Ficathon Fic: Mothers and Other Tribulations 1/1
Story: Mothers and Other Tribulations
Author: wmr
wendymr
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler, Jackie Tyler, Mickey Smith
Rated: PG
Spoilers: None, really
Disclaimer: If Nine were mine, he'd still be the Doctor!
Summary: He’s insane, that’s what it is. Certifiable. Accompanying his companion to see the woman who slapped his face the last-but-one time she saw him.
Written for
lafemmedarla's Ninth Doctor Ficathon, for
souleswanderer- prompts at the end. With many thanks, as always, to
dark_aegis for BRing, and to
lafemmedarla for organising this!
Mothers and other Tribulations
“Come on. Stay lit.” A thump with the mallet - percussive maintenance always works. “Told ya. I’m a genius.”
Footsteps walking across the console room interrupt his tinkering with the heat-level indicator. He raises his head, giving Rose a faint smile. “You up at last? Dunno why you have to sleep half the day.”
“Dunno why you never sleep at all,” she retorts. “An’ don’t start with the whole I’m not human bit.” A grin softens her words, and then she adds, “Can we go home today, please? My place, I mean. Powell Estates.”
The smile disappears from his own face, his good mood wiped out just like that. “Had enough of travellin’ already?” He regrets the scornful tone to his voice immediately; it says far too much about his reaction to her request, a reaction he shouldn’t be feeling anyway. She’s just another human, and a particularly irritating, demanding one anyway.
And then it dawns on him what she actually said. Can we go home? Not Take me home.
She steps closer and, to his shock, pokes him in the chest. “No chance. You’re not gettin’ rid of me that easily, buster.”
“Oh.” Does he look as much of an idiot as he’s feeling. “What’s this about, then?” he adds, trying to disguise the shock, the hurt he felt at the thought that she wanted to leave him.
“Saw the date on my phone when I got up. ‘S the twenty-sixth of March.”
“So?” He shrugs. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“It’s Mother’s Day. On Earth, anyway.”
Oh. Not a chance he’s going to get out of this one, then. Not just Earth; not just the Powell Estates. Jackie bloody Tyler.
He crosses his arms and tries to look impassive, radiating a So why should I care? attitude which should put her off asking again. Well, it’d put off any other companion from asking again.
He realises he’s misjudged Rose when, instead of accepting his silent refusal, she pursues the subject. “I’m all she’s got since my Grandma Prentice died when I was seventeen. If I’m not there, she’ll be on her own.”
Oh, typical. She’s trying the guilt trip, of course she is. All accompanied by that little nibble of her lip that says she’s on the edge of being upset.
Head on one side, he studies her through narrowed eyes. “Mother’s Day, eh?”
“Yeah.” She’s got him now, and she just knows it. There’s just the hint of a smile on the edge of her lips. Damn, he’s far too easy.
“Time machine, Rose,” he points out, for the six hundred and forty-second time. “We don’t have to go today.”
“Yes, we do,” she retorts immediately. “Won’t be Mother’s Day if we don’t.”
“Look, I can get it right!” he protests, irritated. Can’t he make just one mistake without being reminded about it for eternity to come? “Twenty-sixth of March. 2006. Easy.”
“Wasn’t so easy last time,” she points out, wrinkling her nose at him. “That’s not what I mean, anyway. Won’t be Mother’s Day for me if we don’t go today.”
He stares. Then, finally, tries, “Jackie won’t know any different.”
“I will.” And that matters, her expression’s showing him.
A sensible man - even a Time Lord - always knows when he’s lost. With a sigh that’s not one bit exaggerated, he turns back to the console and sets the co-ordinates.
***
“This isn’t the Powell Estates,” Rose protests when she opens the door. They’re near the high street, just around the corner from the new 24-hour Tesco Local. It’s convenient, her mum says, but bloody expensive.
She turns to the Doctor, looking for an explanation. He’s leaning back against the console guard-rail, arms folded, looking at her as if he’s right and she’s wrong and she shouldn’t be making a fuss. “Thought you’d probably want to buy her flowers or something.”
