The Slow Path - (#1 TenRose Fanfiction)

10 Years Before

~Chapter 5

The Doctor's POV

Two days pass on planet Earth, and there's one more day before I get to talk to Rose. Jackie said three days, and the two I've managed to live through two so far, and they have felt like the longest days of my life. I sit in the library, my eyes reading a book, but my mind drifting miles away...or more strictly speaking just across the road, third floor, house number 116, Rose. I need to get her back. I can't live much longer without her before I loose my mind. I jump up then, and decide its time I went out. Maybe even a bit of time travel. I set the coordinates for about 10 years back, and just hope for a bit of a change. I've been TARDIS-bound for the past two days, keeping myself busy with jigsaws, books and paintings. Now I'm ready to go out. Just a normal park seems like a good idea.

I make my stop at the local park, 10 years in the last, just around the corner from Rose's flat, to wanting to be too far from her, even though she could be anywhere, a little 10 year old Rose could be out amt the shops with a younger version of Jackie, or playing around Mickeys house. I wander through the park, and take a seat on a swing, and gently push myself back and forth, such a child. Speaking of a child, I notice the swing beside me get custody of. I look over, and a young girl with blonde hair sits beside me.
"Hello." The little girl smiles over at me. I smile back.
"Hello."
"What are you sitting on a swing?" She asks curiously.
"Why shouldn't I?" I ask in defence, swings are for everyone, they are fun and everyone should enjoy them.
"Because you're old." She looks me up and down.
"Yes, that's true, that's very true."
"My mum says I shouldn't talk to strange men." She looks over at the woman with her back to us in mid conversation, obviously her mother.
"Ah, your Mum's right." I sigh, and look out across the park.
"Are you strange?"
"Oh, dear. I'm way past strange. I think I'm probably incredible." I smile over at her.
"Are you lonely?" She asks.
"Why would I be lonely?"
"Because you're sad. Have you lost something?"
"I don't know." I say quietly.
"What? How can you not know if you've lost something?"
"I haven't lost something, I just think I've lost someone."
"Have you been looking?" The little girl asks curiously.
"It's not like that, it's just...oh, don't worry." I sigh.
"You mean, you think you've lost her because you might not be friends anymore?" The girl asks. I look at her stunned, how can a little girl know so much?
"Something like that," I nod "I don't if she'll ever trust me again, I've just got to hope."
"Hope's always there. I even named my Goldfish hope."
"Did you really?" I smile over at her and she nods with a big grin on her face.
"Really."
I realise then that I probably shouldn't be keeping this conversation up, "Anyway, there's your Mum, you should probably go see her."
"Yeah, probably. Goodbye." She smiles and jumps of the swing, before turning back around to face me "Mister, I hope you find her again!"
"Me too." I smile as the little girl walks off, hand in hand with her mother. It is then when her mother then turns around for a short moment, and my heart sinks into my chest. Jackie Tyler. A 10 years younger Jackie Tyler. So that little girl was...Rose.

***

Rose's POV

I want to see him. Because I need to talk. He needs to talk. We need to talk. And....I need him. I really do. Even though I am so angry at what he did, I still miss him...and I still love him, deep down. But right now other complications are in place which we need to deal with. I've decided to tell him my secret, but only if he tells me exactly what happened on that ship with Reinette, why he did what he did, and exactly what was said between him and Mum two nights ago. Mum said he loves me. I don't know where that came from. Maybe that's what he told her, or maybe it was just another "Jackie Tyler assumption", what ever it was, I need to know. And tomorrow I will.