out there. There’s going to be lots of new staff in this department and I’ll give you the same warning I’m giving everyone: I talk fast and I work fast and I expect everyone to keep up with that.”
He wasn’t sure whether this was a way to deal with his grief over losing his people or just an unwillingness to deal with banality. Either way the Doctor was quick to answer that it wouldn’t be a problem and that he had the same habits. His attention was then directed to a device he’d only seen once in his long life. “Is that what I think it is?” he asked Brad.
The head of Science and Technology looked it over. “It’s an Alfriedian defense shield.”
“The actual name is the Alfriedian Safety Bubble,” he corrected automatically. “That is beautiful!” He ran his hands over the shell being careful not to activate it. “I haven’t seen one of these in an age!”
“You’ve seen these before?” Brad questioned sharply.
“Once,” he confirmed. “Didn’t get to look at it this close, though. Mind you it wasn’t like I would have had time anyway. I’ll tell you the story one day when I have a few hours to spare.” He returned his attention back to his new boss.
Brad was silent for a moment and then clapped him on the shoulders as though he’d known him for years. “This is going to be fantastic!” he exploded, grabbing the Doctor’s hand to show him the rest of the technology littered tables.
The Doctor really liked Brad Bradstreet.
- - - -
The Dimension Cannon was not a literal cannon. It was a teleportation tool very similar to what the Sontarans had used in the other universe. Punch in the destination, destination being a series of numbers calculating exactly where and when in that universe the person was to land. Portable ones allowed the agent in question to jump to another place in the same timeline without the help of Control.
“It’s left over technology from the first breakthrough four years ago but it’s Rose’s brainchild,” Brad explained. “And Mickey’s. Mickey was the one who helped built it after all, Rose helped as much she could once she had a bit more technological background but it was she who did the tests. She wouldn’t let anyone else do it.” He tapped the device fondly. “We had some fun times, didn’t we girl?”
“Rose mentioned that it took a few tries to get it right,” the Doctor said carefully, turning over the yellow circle in his hands. He didn’t want to make it sound like Rose was giving away confidential information and he also wasn’t sure he wanted to hear too many details.
Brad laughed again. “A fair more than a few times, John,” he snorted. “When we finally got the right universe and the right planet Rose found herself at Canary Wharf three times in a row.”
The Doctor forced his expression into one of scientific surprise. He knew about those three times. The first time she’d spent the battle hiding in the supply closet. The second time she’d arrived just in time to see the void close and she’d had to stash herself under some overturned equipment to avoid the Doctor seeing her. The third time she’d ended up out side the building clutching onto a street lamp for dear life. Rose had told him that she’d been doing the same thing he’d being doing against the wall on her side when the void had closed. That didn’t surprise him. He’d been fairly sure he could feel her when he had done that. To some degree, Rose had said she could as well. Again unsurprising.
“Doesn’t work now,” Brad sighed. “That woman that the timelines converged on has done her job and the multiverse is stable again.” He looked fondly at it. “Maybe one day we’ll get it going again.”
“Maybe,” he allowed. He was all for innovation but playing with the fabric between universes wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. His better sense told him that Rose shouldn’t have done this.
Then again, where would they be without Rose’s determination? At least she’d tried.
Familiar footsteps echoed into the room. Brad said goodbye and headed back to main area. When Rose reached his side the Doctor remembered her mentioning that spot where she and her family at turned up after Pete had caught her was part of Science and Technology now and asked her where that wall was.
Rose smiled and jerked her head toward the fall wall. He walked up to it and placed a hand on it. A faint scream of “take me back” echoed through his mind and for the first time he allowed himself to ponder exactly how those painful first moments must have felt to Rose. After a moment he took his hand back, gave the wall a respectful nod and returned to Rose’s side.
Rose had ripped the walls between them down, both physical and otherwise, and the Doctor knew that no force on Earth could separate them again. If Rose were sucked into another universe tomorrow he’d fight viciously to get her back.
Walls would never keep them apart but that didn’t mean he didn’t have any respect for them.
