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The Doctor was waiting for her at the end of the ramp at the door of the Tardis. He offered her his elbow, smiling brightly, before she even got to him. Rose smiled back when she took it, curling her hand around the soft, worn leather over his forearm and laying her wrist delicately inside his elbow. He raised his eyebrows at her excitedly, scrunching up his forehead. “Ready, Rose Tyler?”
She hoped her face was bright enough, the trepidation that always came with the opening of the doors keeping her smile from blooming fully. They’d had just enough surprise adventures, just enough of those turning out to be near-fatal, that she didn’t go lightly into each new world. Each time the doors to the Tardis opened she was thrilled, excited, exhilarated, yes. All of the above. But there was a tiny little part of her - the human part of her, she supposed, the mortal part - that was a little afraid. Wary.
It was that part of her that was incredibly comforted when the Doctor brought his arm into his body, tucking her closer to him, pinning her forearm and wrist between the firm muscle of his arm and the firm muscle of his torso with the black leather and jumper serving as a cushion. He brought his right hand over to cover hers where it lay on his left arm and beamed at her. The exhilaration and nervousness she felt about walking into a brand new planet doubled, causing her heart to flutter wildly in her chest.
Yes. That’s exactly why her pulse was racing. There was no other reason she would be so wildly excited right now.
No other reason at all.
~*~O~*~
The sunlight was bright and warm under a minty green sky when they stepped out of the Tardis, and the Doctor smiled down on Rose, taking in the way her hair glowed, bits of it blowing into her face from the gentle wind coming from the east. She turned her head from left to right, looking around him, her lips quirked curiously and more than a hint of anxiety in the grip on his arm.
“Where are we?” she asked, still taking in the surroundings. “Seems very Earth-like.”
“Very perceptive,” he praised, unreasonably proud of such a small statement. He started walking and she followed, bringing her hand up to meet his on his elbow. “This is Columbia IV, settled by humans in the 28th century. They chose it specifically for its Earth-like qualities.”
“So we’ll meet humans here? When are we?”
“About three centuries later.”
“Are they still human?”
“Yes, but a bit taller. The oxygen concentration is just a bit higher, so people are a bit taller, as are the animals. Bit like prehistoric times.”
Rose considered this for a moment. “Are they friendly?” She sounded concerned, and that would never do.
The Doctor squeezed her hand and smiled reassuringly. He’d die a thousand deaths with no hope of regeneration before he ever let something happen to the girl on his arm. She was precious, delicate, and must be kept safe. Rose had quickly become his achilles heel, and he was well aware of it deep down in places he didn’t like to talk about - the places that bubbled to the surface when he wasn’t paying attention. Sometimes, when he took a minute to think about it, it bothered him. Usually, he didn’t let himself think about it. It was much easier to maintain plausible deniability and refuse to acknowledge altogether that she’d become his weakness. He’d seen enough violence to last several eternities and never wanted to again, but he’d kill again if it came down to it and that was the only way to keep her safe. If the choice was blood on his hands or Rose Tyler’s blood spilled, there was no choice. She would walk away without a mark every time.
“Doctor? You alright?”
Rose didn’t just sound a little concerned, she was looking at him with alarm. Apparently, his dark thoughts had wormed their way to the surface.
He squeezed her hand again and chuckled. “M’fine, Rose. Yes, the New Columbians are very friendly. You’re perfectly safe. I thought I’d bring you to one of their market days.”
Rose tilted her head a bit, and the Doctor suspected she was just beginning to hear the sounds of a bazaar not far away. “A market?”
“Yes, it’s a bit like a cross between a festival and a farmer’s market, set up bi weekly. There are vendors selling all sorts of food and wares, but also some fun things to do.”
Rose’s eyes twinkled at him. “Farmer’s market, eh? I s’pose there’ll be bananas and jam here?”
He pretended to be affronted. “Oi! Are you accusing me of an ulterior motive, Rose Tyler?”
