Post Pomp (18/22)

[amberfocus]

A/N:  Cassi, Jack and the Doctor arrive back in the 51st century. The two men rush to see Rose. Her reaction is not what either man expected.

Chapter Eighteen:  Two Hundred Sixty Days

Cassi had her ship materialize on the space bucket next to her father’s TARDIS. “We’re going to have to give your old girl a jump start,” Cassi said looking up from the readings she had taken on her monitor.  “She’s lost a lot of power.”

“You do that,” Jack said. “I’ll go tell Rose we’re back.”  Jack was out the door entirely too fast for the Doctor's liking.  His eyes narrowed.

“Go with him, Dad. I can handle a simple jump start on my own. And I still have my old key.”

Jack’s boot heels trod heavily on the metal grating of the Madame’s cat walk as he led the way to the airlock. “Seems like they’ve dismantled all of the time windows,” he said.

“Probably a good idea, that,” the Doctor said, his hands clenching tightly in nervousness. He’d be seeing Rose very soon.

“I’m not going to let you hurt her again,” Jack said.

“I’m not planning on hurting her again,” the Doctor snapped. “She’s my--.”

“She’s your what, Doctor? She’s not you mate. She’s not your wife. She’s not your property,” Jack exploded. “She’s a lost, frightened, lonely woman and she’s not your anything.”

“Yes, she is,” the Doctor said, his tone harsh. “She’s my Rose.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure about that, Doctor. She just might be my Rose now.”

The Doctor turned and slammed his fist into the wall. It was a compromise. What he’d wanted to do was drive it into Jack’s face the same way the man had done to him on his arrival in France. But that wasn’t something he did except on the rare occasion of self-defense. And he knew Rose wouldn’t approve of his fighting with Jack. In fact, he just might be able to use the bruise on his face and the fact that Jack had hit him to his advantage. If he had to. He’d promised he’d fight fair. And as long as Jack did, he’d keep that promise.

“Temper, Doc,” said Jack.

“Don’t call me, Doc!” snapped the Doctor.

They were silent as they entered the airlock and walked through decontamination and into the large rescue and recovery ship. The Doctor was issued a locator while Jack reported in and then tapped a few buttons on the wall screen’s keypad.

“Wear that at all times,” said Jack indicating the locator and watching while the Doctor clipped it to his suit. “Rose is in the conservatory. Follow me.”

The Doctor did so, trying not to begrudge the fact that his reunion with Rose was going to be spoiled by the arrogant young man at his side. He wanted privacy when he saw Rose. He needed to see how badly he’d made a mess of things with her and the only way to do that was to really have the chance to look into her eyes and read her body language with no one watching him.

When they opened the doors a hush fell over the chamber. One by one personnel began to file from the room. Jack was grateful because he knew most of them had followed his little saga with Rose quite closely. Long haul time recovery voyages were often boring and real life soap operas were much better than vids.

Rose didn’t seem to notice. She’d been sitting with her back to the door, her eyes focused on the bubbling fountain on the back wall. The Doctor glanced up at the ceiling. High overhead he could see an image of the sky. The room had to be three or four decks high. It was beautiful. But not as lovely as his Rose. He couldn’t wait to see her face.

“Rose,” said Jack approaching her first.

“Jack? You’re back! I missed you!” The excitement in Rose’s voice as she stood up and threw her arms around Jack hit the Doctor’s stomach like a fist. “You’re back,” she said again as she raised her face to his to give him a happy smile and Jack took advantage, lowering his mouth to kiss her. The fist in his stomach turned to stone.

He didn’t think. He simply acted. He hauled Jack away from Rose and sent him spinning across the room. “I told you, Jack Harkness, that Rose Tyler is mine!”

Rose’s eyes grew wide as she looked up at the angry Time Lord. She’d pictured seeing him again so many times. She hadn’t known what she’d do or say when she did see him though she’d played through at least a dozen different scenarios. She looked from him to Jack, who was on his backside on the floor, and back to him again.

Slowly she turned away from him and walked over to Jack, holding her hand out to him and helping him to his feet. It was more a symbolic act then anything else. She didn’t have the strength yet to help the man up, but he knew that and he didn’t really use it as he rose back to his feet.

“You want to explain to me how that works, Doctor?” She asked threading her fingers through Jack’s. She smiled gently at Jack and squeezed his hand.  His face wore a look of disbelieving joy as he looked back at her.  She turned back to the Doctor. “Because you don’t leave what’s yours behind to die.” Her eyes seemed empty when she looked at him. “You take care of it like it’s precious. You cherish it. You don’t just throw it away.  And that's what you did, Doctor.  You just...threw me away.”