- - -
Each team had its own office space, or work space as Rose preferred to call it. Torchwood Alpha Team’s space looked shockingly like what he had seen of Jack’s Torchwood Hub. There were five work stations, each looking very well used, with an equally well used common conference table in the middle. Around the edges of the room were a varying display of computers, communication terminals, and other such things that he would have a proper chance to have a look at soon enough. A young man with a hair colour that reminded him sharply of Donna Noble bounded up the stairs to greet them first. His name he quickly learned was Rodney Kitchener and the Doctor decided he ranked right up there with Brad Bradstreet on his favourite people list. Surprisingly enough he found out that Rodney was also a part of S & T, the Doctor was both shocked and pleased that he was already picking up office slang. They’d be working together quite a bit.
He also recognized Jake Simmons, who approached him with a bit of caution but did shake his hand warmly. Jake was apart of the Defense Department, which admittedly made him start but Jake was quick to assure them that it was really just self protection and plotting for the worst case scenario. The only time they’d really been made to actually do something massive was the most recent crisis, and Jake had been with Torchwood for six years.
The last member of the team was a strikingly beautiful woman who with black hair and deep blue eyes which were all for Rodney whenever she wasn’t talking to Rose or himself. Her name was Ilsa Grainer and she was the team medic. “We’re all going out for dinner after work,” she told him and Rose without leaving room for argument. “We’ve heard all about you for years and now we finally get to actually meet you.”
He glanced over at Rose, who ducked her head in an effort to hide a blush. Rodney laughed and threw an arm around his boss and planted an overly dramatic kiss on the top of her head. “Let no one say that you aren’t persistent!” Everyone shared a good laugh and Rose was quickly hugged by everyone else in the room. Then that same affection was turned on him. This wouldn’t be so bad, he thought to himself as he found himself into a group hug, no place with people like this can be boring.
“Alright people.” Rose said with exaggerated authority. “Let’s get back to work. Rodney, go familiarize the Doctor with his post and procedure here. Ilsa and Jake, I need your reports ASAP.”
“Right boss, just got a few things I need to clear up,” Ilsa said. “Do you mind?”
“Nope, what’s up?” Rose wandered off to Ilsa’s station while Jake went back to what appeared to be pieces of Dalek armour.
“You can probably fill us in more about those,” Rodney told him. “Jake’s just testing out exactly what technology is there that we can possibly salvage.”
The Doctor pondered that thought. “So you’re scavengers as well?”
“Pretty much,” Rodney shrugged. “Among a host of other things. Now come on, let’s get you sorted Doctor Smith.”
The Doctor cringed and Rodney laughed. “We know it’s a fake name,” he said with a pat on the Doctor’s arm. “I just have to get used to saying it for the benefit of everyone else. I won’t make it a habit.”
“Many thanks.” With that they were off.
- - -
Dinner was brilliant. Rodney, Ilsa and Jake had covered the bill and refused Rose’s attempts at offering her half and brushed aside the Doctor’s IOUs. “This is a celebration for you two,” Ilsa grinned. “We can’t have you paying.”
Rose had finally backed off while the Doctor promised to get money into their accounts somehow, once he’d made a sonic screwdriver. Rodney had already offered to help him raid S&T for parts.
“They’re a lovely bunch,” he told Rose as they sat outside the restaurant. Rose had turned down rides from everyone, saying theirs was coming. The Doctor had no idea what was going on but Jake seemed an idea and had flashed the Doctor a “you are in for a treat” look as he’d climbed into his car.
“We really should do that more often,” Rose agreed. “The past few months have been hectic. All work and very little play makes for a very tired team. I’m surprised no one tried to kill me near the end. I got to be quite the slave driver near the end there.”
It was the Doctor’s turn to duck his head. “I should have tried harder.”
Rose groaned. “Shut up.” She told him sternly. “Is that really anything to be worrying about now?”
She did have a point there. Maybe one day he’d actually not feel guilty about it. Rose took his hand in hers and squeezed. “So you all ready to go back tomorrow?”
