Journey's Beginning

The Doctor had been sleeping in Rose's room each night and sneaking into the guest bedroom early each morning. Their clever system had worked every night all weekend and now it was Monday morning, Rose's first day back to work. It was eight and she was told to come in at ten, giving them both plenty of time to wake up and have a bit of breakfast.

He was first to wake up, an angelic creature gently snoring beside him. The Doctor couldn't wake her, not yet. Turning onto his side, he held a fist under his chin and supported himself on his elbow.

Just watching her sleep, her body so close to his, gave him a feeling he never knew he could experience. He had always loved her but this, this was something quite deeper than friends and more sacred than soul-mates. She had given up her life for him time and again and he would always do the same for her. They were stuck on Earth now, much different from their days of traveling all through space and time, but there were still battles and struggles to face on this turning rock beneath their feet.

Strands of hair covered strips of her glowing face. She had been happier than he had ever seen her lately. Each day, she was becoming more the old Rose he had known and with each passing she was less afraid of the new him. There were still things, things almost unnoticeable to him, about her that had changed since what they called doomsday- the day they were separated for what they thought would be forever. Looking back, The Doctor wasn't entirely sure how much longer he could have lived his life without her. While he had never been truly alone having other companions like Donna and Martha, life wasn't the same without his one and only Rose. She was the bravest, most genuine, and brilliant woman he knew and would ever know. For a moment, he wished he could thank his double for this extraordinary gift, this chance to be with her for the rest of their lives.

Soft noises came from the kitchen- Jackie was awake and starting on breakfast. Gently, he rolled out of bed and started getting dressed for his first day as an official Torchwood employee. Going to her closet, he stared at the purple suit he was wearing the day he was left in this parallel version of her life. Never had he felt more in conflict with himself over something so ridiculous.

"What are you doing?" a soft partially awake voice called from the bed.

The Doctor turned around to what had become one of his most favorite sites. She was sitting up in bed wearing one of his new t-shirts that already held his scent. It looked better on her than it did him. Another pesky human urge rose up inside of him. The Doctor hoped that these morning yearnings became easier to ignore. But he loved them at the same time. He loved the way she drove him mad.

With a soft chuckle he proclaimed, "Rose Tyler, you are absolutely adorable when you wake up."

"Oh, stop it," she blushed, shyly running one of her small hands through the mess of blonde hair.

Those brown eyes looked back up at him, melting his very soul. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to pick out something to wear for my first day at work," he sighed with a shrug.

"You aren't going to wear the suit?" she asked with a puzzled expression.

"Well, as much as I fancy the suit, I'm not sure if that's me anymore. I mean, who I'm supposed to be now."

She could tell that he was going back and forth with himself in a minor identity crisis. After rolling out of bed, she walked towards him and the closet. Rose threw her arms around him from behind and lovingly rested her head between his shoulders.

"Time Lord or human, ay?"

"Time Lord or human," he repeated, not knowing the answer to the rather odd question. "I've been a Time Lord for so long, I don't know how to be anything else."

"Then don't be. Be exactly who you have always been, the one I fell in love with. The one the rest of the world and all of Torchwood adores. Earth just might need a Time Lord around."

He turned to pull her into a thankful embrace. Hoping she was of some help, Rose moved her arms around his lithe waist and rested her head beside his neck.

"How do you always know exactly what to say?" The Doctor chuckled into her hair.

"Just a good guesser," she teased.

The two finished getting dressed, him in a suit and her in her favorite black business skirt, and ate a quick breakfast. Nine o'clock came around all too quickly. After brushing their teeth, he made a few daft comments about the things humans do while getting ready for work. Laughing the entire time, part of Rose still couldn't believe that he was with her now and forever. This was becoming their morning routine.

While riding on the tube, Rose realized that she was now one of those girls she used to be jealous of. Before the Doctor had ever come into her life, she used to watch the couples on the tube snog, whisper, and capture the attention of every silent lonely passenger. She took his hand before they shared a lighthearted smile. His looked a bit more worried than hers.

Putting her head on his shoulder, she whispered, "You have nothing to be nervous about."

"Oh, I know. This is me not being nervous," he sighed, obviously lying.

"They are just as excited as I am, if not more. You're the new secret weapon. Anything that comes against Earth will assume that you're distracted somewhere else in space. They'll be shocked to find out that the Doctor is here to stay!"