Oh. Right. Well, yeah... She digs into her pocket, coming up with a fiver and a few coins. Not enough for any kind of bouquet, especially not in Tesco and not on Mother’s Day itself. All the shops put the prices up the closer it gets to the day.
“Here.” He’s striding over to her, holding out his hand. There’s a note in it - twenty quid?
“I can’t take that!” she protests, but he shoves it at her.
“Go on. Least I can do. Blew up your job, didn’t I?”
She hesitates, pride warring with the longing to see the smile on her mum’s face when she walks in with a lovely bunch of mixed carnations or chryssies. Finally, after he practically shoves the twenty under her nose, she takes it - and realises that it’s actually two. Forty quid.
He’s already backed away and is waving her out the door. No point arguing. For some reason, he wants to do this. Maybe he’s feeling guilty about making her leave that last day, after they stopped the Slitheen from blowing up the planet. Not that he’d ever say it, but still...
“Thanks.” She gives him a wide, wide smile before turning to run out the door.
Fifteen minutes later, she’s leaving Tesco with a decent bouquet, carnations and freesias and even a couple of roses, and with the cheap cellophane swapped for some pretty wrapping paper. The Doctor’s messing at something on the console again as she re-enters, but he looks up and nods at her as she closes the door.
“You got some, then.”
“Yeah.” She holds up the bouquet, though he doesn’t give it more than a passing glance. “Just wanted to ask what time you want to leave before I go.”
“Hold on. I’m movin’ the TARDIS over there anyway.”
Surprised, she waits. This would have been his perfect excuse to avoid coming anywhere near her mum, and she handed it to him on a plate. Now he’s taking the TARDIS over to the Estate, he must realise her mum’ll want to know where he is and why he didn’t come up. Even if she hates his guts, she’s decided that she wants to ‘understand’. Which is nice, of course, but the Doctor obviously doesn’t want to be ‘understood’. Not by her mum, anyway.
“Right, let’s get goin’.” They’ve materialised, and she blinks as the Doctor emerges from behind the console, heading towards her with his usual loping stride.
“You’re coming?”
“You don’t have to sound so shocked. Anyway, ‘s only for a minute. Just thought it might stop your mum naggin’ me to come for shepherd’s pie.”
***
He’s insane, that’s what it is. Certifiable. Accompanying his companion to see the woman who slapped his face the last-but-one time she saw him, and who probably thinks she’s got good reason to slap him again. On the other hand, it’ll keep said companion happy. Somehow, that seems a good enough reason to do it.
Rose unlocks the flat door, immediately calling out, “Mum! We’re back!”
We’re? Since when did it become we? Especially in connection with Jackie Tyler!
The kitchen door flies open and Jackie emerges. Rose is already moving forward, reaching for her mum with flowers in hand, exclaiming, “Happy Mother’s Day! Thought I’d forgotten, did ya?”
It’s obvious, to him at any rate, that Rose hasn’t noticed there’s something wrong. Jackie’s looking tired and very frustrated, her hair’s escaping from its ponytail, and the legs of her jeans are soaking.
It’s a mistake getting involved, but... oh, damnit anyway. He nudges Rose aside. “Jackie? There a problem?”
“Mum?” Seems Rose has noticed. “What’s up? You’re all wet...”
“Bloody washing machine’s overflowed, that’s what.” Jackie sounds like someone barely clinging to control. “Been trying to stop it, but it’s still just pumpin’ out water all over the kitchen floor. I tried to call Mickey, but his mobile’s switched off -”
“He’ll be at his gran’s grave,” Rose says, frowning. “He always goes there on Mother’s Day.”
Jackie’s close to screaming from frustration, it’s clear. “Have to be a plumber, then. An’ they all charge the earth on a Sunday.”
He’s already got his sonic screwdriver out. “Let me take a look.”
“You?” Jackie’s staring at him as if he has three heads. “You’re an alien. What do you know about washing machines?”
“He knows about machinery, Mum,” Rose points out. “Let ‘im try, at least.” She catches his eye, giving him a grateful smile. “Look, I’ll keep tryin’ Mickey, all right? An’ at least the Doctor can get started.”
