They stood on the sand, the wind whipping at their hair as they watched the Tardis dematerialize. They looked at each other and then back to the spot where the Tardis had once been. The only proof now that the Tardis had been there was a square indentation in the sand.
She looked up at him and he looked down at her, his chocolate brown eyes slightly wary, as though he was waiting for her anger or rejection. She felt her anger dissipate. He was not the one she should be angry with. He didn't deserve that. He was the Doctor in every way, but human, and he had told her the words that the other could not. He hadn't asked to be created or dumped in this world without the Tardis. No, he had been abandoned just as much as she had.
She squeezed his hand and smiled up at him, though it was a sad smile. "How long are you gonna stay with me?" she asked.
"Forever," he replied without hesitation.
Her smile broadened and she watched the apprehension leave him. They would be fine, she was sure of it. They would make this work.
She leaned up, her hands on his shoulders to steady herself and laid a small kiss on his lips. She expected him to freeze, but he kissed her back, pouring his relief and love into that kiss. She felt her own tension leave her and the kiss turned tender as they slowly explored each other. Passion could come later. Right now she was feeling that love igniting between them and her acceptance of this human version of him.
"Oi! I want to get out of the cold and go find a cozy motel somewhere. You two can resume your snogging then," her mother called from the distance, her cellphone in her hand. "Your Dad is organising a private Zeppelin and driver for the mornin'."
Rose stepped back from the Doctor, blushing furiously. She glanced up at him and he reached for her hand, the wind ruffling his still gorgeous hair. He smiled down tenderly at her, making her heart skip a beat.
"Ah, good ol' Jackie. Impeccable timing as always," he said, a jovial lilt in his voice.
She chuckled and they started walking towards her mom, who had walked up the embankment and was now waiting for them on the side of a very little used road. A fine misty spray was blowing from the beach and by the time they had made it to the small coastal town, all three of them were damp and shivering from the cold. But as uncomfortable as she was, she didn't let go of his hand and it was with satisfaction that she noticed he didn't try to pull away either.
Jackie was unusually quiet as they trudged to the entrance of the motel, every now and then muttering about bloody Norway. They booked two rooms, Jackie pointedly taking her key card and throwing a comment over her shoulder as she went to find her room. "You two get some rest. I've gotta call your dad. There's going to be holy war when we get back to London." But she glanced back and winked, showing that she wasn't in the least concerned about what Pete would have to say about her up and leaving to follow Rose.
Rose grinned and silently took the key card, leading the Doctor to their room. The room wasn't bad as far as motel rooms went, though she noted drily that her mother had gotten them a room with one queen bed. If that wasn't a blunt hint she didn't know what was.
She heard the door close quietly behind her and her throat went dry. She suddenly felt nervous, even though they had both established that this is what they wanted from each other. He had chosen to cross that line by saying those words, admitting his feelings, staying with her. And she had crossed that line by accepting him and kissing him, twice.
He surveyed the room, hands thrust into his pockets. "Well, this isn't too bad. Not like that time in Gespia. Or Juvar. Oooh. I just remembered Loxima. Now that was a nightmare of a place. Made some of our prison stays seem like five star hotels."
She smiled softly at his rambling. "You're really the same, aren't you?"
He stopped and considered her statement. "Consider it like a sideway regeneration, except with a dash of human. Blimey, I'm going to be sleeping away half my life, well, a third. How do you lot manage to get anything accomplished."
"We're very resilient," she responded, grinning her tongue touched grin.
His eyes flickered down to her lips. "Yes, that you are," he murmured. His eyes quickly darted back to her own. Her grin broadened. Maybe she could have a bit of fun teasing him.
"Any other changes? Anything else that feels different?" she asked innocently, starting to peel her jacket off.
"One heart. No regeneration. Still have a Time Lord mind, so memories and feelings haven't changed. Still as brilliant as ever."
"Still as modest as ever," she muttered, yanking off her wet shoes as she sat on the edge of the bed.
He continued, ignoring her jibe. "Might actually need those glasses for real now."
"No complainin' here. I thought they made you look quite sexy," she said, unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans.
He made a pleased sound and she looked over to where he was still standing by the now closed and locked door. And he was watching her, his eyes slightly darker than usual.
