Ashes ~ (a TenRose Fanfiction)

Not Knowing

Hi Shipmates,
So basically this chapter is just really drabbley (is that a word?) so sorry for that. BUT THERE IS A REASON. Okay so this chapter is kind of setting up the big thing (spoilers) and the big thing couldn't happen without this drabbley chapter first.
Please forgive me!
Ella:))

***
~Chapter 19
-The Doctor's POV

Two weeks pass and I've done nothing more than sit down and occasionally hobble over to the nearest point I can hold for balance. My legs feel drained, and the pain is almost unbearable. I know they're beginning to heal, I know it, but that's not the problem. They won't be healed for another few months, and I don't think we'll survive another few months on the island. We...or they need to leave, and now.
I look up at the sky, and realise that no planes have passed in our time we've been here. There's been no one come to save us, not even a ship. Of course there wouldn't be, and I'd secretly known that from the start. We're so secluded here no one would notice us....even if we'd hoped they would. Last week Rose and Justin explored the whole island, they said they climbed a giant rock a little further into the forest and they could see that the island was really small, with barely anything but sand in the other side to us. "Good we landed on this side, then" Justin had joked.

I look down the side of the cave to see Rose and Justin sat on the sand, so close I could barely count millimetres between them. So close that if they both turned to look at the other at the same time, their noses would most surely touch. I sigh and rub a hand over my forehead. Not moving kills me, there's this giant ball of energy welling up inside me as I just need to run for hours to get it out. More specifically, run at someone in particular with a name begging big with the letter J. One things for sure...I won't ever be doing all this sitting again.

And with the two weeks here I've noticed something. Something I don't really like. And I need to talk to Justin. After five more minutes the pair of them haven't moved from down on the sand, so I call for him. He turns his head towards me, his hair shining under the sunlight.
"Can we talk?" I call, loudly enough that he can hear. He shrugs at Rose then gets up, walking across the sand toward me. Albany, who was originally making sandcastle a, quickly steals Justin's spot in the shade by Rose.
"What is it?" He asks when he's close enough to be heard normally.
"I just...I have to tell you something"

***
-Albany's POV

I sit in the beach with Rose, our toes just touching the blue water. Its warm on my feet and it tickles quite a lot.
"Is water really blue? Because it's not blue when you put it in your hands or in a glass" I say to Rose. She turns her gaze to me.
"I don't think so...must be something to do with the sky?" She shrugs, and her gaze drifts back to behind me. It's just like the other day, I think to myself, when the doctor was constantly looking behind me to see Rose and Justin. I turn round to see what she's looking at. I see Justin and The Doctor sat on the edge of the cave, and the Doctor seems to be avoiding Justin's eyes but explaining something that looks secret and important.
"What're they talking about?" I ask Rose. She doesn't take her gaze off them.
"I don't know" she says. And then we see Justin stand up, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. Then The Doctor turns to him and almost looks like he's pleading, then Justin just stares at him for a very long time before speaking again. There's something odd about the way Justin takes the Doctors outstretched hand and shakes it, and the Doctor looks very sad, but I don't know why.
"I hate secrets" I say to Rose "I hate it when people don't tell me what's going on"

***
-Rose's POV

"Doctor, what's wrong?" I ask him later that day. We're back in the cave, the Doctor sat near the edge, his legs outstretched before him. He's been so distant and almost switched off, and I often catch him looking at me with sad eyes.
"Nothing" he says with a fake smile, and then avoids my eyes again. I sigh a push a lock of hair out my face. I could slap him sometimes, he's just so distant and closed off. I make the decision not to question him on his and Justin's "private chat" earlier, and leave whatever it was they wanted unspoken left alone. Instead of prying him further, I look over at Justin just as he catches my eye. He smiles and I smile back at him, but there's something uneasy behind his eyes I don't like.
Suddenly there's a small tap on my shoulder, I turn round to see Albany standing just behind me. "Can I sit with you?" She asks.
"Of course you can" I pull her down into my lap and lean back against the wall of the cave for support. She cuddles into me, and I wrap and arm around her. It's dark outside now, and the ocean breeze tickles the hair in the back of my neck, the fire flicking it's orange glow around the cave. Justin sits on the opposite side of the fire, staring out at the ocean. He too has been distant, occasionally glancing over and looking back out at the shore. I seem to be the only one trying to make conversation...apart from Albany.

Soon enough she's asleep, her gentle eyes have fallen shut and she's breathing deeply against my chest. I place an arm under her legs and one round her back, then slide her gently onto the floor beside me, her head still resting on my legs. Justin looks over then speaks up.
"No one's coming to get us, are they?" His voice echoes around the cave.
"No. I don't think they are" The Doctor says. I look Justin with surprise then back at the Doctor.
"You don't really believe that, do you?" I ask the Doctor, my voice wavering.
"I do" he says "I don't think anyone's coming"
"He's right, Rose" Justin says "We have to get ourselves out of here. No one's come and they never will"
"Well...what shall we do?" I ask.
"You know" says the Doctor, his eyes glinting in the fire light.
"The raft" I say quietly, looking out at shore and watching the base of wood positioned gently on the side of some rocks.
"Yeah" he says.
"We'll start again tomorrow morning, crack of dawn" Justin says.
"What? And we're just gonna leave?" I ask him.
"It's that or die here" he says bluntly. I inhale a sharp breath at his words.
"I'm sorry, Rose. But the Doctor's right. It's the truth" he says "I'm gonna get some sleep. I'll see you you guys tomorrow" he moves down the far end of the cave into the partial shadows and closes his eyes, his back turned from us. I feel tears pricking in my eyes and everything goes blurry. No ones coming, he's right.

It's that or die here.

His words echo through my head and I feel tears dropping down my face and onto my lap. One lands onto Albany's forehead and she stirs, moving off my lap and curling herself up on the floor, but doesn't wake.
"Hey," the Doctor places a steady hand on my shoulder "You'll be okay. I promise"
"I don't...I just thought someone would come" I say, wiping back the tears and mentally telling myself to grow up. I'm usually a lot stronger than this. There's a long silence, and then the Doctor finally speaks.
"Listen, Rose. You need to stay strong, you got it? No matter what happens." His voice is suddenly urging and serious.
"What're you saying that for?" I ask, blinking away more tears. He shakes his head and keeps his eye contact with me.
"You've just got to. For yourself and for me"
"I don't-"
"Just promise me, please" his voice is so close to breaking I feel something inside me snap.
"I promise" I almost whisper. He gives me a sad smile and pulls me in for a hug. I shuffle forward so I'm leaning against his chest, and curl into his body. I don't know what his urgency is, but I feel as if I shouldn't question it, and that the promise I just made I will hold with myself forever. He holds me tightly.
"You'll be okay" he says, and then presses a kiss to my hair. It's at that moment I want to sit up and crash my lips down to his, I want to lie with him and not care where we are or why we're there. But I can't. It would ruin everything. Our whole friendship would be gone. Especially when he's this breakable and fragile, no matter how much he tries to act strong.
"I..." I trail off, wanting so much to tell him what I've always wanted to say.
"What?" He asks gently.
"Nothing." I sigh "Night, Doctor"

***

Apologies for a longggg chapter, but it all gets more...intense...from here.
:D
... #sorrynotsorry