Everyday Fantastic: A Time Lord's Guide to the Slow Path (8/15)
Title: Everyday Fantastic: A Time Lord's Guide to the Slow Path (8/15)
Author: Roxyk630
WARNING: There are S4 spoilers beyond this point.
Character/Pairing: Ten II (10.5, Handy!Ten, Human!Ten, Blue!Ten)/Rose, Appearances by: Jackie, Jake, Pete, Tony and others
Rating: PG-13 (with some brushing R bits later)
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who nor any of the characters contained within. All rights belong to the BBC. I do inflict humiliation upon my dalek action figures and make them wear silly hats and aprons. So... even more concern than the BBC coming after me... is the Cult of Skaro, an encounter I definitely would not survive.
Betas:
mtemplar_ficfor some great advice on children and age appropriate behavior. Beta, otahyonifor this chapter. Thank you both! <3 swankkat, my own personal cheering squad throughout this entire thing. Special mention to those who've been keeping up with this, you guys are all awesome, I never expected such a response!
Summary: The Doctor learning to live day by day on the slow path with Rose.
Author's Notes: This Chapter features a bit more of Tony. :D
Previous Chapters: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7
CHAPTER 8
He’s still asleep when she makes it back upstairs. Tangled in sheets and mumbling, distressed, before shouting in a language she doesn’t understand.
“Doctor! Wake up!”
His arm flops and smacks her rather hard against the thigh as he thrashes about. She mutters a light expletive of pain before realizing he’s not waking. He never slept much on the TARDIS and she begins to wonder if maybe this was the reason. He seemed fine the night before, but this is verging on violence. Her hands find his and she grips them, sitting next to him on the bed and holding their clasped hands above him.
“Doctor, please.” Rose asks desperately, still gripping his hands tightly over his head. Her voice grows louder as she repeats herself. “Doctor! Please! Wake up!” His eyes open quickly, looking panicked and wild and his breathing is still heavy. Her voice is soft as she loosens her grip on his hands. “You all right?”
His voice sounds raw as he clears his throat and looks around the room. “I’m here?”
“Where did you think you were?”
His eyes find hers. “Not here.” His nightmares took him to the Valiant; to watching Jack die repeatedly, Martha’s family beaten, being old and helpless. He isn’t sure he wants to age anymore. It was easier starting a completely new life. Then he thinks of death.
Rose’s hands release his and move to her thigh, lightly rubbing at the red mark forming there.
“You all right? Sorry-I didn’t- “ He silences, putting a hand over hers.
“How long has this been going on?” Rose asks softly. She’s never seen him sleep before he came to be with her. They had naps on the TARDIS but she’s never seen him like this.
“It’s not important.”
“Yes, it is,” she emphasizes when he looks away. “How long have you been having nightmares like that?” Her tone is sharper this time. He shrugs, eyes still toward the window in her room. “Is it recent?”
“Rose.” His tone is one of annoyance as he tugs at the duvet she’s sitting on.
“Maybe I can help.”
His eyes meet hers and he frowns. “I’m fine, absolutely fine. Peachy!” He gives a false grin.
“I see.” She stands and walks into the en-suite, shutting the door behind her.
He rushes out of bed, throwing the bedcovers farther than he needs to as he runs to the en-suite door and raps lightly against the wood. “Can I come in?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Okay.” A muffled sarcastic snort escapes from the closed door. “That doesn’t solve the problem. If you’re going to hide behind doors, I’m going to do the same thing.”
With the impertinence in her tone, he imagines her sticking her tongue out. His forehead makes an audible thud against the door. “It’s not something I want to talk about.”
“You talk about plenty of other things.” The door opens and her eyes meet his. “How long has this been going on? Is that why you hardly slept on the TARDIS?”
“No, I don’t require as much sleep as humans.”
“You didn’t require as much sleep as a human.” Her finger pokes his chest lightly. “You might do now.”
“Is there a reason you are so temperamental this morning?” His hand flies to her wrist, bringing it to his mouth and licking it. “Not menstruating.” A momentary relief as he realizes his sense of taste is still similar. He wouldn’t be able to tell if she was menstruating or not, but he likes to think he could taste the hormonal change, if it was there. He frowns. “You aren’t ill?”
“Oi!” she shouts at him, pulling her arm away sharply and wiping her wrist on her pajama bottoms. “None of that! None of this avoiding the subject- “ her hand makes odd gestures between them “-bollocks!”
He’s not used to hearing her resort to expletives to make an effective point. Generally she’d bite her tongue and carry on her way. He can feel his eyebrows in his hairline- definitely shocked, then.