“Oh yes!” he burst out. “There’s so much you lot have labeled wrong in S&T and I really should point out to Jake exactly what Dalek technology you lot should avoid. Honestly, parts of that stuff really has a field day with your silicon based microprocessors and- what?”
Rose was grinning and laughing and otherwise looking very pleased with herself. “Nothing,” she assured him. “I’m just glad you like it there. I don’t know where you’d could work if you didn’t like it here.”
“Are you saying I’m unemployable?” The Doctor screeched. “Rose Tyler, I am insulted!”
“You said it not me,” she chuckled. Her attention was suddenly diverted elsewhere and she stood up and rushed at an approaching truck, waving her hands around wildly.
The Doctor watched curiously as the truck parked and the driver hopped out to talk to Rose. A few words were exchanged and after he saw a paper signed and the back of the truck lowered to the ground like a ramp he rushed toward it. Rose disappeared into the back of the truck and then rode down the track on an impressive looking motorbike. She rode over to him expertly and then pulled up directly in front of him. “Going my way?” she asked, tossing him a helmet as she fastened her own
The Doctor played right along. “Is there any other way?” He replied as he secured the helmet to his head. He slid on the deep purple bike, thanking his stars that it wasn’t bright pink, and wrapped his arms around Rose’s slender waist.
“Hold on tight,” she warned him. “I’m a bit of a lead foot.”
“Maybe I should drive.”
“No way. It’s my turn to chauffeur you around.” She looked back at him and kissed him on the cheek. “If you’re a really good boy I might let you take her out for a spin on the weekend.”
The Doctor whooped and clutched Rose tighter. Rose started the motor and they sped off into the night. The Doctor was sharply reminded of his rant to Rose on the Sanctuary Base about how living life on the slow path would be the end for him. He was perfectly content to have been proven wrong.
Series: A Series of Firsts
Author: arwen_kenobi
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine. No profit. Just for fun. Please don’t sue
Pairing: 10/Rose (Journey's End Compliant)
Spoilers: Series 2 and 4, especially "Doomsday", "The Impossible Planet", "The Sontaran Stratagem" and "Journey's End" .
Summary: Third story in "A Series of Firsts". It was Monday. The first day of work Monday. The first day of the rest of your life Monday.
The alarm clock rang and the Doctor slammed the snooze button down for the second time. It was eight twenty-five in the morning, the glaring green numbers told him with to the second precision, and it was Monday. The first day of work Monday. The first day of the rest of your life Monday. He’d been excited before but really it was too early for him to be enthusiastic about anything except more sleep.
“Come on,” a familiar voice told him. “Up and at ‘em.”
He rolled over to behold Rose, all dressed and ready to go, standing on the other side of the bed. He hadn’t even heard her come in. “Do I have to?” he yawned. “This sleeping thing is brilliant.”
“You still owe me twenty quid,” she reminded him, “and yes. Go have a shower and I’ll make you some coffee.”
He threw the covers off and pushed himself off the bed. “Skip the sugar,” he grumbled. He needed the offensive taste of black coffee to bring him to any level remotely resembling awareness.
“Will do.”
- - - -
Coffee was the best invention to the working man, the Doctor decided. He was fully alert and was once again excited to see how this Torchwood worked. Beside him Rose was scanning through the morning news report on her mobile. She was dressed in a pair of black trousers and blue spaghetti strapped tank top covered by a pink button up blouse. Professional but approachable, perfect for her.
The Doctor, on the other hand, was wearing a brown pinstriped suit that looked almost identical to the one he’d worn in the other universe. Rose had not raised any objection.
“Why didn’t we ride with Pete?” he asked. He held on to the bar tighter as the bus went over yet another bump.
“Dad went in early.” Rose took a quick glance at the time before putting her phone back in her purse. “We could have gone in with him but that would have meant waking up an hour earlier.”
The Doctor shuddered and held on tighter. “Don’t you have a car yet?”
“Oh God no,” she scoffed. The Doctor sighed but then became suspicious of the grin crossing her face. “I do have motorbike.”
“A motorbike?”
“A motorbike.”
“Then why the deuce aren’t we riding that to work?”