What, so Rose doesn’t believe he can fix it? Thinks he actually needs Mickey the Idiot to do the job properly? Well, he’ll show her.
“In here, then?” He indicates the kitchen door.
Tiredly, Jackie brushes tangled strands of hair away from her face. “Yeah. Go on, then.” Her shoulders slump. “I’d offer you a cuppa, both of you, but the kitchen’s flooded.”
“Don’t need one. Go on, leave me to it.” He waves the two of them away.
The last thing he sees, before going into the very soggy kitchen, is Rose taking Jackie’s arm to lead her into the living-room, and handing her the flowers.
***
“They’re beautiful, love,” her mum says, taking the flowers and staring at them as if they’re the most precious gift she’s ever received. Then she’s dropped them on the couch and pulling Rose into her arms. “I never expected to see you today, sweetheart. Didn’t think he’d bring you back, not just for Mother’s Day.”
“Course he would,” she insists. “He’s not that bad, really he’s not. I asked, an’ he brought me.”
“An’ it just had to be the day the washing machine broke.” Pulling away, her mum looks down at herself. “I look a mess. An’ my jeans are soaked. Was just doin’ some laundry, that’s all.”
“You look great, Mum.” Rose hugs her again. “You always do.” Wrapping her arms around her mum’s shoulders, she suggests, “But if it makes you feel better, why don’t you go an’ put on something nice? I’ll take you out for lunch, yeah?”
Even if it means she has to borrow more money from the Doctor, she’s going to do this. She’ll find a way to repay him, and it’ll mean a lot to her mum.
After her mum’s gone into her bedroom, she goes back to the kitchen to check on the Doctor. He’s kneeling on the floor in a pool of water next to the washing machine, poking around inside it with the side-panel off.
“Hey. How’s it going?”
He glances around. “Don’t suppose you know where the stop-cock is?”
“Course. Under the sink.”
“And it’d never’ve occurred to your mum to turn it off, I s’pose?”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Dunno how many times I’ve told her it’s there. She never remembers. Doesn’t even know what it’s for.” Bending down in front of the cupboard, she reaches in and shuts off the water supply.
“Thank you.” He rolls his eyes, looking around at her again. “Now I can actually do something about this.”
“Can you really fix it? Or d’you need me to call Mickey?”
“Oi!” Oops. Now he sounds really offended. Men and their egos. She’s pretty sure the testosterone level in here’s shot up. “Nice to know you have such faith in me, Rose Tyler.”
Well, she’s seen the way he fixes the TARDIS - not that she’s going to comment on that.
“You still here?” He glances around again, rolling his eyes.
“Doctor, you got any more money with you? Or in the TARDIS? I mean, I’ll pay you back as soon as I get to a cashpoint, but the nearest one’s a mile away.”
“What you need money for?” He pauses in whatever he was doing to the innards of the machine with the sonic screwdriver and stares at her, eyes wide.
“Thought I’d take Mum out for lunch. Somewhere nice.” She shrugs. “Sounds like she could do with a treat.”
He nods briefly. “Soon’s I’m finished here, we’ll all go. An’, yeah, I’ve got money.”
She realises her shock has to be plainly visible as he adds, “An’ don’t think that means I’m doin’ domestic, Rose Tyler. This is strictly a one-off.”
***
At last, he’s managed to get into the innards of the machine and he’s found the problem. Just as he fishes it out, Rose returns, followed by Jackie.
“Are you getting anywhere, Doctor?” Jackie asks, surprisingly tentative. It’s certainly not the way she usually speaks to him - but then he’s doing her a favour and she probably doesn’t want to risk him accidentally-on-purpose flooding the entire flat.
He smothers a grin, taking great pleasure in announcing, “I’ve found what caused it to overflow. You had a blockage.”
“Oh. Can you get it out?” Jackie’s half-relieved, half-worried.
“Already did.” He holds up his trophy: a shocking pink underwired bra. The wire had come loose from one end and got stuck in the mechanism, and as the machine spun it pulled the fabric of the bra with it.
Jackie’s face almost matches the colour of the bra. “Oh.”
