Fic: Miraculously Their Own
Title: Miraculously Their Own
Author: RamblingRose / irishlullaby
Rated: R... ish.
Beta Babe: crimedoc1
Disclaimer: DW & co are not mine. I am just playing with them.
Warnings: baby!fic, eventual adult situations.
Spoilers: Most of S1
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Jackie, Others.
Pairings: Nine/Rose
Summary: "If it's not what it looks like, then why does my nineteen year old daughter look pregnant?"
banner & icon by angelfireeast
Chapter One
There was tension in the air. Tension so thick one would have needed a chainsaw to cut through it. Jackie Tyler had her stony glare locked in on the Doctor and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"So tell me, Doctor," the woman said slowly. Oh how he hated that slow, seething tone of hers. "If it's not what it looks like, then why does my nineteen year old daughter look pregnant?"
"I already told you Mum!" Rose exclaimed, her face bright pink.
Jackie shushed her daughter. "And I told you Rose, I wanted to hear what he had to say first."
The Doctor could feel his face grow warm as Jackie continued to give him that hard, accusing stare. He folded his arms across his chest, finding only moderate comfort in the feel of the leather under his hands. "Rose and I were visiting a friend of mine in a system a few light years away. We had a fantastic time... food, wine..."
"Chips!" Rose beamed. The Doctor smiled at her affectionately. Jackie huffed and growled.
"I think I've 'eard enough," Jackie grumbled. "Bet they showed the two of ya to a room with only one bed, yeah?"
"Of course," the Doctor grinned. "Don't need sleep, me. Can go for months at a time without needing a nap."
"You should have seen it, Mum," Rose said breathlessly. "They don't have electricity so they had this grand palace an' all... nothin' but candlelight in the room."
Jackie shook her head and held up a hand. "Stop right there, Rose. There's some things I just don't want to imagine."
Rose's face fell.
"But, on to how your daughter ended up in this erm... delicate situation." Jackie looked perplexed, so the Doctor continued. "You see... the next day, after all the nice stuff, a war broke out..."
The city shook as the attackers fired lasers at the little houses surrounding the Palace. "Look," the Doctor told the princess, strapping a portable transport device around her wrist. "They won't attack the Palace. They will want somewhere to set up their headquarters."
"But what about..." the princess whimpered, her hand over her gently rounded belly. "You said the teleport wasn't safe for him. And I can’t go into that ship of yours again… I just can’t."
"Doctor!"
He whirled around to see Rose and the other maidens of the Palace bracing the door which shook under the invaders’ assault. "Just a minute Rose!" He turned back toward the princess as he pulled another device from his pocket. "Do you trust your maids?"
"With my life, Doctor," the princess whispered.
"What about with your child's?" he asked gently. When she nodded, he asked, "Do you trust me?"
"Yes. You've been an advisor to my family for many generations, Doctor. If I trust anyone, it's you. And your friend."
"This may tingle a bit," the Doctor warned, readying the device. A bright blue light flashed, the princess yelped and the beam of light zapped across the room. He watched in horror as it ignored the maids and targeted Rose, who let out a surprised scream and slid to the floor in a faint.
"What did you just do," the princess shrieked, running her hands over her now flat stomach.
The Doctor ran over to scoop Rose into his arms. "I have coordinates set into that thing. It'll take you somewhere safe. Rose and I will keep the baby safe. And we will find you and put everything back as it should be."
The princess stood and approached him. Already, Rose's stomach was starting to swell with the child that had been transferred to her womb. In awe, the princess touched Rose's belly and her lilac eyes raised to meet his. "Thank you Doctor. Find me, soon, please."
"We will," he promised. "Now go. Don't tell anyone where you're from or who you are. The yellow button will explain everything once you're there."
The princess pressed the button on the wrist strap and disappeared in a flash of light. With a frantic look at Rose unconscious in his arms, the Doctor raced to the TARDIS door. He stopped and suddenly turned back to face the other women in the room. "Your princess is safe. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"
The maids -- if they could really be called maids when decked out in battle armour and bearing swords -- turned to him. "Go, Doctor. It is our task, our role in life to defend the Palace and the Royal Family," the tallest of them said. "We will not run away as long as the Palace stands."
