What's To Come Is Still Unsure (2/16?)
Title: What's to Come is still Unsure(2/16?)
Author: lorelaisquared
Rating: PG-13
Characters: TenII, Rose, Jackie
Word Count: 3727
Beta: The incredible cookie2697
Summary: Part One in an epic love story spanning time and space: When the Doctor abandons Rose in Pete's world with his counterpart, they must learn to live without him. Slowly they build a life together that is filled with love, adventure, danger, and more surprises than either had ever thought possible.
Authors Note: This story wouldn't exist without the help I received from many people. My heartfelt thanks go out to cookie2697 for her invaluable brainstorming, nitpicking, enthusiasm and support throughout the entire process of writing and editing this massive epic. I'd also like to thank tardismate, gioiamia, rumpelsnorcack, meremoon and earlgreytea68 for the suggestions, support and enthusiasm that they offered along the way. *massive hugs to you all*
The title of this story comes from a line of a song in Shakespeares "Twelfth Night" commonly called "O Mistress Mine".
Chapter 1,
Chapter 2
Throughout the rest of that autumn, the Doctor and Rose grew increasingly closer. There were thousands of stolen glances, gentle touches, tantalizing kisses. Rose was more certain of her relationship with him with each passing day and she enjoyed every moment of time that she spent with him, both at work, and in private. The longer she was with him, the less she thought about how they had ended up here together. The past became irrelevant as she grew more invested the present.
The first time it had snowed that winter, they had been walking home from work. They were strolling hand in hand along the waterfront, a block away from the house, when the first white flakes began to drift down from the clouds above.
“Real snow!” the Doctor exclaimed, breaking the companionable silence that had surrounded them as they’d walked.
Rose laughed. “As opposed to what? Fake snow?”
“Welllll not exactly. Don’t you remember our first Christmas together?”
Rose smiled as she thought back to that time. On the one hand it seemed like it had happened only yesterday, yet on the other hand, it felt so very far away. “The Sycorax ship,” she whispered finally.
“Precisely.” The Doctor stopped walking as they reached the house and he looked up at the sky in wonder. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen real snow.”
Rose watched him for a moment, her lips curving upward as several plump snowflakes landed along his cheeks and melted. One snowflake managed to stick to his eyelash in such a way that it moved as he blinked. Fascinated, Rose stood on tip-toe and gently tilted his head downward so she could kiss it off. He sighed contentedly when she touched him, provoking her to trail a delicate line of kisses down his face until their mouths met. Heated tension soared between them as the kissed intensified with Rose at its helm.
She backed him toward the mansion until he was pressed against the door. Somewhere along the way he had slipped his hand beneath her shirt, and as his fingers grazed her bare skin she ground her lower body against his.
Suddenly, he pushed away from her, breaking all contact between them. Without a word, he disappeared into the house, leaving Rose in the snow, alone and confused, trying to figure out exactly what the issue was.
Rose knew that part of the problem was that the Doctor was unsure of her feelings. He didn't want to push her, nor did he want to assume that what she wanted was a relationship with him. Rose herself was still a bit uncertain of what exactly she wanted, but he was extremely important to her and she found herself missing him desperately whenever they were apart for any duration of time. By the time spring came, Rose was beginning to realize that the Doctor already held her heart, and she knew that the trick would be convincing him.
They visited the TARDIS regularly and it had continued to grow, though there had been nothing as pronounced as on the day the Dimension Cannon had gone missing. The Doctor was pleased with the progress it was making, and he'd begun to hope that it wouldn't take as long to mature as he had first feared.
They would often sit and talk when they visited the TARDIS, appreciating the privacy that the Cardiff offices provided. They spent many hours there discussing the missing Dimension Cannon, trying to puzzle the significance of its disappearance.
“We’ve spent ages looking for it,” The Doctor said practically, during one of their regular visits. “But there’s no sign of it. I think maybe it’s time we gave up.”
Rose gaped at him. “Give up? But don’t you want to know what happened to it? Who took it?”
“Yes, of course I do. But it’s been months now, and I don’t see how we can justify wasting any more hours on finding it when there are more pressing matters than need our time and attention.”
“You really think we should stop looking?” She asked uncertainly as he brushed hair from her eyes and his hand lingered on her cheek.
“I do,” he replied regretfully. “I’m sorry Rose. I know how much it means to you, but it’s a cold case. It might never be found. I’m not saying we can’t still keep our eyes and ears open for it, but I think we need to stop actively searching for it.”
She was silent for a moment before nodding her head slowly. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“You’re probably right. It’s just that…” she paused awkwardly, as though searching for the right phrasing. “Nevermind.”