“Mum, I keep telling you to use a bra bag!” Rose exclaims, exasperated. “Doctor, is it fixed now? Or did it cause more problems than just the leak?”
“Seems to be okay.” He tosses the bra to Jackie, who catches it and seems, for a moment, about to stuff it under her sweater. “Could do with a bit of lubrication in here, though. The drum’s very squeaky. Got any oil?”
Rose looks at her mum, who shrugs. “Cooking oil?”
“No good.”
“I could call Mickey again,” Rose says - and how many more times is she going to suggest calling sodding Rickey the Idiot? “He’ll have oil with him.”
The Doctor would just bet he does. And a few more tools as well, no doubt. Doesn’t a sonic screwdriver count for anything?
“Nah. No need for that,” he says quickly. “Got any bananas?”
“Bananas? What you want bananas for?” Jackie almost shrieks. “You hungry or something? Rose, does ‘e always have these weird eating habits?”
“Rose, just get me some bananas,” he says with exaggerated patience.
A minute later, he’s handed two bananas. He eats them quickly - “Good source of potassium. Wouldn’t want to waste them!” - and then takes the skins, rubbing the inside against the mechanism. “Not ideal,” he comments to his gaping audience, “but it should do the job.”
There’s a knock on the door, and Rose disappears. He hears a muffled voice, and a cry of delight from Rose, but he’s too busy fixing Jackie’s bloody washing machine to pay any attention. Until a voice he definitely didn’t want to hear says, with an audible grin, “Wotcha, Doctor. Careful you don’t get your hand bit off in there.”
He twists to stare at his nemesis. “Rickey the - ” Rose appears behind Mickey’s shoulder and gives him a ferocious glare. “Hi, Mickey,” he amends immediately. “All right?”
Mickey grins. “Got Jackie’s message. See you’ve beaten me to the messy stuff. Don’t suppose you want any help?”
“Nah. Already done.” He spins the drum in triumph. It squeaks loudly.
“Sounds like you need some oil there, mate.” Mickey bends, rummages in his tool-box and hands over a can of WD-40. “There you go.”
“Thanks,” he grudgingly concedes, and tries to avoid Rose’s look of I told you so. Women. Human women!
***
The kitchen floor’s been mopped, the washing machine’s busily chugging away - and a bit quieter and faster than before, she’d swear - and the Doctor’s just got back from changing into dry clothes. Rose has managed to get a last-minute booking at the Lamb and Flag and they’re all going out to lunch. All four of them.
That pretty much confirms what she suspected about Rose and that alien - but maybe she doesn’t mind so much as she would have before. After all, if he’s willing to get stuck in and fix her washing machine, he can’t be all bad. Most blokes would turn tail and run at the prospect of having to get their hands dirty in their girlfriend’s mother’s house.
As they emerge into the courtyard, the Doctor takes Rose’s hand. It’s such a natural gesture that it’s obvious they do it all the time.
Mickey, walking beside her, nudges her. “That’ll end in tears.”
She glances at him, and then back at her daughter and her boyfriend. “Course it will. Love always does. It’s the memories you make along the way that count. When the tears are over, you’ve still got them.”
Mickey’s silent for a moment, then nods. “S’pose so.”
“Oi, Jackie!” The Doctor’s turned to face her, and his grin’s far too amused for her liking.
“What?”
“Should’ve brought your bra.” He nods up at the Lamb and Flag’s window display. It’s all bright pink and yellow balloons, with Happy Mother’s Day! written on them.
“Oi! You might’ve fixed my machine, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still get a slap!”
Oh, she just wishes she had a camera to capture his horrified look. A nine-hundred-year-old Time Lord - and she’s still trying to find out from Rose exactly what a Time Lord is - and he’s terrified of his girlfriend’s mother. He’s not so different from ordinary blokes, after all.
Jackie Tyler, battleaxe. Attila the Mum. That’s who she is. And as long as he remembers that, he and she will get on just fine.
end
souleswanderer's prompt:
Ninth Doctor Pairing/Other characters you'd like to see on the story: Nine/Rose/Jackie
Up to three things you want in your fic: mother's day, laundry, bananas
Up to three things you don't want in your fic: babies, puppies, sunshine
Author: wmr
wendymr
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler, Jackie Tyler, Mickey Smith
Rated: PG
Spoilers: None, really
Disclaimer: If Nine were mine, he'd still be the Doctor!
