Fic: Rainy Day Woman ch. 5
Title: Rainy Day Woman Ch. 5
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Reunion
Spoilers: All Who stuff
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Characters: Ten/Rose, Jackie, Pete, Tyler offspring, Mickey, Jake
Summary: The Doctor makes his way back to a wiser Rose, but things are not as cut and dry as he'd hoped. They have one weekend to decide where they stand, what they want, and where that leaves them.
A/N: This got a lot...fluffier than I thought it would.
Under the cut.
It was three in the morning, and Rose and the Doctor were the only ones still awake in the Tyler house; lying on Rose’s bed, talking quietly. They had been since everyone else had turned in after Nigel had finally left.
Being the only conscious occupants of the house, they were the only ones who heard the knock on the door. They looked at each other curiously, and Rose got up and walked out into the hallway and down the stairs.
He followed, sonic screwdriver in hand, as the knocking persisted.
Rose cracked the door opened and peeked out. She then sighed heavily and opened it all the way. “Well?”
The man on the other side of the door was of medium height, with tanned skin, bright red hair, big blue eyes and a giant, drunken grin. “Rosie!”
She rolled her eyes. “Will you keep it down? My parents and brother are sleeping.”
“Then they are missing the best bloody part of the day,” the man replied, stumbling in and bumping into the Doctor. “Hello. You’re well fit. Fancy a shag?”
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow.
Rose pinched the bridge of her nose. “What happened to Sri Lanka?”
The redhead turned to her. “Finished. And then went to Bangkok. Ha! Bangkok! I love that name. And then I was in the Caribbean for two days, and I drank a whole lot of rum. And when I got home, I kept drinking rum.” He held up a bottle. “See? Rum. Want some?”
Rose took a deep breath and let it out. “Doctor, this is Agent ‘Slim’ Jimmy Stone. Former Preacher, and current undercover seek and destroy operative for Torchwood. Also? He’s an alcoholic. Just like his universal counterpart.”
“Another suitor of yours?” the Doctor asked curiously.
She rolled her eyes. “Like I’d ever go out with another Jimmy Stone.” She shook her head and took Jimmy by the arm to keep him upright. “He used to work with Mickey, Jake and I, but he was such a loose cannon we couldn’t handle it.”
“Speaking of, I heard they were here,” Jimmy said with a smile. “Think they’d have me?”
“If you asked nicely, they’d probably give you a polite no,” Rose replied.
Jimmy pouted, but he smiled. “We could shag!”
Rose smirked and nodded towards the Doctor. “I’m taken.”
Jimmy looked to the Doctor and then back to Rose. “Very nice.”
Rose smiled, the tip of her tongue poking out. “I know. Now. Let’s get you on a couch for the night.”
Jimmy sighed heavily. “Fine…”
Rose gave the Doctor an apologetic look, before pulling Jimmy into the other room. When she walked back in, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Sorry.”
The Doctor pursed his lips, but said nothing.
“Look, he’s just a friend,” Rose said. “He’s different from the other Jimmy, an’ we get on okay. He an’ Jake go way back, and we all work together. He’s mostly into other men anyways, and-“
The Doctor smirked.
She stopped. “You’re not jealous.”
He shook his head.
“You just let me think you were.”
He shrugged.
They stood in silence.
Rose huffed and stormed passed him. “You are so not getting any tonight.”
The Doctor blinked, and pouted, before rushing after her. “Rose…”
*****
The next morning, Rose woke from a comfortable sleep, cuddled up into the Doctor and smiled, feeling his slightly cooler skin against hers.
He kissed her ear. “And you said I wasn’t going to get any last night,” he teased.
She shoved at him gently. “Shut it, you. Just be lucky I’m forgiving.”
“I am very lucky,” he said replied.
Rose smiled again and lifted her head to look at him. She smoothed down his wild hair. “Hello.”
“Hello,” the Doctor replied quietly. “We’re leaving tonight.”
She nodded. “Yeah, we are.”
“You’re sure.”
“Yup.”
“You’re absolutely positive?”
“Yup.” She bit her lip and sat up all the way, pulling the sheet up over her bare chest. “Are you?”
He didn’t’ reply.
“Well?”
“Part of me still wants to stay here,” he told her. “I don’t want to face things back home…”
Rose leaned down and kissed his nose. “You have to.”
The Doctor nodded. “Yeah. Still. I’ve got you now.”
