Better 9/?
Title: Better (9/?)
Pairing: Human Doctor/Rose, mentioning of Nine/Rose, Ten/Rose
Rating: Teen
Timeline: After Journey's End
Summary:
The Doctor is traveling on new territory - a human body with a very human single heart, no Tardis, and no time & space. But there's Rose - and all the emotions that resurface with her return. All he wants to do is be with her - but it's not going to be that easy.
A/N: This is a short chapter because the next one is going to be a difficult one to write (imo) so I need time to really plan it out. Enjoy!
Want to read from the beginning? Start here
After spending some time at a couple more clothing stores where Rose bought the Doctor 3 pairs of Converse trainers (one red, one black, one grey with black laces), several plain t shirts, jumpers and jeans, they were famished and headed off to a nearby café inside the center. Rose asked him to find them a booth while she went to order something for them. She watched him walk away. They hadn’t really talked all that much since their chat earlier and Rose was mildly surprised at how uncomfortable she suddenly felt at the idea of sitting across from him.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to him about her fears and how these past years were for her. She just didn’t want to talk to anyone. Period. She’d spent the years since him closing into her own shell and letting people see what they wanted to see. It was the quickest way to get them to stop asking her questions.
She didn’t tell the Doctor, but that first year after being lost…well, it was difficult. More than difficult, really. That sort of talk would only make him feel worse, and what good would that do either one of them?
The man behind the counter asked her for her order. She settled on a burger, chips and a banana milkshake for the Doctor and a club sandwich, chips for herself and some water. He assured her that they would take it to their table and so she headed towards the booth in the back that the Doctor had chosen for them.
Her nerves were firing and slight pain tingled from her fingertips. It was a reaction she had started to experience after their separation. She felt it when she was nervous or emotionally hurt. Rose sat down across from the Doctor and figured that honesty was the only way she was going to get through this… the only way they both were going to get through it. She decided she would answer any questions he might have. And, since it was him, she was sure there would be questions.
The Doctor looked at her, his eyes searching over any edge he could find. Her face, her hair…shoulders, arms…hands. It made her feel as if it were the first day of class and she was stark naked in front of everyone. She placed her hands under the table and twiddled with the hem of her jumper.
“Rose…”
“I ordered you a hamburger and chips. And a banana milkshake. I hope that’s okay,” she had interrupted him.
He sighed and smiled half-heartedly, “Of course. Bananas are good.”
It was amazing how a simple phrase could have her reeling. The words made her heart pang. So much had changed since she first heard them.
“But Rose…we’re going to have to talk about…things.”
His hands fidgeted and she knew that it was just as, if not more, hard for him as it was for her. She let the feeling calm her nerves slightly.
“You can…you can ask me what you like Doctor,” she concentrated on the piece of table in front of her, quite afraid of the feelings that were on the verge of spilling over.
Rose could feel his stare on her. It caused chills to run up and down her spine. She couldn’t fathom how he could be out there in the universe (was he okay, she wondered) and still be there in front of her. Were they really the same man? Could he love her too? Did he already?
She had to control her emotions - but it was as if a floodgate had been opened. So much time had been spent hiding her feelings. After that first year…she just never wanted to open it up again. Not unless he was there next to her.
And now he was, sort of. So, why did she shake with the thought of those feelings finally pouring out?
“Rose…”
This time he was interrupted by the waiter settling their plates of food on the table. He was young, maybe a year or two younger than her. She noticed that his eyes lingered on her longer than was usual. Rose simply smiled kindly and stirred some lemon juice from the wedge they gave her into her water. The waiter then left after placing some extra napkins near the edge of the table.
She looked up at the Doctor and saw that he was slightly pouting. Rose smiled despite her inner turmoil. She had missed that pout.
“You okay Doctor? Not what you wanted to eat?” she doubted that was it as his food looked more inviting than hers.
He tilted his head as he looked at her, “Every man keeps looking at you.”
Her eyes widened and she was glad she hadn’t taken a sip of her water. She probably would have sprayed him with it.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, honestly curious.
The Doctor made an exasperated noise from the back of his throat and ran a hand through his hair. “Just seems like every bloke you come in contact with is instantly infatuated with you. Not that I don’t understand it…”
“Are you…jealous of the waiter?” Her forehead crinkled. The Doctor in the Tardis wasn’t as open with his jealousy as his human counterpart was currently being.
“I, I can’t help it. I’m used to everyone looking at you, it’s just different now…I suppose,” he picked up a chip and tossed it into his mouth. He was still pouting.
Sighing, she replied, “First of all, not everyone stares at me. Second of all, of course it’s different now. You’re human. That’s how…we feel sometimes,” it was true, of course. But she didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. Even if the conclusions might be right there in front of her. All she had to do was leap.
