What's To Come Is Still Unsure (5/16?)
Title: What's to Come is still Unsure (5/16?)
Author: lorelaisquared
Rating: PG-13
Characters: TenII, Rose,
Word Count: 2260
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: Forgive me for the angst of the last chapter, this next one will hopefully make up for it - it's one of my personal favourites! :)
Just a note of clarification: Pete's universe did not split with Rose's original universe until AFTER Torchwood was created by Queen Victoria. (Torchwood couldn't exist in Pete's World otherwise.)
As always, thank you to the people who helped me bring this story to life: cookie2697, tardismate, gioiamia, rumpelsnorcack, meremoon and earlgreytea68 *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, Chapter 3, Chapter 4,
Chapter 5
The Doctor was quieter than usual in the days that followed their trip to Gallifrey. After five days of near silence on the TARDIS, Rose decided it was time to cheer him up. She wandered into the library where he was staring at a book, but not reading.
She took the book from his hands, causing him to look up at her in surprise.
"Oh, Rose. Hello," he said, absently.
"Doctor, I think it's time for us to go backwards in time, see some history."
His eyes lit up and he was back to be his usual self for a moment. "Ooooh, I love history. Where should we go?"
"It might be fun to see Queen Victoria again," Rose suggested, a gleam in her eye.
The Doctor threw his head back and howled with laughter. "She was NOT amused by us!"
"No, we weren’t prim and proper enough for her," Rose said in a formal, high pitched voice.
"Let's do it!" The Doctor jumped up, knocking the book out of Rose's hand as he went. Rose scooped it up and set it on the couch before following him out of the room.
He was nearly at the console when he spun around. "You should change. The wardrobe room should have something appropriate for you to wear. Don't want to risk angering her with our 'lack of modesty'." They grinned at each other.
Looking down at her faded jeans and yellow t-shirt, Rose shook her head. "Definitely not!" After quickly changing course to walk toward the dressing room, she pushed open the door, smiling at the broad assortment of clothing options that awaited her. She shifted her way through several racks of dresses before settling on a long, emerald green dress with a lace-up bodice and a lovely heart shaped bust line.
Rose changed quickly, but was unable to lace up the back on her own. Leaving her jeans and t-shirt in a heap on the floor, Rose returned to the console room. Her request to have him tie up her dress died on her lips as he stared at her, his eyes wide and filled with love.
"You look beautiful," he whispered. "You should always wear green."
Rose smiled. "So it's all right?" She spun around.
"Weeeeeell, it's a littledated for the 1870's but it will do. Better too old than too new." The Doctor chuckled. "Ha! That rhymed. I love rhymes!"
"I know!" Rose beamed, happy to see him back to his old self again. She hoped that his mood from the past few days was gone. "Do you mind?" She turned so he could see the lose laces at her back.
"Not at all." His warm fingers lingered over her skin as he tugged on the laces. Rose shivered, suddenly realizing that it had been days since he'd touched her. He tightened it slowly, taking his time as he threaded the laces through the empty loops in one section of the dress. By the time he was done, Rose was tingling all over and leaving the TARDIS was the farthest thing from her mind.
The Doctor slid his hands to her hips and pulled her back until her head was resting against his torso. "We should go," he whispered regretfully. "Queen Victoria awaits. But when it's time, don't you dare take that dress off without me." His voice was low and gravely and it made Rose's heart rate quicken.
"I wouldn't dream of it," she gasped.
"Good." She could sense, rather than see, him smile.
He pulled away and took her hand. "Ready?"
Rose nodded. "Ready."
They left the TARDIS, expecting to step onto a grassy knoll, but instead they were standing on a marble floor.
"What?" the Doctor scowled looking around. They appeared to be in a great hall. Gorgeous tapestries and paintings hung on the walls. A stage had been set up in the centre of the room with several chairs lined up in front of it. On the stage were several people in costume rehearsing a play.
