Part 02 - Chapter 12 - What Happened?
Rose stands a moment, shocked by the sheer panic that jolts across her senses as the Doctor bolts away from her. Her mind is reeling at his self-loathing, only to come snapping back to reality at the harsh bang of the Doctor slamming into the doorframe and collapsing. Running to him, she gently rolls him to his back and begins to check him for further injury, spotting immediately the gash in his forehead created by his impact. In panic she runs back to the regenerator to close the wound and when he remains unconscious on it's repair she hasn’t a clue what else to do but to try to fix the other injuries that were why she had dragged him here in the first place, desperately trying to calm herself with action. The wave of comfort she feels from the TARDIS helps her to focus and assures her that he will be okay.
Gently she moves the device across his chest, her fingers moving along ahead of the device trying to keep it steady as her own hands are shaking badly. Lost in her own confusion and shock as she is trying to figure out what has just happened, she at first doesn't realize he is beginning to regain consciousness.
His first sensations are of soft hands on his chest and he can't help but think how pleasant that caress feels.
His next realization isn't quite so pleasant as what has just happened comes rushing back to him. Jerking up and away from Rose, he moves again to escape scrabbling back up against the door frame which they are now sitting within.
Rose this time is a fraction of a second faster halts his flight as she grabs at his shoulders. "Doctor, it's okay! You’re safe! You're going to be fine!" She tries desperately to comfort the panicked Time Lord and releases him quickly as he freezes beneath her hands, his muscles tensing tight as bowstrings beneath her firm but gentle grip. Crawling backward slowly she gives him some space to catch his breath and tries to reign in her own reaction to the sudden extreme panic radiating off of him that is swamping her senses.
For a few moments they sit like that, his back braced against the right door frame, knees clutched to his chest to act as both barrier and shield, Rose sitting with her legs folded under, her hands now twisting her pajama top unsure how he is going to react next.
When next they speak, it is at the same time.
"Rose..."
"Doctor I..." when he doesn't continue she does. " Doctor... are you okay now? I mean... well..." Terror clutches at her heart as she realizes she has very much overstepped herself and most likely his next step will be to demanding her to go pack. Unable to stand the thought but knowing she has to ask she does. "D... Do you want me to go?"
His response is an immediate gut reaction, completely circumventing all conscious thought. "No! I..." He doesn't know what to say next, as he’s clueless as to what to say to convince her or why she would even want to stay.
Sensing his confusion, she takes the need for him to explain away, "Okay." Pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts her eyes light on the dropped healing device, "Doctor, can I..." looking pointedly at the device then back at him with pleading in her eyes and voice tense embarrassment radiating off of her.
Following her glance, he swallows convulsively as he realizes what she is asking and steels himself to accept her assistance and close proximity.
Rose holds her breath watching him as he comes to a decision and waits for his approval before moving slowly over to retrieve the healing tool. His approval when it comes is a small nod of acceptance. She finds it hard to believe how terrified he is and begins to slightly tremble as she reaches out to hold his hand so she can position the device correctly to begin to heal the violently purple bruise on his right wrist.
Not being able to handle the sensation of her touch, and still maintain eye contact, he closes his eyes trying not to think about how gently she is touching him and how hot her hands are in comparison to his cooler skin or how that heat seems to be setting his blood on fire. Clenching his eyes tighter as unbidden the thought of what they might feel like on other parts of his body flashes in his mind, he takes a slow steadying breath unconsciously blocking all emotional broadcasts as he was taught so long ago at school and reaches out his hand to her, stilling her motions.
Rose looks up at him as he touches her, surprised as she looks in his eyes, which have become almost black. His eyes have dilated pushing the blue of his eyes back to a thin band. "Doctor?" She asks unsure of herself, and wondering if the blow to his head has maybe done more damage then she might know. Struggling to remember what she had learned in the first aid class she had taken, and what the instructor had said about how eyes reacted when there was a head injury.
"Rose..." his voice harsh and unsteady with emotions he can't begin to let himself acknowledge. “I'll take care of this, go get some rest.”
Hearing the unsteadiness in his voice and knowing he has lied to her once about these injuries she begins to protest. "Doctor I..."
Forcing his voice into a steadier cadence, he looks her in the eye. "Rose, I will be fine, and I will take care of this." Seeing the disbelief in her eyes, and willing her to believe him he says, "Rose, I promise, I will take care of this, go rest, I will see you in the morning."
Wanting to argue but suddenly unsure, realizing she can no longer sense his feelings, she reluctantly hands over the dermal regenerator to him. Giving him one last rebellious look that says I expect proof you have, she stands and walks from the room.
As she disappears from sight he takes a deep breath, and cringes when a chest muscle cramps. Slowly he stands looking out the open doorway wondering what has just happened. Trying to get his mind around what he felt. Maybe Van Statten did more damage with his machines then he had thought if he could be so confused as to open up his mind to her like he had obviously done. There is no way she could have broken into his mind. He had once been able to keep the entire Gallifreyan council from guessing his true thoughts and motives and they were practiced telepaths so no mere human was going to be able to get in his head like that unless he had actually been more badly injured then he had thought. Looking down at the device in his hand he sighed and walked over to the medical bed, he had been sitting on previously and slowly began to work at healing the injuries that adorned his body. If for no other reason then to ensure that he didn't accidentally distress Rose further with his inappropriate thoughts.