“It’s in the shop,” she said matter-of-factly. “I tried to ride it into the other universe.”
Rose really had to stop surprising him this way. He was sure that the expression on his face was utterly ridiculous. The old woman sitting next to Rose looked up at him in disproval and the young boy giggled and tugged at his older sister to look at him.
“What?”
“I tried to drive it into the other universe,” she repeated. “Thought it would look spectacular arriving to save the universe with an awesome bike.”
“So what happened?”
Rose sighed. “Apparently motorbikes aren’t compatible with dimension cannons. Betsy took quite a bit of a beating. She should be in later this week, hopefully tomorrow or Wednesday.”
He blinked at her. He heard more laughter and tried to tune it out. “Betsy? Seriously?”
Rose glared at him. “If you have an issue I’ll buy you a bus pass.”
“No, no issue!” the Doctor assured her. “Besty, good name! I had a car called Bessie once, actually. She was a-“
“Our stop, Doctor.”
The bus lurched to a stop, almost sending him flying. “Right,” he grunted as he rushed after her.
- - - -
The Torchwood Institute in this universe was still located at Canary Wharf. The Doctor was not too pleased about being here but it was something that would pass. He had no right to complain when Rose had worked here for the past four years and had managed to get used to it. “Being in the room where we all were at the end was hard,” she admitted, a pensive look passing over her face. The hand that wasn’t fixing her ID badge to her blouse grasped his hand tightly and then quickly withdrew. Part receiving comfort and part giving it. “I didn’t need to be in there a lot in the beginning so I had time to warm up to it. It’s part of Science and Technology now, so you’ll probably see it more than I will.”
The Doctor praised himself on being able to hide his scowl. She opened the door to the building and he stepped in to what was clearly reception. An elderly woman was plugging away at a computer and assuring some distraught journalist on the other end that she was confident that Mr. Tyler had told them everything that they needed to know. They had only just reached the desk, Rose leaning over it and giving the woman a sympathetic look while they waited for her to hang up.
“Honestly,” the woman huffed. “They should have younger folk deal with this.”
“You’re the best though, Ellen,” Rose assured her. “And we really do appreciate it. You have more patience than us field agents.”
“That’s for bloody sure,” Ellen grumbled but with amusement in her hazel eyes. Then her attention went to the Doctor. “Well hello, you must be the rookie.”
The Doctor opened his mouth to inform her about how much of a rookie he was but a sharp nudge from Rose stopped him. “John Smith,” she said formally. “Meet Ellen Davenport, our Public Relations super woman.”
“Pleasure,” Ellen said and held out her hand. The Doctor took it and assured her the pleasure was all is. She smiled brightly at him and then she disappeared under the desk for a moment. When she emerged she reached over and brought out a camera. “Say Brie.”
The Doctor looked quizzically at Rose, but she offered no explanation. He smiled and said Brie. The flash must have blinded him for several moments since the next thing he knew he was holding an ID badge like Rose’s. He took a moment to study the slightly flattering photograph and then read the text beside it.
Dr. John Smith
Science and Technology
Torchwood Alpha Team
“That has to be on all the times while you are in this building,” she told him. “Take it off during your field work and any other reason you’re outside this building.” She gave a pointed glare at Rose. “Don’t put it on until you get in either.”
Rose gave a mild look of apology. “I’m pretty sure the entire country knows I work at Torchwood anyway,” she shrugged.
“Rules are rules,” Ellen lectured, a hint of amusement once again hidden in her eyes. “Now, off you go children. Mother has to appease the masses.” Rose waved and the Doctor did the same as he followed Rose to lifts.
- - -
Everyone was a part of a department at this Torchwood, Rose had told him. Not everyone was a field agent, and thus not everyone was on a team, but everyone was a part of a department. People like Pete and Ellen were Administration, which covered everything from communications to public relations. Legal, meaning both Earth laws and galactic laws, used to be a part of that but was now oversaw by a lawyer called Clive Bailey and a small army of overeager law students. Clive was a nice guy according to Rose, though she’d only met him twice. Legal mostly communicated with the rest of the staff via memos and the occasional minion, usually which ever law student was on Clive’s bad side at that moment.
