Ashes ~ (a TenRose Fanfiction)

Another Hello

I still need to edit this so I'll do that tomorrow. Excuse any mistakes. Hope you enjoy!
Ella :))

***

~Chapter 14
-Rose's POV

Surprisingly that morning I find the a Doctor asleep beside me. I have a clear recollection of that happening  once before - but that was probably around two years ago. By eyes flutter open to see him sound asleep, his breathing heavy against my chest. I'm now led on top of him, I observe. We must have turned over in the night, but now finding ourselves in a very intimate position. The Doctor is on his back, and I'm pressed semi-on top of him. One of my legs is over his thigh, and the other is tangled up with one of his legs, my head buried in the crook of his neck. I can feel his arm draped over me, almost holding me in place, willing me to stay. I can't quite believe the current situation and feel more awkward when I see Justin sat at the edge of the cave, still without a top. His back muscles are extremely tense. I untangle myself from the Doctor, and mange not to wake him as I walk over to where Justin is sat. Beside him the clothes, which are still held in place by the rocks, flap in the soft morning breeze.
"You two got quite intimate last night then" he says a little too stiffly. I swallow and sit down beside him.
"About that-"
"You don't need to explain." His voice comes out like a command.
"I was just cold" I say. "We had to take our stuff off like you."
"So I see" he looks my half naked body up and down. Suddenly I feel very self conscious and wrap my arms around chest. When he doesn't take his gaze off me I turn to face him. "Is there a problem?"
"When you said you two weren't together, what exactly did you mean by that?" He asks.
"Justin" I look back at the Doctor who is still asleep "Now is not the time"
"Why not? He's asleep"
"Look. We're not together, okay? If you knew the...circumstances..you wouldn't even question it. He's much older." I say. "Older" was the only excuse I could think of. Plus, it's true, The Doctor is much older, but what keeps us apart is more down to our species. But that's not exactly something I can just casually slip unto conversation.
"He doesn't look it"
"Well, he is" I say.
"He seemed pretty protective over you too"
"Like, when?" I ask.
"Practically all the time" Justin raises his eyebrows and leans back, supporting himself by putting his hands behind him.
"Well, we've been through a lot recently. He's just scared something will happen again."
"Like what?" He partly snaps. I let out a sigh and turn to face him.
"I nearly died, Justin. The Doctor pulled me from that plane and swam with my unconscious body to the shore. I wouldn't wake up. Now just imagine that. I don't know if you've ever been close to someone, but I imagine you have." I say.
"Yes, I have-"
"Good. So let's say this person you are close to was washed up to this island with you too, yeah? And then they won't wake up. And y'think they're dead, because they're only just holding onto life but there's no signs of them wakin' up. And the worst part is, you'll have to survive on the island, alone. Of course the Doctor resuscitated me eventually, but it caused us to become a lot more wary of where the other was going in fear of loosin' each other again. And it wasn't just that time. So much has happened to us in the past and we've been separated so many times before. So if you were wondering, that's why he may have seemed over protective over me." I take a pause "Look, you're a great guy, Justin. But you just need to let us do what we need to do, okay?"
"Okay" he says, and after a short while "Sorry"
"It's okay" I reply, and look out to the beach, ignoring his steady gaze on me. "You wouldn't have known"

