#ficandchips

Years later, (and a universe away,) in the woes of late-stage-pregnancy-induced nostalgia, she’d told the Doctor about it.

Unluckily for her, the Doctor, who was only a recent member of the human race, had never been part of a school stage performance. He’d thought it hilarious, and Rose had had to endure three extremely long days of her husband trying to sneak in the most absurd sheep puns into every conversation.

Until she’d had enough, and the Doctor had learned not to poke the extremely hormonal bear.

“Rooose,” he’d said with the air of a man who simply couldn’t help himself. “ Let me out of the baaathroom.”

When their five year old skips into the kitchen with a crumpled pamphlet and a massive grin, however, the Doctor sings an entirely different song.

“I knew it all along,” he says loudly, sweeping Mia into his arms. “Of course you’ve been cast—no surprises there. It’s in your blood, you know. Your mum was the finest actor her school ever saw.”

Rose groans, exasperated, turning just in time to see her daughter’s face pucker up into a frown.

“Really?” she asks dubiously. Even at her tender age, she knows her father can sometimes be full of it.

“Oh, yes,” the Doctor says, eyes twinkling, pushing a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “They could hardly tell the difference.”

“Shut up,” Rose tells him, whacking his shoulder lightly with a tea towel, before leaning in to press a kiss to their daughter’s forehead. “You’re going to be brilliant, darling.”

The Doctor tells everyone who will listen, and then he tells everyone who won’t, too.

His daughter’s playing a moon. She’s got two whole lines. She’s brilliant.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” he tells her suddenly, late at night.

Rose squints up at him, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. “Wha’?”

“This!” he says, wrestling with an extremely worn piece of paper. “This!”

Rose squints harder, and the script for Mia’s play comes into vision. The text’s been underlined and circled in several places, overwritten with the Doctor’s rapid, slanting hand, the margins full of swirling patterns and ovals she’s come to recognise as the Doctor’s language, the same ones she’d seen on the TARDIS.

The play’s about a boy from an alien planet, the Doctor explains with some amusement, and he’s looking for his pet cat (the starring role, naturally) but he’s lost, and Rose yawns, wondering why this world couldn’t just stick to something simple like the Nativity.

“Why would the moon even know where Abbadon is? And Abbadon—come on. Name a cat that and it’s like you deserve to lose it…”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to,” Rose tells him drowsily.

“What, lose a cat?”

“Think about it this much.”

But the Doctor’s muttering to himself again, something about inflections and enunciation, pen in hand, so Rose turns to her side, succumbing to the warm embrace of sleep.

It's a warm autumn night, the day of the big show. Rose isn’t sure who’s more excited, Mia or the Doctor.

The school’s bustling late into the evening, only for tonight, and her heart grows warm as she notices Mia, who can barely walk in a straight line at the moment, taking in the familiar building like it’s something she’s never seen before.

It’s a whole new entity at night; wind rustling through the neatly trimmed shrubbery, the ducky swings swaying slightly in the playground, excited chattering from all the children running about behind stage and the all too familiar hissed instructions to stay still by exasperated teachers and parents.

They come to a stop backstage. Mia’s nearly vibrating with energy when she turns to look at Rose, eyes flashing sudden worry. “Are you leaving now?”

“I have to,” Rose tells her, squatting so she can be level with her daughter’s small face. “Have to get a good seat, don’t I? You’ll do brilliantly, Mia, we’re already so proud of you.”

The girl nods once, and then her name’s being called, and Mia’s teacher shuffles her away for her costume fitting.

She’s easily one of the smallest children there, and Rose feels a strange twisting in her gut when her daughter turns to give her one last timid wave.

The Doctor’s saved her a seat in the front row, because of course he has, and his extremely battered Converse tap the ground restlessly as he bickers with her mother. It’s a habit he still hasn’t given up, the shoes—no matter how posh he’s dressed, and it endears him to her, impossibly as it may seem, even more.

And he is dressed posh tonight—in his best tux, in fact; Rose simply hadn’t the heart to tell him that he’d gone a little overboard.

