The Assassin of Madness

Chapter 23

Rose didn't even give the Doctor the option to follow her.  She headed straight into the en suite and moved to run herself a hot bath.  The door was shut and locked firmly behind her, and the Doctor sighed so heavily she could hear it.  Well, if he wanted to talk to her, he knew exactly where she was. 

She checked to make sure they had dressing gowns before wrapping her hair up in a bun and climbed into the bath, sighing as the water lapped at her skin. Her eyes fell shut but she was careful to not let herself fall asleep.  She felt herself sighing and getting comfortable, the hot water soothing her back.  Luckily, she knew that it was safe for her to use hot water.  

It was difficult to relax when she could hear the Doctor pacing around outside the bathroom.  She let out a long sigh and lay back in the tub and accidentally drifted off to sleep. 

She was awakened a little while later by someone slamming on the door and the Doctor calling her name out frantically.  

"What?" Rose replied, the irritation clear in her voice.

"Rowina brought your dress and I knocked a few times.  you didn't answer, I got... I was..."

"I'm fine.  I'll come out in a moment."  Rose toweled herself off and put on a dressing gown that was on the hook.  Tying it shut, she opened the door and went into the bedroom, where a blessedly corset free ruby red dress lay out on the bed.  She openly stared at it and walked up the bed.  Her fingers ran over it of their own accord.  "S'lovely," she said softly.

"If... If you need help, I'm here," the Doctor said awkwardly.  

Rose shifted the dress around to look at the back.  "It's got a zip.  I'll call you when I'm ready."

Rowina had left her kitten heels to go with it as well, cushioning pads in them.  Obviously she hadn't known how long it had been since Rose had gotten injured.  Smiling a bit at the girl's kindness, she didn't realize that the Doctor had vanished into the bathroom and locked himself in.  She rolled her eyes and eased the dressing gown off of her shoulders and began dressing.  The sleeves were glittery, but not so much so that it was distracting.  The ballgown accentuated her waist and the low sweetheart neckline accentuated... Other parts.  

She tried to get the zip up herself, but after a few seconds knew that wasn't going to happen.  "I need your help," she called out, signaling the Doctor.  He peeked out, as if checking to see if she was really dressed, and approached her slowly. She heard him hiss softly when he saw her scar. 

"Calm down, it won't be so bad in a few weeks," Rose said harshly, "Not that you'll be around to see it get better, after all."

He was quiet, but his fingers brushed her skin more than was strictly necessary as he zipped her up, as if savoring every touch he was allowed to have.  She couldn't bring herself to complain.  Once he'd finished she pulled away from him to slip her feet into the shoes.  "I'll have to do something with my hair," she said absently, not really talking to him, more to herself.  

The Doctor was watching her, carefully, as though she were a flight risk and were just a moment from unleashing fury and scratching his eyes out.  She held his gaze and arched her eyebrow, as if to say 'well, what?'  He shook his head and looked away from her. 

"We can't carry on like this," he said as she sat down at the vanity that was provided for them and started rummaging around through the drawers. 

"Carry on like what?" Rose asked, genuinely confused, "We haven't been carrying on at all, I don't know if you've noticed."

She saw his shoulders slump in the mirror.  "Do you want me to leave you alone?"

"I'm not the one who asked you to leave."