PREDATOR AND PREY

Chapter Thirty Five

"You better be glad that Rory is a nurse and he's merciful," the Doctor said as Jack laid the injured Valeyard in one of the cells in the TARDIS. "He stopped the bleeding and stabilized you, even though he didn't have to."

"And what are you going to do to me?" the Valeyard said.

"Dunno. But you're not staying here. You're going to be put somewhere where you can't harm anyone any more," the Doctor said. "I believe I will take you to a hospital for the criminally insane though so they can patch you up. This is my way of showing you mercy, even though you don't deserve it."

"I'll find you again and I'll make you suffer, you and your friends," the Valeyard said.

The Doctor snorted and sealed the cell so he couldn't escape. He gave the Valeyard a disdainful look through the impenetrable Crylon plastic that covered the entrance before he walked off.

Meanwhile, the others met in the kitchen for some tea and coffee. Jack and Pete were at the back chatting quietly while the others sat at the kitchen table. Rose looked over her shoulder at them and saw Jack talking animatedly while Pete listened. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked back at John. He beckoned for her to follow him and she took her coffee mug and followed him out of the kitchen. He led her into the living room and told her to sit down on the sofa. They sat down and John took her hand.

"First I want to apologize for the rough treatment," he said. "I had to do that as part of the act so the Valeyard wouldn't suspect something."

"I understand," Rose said. "I'm not angry at ya."

"Good. Secondly, I wanted to say goodbye."

"Goodbye, where are you going?" Rose said.

"I'm staying here. I understand how deeply you love the Doctor and how deeply he loves you. The leaf tells me that much. So I'm not going to stand in your way. I'm going to stay here while you go back with him."

"John, wait!" Rose said. "Don't stay here."

"Rose, it won't work out between us. Your heart is with him. I can't be his replacement and it's not fair to you or me to be in a relationship. I'll be fine, I promise. I know you worry about me and him being alone but I can handle it. I just want you to be happy."

"But I don't want you to stay here," Rose said. "Even if we're not a couple, I want to be friends. Take Jack's offer and join his team and that way I can visit you when the Doctor stops at the rift. You can do so much more with Jack's team than being here by yourself. Take the coral and go to Cardiff , yeah?"

John thought that over.

"You sure you want me to do that?" he said.

"Yes. I want to keep on being friends with you. You don't belong here. Come back to the other universe and help protect Earth."

"What's to stop Jack from raping me?"

Rose was shocked by that question and then chuckled when John winked.

"Um, your hands over your bum?" she said.

John stood up and put his hands over his buttocks.

"So…this is how I'll live at Torchwood, just perpetually like this," he said, walking around in front of Rose while she giggled. "Or put a sign back there that says no entry."

"There ya go," Rose said.

John sat back down and took Rose's hand.

"If you want me to do this, I'll take Jack's offer. Even if I do have to walk around with my hands over my bum," he said.

Rose giggled and kissed his forehead.

"You could always date River," Rose said.

"I thought Jack was doing that. I watched you lot on the CCTV camera and I saw Jack flirting with her."

"You could both date her?" Rose said with a shrug.

"Wow, Torchwood will be an interesting place to work if me and Jack are both bonking River. Beats having to listen to Jackie natter on about stuff."

John stopped talking when he saw the Doctor walk by the doorway. He called him into the room and told him what was going on.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the Doctor said when he finished. "Rose and I did agree to keep our other relationships while you and River are still alive."

"Nah," John said, holding up his hand. "I'm not interested in doing that. As long as Rose wants me to be a friend, I'll be happy with that and stay with Jack at Torchwood."

"Then I wish you the best of luck. The Earth will be a lot safer with you there," the Doctor said, shaking his hand. "Don't know about River joining you. She's at Stormcage for murdering someone."

"I'll speak to Jack about that. Maybe the two of us can speak to the wardens and get her paroled with us as her guardians. She can fight and she's needed far more on the Earth than in prison."

"I hope so. I am fond of her and prison isn't the right place for her. Besides, maybe Rose is right. Maybe you can take my place with her. She's a very loving person and it will technically still be me that she's dating. Just nudge her a bit in your direction, eh?"

"I might have to pull Jack off her but I'll make an effort at a relationship."

"Good," the Doctor said. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes," John said.

"If you don't mind, I want to have some private time with Rose. The TARDIS is finding a gap in the universe right now and she'll alert us if she finds it."

"You go ahead. I'll go back to the kitchen and rejoin the others," John said.

"Brilliant. Rose, I thought I'd go ahead and give you the surprise I promised."

"Surprise?" John said. "May I ask…"

"I want to do the A'tiari ritual with her," the Doctor said.

"Oh!" John said, his eyes widening in understanding.

Rose looked at the two Doctors and saw a knowing look pass between them.

"A'tiari, what's that?"

"Come with me and find out," the Doctor said.

Rose put her coffee mug on the table beside the sofa and took his hand before standing up. The Doctor winked at John and he chuckled before the Doctor led Rose out of the room.

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