The Doctor tugged at his left ear and looked at her. “Yeah, I’m gettin’ that.” Then he picked up his burger and began to eat. She did the same with her sandwich and much to her surprise, that’s how the rest of the meal unfolded. The occasional glance and smile. Some chit-chat. But all of it was silence. Every second of it.
It made the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach feel more like a never ending chasm.
***
They were back in the car. He had hoped the day would have brought some answers, but now he was afraid of asking the questions. The look on her face when she had told him that there had been no one for her in as many years that they had been apart broke something in him. He wasn’t going to leave her and he wanted for them to be more than companions, mates, whatever they currently were. But how could he get to that point if he couldn’t even bring himself to ask her what that first year or months as she put it - her timeline was a bit interchangeable in her description, which worried him - were like? He was afraid of what he’d find once he re-opened that wound. How could she look at him after all the pain he caused?
It wasn’t difficult to look at her. Not for him. He’d spent innumerable moments just thinking about her. Everything about her and wondering if she was okay off in this other world.
No, for him, her image was a reminder of why he had to keep moving on. Not because he knew he would eventually see her again, but because she would have wanted him to.
But what was his image for her? A painful reminder of the day they were torn away from each other. Of the day she had admitted her feelings only to have him respond the way he had. A reminder that there would never be another big blue box. He was no longer her Time Lord. He was just…what he was. But he still wanted to be hers.
But would she have him?
The Doctor looked out the window, not able to look at Rose. Lunch had been filled with mindless conversation. She’d catch him looking at her from time to time - he would simply avert his eyes to someplace else.
She was stunning, but she had always been that.
He startled when he felt the touch of her hand on his. Her fingertips playfully skimmed his knuckles. The touch surprised him and he looked at her, despite his thoughts. Rose smiled sadly up at him. Her touch grew bolder as she intertwined her fingers with his, their palms meeting in the warmest and gentlest of touches. He grinned at her, a bit fuller than the tepid smiles he had given her at the café.
Rose smiled back and she inched closer to him on the seat. She settled her head on his shoulder and hugged his arm tight to her. His heart skipped a beat. Each thump reminded him of how very human he was. Her touch made his body react in numerous ways - his pulse raced, his skin chilled, his breath faltered and…well, other areas were quite aware of how close she was to him.
How exhausting. And exhilarating. It worried him.
“Doctor,” she spoke up suddenly, “we’ll talk, once we’re back at the flat, yeah?” Rose tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes worried.
“Yeah, we will,” he whispered to her and settled his head to rest on hers for the rest of the drive home.
***
Ten
Pairing: Human Doctor/Rose, mentioning of Nine/Rose, Ten/Rose
Rating: Teen
Timeline: After Journey's End
Summary:
The Doctor is traveling on new territory - a human body with a very human single heart, no Tardis, and no time & space. But there's Rose - and all the emotions that resurface with her return. All he wants to do is be with her - but it's not going to be that easy.
A/N: This is a short chapter because the next one is going to be a difficult one to write (imo) so I need time to really plan it out. Enjoy!
Want to read from the beginning? Start here
After spending some time at a couple more clothing stores where Rose bought the Doctor 3 pairs of Converse trainers (one red, one black, one grey with black laces), several plain t shirts, jumpers and jeans, they were famished and headed off to a nearby café inside the center. Rose asked him to find them a booth while she went to order something for them. She watched him walk away. They hadn’t really talked all that much since their chat earlier and Rose was mildly surprised at how uncomfortable she suddenly felt at the idea of sitting across from him.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to him about her fears and how these past years were for her. She just didn’t want to talk to anyone. Period. She’d spent the years since him closing into her own shell and letting people see what they wanted to see. It was the quickest way to get them to stop asking her questions.
She didn’t tell the Doctor, but that first year after being lost…well, it was difficult. More than difficult, really. That sort of talk would only make him feel worse, and what good would that do either one of them?
The man behind the counter asked her for her order. She settled on a burger, chips and a banana milkshake for the Doctor and a club sandwich, chips for herself and some water. He assured her that they would take it to their table and so she headed towards the booth in the back that the Doctor had chosen for them.
Her nerves were firing and slight pain tingled from her fingertips. It was a reaction she had started to experience after their separation. She felt it when she was nervous or emotionally hurt. Rose sat down across from the Doctor and figured that honesty was the only way she was going to get through this… the only way they both were going to get through it. She decided she would answer any questions he might have. And, since it was him, she was sure there would be questions.
The Doctor looked at her, his eyes searching over any edge he could find. Her face, her hair…shoulders, arms…hands. It made her feel as if it were the first day of class and she was stark naked in front of everyone. She placed her hands under the table and twiddled with the hem of her jumper.
“Rose…”
“I ordered you a hamburger and chips. And a banana milkshake. I hope that’s okay,” she had interrupted him.
He sighed and smiled half-heartedly, “Of course. Bananas are good.”
It was amazing how a simple phrase could have her reeling. The words made her heart pang. So much had changed since she first heard them.
