Part 02 - Chapter 06 - Trust
Chapter 06 - Trust
Most of the day, Rose has only been popping out only occasionally to get a cup of tea, something to eat or for the odd moment just to stand in the door and watch the Doctor all focused attention on the telly, never has she know anyone so intense. It is one of these times as she is standing in the doorway as an observer that she realizes the room full of people seems at once comforting and disconcerting. It is comforting to the extent that it is so very normal, other then the whole crashed alien spaceship thing, this is what happens when things happen around here.
Everyone shows up at her mums, people eat, drink and talk, sometimes too much; they talk about everything and nothing at all. All the small details of their daily lives, are discussed, commented on and taken apart, and until three days ago her time she would have been right in there telling her stories and commenting on theirs. Now, well now everything is different yet in so many ways the same. She is no longer part of their world and the things she could say of hers would get her locked up in a looney bin. Going to the kitchen, she gets herself another cup of tea, another kind of surreal experience as she mentally enumerates the things that have changed in a year. The house even seems to smell different then it did something she never would have noticed before. As she emerges from the kitchen, she sees the Doctor walking out the front door. With a surge of panic, she plunks her tea down untouched, heedless of the sloshing liquid, and bolts after him.
Rose had instinctually reached for the Doctor's feelings as she saw him leave, what she felt had scared her as she knew at that moment he wasn't planning on coming back.
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The Doctor has been watching the telly most of the day; for the most part, he has been trying to tune out the crowd of that surrounds him. He listens to the prattle of the humans as a background noise, but try as he might he can't help but recognize how different they are, the things that concern them are pointless drivel in comparison to the life he leads. One part of him envies them that, if someone gets a new dye job everyone notices, unlike his life where decisions of who lives and who dies were daily occurrences. All too often, these choices are not even really anything he has control over, and far too often, his mistakes cost people their lives; take Gwyneth for example. The rift most likely wouldn’t have opened, at least not then anyway, if it weren't for his guilt and Gwyneth would still be alive and have a place to work, well not now of course, but then she could have lived out her life as normally as someone with her gifts might. How long would it be before his life killed Rose? His place was out exploring. He should be trying to make up for the multitude of mistakes he has already made and trying harder to avoid making any more. He has to travel, has to continue to fix things as he can. He is the last Time Lord, he had seen to that, a thought that still wrenches at his hearts, just one more reason he shouldn’t stay. He owes it to the universe, to try to fix the things the lower species screw up thinking they know about Time and truly understand consequences. Stupid foolish apes, they never seem to learn, to grasp how cataclysmic things can become when you start messing with time. He really should leave. Rose has a life, a home, her mom who loves her; he has no right to steal these from her. It really is best he is off, while he can still leave her behind. It isn’t as if he deserves someone like Rose, after everything he’s done. She is all innocence and light, and he, well he is the darkness 'The Oncoming Storm', 'The Destroyer of Worlds'... the destroyer of his own people. With his determination set, a weight like the weight of the coat about his shoulders yet so much heavier, much more like the weight of the worlds he is responsible for settles in; he heads for the TARDIS.
Just as the grim depression of being alone descends, like a ton of bricks because he thinks he has made good his escape, Rose comes barreling out of the flat. A look of utter horror on her face and pure panic is radiating off her like a mini sun; each wave of her distress leaching away his resolve like the waves of the ocean eroding cliff walls. It doesn’t take long for him to cave in; when he is honest with himself, he really doesn’t want to leave Rose behind something he’s really is ashamed of, he’s a Time Lord he shouldn’t need this simple ape; yet he does.
Already she has helped him to find that there really were things that he could be joyful about, her for starters. So, to cover up his embarrassment at being caught sneaking out, caught needing her more then he should, he gives her a lame excuse about things getting too human and a TARDIS key. He knows, in the moment he hands the key over, that he will always come back for her. So, he encourages her to go spend time with her mum. Though dubious at first, she finally goes back inside the flat.
He has after all caused her to lose that year with her mum; it is his actions, which have caused Jackie to worry needlessly, and he knows it will be his actions that will take her away from her again. He really can't blame the woman for slapping him, rubbing his cheek with the remembered pain. He had once had both kids and grandkids and he knows with deadly certainty what he would do if someone stole or harmed one of those, they wouldn't get off with just a slap that was for sure. In one way, he respects Jackie’s restraint, yet another part whispers to him that she doesn’t deserve Rose if she won’t fight harder for her.
