Curtains
by ErtheChilde

'I'm not a miracle worker.'

Summary:

Not every day is an adventure - sometimes everyone needs a little downtime. When the Doctor parks the TARDIS in the Vortex to carry out some routine system repairs, Rose thinks she's in for a boring couple of days. But in her explorations of the TARDIS, she begins to see not only the beauty within the "frankly magnificent timeship" but gets a little more insight into the Doctor as well.

Disclaimer:

This story utilizes characters, situations and premises that are copyright the BBC. No infringement on their respective copyrights is intended by the author in any way, shape or form. This fan oriented story is written solely for the author's own amusement and the entertainment of the readers. It is not for profit. Any resemblance to real organizations, institutions, products or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All fiction, plot and Original Characters with the exception of those introduced in the books and graphic novels, are the sole creation of ErtheChilde and using them without permission is considered rude, in bad-taste and will reflect seriously on your credibility as a writer. There may or may not be a curse in your future as well, so be warned. Remembered all things come in threes, good and bad. Plagiarizing is considered bad.

Warning:

Spoilers : If it existed in any form of Doctor Who canon, whether television, novelization or graphic novel, it's probably going to be mentioned in here. That includes up to and including 12th/13th/Whatever Doctor Adventures.

No Beta : I am beta-less at the mo', so any mistakes are my own. I edit as I go, though, so it shouldn't be too bad.

Canadian-Writing-British:As a Canadian, I'm not all-knowing when it comes to British idioms, sayings or slang. I write what sounds right to my ears and when it doubt, I look things up on the Internet, so I might not always get it right. If I'm way off about something, please drop me a line and I'll correct it.

AN: So, this chapter is a little bit slower than my usual first chapters, but it sort of goes with the theme of "downtime" on the TARDIS. Never fear, though, it will pick up in a chapter or so. Also, any technobabble in this fic is directly thanks to the lovely people who created the Tardis Technical Index on Whoniverse dot net.

ONE

Despite the fact that her life could be described as "anything but normal", Rose Tyler liked to keep a few things down to routine. Her morning rituals were part of these, and though she sometimes varied the speed of how she did things, the order was always the same.

The Doctor would no doubt say something caustic about it being very human of her, taking comfort in the familiarity of repetitive actions, but to Rose these times were the only instances where she had a bit of breathing space. Where she was just Rose Tyler, nearly-nineteen-year-old human with bedhead instead of Rose Tyler, Doctor's Companion.

The alarm on her clock – set to Earth time despite the Doctor's insisting there was no such thing as time on the TARDIS – would go off at 7:30, as it always had when she was at home. She'd stagger to the kitchen for her first cuppa – the Doctor had learned early on to avoid her at this point – and then stumble back to her room and into the shower. Afterwards, she'd sort her hair, pick out something to wear that wouldn't be too hard to get out of if the Doctor said she needed to change and apply her make-up. Then it was as big a breakfast as she could manage – you never knew when your next meal would be once you landed somewhere – and heading off to the control room with a cup of tea for the Doctor.

By that point, she was usually more than ready to face whatever adventure her best mate intended to bring her on that day.

This morning, as expected, found the Doctor tinkering under the centre console. His leather jacket was thrown over the jump seat, and his jumper rolled up to his elbows. It was the red one today, her second favorite after the green.

She staunchly ignored the fact she wasn't meant to consider anything of his a 'favorite'.

'What'cha doing?' she asked, passing him his tea.

'Just making sure the telepathic induction circuits are perfectly up to snuff,' he told her as he took the offered beverage. 'Don't want to deal with another adventure like yesterday's for a good long while. Say, a century maybe?'

'Aw, but it all worked out in the end,' Rose teased. 'The Quiijoseanans were decent once we got them all sorted.'

'You nearly had your tongue cut out,' he pointed out.

She made a sweeping gesture, as though brushing an insect off herself. 'Nearly being the key word, right?'

He snorted, but she saw the way his mouth tugged upward at her show of bravado. She'd been significantly less calm at the time, but he wasn't to know that.

'So, what are we doing today?' she asked. 'I've got my best trainers on and a set of hairpins in case you get your sonic nicked. I'm ready for anything, me.'

'Oi, are you implying you expect to get arrested?'

'Nope. Which is exactly when it happens,' she pointed out with a smile.

'I find your lack of faith in me a bit insulting,' he grumbled. 'And you know what I've told you about tea near the wiring.'

