Kirah

Doctor Who- I'm so sorry (Me and Kirah)

Rose was quite for a bit as she started to heat up the water in the kettle. She had a million questions about where he was and what had happened. "Will you be okay? I mean the dream, is it just a memory from where you where? Where were you?" It started, she hadn't wanted to be overbearing, but she had to know, what happened? If he was okay? Physically? Mentally? Both hearts still beating? She needed her Doctor to be okay.

After a long stream of questions, she took a deep breath. "Sorry, don't answer those. I'm just worried about you. You were gone so long, for my time. How long were you gone in your time?" Such a weird question, but one that only made sense now with him. The kettle started a low whistle, she pulled if off the heat and started seeping the tea. It felt good to be doing something. She watched him eat, with glances, making sure he got full. Just in case she pulled a package of crackers from the cupboard and placed it next to him on the table.

Doctor Who- I'm so sorry (Me and Kirah)

Rose was frowning into her cup of cold tea when the Doctor entered the kitchen, but she pointed to the microwave. "Mum made some soup.There's a bowl in the microwave for you. She went out with some friends. She'll be back later. " She reached over and turned it on for him. "I was thinking I should wake you...it seemed like you were having a nightmare." Rose was never one to beat around the bush. "Are you okay?" She wanted to know what happened to him when he was gone. Could she call it a year? How long had it been for her? Suddenly any sort of anger she had had for him became worry. She pulled his sleeve so he'd sit down.

After he did sit, she pulled out a glass and asked him what he wanted to drink. She could make a cup of tea if he wanted, or there was water, milk and some juice. The microwave beeped, as he replied what he wanted to drink. She took out the bowl and placed it, with a spoon in front of him. Rose found herself full of nervous energy that she only wanted to direct into caring for her Doctor.

Through Time and Space | Kirah and carsgovroom

Nora didn't see anyone who seemed to be paying attention to the small boy talking with her. There was one lady walking around with a clipboard asking for names from everyone, but even she only shot a glance at Ted before moving past him in his row. Nora sat in the row next to him, the woman would probably be back soon for her name.

Ted looked down at his feet, kicked them slightly and shook his head. "No." He finally said, before glancing up at Nora to see her reaction. He was biting his lip a little. He let his glance drop back down, and before Nora could ask him another question the Doctor had returned with two blankets and pillows. "It seems there are dozens of these shelters all over town. They have access to a garden on the top as well. We saw those coming in. The big domes on top of most of the buildings. Well interestingly enough there are ally ways that cut through all the buildings so you can cross under the garden domes and the storm doesn't hit as hard there as it does the main streets." The Doctor paused taking in both Nora and Ted's looks. "What did I miss?"

Doctor Who- I'm so sorry (Me and Kirah)

"I'll let you sleep now." Jackie said gently. She pulled a spare blanket and pillow from storage and handed it over to him so he could curl up on the couch. Last time he had slept in her bed, but it had been a much more questionable experience then this. He was right about Rose, of course. She couldn't settle for less than the adventure his life gave her. She deserved it too. As much as it pained Jackie to see her only child run off with this man, especially since she could die out there. How many times had Rose nearly died? Jackie had no idea. Rose didn't tell her things like that. Jackie sighed and went into the kitchen. She figured she'd have a sandwich for now, have something ready to heat up for the Doctor when he woke up.

Rose's shift was only five hours long. She was covering for one of her work mates, so she wouldn't have normally worked that schedule. When she went to clock out she had to explain to her boss that she would be traveling and so wouldn't be coming into work anymore. Her boss asked where she'd be going. "Oh I don't know. Traveling with an old mate of mine. We just wander a bit, end up in some strange places, but it's never dull." She smiled, and left after a round of goodbyes. Rose wasn't worried about never seeing anyone here again. She hadn't gotten all that close to them, and she figured that eventually she'd run into one or more of them just about. It wasn't like she was never in London.

Right now though Rose wasn't thinking about what the future with her old co-workers held, but instead of what her future with the Doctor held. She was going to go back out to the universe with him again. See strange stars and planets and meet new people and races. Her heart lifted at the idea. It had been the only thing that got her through that last shift. She was going back into the TARDIS! Finally! She nearly ran the whole way home. Entering the house quietly, just in case the Doctor was still asleep. Rose figured he would be.

Jackie had some soup heated up, in expectation of Rose's return.

Doctor Who- I'm so sorry (Me and Kirah)

"I'll talk to him. Let him know what happened." She hugged him happily back. "I'm sorry, I've got to go to work though." She said goodbye to her mum and left the apartment. On the way to work she shot Mickey a slew of text messages that updated him on everything she knew on what had happened to the Doctor. It wasn't much, but it would hopefully keep him from yelling at the Doctor too. Rose had never seen him look so tired before. She was worried about him, but she knew her mum would keep an eye on him. She remembered when he changed his faces and became him, a weird though, he was asleep for what seemed like forever. They had worried about him then. Rose had been so afraid. This time at least she knew he was just tired. He wasn't leaving her again.

Jackie, while Rose left for work, bustled about the kitchen. She was babbling at the Doctor, more than to him. Talking about what he had missed. Most of what she said was gossip and didn't matter beyond the little world that Jackie lived in, but she was updating him on Rose and Mickey too. Telling him that Rose worked at a new store, and that the job was good, as were the hours and pay, well as good as you could expect working being a shop girl. She finally came into the living room where the Doctor was sitting with the cup of tea. "It's a bit hot now, so give it a minute still." She told him handing over the cup. "I think Rose will be okay now, now that you're back. We were worried about her for a while there. She wasn't willing to get a job, she kept saying you'd be back any day now. And finally I got her to go looking, but she didn't really have her heart in it."

