Don't Blink -43/?
Title: Don't Blink - 43/?
Characters: Ten, Rose
Summary: AU. What if Rose had stayed through Doomsday and was the one to end up in 1969 with the Doctor? How would they get back to their proper time? Would they want to?
Rating: PG
Beta: nattieb
I've had this chapter written forever. Well, I say forever. Really, it's been at plotted out for at least three years. I wish i wasn't so slow. I'll let you guess what my favorite part is.
1~ 2~ 3~ 4~ 5~ 6~ 7~ 8~ 9~ 10~ 11~ 12~ 13~ 14~ 15~ 16~ 17~ 18~ 19~ 20~
21~ 22~ 23~ 24~ 25~ 26~ 27~ 28~ 29~ 30~ 31~ 32~ 33~ 34~ 35~ 36 37~ 38~ 39~ 40~ 41~ 42
Rose finally fell back asleep, eased into slumber as the Doctor gently rubbed her back and assured her everything was gong to be fine. He closed the bedroom door and walked out to the front room, where he stood with his hands in his pockets, looking out the windows for a long time.
His first impulse was to track down her attacker, track him down and make him very, very sorry that he had tried to hurt Rose. The likelihood of finding him was very low, though, and the Doctor knew it. So instead he sat down and carefully outlined a new plan of action. He would arrange to cut his teaching hours under the ruse of completing his dissertation. He’d be sure to be there in the morning to walk Rose to work, and he would be there without fail in the evening to make sure she got home safely. A thread of worry and panic grew in his chest, as he wondered why Bad Wolf had appeared.
He had taken the power of the Time Vortex out of Rose. He was sure of it - he had died to do it! Yet here Bad Wolf was, making an appearance where she should not have been.
But Bad Wolf was always where she shouldn’t be, the Doctor reminded himself. A message scattered through time and space, jumping out at them when they least expected it.
What did she want? he asked himself uneasily. Why wouldn’t she go away?
Rose did not speak of the attack the next morning. She’d refused to go to the police, and she wouldn’t let him heal the cut with the sonic screwdriver before she went back to bed. The fact that the cut had vanished without a trace the next morning did nothing to ease the Doctor’s worry. He tested her with various settings of the sonic screwdriver, but found no sign of anything out of the ordinary. It did not make him feel any better.
Two weeks later things had returned to normal. The Doctor’s kisses were happy again, and he was not afraid to touch her at night when he joined her in her bed. For her part, Rose was relieved that he no longer treated her like a delicate doll. She put the attack behind her, determined to not let it affect her life any longer.
She was working longer hours as Christmas approached. The Doctor was on holiday break from Cambridge, and liked to sit in the shop’s dressing area and read while he waited for Rose to be done for the night. Occasionally he would charm a difficult customer into making a sale, and Iris had suggested more than once that she should pay him a commission. The Doctor only laughed.
“Seriously, though,” Rose said over dinner after such a day, “maybe we should hire you on as Christmas help.”
The Doctor chuckled. “Perhaps if physics doesn’t work out, eh?” He lifted his spoon to his mouth, splashing soup onto his trousers in the process.
“Damn,” he said, wiping at the spot with a napkin. “That will stain. Quick! Do we have any club soda?”
Rose looked at him in exasperation. “You have all those nice suits hanging in the wardrobe! Why do you insist on wearing that one? It’s going to fall apart on you.” She reached out and touched the spot he was rubbing. He was maintaining the fabric with his sonic screwdriver but the suit was starting to show signs that it might fall apart despite his efforts.
He flashed her a hurt expression. “I love this suit. And I refuse to wear polyester.”
“Doctor. Go change.”
He frowned at her but went to do as she said, mostly because he loved his brown suit and wished to preserve it during their time here. Rose had secretly carried the jacket and trousers to a tailor on a rare day that he chose to wear something else to work. His Christmas gift was going to be four brand new suits in the same style, in varying shades of brown and blue. She couldn’t wait to see his face.
There was a knock on the door, and Rose switched off the television and set her bowl of soup aside.
“Don’t you answer that door without me!” the Doctor called from the bedroom.
She rolled her eyes and looked through the peephole.
“It’s just Jeff,” she called back, and unlocked the door.
“Just Jeff, eh?” their neighbor said wryly. “Thanks so much.”
She grinned. “Come in.”
The Doctor came around the corner, now attired in plain brown trousers and a white sweater and carrying his trousers in his hand. He pointed at her in accusation.
“Rose Tyler! Did you open that door?”
“It’s just Jeff,” she said reasonably. “No danger.”
“You two are going to give me a complex,” Jeff complained as he closed the door behind him. “Nice outfit,” he added, gazing at Rose in appreciation. “Very much in the Christmas spirit.”
She beamed at him as she struck a pose in her red hiphuggers and crisp white blouse. Her shirt was open at the neck, allowing a peek of her heart lock and key charms, and it fit her closely until it tucked into her trousers.
“Thanks!”
The Doctor made a great show of clearing his throat and all but yanked Rose up against his body as he put his arm around her.
“What can we do for you, Jeff?” he asked.
Rose kicked him lightly. “Would you like to sit down?” she asked, trying to make up for her beloved’s rudeness.
“Another time, thanks. I’ve got dinner going in my flat. I just popped down to invite you to a Christmas party on Saturday at my place. Just a few people from the building and some mates of mine.”
“Oh, we’d love to!” Rose said enthusiastically.
The Doctor sighed. “Love to,” he echoed.
Rose stepped on his foot.
“Ow! What’s that for?”
“Rude,” she said bluntly. “What time, Jeff?”
“Come by around eight. I’ll have some meat and things going.”
“Can I bring anything?”
“Anything’s welcome! See you then.”
