Slowly Falling

Chapter Two

Chapter 2:

It was five in the morning when next the Doctor awoke. He rolled onto his back and stretched, yawning widely as he did so. As his brain caught up to him his thoughts immediately went to the conversation he'd had in the kitchen with Rose- if it could be called that- and he frowned. She had seemed so uncomfortable around him, and acted as though talking to him was an inconvenience. It was so very different from the way they used to be and he wasn't going to lie, it hurt. A lot.

Sighing, the Doctor drew back the covers and got out of bed to get ready for the day. He slipped out of his borrowed pajamas and headed into the attached bathroom. The thought crossed his mind that it was a good thing every room had its own bathroom, which was convenient and prevented embarrassing walk-ins. Running the shower to his preferred temperature he climbed in and allowed his thoughts to drift away, simply enjoying the comfort the hot water brang as it ran down his body.

After shutting off the water five minutes and twenty-seven seconds later (good thing his time sense was still working), he wrapped a towel around his thin waist and, on the way past the mirror, caught sight of the stubble growing across his jaw. He ran a hand over it, feeling the bristly texture beneath his fingers and hoping that maybe Pete would have a spare razor he could borrow. It had been a week since he had been left here in this alternate world with Rose and he had been living off of borrowed items, not having any money of his own to go and purchase anything. While it made him feel like a nuisance, he was incredibly grateful that Pete didn't seem to mind.

Drying off quickly, he changed into the shirt and blue suit that he'd worn that day on the beach. He liked to wear his own clothes whenever he could get away with it due to everything else not quite fitting, but of course they had to be washed every now and again and he received some odd looks if he wore the same thing more than two days in a row. It was now half past five and judging by the growls his empty stomach unleashed it was time to go and find some breakfast. With another reflexive yawn the Doctor left his room and headed downstairs. He settled for a couple of bananas, not wanting to risk waking anyone else up by cooking (attempting to might be a better use of words) or rummaging through the cupboards.

As he munched on a banana his thoughts drifted to the piece of coral he kept in the closet of his bedroom. The other Doctor had given it to him before his departure, and with some calculations from Donna he could have a fully grown, completely functional T.A.R.D.I.S. within a matter of a few years. Currently the infant T.A.R.D.I.S. was growing in a small pot, barely bigger than his fist, but with a bit of luck and ingenuity it should show signs of development in the coming months. He hadn't told Rose that he had begun to grow a T.A.R.D.I.S., and she seemed to have forgotten about the coral, so he had decided he would not say anything until he knew everything was on the right track. He didn't want to give her false hope.

It was around six AM when the first of the mansion's other occupants stirred. Pete came into the kitchen and greeted the Doctor with a tired smile before going about making some tea. He offered the Doctor a mug, which he gratefully accepted.

"I've been thinking Doctor," Pete spoke after a while of comfortable silence. He took a sip from his tea, glancing up from the newspaper he had been reading.

"About?" The Doctor prompted, sipping from his own mug and relishing in the hot and refreshing liquid, made strong with an unhealthy amount of sugar.

"You know you can stay here for as long as you'd like, we all enjoy having you around," Pete began. Oh no. Where was this going? "But you're human now, and as a permanent resident of Earth perhaps you should start considering making a new identity and taking on a job. It'll be hard for you to live here if you don't exist according to records, but lucky for you I can help you with that. There's also a position at Torchwood open that I think you'd fit into nicely."