***

We get a head start on the SOS sign as soon as the Doctor wakes. Not much conversation is spread between us apart from occasional smiles or "do you want me to go here?" Or "why don't you make a start on that part over there". It was quick work, but hard in the heat of the sun. We set it away from the shore to make sure there was the smallest chance possible that it would be swept away by the sea. We engrave the SOS into the sand using large sticks, and go over with any rocks or branches we can find to make it stand out.
When we finally finish we all take a step back and admire our work. Justin breathes a sigh of relief and puts his hands on his knees, bending down to breathe heavily.
"You alright?" I ask him, placing a hand in his back. He nods and comes back up.
"Fine, thanks"
The Doctor is now sat on the ground, his pinstripe trousers and blue shirt rolled up on the heat. I take a seat by him and then lie back, breathing deeply. "Never been so hot in my life" I laugh.
"What? Really?" The Doctor says with a smile "What about that time in Ancient Rome? Or that time in Egypt when the temperature got so hot we got escorted to the medical tents?"
"Ok, I'll give you that one. Egypt was insane." I smile. Justin sits beside me and lies back too.
"I've never been to Egypt" he says "Maybe you can take me when we finally get off this Island"
"I'd like that" I say, looking over at him. Just then we hear a large noise resembling something like a branch snapping come from behind us. I sit up and turn round, and all of us look in the direction of the sound. At first I don't see it, it's just a shadow in the leaves, and then it emerges in the distance.
"What is it?" Justin asks, trying hard to see the figure.
"Is that?..." The Doctor trails off, and stands up as if to get a better view, his eyes squinting at the small shape gently uncoiling itself from the shadows. And then I can see properly. It's a girl, around the age of seven, her hair a matted mess of brown about her head, her frame so tiny and thin you could practically snap her in half. Her faded clothes are torn, and in her hand she holds a branch with a sharp point at the need, but it seems to big for her and she is almost cowering behind it. Poking out the end of her shorts are her grazed knees, and there's a rather dark bruise on her left leg.
"It's okay" the Doctor says "We won't hurt you" The girl looks terrified and relieved at the same time. And then she swallows and walks a little further towards us, glancing at the giant SOS sign on the ground. We all walk a little further over to her and then we're close enough to speak without raised voices.
"I'm the Doctor, we can help" his voice is calming, and rather soft. The girl looks up at the Doctor with warm brown eyes, as if trying to figure him out, still hiding behind her stick.
"You speak English?" Justin asks. She says nothing, but gives a tiny nod.
"Where are you from?" The Doctor asks.
"Are you by yourself?" Justin pipes up. I decide enough is enough and step forward.
"Give her some space" I say, and move a bit closer to the girl, but leaving her just enough room to not feel overwhelmed with people.
"Hey, I'm Rose." I say "What's your name?"
"Albany" was the response, in almost a whisper. I ponder for a moment at the unusual name, wondering if if misheard her, before replying.
"That's a lovely name." I say, and pause a second "So, were you in the plane crash too?"
"Yes" she says, slightly more audible than before.
"Do you...do you know if there's anyone else here?" The Doctor says gently form behind. Albany shakes her head.
"You are here all by yourself?" Justin asks. Albany nods.
"Have you seen my parents?" She asks quietly. My heart immediately goes out to the little girl who has been left all by herself.
"I'm so sorry, we haven't" I say, her face drops "but we could look together tomorrow if you'd like"
"Yes please" she says.
"Do you want something to eat?" Justin asks. Albany nods with more energy than before.
"What have you eaten here?" I ask her. She seems to have to think hard about the question.
"I cracked open a coconut I found and drank it. And...I also had a banana and a weird orange fruit that tasted like an apple. And I drank water from the blue lagoon"
"That's barely anything" the Doctor says "you've got to eat."
"Let's go back to the cave" I say, and look at our sheltered home in the distance.
"Cave?" Albany follows my gaze.
"Yes...where have you been sleeping?" Justin asks.
"Under trees" she says. I swallow hard and extend my hand. Albany looks at it for a second before taking it.
"You've got us now" I say to her. She smiles up at me and I smile back before looking at the Doctor.
"Then I'll see if I can work some magic on those knees of yours" the Doctor smiles.
"Did you say you were an actual Doctor?" She says a little nervously, her big stick still in her other hand.
"Yes. I am" he says "Now where is that stick from?"
"I found it. It has a pointy end so I thought I could use it as a shield or a knife, but it's a bit heavy" she says with a little more confidence.
"Tell me, Albany, how old are you?"
"Seven and a quarter" she says. The Doctor smiles at her accuracy.
"Now then, let's go and sort out those knees and give you some food" I say. So we lead  the frail little girl back to our cramped little cave in hope to help her too.