taxonomites | seventeen | location: around taxon | someone who appears to save the day

At first the moisture hitting her skin confuses her. She reaches up to wipe it off her cheek and she realizes that he's the one crying. She looks up to him, still a bit confused but also grateful. She couldn't save anyone in that warehouse. No matter how much they cried or screamed. She couldn't help. She might can here. Maybe just a little bit and maybe that's enough.

"Chips," she says seemingly out of no where. "I want chips." A pause to swallow hard, brain still not processing or functioning entirely but she's trying for his sake; trying to save him just a little. "And a hot bath. You could take one with me. Eat chips in the bath."

Still a little quiet and she still hurts all over but she's alive, he's here and he's given her a chance to help him. That's enough.

"Yeah, definitely," he says. "Prophylactic this time. Might be a bit difficult in the bathtub, but we'll make it work."

The teasing is necessary, and he manages to smile a little despite his unbidden tears.

"I'm so sorry," he says, choking on emotion.

She laughs a little at that and it hurts but she doesn't care. Even through the pain it feels good to laugh. "We're both flexible," she responds because the teasing is so necessary. She doesn't miss the smile either and that goes a long way toward making this better.

At his apology she shakes her head, reaching up to press her fingers against his lips. "No." She won't tell him this isn't his fault. She won't tell him it's okay. None of those things are true and she tries to avoid lying to him of all people. "You don't have to apologize to me." That part is true.

And time for more teasing.

"You can make it up to me in foot rubs, back rubs and bathtub sex."

In another time, he might be awkward talking about bathtub sex. Right now, he just cares about taking care of Rose. Making it better because right now it hurts. It hurts and it's his fault even if she doesn't know it.

He turns a corner and crosses towards the street with their flat on it. He's not sure when he's started thinking of this place as 'home', but she's there. She's there and it's a place she can be safe. The settee is still outside, the leather unaffected by any recent rain.

"I won't leave you again," he promises.

She nods at his promise, tears filling her eyes. She finally got what she wanted but at what price? She can't be grateful for it, not after everything she's seen and hear the last several hours. She swallows past the lump in her throat and hangs on a little tighter.

"I was on my way home from working at Tara's shop."

It's meant to tell him that he can't be there with her every minute.

He can't be there every moment. Maybe he should run. Maybe he should've died when he fell on the Master's sword. Maybe it would be better that way. He can't hurt her if he's dead. She can't become a hostage if he's gone.

He pushes open the door to the flat and starts carefully up the stairs towards her room.

He feels something tug at him, somewhere in his mind. Something telling him to go into the other room. He doesn't, though. He's not leaving her now.

"Did he feed you? Do you want some tea?"

She would silence all those thoughts if she could. She would tell him that these things happen. Even to people without the Doctor in their lives. Those people just don't get saved.

She shakes her head at his question. Or the first part of his question. "Tea would be good. i think. Yeah, tea." Once she's gotten a little settled they can talk food and baths. With or without the sex. She just wants to be near him right now because where he's at it's safe. Or at least the dangerous bits don't matter.

He steps into her room. The room's been fairly torn apart by himself in search of some clue as to where she is, though he hopes she doesn't notice that. He lays her down on the bed carefully, smoothing her hair as he places her head against the pillow.

"I'll be right back," he says. "White with sugar, right? I can never remember."

Right now she's too glad to be home and too tired to notice the mess. Besides, she's never been the neatest person ever. She'll straighten it later. She bites her bottom lip, feeling a bit like a little girl and nods, a smile just at the corner of her lips because he remembered.

"Just like that," she tells him. "I'll be here."

He stands and heads to the door. He starts towards the stairs when he hesitates. He looks to the closed door of what used to be his room. He gets that feeling again, that overwhelming feeling that he should go in there. He doesn't, though. He heads downstairs and makes a quick pot of tea.

He's done so much wrong. He's hurt her too much. Doesn't she see that?

He takes the pot and two cups and heads back upstairs. The door to what was his bedroom is slightly ajar, but he doesn't see that. He goes right to Rose's room.

"I brought some biscuits, too."