He contemplates this as he heads to the TARDIS to check on something one of the broadcasters had said. He has told Rose he was just going for a walk, walking to the TARDIS is a walk isn't it? It isn’t as if he’s grown wings and is flying there. If he should just happen to check a few thing out while he is there...
He can't help his amused expression as he looks up at the banner hung outside the council estates that states 'the aliens have landed'. The irony of the sign amuses him, little do these humans suspect that they have had aliens on their planet for centuries, their visits repeatedly explained away while other humanoid aliens like him stroll about unnoticed. They never suspect, never allow them selves to believe, they have not been ready yet. He brakes into a smile as further along he sees the sign hung out saying 'Welcome ET', realizing that most likely the only alien that will see that sign is himself.
As he approaches the TARDIS anticipation builds an exuberant smile bursts onto his face and he can't help a jubilant laugh as he closes the doors and begins to dash about the TARDIS resetting the coordinates for the short hop. Now, over to Albion Hospital to check out the reports of an alien body located there. He just can't stand it, he has to know which species has made such a dramatic appearance, and his curiosity just can't abide waiting any longer.
No sooner has he exited the storage closet that he has parked the TARDIS in than he finds himself, yet again, in an unenviable situation; surrounded by a batch of military types with their guns pointed at him. He really does hate it when this happens, and tries to show he’s not hostile by giving them a big cheesy grin. Fortunately, for him, before being forced to explain his presence in a securely locked down location, a scream pierces the air. This is definitely more like it! It almost makes up for having to sit all day a stuffy apartment full of gossipy humans, well almost.
His Unit experience kicks in and he automatically shouts out the command for a military formation "Defense Pod Delta" to cover him as he sets off to discover who is the source of the shriek. Quickly he locates the lab and the lab technician who was the source of the noise. After dispatching the squad to lock down the building, he directs the remaining guard to protect the Asian medical woman. He then goes in search of the alien that he can hear moving about. His interest piqued by the noises it is making he slowly approaches trying not to frighten it, at least he can get this encounter off to a peaceful start. His cheerful greeting of "Hello!" with a bright smile is unfortunately too much for the creature and it panics.
"Don't shoot!" he yells at the guard that levels his weapon on the pig like creature now escaping down the hall and he sets off in hot pursuit. He knows that if he doesn’t get to it first it isn't going survive long with the military force filling the halls.
Too late! Why is he always too late? He rages at the guard that has shot the creature and mourns yet another death, why is it always this way? Why is it always the first course of action for these stupid apes to shoot first? He gently caresses the pig creature's snout as it dies and demands that they carry it back to the lab; the only information now will be had from the poor thing’s body.
It doesn't take him long to realize that the 'alien' that all the fuss is about is no more then an alien augmented pig, but why? Why would aliens fake an alien crash except as a diversion? Rose! He has to get back to Rose; what if they were looking to draw him away, lure him off so they can get to Rose to get back at him in some manner? Panic begins to swell as begins to think of the multitude of races that would see him suffer and he pelts back to the TARDIS to get back to Rose before anyone else can find or hurt her.
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When Mickey sees the Doctor leave, he can't believe his eyes at first. After everything he’s been through, and there is the Doctor just wandering along like taking a stroll on a summer evening like nothing has happened; just like he hasn't taken his Rose away. He has to find out what he has done with Rose; he can't stand the thought of being left behind again not knowing. He has red the stories on the Internet he has seen the stories of devastation that always seems to follow him even as Clive had said. Little good it does him, even running like a manic from his apartment the TARDIS dematerializes and he slams into the wall behind. He stands, hoping no one has seen his disgraceful collision. Then he realizes maybe; just maybe that alien has left Rose off back at her mums. He has to hope as he has missed her so, and thus he runs back up the stairs to Jackie's apartment, hoping beyond hope that just maybe she is there.
Mickey bursts into the apartment, and Rose gapes at him, oh God she had forgotten about Mickey. Then he's heading for the kitchen following her mum who has just stalked from the room. She tries to explain but he's just not listening.
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WHAT! The Doctor can't have left he gave her a key. He wouldn't, he couldn't have just left her not after everything, she was sure he had changed his mind. She didn't even get to tell him what she felt, why she couldn't live back here ever again. Mickey must be wrong! She runs from the flat, terrified that Mickey just might be right. He was going to leave earlier, she knew that, but he had changed his mind, he gave her a key; she had felt him change his mind, he couldn't have left her.
