Fic - Time Together
Fic - Doctor Who - In response to neko_chan42 request for a Satan's Pit epilogue.
Time Together
“The stuff of legend”, the Doctor answered. - “Satan’s Pit”
Rose and the Doctor looked at each other and smiled. Rose could still feel the strength of his arms around her when she made it back to the Tardis. The depth of her despair when she thought he was dead at the bottom of the pit still lingered in her thoughts, though. She needed some time alone to process things through before she did something stupid, like that “mortgage conversation” in the mess hall. She’d never felt so awkward - she’d been trying to ease the doctor’s sorrow over the loss of the Tardis, teasing him a little about mortgages and houses when that little girl fantasy about holding and keeping the Doctor forever just came out of her mouth. Both Reinette and Sarah Jane had been right about this life, this man - he was worth a broken heart and any monsters that came along. Even facing an uncertain future, far from home without him she’d never had any regrets about the journey. She turned to the Doctor saying, “I’m goin’ for a long soak in a very hot tub “
“I think we deserve a break, I’ve set coordinates to let us drift in the Vortex for awhile, you get some rest,” the Doctor replied, trying very hard not to think about naked Rose in a bath, but failing miserably.
He pushed buttons and spun dials a little harder than necessary. “Tell Rose . . . Tell Rose. . . Oh, she knows … “he muttered under his breath. Brilliant, he was. Talk the ear off Beasts, heads of state, non-sentient plant life and couldn’t even tell the shining center of his existence he loved her. Did she know? Did she comprehend the depth of his devotion to this one special human being? Even separated by space, she’d managed to coordinate with him perfectly. He was so proud of her; she’d taken charge, blowing out a window on a space ship, not knowing they even had an emergency shield.
He let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He’d been so blasé about not knowing where they were and what they were walking into. He’d taken her hand, laughed and strode out into the unknown, secure in the knowledge that they could handle whatever was out there. Invincible, that’s how she made him feel; invincible, able to slay dragons with a single blow. Never had a companion affected him this way. She’d woven herself into his soul, and one day she would have to leave him. She was going to want a life with a future, one with mortgages and children with their mother’s sunny smile. It was going to tear him in two, and he didn’t know what to do. He remembered how he’d felt on the Gamestation, staring at what he thought were her ashes. His joy at finding her alive, and then sending her away; not being able to face the prospect of her death again.
Since he had regenerated, he had tried to keep a little more distance, tried to mask his ever increasing need for her. Struggled to protect his heart, telling himself that was the only way he could survive the future. He thought he knew how she felt; remembering the hurt on her face, asking about his former companions. He’d come close to saying he loved her then, but instead he’d let the pain he was feeling lash out at her; telling her that she would wither and die and he would live on. God, could he even be more self absorbed? He was denying them full expression of their feelings, because he was focusing on his inevitable pain instead of joys available today. He rested his forehead on the console, his thoughts chasing round and round in circles. After a long moment, he straightened. “Right then, time to have a talk,” striding down the Tardis corridors to Rose’s room.
Nine hundred years of Time Lord Experience did not seem to help his nerves as she knocked on Rose’s door. Not getting an answer, he opened the door, peeking inside. Then he remembered her comment about a long bath. He knew she liked to soak in the big tub in the next corridor over. Not giving himself time to think about it, he purposefully walked down the hall, and not knocking swept inside the bathroom.
And was greeted with a sight that could fuel his dreams and fantasies for the next millenia: Rose, reclining in a bath full of bubbles.
“Doctor!” Rose sputtered, glancing down to see if the bubbles were still covering her bath water.
“Hello! I was just thinking,” the Doctor blathered. “How would you like to go to Jumiffemtby 7? It’s just the spot for a bit of relaxation, just a sleepy planet of endless shores and great parties on the beach every night. It was settled by “Parrotheads”, keepers of the Margaritaville Flame religious sect in the 30th century. “
“Couldn’t this have waited until I got out of the bath and had a nap?” Rose couldn’t believe he was making himself at home on the edge of the tub.
“No, I couldn’t wait another moment” the Doctor said in a quiet serious voice. “I’ve made a muck of things, Rose, and I -“ he broke off, took a deep breath and knelt by the tub. Reaching out he traced her face gently, brushing her hair from her eyes. He caressed the line of her jaw and down the side of her neck, feeling her pulse speed up. Her eyes were full of questions.
“What is this, Doctor?” Rose wanted to believe what she saw in the Doctor’s eyes - love, desire.
Framing her face with both of his hands, he held her gaze and dipped his head toward hers. He brushed the lightest of kisses on her forehead, her cheekbones, the tip of her nose. He could feel her breath coming faster as he brought their lips together, at first as softly as his other kisses, then deeper and more passionate as she responded.
He drew back mere millimeters from her lips, his cool breath misting with hers. “This is me, saying I love you, Rose.” Reclaiming her lips in another kiss. "This is me saying Forgive me for being such a scared fool that I denied us this." Another kiss, this one harder. "This is me saying, Please tell me I’m not too late." A kiss on the pulse beating wildly in her throat. He pulled away, his hearts pounding just as hard.
Rose swallowed hard, holding out her hands toward him. “Help me, up, Doctor.” Taking his hands she stood up, water sheeting off her body and stepped carefully out of the tub.
Thousands of wonders he’d seen, on planets scattered across space and time, but nothing compared to the vision in front of him. “You are so beautiful, Rose”, he said, his voice low and rough. He crushed her to him, hands roaming over her wet, warm body. Capturing her mouth in a deep kiss, he felt her hands pushing at his clothes.
“Rose, bed.”
“Too far - No, here, now,” she protested.
“70 percent of accidents in the home occur in the bathroom, Rose.” he said distractedly as her hands successfully navigated the buttons of his shirt and brushed across his chest.
She giggled “Such a sweet talker, you are, Doctor.”
He quirked an eyebrow at her, “I can talk all sorts of ways, Rose.” He stepped behind her, whispering in her ear. His hands traveled down her body as he said,” I could tell you how your breasts fit perfectly in my hands, and how soft and hot your skin feels next to mine. His hand swept low across her abdomen and his tongue lapped against her neck. “I could tell you how sweet your skin tastes, and how I can’t wait to feel the taste of your sex sliding across my tongue.” He smiled against her neck as he felt her knees buckle slightly. He lifted her into his arms and went to take her to his bed.
And found himself looking at the ceiling of the bathroom trying to catch his breath as he slipped on a wet spot and fell down hard on his back. Looking at each other, they burst into laughter.
“Let’s try this again, shall we?” he grinned. He held out his hand and they walked hand in hand to his room. “I may not be able to share a mortgage, Rose. But would you settle for sharing a room in a beautiful ship for as long as Time grants us? “
She opened the door to his room, saying “I’m not settling for anything, Doctor, I just got handed everything I ever wanted.”
And they walked into their room, together.