Defenders of the Earth, Chapter 17/?
Title: Defenders of the Earth
Author: onabearskinrug
Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose, with Jackie, Pete, Jake, Mickey, and others
Rating: ADULT
Summary: AU "Doomsday." Trapped in Pete's World, Rose and the Doctor attempt to find their way back to the TARDIS while navigating Torchwood, meddling family members, and (as per usual) threats to humanity.
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. Any recognizable characters belong to the BBC.
Author's Notes: Thank you to callistawolf, kelkat9, timelord1, and who_in_whoville for all of the help with this chapter and pretty much the entire story.
Also, an amazing lady by the name of six made me a fabulous banner! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!! :-D
Catch up here!
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
Despite the fact that they were supposed to be relaxing, the Doctor made the next three days a whirlwind of activity. They were tourists from seven in the morning until late into the night, taking in the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, baseball games, eating hot dogs from street carts and carousing through Times Square. He took Rose shopping at Barney's and she cringed at the price tags, despite the fact that the staff simpered and catered to her like she was a celebrity. To Rose's surprise, the Doctor actually purchased several suits in labels like Armani and Ralph Lauren, each one draping gorgeously over his slim frame like they were made for him alone.
When the salespeople were out of earshot, Rose tugged the Doctor to the side. "I hate to be the sensible one here, I know we've got credit cards now but that's no reason to go crazy. We could get suits just as nice for you back in London for half the price..."
"Don't you worry about that, Rose," he said, tweaking her nose affectionately and turning back to the mirror to admire the lovely, deep blue suit.
"But why not? I'm not entirely comfortable spending this much on clothes you know..."
"Don't worry!"
"We aren't using Pete's money for this, are we?"
He turned and gave her a withering look. "Rose, please. What do you think of this one?"
"'S gorgeous, but..."
"Have you noticed all the gadgets I've cobbled together in the last few weeks? Well, Pete did. So did the President. Turns out inventing for Torchwood is quite...lucrative. Sell a few patents, and money apparently appears in our joint checking account. So don't. Worry."
"What, seriously?" Rose asked him, mouth agape. "We have a joint checking account?"
"Oh, yes. The things I've done for you, Rose Tyler."
"How did I not know about any of this?"
"I didn't tell you? Must have slipped my mind. You know me, completely rubbish at things like this. Money and banking and domestics..." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before taking her hands and met her gaze. "I knew you wouldn't be comfortable living off Pete while we're here and I just...want to take care of you. Give you the best. Isn't that what blokes are supposed to do for their women?"
Rose smirked. "I'm sorry...their women?"
"In a manner of speaking..." He grinned at Rose. "Besides, I seem to remember someone stealing my only suit. It makes sense to purchase a few more in case the thief decides to strike again. And these happen to be very well-made. I'd rather spend the money and have them last than have to buy new ones in a few months."
Rose returned his grin, her tongue caught teasingly between her teeth. "Listen to you, Mr. Savvy shopper. We gonna start warehouse shopping? Ten gallon vat of beans that it will take us five years to go through?"
"Cheeky," he told her. "Now, if there is anything that you need, I suggest you get it now. Because you will not be dragging me into a fancy department store for anything less than living plastic for at least a year."
Rose did end up buying a top for her mum and a pair of cufflinks for Pete, but found that the type of clothing lines the store carried didn't exactly appeal to her. She did, however, have a grand time slinking secretly around the lingerie section, choosing tiny underthings and soft, touchable sleepwear that she knew the Doctor would appreciate. In fact, she broke out one of the exceptionally pretty pieces that evening and he spent a great deal of time demonstrating said appreciation
He took her to the Empire State Building the final day of their stay after an uncharacteristically lazy morning and afternoon spent almost entirely in bed. It was evening, the sun having just set and the city lights twinkling like precious stones all around them. It was breathtaking. They had seen so many beautiful worlds, so many incredible things that Rose often forgot the beauty her own planet was capable of.
The Doctor had come up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against him. Despite the fact that it was late May, it was rather cool and windy 102 stories up, and Rose tugged the edges of his long coat around them. Even though he always ran a few degrees cooler than she did, the coat made a lovely caccoon of warmth around them. She leaned back against him, content to stand close and stare at the incredible site of New York City spread out before them.
"Did you know," he whispered low in her ear. "The Empire State Building is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in your era. Tallest building in the world for over 30 years, and the first building ever with over 100 floors. And one of the most amazing views I have ever seen."
"Really? That's saying something, considering where you've been!"