Her voice had gotten louder and a few of the passengers suddenly looked a bit uneasy. He couldn't help wondering what they were all thinking. Their expressions were confused, full of disbelief, and a few of the elders even looked as if they were about to ask Rose to continue the conversation elsewhere.

"My darling," he began with a large grin," I think you're beginning to scare a few of these lovely people."

She knew what he was saying after taking a look around at the puzzled group of faces.

"Yes," she whispered with a deepening blush. "Carry on."

When they entered Torchwood, the room was hushed and buzzing with quiet comments all at once.

Many froze in place as others walked closer to the new employee for a better look. Hand in hand, the Doctor and Rose walked through desks and computer screens. The Doctor smiled politely as his eyes met the wide eyes of many strangers.

Rose was more than proud to walk beside him; everyone knew that she had been looking for him.

Some had taken bets on if she would find him and others took bets on what would happen if she did find him. Their happy reunion was a small victory for some and put others out a few pounds. As they neared the door they were walking towards, she heard a woman say something about getting the Doctor to break up with, or at least cheat on, her. The disturbed Rose almost said something but suddenly saw the boss approaching them.

"Doctor, this is Ben Johnson. Ben, you know my friend."

"Doctor, it is truly an honor to have you working with us- well, every day. You know what I mean," the large man beamed bashfully.

"Big fan," the Doctor whispered quickly to Rose.

"You have no idea," she replied just as quickly through her toothy grin.

"Ah, Ben! It is a pleasure to meet you!" Before the new co-worker could utter another word, the Doctor grabbed his hand and began rapidly shaking it. "Now, what have we been working on as of late? Aliens? Space monsters? Unusual movement of the plants or stars? Wibbly wobbly timey--"

"Doctor," Rose coughed, stopping her boyfriend before he made a complete fool of himself on his first day.

"Thank you," he forced with reluctance, wanting to use one of his favorite phrases. His smirk quickly returned to the expectant large grin that had been there before.

"Well, everything has been quiet for a few days. Our people haven't even seen your TARDIS for about a week. That's very uncommon, even for Torchwood."

Rose glanced over to the solemn man in a suit. How was he going to break the news to them? She hadn't said anything to anyone, only that the Doctor needed a place to work full-time. Nothing more had been shared, since everyone thought it a marvelous idea.

"Actually, I don't think the TARDIS will ever be picked up by your people again." Ben let out a chuckle until he realized that the Doctor was completely serious.

"We'll never see it again? What's that all about?"

Before another word could be spoken, instead of explaining the many private details, Rose blurted, "It's just wibbly wobbly timey wimey… stuff."

The Doctor shot her a short disapproving glare. Why could she say it when he couldn't? But he couldn't deny it was quite cute.

"You see, I have two bodies now. The full Time Lord went back to a different reality and I was left."

The expected expression of unbelief crossed Ben's face. "I'm still part Time Lord but I'm also part human. I'll age and won't ever regenerate."

"But how is that possible?" Others nearby had abandoned any work that was being done before the conversation started.

"Let's just say that splitting into two bodies was the only way to make something work." He and Rose shared a brief sentimental moment that went unnoticed by anyone else. "But I'm still entirely the Doctor- just more human."

"Same memories, same thoughts, same actions, same brain- just more human," Rose added, fully accepting these facts herself only a few days ago.

The three talked about what the Doctor could help with. His knowledge of various species and solar systems was most precious. But he also had more experience, exactly nine hundred and six years, with aliens than any other being at Torchwood. Last week he had been an alien himself. There was nothing they dealt with that he did not know about. This seemed like the perfect partnership- the Doctor working at Torchwood every weekday until further notice.

Rose taught the Doctor a few of the programs Torchwood had been working on and using. He was very impressed but had plenty of suggestions, which were immediately noted and considered.

Throughout the morning he met more peers and by lunch he had a good idea of what was going on. After centuries of observing protocols, all establishments seemed to be the same in the end. Some minor details were a bit different but Torchwood was exactly as he anticipated. Rose left him in front of a computer but regularly checked up on him.

"You can grab a bite to eat if you want," a soothing voice announced from behind him.

