The Green Soul

Chapter 6

"I'll bet you're excited," the Doctor grinned at her from five feet away, looking as though he were trying not to near her.  Rose watched him for a moment and forced a smile. 

"Doctor-"

"You know, authentic mood, all that atmosphere.  Dripping in atmosphere, Rose.  You'll love it," he held his arm out for her and she took it without a second thought, like she would ever have to give something like that a second thought.

"Doctor, I-"

"Not the time for chit-chat, Rose, we don't want to be late," He said, sounding far too cheerful for the heavy mood that had covered them just moments before.  He tugged her along and opened the door where Matthew stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the perfect picture of 'prim and proper.' 

"Hello, Matthew, my good man," The Doctor grinned, his happy-go-lucky mood firmly back in place, and Rose sighed to herself.

She had to admit she was a fool to think that anything would come out of an odd moment with him over her on the bed.  She nearly laughed at the thought.  Right.  How presumptuous that had been of her.  Maybe he would've done something, had Matthew not knocked on the door, but she still had to doubt it, just because he was... Well, he was the Doctor.

So she just huffed and held onto his arm, relishing in the contact and trying not to wish for anything more.  Because, oh God, did she wish or more, every moment of every day.  He meant so much to her, and he never really saw it, which nearly killed her.  She'd tried to be obvious about it, even before his regeneration, just in case he decided to forgo those completely daft Time Lord rules.

Matthew started to lead them back where they had come, and again, Rose admired the ornate beauty around her, trying not to look at the Doctor, even glance at him.  She could feel his gaze drift over to her every so often, though she was sure he was looking for a way to apologize for what had happened without actually bringing it up.

The two of them were led down the magnificent staircase and to an equally glorious dining room, which rich wood chairs and table with a small floral centerpiece in the middle of it.  The chairs were certain to be hard when she sat on one, Rose was sure, but she hoped her skirt would keep her bum from falling asleep.

Marie and Ben stood in the dining room and they exchanged pleasantries before taking their seats.  Rose looked around to thank Matthew and saw that he'd disappeared.

It looked as though the table had been adjusted so it would just seat the four of them, with a little extra space for the plates to be placed.  In the back of her mind, Rose wondered what they would be eating, but she'd eaten so many weird things over the course of the years she'd been with the Doctor that she wasn't sure she cared.

One thing she wondered about more than the food was why the Doctor's hand immediately found her knee under the table the moment they'd sat down.  It made her mind whirl and if her left hand covered his, who was to know?

Nothing, really.  In the end, she knew it was nothing.  She knew that he'd be all flirt and no follow through, touching her and almost... Loving her.  But the second they got back to their room he'd pretend he'd never touched her, like he hadn't made her heart stutter in her chest.  Like he hadn't made her want to kiss him on a thousand occasions.  Like every touch didn't drive her completely mad for more.

Instead of just telling him this, instead of owning up to everything, she pushed it all aside and kept her thumb tracing circles over the back of his hand, just hanging onto the little parts of contact she was getting from him.

They ended up being presented with roast turkey and plum pudding, and Ben and Marie apologized profusely since they weren't expecting company, but Rose and the Doctor had to assure them that it was fine. 

"We wanted to eat sort of light anyway," the Doctor said, "Travelling gives Rose an upset stomach."

Rose would've laughed, because if travelling made her sick that would end her travels with the Doctor very quickly.  Instead, she just nodded to the couple and tried to look forlorn for a moment.

Marie and Ben seemed to buy it, the other woman touching her hand in sympathy.  "I know how that is," she said, "One carriage ride and I fall ill almost immediately." 

The Doctor and Rose found that they rather liked this couple, and Rose felt like it was their job now to save them from whatever terrible fate had befell them in a... Previous past. 

When reading history books, it was hard to remember that those between the pages were real, and lived real lives, and had real laughs.  They were all beautiful in their own way, and wasn't that something?  She wanted to make sure that they died old, fat, and happy, not a couple young and in their prime. 

And they were so in love, anyone could see that.  It warmed Rose's heart, and she enjoyed watching them, the little touches exchanged, glances and smiles and everything else that encompassed a couple being in love.  As much as she was happy for them, she found herself being more than a little jealous.

It was all going very well, and Rose took the Doctor's sort-of advice when he commented about the atmosphere, pulling in as much of it as she could.  That was, until the candles started to flicker. 

"Doctor?" She whispered, touching his shoulder and pointing at them.  "There's no breeze here."

Ben and Marie slowly turned around to look where both the Doctor and Rose were now looking.  Marie did the sign of the cross over her chest and Rose heard Ben take a sharp intake of breath.  The four of them stared, motionless, at the flames, which looked like they were blowing in a wind none of them could feel.

The Doctor's fingers tightened around her knee and she turned to look at him, a little surprised.  Was the Doctor afraid?  Out of all the things they'd seen, this was the one?  The one thing, after Slitheen, and Cybermen, and the Time War, this was the thing that scared the Doctor. 

She went cold as she realized why this would upset them.  He'd never seen it.  He didn't know what this was, and if he didn't know, they were certainly up a creek without a paddle.  And their paddle was usually the Doctor himself. 

She was fixating on this, fretting about it, when simultaneously, all the candles and lights in the house went out, leaving the dining room plunged into blackness.