She smiled. “You have.” She took his hand. “You’ve got me.” She leaned down farther to kiss him, but stopped when she heard yelling from downstairs. “Mum’s found Jimmy. And he’s probably naked.”
“Will you kiss me anyways?” he asked.
She did, falling over onto him.
“ROSE!” Jackie shouted. “GET DOWN HERE AND TELL JIMMY TO PUT SOME PANTS ON.”
Rose laughed into the kiss and pulled away. “Won’t it be nice when it’s just us? And there’s no one to interrupt?”
The Doctor nodded. “I’m looking forward to it.”
She grinned and got out of bed. She began to gather up clothing. She pulled them on, still staring at the Doctor, before walking out of her bedroom, and making her way down the stairs. She was almost run down by a couple of caterers.
“Mum! What’s going on?”
“Jimmy won’t put his trousers on!” Jackie cried from the kitchen.
“No,” Rose replied, dodging a decorator and walking to her mother. “What’s with the event crew?”
“Well, I know you’re leaving tonight…”
Rose gave her a pleading look. “Please tell me you didn’t put together a last minute fancy party.”
“It’s a cocktail farewell party,” Jackie told her. “Nothing big.”
Rose deflated and turned around to find Jimmy, naked as the day he was born, standing in the doorway. “Oh for- Jimmy, where’s your kit?!”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I think one of the caterers took it. Wants me to stay naked.” He grinned in a ‘who could blame them?’ kind of way.
“Blimey, Slim!” Jake cried as he walked down the stairs. “Is it national naked day already?”
“It’s always naked day where Jimmy is concerned,” Mickey said, walking in and pouring himself a cup of tea. “Where’s the Doctor?”
Rose sighed. “Upstairs. Pour me a couple of teas, yeah? I’ll take one up to him.”
Jimmy snickered.
Rose turned to him. “What?”
“You got shagged last night.”
“And what of it?”
“You haven’t gotten a good shagging since before we met,” Jimmy told her. “You’re glowing.”
Rose rolled her eyes and took the two cups Mickey offered her. She turned to Jackie. “Do we have to have a party?”
“Yes.”
She sighed.
*****
“So they’re actually cutting our funding,” Mickey said.
He and Jake were sitting on the floor of Rose’s room, watching her pack up some of her things. The Doctor was in the TARDIS with the door open. Jimmy was circling the box, obviously a little hung over, and obviously trying to comprehend its existence.
“Bigger on the inside,” Jimmy said.
“Yes,” the Doctor replied.
“Great pick-up line, mate.”
The Doctor poked his head out and looked to the other three. “Is that all he ever thinks about?”
“Pretty much,” Rose nodded. “Jimmy, did you hear that? Our funding is cut.”
Jimmy nodded. “Right. Yeah, I heard. Fuck ‘em.”
“It means we can’t operate legally anymore,” Jake said. “We’ll be stuck at headquarters.”
Jimmy shrugged. “Then I’m quitting.”
“It’s crossed my mind, too,” Jake said. “What’s the point of being in Torchwood if we can’t do our jobs?”
The Doctor stepped all the way out of the TARDIS and closed the door. “There might be a solution.”
Before he could go on, there was a knock on the door, and Nigel stepped into the room. “Rose, are you-…Oh. Hello, all. I was just…wondering if Rose was…” he spotted her. “Hello.”
She nodded as she folded a sweater into a suitcase. “Hi.”
“What are you doing?”
“Packing.”
“You’re leaving.”
“Yeah.”
Nigel nodded. “I heard. Your mother is throwing a party because of it.”
Rose nodded back. “Yeah, she is.”
“When are you leaving again?”
“Tonight.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah.”
“I was actually wondering if we could do lunch,” Nigel said.
“Now?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
Rose bit her lip. “I’m a bit busy.”
“Oh, come on, just lunch. My treat.”
Jimmy snorted.
Nigel glared. “Ah. Agent Stone. You’re back from your exile in Thailand.”
“Caribbean,” Jimmy corrected. “Bangkok was before that.”
“How nice.”
“You know all about Bangkok, don’t you Nigey, old boy,” Jimmy grinned.
Nigel rolled his eyes. “Charming to the last, as always.”
Rose sighed. “I’m sorry, Nigel. Between wedding planning and packing and wrapping things up with Dad and helping Mum with this silly party tonight, I just don’t have the time.”