She touched her tongue to the corner of her mouth and his hearts absolutely did not react. They didn’t. “Maybe I am.”
“I’m wounded. Truly, I am.”
Rose giggled and he gave up the pretense, smiling down at her then looking back in the direction of the bazaar, walking with a spring in his step.
“No, I brought you because I thought you may enjoy a rest from adventuring after Sattelite 5.” It wasn’t something he wanted to think about, but couldn’t really get out of his mind. Anytime she was in danger, it shook him for a couple of days. And then there was Adam the Prat...yes, he wanted something fun after that entire experience. A palate cleanser. Something to get her focus off of the pretty boy and back onto him. Not that she’d been that focused on the prat to begin with, he preened internally. Smart girl, my Rose. She knew he was useless right quick.
“I thought a fun day was in order. Plus there are lots of…” he waved his hand in a circle ineffectually while he reached for a word. “Girly things here for sale.”
“Taking me shopping, Doctor? That’s awfully…domestic of you.”
He looked at her with mock sternness and she grinned unrepentantly. There went that tongue again, and nope. No, his hearts still weren’t reacting. Definitely not. “S’not…domestic. S’me keeping you happy so you don’t nag the pants off of me.”
Now there’s a tho- Nope. Not going there at all.
“Well, what are you going to do?” They’d come to the edges of the bazaar and she was looking around interestedly. Warm, rich scents surrounded them and he watched her lips curl up with pleasure when she took a big, deep breath.
“Figured I’d tag along with you, if that’s alright,” he said, trying to sound confident but feeling unsure. “I’ll wander off if I find something interesting or you get too...you know…”
“Domestic?”
He rolled his eyes. “You’ll never let that die, will you?”
“Nuh-uh.”
“I was going to say ‘bored’ or ‘annoyed with me’, something along those lines.” he said, trying again for stern, missing again, definitely not holding his breath.
Rose scoffed. “Like I could ever get bored with you.” She slid her hand down his arm and nestled it in his hand, twining her fingers into his. “Come on,” she tugged on him and smiled. “Show me all these pretty things and keep me happy or I’ll nag the pants off of you.”
Okay. That was definitely a cardiac reaction that time.
The Doctor followed her, grinning goofily.
~*~O~*~
The Doctor and Rose had had very few afternoons that were as carefree and fun as that one. The two of them got lost in the crowd, wandering from booth to booth, taking in everything they could. They sampled foods, the Doctor checking everything to make sure it was safe for humans with his sonic before he even let Rose touch it. They looked through the goods the farmers had brought to sell: alien fruits and vegetables, jams (‘Rose! We have to get some of this!’ ‘That’s fine, Doctor, but do we have to get seven jars?’ ‘Well, what if we can’t get back here for a while?’), cheese and even local wine. The Doctor bought himself and Rose a cream-covered pastry from a baker. When Rose took a bite and cream squirted onto his cheek from her dessert, they both laughed and he let her wipe it away with a napkin.
And through the whole day, neither let go of the other’s hand if they could help it. If they had to surrender their grip for some reason, as soon as the opportunity presented itself again one of the other of them would gently nudge their way back into the other’s hand and lace their fingers again.
The-Doctor-and-Rose-Tyler had a wonderful day together at the bazaar.
~*~O~*~
“Uh-oh,” Rose said, the smile in her voice.
“What’s wrong?” the Doctor said, alarm in his.
Rose didn’t answer, she just nodded a couple of booths down from where they stood and waited for the Doctor to see what she saw. He followed her gaze, and she knew from the unwrinkling of his brow and brightening of his face that he’d spotted the same thing she had.
“Fantastic!”
“You’re lost to me now, aren’t you? You found a junk table and I’m on my own for the rest of the day?”
The Doctor cut his eyes at Rose, but she was biting her lip and his face softened. “S’not junk, Rose! Those are interesting gadgets, they are. I c’n make all manner of things out of those parts. Amazin’ things.”