It’s the sigh that breaks him. It’s resigned, and he knows he should tell her, not avoid it. He tells her plenty of other things recently. He’s not sure why he clings to this one thing so much. In truth, he does know-it’s vulnerable. As the Time Lord, he was exposed to his nightmares and to the nightmare he could be. As a human, it feels worse knowing that same defenselessness is still there.
“You need me to understand,” she adds tenderly. “I can’t do that if you won’t tell me. I don’t want to push you. I won’t, but please don’t hide.” Her words are firm and her jaw line is set, unwavering. Rose retreats into the en-suite, this time leaving the door open, and sets at getting herself ready for the day.
She’s half through brushing her teeth when he comes in, puts the lid down on the toilet, and sits, putting his head in his hands.
“It’s been a long time,” he says roughly. “Since before you. Mostly after the Time War. There’s just more to it now.”
Rose finishes brushing and he finds her standing before him, her fingers nestled in his hair. His eyes find hers, and it hurts. He’s been carrying all of the weight for so long now.
Her words are soft as she presses a kiss to his forehead. “You can tell me about it, if you want.”
He does.
He yawns repeatedly as they make their way down the hall.
“You can sleep longer. I’ll-if you want me too, I’ll stay with you.”
He gives her a small grin that breaks into a yawn. “It’s all right. I’m sure if I intend to find employment-” He makes a face at the thought. “-I’ll have to get used to being up early anyway.” He pauses, watching her nod. “I never did ask, do you have a job?”
“Yes, at Torchwood. It felt a bit strange at first, working for Torchwood. I felt odd about it for a while. This Torchwood is different. I-I’m more of what you would consider a freelancer. My work mainly centers in Torchwood, but I liaise between Torchwood and UNIT as well.”
His brow quirks, “Really? What do you do between them?”
“Originally,” Rose says, grinning, “I was doing secretarial, coffee, and tea work. I didn’t do so well with that, and Dad knew that I knew more about some of the alien information they were looking for. They started me out in the lowest position at Torchwood because Pete didn’t want me to feel taken advantage of. He didn’t want me to feel that I would be used for my knowledge. So I did a bit of working up in the company. I made the leap from secretarial to field training with the Preachers after several months. I had to apply, just like everyone else. It proved I wasn’t just some heiress being shoved into a fantastic job slot. I was more easily accepted having to work my way up.” She smiles again. “Though Dad tells me it was so I could learn a bit of responsibility for my actions. The paperwork is horrible.”
“UNIT?” he quips curiously, his hands resting in his pockets.
“I pose as a temp for UNIT. UNIT, while being largely intel, is a bit more militaristic in their work.”
“As they are. Nice to know there are multi-universal constants.”
“I worked with UNIT when I met Donna. In that world-” She pauses, taking a deep breath. “In the world where you didn’t exist, UNIT had found you and had recovered the TARDIS. They knew a lot about you.” She pokes him. “You’ll have to tell me about that little adventure sometime.”
He winks. “I doubt you really want to hear about Bessie and the questionable attire of my past.”
“Bessie?” She snorts a laugh.
“My car- No Chitty-Chitty, but fantastic none-the-less. Got me from place to place. You were telling me about UNIT?”
“In that universe some of the reverse engineering from the TARDIS helped us perfect the dimension cannon. Before that things were a bit slapdash, which is why I kept randomly popping in. With the TARDIS we were able to pin-point locations. Since the TARDIS was a UNIT recovery….”
“UNIT insisted on being in charge.”
“They didn’t know how to use their own tech very well.” Rose grins. “I got to help with that. The rest was mostly spouting off things that sounded remotely close to something you’d say so that I sounded intelligent enough to get near the TARDIS. Traveling with you taught me a thing or two about timelines. Not exactly simple to explain to the military why a Tyler, let alone the daughter, would be interested in that sort of technology. In the end I knew the TARDIS. That got them to work with me. I had the ‘key’ so to speak.” Rose remembers the TARDIS dark and solemn, not at all what she was when Rose traveled with her, all jovial and light.
“What about Torchwood?”
“That helped a bit, as well.”
“How did you get inside in the first place? Did you know she was there? The TARDIS?”
"UNIT found you-your body-in that universe, so I knew UNIT had confiscated the TARDIS. They wouldn't let us in without proper clearance, which can take several days, so…" Her eyes meet his, and he seems to be watching her expectantly, waiting for the next bit. "Oh, all right! I flirted with the pretty boy guard a bit! Only enough to get in the door! Mickey helped the rest of the way."