“Everyone knows the important laws,” Rose had explained. “Not much use for them unless things get very complicated or we need to create a new treaty or something.”
Rose was a part of Extraterrestrial Relations, he had elected to be a part of Science and Technology. Others were Life Sciences, Defense and a few other ones that made the place sound like a small government. “You work most of the time together with your team if you have an assignment,” she’d replied to his question as to how everyone functioned as being a part of two committees as he saw it. “You do meet with your department about once a week.” The lift stopped. “Don’t worry,” she smiled. “It’s really not as complicated as you think.”
The Doctor decided he would try his best to believe that. “So where are we headed?”
“Science and Technology. I thought you’d want to take a look at the dimension cannon.”
The Doctor’s mouth dropped open. “Oh yes!” He bounced out of the lift and started rushing down the hall..
“Doctor!”
“Yes, Rose?”
Rose was still standing by the lifts and was beckoning him the other way. He rushed back to her side and followed her eagerly.
- - -
Science and Technology was organized chaos, which was exactly what he’d hoped for. He’d feared it would be too sterile and organized for him to deal with but the sight of every surface covered with either Earth or alien technology, not all of which he recognized, made him feel as if his birthday had come early.
The department seemed very small, which was explained when Rose said that the department had sustained heavy losses during the “Darkness Affair” as they were calling it. Rose had not been the only one to use the dimension cannon to go to the other universe to help. A fair few teams had gone out to help and half the people they’d sent had not come back.
Before the Doctor could express his condolences Rose introduced him to the people who were currently there. A rush of names was tossed at him but only one stuck right away and that was the name of the head of the department.
Bradford Bradstreet asked to be called Brad, which the Doctor could deal with. He looked like a young Albert Einstein in appearance. Brown hair was standing up every which way and he had a look about him which screamed mad scientist but not in an out to destroy the universe sort of way.
“Rose assures me you’re old hat at this sort of thing,” Brad said as he took him aside. Rose remained behind to catch up on what appeared to be office gossip with four of the scientists he’d just met.
“Very old hat,” he agreed. He wasn’t sure what Brad knew about him and decided it would be best to play it safe.
“Thank God for that,” Brad sighed. He scrubbed a hand across his face. The man was very clearly overworked and overwrought and his words soon confirmed it. “John, I don’t know if Rose told you but we lost a lot of S and Ts out there. There’s going to be lots of new staff in this department and I’ll give you the same warning I’m giving everyone: I talk fast and I work fast and I expect everyone to keep up with that.”
He wasn’t sure whether this was a way to deal with his grief over losing his people or just an unwillingness to deal with banality. Either way the Doctor was quick to answer that it wouldn’t be a problem and that he had the same habits. His attention was then directed to a device he’d only seen once in his long life. “Is that what I think it is?” he asked Brad.
The head of Science and Technology looked it over. “It’s an Alfriedian defense shield.”
“The actual name is the Alfriedian Safety Bubble,” he corrected automatically. “That is beautiful!” He ran his hands over the shell being careful not to activate it. “I haven’t seen one of these in an age!”
“You’ve seen these before?” Brad questioned sharply.
“Once,” he confirmed. “Didn’t get to look at it this close, though. Mind you it wasn’t like I would have had time anyway. I’ll tell you the story one day when I have a few hours to spare.” He returned his attention back to his new boss.
Brad was silent for a moment and then clapped him on the shoulders as though he’d known him for years. “This is going to be fantastic!” he exploded, grabbing the Doctor’s hand to show him the rest of the technology littered tables.
The Doctor really liked Brad Bradstreet.
- - - -
The Dimension Cannon was not a literal cannon. It was a teleportation tool very similar to what the Sontarans had used in the other universe. Punch in the destination, destination being a series of numbers calculating exactly where and when in that universe the person was to land. Portable ones allowed the agent in question to jump to another place in the same timeline without the help of Control.
