Hide and Go Seek

Previously in Chapter Two:

"You're probably gonna be a little dizzy for a while. Best thing for you is bed rest. Give yourself some time to finish healin' properly."

Rose nodded, keeping her eyes closed as it seemed to stop the world from spinning around her. When she opened them again, she found his concerned gaze upon her once more.

"Think you can make it to your room, or you wanna camp out here?"

"My room, please."

"All right then. Baby steps. Come on," and with those words he lead her out into the corridor and down to her bedroom, making sure she was comfortable and had everything she needed.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Doctor."

He nodded, then closed the door behind him. Once secure in the solitude of the corridor, the Doctor closed his eyes and wiped his face with his palms. It had been a close call, that one.

OoO

Chapter Three:
Mending Faces and Fences

The Doctor would never tell Rose how many times he had checked on her while she slept peacefully throughout the day, but it had been enough that he'd lost count. Each time the Doctor had started working on something, his concentration would leave him, instead taking him to the image of Rose when he'd found her, unconscious in the library.

Every time he saw her crumpled form and bloodied face in his mind, he'd stride briskly to her room, then soften his tread to walk in quietly. The door to her room remained open in case she needed anything and called for him.

He'd soak in her image, clean of blood and clear of scars. Healed to near perfection, aside from a smattering of pinkness from her newly formed skin and the puffiness of still-healing tissues beneath.

He would sit beside her for a few moments, checking her normal pulse and counting her even respirations. He'd run gentle fingertips over her scalp, making sure the skull fracture hadn't left any residual damage and confirming he'd healed it properly. Those same fingertips would then ghost over her right cheek, just to be sure. He'd clasp her hand in his with hopes of vanquishing the harrowing images from his mind with fresh, living ones of her wellness here and now.

He'd then pull the comforter up towards her shoulders, perhaps tuck a few stray strands of hair from her face, and finally leave her. Only to return perhaps thirty minutes later, repeating the process again. Like he was doing now.

He was tired. Emotionally exhausted, no doubt. He sat down beside Rose on the bed, feeling every inch of his weariness.

It had been a long day. Or night. At this point he wasn't really sure. What he was sure of was that they'd not even left the TARDIS and still Rose's life had come precariously close to being lost. He was more than The Oncoming Storm; he was Oncoming Death for anyone who managed to cross his path. Was he being selfish allowing anyone to walk beside him on his journeys?

The Doctor looked down at Rose, surprised to find her looking up at him.

"Hey. You should be sleepin'. Did I wake you?"

"Don't think so. What're ya doing here?" she asked sleepily.

"Well I was just passin' by your room and thought I'd see if you needed anythin'. How're you feelin'?"

Rose touched tentative fingertips to her cheek, then met the Doctor's eyes and smiled. "I feel good."

"Fantastic!" The Doctor stood up and then bent down, straightening the bedding where he'd sat. "Get some more rest. The more rest you get, the faster you'll heal up and then all this can be just a bad dream."

Rose turned on her side, snuggling into her pillow. "It'd still be worth it," she spoke drowsily.

"Beg your pardon?"

"All the bad dreams and the bad days. Everythin' that's happened to us that was bad. This life we have - the things we've seen - so worth it all."

"Rose ..."

"Mean it." Her eyes closed slowly. "Wouldn't trade it for anythin'."

The Doctor watched her as she returned to sleep, her body relaxing fully as her breathing slowed and deepened. He grinned, realizing that above everything else, he wouldn't trade Rose for anything, either.

OoO

Making his way to the Console Room, the Doctor walked over to the jump seat and sat down, closing his eyes. Sleep came easily, surprising him when he woke up.

"Doctor?"

He'd never even heard her coming. Could be why he was suddenly out of the seat, startled.

"Rose! How are you feelin'? Should you be up? How's the dizziness?" He was beside her in an instant, leading her over to where he'd just been resting, sitting them both down. He scrutinized her eyes for a moment.

She blinked and offered him a smile. "I feel much better. Thanks for takin' care of me."

"No need to thank me. Just be more careful, that's all I'm askin'."

"Yeah. I'll do that."

"Good!" The Doctor jumped up from the chair once more, walking briskly to the heart of his ship. He closed the floor grating and began picking up his tools, placing them in the pockets of his jacket.

Rose stood too, wanting to help him clean up, but faltered slightly, grabbing the back of the jump seat to steady herself.