“What is wrong with you?” Rose demanded after she’d closed the door and locked it. “He wasn’t doing anything to warrant your behavior.”
The Doctor snorted. “Anytime he ogles you he warrants that behavior.”
“He wasn’t ogling. He thought my outfit was nice. Which is more than you’ve said tonight,” Rose added with a dark look.
The Doctor leaned in close to her. “You’re beautiful in those clothes.” He traced the neckline of her shirt, making her shiver, as he drew her necklace out. He fingered the lock and key for a moment before gently tugging on the chain to bring her close enough to kiss. “And you’re even more beautiful out of them.”
The weekend was a welcome relief after the bustle of the holiday shopping season. Rose had been working such long hours that she heard the ring of the till in her sleep. On Saturday she popped in at the shop just to make sure the Saturday staff was handling things. They had it all under control and she only stayed an hour, helping a clueless husband pick something out for his wife and daughters. Her timing was good, since Iris arrived as she was leaving to watch over things for the rest of the day.
She and the Doctor did their food shopping afterwards, with intervals of taking care of their week’s washing of clothes. The non-stop work was worth it to Rose, because it meant that Sunday could be spent relaxing with each other with no other worries.
She spent the late afternoon decorating the flat for Christmas with a small tree that fit on top of the television.
“That is the sorriest looking tree I have ever seen,” the Doctor commented from the recliner, where he was eating a sandwich.
Rose stepped back and eyed the tree critically. “It is not.”
“It’s a crime against nature. Look at all the needles on the floor!”
Rose ignored him and tenderly placed a small plastic angel on top of the tree. It had bright yellow hair and wore a shiny white dress. Its wings were silver. The Doctor had groaned when Rose picked her out at Woolworths, but she thought the little doll had a lovely smile.
“Now for the final touch,” she decreed, and opened a small package of tinsel. She tossed the silver strands at the tree, but most fell to the floor.
“I told you those branches weren’t meant for decoration.”
Rose ignored him with impressive calm as she picked up the tinsel and placed it by hand amongst the small ornaments.
It’s lovely,” she pronounced. She decided to ignore the few strands of tinsel still stuck in the pale yellow shag carpet.
The Doctor just ate his sandwich.
“Isn’t it?” she pressed him.
“If I tell you what I really think will you get mad at me?”
“If you keep it up you’ll find coal in your stocking,” she warned him.
Just after eight o’clock that night they headed up to Jeff’s flat. The door was partially open and they could hear Christmas music playing.
“Sounds like fun!” Rose whispered to the Doctor. “I hope no one complains about the noise.”
They stepped inside to a sea of people. Jeff’s flat had a larger floorplan than theirs, and most of the lounge was taken up with a console television, sofa and the largest turntable Rose had ever seen. A man with bright ginger hair beneath a Santa hat was flipping through a stack of records. Next to him were several young women, all offering advice on which song to play next.
“Rose!” Jeff called out. He came towards them as the crowd parted for him. “I’m glad you’re here!” He waved his hand behind him. “Drinks in the kitchen! Snacks and things, too.”
“Thanks!” Rose held up a tray. “I made cheese straws,” she said proudly.
“Brilliant! Set them down and mingle! You should know lots of the people here - they’re from the building and the neighborhood. Don’t worry - I only invited coworkers I really like. Who needs lawyers to dull up a good party?” He laughed at his own joke. “Oh! I forgot to tell you. We’re having a gift grab later,” Jeff informed them before he moved on. “Winner for the worst gift.”
“Oh!” Rose glanced after him. “We didn’t bring anything.”
“Have no fear,” the Doctor assured her. He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a fat grey elephant the size of his hand.
Rose laughed in delight. “Transdimensional pockets to the rescue!”
“And you say I shouldn’t wear this suit too often.” The Doctor stowed the elephant away for later and gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll just go see what they have to drink.”
“I’ll meet you there. I’ll just set these cheese straws down.” Rose headed for the kitchen, which was almost half the size again of her own. The room was surprisingly cozy for a bachelor’s flat. A wooden table set with chairs with bright red cushions was covered with trays of food. Rose set her cheese straws down beside a bowl of crisps. She swiped a crisp to munch on and went looking for the Doctor.
She spotted him in the corner, already in conversation with someone she didn’t know. As she was heading his way someone moved in front of her.
“Billy!” she exclaimed in delight.
Billy Shipton smiled broadly. “Rose Tyler. Good to see you.” He swept her up in a hug.
“I didn’t know you’d be here!” Rose said breathlessly once he’d set her down.
“Jeff rang me up, said he wanted me to come by. I’d hoped you’d be here. I was planning on popping down to see you if you weren’t.”
“I’m glad you did. How are things?”
“Fancy a drink?” he asked instead, and led her to the makeshift bar. A pretty brunette was pouring drinks for the guests. By the look of her, and the splashes of liquid all around, she’d sampled some of the drinks herself, but no one was complaining.
“I’ll just have a Coke,” Rose said, reaching for a bottle.
Billy chose one as well, and picked up a bottle opener. He opened the one in his hand, handed it to her, took the one she’d picked up, and popped open the cap.
“Cheers,” he grinned, toasting her before taking a sip.
Rose shook her head. “You’re too much. Where have you been?”
Billy helped himself to a handful of nuts sitting beside the bottles of beer. “Here and there. Took a job filming a series for the telly here in London. Thinking of staying on there for a bit. It’s been fun doing what I want. Police work was satisfying, but I’ve got a lot more freedom now.”
“Are you...okay...with things?” she asked tentatively. “I mean, with being...you know, stuck here?”