Horror blooms in her chest as she sees the empty space where the TARDIS was earlier. No! He couldn't… "He wouldn't just go... He promised me,” she cries, then cringes when Mickey gloats, "He's dumped you Rose, sailed off into space. How does it feel huh? Now you’re left behind with the rest of us earthlings, get used to it!"
No, it can't be, there has to be a reason, "No, he would have said…”
Oh not mum too! Oh great, now she's seen the TARDIS materialize. How in the world am I going to explain that? But, first the Doctor!
He was frantic, he had to know what was going on, who would have had the resources, who could have wanted to make this mess. Flying about the controls, he resets them to the last location as he searches for anything that will tell him what is going on. 'Verity is Rose okay? Where is she?'
Verity can feel his panic as he frantically runs about. He is mentally directing her to search databases, satellite imagery and any other references she can find to figure out who these aliens are who have to come to threaten the only other planet he has left he can even come close to calling home. She sends him soothing pulses as she locates Rose bright and shiny in her temporal senses and in no way distressed, by this she assures him she is fine. Even as she feels the Doctors flood of relief and how his mind shifts to solving his mystery she feels Rose's emotions spike in anguish. Touching her conscious mind ever so gently, she sees that it has nothing to do with anything other then the Doctor's absence. She feels Rose's intense loyalty to her Theta as she defends him from her ex-boyfriend and in her panic as she tries to encourage her mum to leave to prevent her from finding out more about him.
Feeling all of Rose's myriad emotions she gently chastises the Doctor for running off, knowing that the fear that someone might have been planning to hurt her is more then enough spur to get him to apologize to Rose for not telling her of his little excursion. She really is going to have to talk to him about how fragile these humans trust can be in the face of the unknown.
Too preoccupied with trying to solve the mystery of the pig ‘alien’ he never once thinks about how his actions could have damaged Rose’s ability to trust in him. Not until much later will he realize how that seed of doubt he has planted today could bear fruit later
Chapter 07 - When Pigs Fly & Aliens Come to Downing Street (Story Index)
Moving Forward Index 1
Most of the day, Rose has only been popping out only occasionally to get a cup of tea, something to eat or for the odd moment just to stand in the door and watch the Doctor all focused attention on the telly, never has she know anyone so intense. It is one of these times as she is standing in the doorway as an observer that she realizes the room full of people seems at once comforting and disconcerting. It is comforting to the extent that it is so very normal, other then the whole crashed alien spaceship thing, this is what happens when things happen around here.
Everyone shows up at her mums, people eat, drink and talk, sometimes too much; they talk about everything and nothing at all. All the small details of their daily lives, are discussed, commented on and taken apart, and until three days ago her time she would have been right in there telling her stories and commenting on theirs. Now, well now everything is different yet in so many ways the same. She is no longer part of their world and the things she could say of hers would get her locked up in a looney bin. Going to the kitchen, she gets herself another cup of tea, another kind of surreal experience as she mentally enumerates the things that have changed in a year. The house even seems to smell different then it did something she never would have noticed before. As she emerges from the kitchen, she sees the Doctor walking out the front door. With a surge of panic, she plunks her tea down untouched, heedless of the sloshing liquid, and bolts after him.
Rose had instinctually reached for the Doctor's feelings as she saw him leave, what she felt had scared her as she knew at that moment he wasn't planning on coming back.
--------------------------------------------------
The Doctor has been watching the telly most of the day; for the most part, he has been trying to tune out the crowd of that surrounds him. He listens to the prattle of the humans as a background noise, but try as he might he can't help but recognize how different they are, the things that concern them are pointless drivel in comparison to the life he leads. One part of him envies them that, if someone gets a new dye job everyone notices, unlike his life where decisions of who lives and who dies were daily occurrences. All too often, these choices are not even really anything he has control over, and far too often, his mistakes cost people their lives; take Gwyneth for example. The rift most likely wouldn’t have opened, at least not then anyway, if it weren't for his guilt and Gwyneth would still be alive and have a place to work, well not now of course, but then she could have lived out her life as normally as someone with her gifts might. How long would it be before his life killed Rose? His place was out exploring. He should be trying to make up for the multitude of mistakes he has already made and trying harder to avoid making any more. He has to travel, has to continue to fix things as he can. He is the last Time Lord, he had seen to that, a thought that still wrenches at his hearts, just one more reason he shouldn’t stay. He owes it to the universe, to try to fix the things the lower species screw up thinking they know about Time and truly understand consequences. Stupid foolish apes, they never seem to learn, to grasp how cataclysmic things can become when you start messing with time. He really should leave. Rose has a life, a home, her mom who loves her; he has no right to steal these from her. It really is best he is off, while he can still leave her behind. It isn’t as if he deserves someone like Rose, after everything he’s done. She is all innocence and light, and he, well he is the darkness 'The Oncoming Storm', 'The Destroyer of Worlds'... the destroyer of his own people. With his determination set, a weight like the weight of the coat about his shoulders yet so much heavier, much more like the weight of the worlds he is responsible for settles in; he heads for the TARDIS.