Jackie stared at the Doctor for a long moment before speaking. "So you're still sayin' it's your fault my daughter is pregnant?" When neither Rose nor the Doctor responded, she continued. "So where did you send this princess that is supposed to be the real mum of the baby? An’ I‘m not sayin’ I believe this rubbish either."
"I sent her here. London, Powell Estates. Probably a few days ago. Hard to miss, what with being nearly six feet tall, dark skin, silky black hair, lilac eyes. Too beautiful to miss."
Jackie's mouth fell open. "You mean Sarah? Tall and wearing a pretty light blue dress? Topped off with a leather trenchie?"
The Doctor and Rose looked at each other then at Jackie. "Sounds like her," Rose smiled.
"Told her in the message to go by Sarah," the Doctor added.
"She just sort of knocked on my door one day and asked if I was Jackie Tyler," Jackie offered. "‘Bout two months back. Said she was new to the council estates. Very sweet girl. Mickey wouldn’t admit it, but I think ‘e fancied her. Lots of the blokes fancied her… Even that nancy on the first story tried gettin’ her fancy. You know the one, Rose… the one, he kept trying to deny he was gay but could easily natter on about the latest hairstyles and elegant cuisine…"
The Doctor looked at Rose, slightly panicked. "She’s started sending out pheromones to attract a new mate."
"But," Jackie continued as if she hadn’t heard the Doctor. "She always managed to make time to come up and help me out every evening and have tea. Said it was a family tradition to be a companion to an older, more respectable female." Both Rose and the Doctor snorted. "Oi! It was nice havin’ a bit of respect. Fat lot better than what I get from you lot unless it’s time to do laundry." The woman pursed her lips in thought. "So she was the princess yeah?"
"Yes," the Doctor replied. "Where is she?"
Jackie shook her head. "I don't know. She ran off with some bloke about three weeks ago. Said she was tired of waiting for her prince to come." Her eyes went to Rose's swollen belly. "That's the prince itnnit?"
The Doctor swore loudly. "Fantastic!" he grumbled.
88888
"What happens to Rose if you can't find the Sarah?" Jackie demanded, glaring at the Doctor.
The Doctor's blue eyes looked troubled. "She'll have to carry it to term."
"I'm not ready to be a Mum!" Rose yelped.
Jackie now had no doubt the Doctor had been telling the truth, although if she hadn't seen the tall black woman the Doctor had described, she wasn’t certain she would have believed them. Would Rose finally have to settle down at home on the estates? How would she take care of the baby?
She was certain Rose would finally stay home. Mickey would be the most logical choice to play daddy to the baby if it resembled Sarah at all. But, that would mean no more police box appearing down in the courtyards, no more leather-clad broody bloke stealing all her biscuits, no more making him sandwiches. No more seeing that blissful smile on Rose's face when he gave that goofy grin.
Oh wonderful, she was already starting to miss the Doctor and he hadn't even abandoned Rose yet! On the other hand, it was his fault Rose was in this situation in the first place.
Jackie watched as the Doctor strode across the room and occupied the cushion on the sofa next to Rose. She almost felt like she was watching something very private as he gently cupped Rose's cheek, stroking it with his thumb.
"I wouldn't dream of leaving you alone for this Rose," he said softly. "It's my fault. I'm going to fix it."
"But why would she leave if she knew we were coming?" Rose asked softly.
"It's how her species does things," the Doctor explained, his hands trailing over Rose's shoulders to capture her fingers. "The fertile women stay pregnant or tending their baby for two years. If they miscarry or find themselves without a child to tend they seek their next mate as soon as they recover." He took a deep breath. "I didn't mean for it to be you, Rose. I thought it would go to one of her maids."
Rose smiled gently. "Well, didn't the Queen say that the maids were barren women? Sort of left me as the only one able to do it then yeah?" She slipped one of her hands from the Doctor's and tweaked his chin. "B'sides, you weren't there when the princess told me they remove everything that enables the maids to bear children."
The Doctor pulled back slightly and blinked. "Ah."
Jackie worried her bottom lip and fidgeted. "I'll go make some tea," she said lightly. Neither Rose nor the Doctor responded; she wasn’t even sure they had heard her. So, Jackie slipped into the kitchen and set to starting the kettle and warming a pot.
She couldn't hear what the two of them were murmuring, like they were sharing secrets. Jackie Tyler was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them -- no matter what the Doctor said. The baby may not be Rose's or the Doctor's... but she was in no way buying Rose's plea that she and the Doctor were not "like that".