Billy’s mouth twisted. He shrugged. “Not got much choice in the matter, do I? I’m trying to make do.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “Us, too.” She brightened. “But you look great!” He was wearing dark brown trousers and a green sweater. The clothing was from this era, but he managed to set himself apart by the simple styling. “It’s like you don’t want to wear any of today’s fashion trends,” she added in a teasing voice.
Billy couldn’t help but smile smugly. “Naturally. The key to looking good, Rose, is to wear what suits you. You wear the trends, the trends don’t wear you.”
Rose coughed and looked around the room. She happened to be wearing a short red dress and white court shoes. It was fully a trend from the holiday season, 1969, and although she knew she looked nice she felt strangely guilty about it.
Billy burst out laughing. “You look fabulous,” he assured her. “In fact, I’m amazed the Doctor let you come out by yourself. I thought for sure he’d be by your side, glaring at any male who looks your way.”
She smiled shyly. “He’s here. He just knows there’s nothing to be jealous of.”
“Nothing to be jealous of?” he echoed. “Don’t tell me that foolish man finally wised up to the beauty that was living right beneath his nose?”
Rose beamed. “Billy, I need you to come round every once in a while. You’re good for my ego.”
“You don’t need any help there. But I’m glad things have worked out for you.”
“There he is!” Jeff said from behind them. “Billy, mate, come over here. I’ve got a friend that’s dying to meet you. I’ll have him back to you in a bit, Rose! He’s too brilliant to be left alone!”
“He is?” she asked in bewilderment.
Billy grinned.
“He’s a genius!” Jeff told her before pulling Billy away. “He’s got an eye for investments like you wouldn’t believe!”
Rose caught Billy’s eye. “Does he, really?”
“And you wouldn’t believe his luck in picking the winners of the football matches,” Jeff continued.
Rose raised her eyebrows.
“My dad liked to relive the matches of the old days,” Billy said quietly. “Never hurts to use what you know, yeah?”
“I’ll catch up with you later,” she promised with a grin.
“Count on it!”
The Christmas music changed to a deep, throbbing melody that was like nothing Rose had ever heard before. It drew her over to the turntable, where the party’s disk jockey was sitting on the floor, eating peanuts by the handful and drinking a beer.
“Hi,” Rose greeted him. “What’s that song you’re playing? Is it the Beatles?”
The deejay shook his head and held up an album. “It’s the Deep Tones’ latest album.”
“I don’t know them.”
“They’re pretty good, aren’t they? This song is called ‘Bad Wolf’.”
Rose’s mouth turned dry. “Is it?”
To her immense relief, a hail of greeting rose up by the door. She turned to see Mrs. MacMurray enter the flat, resplendent in a cherry red caftan and a long pearl necklace.
Jeff swooped in to kiss her cheek. “At last! Have you come to join us or shut us down?” he asked with a grin.
The elderly landlady laughed. “I came for a bit of sherry. So nice to visit with you young people.” She looked around at her various tenants and their friends. “Happy Christmas!”
Rose waved at her. “Happy Christmas!”
Jeff ushered Mrs. MacMurray over to the bar. Rose was glad to walk away from the Bad Wolf song and went looking for the Doctor, who had moved on to a conversation with a man that Rose recognized from the building. They were discussing the disappearances happening around their part of London, and they were gathering some attention from the partygoers.
“The police say they’ve got it covered, but it’s only a matter of time before it happens again,” the Doctor’s conversational companion was saying. “I’ve lived here for a year and they’re no closer to figuring things out. It’s not safe anywhere, I tell you!”
His date, a slim blonde girl wearing bright green, hung from his arm. A necklace with red and green blinking lights hung around her neck.
“I’m afraid to go anywhere alone!” she said. “It’s like Jack the Ripper is out there!”
Rose thought that was a bit much. So did several others. A few rolled their eyes before walking away.
“Don’t be silly, Sue,” a pretty brunette that Rose recognized as Kitty, the girl Jeff continued to pursue despite her lukewarm reception of him, said impatiently. “It’s hardly the same thing.”
The Doctor saw Rose and motioned her over to him. She snuggled close against him as he put his arm around her waist.
“I wouldn’t put it on par with an alien serial killer,” the Doctor interjected. “But something is happening around town.”
There was a pause in the conversation as several people eyed the Doctor with looks ranging from confusion to suspicion.
“Even if some of them just moved on, there’s no reason to think everyone has,” the blonde’s date agreed. “We’re up to what, eighteen people gone missing from a twenty-mile radius these past two years.”
The Doctor’s face suddenly assumed a blank expression. He stared into space for a few seconds before turning to look at Rose.
“You were attacked,” he stated without expression. “We didn’t tell the police. He could have been the one responsible!”
The others reacted to that with alarming quickness.
“You were attacked?”
“When?”
“Why didn’t you report it?”
Rose ignored the others’ outbursts and stared at the Doctor. To report the incident would have meant explaining themselves, bringing the Doctor once again to the police’s attention. Not to mention the possibility of Torchwood finding out, and the attacker being found and explaining that his knife had melted without reason.
But what if he’d been the one?
Slowly, Rose gave an abbreviated explanation to the fascinated audience. To her surprise, most were in agreement.
“It sounds like he just wanted to rob you,” Kitty said. “You’re lucky you were able to keep your bag. Did something spook him?”
Rose swallowed. “I think...I think he saw someone coming. He ran. I should have gone to the police but all I could think about was getting home.”
“You could have run to the police call box that’s down the road from your shop,” Kitty continued. “But you were probably in the wrong direction and not thinking.”
Rose nodded. “Yeah. The wrong direction.” She did not tell them that she avoided any and all areas where police call boxes stood. The blue boxes were too much like the TARDIS, and she had quickly grown tired of thinking that each one was in fact that TARDIS, come to take them home.
The little group eventually broke up, leaving the Doctor standing with Rose.