The Doctor stared at her for a moment, his eyes edged with a hint of sadness. “I’m sorry, Rose.”
“It’s all right.” She cleared her throat and forced a smile. “I’m just surprised at you is all. You hate to give up.” Her teasing tone seemed to put him at ease.
“Oh, hush you,” he shot back, amusement clouding the tension that had been in his voice before. “You think you know me so well.”
“I do.” She leaned in until their lips were nearly touching.
“I suppose that’s ...” Before he could finish his thought, she kissed him, rendering the conversation clearly concluded.
*****
Torchwood was in chaos. People ran frantically from department to department. Everyone was talking over each other. When Rose and the Doctor arrived, refreshed from the warm spring evening, the insanity that greeted them was overwhelming. They shared a bewildered glance, then dove into the fray.
Carl rushed over. "Good, you're here. You need to see this. Maybe you’ll know what it means. No one else seems to have a clue." He ushered them toward a flashing, beeping monitor.
"What is that?" Rose asked, pointing to a red area of the screen.
"Yes," the Doctor said, taking off his glasses and peering at it closely. "Good question, Rose. What is that indeed?" He grinned at her. "I love a good mystery."
"I know." She laughed with him until he turned back to the computer.
He punched in a series of commands, his frown deepening with each stroke. "Huh, well that's unusual." More key strokes. "Oooooh, what have we got here?"
He enlarged the image and beckoned Rose closer. She stood behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder as she studied the screen. "But that looks like..."
"Exactly!" he exclaimed before she could finish. "Electromagnetic vortatextural anomaly." He did that cute little laugh that Rose loved so much and she couldn't help grinning at him. "Brilliant!"
Carl stared from one to the other a look of deep perplexity on his face. "What is that?"
"Basically, it's an energy spike," Rose supplied.
"Oh, it's much more than that, Rose. Someone, or something is trying to manipulate time and space."
Her eyes widened. "Do you think it's the Dimension Cannon?"
"It's possible. I can't tell for sure from these readings."
She looked at them more closely. "Actually, they look a lot like the readings we got when I was trying to use the Dimension Cannon to..." She trailed off, uncomfortable under the Doctor's serious gaze.
Carl's gasp broke the silence. "But who would be trying to use it now? It could destroy the whole fabric of reality!"
"The bigger question is why? What are they trying to accomplish?" The Doctor tugged on his ear and paced agitatedly. "That's what we need to find out. Carl, can you trace these readings?"
"Definitely." Carl quickly typed in a string of numbers and a map of the city appeared beneath the readings. "They're coming from the waterfront. Millwall Outer Dock."
"Excellent. When did they start?"
"Umm." Carl typed another series of keys. "The last spike occurred nine minutes ago."
"We'll have to move quickly then. Rose and I will go ahead. Call Johnson and tell him to send his team after us." He turned to Rose and held out his hand to her. "Ready?"
She beamed, entwining her fingers with his. "Always.”
"I love this part." He almost giggled. "Run."
They ran, hand in hand, stride for stride, never ceasing until they reached the Millwall Outer Dock
As they rounded the corner, their feet pounding against the dock, they could hear voices and shuffling feet. A series of splashes reached their ears as they approached the end of the pier. The Doctor stopped running, his hand tightening in Roses, warning her to stay still. There was something there, moving in the night. They walked cautiously forward, hands clasped and hearts beating as they neared it. An odd sort of whimper filled the air and Rose began to suspect that whatever was out there was injured. Finally they were close enough to see, but still far enough away that whatever it was couldn't touch them.
Rose gasped. "No. It can't be."
"What?" The Doctor squinted his eyes and tilted his head sideways, his face rife with confusion. "What's an Ood doing here? There shouldn't be any Ood on planet earth in this time."
"What do you mean?" Rose asked as they took a step toward it.
"Back in the other Universe, Donna and I visited the Oodsphere where the Ood are from. We discovered that the Ood were innately peaceful creatures, but the humans of the future were enslaving them by replacing one of their brains with a translation circuit."
"You mean that orb thing?"
"Exactly. They were using it to control the Ood.” He tugged his ear as he thought aloud. “They can’t have started it early in this universe though. The technology needed is way beyond what earth has now, so it’s impossible that it’s humans. It must be something else that brought it here. The Ood would never leave their home planet without help… or coercion."
"Wait, what are you saying? Does that mean the Ood isn’t alone?"
"It can't be." He frowned. "Not unless things are different here. But I doubt that."
The Ood in front of them moaned suddenly, and Rose let go of the Doctor's hand to kneel beside it.
The creature looked up at her with sad, pain filled eyes. "He's hurt."
