DIARY OF A HALF HUMAN TIME LORD

Chapter Twenty

"Dad, just let me explain," Rose said as Pete came inside and closed the door.

"Oh yes, do explain, Rose. I want to hear your explanation for why you two have just been going at it especially since you supposedly weren't feeling well this morning," Pete said.

"I didn't want to come in today because I wanted you to calm down and cool off before I faced you again," Rose said.

"Is that it or did he want a bit of a shag today?" Pete said, gesturing to Jonathon.

"He had nothing to do with this, it was my decision," Rose said.

"Oh? Well, he certainly took advantage of your decision then," Pete replied,glaring at Jonathon.

"Dad, leave him alone!"

"No, Rose, I will not leave him alone! The man has been nothing but trouble since he came with us and now he's causing you to miss work!"

"No, Dad, you're the one who's causing me to miss work," Rose said to him. "I keep telling you to leave Jonathon out of this!"

"I will not leave him out of this because he's the one that's going to get you into trouble! Just like the Doctor said, he's nothing but trouble! And I want you to come home right now and get away from him!"

"EXCUSE ME!"

Both of them jumped when Jonathon roared at Pete. They turned and saw him staring at Pete, his face contorted by rage.

"You know, I'm sorry that I was born and ruined your life, Pete. I didn't ask to be put here. You wanna blame someone, blame the Doctor! I'm trying to be a good person which is why I went out and got myself a proper job. I did that so I wouldn't have to rely on Rose. I tried to distance myself from her but Rose didn't want that and in the end, I didn't either. I understand your anger, I really do. But this is my flat and I won't have you coming here yelling and screaming and talking about me like I'm not even here! You wanna argue with Rose? Do it in your own home or over the phone where I'll be able to tune it out. Better yet, I'll go take a walk while you two sort this out."

"Jonathon, wait!"

"Rose, I'll be alright. Just do what you have to do, yeah? I'm not gonna jump off a bridge or anything. I just want to take a walk and think for awhile."

Rose squeezed his arm and he gave her a smile as he went into the kitchen, collected his diary and pen, stuffed it in his pocket and headed back towards the door.

"Jonathon, wait!" Rose said.

He turned and she handed him her cell phone.

"Just in case," she said.

Jonathon nodded and smile. He glared briefly at Pete before he went out the door and shut it firmly behind him.

So here I am, finally found a shady spot to sit and write and get away from the argument raging in my flat. I should have gone ahead and ordered Pete out but I was scared that if I said something else it would only make the situation worse both for me and for Rose. I'm not trying to be a burden on anyone. I'm trying to behave myself but it always seems like I end up caught in the middle of things. I'm wondering if Rose will leave me now. I won't stop her if she decides to but I know that life will never be the same if she ends our relationship. I told her I wouldn't jump off a bridge but that's exactly what I feel like doing. Who knew that life on Earth could be so complicated. The Doctor had the right idea, save the day and bugger off before real life got to him. That's why I wanna build something that'll allow me to do the same thing but if Pete prevents Rose from carrying through with our plans or if she gets fired because she took the day off then I'm not quite sure what else to do. I know I can build a spaceship but I need the necessary parts and technology and I seriously doubt that no one, not even NASA, has the parts that could be found only at Torchwood. Rose is the key to our getting out of here and now I hope she hasn't jeopardized her position there and by extension ruin our dreams. That is, if she still wants me since I seem to be making her parents angrier by the day. Oh God, what am I supposed to do? What can I do to make this situation all right again so everyone is happy?

Jonathon paused and read over what he had written before he closed the diary, put the cap back on the pen and put both back in his pocket. He leaned back on the bench he was sitting on and quietly watched the traffic in front of him and the people passing by. He lost himself momentarily in thought, using the Doctor's memories and thinking back to the times when he and Rose were alone and happy traveling in the TARDIS. He was so immersed in his memories that it startled him when the cell phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Rose?"

"Jonathon? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Rose. I'm sitting here on a bench watching the traffic and zeppelins go by."

"Come back to the flat please."

"Is he gone?"

"No, but he wants to talk to you."

"No! Rose..."

"No, he...he wants to make amends, Jonathon," Rose said. "We've been talking for almost two hours and I finally got him to see reason. Please come back home."

Jonathon sighed.

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can," he said.

It took a half hour for Jonathon to get back to the flat. He unlocked his door and came inside to find Rose and Pete sitting on his sofa drinking tea. Boots was curled up beside Rose, sleeping soundly. Jonathon cast a weary glance at them both before quietly shutting the door. Rose got up and walked to him. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Would you like a cuppa?" she asked.