Chapter 13 - Consequences
Moving Forward Index 1
Gently she moves the device across his chest, her fingers moving along ahead of the device trying to keep it steady as her own hands are shaking badly. Lost in her own confusion and shock as she is trying to figure out what has just happened, she at first doesn't realize he is beginning to regain consciousness.
His first sensations are of soft hands on his chest and he can't help but think how pleasant that caress feels.
His next realization isn't quite so pleasant as what has just happened comes rushing back to him. Jerking up and away from Rose, he moves again to escape scrabbling back up against the door frame which they are now sitting within.
Rose this time is a fraction of a second faster halts his flight as she grabs at his shoulders. "Doctor, it's okay! You’re safe! You're going to be fine!" She tries desperately to comfort the panicked Time Lord and releases him quickly as he freezes beneath her hands, his muscles tensing tight as bowstrings beneath her firm but gentle grip. Crawling backward slowly she gives him some space to catch his breath and tries to reign in her own reaction to the sudden extreme panic radiating off of him that is swamping her senses.
For a few moments they sit like that, his back braced against the right door frame, knees clutched to his chest to act as both barrier and shield, Rose sitting with her legs folded under, her hands now twisting her pajama top unsure how he is going to react next.
When next they speak, it is at the same time.
"Rose..."
"Doctor I..." when he doesn't continue she does. " Doctor... are you okay now? I mean... well..." Terror clutches at her heart as she realizes she has very much overstepped herself and most likely his next step will be to demanding her to go pack. Unable to stand the thought but knowing she has to ask she does. "D... Do you want me to go?"
His response is an immediate gut reaction, completely circumventing all conscious thought. "No! I..." He doesn't know what to say next, as he’s clueless as to what to say to convince her or why she would even want to stay.
Sensing his confusion, she takes the need for him to explain away, "Okay." Pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts her eyes light on the dropped healing device, "Doctor, can I..." looking pointedly at the device then back at him with pleading in her eyes and voice tense embarrassment radiating off of her.
Following her glance, he swallows convulsively as he realizes what she is asking and steels himself to accept her assistance and close proximity.
Rose holds her breath watching him as he comes to a decision and waits for his approval before moving slowly over to retrieve the healing tool. His approval when it comes is a small nod of acceptance. She finds it hard to believe how terrified he is and begins to slightly tremble as she reaches out to hold his hand so she can position the device correctly to begin to heal the violently purple bruise on his right wrist.
Not being able to handle the sensation of her touch, and still maintain eye contact, he closes his eyes trying not to think about how gently she is touching him and how hot her hands are in comparison to his cooler skin or how that heat seems to be setting his blood on fire. Clenching his eyes tighter as unbidden the thought of what they might feel like on other parts of his body flashes in his mind, he takes a slow steadying breath unconsciously blocking all emotional broadcasts as he was taught so long ago at school and reaches out his hand to her, stilling her motions.
Rose looks up at him as he touches her, surprised as she looks in his eyes, which have become almost black. His eyes have dilated pushing the blue of his eyes back to a thin band. "Doctor?" She asks unsure of herself, and wondering if the blow to his head has maybe done more damage then she might know. Struggling to remember what she had learned in the first aid class she had taken, and what the instructor had said about how eyes reacted when there was a head injury.
"Rose..." his voice harsh and unsteady with emotions he can't begin to let himself acknowledge. “I'll take care of this, go get some rest.”
Hearing the unsteadiness in his voice and knowing he has lied to her once about these injuries she begins to protest. "Doctor I..."
Forcing his voice into a steadier cadence, he looks her in the eye. "Rose, I will be fine, and I will take care of this." Seeing the disbelief in her eyes, and willing her to believe him he says, "Rose, I promise, I will take care of this, go rest, I will see you in the morning."
Wanting to argue but suddenly unsure, realizing she can no longer sense his feelings, she reluctantly hands over the dermal regenerator to him. Giving him one last rebellious look that says I expect proof you have, she stands and walks from the room.
As she disappears from sight he takes a deep breath, and cringes when a chest muscle cramps. Slowly he stands looking out the open doorway wondering what has just happened. Trying to get his mind around what he felt. Maybe Van Statten did more damage with his machines then he had thought if he could be so confused as to open up his mind to her like he had obviously done. There is no way she could have broken into his mind. He had once been able to keep the entire Gallifreyan council from guessing his true thoughts and motives and they were practiced telepaths so no mere human was going to be able to get in his head like that unless he had actually been more badly injured then he had thought. Looking down at the device in his hand he sighed and walked over to the medical bed, he had been sitting on previously and slowly began to work at healing the injuries that adorned his body. If for no other reason then to ensure that he didn't accidentally distress Rose further with his inappropriate thoughts.
Chapter 13 - Consequences
Moving Forward Index 1