Bad Wolf Bay – Part One

As she watched the last trace of blue fade away, she felt his arm brush the side of her jacket; felt long, warm fingers slip between hers. She turned to look him in his perfect, chocolate eyes and saw something so inexplicably familiar, so completely right that she couldn't tear herself away. But no, his eyes were different. They were lighter, they were smiling. They had lost the shadow that had been ever-present there, from the moment they met. When he first seized her hand in that dark and drippy basement a million years ago, she had seen it. And to see him without it, as though the weight he had been carrying ever since the Time War was suddenly gone, was something she'd never dreamed of. It was so strange, but for some reason she had been expecting to see fear, uncertainty. Which was ridiculous, of course. He was the Doctor, no; he was her Doctor…right? She swallowed, then spoke quietly, so only he could hear.

"I…" She cursed herself; this was not supposed to be hard. She tried again. "I just need a minute, kay? I just want to…" Her eyes begged him to understand, but she really hadn't needed any explanation. The Doctor just smiled, softly this time. He gave a little nod, then turned toward Jackie, who, now Rose took the time to look, had settled herself on a rock, waiting patiently in a most un-Jackie-like way. The Doctor turned back to Rose, the gentle smile still playing across his lips. He looked down to his hand, and only then did Rose realise she hadn't actually let go yet.

"Right, yeah, sorry," She released his hand, and then he pulled away gently. She suddenly wished he hadn't, for now her hand felt cold and empty. She grasped it with her other and held them close to her stomach, before telling herself how ridiculous she was being. Now that he was here, that they were both here together, he had all the time in the world to hold her hand again. She hoped. She just needed to work out the hundred voices in her head. She turned again to watch him go, his hands following the wearied path into his pockets as he made his way across the wet, grey sand towards Jackie.