"I'm just gonna take a hot bath and we'll need to hang up our clothes to dry. It's not like we have extra to change into. Though, hopefully, mom will have organised some clothes to be delivered here in the mornin'." She stood up and walked to the bathroom, closing the door gently behind her and sighed. There was so much air that needed clearing between them, a lot to talk about. And she didn't know if she had the energy, or the nerve, to do it tonight.
She quickly showered and donned the complimentary robe and wrapped her wet hair in a towel. Taking a deep breath she exited the bathroom and found him sitting on the edge of the bed, minus socks, shoes and jacket. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and he was staring at the television, flicking at a fast pace through the channels. He looked up at her and gave her his famous grin. She couldn't help but grin back.
"You should take a hot shower yourself. I'll organise some dinner for us," she said gingerly.
He nodded and stood, placing the remote by the television. She couldn't stand the tension that was suddenly building up between them. It felt so unnatural and...wrong.
"Doctor!" she called. He turned to look at her, his chocolate brown eyes slightly guarded.
She smiled at him and said, "I'm glad you're here."
His eyes softened and he gave her a toothy grin. "Me too, Rose."
She walked over to him and hugged him. He returned her hug just as fiercely, almost like he was starved for her touch. "I know we need to talk and work through things and that it'll take time. I just don't want things to be uncomfortable between us."
He chuckled. "I was worried you were having second thoughts, you know, about me."
She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. She touched his cheek tenderly and his eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into her touch. "I made my choice, Doctor."
His eyes sprang open as her words sunk in. She saw them almost twinkle in merriment. "You chose me," he said in wonder.
"Of course, you daft alien," she chuckled.
"Human now."
"Part human."
"Close enough," he growled before his lips crashed onto hers in a passionate kiss.
A pounding on the door interrupted them and the Doctor groaned in frustration. "Oi! Open up. I bought you some food," Jackie hollered.
"Please tell me we are not living with your mother. I don't think I could handle it," he pleaded.
She laughed and pulled away from him. "Nah, I have a flat that we can stay in until we decide on something else. Go take a shower and I'll handle her."
He gave her a quick peck on the lips before he hastily retreated to the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind him.
Rose went to open the door, letting her mother in. She breezed in, carrying a few bags of take-out.
"I had some food delivered. Figured you two must be starving," she said, placing the bags on the only table in the room. She turned to look at her daughter. "Where is he?"
"In the bathroom taking a shower," Rose responded, going over to the bags and started unpacking them.
Jackie nodded. "Things OK between you two?"
Rose paused. "It's a huge adjustment for the both of us. A lot we have to talk about."
Jackie smiled. "You two'll be fine."
"I hope so," Rose mumbled.
Jackie placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "He's head over heels for you, love."
Rose frowned. "How can you be so sure?"
"I saw the way he was looking at you on that space ship, when he thought no-one was looking. He's smitten. Better than the other one. Wasn't truly open with his feelings for you."
Rose glanced up in surprise. Her mother still managed to surprise her even after all these years. Her uncanny observation and insight was even more surprising because not very many people thought of Jackie as the insightful type. Rose gave her a watery smile and hugged her mother.
Jackie patted her back. "Now you two get something to eat and get a good night's rest and I'll see you lot in the mornin'."
"Thanks, Mum," she said hoarsely and gave her a peck on the cheek. Jackie patted her cheek lovingly and walked out, closing the door behind her.
"Is she gone?" the Doctor whispered from the door that was slightly ajar.
Rose grinned at him. For all their bickering, she knew that her mother and the Doctor had a genuine affection for each other. They just didn't openly admit it.
"Yup. She bought food."
"Oh good! I'm starved!" he declared, opening the door fully. He, too, was wearing a bathrobe. He took his damp clothes and hung them on any available surface.
They unpacked the rest of the containers of Chinese food and ate in relative, but comfortable silence. Rose hadn't realised how hungry she was and judging by how the Doctor was shovelling food in his mouth, he was also famished.
"Tomorrow's gonna be a long day. We should probably get some sleep," she said after they had finished their meal.
"Are you tired?" he asked.
