A/N: I'm not sure where this came from being its April and everything...I hope you all don't mind reading a Christmas fic in April...
Anyway, like I said its AU series 4 and Doctor/Rose fluff heavy, just the way I like it. I hope I got their characters down, including Donna.
Well, read and enjoy!
Rose walked along the halls of the shopping centre her arms full of bags that were not even her own. Her mother had dragged her along with her and Tony as she went last minute christmas shopping. Rose didn't really want to go, they were making so much progress in Torchwood building the dimension cannon and the longer she spent away from Torchwood the longer it would take to get back to the Doctor. But her mother insisted in classic Jackie fashion that she needed a break from Torchwood and building and researching, it was christmas time after all. Jackie claimed they'd have fun shopping together but Rose found herself stuck as the pack mule while her mother dragged her little brother around the stores buying anything and everything. (She took full advantage of her husband's riches. The first shopping trip Jackie went on in this new universe had Pete laughing and remarking that no matter what universe Jackie came from she'd always be the same. That earned him a glare and a nice slap on the arm.)
Rose didn't even know where her mother was at the moment. Rose got lost in her thoughts, thinking about Torchwood and more importantly about the Doctor and if he was celebrating christmas alone, she hoped to the heavens he wasn't alone, and didn't hear her mother call out to her to tell her she was taking Tony elsewhere.
Rose only noticed their absence when she briefly was shaken from her thoughts by a screaming child and realized she no longer heard her mother's incessant chattering behind her.
Rose huffed, shifting the many bags in her arms and gazed through the cracks between them to see where she was going. However the small cracks of sight proved not to be enough when she collided head on with another being. She and the other woman gasped as the bags toppled to the floor.
"I am so sorry." They both apologized at the same time, briefly glanced at each other, smiled and then simultaneously began to pick up the bags.
"I'm sorry." Rose began gathering the bags around her knees, glancing up at the slightly older, ginger woman. "These are my mum's, she dumped 'em on me, and their sort of hard to see through."
"Been there." The other woman smiled and once the bags were all settled around Rose, they both stood up, sharing another smile. "I wasn't really looking where I was going either. I sort of lost my friend." She snapped with a hint of annoyance and Rose held back a smirk. "He's always doing that to me, running away without a word, I swear he's got an attention span of goldfish that one."
That time Rose couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face but it was bittersweet. "I had a mate like that once." She sighed as the Doctor's grinning face flashed through her mind. "Couldn't sit still if you asked him to." Her voice was soft and low. She couldn't keep the sadness out of her tone even if she wanted to.
"What happened to him?" The ginger woman asked, her voice and face softening.
Rose swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed back the tears springing at her eyes. "He uh..." She cleared her throat. "We were separated- He's a world away now." She laughed a bit sardonically. He was a lot more than a world away, he was a whole universe away.
"I'm sorry."
Rose brushed a strand of her hair away from her face and smiled up at the stranger, blowing a puff of air out of her lips. "S'alright." It wasn't. "I'm trying to get back to him. I have to you know, he's-he's everything." She paused and then her cheeks flushed as she realized she was spilling her guts to this total stranger who she so rudely crashed into not minutes ago. "I'm sorry, you don't want to hear about this."
"Oh no that's alright." The woman smiled reassuringly. "You need to tell somebody right? And as for your lost friend, who knows, you might get a Christmas miracle."
Rose's heart rate immediately increased at the thought of seeing the Doctor again. She wasn't sure why she was allowing herself to hope, the only thing she wished for the last few Christmases in this universe was to see the Doctor again, she didn't know what would make this year any more special. However, something told her to trust this stranger and so, for however brief it was, she allowed herself to hope that maybe this would be the year.
"Thanks." Rose whispered with a smile. "What's your name?"
"I'm Donna, Donna Noble." Donna extended her hand outwards and Rose welcomely took it.
"Rose Tyler."
The smile on Donna's face immediately fell and a look of shock and disbelief crossed her features. Rose dropped Donna's hand and furrowed her brow, wondering why Donna looked like she just told her that she was Jesus Christ.
"You're Rose." She whispered, sounding distant.