The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the Ood. "He must have been injured by the energy spike. Dangerous thing, messing with time." Johnson’s team had arrived and he motioned for him to come forward. "We need a few of your guys to take him back to the office so Doctor Millar tend to his injuries. Then we need the rest of your team to search the area; we don’t think this Ood was acting alone. " Rose moved out of the way and two men, dressed all in black, lifted the Ood and carried him off the dock.
The Doctor turned back to Rose. She was now several feet away staring down at a large, black object. She picked it up, her hands shaking with excitement. "Look. It was the Dimension Cannon that caused the disturbance."
"So it was." The Doctor's voice was suddenly cold and distant. Rose frowned as tension pulsated between them.
"Doctor, aren't you happy that we've found it? We've been looking for it for months."
"I'm very happy for you, Rose." His voice was flat.
"What do you mean, you're happy for me? It was stolen from Torchwood and now we've got it back." She handed the Dimension Cannon to Johnson, silently motioning for him and his team to head back to Torchwood, as she walked toward the Doctor. "It has nothing to do with me."
"It has everything to do with you, Rose." There was something else in his tone now, something bitter, angry.
She was standing in front of him now, and in one swift movement she placed her hands on either side of his face, tilting it toward her so she could see his eyes. The pain she saw there cut deep into the core of her heart. "Doctor, please, tell me what's wrong." The desperation in her own voice frightened her and the corners of her eyes were pooling with tears.
"Nothing is wrong, Rose." He insisted, though his eyes betrayed him. "We have the Dimension Cannon again, you're free to find your way back to him."
Rose gaped at him, her hands falling to her sides. "What?"
"You have access to all of Torchwood's resources, not to mention my Time Lord brain. Now that we've finally found the Dimension Cannon, we have everything we need to send you back."
Rose was flabbergasted. "Why would I want to go back when I love you?"
He started to speak but no sound came out. He stared at her for a long moment as though still processing what she had said. Suddenly, the pain in his eyes was gone and he was reaching out to her. He engulfed her in her arms and crushed his lips to hers in a kiss more passionate and urgent than any they'd shared in all their months together. Rose gasped in surprise and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth finding hers and engaging in a frantic dance that left them both panting and breathless.
He broke the kiss out of necessity, resting his forehead against hers, sliding his hands to her waist and pulling her in closer so that she was pressed against his lean body. She met his eyes, and her heart, already pounding furiously, beat faster still. A tiny tremor of need and excitement started in her belly and built, spreading outward as she continued to gaze at him. She was dizzy with desire for him and as soon as she could breathe again she kissed him deeply, infusing the motion with all the love that she felt for him. He responded, returning her kiss with unparalleled fervour.
Soon, the joining of their lips was no longer enough, and hands slipped beneath clothing as flesh met flesh. It was only when Rose felt cool air against her exposed back that she finally came to her senses. She reluctantly broke their embrace, and met his eyes. The fire she saw in them matched her own, and her heart skipped a beat. "Doctor," she managed to whisper.
His chest was rising up and down as he said, "Yes, Rose?"
She took both of his hands in hers. "Take me home so we can finish this properly?"
He squeezed her hands, his eyes now shining with emotion. "Certainly."
*****
Rose opened her eyes slowly, luxuriating in the feel of the Doctor's arm around her waist as he cradled her against his body in sleep. Careful not to wake him, she twisted around so she could see his face. He looked so calm and peaceful that it brought a smile to her lips. She had never really seen the Doctor sleep before, as he'd always claimed he didn't need to. But this Doctor, her Doctor, was different, human. She smiled again as she began to fully realize the ramifications of his humanity.
Recently she had become aware that she was aging. Nothing major, just little things like creases forming near her eyes, and slight changes in the texture and colour of her hair, she was no longer in her early twenties and it showed. As she studied the Doctor now, she could see that he too was aging. There were the cutest lines forming above his forehead, probably because he furrowed it in confusion far too often. The fact that he was aging too was a comfort to her. It meant that she no longer had to worry about one day leaving him. They really and truly could grow old together. Her heart fluttered at the thought and she sighed softly.
The gentle sound roused the Doctor from his slumber and he woke, amusement playing across his lips as he caught her staring. She blushed and his grin spread wider. "Good Morning, Rose Tyler," he said in a low, gravely voice that sent shivers running up and down her spine.
Her pulse quickened and Rose had to catch her breath before she could say, "Good morning, Doctor."
He pressed his nose to hers and gazed into her eyes for a long moment. "I could get used to waking up to you in my bed," he whispered, planting a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose before placing his lips over hers.
He was silent for a time after that, lost in thought. "You know, in all the... excitement yesterday, I never made it over to see the TARDIS."