“I am so, so stupid,” he muttered as he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “Rose - he could have killed you.”
“Not with Bad Wolf there,” she murmured.
“He could have meant to kill you! I should have reported him and gone looking for him. Why do I lose my head when it comes to you?”
Rose chuckled and leaned happily against his chest. “Because you’re crazy about me?”
He smiled and kissed her. “Absolutely.”
On the other side of the flat Mrs. MacMurray demanded a Scottish reel. The deejay frantically flipped through records, found one that worked, and set it on the player. Mrs. MacMurray kicked off her shoes, hiked her caftan up to her knees and started a complicated dance that made the younger partygoers’ mouths drop open in awe.
“Oh, look!” Rose pulled away to watch. To her delight, one of Jeff’s male guests stripped off his jacket and joined the older woman in the complex dance steps, to the claps and cheers of nearly everyone present.
“She moves pretty good for an older woman, eh?” Billy said from the Doctor’s shoulder. “In our time she’d have plastic surgery, botox and dress like a femme fatale.”
The Doctor smiled slightly. “Very possibly. How are you, Billy?”
“I’m good. And yourself?”
“I’m well, as is Rose.” the Doctor eyed him closely. “All right. Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“You have a look in your eye, Billy. There’s something you want to say to me.”
“Yeah, there is.”
“I’m ready.”
“So, Doctor,” Billy began. “Tell me something. I’m stuck in this new time for the rest of my life. I can try to accept it or not, but that’s my reality. What about you?”
The Doctor frowned as he stared into his glass. “I don’t know, Billy. I don’t know when we get to leave. So far the timelines aren’t telling me.”
Billy stared at him. “You can tell what’s going to happen? And when?”
“Honestly,” the Doctor complained. “Do the words ‘Time Lord’ not mean anything to you?”
“So you can.”
“Yes.”
“Well, then tell me this.” Billy’s mind was racing. “What if I don’t wait until that specific date to find Sally Sparrow? What if I look for her earlier? That will make things happen earlier, won’t it?”
“You are not to go looking for Sally Sparrow,” the Doctor said firmly, setting his glass down, taking Billy by the arms and looking at him hard. “You understand? Your timelines are crossed and linked in a very particular fashion, and if you go trying to alter that it can result in some very bad things.”
“How bad?”
“Bad. Very. Very. Bad. The very fabric of space and time could be affected. That is a breach we cannot risk. Nor can you tell her the meaning of the list. She must discover that on her own.”
Billy stepped back, shaken by the forbidding look on the Doctor’s face.
“All right, mate. You’ve made your point.”
“You will see Sally Sparrow again,” the Doctor added for good measure. “Just once.”
“All right, then.” Billy tried to make the best of the situation. “It’s good to plan ahead. When will I see her again?”
The Doctor sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“On the day you die.”
The party continued on. Mrs. MacMurray retired to her flat after several sherries and four Scottish dances. Someone from the building won the worst gift of the night with a contribution of a wooden statue in the shape of a fuzzy bear standing on hind legs and baring very sharp teeth and holding a tiny pointed sword.
Billy tried to enjoy himself but all he could think about was the day he was going to die. It didn’t help that the Doctor had assured him it would not be for a long time. He could do the sums - he knew exactly how old he would be on that day in 2007. It didn’t make him feel any better that he would be doing his part to help the Doctor and Rose. What about him?
“Billy looks like someone just ran over his dog,” Jeff commented as he took a sip of his drink. “He all right?”
Rose turned around. “I don’t know. I’ll talk to you later.” She caught up to Billy as he crossed the room.
“Hey! You okay?”
“Yeah,” Billy muttered. “I need a drink.”
“Okay,” Rose said uncertainly.
Billy paused as he moved away from her, turning to face Rose.
“I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know how you can live with that, day after day.”
“Live with what?”
“With him.” Billy pointed across the room. “With the knowledge that he has.”
Rose knew he was referring to the Doctor, but she turned to follow the direction of his pointing finger. When she turned back to face Billy, he was gone.
He really should head home, but he decided to have a beer instead. He went looking for a bite to eat along with his bottle, and he made his way into the kitchen, where he stood surveying the offerings on hand. Several plates and bowls had been picked over, but there was still a nice variety of food to choose from.
“I wondered if you’d be here tonight,” a woman said. “I didn’t see any of your chicken sticks.”
Billy turned around slowly. Standing beside him was the blonde woman he’d met during the moon landing transmission party, nearly five months before.
“Satay sticks,” he corrected her. “I didn’t bring any tonight. It was a last minute thing.”
“That’s disappointing, Billy.” She pulled a face. “I rather fancied them.”
“Maybe I could make you some,” he offered with a raised eyebrow, secretly delighted that she’d remembered his name.
“Not right now, surely?” She glanced around the kitchen.
He chuckled. “No. But maybe...sometime? Sometime soon?”
She tilted her head. “With the special peanut sauce?”
“Of course.” Billy paused as he recalled something she’d said back in July. “What are you doing here? I thought you didn’t know Jeff?”
“The host? I don’t know him, not really. I came with the same friend again. She’s always after me to get out more.”
His future suddenly didn’t seem so bleak and pointless. “I can help you with that. How about sometime in the next week? I can introduce you to some delicious cuisine.”
A slow smile crossed her face. She pulled a crumbled piece of paper and a pen out of her handbag and scribbled something on it. She handed it to Billy and started to walk away. “You can call me. Maybe I’ll be free.”
He glanced at the name and number on the paper and looked up, confused.
“I thought your name was Sarah?”
She paused on her way out of the kitchen. “It is.”
It was rare that Billy Shipton found himself confused. “But this isn’t...”
She smiled, the dimple appearing in her cheek. “My friends call me Sally.”