Summary: He’s insane, that’s what it is. Certifiable. Accompanying his companion to see the woman who slapped his face the last-but-one time she saw him.
Written for
lafemmedarla's Ninth Doctor Ficathon, for
souleswanderer- prompts at the end. With many thanks, as always, to
dark_aegis for BRing, and to
lafemmedarla for organising this!
Mothers and other Tribulations
“Come on. Stay lit.” A thump with the mallet - percussive maintenance always works. “Told ya. I’m a genius.”
Footsteps walking across the console room interrupt his tinkering with the heat-level indicator. He raises his head, giving Rose a faint smile. “You up at last? Dunno why you have to sleep half the day.”
“Dunno why you never sleep at all,” she retorts. “An’ don’t start with the whole I’m not human bit.” A grin softens her words, and then she adds, “Can we go home today, please? My place, I mean. Powell Estates.”
The smile disappears from his own face, his good mood wiped out just like that. “Had enough of travellin’ already?” He regrets the scornful tone to his voice immediately; it says far too much about his reaction to her request, a reaction he shouldn’t be feeling anyway. She’s just another human, and a particularly irritating, demanding one anyway.
And then it dawns on him what she actually said. Can we go home? Not Take me home.
She steps closer and, to his shock, pokes him in the chest. “No chance. You’re not gettin’ rid of me that easily, buster.”
“Oh.” Does he look as much of an idiot as he’s feeling. “What’s this about, then?” he adds, trying to disguise the shock, the hurt he felt at the thought that she wanted to leave him.
“Saw the date on my phone when I got up. ‘S the twenty-sixth of March.”
“So?” He shrugs. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“It’s Mother’s Day. On Earth, anyway.”
Oh. Not a chance he’s going to get out of this one, then. Not just Earth; not just the Powell Estates. Jackie bloody Tyler.
He crosses his arms and tries to look impassive, radiating a So why should I care? attitude which should put her off asking again. Well, it’d put off any other companion from asking again.
He realises he’s misjudged Rose when, instead of accepting his silent refusal, she pursues the subject. “I’m all she’s got since my Grandma Prentice died when I was seventeen. If I’m not there, she’ll be on her own.”
Oh, typical. She’s trying the guilt trip, of course she is. All accompanied by that little nibble of her lip that says she’s on the edge of being upset.
Head on one side, he studies her through narrowed eyes. “Mother’s Day, eh?”
“Yeah.” She’s got him now, and she just knows it. There’s just the hint of a smile on the edge of her lips. Damn, he’s far too easy.
“Time machine, Rose,” he points out, for the six hundred and forty-second time. “We don’t have to go today.”
“Yes, we do,” she retorts immediately. “Won’t be Mother’s Day if we don’t.”
“Look, I can get it right!” he protests, irritated. Can’t he make just one mistake without being reminded about it for eternity to come? “Twenty-sixth of March. 2006. Easy.”
“Wasn’t so easy last time,” she points out, wrinkling her nose at him. “That’s not what I mean, anyway. Won’t be Mother’s Day for me if we don’t go today.”
He stares. Then, finally, tries, “Jackie won’t know any different.”
“I will.” And that matters, her expression’s showing him.
A sensible man - even a Time Lord - always knows when he’s lost. With a sigh that’s not one bit exaggerated, he turns back to the console and sets the co-ordinates.
***
“This isn’t the Powell Estates,” Rose protests when she opens the door. They’re near the high street, just around the corner from the new 24-hour Tesco Local. It’s convenient, her mum says, but bloody expensive.
She turns to the Doctor, looking for an explanation. He’s leaning back against the console guard-rail, arms folded, looking at her as if he’s right and she’s wrong and she shouldn’t be making a fuss. “Thought you’d probably want to buy her flowers or something.”