"I wasn't talking about New York."
Rose started, shocked by the sudden low, raw quality to his voice. She turned slowly to face him, the look in his eyes taking her breath away. He was gazing at her like she was the most precious thing in all of the universe, the somehow simultaneous tenderness and and intensity almost too much for her to bear.
"Doctor..."
He brought his fingers up to press gently against her lips, silencing her. "No, no...I need to say something. Rose Tyler...I've seen the birth and death of stars, I've seen the suns rise and set in every corner of the galaxy. I have seen life created and history made right in front of me. And still, I look at you and my breath catches. You remain the most glorious sight I have ever beheld in nearly a millennia of existence."
Rose could only gape at him, her eyes filling with tears at his beautiful words as he kept on going.
"We're going back to London tomorrow. And we're going to hook you up to machines that monitor your brain activity to see if your mind can sustain a permanent bond with mine. The fact that you are willing to tie yourself to me in the tradition of my people..." His eyes closed and he took in a deep breath. "I wanted you to know that, even if we can't, it doesn't matter to me. Even if we find out that we can't have this, it doesn't change how..." He trailed off, voice cracking on the next words. "...how I feel about you."
"Doctor..." she finally managed to croak out, her voice choked with tears.
"You told me once that you would stay with me forever," he barreled on. He met her gaze, eyes shining. "Do you mean that? Do you want forever with me? With this broken old man who can't breathe without you? Can't even exist? Can't even fathom any life, day after day on Earth or traveling through time and space, without Rose Tyler by his side?"
In that moment, staring down into the Doctor's chocolate brown eyes, laid bare and raw with emotion, something occurred to Rose. Her heart swelled and for some odd reason, she realized just how rare it had been before landing in Pete’s World that they actually talked.
She started a bit at the thought, but couldn't stop it from barreling on. The Doctor was not one for long, in-depth conversations, and they'd had precious little down time on the TARDIS to really get to know each other. Despite the fact that they'd already managed several adventures since coming into this universe, they’d also spent a great deal of time together, just chatting quietly and enjoying one another’s comforting presence. It wasn't their norm, but it was a time she knew they both had come to cherish.
Rose had realized long ago how much she cared for him, and never had any doubt that she wanted to stay with him for the rest of her life, but the feeling that overtook her in that singular moment, with the Doctor standing before her and offering her a lifetime, was...profound. A piece she never knew was missing suddenly slid into place, warmth suffusing her entire being as she realized just how deeply her feelings ran. Over the last three weeks of being trapped together, when their fragile new relationship could have crumbled under the tragedy of losing the TARDIS and their lives shifting so dramatically into something that slightly resembled “domestic,” they had blossomed into something that could truly last. She had labeled her feelings for him early on as “love,” back when he’d worn a leather jacket and sounded like he was from the North. And that had been accurate, as far as her understanding of the emotion had ran at the time. Now she was a bit older, a bit wiser, and she realized that the Doctor wasn’t her protector, her superior, or even the mad alien who showed her the stars.
He was her One.
"Of course I meant that," Rose whispered, reaching up to lovingly cup his cheek, heart swelling as he turned to nuzzle at her palm. "My Doctor. I'm yours, for as long as I have."
"I was hoping you'd say that. Now listen carefully because this next bit is very, very important. I don't care what the exams say. I don't care if we have one year or a hundred together, I don't care if we can sustain a permanent bond or if we merely have to carry on with what we have. I need you to know that...I'm yours. Always, completely and for the rest of our lives...just yours."
Rose couldn't speak around the lump in her throat. Instead she pulled his face to hers and kissed him, trying to infuse the gesture with everything she felt for him, with all of the love that was swelling up in her chest at that moment and when she finally pulled away for air, even the Doctor was panting.
"We need to leave," Rose whispered. "Immediately."
"Leave?" the Doctor replied, furrowing his brows and looking adorably confused. "But we just got here! And I've made dinner reservations..."
"Sod dinner reservations," she told him, leaning in to kiss him once more and making a real attempt to project her emotions through the tiny spark in her mind that she'd come to recognize as their link.
The Doctor gasped as he pulled away, his eyes wide. "Right, right...yes, leaving. Brilliant." He grabbed her hand and grinned. "Allons-y, Rose Tyler!"
*******
Rose and the Doctor ended up ordering Chinese takeout in the middle of the night, talking and eating and laughing well past any semblance of a reasonable hour. In fact, the sun was just coming up when Rose drifted off, only having to wake up less than three hours later to gather their things and catch their afternoon zeppelin back to London. She found the Doctor's brown pinstripes safely tucked away in his pillow case, just as Mickey said they would be, and she had to giggle at the little note pinned to the lapel.
