Some Go Mad

Time travel was often described in many different ways by many different people across many years and galaxies: different, extraordinary, impossible, terrifying, magnificent, and beautiful. Rose Jackson had her own word to add to the list.

“Addicting,” Rose stated with an ecstatic puff of air. The Doctor grinned at her from his relaxed seat on the console dashboard. “Never in my life have I had an unnatural and mentally induced need for something.” She shot him a look that had a few more teeth peeking out from his lips. “Until I met you.”

“Not a bad choice of poison, Rose Jackson,” Doctor complimented with an approving nod. “Most people like the air of alien planets, the shine of new suns on green and blue and rainbow skin.” He hopped down and swung himself around to sit beside her on the inside edge of the main platform. “But you’re one for the Time Vortex itself. Some Greek worshiping here, a spot of tea with the first Pope, and back for biscuits next month with your future grandson’s daughter.” He tapped his finger at the air. “I like the way you think, Rose.”

“Future grandson’s daughter?” Rose questioned with a curious look. The Doctor smiled at her. “Can we try it again?” she asked with more than a hint of eagerness.

The Doctor looked to her silently, shooting the question back her way without saying a word. When Rose’s answer to his smile was her own grin, he removed himself from his seat and moved back to the console.

Before the Doctor could question Rose, she was up beside him and looking particularly bright. “The Titanic,” she said simply.

The Doctor stopped and met her eyes with less spark than usual. Rose either didn’t notice or was prepared to make her stand on the subject.

“Rose,” he started slowly, “that’s a bit of a different situation than Edgar.”

Rose let her lips press together.

The situation with Edgar had started to fade, and that healing atmosphere was the only reason Doctor had decided to question her on their next action. It had been a blow to Rose that had lingered in her mind. Doctor had taken her to a handful of the brightest planets he knew of, but his luck with happy getaways wasn’t the best, so he decided to take a break from the adventuring for a while in the hopes of things slipping back into place. Now the water’s temperature was an uncomfortable mystery.

“There are certain events in time that are different than normal ones. History that has a certain connection—” Doctor twisted his fingers together, “—with the rest of history. Sometimes it spans across the universe and sometimes it spans across the surface of just one planet.”

Rose was watching him carefully, waiting for the final word on the subject.

The Doctor moved around to the other side of the console. “Think of these moments as points of fire in a sea of kindling. If they get too much attention, get too big, then they’ll eventually swallow everything in a storm of flames.”

“Doctor, you told me there weren’t many Time Lords left,” Rose said. “So who else will ever visit the Titanic but us?”

The Doctor adjusted his sleeves and didn’t answer for a few seconds. His eyes fixed themselves on the floor, the console, then flicked hesitantly to Rose. “Probably nobody,” he admitted.

“Then what’s the problem?” Rose asked. “Shouldn’t we be living history? Feeling it?”

Doctor eyed her carefully, his finger still kneading the fabric of his sleeves and running over the engravings of his jacket. “I was only warning you of the dangers, Rose.”

“I’ll take those warnings into consideration,” she assured him with barely held back excitement.

He hesitated then lifted a stern finger towards her. “Every second,” he demanded.

“Every second.” Rose was like a pinned up puppy at this point. Her fingers twisted at her side, her feet readily bouncing on the glass below her.

The Doctor, for a moment, looked unconvinced. He didn’t drop his eyes from Rose’s. They flicked left and right, searching for some reason to believe she was lying to him. When he found nothing, a long breath passed through his lips. “Okay,” he relented before turning away. Rose was grinning by now. “Okay,” the Doctor repeated as he rolled both sleeves of his jackets up and gripped at several controls. “Next stop: the R.M.S. Titanic.”

His eyes scanned the multiple pictures attached above the controls in front of him and he wondered what kind of reminders he’d just ignored.

---

“I understand that we don’t run a danger of missing the boat, but we do stand a chance of missing the entire voyage!”

The TARDIS doors banged open and Rose gracefully stepped out in a less than modern dress. She spun out of the ship’s entryway and showed off her new wardrobe. “Vintage?”

“Très magnifique!” the Doctor exclaimed with a grin and an offered hand. Rose smiled back and took his hand in hers. Doctor cocked an eyebrow at her slightly shaky fingers. “Nervous?”

“Is yes the stupid answer?”

The Doctor let out a too dramatic sigh and spun her around with him, leading her past boxes and crates of luggage and towards the rickety stairs that would take them up to the more populated levels. “Take me to the Titanic, Doctor! I want to sail the seas with you!” They clunked up the stairs, Rose trying desperately not to trip over her own dress, Doctor navigating the climb in his tailored clothes with ease. “Well, Rose Jackson, I’ve granted your desperate wish and now,” he pulled her up the last few steps and threw the door open. Sunlight and ocean smells slammed them straight in the face. “You are going to enjoy it!”

Rose stumbled her way straight to the rails and doubled over the metal in an unsteady way. Doctor had his hands on the back of her dress immediately.

“Woah, woah, woah! I meant the boat, not the water.”

Rose laughed nervously. “Just a little…dizzying.”

The Doctor made sure Rose wasn’t about to topple over before leaning his back against the rail beside her. “You can travel in the TARDIS no problem, but a ship is your absolute doom.”

“Hey,” Rose protested, “I’ve never been on a boat before. Don’t blame me.”

The Doctor let out a breath and pulled on her arm gently. “Come on, Rose Jackson. Let’s find a nice dinner party to invite ourselves to.”

“Oh,” Rose clung to his sleeve. “Let’s not.”