FicWad

The Doctor is at the TARDIS console, setting a course for somewhere unknown.

"Rose..." He sighs, his head shaking sadly. "I should've... I should...." He trails off. Suddenly he rolls his eyes. "Now that that silly bride is gone...." He sighs. "I can get back to..." He places his hands on the console, and leans downward. "I dunno. Something. I'll have to get back to something."

He hops up. "Well, old girl, why don't you surprise me?"

The TARDIS is already revving up for this. "I suppose mind reading is one of your little tricks," He laughs half heartedly.
"Just don't take me to Earth. Please." He adds softly. "I'm not... I couldn't..." He clears his throat. "Not yet." Then he laughs. "Although," He acts as if he's talking to someone in the room, wagging his finger, "Someone has to save those stupid, stupid apes...." He seems to look off into the distance. Then he sighs. "And I suppose it's gonna be me. But just not yet."

The TARDIS stops. "Well, old girl, why didn't you say we were here?" He laughs, and runs to the door.
Suddenly he runs back to the console. "Oops, I suppose knowing what year and galaxy might help, and the planet and time
can't hurt a bit either!" He runs back to the console, and glances at a few things.

Suddenly he slams his fist into the console. "You took me deliberately where I said not to go!" Suudenly he double takes at the console. "Oh, my..." His eyes grow wide. "But this is... Rose!"

He suddenly runs out the door, without so much as a backward glance.
______________________

"Well," The Doctor said, stepping outside the TARDIS, "If I were Rose.... Oh, God...." He sighs, suddenly leaned onto the side of the TARDIS. "She's here, I can feel it." He said, taking a deep breath. "Her Mum's. That's where Rose would be." He gulped, and began the long trek to Jackie's flat.
He nodded, and felt his legs nearly buckle. "Oh, don't do that," he said, suddenly finding that holding onto the top of someone's car was a very smart thing to do.
Until it moved.

"Whoa, sorry, didn't see you... " He backed away, and that's when it caught his eye. "Powell Estates."

_________________

"Rose," Jackie said, over her shoulder, on the phone. "Mickey wants to know if you like to go out with him and Mar---"

"I said no, Mum." The voice was muffled.

Jackie shrugged. "Sorry, Mickey. Says she's still not ready yet." After a moment, presumably to let Mickey anwser, Jackie nodded. "'A'right. Bye." A pause, then, "Rose? Rose, sweetheart, why don't you come to the kitchen? Dinner--"
Suddenly the bell rang. "Oh, dear, that must be your father," She said aloud, most likely to Rose. "'Ave I got a thing or two to say to that man," She said, opening the door.

And there stood the Doctor. "Likewise, I'm sure."

"Oh, my God!" Jackie gasped. "Rose, Rose, sweetheart! Get in here this instant!"

The Doctor grabbed the door entryway. "R-Ro... did you... did you say... you say Rose?"

Jackie nodded. "Yes, I did. Why don't you sit down? You look like you're about to keel over. I'll get you some tea."

The Doctor tried to smile. "Yes, thanks. Tea." He said, letting himself be pushed into the sofa. "I can't believe it..."

"Let me warn you, first, Doctor." Jackie said, turning back to kitchen. "Rose s'not exactly herself."

The Doctor nodded. "I understand."

"I don't think so, Doctor," Jackie broke in. "What I'm sayin' is," She looked around, and lowered her voice. "She's 's'not herself at all. Like you're not yourself. Well, like you're different from before..."

"What do you mean?" He narrowed his eyes.

Jackie threw up her hands. "Forget I said anything. You'll figure it out, sure enough."

"Jackie...." He began, then trailed off. "Alright, Fine. I'll figure it out, I suppose."

"That you will," She added. She turned to leave, then turned back. "And, just so it won't be too shocking, she doesn't talk like she used to. Sounds like she straight from Wales, she does."

"Has she spent some time in Wales lately?"

Jackie got a look in her eyes. "No, that's just it. She hasn't. Not a bit. Been 'ere since you left, she 'as."

"Since I-- Jackie, I didn't leave her--"

"I don't wanna hear it. Put her through enough pain already, you have. So just you leave her alone."

"I don't understand. If you want me gone, then why make me tea?"

Jackie sighed. "I don't want you gone. I jst don't want you to take my daughter away agin. She's really changed this time, she has. I knew it, I said. I knew she was changing into someone-- something -- else..."

The Doctor looked at Jackie. "I tried to reach her... I..." His voice broke, and then he grinned. "Forget that. Better not talk anymore."

Jackie nodded. "I'll get your tea."

The Doctor nodded, and leaned back into the sofa. Suddenly his eyes caught a picture sitting on a nearby table.
He reached for it, and looked at it, mouth open. "Oh, my---"

"Mum?" A girl of about 18 said, walking in. "Who---" She stopped midsentence, dead in her tracks. Her eyes glued to the Doctor, she froze. This Rose had long dark hair, bright green eyes, and was very pale. Her figure looked quite a bit like Shakira's, but she was taller, more like 5'8. She was wearing a tight fitting red babydoll tee, jeans, and her converse trainers. HEr hair hung limp around her face, and she appeared to have just been crying, and she looked like she'd missed a lot of sleep. Too much.