Dear Doctor, it's really just best to do as your girlfriend says. You'll be happier in the end. Sincerely, the Pinstripe Troll
The commercial flight back was uneventful, Rose dozing much of the time while the Doctor a few of the long historical textbooks he'd loaded on an e-reader. Rose had convinced him to buy one when she pointed out that he didn't always have the luxury of bigger-on-the-inside pockets and taking a suitcase full of hardcovers with them everywhere was incredibly impractical. He was thrilled with the device, modifying it to have double the memory and extending the battery life. Rose had made a mental note to always buy him gadgets for future holidays.
The zeppelin landed at approximately 3 AM London time, and they didn't have much energy to spare as they loaded into a cab and were left off at the darkened mansion at half past four. Rose wasted no time collapsing into bed, the Doctor opting to stay up and tinker. He woke her up at half eight and even as she groaned and protested, her excitement at seeing her mum and Pete after a week and a half away grew steadily as she washed up.
Rose dressed quickly and was tying her hair back as she and the Doctor made their way into the kitchen. She grinned broadly at her mum and Pete, sitting close together at the table and each of them gripping ceramic mugs.
"Mum!" she exclaimed, running over to give Jackie a hug. "How are you? I missed you!"
"I missed you too, love. How was your trip?"
"Oh, it was brilliant! We brought presents from Barney's! Oh, and we saw CATS and went to a Yankees game, the Doctor even got one of those giant foam fingers..."
She continued to chatter on about New York and she and the Doctor gathered supplies for tea and toast. He interrupted where appropriate, adding details that she may have forgotten. They moved towards the table and gave Jackie and Pete broad smiles as they sat down and dug into their breakfast.
"Rose, Doctor, we've got something to tell you..." Pete began hesitantly, taking advantage of the opportunity their mouthfuls of food presented.
Rose glanced at the Doctor, whose eyebrow instantly raised in question. They chewed their toast and swallowed almost simultaneously. "Is everything okay?" Rose asked as she took a gulp of her still-hot tea and winced.
"Well..."
"Rose," Jackie began, reaching out to cover her daughter's hand and taking in a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."
Author: onabearskinrug
Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose, with Jackie, Pete, Jake, Mickey, and others
Rating: ADULT
Summary: AU "Doomsday." Trapped in Pete's World, Rose and the Doctor attempt to find their way back to the TARDIS while navigating Torchwood, meddling family members, and (as per usual) threats to humanity.
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. Any recognizable characters belong to the BBC.
Author's Notes: Thank you to callistawolf, kelkat9, timelord1, and who_in_whoville for all of the help with this chapter and pretty much the entire story.
Also, an amazing lady by the name of six made me a fabulous banner! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!! :-D
Catch up here!
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
Despite the fact that they were supposed to be relaxing, the Doctor made the next three days a whirlwind of activity. They were tourists from seven in the morning until late into the night, taking in the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, baseball games, eating hot dogs from street carts and carousing through Times Square. He took Rose shopping at Barney's and she cringed at the price tags, despite the fact that the staff simpered and catered to her like she was a celebrity. To Rose's surprise, the Doctor actually purchased several suits in labels like Armani and Ralph Lauren, each one draping gorgeously over his slim frame like they were made for him alone.
When the salespeople were out of earshot, Rose tugged the Doctor to the side. "I hate to be the sensible one here, I know we've got credit cards now but that's no reason to go crazy. We could get suits just as nice for you back in London for half the price..."
"Don't you worry about that, Rose," he said, tweaking her nose affectionately and turning back to the mirror to admire the lovely, deep blue suit.
"But why not? I'm not entirely comfortable spending this much on clothes you know..."
"Don't worry!"
"We aren't using Pete's money for this, are we?"
He turned and gave her a withering look. "Rose, please. What do you think of this one?"
"'S gorgeous, but..."
"Have you noticed all the gadgets I've cobbled together in the last few weeks? Well, Pete did. So did the President. Turns out inventing for Torchwood is quite...lucrative. Sell a few patents, and money apparently appears in our joint checking account. So don't. Worry."
"What, seriously?" Rose asked him, mouth agape. "We have a joint checking account?"
"Oh, yes. The things I've done for you, Rose Tyler."
"How did I not know about any of this?"
