Title: The Boundaries of Temptation
Series: Crossing Boundaries (#3)
Author: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
amberfocusCharacters/Pairings: Nine/Rose, Ten, Donna, Jackie
Genre: Romance, Angst, Smut (of the needy, possessive, dominant!Nine variety in chapter 3)
Rating: Adult
Betas: amyo67,
jeprdyfrndlySummary: Rose has a wedding to attend and the Doctor doesn't want to go, nor is he ready to come out to Rose's mother about their relationship as lovers. The Tenth Doctor, still reeling from the loss of Rose and desperately wanting to see her again after one brief hour meddling in his own past, decides that the wedding will be a perfect place to steal time with her again, but Donna isn't so sure.
A/N: wiggiemomsiwon me and a 2500 word fic in the September Support Stacie Auction. Then she said, "Hey, Lisa, can we give this fic to
catyuyfor all her wonderful support in the auction?" I said sure, and because she was being so generous gifting this fic, I decided to make it longer. Because
catyuy really does do a fantastic job cheerleading. So Cat, this is for you, from me and Wiggie. Sequel to The Boundaries of Consent:
http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/82661.html and Pushing the Boundaries:
http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/104382.html.
Chapter One: Sulking and Scheming
( Read more... )“You’re sulking,” said Rose Tyler in annoyance. Her arms were crossed, her posture defensive, and her lips pursed.
“I’m not the one who’s sulking,” said the Doctor pointedly. “I just don’t want to spend two days cooling my heels while you go to some party.” He did not add that what really bothered him was that it would be two whole days away from her. He was perfectly capable of entertaining himself for 48 hours. He was a grown man. He had centuries on the girl in front of him. He didn’t need to have her there with him all the time. He just wanted it.
“It’s not some party, it’s a wedding and it’s family and I’m going,” she told him firmly.
“I’ll have nothing to do,” he grumped. “Even the TARDIS is in tiptop shape, so there’re not even any repairs that need doing.”
“So go out and have an adventure on your own,” she said dismissively with a wave of her hand.
“It’s more fun with you,” he admitted grudgingly. He did not admit that he was afraid of messing up on the timing again and not showing back up for a year and then not being able to fix it. Accidentally abandoning Rose herself for twelve months was absolutely out of the question. That would have killed him before he’d taken her into his bed. Now if it were to happen – if she were to think he’d ever leave her behind intentionally – he couldn’t stand it.
Rose rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Doctor, what did you do before you met me? I know you were out there saving the universe before I was even born. You don’t need me to hold your hand.”
He did though, if not figuratively, then literally. He needed that tiny hand in his, the way she trusted him so fully with her life, the way she trusted him so fully with her body. “I like holding your hand and I don’t…I don’t want to be away from you that long,” he finally said.
“We’ve been separated for longer than that before.”
“Not since we became lovers.”
“It’s just a wedding. If you can’t stand to be apart so much you know you can always come with me as my date,” she told him irritably. “My invitation said I could bring a guest.”
“Yeah, your mum would just love that,” he said sarcastically.
“It’s about time she knew about us anyway, don’t you think?” Rose asked.
He stared at her in horror. “No, I do not think,” he said his hand going to his cheek in memory of the last time he’d done something with Jackie Tyler’s daughter she hadn’t liked. And that was just bringing her home a year late. He didn’t like to think of what she might do if she found out he’d been sleeping with Rose for the past few months. And since he had no intention of stopping, he didn’t dare let her ever find out.
“Well, I have to go. And I want to go. It’s my cousin and I’m not missing it. I really wish you’d change your mind and come. The food will be good and there will be…well, never mind,” said Rose. “There’s no changing your mind when it’s made up.” She sighed and turned away from him and checked over her hair and makeup again in the mirror.
“There will be what?” asked the Doctor.
“Dancing.” Rose shrugged. “I realize that’s not much of a selling point for you, though. You virtually ignored me the last time there was a ball to go to.”
