Fic: Different
Title: Different
Characters: Rose Tyler, 9th Doctor, 10th Doctor
Genre: General, Fluff
Rating: G
Summary: A young Rose Tyler meets a very special someone.
Words: 626
Published: August 2008
Rose Tyler glared across the playground at Matilda Bates and the other children running about and shrieking while playing a game of tag. All she had said was that Matilda’s boots reminded her of a slimy toad. And she wasn’t lying! They DID remind her of a slimy toad. After that, Matilda had gotten some of the other children jeering at Rose for not having a proper father. Once Rose realized that shouting and howling wasn’t going to stop Matilda and the others from laughing, she had retreated to the far end of the playground and cried. She hoped that Matilda would fall into a big mud puddle. A very big mud puddle. With crocodiles. And -
“Why the frowny-face there, love?” a voice asked from behind.
Rose whirled around, nearly tripping over her boot clad feet to face a tall, grown up man in a dark coat.
“I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” Rose said hesitantly, rubbing at her tear-streaked face.
“That’s very good advice. But I suppose we aren’t really talking…I’m on this side of the fence and you’re on the other. Almost like shouting really.”
Rose tilted her head to consider what he had said.
“I guess so.”
“So, then why the frowny-face? Shouldn’t you be playing with your friends?” the man asked, gesturing to the other children.
Rose bit her lip.
“Matilda Bates was makin’ fun of me because I don’t have a dad like everyone else. Well. I do. But he died when I was a baby.”
“Ohh. Well, that wasn’t very nice of her, was it?”
Rose shook her head, scuffing her boot against the wet pavement.
“Being different, it’s not such a bad thing,” the man said, “Look at my ears. I bet you’ve never seen ears this big except on an elephant. But look what I can do with them,” the man said solemnly, wiggling his ears back and forth.
Rose giggled as the man broke out into a silly grin.
“Now, there must be some absolutely wonderful things that only you and your Mum get to do. I bet you and your Mum get up to fantastic things together.”
Rose nodded eagerly.
“On Wednesdays, we have Backwards Day. When I come home from school, we wear our clothes backwards. And we have dessert first, and then dinner! No one else in my year gets to do that.”
“See?”
“Oh! And sometimes my Mum and me will paint each others nails and do our hair all pretty, just for fun! Sometimes she even lets me play with her lipstick! We pretend to be fancy ladies And have tea parties!”
“Not so bad being different then, is it?”
“No,” Rose said with a wide grin.
“Ahh, there’s that grin!”
“Who are you?” Rose asked curiously.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Rose Tyler. And I’m seven and a half years old,” Rose said proudly.
“Well, Rose Tyler who’s seven and a half years old, shouldn’t you being playing a good old game of tag with your friends instead of standing here by yourself in the rain?”
Rose grinned again, bouncing on her toes.
“Yes! Bye!” Rose called to the man, starting to run back towards the other children, “But wait! Who are--”
Rose turned back. But the man was gone.
Rose shrugged. Oh well. It was time for a good game of tag, and there was no faster runner than Rose Tyler!
Years later…
“So, what do you really think of this new regeneration? Will it do?” the Doctor asked lightly, his eyes glued to the ash falling gently from the dark sky.
“Well…” Rose hesitated, “It’s…it’s different. But you know, it’s not a bad thing, yeah?”
The Doctor beamed and squeezed Rose’s hand.
Not a bad thing at all.