"Twelfth Night?" the Doctor murmured, recognizing it immediately. "Queen Victoria never had Twelfth Nightperformed at the palace."His face was screwed up in concentration as he tried to figure out where exactly they were. Someone on stage caught his attention for a moment and suddenly it clicked into place. "We're not in Queen Victoria's time. We're in Shakespeare's." He pointed to the man on the stage. "Oh, yes! This is Whitehall! Which means, this must be the inaugural performance of Twelfth Night.It was staged here for Queen Elizabeth I in 1601. Oh, Rose, you are in for a treat!" The Doctor was practically bouncing with giddiness, a stark contrast to the man she'd seen all week.
Rose blinked at him, bewildered. "Shakespeare?"
The smile on the Doctor's face was broad and beaming. "The Bard himself! Come on, I'll introduce you!"
"You've met him?" Rose asked, jogging to keep up with the Doctor as he headed for the stage at a rapid clip.
"With Martha. Would have been a few years back for him." He grinned. "Wonder if he remembers me?"
"Of course I remember you, Doctor. How could I forget?" A man with a jovial smile and a beard walked toward them. "But where is the lovely Miss Jones?"
"Back in Freedonia. She's married now," the Doctor told him proudly.
"Aw, shame. Would love to have seen her again." He turned to Rose.
"Will," the Doctor began, gesturing to Rose, "I don't think I've properly introduced you to my wi--."
Shakespeare cut him off. "Rose!?!?" Then he began to laugh. "You're with the Doctor? I should have known! You weren’t wearing the right clothing. And you spoke oddly."
The Doctor gaped at them both, clearly baffled by this new turn of events.
Rose screwed up her face in confusion. What was he talking about? She'd never seen him before in her life.
Shakespeare didn't seem to notice. Instead, he ushered them on to the stage. "You shouldn't be out in the open like this. The Queen will be arriving shortly for the performance."
"What about the TARDIS?" Rose whispered frantically in the Doctor's ear as they ascended the makeshift steps. "You can't leave it in the middle of the room."
"Already taken care of." He pointed to the spot where they'd come in. The TARDIS was gone. "Since she's so new I was able to make a few adjustments. And now she has the ability to cloak herself."
"Oh, you're brilliant! That will come in handy," Rose told him, impressed.
"The old TARDIS could do it too, before she was damaged in the time war." The sorrow returned to his eyes for a second, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had come.
"Hurry up, you two," Shakespeare called, summoning them from the top of the stairs. "She'll be here any minute."
Rose and the Doctor raced onto the stage to where the company was setting up for the play just in time. The next moment, people began to file in, filling the empty seats in the audience. Rose peeked through the curtain as trumpets sounded and Queen Elizabeth I was announced. The Queen was led to a dais in the center of the room where she would have a clear view of the stage.
The first notes of a jovial melody floated through the air as the musicians walked on stage with several of the actors. One of them, a man wearing an elaborate purple costume stepped forward. "If music be the food of love, play on..."
"That's Duke Orsino," the Doctor whispered to Rose. "This first speech of his is my favourite!"
"Shhhh," Rose hushed him, her eyes riveted to the stage. "Let me watch."
The Doctor smiled, pleased that she was so enamoured with the play. Twelfth Night was one of his absolute favourites. He peeked at her face as she watched, fascinated to see her reaction as Viola disguised herself and the complicated and comedic love triangle unfolded before their eyes. She laughed at all of his favourite moments and seemed to be as amused as he was by the interplay between Malvolio, Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew.
When the play was over, Rose clapped loudest of all, tears dotting the corners of her eyes. She hugged the Doctor. "Oh, I do love a happy ending."
"Me too, and this one was magnificent don't you think?" The Doctor pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
"Which one? The play's or ours?" Rose teased, kissing him lightly.
Laughing, the Doctor said, "Both are, though I wasreferring to the play. Shakespeare’s a genius."
