Chapter Text
Everything was going well. Not perfect. But a better life than Rose lived in a long while. Maybe. A snap of icy rain slithered under Rose’s leather coat and forced her to reevaluate her mental pep talk.
Yes, she loved the Doctor. Madly. Beyond reason. But that didn’t mean things would go smoothly or without butting heads.
Traffic whizzed by as she paced in front of the store front. Inside her new Doctor terrorized every sales clerk with a running diatribe about fashion, shoddy materials and the history of undergarments. Rose escaped as their eyes glazed over.
It was very Doctor and yet not. She shoved her hands in her pockets as the sky turned dark gray and a brisk wind lifted up her hair.
She wasn’t running away. Rose was taking a break to think while he did whatever it was he was doing in there. Shopping probably wasn’t his favorite. Although, he did make that happy squeak when he found the leather gloves and cable knit sweaters. Even if he did criticize the wool blend.
Weird how she was now the impatient shopper when it always used to be him. When she looked back at her life, pre Daleks and metacrisis, she tried to pinpoint when she’d changed so much.
Maybe she had rejected this world at first, no interest in shopping or buying things. But after a few sharp comments from her mum, the oncoming brother and Torchwood filling a void in her life, she admitted it wasn’t all terrible. She’d found a place and purpose even if she’d focused on a blue box and a man with the universe spinning in his chocolate brown eyes.
Love was like that. You could have a decent life, happy even if you let it, but without a hand to hold and the proverbial soulmate to laugh with, the picture dimmed from pink and yellow to gray and sepia. Except, now she had the full technicolor version of life. And maybe it was so bright she was stumbling.
Or she was frustrated with the sometimes diva like tendencies of the man she loved. Without all of time and space to smooth over the rough edges, she was bristling. Like a wet cat in the cold Norway rain while he fussed, complained and whinged over trainers, socks, pants and the apparent deplorable outerwear selection in Bergen.
Rose stomped her feet against the chill sinking in, while leaving him with the sales staff who deserved double commission for putting up with Metacrisis tantrums she couldn’t endure.
Her mobile buzzed and she thought about letting it go, except she was still technically on call and had broken UNIT’s stay in the hotel suite order.
“Control, I have a really good explanation,” Rose started much to her parallel father’s hard laugh.
“I’m surprised it took two days,” was his initial amused response. “It’s not like we don’t keep an eye on our greatest assets. Shopping isn’t exactly the worst thing you two could get up to which is the only reason they haven’t hauled you back under armed guard. But I’m getting reports our new science consultant is experiencing universal acclimation anxiety.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Rose released a breath and stared across the street. People rushed by a mobile phone store with steaming cups that looked enticing.
“You remember how it was for you and you and Jackie. And that was without UNIT wanting everyone on lock down or how you and himself managed to slip past their best at the hotel.”
Ah Pete, the calm and grounded force who was probably thankful it wasn’t his problem this time. Except the UNIT aspect.
“Sorry, he was going a bit mad and I caught him hot wiring the telly. As for his settling in—” she cracked open the door.
“No Pietro, that’s not wool. Wool comes from sheep not whatever that is. And blimey don’t you have any decent swishy trench coats. And what about a scarf with some decent length. This barely wraps around my neck twice.”
She let the door softly shut lest he demand her opinion and then ramble over her.
“It’s not the same for him. Earlier he was arguing about the compounds used in trainers rubber soles being an inferior product and I won’t even go into the whole itchy sock rant.”
Silence. Long and heavy was her answer until Rose wondered if Pete rang off to deal with more pressing issues like Kraken groupies
“As I understand it, you’re both traumatized and recovering from injuries. Everything he was or had disappeared with that blue box. He’s mourning his old life and lashing out. Sound familiar.”
Rose really hated it when Pete played the Dad lecture card and how Rose had been a teeny bit a morose, sullen and slightly snippy refugee when she arrived, much less after the whole goodbye on the beach. Jackie hadn’t let it last long. Neither had Mickey.
“It’s not like I don’t understand. I do.” Rose peeked through the glass doors as the Doctor tossed a thick burgundy cardigan to the group of men and women whose only purpose was to cater to his whims.
“I think Mum being pregnant and Tony coming helped me see there was a life here. Even if I still wanted to get back to the other one. This Doctor, it’s like he says he loves me and wants this but then a switch is flipped and he turns into I dunno, the fashion terror of Bergen and won’t listen to anything.”
“Sweetheart, you’ve got to talk him through it. It’s less about clothes as it is him needing to feel like he’s got some sense of purpose and control. And if he’s anything like I remember, he wants to prove himself to you, and be impressive.”