"Aren't you?" she asked back. It had been a very long day, a lot had happened and she now felt drained of all energy.
"Physically, yes. Mentally, weeelll, a lot is running through my mind right now."
"Like?"
He gave her a small smile. She nodded in understanding. She felt the same way. And right now she wanted comfort. His comfort. Having him close to her, she knew he would ward off the nightmares and be like a healing balm for her.
She stood and extended her hand. "Would you like to join me? I know I would sleep better if you were there with me," she explained.
He took her hand and as they cuddled in bed, she could feel both their hearts settling, breathing evening out as sleep finally took over them. That night there would be no nightmares for either of them. They had found each other and were finally able to be together.
They were sitting in the private Zeppelin, the Doctor asking multiple questions about this world as compared to the Prime Earth. Rose had had three years to study up on all the differences and she happily gave him the history and all that she had learned. They were dressed in the clothes that had been given to them by the driver who had come to collect them from the motel. Rose was wearing black slacks and a cream colored blouse topped by a long beige coat that reached her knees. The Doctor was wearing jeans and a black T-Shirt and a leather jacket. He had wrinkled his nose when he had been presented with the clothing choice and Rose had been quick to reassure him that they would go shopping when they got back to London. He had groaned a bit at the mention of shopping. But a small part, a part that he highly suspected was a trait inherited from Donna, was kind of looking forward to it. Oh, how the mighty had fallen.
They had been in the air for more than three hours and the conversation had come to a lull.
He turned from his view out of the window and looked at Rose. "Are you angry?"
She had been picking at her nails and looked up at him thoughtfully. "Yes. Kind of. Not at you. You didn't ask for any of this. And I understand why he did what he did. I just didn't like...the way he did it."
He reached over and grasped her hand. "You know he and I are the same?"
She nodded and he continued. "It wasn't easy for him to let you go. But he loved you so much that he gave up his own happiness so you would be happy."
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "And my feelings have not changed. Might have a human body, but my mind is still the same. I meant what I said on that beach."
She smiled and clasped his hand harder. "And I meant what I said in that motel room."
He grinned as he remembered her words. "I made my choice."
After a pause, she asked, "Is he going to be OK?"
"I don't know," he replied honestly. "He's lost you and now he's lost Donna..."
"What!" she exclaimed.
He cringed. "Donna is fully human with a human brain. Her brain cannot sustain a Time Lord consciousness."
"Is she going to die?" Rose gasped.
"Her mind would have burnt up unless he wiped her memory."
"Is that what he did?"
"It's what I would have done," he said almost casually, except the slight hitch in his voice gave away how much pain he was feeling about Donna.
"I'm so sorry, Doctor," she murmured.
"Yeah," he said distantly, looking out the window again. She absently rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand that was still clasped in hers. She left him to his thoughts, knowing she couldn't offer much else in comfort except to be there for him if he wanted to talk. He squeezed her hand, a silent thank-you.
"So, you still work for Torchwood then?" he asked. She knew he was trying for a distraction and she let him. They could grieve later, maybe together.
"Yeah. Which reminds me – just a heads-up. Dad is gonna want you to join the team, what with your expertise and brilliance and all."
"Work for Torchwood? Never thought I'd see the day," he muttered.
"It's not like the other Torchwood. We mostly help aliens and every once in a while deal with the not so friendly ones. Doesn't happen often and usually we can negotiate with them and come to an agreement. We haven't had much hostility, mostly misunderstandings. But after the Cybermen attack, people on this Earth are very xenophobic, so everything has to be hush-hush."
She eyed him. "Though, thinking about it now, having you are the team might not be such a good idea. Subtlety is not something you're very good at."
He chuckled. "In my defense, it's usually not my fault."
She laughed and he winked at her. "I'll think about it. Going to have to earn a living now."
"There's no rush. Let's just first get settle in and then we'll work out the kinks, yeah. But there is something you're going to have to do before we reach London."
"Oh?"
She reached for the briefcase by her feet that had been given to her by their driver just before they had boarded the Zeppelin. She placed it on the table in front of them and opened it. The Doctor was openly curious and leaned forward to see what surprise she held for him.
"Be warned, though. This is going to make this all very real. It did for me," she warned softly.