Not after she had seen the way they looked at each other all the time. They either had to think she was blind or else be entirely blind themselves to believe they were anything but transparent about their feelings.
Jackie turned as Rose came into the kitchen, stretching, and the sound of the entry door opening and closing reached her ears. "Where does he think he's going?" Jackie asked crossly.
"Had to go get some things from the TARDIS to see if he could find our Princess," Rose replied softly. She pursed her lips and looked around. "Is there any ice cream?"
Jackie shrugged. "Check the refridgerator, love." Jackie watched as Rose started rummaging through the freezer, humming softly to herself. "You know, Rose. If you have to carry this baby to term... you can't go paradin' about time and space anymore." She heard Rose take in a sharp breath. "No sense in foolin' yourself. He won't be stayin'. May stick around while you're still carryin', or for a year or two... but he won't stay."
Rose closed the ice box, a carton of chocolate ice cream in her hand. She plastered on a fake smile. "The Doctor will fix this, mum. Besides, he won't leave me. He promised."
Poor delusional girl, Jackie thought. "Rose, if everyone kept to that sort of promise, divorce rates wouldn't be so high," she commented lightly.
Rose snatched open a drawer and took out a spoon, pointing it at Jackie when she turned. "Don't. He's not everyone else, Mum. The Doctor, he's different."
"He got you pregnant Rose!" Jackie exclaimed. "With another woman's baby!"
Rose shrugged. "Not the strangest thing that-- well, all right so this is the strangest thing so far. But if we can survive observation decks being ransacked by robot spiders, Gelth, farting aliens bombing Downing Street, Daleks, and slimy aliens in ceilings... we can make it through this, too."
"It's not his baby Rose. An' it's not yours either." Apparently Jackie had hit a nerve, because Rose threw the spoon back into the drawer and put the ice cream back in the refridgerator. "Oi! Don't get that way! I'm not blind Rose."
"What do you mean Mum? I've told you time and time again, the Doctor and me, we're not... You just always assume…"
"And I'm still not believin' it, Rose," Jackie interrupted. "You're wantin’ to pretend that the two of ya will bring this baby up together like a normal family. That he'll somehow realize how you feel about 'im... He's an alien Rose. Just like that baby is. You're not even its real mum." Jackie could tell her daughter was angry. "Sweetheart, I'm not tryin' to be mean. Just bein' honest. I don't want to see ya get hurt."
Rose closed her eyes and took in a slow, deep breath before replying. "There's nothing for me to be getting hurt over, Mum. The Doctor doesn't... I don’t… We’re…" Jackie looked at Rose expectantly. "I made the mistake of assuming once. That's all I will say," Rose admitted. "We're friends. That's it."
"Oh sweetheart..." Jackie sighed. She walked over to hug Rose just as tears started leaking from the younger girl's eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"O’course you didn’t know. You never ask do ya? You just assumed the worst. Why am I crying?" Rose sniffled, wiping her eyes and moving away from Jackie's embrace. "I didn't even cry when he said... he said... He said it was a bad idea."
"I only assume the worst because you’re a pretty girl, Rose. Doesn’t know what ’e’s missin’ out on does he? " Jackie smiled knowingly and wiped at Rose’s tears herself. "I did the same thing when I was pregnant with you, sweetheart. Goin' into tears for no reason. Though, can‘t say this is exactly classified as ‘no reason’…" She was about to comment further when she heard the entry door open and close.
The object of Rose's tears breezed in with a variety of metal objects with blinking lights in his hands. He bounded into the kitchen and held a device on which green lights were rapidly flashing. "It's already managed to track her down." He frowned when he noticed Rose's damp eyes. "Why are you crying?"
Rose waved her hand dismissively. "Mum said it's because of the baby." She sniffled and wiped he eyes again. "Hormones and stuff…"
The Doctor grinned widely and showed Rose the little screen on the device. Jackie peeked over her shoulder to look at the swirling images on the screen. "What's that say then?" Jackie asked, looking at Rose for an answer.
Rose looked up at the Doctor. "What's it say?" she echoed.
"She's in Northwest England. In a city called... Carlisle. At Lanes Shopping Centre." The Doctor smirked slightly. "She's having a shopping trip." He tucked the device under his arm and held out another gadget. This one showed the image of the lovely dark-skinned woman Jackie recognized as Sarah. She was walking along with a mousy man trailing behind her, laden with various bags. "See? Shopping."