Forty-four
Characters: Ten, Rose
Summary: AU. What if Rose had stayed through Doomsday and was the one to end up in 1969 with the Doctor? How would they get back to their proper time? Would they want to?
Rating: PG
Beta: nattieb
I've had this chapter written forever. Well, I say forever. Really, it's been at plotted out for at least three years. I wish i wasn't so slow. I'll let you guess what my favorite part is.
1~ 2~ 3~ 4~ 5~ 6~ 7~ 8~ 9~ 10~ 11~ 12~ 13~ 14~ 15~ 16~ 17~ 18~ 19~ 20~
21~ 22~ 23~ 24~ 25~ 26~ 27~ 28~ 29~ 30~ 31~ 32~ 33~ 34~ 35~ 36 37~ 38~ 39~ 40~ 41~ 42
Rose finally fell back asleep, eased into slumber as the Doctor gently rubbed her back and assured her everything was gong to be fine. He closed the bedroom door and walked out to the front room, where he stood with his hands in his pockets, looking out the windows for a long time.
His first impulse was to track down her attacker, track him down and make him very, very sorry that he had tried to hurt Rose. The likelihood of finding him was very low, though, and the Doctor knew it. So instead he sat down and carefully outlined a new plan of action. He would arrange to cut his teaching hours under the ruse of completing his dissertation. He’d be sure to be there in the morning to walk Rose to work, and he would be there without fail in the evening to make sure she got home safely. A thread of worry and panic grew in his chest, as he wondered why Bad Wolf had appeared.
He had taken the power of the Time Vortex out of Rose. He was sure of it - he had died to do it! Yet here Bad Wolf was, making an appearance where she should not have been.
But Bad Wolf was always where she shouldn’t be, the Doctor reminded himself. A message scattered through time and space, jumping out at them when they least expected it.
What did she want? he asked himself uneasily. Why wouldn’t she go away?
Rose did not speak of the attack the next morning. She’d refused to go to the police, and she wouldn’t let him heal the cut with the sonic screwdriver before she went back to bed. The fact that the cut had vanished without a trace the next morning did nothing to ease the Doctor’s worry. He tested her with various settings of the sonic screwdriver, but found no sign of anything out of the ordinary. It did not make him feel any better.
Two weeks later things had returned to normal. The Doctor’s kisses were happy again, and he was not afraid to touch her at night when he joined her in her bed. For her part, Rose was relieved that he no longer treated her like a delicate doll. She put the attack behind her, determined to not let it affect her life any longer.
She was working longer hours as Christmas approached. The Doctor was on holiday break from Cambridge, and liked to sit in the shop’s dressing area and read while he waited for Rose to be done for the night. Occasionally he would charm a difficult customer into making a sale, and Iris had suggested more than once that she should pay him a commission. The Doctor only laughed.
“Seriously, though,” Rose said over dinner after such a day, “maybe we should hire you on as Christmas help.”
The Doctor chuckled. “Perhaps if physics doesn’t work out, eh?” He lifted his spoon to his mouth, splashing soup onto his trousers in the process.
“Damn,” he said, wiping at the spot with a napkin. “That will stain. Quick! Do we have any club soda?”
Rose looked at him in exasperation. “You have all those nice suits hanging in the wardrobe! Why do you insist on wearing that one? It’s going to fall apart on you.” She reached out and touched the spot he was rubbing. He was maintaining the fabric with his sonic screwdriver but the suit was starting to show signs that it might fall apart despite his efforts.
He flashed her a hurt expression. “I love this suit. And I refuse to wear polyester.”
“Doctor. Go change.”
He frowned at her but went to do as she said, mostly because he loved his brown suit and wished to preserve it during their time here. Rose had secretly carried the jacket and trousers to a tailor on a rare day that he chose to wear something else to work. His Christmas gift was going to be four brand new suits in the same style, in varying shades of brown and blue. She couldn’t wait to see his face.
There was a knock on the door, and Rose switched off the television and set her bowl of soup aside.
“Don’t you answer that door without me!” the Doctor called from the bedroom.
She rolled her eyes and looked through the peephole.
“It’s just Jeff,” she called back, and unlocked the door.
“Just Jeff, eh?” their neighbor said wryly. “Thanks so much.”
She grinned. “Come in.”
The Doctor came around the corner, now attired in plain brown trousers and a white sweater and carrying his trousers in his hand. He pointed at her in accusation.
“Rose Tyler! Did you open that door?”
“It’s just Jeff,” she said reasonably. “No danger.”
“You two are going to give me a complex,” Jeff complained as he closed the door behind him. “Nice outfit,” he added, gazing at Rose in appreciation. “Very much in the Christmas spirit.”
She beamed at him as she struck a pose in her red hiphuggers and crisp white blouse. Her shirt was open at the neck, allowing a peek of her heart lock and key charms, and it fit her closely until it tucked into her trousers.
“Thanks!”
The Doctor made a great show of clearing his throat and all but yanked Rose up against his body as he put his arm around her.
“What can we do for you, Jeff?” he asked.
Rose kicked him lightly. “Would you like to sit down?” she asked, trying to make up for her beloved’s rudeness.
“Another time, thanks. I’ve got dinner going in my flat. I just popped down to invite you to a Christmas party on Saturday at my place. Just a few people from the building and some mates of mine.”
“Oh, we’d love to!” Rose said enthusiastically.
The Doctor sighed. “Love to,” he echoed.
Rose stepped on his foot.
“Ow! What’s that for?”
“Rude,” she said bluntly. “What time, Jeff?”
“Come by around eight. I’ll have some meat and things going.”
“Can I bring anything?”
“Anything’s welcome! See you then.”