“Because you’re so impressive.”
“That I am. Very impressive, me.” He rocked back on his heels proudly.
“Well let’s go then! Impress me.” She tugged him towards the table. As always, he followed her, smiling.
~*~O~*~
Rose was bored silly. The Doctor had let go of her hand in favor of some manner of extrapolator a half hour ago and was currently sonicking a box with flashing lights and debating with the vendor about the merits of infrared vs. ultraviolet. The conversation had gone over Rose’s head about forty-five seconds after it started, and she had the urge to browse. So many pretty things nearby…
Rose put her hand on his leather-clad shoulder gently and he stopped talking immediately, turning to look at her and holding a hand up to the vendor to stop him talking, as well. “Yes, Rose?”
“I think I may wander a bit, if that’s okay.”
“You’re bored,” he said a little deflated. “Of course you are. We’ll move on then-”
“No!” she put her hands on his arm to reassure him, giving him the tiniest of pushes as if to put him back in position. “You stay. I’m just going to look around the booths nearby at the...girly stuff.”
The Doctor frowned at her. “It’s a big bazaar.”
“I won’t go far.” She ran her hand down his arm a bit, and that was just to reassure him, naturally. Had nothing to do with the feel of his arm under her hand. Nothing at all. “Honest, Doctor, you stay here. I’ll be fine. I’ll just walk a couple of aisles and come back. Look at the shiny things, yeah?” Rose smiled at him in what she hoped was a charming way.
He sighed at her. “You have your Tardis key?”
“Of course.”
“I hate the wandering,” he groused lightly. “The wandering never ends well for us.”
She tucked her hand under his arm and squeezed, leaning into his side and grinning up at him. “It’ll be fine. It’s a perfectly normal day. I’ll be back in two shakes. You just stay here and have fun with your...gadgets...and you won’t even miss me. Okay?”
He sighed again and reached into his pocket, then handed her a credit stick. “Here. Go bananas. Buy all the shinies you can carry. I’ll catch you up before you know it.”
“Doctor-”
“Go buy pretty things before I make you stay here and we talk about Kreige-style manipulators for an hour,” he warned with a twinkle in his eye.
“You win!” she raised up on tiptoe, impulsively, and kissed his cheek. “See you in a bit.”
~*~O~*~
Colors and smells swirled around Rose, the chatter of patrons and vendors, laughter of happy children reaching her ears just before they brushed her skirt against her legs. She smiled at the youngsters when they dashed past, running after some flying toy that was leading them on a merry chase, laughing guiltily when they knocked into a vendor and made him spill an armful of goods, leaving him cursing at them as they disappeared.
Rose’s fingers longed to touch the things that caught her eye, and she trailed her fingers over colorful, smooth scarves that dangled from booth entryways. Her fingernails tentatively tapped a tank that contained a tiny animal that looked something like a kinkajou, only blue, and she traced a fingertip lightly around the delicate filigree of jewelry laid out on tables, proudly displayed by artisans. She saw several things she’d absolutely love (and she could absolutely finish her Christmas shopping here!), but she felt a little odd about buying herself jewelry with the Doctor’s credit stick. It seemed…intimate, somehow.
She certainly wouldn’t mind if he bought her something, someday, something…
No. No, best push those little girl fantasies away. He certainly didn’t think of her that way, and if he did, the Doctor was just about as far from a romantic as a bloke could get.
Still, though, romantic or not, he had his moments. He was quite gallant (sometimes), and she doubted she would ever find a man anywhere on Earth, any galaxy, or indeed the universe who would protect her like he did, who would hold her hand and make her feel as safe as he did. Who needed romance when you had the most clever being in the universe, the Oncoming Storm, feared all through time and space holding your hand all the time and worrying himself over you?
Rose smiled a little to herself. She didn’t need romance. The Doctor was her best mate, he made her feel safe and he wanted her around. That was all she really needed. Sure it was.