Jackie wrinkled her nose is distaste. "He’s a bit ugly for someone as pretty as Sarah," she commented. "He has to be at least two heads shorter than her."
"Typical for her people," Rose commented, the Doctor grinned down at her affectionately. "Most of the blokes there were shorter. They didn’t much like tall blokes." She nudged the Doctor playfully.
"Why didn’t they like the tall ones then?" Jackie asked as they ceased their huddling around the gadget.
Rose and the Doctor shared a look as if remembering something amusing only they would understand. Rose caught her bottom lip and turned away as she started giggling. The Doctor rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh.
"They just don’t," the Doctor said, his voice insistent. "Any of the taller men on the planet would have to prove themselves trustworthy."
Rose pinched her tongue between her teeth and pulled out her phone. "I think I may have a picture of that ridiculous outfit they made him wear during the trials… To make sure he was who he said he was."
"Rose, no time for that sort," the Doctor grumbled. "We’ve got a baby to get back into its mother."
"Well, let's go get her then," Rose beamed, pocketing her phone before he could snatch it from her.
"You need to stay here. I'll bring Princess Sarasha'ka back."
Jackie couldn’t help but think the Doctor sounded a bit upset by that admission.
"Wh.. Why?" Rose asked sharply.
"It's not safe," he replied, looking a bit defensive.
"You're picking her up from a shopping centre! How is that dangerous?" Rose exclaimed, glaring right back at him.
"The short trip here was fine, but I'm not sure what might happen to the baby if it travels in the TARDIS too much." Jackie noted he looked authentically dejected. "Besides, it would be best to do the transfer here, where no one will see it."
"But..." Rose whimpered.
"Rose," he said firmly. "It's not safe for the baby. I'll be back shortly. Just picking her up and coming back. I promise."
Rose looked to Jackie and then back at the Doctor. Jackie gave her daughter a sympathetic smile. "He's right love. You should stay 'ere. Just this once."
The Doctor gave Rose a hug and was gone. Rose stood stock still, staring after him.
Author: RamblingRose / irishlullaby
Rated: R... ish.
Beta Babe: crimedoc1
Disclaimer: DW & co are not mine. I am just playing with them.
Warnings: baby!fic, eventual adult situations.
Spoilers: Most of S1
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Jackie, Others.
Pairings: Nine/Rose
Summary: "If it's not what it looks like, then why does my nineteen year old daughter look pregnant?"
banner & icon by angelfireeast
Chapter One
There was tension in the air. Tension so thick one would have needed a chainsaw to cut through it. Jackie Tyler had her stony glare locked in on the Doctor and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"So tell me, Doctor," the woman said slowly. Oh how he hated that slow, seething tone of hers. "If it's not what it looks like, then why does my nineteen year old daughter look pregnant?"
"I already told you Mum!" Rose exclaimed, her face bright pink.
Jackie shushed her daughter. "And I told you Rose, I wanted to hear what he had to say first."
The Doctor could feel his face grow warm as Jackie continued to give him that hard, accusing stare. He folded his arms across his chest, finding only moderate comfort in the feel of the leather under his hands. "Rose and I were visiting a friend of mine in a system a few light years away. We had a fantastic time... food, wine..."
"Chips!" Rose beamed. The Doctor smiled at her affectionately. Jackie huffed and growled.
"I think I've 'eard enough," Jackie grumbled. "Bet they showed the two of ya to a room with only one bed, yeah?"
"Of course," the Doctor grinned. "Don't need sleep, me. Can go for months at a time without needing a nap."
"You should have seen it, Mum," Rose said breathlessly. "They don't have electricity so they had this grand palace an' all... nothin' but candlelight in the room."
Jackie shook her head and held up a hand. "Stop right there, Rose. There's some things I just don't want to imagine."
Rose's face fell.
"But, on to how your daughter ended up in this erm... delicate situation." Jackie looked perplexed, so the Doctor continued. "You see... the next day, after all the nice stuff, a war broke out..."
The city shook as the attackers fired lasers at the little houses surrounding the Palace. "Look," the Doctor told the princess, strapping a portable transport device around her wrist. "They won't attack the Palace. They will want somewhere to set up their headquarters."