"I'm sorry," Rose said earnestly, "I didn't mean to distract you."
The Doctor laughed heartily. "Oh, Rose, you can distract me any time you want!"
"Careful, Doctor, I just might take you up on that," Rose chuckled, snuggling in closer.
"I'm counting on it." He kissed the top of her head. "I was just thinking that I should make sure I visit her today. She seems to get lonely if I'm not there."
"She's still growing though, right?" Rose asked, a trace of panic seeping through her words.
The Doctor nodded. "She's almost as high as my knee now."
The last time Rose had seen the TARDIS it had only been a few inches tall. Her chest suddenly ached with regret. She felt like she had just discovered that she'd missed a major milestone in the life of her own child. "Can I come with you?" she asked the Doctor softly.
Bemused by her sudden shyness, the Doctor nodded, laughter shining from his eyes. "I'd be delighted if you would."
"Thank you." Rose kissed him tenderly, rolled toward the edge of the bed and made to stand, but the Doctor, amused and touched by her eagerness, caught her wrist, stilling her.
"What's the rush?" he asked, pulling her back onto the bed.
"I thought we were...oh!" she gasped as he engulfed her in a searing kiss.
Her body responded instantly to the touch of his lips and soon they were entwined together in a repeat of their actions the previous evening. When they had both been satisfied beyond their wildest imaginings, they lay wrapped in each others’ arms, revelling in the harmony of their union.
When the Doctor had regained his composure, he kissed her temple and whispered, "I love you, Rose Tyler."
******
Rose and the Doctor teleported into the Cardiff Torchwood offices hand in hand, giggling like a couple of love-sick teenagers.
They walked toward the center of the base, their hands slipping apart as they stopped abruptly, staring at the incubator in awe.
"I thought you said it was as tall as your knee," Rose accused.
The Doctor glanced from the TARDIS to Rose and back to the TARDIS. "It was," he told her, his voice infused with wonder. "Two days ago it was up to here." He made a sideways motion with his hand just below his knee.
"How could it have grown so fast? It hasto be at least as tall as your shoulder now.” Rose stepped closer to the TARDIS, brushing the Doctor’s arm as she moved. As soon as their bodies made contact, the TARDIS pulsed with light. Startled, Rose jumped away, nearly twisting her ankle on a piece of grating. She started to tumble forward but the Doctor caught her easily, and instead of metal, Rose landed with a thud against the Doctor's firm chest.
Another flash of light burst from the TARDIS and Rose blinked, convinced that her eyes were playing tricks on her. "Did it just grow?" she asked, her eyes wide.
The Doctor frowned. "What? Impossible?" He pulled away from her to pace and as soon as they were no longer in contact, the glow from the TARDIS ebbed. The Doctor paused and looked back at her, his frown deepening. "Really?" He studied the TARDIS, it stood about an inch taller than his shoulder. "Rose, come here for a moment, I want to try an experiment."
Rose obliged, cautiously moving to stand beside him. "Doctor?"
"Take my hand." She did as he asked and immediately, soft light flared around the TARDIS. When he let her hand go, the light dissipated. "Huh," he mused, contorting his face in puzzlement. "It seems to be reacting to our touch. Let's try something else."
"Like what?"
"This." He planted his hands on either side of her face and kissed her gently, prying at the opening to her mouth with his tongue.
Rose sank into him, completely forgetting where they were and the purpose for the kiss as his tongue plundered her throat.
The TARDIS emitted a creaking sound then, causing them both to startle. They clung to each other as light surrounded them, flickering into the furthest corners of the room. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the light stopped, leaving Rose and the Doctor to gape at the TARDIS which now stood as high as the Doctor's chin.
"What just happened?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"She's reacting to us."
"But how?"
The Doctor frowned. "I'm not sure. But somehow she's connected to us."
He snapped his fingers, his face lighting up. "Yes. That's got to be it. Don't you see, Rose? All that time when you were unsure of me, when you had trouble seeing me as the Doctor, she was really sick, not growing or changing or anything. And then, after that day when I first brought you here, when you began to accept me, she started to grow, not a lot, but enough. In fact - " He tugged on his ear. "- she grew faster as we grew closer. Then when we kissed, that's when she got herself back on track! So then last night when we... she must have... wow." He stared at the TARDIS with a look of admiration on his face.
"Are you saying she grew so much because we made love?" Rose asked tentatively.
"It's more than that I think, more than physical. She's tied to our emotions." His put his finger over his eye as her reasoned it out. "Yes! That's it. Our love did this Rose!"
His excitement was contagious and Rose found herself beaming at him as adrenaline pumped through her body. "Wow."