"Yes." Rose nodded slowly still eyeing the woman cautiously.
The smile immediately returned to Donna's face and before Rose knew what was coming Donna launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around the younger woman tightly. "Oh this is brilliant!" She squealed into her ear and Rose stood there a bit taken a back.
"I-I'm sorry." Rose pulled out of Donna's grip. She liked the woman fine but the hugging was a bit much and a little confusing. "Do I know you or something?"
"No." Donna shook her head, the smile still bright on her face and Rose swore that her eyes were even glistening. "No you don't know me but I know you. Well, sort of." Rose cocked an eyebrow and then remembered that her father was a famous inventor and the news of Pete and Jackie Tyler's twenty year old daughter appearing seemingly out of nowhere still was a topic even after the few years they'd been there.
"Right." Rose nodded in apparent understand. "Rose Tyler, heiress to the Tyler fortune..." She trailed off with a sigh.
"No, no, that's not it." Donna shook her head and suddenly Rose was intrigued.
"I'm Donna." The ginger repeated and Rose wondered where this was going and Donna's face softened into one of joy and relief and perhaps love. "I travel with the Doctor."
Rose suddenly felt as if the world had come to a stop. She could hear nothing but the sound of her own heart beat, see nothing but Donna's smiling face, feel nothing as if she was floating in mid air. She didn't even realize she wasn't breathing until Donna reached out and gently touched her arm, calling her name softly.
A breath left Rose's lungs and escaped her mouth in a whimper and her eyes filled with tears as she locked gazes with Donna. "The Doctor is here?" She squeaked, hardly believing this moment to be real.
"Yeah." Donna grinned, letting her arm fall to the side. "He's here." She licked her lips and narrowed her eyes, scanning her eyes across the crowd. "Somewhere...don't know where that bloody martian ran off to."
Rose's hand slapped over her mouth to muffle the half sob and half laugh that escaped her throat. She didn't even bother to wipe away the single tear that was running down her cheek. "Martian?" She asked with a sniffle once she took her hand away from her mouth.
Donna rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I know he's not a martian but its fun to mess with that Time Lord ego of his. He hates when I call him a martian." She grinned cheekily. "It's why I love doing it."
A few quiet whimpers escaped Rose's lips and a relieved smile spread across her face. She remembered that Time Lord ego, she knew that Time Lord ego, she loved that Time Lord ego and that Time Lord and his ego was here possibly just around the corner.
Tears continued to incessantly roll down her cheeks and she knew she couldn't stop them even if she wanted to. She tried to speak and say something, anything to this wonderful woman who had somehow brought her Doctor back to her but she found herself suddenly incapable of speech.
Donna watched the young woman before her with a soft smile and a warm heart. She didn't know what to expect when she met Rose Tyler, she knew she had to be something special to capture the Doctor's hearts like she did but she didn't quite understand how deep their feelings for each other actually ran. Donna loved the Doctor, nothing more than platonic but Rose Tyler, this young, sweet blonde woman loved the Doctor unconditionally and with all her heart and her soul. She was driven to tears and lost her speech at just the mention of his name and Donna felt accomplished that she was able to convince the Doctor to break all his own rules and find his Rose and bring the two back together.
If only he would show his blooming face.
Just then Donna caught a flash of wild hair and brown billowing coat in the crowd behind Rose and she smiled.
Blinking past her tears, Rose glanced up at Donna to see her smiling past her shoulder. Rose's breath caught in her chest. Without even looking she knew who Donna was smiling at.
With her heart thudding almost painfully loud against her chest Rose slowly turned around, her eyes seeking the man she hadn't seen for years.
Another whimper escaped her lips as her gaze landed on him, frozen in a sea of people, staring back at her. Her tears blurred her vision and she quickly wiped at her eyes to keep the image of him in focus.
She wanted to move, she wanted to run to him, have the familiar and strong, warm arms holding her once again but her feet couldn't move. It almost felt like too much a dream to be real. She had imagined this moment since the second he disappeared off of Bad Wolf Bay and every time it had been the same. He stood a good distance away from her, dressed in his usual attire, brown pin stripe suit, dirty white trainers, brown trench coat and his hair in its usual wild fashion. A smile would form on his face and his deep, soulful eyes beckoned her to him but just as she would whisper his name he'd disappear again. She feared that this moment was just as the others, the Doctor wasn't really there and she would be left alone.