His brow quirks.
“Any positions open at Torchwood? Maybe I can flirt with a few of those ‘pretty boy guards,” he scoffs before grinning. “Then again, I’m not so sure I’m fond of your ‘flirt and bash methods,’ Miss Tyler. Everyone in your organization use sex as a tool? I know Torchwood in our universe does…”
“Not everything has multi-universal constants. In that world, my ID didn’t hold to Torchwood or UNIT standards. If it makes you feel better, I found out later that all I had to do was mention your name. If they’d known I had traveled with you, I’d have been let in immediately. Don’t start, Doctor. I used what I had to work with.” She gives him a sarcastic smirk. “Here Torchwood works with UNIT. UNIT knows of our existence, but as a much smaller group, we are considered a higher government agency on British and UK, soil while UNIT has more of a worldwide affiliation and recognition. We report directly to the President, or rather, Dad does. Things didn’t work the same way in the other reality.” She shrugs. “In this universe, since the Cyberman incident, things have settled down. According to Dad, Torchwood used to see a bit more action. We aren’t the militant group that UNIT is… we’re a bit more specialized. Then again, without a Doctor here, maybe we just didn’t attract the attention?” She grins, nudging his shoulder.
He beams. “Can’t help it if I’m universally popular, can I? ”
“By the way, Mum’s about ready to hire you on as the new housemaid. Now she and Bev can sit and gossip about Eastenders undisturbed.”
“What?!”
“She loves the kitchen.” Rose grins, then grabs his arm suddenly. Her smile is bigger than most he’s seen from her in a few days. “I think Torchwood may have the perfect job for you.”
“I thought you said-”
“It’s small and specialized. There is a position open with- “She pauses, her gaze dropping before she regains her composure and lifts her eyes to his again. “This universe is in desperate need of a Doctor.”
He can’t help but return her grin and he’s struck with the sudden urge to kiss her, so he does. He’s disturbed a few seconds later to hear someone clear their throat and looks up to find Pete’s smiling face.
“I take it you spoke to him about it, then?” He smiles at Rose
“Yes.” Rose bites her lip and turns her eyes back to the Doctor. “We had a talk while you walked the dog yesterday.”
“I was going to offer you a position at Vitex,” Pete says.
“To make the stuff taste better,” Rose adds with a cheeky grin.
“It’s not as bad as all that. Sales are doing well. You should see the numbers.”
“What’s it taste like?” the Doctor whispers to Rose over Pete’s voice.
“You know that orange squash we bought ‘round the corner from Powell Estates? Kind of a light flavor but salty?” Rose cringes as she searches for more terms to describe her distaste.
"Ah. Electorolytes, like Gatorade."
"What?" Rose looks at him like he just dribbled on his shirt.
"American thing. Nevermind," He adds with a nervous laugh while his eyes move back to Pete.
“-That settled, I’ll take care of the paperwork in the morning.”
The Doctor starts at Pete’s words. “Paperwork? I thought…” His eyes shift from Pete to Rose and then back to Pete.
“Torchwood is going to hire you on as part of the staff, same as we did with Rose. You report to us, work with us, but also outside of us. You still have to report for work at the same time as the rest of the staff, but considering your knowledge, I wouldn’t dream of keeping you behind closed doors. Monday’s off for bank holiday, so enjoy it. Tuesday morning you and Rose report to me.” Pete’s face shifts as grabs the mop leaning against the wall in the hall behind him. “What exactly did you do to the mop and the other appliances? Jackie’s been trying to get the toaster to work all morning. All she’s getting is toasted crusts.”
Rose snorts.
“Ah, that would be the breadless setting. You have crustless, breadless, burnt, various levels of toasting, a setting that allows you to make your toast rainbow swirl, a setting that allows you to make star-shaped toast-figured Tony would enjoy that-” He beams at Rose. “-along with four hundred twenty-five million odd alien radio stations. So far I can only get it to tune into seven, most of which are only playing Top of the Pops at the moment. Must be a holiday season. Oh! It also can jam your toast and doubles as an air freshener. That rainbow setting takes a bit long, though. I’ll have to work on that.” He pauses, looking at Rose and Pete’s shocked faces before taking the mop. “And this-this is brilliant! Jackie’s going to love it! Sonic Mop. It has a built-in disinfectant setting using various methods. There'll be no use for household cleaners anymore. Much less degrading than bleach and better for the environment. If you press this button here, it has an infrared guidance system-or it will once I get the rest of the parts!“
“Where did you get these parts?” Rose looks at him, shocked.