"Rose?"

"Just a little dizzy. 'M all right," she answered, her eyes closed. When she opened them, the Doctor was standing in front of her, hands reaching out to hold her, guiding her to sit once more.

She looked up at him. "Honestly, I'm fine."

"Yep, heard that before," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the sonic screwdriver and began scanning her thoroughly with it.

Rose sat there, lost in thought. All those tools and gadgets he'd just tossed in his pockets, and yet he easily reached in and pulled out exactly what he wanted. It was amazing. And it was, well ... weird.

"Rose. Rose!"

"Huh?"

"It looks like everythin's healin' all right, but I've been callin' you a few times and -"

"I was just thinkin', that's all. 'M sorry, didn't mean to worry ya."

"You're sure you're not feelin' peaky?"

"Yes." She emphasized the word with wide eyes and a teasing grin.

"Well good enough, then. But how 'bout you just stay put there for a while. Make me worry less."

"Yeah, I can do that," she smiled.

There was a bit of silence between them as the Doctor finished cleaning up his work area. When he was done, Rose decided to bring up the subject they'd dropped long ago.

"So, I guess you won the bet after all."

"Guess I did." He leaned into the console, looking a bit smugly at her.

"So what do you want? I mean, what is it that you win?"

"It's a secret," he quipped, turning around and setting a course for the TARDIS.

"Good or bad?"

"Hmm?"

"Is it a good secret, or a bad one?"

"Depends on your take on it, I suppose." He was grinning, and Rose didn't quite know how to interpret that.

"So where are we goin'?"

"Told you, it's a surprise."

"Part of the secret?"

"Yep. I won, so I get to choose."

It was then that the TARDIS landed, and Rose was grateful she was sitting, because the landing was a bit over the top with the bouncing about and thumping. She held on tightly until they'd settled, and the Doctor, well, he was just holding onto the center console, grinning madly.

"All right?" he asked.

"Yep!"

"Good! 'Cause we're here!"

"Where?"

"Where I want to be," he answered mysteriously. "I won the bet. My choice. So, you comin' with me or stayin' in here?"

Rose stood and smiled generously, watching the Doctor watching her. But she wasn't dizzy this time, and he seemed to realize it, grinning a bit manically.

She felt a niggling of nervousness, wondering where he'd taken them to. The Doctor loved a good adventure, and he had surely put them right in the thick of something spectacularly dangerous. But it was his win, and she refused to be anything other than gracious. He reached out his hand and she took it without hesitation.

They walked to the doors of the TARDIS and the Doctor stopped, motioning for Rose to go first. She grinned at him then nodded, bracing herself for whatever awaited them as she opened the door.

A long line of silvery-white sand stretched out in front of her, followed by the deepest blue-green waters she'd ever seen. The trees were similar to the palms on Earth, but the leaves were red and gold, and the trunks were orange, blending the plants' colors perfectly and contrasting nicely with the background of the sea. It was beautiful. It was breathtaking. It was ... It was the beach!

"This is the beach you promised to take me to, isn't it? It has to be!" Rose said excitedly as she walked out on the sand, inhaling deeply the salty air that reminded her of the ocean's scent from home.

"That it is," he beamed proudly. "Welcome to Grand Dameron, the planet of endless beaches and perfect weather year round."

"But I thought - I mean - this was what we'd do if I won the bet. But you won. So why are we here?"

"Because I almost lost you over that stupid bet. And what I want most is for you to be healthy and happy, which I think we can achieve if we stay here a week or so."

"You want to stay here - for a whole week?"

"Yep! You got a problem with that?" he teased.

"No, I, well, I just ..."

"Is somethin' wrong, Rose?"

"No! It's beautiful! It's just -"

"Just what, may I ask?"

"Well Doctor, that's soundin' almost domestic!"

"Rose Tyler. You of all people should know that I, the Lord of Time, do not do domestic. I just thought that if you were here I'd have less to worry about, thank you very much."

"You're a softy, that's what you are," she teased.

"Am not!"

"Yeah - you are!" she was laughing.

The Doctor couldn't help but smile. Rose was happy, and healthy, and this was now the best bet he'd ever won.

She wrapped her arms around the Time Lord and hugged him tightly. "Thank you. For, you know, everythin'."

The Doctor returned her hug tenfold. "You're welcome."

The End

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