Doctor Who Oneshots

Restless Dreaming~ TenRose

"Doctor," she spoke softly and gently moved his arm, "I'm right here. Wake up, it's me, Rose."

The Doctor sleepily protested, still believing that he was in the dream, and that someone was attacking him. He moaned and shook his arm away defensively.

"Doctor, it's just a nightmare. I'm right here. Me, Rose, in the TARDIS."

The Doctor turned toward her voice and opened his eyes slowly. "Rose?" He asked with drooped eyelids.

"Yep. You were having a nightmare," she said.

"I was." The Doctor said darkly, seeming to recall the bad dreams. He shook his head. "You can go back to sleep. I'm fine."

"No you're not," Rose replied. "You're just going to have more if you go right back to sleep, so I'll stay here and help you out. Besides, I won't be able to go back to sleep now."

The Doctor sighed, then smiled. "Thank you. Would you like to sit?" He scooted over and patted a spot next to him by the head of the bed. Rose nodded and complied, scooting close to him. The two began to speak quietly, for some reason, even though they were obviously the only two on the TARDIS, and had no need to be quiet.

"You wear banana jimjams?" Rose laughed as she looked at the Doctor's blue space-and-banana-themed night clothes.

The Doctor bashfully looked down and smiled. "Yeah... They're my favorites."

Rose chuckled. She was relieved that the Doctor could still smile so soon after a bad dream; she supposed any strong-hearted soul could. But there was an absentminded sad look in the Doctor's eyes that told her he was still not okay.

After a couple of moments of quiet, she asked, "Want to talk about your nightmare?" She knew it sounded childish, like a mother talking to her young son, but maybe that's just what the Doctor needed.

He let out a breath. "Well... Yeah. Okay." He nodded.

"Let's see. You were in it."

"I know. I kind of heard you say my name when I came in here." Rose smiled slightly, trying to keep his mood up.

"Oh, you did?" He tried to smile back, but sounded bashful. "What was I saying about you?"

"You were telling someone not to take me away."

The Doctor sighed. "Yes. That's what they were trying to do."

"Who were they?" Rose asked.

He shrugged. "It was just thousands of different people and creatures; they were mostly my enemies, like the Daleks and the Cybermen. But there were also friends who have...left. And the Time Lords were definitely there, demanding that I hand you over--" the Doctor's voice cracked and he suddenly grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. Rose was surprised, but she began to rub her thumb over the back of his hand. This seemed to soothe him, even though tears were now falling freely from his eyes. He was holding in sobs, she could tell.

"Doctor, you don't have to be strong for me," Rose whispered. "You can let it out."

The Doctor nodded and breathed out, which sounded close to a sob.

"I just--" he was looking down, his voice definitely woven with crying now, "--I can't bear the thought of losing you."

Rose, as shocked as she was by the sight and sound of the Doctor weeping, quickly wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. The action practically popped the lump he had felt in his throat and he breathily sobbed. He tightened his arms around hers and buried his face into her shoulder.