“What is wrong with you?” Rose demanded after she’d closed the door and locked it. “He wasn’t doing anything to warrant your behavior.”
The Doctor snorted. “Anytime he ogles you he warrants that behavior.”
“He wasn’t ogling. He thought my outfit was nice. Which is more than you’ve said tonight,” Rose added with a dark look.
The Doctor leaned in close to her. “You’re beautiful in those clothes.” He traced the neckline of her shirt, making her shiver, as he drew her necklace out. He fingered the lock and key for a moment before gently tugging on the chain to bring her close enough to kiss. “And you’re even more beautiful out of them.”
The weekend was a welcome relief after the bustle of the holiday shopping season. Rose had been working such long hours that she heard the ring of the till in her sleep. On Saturday she popped in at the shop just to make sure the Saturday staff was handling things. They had it all under control and she only stayed an hour, helping a clueless husband pick something out for his wife and daughters. Her timing was good, since Iris arrived as she was leaving to watch over things for the rest of the day.
She and the Doctor did their food shopping afterwards, with intervals of taking care of their week’s washing of clothes. The non-stop work was worth it to Rose, because it meant that Sunday could be spent relaxing with each other with no other worries.
She spent the late afternoon decorating the flat for Christmas with a small tree that fit on top of the television.
“That is the sorriest looking tree I have ever seen,” the Doctor commented from the recliner, where he was eating a sandwich.
Rose stepped back and eyed the tree critically. “It is not.”
“It’s a crime against nature. Look at all the needles on the floor!”
Rose ignored him and tenderly placed a small plastic angel on top of the tree. It had bright yellow hair and wore a shiny white dress. Its wings were silver. The Doctor had groaned when Rose picked her out at Woolworths, but she thought the little doll had a lovely smile.
“Now for the final touch,” she decreed, and opened a small package of tinsel. She tossed the silver strands at the tree, but most fell to the floor.
“I told you those branches weren’t meant for decoration.”
Rose ignored him with impressive calm as she picked up the tinsel and placed it by hand amongst the small ornaments.
It’s lovely,” she pronounced. She decided to ignore the few strands of tinsel still stuck in the pale yellow shag carpet.
The Doctor just ate his sandwich.
“Isn’t it?” she pressed him.
“If I tell you what I really think will you get mad at me?”
“If you keep it up you’ll find coal in your stocking,” she warned him.
Just after eight o’clock that night they headed up to Jeff’s flat. The door was partially open and they could hear Christmas music playing.
“Sounds like fun!” Rose whispered to the Doctor. “I hope no one complains about the noise.”
They stepped inside to a sea of people. Jeff’s flat had a larger floorplan than theirs, and most of the lounge was taken up with a console television, sofa and the largest turntable Rose had ever seen. A man with bright ginger hair beneath a Santa hat was flipping through a stack of records. Next to him were several young women, all offering advice on which song to play next.
“Rose!” Jeff called out. He came towards them as the crowd parted for him. “I’m glad you’re here!” He waved his hand behind him. “Drinks in the kitchen! Snacks and things, too.”
“Thanks!” Rose held up a tray. “I made cheese straws,” she said proudly.
“Brilliant! Set them down and mingle! You should know lots of the people here - they’re from the building and the neighborhood. Don’t worry - I only invited coworkers I really like. Who needs lawyers to dull up a good party?” He laughed at his own joke. “Oh! I forgot to tell you. We’re having a gift grab later,” Jeff informed them before he moved on. “Winner for the worst gift.”
“Oh!” Rose glanced after him. “We didn’t bring anything.”
“Have no fear,” the Doctor assured her. He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a fat grey elephant the size of his hand.
Rose laughed in delight. “Transdimensional pockets to the rescue!”
“And you say I shouldn’t wear this suit too often.” The Doctor stowed the elephant away for later and gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll just go see what they have to drink.”
“I’ll meet you there. I’ll just set these cheese straws down.” Rose headed for the kitchen, which was almost half the size again of her own. The room was surprisingly cozy for a bachelor’s flat. A wooden table set with chairs with bright red cushions was covered with trays of food. Rose set her cheese straws down beside a bowl of crisps. She swiped a crisp to munch on and went looking for the Doctor.
She spotted him in the corner, already in conversation with someone she didn’t know. As she was heading his way someone moved in front of her.
“Billy!” she exclaimed in delight.
Billy Shipton smiled broadly. “Rose Tyler. Good to see you.” He swept her up in a hug.
“I didn’t know you’d be here!” Rose said breathlessly once he’d set her down.
“Jeff rang me up, said he wanted me to come by. I’d hoped you’d be here. I was planning on popping down to see you if you weren’t.”
“I’m glad you did. How are things?”
“Fancy a drink?” he asked instead, and led her to the makeshift bar. A pretty brunette was pouring drinks for the guests. By the look of her, and the splashes of liquid all around, she’d sampled some of the drinks herself, but no one was complaining.
“I’ll just have a Coke,” Rose said, reaching for a bottle.
Billy chose one as well, and picked up a bottle opener. He opened the one in his hand, handed it to her, took the one she’d picked up, and popped open the cap.
“Cheers,” he grinned, toasting her before taking a sip.
Rose shook her head. “You’re too much. Where have you been?”
Billy helped himself to a handful of nuts sitting beside the bottles of beer. “Here and there. Took a job filming a series for the telly here in London. Thinking of staying on there for a bit. It’s been fun doing what I want. Police work was satisfying, but I’ve got a lot more freedom now.”
“Are you...okay...with things?” she asked tentatively. “I mean, with being...you know, stuck here?”