Suddenly she felt Donna's hand on the small of her back, giving her a slight nudge forward. "Go on. He's waiting for you." She whispered and the words sent a chill down her spine.
She took one step forward and her heart leapt when the Doctor did not disappear. She took another two steps forward and still he remained where he was. Her steps became larger and more frequent and once she realized that this wasn't a dream, she took off in a run, faster than she had ever run before, not even acknowledging she was in a public place with lots of people around. She didn't see them, she couldn't see them, all she saw was him, him and his glorious smile.
His arms had left their positions at his side and were now extended out in front of him, awaiting her to fall into them. However, she did the opposite of falling.
A loud sob escaped her lips as she jumped on him, her legs twisting around his skinny waist and her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. He stumbled backwards from the force but quickly caught his balance and slid his arms around her, one hand resting on her lower back to keep her in place and the other sliding up towards the back of her neck.
His eyes slammed shut, cutting himself off from the shocked and confused stares of the people around them and only focused on Rose. A grin split across his face and he buried his nose into her neck, inhaling the scent that had been imbedded into his brain, and one that along with Time and the TARDIS was one of the scents that could calm him completely.
Rose was shaking in his arms and her quick panting breaths tickled the skin at the base of his neck.
"Rose." He whispered near her ear and she sobbed again, grabbing fistfuls of his coat and holding onto him tighter.
It felt like heaven on Earth to be in the Doctor's arms again. To feel his warmth, the rhythmical thudding of his two hearts, the bare skin of his cheek against hers and the sound of his voice saying her name. She had longed for this moment for so long, for too long and now that it was finally here she could not control the emotions running through her body. Relief, joy, love, desperation, all at once filling her to the brim and spilling out through means of salty tears.
With her fists still gripping onto the material of his coat tightly she slowly lifted her head to look down at him. Feeling her movement the Doctor opened his eyes and met hers.
"Hello." He murmured with a broad grin, similar to the first time she'd met the new him.
Her own grin widened and a few more tears fell at the memory of what seemed so long ago. "Hello." She whispered back for that was the loudest she could make her voice go.
His hand that rested on the base of her neck slowly travelled upwards to tangle itself in her hair, holding their intense gaze in place though Rose knew she couldn't look away from his eyes for anything.
His eyes twinkled in merriment as he asked, "Did you miss me?" with a cheeky grin.
A joyous laugh bubbled out of her lips and she nodded fervently. "Yes." She inhaled sharply. "Oh god, yes."
He shook his head softly, staring deep into her eyes. "My Rose..."
"My Doctor..." An unnameable force, some may call it the power of love, caused Rose's head to slowly duck forward. Her eyes remained locked on his and for a few moments his on hers then, quickly, so quick if Rose hadn't been watching him so intently she would have missed it, his eyes flickered down to her lips.
Her breath hitched in her chest and time passed incredibly, achingly slow as their faces inched closer and closer. They weren't sure what was holding them back, it was what both of them had dreamed about doing if they were to ever see each other again. Hug (they were sure doing that), kiss (they'd get there eventually) and never let go of each other again.
Both their lips were slightly parted and they could feel the warmth of each other's breath on their lips. Their eyes had fluttered closed and their foreheads touched ever so lightly.
"Oh would you just bloody kiss her?" Donna Noble's loud, demanding voice carried across the distance to reach their ears.
His lips twitched in a smirk and he obeyed, his fingers tangling in her hair and closed the short distance between, bringing their lips together in a searing kiss.
Rose inhaled sharply as soon as their lips met and a warmth flooded through her body focusing in the center of her abdomen where it flipped and turned from the rush of emotion. Her hands finally let go of his coat and travelled upwards, one resting on the base of his neck and the other tangling in the wild, thicker hair on the top of his head, holding him close just incase he decided to change his mind. Though judging from the low moan that bubbled in his throat as her fingernails lightly dug into his scalp he would not be changing his mind. Her lower limbs grew weak at the sound and more heat surged through her and her mouth opened automatically, craving as much of him as possible.
