You Are My Home (10/?)
Title: You Are My Home (10/?)
Pairings: pre-Rose/Nine
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG for this chapter
Author's Note: I'm hoping to get at least one more done today. I'm afraid I've not been as productive today as I would have liked to be.
“Right then,” Jackie begins once she hears Rose’s steps heading off down the corridor. “You’ll have to forgive me but I must speak plainly. What exactly are your intentions towards my daughter?” she levels the Doctor with a stare that has caused many fear over the years. She’s got the part of the stern matron down quite well if she might say so herself.
The Doctor looks mildly surprised but not as scared as she expected. She doesn’t know if that is a good thing or a bad one. “You could have asked that with her still in the room, Lady Tyler,” the Doctor states. It bothers her how calmly he states it. “Should have, in fact, it’s her business more than anyone else’s.”
She wants to slap him but that isn’t the sort of thing a woman of class does so she sets her arms straight by her sides. “I have a right to know when other people are going around giving her advice about her marriage prospects and ruining the best opportunity she has.”
“Seen a lot of the world, me,” the Doctor says. “Known lots of men like Mr. Mitchell, happen to know him personally in fact, if that’s the best opportunity your daughter has than I feel quite sorry for her. That man does not care about anything or anyone except himself and his work, which by the way is rubbish. It isn’t going to get him anywhere, no matter what anyone thinks.”
Jackie stares incredulously at the man across from her. “And I’m just supposed to believe all this because you say it’s so, am I? Why do you care? You only just met my daughter last night.”
“Jack cares about her and that’d be good enough for me,” the Doctor replies and Lady Tyler is a bit startled to find herself believing the words just a little bit. She notices out of the corner of her eye that the Captain sits a little straighter in his chair at the comment. “But even from the brief conversations I had the privilege of sharing with your daughter it’s obvious she deserves better than a man like Mitchell. She’s too headstrong for that man and that’s a good thing but he won’t see it as such.”
Jackie finds herself rather annoyed that his argument makes a good deal of sense, assuming he’s right about Mr. Mitchell that is. She’s never noticed anything too terribly wrong with the man, even if he is a bit full of himself. “And I suppose you think you’d be a better option?”
The Doctor shrugs. “I didn’t say that. I suppose I could be. That’s entirely up to her though. None of what I said to her about Mr. Mitchell was to steal her away for myself, if that’s what you’re implying.” Jackie cannot decide if she believes him, she supposes it will depend on how things go once Mr. Mitchell arrives, which should be quite soon. She’ll be paying close attention to both men… and her daughter… and the Captain for that matter. She can tell she’s going to have a very trying morning.
Jackie’s startled when she sees that the Doctor is no longer looking at her but over her shoulder. Rose has returned then. She wonders briefly how much of that conversation her daughter heard but she won’t press the matter now. The Doctor doesn’t seem particularly concerned about her arrival but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. The man doesn’t make much sense to her still after all.
Rose walks past her and returns to her seat by the Doctor. Before Jackie has any time to analyze their interactions there is another knock at the door. That will be Mr. Mitchell then, right on time. She gives him credit for that at least. She supposes she ought to warn Mr. Mitchell that the other men are here so she rises and goes to greet him in the hallway even though she is loath to leave her daughter alone with the two men even for just a few minutes.
Mr. Mitchell bows to her after the maid has let him in. “Good morning, Mr. Mitchell. So good of you to join us. I am afraid we’ve had some unexpected visitors this morning. I hope that will not be an issue.” As if on cue, there is loud laughter from the drawing room. Jackie observes the way that Mr. Mitchell tenses. “I assure you my daughter regrets her behavior towards you last night and we would very much appreciate your company.”
“You may, Lady Tyler, but I find it difficult to believe the same to be true of your company. Nevertheless I should not turn down so kind an offer from you and your daughter,” Mr. Mitchell replies smoothly.
Jackie finds herself mildly irritated by this and then doubly so with the Doctor for making her doubt this man. Mr. Mitchell offers her his arm and she allows him to lead her back into the drawing room.