"But what about..." the princess whimpered, her hand over her gently rounded belly. "You said the teleport wasn't safe for him. And I can’t go into that ship of yours again… I just can’t."
"Doctor!"
He whirled around to see Rose and the other maidens of the Palace bracing the door which shook under the invaders’ assault. "Just a minute Rose!" He turned back toward the princess as he pulled another device from his pocket. "Do you trust your maids?"
"With my life, Doctor," the princess whispered.
"What about with your child's?" he asked gently. When she nodded, he asked, "Do you trust me?"
"Yes. You've been an advisor to my family for many generations, Doctor. If I trust anyone, it's you. And your friend."
"This may tingle a bit," the Doctor warned, readying the device. A bright blue light flashed, the princess yelped and the beam of light zapped across the room. He watched in horror as it ignored the maids and targeted Rose, who let out a surprised scream and slid to the floor in a faint.
"What did you just do," the princess shrieked, running her hands over her now flat stomach.
The Doctor ran over to scoop Rose into his arms. "I have coordinates set into that thing. It'll take you somewhere safe. Rose and I will keep the baby safe. And we will find you and put everything back as it should be."
The princess stood and approached him. Already, Rose's stomach was starting to swell with the child that had been transferred to her womb. In awe, the princess touched Rose's belly and her lilac eyes raised to meet his. "Thank you Doctor. Find me, soon, please."
"We will," he promised. "Now go. Don't tell anyone where you're from or who you are. The yellow button will explain everything once you're there."
The princess pressed the button on the wrist strap and disappeared in a flash of light. With a frantic look at Rose unconscious in his arms, the Doctor raced to the TARDIS door. He stopped and suddenly turned back to face the other women in the room. "Your princess is safe. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"
The maids -- if they could really be called maids when decked out in battle armour and bearing swords -- turned to him. "Go, Doctor. It is our task, our role in life to defend the Palace and the Royal Family," the tallest of them said. "We will not run away as long as the Palace stands."
Jackie stared at the Doctor for a long moment before speaking. "So you're still sayin' it's your fault my daughter is pregnant?" When neither Rose nor the Doctor responded, she continued. "So where did you send this princess that is supposed to be the real mum of the baby? An’ I‘m not sayin’ I believe this rubbish either."
"I sent her here. London, Powell Estates. Probably a few days ago. Hard to miss, what with being nearly six feet tall, dark skin, silky black hair, lilac eyes. Too beautiful to miss."
Jackie's mouth fell open. "You mean Sarah? Tall and wearing a pretty light blue dress? Topped off with a leather trenchie?"
The Doctor and Rose looked at each other then at Jackie. "Sounds like her," Rose smiled.
"Told her in the message to go by Sarah," the Doctor added.
"She just sort of knocked on my door one day and asked if I was Jackie Tyler," Jackie offered. "‘Bout two months back. Said she was new to the council estates. Very sweet girl. Mickey wouldn’t admit it, but I think ‘e fancied her. Lots of the blokes fancied her… Even that nancy on the first story tried gettin’ her fancy. You know the one, Rose… the one, he kept trying to deny he was gay but could easily natter on about the latest hairstyles and elegant cuisine…"
The Doctor looked at Rose, slightly panicked. "She’s started sending out pheromones to attract a new mate."
"But," Jackie continued as if she hadn’t heard the Doctor. "She always managed to make time to come up and help me out every evening and have tea. Said it was a family tradition to be a companion to an older, more respectable female." Both Rose and the Doctor snorted. "Oi! It was nice havin’ a bit of respect. Fat lot better than what I get from you lot unless it’s time to do laundry." The woman pursed her lips in thought. "So she was the princess yeah?"
"Yes," the Doctor replied. "Where is she?"
Jackie shook her head. "I don't know. She ran off with some bloke about three weeks ago. Said she was tired of waiting for her prince to come." Her eyes went to Rose's swollen belly. "That's the prince itnnit?"
The Doctor swore loudly. "Fantastic!" he grumbled.
88888
"What happens to Rose if you can't find the Sarah?" Jackie demanded, glaring at the Doctor.
The Doctor's blue eyes looked troubled. "She'll have to carry it to term."
"I'm not ready to be a Mum!" Rose yelped.