He responded just as passionately, his mouth pressing harder against hers. They continued the kiss for as long as they possibly could, until Rose could no longer breathe, until both their heads were spinning, until the Doctor's legs were shaking from holding all of Rose's weight for an extensive amount of time.
"Rose." His voice was strained as he mumbled against her lips, neither of them wanting to part just yet.
"Doctor?" She whispered back breathlessly.
"Can you um..." He paused and at his sudden silence Rose lifted her head and met his eyes.
"Can I what?"
He cleared his throat, getting lost in her eyes for a moment. "I uh-I'm not as strong as I like to make everyone believe I am."
Rose stared at him quietly, her eyebrow lifting in question and then she realized that her legs were still wrapped tightly around him. Her cheeks flushed and she murmured an apology as she untangled her hands from his hair, supporting herself by holding on to his neck and slowly unwrapped herself from him and lowered her feet to the ground. Her legs wobbled, still weak from that brilliant kiss and she was glad she decided to still hold on to him.
"Thank you." He grinned and reinforced his gratitude with a soft peck of his lips to the tip of her nose.
Rose's heart fluttered at the very simple but deep show of affection. The Doctor held her hand, hugged her, kissed her forehead countless times but to kiss her nose was different somehow, it was more intimate and so unlike the Doctor. Something that proved his feelings for her for just as real as her feelings for him and that kiss they shared meant everything. Things were going to change between them, things that she wished and hoped would happen but she thought never could.
As she smiled brightly up at him, her eyes shone with all the love she held for him. His hands moved to cup her cheeks and his thumbs wiped away the tears that occasionally still trickled out of her eyes.
She let out a breath, closed her eyes and leaned into his palms, her lips brushing up against his skin. She shook her head against his hands and sniffled quietly, biting out a quiet laugh. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess."
"You're not a mess." The Doctor protested.
She opened her eyes and shot him a look. "Oh shut it, don't try to be nice. I probably look absolutely horrid, I've been crying. My eyes and nose are all red and puffy, my make up is probably smeared all over the place. Over all I say I look pretty un-" She was cut off by his lips over hers. She stilled for a second and then melted against him, responding to the soft kiss.
"Never Rose Tyler, never." He whispered once they parted and she let out a shaky breath before opening her eyes and smiling at him.
He returned the smile and lowered his forehead to rest against hers and she sighed at the contact. His hands left her face and traveled down to rest on her hips, making sure to keep her body close to his.
Her hands then untangled themselves from behind his neck and one slid to rest on his chest over one of his rapidly beating hearts and the other to cup his cheek, running the tips of her fingers over his sideburns. "I can't believe you're really here."
"Neither can I." He whispered and she started to lean in to kiss him again when he kept talking. "I mean, it shouldn't be physically possible. I can't understand why the universes are not collapsing, there's no sign of damage at all, it doesn't make any sense..." He trailed off when Rose's hand slapped over his mouth. He glanced down at her hand, his eyes widening and then settled back on her eyes. Her lips twitched in a smirk and her eyebrows raised. "Doctor, I have missed your voice and your ramblings..." "Oi!" His muffled protest came from underneath her hand. "But for once, could you shut it and let me kiss you."
His eyebrows shot into his hairline at her forwardness and he nodded dumbly. She removed her hand from his mouth, stared for a long moment at his pouty lips and then claimed them with her own. She smiled once she felt him start to respond to the kiss and slid both her hands onto his chest, the feel of his hearts beating making her feel more at home then she had the last four years on this parallel Earth.
The kiss was just starting to heat up when a loud buzzing interrupted them from inside Rose's pocket. She groaned in protest and felt the Doctor starting to move away so she grabbed him by his lapels and kept his mouth on hers while her phone kept buzzing.
Eventually it stopped and Rose smirked and then allowed herself to get lost in the feel and taste of the Doctor. Everything about the man was intoxicating to her, she knew she could stand there and kiss him forever and never need anything more.