'Oh, stop sulking like I've just hurt your big strong man feelings,' Rose rolled her eyes and settled onto the jump seat. 'I think we should go somewhere past. Been at least a week, I think – but nowhere with sand! I'm still washing it out of my hair!'

'It'll have to wait,' the Doctor told her distractedly. 'Gonna have a bit of downtime today.' He considered his work in front of him. 'More like the next three days, actually. That last bit of fun with the translation circuits reminded me it's been a while since I ran a full diagnostic.'

'Sounds dull,' Rose pouted. 'Are we at least landed somewhere interesting? Maybe while you're doing that I can explore a bit.'

'Sorry, nope. The repairs I need to do have to be done while in the Vortex. The TARDIS needs to soak up the energy there – bit like lubricant, but for time machines. Makes it easier to move the parts.'

'So what am I supposed to do for three days if we're not going to be anywhere?'

'I dunno, go find something to amuse yourself – it's not as if you're in a dimensionally transcendent time-ship,' the Doctor deadpanned. 'I'm not a paid entertainer for bored teenagers.'

'Bet you'd make a mint if you were,' she joked.

The Doctor shot her an unimpressed glance. 'Well, go on then. I've important work to do and you're distracting me.'

'Should I leave a trail of breadcrumbs so I don't get lost?' Rose teased.

'You should be fine. Doubt the TARDIS would let you get too turned around.' He smirked back at her. 'Still, best keep to the path, Little Red Riding Hood. Never know what kind of big bad wolf might be lurking in the shadows.'

Rose made a face at that. 'Yeah, that sounded just a bit too creepy-old-man.'

'Noted,' came the response as the Doctor ducked back down beneath the grating.

And without any other recourse, Rose found herself back in the hallway leading from the control room.

She was thoughtful at the prospect of exploring the Doctor's ship. She was already more than familiar with the console room, for all the time she spent ensconced on the jump seat, watching the Doctor tinker or just chatting with him, and the medbay, thanks to some of the scrapes she and the Doctor got into on a regular basis.

She knew the kitchen like the back of her hand, and had stumbled upon at least fourteen different loos in her tenure on the TARDIS (other than the one in her room, which blessedly stayed put).

The library was a familiar haunt if only because the Doctor spent so much time in there – if he wasn't in the console room, the second likeliest place to find him was among the towering bookshelves, hunkered down in the thick easy chair in front of the fireplace with a dusty old tome.

Sometimes before she went off to bed, and if he was in the right mood, he'd even read out loud to her from his favorites, but it was rare. Rose recognized that the library and the books were his solace – his little bit of peace and quiet when he needed an escape from his thoughts – and she didn't like to bother him then.

Usually when she realized it was one of those times, she would find her way to the television and multimedia room and flip through the alien telly channels until her eyes began to droop.

So far, though, the wardrobe room was her favorite place on the ship.

The sheer size of the place, and the colourful sartorial selection of generations past and future made her shiver in anticipation. Rose liked fashion as much as the next girl – you didn't get through Humanities classes without your InTouch under your desk, and you didn't work in a clothes shop if you couldn't stand fashion.

If we're spending three days doing nothing, I think I'll spend at least one looking through it, she decided. I bet there're some really vintage styles in there – and cheaper than what you'd try finding in London!

But right now, faced with an extended period downtime after almost a month and a half of being constantly on the move with the Doctor, Rose found herself a bit unsure of what to do.

They rarely took a breather between their adventures. Sure, she slept on the TARDIS and had an amazing room, but mostly they were on the go during the day. Often their escapades took them far enough away from the time ship that they ended up bedding down somewhere local instead of coming back to the TARDIS.

When they did come back to the ship at the end of even a not-so-busy day, she was usually too tired to explore the place anyhow.

Just last week they'd spent over two weeks in Persia during the fifth century BC, and by the time she'd gotten back she'd been so exhausted from walking and riding and the heat that she'd slept through breakfast and almost to lunch the next day. Then, the minute she'd woken up, the Doctor had whisked her off to another planet, and the cycle started all over again.

She'd been so ready for an adventure today that she was a little put-off at the thought of missing out. She hoped there was something amazing worth seeing on the Doctor's "frankly magnificent time ship" to make up for it.

I mean, beyond endless corridors and a three storey wardrobe, how much more can you pack in here?

Apparently, quite a lot, as it turned out.

