The Family Man, Chapter 2
When he returned to the house, the Doctor found Rose bustling around the house in a frenzy.
“Oh god!” she was crying. “Where did I put it?”
The Doctor closed the front door behind him and toed off his displeasing footwear.
“What are you looking for?” he asked, throwing the car keys on a nearby bookshelf, which upon a cursory glance contained such books as “16th Century Literature for Toddlers” and “Introductory Calculus for Infants.”
“The anniversary present!” Rose squealed. “I could have sworn I just saw it the other day. Bugger! Just help me find it!”
The Doctor flustered as he attempted to mimic her movements, since he had no clue what it was he was looking for. When she peeked under the sofa, it at least gave him a reference for scale. He was definitely looking for something small.
“Was it wrapped already?” he asked, pushing aside a small chair in the corner.
“No,” Rose answered. “Still in the box with that…Manticlean writing all over it.”
The Doctor froze, realizing that whatever the Tylers had been given was not of this world. It reminded him of the TARDIS sitting in the garage, and he was almost overwhelmed with the desire to have a look.
“You don’t think it’s in the ship, do you?” he asked hopefully.
Rose frowned. “Looked there already,” she reported. “If I could just retrace my steps and…oh! OH!”
Rose jumped up and down before running to the hall closet. A cascade of blankets, pillows and sheets came tumbling down on her as she dug through it. The Doctor ran over to help, but she was already emerging from the pile with a triumphant look upon her face.
“I forgot I’d redone the linen closet last week, leaving it at the top of the shelf! That would have been a disaster!” she said, shaking her head.
The Doctor nodded mutely and accepted the box she thrust toward him, taking just a second to read the label.
“Mnesic Receptacle,” he translated from the squiggly script. “Oh!”
A bright smile broke out over his face as he realized what they’d bought. A Manticlean mnesic receptacle stored individual and collective memories. However, he didn’t know what it held. It might be empty, and ready for the Tyler to use how they pleased, or possibly it was already filled with something he and Rose had put in it.
Rose took the box and set it on the kitchen table, leveling her gaze at the Doctor.
“Look, we’ve only got a few hours to get ready. I’m going to take a shower. Why don’t you start packing now? But…only the things we NEED Doctor. You don’t NEED to pack all the silverware, fourteen pairs of pants or a lab microscope.”
“What are you suggesting?” the Doctor asked accusatorily.
“Oh nothing!” Rose answered with her hands up. “I’m just saying trips without the TARDIS can be a little…overprepared. It’s just a two-hour car ride. I think we’ll manage with a few changes of clothes and toiletries, alright?”
The Doctor pursed his lips before nodding curtly, offended even if HE hadn’t been the actual target of Rose’s diatribe. For her part, Rose just smiled and nuzzled her nose against his cheek, sending all thoughts of offense out the window.
“Ta, Doctor,” Rose said happily.
The Doctor moved into the bedroom after locating a beaten-up suitcase. He stepped gingerly over all the toys and child-sized socks to get to a large dresser, where he assumed his and Rose’s clothes were. Inside, he was pleased to find the necessities she’d requested. A pair of jeans each, some t-shirts, and… The Doctor opened and shut one drawer very quickly, as it contained Rose’s unmentionables. Even in this guise, he had difficulty bringing himself to touch those private articles. He decided to let her pick out her own lacy bits, and dove instead into the sock drawer, where he felt more comfortable.
He was just finishing up when Rose padded into the room, running a large-tooth comb through her wet hair. A tiny pink towel was tucked neatly around her body, just barely concealing what it meant to conceal.
The Doctor started and tripped over a toy bear, bouncing onto the bed behind him. Rose chuckled and peered behind her shoulder as she approached the dresser.
“I knew those kids would be the death of us,” she sighed.
The Doctor raked a hand through his hair as he looked for an escape plan, but the sound of Rose’s towel hitting the floor froze him in one spot. He stared desperately at the ceiling as the rustling of cloth followed. In the next few seconds, Rose’s face appeared in front of his.
“How was Donna?” she asked nonchalantly, even though the only clothing she had on was a matching set of leopard-patterned knickers.
The Doctor felt his mouth opening and closing as he slid his eyes down one side of her body and back up again.
“Fine,” he said shrilly.
Rose hummed indifferently and sat down on the bed beside him.
“Did you see Lee?” she asked. “I’m sure he’s excited about his poker game.”
The Doctor resisted looking down at all costs, focusing on Rose’s hazel eyes instead.
“No. No. Nope,” he stuttered awkwardly. “He was…inside? I think? I dunno.”
Rose smiled with amusement before standing up and investigating the closet. She took some time considering her choices before slipping into an emerald gown.
“Could you zip me up?” she asked distractedly.