However as usual the universe had other plans and her phone went off again and if it was possible, sounded even louder than before. With a heavy sigh she broke the kiss, dug the phone out of her pocket and slammed it against her ear, leaving a breathless Time Lord swaying there.
"What?" She snapped in annoyance.
"Oi! Don't snap at me!" Jackie Tyler's voice scolded through the phone. "I was just calling to see where you were!"
"Sorry." Rose mumbled and ran a hand through her hair and then sniffled. "I ah-" She looked around and caught sight of the nearest store sign. "I'm near Henriks."
Henriks. The familiar name echoed in her head and she turned to look at the Doctor, wondering if he recognized the importance of the name but was amused to find he still looked a bit dazed.
"Rose?" Jackie's voice was calmer now, softer and caring. "Are you alright? Sounds like you been crying..."
Rose smiled to herself and swiped at her now dry eyes just incase. "I'm fine mum. Fantastic even. Yes," She nodded, locking eyes with the Doctor as he grinned at her happily. "Fantastic."
"Rose, you know you can tell me anything sweetheart, don't have to hide it from me, d' ya want to go home, I thought this would be good for you, I didn't mean to upset you, I'm done now we can go-" She kept on talking and the Doctor sniggered quietly and Rose shot him a quick look and elbowed him. He let out an 'oof' and glared at her and she just rolled her eyes returning back to the phone call to cut off her mother.
"Mum! Really, I'm fine its just-" She trailed off and took a step closer to the Doctor, leaning her head against his shoulder and smiled as he buried his nose into her hair. "He's here."
"Who's here?"
"The Doctor."
There was silence on the other line for a good few moments and Rose thought that her mother had hung up on her.
"Mum?"
"Oh Rose..." Jackie sighed quietly and Rose frowned knowing what she was thinking. There were many times over the last few years that Rose swore on her life she heard the TARDIS and ran outside standing there for hours waiting for the blue box to appear.
"I'm serious! He's really here." She titled her head back to look at him and held her phone out, motioning for him to say something.
"Hello Jackie!" The Doctor greeted enthusiastically and Jackie's loud gasp reached their ears.
"D-Doctor? What are you doing here?"
"Weeeellll," He tugged at his ear and pursed his lips, "The how is still a mystery to me but the why I think is pretty obvious." He winked at Rose and she grinned, her tongue poking out the side of teeth.
"Listen to me, the both of you, you stay right where you are, I need to have a word with you you bloody alien."
His eyes widened slightly and he swallowed thickly. "Yes ma'am."
"Right, be there in a mo'." The phone clicked as she hung up and Rose flipped it closed and shoved it back into her pocket.
"Not here an hour and already I'm in trouble with your mother." The Doctor shook his head, glancing down at Rose.
"You don't know what she's gonna do." Rose shrugged.
He raised his eyebrows pointedly. "She's your mother, I know exactly what she's gonna do."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, through she tried to hide the amusement on her face and pinched his side.
"Oi!" He jumped back, pouting. "I'm speaking the truth that's all."
"Yeah," Rose agreed, "That's the problem."
He huffed. "I can't change who I am. Well, actually I can, but I don't really want to." He grinned broadly. "I like this body." He winked at her and she bit her lip, leaning into his shoulder.
"You can't ever change on me again."
He chuckled. "Well, I'll try, though with all the danger you get me into I'm bound to die eventually."
She gasped and pulled back to gape at him. "I get you into?"
The Doctor nodded. "Yes, you're very jeopardy friendly, Rose Tyler. One of the most jeopardy friendly humans I've ever had the pleasure of traveling with." At her incredulous look he started to riff a list, "Getting yourself trapped on Platform One, the dalek in Van Statten's museum, the reapers,the barrage balloon, The weakest link,"
"That wasn't my fault!"
"Absorbing the Time Vortex,"
"Also not my fault, you left me what else was I supposed to do?"
"...Mickey..."
"What about Mickey?"
"...the Wire, and lets not even mention that stint with the devil..."
"I'm sorry Doctor, but who is the one with the time traveling phone box? Without you I'm just a shop girl."
"Nah," he threw his arm around her shoulders and held her to his side, grinning down at her brightly, "You're so much more than that Rose Tyler."