Nigel frowned. “But you have time for…for them?” he gestured toward Mickey, Jake and Jimmy.
“We’re talking shop,” Rose replied. “This is important.”
“And what I have to say isn’t important,” Nigel said.
Jimmy chuckled. “Now he’s getting it.”
The Doctor grinned a little. “Now, Jimmy. Don’t be rude.”
Rose turned and gave the Doctor an amused look.
“What I have to say is quite important, actually,” Nigel said hurriedly, glancing disapprovingly at the Doctor. “You need to know.”
“A’right,” Rose said, turning back to him. “Let’s here it then.”
Nigel opened his mouth, but shut it. “I’d rather tell you in private.”
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow, feeling a slight wave of jealousy hit him at the possibility of Rose acquiescing to Nigel’s request.
Rose bit her lip. “I really need to pack, Nigel.”
The Doctor grinned slightly, but tried to hide it with a cough.
“Maybe we can talk tonight at the party, yeah?” Rose said, turning back to her wardrobe and pulling a couple of items out.
Nigel stood stiffly. “Yes. Well. Tonight, then.” With that, he walked out, closing the door behind him.
Jimmy grumbled and pulled out a cigarette.
“Oi,” Rose laughed. “Not in the house.”
“Nigel seems a bit…quieter,” Mickey pointed out.
“He did have quite the shock last night,” the Doctor said. “Though I wonder what he’s got to tell you.”
Rose sighed. “Probably that he loves me more than you do, and that he’ll take better care of me.”
“Well, that isn’t true,” the Doctor said quietly.
Rose pursed her lips and walked over, wrapping her arms around him. “There’s nothing to be jealous of.”
“I’m not jealous,” he replied.
The other three boys snickered, and Rose glared at them. “Out, you three.”
“Not until we hear the Doc’s solution to our funds being cut,” Mickey smiled.
The Doctor grimaced. “It’s not so much a solution as…well…a change of location…”
*****
Rose sighed as she walked down the stairs and into the dining room. Her parents and brother were waiting, along with Mickey, Jake and Jimmy. The Doctor was trailing along behind her. She down next to Gareth and kissed the top of his head.
“Why do you have to go, Rose?” Gareth asked.
Rose sighed and hugged him. “Because I have a whole other life that I miss very much.” She looked at him and smiled. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t think about you all the time.”
Gareth stood up on the chair and hugged her properly. “I love you, Rosie.”
She smiled. “I love you, too.”
Jackie smiled sadly at them as one of the servers brought the food out for them. “Can’t believe you’re all leaving.”
Mickey grinned at Jackie. “What? You’re gonna miss us bein’ embarrassing at all your parties?”
“I’m gonna miss you lot period,” Jackie replied.
Pete sighed. “Hate to lose all of you lot to the other universe…”
“We’ve outgrown our usefulness,” Jake said with a smile. “There’s no room for our kinda running around here anymore.”
Jimmy nodded. “No one wants anything blown up anymore.”
The Doctor gave a heavy sigh. “Oh, Jack is either going to love you or hate you, Jimmy Stone.” He paused. “Mind you, you’re gonna have to get your name changed, since there’s already a Jimmy Stone running about back home.”
“That’s okay!” Jimmy smiled, shoveling food into his mouth. “How about…Slim Maverick.”
Mickey snorted. “How about Complete Tosser?”
“We’ll figure out the name thing when we get you three to Jack,” Rose said, helping Gareth to settle back down in his chair.
“You’re not coming with us, then,” Jake said seriously.
Rose pursed her lips and shook her head. “Someone’s gotta take care of this big lug.” She nudged the Doctor. “We’ll drop in, though, won’t we?”
The Doctor nodded. “Oh, yes. If we don’t Jack will have a fit.”
They ate the rest of their meal, talking animatedly and laughing at jokes and stories. Rose felt a deep sadness that this would be the first and last time all of these people would sit together like this. She’d miss her family, but she felt confident that they would get along without her, and vice versa. They’re paths split at this crossroads, and it was nearly time to say goodbye.
“Okay, everybody,” Jackie said, getting up and interrupting Rose’s thoughts. “Upstairs to get ready for the party. People will be arriving soon.”
Rose got up, and the Doctor tried to tug her toward the stairway, but she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around her mother. “I love you, Mum.”
Jackie sniffled. “Oh, don’t you start.”
“I do.”
“I know, Sweetheart. I love you, too.”