“You’ve got the glow about you.”
Rose stopped at the sound of the voice, a frown of question on her brow. Had someone been speaking to her?
She looked around the immediate area for the source of the voice, finding only the usual bustle until her eyes landed on a plump older lady behind the table of a plain booth staring at her. Rose narrowed her eyes, the question still on her lips.
“Were you speaking to me?”
“Aye. You’ve got the glow.”
Rose tucked her bag securely under her arm and stepped through the crowd over into the woman’s booth. It wasn’t decorated: simply a table with bottles and tubes of various sizes with liquids in it, labeled with a tag tied around each one. She resisted the urge to examine the wares and spoke to the lady behind the counter with the salt-and-pepper hair who was peering at her intently.
“Are you using telepathy on me? Because it’s illegal to attempt to read my mind without my-”
The woman cackled. “Heavens no, not a telepath, me. I’m an empath. I sense feelings externally. And the glow and worry are rolling off of you in waves, gel. But I can help.”
Rose felt a flash of alarm, and her eyebrow shot up. “What glow? What worry?”
“The glow is easy, I’m guessing at the reason behind the worry. S’a good guess, though. You’re madly in love. S’a wonder you’re not floatin’, you’ve got it s’bad.”
Rose’s heart stuttered, but she drew herself up to her full height. “I most certainly am not!”
The older woman smiled knowingly at Rose, revealing surprisingly even teeth. She didn’t address Rose’s outburst, changed the topic entirely. “M’name’s Arone. I run an apothecary, and I recommend m’solutions to people based on what I sense they need.”
Rose scoffed with arms crossed across her chest in a protective but defiant gesture, still unsettled and offended. “Sounds a bit like snake oil to me,” she said derisively. “Looks like it, too,” she added, indicating the bottles on the table with her head.
Arone only smiled serenely. “Such malice is uncommon for you. I’m sorry, didn’t mean to upset you. M’not usually so direct but I felt it better to be blunt with you, given your denial and fear. Was hoping to perhaps shock you into an admission and belief.”
“Belief in what,” Rose snapped.
“That you’re in love,” Arone said simply. “You’ve never been s’happy in your life as you are when you’re on the arm of the bloke you’re with.”
“I know I’m happy, he’s my best mate, I’ve every reason to be happy,” Rose bit out, then immediately snapped her mouth shut. She shouldn’t have given this lady an inch.
Arone, again, didn’t seem to acknowledge her. “The lie comes in about the cause, I think, n’ the fear does too. Y’don’t acknowledge that it’s love, and even if y’did, you don’t dare believe he could love you back.”
Rose wasn’t sure what to feel. There was something soothing about this matronly woman, but she was wrong. Rose certainly wasn’t in love with the Doctor. No. No way.
“I saw you on another aisle,” Arone said. “I think your fears are unfounded.”
Rose’s heart skipped. She let her arms unfold, her eyes widening. “Why do you say that?”
“Men don’t hold hands with their best mates,” Arone said. Her answers were simple and her eyes twinkling, as if Rose should already know this. “And they certainly don’t look at their best mates with the tenderness the man in leather has n’his eyes when he looks at you.”
Rose stared at her openly for a minute, and Arone only looked at her serenely. Rose shook her head, then said, “you’re wrong. I’m not in love, and he’s certainly not.”
Arone shrugged. “I’ve a way to help you achieve a happy end, but you don’t trust your own feelings.”
“Oh, yeah?” Rose sniped. “What way is that, then?”
The older woman reached under her table and pulled out a tiny vial. “This serum’s got just a touch of an inhibition-lowering compound. It does n’harm, only lowers the defenses a touch for an hour. A few drops o’ this in his tea, and your Time Lord will be composin’ sonnets. It’s just there, so strong and forceful at the tip of his mind, lookin’ for an excuse to burst through.”