The Doctor’s hands shook a little as he clumsily drew up the back, but was arrested by an errant drip of water making its way down between her shoulder blades. His thumb swiped to catch it, streaking a line of moisture up against her warm skin and eliciting a little sigh from his companion.
“I wish we had a little more time,” she said seductively as she glanced back at the Doctor.
He hurriedly zipped her dress up properly and nodded as a dizzy feeling overcame him. Of course Rose as his wife suggested intimacy. He unconsciously licked his lips and raised his eyebrows.
“We should be getting on!” he suggested.
“Right, right,” Rose agreed, pulling a garment bag out of the closet. “Here’s your tux. I’ll go wrap the present and touch base with Donna. Hopefully the kids haven’t driven her mad yet.”
The Doctor half-smiled and waited for Rose to leave before shrugging off his t-shirt and sweatpants. Underneath, he was surprised to find a pair of TARDIS-blue boxer-briefs. He giggled with delight as he twirled before the long mirror near their private bathroom. Underpants were such a human convention. He quickly donned his posh-looking tuxedo and adjusted his silk bow tie before meticulously styling his overgrown hair. He was just agonizing over the last few strands when Rose appeared behind him, looking irritated.
“Should’ve known you’d be fussing with your hair,” she said, cracking a small smile. “You look beautiful.”
The Doctor turned around, only then taking in the front of Rose’s dress, which dipped around her cleavage and accented her hourglass figure perfectly.
“You look…” he whispered uselessly.
“The Doctor gone speechless?” Rose teased as sincere pleasure tinged her cheeks. “That might be the highest compliment you could pay me. Come on then. Let’s get going.”
The Doctor grabbed the suitcase and pulled it behind him as Rose made her way down the hall. She paused before the backdoor and let their brood of dogs inside, pausing to kiss each one before they left.
“You guys be good and guard the house,” Rose chirped before looking at the Doctor expectantly.
“Erm,” he murmured as one wagging Dachshund weaved eagerly through his legs.
“You know Butterscotch isn’t going to let you go until you do it,” Rose giggled.
“Do…what?” the Doctor asked uncertainly.
Rose rolled her eyes and grabbed the suitcase.
“I’ll be in the garage,” she said. “Let you two lovers have some ALONE time!”
The Doctor grimaced as the little dog yipped and bounced expectantly. Not knowing what else to do, he leaned down and scratched between her ears, and then down her long back. The brown and gold dog twisted and rolled over, exposing her belly to the Doctor as she panted.
“Oh that’s cute,” the Doctor cheered as he gently rubbed her tummy. “You are adorable. Aren’t you a pretty little dog? Yes you are!”
The sound of Rose’s laughter cut him off, echoing from the garage nearby. He frowned and retracted his hand.
“Later,” he promised the happy pet.
“Rose!” the Doctor whined as he walked into the garage. “Who’s going to take care of Butterscotch while we’re gone?”
She swallowed a snort and hit the garage door opener as she grinned.
“We have two other dogs as well, lest you forget. But Tony from next door to answer your question,” she said with a hint of obviousness in her tone. “He’s very responsible for a teenager.”
The Doctor’s attention was drawn away by the sight of his beloved ship, sitting in the secondary parking spot next to Rose’s Ford Explorer. He touched it lovingly, even as he battled the overpowering impulse to go inside. He knew the answers to his questions rested inside, if only he could access it.
“Mind if I just...” he started.
“No way!” Rose countered. “You promised we were going to do this the old-fashioned way. You know very well we’ll never make it to our destination if we go TARDIS-bound. We’ll end up on the third moon of Rizz’al or the Sighing Lake of Aberdath.”
“Both lovely excursions,” the Doctor added, but Rose wasn’t buying it.
“In the car, please,” she chirped. “You don’t want to miss the cake, do you?”
That worked even better than she’d expected. The Doctor was buckling his seat belt before she’d even got inside. With a discrete chuckle, Rose followed his example and started the car.
The Doctor waited until they were on the motorway before breaching the subject of the time rift again. Although Rose seemed rather lighthearted, he wasn’t sure how she was going to take the news, so he tried to tread carefully.
“Rose, do you remember when we were in the Diluvian system and the TARDIS was struck by an electric storm? It was just after our visit to the Third Venus,” he began.
Rose directed a knowing smile at him before turning her attention back to the road. “How could I forget Third Venus?” she said cheekily. “That was the first time you kissed me.”
The Doctor squinted and blew out a puff of air from his cheeks. He distinctly remembered wanting to kiss Rose as the planetary rings were setting against the horizon. He remembered pressing his hand in hers and squeezing tightly as she sighed dreamily at the sight. But he hadn’t acted on his impulses, and they had gone back to the TARDIS without incident, until the storm hit after takeoff.
“I kissed you…” the Doctor echoed, hoping she would elaborate.