He nodded and she gave him another kiss before heading into the kitchen. Jonathon stood beside the door, half afraid to move over to the chairs and hear what Pete had to say. He smiled when Boots scampered over and he reached down to pick him up.

"Cute cat," Pete said."Rose told me you found him abandoned in an alley."

Jonathon nodded as he held her close to his chest.

"Sit down, Jonathon. I'm not angry anymore," Pete said when he didn't move.

Jonathon walked over to the chair and sat down. Boots meowed and climbed up onto his shoulder where she lay down and fell asleep. Pete chuckled at that.

"She loves you," he said.

Jonathon nodded.

"The cat was what helped to convince me that you weren't a threat like the Doctor said," Pete said. "I saw how well taken care of she was and Rose said that you loved her a great deal.

"I'm not a bad person, Pete. I didn't ask to be born."

"I know that," Pete said. "But you're here and as upsetting as it is, I understand on some level the attraction Rose has to you because you represent freedom from the constraints of society."

"I'm more than just a metaphore though," Jonathon pointed out as Rose came back in with his tea.

"I know you are but Rose and I have been talking and we agreed that the reason Rose was so attracted to the Doctor's lifestyle was because at the time she met him she was in a dead end job that hardly paid anything and was boring and unfullfilling. The Doctor came along, showed her the stars and she finally found a fullfilling life."

"And that's bad?" Jonathon said, taking the cup of tea from Rose after she kissed his temple. "It's bad to want something other than a shop girl's life?"

"No, I don't object to that. I object to her putting herself at risk in order to live that life," Pete said.

"But life is risk. Every morning when you get up, something might happen to you," Jonathon pointed out. "You take a risk the moment you sit up in bed and put your feet on the floor and sometimes even when you're in your bed something happens. Wouldn't it be better then at the end of your life to say you really, trully lived rather than just slogged through life making ends meet and barely getting by?"

"He's right, Dad. I want something more than an office job," Rose said as she sat down on the sofa beside him.

"Well, despite the comment I made about wanting the yorkie back, I do love you, Rose, even though you're not my biological daughter and your mother and I are just acting like concerned parents."

"Yes, Dad, but there's a time when you have to step back and just let me live my life the way I see fit," Rose replied. "Jonathon is like the Doctor and he is willing to put his life at risk to travel in time and space but just like the Doctor, he also will protect me with his life. I didn't get seriously hurt or killed when I traveled with the Doctor and It'll be the same for Jonathon. I just want all of you to get along and be a family since for the moment he is stuck here on Earth. Jonathon has tried everything he can possibly think of to fit in and be someone we can be proud of and I think he's succeeded. Except for today, he's gone to work and been on time and did his job and now they're so impressed with him they're thinking about increasing his salary. I'm so proud of him, I can barely stand it and I know now how the Doctor felt whenever I helped him defeat a bad guy or a monster or made it out of a dangerous situation in one piece. I just want the fighting to stop. I want you and Mum to quit badgering him and making him feel worthless because he's not. He was brought to life for a purpose and even though Davros is defeated, he still has a purpose and a place in life. Don't do this to him and make him feel depressed and suicidal because I don't want that."

Pete lowered his head.

"If I made you feel that way, Jonathon, I am truly sorry," he finally said. "I'm not a bad person either. I'm just upset that the Doctor saw fit to dump you out here without even consulting Rose or Jackie. It was cruel of him to do this, not just to Rose but to you because you had as much right to the TARDIS as he did. But you're here now and he's gone and we need to try to make the best of things and I'm willing to bury the hatchet and get along if you will."

"I'd like that, Pete," Jonathon said. "I never wanted to be enemies with you or Jackie or anyone else. I just want to live my life in peace and discover who I truly am."

"And save your friend's life as well," Pete said.

He smiled when Jonathon was taken aback.

"Rose told me about Suzanne and I'm sorry to hear that she's ill. I can try to find out if Torchwood has anything that'll help her, either cure her or at the very least stop the cancer from spreading."

His face softened when he saw Jonathon's eyes mist over upon hearing that.

"See, Dad, he's not evil."

"I know, Rose. Trust me, I'll do everything I can to help her. Now...as for your second problem. Are you sure that you want to try to find a way to travel time and space."

"More than anything," Jonathon said.

"Well, we might have something at Torchwood that can help accomplish that but you'll have to be patient and let me see if I can find something that will do the job."

"Thank you, Pete," Jonathon said softly.

"On one condition, Rose is allowed to come back and see us if she wants."

"I would have done that anyway. I wasn't going to deny Rose her family," Jonathon replied. "I know how much all of you mean to her."

Pete nodded.

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