He pulled her into a warm hug, smiling as the TARDIS reacted. "Indeed. Wow."
Next
Author: lorelaisquared
Rating: PG-13
Characters: TenII, Rose, Jackie
Word Count: 3727
Beta: The incredible cookie2697
Summary: Part One in an epic love story spanning time and space: When the Doctor abandons Rose in Pete's world with his counterpart, they must learn to live without him. Slowly they build a life together that is filled with love, adventure, danger, and more surprises than either had ever thought possible.
Authors Note: This story wouldn't exist without the help I received from many people. My heartfelt thanks go out to cookie2697 for her invaluable brainstorming, nitpicking, enthusiasm and support throughout the entire process of writing and editing this massive epic. I'd also like to thank tardismate, gioiamia, rumpelsnorcack, meremoon and earlgreytea68 for the suggestions, support and enthusiasm that they offered along the way. *massive hugs to you all*
The title of this story comes from a line of a song in Shakespeares "Twelfth Night" commonly called "O Mistress Mine".
Chapter 1,
Chapter 2
Throughout the rest of that autumn, the Doctor and Rose grew increasingly closer. There were thousands of stolen glances, gentle touches, tantalizing kisses. Rose was more certain of her relationship with him with each passing day and she enjoyed every moment of time that she spent with him, both at work, and in private. The longer she was with him, the less she thought about how they had ended up here together. The past became irrelevant as she grew more invested the present.
The first time it had snowed that winter, they had been walking home from work. They were strolling hand in hand along the waterfront, a block away from the house, when the first white flakes began to drift down from the clouds above.
“Real snow!” the Doctor exclaimed, breaking the companionable silence that had surrounded them as they’d walked.
Rose laughed. “As opposed to what? Fake snow?”
“Welllll not exactly. Don’t you remember our first Christmas together?”
Rose smiled as she thought back to that time. On the one hand it seemed like it had happened only yesterday, yet on the other hand, it felt so very far away. “The Sycorax ship,” she whispered finally.
“Precisely.” The Doctor stopped walking as they reached the house and he looked up at the sky in wonder. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen real snow.”
Rose watched him for a moment, her lips curving upward as several plump snowflakes landed along his cheeks and melted. One snowflake managed to stick to his eyelash in such a way that it moved as he blinked. Fascinated, Rose stood on tip-toe and gently tilted his head downward so she could kiss it off. He sighed contentedly when she touched him, provoking her to trail a delicate line of kisses down his face until their mouths met. Heated tension soared between them as the kissed intensified with Rose at its helm.
She backed him toward the mansion until he was pressed against the door. Somewhere along the way he had slipped his hand beneath her shirt, and as his fingers grazed her bare skin she ground her lower body against his.
Suddenly, he pushed away from her, breaking all contact between them. Without a word, he disappeared into the house, leaving Rose in the snow, alone and confused, trying to figure out exactly what the issue was.
Rose knew that part of the problem was that the Doctor was unsure of her feelings. He didn't want to push her, nor did he want to assume that what she wanted was a relationship with him. Rose herself was still a bit uncertain of what exactly she wanted, but he was extremely important to her and she found herself missing him desperately whenever they were apart for any duration of time. By the time spring came, Rose was beginning to realize that the Doctor already held her heart, and she knew that the trick would be convincing him.
They visited the TARDIS regularly and it had continued to grow, though there had been nothing as pronounced as on the day the Dimension Cannon had gone missing. The Doctor was pleased with the progress it was making, and he'd begun to hope that it wouldn't take as long to mature as he had first feared.
They would often sit and talk when they visited the TARDIS, appreciating the privacy that the Cardiff offices provided. They spent many hours there discussing the missing Dimension Cannon, trying to puzzle the significance of its disappearance.
“We’ve spent ages looking for it,” The Doctor said practically, during one of their regular visits. “But there’s no sign of it. I think maybe it’s time we gave up.”
Rose gaped at him. “Give up? But don’t you want to know what happened to it? Who took it?”
“Yes, of course I do. But it’s been months now, and I don’t see how we can justify wasting any more hours on finding it when there are more pressing matters than need our time and attention.”
“You really think we should stop looking?” She asked uncertainly as he brushed hair from her eyes and his hand lingered on her cheek.
“I do,” he replied regretfully. “I’m sorry Rose. I know how much it means to you, but it’s a cold case. It might never be found. I’m not saying we can’t still keep our eyes and ears open for it, but I think we need to stop actively searching for it.”
She was silent for a moment before nodding her head slowly. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“You’re probably right. It’s just that…” she paused awkwardly, as though searching for the right phrasing. “Nevermind.”
The Doctor stared at her for a moment, his eyes edged with a hint of sadness. “I’m sorry, Rose.”
