Contrasting Tranquility |COMPLETE|

Chapter Seven

"It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."

-Einstein

The Doctor stared at her figure as she walked out of the library. Moving himself into a sitting position, he ran a hand through his hair, gripping some strands; he pulled gently.

Things were...bad.

And it wasn't like he'd expected everything to turn back to the way it once was. It had been a long journey for both; someone was bound to change. And yet it was uncanny.

The Doctor had a reputation for being a talker, yet often he skirted around truly meaningful conversations. Uncomfortable situations, memories of his past, and his own thoughts were things he tended to evade by running away. For him, fleeing from these complexities seemed easier than facing them head-on and seeking understanding. And he was known for leaving things unfinished, and closing chapters on books yet not written.

And to have Rose do the same in return...

The TARDIS shook and he jumped to his feet. Wobbling left and right, he made his way to the console room. "Rose?" the ground trembled again. He was flung against a wall as he walked. "Rose!" he called again.

By the time he reached the controls, the TARDIS had already stopped and landed. He scanned the area cautiously. Rose wasn't here.

He swallowed thickly, possibilities running through his mind. Bad ones mostly. The Doctor left the TARDIS and searched for her. She was sitting on a bench under a tree, gazing in the distance.

He approached her, stepping lightly, and took a seat next to her; he looked up at the sky and breathed in the freshness.

"Nice landing." he commented on her flying skills, trying to lighten up the mood.

There was stillness in the air. "Feels like years since I last saw her."

He glanced towards what her gaze fell upon: Jackie Tyler. Well, young Jackie Tyler.

"How many?" he asked.

Rose shifted awkwardly in her spot, lingering on a grasp of silence. "I'm not here to make trouble, so you needn't worry."

"That's not what..." he sighed.

"What the hell are you wearing that for?" Jackie's voice was to be heard. An uncomfortable Pete stood beside her, hands behind his back. He was wearing a black suit and a dumb smile spread on his face. "You look like's someone's funeral." she continued.

Pete cleared his throat and pulled out a bouquet of flowers that he was hiding.

Jackie rolled her eyes as she accepted the roses; and a smile curled on her lips. "Come on, you plum. We don't wanna miss the bus."

Rose giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Mum and Dad's first date. Oh she'd go on and on about this day and his stupid suit. Said he'd be the death of her." she grinned. "It's why she named me Rose."

The Doctor chuckled. "Was she happy in the end? On Pete's world?"

"They had another kid, didn't they?" Rose watched the couple go. "Tony. My little brother."

"I'm sorry." the Doctor apologised. He realised what she'd lost in the midst of everything. "How did Pete manage all of that? The situation, I mean."

"Was hard at the beginning. There was lots of bickering. Mum wanted him home all the time but he couldn't. Had a business to run. And Torchwood."