"I didn't tell you? Must have slipped my mind. You know me, completely rubbish at things like this. Money and banking and domestics..." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before taking her hands and met her gaze. "I knew you wouldn't be comfortable living off Pete while we're here and I just...want to take care of you. Give you the best. Isn't that what blokes are supposed to do for their women?"
Rose smirked. "I'm sorry...their women?"
"In a manner of speaking..." He grinned at Rose. "Besides, I seem to remember someone stealing my only suit. It makes sense to purchase a few more in case the thief decides to strike again. And these happen to be very well-made. I'd rather spend the money and have them last than have to buy new ones in a few months."
Rose returned his grin, her tongue caught teasingly between her teeth. "Listen to you, Mr. Savvy shopper. We gonna start warehouse shopping? Ten gallon vat of beans that it will take us five years to go through?"
"Cheeky," he told her. "Now, if there is anything that you need, I suggest you get it now. Because you will not be dragging me into a fancy department store for anything less than living plastic for at least a year."
Rose did end up buying a top for her mum and a pair of cufflinks for Pete, but found that the type of clothing lines the store carried didn't exactly appeal to her. She did, however, have a grand time slinking secretly around the lingerie section, choosing tiny underthings and soft, touchable sleepwear that she knew the Doctor would appreciate. In fact, she broke out one of the exceptionally pretty pieces that evening and he spent a great deal of time demonstrating said appreciation
He took her to the Empire State Building the final day of their stay after an uncharacteristically lazy morning and afternoon spent almost entirely in bed. It was evening, the sun having just set and the city lights twinkling like precious stones all around them. It was breathtaking. They had seen so many beautiful worlds, so many incredible things that Rose often forgot the beauty her own planet was capable of.
The Doctor had come up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against him. Despite the fact that it was late May, it was rather cool and windy 102 stories up, and Rose tugged the edges of his long coat around them. Even though he always ran a few degrees cooler than she did, the coat made a lovely caccoon of warmth around them. She leaned back against him, content to stand close and stare at the incredible site of New York City spread out before them.
"Did you know," he whispered low in her ear. "The Empire State Building is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in your era. Tallest building in the world for over 30 years, and the first building ever with over 100 floors. And one of the most amazing views I have ever seen."
"Really? That's saying something, considering where you've been!"
"I wasn't talking about New York."
Rose started, shocked by the sudden low, raw quality to his voice. She turned slowly to face him, the look in his eyes taking her breath away. He was gazing at her like she was the most precious thing in all of the universe, the somehow simultaneous tenderness and and intensity almost too much for her to bear.
"Doctor..."
He brought his fingers up to press gently against her lips, silencing her. "No, no...I need to say something. Rose Tyler...I've seen the birth and death of stars, I've seen the suns rise and set in every corner of the galaxy. I have seen life created and history made right in front of me. And still, I look at you and my breath catches. You remain the most glorious sight I have ever beheld in nearly a millennia of existence."
Rose could only gape at him, her eyes filling with tears at his beautiful words as he kept on going.
"We're going back to London tomorrow. And we're going to hook you up to machines that monitor your brain activity to see if your mind can sustain a permanent bond with mine. The fact that you are willing to tie yourself to me in the tradition of my people..." His eyes closed and he took in a deep breath. "I wanted you to know that, even if we can't, it doesn't matter to me. Even if we find out that we can't have this, it doesn't change how..." He trailed off, voice cracking on the next words. "...how I feel about you."
"Doctor..." she finally managed to croak out, her voice choked with tears.
"You told me once that you would stay with me forever," he barreled on. He met her gaze, eyes shining. "Do you mean that? Do you want forever with me? With this broken old man who can't breathe without you? Can't even exist? Can't even fathom any life, day after day on Earth or traveling through time and space, without Rose Tyler by his side?"
In that moment, staring down into the Doctor's chocolate brown eyes, laid bare and raw with emotion, something occurred to Rose. Her heart swelled and for some odd reason, she realized just how rare it had been before landing in Pete’s World that they actually talked.
She started a bit at the thought, but couldn't stop it from barreling on. The Doctor was not one for long, in-depth conversations, and they'd had precious little down time on the TARDIS to really get to know each other. Despite the fact that they'd already managed several adventures since coming into this universe, they’d also spent a great deal of time together, just chatting quietly and enjoying one another’s comforting presence. It wasn't their norm, but it was a time she knew they both had come to cherish.