“It’s left over technology from the first breakthrough four years ago but it’s Rose’s brainchild,” Brad explained. “And Mickey’s. Mickey was the one who helped built it after all, Rose helped as much she could once she had a bit more technological background but it was she who did the tests. She wouldn’t let anyone else do it.” He tapped the device fondly. “We had some fun times, didn’t we girl?”
“Rose mentioned that it took a few tries to get it right,” the Doctor said carefully, turning over the yellow circle in his hands. He didn’t want to make it sound like Rose was giving away confidential information and he also wasn’t sure he wanted to hear too many details.
Brad laughed again. “A fair more than a few times, John,” he snorted. “When we finally got the right universe and the right planet Rose found herself at Canary Wharf three times in a row.”
The Doctor forced his expression into one of scientific surprise. He knew about those three times. The first time she’d spent the battle hiding in the supply closet. The second time she’d arrived just in time to see the void close and she’d had to stash herself under some overturned equipment to avoid the Doctor seeing her. The third time she’d ended up out side the building clutching onto a street lamp for dear life. Rose had told him that she’d been doing the same thing he’d being doing against the wall on her side when the void had closed. That didn’t surprise him. He’d been fairly sure he could feel her when he had done that. To some degree, Rose had said she could as well. Again unsurprising.
“Doesn’t work now,” Brad sighed. “That woman that the timelines converged on has done her job and the multiverse is stable again.” He looked fondly at it. “Maybe one day we’ll get it going again.”
“Maybe,” he allowed. He was all for innovation but playing with the fabric between universes wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. His better sense told him that Rose shouldn’t have done this.
Then again, where would they be without Rose’s determination? At least she’d tried.
Familiar footsteps echoed into the room. Brad said goodbye and headed back to main area. When Rose reached his side the Doctor remembered her mentioning that spot where she and her family at turned up after Pete had caught her was part of Science and Technology now and asked her where that wall was.
Rose smiled and jerked her head toward the fall wall. He walked up to it and placed a hand on it. A faint scream of “take me back” echoed through his mind and for the first time he allowed himself to ponder exactly how those painful first moments must have felt to Rose. After a moment he took his hand back, gave the wall a respectful nod and returned to Rose’s side.
Rose had ripped the walls between them down, both physical and otherwise, and the Doctor knew that no force on Earth could separate them again. If Rose were sucked into another universe tomorrow he’d fight viciously to get her back.
Walls would never keep them apart but that didn’t mean he didn’t have any respect for them.
- - -
Each team had its own office space, or work space as Rose preferred to call it. Torchwood Alpha Team’s space looked shockingly like what he had seen of Jack’s Torchwood Hub. There were five work stations, each looking very well used, with an equally well used common conference table in the middle. Around the edges of the room were a varying display of computers, communication terminals, and other such things that he would have a proper chance to have a look at soon enough. A young man with a hair colour that reminded him sharply of Donna Noble bounded up the stairs to greet them first. His name he quickly learned was Rodney Kitchener and the Doctor decided he ranked right up there with Brad Bradstreet on his favourite people list. Surprisingly enough he found out that Rodney was also a part of S & T, the Doctor was both shocked and pleased that he was already picking up office slang. They’d be working together quite a bit.
He also recognized Jake Simmons, who approached him with a bit of caution but did shake his hand warmly. Jake was apart of the Defense Department, which admittedly made him start but Jake was quick to assure them that it was really just self protection and plotting for the worst case scenario. The only time they’d really been made to actually do something massive was the most recent crisis, and Jake had been with Torchwood for six years.
The last member of the team was a strikingly beautiful woman who with black hair and deep blue eyes which were all for Rodney whenever she wasn’t talking to Rose or himself. Her name was Ilsa Grainer and she was the team medic. “We’re all going out for dinner after work,” she told him and Rose without leaving room for argument. “We’ve heard all about you for years and now we finally get to actually meet you.”
He glanced over at Rose, who ducked her head in an effort to hide a blush. Rodney laughed and threw an arm around his boss and planted an overly dramatic kiss on the top of her head. “Let no one say that you aren’t persistent!” Everyone shared a good laugh and Rose was quickly hugged by everyone else in the room. Then that same affection was turned on him. This wouldn’t be so bad, he thought to himself as he found himself into a group hug, no place with people like this can be boring.
