Remix Fic: Mad, Bad (The Auld Acquaintance Remix)
Title: Mad, Bad (The Auld Acquaintance Remix)
Remixer: karenor
Remix of: Mad, Bad by spikewriter
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Rose
Rating: All Ages
Summary: That first New Year’s Eve. The flip side of Shareen’s POV, and some of what she didn’t see.
Disclaimer: BBC owns, etc. etc.
A/N: Written for the chips_remixed Doctor/Rose fic remix challenge. Thanks to requialexa and bananasandroses for betaing. And to spikewriter for offering up her fics to play with. ;)
“So you’re sure this is all right?” she asked, straightening his tie. “Going out with my friends?”
“Yeah,” he answered, in a small croak, slightly distracted by her fingers. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah. Of course. It’s New Year’s Eve. What’s New Year’s without a party?”
“Yeah?” She flashed him a shy grin, and his brand new hearts nearly stopped. Had he ever been immune to Rose Tyler’s charm? If so he couldn’t remember such a time. She brushed imaginary lint off his suit and stood back, appraising him. “You’ll do,” she said.
He smiled back at her, donned his coat, and offered her his hand. She took it enthusiastically after calling out a goodbye and a “Happy New Year, mum!” to her mum.
“Mind if we stop by Shareen’s? I told her we’d all walk together,” she said locking the door to the flat behind her.
“No… I don’t mind,” he said hesitantly.
“Why, noooo?” she said mimicking his tone. She dropped his hand and turned to face him. “What have you got against Shareen?”
“Nothing at all! She’s just very… inquisitive. Grilled me when we first came back. You know, after the whole Slitheen spaceship into Big Ben thing.”
“Ah,” Rose said, seeming to understand. “She was just sizing you up. Does that to all my… mates.” He watched a slight flush creep up her face and she rearranged her scarf around her neck before going on. “Grilled you on what?”
“You know… us.” He waved his hand around them in what he hoped was a meaningful manner.
She seemed to consider his words for a moment before shrugging. “At least she didn’t slap you,” she said, grabbing his hand again and pulling him down the corridor.
“Well yes,” he agreed, “there is that.”
* * *
Rose fanned her face with a coaster while the Doctor was at the bar grabbing her another pint. The pub seemed particularly warm tonight. Maybe it’d just been a while since she’d been in their local when it was so crowded. It’d been a while since she’d been here full stop. She expected to have to make apologies for being away all the time, to have to spin believable tales about their adventures, but her mates thought it was more important to catch her up on the gossip she’d missed ‘round the estate than needle her for information.
As the pints had gone back, some of her tension eased. A couple of her friends (Shareen more than the others) had sent the Doctor the odd appraising glance now and then. And at one point, Keisha-well drunk by then-had cornered her in the ladies and demanded to know how “this Doctor bloke,” was in bed (she’d gracefully sidestepped the issue). But for the most part, they let him alone.
And he seemed content to quietly hang back and watch them all. This new Doctor, so much more talkative than when he’d been, well… his old self, was being what she already understood was uncharacteristically silent. As she watched him walk back towards their table, she idly wondered (her churning thoughts maybe fuelled a bit by lager) if it was too much to hope for a New Year’s kiss. She shook herself, smiling at him as he slid back into the seat beside her and set her drink down-nah, he’d not be that uncharacteristic.
He slid his hand over hers where it rested on the slightly sticky table and she felt herself shiver despite the warmth of the crowded room. He brought his lips to her ear and she felt his cool lips just brush her skin before he corrected and pulled back a bit.
“I ordered champagne for everyone,” he said for only her to hear. “To toast the new year. Do you think it’s too much?”
“Trying to impress someone, Doctor?” she asked, speaking just as softly.
His hand tightened on hers a fraction.
“Just you,” he said, a laugh in his voice. “Is it working?”
“Oh absolutely. You’re very… dashing.”
“Dashing?” He was silent for a few seconds. “Brilliant!” he beamed, tipping his glass to clink with hers before taking a long drink.
* * *
He should have known something like the Kher’rem-jkalye would come sniffing around after the Sycorax’s leavings. It jumped out and very nearly attacked them as he and Rose and Shareen were making their way home in the wee hours of the new year.
Now the rest of the night would be spent tracking those vultures down rather than tea, biscuits and late night telly with Rose, on her couch, basking in her praise over how well he handled the evening with her friends. He insulted no one, made nary a complaint or inappropriate application of his superior knowledge. He might have had to hold his tongue several times.
Not only that, but they’d had to burst the bubble of yet another human innocent who was as unready as most of her kind to accept the truth. Yes, aliens are real. No, they’re not all as dashing as I am.
“You shouldn’t have to worry, but we should get you home sooner rather than later. C’mon.” He held out his hand to the frightened girl just coming out from behind a rubbish bin.
Hesitantly she accepted his hand, as Rose slipped hers into Shareen’s other. Rose was automatically protecting her scared friend, rather than seeking his comfort. She’d given no indication that she was frightened at all, even though he knew better. Even he was a little wary of Kher’rem-jkalye, monstrous looking beasts as they were, all teeth and… goop. At least they were easy enough to get rid of. The TARDIS and a sonic dispersal signal should be enough. They’d still need to round up some strays, though.
