The Assassin of Madness

Chapter 25

Rose was bracing herself for the moment the Doctor pulled away and ran, leaving her alone.  It seemed as though that was not the plan, but he was so unpredictable that she was not about to put it past him.   

He smoothed his hands over her shoulders and gazed down into her eyes.  "You're so tense," he said softly, and she let out a breathy laugh, incapable of much else. 

"I'm okay," She replied, reaching up to cup his face.  Taking her motion as a hint, or permission, he kissed her again, cupping the back of her head at the last second before her head hit the door.  She sighed into his mouth and opened her mouth, granting him access again as she whipped his tie off, throwing it over his shoulder. 

She started on his jacket, but he wouldn't remove his hands from her, so her tugging was futile until he caught on to what she was doing.  Once the garment was shed, he was back on her with a vengeance, lifting her up slightly in his haste to get close to her.  He was trembling under her touch, something she'd never experienced from a man before.  The fact that she evoked such a reaction in this man, this powerful, powerful man made her feel a strange sort of awe.

Rose ran her hands through his hair, trying to comfort him even as he grew more frantic in his kisses.  When he sensed she was going to be running out of air soon, he removed his mouth from hers and kissed down her neck to her shoulders and collarbones, worshiping the exposed parts of her skin.  

"Rose," he gasped, pulling back from her as she started on his white oxford buttons.  "Rose, you know I'm a telepath... Rose, if you could, ah, concentrate, please?"

The tone of his voice was so desperate and needy that she let go of him and looked up into his face expectantly.  "Yeah?"

"My people, we... We could see, into each other's minds.  If you wanted, that is, if you were alright with, if not, I fully understand-"

She put two fingers over his lips and smiled softly at him.  "Yeah.  Show me what to do."  She bit her lip, ready to say what she thought about speaking the words that he, of course, already knew.  "I love you," she said, with conviction this time, more time than it had held before. 

His eyes filled with tears that made her heart lurch.  He took her hand in his, the winding of their fingers together giving her an immense sense of peace with the familiar touch.  "Come with me," he whispered, his voice husky, and she knew that if he ever said anything in that voice, she'd do it. 

She followed behind him to the bed in the center of their room.  He climbed up onto the bed, sitting cross legged by the pillows and gestured for her to sit across from him. 

He looked so vulnerable in only half-unbutton shirtsleeves, his converse, and black trousers, that she felt it was only fair that she even the score.  She reached back to unzip her dress, letting the silky fabric whisper to her feet, leaving her in a white underdress that she'd forgotten all about but in her time could be classified as a proper dress.  His jaw dropped as she did this and she kicked off her shoes, getting on the bed across from him, crossing her legs so her knees were pressed to his. 

"Show me," she repeated, "Show me how your people connected."

The tears that had settled in his eyes were very close to spilling, and she stroked his cheek, hoping to comfort him.  "You're close," he teased her, sliding her hand from his cheek to his temple.  She brought her other hand up to mirror the touch.  His eyes slipped closed and he reached around her arms so his were bracketing hers and slipped his fingertips into her hair at either side of her head.

"Close your eyes," he whispered, keeping the moment in the dark sacred and Rose could sense, very clearly, that this was the start of something monumental.  She did as she was told, though his face, so peaceful, was captivating her.