1,661Disclaimer: Doctor Who is property of the BBC. I do not own any of it, nor do I make any money from it.
A/N Here we are at last. The end of the story. No words, just go ahead.
Songs for the chapter: 'Rose's Theme' and 'The Doctor's Theme' from the Doctor Who Original Soundtrack.
Happy Reading!
The Full Circle
Previously
"I'll always be here, my thief, but I want to give you the one thing you would always have."
The Doctor didn't even bother to stop the tears flowing down his face. "What's that?" he asked.
Idris smiled sadly. "My heart," she said.
There was a brief pause before a blinding golden light filled the control room.
Slowly, the light died down into a softer glow before vanishing completely. Idris was gone and the Doctor's control broke. He closed his eyes and let the tears fall silently over his face, only to look up when he heard a sharp gasp from River.
"What?" Amy asked.
"Look," River pointed.
The Doctor followed her gaze and saw a figure lying down on the floor. She was dressed in a soft white dress and her golden hair covered her face. The Doctor knelt on the floor and moved her hair away gently. It was Rose.
The heart. Of course, who else? He smiled softly as he stroked Rose's cheek. She let out a quiet groan and her eyes fluttered open. The Doctor smiled at her. "Hello," he said softly.
Rose stared at him and what sounded like a jangle of high bells sounded from her mouth. She was speaking in Gallifreyan. The Doctor gasped as she said 'hello'. It was then that he noticed her eyes. They were the same; big, doe-shaped and brown with gold flecks. But something was missing.
He inhaled shakily as Rose sat up and looked at him in confusion.
"Doctor, what's happening?" Rory asked.
"This is her beginning," John said breathlessly as the Doctor stared speechlessly at Rose, torn between wonder and anxiousness.
"Oh," Rory said as he and Amy exchanged a look. "What do we do?"
The Doctor did not move his eyes from Rose, who was looking curiously at her own hair as if fascinated by it. She reminded him of Idris as she continued to examine her fingers with wonder.
"River, John, get the medbay set up," the Doctor said, his eyes fixed on Rose's every move. "Ponds, call Captain Jack Harkness. Number's in the TARDIS directory. Tell him that it's Rose's beginning."
Nodding, Amy searched through the directory while River and John hurried towards the medbay. Amy found Captain Jack's number and dialled it.
"Hello," a girl answered.
"Uh, I was looking for Captain Jack," Amy said.
"Uh-huh, who's calling?" the girl asked.
"My name is Amy Pond. I travel with the Doctor," she said.
"Is something wrong?" the girl asked immediately.
"No, uh, the Doctor has a message. It's Rose's beginning," Amy said, still bewildered by the turn of events.
The girl on the other end inhaled sharply. "Jack!" she yelled in the background. "We have to go! Now! Tell Dad we'll be there soon," she said and hung up.
Amy hung up in a daze. Dad? Shaking her head, she watched Rory who was still staring at the Doctor and Rose like he couldn't believe his eyes. She nudged him in the ribs. "Come on Rory, let's go and see if River or John need our help."
Rory nodded and the two of them left quickly, leaving the Doctor and Rose alone.
Meanwhile, the Doctor stared at Rose as she examined her human body. 'I'm human' she said.
"Not entirely. This is just a humanoid form," the Doctor said as he sat down cross-legged in front of her.
'What language are you speaking now?' she asked him curiously.
"English," he answered.
"English," Rose repeated slowly. "Am I speaking English now?"
The Doctor smiled. "Yes," he answered. "Do you know who you are?"
"Bad Wolf," Rose answered immediately. "The heart of this TARDIS."
"And do you know who I am?" the Doctor asked, almost fearfully. He'd had years and years to prepare for this moment but the whole shield came crashing down with one word.
"No," she said, looking genuinely regretful.
He knew it was coming but it still hurt so much. He kept his smile intact as he stared at her. Of course, she wasn't fooled for a minute. "Don't be sad," she said.
The Doctor's lips quirked up as he moved towards her. Her breath caught as he came near her. He gently tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm the man who loves you more than anyone in this universe," he said without any doubt in his voice.
"Do I love you too?" she asked him curiously.
"If you'd like," he said.
Rose gently moved her hand towards his face and stroked his cheek. "What do I call you?" she asked him as his eyes closed.
The Doctor opened his eyes and brushed his lips against her palm. "I'm the Doctor," he said.
"Doctor," Rose repeated and he felt a shudder ripple through him. Rose shivered as well but it was for a different reason. The newly born Bad Wolf was tired. She fainted in the Doctor's arms.