He arched an eyebrow and she fished out the paperwork, placing them in his hand. He squinted and flipped through the thirty odd pages.
"Your new identity," she clarified as he remained silent. "I had to get mine done when I first...arrived here. We had to make up a whole background story that my parents gave me up for adoption when they had me coz they couldn't afford to keep me, as this was all before Dad became successful. An open adoption, so they kept in contact. After the Cybermen attack, in which my adopted parents were killed, they welcomed me back. All this for the press."
"Press?" he asked, looking up from the daunting pages of paperwork that he was required to fill out.
"I'm now the Vitex heiress. Can't go anywhere without the bloody paparazzi following me. Should warn you about that," she muttered darkly, this obviously an unpleasant subject for her.
"Bloodthirsty bunch, are they?"
"You could say that. I'm fresh meat. Showed up three years ago out of the blue, stand to inherit the Vitex fortune. Yeah, I'm the hottest topic right now. And when they see you with me, well..."
"Lovely. Maybe we should move somewhere closed off and remote."
"You asking me to move in with you?" she teased, grinning wickedly at him.
He grinned back and leaned in, a salacious grin on his face. "If you recall, Rose Tyler, I asked you to move in barely a day after meeting you the first time."
She grinned back, her tongue poking out between her teeth. "And now you're moving in with me. That is, if you want..."
His grin turned into something more tender, more sweet. "Yes."
"Yes?" she asked.
He nodded solemnly. "Rose, I've dreamt about a normal life with you since I met you. And the fact that you want that too, well, that's brilliant."
She leaned in and brushed her lips against him. His free hand came up and cupped the side of her face. It was a long, languid kiss, one that took its time. There was no rush.
She pulled back, slightly breathless and was pleased to note that he was the same. They spent the remainder of the flight filling out the paperwork. He was adamant that his alias would be John Smith. After it was all filled out he looked at her, a frown worrying his handsome features.
"Do you want to call me John?"
She patted his knee and shook her head. "Nah. You will always be the Doctor to me."
He gave her such an adoring smile, a smile so unguarded and full of love. Yes, she thought, they were going to be just fine.
They landed two hours later and Jackie gave Rose and the Doctor a hug and told them to come by the house the next day. She then boarded a sleek black car with all the windows tinted and they watched as she was driven back home. Another vehicle, identical to the first, awaited them and they climbed in, settling in the leather interior.
"Where to, Miss Tyler?" the driver asked her merrily.
"Home, please, Joe."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Ma'am?" the Doctor mouthed.
"Shut-up," she scorned playfully, digging her elbow in his ribs.
It took well over an hour to arrive at their destination. Apparently they had landed at a private estate owned by one of Pete's friends, who had graciously allowed them to land there.
"So why doesn't Pete have his own private Zeppelin?" the Doctor queried.
"Mum hates them. Says they're ugly."
"Can't argue with her on that one."
They drove up to a skyline building, in a posh area. This was definitely not the slums. The building towered over them, all gleaming steel and glass. They went into the underground private parking area, where there was an array of fancy shiny cars in their allotted parking spaces.
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow at Rose and she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. But I had to find a place, and with all the paparazzi, Pete suggested that this apartment would be better than having those vultures camp out in my front yard. Security here is excellent, I have relative privacy and it's only rich people here, so they really don't care that I'm the Vitex heiress."
They climbed out and went to the private elevator. Rose inserted her key and the elevator proceeded to rise.
"It wasn't meant to be permanent. I didn't have plans to stay here. So if you want to find another place, I'm more than open to the idea," she explained, reaching for his hand, which he took with such familiarity.
They arrived at the top floor, the penthouse and Rose nervously unlocked the door. He followed silently after her. It was blaringly obvious that she hadn't meant to stay here long. It was almost military bare. One lone couch in the middle of the room facing a wall mounted television. A desk with a computer in one corner. No pictures on the wall, save a few of her mother and what must be her brother on the computer desk. It looked like it hadn't been occupied in months.
But what really drew his attention was that above the couch was a large glass dome in the ceiling. If you sat on the couch and looked up, you would be looking at the stars. And it was with great pain that he realised that Rose must have spent many nights sitting there looking up into the night sky, thinking of her old life, of him.