“It’s all right.” She cleared her throat and forced a smile. “I’m just surprised at you is all. You hate to give up.” Her teasing tone seemed to put him at ease.
“Oh, hush you,” he shot back, amusement clouding the tension that had been in his voice before. “You think you know me so well.”
“I do.” She leaned in until their lips were nearly touching.
“I suppose that’s ...” Before he could finish his thought, she kissed him, rendering the conversation clearly concluded.
*****
Torchwood was in chaos. People ran frantically from department to department. Everyone was talking over each other. When Rose and the Doctor arrived, refreshed from the warm spring evening, the insanity that greeted them was overwhelming. They shared a bewildered glance, then dove into the fray.
Carl rushed over. "Good, you're here. You need to see this. Maybe you’ll know what it means. No one else seems to have a clue." He ushered them toward a flashing, beeping monitor.
"What is that?" Rose asked, pointing to a red area of the screen.
"Yes," the Doctor said, taking off his glasses and peering at it closely. "Good question, Rose. What is that indeed?" He grinned at her. "I love a good mystery."
"I know." She laughed with him until he turned back to the computer.
He punched in a series of commands, his frown deepening with each stroke. "Huh, well that's unusual." More key strokes. "Oooooh, what have we got here?"
He enlarged the image and beckoned Rose closer. She stood behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder as she studied the screen. "But that looks like..."
"Exactly!" he exclaimed before she could finish. "Electromagnetic vortatextural anomaly." He did that cute little laugh that Rose loved so much and she couldn't help grinning at him. "Brilliant!"
Carl stared from one to the other a look of deep perplexity on his face. "What is that?"
"Basically, it's an energy spike," Rose supplied.
"Oh, it's much more than that, Rose. Someone, or something is trying to manipulate time and space."
Her eyes widened. "Do you think it's the Dimension Cannon?"
"It's possible. I can't tell for sure from these readings."
She looked at them more closely. "Actually, they look a lot like the readings we got when I was trying to use the Dimension Cannon to..." She trailed off, uncomfortable under the Doctor's serious gaze.
Carl's gasp broke the silence. "But who would be trying to use it now? It could destroy the whole fabric of reality!"
"The bigger question is why? What are they trying to accomplish?" The Doctor tugged on his ear and paced agitatedly. "That's what we need to find out. Carl, can you trace these readings?"
"Definitely." Carl quickly typed in a string of numbers and a map of the city appeared beneath the readings. "They're coming from the waterfront. Millwall Outer Dock."
"Excellent. When did they start?"
"Umm." Carl typed another series of keys. "The last spike occurred nine minutes ago."
"We'll have to move quickly then. Rose and I will go ahead. Call Johnson and tell him to send his team after us." He turned to Rose and held out his hand to her. "Ready?"
She beamed, entwining her fingers with his. "Always.”
"I love this part." He almost giggled. "Run."
They ran, hand in hand, stride for stride, never ceasing until they reached the Millwall Outer Dock
As they rounded the corner, their feet pounding against the dock, they could hear voices and shuffling feet. A series of splashes reached their ears as they approached the end of the pier. The Doctor stopped running, his hand tightening in Roses, warning her to stay still. There was something there, moving in the night. They walked cautiously forward, hands clasped and hearts beating as they neared it. An odd sort of whimper filled the air and Rose began to suspect that whatever was out there was injured. Finally they were close enough to see, but still far enough away that whatever it was couldn't touch them.
Rose gasped. "No. It can't be."
"What?" The Doctor squinted his eyes and tilted his head sideways, his face rife with confusion. "What's an Ood doing here? There shouldn't be any Ood on planet earth in this time."
"What do you mean?" Rose asked as they took a step toward it.
"Back in the other Universe, Donna and I visited the Oodsphere where the Ood are from. We discovered that the Ood were innately peaceful creatures, but the humans of the future were enslaving them by replacing one of their brains with a translation circuit."
"You mean that orb thing?"
"Exactly. They were using it to control the Ood.” He tugged his ear as he thought aloud. “They can’t have started it early in this universe though. The technology needed is way beyond what earth has now, so it’s impossible that it’s humans. It must be something else that brought it here. The Ood would never leave their home planet without help… or coercion."
"Wait, what are you saying? Does that mean the Ood isn’t alone?"
"It can't be." He frowned. "Not unless things are different here. But I doubt that."
The Ood in front of them moaned suddenly, and Rose let go of the Doctor's hand to kneel beside it.
The creature looked up at her with sad, pain filled eyes. "He's hurt."