Rose scoffed, “There’s no way that…” She froze as the reality of what had just been said caught up to her. “Hold on. Did you say Time Lord?”
Arone only smiled enigmatically.
Rose’s heart pounded in her chest. This woman knew much more than she should, and Rose suddenly had zero doubt that the serum would work exactly as described. What about the other things she was saying? The things about her, about the Doctor? About her and the Doctor? Could she be right? The urge to trust this woman and what she said was overwhelming; she desperately wanted to believe, but the underhanded means of finding answers to the questions suddenly planted in her mind were not okay with her.
“There is no way I could ever do anything like that to him. I could never intentionally lower his mental defenses, not even a little, they’re too important. Besides, that’s cheating.” Rose shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don't think I need anything here. Thank you for talking with me, though.”
“Wait!” Arone called out, and pulled out a tiny vial. “I didn't mean to upset you. You must be from another culture, an off-worlder perhaps, and I’m sorry. Here, please take this gift. I hope you won’t consider this...cheating as you said.” She presented the vial in her palm, and curiosity got the better of Rose. “This is perfume, a lightly-scented floral perfume. It has no powers, does nothin’ dishonest. Its only enhancement s’that it amplifies the scent of your pheromones a small amount. Not dramatically. nothing overpowering, just makes them slightly more noticeable. Your attraction to your gentleman will be a bit more noticeable to him. Would make him more likely to take notice?”
Arone’s ever-present smile was sad, apologetic, guilty. “Use it for special occasions, perhaps?”
Rose was tempted. She was so very, very tempted. It would be so easy to leave with that perfume in her bag, dab a little behind her ears and let the Doctor know without words just what she felt about him. She could do it. He would know, then.
Wait. Was she actually thinking of spending the Doctor's money on perfume to let him know she was in love with him - through her scent? But she wasn't in love with the Doctor! She wasn't!!!
This was daft, all of it!
“I appreciate you, Arone, but there’s no need. The Doctor and I are just best mates. I’m not in love with him and he’s certainly not in love with me. There’s no need for any pheromones.”
Arone bowed slightly. “As you wish. I bid you good day and wish you good luck.”
“Thank you,” Rose said, giving her a tight smile and turned, tucking her bag behind her back and out of her way so it wouldn’t be in her way as she eased into the crowd. Arone leaned forward and dropped the vial into Rose’s bag quickly, then smiled as Rose disappeared into the bustle of people.
~*~O~*~
The Doctor watched Rose meander down the aisle after she’d kissed his cheek and flounced off, the interest he’d had in haggling with the vendor over rotors and extrapolators all but gone. He’d fingered his cheek idly for a second before he caught himself, then paid what attention he needed to in order to be considered present and part of the conversation, but his eyes kept straying back to Rose…
Rose smiling at perfect strangers - anyone, really who smiled at her, Rose accepting samples (and he really wished she wouldn’t do that, the urge to go snatch the tiny morsel from her hand made him tense up like a spring until he saw her pocket the bit of candy. Clever, polite girl.), Rose laughing and clapping at a performer and blushing when he blew her a kiss (no, his hearts didn’t seize up and his jaw didn’t clench, certainly not), Rose touching the things that looked pretty to her and caught her eye.
The Doctor longed to touch the things that looked pretty to him and caught his eyes.
No. No. Mustn’t think like that, or he’d end up without a companion. Rose Tyler would leave him if he kept that up, and he’d lose her. The best companion. His best mate. The companion who’d saved his miserable life, who’d brought light back to his bleak world.
But for now, he really needed to carry on as a normal bloke before someone got the complete wrong idea about his relationship with said companion.
“This isn’t worth ten credits and you know it.” The Doctor gestured to the object in his hand and spoke to the vendor, named Ynad.
Ynad looked at him strangely. “Sir, we were talking about this,” he said, pointing to the small motor in his own hand.
The Doctor looked surprised, then sheepish. “Oh. Sorry.”
