The Queen and the Rose

Chapter 10

"Ah, you're awake!" The woman approached Rose and clasped her shoulders.  "Are you both feeling alright?"

"Yes, we just...  We can't remember anything," Rose responded.

The woman let go of her and touched a hand to her forehead.  "Oh, I was afraid of that."  She walked back to the man.  "This is Pharaoh Horus Ba, and I am Queen Surbia."

Both of them fell into low bows in shock.  

"Come now, none of that!" Horus Ba said, and they arose slowly.  "That's better. You two work together, you're our personal assistants.  I rather think you're in each other's sight all the time."

Rose swallowed nearly audibly at that.  She spent all her time with this man?  Well, her situation was getting better and better every moment.  She clasped her hands in front of her.  "Is there anything you need now?" She asked.

Queen Surbia's lip twitched in almost a cruel way at how submissive Rose had become, but of course, Rose didn't notice this.  Horus Ba watched her.  

"I'd rather think that I'll be needing you in a few days, Rose," he said airily, "Not now, though, you need rest, the both of you.  We'll take you back to your chambers, and you should really get some more sleep."

"What happened to us?" The Doctor asked.

"It was a horrible accident," Queen Surbia said solemnly.  "You took quite the tumble off the roof after the sandstorm last week.  We weren't even sure you'd wake up.  Now, come, and we'll take you back to your quarters."

The Doctor and Rose were led down many a corridor to a room that had a door.  The Queen gestured to the closed door. "These are your quarters.  It's got a door because, well, you're rather valuable."  She opened the admittedly flimsy door (as if it had been thrown on in a hurry) and they were led into  a rather sparse room with two beds and a decorative chest that was open, revealing all their extra clothes.  

"I'd like you both to rest," Horus Ba said firmly.  "Sleep is what you need, the both of you.  Do you think you will be prepared to get back to work tomorrow?"

"Yes," both the Doctor and Rose said together, not really thinking that they need any sleep, but who were they to argue?  Especially with the Pharaoh and Queen of Egypt.  Rose was surprised that she had gathered where they were.  It seemed that she had retained general knowledge, at least.  

"I'm sorry you don't remember anything," Queen Surbia said, looking sorrowful.  "Hopefully it will come back to you."

Rose and the Doctor nodded.  Horus Ba gestured for them to go in and the both of them had the feeling they were being dismissed.  The two of them bowed and waited until the Pharaoh and Queen had left them there. 

The Doctor shut the door behind them as they entered.  "We're lucky to be alive," he said quietly.

Rose nodded.  "Yes, I suppose we are."

"They just expect us to sleep?" The Doctor began pacing, and Rose sat down hard on one of the beds, watching him.  "How are we supposed to sleep? We just woke up from... From a..."  He stopped.

"A what?" Rose asked, "You're the Doctor here.  A what?"

"A coma," he flapped his hand.  "Big long sleep.  Too long."

"Well, we don't have to sleep," Rose told him, "We could try to get re-acquainted, since we know we used to work together."

"Rose, that does sound like a good idea, but we don't even know ourselves any more."

Rose knew he was right, but she wanted to talk to him.  Something about him made her want to open up to him as much as she could, which wasn't very much.  They were strangers to themselves as well as each other.  

The thing that alarmed her the most was how much she wanted to kiss him.  It was unnecessary and unbidden.  She squirmed on the bed.  "You're right, I'm sorry."

He furrowed his brows at her.  "Don't be sorry," he said earnestly.  "It's anything but your fault, it's not anybody's fault.  This is all just an accident.  A very horrible accident, yes, but I'm sure neither of us caused it.  It was probably aftershocks from the storm."

Rose pondered that thoughtfully.  "Why were we on the roof?" 

This seemed to stop the Doctor in his tracks.  "You know, I really don't know," he said softly.  "That's a...  That's a good point.  I don't know why we would be."

"We're assistants, not...  Roof sweepers," Rose said. 

"Another good point."

"So...  There would be no reason for us to be on the roof at all," Rose said, "I'm sorry, but I have to say that I'm rather skeptical."

The Doctor turned to face her fully.  "Do you mean that someone set us up?" 

"Maybe not the Pharaoh and Queen, but somebody.  And maybe that's the story whoever did this to us told them.  Maybe they wanted us dead."

The Doctor furrowed his brows.  "We seem fairly harmless, don't you think?"

Rose nodded.  "I think so."  

"So we don't get into a whole lot of trouble?" 

"It wouldn't appear that way, no."

The Doctor sat down heavily next to her.  "Well, this is quite the situation, isn't it?" He laughed humorlessly.  

Rose could only sigh.  "Yes."

It was an odd instinct the Doctor had, but he felt his hand twitch, like he wanted to reach out for Rose's.  Doing it slowly, in case she really didn't want him to touch her, he reached over to her and grasped her hand in his.  In response she squeezed his hand and tipped her head against this shoulder.

"Well, whatever it is, it would appear we only have each other."

Rose sighed, "Looks like it."

"I don't think I mind that," he said carefully.

"Me either," she replied.  

The Doctor and Rose sat in a comfortable silence for quite some time.  "We should try to get that rest," the Doctor suggested finally.  She nodded against his shoulder.  

"Okay, then.  I claim this bed."

He laughed and stood up.  "Goodnight, Rose."  Without thinking, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked across the small room to the other bed. 

Rose had the oddest notion that the bed should be...  Softer.  She shook her head at the notion and did her best to get comfortable.

"Does this bed feel weird to you?" The Doctor called to her from where he was. 

She furrowed her brows but did not turn to face him.  "Yes.  Does it to you?" 

"It does, but I can't figure out why."  There was intrigue in the Doctor's voice, as though he planed to find out just why the bed didn't feel right to him. 

Maybe that was the sort of man the Doctor was.