Oh. Right. Well, yeah... She digs into her pocket, coming up with a fiver and a few coins. Not enough for any kind of bouquet, especially not in Tesco and not on Mother’s Day itself. All the shops put the prices up the closer it gets to the day.
“Here.” He’s striding over to her, holding out his hand. There’s a note in it - twenty quid?
“I can’t take that!” she protests, but he shoves it at her.
“Go on. Least I can do. Blew up your job, didn’t I?”
She hesitates, pride warring with the longing to see the smile on her mum’s face when she walks in with a lovely bunch of mixed carnations or chryssies. Finally, after he practically shoves the twenty under her nose, she takes it - and realises that it’s actually two. Forty quid.
He’s already backed away and is waving her out the door. No point arguing. For some reason, he wants to do this. Maybe he’s feeling guilty about making her leave that last day, after they stopped the Slitheen from blowing up the planet. Not that he’d ever say it, but still...
“Thanks.” She gives him a wide, wide smile before turning to run out the door.
Fifteen minutes later, she’s leaving Tesco with a decent bouquet, carnations and freesias and even a couple of roses, and with the cheap cellophane swapped for some pretty wrapping paper. The Doctor’s messing at something on the console again as she re-enters, but he looks up and nods at her as she closes the door.
“You got some, then.”
“Yeah.” She holds up the bouquet, though he doesn’t give it more than a passing glance. “Just wanted to ask what time you want to leave before I go.”
“Hold on. I’m movin’ the TARDIS over there anyway.”
Surprised, she waits. This would have been his perfect excuse to avoid coming anywhere near her mum, and she handed it to him on a plate. Now he’s taking the TARDIS over to the Estate, he must realise her mum’ll want to know where he is and why he didn’t come up. Even if she hates his guts, she’s decided that she wants to ‘understand’. Which is nice, of course, but the Doctor obviously doesn’t want to be ‘understood’. Not by her mum, anyway.
“Right, let’s get goin’.” They’ve materialised, and she blinks as the Doctor emerges from behind the console, heading towards her with his usual loping stride.
“You’re coming?”
“You don’t have to sound so shocked. Anyway, ‘s only for a minute. Just thought it might stop your mum naggin’ me to come for shepherd’s pie.”
***
He’s insane, that’s what it is. Certifiable. Accompanying his companion to see the woman who slapped his face the last-but-one time she saw him, and who probably thinks she’s got good reason to slap him again. On the other hand, it’ll keep said companion happy. Somehow, that seems a good enough reason to do it.
Rose unlocks the flat door, immediately calling out, “Mum! We’re back!”
We’re? Since when did it become we? Especially in connection with Jackie Tyler!
The kitchen door flies open and Jackie emerges. Rose is already moving forward, reaching for her mum with flowers in hand, exclaiming, “Happy Mother’s Day! Thought I’d forgotten, did ya?”
It’s obvious, to him at any rate, that Rose hasn’t noticed there’s something wrong. Jackie’s looking tired and very frustrated, her hair’s escaping from its ponytail, and the legs of her jeans are soaking.
It’s a mistake getting involved, but... oh, damnit anyway. He nudges Rose aside. “Jackie? There a problem?”
“Mum?” Seems Rose has noticed. “What’s up? You’re all wet...”
“Bloody washing machine’s overflowed, that’s what.” Jackie sounds like someone barely clinging to control. “Been trying to stop it, but it’s still just pumpin’ out water all over the kitchen floor. I tried to call Mickey, but his mobile’s switched off -”
“He’ll be at his gran’s grave,” Rose says, frowning. “He always goes there on Mother’s Day.”
Jackie’s close to screaming from frustration, it’s clear. “Have to be a plumber, then. An’ they all charge the earth on a Sunday.”
He’s already got his sonic screwdriver out. “Let me take a look.”
“You?” Jackie’s staring at him as if he has three heads. “You’re an alien. What do you know about washing machines?”
“He knows about machinery, Mum,” Rose points out. “Let ‘im try, at least.” She catches his eye, giving him a grateful smile. “Look, I’ll keep tryin’ Mickey, all right? An’ at least the Doctor can get started.”