“Well?” he asks her immediately, ignoring whatever it was her mum was saying before he caught sight of her.

“All good,” Rose says, plonking down on the seat next to him. “A little nervous, but that’s natural.”

“Nervous?” the Doctor scoffs a bit too loudly, even as his frame visibly relaxes. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s these other parents who’ve got to be nervous. No one’s even going to notice their children after ours—”

“Doctor, shh!”

It’s only when the lights turn on that Rose realises how large the audience actually is.

The auditorium’s packed to the brim, and she feels a swooping unease in the pit of her stomach as she imagines their tiny daughter reciting her two lines under those harsh stage lights.

Had it been this hard on her mum? She spares Jackie Tyler a glance, who is chatting away happily to Pete, and wonders if it gets easier when there’s a bit of a gap in relation.

The Doctor’s muttering to himself again, and Rose wonders if her experience would’ve been as good if she hadn’t successfully pulled off her bleating—if she’d gone on stage, frozen in front of that massive audience and forgotten her lines. She wonders if she should’ve actually checked on what the father-daughter duo were up to every spare moment they got, because God knows what the Doctor’s taught Mia, and—

“Good evening, everyone! Thank you so much for being here today. Our students are so excited to…”

It’s probably a good thing that the Doctor knows the entire script by heart, and proceeds to perform it live, because Rose can barely hear over the pounding in her ears.

Her grip on his palm (when had she grabbed his hand?) tightens when Mia stumbles slightly on entrance, the massive cardboard moon she’s been taped to getting in the way of her feet in her haste to enter stage, but she regains balance swiftly.

“Don’t worry,” she enunciates loudly, her voice clear as a bell. “I’ll show you the way.”

And Rose’s entire being swells with pride.

It’s magnificent, it is—even if the Doctor begins applauding right after (only to be stopped by a mortified Rose), and she can tell by the way her daughter is beaming that all that bubbling anxiety’s now glee, and it’s positively overflowing.

There’s probably not that much she’ll remember about this age in her life but this moment? Of looking into the audience with a sense of accomplishment, and seeing her parents unbearably proud?

This moment is eternal.

The rest of the play flies past, the two of them barely paying attention, still coming off the high that this is their life, and this is their daughter—

“I love you,” the Doctor says abruptly, lifting her palm to his lips. “Thank you.”

For what? she wants to say, but the words never make it out of her throat.

Mia is, thankfully, moon-less when she barrels into her adoring fans, less than half an hour later.

“How was it? HOW WAS IT?”

“Amazing,” Rose says truthfully, giving the girl a big hug, matching a wild smile with one of her own. “You were amazing!”

“You were wonderful, sweetheart,” her mum gushes.

“An incredibly convincing portrayal,” Pete says dutifully. “Best moon I’ve ever seen.”

Mia turns to the last member of the foursome now, the one whose opinion probably matters the most, on tenterhooks.

“Well,” the Doctor frowns, tugging on his ear. “Honestly, I’m a little disappointed.”

Mia’s face falls instantly. Jackie tuts in disapproval.

“Disappointed,” the Doctor continues, “because I didn’t know we raised a thief. What—you thought you could just steal the show like that and get away with it? The other parents are furious, you know. We’ve been getting requests all evening—haven’t we, Rose? They all want to take you home, all jumping at the chance to have such a brilliant performer in the family. I told them I’d think about it, of course…maybe for the right price—”

“DADDY,” Mia shrieks when the penny finally drops. “YOU LIKED IT!”

“Of course I liked it!” the Doctor roars, sweeping the girl into his arms. “I loved it. Nine hundred years, I’ve never seen a better…”

Rose watches them bid her parents goodbye with a slight stinging in her eyes; the Doctor’s face is alight with happiness, and Mia looks like she’s on another planet altogether.

The Doctor notices, because of course he does, stepping closer to Rose.

“What,” he says to Mia, even as his eyes never leave hers, “d’you say to some chips?”

“YES!”

The Doctor chuckles fondly, before lowering the spirited girl to the ground, from where she takes off immediately after her grandparents, probably in the hopes of haggling for a few more sweeties.