"Thanks to you." She offered softly with a smile.
He pursed his lips and shook his head. "I don't think so, no, you always would have been brilliant."
"I think you think too highly of me Doctor. I really was a nothing before you came along and swept me off my feet."
"Impossible." He remarked with a sniff. "You know why? Because if you were a nothing then I wouldn't have taken you with me. I've seen human beings who are nothing and you Rose Tyler are definitely not nothing."
Rose smiled at him, love shining in her eyes and silently she lowered her head to rest in the crook of his neck. He kissed the top of her head affectionately and held her tighter.
As the couple stood there quietly, relishing in the feel of being near each other again, Donna approached them slowly, a pleased smile on her face.
"Aren't you two just adorable?" She cooed as she neared them.
"Donna!" The Time Lord exclaimed lifting his head from where it rested on Rose's.
Donna held up her hand, grinning knowingly. "Don't move on my account, I was just getting lonely over there by myself but was waiting for you two to be done...reacquainting yourselves."
Rose's cheeks flushed and hid her face against the Doctor's chest and he lowered his eyes to the ground, smirking and shifting awkwardly.
The Doctor cleared his throat, "Right then, Rose, this is Donna, Donna this is -"
"Oh save it spaceman, we've met."
"What? When?"
"Just minutes ago." Rose answered, lifting her head and then smiled at Donna. "She's the one who told me you were here."
"You're welcome." Donna remarked smugly.
A soft, grateful smile tugged at his lips. "Good ol' Donna."
Donna was about to remark when they heard a screech of "Oh My God!"
All three of them turned to see Jackie Tyler, little Tony attached to her hand, standing a few paces away, gaping at them.
"It's really you!"
The Doctor shrugged with an impish grin. "It's really me."
Jackie dragged Tony across the distance between them and once they were close enough, she dropped his hand and threw her arms around the Time Lord's neck.
The Doctor stumbled back out of shock and shot a desperate, questioning look at Rose who looked just as shocked as he was. The hug only lasted a moment before Jackie pulled away and gave him a stern look before slapping his cheek.
"Oh yep." The Doctor blinked and then rubbed his reddening cheek. "There it is. There's the Jackie I know."
"I didn't know whether to hug you or hit you, so I did both." Jackie offered up in explanation.
"Good to see you too Jackie." He answered dryly.
"Oh, I like her!" Donna remarked from behind the Doctor and he shot a look over his shoulder.
"Who's she?" Jackie pointed to the ginger.
"I'm Donna, Donna Noble. I travel with this lug." She motioned her head towards the Doctor.
"Oi!" He cried.
Jackie eyed Donna for a moment or two and she narrowed her eyes at Jackie's scrutinizing stare.
"You replaced Rose?" Jackie asked slowly, turning to stare hardly at the Doctor.
"Mum!" Rose shrieked.
"What?" The Doctor exclaimed almost at the same time. "No, no, no, no, no. Jackie it's not like that."
"Then what's it like?"
"Mum," Rose began and moved to take the Doctor's hand in hers, "He's had a lot of companions before me and when we- when we were separated I knew he'd find another one. I'm glad he did as well, I don't want him to be alone. He should never have to be alone."
The Doctor turned to her, floored. Rose Tyler continued to surprise and awe him with each little thing that came out of her mouth. This human being would give up her life for him, her family, for him. "I made my choice a long time ago and I'm never gonna leave you." And even if she couldn't be with him, she wanted him to find somebody else to travel with just so he wouldn't have to be alone. No one ever thought about him like that, not really. If he wasn't in front of her mother he would lean down and kiss her but he was so he settled for squeezing her hand showing his gratitude for her in that way.
Rose smiled, catching his silent message and rested her head against his shoulder.
"'sides," Donna piped in, "I could never take her place even if I wanted to, which I don't, he's just a big alien nothing but if I did he wouldn't let me." Donna threw an obvious wink at the Doctor and Rose.
Jackie observed the wink, furrowed her brow suspiciously and her gaze fell upon the Doctor and Rose who were standing even closer together than normal and then to where their hands met between them in an intimate hold.