Billy’s mouth twisted. He shrugged. “Not got much choice in the matter, do I? I’m trying to make do.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “Us, too.” She brightened. “But you look great!” He was wearing dark brown trousers and a green sweater. The clothing was from this era, but he managed to set himself apart by the simple styling. “It’s like you don’t want to wear any of today’s fashion trends,” she added in a teasing voice.
Billy couldn’t help but smile smugly. “Naturally. The key to looking good, Rose, is to wear what suits you. You wear the trends, the trends don’t wear you.”
Rose coughed and looked around the room. She happened to be wearing a short red dress and white court shoes. It was fully a trend from the holiday season, 1969, and although she knew she looked nice she felt strangely guilty about it.
Billy burst out laughing. “You look fabulous,” he assured her. “In fact, I’m amazed the Doctor let you come out by yourself. I thought for sure he’d be by your side, glaring at any male who looks your way.”
She smiled shyly. “He’s here. He just knows there’s nothing to be jealous of.”
“Nothing to be jealous of?” he echoed. “Don’t tell me that foolish man finally wised up to the beauty that was living right beneath his nose?”
Rose beamed. “Billy, I need you to come round every once in a while. You’re good for my ego.”
“You don’t need any help there. But I’m glad things have worked out for you.”
“There he is!” Jeff said from behind them. “Billy, mate, come over here. I’ve got a friend that’s dying to meet you. I’ll have him back to you in a bit, Rose! He’s too brilliant to be left alone!”
“He is?” she asked in bewilderment.
Billy grinned.
“He’s a genius!” Jeff told her before pulling Billy away. “He’s got an eye for investments like you wouldn’t believe!”
Rose caught Billy’s eye. “Does he, really?”
“And you wouldn’t believe his luck in picking the winners of the football matches,” Jeff continued.
Rose raised her eyebrows.
“My dad liked to relive the matches of the old days,” Billy said quietly. “Never hurts to use what you know, yeah?”
“I’ll catch up with you later,” she promised with a grin.
“Count on it!”
The Christmas music changed to a deep, throbbing melody that was like nothing Rose had ever heard before. It drew her over to the turntable, where the party’s disk jockey was sitting on the floor, eating peanuts by the handful and drinking a beer.
“Hi,” Rose greeted him. “What’s that song you’re playing? Is it the Beatles?”
The deejay shook his head and held up an album. “It’s the Deep Tones’ latest album.”
“I don’t know them.”
“They’re pretty good, aren’t they? This song is called ‘Bad Wolf’.”
Rose’s mouth turned dry. “Is it?”
To her immense relief, a hail of greeting rose up by the door. She turned to see Mrs. MacMurray enter the flat, resplendent in a cherry red caftan and a long pearl necklace.
Jeff swooped in to kiss her cheek. “At last! Have you come to join us or shut us down?” he asked with a grin.
The elderly landlady laughed. “I came for a bit of sherry. So nice to visit with you young people.” She looked around at her various tenants and their friends. “Happy Christmas!”
Rose waved at her. “Happy Christmas!”
Jeff ushered Mrs. MacMurray over to the bar. Rose was glad to walk away from the Bad Wolf song and went looking for the Doctor, who had moved on to a conversation with a man that Rose recognized from the building. They were discussing the disappearances happening around their part of London, and they were gathering some attention from the partygoers.
“The police say they’ve got it covered, but it’s only a matter of time before it happens again,” the Doctor’s conversational companion was saying. “I’ve lived here for a year and they’re no closer to figuring things out. It’s not safe anywhere, I tell you!”
His date, a slim blonde girl wearing bright green, hung from his arm. A necklace with red and green blinking lights hung around her neck.
“I’m afraid to go anywhere alone!” she said. “It’s like Jack the Ripper is out there!”
Rose thought that was a bit much. So did several others. A few rolled their eyes before walking away.
“Don’t be silly, Sue,” a pretty brunette that Rose recognized as Kitty, the girl Jeff continued to pursue despite her lukewarm reception of him, said impatiently. “It’s hardly the same thing.”
The Doctor saw Rose and motioned her over to him. She snuggled close against him as he put his arm around her waist.
“I wouldn’t put it on par with an alien serial killer,” the Doctor interjected. “But something is happening around town.”
There was a pause in the conversation as several people eyed the Doctor with looks ranging from confusion to suspicion.
“Even if some of them just moved on, there’s no reason to think everyone has,” the blonde’s date agreed. “We’re up to what, eighteen people gone missing from a twenty-mile radius these past two years.”
The Doctor’s face suddenly assumed a blank expression. He stared into space for a few seconds before turning to look at Rose.
“You were attacked,” he stated without expression. “We didn’t tell the police. He could have been the one responsible!”
The others reacted to that with alarming quickness.
“You were attacked?”
“When?”
“Why didn’t you report it?”
Rose ignored the others’ outbursts and stared at the Doctor. To report the incident would have meant explaining themselves, bringing the Doctor once again to the police’s attention. Not to mention the possibility of Torchwood finding out, and the attacker being found and explaining that his knife had melted without reason.
But what if he’d been the one?
Slowly, Rose gave an abbreviated explanation to the fascinated audience. To her surprise, most were in agreement.
“It sounds like he just wanted to rob you,” Kitty said. “You’re lucky you were able to keep your bag. Did something spook him?”
Rose swallowed. “I think...I think he saw someone coming. He ran. I should have gone to the police but all I could think about was getting home.”
“You could have run to the police call box that’s down the road from your shop,” Kitty continued. “But you were probably in the wrong direction and not thinking.”
Rose nodded. “Yeah. The wrong direction.” She did not tell them that she avoided any and all areas where police call boxes stood. The blue boxes were too much like the TARDIS, and she had quickly grown tired of thinking that each one was in fact that TARDIS, come to take them home.
The little group eventually broke up, leaving the Doctor standing with Rose.