He swallowed hard at that thought and looked back at her. She was watching him carefully for his reaction, biting on her thumb nail.
"That skylight was the main reason I chose this place. If you don't like it we can start looking for another place."
He sauntered over to her and offered her a smile and his arm. "How about a tour first, Dame Rose?"
She beamed up at him and placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. It was a short tour, to say the least. Kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, spare bedroom that was completely empty and then her room. He was relieved to see that there was a queen sized bed in there at least. A dresser and vanity and a walk-in closet that had clothes strewn on the floor, shoes haphazardly shoved in the corner. The bed was unmade and rumpled pajamas lay on the floor.
He turned and grinned at her. "Ah, here's a glimpse of the Rose Tyler I know."
She sat on the edge of the bed leaning back on her hands and smiled softly at him. "Yeah, the messy part still hasn't changed. But in my defense I'm barely home enough to get some cleanin' done."
He sauntered over to her until he was standing directly in front of her, forcing her to crane her head to look up at him. "And what was you excuse when you lived on the Tardis?"
"You were always dragging me on one adventure after another. Too tired to bother cleaning."
He offered her his hand and pulled her up, pulling her close to him with his other hand on the small of her back. He let go of her hand and placed it on her waist, making her breath hitch slightly. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear and he murmured, "Truth be told, I'm not the neatest, especially this incarnation. You're going to be competing with me in the mess department."
She chuckled and replied, "Challenge accepted."
He pulled back and beamed at her. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and asked, "So what do you think? Wanna stay here or look for another place?"
He looked around, his hands still firmly on her waist. "Weeelll, becoming human is sort of like regeneration. Gotta figure out what I like and don't like. But I'm leaning more towards the idea that we could find a place, together. Something that we both like."
She breathed out a relieved sigh. "Thank god. Cos I really I hated this place."
"Really?"
"As you can see, I never really settled in here. Never made it home. I just had to get out. Mom was driving me bonkers with her smothering and pregnancy hormones."
He wrinkled his nose. "Yes, living with Jackie would certainly drive anyone mad."
She playfully smacked his arm. "She's not that bad. She was just worried and concerned, especially after Bad Wolf Bay. But when she started trying to set me up on some blind dates, I knew I had to get away."
The Doctor felt jealousy roil through him like an unpleasant wave. He had to fight to taper it down. Apparently this human body was more prone to being jealous and showing it. "Dates?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but it might have come out as a growl.
"Yeah. Wasn't interested in any of them."
"Why's that?" he asked softly, pulling her body a little bit closer.
"Cos none of them were you." The honesty in her eyes was so raw, so open, that the Doctor felt his breath hitch with the intensity of the moment.
They didn't know how it happened. It was a whirlwind of kissing and touching, clothes being ripped off and somehow they found themselves on the bed, not caring about anything else but becoming one with each other. It was a moment entirely perfect in its imperfection. Lust and love warred with each other, finally intermingling to become a moment of anticipated completion.
Afterwards they lay in each other's arms, Rose resting her head on his chest, blissfully listening to his rapid heartbeat gradually slow to a normal pace. A serene smile played on her lips as she trailed her fingers over his chest.
"I love you, Doctor," she whispered.
He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too, Rose Tyler."
She felt that she would never be as happy as she was in this moment. They were finally together in every way and they were getting their happy ending.
The next few weeks passed by in a flurry. They managed to get through the shopping trip in one piece, the Doctor complaining every few minutes. He thought that he would enjoy shopping, but nope, he still found it tedious and tiresome. So Rose had to hire a personal shopper and specify what she thought the Doctor might like. Suits and sandshoes was definitely a must. He hadn't lost his love for that ensemble.
They had gone to her mom and dad's place for dinner the following night. The Doctor and three year old Tony hit it off like a house on fire. Mainly because she suspected that the Doctor was like a big kid himself. As suspected, Pete offered the Doctor a job at Torchwood, and surprisingly, he accepted without a hesitation. He must had thought about it long and hard since she had first mentioned it to him on the Zeppelin. She should have known there was an ulterior motive, even though he thoroughly enjoyed his work. It kept him busy and occupied, which is something he desperately needed. The spare room was now cluttered with bits and bobs, a combination of mad scientist lab and workshop. With all the stuff he had borrowed (nicked) from Torchwood, he cobbled together his own sonic screwdriver. When he had proudly showed her, she had squealed in delight, that is, until he turned it on and made the dome light shatter.
