Title: Domestic Space
Rating: T
Notes: Sequel to 'Domestic Battleground'. You must have read that in order to understand this.
Notes 2: The Doctor doesn't do domestic, not even now he's married to Rose. But he's about to find out just how domestic things can get – and Rose will find out just why he and the TARDIS don't do families…
Prologue
Rose stretched up, her fingertips reaching for the grate. Her toes ached with the pressure of trying to make herself taller. Tears of frustration threatened to leak from her eyes as again and again she couldn't reach the grate.
There was nothing in the cell she could use to raise herself. Nothing that could be used to help her escape. She collapsed onto the floor, a little scared. She was sure the Doctor would come for her, or die trying. It was the die trying bit she was worried about.
She really landed in it this time, she thought glumly. But after all, how was she to know that the owners of Centre Seven were violently anti-human? Really, the Doctor should have warned her.
She scratched behind her ear. To be fair, she had dragged him out of the TARDIS and into the shops fairly quickly. But he'd offered to take her shopping. It was his fault, really. Or not. Rose knew she wasn't blameless. At least this time she hadn't set a Dalek free, or unleashed a horde of giant felines.
She didn't have her watch – the special Time watch that the Doctor had given her on their 'honeymoon' had been taken from her – so she couldn't tell how much time passed before the door scraped open, sounding more like the door of a dungeon than she would admit.
One of the aliens – tall, incredibly thin, and orange-skinned – stepped into the cell. "You are claimed," it said in a nasal voice.
"Claimed?" Rose echoed, scrambling to her feet. "What does that mean? Claimed by who?"
The Doctor stuck his head through the doorway. "Oh, there she is," he said, seemingly disinterested. "Yes, that's her. Don't know how I lost her. Sorry for the trouble."
The alien nodded its head. "Be careful in future," it admonished. "Follow the rules. All pets to be kept under strict observation."
"Pets?" Rose repeated, outraged. "Why, you little – " The Doctor shook his head imperceptibly, and she subsided.
"We'll be off," he said. "Again, sorry for the bother." He reached out and grabbed her arm. "C'mon," he said.
As soon as they were free of the prison and nearing the TARDIS, Rose pulled her arm away from his grasp. "You could have warned me," she hissed. "I didn't know what was going on!"
"I'm sorry," he said curtly. "You rushed off without thinking. What were you doing? You know it's not always safe!"
"I didn't think you'd bring me someplace where humans are seen as pets," she snapped, pulling the door of the TARDIS open. She stormed in and crossed the control room, intent on having a shower. She needed hot water to sooth the bruises she'd got from the aliens that had arrested her.
"Where're you going?" the Doctor demanded, closing the door.
"Shower," she said crisply. "And then bed." She turned and glared at him. "Alone," she added firmly.
She spent half an hour in the shower, scrubbing at her skin until it was raw. She wouldn't tell the Doctor – wouldn't dare! – but two of the alien jailers had felt her up whilst she was in the prison. She felt dirty, objectified, and it was a feeling she loathed.
She pulled her hair back and plaited it, wanting it to dry wavy. Her favourite pyjamas had been warming, and she pulled them on. Somehow flannel and Tigger were needed right now.
She left the bathroom and crawled into the large bed that dominated the bedroom. The cool linen sheets soothed her skin and helped to ease her headache. She sighed and closed her eyes.
An arm slid around her face and cool lips pressed against her neck. "I'm sorry," the Doctor murmured.
"I shouldn't have gone off like that," she said in response.
His fingertips traced the hand-shaped bruise on her arm. "They hurt you." His arm tightened around her waist. "Anywhere else?"
Rose considered lying, but only for an instant. "Yes," she said instead. "They grabbed my arms pretty tight." She turned in his arms and got as close as possible to him. "Took my watch," she said, voice muffled by his jumper.
"Got it back for you."
"Thanks." She closed her eyes and rested in his arms, listening to his dual heartbeat.
"The TARDIS landed in the wrong time," he said after a while. "Wasn't meant to be like that. I'm sorry."
"S'alright," she breathed, almost asleep. He stroked her hair gently. "Love you, Theta."
He smiled absently. "Love you too, Rose." It was a moment before he spoke again. "I think you need a break."
Rose pulled away and looked at him, awake suddenly. "What?"
"A break." He shrugged. "We've been a bit busy lately."
Rose raised an eyebrow. 'A bit busy' hardly covered it. She'd been in two jails, three riots, an escape attempt and three natural disasters, all within the past month. "Might be nice to see Mum again," she allowed. "What brought all this on, then?"
"Well, it is your birthday soon," he reminded her. "Spend a few days with your mum, then go off somewhere peaceful…" His fingers crept under her pyjama top. "Secluded…"
Rose shivered and shifted so he could pull the top off. "Somewhere I can sunbathe," she agreed. He pressed kisses along her jaw and down her neck. "Private…"
"Perfect," he breathed.
Please review! Chapter one will be up tomorrow morning.