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

Entry tags:

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

The Doctor hatched a set of handcuffs. They were for him to use. The last time he'd let someone else restrain the Master, the Doctor had held him, still in restraints, as he died. That wouldn't happen this time. The Doctor would save him. Somehow.

Everything was ready. It was just time to move forward.

OOC: Final post for the Master's plot! Everything is in individual threads and threadhopping is encouraged. If you see that this needs another plotty starter thread, drop me a line and let me know!

EDIT: I was requested to put up a note letting everybody know that this is a backdated post.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"You're not wasting it," he says. "You're just...spending it with me."

He thinks about all the things he wants to say and do and she's only here for a little while but he doesn't want her to go and---and---

"Come on."

There's not enough time for the things they want to do and say. Everything in Rose wants to protest at that idea because they're in a time machine. Instead she nods, shimmies out of her jeans because modesty is ridiculous at this point and she'll sleep more comfortably in just her tee shirt. Once that's done she crawls in the bed and waits for him to follow.

He lays down next to her, still in his rolled-up sleeves and trousers and trainers. It's been a long day, but he doesn't imagine he can sleep yet. It's too bad, he thinks. One of the things he's loved about Taxon is being able to actually sleep with Rose.

He props himself up on one elbow and gives her a smile.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've had someone in this room besides just me?"

Rose props herself up in a mirror image of him. She grins at his words, the tip of her tongue between her teeth. If nothing else at least the Doctor has given her parts of himself that he doesn't normally give anyone else and no matter how much it hurts later, she'll be grateful for that.

"'Least a couple of regenerations, m'guessing." She's being cautious because she'd hate for him to have to correct her and tell her 'no not quite that long'.

"At least," he agrees. Possibly longer. He reaches out and toys a bit with a lock of her hair. It's still a little wet from her bath, and he likes the way it feels in his fingertips.

"The TARDIS missed you," he observes.

She likes when he plays with her hair. It's something that seems very intimate somehow.

"I missed her too. So much. The last time I was inside her she was already gone and it was empty. So lonely. I couldn't bear to walk around. It's nice to see her like this again."

The words before I go are left unsaid.

It took the Doctor a moment to register what she meant. "In Donna's parallel world," he says. "Where I died. That must've been terrible for her."

"Yeah," Rose nods. "I like to think it was better after I found her. I tried to make sure everyone talked to her, touched her. Made sure they realized she wasn't just a fantastic blue box. Don't know if they listened while I was off looking for you though. I'm pretty sure they thought I'd gone nutters but I was also right so it didn't matter."

"She probably appreciated it," he says. "The TARDIS, that is. She doesn't have a lot of people acknowledge her as being alive, too. Probably meant a lot to her that you did."

"I think we just both missed you," Rose admits quietly. She scoots closer to him, resting one hand on his chest so she can feel his heart beat underneath her palm. "We were all that was left of you so we made do with what we had."

"You saved Donna's life," he says. "The thing that gave her the original choice, it ripped a hole in her reality, and she'd have been consumed by it if not for you two."

It took Rose a little while to respond. She's thought about this a lot since coming here. Even more since Donna showed up. If anyone would understand this it would be the Doctor.

"It wasn't entirely selfless. Not for either of us, I don't think. We wanted you back. Saving Donna was how we did it." More correctly killing parallel world Donna.

"Well, you did what you needed to," he says with a small, understanding smile. "I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Yeah. You're here now," Rose smiles a little. "And Donna's here and she's gonna be alright. It all worked out."

"Yeah," he says. "And pretty soon, we'll all be home."

Not exactly the way to make her feel better. Rose shakes her head and schooches closer to the Doctor, burying her face in his chest. "No. I'll be trapped in a parallel dimension that's not home. In a house that's too big with--" she stops because none of this helps. It just makes them both feel worse about the situation that 'has' to be.

"Don't forget me," he says, holding her close. "Just so long as you don't, then...we'll be good. Wherever we end up in the universe."

Rose presses a kiss to his chest and tries to smile a bit. "Doctor, m'sort of the girl that thinks she can do anything she decides to do but that's one think I could never do. Ever. I will remember you every single day of my life." She takes a deep breath, trying to stave off tears. She doesn't want to spend what's left of their time together crying.

"Maybe it's not the end for us. Maybe it just looks it. Maybe in five years I'll turn a corner and see you and it won't matter what you look like because I'd know you, Doctor. No matter what you looked like. I figured it out. Your eyes always look the same. So sad. So old."

"Are you calling me old?" he teases, his voice still sad. "Because I'll have you know, I'm in the prime of my life."

She keeps up the teasing because it's easier than the alternative. Her voice carries the same weight of sadness his does. It's impossible to sound any other way right now. "Lucky me not meeting you in your later, older regenerations. I got the 'prime' ones." And she tilts her head up to brush a kiss to his jaw.

He smiles at the kiss. This is nice, he thinks. Having her here, in his safe place, in his private place. He can trust her, completely. And they don't fight, not like he and Morgana do. So why can't he honestly tell Rose that there's nothing there?

He presses a kiss to her forehead. This is all he needs.

Sometimes in moment like this when she's not thinking about what comes next or what happened with Morgana or seeing him kiss Drusilla in the square, she believes this is enough for him; believes she is enough for him. Right now she believes it, feels it, and she rests her forehead against his shoulder, exhaustion rolling over her. She closes her eyes. It won't be long before sleep overtakes her.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]

Re: [location: HC Clements]