The Wolf, the Conqueror and the Thief

Chapter Three

Rose ran away, wanting to hide. The TARDIS pulled her bedroom forward and thankful Rose stumbled in, dropping her bag on her bed and heading to the en suite. It was a beautiful room. Spa like and done up in pale blue and green. She started a bath, running it as she stripped. She climbed in and lay back, relaxing. She washed up and just lay there hiding. After a bit she felt the TARDIS moving and knew that the Doctor was taking everyone home. She climbed out of the bath, draining it and dried herself off. She wrapped a towel around her body, tucking the end in tightly, and another around her hair. She was humming when she stepped out of the bathroom and stopped short. The Doctor was sitting on her bed waiting for her. She blushed as he slowly dragged his eyes over her, darkening as he returned them to her eyes. She found herself walking towards him until she was standing between his legs. She looked at him, noting that he looked tired, his spiky hair even messier than normal. Clearly he had been running his hands through his hair more often than usual. Without warning he had wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her belly. She wasn't sure what to do until she felt him shaking and knew he was crying. She rested one hand on the back of his neck and ran the fingers of her other hand through his hair, gently stroking his head. "Shh, Doctor. It's alright." She continued murmuring to him in a quiet voice for probably another ten, fifteen minutes. Finally he started to relax so she began to step back. He tightened his grip around her. "Don't go." He whispered, and the childlike quality of his voice broke her heart. "Hush Doctor, I was just going to sit next to you. But I can stay right here." She pressed a kiss on the top of his head and continued to stroke his head. She was suddenly aware that all she had on was a towel when he nuzzled his face against her stomach and just under her breasts. He looked up at her as she inhaled sharply. She had stopped stroking his head and her hand stroked down to his cheek. She didn't notice at first that her fingers were resting lightly on his temple. Suddenly she found herself on her back on the bed and he was stretched out on top of her. "Doctor?" she whispered. His fingers were resting against her temples, thumbs stroking her cheeks. "Please, Rose, let me in." She looked into his eyes and smiled as she copied him. "Yes, Doctor." Suddenly he was there and holding her hand. He looked around in awe. "Your mind is golden. It's beautiful here." She smiled at him. She felt his mind pulling her in and suddenly she was immersed in cool blue and around the edges black shadows. She left the shadows alone and explored his mind as he was doing to hers. She felt a pull and her golden strands were mingling with his and she could feel the depth of his love for her. He could also feel her love for him but there was a small red strand in the back of her mind. He knew that it belonged to the Master. But before he could even contemplate it his mind was pulled into hers and they wrapped around the other until both of them were just blue and gold. They were completely entangled in their minds. They slowly separated and opened their eyes. The Doctor looked down at her for a moment before he was kissing her and her hands were buried in his hair. She vaguely registered a warning from the TARDIS and pushed the Doctor gently. "Doctor, we're about to have company so unless you want your friend, Harold Saxon, to see me in only a towel I suggest you shift so I can get dressed." The Doctor moved so that he was sitting in her armchair and she slipped into the closet so she could dress. She chose an adorable white bra and panties that had pink polka dots and were edged with pink lace. She pulled on leggings (black) a very short pleated skirt (red and black plaid) a red tank top with spaghetti straps and a fitted black leather jacket. For shoes she wore black Mary Janes that were flat and easy to run in. She pulled her hair into long pigtails and fixed her makeup. "How do I look, Beautiful?" She felt what came across as a wink and a whistle and giggled. "It's now or never, I guess." And she stepped back into her room only to have the men stop mid argument to turn and stare at her. "What? Did I miss something?" She started to smooth down her skirt and try to find whatever it was that had them staring. "Rose Tyler. The fantasies you inspire looking like that," the Conqueror/Master/Harold Saxon said and his words sounded like honey. Sweet and thick and warm. She blushed and smiled at him. "Rose, you look beautiful." The Doctor smiled at her. "Thank you both. Now come along, I need a cuppa and I know that you both have questions for me." She led them to the kitchen and put the kettle on to boil. She made the tea, pausing to ask the Conqueror how he took his tea after handing the Doctor his tea, and sat down, one on each side of her. "I'm in a Time Lord sandwich," she thought, stifling a giggle. She turned to the blonde, appraising him. "I'm going to call you Harry. I don't plan on calling you either Master or Conqueror and Harold is just stuffy. It's a name for someone who doesn't know how to have fun." He frowned at her then sighed and nodded. She smiled at him, tongue in tooth. "Rose." The Doctor called her name to capture her attention. "Yes Doctor?"

"Why do you call him by his chosen name but refuse to call me by mine?" Harry whined (although it wasn't whining; Time Lords do NOT whine). Rose laughed at him. He was pouting. "Stop pouting, and don't try to tell me Time Lords don't pout." She interrupted his protest. "I refuse to call you the other two names because it sounds as though you own me and I belong to nobody." He raised an eyebrow and gave her a sly smile. "Maybe. But you, sweetheart, need a man to take care of you. I might consider it if you beg." Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah, cuz that's gonna happen. So do you boys have questions or can I go?" She got frowns from both of them at that. "Rose Tyler. Last time I saw you," the Doctor swallowed hard, "you were in a parallel universe. How did you cross without causing both universes to collapse? You know that I would have come to get you if it were possible."

"True. But I had assistance crossing. I believe that you met her, once upon a time."

"Who?" The Doctor asked, although she could tell he already had an idea and was hoping he was wrong.

"Yes Doctor. You're right; Bad Wolf came to help me cross over." She allowed her eyes to go a little bit more golden.

"Rose, no. You'll burn up." She shook her head at him.

"I won't. She won't hurt me because she can't survive without me." Harry joined in the conversation. "What or who is Bad Wolf?"

"I am. I am the Bad Wolf."

"But you're Rose Tyler. Are you telling me that you have another side to you?" Rose just smiled at him.

"Rose?" She turned back to the Doctor. "Why did she bring you back? Not that I'm unhappy about it but I'm concerned about what she wants from you."

She looked from one man to the other. She saw concern on the Doctor's face and curiosity on Harry's. She sighed. "Bad Wolf. What do I tell them about our deal?"

"Just tell them that I wanted both of them safe. That I told you something is coming, you don't know what yet, and that you need them to protect you. Both of them. I'll not have you hurt because they can't work out their differences." Rose nodded to herself.

"Alright. The price of me coming back was that I save Harry." They both looked surprised. "Something big, I don't know what it is exactly, is coming. She told me that if I was going to live through it I would need both of you to protect me." She looked from one to the other. "That's all I can say for now. Other than letting you both know that Bad Wolf is looking out for me." She stood up and put her cup in the sink. "I'm going to take a short nap. Then we can go somewhere." She walked out of the kitchen and straight into her room. "Thanks love. If Harry comes looking for me let him find me. We have some unfinished business. But I can't see the Doctor right now." Rose got the impression of rolling eyes and assent. She smiled, patted the door and lay down for a nap.