Doctor Who- I'm so sorry (Me and Kirah)

Rose understood though, she watched the Doctor as he explained why he had been gone so long. Fear struck her hard and she clutched his jacket sleeve that much tighter. He could have died out there. Where had he been? What happened? She took in his tired face, the bags under his eyes. She had never seen him like that before. Her heart ached and she just wanted to hold him, and forget the last year, she doubted that would happen though. Jackie swallowed her next tirade, cut off by the Doctor. "Alright," She finally said. "Come inside. I'll make you a cuppa and you can get some sleep." Rose beamed at her mum hugging her.

"Thanks Mum." She told her as they hugged.

"That's alright, but you've got to get to work. You're covering someone else's shift." Rose nodded.

"I'm sorry Doctor, but I am. I'll quit today after shift." Rose was hugging the Doctor again. Walking with him up to the apartment she shared with her Mum. "I'll text Micky and let him know you're back." She expected he might have heard the TARDIS noise anyway, but just in case she'd let him know. He had been worried about her too.

Doctor Who- I'm so sorry (Me and Kirah)

Rose wiped away her own tears. Tears of joy and anger. She wanted to be mad at the Doctor. She wanted to rant and yell at him, but she was happy to see him again. And he was saying that they'd be able to travel together again. She rolled her eyes as he said that they'd be stuck with her Mum for a few days. She didn't mind, not really, she loved her mother.

"I know you are." She finally said in response to the Doctor's apologies. She released him from the hug, but held onto the sleeve of his coat, as if if she let go he'd fly away again and leave her behind. "Mum?" She turned to face Jackie. Jackie's face was priceless. She had attempted to contort into the most upset look she could muster. For Rose it was humorous, but for anyone else it may be terrifying.

"A year." She started. "A year! Do you know what Rose was going through? She thought you were dead! Or worse had chosen to abandon her, like so many others before. That she was just another name in a long roster of names. Just a person you traveled with for a while. I spent months getting her to move. To do anything! And now you're back. She had started to grow out of it." Rose's face fell. She hadn't wanted the Doctor to know how messed up she had been over the last year. God it had been a terrible year, but here was her mum giving him the riot act.

"Mum, please stop." Rose tried to cut her off, but it didn't work, Jackie kept going and the farther into her rant she went the louder she got.

Through Time and Space | Kirah and carsgovroom

Ted smiles as she asks if it was that obvious. To him, a local born, he can see when someone doesn't take the snow for granted. She wasn't reacting just right. "I was born here." Ted nodded agreeing to her guess that it wasn't his first snow storm either. "It just snowed a few hours ago." He laughed slightly. "We weren't even done cleaning up for that yet. It's Winter right now, so we get our worst snow storms right now, but it's cool to watch from the gardens. Later, after headcount, I can take you up to see the garden on the building."

The Doctor meanwhile joined the queue for the blankets. She had a small bounce to her step that got her a couple side glances, not anything the Doctor was a stranger to. The Doctor was a good dozen people back in the line from the front, but she found entertainment in looking around. She realized there was an undercurrent of stress amongst some of the adults. "What's wrong?" She asked the nearest, obviously stressed out person.

"My son is in the snow. I don't know if he got indoors in time." The Doctor nodded understand that fear.

"Your son knows the bells. I'm sure he found shelter. Was he playing with friends? He may have just gone over to their place if it was closer." The woman seemed calmed down by the Doctor's logic and nodded moving forward with the line.

Doctor Who- I'm so sorry (Me and Kirah)

Rose was getting ready for work. She had spent the first month of The Doctor's absence sulking. The second month she had spent looking for a job. It wasn't until most of the way through the third month that she actually found one. A job in a shop. Of course. She hated it. Day in day out working with people who had no idea what was out there. They were so focused on their little lives that they didn't have a clue about the bigger picture. To top it off, it was boring, god awful boring. Nothing interesting happened. Not even for Christmas! So it was just a year of drudging through the days hoping that the next the Doctor would return, but he never did. Rose had gone through most of the stages of grieving, had even called up Sarah Jane and spoke with her a bit, but it hurt too much so they never did more than chat over the phone twice.

Now she stood in the hall her jaw dropped as she heard the noise she had been hoping to hear for months, for a year. She grabbed her coat and ran out the door, shoes untied. She wasn't hallucinating it was the Doctor, oh he better have a good reason for being gone so long. "Mum! It's him!" She yelled back over her shoulder to Jackie who was in the kitchen on the phone. Before Jackie could react Rose was running down the stairs and toward the Doctor and the TARDIS, the place she had considered more of a home than anywhere before.

"Doctor!" He was just coming out of the TARDIS, smoke following him out of the door before he shut it away. Tears were stinging Rose's eyes. "Where in the universe have you been? It's been a year. I had to get a job." But despite the anger in her voice she was wrapping her arms around him. Her Doctor.

Jackie had hung up the phone and was following Rose out of the apartment, just not as fast. Her arms were crossed and the cordless phone was in her hand tapping the opposite upper arm. She stood about twenty feet back watching their reunion, and when they were finished she had a bone to pick with him. Rose had been a wreck!

Through Time and Space | Kirah and carsgovroom

"I don't." The Doctor laughed slightly at her jest, and nodded in agreement when she said that they should get another cup before leaving. She watched Nora interact with the boy with a small sad smile on her face, before turning her attention to some of the other activities going on. A line had formed next to a table where people were handing out blankets and pillows for the cots.

The boy waved with his fingers, the back of his hand pressed against his cheek, "I'm Ted." He responded, from behind his hand. "You're not from around here. Are you?"

"I'm going to get us blankets and pillows." The Doctor said quietly so as not to interrupt Nora's conversation with Ted.