Jackie now had no doubt the Doctor had been telling the truth, although if she hadn't seen the tall black woman the Doctor had described, she wasn’t certain she would have believed them. Would Rose finally have to settle down at home on the estates? How would she take care of the baby?
She was certain Rose would finally stay home. Mickey would be the most logical choice to play daddy to the baby if it resembled Sarah at all. But, that would mean no more police box appearing down in the courtyards, no more leather-clad broody bloke stealing all her biscuits, no more making him sandwiches. No more seeing that blissful smile on Rose's face when he gave that goofy grin.
Oh wonderful, she was already starting to miss the Doctor and he hadn't even abandoned Rose yet! On the other hand, it was his fault Rose was in this situation in the first place.
Jackie watched as the Doctor strode across the room and occupied the cushion on the sofa next to Rose. She almost felt like she was watching something very private as he gently cupped Rose's cheek, stroking it with his thumb.
"I wouldn't dream of leaving you alone for this Rose," he said softly. "It's my fault. I'm going to fix it."
"But why would she leave if she knew we were coming?" Rose asked softly.
"It's how her species does things," the Doctor explained, his hands trailing over Rose's shoulders to capture her fingers. "The fertile women stay pregnant or tending their baby for two years. If they miscarry or find themselves without a child to tend they seek their next mate as soon as they recover." He took a deep breath. "I didn't mean for it to be you, Rose. I thought it would go to one of her maids."
Rose smiled gently. "Well, didn't the Queen say that the maids were barren women? Sort of left me as the only one able to do it then yeah?" She slipped one of her hands from the Doctor's and tweaked his chin. "B'sides, you weren't there when the princess told me they remove everything that enables the maids to bear children."
The Doctor pulled back slightly and blinked. "Ah."
Jackie worried her bottom lip and fidgeted. "I'll go make some tea," she said lightly. Neither Rose nor the Doctor responded; she wasn’t even sure they had heard her. So, Jackie slipped into the kitchen and set to starting the kettle and warming a pot.
She couldn't hear what the two of them were murmuring, like they were sharing secrets. Jackie Tyler was many things, but stupid wasn't one of them -- no matter what the Doctor said. The baby may not be Rose's or the Doctor's... but she was in no way buying Rose's plea that she and the Doctor were not "like that".
Not after she had seen the way they looked at each other all the time. They either had to think she was blind or else be entirely blind themselves to believe they were anything but transparent about their feelings.
Jackie turned as Rose came into the kitchen, stretching, and the sound of the entry door opening and closing reached her ears. "Where does he think he's going?" Jackie asked crossly.
"Had to go get some things from the TARDIS to see if he could find our Princess," Rose replied softly. She pursed her lips and looked around. "Is there any ice cream?"
Jackie shrugged. "Check the refridgerator, love." Jackie watched as Rose started rummaging through the freezer, humming softly to herself. "You know, Rose. If you have to carry this baby to term... you can't go paradin' about time and space anymore." She heard Rose take in a sharp breath. "No sense in foolin' yourself. He won't be stayin'. May stick around while you're still carryin', or for a year or two... but he won't stay."
Rose closed the ice box, a carton of chocolate ice cream in her hand. She plastered on a fake smile. "The Doctor will fix this, mum. Besides, he won't leave me. He promised."
Poor delusional girl, Jackie thought. "Rose, if everyone kept to that sort of promise, divorce rates wouldn't be so high," she commented lightly.
Rose snatched open a drawer and took out a spoon, pointing it at Jackie when she turned. "Don't. He's not everyone else, Mum. The Doctor, he's different."
"He got you pregnant Rose!" Jackie exclaimed. "With another woman's baby!"
Rose shrugged. "Not the strangest thing that-- well, all right so this is the strangest thing so far. But if we can survive observation decks being ransacked by robot spiders, Gelth, farting aliens bombing Downing Street, Daleks, and slimy aliens in ceilings... we can make it through this, too."
"It's not his baby Rose. An' it's not yours either." Apparently Jackie had hit a nerve, because Rose threw the spoon back into the drawer and put the ice cream back in the refridgerator. "Oi! Don't get that way! I'm not blind Rose."