“But Rose…we’re going to have to talk about…things.”
His hands fidgeted and she knew that it was just as, if not more, hard for him as it was for her. She let the feeling calm her nerves slightly.
“You can…you can ask me what you like Doctor,” she concentrated on the piece of table in front of her, quite afraid of the feelings that were on the verge of spilling over.
Rose could feel his stare on her. It caused chills to run up and down her spine. She couldn’t fathom how he could be out there in the universe (was he okay, she wondered) and still be there in front of her. Were they really the same man? Could he love her too? Did he already?
She had to control her emotions - but it was as if a floodgate had been opened. So much time had been spent hiding her feelings. After that first year…she just never wanted to open it up again. Not unless he was there next to her.
And now he was, sort of. So, why did she shake with the thought of those feelings finally pouring out?
“Rose…”
This time he was interrupted by the waiter settling their plates of food on the table. He was young, maybe a year or two younger than her. She noticed that his eyes lingered on her longer than was usual. Rose simply smiled kindly and stirred some lemon juice from the wedge they gave her into her water. The waiter then left after placing some extra napkins near the edge of the table.
She looked up at the Doctor and saw that he was slightly pouting. Rose smiled despite her inner turmoil. She had missed that pout.
“You okay Doctor? Not what you wanted to eat?” she doubted that was it as his food looked more inviting than hers.
He tilted his head as he looked at her, “Every man keeps looking at you.”
Her eyes widened and she was glad she hadn’t taken a sip of her water. She probably would have sprayed him with it.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, honestly curious.
The Doctor made an exasperated noise from the back of his throat and ran a hand through his hair. “Just seems like every bloke you come in contact with is instantly infatuated with you. Not that I don’t understand it…”
“Are you…jealous of the waiter?” Her forehead crinkled. The Doctor in the Tardis wasn’t as open with his jealousy as his human counterpart was currently being.
“I, I can’t help it. I’m used to everyone looking at you, it’s just different now…I suppose,” he picked up a chip and tossed it into his mouth. He was still pouting.
Sighing, she replied, “First of all, not everyone stares at me. Second of all, of course it’s different now. You’re human. That’s how…we feel sometimes,” it was true, of course. But she didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. Even if the conclusions might be right there in front of her. All she had to do was leap.
The Doctor tugged at his left ear and looked at her. “Yeah, I’m gettin’ that.” Then he picked up his burger and began to eat. She did the same with her sandwich and much to her surprise, that’s how the rest of the meal unfolded. The occasional glance and smile. Some chit-chat. But all of it was silence. Every second of it.
It made the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach feel more like a never ending chasm.
***
They were back in the car. He had hoped the day would have brought some answers, but now he was afraid of asking the questions. The look on her face when she had told him that there had been no one for her in as many years that they had been apart broke something in him. He wasn’t going to leave her and he wanted for them to be more than companions, mates, whatever they currently were. But how could he get to that point if he couldn’t even bring himself to ask her what that first year or months as she put it - her timeline was a bit interchangeable in her description, which worried him - were like? He was afraid of what he’d find once he re-opened that wound. How could she look at him after all the pain he caused?
It wasn’t difficult to look at her. Not for him. He’d spent innumerable moments just thinking about her. Everything about her and wondering if she was okay off in this other world.
No, for him, her image was a reminder of why he had to keep moving on. Not because he knew he would eventually see her again, but because she would have wanted him to.
But what was his image for her? A painful reminder of the day they were torn away from each other. Of the day she had admitted her feelings only to have him respond the way he had. A reminder that there would never be another big blue box. He was no longer her Time Lord. He was just…what he was. But he still wanted to be hers.
But would she have him?
The Doctor looked out the window, not able to look at Rose. Lunch had been filled with mindless conversation. She’d catch him looking at her from time to time - he would simply avert his eyes to someplace else.
She was stunning, but she had always been that.
He startled when he felt the touch of her hand on his. Her fingertips playfully skimmed his knuckles. The touch surprised him and he looked at her, despite his thoughts. Rose smiled sadly up at him. Her touch grew bolder as she intertwined her fingers with his, their palms meeting in the warmest and gentlest of touches. He grinned at her, a bit fuller than the tepid smiles he had given her at the café.
Rose smiled back and she inched closer to him on the seat. She settled her head on his shoulder and hugged his arm tight to her. His heart skipped a beat. Each thump reminded him of how very human he was. Her touch made his body react in numerous ways - his pulse raced, his skin chilled, his breath faltered and…well, other areas were quite aware of how close she was to him.
How exhausting. And exhilarating. It worried him.
“Doctor,” she spoke up suddenly, “we’ll talk, once we’re back at the flat, yeah?” Rose tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes worried.
“Yeah, we will,” he whispered to her and settled his head to rest on hers for the rest of the drive home.
***
Ten