PREDATOR AND PREY

Chapter Seven

The Doctor paused just inside the entrance of the back door and looked down the steps. Amy, Rory and River were standing by the console while they chatted quietly. The Doctor took a deep breath and put a smile on his face before he pranced down the stairs.

"So…TARDIS get any readings yet?" he said to them.

"Not yet," River said. "It's still searching."

"Well, hopefully it won't be much longer," the Doctor said.

"How is Rose?" Rory asked.

"She's fine. She's up and about and went down to her room to change out of that ghastly bodysuit into her normal everyday kit. She'll probably join us soon but first I need to talk to all of you since I had a little chat with her."

"Why? What's going on?" River said.

"We need to clear the air because I don't want any fights in here," the Doctor said.

"Fights?" River said. "Who said anything about fighting? No one is thinking of fighting anyone."

"Good," the Doctor said, "and we're keeping it that way."

"What's this about?" River said.

"I think I know what it's about," Amy said.

River looked at her and she looked at the Doctor for silent permission. The Doctor nodded, happy to have Amy's support. Amy nodded and turned to River.

"The Doctor did have a relationship with Rose. They were lovers," she said to River. "He told me because I came to him and asked but he swore me to secrecy."

"Why?" River said, turning to the Doctor. "You could tell Amy this but you couldn't tell me?"

"I wanted to speak with Rose first and break it to her gently. I didn't want the two of you going at each other's throats the moment I told everyone who Rose was."

"And you think I'm so animalistic that I would just instantly jump at Rose's throat and tear it out because she loved you first?" River said angrily.

"Frankly, I don't know what you'd do, River. I barely know you," the Doctor said. "There are many things you won't tell me and I know you aren't shy about using guns. Not to mention I have seen a bit of a temper with you and I didn't want Rose stomped into goo because she's "the other woman." She's not the enemy here."

"And neither am I," River said angrily. "I do admit that I am a bit upset. Especially since she's a child. Did you have a Lolita complex in your previous lives, Doctor?"

"I wouldn't talk, River. At my age, you're also a child in my eyes," the Doctor said. "And no, I don't have a Lolita complex, as you put it. I fell in love with her because she helped heal me from the trauma of the Time War. She was there for me and I let her in emotionally and I allowed myself to fall in love with her."

"So it was more like the Florence Nightingale effect?" River said. "The patient falling in love with the nurse?"

"And what do you call it when a woman who claims to be from the future tells you that one day you're destined to be a couple and then you end up being a couple? What sort of complex is that, River?"

"I don't understand," River said, frowning.

"I fell in love with Rose without anyone prompting me. You, on the other hand, told me that you and I were lovers. At least you hinted at it when I first saw you."

"So what are you saying? Are you saying you're faking your feelings for me?" River countered.

"No," the Doctor said, sighing. "But you seem determined to nitpick and pull apart my relationship with Rose when I could just as easily do the same with our relationship. I'm not some perverted old man who fell in love with a child. In human years, Rose is hardly a child, she's 25 now."

"And how old was she when you fell in love with her?" River said.

"20. Which still makes her an adult with an adult mind," the Doctor said.

"Okay, she's an adult and you loved her. Do you love her still?" River said.

The Doctor shifted a bit and averted his eyes. River raised her eyebrow.

"So…I take it from your sudden silence and nervousness that you do love her," River said. "So…are we going to have a three way relationship then? Or should I step aside and just let you carry on with her as if nothing happened."

"There's no need for that."

Everyone looked up at the back door when Rose spoke and she walked through it.

"I told the Doctor that I've accepted that he's moved on. I have John and I'm going to make the relationship work. I just want to be friends with you," Rose said. "I came here to get help and that's what I'm focusing on."

"I'm not trying to trivialize what you and the Doctor had. I just wanted to know where I stood in all of this," River said to her.

"He's yours," Rose said. "I just want to be friends with everyone, including the Doctor. That's all I want."

