After the Parting 9b/11
Here's the second part - dunno what LJ's done now!
Story: After the Parting
Author: WMR
Characters: Ten, Rose, Jack
Rating: PG
Summary: The Doctor and Rose are back together. Jack has a new job. But what happens when the Doctor finds out about Torchwood? A story in the same universe as the Earth to Ashes series.
With thanks to my lovely and much-valued BRs,
dark_aegis and
nnwest.
Chapter 1: Betrayal
Chapter 2: Confrontation
Chapter 3: Interfering
Chapter 4: Divided Loyalties
Chapter 5: Persuasion
Chapter 6: Thaw
Chapter 7: Honesty
Chapter 8: Revelations
Chapter 9a: Parting Again Part 1
“So, what was that about?” She’s relieved that her voice sounds steady. She’s never wept all over the Doctor, other than after seeing her dad die, and she’s not going to start now.
She listens in amazement as he explains about the hand. “That still freaks me out, y’know? That you just grew it back!”
He shrugs, smiling at her. “Don’t get any ideas about cutting off the other one to test it. It’s only cause I was still finishing the regeneration process.”
“Yeah, I know.”
His expression sobers. “Rose, should I take you back? To Cardiff, I mean?”
“What? Why d’you wanna do that?”
His gaze slides away from her. “I don’t want to. But maybe you do.” Then he’s looking at her again, his eyes concerned. And sad. “I didn’t realise how much you love Jack. And it feels like I’m being selfish, keeping you here when you’d rather be with him.”
He thinks that?
“Doctor, no!” She runs the few paces that take her to his side, grabs his hand. “I wanna be here. I want to be with you. Yeah, I love Jack,” she admits, and can’t help the sadness that creeps into her voice. “But I love you, too, Doctor. Thought you knew that.”
His hand tightens around hers. He turns his head to look down at her, and the expression on his face is the same as when they’d stood outside the TARDIS together on Christmas Day and he’d asked if she still wanted to come with him. Seemed to be afraid that she might not want to.
“Well, yeah. At least, I thought... But seeing the two of you...”
She has to try to explain, even though it’s going to be bloody difficult seeing as she doesn’t even understand it herself. “I love you both.” That’s the easy part. “Think I always did, but before it never seemed as complicated as it does now.”
And that, she thinks, is because, before, it just was. They were together, the three of them. They loved each other. None of them ever spoke the words, or indicated it in any way other than... well, in the way they cared about each other. Took care of each other. It never seemed to matter, not then, that they never spoke about it, never acted on it.
Now... it’s different. It matters, because they’ve gone beyond that unspoken, undemonstrated love. The Doctor’s kissed her. Jack’s kissed her. She’s kissed Jack.
And Jack’s not with them any more. And she feels torn between them.
Sodding Torchwood anyway!
“Both.” He sounds reflective, as if she’s given him a lot to think about.
“Yeah. An’ I know it sounds weird an’ I probably seem like some stupid kid who can’t make up her mind, or - ”
“No.” He interrupts her, not just by speaking but by placing a finger lightly over her lips. “Actually, it’s about the only thing that makes any sense at all.”
*******
She wants him to explain what he means, but he won’t. Not now. He’s not ready for that yet. Besides, he has something else to do, while he’s still in the mood to do it.
He sets the coordinates on the control panel, and the TARDIS whirls through the Vortex again.
“By the way.” He spins to face Rose again. “Next time something’s troubling you, ask me. You never hesitated before when there was something you wanted to know.”
“You mean about me thinking Jack was dead?” He nods. “You wouldn’t answer anything ‘bout what happened on Satellite Five. Didn’t think there was any point askin’. ‘Sides, I think I didn’t want to hear you say he was dead.”
He supposes that makes a strange kind of human sense. “Okay. But next time don’t jump to conclusions.”
She shrugs. “Whatever you say, Doctor. So, where we going?” She’s clearly making a great effort to put all the emotion behind her. As always, courageous. As always, he admires her for it.
He smiles. “Ten Downing Street.” As she nods in comprehension, he adds, “I’m going to talk to her alone. I might be a while. So why don’t you go back to bed?”
“Nah.” She grimaces. “Too awake now. Might get a shower, though. An’ get dressed.”
“You do that.” She’s starting to walk away from him when he catches her by the hand. “Wait a minute.”
“What?” Her expression is puzzled.
With his free hand, he brushes away some stray blonde strands from her face. “Just this.” And he bends to kiss her again. Not a lengthy kiss, but with a hint of passion. Making clear what he wants from her, if she’s willing.
Her face, when he draws back, tells him that she is.
“And just so there’s no doubt, Rose Tyler,” he murmurs, giving her a little push away from him. “I love you.”
He turns back to the TARDIS controls, ignoring her reaction - but smiling a little to himself. He knows he’s succeeded in leaving her speechless. That’s a highly unusual achievement when it comes to Rose Tyler, even for a Time Lord.
The materialisation sequence starts. He walks towards the doors. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Rose still staring at him. But then she shrugs, smiling to herself, and heads towards the interior.
He pushes the door open. It’s late afternoon in her time; he’s jumped forward about twenty hours. She’s sitting behind the enormous desk, a couple of open red boxes in front of her, reading glasses perched on her nose. And an astounded expression on her face.
“Hello, Harriet.”
