Two Suns

Author: Neth
Rating: PG
Pairing: Nine/Rose
Summer: Rose and the Doctor watch an alien sunset, dealing with recent events.
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or any of its chacters.
Spoilers: Up to and including 'Boom Town'.
Author's Notes: Written for The Ninth Doctor Ficathon, and for Lara. She wanted Doctor/Rose shippiness, visit to another planet and a bit of angst. She didn't want Mickey/Rose shippiness. Hope this fits. Beta read by Lilas, so thank you so much.

Two suns. Above the same planet. It wasn't something she was used to, even after everything she'd seen and done. She'd seen water freeze in a moment, her planet ending, ghosts in victorian Cardiff, but looking up at two suns in the same sky, that would take some getting used to. Getting used to it though, that would be fun, especially if it was anything like her previous adventures.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"How're you doing?"

"I… all right actually."

"Surprised?" With that a slightly devious grin spread across his face, forcing Rose to smile, which was just what he'd been going for.

"Kind of, yeah. I mean… I should be upset, more than I am, I mean. Like something massive has happened. But, I'm not. I went out with him for ages, and I don't feel what I should. He just dumped me and walked off and I… I don't feel upset about it. Just, just numb I guess."

Silence filled the air around them as the Doctor moved to put his arm around her, reassuring her. He knew she'd have a hard time dealing with Mickey, but he hadn't thought it would be like this. That she'd be so still, so silent. Though, really, he should have. It wasn't strange to him, that she'd react like she had, it seemed logical, or as logical as human emotions ever were.

"I makes sense, kind of."

"How's that?"

"You've already accepted it. You left him when you came with me the first time, you've already gotten over him. He just hadn't realised it yet. Now he has, and he told you."

"You recon?"

"Yeah, you've become a Time Traveller. You've let him go, and seen better things. So when he broke up with you, didn't matter 'cause you'd already done it."

"Better things… Like Jack?"

"Oi!"

"Well, he is good looking. Funny too. Great man he is."

"I'm right here you know."

The only response he got was her snuggling into him further, resting her head on his shoulder. The smell of his leather coat was familiar now, a reassuring presence in the middle of a storm she didn't know how to deal with. Who would've thought that them holding hands, this small gesture, that his smell, would be able to calm her even if her world was collapsing around her. Not the earth, she'd already seen that, but her life. It was as if she was safe, and always would be, just so long as he was here, doing what he always did. Smilling she gazed back at the setting sun, and the natives on the horizon dancing farewell to them.

It was nice to look at, and the music drifting over them sounded like something you'd hear in Africa. She could almost believe she was there except for the suns, and the fact that the people on this planet were taller, green-brown and had an extra pair of arms. They were nice people, friendly, who had welcomed them with open arms and no guns. Rose thought she loved them for that. Didn't hurt that though they lived simple lives, which suited her just fine, they were glad to have visitors around, boasting a good market with many different species. She'd actually recognised a few.

The red glow that drifted up from the horizon set the Doctor's face alight, emphasising its contours. He looked at peace, as much as he ever did. Content and happy with his best friend and more at his side, and his ship behind him. It was a beautiful sight. One she wouldn't soon forget, no matter what his regeneration would be like, he would not forget.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"You know why you came with me?"

"Chance to see the universe, explore."

"Striving to become, to learn, not confined by what you knew and tought before. That's why I liked you when I first met you. That's why being stuck on Earth in 2006 would only hurt you. Don't get worked up about being numb, about not regretting staying with him. It's not you."

"Doctor?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You know what? They have these potatoes here. We've got a fryer in the TARDIS. Could make some chips."

"That'd be nice. I'm not sharing with Jack though."

"You think I'm sharing?"

And suddenly they were staring at each other, a whole other conversation passing silently between them. Chips weren't important, and really Mickey wasn't that important. What they cared about, it was far more than that. It was running for their lives hand in hand, walking on water and travelling the stars and time. It was them, and as long as they had that they were fine.

Jack watched the monitor on the TARDIS control pannel, grinning slightly. That he'd ever met those two, a Time Lord from an extinct race and a Time Traveller from 2006 England, what were the odds? And yet it had happened, he'd met them and eventually they forgave him for what he'd done. They'd had fun, become a team of three that worked well together. They'd gone to see things that even he hadn't seen before, saved the world and had lunch.

But still, at the heart of it, there were these two people. This pairing made of a young woman and an old man, human and alien. They were so into each other it was amazing, and he knew that the Doctor would sacrifice the world for her. That he'd do anything. Almost had, if the stories Rose had told were acurate. He would sacrifice it all, just so long as she was safe, and happy. And, Jack thought, it wasn't all to do with loosing his family the way he had.

So when they pulled apart, only slightly mind, and walked back holding each others' hands, light shinning on them as if they were mythic creatures, he felt strangly reassured. Because if amidst all this chaos and danger two people could find comfort in each other, could save each other, then maybe everyone else had a chance.