“Oh yes,” Rose laughed, imitating him. “I was pressed into your side as the silver bands descended across the sky, and all I could think of was your lips on mine. I wanted you to kiss me so badly, just once…despite all the reasons why you shouldn’t. And I couldn’t believe it when you did. Ooh, my heart still flutters just thinkin’ about it.”
“But the storm…” the Doctor prompted.
Rose shook her head. “Sorry, don’t remember that. I might have been a little distracted. I ran straight back to the TARDIS and called my mum. I told her I was going to marry you.”
“You did?” the Doctor asked in shock. “She must have been terribly put out!”
Rose chuckled and made a funny noise in the back of her throat. “She got used to the idea.”
The Doctor fell silent for a moment, pondering what Rose had told him. He decided to work his way backwards, comparing notes with her on all that had transpired in case something else was different, but after a long conversation, found that only the kiss was different. But if it was the only anomaly in the last day they had spent together, then it gave him hope that the storm was connected somehow. There might be a way to fix this bizarre situation, and put everything back to how it was before.
His thoughts were interrupted when Rose pulled off the motorway into a nearby neighborhood, coasting along the quiet street until she pulled into a rather large and overfilled driveway.
“Here we are!” she announced as the Doctor stared up at the beautiful villa.
“Wow,” the Doctor breathed. “Pete’s done well for himself.”
“Of course he’s done,” Rose answered. “He’s the Director of Torchwood, after all. Mum wouldn’t let him stay in that dingy flat after they set their re-wedding date. She loves a bit of society after living in the Powell Estates.”
The Doctor nodded confusedly as Rose stepped out of the car. What was a re-wedding? And how was Pete alive exactly? The Doctor knew they were in the same dimension as before, so there weren’t in a parallel universe. He scratched his head as he followed Rose up to the front entrance, elaborately decorated with yellow and white roses.
“Aw, mum’s favorite!” Rose cooed as she pushed the heavy oak door open.
Once inside, the Doctor found himself awash in a sea of people. It seemed everyone the Tylers knew had been invited, and were enjoying glasses of champagne to toast the happy couple’s anniversary. They finally found Jackie and Pete at the top of a long, central staircase, talking eagerly with a group of well-wishers.
Jackie caught sight of them and descended, hugging up her daughter and the Doctor in one fell swoop. Her long black dress shook with multiple beads and refracted off the light as she moved.
“You made it!” she cheered. “Thanks for leaving the TARDIS at home. I was so worried you’d materialize over the ice sculpture!”
Rose laughed and put her arm around the Doctor.
“We couldn’t have that…again,” she said as she squeezed her husband.
The Doctor grinned widely, feeling guilty even if he hadn’t been a real part of that memory.
Pete followed behind and kissed his daughter before turning to the Doctor.
“Thanks for leaving the Last Army of Cooth behind,” his father-in-law ribbed. “As much as I love fur-covered turtles, I wouldn’t have wanted them eating the curtains we’ve just replaced. I take it this means the TARDIS is in the garage…”
The Doctor flushed as he shook Pete’s outstretched hand.
“It seems like I cause a lot of trouble around here…” he said uncertainly.
Jackie laughed and handed him a glass of champagne from a traveling tray. “Only the best kind,” she reported warmly. “Last time I checked, you were making my daughter and grandkids the happiest family I know. We love you Doctor, even if you’re a bit of a nutter. How are Sam and Wilf?”
“They’re great,” Rose answered. “It’s Sammy’s 8th birthday next week, so we’re taking her to Disneyworld: the Planet. It’ll be her first off-world trip in the TARDIS, so she’s very excited. Wil’s already been, but he’s ecstatic about meeting Walt again.”
“I still can’t believe all those stories are based off a real place. How long was Mr. Disney stranded on earth again?” Pete asked.
“Sixty-five years,” Rose answered. “His ship, the one that everyone thinks is Cinderella’s castle, ran out of fuel in the early twentieth century. He had to wait until a search party came out this far in the galaxy to find him.”
The Doctor listened to her rattling off information he’d never told her and beamed proudly. It seemed he had a lot to learn about this version of Rose Tyler.
“Ooh, it’s almost time for the toast,” Jackie announced. “Why don’t you two take your places in the ballroom?”
“Alright, mum. Congratulations, by the way,” Rose added.
“Yes, happy twentieth,” the Doctor chimed in.
Pete kissed his wife’s forehead and held her close. “Thanks, Doctor. I can’t wait for you to get there. It’s the most wonderful thing in the world to look into the eyes of the woman you love, and know you’ve spent the best years of your life with her.”
Jackie stared up at Pete and wiped a tear out of her eye as the Doctor looked back at Rose, feeling something flutter in his chest as Rose smiled softly. She looked back at him and tugged on his hand.
“Come on then,” she urged. “We’re gonna want front row seats to this…”
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