amberfocus | A Place in Time (16/30) (Reply)

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Chapter Sixteen: A Little Bit Domestic

Rose woke to an unaccustomed weight on her body. She grinned as she remembered where she was and who she was with. For someone who claimed he wanted to take things slowly, the Doctor had somehow managed to wrap both arms around her and put a leg over hers in his sleep.

“Doctor?” Her voice was gentle, yet insistent. “Doctor?”

“Rose,” he breathed sleepily.

“Doctor, wake up,” she said.

He opened his eyes, looked at her, realized what he was doing and pulled away like he’d been shot through with electricity. He sat bolt upright in the bed. He looked sheepishly at her. “There’s me and all my talk right out the window,” he said.

“The TARDIS doesn’t have windows,” she said absently, enjoying his discomfiture. “Well, not functional ones anyway. And I can think of worse ways to wake up then wrapped in the arms of the man I love.” She stretched languidly, fully aware of the Doctor’s eyes moving over her as she did so. “I suppose it’s time to get up and face the day,” she said raising her eyebrows and giving him a slightly naughty look. “Unless of course, you’ve changed your mind about waiting…”

“Rose Tyler, stop trying to seduce me,” the Doctor said getting out of bed, crossing his arms, and mock glaring at her.

“Never,” she said playfully, climbing out of the bed and going to stand next to him. She put her hands behind his neck and pulled him close, kissing him thoroughly. When she finally broke the kiss and backed away, he gave a little whimper of protest.

“Now,” said Rose, “I’m going to see if I can get the TARDIS to let me into my room. I really need to change into something less…distracting.” She flounced out of the room, knowing the Doctor’s eyes followed her every step of the way.

“She’s not going to make this easy, is she?” the Doctor asked.

Rose stuck her head back in the room, her smile mischievous. “No, I'm not!” Then she left again and headed to her room. When she reached her door she put a hand on the wall and asked, “Can you unlock it for me, please? I just need to get a few things.”

Rose heard a click and then the door knob turned easily in her hand. Her room was exactly as she had left it except for one thing. In place of her bed was a hot pink easy chair. “You’re really taking no chances, are you dear one?” Rose asked the ship.

She laughed at the agreeable hum that filled the room. “Well, just don’t be quite so obvious about it, will you?” she asked. But this time her request was met with silence. The TARDIS wasn’t agreeing to anything. She opened the door to her closet and picked out a red blouse and a pair of well worn jeans.

She quickly dressed and then brushed through her hair and put on a bit of make-up. Unlike the last time she’d been in this room, she’d kept it simple and subtle. Rose was no longer the teenage girl with the need to advertise her attributes. She was surprised that it was still any good. The TARDIS must have preserved it.

“Oh, for the love of--.” The Doctor’s voice broke off and she rushed out into the hallway to see the Doctor standing in front of his bedroom door. The bed was also missing from his room. Rose couldn’t help it. She burst into giggles.

“She took my bed away, too. I guess we both know where we’ll be sleeping from now on.” The Doctor turned to her and let out a long-suffering sigh.

“If I hadn’t already known the TARDIS was a female, I’d be utterly convinced of it after the last several hours,” he grumbled.

“Go on and get dressed,” she said giving him a gentle push into his room. “Unless you need help with that?”

“Out, saucy girl,” he said. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast in a few minutes.”

Rose ambled away down the hall. She was relieved to note that the kitchen was still in the same place as it had always been. She rummaged around in the fridge and decided on eggs and fried potatoes. She was going to be eating potatoes in one form or another every day for a good long time. Didn’t even have to be in the form of chips.

The Doctor walked into the kitchen just as she was sliding the last of the potatoes onto a plate. She set one down in front of him and took the other to the opposite side of the table. As they ate, she reached her feet across the way and caught one of his legs between them, giving him a wicked grin.

“Wow, you really learned to cook in that alternate universe,” he said.

“Had to find something to do with my time so I wasn’t moping about,” she replied rubbing his leg with her calf.

“What’s that hot spice on the potatoes?” he asked with a hitch in his voice.

“Could be paprika, might be cayenne,” she said.

“Ah, it’s the combination. Anyway, I like it.”

“I’m glad,” she said keeping her voice low and looking up at him from under her lashes. "I like it when you like the things I do for you."

"And what's in the eggs?" he said ignoring her. She slipped off a shoe and ran her foot up under one trouser leg.

"Basil and chives."

"Oh, very, very good," he said his eyes closing.

"The eggs?" she queried innocently dropping off her other shoe and sliding her foot up onto his inner thigh.

"Erm...yes, the eggs." The Doctor took in a deep breath. “So where do you want to spend the day today?” he asked her.

“I wouldn’t mind spending it in--.”

“Rose!”

Rose stuck out her lower lip in a pout, before turning it into a grin and pulling her feet back under her. “I was going to say, oh dirty-minded Doctor, in Paris. You always promised to take me to see the sights there, and I never got the chance to go. I want to climb the Eiffel Tower and see the Arch de Triomphe. I want to stroll down the Champs Elysées, visit the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries Gardens…you know, touristy stuff.”

“Okay, then. What year?”

Rose thought for a moment. “Well before the Daleks and the Cybermen come," she said. “How about 2000?”

“2000 it is then,” he said with a smile.

Rose stood up and put their empty plates into the washer and then took the Doctor’s hand as they walked to the control room. As he set the coordinates she sat back in the jump seat watching him. She had missed this; watching him as he operated the ship. It was when he was at his most intense, making sure he didn’t make any errors that would jeopardize their safety.

When he had finished and the TARDIS took flight, he sat down next to her and picked up her hand. “Have I told you just how good it is to be back?” she whispered to him.

“Maybe not in so many words, but you’ve told me.” He leaned towards her and kissed her gently. “And it’s wonderful to have you back.”

The TARDIS lurched to a stop, for once not throwing them onto the floor with her landing. The Doctor hit the door release and they headed for the doors. Hand in hand they stepped out into a bright new day.

Ch. 17: http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/52272.html