While he's down stairs, Rose decides she can't be in her clothes another minute. Standing up makes her woozy so she sits on the edge of the bed as she strips off everything. By the time the Doctor gets back she's found an oversized tee shirt she sleeps in crumpled up and shoved under her pillow. She's just got it pulled over her head when he walks back in.

"Biscuits are good." She sticks one foot out, shoving the clothes she had been wearing further away from the bed as if she can't stand the sight of them. It's more the smell. Although she's aware most of that is probably in her head.

"Sit with me?"

"Course I will," he says, because he wouldn't deny her at a time like this. He pushes her clothes to the floor and sits where they were, putting the tray with the tea next to him.

"Promised you a bath, too," he says.

"Yeah," she nods as she leans against him. "I think a bath'd be good. I don't-haven't had one in a--how long was it? Coupla days maybe? Feels sticky." She just wants the dirt of that event washed off. She wants the smell of the warehouse and such gone.

"Tea first," he instructs, picking up the cup and handing it to her. "Doesn't matter how long you were gone. Fact is, you're back. And that's what's important."

He wraps his arm around her shoulder and closes his eyes, just feeling her there and safe. He'll need to check on Donna and Tara and Morgana and Fitz soon, and he will. But right now, he's taking care of her.

Later she'll want him to check on everyone else. After exacting a promise from him to return. She'll want to know how they're doing and she'll be far too ashamed to go see them herself. Even Donna and Tara.

She wraps her hands around the tea with a nod and takes a careful sip. She then lays her head on his shoulder and takes a deep breath then exhales. "S'perfect." And clearly not just the tea. She wants to wrap herself up in this safety and love like a blanket. Instead she scoots a bit closer, putting her legs over one of his so that she's half in his lap, closer to him and a bit wrapped up in him.

He doesn't mind. He'd be content having her sleep like this, in his arms, and knowing she's here and safe and nothing can hurt her. He hates the Master for doing this, but he can't hate him at the same time. It's so frustrating. It's so unfair.

"Think I might've earned a pardon for getting everyone back," he says. "If they don't arrest me for being the reason for it."

It's exactly the reason Rose hasn't brought up the Master and the reason she probably won't. That's a subject they'll only fight about and she makes it a habit of avoiding things that have no pay out and break her heart. She takes another careful sip of her tea then another less wary one. It's cooled off enough to drink comfortable. The tea goes a long way toward soothing her throat.

"Motivation, Doctor. Not reason. They're two different things. You may have been his motivation but you are not at fault for this. A pardon would be nice. No more skulking about."

"No," he says, firmly. "It's my fault, Rose. If I had stayed away from you to begin with, he wouldn't have targeted you."

"Doctor, don't be daft." Because really he is. "You'd have to undo everything. Never invite me to travel with you. Not going to let that happen. I'll take this. Everything you've shown me. Everything we've done. Everything I've felt...I want that."

"But I want you to live," he says. "What happened to you, Rose, you shouldn't have had to experience that."

Rose swallows hard and shakes her head. "No one should," she admits. "And I'm alive. I'm living. Heart still beating." For emphasis she picks his hand up and puts it on her chest over her heart.

He can feel her very human heartbeat under his palm, and he leans his forehead to press against hers. She's alive, but how hurt is she inside?

"Sometimes that's worse," he says.

She hasn't had time to even process how hurt she is. It'll take time for her to see the scars. She closes her eyes, taking a moment to form a response because he's right. Sometimes it is worse.

"This feels safe. This is okay right now. It doesn't hurt."

And that's all she even dares hope for right now; a moment with no one screaming, no one crying. A moment where she doesn't feel guilty.

Of course it feels safe, now. She doesn't understand how close to danger she truly is. He holds her, though, because if he lets go, even for a minute, something will happen to her.

"I'll get you to the bath," he says, though he doesn't move from where they are.

In some ways she knows but she doesn't care. She'll take danger if she gets him in the process. In fact, sometimes the danger is part of the appeal. She'd just rather avoid this particular brand of danger for the moment.

"Okay," she answers. After a moment she realizes they're not moving. She takes a deep breath, summoning up energy and a bit of courage so to speak. She scoots off the bed, standing on legs that feel woozy. "Bath with bubbles. We'll feel better."

At least physically.

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler

Re: Rescuing the Victims--Rose Tyler