Her daughter sits up a little straighter and tries to school her grin into a more sober expression. The Captain clears his throat to cover the end of his laughter. The Doctor just continues to grin. Lady Tyler sighs as she notices Mr. Mitchell tense up just before he takes his seat. “Mr. Mitchell, so good of you to join us,” Rose offers. “If only you’d arrived a few moments sooner, the Captain was just telling me the most wonderful story about when he and the Doctor were in Vienna.”
Lady Tyler finds herself wholly unsurprised but a bit relieved nonetheless that it was the Captain making her daughter laugh like that and not the Doctor.
“Have you ever been to Vienna? It sounds ever so lovely,” Rose continues.
Mr. Mitchell shakes his head. “I find I have little use and even less time for such travels. Some of us choose to devote ourselves to higher pursuits than such pointless frivolity.”
The Doctor snorts. Jackie can tell this is going to be a long morning. “Why don’t we head into the dining room?” she suggests in the hope that there will be less talking over brunch. The Doctor rises first and immediately offers Rose his arm.
“Excellent idea, Lady Tyler, assuming that is that the dining room isn’t too far for Mr. Mitchell to travel that is,” he says with a grin. Rose is trembling slightly in what Jackie assumes is an attempt to keep her laughter silent.
Before Jackie can intervene Mr. Mitchell has leapt to his feet. “I didn’t come here to be insulted.”
“Neither did I,” the Doctor responds casually.
Rose stands up then and slips her arm through the Doctor’s. “The Doctor’s comment was in jest, unlike your earlier remarks. You take this conversation far too seriously.”
“That’s enough of this then,” Jackie states as she clasps her hands together. “I’m sure no one means any harm. Let’s just have a nice brunch, shall we?”
“That sounds like a wonderful plan, Lady Tyler,” the Captain responds.
“I find I’ve lost my appetite,” Adam remarks. “I should be on my way. Perhaps I shall call upon you at a more convenient time. Thank you for the offer though, Lady Tyler,” Adam bows slightly to her and kisses Rose on the cheek before departing without acknowledging the other two men.
11. The Storytellers
Pairings: pre-Rose/Nine
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG for this chapter
Author's Note: I'm hoping to get at least one more done today. I'm afraid I've not been as productive today as I would have liked to be.
“Right then,” Jackie begins once she hears Rose’s steps heading off down the corridor. “You’ll have to forgive me but I must speak plainly. What exactly are your intentions towards my daughter?” she levels the Doctor with a stare that has caused many fear over the years. She’s got the part of the stern matron down quite well if she might say so herself.
The Doctor looks mildly surprised but not as scared as she expected. She doesn’t know if that is a good thing or a bad one. “You could have asked that with her still in the room, Lady Tyler,” the Doctor states. It bothers her how calmly he states it. “Should have, in fact, it’s her business more than anyone else’s.”
She wants to slap him but that isn’t the sort of thing a woman of class does so she sets her arms straight by her sides. “I have a right to know when other people are going around giving her advice about her marriage prospects and ruining the best opportunity she has.”
“Seen a lot of the world, me,” the Doctor says. “Known lots of men like Mr. Mitchell, happen to know him personally in fact, if that’s the best opportunity your daughter has than I feel quite sorry for her. That man does not care about anything or anyone except himself and his work, which by the way is rubbish. It isn’t going to get him anywhere, no matter what anyone thinks.”
Jackie stares incredulously at the man across from her. “And I’m just supposed to believe all this because you say it’s so, am I? Why do you care? You only just met my daughter last night.”
“Jack cares about her and that’d be good enough for me,” the Doctor replies and Lady Tyler is a bit startled to find herself believing the words just a little bit. She notices out of the corner of her eye that the Captain sits a little straighter in his chair at the comment. “But even from the brief conversations I had the privilege of sharing with your daughter it’s obvious she deserves better than a man like Mitchell. She’s too headstrong for that man and that’s a good thing but he won’t see it as such.”
Jackie finds herself rather annoyed that his argument makes a good deal of sense, assuming he’s right about Mr. Mitchell that is. She’s never noticed anything too terribly wrong with the man, even if he is a bit full of himself. “And I suppose you think you’d be a better option?”
