What It Is And Isn't

Chapter 15

The next time she woke, it was with the Doctor wrapped so tightly around her that she was wondering how she was finding it in herself to breathe.  His arms were wrapped around her waist, his head pillowed on her chest.  One of her hands rested on his bicep, the other on his hair.  His breath played across her collarbone and she closed her eyes, feeling like she could sleep for another three hours or so.  She probably would have done, if she hadn't felt the need to try and finish this adventure so they could get out of here.

She curled her fingers into the brown tresses under them, holding onto him to keep him with her. Of course, he wasn't about to move anywhere.  He was fast asleep, completely spent, breath ghosting across her skin in a way that was quite comforting. 

She couldn't fall back asleep, not now.  She knew that she was going to have to wake him, because they had plenty of things to do, a mystery to solve, even if it meant her capture.  Even though she was afraid of it all, she knew that it was something she needed to do.  It would take a lot of convincing, though.  

After a few moments of utter bliss, she sighed softly and stroked her hand through his hair.  He burrowed closer to her in his sleep, his leg wrapped around both of hers.  He nuzzled his nose against her collarbone and she kissed the top of his head. 

Rose was not naive enough to think that he would regret what had happened between them.  His actions, every single one of them, were always deliberate.  Every motion, every touch, every word.  He never said or did anything he didn't mean.  And by the way he was holding her in his sleep, tight, like if he let her go, he would fall apart, she could guess that he wasn't regretting anything.  She still felt the need to ask him.

He stirred slightly and she ran her hand from her hair down to his back.  He moved again and yawned, a powerful whoosh of air going over her chest and although his breath was warm, it sent goosebumps over her skin.  After a few moments, he pulled up to look down at her, his leg still thrown over hers. 

"Good morning," He rumbled in a sleep filled voice. 

"Good morning," she whispered back, afraid to speak up in case the moment would shatter around them.  But the word burst forth before she was ready or willing, "Regrets?"

In response, he smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her.  She sighed against his mouth, cupping his cheek in her hand and giving her her answer right there.  His jaw worked against hers for several minutes before pulling away from her mouth and leaving little butterfly kisses along her jawline. 

"I think we need to leave the TARDIS," she said softly.  He stiffened against her. 

"No.  Rose, I've decided, we're leaving."

"You've decided?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh," he said 

She pushed her head back into the pillows, then lifted it and thumped it back again.  On the third go round of that, the Doctor's hand shot under her head and stopped her motions. 

"What- stop that," he scolded, looking down at her. 

Rose sighed and dropped her hands.  "We can't just leave them, Doctor, you know we can't. You wouldn't want to leave them behind to deal with whatever this is.  More people could die."

His eyes darkened nearly sharply and he stared down at her.  "I can not lose you, do you understand me?"

"Yes," she bit out, "And I can't lose you."

"I just found you," he whispered, "I am not letting you die now."

"Fine," she said.  "Then let's leave the TARDIS, and you don't let me die, and I won't let you die.  Okay?"