Keep Holding On, a doctor who fanfic

Keep Holding On

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who

Rose was in the Doctor's room, holding tightly onto his hand as the medicines and the medical equipment worked on healing him. He was badly injured—several broken ribs, a broken wrist, a twisted ankle, numerous cuts and bruises, a concussion and he was sick with a fever. He shouldn't have even been in this condition, but he was. He was like this because he'd been protecting her and Jack from danger.

You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No I won't give in

It'd had been supposed to be a trip to watch the eclipse of the seven moons and suns of Maverick 7, but the coordinates had been slightly off and they'd landed on a planet with inhabited by a violent, war-like race that had captured her, Jack and the Doctor on the grounds that the trio were spies from the enemy. When they'd tried to take Rose for interrogation, the Doctor and Jack had refused to let them even come near her.

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

This hadn't helped the situation and in the end, the Doctor had made a bargain before Rose or Jack could stop him. In exchange for their release and that Rose and Jack not be harmed, the Doctor would undergo their "Test of Honor." After a very long and worry-filled hour, the Doctor had been returned to them and they'd been free to go.

Now, the Doctor was badly injured and Rose and Jack had been trying to heal him up. He'd been doused with medicine, bandaged, and hooked up to medical equipment, and now all they could do was wait until he woke up and recovered. And Rose had to deal with the knots in her stomach as she kept him cool with a cold, wet rag.

She felt terrible. He was like this because he'd been trying to protect her and Jack and she wished she could do more from him. She knew his condition was stable, but she still worried for him and wanted him to recover quickly. She didn't know what she would do if the worst happened.

"Don't you die on me, Doctor. Don't you dare die on me," she murmured.

So far away
I wish you were here
Before it's too late, this could all disappear
Before the doors close
And it comes to an end
With you by my side I will fight and defend,
I'll fight and defend
Yeah, yeah!

"Keep fighting this. I'm right here and I won't let you go, you hear me? I won't let you go." She kept wiping his hot face with the rag, trying to lower his fever. "I'm so sorry. This was my fault. If you and Jack hadn't been defending me, you wouldn't be like this. I'm so sorry."

"It is not your fault, Rose," said Jack, as he sat beside her. "Listen, I may not have known him long, but I know for a fact that if anything had happened to you, he would've a complete mess. He did this because he cares about you."

"I know, I know," she said, sighing. She pulled her blond locks into a ponytail. "I'm not going to make a mess of myself. I'm going to be strong. Because I know he'd want me to, for both our sakes."

"He would," Jack agreed.

"But I'm still just so worried."

"I know, and you have every right to be, but everything's going to be all right, I promise."

Hear me when I say, when I say I believe
Nothing's gonna change, nothing's gonna change destiny
Whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

La da da da
La da da da
La da da da da da da da da

"He's going to be okay. He just needs some time to heal up. He's not going to leave his favorite girl behind, not for anything." He squeezed her shoulder. "You look worn out. Why don't you go get some sleep and something to eat?"

"No."

"Rose," said Jack, warningly. "You just said you weren't going to make a mess of yourself."

"I know and I won't. I'll eat and get some sleep, but I'm not leaving him."

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you

"I can't leave him, Jack. If it was me in his place, he'd be doing the same. I need to stay with him."

Jack wanted to protest, but Rose gave him such a look that he gave up. He brought her some food and helped set up a bed for her.

There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

For the next three days, Rose remained by the Doctor's side. She ate when Jack brought her food and slept when she couldn't keep her eyes open. The Doctor's condition improved and his fever broke, but he remained unconscious until the morning of the fourth day.

Rose was sitting beside him, rubbing his hand when he began to stir.

Her heart leapt, but she didn't dare hope until he let out a groan and blue eyes met brown.

"Rose?" he said, sounding hoarse.

"Doctor, you're all right!"

She reached over and hugged him tight and he returned the hug until they broke apart.

"How're you feeling?" she asked.

"A little woozy and thirsty, but I think I'm fine. What happened? The last thing I remember is passing out by those monsters' hands."

"You passed their test, but were pretty badly hurt and unconscious for three days," she said, as she handed him a glass of water. "Don't ever do that to me again, you hear me? You scared Jack and me really good, you know that?" She furiously wiped away the tears that stung her eyes, but to no avail.

"Rose, come here."

He pulled her beside him onto the bed, where they held each other close as he stroked her hair. "I'm sorry I worried you badly, Rose. I never meant for any of that to happen. I'm sorry."

Keep holding on…
Keep holding on…

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault what those maniacs did to you," she said, as she wiped her eyes again. "I'm just really glad you're okay. If the worst had happened, I don't know what I would've done."

"Feeling's mutual," he said. And then suddenly, he kissed her tenderly on the lips and she returned it. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said.

There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do

There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

They cuddled up together and ended up falling asleep in each other's arms. When Jack found them still snuggled up together, he smiled to himself and took a picture, making a mental note to say "I told you so" when they woke up later.

The End