Just as the grim depression of being alone descends, like a ton of bricks because he thinks he has made good his escape, Rose comes barreling out of the flat. A look of utter horror on her face and pure panic is radiating off her like a mini sun; each wave of her distress leaching away his resolve like the waves of the ocean eroding cliff walls. It doesn’t take long for him to cave in; when he is honest with himself, he really doesn’t want to leave Rose behind something he’s really is ashamed of, he’s a Time Lord he shouldn’t need this simple ape; yet he does.
Already she has helped him to find that there really were things that he could be joyful about, her for starters. So, to cover up his embarrassment at being caught sneaking out, caught needing her more then he should, he gives her a lame excuse about things getting too human and a TARDIS key. He knows, in the moment he hands the key over, that he will always come back for her. So, he encourages her to go spend time with her mum. Though dubious at first, she finally goes back inside the flat.
He has after all caused her to lose that year with her mum; it is his actions, which have caused Jackie to worry needlessly, and he knows it will be his actions that will take her away from her again. He really can't blame the woman for slapping him, rubbing his cheek with the remembered pain. He had once had both kids and grandkids and he knows with deadly certainty what he would do if someone stole or harmed one of those, they wouldn't get off with just a slap that was for sure. In one way, he respects Jackie’s restraint, yet another part whispers to him that she doesn’t deserve Rose if she won’t fight harder for her.
He contemplates this as he heads to the TARDIS to check on something one of the broadcasters had said. He has told Rose he was just going for a walk, walking to the TARDIS is a walk isn't it? It isn’t as if he’s grown wings and is flying there. If he should just happen to check a few thing out while he is there...
He can't help his amused expression as he looks up at the banner hung outside the council estates that states 'the aliens have landed'. The irony of the sign amuses him, little do these humans suspect that they have had aliens on their planet for centuries, their visits repeatedly explained away while other humanoid aliens like him stroll about unnoticed. They never suspect, never allow them selves to believe, they have not been ready yet. He brakes into a smile as further along he sees the sign hung out saying 'Welcome ET', realizing that most likely the only alien that will see that sign is himself.
As he approaches the TARDIS anticipation builds an exuberant smile bursts onto his face and he can't help a jubilant laugh as he closes the doors and begins to dash about the TARDIS resetting the coordinates for the short hop. Now, over to Albion Hospital to check out the reports of an alien body located there. He just can't stand it, he has to know which species has made such a dramatic appearance, and his curiosity just can't abide waiting any longer.
No sooner has he exited the storage closet that he has parked the TARDIS in than he finds himself, yet again, in an unenviable situation; surrounded by a batch of military types with their guns pointed at him. He really does hate it when this happens, and tries to show he’s not hostile by giving them a big cheesy grin. Fortunately, for him, before being forced to explain his presence in a securely locked down location, a scream pierces the air. This is definitely more like it! It almost makes up for having to sit all day a stuffy apartment full of gossipy humans, well almost.
His Unit experience kicks in and he automatically shouts out the command for a military formation "Defense Pod Delta" to cover him as he sets off to discover who is the source of the shriek. Quickly he locates the lab and the lab technician who was the source of the noise. After dispatching the squad to lock down the building, he directs the remaining guard to protect the Asian medical woman. He then goes in search of the alien that he can hear moving about. His interest piqued by the noises it is making he slowly approaches trying not to frighten it, at least he can get this encounter off to a peaceful start. His cheerful greeting of "Hello!" with a bright smile is unfortunately too much for the creature and it panics.