The Doctor shrugs. “I didn’t say that. I suppose I could be. That’s entirely up to her though. None of what I said to her about Mr. Mitchell was to steal her away for myself, if that’s what you’re implying.” Jackie cannot decide if she believes him, she supposes it will depend on how things go once Mr. Mitchell arrives, which should be quite soon. She’ll be paying close attention to both men… and her daughter… and the Captain for that matter. She can tell she’s going to have a very trying morning.
Jackie’s startled when she sees that the Doctor is no longer looking at her but over her shoulder. Rose has returned then. She wonders briefly how much of that conversation her daughter heard but she won’t press the matter now. The Doctor doesn’t seem particularly concerned about her arrival but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. The man doesn’t make much sense to her still after all.
Rose walks past her and returns to her seat by the Doctor. Before Jackie has any time to analyze their interactions there is another knock at the door. That will be Mr. Mitchell then, right on time. She gives him credit for that at least. She supposes she ought to warn Mr. Mitchell that the other men are here so she rises and goes to greet him in the hallway even though she is loath to leave her daughter alone with the two men even for just a few minutes.
Mr. Mitchell bows to her after the maid has let him in. “Good morning, Mr. Mitchell. So good of you to join us. I am afraid we’ve had some unexpected visitors this morning. I hope that will not be an issue.” As if on cue, there is loud laughter from the drawing room. Jackie observes the way that Mr. Mitchell tenses. “I assure you my daughter regrets her behavior towards you last night and we would very much appreciate your company.”
“You may, Lady Tyler, but I find it difficult to believe the same to be true of your company. Nevertheless I should not turn down so kind an offer from you and your daughter,” Mr. Mitchell replies smoothly.
Jackie finds herself mildly irritated by this and then doubly so with the Doctor for making her doubt this man. Mr. Mitchell offers her his arm and she allows him to lead her back into the drawing room.
Her daughter sits up a little straighter and tries to school her grin into a more sober expression. The Captain clears his throat to cover the end of his laughter. The Doctor just continues to grin. Lady Tyler sighs as she notices Mr. Mitchell tense up just before he takes his seat. “Mr. Mitchell, so good of you to join us,” Rose offers. “If only you’d arrived a few moments sooner, the Captain was just telling me the most wonderful story about when he and the Doctor were in Vienna.”
Lady Tyler finds herself wholly unsurprised but a bit relieved nonetheless that it was the Captain making her daughter laugh like that and not the Doctor.
“Have you ever been to Vienna? It sounds ever so lovely,” Rose continues.
Mr. Mitchell shakes his head. “I find I have little use and even less time for such travels. Some of us choose to devote ourselves to higher pursuits than such pointless frivolity.”
The Doctor snorts. Jackie can tell this is going to be a long morning. “Why don’t we head into the dining room?” she suggests in the hope that there will be less talking over brunch. The Doctor rises first and immediately offers Rose his arm.
“Excellent idea, Lady Tyler, assuming that is that the dining room isn’t too far for Mr. Mitchell to travel that is,” he says with a grin. Rose is trembling slightly in what Jackie assumes is an attempt to keep her laughter silent.
Before Jackie can intervene Mr. Mitchell has leapt to his feet. “I didn’t come here to be insulted.”
“Neither did I,” the Doctor responds casually.
Rose stands up then and slips her arm through the Doctor’s. “The Doctor’s comment was in jest, unlike your earlier remarks. You take this conversation far too seriously.”
“That’s enough of this then,” Jackie states as she clasps her hands together. “I’m sure no one means any harm. Let’s just have a nice brunch, shall we?”
“That sounds like a wonderful plan, Lady Tyler,” the Captain responds.
“I find I’ve lost my appetite,” Adam remarks. “I should be on my way. Perhaps I shall call upon you at a more convenient time. Thank you for the offer though, Lady Tyler,” Adam bows slightly to her and kisses Rose on the cheek before departing without acknowledging the other two men.
11. The Storytellers