Rory smiled. He climbed the steps and held out his hand to Rose. Rose smiled and shook it. Amy followed suit, climbed the steps and also shook Rose's hand. The Doctor gave River a questioning look. River glanced at him and climbed the steps. Rose stuck her hand out and was shocked when River embraced her and hugged her warmly. The Doctor smiled when Rose returned it.

"I hope that settles everything about being friends," River said when they pulled apart. "The Doctor had a life before me and I can't fault him or you for still having feelings about each other. I haven't had a chance to meet anyone he's traveled with apart from Amy and Rory and it's nice to meet someone who also saw a part of the Doctor that few people get to see."

"You mean…the Doctor in the altogether?" Amy said.

They laughed when the Doctor blushed at that.

"Well, I was talking about the Doctor's deepest emotions," River said, "but yeah, seeing him in the altogether as well. But anyway, welcome back, Rose, and I hope this is the start of a long and lasting friendship."

"I hope so too," Rose said.

"Good, I'm glad that's sorted," the Doctor said with a sigh as he went to the monitor.

Amy, Rory and River started back down. They turned when Rose didn't follow and saw her looking around the console room in awe.

"Wow, this is incredible," she said as she finally followed them down. "Looks nothing like the TARDIS interior I knew."

"Why? What'd it look like before?" Amy said when they reached the glass platform.

"More organic. Like coral and grates for floors. Wow, I can see right through," Rose said, looking down. "Did you choose this?" she said to the Doctor.

"No, the TARDIS did," the Doctor said as he inputted something into the computer. "I had no control over her rebuilding cycle."

Rose walked over to the console.

"So…if she rebuilt everything, how come you have a bunch of doodahs still on your console?" she asked the Doctor. "Didn't she put in a proper console?"

"What are you talking about? This is a proper console!" the Doctor said.

"I mean this," Rose said, pointing to the old typewriter. "She used bits and bobs rather than controls and switches."

"Well, most of the original console components could only be found on Gallifrey and since Gallifrey is no longer around, she has to make do with what she can find. The important thing is it works. So…any other questions,Tyler?"

"Yeah. You said that Jack is still around. I was thinking, is there a way the TARDIS can find him the way she found me. Because I was thinking we might need his help in all this."

The Doctor paused and thought.

"Jack? He might be a bit unreliable at the moment," he said.

"Why? Is this Jack bonkers?" Amy said.

Rose giggled when the Doctor seriously considered that.

"Um…he'd probably say no but sometimes I wondered," he said. "But if you mean will he strip off his kit and go bouncing around the room drooling and defecating in the heat of battle. No, he won't."

"Then what'd ya mean about being a bit unreliable now?" Rose said. "Because of what happened to him?"

"Yes," the Doctor said before he told them briefly about the 456 and Jack sacrificing his grandson.

His companions listened in stunned silence.

"He has a daughter? I didn't know that," Rose said when he finished.

"I doubt many people do," the Doctor said.

"Wait, this 456 alien threat, why didn't you help him and his Torchwood team out if this Jack is your friend?" Rory said.

"Because that was one of the moments in time when I couldn't interfere," the Doctor said. "Trust me, I wanted to, especially since children were involved but I had to step back and let events stand."

"And Jack just took off for parts unknown afterwards?" River said.

"Yes. I expect he's drowning his sorrows in guilt in continuous drinking and sex. To be honest, it makes me angry since I've lost far more than he ever did and I'm still here defending the universe. I understand becoming a bit unhinged from something like that. I did the same after the Time War but it doesn't do him or anyone else any good to just spend the rest of his life in an alcoholic stupor."

"So…let's go find him and talk some sense into him," Rose said with a shrug.

The Doctor grinned at that.

"I like that idea. And…I think seeing you again will help to bring him back to his senses," he said to Rose. "And you're right. If this is the Valeyard we're talking about, we're gonna need all the help we can get and Jack is more than a match for the likes of him. TARDIS, scan for Jack's artron energy signature and take us to him. He's now become first on our list of priorities for the day."

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