Ashes ~ (a TenRose Fanfiction)

Tears and Fears

Hey shipmates,
Victoria is so good I'm literally so obsessed and can't wait for Sunday. If you haven't watched up I seriously recommend it. It's on the ITV hub online if you need to catch up, and on ITV on Sunday's at 9. SERIOUSLY ITS INCREDIBLE!
Anyways hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you for all the lovely comments as they always make me so happy! I haven't edited this yet so please excuse any mistakes :)
Ella :))

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~Chapter 15
-Rose's POV

"Will this do?" Justin says, holding up a banana to me. His deep blue eyes look tired from today's again and hard work.
"Sure, anything" I say, and take it from him.
"What if she doesn't like bananas?" Justin says in a hushed tone.
"Nobody doesn't like bananas!" The Doctor says, and takes the yellow fruit from my hands with a smile, handing it to Albany. She looks questioningly at me, as if asking if she can take it, and I nod with a sure expression on my face. It makes me so happy to know she has something good inside her, and decide tonight I'll give up my dinner for her, I can last one night before we go out again. We all watch as Albnay peels back the banana with such a look of eagerness upon her face you'd think she'd never eaten in her life. She sits down and we all take custody and sit down beside her.
"How's that?" Justin asks. Albany nods with a smile through her mouthfuls. Justin chuckles and then turns to me and the Doctor.
"We need meat" he says. I almost laugh at how sudden the statement came from him.
"You're right. We should go and get some tomorrow"
"You any good at hunting?" Justin ads with a raised eyebrow, as if his question were a challenge.
"Not bad. Why, are you some sort of expert?" He sends back with a smug look.
"Well, I've done a bit before. I'll give it a go" he says.
"You're on" the Doctor nods then looks at Albany who has now devoured the whole banana.
"Better?" I ask, smiling down at her. She nods and smiles. Then I get up and fetch a coconut which I cut the top of earlier, and hand it to her.
"Did you say you drank the lagoon water?" The Doctor asks Albany.
"Yes. I was really thirsty. Sorry if that was bad"
"Oh no, that's not bad at all. That's good. Because now we know it's safe to drink" the doctor smiles. The size of the coconut next to Albany's head is almost hysterical, and I can't help but smile at the way it covers her whole face as she lifts it up to have a drink.
"We should sleep soon, it's getting dark" Justin observes, looking out the entrance of the cave. I briefly notice a strange uncertain look pass Albany's face, bug it's gone before I can ask what's wrong.
"Right, so shall I sort your knee?" The Doctor asks. Albany looks uncertain again, and her eyes find mine.
"It won't hurt a bit" I say reassuringly. She nods and takes my hands as the Doctor examines her outstretched knee.
"Ah, it's just a cut. No stitches." His voice is soft, and calming, like what you'd imagine all doctors should be like. For a moment I wonder if he's going to use his regeneration energy, which would involve me slapping him very hard, but instead he moves to the side of the cave where he picks two big leaves and a vine from a few plants outside the entrance. He returns back and Albany has increased the pressure of her tiny palm against mine. But the a Doctor is careful and precise with his movements. He places a leaf over her knee, and a leaf just underneath it, then asks me to hold it in place. I use my free hand to hold it down as the Doctor winds with vines round Albany's knee and ties it not to tightly, but secure enough it won't fall.
"There, all better" the Doctor says. Albany smiles gently.
"Thank you" she says, her voice still quiet and soft. The sky outside has darkened, and the clouds are turning a dark violet type colour, and softly fading to black above us.
"Guys, I'm gonna sleep now, today's warn me out a lot" Justin says.
"Ok, sure" I say, smiling at his soft features in the moonlight. He holds my gaze for a second longer before lying down by the burnt out fire.
"I'll start the fire" the Doctor says "We've got to keep warm"
"It's quite warm already" I observe.
"Yes, but it won't be at 2 in the morning" he says. Albany nods in agreement.
"It does get very cold" her little voice speaks up. I again feel a wave of sympathy pass over me. She's so small, and so vulnerable, and she's been on her own for days.
"I'll just get some sticks from down there" the Doctor gestures to our pile of wood we collected the other day, which is now carefully placed in a small ditch under a rock to prevent them from blowing away. I smile at him as he leaves, and then eye Justin's peaceful body, sleeping already and tired out from today's hard work.
"What does SOS mean?" Albany asks.
"Uh..." I hesitate a moment, wondering if I should tell her "Save Our Souls"
"Oh. Why? Are we dying?" She asks. I shake my head.
"No, no we're not. But it's just so if any planes fly over the island, they'll see our message."
"They're not coming back, are they?" Albany asks after a few moments silence. The tide gently drifts out to the shore, lining the beach as it does, and then fades back out again.
"Who?"
"Mummy and Daddy...and Alex" she says quietly. I cast my gaze over to her, and see her hunched frame and distant eyes, and realise how strong she's been. Most seven year olds would have broken down in tears by now, or started screaming at the undeniable truth. Well, maybe she did, but when she first realised.
"I don't know." I say truthfully "But I know we'll do our best to find them"
"Yes" she says with a nod.
"Who's Alex?"
"My brother"
"How old is he?"
"Fourteen" she says, her eyes welling up with tears "He was the best big brother ever"
I feel tears burning at the back of my throat for the poor little girl who has just had everything she loves come crashing down before her. But I push them down, and stay strong. I have to be there for her, because they can't be. I pull her into a tight hug, and she leans in, sobbing into my shoulder. Her whole tiny body is shaking from the tears, and I do my best to soothe her.
"It's okay. I'm here now, I'm here." I say into her knotted hair. She cries quietly, as if she doesn't want to wake the sleeping Justin right beside us. I'm not sure how long we stay like that, but I know that when the Doctor arrives at the door with the wood in his arms, he knows not to say anything as he silently lights the fire.