"Talking about me again are you?" Shakespeare came over to them, his smile wide. He glanced from one to the other of them, a gleam in his eye as he caught the way they were looking at each other. "Look at you two, so sweet and in love. You are like the star-crossed lovers I write in my plays." He paused, as though hearing his own words for the first time.
Rose thought about it for a moment. "Well, we have had to overcome a lot of obstacles to get to this point." She cast her eyes downward as she thought about everything they had been through.
Shakespeare gently tilted her head upward so he could see her eyes clearly. "Ahh, but I have made the lady sad. My sincerest apologies."
Rose smiled. "It's okay. We were separated. For a long time. I spent three years fighting to get back to him. And sometimes I worry that it'll happen again. I'd do anything to stay with him and keep him safe."
"Yes, but now you are together and happy. Any fool can see that. You lead an adventurous life. It would be perfect for one of my plays. If only I could write of you both, how it would please my fans."
"Best not, Shakespeare," The Doctor interjected. "Don't want to meddle with things more than we already have."
"Is he always this cryptic?" Shakespeare asked Rose.
"He has his moments." Rose glanced at the Doctor.
Shakespeare grinned. "But I suspect you like that about him."
Rose nodded, her eyes shining as a tiny smile pursed her lips. "I love everything about him... all that we've been through? It was worth it."
"It usually is." Shakespeare agreed. He looked thoughtful. "Except in a tragedy of course!"
The Doctor slapped him on the shoulder. "And you, Will, are the master of that art."
Shakespeare smiled. "Ah, you are too kind, sir Doctor. Although, have you had a chance to see Romeo and Juliet? If you haven't, you really should catch a performance sometime. It is a personal favourite of mine."
"As Twelfth Night is a favourite of mine." The Doctor deliberately avoided the question, as any answers would likely lead to more awkward questioning.
"Oh, yes! It was a fantastic play, sir," Rose gushed.
"Well, I can't take all the credit. Let's just say I had a stroke of inspiration from a mysterious woman in disguise." He winked at her and kissed her hand, his lips lingering just a little longer than was proper, but not so long as to be impolite.
Rose blushed, confused by his words and their implication.
Oblivious to the exchange, the Doctor continued to babble about the play. "This truly is one of your best comedies," he told him. "I am always awed by how clever and witty it is whenever I read it."
"You, sir, are as mysterious and baffling as ever. My plays are meant to be seen, not read. Why would you waste your time on such an arduous task?" Shakespeare looked at him thoughtfully. "No matter." He threw his arms around their shoulders and walked them down the steps. "Come, the Queen has requested an audience."
As they began to walk, Shakespeare gently held Rose back for a bit, allowing the Doctor to go on ahead. She looked up at him, startled. His eyes bored into her intently as he whispered, "These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die."
Rose shivered, a chill coursing through her body. She wanted to ask him what he meant by the bleak words, but he had already caught up with the Doctor.
They had nearly reached the dais when the Doctor realized that something was terribly wrong. The Queen's face had darkened when they stepped out into the open and she was glaring at the Doctor with unadulterated hatred in her eyes.
"Doctor!" she screeched. "You dare enter my palace uninvited? After what you've done?"
"Whoops," The Doctor said, keeping his voice light. "I forgot that Queen Elizabeth is mad at me. Never did find out why."
"Doctor!" Rose said urgently, tugging his sleeve as she eyed the guards next to the Queen wearily. "I think we've outstayed our welcome."
"I daresay you're right!" the Doctor exclaimed. He patted Shakespeare on the shoulder. "Well, Will, it was nice to see you again, but we've got to dash."
With that, he grabbed Rose's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Run!"
They took off, the Doctor pulling out the sonic screwdriver and aiming it at the area where the TARDIS was while men shouted after them and arrows whizzed by. They scrambled into the TARDIS and slammed the door, panting as they caught their breath.
"What didI do to her?" the Doctor wondered aloud as he raced to the console to shift them into the time vortex.