Rose had realized long ago how much she cared for him, and never had any doubt that she wanted to stay with him for the rest of her life, but the feeling that overtook her in that singular moment, with the Doctor standing before her and offering her a lifetime, was...profound. A piece she never knew was missing suddenly slid into place, warmth suffusing her entire being as she realized just how deeply her feelings ran. Over the last three weeks of being trapped together, when their fragile new relationship could have crumbled under the tragedy of losing the TARDIS and their lives shifting so dramatically into something that slightly resembled “domestic,” they had blossomed into something that could truly last. She had labeled her feelings for him early on as “love,” back when he’d worn a leather jacket and sounded like he was from the North. And that had been accurate, as far as her understanding of the emotion had ran at the time. Now she was a bit older, a bit wiser, and she realized that the Doctor wasn’t her protector, her superior, or even the mad alien who showed her the stars.
He was her One.
"Of course I meant that," Rose whispered, reaching up to lovingly cup his cheek, heart swelling as he turned to nuzzle at her palm. "My Doctor. I'm yours, for as long as I have."
"I was hoping you'd say that. Now listen carefully because this next bit is very, very important. I don't care what the exams say. I don't care if we have one year or a hundred together, I don't care if we can sustain a permanent bond or if we merely have to carry on with what we have. I need you to know that...I'm yours. Always, completely and for the rest of our lives...just yours."
Rose couldn't speak around the lump in her throat. Instead she pulled his face to hers and kissed him, trying to infuse the gesture with everything she felt for him, with all of the love that was swelling up in her chest at that moment and when she finally pulled away for air, even the Doctor was panting.
"We need to leave," Rose whispered. "Immediately."
"Leave?" the Doctor replied, furrowing his brows and looking adorably confused. "But we just got here! And I've made dinner reservations..."
"Sod dinner reservations," she told him, leaning in to kiss him once more and making a real attempt to project her emotions through the tiny spark in her mind that she'd come to recognize as their link.
The Doctor gasped as he pulled away, his eyes wide. "Right, right...yes, leaving. Brilliant." He grabbed her hand and grinned. "Allons-y, Rose Tyler!"
*******
Rose and the Doctor ended up ordering Chinese takeout in the middle of the night, talking and eating and laughing well past any semblance of a reasonable hour. In fact, the sun was just coming up when Rose drifted off, only having to wake up less than three hours later to gather their things and catch their afternoon zeppelin back to London. She found the Doctor's brown pinstripes safely tucked away in his pillow case, just as Mickey said they would be, and she had to giggle at the little note pinned to the lapel.
Dear Doctor, it's really just best to do as your girlfriend says. You'll be happier in the end. Sincerely, the Pinstripe Troll
The commercial flight back was uneventful, Rose dozing much of the time while the Doctor a few of the long historical textbooks he'd loaded on an e-reader. Rose had convinced him to buy one when she pointed out that he didn't always have the luxury of bigger-on-the-inside pockets and taking a suitcase full of hardcovers with them everywhere was incredibly impractical. He was thrilled with the device, modifying it to have double the memory and extending the battery life. Rose had made a mental note to always buy him gadgets for future holidays.
The zeppelin landed at approximately 3 AM London time, and they didn't have much energy to spare as they loaded into a cab and were left off at the darkened mansion at half past four. Rose wasted no time collapsing into bed, the Doctor opting to stay up and tinker. He woke her up at half eight and even as she groaned and protested, her excitement at seeing her mum and Pete after a week and a half away grew steadily as she washed up.
Rose dressed quickly and was tying her hair back as she and the Doctor made their way into the kitchen. She grinned broadly at her mum and Pete, sitting close together at the table and each of them gripping ceramic mugs.
"Mum!" she exclaimed, running over to give Jackie a hug. "How are you? I missed you!"
"I missed you too, love. How was your trip?"
"Oh, it was brilliant! We brought presents from Barney's! Oh, and we saw CATS and went to a Yankees game, the Doctor even got one of those giant foam fingers..."
She continued to chatter on about New York and she and the Doctor gathered supplies for tea and toast. He interrupted where appropriate, adding details that she may have forgotten. They moved towards the table and gave Jackie and Pete broad smiles as they sat down and dug into their breakfast.
"Rose, Doctor, we've got something to tell you..." Pete began hesitantly, taking advantage of the opportunity their mouthfuls of food presented.
Rose glanced at the Doctor, whose eyebrow instantly raised in question. They chewed their toast and swallowed almost simultaneously. "Is everything okay?" Rose asked as she took a gulp of her still-hot tea and winced.
"Well..."
"Rose," Jackie began, reaching out to cover her daughter's hand and taking in a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."