Rose closed her eyes and held on tighter.
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Reunion
Spoilers: All Who stuff
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Characters: Ten/Rose, Jackie, Pete, Tyler offspring, Mickey, Jake
Summary: The Doctor makes his way back to a wiser Rose, but things are not as cut and dry as he'd hoped. They have one weekend to decide where they stand, what they want, and where that leaves them.
A/N: This got a lot...fluffier than I thought it would.
Under the cut.
It was three in the morning, and Rose and the Doctor were the only ones still awake in the Tyler house; lying on Rose’s bed, talking quietly. They had been since everyone else had turned in after Nigel had finally left.
Being the only conscious occupants of the house, they were the only ones who heard the knock on the door. They looked at each other curiously, and Rose got up and walked out into the hallway and down the stairs.
He followed, sonic screwdriver in hand, as the knocking persisted.
Rose cracked the door opened and peeked out. She then sighed heavily and opened it all the way. “Well?”
The man on the other side of the door was of medium height, with tanned skin, bright red hair, big blue eyes and a giant, drunken grin. “Rosie!”
She rolled her eyes. “Will you keep it down? My parents and brother are sleeping.”
“Then they are missing the best bloody part of the day,” the man replied, stumbling in and bumping into the Doctor. “Hello. You’re well fit. Fancy a shag?”
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow.
Rose pinched the bridge of her nose. “What happened to Sri Lanka?”
The redhead turned to her. “Finished. And then went to Bangkok. Ha! Bangkok! I love that name. And then I was in the Caribbean for two days, and I drank a whole lot of rum. And when I got home, I kept drinking rum.” He held up a bottle. “See? Rum. Want some?”
Rose took a deep breath and let it out. “Doctor, this is Agent ‘Slim’ Jimmy Stone. Former Preacher, and current undercover seek and destroy operative for Torchwood. Also? He’s an alcoholic. Just like his universal counterpart.”
“Another suitor of yours?” the Doctor asked curiously.
She rolled her eyes. “Like I’d ever go out with another Jimmy Stone.” She shook her head and took Jimmy by the arm to keep him upright. “He used to work with Mickey, Jake and I, but he was such a loose cannon we couldn’t handle it.”
“Speaking of, I heard they were here,” Jimmy said with a smile. “Think they’d have me?”
“If you asked nicely, they’d probably give you a polite no,” Rose replied.
Jimmy pouted, but he smiled. “We could shag!”
Rose smirked and nodded towards the Doctor. “I’m taken.”
Jimmy looked to the Doctor and then back to Rose. “Very nice.”
Rose smiled, the tip of her tongue poking out. “I know. Now. Let’s get you on a couch for the night.”
Jimmy sighed heavily. “Fine…”
Rose gave the Doctor an apologetic look, before pulling Jimmy into the other room. When she walked back in, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Sorry.”
The Doctor pursed his lips, but said nothing.
“Look, he’s just a friend,” Rose said. “He’s different from the other Jimmy, an’ we get on okay. He an’ Jake go way back, and we all work together. He’s mostly into other men anyways, and-“
The Doctor smirked.
She stopped. “You’re not jealous.”
He shook his head.
“You just let me think you were.”
He shrugged.
They stood in silence.
Rose huffed and stormed passed him. “You are so not getting any tonight.”
The Doctor blinked, and pouted, before rushing after her. “Rose…”
*****
The next morning, Rose woke from a comfortable sleep, cuddled up into the Doctor and smiled, feeling his slightly cooler skin against hers.
He kissed her ear. “And you said I wasn’t going to get any last night,” he teased.
She shoved at him gently. “Shut it, you. Just be lucky I’m forgiving.”
“I am very lucky,” he said replied.
Rose smiled again and lifted her head to look at him. She smoothed down his wild hair. “Hello.”
“Hello,” the Doctor replied quietly. “We’re leaving tonight.”
She nodded. “Yeah, we are.”
“You’re sure.”
“Yup.”
“You’re absolutely positive?”
“Yup.” She bit her lip and sat up all the way, pulling the sheet up over her bare chest. “Are you?”
He didn’t’ reply.
“Well?”
“Part of me still wants to stay here,” he told her. “I don’t want to face things back home…”
Rose leaned down and kissed his nose. “You have to.”
The Doctor nodded. “Yeah. Still. I’ve got you now.”