"Don't shoot!" he yells at the guard that levels his weapon on the pig like creature now escaping down the hall and he sets off in hot pursuit. He knows that if he doesn’t get to it first it isn't going survive long with the military force filling the halls.
Too late! Why is he always too late? He rages at the guard that has shot the creature and mourns yet another death, why is it always this way? Why is it always the first course of action for these stupid apes to shoot first? He gently caresses the pig creature's snout as it dies and demands that they carry it back to the lab; the only information now will be had from the poor thing’s body.
It doesn't take him long to realize that the 'alien' that all the fuss is about is no more then an alien augmented pig, but why? Why would aliens fake an alien crash except as a diversion? Rose! He has to get back to Rose; what if they were looking to draw him away, lure him off so they can get to Rose to get back at him in some manner? Panic begins to swell as begins to think of the multitude of races that would see him suffer and he pelts back to the TARDIS to get back to Rose before anyone else can find or hurt her.
********************************************
When Mickey sees the Doctor leave, he can't believe his eyes at first. After everything he’s been through, and there is the Doctor just wandering along like taking a stroll on a summer evening like nothing has happened; just like he hasn't taken his Rose away. He has to find out what he has done with Rose; he can't stand the thought of being left behind again not knowing. He has red the stories on the Internet he has seen the stories of devastation that always seems to follow him even as Clive had said. Little good it does him, even running like a manic from his apartment the TARDIS dematerializes and he slams into the wall behind. He stands, hoping no one has seen his disgraceful collision. Then he realizes maybe; just maybe that alien has left Rose off back at her mums. He has to hope as he has missed her so, and thus he runs back up the stairs to Jackie's apartment, hoping beyond hope that just maybe she is there.
Mickey bursts into the apartment, and Rose gapes at him, oh God she had forgotten about Mickey. Then he's heading for the kitchen following her mum who has just stalked from the room. She tries to explain but he's just not listening.
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WHAT! The Doctor can't have left he gave her a key. He wouldn't, he couldn't have just left her not after everything, she was sure he had changed his mind. She didn't even get to tell him what she felt, why she couldn't live back here ever again. Mickey must be wrong! She runs from the flat, terrified that Mickey just might be right. He was going to leave earlier, she knew that, but he had changed his mind, he gave her a key; she had felt him change his mind, he couldn't have left her.
Horror blooms in her chest as she sees the empty space where the TARDIS was earlier. No! He couldn't… "He wouldn't just go... He promised me,” she cries, then cringes when Mickey gloats, "He's dumped you Rose, sailed off into space. How does it feel huh? Now you’re left behind with the rest of us earthlings, get used to it!"
No, it can't be, there has to be a reason, "No, he would have said…”
Oh not mum too! Oh great, now she's seen the TARDIS materialize. How in the world am I going to explain that? But, first the Doctor!
He was frantic, he had to know what was going on, who would have had the resources, who could have wanted to make this mess. Flying about the controls, he resets them to the last location as he searches for anything that will tell him what is going on. 'Verity is Rose okay? Where is she?'
Verity can feel his panic as he frantically runs about. He is mentally directing her to search databases, satellite imagery and any other references she can find to figure out who these aliens are who have to come to threaten the only other planet he has left he can even come close to calling home. She sends him soothing pulses as she locates Rose bright and shiny in her temporal senses and in no way distressed, by this she assures him she is fine. Even as she feels the Doctors flood of relief and how his mind shifts to solving his mystery she feels Rose's emotions spike in anguish. Touching her conscious mind ever so gently, she sees that it has nothing to do with anything other then the Doctor's absence. She feels Rose's intense loyalty to her Theta as she defends him from her ex-boyfriend and in her panic as she tries to encourage her mum to leave to prevent her from finding out more about him.
Feeling all of Rose's myriad emotions she gently chastises the Doctor for running off, knowing that the fear that someone might have been planning to hurt her is more then enough spur to get him to apologize to Rose for not telling her of his little excursion. She really is going to have to talk to him about how fragile these humans trust can be in the face of the unknown.
Too preoccupied with trying to solve the mystery of the pig ‘alien’ he never once thinks about how his actions could have damaged Rose’s ability to trust in him. Not until much later will he realize how that seed of doubt he has planted today could bear fruit later
Chapter 07 - When Pigs Fly & Aliens Come to Downing Street (Story Index)
Moving Forward Index 1