On their way to the medbay, Amy and Rory began to discuss what had just happened. "Wow," Rory said.
Amy let out a breathless laugh. "I know," she agreed. "Listen, does the Doctor have kids?"
Rory looked surprised. "What?"
"Yeah, I talked to this girl when I called this Captain Jack person. She called him 'Dad'," she said.
Rory shrugged. "That man is just one mystery after another," he said.
Amy nodded as they reached the medbay.
"How is she?" River asked at once, looking up from a complicated piece of machinery.
"She and the Doctor were talking when we left," Rory answered. "Don't know what's happened now."
"Oh no," John said, his eyes looking past Rory. They turned around and saw the Doctor carrying an unconscious Rose in his arms.
"She's exhausted," the Doctor said. "Not used to a flesh body yet. Plus, the Huon particles are wreaking havoc on her system," he rambled on. "It's temporary of course, but a lot could go bad if not dealt with properly..."
"Doctor," River said sternly as he lay her down on the cot. "Relax."
"I am relaxed," he protested. "See, fully relaxed," he said unconvincingly with a half-hearted smile.
River shook her head at him exasperatedly and met John's eyes. "Amy, Rory, come with me," John said. "We'll wait in the console room for Jack and Jenny," he said.
Getting the hint, Amy and Rory followed John, even as they looked worriedly at the Doctor. "Now," River said. "Don't get emotional. Rose needs you right now and you have to focus."
The Doctor inhaled deeply and nodded. "You're right. I need the full body scanner, a particle analyser..."
"Is Rose going to be okay?" Rory asked John as they waited tensely in the console room.
"I hope so," John murmured.
"It's so weird seeing her like that though," Amy said.
Rory and John agreed silently. The three of them were so quiet that they were startled when the doors of the TARDIS opened and Jenny walked in with Jack in tow.
"Where is she?" Jenny asked.
"Uh, Amy, Rory meet Jenny. The Doctor and Rose's daughter," John introduced quickly, ignoring their shocked exclamations. "And that's..."
"Captain Jack Harkness," he said, winking at the Ponds. "Nice to meet you both."
"Not now, Jack," John said. "And I'll explain later," he said to Amy and Rory.
"Where's mum?" Jenny asked again, her posture tense.
"The Doctor's looking after her. Let's go," John said as they made their way back to the medbay.
Jenny pushed open the door lightly and saw the Doctor stroking Rose's hair as she lay on the cot while River examined the readings from the various machines. The Doctor looked up when Jenny walked in followed by the others.
"Hello," the Doctor said softly.
"How is she?" Jenny asked as she knelt next to the cot.
"She's exhausted. She's not used to the flesh body yet. It'll take her some time to get used to," the Doctor said. "The results are encouraging, though."
"How was she born exactly?" Jack asked.
River explained everything; from the hypercube to Idris and finally, Rose. Jack and Jenny listened quietly, enthralled by the story.
"Wow," Jenny said finally when River had finished talking.
"Did she recognise you?" Jack asked.
"No. I had to tell her," the Doctor said.
Jenny hugged him. "I'm sorry, Dad," she said.
He hugged her back, grateful for it. "Thank you, Jenny."
Rose shifted in her sleep and everyone fell quiet and stared at her to see if she would wake up. Sure enough, her eyes fluttered open. She looked at the Doctor and smiled. "Doctor," she said.
"Hello," he smiled lovingly. The look in her eyes was just recognition, not love but it was better than before. "Do you feel better?"
Rose nodded as she pushed herself up in a sitting position. "I'm not used to a flesh body yet," she said and then gasped when she spotted the group of people. "Hello," she said, no recognition in her eyes.
Everyone stared speechlessly at her and she looked at the Doctor for help. "They're my friends," he said.
Rose nodded and looked back at them. "I'm the Bad Wolf," she said and smiled tentatively. Her eyes moved to Jenny and she gasped. "You're my daughter," she said confidently.
Jenny beamed. "You remember me?"
Rose shook her head with regret. "I can feel it," she said. "I'm sorry," she said when Jenny's face fell.
"It's alright," the Doctor said, as he took her hand gently. "Her name is Jenny. Who else do you feel?"
Rose closed her eyes and then turned to River and opened her eyes. "My sister," she said.
"River Song," River said with a smile that Rose returned shyly.
She looked at John in confusion. She turned back to the Doctor and looked between them for several moments. John smiled gently. "I feel like him but not exactly, right?" he asked her.