She smiled. “You have.” She took his hand. “You’ve got me.” She leaned down farther to kiss him, but stopped when she heard yelling from downstairs. “Mum’s found Jimmy. And he’s probably naked.”
“Will you kiss me anyways?” he asked.
She did, falling over onto him.
“ROSE!” Jackie shouted. “GET DOWN HERE AND TELL JIMMY TO PUT SOME PANTS ON.”
Rose laughed into the kiss and pulled away. “Won’t it be nice when it’s just us? And there’s no one to interrupt?”
The Doctor nodded. “I’m looking forward to it.”
She grinned and got out of bed. She began to gather up clothing. She pulled them on, still staring at the Doctor, before walking out of her bedroom, and making her way down the stairs. She was almost run down by a couple of caterers.
“Mum! What’s going on?”
“Jimmy won’t put his trousers on!” Jackie cried from the kitchen.
“No,” Rose replied, dodging a decorator and walking to her mother. “What’s with the event crew?”
“Well, I know you’re leaving tonight…”
Rose gave her a pleading look. “Please tell me you didn’t put together a last minute fancy party.”
“It’s a cocktail farewell party,” Jackie told her. “Nothing big.”
Rose deflated and turned around to find Jimmy, naked as the day he was born, standing in the doorway. “Oh for- Jimmy, where’s your kit?!”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I think one of the caterers took it. Wants me to stay naked.” He grinned in a ‘who could blame them?’ kind of way.
“Blimey, Slim!” Jake cried as he walked down the stairs. “Is it national naked day already?”
“It’s always naked day where Jimmy is concerned,” Mickey said, walking in and pouring himself a cup of tea. “Where’s the Doctor?”
Rose sighed. “Upstairs. Pour me a couple of teas, yeah? I’ll take one up to him.”
Jimmy snickered.
Rose turned to him. “What?”
“You got shagged last night.”
“And what of it?”
“You haven’t gotten a good shagging since before we met,” Jimmy told her. “You’re glowing.”
Rose rolled her eyes and took the two cups Mickey offered her. She turned to Jackie. “Do we have to have a party?”
“Yes.”
She sighed.
*****
“So they’re actually cutting our funding,” Mickey said.
He and Jake were sitting on the floor of Rose’s room, watching her pack up some of her things. The Doctor was in the TARDIS with the door open. Jimmy was circling the box, obviously a little hung over, and obviously trying to comprehend its existence.
“Bigger on the inside,” Jimmy said.
“Yes,” the Doctor replied.
“Great pick-up line, mate.”
The Doctor poked his head out and looked to the other three. “Is that all he ever thinks about?”
“Pretty much,” Rose nodded. “Jimmy, did you hear that? Our funding is cut.”
Jimmy nodded. “Right. Yeah, I heard. Fuck ‘em.”
“It means we can’t operate legally anymore,” Jake said. “We’ll be stuck at headquarters.”
Jimmy shrugged. “Then I’m quitting.”
“It’s crossed my mind, too,” Jake said. “What’s the point of being in Torchwood if we can’t do our jobs?”
The Doctor stepped all the way out of the TARDIS and closed the door. “There might be a solution.”
Before he could go on, there was a knock on the door, and Nigel stepped into the room. “Rose, are you-…Oh. Hello, all. I was just…wondering if Rose was…” he spotted her. “Hello.”
She nodded as she folded a sweater into a suitcase. “Hi.”
“What are you doing?”
“Packing.”
“You’re leaving.”
“Yeah.”
Nigel nodded. “I heard. Your mother is throwing a party because of it.”
Rose nodded back. “Yeah, she is.”
“When are you leaving again?”
“Tonight.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah.”
“I was actually wondering if we could do lunch,” Nigel said.
“Now?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
Rose bit her lip. “I’m a bit busy.”
“Oh, come on, just lunch. My treat.”
Jimmy snorted.
Nigel glared. “Ah. Agent Stone. You’re back from your exile in Thailand.”
“Caribbean,” Jimmy corrected. “Bangkok was before that.”
“How nice.”
“You know all about Bangkok, don’t you Nigey, old boy,” Jimmy grinned.
Nigel rolled his eyes. “Charming to the last, as always.”
Rose sighed. “I’m sorry, Nigel. Between wedding planning and packing and wrapping things up with Dad and helping Mum with this silly party tonight, I just don’t have the time.”
Nigel frowned. “But you have time for…for them?” he gestured toward Mickey, Jake and Jimmy.