He reaches into his jacket pocket then, retrieving a battered looking instant camera. She knows it must’ve been hard to track one of them down—they hadn’t much been in fashion in Pete’s World.

“I know it’s not the same,” he says almost shyly.

Her heart is expanding so much and so fast she thinks it’s a miracle her ribs aren’t cracking from the force of it.

“No,” Rose tells him, beaming, “it’s better.”

Plating a double chocolate muffin he stepped out from behind the counter, winding his way through the shop with only minimal interruptions, focus solely on the pretty blonde whose smile did awful things for his blood pressure.  Only once he stopped at the table did his brain catch up, realizing he had no real way to approach her – he could hardly tap her on the shoulder, so he settled for clearing his throat; and when that didn’t work, he coughed.

Still nothing.

Rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck, wondering if this was a mistake, he sighed and said, “Cough cough.”

The blonde head slowly raised, normally brown eyes red rimmed and befuddled met his, horror growing over her splotchy face.  “Oh, God, I’m sorry, please don’t kick me out-”

“Eat something.”  He all but dropped the muffin on the table in front of her, shuffling side to side.

“I didn’t order this.”

“I know.”

They stared at each other as she blinked rapidly.  “Oh… kay.  Thanks?”  She glanced down at it, the barest twitch at the corner of the mouth showing it was a solid choice.  “Erm, why?”

“Can I…” James gestured to the seat across from her, waiting until she nodded to slide into it.  “Look, I don’t mean to pry, but I think a flood of tears might land me in trouble with health and safety,” he tried to joke.  “D’you want to talk about it?”

The woman flushed, shaking her head.  “I’m the world’s biggest moron is all, and the universe has decided to make sure I know it.”  Chewing on her lower lip, she tore off a small piece of the muffin and popped it in her mouth.  “’S good, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”  He glanced around the shop, making sure they weren’t being watched, before asking, “Is there anything I can do to help?  Are you in some sort of trouble?”

She choked on another bite of the muffin, causing a coughing fit, but when he went to stand she waved him off, taking a long pull off of her tea – peppermint, which wasn’t her usual, but made sense if she was in some sort of distress.  “You could say that,” she scoffed, then studying him in a way that made him feel he was being evaluated, and he tried to look as trustworthy as possible with little idea how to functionally accomplish such a thing. 

“I’m, well…” her gaze dropped, picking at the muffin without eating it.  “God, I’m stupid.  I’m not just in some sort of trouble, I’m… in trouble.  Trouble trouble.  The sent away to help an elderly relative for six months type of trouble.”

Not understanding her meaning he just waited, making a vague noise of commiseration.

Looking up again he must have looked lost, because she groaned.  “In other words, I’m up the duff and my boyfriend- well, ex, now, I s’pose- left tire marks behind he bailed so fast.”

“Fuck, I’m sorry.”  He didn’t know what else to say, his heart dropping even as his head scolded him.  Her life is dramatically changing and you’re upset you lost out on a date you never really planned on asking for?  “He’s a shitstain.”

“He really is,” she surprisingly agreed, laughing a bit.  “He really, really is, and the worst part is, my mother warned me.”  Her lower lip trembled.  “She warned me and warned me, but I knew better.  Joke’s on me, I guess.  Fuck, she’s gonna kill me.”

He had nothing to offer but a napkin, which she used to dab at her eyes then blow her nose.

“And, ‘cause of my own general lack of self-observation and calendar-keeping, I don’t really have any choices.  And the irony is, based on the timing, he probably did this to me when I tried to leave and he talked me into staying – and then disappeared on me the second he found out!  Wanker.  An’ now here I am cryin’ to you about it, an’ I just… God, I wanna die.”  Her face crumpled, but she breathed deeply, opening her eyes again to his horrified face.  “Oh, no, I’m not gonna- I just mean in the- fuuuck, I can’t get anything right these days.”  She scrubbed her hands over her face.  “I’m not a threat to myself or anyone else, I just wanna go back six months and kick myself in the arse.”