What, so Rose doesn’t believe he can fix it? Thinks he actually needs Mickey the Idiot to do the job properly? Well, he’ll show her.
“In here, then?” He indicates the kitchen door.
Tiredly, Jackie brushes tangled strands of hair away from her face. “Yeah. Go on, then.” Her shoulders slump. “I’d offer you a cuppa, both of you, but the kitchen’s flooded.”
“Don’t need one. Go on, leave me to it.” He waves the two of them away.
The last thing he sees, before going into the very soggy kitchen, is Rose taking Jackie’s arm to lead her into the living-room, and handing her the flowers.
***
“They’re beautiful, love,” her mum says, taking the flowers and staring at them as if they’re the most precious gift she’s ever received. Then she’s dropped them on the couch and pulling Rose into her arms. “I never expected to see you today, sweetheart. Didn’t think he’d bring you back, not just for Mother’s Day.”
“Course he would,” she insists. “He’s not that bad, really he’s not. I asked, an’ he brought me.”
“An’ it just had to be the day the washing machine broke.” Pulling away, her mum looks down at herself. “I look a mess. An’ my jeans are soaked. Was just doin’ some laundry, that’s all.”
“You look great, Mum.” Rose hugs her again. “You always do.” Wrapping her arms around her mum’s shoulders, she suggests, “But if it makes you feel better, why don’t you go an’ put on something nice? I’ll take you out for lunch, yeah?”
Even if it means she has to borrow more money from the Doctor, she’s going to do this. She’ll find a way to repay him, and it’ll mean a lot to her mum.
After her mum’s gone into her bedroom, she goes back to the kitchen to check on the Doctor. He’s kneeling on the floor in a pool of water next to the washing machine, poking around inside it with the side-panel off.
“Hey. How’s it going?”
He glances around. “Don’t suppose you know where the stop-cock is?”
“Course. Under the sink.”
“And it’d never’ve occurred to your mum to turn it off, I s’pose?”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Dunno how many times I’ve told her it’s there. She never remembers. Doesn’t even know what it’s for.” Bending down in front of the cupboard, she reaches in and shuts off the water supply.
“Thank you.” He rolls his eyes, looking around at her again. “Now I can actually do something about this.”
“Can you really fix it? Or d’you need me to call Mickey?”
“Oi!” Oops. Now he sounds really offended. Men and their egos. She’s pretty sure the testosterone level in here’s shot up. “Nice to know you have such faith in me, Rose Tyler.”
Well, she’s seen the way he fixes the TARDIS - not that she’s going to comment on that.
“You still here?” He glances around again, rolling his eyes.
“Doctor, you got any more money with you? Or in the TARDIS? I mean, I’ll pay you back as soon as I get to a cashpoint, but the nearest one’s a mile away.”
“What you need money for?” He pauses in whatever he was doing to the innards of the machine with the sonic screwdriver and stares at her, eyes wide.
“Thought I’d take Mum out for lunch. Somewhere nice.” She shrugs. “Sounds like she could do with a treat.”
He nods briefly. “Soon’s I’m finished here, we’ll all go. An’, yeah, I’ve got money.”
She realises her shock has to be plainly visible as he adds, “An’ don’t think that means I’m doin’ domestic, Rose Tyler. This is strictly a one-off.”
***
At last, he’s managed to get into the innards of the machine and he’s found the problem. Just as he fishes it out, Rose returns, followed by Jackie.
“Are you getting anywhere, Doctor?” Jackie asks, surprisingly tentative. It’s certainly not the way she usually speaks to him - but then he’s doing her a favour and she probably doesn’t want to risk him accidentally-on-purpose flooding the entire flat.
He smothers a grin, taking great pleasure in announcing, “I’ve found what caused it to overflow. You had a blockage.”
“Oh. Can you get it out?” Jackie’s half-relieved, half-worried.
“Already did.” He holds up his trophy: a shocking pink underwired bra. The wire had come loose from one end and got stuck in the mechanism, and as the machine spun it pulled the fabric of the bra with it.
Jackie’s face almost matches the colour of the bra. “Oh.”
“Mum, I keep telling you to use a bra bag!” Rose exclaims, exasperated. “Doctor, is it fixed now? Or did it cause more problems than just the leak?”