The Doctor just gaped. He felt terrible, even thoguht it wasn't his fault. But still, he blamed hismelf. He wanted to hold her, but was unsure if she wanted him to.
Then Rose began to sob uncontrollably. "Doctor..." She whispered. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up, as did he.
A look of relief, peace, joy, and love washed over his face. "Oh, Rose..." He said, running to her. "My Rose..."
He held her tightly, not letting go even for a second.

Rose held him tightly around the waist, and then reached up around his neck, burying her head in his chest.
The Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose, and held her. "I didn't... I wanted... I tried..." He tried to say, but Rose nodded, and murmured something unaudibly. "It's all right, I understand."

The the Doctor began to cry. "But I... I couldn't.... I needed---"

"I know... I know... I couldn't hold on... I couldn't..."

"Shhh..." The Doctor said, and pulling her to the sofa. He brushed some hair from her face. "It's over now."

"How did you know it was me?" She asked softly.

The Doctor almost laughed, but softly. Mostly from rleief. Then he traced his fingers along her face. "I just... I knew."
He pulled he close to him, and he added, "I could sense it. Feel it."

"Really?" She asked, looking up at him. "Bu... how?"

"Dont' you know?" He sighed. "Rose Tyler, if I only have one chnace to tell you this..." He grinned. "But this time, no interruption." He looked at her they way people look at things over the top of their glasses, but he wans't wearing any. "I love you too. More than anything. Always."

Rose smiled. "Oh, I love you too!"

"I know that, remember!?" He grinned manically.

"Oh, I'm so happ--" Rose gasped.

"What's wrong?" HE asked her, slightly worried. Okay. More than slightly.

She looked directly at him. "Torchwood."

"What about it?" He said, almost jumping up. Rose pulled him back down. "I still work there."

"At Torchwood?"

"At Torchwood."

"Which means...?" The Doctor asked, wondering why she'd brought this up.

Rose sighed. "They're coming over in---"

Suddenly the bell rang.

"Now?" The Doctor asked.

Rose jumped up. "No, no, no, no, no..." She grabbed the Doctor. "You have to hide!"

"Where?" He asked, nearly falling backwards and almost colliding with Jackie.

"Anywhere!" Rose hissed. "Mum, stick him in the closet!"

"Stick me in the what?!" The Doctor asked, incredulous. "In the WHAT?!"

"Closet." Both women supplied.

The Doctor nodded sarcastically. "I heard that, but why? I'm not a broom, or whatever it is speople stick there."

"Skeletons?" Jackie supplied.

The Doctor smirked. "Oh, ha. That's was completely hilarious." He didn't move.

"They're gonna take you away and do tests on you!" Jackie snapped.

The Doctor spun on his heels. "Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Jackie was left open mouthed. Then, finding her words, she said, "How dare you."

He ignored her. "Fine. I'll go in the closet. But I am not staying!"

Rose sighed. "Fine, alright. Of course. Just GO!"

The Doctor closed the door on himslef in the closet, and then a muffled voice said, "Don't serve them seconds, whatever you do."

Rose rolled her eyes, and opened the door. "Oh...!" She gasped. "Oh my God."

"Rose!" Jack Harkness grinned. "I can't believe it! What are the odds!" He picked her up and spun her around.

Once her feet were firmly on solid ground, Rose stuttered, "But... how... you... y-y-you recognized... muh-me..."

Jack nodded. "Can't change that much. Now, where's the Doc?"

The Doctor walked up, then, coughing. "I may look more different from my old self than Rose does hers, but--"

"Doctor!" Jack said, picking him up and spinning him around too. Once the Doctor was safely on the floor again, he held up a finger. "Don't. Kiss. Me. Just don't."

"Way to make a guy feel welcome," Jack rolled his eyes and grinned. He looked at both of them. "You guys are brand new looking, and look at me? Haha, I'm still me!"

Rose and the Doctor nodded.

Suddenly the Doctor blurted, "How is it that you're here?"

"Wha'dya mean?"

"This is alternate Earth," Rose added.

Jack sighed. "Wow." He blinked. "I didn't know it worked that good."

"What worked how good?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, you're gonna wanna kill me, but--" He grinned wider. "I got my hands on a---"

"Oh, my God. Don't say it. Just don't." He looked at Rose. "He's got a... well, what humans call UFOs."

Rose blinked. "Like... a UFO?"

The Doctor nodded. "Thing is, they're not very reliable. Where were you trying to go?"

"Ummm..." Jack shrugged. "I was trying to get to un-alternate earth."

"But that's not right..." The Doctor shook his head.

Rose looked uncomfortable.

The Doctor continued, "Actually, I shouldn't have have been able to get here. TARDIS or no.
So if I shouldn't have, then you really shouldn't have."

"Gee, thanks." Jack remarked.

"Nothing personal, it's just..." He sighed. "We got here another way, is all. An outside way."

Rose began to look almost nervous.