“I get it,” he offered, then tentatively put his hand face up on the table.  “And for what it’s worth, I think how you’re feeling is probably normal and understandable.  No judgement here.”

“Thanks.”  She smiled at him, and though it was dull and wan, it was genuine.  “I just dumped all that on you when you were trying to be nice.  Sorry.”  Hesitantly, she put her hand in his, heat searing through him at her touch.

James shook his head.  “I’m glad you felt you could trust me with it, at least on some level.”

A whistle from the other side of the shop caught his attention, startling him; he’d almost forgotten about the rest of the world.  Flashing Sally a sign for five more minutes, he waited for her eyeroll and thumbs up before turning his attention back to the woman.  “Wait, why’d you say it like that?”

“Say what?”

“‘You’, like there’s something specific about me that makes me bad to confide in, or something.”

The woman flushed, eyes going wide before dropping to the crumbled muffin.  “Nothing, it wasn’t…”  She groaned, shook her head, then said, “My boyfriend- ex- he thought I was cheating on him, ‘cause projection, and he thought… I mean… ‘cause I come in here so much…”

“Is that so?”  Occasionally, James had had to deal with angry men who thought the same because of his apparently overly-friendly attitude, but never had the jealousy provoked such delight in him.  “Really?”

“Shut up,” she said, but it was half-hearted at best, accompanied by a tiny grin.  “He’s a prick and a moron, remember?”

“How could we be having an affair though?” he asked reasonably.  “I don’t even know your name.”

“I’m Rose, Rose Tyler.”

“Rose Tyler,” he repeated, loving the way it felt on his tongue, how it rolled over his soul and filled him with warmth.  “Lovely to meet you, Rose Tyler.”

She smiled, then raised her eyebrow in expectation – and when the silence stretched between them, she prompted, “And you are…”

“Right!  James.  Noble.  At your service.”

“Oi!”  Sally’s voice carried across the room, and when he glanced in her direction, grimaced at the line snaking from the register to the door.

“Shit.  I’ve got to…” he gestured, and she- Rose- nodded.

“No, yeah, of course, sorry to keep you.”

Standing, he shook his head.  “No, no, don’t say that, I’ve loved talking to you, I just gotta…  Don’t leave, okay?  I’ll be back.”  With a parting smile he hustled away before anything stupid could come out of his mouth, like I love you, or I’ll raise a baby with you, or marry me.

Too soon.  Way, way, way too soon.  Probably haven’t got a shot in hell now anyway.

And he deserved it, he supposed, taking orders and clearing the line as quickly as he could without being (too) rude, almost obsessively checking to be sure she hadn’t left.  You could’ve said something to her at any point, but you waited too long and lost your chance.  Always the coward.

-

The longer Rose sat at her small table, picking at the muffin and sipping her cold tea, the stupider she felt – which was impressive, given how low she’d been when she walked in.

It’s probably for the best that I never made a move on him anyway, she rationalized.  I was probably already pregnant when I first realized I liked him; it would have been too complicated.  I was too proud to end things with Jimmy, and this is my just desserts.  Only shame is this poor baby’s gotten dragged into this now.

It still didn’t feel real; twenty-four hours earlier her only worry had been that the nurse wouldn’t believe she’d tripped over the damn cat - which was the truth, at least this time.  Now Jimmy was gone, and he’d left her a going-away present that felt like a noose and she had this great responsibility hanging over head; how far along she’d gotten without realizing only made it worse.  So much for the weight being all those chips.

“Sorry, sorry,” James apologized, sliding back into the chair across from her.

“No, I totally understand, it’s fine,” she shook her head, gathering her things.  “I’ve taken up way too much of your time as it is.”

“Don’t go!”  His eyes wide he caught her hand, but immediately dropped it.  “I mean, obviously you can leave it you want, but… don’t?  Please?”

Bottom lip caught between her teeth, Rose hesitated.  What are you doing?  You are the last person in the world who should be considering any kind of new relationship, and he deserves better than the fuck-up that you are.  Despite her better judgement, she sat back down.

They stared at each other across the table, and Rose wondered what was going through his mind, because certainly nothing appropriate or rational was occurring in hers.

