![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Touched (4a/?)
Spoilers: AU! Post Human Nature/Family of Blood
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3a | Chapter 3b
Six months later:
“C’mon, tell me what you think,” Rose asked Martha as she showed off the new dress.
Martha was in the midst of feeding Tyler with a bottle of alien solution, but she looked up from her seat on the couch at Rose’s question.
“It looks pretty – it suits you. Is it a period dress then?”
“Yeah, from 18th century France. Literally, I mean. Guess who got it for me?”
Martha just stared at her, “Let’s see…someone who travels in time. Yeah, I don’t have a clue.”
“Ha-ha. No, it wasn’t the Doctor. You remember that mystery bloke who called on your mobile almost a year ago?”
“Mhmmm, what about him? I never got his last name. Only that his first name was Will. He did mention he could travel in time, come to think of it. Thought he was a bit shady though…”
Rose grinned, “Oh yeah, he definitely gives off that impression. He told me everything though. Said he keeps a lot to himself because well, his secrets are huge, you know. It’s nothing personal.”
“Getting serious then? If he revealed his deep, dark secrets to you?” Martha commented.
“You know this reminds of a dress I saw Reinette wear,” Rose said distractedly.
“Rose…”
“What? Sorry, yeah – things are moving along pretty fast actually. I don’t know how that happened, but he’s just…and he travels in time.”
“Miss it, don’t you? Did he take you along anywhere?”
“Not yet, but that’s what the dress is for, you see. He’s taking me to a ball in 18th century France. All very Cinderella, I know, but Will said he needs to go there for something…”
Martha eyed her curiously, “What’s that?”
Rose bit her tongue nervously, “Oh, um…there’s this problem that he needs to resolve.”
“Huh, all right.”
“So, how’s little Tyler doing?” Rose asked as she sat down on the couch leaving the dress on the recliner.
“Oh, he’s just fine. Still can’t get over this morning though.”
Rose giggled, “ ‘Drink me, Love, The Doctor.’ I can’t believe he didn’t stick around to chat.”
“Well I’m sure he won’t do it again – not if I have anything to say about it. But the solution in the baby bottle he left – whatever it is – seems to be working. I don’t hear the ticking sound anymore at least.”
“That’s good – how’s Tom?”
Martha gave her a frustrated look, “I don’t know why I agreed to pursue a relationship with him. He’s just too nice. Something must be wrong with him.”
“Well, if you’re looking for ammunition…there was this one day last week when Tom came over.”
Martha nodded, “I remember that – Tom came earlier than expected and the Doctor was there for a visit. I was getting ready, so I didn’t see what went on…”
Rose stared incredulously at her, “Oh no, you were there when this happened,” But then she looked thoughtful, “But I suppose you were a bit preoccupied. You didn’t see the expression on Tom’s face.”
“Oh, you mean the kiss? It was Doctor’s fault. I was just going to kiss him on the cheek.”
“Don’t you think you should have not done either – especially in front of Tom? Coz I think he’s a bit touchy.”
“I told him afterwards that the kiss didn’t mean anything. It was just friendly. He seemed to understand…”
“Seriously, Martha. A ‘friendly kiss’?”
Martha looked at her exasperatedly as she set the bottle down on the coffee table and went to burp the baby.
“It’s on the Doctor, all right? He caught me off guard and kissed me on the lips.”
“You really should have seen the look on Tom’s face during that, Martha. It wasn’t just a tinge of jealousy or anything like that. It just looked dark – almost scary, you know? And I’m pretty sure the Doctor was being territorial.” Rose said, trying to convey the seriousness of the situation.
But before Martha could reply, the familiar sound of the TARDIS was heard as it materialized in the living room.
The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS carrying a year and a half old Layla who was fast asleep – her head on his shoulder.
The Doctor grinned at his two former companions; oblivious to the conversation he walked in on.
“You were right, Martha. Sleeping on the TARDIS did help her.”
Rose snuck a glance at Martha, mouthing, “Later.”
The Doctor made himself at home and sat down on the couch on Martha’s other side. Rose took Layla off of his hands.
Martha sighed, putting the baby back down in her arms, “I didn’t see you at all today. You left the bottle this morning.”
The Doctor looked at her in shock, but then smacked his forehead with his hand, “I came back too early! Well, at least now you know…you tell me that Layla can’t sleep and ask if she could take her nap on the TARDIS.”
“You’re impossible,” Martha told him, though she smiled at him all the same.
The Doctor didn’t answer as he was playing with Tyler. The baby’s hand was wrapped around one of his fingers.
Rose couldn’t help but laugh.
“What?” The Doctor looked up at her and asked.
“‘Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?’” She recited in her best Doctor voice – well, his previous incarnation’s really.
‘Oh she got you,” Martha commented teasingly.
“Yes, well. Oh all right…” The Doctor conceded and took Tyler from Martha.
~ * ~
Rose was taking a walk late at night near the Powell Estates. She didn’t do it often – take a bus and head over there – but once in a while, she needed time to herself and this was where she went. Despite the bittersweet memories associated with it – her mum, Mickey…she could never see them again – Rose still felt drawn to it.
It was comforting in a way to go back to the beginning…where she had lived when the Doctor had changed her life forever with his ‘daft old face’, big ears, but with a desire to have someone by his side no matter how much he denied it at the start.
Sometimes she missed her Doctor, her first Doctor. She remembered the way he smiled at her before he regenerated…and well, if she were honest with herself, she would always love the Doctor in her own way.
She often worried though what was going on in Martha’s mind – knowing that the Doctor was the father of her child, but understanding full well that the Doctor wouldn’t completely commit to the role. He was an alien after all – and nothing could change his wanderlust. Staying in one place for too long voluntarily – that wasn’t him. Though the fact that the Doctor did visit when he could (more frequently than Martha had expected, she had told Rose just the other day) more than made up for it.
“Hey! Watch it,” Rose heard someone say right after the person bumped into her.
“Watch where you’re going, Rose…” She muttered to herself.
The other person turned to look back at her, looking as if he had more to add.
“Haven’t seen you in a bit, Rose.”
Rose looked at him suspiciously, “Just for the record, Tom, I don’t like you.”
He shrugged, “I haven’t done anything wrong. But you’re free to think what you want.”
Rose sighed, brushing her hair back in a frustrated gesture, “Martha may try to see the better in people, but I won’t be fooled.”
“Huh, you got lucky, didn’t you?”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
He smirked at her, “She told me about the Doctor – who he really is. And about you…”
“Yeah, so? It’s her business what she tells others.”
He looked carefully at her, “She told me about you and the Doctor – when you were together…traveling.”
A memory that Rose had thought she had put behind her suddenly came unbidden to her mind…
“How long are you going to stay with me?”
“Forever.”
Rose shook herself – trying not to recall the devastation she had felt when that had all fallen apart.
She looked at him defiantly, “It’s in the past. Whatever you have in mind, don’t even bother.”
“See, I just can’t do that. Something is holding Martha back from really committing to our relationship. Or should I say someone…” He smiled smugly at her.
Rose grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward her, “You may think you’re welcome, but you’re not. You’re not.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
She pulled out a dagger and put the blade just under his chin, “I have this friend, Milligan. If you mess with me or anyone I know, he’ll take it personally. And you really wouldn’t want that to happen.”
“Who is your friend?”
She pushed him away from her, “Reveal all my cards? I don’t think so. Just go.”
Tom walked away, though Rose could tell that he didn’t take her words seriously enough.
She put away her dagger and walked to the bus stop. Rose was sure that she wouldn’t be able to sleep much that night.