"What sort of way?" Jack asked, slightly confused. "I mean, what would have the sort of power as to--"

"I don't know," The Doctor interruped, surprised. "Only a Gallifre--" He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I'd be able to sense it--them. Whatever." He shook his head, as if to clear dust from it. "But I can't. I try, and nothing. So it's got to be something I don't know hwo to sense, which, when you think about it, is..."

"Kinda scary," Jack added.

"Exactly."

Rose couldn't take it anymore. "It was me."

"Rose, what was you?" The Doctor asked, looking her in the eye. He was honestly asking 'what'.
He gently held her shouldners, as she tremaled. "I did it. I had to. I mean, I don't now how I did it, and I don't think I could do it again, but I did do it. I swear. You have to believe me."

"I believe you," The Doctor said, and Jack nodded. "Me too," He added.

"Jack?" The Doctor said, calling him into another oom.

"Yes?" Jack asked him, once they were away from Rose's earshot.

"I don't know what she's capable of," The Doctor confessed.

"What do you mean?"

The Doctor sighed. "Ever wonder why you just 'came back to life', Jack?"

Jack blinked. "Wait, did she--"

"Yes, she did, Jack." The Doctor sighed, and ran his hands over his face. "And she destroyed all the Daleks back there too. With a single wave of her hand, if you'll believe it."

Jack nodded, speechless.

The Doctor continued, "But what frightens me the most, is...." He sighed. "If she can do this, then...."

"Then what?"

The Doctor sighed again. "Then who knows what else she can do."

"Does she know?" Jack asked after a moment.

"No, no, she doesn't." The Doctor said, thinking, halfway paying attention to Jack. "She took all of the time vortex inside her, and she--"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, The entire time vortex?" Jack asked.

"Yes." The Doctor said solomnly.

Jack ran his hands through his hair. "But that's... that's just... whoa."

"Yes, it is."

"But.... seriously? The whole thing?"

"Yes, Jack."

"And she didn't... oh, I dunno, explode?"

"No." The Doctor seemed to think this through. "Hold on," He said, a strange look on his face. "I regenerated, and I didn't even have it inside me as long as she did. And I regenerated, but she didn't." He ran his hands through his hair, thoughtful. "Until now, anyway."

"So THAT'S how you're... well, you. Nice hair, by the way."

"Thanks, I think so too." He grinned, then sighed. "She didn't. She held it longer, and she should have died. It should have killed her, right then and there. But it didn't. And she's alive... Bad Wolf.." He mumbled.

"Say what?" Jack looked unnerved.

"Oh, you rememebr. It was popping up everywhere."

"I think I do, but you said 'Bad Wolf', right?'

"Yes, I did, Jack. Why?" Suddenly the Doctor's eyes went wide. "I hate not knowing things, Jack. You'd better tell me!"

Jack got excited. "I had this dream, Bad Wolf... something. I don't know what, but... wait. I've only gotten these weird dreams and visions, since I came back to life."

"You say since you came back to life?"

"Yeah. Wait. Rose brought me back to life. Can't be just a coincidence..." He trailed off, tinking. Suddenly his eyes grew wide. "Hey, is she Bad Wolf? Doc! Is Rose Bad Wolf?"

"Yes...." The Doctor said, then his eyes grew wide. "Visions?"

"Yeah, since... wait, you don't think I got it from her, do you?"

The Doctor shook his head. "At this point, I'd believe anything. Except that Torchwood wants to be my pen pal."

"Torchwood!" Jack exclaimed. "WHy the heck would they want to be your..." He looked out the window, and eyed the Doctor, slightly fearful. "About Torchwood, Doc..."

"Yes, what about them, Jack?" He rolled his eyes. "And don't call me 'Doc'--"

Jack looked at the Doctor nervously. "They're at our front door."

"What?!"

Suddenly Rose ran in. "Hurry, my Dad just came in the back door. He says that Torchwood knows you're here, and they want you. "We have to go!"

Jack shook his head. "Rose, your whole, family's gonna have to come with us, you know. Torchwood won't go easy on them."

Rose's eyes went wide. "Mum! Mum! Get Charlie!"

"Charlie?" Both Jack and the Doctor repeated.

"My six month old brother," Rose supplied.

"Oh." The Doctor said. "I've been gone awhile, then."

"Yeah." Jack added.

____________________________

Soon they were out the door, when they ran into Mickey. "You!" He yelled at the Doctor. "You came back!" Suddenly he burst into a grin.

"Oh, great. More to bring along," The Doctor grinned. "Get in, now."

Mickey blinked. "What?"

"Get inside the TARDIS, now."

Mickey ran to his car, and opened the door. "Not without my wife, I don't."

The Doctor looked at Rose. "This is the sort of thing you tell people!" He shrugged. "Well, hurry!"

Rose rolled her eyes. "I would've, had I had the chance to."

His wife stepped out, holding two shopping bags marked Henrik's.

The Doctor's jaw dropped. He didn't know her, did he? No. He was certain of it. But something said she was familiar.

"Doctor, I'd like you to meet my wife, Martha."

"Hello, Doctor," Martha said.

The Doctor's mouth snapped shut.


To Be Continued...