(no subject)
Chapter 3/?
As they traveled from universe to universe making pit stops, Iliania couldn’t help having a feeling of foreboding. She couldn’t explain it, but it just wouldn’t leave. The Doctor certainly wasn’t having any second thoughts. He was just pushing buttons, pulling levers, jumping about, and talking a mile a minute about Rose. But then Iliania got a flash of memory from the Doctor. She couldn’t explain it, she wasn’t in contact with him, he was clear on the other side of the room, but she still got it. It was a long-buried memory of Rose. His most recent memory, his most painful. The time that he had had to say goodbye. It certainly explained her feeling of foreboding. He had promised that he would keep traveling alone. Now Iliania was here. Sure, they were getting Rose back, but how would she take Iliania’s presence? The Doctor’s broken promise. No doubt badly, but just how badly? Iliania shook her head to get rid of the thought. They were going to rescue Rose. That was great. There was nothing to worry about. Then there was one last violent bump, and the Doctor cried, “We’re here!” and bolted out the TARDIS door. Iliania forced a smile and followed him.
“So, how are we going to find her?” she asked.
“Wait for it. Wait for it. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Now.” And as he said it, the young woman she had seen in her flash ran around the corner, closely followed by an older woman that Iliania supposed must be her mother, a man who must be her father, and a young man who must be her boyfriend or something. The young woman, Rose, cried, “Doctor!” and ran into his open arms. They both looked so happy. Her parents and the other young man looked like they didn’t know what to think. Her mother and-Mickey?-looked like they had known the Doctor long enough to be hurt deeply by him, most likely through sort of loosing Rose, and her father looked like he had heard stories, but hadn’t often met the genuine article.
“I thought I’d never see you again!” Rose said through her tears.
“So did I.” the Doctor admitted sheepishly. “But I’m here all thanks to my dear friend Iliania. Iliania, this is Rose, Jackie, Pete, and, of course, Mickey. Everyone, this is Iliania.”
Rose took a step backwards, pain shining in her red-rimmed eyes. “You promised.” She whispered then she turned and ran. The others glared at the Doctor and Iliania and followed her.
“What happened? Why is she so angry? I thought she’d be happy.” He said aloud. Iliania could tell he was forcing back the tears that had been threatening him for days.
“It’s my fault, not yours. She’s furious at me, at herself. She just decided to take it out on you because she couldn’t admit to herself that she believed. It was just a big misunderstanding, but it doesn’t make it any less painful.” Iliania said quietly.
“But what? What did she misunderstand?” he asked, bewildered.
“Your promise. You promised that you’d travel alone, no one else after her.” Iliania said quietly.
“But this is different. I have to go after her.”
“No. You can’t.”
“But I have to! I didn’t come all this way only to turn back now.”
“You misunderstand me. You can’t go after her. I have to.” Iliania said quietly.
“I don’t exactly think that she’d be open to you right now.”
“Which is exactly why I have to do this. You stay back at the TARDIS. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back. We’ll be back.” Iliania said firmly.
“Alright.” He said quietly.
After hopelessly trying to find her, Iliania walked into a small shop and asked one of the young men working there for directions. “Excuse me, sir, but could you please tell me where Rose Tyler lives? She left her wallet at the café I work at, and I need to return it to her.” Iliania lied.
“Of course. She’s quite a wealthy young lady thanks to her father. She lives at the mansion over there. See it?” he asked, pointing towards the biggest house Iliania had ever seen.
“Yes, thank you.” Iliania said sweetly.
As she neared the house, Iliania took a deep breath. I can do this. Just ring the bell and ask to see Rose Tyler. Say that it’s urgent. It’s not that hard. You can do it. You have to do this. Iliania rang the bell and almost immediately the door was opened by a man in a suit.
“Can I help you?” he asked, staring down at her like she certainly wasn’t worth his time, but Iliania ignored this. She got that look from her teachers all the time.
“Yes, please. I need to speak to Rose Tyler. It’s urgent.” Iliania said as calmly as she could.
“Miss Tyler has asked not to be disturbed.” He said coldly.
“That’s just it, sir. There was a terrible misunderstanding between us and I really need to apologize in person. Please.” Iliania said desperately, looking him in the eye and fixing him with her most pitiful look. She could feel him beginning to loosen.
“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. This way please.”
He led her up a giant winding staircase through a series of hallways to a large wooden door. He knocked on the door and said politely, “Miss Tyler, a young lady is here to see you. She says it’s urgent.” And with that, he turned and walked away without waiting for a reply.
“Go away.” Said a sad voice.
“Please, Rose. It’s Iliania. I really need to talk to you. Please.” Iliania begged.
There was a huge sigh, then, “Fine.”
Tentatively, Iliania opened the door and stepped inside. She saw Rose sitting on a couch in the middle of the room, her mother with her arms around her, glaring at Iliania. Rose sniffed loudly and said,
“Mum, could you give us a moment?”
“Are you sure?” she asked, still glaring at Iliania.
“I’m sure, Mum.” Rose said.
“Alright then.” She said, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind her.
“What do you want?” Rose asked coldly.
“I want to apologize. I know you knew and loved the Doctor. I also know that he promised that no one would come after you. But when he promised you that, didn’t you mean romantically?” Iliania asked.
“Yes.” Rose said coldly.
“Well, number one, I’m fourteen and the oldest guy I’d be interested in would be sixteen, and even that’s pushing it. Over nine hundred years old? So not! And number two, the Doctor never stopped missing and loving you. He never actually got a chance to say it, but he really does love you, Rose. When I met him, he was broken. Like me. Even when I told him I knew how to get you back, he didn’t want to believe it because he couldn’t bear to get his hopes up. He couldn’t take being crushed again. This was a major misunderstanding. I’m really sorry about that, but he loves you Rose. Don’t break him again by pushing him away.” Iliania pleaded.
“Why do you care, anyway?” she asked, though her voice seemed more sad and broken then cold.
“Because he’s all I’ve got. It would break him if you pushed him away, and then I wouldn’t have anyone.” Iliania said quietly.
“What do you mean, ‘he’s all you’ve got’? You’ve goy your parents, your friends, you’ve got more then just him.” she said, the ice creeping back into her voice.
“I haven’t. I grew up in an orphanage. I haven’t had a friend since I was three when word got out at school that I lived in an orphanage. That turned everyone away. Even my teachers hate me no matter how well I do in school. I only ever had one friend since then, and she died when I was eleven.” Iliania said quietly, and suddenly the tears hit her like a wave. All the pain she had been holding in for years, all the pain that she didn’t even know she had came out in a flood. Iliania was sobbing hysterically, Rose didn’t know what to do about it so she just handed her a tissue. It soon became clear that the tissue was useless, so Rose just put her arms around Iliania and held her soothingly. Suddenly the Doctor was there. He knelt town beside her and put a hand on knee and said quietly,
“It’s alright now, Iliania. You’re with friends, now.”
Iliania sat up, wiped her eyes and said bitterly,
“If only I knew what that meant.”
“It means you’re safe. You have nothing to fear anymore. We’re here for you. Forever.” Rose said quietly.
“Does this mean you don’t hate me anymore, Rose?” the Doctor asked hopefully, pain still lining his face.
“Definitely.” Rose and Iliania answered simultaneously.
“Brilliant!” he cried and Rose and Iliania both laughed.
“Iliania, there’s something I need to show you.” the Doctor said more seriously.