So Different Yet So Alike

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

When we finally broke apart the Doctor pressed his forehead to mine and whispered, “I love you.”

After about an hour of just holding each other I got off the bed. “Come on Doctor, we’ve got to find out who messed up the timelines. Do you have any idea about where or when to start?”

The Doctor came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist before answering, “Well I’ve only got one idea and I have no idea whether it will work or not.”

“Well then speak up, what is it?” I questioned looking into his big brown eyes.

The Doctor released me and walked over to the center of the TARDIS to fiddle with some knobs. “I’m setting the TARDIS to track down the disturbance and take us to it but we could be up to three months off.”

“Let’s do it!” I said smiling and I went to go hold down a lever that was popping up from its position.

The Doctor grinned over at me and as he smashed his hand down on to a green button he cried, “Allonsy.”

I smiled at his enthusiasm but it was quickly knocked off of my face by the TARDIS’s rough landing. I noticed that the TARDIS hadn’t made her usual noise but shrugged it off instead opting to look over the Doctor’s shoulder to see the screen telling us where we were.

“Early twenty-first century not quite what I was expecting, “I admitted with a sheepish smile.

As we stepped out of the TARDIS the Doctor exclaimed, “Hey don’t put your time period down quite a lot of important things happen right about now.”

My eyes swept around the area and I asked, “Yeah, how much of that stuff happens in an empty grave yard.”

The Doctor stopped and finally took time to observe his surroundings. After a minute or so he pointed to a figure crouched in front of a grave stone and said, “Let’s go talk to him.”

            “Okay,” I agreed feeling wrong for interrupting someone in a graveyard but knowing he’d do it no matter what. “Let’s wait until he’s done though.”

            Of course,” The Doctor told me looking offended that I suggested he’d do anything besides that.

            We approached in silence and stopped once we were within earshot of the man. I did my best not to overhear but I heard some of what he was saying.

            “So yeah I’m leaving again. However this time it’s more permanent I’ll be gone for a very long time.  I’m not just going to travel the world I’m going to the stars again.”

            Suddenly the Doctor spoke up and, not knowing the reaction his words would cause, said “Hey is that Jack? He doesn’t look so good.”

            My whole body tensed before I took off running towards the headstone. Inside I was dreading reading the name on it and hoping it wasn’t who I thought it was. But who else would Jack visit and why else would he leave earth to get away from the memories. I clung to the hope that it wasn’t really Jack kneeling there on the ground but after what I had heard I knew deep down that it was him. Distantly I could hear the Doctor shouting after me but my mind was a million miles away.

When I reached the headstone I fell on my knees besides Jack barley keeping tears from dripping down my face. Ignoring the look of shock Jack was giving me I reached a hand out to trace the name engraved in marble: Ianto Jones.

            The Doctor reached us and breathlessly asked, “Rose, Rose what is it? What happened?”

            “Ianto,” I breathed not acknowledging the Doctor. “You have to come back to me. I need you I need my big brother. You can’t die this young, I told you Torchwood wouldn’t get you don’t make me a liar. Please, please don’t.” I pleaded to the cold hard unforgiving marble. Despite everything I said nothing changed and all I could see was the year of birth and year of death staring back at me tauntingly as if to highlight just how young he had been.  He was only 26 years old, 1983-2009.

            Far, far away from where my mind was I felt the Doctor lift me up from the ground and invite Jack back to the TARDIS with us. I hardly felt it when the Doctor gently laid me down on my bed and left me to grieve. It wasn’t until I knew they were gone that allowed my tears to fall. Once I had sobbed myself cry I rubbed my puffy, red eyes and put on a dressing gown. Then I stood before the door, took a deep breath to steady myself and went to go face Jack and the Doctor.