He had been researching event files from the last month, getting a better idea of what sort of work and communication happened here each day. His glasses and high level of concentration made Rose giggle the way he adored as her arms loving wrapped across his chest.

Continuing his typing and never taking his eyes off the screen, he grinned," Yeah? And will you be joining me, Miss Tyler?" He was being quite flirtatious.

"Wish I could," she sighed wanting that more than anything else. "Ben wanted me to look over some paperwork that went through while I was off on my wonderful holiday with my wonderful boyfriend."

He took his glasses off and playfully turned in the chair until he was facing her. A blush swept across her cheeks as she read his mind. The handsome man, with really great hair and bright eyes, stood to his feet and confidently put his hands in his trouser pockets- just the way she was so used to seeing him do.

"Boyfriend, ay?" he asked in a surprised tone as if he wasn't aware they were together. "That's quite a big commitment, isn't it?" His false ignorance brought another giggle from the unusually giddy young woman.

"There have been larger commitments," she debated as the giggle faded. But she was still gazing at him with that blissful lover's expression she only used when talking to him.

"Rose Tyler, you are absolutely beautiful today," he sang more than said using that teasing high pitch he used when flirting. "Why all the smiles today? I don't think I've seen you without a smile all morning."

After a brief pause, she confessed, "I'm just so happy you're here." She raised up onto her toes and kissed him on the mouth just once. When she was standing again, her eyes were shinning like stars. All he could do was stare in amazement. "You have no idea how many days I sat in that very chair wishing you were here helping me at Torchwood. And now look at us."

"Yeah, never fancied myself the daily job type," he sighed with sarcasm as if the very thought was implausible.

"I'll show him where to go."

Neither Rose or the Doctor had noticed anyone walk up to them. The Doctor found the co-worker very polite and considerate for offering to help. Rose, on the other hand, immediately recognized the tall woman with long black hair from before. This had been the woman that wanted to split them up.

"Thank you," the ignorant celebrity grinned.

Before the sly stranger could take him away, Rose quickly gave her boyfriend a nod in warning. He obviously didn't observe her attempts but instead followed the woman wearing extremely high pumps.

They faded out of sight among the massive crowd of people busily running around. The main door opened and then they were gone. Rose took a seat in the chair he had been sitting in and started studying the screen- just curious of what he had recently been looking up. She noticed a minimized screen and clicked on it. Her heart dropped once she recognized what he had been looking up. The first screen had only been a decoy.

Down the hall, the woman with raven hair ran a hand through her long flowing locks. She had enticed several co-workers into one night stands and didn't think this new London hero was any different. He was a man, right? And in her experience, all men were exactly the same. The tall dark beauty purposefully dropped something on the floor so she could bend over directly in front of the famous handsome "doctor".

"Oh, clumsy me," she faked a giggle, glancing behind her to see his reaction.

He just stood there looking around with his hands in his pockets. Regaining composure, she began walking again.

"So you're a doctor, yeah? Where did you graduate?" Now she was playing the dull friendly game.
"Not exactly what the title means. But I know quite a bit about space and time travel- obviously. I know a lot about a lot."

His tone was friendly and his expression never faltered from the carefree happy one he had worn the first time she laid eyes on him. She wasn't used to not getting the attention she craved. All of her best moves, the ones that usually brought men to their knees begging for mercy, went completely unnoticed by this mysterious man in a suit. Before she could make another pass, they entered the cafeteria.

"There are several lines to chose from. Each line has the same type of food each day. If you want fish and chips it's that line, pasta or pasta type food is that way, sandwiches are over there, and the soup line is right here… if you like things hot and steamy." She said the last bit as seductively as possible.

"Wonderful," he grinned, hands still in his pockets and eyes jumping from line to line. "Oh, let's go with the pasta. I like pasta. Pasta is brilliant. All the sauces, shapes of noodles, the different spices- what's not to fancy." He couldn't help himself. "I like spices, things that are spicy."

Her eyes changed and she moved closer to him inch by inch. Just as she was close enough to touch him, he darted towards the pasta line, leaving her more frustrated than before. This man was either an imbecile or just didn't know a good thing when it was in front of him. She got into the soup line and found "the doctor" just as he was leaving the room.

"Oh, hello again," she gave him her best smile and batted her long eye lashes. "I thought we could eat in here and talk a bit. What do you say?" This was her big move. With one conversation, she was going to make him forget that little blonde child.

