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The Doctor Prevails
By: Mimstress
Chapter 1
In the darkened room Rose lay back on her bed and listened to the hum of the TARDIS. It was a comfort to her, something constant which she felt she understood. As long as the heart of the Tardis pulsed all was well. Sighing, she turned over and hugged her pillow. If only she could be as certain of the Doctor. She had spent hours trying to understand her emotions concerning him, and even longer trying to construct an idea of how he might feel for her. There was something in his eyes, she thought, that hinted at a deeper care for her than simple friendship, and when he smiled at her it was as if he smiled just for her, as if she was the reason behind it all. It made her want to melt.
With another soft sigh she closed her eyes and groaned to the Tardis. “Why does he have to be so complicated”
The machine throbbed in an unhelpful way. Rose pulled the covers over her tired body and commanded it to sleep. The problem of the Doctor would simply have to wait until morning. Sadly her mind had other ideas, and refused to allow her to rest with such a matter being unresolved. She spent a good half hour tossing and turning, until the bedclothes were in a terrible tangle and the pillow a misshapen lump. Frustrated she got up, growling at the inconsiderate nature of the Doctor for being such a thoroughly difficult man to understand (and attractive to boot) and stared at herself in the mirror.
She glared at the slightly ruffled girl before her and breathed deeply.
“There’s only one answer to such problems as these” She said. She pointed a finger accusingly at the girl in the mirror
“What you need” she continued “ Is a nice cuppa tea, then a nice sleep and everything will be clearer in the morning”
Nodding, the reflection agreed with her, and so Rose threw on a long t shirt and went in search of the kitchen, praying it was where she had left it.
Absentmindedly she mumbled to herself as she trotted down the corridors “I wonder if he has milk and sugar”
Further down the corridors then Doctor was also listening to the hum of the Tardis, but to him, it brought no comfort. He sat and stared at the core, watching it glow, his hearts beating in time with its gentle droning sounds. In his mind, he was desperately searching for memories of his home, his people, Gallifrey before the war. As he tried to picture the brilliant sky and the silver leafed trees he found his mind rebelling against him. The tree’s were burning, the skies overhead were littered with broken and burning ships, everywhere he saw bodies, bleached bones and blackened flesh. The great Panopticon a chaos of rubble and blood. This was all he could remember now. It was all that was left.
“A dead planet for a dead people”. The emotions suddenly flooded him, uncontrollable after such images. Angrily he jumped to his feet and slammed his hands upon the console, staring at the core as it pulsed.
“Why are we alive?” he yelled, frustration and pain rippling across his face as his mind grasped at the empty space where his race should have been.
In front of him, the ship continued its rhythm, leaving his questions unanswered.
“Why am I so alone” he mumbled, before sinking back to the floor, bracing his back against the only thing he had left from his world, his tardis.
“Everyone I knew. I watched them die. I left them to die. It had to end somehow, but now there’s nothing.”
A tear, something he had fought against for so long, finally trickled down his cheek. “Nothing. Nothing…but me”
Behind him the tardis gave a particularly loud hum, and the Doctor quickly corrected himself.
“Nothing but us then”. he smiled weakly, but it faded as quickly at it had come and he sat there on the floor, lost in thought.
“I hope you include me in that “Us” Doctor”
The Doctor hadn’t heard Rose come in, and her presence startled him for a moment. He looked up, and there, standing before him was Rose.
He managed a small grin for his companion as he replied cheekily
“Depends, it’s a very exclusive club this. We don’t let just anyone in”
Rose returned the grin “I thought you said I was the best”
“Well that’s alright then, automatic membership”
Rose moved towards him and knelt in front of him. “You don’t have to be the best to see something’s wrong.”
Gently she placed her hand upon his, wanting so much to offer him what little reassurance she as a human could give. He seemed so…vulnerable, so alone.
Rose thought if she could just reach out to him and tell him that everything would be alright because he had her it could make a difference.
At the feel of her hand, warm and comforting on his own the Doctor found himself fighting to hold back the tears, to stop himself from breaking down in front of Rose. He had brought her from the safety of her own home, she trusted him to be strong, to keep her safe, and here he was about to break down into pieces before her very eyes. As he looked up into Rose’s concerned face he found himself staring into two dark eyes. Two, beautiful, deep eyes and he felt himself falling, falling deep into her gaze. All he wanted to do was protect her, keep her safe and close and hold her. Her hand resting upon his and his upon hers for ever. Safe, warm, together. But instead he was dragging her into situations fraught with danger, situations which even he had no control over and was unsure of. Control. It was something he was losing every second more that he looked into her eyes. Painfully, he broke the moment and jumped to his feet, a somewhat forced grin smeared across his face as he reassured Rose that he was fine.
“Ready for the next stop then?” he asked?
“Ready as I’ll ever be, travelling with you”
“Would you have me any other way”
Rose stared at the man in front of her, this beaming, enigmatic Doctor, and replied truthfully.
“Not in a million years”
She smiled again and moved towards the door, but before she left the room she paused.
Turning towards the doctor she took a deep breath. “If you ever want to talk, about anything. You know…anything about …stuff. I’m here”
The Doctor looked at Rose. There they were again, those beautiful eyes. Slowly he nodded.
“Thanks.” he answered
For a moment they looked at each other. Simply…looked. Each trying to figure out the other. Each having secrets the other didn’t know, and each being unwilling to tell it, lest the other be unable to understand. They couldn’t beat the thought of losing each other.
Rose broke the silence “Well, you know where I am, Second corridor on the left…”
“third door on the right.” They finished the sentence together. The Doctor found himself smiling at her, not forced, but an easy, natural smile. She returned it and turning once more, quickly left the room. With a patter of feet she was gone.
The Doctor turned to face the core, watching it pulse with its constant throbbing rhythm. A deep sigh shook his body as he stared into the light of the core. He was alone again. Slowly, a smile crept around the corners of his mouth, dancing across his face until it was trapped, sparkling lightly in his eyes. Strangely enough, he no longer felt quite so alone.