The Monk's Altar

Chapter 8

Rose was sleeping rather hard when she was jarred awake by an arm wrapping around her and drawing her against himself.  She sighed heavily and shifted around in his arms, pressing her nose against his chest.  His happy hum reverberated against her chest and she giggled, wrapping her arm around his waist. 

"We'll have to get up soon," he whispered, as though he was afraid of scaring her off or making the moment shatter.  

She felt the heaviness of sleep still hovering over her and shook her head against his pajama top.  "Goodnight."

He chuckled.  "One more hour," he said, and she could tell his tone was trying to be commanding, but the Doctor had become a bit of a pushover when it had come to Rose, especially since Krop Tor when they started sharing a bed.

She fell asleep quickly, her breath evening out, rippling through the fabric of his shirt.  Although the Doctor had slept the night before last, he allowed himself that hour of sleep to pass the time until they had to go into the nearest town.  

Rose practically felt him wake up, as it started with his hands rubbing up and down her back, trying to wake her.  She shifted away from him and opened her eyes, nodding.  "Yeah, alright, I'm up."

"You got another good hour in," he said helpfully.

She grinned sleepily at him.  "Is it going to be hot today?" She asked. 

The Doctor thought for a moment, tilting his head to the side.  "Maybe?  Bring a jacket to be safe."

Rose looked at him, as though waiting for him to move before she got out of the bed herself.  He didn't and she sighed, crawling over him to stand on the floor.  "There's nothing else on this planet I should worry about, is there?  You know, like, acid rain or something?"

The Doctor laughed and rubbed his eyes, sitting up.  "No, no acid rain.  If it stings a little, it's because you're allergic to the chemicals in the rain, which you shouldn't be."

"Is it going to rain?"

"Shouldn't."

"Alright then," Rose pulled her jeans and t shirt form her bag before dashing into the en suite to change.  Based on her knowledge of the Doctor, she knew that it was in her best interest not to keep him waiting.  She was dressed and out quickly, arching her eyebrow at him.  "Are we eating?"

"Oh, Rose, you haven't appreciated true Jebraxan cuisine," the Doctor said.  "Here, we can run down and grab something, but I'd rather we eat in the town."

Rose found herself growing excited at the very prospect of trying something new, as she usually did when traveling with the Doctor.  It had opened her up quite considerably, so to speak.  She'd eaten some very strange things since meeting him and was sort of all the better for it. 

The Doctor changed and they had only a moment to ask Lekan for a  bit of bread and water before they took off into the woods.  Rose was happy that she had brought her good running trainers and not just regular boots.  The terrain was a little rough, with an odd root skipping up and making her trip, or just the Doctor walking her too fast and causing her to stumble. 

"Three miles?" She asked, tying her hoodie around her waist before slipping her hand back into the Doctor's.  

"Yep," he said, popping the 'p'.  "Three Earth miles, that's all it is."

"And what's the name of this town?"

The Doctor said a word that sound remarkably like a sneeze with a comma in the middle.  She looked up at him in shock.  "Bless you," she said politely.