Reign of the World

Chapter 5

If anybody's thinking about the fanart contest, I would consider entering soon:) Check a later chapter of Trembling Lights for rules or message me

The jolt sent Rose and the Doctor into the corner, and she could hear his jaw click painfully as they hit it.  He didn't even give himself time to recover, just pulled Rose farther with him into the corner as more panic ensued on the deck.

"Was it a storm?" Rose shouted over the din.  "Like a wind storm, or some alien thing?  Under the sea?"

"It doesn't feel like a real storm," the Doctor shouted back.  "This is forced.  It's too precise to be natural, even on an alien world with different moons."

Rose nodded, trying to process all the information around the buzzing in her head.  "Okay, so something directed us this way?  But why?"

The Doctor shook his head.  "I don't know."

Another impact shook the ship, and the Doctor pulled Rose almost into his lap before turning and shielding her from falling debris.  He didn't even pretend like everything was going to be okay, didn't smile and wink at her.  He just stared over her head, a stoic look on his face.

She stared up at him, and he finally moved to look down at her.  They locked eyes, holding onto each other through the tremors shaking through the boat.  The Doctor winced as a sharp piece of wood knocked him in the back.  Rose shot her hands up to wrap around his back to protect him, but he shook his head and moved her hands back to his chest.

Rose managed to look over the Doctor's shoulder and saw someone trip and fall through a hole that had developed in the railing.  She winced and shuddered, and the Doctor turned to look over at what she was looking at and cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him, before moving them back around her.

"Rose, look at me, it's okay," the Doctor fought for her attention, forced eye contact.  "You and me, we're going to be okay.  Rose?  Look at me."

She couldn't helped the panic that welled up at witnessing a death, someone plummeting into the water.  She tried to keep her breathing even and focused on the Doctor's eyes, voice, and arms holding her steady.  He told her to look at him and she dutifully complied, watching him and breathing sharply through her nose.

"We're going to be alright, we always are, you know that."

The screams of more people falling met her ears and she shuddered.  The Doctor slid down next to her and pressed her ear to his chest, covering the other with his hand so the only sounds she heard were his hearts beating against her cheek. 

She'd seen death, she couldn't pretend that she hadn't, especially while being with the Doctor, but never had she been so powerless as it happened around her.

After what felt like years and years, the boat started to tilt to the side, and the Doctor stood up, pulling Rose with him.  He looked over the railing where they stood and saw a beach beginning to stretch out below them.

"Jump to the beach!" He shouted, waving an arm violently, catching the attention of several.  He pointed over the railing.  "Jump to the beach!"

They didn't have to be told twice.  The people started to jump over the side, landing safely, if a little painfully, on the sand.  The boat continued to tilt, and the Doctor held the rail and Rose held the Doctor. 

"Rose, jump off onto the beach," the Doctor said, "You need to help them calm down, I'll meet you down there, I promise."

Rose nodded and they squeezed each other in a brief farewell hug before helping her over the railing.  She fell with a heavy 'oof' and immediately stood, looking around her for someone to help, something to do.