“We’re talking shop,” Rose replied. “This is important.”
“And what I have to say isn’t important,” Nigel said.
Jimmy chuckled. “Now he’s getting it.”
The Doctor grinned a little. “Now, Jimmy. Don’t be rude.”
Rose turned and gave the Doctor an amused look.
“What I have to say is quite important, actually,” Nigel said hurriedly, glancing disapprovingly at the Doctor. “You need to know.”
“A’right,” Rose said, turning back to him. “Let’s here it then.”
Nigel opened his mouth, but shut it. “I’d rather tell you in private.”
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow, feeling a slight wave of jealousy hit him at the possibility of Rose acquiescing to Nigel’s request.
Rose bit her lip. “I really need to pack, Nigel.”
The Doctor grinned slightly, but tried to hide it with a cough.
“Maybe we can talk tonight at the party, yeah?” Rose said, turning back to her wardrobe and pulling a couple of items out.
Nigel stood stiffly. “Yes. Well. Tonight, then.” With that, he walked out, closing the door behind him.
Jimmy grumbled and pulled out a cigarette.
“Oi,” Rose laughed. “Not in the house.”
“Nigel seems a bit…quieter,” Mickey pointed out.
“He did have quite the shock last night,” the Doctor said. “Though I wonder what he’s got to tell you.”
Rose sighed. “Probably that he loves me more than you do, and that he’ll take better care of me.”
“Well, that isn’t true,” the Doctor said quietly.
Rose pursed her lips and walked over, wrapping her arms around him. “There’s nothing to be jealous of.”
“I’m not jealous,” he replied.
The other three boys snickered, and Rose glared at them. “Out, you three.”
“Not until we hear the Doc’s solution to our funds being cut,” Mickey smiled.
The Doctor grimaced. “It’s not so much a solution as…well…a change of location…”
*****
Rose sighed as she walked down the stairs and into the dining room. Her parents and brother were waiting, along with Mickey, Jake and Jimmy. The Doctor was trailing along behind her. She down next to Gareth and kissed the top of his head.
“Why do you have to go, Rose?” Gareth asked.
Rose sighed and hugged him. “Because I have a whole other life that I miss very much.” She looked at him and smiled. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t think about you all the time.”
Gareth stood up on the chair and hugged her properly. “I love you, Rosie.”
She smiled. “I love you, too.”
Jackie smiled sadly at them as one of the servers brought the food out for them. “Can’t believe you’re all leaving.”
Mickey grinned at Jackie. “What? You’re gonna miss us bein’ embarrassing at all your parties?”
“I’m gonna miss you lot period,” Jackie replied.
Pete sighed. “Hate to lose all of you lot to the other universe…”
“We’ve outgrown our usefulness,” Jake said with a smile. “There’s no room for our kinda running around here anymore.”
Jimmy nodded. “No one wants anything blown up anymore.”
The Doctor gave a heavy sigh. “Oh, Jack is either going to love you or hate you, Jimmy Stone.” He paused. “Mind you, you’re gonna have to get your name changed, since there’s already a Jimmy Stone running about back home.”
“That’s okay!” Jimmy smiled, shoveling food into his mouth. “How about…Slim Maverick.”
Mickey snorted. “How about Complete Tosser?”
“We’ll figure out the name thing when we get you three to Jack,” Rose said, helping Gareth to settle back down in his chair.
“You’re not coming with us, then,” Jake said seriously.
Rose pursed her lips and shook her head. “Someone’s gotta take care of this big lug.” She nudged the Doctor. “We’ll drop in, though, won’t we?”
The Doctor nodded. “Oh, yes. If we don’t Jack will have a fit.”
They ate the rest of their meal, talking animatedly and laughing at jokes and stories. Rose felt a deep sadness that this would be the first and last time all of these people would sit together like this. She’d miss her family, but she felt confident that they would get along without her, and vice versa. They’re paths split at this crossroads, and it was nearly time to say goodbye.
“Okay, everybody,” Jackie said, getting up and interrupting Rose’s thoughts. “Upstairs to get ready for the party. People will be arriving soon.”
Rose got up, and the Doctor tried to tug her toward the stairway, but she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around her mother. “I love you, Mum.”
Jackie sniffled. “Oh, don’t you start.”
“I do.”
“I know, Sweetheart. I love you, too.”
Rose closed her eyes and held on tighter.