Ashes ~ (a TenRose Fanfiction)

Just Tell Me

~Chapter 8
-The Doctor's POV

Short chapter! :)

***
I return to the cave with my arms full of mangos, bananas and coconuts. I tried my best with only one pair of hands, and climbing up seriously tall trees with only a rope supporting my waist isn't something I'm particularly skilled at. (Even though of course I do carry a wide variety of skills) I struggle up the rocks with my arms full, and take one step carefully at a time.
"Rose, Justin - I bought us some food, there's even bananas!" And then as I reach the entrance, I am greeted by a very empty space before me. My heart drops in my stomach. I scan the cave frantically but there's no sign of them. I knew I shouldn't have left them alone, I knew it. I quickly rush to the end of the cave, drop the food, and then when I'm sure they're definitely not in here, I run back out. Keeping my feet light I run back down to the sand. Where would they have gone? Where would he have taken her? God why was I so stupid for leaving her?!
Not knowing where to start, I run at a small clearing in the trees. Maybe he took her down here? I walk briskly through and push painful brambles out my face with such force I'm sure my hands are bleeding. Oh Justin won't know what's coming when I find him. The oncoming storm. But suddenly my fast pace is stopped by the sound of laughing. I stop in my tracks and listen carefully. And for sure, that's Rose's laugh - I'd recognise it anywhere. And she doesn't sound in pain, or in struggle...she seems happy. And then I hear another laugh, and deeper. It must be Justin. I sigh deeply. She's okay, she's alright, I was just overreacting.
I walk further and curve round the faint path which has started to form on the ground and then I see them. There's a beautiful pool of blue stretched out in front of me, and there's a slight caved roof over it. Rose is sitting on the edge, still in her ripped top and leggings, and Justin is in the water lightly splashing her.
"Come on, get in!" He says.
"I haven't got a swimsuit, Justin" Rose smiles, raising an eyebrow.
"Who says you need a swimsuit?" He asks.
"I can't. What about..."
"What?" He says "Not scared of the water are you?"
I see Rose's brow furrow a little "Course not. I just - after the crash...water just seems.."
"Nah it's fine, I get... just want you to know what you're missing out on here" he winks. Something inside me lurches to kill the man when he's actually done nothing...other than make me worried sick that he'd captured Rose. Before she can reply I emerge myself from the shadows of the trees. I realise I'm still breathing quite hard from adrenaline at the thought of losing her again.
"Oh, Doctor. Nice to see you! Get in with us" Justin pats the water beside him as if it were a seat.
"You okay?" Rose asks with concern, meeting my eye for a second, then her gaze drifts towards my bloody hands. I shake her off, slightly annoyed now.
"Fine, me. Absolutely fine" my voice comes out sharper than anticipated. Her forehead scrunches up.
"Are you sure? You don't look-"
"Just tell me where you're going next time, okay?" I say maybe a little too sharply. I worried for no reason, she was absolutely fine with...him. I nod at Justin and turn before she can reply. I walk back through the trees and as I leave I swear I heard her say "sorry".