Jackie was aware of the feelings that Rose had for the Time Lord, you wouldn't dedicate your life to finding your way back to someone that you didn't love, and she knew that the Doctor cared about Rose. She was unaware up until this point that his adoration of her daughter went well beyond just a companion. And although Jackie wanted nothing more than for her Rose to be happy, she wasn't quite sure how she felt about a nine hundred year old time traveling alien being in love with her twenty three year old daughter. Plus she knew the Doctor's aversion to the domestics, now that Rose found the Doctor again she surely would want to travel with him and she would leave this world forever. Jackie didn't like the thought of losing her only daughter especially when she'd be in another universe doing who knows what who knows where with an alien who can change his face.
But Rose knew what she wanted, she told Jackie a long time ago that she wouldn't stop until she found the Doctor and once she did, if he still wanted her, she'd travel with him until the end of time. And seeing her now, her arm linked with the Doctor's, her classic tongue-in-teeth grin, and a brightness in her eyes that Jackie hadn't seen in years, Jackie knew that she'd have to let her go. Rose belonged with the Doctor because as much as she needed him, he needed her as well.
When she came out of her thoughts she found the Doctor and Donna arguing and she cut in, "Hold on, if you don't like him, why do you travel with him?"
Donna turned to her, surprised. "Don't like him? Oh I bloody love him! Just not like your daughter does. He saved my life and he's just absolutely brilliant." She turned to a smug looking Doctor and snapped a pointer finger at him. "Don't let that go to your head Time Lord, you're still nothing."
Jackie furrowed her brow and glanced at Rose who was smirking in amusement. "Do you understand what's going on here?"
"Just same ol' Donna." The Doctor explained.
"Oi! Watch it spaceman! Just because your girlfriend's around don't think I'll go easy on you."
The Doctor and Rose both gaped at Donna and her bluntness and her choice of words for Rose's title. They quickly shot an awkward glance at each other and then just as quick looked away, Rose biting her lip, her cheeks flushing and the Doctor rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, his other hand still refusing to let go of Rose's.
"Girlfriend?" Jackie screeched suddenly and the not-quite-a-couple jumped. "Hold on, I thought you two weren't-"
"We're not, mum." Rose cut her off a bit too quickly and refused to look the Doctor in the eyes even though she could feel his eyes upon her. Not yet...
"Might as well be." Donna muttered under her breath and then at the looks she received from the other three, smiled innocently.
Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head, briefly meeting the Doctor's gaze, part of her hoping he couldn't see right through to her secret desire to bring their relationship to the level Donna mentioned.
She was just getting lost in his deep brown eyes when he suddenly whipped his head forward, settling his eyes on the little boy attached to Jackie's leg, watching them curiously.
"Oh hello!" He greeted cheerfully and finally let go of Rose's hand to kneel down to get eye level with Tony. "And who're you then?"
Tony frowned and pressed up against his mother's leg for protection. Rose smiled fondly and knelt down beside the Doctor.
"S'alright Tony. D'you remember all those stories I told you? About the Doctor?"
The Doctor looked at her, his eyebrows raised in intrigue. Rose caught his glance and smirked but continued to talk to Tony.
"Well, this is him," She reached out and placed her hand over the Doctor's wrist. "This is the Doctor."
Tony's brown eyes widened as he took in the sight of the Doctor. He hesitantly released Jackie's leg and approached his sister and the Doctor slowly. "You're the Doctor?"
"Oh yes." He grinned.
"Do you really fight bad aliens?"
"Oh yes." He repeated. "I fight bad aliens all the time. It's my job."
A smile, that in a weird way reminded him of Rose's, spread across his face and his eyes lit up as if he just met his favorite super hero. "That is so cool." He whispered in an adorable three year old lisp.
The Doctor continued to grin at him. "Well, now you know who I am, I think I should know who you are, what's your name?"
"Tony." The little blonde beamed bouncing up and down on his heels.
The Doctor shot his hand out and Tony slipped his smaller hand willingly into his. "It's nice to meet you Tony Tyler."
"Nice to meet you Doctor." Tony answered gleefully.
The Doctor shot a wink at him and ruffled his hair as he stood up. His grin faded as he caught sight of Jackie's 'Don't even think about it' look.