“UNIT won’t let him have control and barely acknowledged he’d been right about the Trolls.” Despite Pete’s assurances, Rose was waiting for an armed escort to arrive any minute.
“He’s not ready to be all in at UNIT,” Pete answered definitively. “And you’re not ready either. I know this wasn’t your plan. And I know you’ve been through more than you’ve told me. Take a sabbatical. Rest, heal, and figure yourselves out. Go explore, catch up on some reading or shows. And go in there and tell him that the longer he wastes in there, the more likely UNIT will find him. Tell him your feet itch to get out of there. Up the stakes. Take a few weeks to breathe. Although, if you tell your mother I encouraged you to travel, I’ll deny it.”
Rose felt a lightness, that smile she needed.
“Thanks, Dad. I’ll do my best.”
“He needs you as much as you need him. I’ve worked it out with UNIT. Your things are packed in the jeep which is conveniently parked around the corner near the coffee shop. Please keep out of trouble and in contact.”
“Um you do know--”
“Yes,” he cut her off. “Just don’t get hurt again and call me first. I mean that or I swear I’ll lock you both up at home with your mum. Now don’t let him linger in there. It seems like you both do better on the move.”
“I’ll do my best. If I can just get him to choose a pair of pants.”
“I don’t need the gritty details,” Pete’s voice had a clear groan in it. “Just buy the basics and move on before things get dicey. I’ve already had a call with the store manager. You’ve got fifteen minutes for extraction.”
“Understood Control. I’ll think of something.” Rose sucked in cold air and steeled herself before walking into the sartorial battle field.
“Doctor.”
“Rose, we need to call the manufacturer of these pants. I mean the fabric is so badly artificial and doesn’t breathe. I’m human now and breathable moisture wicking fabric is important.”
Patience dissolved and Rose put on her best command mode.
“Right, we’ll take two packages of stretch cotton briefs, Cotton socks, the happy face socks and those with the fish.”
“Fish socks? Really, Rose. I don’t think—”
“And two of the scarves, one the multi colored knit and the other the blue,” Rose continued ignoring the pinched face and pouty lower lip. “Also a couple pairs of the thermals and let me see his maybe pile.”
“Rose, I don’t think you understand. These are things that will be against my very sensitive skin. I mean just because I changed doesn’t mean I’ve lost all sense of taste.” He sniffed and rubbed a pair of black dress socks between his fingers.
“Doctor, I hear UNIT’s figured out we made a runner. We need to shift. Now then, the navy jumper looks like it would be nice to hug and snuggle so we’re taking it and one in maroon. There’s also going to be that one navy pinstripe suit we’ll have taken in along the way, snow boots, a knit hat and gloves. That’ll have to do. Who wants a nice commission?” Rose asked the very excited sales staff who dashed off to fulfill her orders.
“I’m not a child. And I don’t do knit hats.”
“No, you’re a Time Lord who just wasted two hours of freedom complaining about shoddy manufacturing and breathable fabric. I’d like to keep this freedom thing going and not file more reports. And I’m hungry.”
“Two hours is nothing when I need comfort and things that don’t chafe. Style and comfort are important.”
“So is my holiday and we’ve got loads of shops we can stop off at along the way.”
“Well, I suppose I shouldn’t limit myself.” He toed a box with black trainers.
“Online shopping, Doctor. We pick up the basics and order stuff to be delivered wherever we end up.” She picked up the box of shoes and handed them off to a sales clerk who smiled brightly taking it back to ring it up with several bags of purchases.
“Online shopping,” he uttered the phrase with reverence. “I can order anything I want from anywhere, like some good Scottish wool. Oh I…I may like that. Did you say we’re going for a wander about?”
Rose shrugged and whipped out a credit card and handed it to a clerk with a tablet who showed her the amount which would have put any shopping marathon her mother did to shame.
“We might have an ally back in London who arranged for our transport to be loaded and is now around the corner for a convenient run for your life from bureaucracy, military reports and protective custody.”
“Protective custody is just a posh jail. Well, I suppose it doesn’t have to be posh but—” He bit out his words and tugged at his ear.
“Doesn’t matter cause we’re escaping. Let me finish this up and we’ll grab coffee and pastries and make a run for it.”
“Ringing up and running isn’t really a run for our lives. And I should really find the means for you know living.” He peered over her shoulder as she authorized the charge.
An acidic tone had entered his voice and muscles in his neck strained. A grunt and thump on his cast emphasized Rose didn’t have much time.
“Right then, thank you Pietro, Arvid, Kim and Thomas. Takk skal du ha,” Rose did her best with Norweigen and hoped she conveyed her appreciation. She made the Doctor carry the bulk of the bags.
“Beast of burden am I?” he teased, hobbling on his still pressure casted leg.