Next Chapter
Author: lorelaisquared
Rating: PG-13
Characters: TenII, Rose,
Word Count: 2260
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: Forgive me for the angst of the last chapter, this next one will hopefully make up for it - it's one of my personal favourites! :)
Just a note of clarification: Pete's universe did not split with Rose's original universe until AFTER Torchwood was created by Queen Victoria. (Torchwood couldn't exist in Pete's World otherwise.)
As always, thank you to the people who helped me bring this story to life: cookie2697, tardismate, gioiamia, rumpelsnorcack, meremoon and earlgreytea68 *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, Chapter 3, Chapter 4,
Chapter 5
The Doctor was quieter than usual in the days that followed their trip to Gallifrey. After five days of near silence on the TARDIS, Rose decided it was time to cheer him up. She wandered into the library where he was staring at a book, but not reading.
She took the book from his hands, causing him to look up at her in surprise.
"Oh, Rose. Hello," he said, absently.
"Doctor, I think it's time for us to go backwards in time, see some history."
His eyes lit up and he was back to be his usual self for a moment. "Ooooh, I love history. Where should we go?"
"It might be fun to see Queen Victoria again," Rose suggested, a gleam in her eye.
The Doctor threw his head back and howled with laughter. "She was NOT amused by us!"
"No, we weren’t prim and proper enough for her," Rose said in a formal, high pitched voice.
"Let's do it!" The Doctor jumped up, knocking the book out of Rose's hand as he went. Rose scooped it up and set it on the couch before following him out of the room.
He was nearly at the console when he spun around. "You should change. The wardrobe room should have something appropriate for you to wear. Don't want to risk angering her with our 'lack of modesty'." They grinned at each other.
Looking down at her faded jeans and yellow t-shirt, Rose shook her head. "Definitely not!" After quickly changing course to walk toward the dressing room, she pushed open the door, smiling at the broad assortment of clothing options that awaited her. She shifted her way through several racks of dresses before settling on a long, emerald green dress with a lace-up bodice and a lovely heart shaped bust line.
Rose changed quickly, but was unable to lace up the back on her own. Leaving her jeans and t-shirt in a heap on the floor, Rose returned to the console room. Her request to have him tie up her dress died on her lips as he stared at her, his eyes wide and filled with love.
"You look beautiful," he whispered. "You should always wear green."
Rose smiled. "So it's all right?" She spun around.
"Weeeeeell, it's a littledated for the 1870's but it will do. Better too old than too new." The Doctor chuckled. "Ha! That rhymed. I love rhymes!"
"I know!" Rose beamed, happy to see him back to his old self again. She hoped that his mood from the past few days was gone. "Do you mind?" She turned so he could see the lose laces at her back.
"Not at all." His warm fingers lingered over her skin as he tugged on the laces. Rose shivered, suddenly realizing that it had been days since he'd touched her. He tightened it slowly, taking his time as he threaded the laces through the empty loops in one section of the dress. By the time he was done, Rose was tingling all over and leaving the TARDIS was the farthest thing from her mind.
The Doctor slid his hands to her hips and pulled her back until her head was resting against his torso. "We should go," he whispered regretfully. "Queen Victoria awaits. But when it's time, don't you dare take that dress off without me." His voice was low and gravely and it made Rose's heart rate quicken.
"I wouldn't dream of it," she gasped.
"Good." She could sense, rather than see, him smile.
He pulled away and took her hand. "Ready?"
Rose nodded. "Ready."
They left the TARDIS, expecting to step onto a grassy knoll, but instead they were standing on a marble floor.
"What?" the Doctor scowled looking around. They appeared to be in a great hall. Gorgeous tapestries and paintings hung on the walls. A stage had been set up in the centre of the room with several chairs lined up in front of it. On the stage were several people in costume rehearsing a play.