The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the Ood. "He must have been injured by the energy spike. Dangerous thing, messing with time." Johnson’s team had arrived and he motioned for him to come forward. "We need a few of your guys to take him back to the office so Doctor Millar tend to his injuries. Then we need the rest of your team to search the area; we don’t think this Ood was acting alone. " Rose moved out of the way and two men, dressed all in black, lifted the Ood and carried him off the dock.
The Doctor turned back to Rose. She was now several feet away staring down at a large, black object. She picked it up, her hands shaking with excitement. "Look. It was the Dimension Cannon that caused the disturbance."
"So it was." The Doctor's voice was suddenly cold and distant. Rose frowned as tension pulsated between them.
"Doctor, aren't you happy that we've found it? We've been looking for it for months."
"I'm very happy for you, Rose." His voice was flat.
"What do you mean, you're happy for me? It was stolen from Torchwood and now we've got it back." She handed the Dimension Cannon to Johnson, silently motioning for him and his team to head back to Torchwood, as she walked toward the Doctor. "It has nothing to do with me."
"It has everything to do with you, Rose." There was something else in his tone now, something bitter, angry.
She was standing in front of him now, and in one swift movement she placed her hands on either side of his face, tilting it toward her so she could see his eyes. The pain she saw there cut deep into the core of her heart. "Doctor, please, tell me what's wrong." The desperation in her own voice frightened her and the corners of her eyes were pooling with tears.
"Nothing is wrong, Rose." He insisted, though his eyes betrayed him. "We have the Dimension Cannon again, you're free to find your way back to him."
Rose gaped at him, her hands falling to her sides. "What?"
"You have access to all of Torchwood's resources, not to mention my Time Lord brain. Now that we've finally found the Dimension Cannon, we have everything we need to send you back."
Rose was flabbergasted. "Why would I want to go back when I love you?"
He started to speak but no sound came out. He stared at her for a long moment as though still processing what she had said. Suddenly, the pain in his eyes was gone and he was reaching out to her. He engulfed her in her arms and crushed his lips to hers in a kiss more passionate and urgent than any they'd shared in all their months together. Rose gasped in surprise and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth finding hers and engaging in a frantic dance that left them both panting and breathless.
He broke the kiss out of necessity, resting his forehead against hers, sliding his hands to her waist and pulling her in closer so that she was pressed against his lean body. She met his eyes, and her heart, already pounding furiously, beat faster still. A tiny tremor of need and excitement started in her belly and built, spreading outward as she continued to gaze at him. She was dizzy with desire for him and as soon as she could breathe again she kissed him deeply, infusing the motion with all the love that she felt for him. He responded, returning her kiss with unparalleled fervour.
Soon, the joining of their lips was no longer enough, and hands slipped beneath clothing as flesh met flesh. It was only when Rose felt cool air against her exposed back that she finally came to her senses. She reluctantly broke their embrace, and met his eyes. The fire she saw in them matched her own, and her heart skipped a beat. "Doctor," she managed to whisper.
His chest was rising up and down as he said, "Yes, Rose?"
She took both of his hands in hers. "Take me home so we can finish this properly?"
He squeezed her hands, his eyes now shining with emotion. "Certainly."
*****
Rose opened her eyes slowly, luxuriating in the feel of the Doctor's arm around her waist as he cradled her against his body in sleep. Careful not to wake him, she twisted around so she could see his face. He looked so calm and peaceful that it brought a smile to her lips. She had never really seen the Doctor sleep before, as he'd always claimed he didn't need to. But this Doctor, her Doctor, was different, human. She smiled again as she began to fully realize the ramifications of his humanity.
Recently she had become aware that she was aging. Nothing major, just little things like creases forming near her eyes, and slight changes in the texture and colour of her hair, she was no longer in her early twenties and it showed. As she studied the Doctor now, she could see that he too was aging. There were the cutest lines forming above his forehead, probably because he furrowed it in confusion far too often. The fact that he was aging too was a comfort to her. It meant that she no longer had to worry about one day leaving him. They really and truly could grow old together. Her heart fluttered at the thought and she sighed softly.
The gentle sound roused the Doctor from his slumber and he woke, amusement playing across his lips as he caught her staring. She blushed and his grin spread wider. "Good Morning, Rose Tyler," he said in a low, gravely voice that sent shivers running up and down her spine.
Her pulse quickened and Rose had to catch her breath before she could say, "Good morning, Doctor."
He pressed his nose to hers and gazed into her eyes for a long moment. "I could get used to waking up to you in my bed," he whispered, planting a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose before placing his lips over hers.
He was silent for a time after that, lost in thought. "You know, in all the... excitement yesterday, I never made it over to see the TARDIS."
"I'm sorry," Rose said earnestly, "I didn't mean to distract you."