“It’s quite alright. I remember those heady first days, when love had wrapped herself around my wife and myself.”
The Doctor bristled. “We’re not in love.”
Ynad raised an eyebrow. “Oh? That right?”
“Yeah, that’s right,” the Doctor huffed. “We’re just mates.”
“Well,” Ynad smiled knowingly, “your mind wandered away when the girl did. Seems a bit more than friendly.”
The Doctor scowled, and Ynad didn’t look the least bit ashamed or worried. “Here, let me help you.” Ynad walked over to the opposite end of his table and pulled out a little wooden box, shiny and smooth, and brought it to the Doctor. The Doctor, unsurprisingly, had tear his attention away from the tent that Rose had disappeared into. “I think you may be interested in this.”
The Doctor said, “I’ve never bought a part yet that was presented to me in a mahogany box.”
Ynad chuckled. “This isn’t a part. Just look.”
The Doctor opened it to find an ornate silver butterfly. It was quite pretty, and his immediate thought was that Rose would love it.
“You seem like a man of few words, at least at times. How much do you know of our culture?”
“A bit,” the Doctor answered gruffly.
“So you know we’re a human colony from Old Earth. Do you know of our fairy tales and legends?”
“Not much, no,” the Doctor admitted, closing up the mahogany box and handing it back to Ynad. “Don’t really need to, thanks.”
“No, that’s for you,” he said, holding his hands up. “I’d like for you to give it to your ...mate. You can say it’s from me if you’d like. But I’d like to tell you why, if you don’t mind.”
The Doctor scowled again, but Ynad smiled blandly and the Doctor finally sighed. He crossed his arm and leaned back on his leg, almost challenging Ynad to impress him. “Go on, then. always up for a story, me.”
“Thank you,” the vendor said graciously. “Butterflies are very precious in our society, for several reasons. For one, they’re one of the few animals that were almost exactly the same when we landed here from Old Earth, and it felt like a good omen to the founders. It seemed like the butterflies were making us welcome in their world...like they were bringing us luck. So they’re considered lucky for that reason.”
The Doctor nodded, but that seemed like a silly reason to want Rose to have one. “What does that have to-”
“The other reason has to do with the butterfly itself. The butterflies that grace this planet are truly splendid. Absolutely gorgeous,” Ynad enthused. “They are a credit to our fair planet, a symbol of the beauty to be found here. But winters here are incredibly harsh, they can be very destructive at times. The butterflies, despite being beautiful and looking so incredibly delicate, are actually extremely hardy and can weather anything that the brutal winter can dish out.
“The butterfly, the fragile, exquisite butterfly that by all rights should be crushed by the sheer force of winter’s might, not only survives, but comes back every spring to lend her loveliness to this planet. She’s indomitable in her love for our planet and the comfort she brings us. She waits out the storm year after year, without fail, and devotedly comes back again and again.”
The Doctor nodded, then opened the box and looked at the silver, lightly jeweled butterfly within.
His Rose stayed with him, no matter what level of fool he was - and he’d been at least ten levels of fool with her.
“Legend has it,” Ynad continued, “that when someone gives a loved one a butterfly, the butterfly will always bring the loved one home if they get separated. The butterfly will guide her home.”
The Doctor nodded again, still looking down at the jeweled butterfly, lost in thought, then snapping it closed again.
“The only problem with that is that I’m not in love with Rose. We’re only mates.”
Are you? his brain jeered.
“So I wouldn’t be the right person to give this to her,” the Doctor continued.
“Oh, I very much disagree,” Ynad smiled brightly. “You see, I saw your face when she walked away: the worry, the longing, the love - yes,” he held up a hand to shush the Doctor, “the love. And even if you deny everything, I am entirely certain that if she were to wander away, you’d be most grateful for the butterfly to bring her back to you. Would you not?”