“Would you like to have dinner with me?”

Whatever she’d been expecting, it wasn’t that, and she blinked stupidly at him.  “You understand I’m pregnant, right?  Baby on board?  Soon to be accompanied by a tiny, screaming overlord?  And I’m not… I mean, I might’ve considered my options if I’d known sooner, but… I am keeping it.”  She hadn’t honestly made the decision yet, but as the words escaped, it felt right.  I’m keeping it.  Oh fuck, I’m gonna be a mum!

“I bet you’ll be a great mum,” he said warmly.  “You’ve got this kindness about you- you’ll be wonderful.  And I’m not asking you to marry me, just to spend a little time together.  I… I’ve fancied you for a bit, to be honest, and I’m sorry if this is inappropriate or unwanted, but… well, if nothing else, you should know that just because your wanker of an ex doesn’t want you, doesn’t mean you’re, y’know, unwantable.  It says more about him than it does you.”

You’re being stupid, the voice in her head said, but as it sounded a bit like Jimmy, she decided to ignore it.  Not like this one could get me pregnant or anything, she snickered to herself.  “I am seriously craving chips.”

A smile bloomed across his face, making his already handsome visage positively gorgeous.  “Then chips it’ll be.  We close in forty-five; does that work?”

“I’ll wait.”

They exchanged giddy smiles, and this time when he returned to the counter, she watched his bum as he walked away.  Good smile, nice bum.  Check and check!

-

Thirteen weeks later James sat in the rocking chair, holding the tiniest, most precious girl he’d ever seen, unable to stop marveling over her.  At only an hour old she’d already settled into the world, content to doze in his arms as he kept counting her fingers.

“Still ten?”  Rose’s voice was drowsy but warm, and he tore his eyes away from the baby to smile at her.

“Hey, mama.  How you feeling?”

She yawned, shifted, and grimaced.  “Like I got fucked by dynamite without any lube, and it exploded and took my bits with it.  How’s she doing?”

“Absolutely beautiful.  Perfect, and strong, and a champ, just like her mummy.”  Standing carefully, he padded over to her hospital bed and settled on the edge.  “Want to hold her?”

“Mhmm.”  Rose accepted the baby onto her chest, who snuffled but settled quickly at the skin-to-skin contact.  “You’re right, she’s perfect.”  They admired her together, the peaceful, sleeping expression, the delicate fingers peeking out from the swaddling blanket.

James’ heart had never felt so full, so deeply in love with the newborn already – and her mother.  “She’s gonna need a name.”

“And a father.”  Rose didn’t lift her head to meet his startled gaze.  “I’m not suggesting putting you on any paperwork or anything – not now at least – but… I’d like you to have the role.  If you want it.”

He was wrong; his heart felt so full and heavy he was amazed it wasn’t dragging on the floor.  “It would be the greatest honor of my life.”  He reached out, cupping the baby’s head tenderly, swiping his thumb over her cheek.  “I’ll love her and protect her with my life.”  He looked at Rose.  “And her mother.”

They kissed tenderly, mindful of the precious bundle between them and Rose’s own tender state.

“But what’s her name?”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Rose’s gaze returned to her daughter, love shining through the exhaustion and lingering pain.  “And… I think I know what it is now.  And it’s the gift you gave me, on one of the darkest days of my life.”

“What’s that?”

Rose smiled down at the baby.  “Hope,” she said softly.  “When she and I were alone in the world, abandoned, you gave me hope that the future could be bright and happy.  Her name is Hope Sophia Tyler.”

“It’s perfect,” James smiled.  “A perfect name for a perfect little girl.  And I hope she will always know how precious and loved she is.”

Her- their- daughter’s soft cry interrupted their kiss, but they just laughed, and James stroked the baby’s cheek, soothing her.  “I’m sorry Hope, you have our full attention, I promise.  I love you.”  He choked up, hardly daring to say words.  “Daddy loves you, so, so much.”  Tears pricking at his eyes, not caring if they fell, he met Rose’s loving gaze.  “Both of you.”

“And we love you.”