The Doctor frowned. The last time they’d gone somewhere that there had been dancing involved, Rose had spent an hour in the arms of some puffy-haired, monkey-suited dandy having entirely too good a time. Of course, she’d more than made up for it later that night. He smiled in fond remembrance.
“What’s that goofy look for?” she asked him.
“Just remembering the last dance we attended. Well, the activities that took place afterwards--.”
“After you dragged me out of the dance hall like a Neanderthal, you mean?” she asked.
“Actually Neanderthals were much more docile than people like to give them credit for. I’ll have to take you to meet them some time. The behavior you’re referring to actually belonged to--.”
“Yeah, don’t need a lecture now, thanks,” Rose interrupted. She pulled the dress up her body, squirming in a thoroughly enticing way that made him want to shimmy it right back off her again, and settled it into place. “Can you do up the zip for me?”
His fingers most definitely did not tremble as he grasped the little tag. At least she wasn’t in a corset this time. He was pretty sure that if she was this dress wouldn’t even make it out the door. He pulled it up quickly and then stepped back.
“How do I look?” She smoothed the front of the bright blue dress into place and cocked her head, gazing at her image in the mirror rather critically.
The word amazing leapt to his tongue, but he didn’t say it. “Like you’re planning on having far more fun than you ought to be without me around,” he said sullenly.
“Then come with me!” she snapped. “What’s one weekend out of the life of a Time Lord? Please just come. It’s time people knew about us. I want them to know.”
“No.”
“But why? It’s been six months, Doctor. Almost to the day.” Had it really? When he didn’t say anything she swept up her purse and jacket from off of the bed and her overnight bag from the floor and turned to look at him. “I’m starting to think that you’re ashamed of being with me.” And with that she walked away from him, slamming the bedroom door hard behind her, and leaving him staring in astonishment in her wake.
“I don’t think that,” he said, then strode to the door slamming it back open. “I don’t think that, Rose!” he hollered after her retreating back. He followed her to the console room. “I don’t.”
“Can’t prove it by me,” she shouted back, “Stupid ape girl, barely good enough to be in your bed, but not good enough to let the world know we’re in a relationship. And if you bloody feel that way, then why the hell are we together?” She stormed out of the TARDIS and all he could do was stand there stunned and watch her go.
“Doctor, are you sure about this?” Donna Noble asked. She’d been very worried about the Doctor ever since he’d made up his mind that he was going to try to see Rose again. She’d thought it would end with the first time. She had encouraged him even to take that one last chance to see her again, but actually talking to Rose, dancing with her, even if he’d had to wear a perception filter to do it, had been like eating one of those potato crisps that claimed one was never enough and next thing you know you’re chasing crumbs around the bottom of the bag.
One hour with Rose Tyler hadn’t been enough. Part of her knew she should step in and try to put a stop to this, but the other part of her, the one that had seen him through so much grief just wanted him to be happy. And he’d been happy since that night, if a bit obsessive about doing it again.
“I have to, Donna. It’s perfectly safe. The other me will be sulking in the TARDIS while Rose spends the weekend at the resort her cousin’s getting married at. I’ll have two days to steal time with her,” he said.
“But that’s just it. You’re stealing time that belongs to the last you,” she protested.
“He didn’t want it badly enough. He wasted so much of his time with her. I’m not gonna make the same mistake. Not when I can see her again, hold her again, dance with her at that wedding and—and—.”
“You know that there can’t be more. You can’t take it any further, Doctor. Promise me you won’t try to kiss her or seduce her or do anything that you shouldn’t be doing,” Donna begged.
“Don’t you trust me, Donna?”
“When it comes to Rose, you shouldn’t trust you,” she muttered.
“Look, Rose wouldn’t ever cheat on the old me anyway, so trying to seduce her would be ridiculous. Besides, it would mess with history. And I won’t mess with it. I just…I need this, Donna. And I’m going to need your help. You know I can’t do this on my own. Someone has to run interference for me so I can get her off to myself.”
