Memories
Title: Memories
Author: janna_hawkins
Beta: danaems
Summary: Some memories can stir up intense emotions...
Characters: Tenth Doctor, Rose Tyler
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Doctor Who except my psychic paper, sonic screwdriver and sonic pen :)
Author Notes: Takes place between School Reunion and Rise of the Cybermen. Please enjoy!!! :D
For Star *hug*
~..~
Mickey had been settled into a room for the night, but neither Rose nor the Doctor were ready to sleep.
They were sitting in the console room, Rose on the chair with a magazine and the Doctor underneath the console, fiddling with something. Normally they would be talking about their last adventure over a cup of tea, but tonight, neither one wanted to mention it.
Finally, Rose threw down her magazine and sighed loudly. At the noise, the Doctor poked his head over the edge of the grating and frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Go back to whatever it was you were doing."
"I was adjusting the fibrous reflex link. Keeps us from crashing into another dimension."
"Whatever. Go back to it, I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." As he climbed back down, she hesitated. "Although..."
He looked back up warily. "What?"
"Why didn't you ever tell me about Sarah Jane?"
The Doctor frowned and clambered up from the hole to sit on the grating. "I don't know why. I just...I never realized it'd affect you so much. None of my other companions minded seeing previous ones."
"Wait. How many others have you had?"
"Uh...well, let me think. There was Adric and Peri and Leela," he paused, frowning. "And of course
Susan."
"Susan?"
"Yeah. My granddaughter."
"Your what?!"
"What?"
"How can you have a granddaughter?"
"Nine hundred years old, remember, Rose? I've been married a few times in my lifetime. Although," he said thoughtfully, "sometimes of course it wasn't my choice. Like that time on that planet when the headwoman took one look at me and decided that I was-mmph!"
Rose sighed and moved her hand away from his mouth. "Off of the topic, Doctor. What about Susan?"
"What about her?"
"Well, what was she like? Did she have your impressive gob or was she more like the other you?"
"Neither. There have been other me's you know."
"Yeah, I know. I've seen pictures. Seriously, what was with that multi-coloured suit?"
"It was high fashion! And possibly I was a little loopy that regeneration."
"Loopy? And this you isn't?" Rose asked, attempting to keep a straight face.
"Oi!"
She grinned. "What about when you tasted that blood on the Sycorax ship? Or licking the walls in that Torchwood house? That's not loopy behaviour in the least, is it?"
"I'd just regenerated. I was testing out the new body," the Doctor muttered, ignoring his snickering companion.
"Of course you were, Doctor. At least you didn't try to taste that oil earlier. Who knows what could have happened!"
"I would never have done that! That'd be extremely unhygienic. Not to mention, it'd taste horrible."
"And licking walls is hygienic? Really, Doctor."
"What? This regeneration is very tactile. Lots of touchy feely...stuff. My senses of taste and touch are much better now although the eyesight is a bit off now, which is why I have to wear these...err what should I call them? They've got to have some sort of a name," he asked, pulling out his black-rimmed glasses and examining them.
"Brainy specs?"
"Brainy specs? Where did you come up with a phrase like that? Brainy specs." He put on the glasses and cocked his head thoughtfully. "Although I have to admit it sounds rather good. Very intelligent. Brainy specs. Brainy specs, brainy specs, brainy specs. I like it! Brainy specs they a-err...Rose? Something the matter?"
She glanced up, frowning and sighed. "Sorry, it's just still really new. Chatty, gorgeous hair you instead of tall, dark and mysterious you. And finding out all that other stuff I never knew about you before...like how I'm not the first person to have traveled with you. That I wasn't the first one to have seen all these new worlds with you."
"Rose, I..."
"No, no, don't worry, I'm really just thinking aloud here. Considering my options."
"Options? Wait, Rose, you're not thinking of leaving, are you?"
"No, I just..."
"Because if you are, I won't stop you..."
"I..."
"Just say the word and I'll drop you off back home. Mr. Mickey too if he wants. I mean, I won't keep you here against your will no matter how much I love having you here..."
"Doctor!"
"Having you here really helped me during my last regeneration and I've really grown attached to you so if you wanted to leav-ow!" He looked up at Rose, rubbing his smarting cheek. "What was that for?!"
"To make you shut up for a minute! Can't get a word in edgewise nowadays. Now, listen to me, you big Time Baby. I am not leaving. Not now, not ever. Understand? I'm just trying to work through the last couple days."
"You're...not leaving?"
"Never. Better now? Have you decided to stop panicking?"
"Oi! I don't panic!"
"Doctor, apparently when it comes to me, you do panic, and normally I might find that very flattering, but at the moment I just find it extremely annoying. Especially since there's really no reason for it."
"I...maybe you're right. Sorry, I guess this me overreacts a bit."
"A bit? Doctor, you were practically running around screaming it for the universe to hear."
"Rose, I don't do that!"
"You would've, I'm sure," she replied with a grin.
He rolled his eyes and whipped off his glasses. "Whatever you say, Rose. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." As he clambered back underneath the grating, her snickers followed him down.
Brilliant. A mighty Time Lord reduced to hiding from a laughing human. He was almost glad his people weren't around to see it.
But, at least that human was Rose. Not so bad, that.