· ΘΣ ·

Even long after Rose's steps faded from the console room, the Doctor found himself scowling at the sonic.

What had possessed him to say that completely campy line? He'd meant to tease her back but it had just come off as…well, she'd said what it'd come off as, hadn't she?

Creepy old man.

He didn't like that notion and resolved silently (yet firmly) to never say anything like that again. Not for the first time since meeting Rose did he wish that some of his eighth self's more loquacious qualities had been passed on to him. He used to have such a way with words, and now he was mixing metaphors – or ,rather, fairy tales.

Really, the Grimm brothers would be appalled.

Oh, there was a thought! He could take Rose to meet them, she'd love it!

Jacob and Wilhelm always had the best stories, even if the better ones hadn't made it into their books. Then again, you couldn't put aliens and a time travelling Police Box in literature meant for a population that still held public executions.

He opened his mouth to suggest it, and then remembered that he'd sent Rose off to wander.

Really, there hadn't been a need for it. She wasn't really a distraction, and all things considered he more than enjoyed having her there with him while he worked, chatting and asking questions and filling up the empty console with her presence.

For so small a person, she could certainly flood a place with positive energy. It was a fact he thrived on.

Perhaps too much.

Barring the instances where they had been separated on their various adventures, the Doctor had spent almost every waking moment (of Rose's, anyhow) by her side. He craved her proximity like it was a drug, because while he was around her – even when she asked questions that he didn't want to answer – the reality of things didn't seem so bad.

He was worried it would become more than a passing dependence, but an addiction. Rose didn't deserve that, to be treated like some kind of wonder drug. If she ever found out, she would feel used, and from the hints she had given about her past and the rather vocal diatribe she'd subjected him to on an Amaranian prison ship once, he knew that was one of her biggest triggers.

So he'd sent her off to spend the day on her own while he attempted to sort himself out.

'Mind she doesn't find any of the remaining companions rooms,' he told the TARDIS absently. There was an incredulous and somewhat disapproving response from her, but he ignored it. It was too painful for him to want to answer questions right now, and Rose was a positive demon for questions. Besides, his companions privacy should be respected, after all, even long after they had left him. And on that not – 'Oh, and keep her out of my room.'

He rarely used it to sleep, but it was the one place where he could be well and truly alone if he desired it. Even the TARDIS made a point to retreat from his mind when he was in there.

There was an insisting beeping noise from up on the console, telling him the diagnostic on the internal ship systems had finished running, and he climbed back out of the grating to check the results. When the translation circuits shorted out due to the TARDIS encounter with Quiijoseanan technology, he had had the fault locator run a Basic Reality Check so he knew what needed to be looked at. Even after finding out the exact problem with the circuits, he'd left it running for the past three days to see if there was anything that really needed to be seen to. Usually the diagnostic listed the topmost priorities, but usually when he looked things over himself he could get a sense of what might become a problem in the future.

Right now, though, the most immediate problem was that the passivator was leaking green coolant into the aethopathic chamber. Apparently he'd hit the navigational panel hard enough at some point and in just such a way that the xion crystals were out of alignment. Probably that emergency stop in Persia.

'Fantastic,' he sighed. It was a messy job, fixing that, but if he didn't the positioning system would overheat and there wouldn't be any more travelling until they fixed it. Not good, considering Rose was already bored at the prospect of being stuck in the Vortex for three days.

To be sure, so was he, but he had a universe to watch over. She was just being a bit lazy and human, saying she was bored without even thinking it through or bothering to find something else to do –

Oh, looked like there was also a glitch in the Time Vector Generator.

He'd have to sort that if he didn't want to find himself displaced forward in time while trying to land the TARDIS in a high traffic temporal nexus, such as Cardiff or Rikvetta-9. Or worse, if it displaced Rose and he couldn't find her again.

And there it was, once more it all came back to Rose.

He grunted in annoyance, forcing his thoughts back onto more practical matters and set about fixing the things he needed to. He spent the next hour struggling not to keep thinking about the human girl or wondering what she might have found to amused herself, and then chiding himself about it.

Honestly, he was a Time Lord, he was above getting fixated on a specific subject or thought!

Finally, a welcome (or not so welcome, in some ways) distraction appeared when he accidentally knocked the Helmic Regulator while toggling the transmission gears and knocked them thousands of years off course in a matter of seconds. He had to hurry to stop it before the TARDIS ended up too far away, like the year 100 trilllion or something ridiculous like that.