The three of them were quiet for at least two full minutes. Shareen spoke first, her voice barely carrying over their footfalls on the concrete.
“Is that what you two do, then? Catch aliens?”
“Sometimes,” Rose answered, simply.
When they fell quiet again, he felt compelled to fill the silence. “That champagne was a bit rubbish, though, wasn’t it?”
Shareen giggled nervously and Rose tossed him a small grateful smile.
“Rose,” he continued, “remind me to take you to France. Say around…” he’d been about to say the seventeenth century, but best not saddle Shareen with the concepts of alien life and time travel in one evening. Instead he finished, a bit lamely with, “…summer.”
As they continued with small talk, he felt Shareen’s pulse settle into a normal rhythm, and by the time they reached her front door, he thought she might even be able to convince herself that their brush with the frightening alien was some sort of drunken hallucination. But just before she reached up to kiss him on the cheek and thank him for the walk home, he saw another flash of fear in her eyes. He sighed mentally. No, she’d remember this night for a long time yet.
When the door quietly snicked shut, Rose was in his arms immediately, not even waiting to be out of view of her mate’s front window. She hugged him tightly, burrowing her cold face into his coat.
“What is it?” he asked, rubbing her back through her puffy coat.
“Dozens of times Shareen and I made that walk, and never did a kremmy-whatsit ever jump out at us.”
“You were scared?” he asked, but it was barely a question.
She nodded against him and pulled away, grabbing his hand and beginning the walk back to the TARDIS.
“I don’t know why,” she said, nervously pushing her hair behind her ears with her free hand. “We’ve faced so much worse. You and me, I mean. And recently too.”
“Do you want to stay at home tonight? I can handle the Kher’rem-jkalye.” He pulled her towards her mum’s flat instead of the direction of their ship.
She stopped them in their tracks. “But it could be dangerous!”
He’d not push her. They’d yet to leave Earth since his regeneration. If she was feeling a bit frightened… But he found he couldn’t lie to her either, just now.
“Well… yes. I imagine it could be.”
“Oh,” she said softly looking at the ground and he realised she might think he didn’t want her to come along, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
“But then,” he grinned at her and pitched his voice teasingly low, “I’m pretty dangerous myself.”
She looked up at him again, catching his fervour like she always did. She answered back with a flirty grin of her own.
“Maybe I like my men dangerous,” she drawled and pulled him resolutely towards the TARDIS.
“Oh yeah?” he trailed after her, “Because Mickey…”
“Oi!”
FIN
Remixer: karenor
Remix of: Mad, Bad by spikewriter
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Rose
Rating: All Ages
Summary: That first New Year’s Eve. The flip side of Shareen’s POV, and some of what she didn’t see.
Disclaimer: BBC owns, etc. etc.
A/N: Written for the chips_remixed Doctor/Rose fic remix challenge. Thanks to requialexa and bananasandroses for betaing. And to spikewriter for offering up her fics to play with. ;)
“So you’re sure this is all right?” she asked, straightening his tie. “Going out with my friends?”
“Yeah,” he answered, in a small croak, slightly distracted by her fingers. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah. Of course. It’s New Year’s Eve. What’s New Year’s without a party?”
“Yeah?” She flashed him a shy grin, and his brand new hearts nearly stopped. Had he ever been immune to Rose Tyler’s charm? If so he couldn’t remember such a time. She brushed imaginary lint off his suit and stood back, appraising him. “You’ll do,” she said.
He smiled back at her, donned his coat, and offered her his hand. She took it enthusiastically after calling out a goodbye and a “Happy New Year, mum!” to her mum.
“Mind if we stop by Shareen’s? I told her we’d all walk together,” she said locking the door to the flat behind her.
“No… I don’t mind,” he said hesitantly.
“Why, noooo?” she said mimicking his tone. She dropped his hand and turned to face him. “What have you got against Shareen?”
“Nothing at all! She’s just very… inquisitive. Grilled me when we first came back. You know, after the whole Slitheen spaceship into Big Ben thing.”
“Ah,” Rose said, seeming to understand. “She was just sizing you up. Does that to all my… mates.” He watched a slight flush creep up her face and she rearranged her scarf around her neck before going on. “Grilled you on what?”
“You know… us.” He waved his hand around them in what he hoped was a meaningful manner.
She seemed to consider his words for a moment before shrugging. “At least she didn’t slap you,” she said, grabbing his hand again and pulling him down the corridor.
“Well yes,” he agreed, “there is that.”
* * *
Rose fanned her face with a coaster while the Doctor was at the bar grabbing her another pint. The pub seemed particularly warm tonight. Maybe it’d just been a while since she’d been in their local when it was so crowded. It’d been a while since she’d been here full stop. She expected to have to make apologies for being away all the time, to have to spin believable tales about their adventures, but her mates thought it was more important to catch her up on the gossip she’d missed ‘round the estate than needle her for information.
