Fic: Snowfall
Title: Snowfall
Author: tardisblue
Beta: The wonderful wildwinterwitch
Characters: Nine/Rose
Genre: General
Rating: G
Summary: The Doctor comes to a realization while watching a snowfall with Rose.
Disclaimer: The BBC owns everything Doctor Who.
Author's Notes: A huge thank you to wildwinterwitch for her time, patience, and wonderful editing eye. Also, a big thank you to my f-list who helped me with some "Brit Picking". This is my first fic in over a month! Hopefully this means the end of my writing drought.
“Rose? What exactly are you doing?” the Doctor asked cautiously as he stepped outside of the Tardis, his eyes resting on his companion who was currently lying flat on her back in the snow, gazing up at the thick snowflakes falling lazily from the night sky.
Rose Tyler sat up and turned to grin at the Doctor, adjusting the colourful woollen hat and the long, winter coat that she had found in the Tardis wardrobe. “I’m watching the snow fall,” she said, her eyes shining as she stuck out her tongue to catch errant snowflakes.
The Doctor stared at Rose as she settled herself back into the crisp, white snow.
“You know Rose, you can watch the snow standing up,” he informed her, crossing his arms and leaning up against the Tardis.
Rose laughed.
“I know. But I love doing it this way,” she said. “When I was little, me and Mum lived with my Grandmum and Grandad for a bit before we moved to the Powell Estates. It didn’t snow like this a lot, but when it did, Mum used to bundle me up in my snowsuit. I’d go outside into the front yard and find a nice little patch to lie down in and just watch the snow fall. Until the other kids came out and started throwing snow about. ‘Course, I had to join the snowball fights. Even Mum did,” Rose admitted. “I was pretty good too. Got her right in the face a few times.”
The Doctor smirked to himself.
“But watching the snow,” Rose continued as she gazed up into the sky, “I love it. I love seeing it fall. And when you lie down, you can see it all. Thousands and thousands of them just falling. And it’s so quiet. Everything else is so still. It almost seems magical. When I was little, I thought it was.” Rose was quiet then, silently marvelling in wonder at the beauty of the falling snow.
The Doctor watched Rose for a moment, awed by the joy that something so simple brought her. Then, making a decision, he strode over to Rose and settled himself into the snow beside her, tucking one arm under his head as he looked up into the sky.
The stillness and quiet unnerved him. It was a raw, painful reminder of what had been lost. Who he had become. And what was now left.
“Don’t like the quiet so much,” he remarked gruffly. He felt Rose shift in the snow to look at him.
“How come?”
The Doctor was silent for a long moment, hesitating.
“Been alone too long,” he finally said softly, keeping his eyes fixed upon the dark sky.
Rose reached out and slipped her hand into his.
“Not anymore,” she said quietly.
The Doctor let the heat of her hand warm his skin.
“No,” he said, turning to look at Rose. “Not anymore.”
Looking back up into the sky, the two watched the snow fall.