“This goes against my better judgment,” she started to say.
The Doctor burst into a huge grin and pulled her into his arms for an enthusiastic hug.
“I’ve got the perfect thing for you to wear,” he said as he released her.
“There better not be corsets this time. I’m not wearing a corset again even if it does get you a few minutes with your true love,” Donna complained.
“No, no corsets,” he said. “It’s a modern day wedding, Rose’s cousin something or other. And this will be hours not minutes, even if--.”
“Even if what?” Donna asked suspiciously as the Doctor broke off.
“Nothing. Never mind. So let’s find you that dress.”
It didn’t take the Doctor long to find it and as she held it up before her and stared in one of the mirrors of the wardrobe room, Donna had to admit it was the perfect dress for her. She fingered the rich, golden brown gown, the smooth fabric like a caress against her skin. “It’s beautiful,” she said.
“Everything in the wardrobe room is beautiful,” he told her.
“I seem to recall finding a very ugly, orange, patchwork coat--.”
“I may have been color blind in that incarnation,” the Doctor said hastily. “Anyway, the women’s clothing is brilliant. I think more than one companion has decided to stay with me just so they can play intergalactic fashion queen between adventures.”
Donna very carefully schooled her features. That may not be why she’d chosen to stay with him, but she’d done her fair share of dressing up in this room while they were idly floating in the vortex. He, however, did not need to know that.
“Go on, put it on,” he encouraged her. He stared at her and she sighed and took the dress behind the Japanese screen to change her clothes. When she emerged a couple of moments later the Doctor was dressed in a tuxedo.
“You changed,” she said, shocked.
“Well, it’s a wedding and it’s better if Rose doesn’t see the brown suit. Less to remember, less for the perception filter to have to work against,” he said with a shrug.
“Or you just want to be extra pretty for Rose.”
“I’m always extra pretty!” the Doctor protested. “I was born extra pretty. Or regenerated.” At Donna’s look he corrected, “I mean, manly…and handsome.” Donna smirked. “Besides,” he added sulkily, “she really, really loved me when I was—.”
“Actually manly and handsome?” Donna interrupted remembering her brief encounter with his former self.
“Yes,” he agreed then realized what she'd said. “Oi! Donna!”
She laughed at him and pulled his head down to plant a noisy smooch on his cheek. “I almost could have fancied the old you if he wasn’t so rude last time we met.” The Doctor looked horrified. “I said almost, space man. Sometimes you are too, too easy.”
She hugged him. “Come on. Let’s go romance your Rose.”
“Not romance,” he said sternly. “I’d never—.”
“Don’t, Doctor. Don’t lie to me. If you could find a way, you would.”
“Yes, but Rose wouldn’t. Or she didn’t. She wouldn’t have done that to me.”
“If you were brooding in the TARDIS and wouldn’t go to the wedding with her, how do you know what she did?” Donna asked.
“I know Rose.”
“Did she just accept your behavior?” Donna asked skeptically.
“Of course. She always did,” he said, but he suddenly sounded less sure of himself. “We fought about the wedding. She thought…she thought I thought she wasn’t good enough to admit to being in a relationship with.” He shook his head. “I just didn’t want to tell her mother, but Rose thought I didn’t want anyone to know. She was really mad when she left me.”
“Whatever you do this weekend, don’t mess up your past. If you seduce Rose into cheating on you with you, you may ruin everything,” Donna warned.
“I know,” he said quietly.
“Do you?” she replied. “Sometimes you need someone to stop you.”
“That’s why I have you.”
Donna shook her head. “I’m not following you into any bedroom, Doctor,” she said.
“It won’t go that far,” he insisted but he wouldn’t meet her eyes and Donna did not believe him. He wasn’t sure he believed himself. Maybe Donna was right. If he could find a way, and Rose was willing…he would.
Ch. 2: http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/296147.html
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