Fic: Traditions 1/1
Story: Traditions
Author: wmr
Characters: Tenth Doctor, Rose
Rated: G
Disclaimer: It is Christmas... but, no, still not mine
Summary: She never hears the sound of the universe any more
Short Christmas ficlet, totally AU after Doomsday, in an attempt to kickstart my writing again. With thanks to the very talented dark_aegis, as always. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!
Traditions
There’s no snow this year on Christmas Day. Not even ash is falling from the sky.
The family’s inside, exclaiming over presents and getting ready to watch the big movie on TV, all the usual traditions even with Pete as a new member in the fold. It doesn’t feel right, though, celebrating when she still misses him. When last Christmas he was right there beside her, silly hat and all, holding her hand.
It’s quiet in the garden, and the sky’s clear, full of brilliant stars. Once, she was up there among them - only not in this universe. Once, she walked the galaxies; now, she’s confined to Earth. To an Earth that still doesn’t feel the same. And she never hears the sound of the universe any more.
They’re not the right stars. It’s no good wishing on them. She shoves her hands in her coat pockets and walks on.
It’s not as if she hasn’t tried to move on. She’s got a job - doing well at it, too, been promoted already. She’s got friends, including people who have no idea that Rose Tyler is from another universe. And she’s looking forward to her baby brother or sister. It’s just... there’s something missing.
Someone.
There’s wind in the trees, and she shivers slightly. Time to go in.
Then a voice calls her name.
She turns, unable to believe, and he’s there, all brown pin-stripes and that long coat swishing at his heels, and he’s smiling as widely as she’s ever seen him.
Her legs start running even before her brain’s caught up with what she needs to do. He meets her half-way, swinging her into his arms, holding her so close that she can barely breathe.
But who cares about breathing when he’s stealing her breath away with a kiss?
She’s surrounded by soft wool, rough skin and unruly hair and the scent of honey and vinegar and him and she’s never been so happy in her life.
He holds her hand as they go back inside the house, and doesn’t leave her side through celebrations and lots of food and alcohol and even her mum’s hugs and kisses to welcome him back.
Later, when everyone’s in bed, he leads her by the hand back out into the garden, through the trees and to where the TARDIS stands in a small clearing. “She missed you,” he says as she caresses the ancient wood, feeling the ship’s song under her fingertips.
She looks sideways up at him from under her lashes. “Missed her too.”
“Took us a while to get here.” His hands fall to her shoulders, turning her to face him. The truth of his words is in his eyes. How long, she wonders - a month? Six months? Six years? More?
Then he smiles, and she knows how long doesn’t matter. What does is that he’s here.
He takes her hand and points up to the stars, the same ones she wished on earlier. “Thought we might go... there. If you wanna come.”
Why look at the stars when she can look at him? “Course I wanna come! But... there? Don’t you mean back in the other universe?”
He grins. “Nah! Thought we could stay and travel here for a bit. This universe is safe for the TARDIS now. And it means you can be here for the baby being born.”
Oh, god, yeah, she’d have missed that. “Thanks. I’d like that.” And she has to reach up and kiss him again.
A lot later, still holding his hand and with her gaze following his pointing finger to the stars, she says, “Why tonight? Christmas?”
Snowflakes are just beginning to fall as he grins down at her again. “Why not? Thought it felt like a good time. Traditions are important, after all.”
She nods, then lays her head on his shoulder. They are. Traditions are the very best thing there is about Christmas.
- end
Author: wmr
Characters: Tenth Doctor, Rose
Rated: G
Disclaimer: It is Christmas... but, no, still not mine
Summary: She never hears the sound of the universe any more
Short Christmas ficlet, totally AU after Doomsday, in an attempt to kickstart my writing again. With thanks to the very talented dark_aegis, as always. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!
Traditions
There’s no snow this year on Christmas Day. Not even ash is falling from the sky.
The family’s inside, exclaiming over presents and getting ready to watch the big movie on TV, all the usual traditions even with Pete as a new member in the fold. It doesn’t feel right, though, celebrating when she still misses him. When last Christmas he was right there beside her, silly hat and all, holding her hand.
It’s quiet in the garden, and the sky’s clear, full of brilliant stars. Once, she was up there among them - only not in this universe. Once, she walked the galaxies; now, she’s confined to Earth. To an Earth that still doesn’t feel the same. And she never hears the sound of the universe any more.
They’re not the right stars. It’s no good wishing on them. She shoves her hands in her coat pockets and walks on.
It’s not as if she hasn’t tried to move on. She’s got a job - doing well at it, too, been promoted already. She’s got friends, including people who have no idea that Rose Tyler is from another universe. And she’s looking forward to her baby brother or sister. It’s just... there’s something missing.
Someone.
There’s wind in the trees, and she shivers slightly. Time to go in.
Then a voice calls her name.
She turns, unable to believe, and he’s there, all brown pin-stripes and that long coat swishing at his heels, and he’s smiling as widely as she’s ever seen him.
Her legs start running even before her brain’s caught up with what she needs to do. He meets her half-way, swinging her into his arms, holding her so close that she can barely breathe.
But who cares about breathing when he’s stealing her breath away with a kiss?
She’s surrounded by soft wool, rough skin and unruly hair and the scent of honey and vinegar and him and she’s never been so happy in her life.
He holds her hand as they go back inside the house, and doesn’t leave her side through celebrations and lots of food and alcohol and even her mum’s hugs and kisses to welcome him back.
Later, when everyone’s in bed, he leads her by the hand back out into the garden, through the trees and to where the TARDIS stands in a small clearing. “She missed you,” he says as she caresses the ancient wood, feeling the ship’s song under her fingertips.
She looks sideways up at him from under her lashes. “Missed her too.”
“Took us a while to get here.” His hands fall to her shoulders, turning her to face him. The truth of his words is in his eyes. How long, she wonders - a month? Six months? Six years? More?
Then he smiles, and she knows how long doesn’t matter. What does is that he’s here.
He takes her hand and points up to the stars, the same ones she wished on earlier. “Thought we might go... there. If you wanna come.”
Why look at the stars when she can look at him? “Course I wanna come! But... there? Don’t you mean back in the other universe?”
He grins. “Nah! Thought we could stay and travel here for a bit. This universe is safe for the TARDIS now. And it means you can be here for the baby being born.”
Oh, god, yeah, she’d have missed that. “Thanks. I’d like that.” And she has to reach up and kiss him again.
A lot later, still holding his hand and with her gaze following his pointing finger to the stars, she says, “Why tonight? Christmas?”
Snowflakes are just beginning to fall as he grins down at her again. “Why not? Thought it felt like a good time. Traditions are important, after all.”
She nods, then lays her head on his shoulder. They are. Traditions are the very best thing there is about Christmas.
- end