As the pints had gone back, some of her tension eased. A couple of her friends (Shareen more than the others) had sent the Doctor the odd appraising glance now and then. And at one point, Keisha-well drunk by then-had cornered her in the ladies and demanded to know how “this Doctor bloke,” was in bed (she’d gracefully sidestepped the issue). But for the most part, they let him alone.
And he seemed content to quietly hang back and watch them all. This new Doctor, so much more talkative than when he’d been, well… his old self, was being what she already understood was uncharacteristically silent. As she watched him walk back towards their table, she idly wondered (her churning thoughts maybe fuelled a bit by lager) if it was too much to hope for a New Year’s kiss. She shook herself, smiling at him as he slid back into the seat beside her and set her drink down-nah, he’d not be that uncharacteristic.
He slid his hand over hers where it rested on the slightly sticky table and she felt herself shiver despite the warmth of the crowded room. He brought his lips to her ear and she felt his cool lips just brush her skin before he corrected and pulled back a bit.
“I ordered champagne for everyone,” he said for only her to hear. “To toast the new year. Do you think it’s too much?”
“Trying to impress someone, Doctor?” she asked, speaking just as softly.
His hand tightened on hers a fraction.
“Just you,” he said, a laugh in his voice. “Is it working?”
“Oh absolutely. You’re very… dashing.”
“Dashing?” He was silent for a few seconds. “Brilliant!” he beamed, tipping his glass to clink with hers before taking a long drink.
* * *
He should have known something like the Kher’rem-jkalye would come sniffing around after the Sycorax’s leavings. It jumped out and very nearly attacked them as he and Rose and Shareen were making their way home in the wee hours of the new year.
Now the rest of the night would be spent tracking those vultures down rather than tea, biscuits and late night telly with Rose, on her couch, basking in her praise over how well he handled the evening with her friends. He insulted no one, made nary a complaint or inappropriate application of his superior knowledge. He might have had to hold his tongue several times.
Not only that, but they’d had to burst the bubble of yet another human innocent who was as unready as most of her kind to accept the truth. Yes, aliens are real. No, they’re not all as dashing as I am.
“You shouldn’t have to worry, but we should get you home sooner rather than later. C’mon.” He held out his hand to the frightened girl just coming out from behind a rubbish bin.
Hesitantly she accepted his hand, as Rose slipped hers into Shareen’s other. Rose was automatically protecting her scared friend, rather than seeking his comfort. She’d given no indication that she was frightened at all, even though he knew better. Even he was a little wary of Kher’rem-jkalye, monstrous looking beasts as they were, all teeth and… goop. At least they were easy enough to get rid of. The TARDIS and a sonic dispersal signal should be enough. They’d still need to round up some strays, though.
The three of them were quiet for at least two full minutes. Shareen spoke first, her voice barely carrying over their footfalls on the concrete.
“Is that what you two do, then? Catch aliens?”
“Sometimes,” Rose answered, simply.
When they fell quiet again, he felt compelled to fill the silence. “That champagne was a bit rubbish, though, wasn’t it?”
Shareen giggled nervously and Rose tossed him a small grateful smile.
“Rose,” he continued, “remind me to take you to France. Say around…” he’d been about to say the seventeenth century, but best not saddle Shareen with the concepts of alien life and time travel in one evening. Instead he finished, a bit lamely with, “…summer.”
As they continued with small talk, he felt Shareen’s pulse settle into a normal rhythm, and by the time they reached her front door, he thought she might even be able to convince herself that their brush with the frightening alien was some sort of drunken hallucination. But just before she reached up to kiss him on the cheek and thank him for the walk home, he saw another flash of fear in her eyes. He sighed mentally. No, she’d remember this night for a long time yet.
When the door quietly snicked shut, Rose was in his arms immediately, not even waiting to be out of view of her mate’s front window. She hugged him tightly, burrowing her cold face into his coat.
“What is it?” he asked, rubbing her back through her puffy coat.
“Dozens of times Shareen and I made that walk, and never did a kremmy-whatsit ever jump out at us.”
“You were scared?” he asked, but it was barely a question.
She nodded against him and pulled away, grabbing his hand and beginning the walk back to the TARDIS.
“I don’t know why,” she said, nervously pushing her hair behind her ears with her free hand. “We’ve faced so much worse. You and me, I mean. And recently too.”
“Do you want to stay at home tonight? I can handle the Kher’rem-jkalye.” He pulled her towards her mum’s flat instead of the direction of their ship.
She stopped them in their tracks. “But it could be dangerous!”
He’d not push her. They’d yet to leave Earth since his regeneration. If she was feeling a bit frightened… But he found he couldn’t lie to her either, just now.
“Well… yes. I imagine it could be.”
“Oh,” she said softly looking at the ground and he realised she might think he didn’t want her to come along, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
“But then,” he grinned at her and pitched his voice teasingly low, “I’m pretty dangerous myself.”
She looked up at him again, catching his fervour like she always did. She answered back with a flirty grin of her own.
“Maybe I like my men dangerous,” she drawled and pulled him resolutely towards the TARDIS.
“Oh yeah?” he trailed after her, “Because Mickey…”
“Oi!”
FIN