fic: Good Night, Rose Tyler
Title: Good Night, Rose Tyler
Author: dreaamer
Characters/Pairing: Ten/Rose
Summary: She paused for moment, and her next words hit the Doctor hardest of all. "You weren't there. I was looking for you. You weren't..."
Author's Note: WOW. THIS IS A MONUMENTAL FEAT. I haven't written in so long, I was starting to think I never would again! But worry not, for my muse has magically returned (for the time being, anyway). Again, unbeta'd, all mistakes are my own.
It was night. The sky was full of stars, each shining brightly in the sky of a faraway planet. Rose wasn't quite sure where she was. Just floating, drifting, through space. And then it came.
No matter how fast she ran, she couldn't escape it. He wasn't there, which made her more afraid. She ran and ran until she could run no more, and still it followed close behind. She called out his name, but received no reply. It was advancing on her. She was terrified.
She called his name one more time, but still no reply. And then it found her. With its deadly shadow it swooped across her and she screamed.
___________________________________________
Sparks flew off the console. The Doctor swore. He could hear the TARDIS grumbling in his head, and rolled his eyes dramatically. She'd often get annoyed if he poked and prodded too much, and no matter how many times she would burn him, he would just continue on with his poking and prodding.
It was dark and quiet in the TARDIS. The middle of what he had come to call the "night shift." And for him, it often was. He often spent the nights underneath the console, repairing things that didn't need repairing (and ignoring the things that did).
It was in the middle of his repairs that he heard her scream. First a high pitched scream of terror, then a low scream of raw pain. He had never gotten out from underneath the console faster.
___________________________________________
The Doctor pushed open the door to Rose's bedroom and ran inside, all intentions of being polite forgotten. The room was pitch black so he switched on the lamp.
Rose was in the middle of her bed, curled up in a ball, shaking violently. The Doctor jumped up on the bed, wrapping his arms around Rose, holding her still as she shook.
"Rose?" he said softly, but urgently. "Can you hear me? Rose?" He thought he heard her mumble something... "What's that, love? Talk to me, Rose."
"Doctor!" she gasped. "Doctor!"
"I'm here, Rose," he assured her, his arms tightening around her. "I'm right here. What's the matter?"
"Doctor!" she cried again, reaching her arm up slightly, as if feeling around her for him.
"I'm right here, Rose!" he said, his grip on her tightening even more. "I'm right here!" She cried his name again, and he lifted his hand to her face and turned it to face him. "Look at me, Rose, I'm right here."
Her eyes locked with his. He could see the unshed tears, as well as the tracks down her cheeks, and he felt her pain. He pulled her closer, rocking her gently as she shook.
"Don't leave," he heard her mumble. "Don't leave me."
"I won't," he replied, cradling her head against his chest. "Don't you worry. I won't leave you."
And they sat in silence for a while.
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A short while later, the Doctor slowly loosened his hold on Rose. She was still awake, but remained silent. She had finally quietened and was no longer shaking. That did not, however, mean she was alright. The Doctor knew this much.
"Rose?" he said softly, gently. "Are you awake?" He could feel her nod her head, so he continued. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong? You were screaming. Was it a bad dream?"
"Everything was fine," she began, sniffling in between her words. "I was floating. And then... this thing... it was chasing me."
"Did you see it?"
"No. But I knew... I knew it was there. I was running. I couldn't run fast enough..." She paused for moment, and her next words hit the Doctor hardest of all. "You weren't there. I was looking for you. You weren't..."
"I'm here now, Rose. I'm not going anywhere. What happened next?"
"It got me. I couldn't see it. But I felt it. I screamed."
"And that's where I came in. It was just a bad dream, Rose. Nothing's gonna get you. You're safe."
"I... I know," she whispered. "I'm still scared." She looked up into the Doctor's eyes. "Stay with me?"
"Of course," he replied, without hesitation. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down with him until they were lying face-to-face. He stroked her cheek with his hand, moved the stray hairs from her face.
"Thank you," she whispered sleepily, eyes still glistening.
"It's no problem at all," he replied with a smile, and kissed her on the forehead. They lay in silence. Within minutes she was asleep. The repairs could wait, thought the Doctor. There were more important things to attend to.
The Doctor kissed her cheek, and fell back onto the pillow beside her, pulling her closer to him. "Good night, Rose," he said, and dozed off soon after.
And that was that.