"I'd never take a child." He exclaimed, appalled.
"Better not." Jackie sniffed and walked over to Tony lying a protective hand over his shoulder. "This one is going to stay on Earth if I have anything to stay about it."
"Quite right too." He flicked his nose looking down at the youngest Tyler. "Don't need another Tyler out there."
"Oi!" Jackie and Rose exclaimed at the same time and Rose nudged her elbow into his side with a scowl.
"I was kidding!" He cried, his hand flying to cover where Rose nudged him.
"But speaking of," Jackie's voice was softer now, sadder. "Rose, how long do we have?"
"For what?" Rose asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
She nudged her head in the Doctor's direction. "Until he whisks you away again."
The question seemed to take both of them by surprise and they met each other's gaze. It was never stated that Rose would go back to traveling with the Doctor but he had come all this way and he certainly wasn't going to stay.
"Could you at least wait until after Christmas, yeah? So Rose could spend one more Christmas with the family." Jackie was practically pleading. She knew what it meant now that the Doctor was back, he'd take her away, forever. He'd go back to the other universe and take Rose with him and she would never be able to see her daughter again.
"Yeah." The Doctor agreed quietly, staring at Rose for a good few moments and then turning to smile at Jackie. "The TARDIS needs a couple days to repair herself anyhow. No place to go, so why not?"
A bright smile spread across Rose's face and she grabbed hold of the Doctor's arm, holding onto it tightly and leaning against him as he smiled down at her.
"What about me?" Donna asked, placing her hands on her hips, looking straight at the Doctor. "You can't just leave me here on my own."
Rose focused her attention on Donna and chuckled, "You're invited too, Donna. We wouldn't have it any other way."
"Oh." Donna's arms fell to her side and her tense shoulders relaxed and she smiled. "Brilliant then!"
Jackie sighed and rolled her eyes, digging around in her purse for her cell phone. "I better call Pete and let him know we have guests." She walked off to call her husband leaving Tony with Rose.
"So..." Rose grinned up at the Doctor, still hanging onto his arm.
"Christmas!" He beamed. "Love Christmas! The people, you humans are brilliant on Christmas, preaching all about 'Joy to the world' while you swarm and stomp all over each other to get the good gifts first. Decorations! All the green and red, tinsel and holly, christmas trees, and good ol' jolly St. Nick." Rose and Donna shuddered at the memory of the robot santa's. "And the food, ah, the food. Turkey! Although..."
Rose pinched the skin on the back of his hand and he yelped. "What was that for?"
"Don't insult my mum's cooking. She's gotten better y'know, Dad's taught her a few things. Apparently this world's Jackie wasn't that good of cook either."
"No surprise there." He muttered under his breath and she pinched him again.
"Ow! Stop it!"
"Be nice." She scolded him as if he were the three year old hanging onto her other hand.
"I am being nice!" He retorted.
"You're being rude."
"Rude and not ginger, that's me." He grinned proudly.
"What about gingers?" Donna accused suddenly glaring at the Time Lord.
The Doctor turned around to face her looking like a deer caught in headlights. "Uh-"
"The Doctor wanted to be ginger." Rose elaborated with a grin. "He's gotta thing for 'em or something."
"I do not!" The Doctor insisted.
"Right," Donna said with a knowing smirk, "You've got a thing for blondes."
Rose blushed and sucked on her lower lip expecting the Doctor to pass off Donna's remark and get a little awkward but to her great surprise (and delight) he simply said, "Actually just one blonde in particular." Then he tilted his head towards her and winked.
Her heart fluttered and a grin spread across her face and she quickly pushed herself up onto her toes and kissed his cheek affectionately. He turned to face her fully, his eyes shining brightly with adoration and his face lit up in a beaming smile.
Rose hummed contentedly and nuzzled her head into his shoulder.
Rose wasn't sure what had brought him here, or what might happen because of it, all that mattered was that he was here and as far as Rose was concerned she was never going to leave his side again. She made him a promise and she intended to keep that promise.
Forever.
A/N: This could be a one-shot or I could continue it depending on if you all want to read it. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! I'd really appreciate some feedback!