Now, Ynad had him there. He couldn’t lose Rose, and wouldn’t deny that much. He absolutely couldn’t stand to lose her. It would destroy him, and he knew it. So what harm would it do to accept a little silver trinket? He didn’t believe in legends and superstitions, but why tempt fate? Besides, it was shiny and pretty. Rose liked shiny and pretty. He liked to make Rose happy.
The Doctor sighed. “Alright, then. You win. I’ll take this and the rotor. How much?”
“The rotor is seven credits. The butterfly is a gift.”
He protested, “I couldn’t possibly…”
Ynad held up both hands. “Please,” he said, smiling again. “Take it. It is a gift, freely and gladly given, with the hope that if anything ever separates you, you will find each other again as you are meant to.”
The Doctor said nothing and Ynad took his currency, still smiling.
...as you are meant to…
The words rolled around in his mind as he set out to find Rose, the box smooth and light in his hand.
~*~O~*~
They strolled away from the bazaar hand in hand at dusk, meandering in the general direction of the Tardis, bellies full of something almost like a baguette with a sausage inside. They’d both enjoyed the first so much they’d gone back for seconds, and now, with full bellies, they both felt a bit lazy. A slow walk through a warm night felt just right.
“This was a wonderful day, Doctor.” Rose looked up at him and smiled, her tongue between her teeth. “It was a nice change not having adventure sprung on us unawares.”
The Doctor squeezed her hand and looked down at her. “The night is young, Rose Tyler, and we’re not back to the Tardis just yet.” He winked at her and his eyes twinkled.
She giggled at him then leaned into his arm, her face against the cool leather. “Thank you for today. I loved it.”
Boldly, he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He wasn’t sure how he would be received and for a moment, the fear that he would be shrugged (or shoved) off had his hearts frozen, but she slid her own arms around his waist, under his jacket, and sunk into his side with her cheek coming to rest on his chest just below his shoulder. Walking became a bit more awkward, but he couldn’t care less.
“It was my pleasure, Rose,” he said quietly, noting with some interest that his voice was almost husky.
“And thank you for my butterfly,” she said, removing the arm that circled his front and touching the silver butterfly that adorned her hair. “It’s beautiful. You shouldn’t have, but I’m glad you did. I love it.”
The stars were flickering on as the green sky darkened to emerald then black, and although this particular arm of the Milky Way was known for being resplendent with particularly lovely stars and constellations, he had no desire to look up. The stars were reflected in Rose Tyler’s eyes, and he’d much, much rather see them there.
It would seem he’d lied to Ynad, and he should be surprised to discover it but if he were honest with himself, he’d known for a while.
The Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey, was rather in love with this soft little human looking up at him with the universe in her eyes.
“You’re welcome, Rose Tyler,” he murmured.
~*~O~*~
The Doctor took off his jacket when they reached the Tardis and spread it on the ground for her to sit on, sitting himself on the blue grass beside it. They sat together for a while, leaning back on the low stone fence they’d landed near, the Doctor pointing out interesting stars, describing places in the night sky he’d like to take her, leaning his face over next to hers to get their line of sight in the same direction and outlining constellations with his finger.
Rose felt his proximity down to her bones.
After a while (and she was never sure, later, how it happened), Rose found herself with the Doctor’s head in her lap, her fingers entwined with his and lying on his belly while his free hand continued to point out shooting stars excitedly (’Make a wish, Rose!’ ‘I thought you didn’t believe in that stuff?’ ‘I don’t, but what’s the harm in a little wish?’) and gesture a little when he told her the legends of the area’s constellations and celestial bodies.
Arone was at least partially right, she thought when she reached up to touch the silver butterfly in her hair for the umpteenth time, then went back to stroking his hair idly. I’ve no idea what’s going on in his mind, but I can’t deny I’m in love with him. Not anymore.
The thought should have surprised her, really, but it didn’t. It was more like letting go of an unpleasant tension and accepting the warmth and comfort of truth: like sliding into a warm bubble bath after a long day.