She turned towards the doors of the conservatory, pulling Jack with her. “Rose, wait, let me explain.”

She stopped, but didn’t look at him. “You don’t need to explain,” she said in an expressionless voice. “You made your choice when you went through that mirror. I had to live with it. Now you can live with mine.”

The Doctor stood there gaping after her in shock and amazement as she left the room, Jack’s protective arm coming up to encircle her shoulders and hers going about his waist. His hands clenched into fists. If Rose thought he would make it that easy for her to walk away from him she had another thing coming.

He strode after the pair, his hand snaking out and grabbing Rose away from Jack. He pulled her rapidly back into the room, slamming the doors behind him and sealing them with the sonic screwdriver. “You’re going to listen to me, Rose.”

“Open up!” Jack demanded pounding on the door.

“No.”

“I’m all right, Jack,” she said loudly. “I’ll be out in a minute.” The pounding stopped. She stared at his hand on her arm like it was something poisonous. “Doctor, you’re hurting my arm.” He looked down at his fingers, saw how tightly they were clenching her arm, and immediately let go. The feel of her arm under his skin was frightening. Her bones had felt so fragile, the muscle barely there. He watched in horror as bruises began to rise up on her skin.

“I hurt you. I’m sorry.”

She brushed at the marks then barely met his eyes before they skittered away again. She kept her voice even. “That happens easily now. It’s part of the carris poisoning. Please let me out.”

“No,” he said.

“I want to go back to Jack.”

“I said no.”

“You can’t keep me against my will, Doctor,” she said and this time she finally did look at him straight on. The pain in her eyes hit him full force and he saw the scars on her soul in that one telling glance.

“I will if I have to,” he said, his voice strong and determined.

“Doctor!” Rose protested. She was starting to get irritated with him now. “You need to stop this. Now.”

“You’re mine, Rose,” he said stubbornly.

“No, I’m not. And I think we both know I haven't been since you turned into...whatever it is you've turned into that could make you turn your back on me, make me useless and extraneous in your life.  If I’m anyone's, I’m mine. And you can’t just decide you don’t like my choices and drag me back to your cave by the hair.”

“I’d never do that!” He said. “But if you keep this up I might just throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to the TARDIS.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Rose exploded. “You left me! You left me for her, for your precious Madame de Pompadour. You deserted me. For almost nine months. For thirty-seven weeks. For two hundred and sixty days. I was starving. My body turned on itself. Do you know what it feels like when your body eats its own muscle mass? Do you know what it feels like when your bones feel like they’ve turned to mush and every step, every breath is filled with pain? Do you know what it means to lose a little bit more of your sanity day by day until you’re sure there’s nothing left? Do you know what you did to me? Do you even care?!” She was screaming at him, her words full of rage and pain.

“Oh, Rose, I care more than you can imagine.” She heard the pain in his voice and it stopped her tirade cold.

“You abandoned me,” she said in such a lost little voice it tore his hearts to shreds. “You made me think you were never coming back.”

“I’m sorry, Rose. I’m so sorry. You can’t know how sorry.”

Were those tears on his face? For her? But that wasn’t possible. She shook her head in confusion. “Why are your crying?” she asked, her inability to understand blatantly clear on her face.

“I tried to get back to you, Rose. I tried! But without the TARDIS--.”

“No,” she interrupted him. “No. You’re a Time Lord. You could have done something.”

“I’m a Time Lord, Rose. I’m not a god. You have to believe me that I tried everything I could think of to get back to you,” he insisted.

“Maybe you did,” she allowed slowly. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you left me to begin with.”

“If I could take it back I would. Jack told me what you went through. He showed me pictures. And I would take it all away; I’d go through it for you, if I could. But I can’t, Rose. All I can do is tell you how very sorry I am, how very much I regret what I did. I didn’t think. I acted and I didn’t think and you had to pay the price for my actions and I’m so, so sorry. Please, Rose. Please don’t leave me!”

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t,” she told him, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him.

“Because I love you,” he said desperately. Her jaw dropped. The door to the conservatory exploded open behind them.

15.  http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/43364.html

Comments

[fox-gloves.livejournal.com]

Oh. God.

This is going to be INTERESTING!

Have I told you that i love this?

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Always love to hear it. *smiles*

[grissom500.livejournal.com]

Not sure WHY I read these before I go to sleep, I never have anything constructive to say in the way of appreciating it. But I do. I love all your writing. I'm so glad I came back to Time_and_chips, and you're over half of that gladness.