“Seems to be okay.” He tosses the bra to Jackie, who catches it and seems, for a moment, about to stuff it under her sweater. “Could do with a bit of lubrication in here, though. The drum’s very squeaky. Got any oil?”
Rose looks at her mum, who shrugs. “Cooking oil?”
“No good.”
“I could call Mickey again,” Rose says - and how many more times is she going to suggest calling sodding Rickey the Idiot? “He’ll have oil with him.”
The Doctor would just bet he does. And a few more tools as well, no doubt. Doesn’t a sonic screwdriver count for anything?
“Nah. No need for that,” he says quickly. “Got any bananas?”
“Bananas? What you want bananas for?” Jackie almost shrieks. “You hungry or something? Rose, does ‘e always have these weird eating habits?”
“Rose, just get me some bananas,” he says with exaggerated patience.
A minute later, he’s handed two bananas. He eats them quickly - “Good source of potassium. Wouldn’t want to waste them!” - and then takes the skins, rubbing the inside against the mechanism. “Not ideal,” he comments to his gaping audience, “but it should do the job.”
There’s a knock on the door, and Rose disappears. He hears a muffled voice, and a cry of delight from Rose, but he’s too busy fixing Jackie’s bloody washing machine to pay any attention. Until a voice he definitely didn’t want to hear says, with an audible grin, “Wotcha, Doctor. Careful you don’t get your hand bit off in there.”
He twists to stare at his nemesis. “Rickey the - ” Rose appears behind Mickey’s shoulder and gives him a ferocious glare. “Hi, Mickey,” he amends immediately. “All right?”
Mickey grins. “Got Jackie’s message. See you’ve beaten me to the messy stuff. Don’t suppose you want any help?”
“Nah. Already done.” He spins the drum in triumph. It squeaks loudly.
“Sounds like you need some oil there, mate.” Mickey bends, rummages in his tool-box and hands over a can of WD-40. “There you go.”
“Thanks,” he grudgingly concedes, and tries to avoid Rose’s look of I told you so. Women. Human women!
***
The kitchen floor’s been mopped, the washing machine’s busily chugging away - and a bit quieter and faster than before, she’d swear - and the Doctor’s just got back from changing into dry clothes. Rose has managed to get a last-minute booking at the Lamb and Flag and they’re all going out to lunch. All four of them.
That pretty much confirms what she suspected about Rose and that alien - but maybe she doesn’t mind so much as she would have before. After all, if he’s willing to get stuck in and fix her washing machine, he can’t be all bad. Most blokes would turn tail and run at the prospect of having to get their hands dirty in their girlfriend’s mother’s house.
As they emerge into the courtyard, the Doctor takes Rose’s hand. It’s such a natural gesture that it’s obvious they do it all the time.
Mickey, walking beside her, nudges her. “That’ll end in tears.”
She glances at him, and then back at her daughter and her boyfriend. “Course it will. Love always does. It’s the memories you make along the way that count. When the tears are over, you’ve still got them.”
Mickey’s silent for a moment, then nods. “S’pose so.”
“Oi, Jackie!” The Doctor’s turned to face her, and his grin’s far too amused for her liking.
“What?”
“Should’ve brought your bra.” He nods up at the Lamb and Flag’s window display. It’s all bright pink and yellow balloons, with Happy Mother’s Day! written on them.
“Oi! You might’ve fixed my machine, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still get a slap!”
Oh, she just wishes she had a camera to capture his horrified look. A nine-hundred-year-old Time Lord - and she’s still trying to find out from Rose exactly what a Time Lord is - and he’s terrified of his girlfriend’s mother. He’s not so different from ordinary blokes, after all.
Jackie Tyler, battleaxe. Attila the Mum. That’s who she is. And as long as he remembers that, he and she will get on just fine.
end
souleswanderer's prompt:
Ninth Doctor Pairing/Other characters you'd like to see on the story: Nine/Rose/Jackie
Up to three things you want in your fic: mother's day, laundry, bananas
Up to three things you don't want in your fic: babies, puppies, sunshine