SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
Chapter Six Alan and Rose strolled along the pavement, hand in hand, watching while people hurried home or went about their business. As they walked, Alan glanced over at Rose and was once again awestruck by her beauty. You are a fool, Doctor, he thought. The most precious, beautiful, loving thing in all creation and you willingly gave her over to me. Ah well, finders, keepers. “This is a lovely little town,” Rose said. “Yeah, once you get past the rickety old inn with the Vashta Nerada on the ceiling, it’s quite charming.” Rose giggled. “You think that Vashta Nerada is still there?” she said. “Not sure. Hopefully, it’s attached itself to your mum by now and picked her skeleton clean.” “What is this Vashta Nerada? I’ve never heard of it before.” “They’re the shadows that melt the flesh. Creatures that live in forests on every planet that contains fleshly beings.” “Except for Earth.” “Oh no, they live on Earth too.” Rose frowned. “How come I’ve never seen them then?” “You have. They’re the dust particles in sunbeams.” Rose’s eyes widened. “And they eat people?” “Weeell, here on Earth they mainly live off road kill, but occasionally if there is a big enough swarm of them they might attack a human.” “So, I could walk through a sunbeam and die then?” He put his arm around her. “No, in that form, they’re too little to be a threat. Trust me; you have more chance of dying in a car wreck than you do being eaten by the Vashta Nerada.” He looked over at a large hill just outside town. “Let’s go over there, climb up and get away from all the people.” Rose grinned. “Oh, so we are gonna climb a fjord then?” He smiled. “Well, I think that’s more a hill than a fjord, but you know, I’m not claiming to be an expert or anything.” Rose giggled. “You mean you’re not the lord of fjords?” Alan laughed. “No, I’m definitely not a fjord lord.” He paused. “Fjordlord. Hey, that’s kinda catchy. Maybe I should use that as a last name. What’d ya think?” “Alonzo Fjordlord? Um…well, it does have a nice ring to it, but I don’t know, I mean it’s your name, you know. It’s up to you.” Alan considered it while they two of them headed for the hill. “Nah, I’ll stick with Timelord. The Time Lords are a part of my heritage and I want to honor that since I’m dropping the Doctor part of my persona.” He groaned as they started up the hill. “Ugh, one heart, as my double once said, how do you people cope?” “You’re gonna have to get in shape now.” “I suppose so. Blimey, it’s gonna be rough when I really start feeling my age. But, I’ll manage.” They climbed up the hill as they sun finally set and the moon started to rise in the sky. Rose fell silent, lost in her thoughts. Alan looked at her. “You’ve gone quiet.” She nodded. “I’m just thinking that maybe since you gave me a new pet name. I should give you one.” “What about Doctor? I said you could use that if you wanted to.” “Yeah, but ever since you told me you are trying to develop your own personality, it doesn’t feel right calling you that. If I call you Doctor, then it implies that I still want you to be like him and I don’t. I want you to be Alan and I just would rather not use that name. You’re insecure enough right now without me adding to it.” “It’s up to you, but I don’t mind you using it. I know that when you say it, you’ll use it respectfully and with love. There’s no pressure to pick something else.” “Just the same, I’d rather find another name. I also want to start distancing myself from the Doctor. I can’t spend the rest of my life thinking of him. I have you now and Donna’s right, you are a wonderful gift to me and I don’t want you to ever feel like you are second best because you’re not.” Alan smiled and kissed her on the cheek. “So, I’m assuming that you also are steering away from love, sweetheart and darling?” he asked. “Yeah, I also want something that no one else will use.” Halfway up the hill, they found a large boulder and sat down on it. Alan put his arm around her while they watched the lights come on in the town below. “Any ideas for a pet name yet?” Alan asked. “Not yet, but I’m still working on it,” she replied. Alan looked at the moon. He took a deep breath. “Ah, this is lovely. I want to stay out here all night long. I dread going back into that stuffy inn and that cramped room.” “And the Vashta Nerada on the ceiling?” Rose said, winking. He grinned. “Yes, I don’t feel like getting eaten this soon after birth,” he replied. Rose leaned her head on his shoulder. Suddenly, her eyes widened. “Vashta Nerada!” she said. Alan frowned. “What about them?” “That’s what I’ll call you, my little Vashta Nerada!” Alan stared at her. “I’m your little shadows that melt the flesh?” he said. “Yes, you are.” “Okay, explain that logic to me.” She smiled. “Well, you are always with me just like a shadow and…” She leaned in close to his face. “Every time I see your handsome, gorgeous face, I just melt,” she said in a husky voice. Alan’s eyes widened. “Rose Tyler, I love the way your mind works. I would never have thought up that connection in a million years. And since you put it that way, by all means, call me Vashta Nerada till you’re blue in the face. I definitely don’t mind.” “Okay, I will, my Vashta Nerada.” He hugged her to him as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “So, let’s see, I have a new name, we both have new pet names for each other, we have a new favorite food…” “We have the fjord song.” Alan laughed. “Yes and the private joke about the Vashta Nerada. So, one night together and we’ve accomplished that much, I think we’re doing really well.” “So, do I. I think we’re off to a good start.” He smiled. “Yes, this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.” Rose smiled at him. Oh God, she thought as she stared at his face. I can’t believe it’s possible, but I’ve actually fallen completely in love with Alan. