Tenrose Short Stories

#9-Run

"Hold on!" The Doctor called out and Rose grabbed the railing just before a massive jerk threw her off balance. The floor was the ceiling and the ceiling was the floor for a fraction of a moment, then gravity restored itself. The TARDIS began to violently rock back and forth and Rose felt her grip slipping. She knew if she let go, she'd be hurt, but she found it really hard. Her sweaty palms slipped on the metal but still attempted to have a tight hold on it. The rough ride came to a quick halt and her hands slipped. She found herself on her back on the floor of the console room.

"Doctor?" She called out, noticing her neck ached from being thrown about. Suddenly, the man himself came into view above her.

"Rose? Are you okay?" He asked as he examined her with his eyes and hands.

"Yeah, just a bit sore. Here, help me up." She held out her hand and he pulled her to her feet. She fell into his chest, disheveled from the ride. "Thanks." She smiled up at him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "What happened?"

The Doctor took his eyes off of her face, where he'd been staring adoringly, and looked at the console. "There was a malfunction. I think I can fix it, but the TARDIS has to sit for a day or so."

Rose nodded. It wasn't the first time. After all, the poor thing was an antique when The Doctor first took her. Now she was ancient. Rose never got impatient with the TARDIS in these situations. After all, the blue box had done many things for her through her travels and she was very grateful for the unusual sort of friendship.

"So where are we then?" She asked, wondering if she'd need her jacket.

The Doctor was looking at the screen. "Planet UX-4732. Somewhat similar to Earth except for the fact that the inhabitants have suction like domes instead of feet and are pink."

"Friendly?"

"Very." The Doctor's voice suggested they were a little too friendly.

"Hmm." Rose replied, walking up to gaze over his shoulder. The Gallifreyan words spun in their orbitals and Rose was just as lost as ever. The Doctor read intently, aware that she was confused. "Shall we take a looker then?"

"Let's!" The Doctor said as he looked at her and stood up straight. He met her at the door and held it open for her. "Milady," he said with a grin.

"Thank you." She smiled, then took her gaze from his face to their surroundings. Rose gasped as she saw they were on the very edge of a cliff. She'd started to take a step, but The Doctor pulled her back and she gained her balance once more. The cliff was thousands of meters from the ground below. It was a beach, but Rose was having a hard time seeing many details about it. "Oh my," she breathed. "You got us mighty close, Doctor."

"I know," he said, voice serious. "I nearly lost you there."

Rose hugged him, knowing he needed reassurance she was okay. "It's okay, Doctor. I'm still alive. I'm still here. I'll always be here."

Lie. The voice in Rose's head was not hers, but for some reason was familiar. She frowned into The Doctor's shoulder as she suddenly remembered why she remembered the voice. It was the one that had popped into her head when she and The Doctor had found Vangroffs. She had somehow forgotten the voice. She knew that couldn't be good, so she opened her mouth to tell The Doctor, but the voice filled her head erasing that thought from her mind.

You're a liar. You can't stay with him forever. You're ours. Forever. You soon won't matter. Rose, oh Rose. We are coming.

Rose gasped into The Doctor's shoulder. The Doctor pulled back and looked at Rose, wondering what in the world was going on. "Rose?" He asked. "Are you alright? What happened?"