Go you!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That's a lovely thing to say. *grins*

[kitty-cate.livejournal.com]

you are unfairly good at these cliffhangers. >[
i want to know the rest! NOW! DDD: i need it.
lovely writing, by the way. i can actually see this playing out, in my head.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

I really am. I love me my cliffies. *grins* I did post the last four chapters all in one go, though. Lots of cliffhangers, but you won't have to wait to see how they turn out. *smiles* I'm glad you can see it playing out in your head, this was one of those ones that I really could see doing that myself while I was writing it.

[wiggiemomsi.livejournal.com]

*Gah* What a paragraph! -- “You want to explain to me how that works, Doctor?” She asked threading her fingers through Jack’s. She smiled gently at Jack and squeezed his hand. His face wore a look of disbelieving joy as he looked back at her. She turned back to the Doctor. “Because you don’t leave what’s yours behind to die.” Her eyes seemed empty when she looked at him. “You take care of it like it’s precious. You cherish it. You don’t just throw it away. And that's what you did, Doctor. You just...threw me away.” -- You are ONE heck of a writer, you know that?! Hit me right in the pit of the stomach!

And the Doctor, who won't force a companion to come or stay with him, finally makes his move -- “You’re mine, Rose,” he said stubbornly."

"...if you keep this up I might just throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to the TARDIS.” -- *GURGLE* HIS woman!

And YESYESYES!!! The Doctor FINALLY told Rose he loves her! Now, is Jack breaking down the door to punch him in the nose? Will the Doctor do some timey-wimey stuff to freeze time, & scoop up Rose to make his get-away? Stay tuned for the next installment ... which will be coming ... SOON, I hope?

*BIG hugs* and congratulations on a super-duper fantastic story!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, a lot of stuff happened in that paragraph, didn't it? I kind of packed it full. And thank you. As for what happens next I've posted the rest of it and there will be timey whimey stuff going on, but it won't be the way you're expecting it. And thank you again. *smiles*

[dreamsofoctober.livejournal.com]

Exploding door ways. What fun! Great way to get into the room! :) Can't wait for the next chapter.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

I figure even a deadlock sealed doorlock can't hold up to it being blown off it's hinges. Next chapters are up.

[shionthekid.livejournal.com]

I love a good AU fic - and this is a damn fine one :D Young Jack's pre-Who life is great to see and peeks at the Doctor and Rose's future (if all goes well) are quite entertaining (Cassi is hilarious!) Looking forward to the next chapter :)

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Why, thank you! *smiles* Yeah, Cassi is a hoot a lot of the time, though she can be a bit of a snot sometimes. She's got serious issues, a lot of which are not even her fault, but her personality can just make them worse. (I've written her in other stories so she's fairly well developed). I did like writing Jack's backstory a bit. *smiles*

[bippy24.livejournal.com]

If I’m anyone's, I’m mine. And you can’t just decide you don’t like my choices and drag me back to your cave by the hair.

You tell him Rose! I like that the Doctor's fighting, though, even as I'm proud of Rose for telling him off. I bet Jack's good and mad now that he's been locked out. Can't wait for the next part to see what happens!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Jack's furious, but Rose isn't going to be too thrilled he didn't listen to her and came bursting in, either. New chapters are up.

[cindergirlgrimm.livejournal.com]

whoa...

-THE FANGIRL'S HEART HAS EXPLODED A BIT, WILL RETURN MOMENTARILY-

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Okay, then. *smiles*

[maniacalshen.livejournal.com]

Um, Doctor, I don't think the caveman act is doing you any favors. I can understand locking yourself in a room to make her listen, but the "MINE?" ::shakes head:: The "I love you" might be a sufficient shock to gain him Rose's ear, though...

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Nope. No favors. And his claiming what he thinks is his, well...Rose won't put up with that. The "I love you" does get her attention. *smiles*

[ageless-aislynn.livejournal.com]

And I think we both know I haven't been since you turned into...whatever it is you've turned into that could make you turn your back on me, make me useless and extraneous in your life.

You know my opinion, that Nine wouldn't have rode off into the, uh, mirror ;) and left Rose behind without a second thought. *shakes head* Wooo, declarations of love! Exploding doors! Must run to the next Chapter now! ♥!

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

I don't think he would have left her either, at least not without saying, "I'll be back for you and if something happens to me and I can't get back there's a recall switch in the TARDIS to get you home."

[debs7.livejournal.com]

I'm ah *cough* rereading this at work and thoroughly enjoying this all over again.

However I found a small boo-boo in this paragraph...
“Why are your crying?” she asked, her inability to understand blatantly clear on her face.

It should be "why are you crying?" right?

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yep, it should be. Thanks I'll fix it when I get a moment.