"Twelfth Night?" the Doctor murmured, recognizing it immediately. "Queen Victoria never had Twelfth Nightperformed at the palace."His face was screwed up in concentration as he tried to figure out where exactly they were. Someone on stage caught his attention for a moment and suddenly it clicked into place. "We're not in Queen Victoria's time. We're in Shakespeare's." He pointed to the man on the stage. "Oh, yes! This is Whitehall! Which means, this must be the inaugural performance of Twelfth Night.It was staged here for Queen Elizabeth I in 1601. Oh, Rose, you are in for a treat!" The Doctor was practically bouncing with giddiness, a stark contrast to the man she'd seen all week.
Rose blinked at him, bewildered. "Shakespeare?"
The smile on the Doctor's face was broad and beaming. "The Bard himself! Come on, I'll introduce you!"
"You've met him?" Rose asked, jogging to keep up with the Doctor as he headed for the stage at a rapid clip.
"With Martha. Would have been a few years back for him." He grinned. "Wonder if he remembers me?"
"Of course I remember you, Doctor. How could I forget?" A man with a jovial smile and a beard walked toward them. "But where is the lovely Miss Jones?"
"Back in Freedonia. She's married now," the Doctor told him proudly.
"Aw, shame. Would love to have seen her again." He turned to Rose.
"Will," the Doctor began, gesturing to Rose, "I don't think I've properly introduced you to my wi--."
Shakespeare cut him off. "Rose!?!?" Then he began to laugh. "You're with the Doctor? I should have known! You weren’t wearing the right clothing. And you spoke oddly."
The Doctor gaped at them both, clearly baffled by this new turn of events.
Rose screwed up her face in confusion. What was he talking about? She'd never seen him before in her life.
Shakespeare didn't seem to notice. Instead, he ushered them on to the stage. "You shouldn't be out in the open like this. The Queen will be arriving shortly for the performance."
"What about the TARDIS?" Rose whispered frantically in the Doctor's ear as they ascended the makeshift steps. "You can't leave it in the middle of the room."
"Already taken care of." He pointed to the spot where they'd come in. The TARDIS was gone. "Since she's so new I was able to make a few adjustments. And now she has the ability to cloak herself."
"Oh, you're brilliant! That will come in handy," Rose told him, impressed.
"The old TARDIS could do it too, before she was damaged in the time war." The sorrow returned to his eyes for a second, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had come.
"Hurry up, you two," Shakespeare called, summoning them from the top of the stairs. "She'll be here any minute."
Rose and the Doctor raced onto the stage to where the company was setting up for the play just in time. The next moment, people began to file in, filling the empty seats in the audience. Rose peeked through the curtain as trumpets sounded and Queen Elizabeth I was announced. The Queen was led to a dais in the center of the room where she would have a clear view of the stage.
The first notes of a jovial melody floated through the air as the musicians walked on stage with several of the actors. One of them, a man wearing an elaborate purple costume stepped forward. "If music be the food of love, play on..."
"That's Duke Orsino," the Doctor whispered to Rose. "This first speech of his is my favourite!"
"Shhhh," Rose hushed him, her eyes riveted to the stage. "Let me watch."
The Doctor smiled, pleased that she was so enamoured with the play. Twelfth Night was one of his absolute favourites. He peeked at her face as she watched, fascinated to see her reaction as Viola disguised herself and the complicated and comedic love triangle unfolded before their eyes. She laughed at all of his favourite moments and seemed to be as amused as he was by the interplay between Malvolio, Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew.
When the play was over, Rose clapped loudest of all, tears dotting the corners of her eyes. She hugged the Doctor. "Oh, I do love a happy ending."
"Me too, and this one was magnificent don't you think?" The Doctor pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
"Which one? The play's or ours?" Rose teased, kissing him lightly.
Laughing, the Doctor said, "Both are, though I wasreferring to the play. Shakespeare’s a genius."
