A Place in Time (22/30)

[amberfocus]

 
                                                                                                      Banner by Megz33

Chapter Twenty-two:  Questions and Answers

“Now that’s just not fair!” Jack griped, a pout on his handsome face. “I’ve accepted the fact that I lost Rose to you, Doc, but now Martha? And to one of your offspring? That’s just not right.”

“I’m sure you’ll be just fine,” the Doctor said.

“Well, I did say lots of children…” Martha teased. “And who better to pair with a man who can’t die than the offspring of a Time Lord?”

“If you even think about looking at one of my future children--,” the Doctor began glaring at Jack.

“Granddaughter,” interrupted Martha her eyes far away.

“Martha, I think it’s best if you keep your future knowledge to yourself from now on,” the Doctor said firmly, still giving Jack a look. “In fact, I should probably set up a block.”

“It’s only you and Jack I’d talk to anyway. And Rose knows.  She showed it to me.  All of it.  Except how I'm going to break it to my boyfriend that I'm going to be falling for another man in two years.”

“She very well may not know. Last time this sort of thing happened she didn’t remember much of anything,” the Doctor told her.

“She go all golden a lot?” Martha asked.

“Only to save lives, apparently. Mine and hers, even if it's other versions of us. You’re sure,” the Doctor said, a little anxiety slipping back into his voice, “that Rose is okay?”

“She will be,” Martha reassured him.

A flurry of noise and irritated male swearing came from above and then Owen appeared with an annoyed Donna in tow, saying, “And I don’t care what you think, you’re a bloody idiot. Go and apologize to Gwen right now, you stupid git.”

“Ah, Donna, a pleasure as always,” Jack said with a grin. He looked over at Owen. “Apologize to Gwen,” he said.

“But I didn’t--."

"Owen!" snapped Jack. Owen threw his hands up in the air and stalked back out of the room.

“He’s been in a foul mood all day,” Jack said. “I’m sure he owed her one.”

“You can believe that. Now, what’s this about you needing me?” Donna said her eyes coming to rest on the Doctor.

“It’s okay now,” said Martha. “He just, well, he went speechless for a bit…”

Donna raised an eyebrow. “I can see why you called me in, then.” She smirked at the Doctor.

“I thought Rose was dying,” the Doctor said simply. “She isn’t, but…” He shook his head. Donna moved immediately over to him and gave him a big hug.

When she released him she said, “Did you tell her how you feel?”

The Doctor nodded. “Yes.” He smiled in a way that Donna had never seen him smile.

“Do I get to meet this girl?” she asked.

“She’s kind of out of it at the moment. We were in Paris having a lovely time and well; she got a bit of Vortex stuck in her.”

“Well, that’s a new euphemism for it,” Jack teased. Donna’s eyes widened as the Doctor actually blushed. She hadn’t known he could do that.

“Doctor?” All eyes turned at the uncertain, timid voice behind them.

“Rose!” The Doctor rushed to where she stood in the doorway, his arm going about her shoulders protectively. She was no longer glowing and looked completely normal, if weak.

“What…what happened?”

“What’s the last thing that you remember?”

Rose thought for a moment and then her face flushed in memory. “I remember thinking about buying you a T-shirt that said…” She paused then took in all the interested faces of the people behind the Doctor watching them avidly. She cupped her hand around her mouth and whispered in his ear, “Time Lords Do It All Night Long.”

The Doctor laughed outright. “Well, I can see I’ve got some explaining to do.” He glanced over at his friends. “I’m taking Rose to the TARDIS,” he said. “And then I think we’ll be off tomorrow. Donna, Martha, you’re welcome to join us.”

Martha shook her head no. “I’ll get to do plenty of travelling round in the future,” she said. “Right now, I need to be on Earth.”

The Doctor turned his eyes on Donna. “You sure I won’t be in the way?” ahe asked him.

“It’s a big ship, Donna. And I’d love for you to stay, if you don’t mind travelling with the pair of us.”

Donna’s eyes moved to Rose, who was giving her a welcoming smile. “I know you took care of him right after I lost him. You’ve been a good friend to my Doctor. You could never be in the way.”

“Then I’ll come along. Now you two go off. You’ve got some talking to do.” Donna nodded in the direction of the TARDIS.



“So,” said the Doctor as he led Rose down the TARDIS corridor after running some tests in the infirmary and getting the results back that confirmed what Martha had told him, “A lot happened.” He explained to her what had happened with the alternate Doctor and what her reaction had been. They sat together on the big bed that was now spread with a much more sedate grass green duvet. The walls had returned to the normal TARDIS background colors. The air was scented with the smell of apple grass.

“So I went all Bad Wolfy again?”

The Doctor frowned. “The thing is it wasn’t quite like that. I mean the power was there, but I didn’t feel it the same way.”

“So more of a Good Wolf?” she asked with a grin.

“It was Rose Plus,” he said.

“Plus what?”

“Everything,” he said simply. He sighed. “There are some things we still need to talk about,” he said. “Because the power changed you. The reason you turned all golden and were unconscious for a time, well, I don’t know how exactly and I won't until I've talked to the TARDIS, but you’ve grown a second heart and your brain has been changed.”

“I’ve turned Time Lord?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Not Time Lord. But you’re not exactly human anymore either. The thing is Rose, the power made you compatible.”

“Compatible with what?” She asked.

“Compatible with me.”

“I’ve always been compatible with you,” she said with a smile.

“Biologically compatible, Rose. We can have children together,” he said seriously. “In the future. If you want them.” She stared at him, her eyes wide. “And you’re going to live a lot longer. Another 500 years or so. About what I have left in me.”

“Forever, then.”

“Nearly so.” He picked up her hand. “I was going to ask you this before you changed. I don’t want you to think I’m only asking this because we can have a real future together, because I would have asked you anyway, even when I thought the rest of your life might only be 60 years.”

He smiled at her and she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. As she pulled back, he said, “I love you, Rose. When you said you’d stay with me forever, I need to know if you meant it.”

“I did,” she said, no hesitation in her voice.

“And would you be willing to have children with me? Not soon, of course, but in the future?”

“Yes,” she said, again with no hesitation.

“Will you join with me in a bonding ceremony?” he asked her, suddenly looking like a scared little boy. His hand snuck into his pocket.

“Are you asking me to marry you?” Rose asked him, her eyes sparkling.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing, Rose.” His fingers opened the box in his pocket and managed to prize the ring free. He held it out to her. “Will you be my life mate as you are my soul mate? Will you hold me in your hearts forever as I hold you in mine? Will you marry me, Rose Tyler?”

“Yes,” she said and she gave him her hand. He slipped the ring onto her finger and as she looked down on it a tear fell. She bit her lip. “Can my mum…?” She trailed off.

“When you sealed off the universes you left one tiny, stable gate between this one and the one Jackie’s in,” he said.

“So…Mum can come to the wedding?”

“I wouldn’t let her miss it for the world. But enough talk about Jackie,” he said. “Want to see a super nova?”

“You want to go travelling? Right now?”

“No,” said the Doctor. “Not at all.” He pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately, and it wasn’t long before he made her see stars.

Ch. 23:  http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/55166.html