It wasn't surprising that after some spectacular and some rather explosive incidents, they were asked to find another place. And the paparazzi certainly weren't making life easy. It wasn't long before they found out about the Doctor and his face was splashed over every tabloid, citing him as the Vitex heiress's new toy. And because he was a mystery, with very little known history, the tabloids wrote wild and exaggerating stories about him. The Doctor was not impressed.
"Bloody vultures!" he groaned as he flopped on one of the chairs in Rose's office in Torchwood, a rag mag in his hand.
She looked up from the paperwork she was busy filling out. "Just ignore them. You don't wanna know what they wrote about me when I first got here. Best just to not let it get to you."
"It's not right, I tell you. The lies they get away with writing!" he said indignantly.
She held out her hand and he handed her the magazine. Splashed on the cover was a picture of him. She remembered that day all too well. His glasses were slightly askew and his hair was sticking up in every direction, smudges of soot on his handsome face. That was the day when he thought it would be a good idea to do an experiment in the spare bedroom and it had exploded. Not big enough to cause any damage, but enough to set off the fire alarm and fill the whole apartment building with a smell that was somewhere between rotting garbage and dirty gym socks. That had been two days ago and the windows were now permanently open to air out the place. There was still a slight whiff of that smell when you first walked in. Rose was hoping it would be gone by the end of the week. Though, they had been asked to be gone by the end of the month after that incident.
The picture on the magazine was when they had had to evacuate the building and it hadn't take the press long to figure out who had started it. Captioned on the front were the words, "Mad Scientist."
She looked up and arched an eyebrow at him. "For once, I believe the press."
"Oi!"
She laughed and dropped the magazine on her desk, getting up to walk around the desk and sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. She nuzzled at his neck and he made a contented noise at the back of his throat. "Don't worry about it. You're my mad scientist. You might drive me bonkers sometimes, but I can't imagine, or would want, you any other way. I love you the way you are."
He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Hmm, wanna show me how much you love me?" he smirked, wagging his eyebrows.
She laughed and scooted off his lap. "You're incorrigible."
"I blame it on this human body. I used to be so good at controlling these...urges."
"Oh? So you had urges when you were a full Timelord."
"Of course. Though, not to this extent. I really had to practice control when you wore all those short skirts. Very distracting, that was."
"It was meant to be."
He hummed in agreement. "I see you're wearing a skirt now. Though it is a bit modest."
"Says the man who wears so many layers."
He laughed and stood up to stand in front of her. She was leaning back against the desk, her ankles crossed. He placed his hands back on her waist. "Well, it's almost time to go home. Want to see how many layers you can get through," he asked seductively, his brown eyes growing darker at the thought. She felt her legs grow weak and she almost caved.
"Later," she said, swallowing hard. "But right now I want you to come somewhere with me."
All lust vanished and was replaced with curiosity. "Oh? Care to share?"
She shook her head, a teasing smile on her face. "You'll see when we get there."
"I hate not knowing things," he groaned.
She chuckled and grabbed her jacket and purse and locked her office. They went down to his lab where he retrieved his long overcoat. He had been overjoyed when she had managed to find a close replica of his beloved coat.
They went to the employee parking lot and got into their black Jeep. The windows were all darkly tinted, another reminder of the ever present paparazzi. They got through the rush hour traffic and it was another thirty minutes of driving before they reached the outskirts of London. Rose turned into a secluded driveway that stretched for what seemed like miles and was lined with looming oak trees. Further up they eventually came to a formidable iron gate. Rose rolled down her window and entered a pin into the keypad. The gates opened and she drove through. A little further up the Doctor could see a house. He had half expected a mansion or a castle, considering the size of the land, but he was pleasantly surprised by how modest and quant the house was. Double storey, large windows to let in the sunlight. Ivy was growing up the walls, giving it quite the country house feel. The front door was solid heavy wood, almost barn wood heavy. The house was surrounded by thickets of trees and bushes as far as he could see. A very private place.