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted the Doctor to be and more. I just wish with all my heart that there was some way he could be a full Time Lord. I love him and I’m so happy I can grow old with him, but this universe needs a protector and after he dies, there will be no one to save us if the darkness or anything else threatens this world. He’s so special; he deserves to be more than just a half human, he needs to be the man he was meant to be. I wouldn’t even mind if he did become a complete Time Lord because I know he loves me and he will always keep me near him until the day I die. Oh Doctor, I wish there was some way you could have made him into a Time Lord before you left us. I hate that he thinks of himself as a freak. He’s not and he never will be. He has just as much right to life as the Doctor has. And now, he’ll always be my Alan, no matter what happens to us in the future. “Rose?” She looked at him. “Yes.” “I’ve been thinking. Let’s go away now.” “Go where?” He took hold of her hands. “All over. Let’s you and me forget going back to London and just…wander. Roam the Earth and see the sights together, alone, just the two of us. I don’t wanna go back with Jackie and Pete. The thought of being stuck with them on the drive back to London terrifies me. Why go back there when we have an entire Earth to explore. Please, amo’tiri, say yes.” Rose was conflicted. She wanted to see Pete and her little brother again, but she had to admit she also dreaded going back to London, back to her boring life working a nine to five job at Torchwood. She wasn’t ready to face all that yet, not when she was trying to establish a relationship with Alan. And, the thought of them being alone, sharing time together was tempting. She stroked her face. “I want to, Alan. But, what about mum?” “What about her? She can go back with Pete and Tony. We’ll be alright, Rose. We’re both intelligent, resourceful people. We can survive without them. Please, I’m sick of the fact that the majority of my memories are from another man. I want to start making memories of my own with you. Sod your mum and stepdad. Sod going back to Torchwood. Come and see the world with me.” He pulled her close and stroked his face, his eyes pleading with her to go along with his idea. Rose smiled. “I would like nothing better than to roam the world with you,” she said. Her heart soared when she saw his eyes mist over. “Then, let’s go now,” he said. Rose shook her head. “No, not yet, please. I at least want to see my baby brother and tell mum and Pete that I’m going to go with you. I don’t want them to worry about us and wonder where we’ve gotten to. Can we wait until they come?” Alan nodded. “I’ll wait forever and a day if that’s what you want,” he said. Rose put his arms around him and held him tight while Alan rained gentle kisses on her scalp. His hand started to go up under her shirt, but he quickly caught himself and put it down by his side. No, he thought. I better not get too intimate. At least not until Rose has become more comfortable being around me. I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize what we have now. I’ll let her make the first move when she’s ready. He smiled as he laid his face against her head. Oh, amo’tiri, he thought. I can’t wait until you and I are alone together. Away from your mum, dad and responsibilities. Just the two of us wandering around, taking the time to truly get to know each other while we take in the sights of planet Earth. And I pray that someday soon you will accept me completely just as you accepted him. All we can do now is take it one day and one step at a time and with a little time and luck, our love will grow and deepen. But, no matter what happens, I vow I will never abandon you and I will protect and defend you and if that means losing my one and only life, then so be it. Rose Tyler, my amo’tiri, you are my starlight and wherever your light shines, I will follow it blindly. “Alan?” Alan raised his head and looked at her. “I think we better get back to the inn before mum wonders where we went.” She stroked the back of his neck when he let out a sigh of resignation and nodded. “Okay, but come morning, we are going to tell her that we’re parting company once Pete and Tony get here and you’ve said your hellos to them.” “It’s a deal.” They rose, took each other’s hands and walked back down the hill towards the town.
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