“What all exactly did you upgrade?” Pete asks with a laugh.
“Easier question would be asking what I didn’t upgrade.”
“I was afraid of that,” she replies with a sigh.
Three pieces of star-shaped toast and jam later, Tony is running around the room, popping around the kitchen island and hiding behind chairs, making claw hands and hissing noises.
“Yes, love, you make a very scary Sly-thingy,” Jackie replies, trying to corral the boy in hope of settling him.
“Slitheen, Mum.”
“Whatever they’re called, then. I’m going to take your father his tea and finish getting ready. Can you two keep an eye on Tony?” Jackie asks, raising her brow at the Doctor and Rose. She picks Tony up with a smile and wipes the jam off of his face before telling him to behave for the Doctor. Tony looks warily over his shoulder at the Doctor before switching moods completely.
“This many, Mummy!” Tony exclaims, holding up three fingers in Jackie’s face.
“Not quite, love. Getting there. Still have a month and a half to go!” Jackie smiles.
“That makes him…” the Doctor begins, calculating Tony’s approximate conception date.
“Yeah, what? Three weeks after we got here?” Rose gives a cheeky grin to her mum.
Jackie gives an exasperated sigh and a glare before popping Tony off her side and onto the floor again. “Back in a mo, love.”
“Rose, the Slitheen? We had better adventures. That one is hardly choice.” The Doctor cringes as he’s mentally bombarded with better adventures to tell Tony about.
“Doctor, come on. They spent the majority of the time farting. What is a two-year-old boy going to find more amusing than wind?”
“An Absorbaloff?” He shrugs. When he turns to see Tony stepping into something imaginary and zipping his forehead, he can’t help but give a small grin. With his eyes on the Doctor, Tony walks his way over to Rose and takes her hand.
”I’m Tony.”
“Hello, Tony, I’m the Doctor.”
Tony proceeds to analyze the Doctor with a scrunched up nose before sticking out his tongue and darting around the room, making farting noises with his mouth.
“Charming.” The Doctor watches Tony as he hops in front of Rose and hisses. As he turns and readies to do the same to the Doctor, his shyness takes over and he hides behind the kitchen island, occasionally sneaking a peek from the other side.
“Not used to him yet, are you, Tony?” Rose grins, kneeling down to Tony’s height before whispering something in his ear.
The Doctor isn’t completely sure what she’s said, but Tony’s eyes go wide before he again scrunches up his nose and looks at Rose, disgusted. “Ewww…”
“You know what else?” Rose leans in to Tony again, but this time his eyes lock on the Doctor wide, surprised, and possibly a little afraid. Rose pokes Tony, and he turns back to her, still shocked. “Go on, then. Say hi properly.” Rose stands, Tony still gripping her leg and walks over to the Doctor.
“Tony?” The Doctor smiles and holds out a hand.
Tony’s eyes look up to Rose and she nudges him forward with a gentle hand. He buries his head in her leg, successfully turning his pale strawberry blonde hair into a complete mess before meeting the Doctor’s eyes and running off with a giggle into the other room.
“He looks exactly like Pete.” The Doctor laughs.
“He has mum’s temper. He’s being shy today.” Rose watches as he runs in circles in the other room. “You know how children are.“
“I believe it was right little, significant pause, terrors?”
“Still true. They are. Doesn’t mean they don’t have their moments.” She pulls the Doctor up from his chair and points into the other room. Tony’s holding a blue crayon out in front of him and making noises at his teddy bear. Rose turns just in time to see the Doctor’s grin.
“What exactly did you tell him?” He looks at Rose warily.
“That you were the real thing.”
Her words take the Doctor by surprise and he looks at her in shock, trying to think of something to say, something remotely coherent of his feelings. He’s not some substitute; she knows it. He knew she didn’t think of him as a substitute, but for some reason this registers deeper. He gapes at her momentarily before she switches to a mischievous grin.
“Doctor, I told him you were a Slitheen.” Rose laughs.
“Here I thought you were being romantic just to find you’re being horribly cheeky!”
“He’s two. For him, you’re just a fairy story, Doctor. You’ll have to help him see the real thing.”
“I think I can do that. How are you at making farting noises, Blon?” He grins manically before running into the room, pulling Rose behind.
Twenty minutes later, Jackie walks in the room to find Tony wearing the Doctor’s new glasses, screaming as he runs, the Doctor and Rose trailing slightly behind with makeshift zippers drawn on their foreheads.
“Can you tell him I don’t scream like that, Rose?”