There was a car already in the driveway and as Rose parked next to it, a woman emerged from the car. She was short and stout, her curly hair pulled into a tight ponytail. She wore very little makeup, but with her pleasant face, she really didn't need it.
"Hello. I'm Allison. I was very pleased to get your call this morning, Miss Tyler," she said, her voice smooth and silky. She extended her hand to shake Rose's and then the Doctor's.
"Thank-you for meeting us, Allison," Rose said with a smile. "This is my...boyfriend, Doctor John Smith."
The Doctor looked at Rose. This was the first time that she had classified them as a couple, even though in private they very much were a couple. But it hadn't been made public. And they had never broached the subject on what to tell people. He guessed they hadn't thought about it, until now. But he liked the title. Boyfriend. Yes, he liked that very much. Other him would have run away by now. How far he had come.
"Pleasure to meet you, Doctor Smith."
"Likewise," he replied back with an equal smile. He didn't bother to contradict her on the name. He knew that he had to use his alias when out in public. But now his mind was whirring away, trying to figure out who this lady was and why Rose had contacted her.
"Shall I give you the tour?"
"Please," replied Rose. And then it dawned on him. Allison was a realtor and Rose was interested in this house. And he looked around with renewed interest. Yes, he could see why this place was appealing. Secluded and private. It was a big house for the both of them, but not fancy or over the top that they would both hate it. Rose might be an heiress, but she still liked modesty.
They went around the house and he could feel himself gravitating toward it. Yes, he liked it very much. It had a finished basement. The main area was open concept, with the kitchen, living room and dining room looking into each other. Stairs led upstairs to three bedrooms, the main bedroom having an en suite. A second bathroom nestled in between the two other bedroom.
Then Allison led them out the back door located by the modern and up-to-date kitchen. And the Doctor felt a grin spread over his face. There stood a contemporary barn, though not painted red. It was made from logs, with a solid tin roof. The wood had been treated and varnished and gleamed in the sunlight. The Doctor practically ran to the doors and opened them, revealing an expansive interior, with hardwood floors and high beams. A spiral staircase led to the upper loft and he raced up those to inspect the upper floor. This too was hardwood floor and lots of windows. Lots of space and room. It was perfect.
He spun around and found Rose standing there, grinning broadly. "I thought this could be your workshop. Somewhere for you to do your mad scientist experiments."
He grabbed her and spun her around, both of them laughing. "It's perfect!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," he said lovingly, placing her down on her feet. He leaned in and gave her a quick, yet loving kiss.
He looked up and saw Allison standing there. "We'll take it."
So the next two weeks went by with them packing their meagre belongings and picking out new furniture for their home. This in itself would have been very boring for the Doctor, but he found it wasn't too bad when he was doing it with Rose. Granted, they did all their shopping online, so it wasn't the same drudgery of going to countless stores to pick out a chair and table.
And with their personal touches it was starting to feel like home. And he was immensely proud of his workshop/lab. State of the art equipment and some items that he thought would be of use from Torchwood. All alien items that had been deemed useless for Torchwood, but very useful for him.
Summer was now nearing an end and the briskness in the air was letting everyone know that Fall was soon on its way.
It was a Saturday afternoon and the Doctor was standing in the walk-in closet staring viciously at the tuxedo that hung there. He wondered if this would be the tuxedo of doom?
Rose came up behind him, fresh from her bath and wrapped only in a fluffy white towel.
"Do we really have to go?" he whined without turning his gaze from that blasted thing.
She sighed. "Yeah. It's a ball that mom and dad are hosting and we are expected to be there. I bloody hate those things so boring and stuffy and the people there are even worse."
"Call in sick," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her bare neck.
"Hmmm, tempting. But mom will kill us if we don't show up."
"Darling?"
"Hmm?"
"Please don't bring Jackie up when I'm trying to get frisky with you. It kinda puts a damper on the mood."
She chuckled and squirmed out of his arms. She gave him a pointed look. "Get ready. I'll see you in about an hour."
"An hour? What can possibly take an hour?"
"Hair and make-up."