“I am so, so stupid,” he muttered as he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “Rose - he could have killed you.”
“Not with Bad Wolf there,” she murmured.
“He could have meant to kill you! I should have reported him and gone looking for him. Why do I lose my head when it comes to you?”
Rose chuckled and leaned happily against his chest. “Because you’re crazy about me?”
He smiled and kissed her. “Absolutely.”
On the other side of the flat Mrs. MacMurray demanded a Scottish reel. The deejay frantically flipped through records, found one that worked, and set it on the player. Mrs. MacMurray kicked off her shoes, hiked her caftan up to her knees and started a complicated dance that made the younger partygoers’ mouths drop open in awe.
“Oh, look!” Rose pulled away to watch. To her delight, one of Jeff’s male guests stripped off his jacket and joined the older woman in the complex dance steps, to the claps and cheers of nearly everyone present.
“She moves pretty good for an older woman, eh?” Billy said from the Doctor’s shoulder. “In our time she’d have plastic surgery, botox and dress like a femme fatale.”
The Doctor smiled slightly. “Very possibly. How are you, Billy?”
“I’m good. And yourself?”
“I’m well, as is Rose.” the Doctor eyed him closely. “All right. Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“You have a look in your eye, Billy. There’s something you want to say to me.”
“Yeah, there is.”
“I’m ready.”
“So, Doctor,” Billy began. “Tell me something. I’m stuck in this new time for the rest of my life. I can try to accept it or not, but that’s my reality. What about you?”
The Doctor frowned as he stared into his glass. “I don’t know, Billy. I don’t know when we get to leave. So far the timelines aren’t telling me.”
Billy stared at him. “You can tell what’s going to happen? And when?”
“Honestly,” the Doctor complained. “Do the words ‘Time Lord’ not mean anything to you?”
“So you can.”
“Yes.”
“Well, then tell me this.” Billy’s mind was racing. “What if I don’t wait until that specific date to find Sally Sparrow? What if I look for her earlier? That will make things happen earlier, won’t it?”
“You are not to go looking for Sally Sparrow,” the Doctor said firmly, setting his glass down, taking Billy by the arms and looking at him hard. “You understand? Your timelines are crossed and linked in a very particular fashion, and if you go trying to alter that it can result in some very bad things.”
“How bad?”
“Bad. Very. Very. Bad. The very fabric of space and time could be affected. That is a breach we cannot risk. Nor can you tell her the meaning of the list. She must discover that on her own.”
Billy stepped back, shaken by the forbidding look on the Doctor’s face.
“All right, mate. You’ve made your point.”
“You will see Sally Sparrow again,” the Doctor added for good measure. “Just once.”
“All right, then.” Billy tried to make the best of the situation. “It’s good to plan ahead. When will I see her again?”
The Doctor sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“On the day you die.”
The party continued on. Mrs. MacMurray retired to her flat after several sherries and four Scottish dances. Someone from the building won the worst gift of the night with a contribution of a wooden statue in the shape of a fuzzy bear standing on hind legs and baring very sharp teeth and holding a tiny pointed sword.
Billy tried to enjoy himself but all he could think about was the day he was going to die. It didn’t help that the Doctor had assured him it would not be for a long time. He could do the sums - he knew exactly how old he would be on that day in 2007. It didn’t make him feel any better that he would be doing his part to help the Doctor and Rose. What about him?
“Billy looks like someone just ran over his dog,” Jeff commented as he took a sip of his drink. “He all right?”
Rose turned around. “I don’t know. I’ll talk to you later.” She caught up to Billy as he crossed the room.
“Hey! You okay?”
“Yeah,” Billy muttered. “I need a drink.”
“Okay,” Rose said uncertainly.
Billy paused as he moved away from her, turning to face Rose.
“I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know how you can live with that, day after day.”
“Live with what?”
“With him.” Billy pointed across the room. “With the knowledge that he has.”
Rose knew he was referring to the Doctor, but she turned to follow the direction of his pointing finger. When she turned back to face Billy, he was gone.
He really should head home, but he decided to have a beer instead. He went looking for a bite to eat along with his bottle, and he made his way into the kitchen, where he stood surveying the offerings on hand. Several plates and bowls had been picked over, but there was still a nice variety of food to choose from.
“I wondered if you’d be here tonight,” a woman said. “I didn’t see any of your chicken sticks.”
Billy turned around slowly. Standing beside him was the blonde woman he’d met during the moon landing transmission party, nearly five months before.
“Satay sticks,” he corrected her. “I didn’t bring any tonight. It was a last minute thing.”
“That’s disappointing, Billy.” She pulled a face. “I rather fancied them.”
“Maybe I could make you some,” he offered with a raised eyebrow, secretly delighted that she’d remembered his name.
“Not right now, surely?” She glanced around the kitchen.
He chuckled. “No. But maybe...sometime? Sometime soon?”
She tilted her head. “With the special peanut sauce?”
“Of course.” Billy paused as he recalled something she’d said back in July. “What are you doing here? I thought you didn’t know Jeff?”
“The host? I don’t know him, not really. I came with the same friend again. She’s always after me to get out more.”
His future suddenly didn’t seem so bleak and pointless. “I can help you with that. How about sometime in the next week? I can introduce you to some delicious cuisine.”
A slow smile crossed her face. She pulled a crumbled piece of paper and a pen out of her handbag and scribbled something on it. She handed it to Billy and started to walk away. “You can call me. Maybe I’ll be free.”
He glanced at the name and number on the paper and looked up, confused.
“I thought your name was Sarah?”
She paused on her way out of the kitchen. “It is.”
It was rare that Billy Shipton found himself confused. “But this isn’t...”
She smiled, the dimple appearing in her cheek. “My friends call me Sally.”
Forty-four