“I hear it builds character.” She swiped one bag as he stopped and squeezed his eyes shut favoring his leg. “The jeeps around the corner. Gonna make it?”
“I’m fine,” he grumbled. “Just another day and this thing is off.”
Rose suspected a day may mean a week but she very wisely bit her tongue on that point. Thankfully the jeep was indeed close by. They shoved his packages in the back and Rose left him to tuck himself in while she ran into the coffee shop to pick up coffee for her, tea for him and a bag full of pastries for the trip.
“Right then, we’re off,” Rose breathed out, reaching under the seat for the key fob which she pocketed.
He hummed around a mouthful of pastry. Sweets and tea. The one sure fire way to improve his mood and give Rose a break from any whinging. Which she needed to navigate the crowded streets of Bergen.
“You know it’s really my turn.”
He inhaled those pastries faster that she anticipated.
“What do you mean?” she winced as horns blared around her. A jeep wasn’t meant for metro traffic and small whizzing cars in Bergen.
“I should drive. You drove our last escape.”
Rose wanted to beat her head on the steering wheel as they once again were about to go another round of designated driver.
“Doctor, you don’t have a license”
“Neither do you in Norway and your driving skills are--” He sucked in breath and slapped his hand on the dash as Rose made a sharp turn narrowly avoiding a collision. “You keep saying we only have this one life,” he reminded her.
“Just give me a mo and I’ll have us out of here. And you have a cast on, a concussion and a cracked rib.”
“Oh no. No, no, no, we are not doing that. Miss cracked rib, contusions and still suffering from exhaustion.”
Rose’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
“Mr. still recovering from regeneration sickness. I think I’m a smidge better off than you.” Rose yanked the steering wheel to the right causing him to flail and hang on for dear life nearly spilling his tea.
“Oi! Eyes on the road!”
Rose soon had them out of the city center and headed South along the coast.
“Fine, you might be a smidge better off in the physical side but my mental acuity and reflexes are still better. Partners share the burden of transport.”
Rose cracked a smile thinking of TARDIS flying lessons. She’d nearly killed them several times according to him but he always seemed to have fun teaching her.
“Not going to disagree. Might try some zepp travel next. Might be more you. Being a ship and all.”
“Fair enough, I suppose.” He hummed around another pastry.
Rose relaxed back into her seat as much as she could enjoying the silence.
“You haven't eaten.”
Rose eyed the pastry in his hand. He offered half eaten flaky almond kringle to her.
“I’m all right. I’ll eat when we stop for lunch. You need it more than me.” The words easily flowed even as her stomach might disagree. Except, he really did need to eat and she’d observed how he got cranky when he was hungry. Maybe a slight bit of Donna he’d inherited along with a few other traits like the fashion interest.
“How long have you been doing this?”
“What?” Rose reached for coffee to hide and fortify her for whatever he was about to interrogate her with. Which was a new trait, him pushing her rather than analyzing deciding and not pushing things.
“Taking care of everyone and putting yourself last.”
Rose swallowed caffeine courage wishing she’d put more milk in. Her stomach soured and burned at how to answer him.
“I love you and when you love someone, you help them when they need it and you’re injured and still dealing with everything that happened.” That sounded like a good answer.
“You bundled me up at the shop and never got anything for yourself. You gave me food, tea and got my arse out of Bergen before anyone could say let’s interrogate the alien. Now you’re shivering, surviving on coffee and haven’t once complained how we skipped breakfast for a pre-dawn escape. You, Rose Tyler, are exhibiting behavior of someone used to setting herself aside.”
“You’re wrong. Everyone here put up with me talking about you nonstop, pushing to get back to you and doing what needed to get the whole stars going out solved. Mum especially.”
Any appetite vanished with the very real repercussions she now had to deal with. Like her job at UNIT, paperwork, a flat she didn’t want, all the people she pushed on the dimension cannon project she now had to apologize to for being a bit of a cow. It seemed too much, so crushing and enormous it nearly choked the breath from her.
“I think you’re being too hard on yourself. All of UNIT, even the stick up their asses ones, respect you. It took people from both universes to save everyone. They wouldn’t have made it this far without you. As for Jackie, well, she’s your mum. She wants her kids safe and together as a family.”
Rose pulled over into street parking amid tears burning her eyes unwilling to row and drive.
“You don’t understand. It’ll be easier for you. You can swan in, start fresh, be the smartest person on the planet with no apologies. Everyone will love you. I’ve got to deal with what I’ve done the past few years. The missed birthdays, avoiding parties or get togethers. Working through holidays and expecting everyone else to put in the time. Then there’s all the jumps, scaring people with how I came back. The paperwork I avoided and rules I broke. They should fire me and where do I go from there with almost no friends here, no resume, just nothing.”