He groaned. But he gave her a quick peck and grabbed his tuxedo and shoes (Sandshoes, he absolutely refused to wear any other shoes), and went into the room to get dressed. Rose came out shortly after and laid her dress on the bed and placed the black stilettoes by the foot of the bed.
He was already dressed by the time she had applied some make-up and she still had her hair to do. He decided to wait downstairs for her. But waiting had never been his forte. He flicked through the channels and paced the room. Just when he thought he was going to have to occupy himself by going to his workshop, he heard her descend the stairs. He looked up and gaped like a fish out of water.
It was true that Rose was a beautiful woman. She had even turned his head and stolen his hearts as a full Time Lord. But right now she was absolutely breathtaking. Her dress was floor length and black, the straps looping around her neck and leaving her shoulders bare. Silver and emerald sequins were sewn into the dress giving it a shimmery quality. This paired with killer black stilettoes. Her hair was in loose waves, so artfully done that she looked like an angel. He preferred the softer blonde look on her instead of the bleach blonde.
"You look beautiful," he breathed when she reached him. She blushed at his compliment and then straightened his bow tie.
"You look very handsome yourself. Kinda contemplatin' on takin' you up on your offer and forget about the party."
"There's still time," he said, entwining their fingers.
She smiled coyly at him. "Mom just called. Driver is going to be here in five."
He groaned. "Why do we need a driver? We could drive ourselves."
"Cos at boring events like this one, you kinda need alcohol to keep it interestin'."
The intercom buzzed letting them know that the driver was at the gate. Rose pressed the button to let him.
He held out his hand and she took it. "Allonsy."
She grinned. "Allonsy."
The ball was in full swing, the orchestra stringing out melodious tunes. Rose and the Doctor mingled a bit, making small talk and smiling politely and taking pictures with the important people, which was nearly everyone.
After an hour, the Doctor's patience – and politeness – was running thin and he dragged Rose to the dance floor.
"So the Doctor does dance," she teased as they swayed to the music.
He leaned in and whispered in her ear, making her shiver, "You know how well I dance, Rose."
"Hmm, that I do," she whispered back.
They danced a few more dances and then they went to get refreshments. But instead of going back to the ballroom, the Doctor pulled her to the kitchen and then out the back door. She was about to protest, her heels sinking in the soft lush grass. Instead he scooped her up and carried her to the greenhouse, which was at the far end of the garden. He gently placed her down on her feet and opened the door for her.
It was warm inside, the smell of dirt and flowers permeating the air. It was quite a large greenhouse, something that both her mother and father had created together. Strange, back at The Estate, Jackie was not known there for her green thumb. But here, in this world, she thrived.
He led her to the very back where there a bench. She sat down gratefully, her heels killing her from all the dancing. She leaned back and looked up through the glass ceiling, the stars and a few Zeppelins dotting the night sky. She closed her eyes, floating in the tranquility and a few minutes reprieve of the party.
She opened her eyes and almost startled when she saw the Doctor on one knee, a small velvet box in the palm of his hand. "Not quite sure if I'm doing this right. Never had to do something like this before."
She felt like she couldn't breathe. She sat absolutely still as he slowly opened the box, revealing a silver ring set with a blue sapphire surround by smaller diamonds. It was absolutely stunning and Rose looked up at him with a shocked expression on her face.
"So, here goes. Rose Tyler, will..."
"Yes!" she squealed, jumping into his arms and knocking him over with the force.
"You're supposed to wait for me to finish that sentence."
"You're rubbish at finishing sentences."
He managed to sit up, with her still in his lap. It was surprising that he hadn't dropped the box. He took the ring out and placed it on her finger.
"I knew for a very long time, even before I lost you the first time, that I wanted to make a life with you. And now, I've been given this chance, the slow path, to spend it with you. It's the adventure that I am most looking forward to experiencing."
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. For all his talking, he never actually said much. But this human version of him wasn't shy or scared to let her know how much he loved her.
"Forever," she clarified.
"Forever," he agreed.
Theymade love on the floor of the green house, Rose losing herself in his moltenbrown eyes and she looked past to see the stars and Zeppelins in the night sky.This beautiful memory would be forever etched in her mind.