Rose nodded. "You two are brothers," she said.
John nodded. "Dr. John Noble Smith."
Rose smiled and nodded at him. She looked at Jack. "I will make you what you are," she said slowly.
Jack gave a charming smile. "Yes you will, beautiful," he winked and then kissed her lips. "Captain Jack Harkness."
Rose blushed at the kiss. "Is that how people greet each other?" she asked him.
People around them laughed. "It's how the two of us greet each other," Jack winked.
"That's enough," the Doctor said, pretending to glare at Jack.
Rose gave him a smile and the Doctor returned it wholeheartedly. She looked at Amy and Rory who were observing everything with shock and delight. "Amy and Rory Pond," Rose said. Everyone looked at her in shock.
"I heard them say their names before," Rose said by way of explanation. Everyone relaxed slightly. "Do I have a name?" Rose asked. "Apart from being the Bad Wolf, I mean."
The Doctor smiled as he cupped her face. "Rose," he whispered.
"Rose," she repeated. "What does it mean?" The Doctor reached inside his tweed jacket and pulled out a delicate pink rose. He gave it to Rose who took it in wonder. "It's beautiful," she murmured.
"Just like you. Suits your personality," he grinned, remembering her words from the first time he had met her. Funny how circles worked out.
Rose smiled sweetly at him. She frowned as she began to feel fatigued. The Doctor guessed her expression. "You should rest some more. Your body needs more time."
She nodded and then smiled at everyone before laying back down. Almost immediately, she fell asleep. "I'll stay with her. You lot go on," River said as she sat down next to her.
"I'll stay," the Doctor insisted.
"Doctor, you need a break. Go for a walk or something," River said.
The Doctor opened his mouth to argue but then nodded. He could use a break. As everyone trickled into different parts of the TARDIS, he walked outside. The TARDIS had landed them on Earth. He walked out onto the beach and read the sign and sighed. 'Bad Wolf Bay'. Clever as ever, his Rose. Well, not his. Not right now anyway.
He walked away from the TARDIS to clear his head. As he approached a cove, he spotted a familiar blonde figure sitting on the rock. She looked up and smiled as he approached. "Hello, love," she said.
He smiled sadly. "Hello, Rose," he said and sat down next to her.
Immediately, she held him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
He shook his head. "I'm fine."
"You're a bad liar," she said as she kissed his forehead.
He closed his eyes at the contact. "How will I make it?" he asked her desperately.
Rose brushed her lips across his cheek. "I love you. Always remember that. Even now, when I'm all confused and new, I know you're special," she said.
The Doctor nodded, still unconvinced. "Do you remember how long it took you to admit that you loved me?" she asked him.
"Alright," he conceded. "I love you."
"I love you too," Rose said and kissed him softly.
"I'm not going to see you again, am I?" he asked her when she pulled away.
Rose looked at him sadly. "You've got me now," she evaded. "Waiting in the TARDIS. We're going to be so great, Doctor."
He could read between the lines and he kissed her again, more passionately than ever. "I'll miss you," he said.
"I'll miss you too," she said softly. "You should go back. I'll wake up soon."
The Doctor kissed her for the last time and Rose stood up. He hugged her tightly to his chest for a moment before letting her step away.
"Doctor," Rose began. "There was something I wanted to say," she said, her eyes so tender that he almost snatched her back into his arms.
"Goodbye?" he guessed, willing his arms to stay at his sides and not reach for her.
Rose smiled and shook her head. "No," she said. "Hello," she said. "I just wanted to say hello," she sighed, as tears began to flow down her face. "Hello Doctor, it is so very, very nice to meet you."
With those words, Rose vanished into a golden shower and the Doctor stood speechless for a moment before throwing his head back in genuine, joyous laughter.
"Hello and goodbye, my Rose," he whispered at the empty beach. Smiling, he turned around and began the walk back to the TARDIS.
~ The End (Or the Beginning...)
A/N And that's all, folks. Thank you to each and every person who read, reviewed, alerted or favourited this story. I honestly could not have done this without you guys.
There will NOT be a sequel to this story but I will write random moments between the Doctor and Rose as they move forward from here in the Outtakes story. I know I haven't been updating it much but I will now. I was just waiting to finish the main story first.
However, the updates won't start until AFTER the holidays. Sorry, but I do need a break.
Anyway, thank you once again for being with me on this journey. I absolutely love you all.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
~ Phoenix