"What do you mean Mum? I've told you time and time again, the Doctor and me, we're not... You just always assume…"
"And I'm still not believin' it, Rose," Jackie interrupted. "You're wantin’ to pretend that the two of ya will bring this baby up together like a normal family. That he'll somehow realize how you feel about 'im... He's an alien Rose. Just like that baby is. You're not even its real mum." Jackie could tell her daughter was angry. "Sweetheart, I'm not tryin' to be mean. Just bein' honest. I don't want to see ya get hurt."
Rose closed her eyes and took in a slow, deep breath before replying. "There's nothing for me to be getting hurt over, Mum. The Doctor doesn't... I don’t… We’re…" Jackie looked at Rose expectantly. "I made the mistake of assuming once. That's all I will say," Rose admitted. "We're friends. That's it."
"Oh sweetheart..." Jackie sighed. She walked over to hug Rose just as tears started leaking from the younger girl's eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"O’course you didn’t know. You never ask do ya? You just assumed the worst. Why am I crying?" Rose sniffled, wiping her eyes and moving away from Jackie's embrace. "I didn't even cry when he said... he said... He said it was a bad idea."
"I only assume the worst because you’re a pretty girl, Rose. Doesn’t know what ’e’s missin’ out on does he? " Jackie smiled knowingly and wiped at Rose’s tears herself. "I did the same thing when I was pregnant with you, sweetheart. Goin' into tears for no reason. Though, can‘t say this is exactly classified as ‘no reason’…" She was about to comment further when she heard the entry door open and close.
The object of Rose's tears breezed in with a variety of metal objects with blinking lights in his hands. He bounded into the kitchen and held a device on which green lights were rapidly flashing. "It's already managed to track her down." He frowned when he noticed Rose's damp eyes. "Why are you crying?"
Rose waved her hand dismissively. "Mum said it's because of the baby." She sniffled and wiped he eyes again. "Hormones and stuff…"
The Doctor grinned widely and showed Rose the little screen on the device. Jackie peeked over her shoulder to look at the swirling images on the screen. "What's that say then?" Jackie asked, looking at Rose for an answer.
Rose looked up at the Doctor. "What's it say?" she echoed.
"She's in Northwest England. In a city called... Carlisle. At Lanes Shopping Centre." The Doctor smirked slightly. "She's having a shopping trip." He tucked the device under his arm and held out another gadget. This one showed the image of the lovely dark-skinned woman Jackie recognized as Sarah. She was walking along with a mousy man trailing behind her, laden with various bags. "See? Shopping."
Jackie wrinkled her nose is distaste. "He’s a bit ugly for someone as pretty as Sarah," she commented. "He has to be at least two heads shorter than her."
"Typical for her people," Rose commented, the Doctor grinned down at her affectionately. "Most of the blokes there were shorter. They didn’t much like tall blokes." She nudged the Doctor playfully.
"Why didn’t they like the tall ones then?" Jackie asked as they ceased their huddling around the gadget.
Rose and the Doctor shared a look as if remembering something amusing only they would understand. Rose caught her bottom lip and turned away as she started giggling. The Doctor rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh.
"They just don’t," the Doctor said, his voice insistent. "Any of the taller men on the planet would have to prove themselves trustworthy."
Rose pinched her tongue between her teeth and pulled out her phone. "I think I may have a picture of that ridiculous outfit they made him wear during the trials… To make sure he was who he said he was."
"Rose, no time for that sort," the Doctor grumbled. "We’ve got a baby to get back into its mother."
"Well, let's go get her then," Rose beamed, pocketing her phone before he could snatch it from her.
"You need to stay here. I'll bring Princess Sarasha'ka back."
Jackie couldn’t help but think the Doctor sounded a bit upset by that admission.
"Wh.. Why?" Rose asked sharply.
"It's not safe," he replied, looking a bit defensive.
"You're picking her up from a shopping centre! How is that dangerous?" Rose exclaimed, glaring right back at him.
"The short trip here was fine, but I'm not sure what might happen to the baby if it travels in the TARDIS too much." Jackie noted he looked authentically dejected. "Besides, it would be best to do the transfer here, where no one will see it."
"But..." Rose whimpered.
"Rose," he said firmly. "It's not safe for the baby. I'll be back shortly. Just picking her up and coming back. I promise."
Rose looked to Jackie and then back at the Doctor. Jackie gave her daughter a sympathetic smile. "He's right love. You should stay 'ere. Just this once."
The Doctor gave Rose a hug and was gone. Rose stood stock still, staring after him.