“Alright people.” Rose said with exaggerated authority. “Let’s get back to work. Rodney, go familiarize the Doctor with his post and procedure here. Ilsa and Jake, I need your reports ASAP.”
“Right boss, just got a few things I need to clear up,” Ilsa said. “Do you mind?”
“Nope, what’s up?” Rose wandered off to Ilsa’s station while Jake went back to what appeared to be pieces of Dalek armour.
“You can probably fill us in more about those,” Rodney told him. “Jake’s just testing out exactly what technology is there that we can possibly salvage.”
The Doctor pondered that thought. “So you’re scavengers as well?”
“Pretty much,” Rodney shrugged. “Among a host of other things. Now come on, let’s get you sorted Doctor Smith.”
The Doctor cringed and Rodney laughed. “We know it’s a fake name,” he said with a pat on the Doctor’s arm. “I just have to get used to saying it for the benefit of everyone else. I won’t make it a habit.”
“Many thanks.” With that they were off.
- - -
Dinner was brilliant. Rodney, Ilsa and Jake had covered the bill and refused Rose’s attempts at offering her half and brushed aside the Doctor’s IOUs. “This is a celebration for you two,” Ilsa grinned. “We can’t have you paying.”
Rose had finally backed off while the Doctor promised to get money into their accounts somehow, once he’d made a sonic screwdriver. Rodney had already offered to help him raid S&T for parts.
“They’re a lovely bunch,” he told Rose as they sat outside the restaurant. Rose had turned down rides from everyone, saying theirs was coming. The Doctor had no idea what was going on but Jake seemed an idea and had flashed the Doctor a “you are in for a treat” look as he’d climbed into his car.
“We really should do that more often,” Rose agreed. “The past few months have been hectic. All work and very little play makes for a very tired team. I’m surprised no one tried to kill me near the end. I got to be quite the slave driver near the end there.”
It was the Doctor’s turn to duck his head. “I should have tried harder.”
Rose groaned. “Shut up.” She told him sternly. “Is that really anything to be worrying about now?”
She did have a point there. Maybe one day he’d actually not feel guilty about it. Rose took his hand in hers and squeezed. “So you all ready to go back tomorrow?”
“Oh yes!” he burst out. “There’s so much you lot have labeled wrong in S&T and I really should point out to Jake exactly what Dalek technology you lot should avoid. Honestly, parts of that stuff really has a field day with your silicon based microprocessors and- what?”
Rose was grinning and laughing and otherwise looking very pleased with herself. “Nothing,” she assured him. “I’m just glad you like it there. I don’t know where you’d could work if you didn’t like it here.”
“Are you saying I’m unemployable?” The Doctor screeched. “Rose Tyler, I am insulted!”
“You said it not me,” she chuckled. Her attention was suddenly diverted elsewhere and she stood up and rushed at an approaching truck, waving her hands around wildly.
The Doctor watched curiously as the truck parked and the driver hopped out to talk to Rose. A few words were exchanged and after he saw a paper signed and the back of the truck lowered to the ground like a ramp he rushed toward it. Rose disappeared into the back of the truck and then rode down the track on an impressive looking motorbike. She rode over to him expertly and then pulled up directly in front of him. “Going my way?” she asked, tossing him a helmet as she fastened her own
The Doctor played right along. “Is there any other way?” He replied as he secured the helmet to his head. He slid on the deep purple bike, thanking his stars that it wasn’t bright pink, and wrapped his arms around Rose’s slender waist.
“Hold on tight,” she warned him. “I’m a bit of a lead foot.”
“Maybe I should drive.”
“No way. It’s my turn to chauffeur you around.” She looked back at him and kissed him on the cheek. “If you’re a really good boy I might let you take her out for a spin on the weekend.”
The Doctor whooped and clutched Rose tighter. Rose started the motor and they sped off into the night. The Doctor was sharply reminded of his rant to Rose on the Sanctuary Base about how living life on the slow path would be the end for him. He was perfectly content to have been proven wrong.