He politely turned towards her, smile and eyes still lit up, and asked, "What was your name?"

A blush crossed her cheeks as she bashfully replied, "My name is Clarissa. And yours was…?"

"Ah, alright. Clarissa, you are a pretty girl but I am totally and completely uninterested. Why, you ask? Well, I am spending the rest of my life with my best friend to whom I recently confessed my love and moved heaven and earth just to be with her." The woman's jaw dropped as she stood speechless. "Oh, I'm sure you're a lovely girl but I'm guessing a bit deceitful and extremely mischievous- and not the good way. I'm with Rose and always will be so you can put to rest all hopes or thoughts of these little games. Now, I'm going to take my plate of pasta- have I mentioned I really fancy pasta?- and have lunch with the woman I am going to marry one day."

The Doctor cheerfully turned around and walked off, leaving the woman completely embarrassed and paranoid that everyone just witnessed her being denied by the most famous man in the building. After looking around, her worst fears became reality. Many who knew of her quietly laughed while others whispered with taunting eyes. Clarissa ran out of the room and took the long way back to her computer.

On the other side of the busy room, The Doctor found a curious Rose staring at a screen she wasn't supposed to find. All plans of a happy lunch with his new girlfriend were shot down.

"And what are you having a look at there?" he asked, sneaking up behind her.

She was startled and jumped a bit stuttering, "I-I just saw this screen, saw some picture of us, started reading, and then…"

"See something you don't approve of?" He already knew each word that was going to be spoken on the issue. Each question she asked and each worried look on her face was already playing like a film in his mind.

"They've been watching us. They've always been watching us," she stated with a mixture of anger and betrayal. "If they've been watching us, maybe they know--"

"He's in another reality, Rose. He's somewhere Torchwood can never go back to traveling in his blue box." The man was almost sad but at the same time thankful. "He's out there missing you with every fiber of his being while I get to see that smile and those eyes every day. But it's still me."

"I know," she sighed. Rose was suddenly very apologetic and regretted even thinking about the man who was traveling somewhere in the blue box she adored. "I'm sorry, Sam. It's still just--"

Instead of watching her try to explain the feelings he anticipated her having, he placed his food on the desk and took her into his arms. After a deep breath he promised, "We are going to get through this, Rose Tyler. There may be two of me, but it's the same person and no one will ever or could ever lover you the way I do. It's still odd and new right now, but it will all make sense soon, my love. Just give it a bit more time."

"Forgive me?" she asked in a hushed embarrassed voice.

How many times had they been over this? Some days it was like he was the only one and other days she still found herself missing the one that disappeared in the big blue box.

"No need."

There was an awkward pause before he acted as if they hadn't just had that conversation. Again, her slate was clean. No matter how much he wanted to be hurt, to be mad or cross, he couldn't help forgiving her for the silly things so many others argued endlessly about. He grabbed the plate of pasta and began eating.

"Do you know Clarissa?" he asked with a mouthful.

At the very mentioning of her name, Rose rolled her eyes in disgust. Then a horrible thought crossed her already troubled mind.

"Wait, she didn't try to…?"

"Oh yes she did," her boyfriend nodded, his attention turning to the quickly disappearing lunch.

"And," a worried Rose asked, wanting to know what happened between her Doctor and the untrustworthy woman after they left the room.

"I allowed her to play her little game and then shut her down properly," he announced with animated expressions. "Basically told her to keep away. I'm already spoken for, you know?" He was teasing her now with that wide adoring smile.

"Yes you are," the girl half giggled half sighed before standing. "And I will write it on every piece of clothing you own if I have to- just so girls like her have fair warning."

She threw her arms around his waist and he happily thought out loud, "Maybe we can get matching outfits or something else that lets everyone know we're together and both off limits."

Rose immediately knew what she wanted her "something" to be.

"I prefer silver to gold," she whispered into his chest.

Catching the meaning behind her seemingly random words, he kissed the top of her head and chuckled, "Good to know, Rose Tyler. I'll keep that in mind."

"Yeah?" she pulled her head away to look into her eyes, tightening her grip around him a bit.

"Yeah," he smiled before a playful wink.

"Alright, love birds. Back to work," Ben blushed, not used to working with couples at Torchwood.