*******.
tbc
x-posted to
time_and_chips
Story: After the Parting
Author: WMR
Characters: Ten, Rose, Jack
Rating: PG
Summary: The Doctor and Rose are back together. Jack has a new job. But what happens when the Doctor finds out about Torchwood? A story in the same universe as the Earth to Ashes series.
With thanks to my lovely and much-valued BRs,
dark_aegis and
nnwest.
Chapter 1: Betrayal
Chapter 2: Confrontation
Chapter 3: Interfering
Chapter 4: Divided Loyalties
Chapter 5: Persuasion
Chapter 6: Thaw
Chapter 7: Honesty
Chapter 8: Revelations
Chapter 9a: Parting Again Part 1
“So, what was that about?” She’s relieved that her voice sounds steady. She’s never wept all over the Doctor, other than after seeing her dad die, and she’s not going to start now.
She listens in amazement as he explains about the hand. “That still freaks me out, y’know? That you just grew it back!”
He shrugs, smiling at her. “Don’t get any ideas about cutting off the other one to test it. It’s only cause I was still finishing the regeneration process.”
“Yeah, I know.”
His expression sobers. “Rose, should I take you back? To Cardiff, I mean?”
“What? Why d’you wanna do that?”
His gaze slides away from her. “I don’t want to. But maybe you do.” Then he’s looking at her again, his eyes concerned. And sad. “I didn’t realise how much you love Jack. And it feels like I’m being selfish, keeping you here when you’d rather be with him.”
He thinks that?
“Doctor, no!” She runs the few paces that take her to his side, grabs his hand. “I wanna be here. I want to be with you. Yeah, I love Jack,” she admits, and can’t help the sadness that creeps into her voice. “But I love you, too, Doctor. Thought you knew that.”
His hand tightens around hers. He turns his head to look down at her, and the expression on his face is the same as when they’d stood outside the TARDIS together on Christmas Day and he’d asked if she still wanted to come with him. Seemed to be afraid that she might not want to.
“Well, yeah. At least, I thought... But seeing the two of you...”
She has to try to explain, even though it’s going to be bloody difficult seeing as she doesn’t even understand it herself. “I love you both.” That’s the easy part. “Think I always did, but before it never seemed as complicated as it does now.”
And that, she thinks, is because, before, it just was. They were together, the three of them. They loved each other. None of them ever spoke the words, or indicated it in any way other than... well, in the way they cared about each other. Took care of each other. It never seemed to matter, not then, that they never spoke about it, never acted on it.
Now... it’s different. It matters, because they’ve gone beyond that unspoken, undemonstrated love. The Doctor’s kissed her. Jack’s kissed her. She’s kissed Jack.
And Jack’s not with them any more. And she feels torn between them.
Sodding Torchwood anyway!
“Both.” He sounds reflective, as if she’s given him a lot to think about.
“Yeah. An’ I know it sounds weird an’ I probably seem like some stupid kid who can’t make up her mind, or - ”
“No.” He interrupts her, not just by speaking but by placing a finger lightly over her lips. “Actually, it’s about the only thing that makes any sense at all.”
*******
She wants him to explain what he means, but he won’t. Not now. He’s not ready for that yet. Besides, he has something else to do, while he’s still in the mood to do it.
He sets the coordinates on the control panel, and the TARDIS whirls through the Vortex again.
“By the way.” He spins to face Rose again. “Next time something’s troubling you, ask me. You never hesitated before when there was something you wanted to know.”
“You mean about me thinking Jack was dead?” He nods. “You wouldn’t answer anything ‘bout what happened on Satellite Five. Didn’t think there was any point askin’. ‘Sides, I think I didn’t want to hear you say he was dead.”
He supposes that makes a strange kind of human sense. “Okay. But next time don’t jump to conclusions.”
She shrugs. “Whatever you say, Doctor. So, where we going?” She’s clearly making a great effort to put all the emotion behind her. As always, courageous. As always, he admires her for it.
He smiles. “Ten Downing Street.” As she nods in comprehension, he adds, “I’m going to talk to her alone. I might be a while. So why don’t you go back to bed?”
“Nah.” She grimaces. “Too awake now. Might get a shower, though. An’ get dressed.”
“You do that.” She’s starting to walk away from him when he catches her by the hand. “Wait a minute.”
“What?” Her expression is puzzled.
With his free hand, he brushes away some stray blonde strands from her face. “Just this.” And he bends to kiss her again. Not a lengthy kiss, but with a hint of passion. Making clear what he wants from her, if she’s willing.
Her face, when he draws back, tells him that she is.
“And just so there’s no doubt, Rose Tyler,” he murmurs, giving her a little push away from him. “I love you.”
He turns back to the TARDIS controls, ignoring her reaction - but smiling a little to himself. He knows he’s succeeded in leaving her speechless. That’s a highly unusual achievement when it comes to Rose Tyler, even for a Time Lord.
The materialisation sequence starts. He walks towards the doors. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Rose still staring at him. But then she shrugs, smiling to herself, and heads towards the interior.
He pushes the door open. It’s late afternoon in her time; he’s jumped forward about twenty hours. She’s sitting behind the enormous desk, a couple of open red boxes in front of her, reading glasses perched on her nose. And an astounded expression on her face.
“Hello, Harriet.”
*******.
tbc
x-posted to
time_and_chips