"Talking about me again are you?" Shakespeare came over to them, his smile wide. He glanced from one to the other of them, a gleam in his eye as he caught the way they were looking at each other. "Look at you two, so sweet and in love. You are like the star-crossed lovers I write in my plays." He paused, as though hearing his own words for the first time.
Rose thought about it for a moment. "Well, we have had to overcome a lot of obstacles to get to this point." She cast her eyes downward as she thought about everything they had been through.
Shakespeare gently tilted her head upward so he could see her eyes clearly. "Ahh, but I have made the lady sad. My sincerest apologies."
Rose smiled. "It's okay. We were separated. For a long time. I spent three years fighting to get back to him. And sometimes I worry that it'll happen again. I'd do anything to stay with him and keep him safe."
"Yes, but now you are together and happy. Any fool can see that. You lead an adventurous life. It would be perfect for one of my plays. If only I could write of you both, how it would please my fans."
"Best not, Shakespeare," The Doctor interjected. "Don't want to meddle with things more than we already have."
"Is he always this cryptic?" Shakespeare asked Rose.
"He has his moments." Rose glanced at the Doctor.
Shakespeare grinned. "But I suspect you like that about him."
Rose nodded, her eyes shining as a tiny smile pursed her lips. "I love everything about him... all that we've been through? It was worth it."
"It usually is." Shakespeare agreed. He looked thoughtful. "Except in a tragedy of course!"
The Doctor slapped him on the shoulder. "And you, Will, are the master of that art."
Shakespeare smiled. "Ah, you are too kind, sir Doctor. Although, have you had a chance to see Romeo and Juliet? If you haven't, you really should catch a performance sometime. It is a personal favourite of mine."
"As Twelfth Night is a favourite of mine." The Doctor deliberately avoided the question, as any answers would likely lead to more awkward questioning.
"Oh, yes! It was a fantastic play, sir," Rose gushed.
"Well, I can't take all the credit. Let's just say I had a stroke of inspiration from a mysterious woman in disguise." He winked at her and kissed her hand, his lips lingering just a little longer than was proper, but not so long as to be impolite.
Rose blushed, confused by his words and their implication.
Oblivious to the exchange, the Doctor continued to babble about the play. "This truly is one of your best comedies," he told him. "I am always awed by how clever and witty it is whenever I read it."
"You, sir, are as mysterious and baffling as ever. My plays are meant to be seen, not read. Why would you waste your time on such an arduous task?" Shakespeare looked at him thoughtfully. "No matter." He threw his arms around their shoulders and walked them down the steps. "Come, the Queen has requested an audience."
As they began to walk, Shakespeare gently held Rose back for a bit, allowing the Doctor to go on ahead. She looked up at him, startled. His eyes bored into her intently as he whispered, "These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die."
Rose shivered, a chill coursing through her body. She wanted to ask him what he meant by the bleak words, but he had already caught up with the Doctor.
They had nearly reached the dais when the Doctor realized that something was terribly wrong. The Queen's face had darkened when they stepped out into the open and she was glaring at the Doctor with unadulterated hatred in her eyes.
"Doctor!" she screeched. "You dare enter my palace uninvited? After what you've done?"
"Whoops," The Doctor said, keeping his voice light. "I forgot that Queen Elizabeth is mad at me. Never did find out why."
"Doctor!" Rose said urgently, tugging his sleeve as she eyed the guards next to the Queen wearily. "I think we've outstayed our welcome."
"I daresay you're right!" the Doctor exclaimed. He patted Shakespeare on the shoulder. "Well, Will, it was nice to see you again, but we've got to dash."
With that, he grabbed Rose's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Run!"
They took off, the Doctor pulling out the sonic screwdriver and aiming it at the area where the TARDIS was while men shouted after them and arrows whizzed by. They scrambled into the TARDIS and slammed the door, panting as they caught their breath.
"What didI do to her?" the Doctor wondered aloud as he raced to the console to shift them into the time vortex.
Next Chapter