The Doctor laughed heartily. "Oh, Rose, you can distract me any time you want!"
"Careful, Doctor, I just might take you up on that," Rose chuckled, snuggling in closer.
"I'm counting on it." He kissed the top of her head. "I was just thinking that I should make sure I visit her today. She seems to get lonely if I'm not there."
"She's still growing though, right?" Rose asked, a trace of panic seeping through her words.
The Doctor nodded. "She's almost as high as my knee now."
The last time Rose had seen the TARDIS it had only been a few inches tall. Her chest suddenly ached with regret. She felt like she had just discovered that she'd missed a major milestone in the life of her own child. "Can I come with you?" she asked the Doctor softly.
Bemused by her sudden shyness, the Doctor nodded, laughter shining from his eyes. "I'd be delighted if you would."
"Thank you." Rose kissed him tenderly, rolled toward the edge of the bed and made to stand, but the Doctor, amused and touched by her eagerness, caught her wrist, stilling her.
"What's the rush?" he asked, pulling her back onto the bed.
"I thought we were...oh!" she gasped as he engulfed her in a searing kiss.
Her body responded instantly to the touch of his lips and soon they were entwined together in a repeat of their actions the previous evening. When they had both been satisfied beyond their wildest imaginings, they lay wrapped in each others’ arms, revelling in the harmony of their union.
When the Doctor had regained his composure, he kissed her temple and whispered, "I love you, Rose Tyler."
******
Rose and the Doctor teleported into the Cardiff Torchwood offices hand in hand, giggling like a couple of love-sick teenagers.
They walked toward the center of the base, their hands slipping apart as they stopped abruptly, staring at the incubator in awe.
"I thought you said it was as tall as your knee," Rose accused.
The Doctor glanced from the TARDIS to Rose and back to the TARDIS. "It was," he told her, his voice infused with wonder. "Two days ago it was up to here." He made a sideways motion with his hand just below his knee.
"How could it have grown so fast? It hasto be at least as tall as your shoulder now.” Rose stepped closer to the TARDIS, brushing the Doctor’s arm as she moved. As soon as their bodies made contact, the TARDIS pulsed with light. Startled, Rose jumped away, nearly twisting her ankle on a piece of grating. She started to tumble forward but the Doctor caught her easily, and instead of metal, Rose landed with a thud against the Doctor's firm chest.
Another flash of light burst from the TARDIS and Rose blinked, convinced that her eyes were playing tricks on her. "Did it just grow?" she asked, her eyes wide.
The Doctor frowned. "What? Impossible?" He pulled away from her to pace and as soon as they were no longer in contact, the glow from the TARDIS ebbed. The Doctor paused and looked back at her, his frown deepening. "Really?" He studied the TARDIS, it stood about an inch taller than his shoulder. "Rose, come here for a moment, I want to try an experiment."
Rose obliged, cautiously moving to stand beside him. "Doctor?"
"Take my hand." She did as he asked and immediately, soft light flared around the TARDIS. When he let her hand go, the light dissipated. "Huh," he mused, contorting his face in puzzlement. "It seems to be reacting to our touch. Let's try something else."
"Like what?"
"This." He planted his hands on either side of her face and kissed her gently, prying at the opening to her mouth with his tongue.
Rose sank into him, completely forgetting where they were and the purpose for the kiss as his tongue plundered her throat.
The TARDIS emitted a creaking sound then, causing them both to startle. They clung to each other as light surrounded them, flickering into the furthest corners of the room. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the light stopped, leaving Rose and the Doctor to gape at the TARDIS which now stood as high as the Doctor's chin.
"What just happened?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"She's reacting to us."
"But how?"
The Doctor frowned. "I'm not sure. But somehow she's connected to us."
He snapped his fingers, his face lighting up. "Yes. That's got to be it. Don't you see, Rose? All that time when you were unsure of me, when you had trouble seeing me as the Doctor, she was really sick, not growing or changing or anything. And then, after that day when I first brought you here, when you began to accept me, she started to grow, not a lot, but enough. In fact - " He tugged on his ear. "- she grew faster as we grew closer. Then when we kissed, that's when she got herself back on track! So then last night when we... she must have... wow." He stared at the TARDIS with a look of admiration on his face.
"Are you saying she grew so much because we made love?" Rose asked tentatively.
"It's more than that I think, more than physical. She's tied to our emotions." His put his finger over his eye as her reasoned it out. "Yes! That's it. Our love did this Rose!"
His excitement was contagious and Rose found herself beaming at him as adrenaline pumped through her body. "Wow."
He pulled her into a warm hug, smiling as the TARDIS reacted. "Indeed. Wow."
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