Rose descended to that dark place she avoided. No running away from how she’d ignored everything but the goal, or saving her planet, and maybe find happiness a universe away. For the third or fourth time in the past few days, she broke down and wallowed in tears and a good gasping breath, body shaking cry. She just didn’t care anymore and rested her head on the steering wheel and cried her eyes out and her make up off in what she was sure was running streams down her face.
“Rose, no, I won’t have you being so hard on yourself.” The Doctor gently tugged her toward him and Rose welcomed it. God, she had fallen from the tough savior of the world into a woman who needs a hug and good cry to wash away everything she’d held back. She was as teetering on the edge as him. No wonder her Dad sent her off to get her head straight.
“You are amazing and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Jake thinks you're reckless but not for your team. It’s you he worries about. Putting yourself out there too much. He thought he’d lost both you and Mickey and it was all going to fall on him to keep things from falling into martial law again. Wasn’t the best world when we first arrived what with the Cybers and all. But Mickey and then you and Jackie helped make it better. That’s not selfish.”
“But it was. I was working to get back.” Rose mumbled into his neck, blowing her nose as he sat back and he shoved a handkerchief at her.
“Maybe that’s part of it but you didn’t have to work things out with Cthulhu. Or what about the gremlins? Or the people at UNIT you helped devise that New Species Research and Intervention team Jake told me about. Those seem awfully like you doing what we always did. Helping make the world a bit better.”
“That was just part of the job I had to do.” Rose wiped at her eyes wincing in the interior mirror at the state she looked.
“Maybe, or that’s just who you are. Always picking up lost, broken aliens and pretty boys. That’s my Rose. Brave to the core and so compassionate she could see a Landvættir wasn’t trying to hurt people but was suffering.”
Rose felt a small smile work its way out and leaned over for a chaste kiss, her fingers trailing up the nape of his neck into his hair.
“We’re all a little selfish,” he emphasized, gently guiding her hand to his lips. “Me especially. I always wanted you to myself for as long as I could have you. And now look at me. Stealing away with you again. Taking up all your time and focus when you need to unpack all this pent up guilt. Which I refuse to allow to hurt you. So please, just for a bit, will you let me take care of you?”
“You always took care of me, Doctor. Spoiled me. All of time and space, listening to me, caring about my opinions, and showing me so much. I just want to make sure you can be happy here. I want to do better than I have in this world.”
“This world is better with you in it and so am I. So this is me telling you to give yourself a break. Eat some pastries and let’s take our time. And please let me wrap a scarf around you and dig out some gloves because your fingers are colder than an ice warrior’s chest plate.” He pulled away and dramatically shivered.
In what was becoming a typical emotional roller coaster, Rose went from distraught, guilt ridden snot nosed cry fest to the beginning of a giggle at her alien hybrid boyfriend with loud fashion opinion.
“Here we are, now gloves first.”
Rose caught the soft, toasty warm lined gloves and oh they were a bit nice. She might need a pair.
“And now a scarf that looks like it was knitted by a drunken raxicorifallpatorian but should help warm you up until we get you a better coat.”
Rose leaned forward until he wrapped the orange, red and blue soft scarf around her. When he shoved his nose in it wrapped around her, Rose felt more giggles bubble up. Even as he reached for a tissue to clean up the mascara drizzled mess on her cheeks.
One good Doctor sneeze as he pulled away should have been the first sign, everything was about to change again.
“That wool is wrong.”
“Parallel universe,” Rose reminded him but sniffed just in case. She got nothing.
“No, that’s not any variation of sheep’s wool I’ve ever smelled. And don’t say it’s the metacrisis. I know wool. Past mes have had a thing for knitting. Had a competition with Madame Nostradamus. And let me tell you, she knew her wool.” He tugged at an end and inhaled again ending in a marathon of sneezes.
“Maybe you’re allergic to this universe’s wool?” Rose knew that was a long shot.
“No, definitely not an allergen. And not the dye although that’s sub par as well. This wool is not from Earth or any natural source on this planet. It’s got a hint of Macklorithan with a tang of metal and that slightest bitterness of aluminum nitrate. Definitely not used in manipulating wool or dyes.”
Rose bit her lower lip and met the very familiar adventure glint in his eyes.
“Alien sheep.”
“Might not be sheep. Lots of things produce wool-like products in other places in the universe. Well, our universe.”
“Sounds like trouble.” Rose’s heart beat just a bit faster and the problems weighing her down became less soul crushing things and more the bits in between she’d work through with him.
“We have a wool enigma. A twine teaser! The game is afoot. To the nearest yarn emporium, Watson. Allonsy!”