And so, on a warm spring morning, they became a family of three, full of hope for the future.

Added: At Your Service (Tentoo x Rose, one-shot)

Previously: No One’s Gonna Love You (David x Billie RPF; Multi-Chapter)

* = Work In Progress

Bloodstream

Main tags: Shag-Or-Die, Romance, Action/Adventure, First Time

Length: 200k

Chapters: 27

For All We’re Worth

Main Tags: Truth Serum, First Time, Sharing A Bed

Length: 30k

Chapters: 4

Mending

Main Tags: Injury, Sonic Screwdriver (used as a sex toy), First Time

Length: 22k

Chapters: 3

The Doctor’s Brilliant Idea

Main Tags: Oral Fixation, Cunnilingus, Asexual Doctor, Eventual Romance, First Time, Crack Treated Seriously

Length: 23k

Chapters: 3

Peppermint Tea

Main Tags: Sick Fic, First Time

Length: 20k

Chapters: 2

With Love & Luck

Main Tags: Intoxication, First Time, Group Sex (but Ten and Rose only shag each other), my follow-up to ‘The Stone Rose’ by Jacqueline Rayner

Length: 35k

Chapters: 4

🌋 Explosivity *

Main Tags: Shag-Or-Die, Fake Marriage, First Time

Length: Currently 40k

Chapters: 4/6

Wrong *

Main Tags: Shag-Or-Die, First Time, Amnesia

Length: Currently 10k

Chapters: 2/5

Extemporary Intimacy

Main tags: Virgin Ten, First Time, Romance, Fluff

Length: 28k

Chapters: 4

Fated to Stay *

Main Tags: Aphrodisiacs, Magical Healing Cock, First Time, Romance, Multiple Orgasms

Length: Currently 25k

Chapters: 4/5

Ordinary Gifts

Main Tags: Sex Pollen, Bittersweet, First Time, Canon Compliant

Length: 15k

Part 1/3 of my Love On The Other Side series

Remedial Needs

Main Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, First Time

Length: 13k

Exposure

Main Tags: Huddling For Warmth, First Time

Length: 11k

Apples, Coffins, and Hearses

Length: 10k

Main tags: First Time, Halloween, Dry-Humping

* = Work In Progress

Washed Up Together

Main Tags: Mutual Pining, Domestic Fluff, First Time

Length: 20k

Chapters: 3

Every Lovely Little Thing

Main Tags: Romance, First Time, Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, Vaginal Sex

Length: 20k

Chapters: 3

Resolutions In Satin

Main Tags: Lingerie, First Time, Jealousy, UST

Length: 23k

Chapters: 2

Light from Beyond the Hills *

Main Tags: First Time, Emotional Sex, Multiple Orgasms, Post-Episode: Journey’s End

Length: Currently 11k

Chapters: 2/3

A Clever Touch

Main tags: First Time, Premenstrual Cramps, Romance, Hurt/Comfort

Length: 14k

As Soon As We’re Alone

Main Tags: Established relationship, edging, rough sex, jealousy

Length: 11k

Loving The Insatiable

Main Tags: First Time, Sex Pollen, Phone Sex, Rough Sex, Dirty Talk

Length: 16k

Forever, But Better

Main tags: First Time, Sick Fic, Romance, Hurt/Comfort

Length: 15k

Potential For Brilliance

Main Tags: Established Relationship, Wall Sex, Idiots In Love, Dirty Talk

Length: 3k

Part 2/3 of my Love On The Other Side series

Snapped

Main Tags: Halloween, Semi-Public Sex, Established Relationship

Length: 1792

Part 3/3 of my Love On The Other Side series

🧇 Up The Wrong Tree

Main Tags: Fluff, Smut, Crack, Established Relationship

Length: 8k

Vintage Incognito

Main Tags: Pregnancy, Baby Shower

Length: 2k

Rating: T

So Much For Sleep *

Main Tags: Vaginal Fingering, Road Trips

Length: 3k

Chapters: 1/2

At Your Service [New!]

Main Tags: Sex Toys, Established Relationship

Length: 400 words

Miscellaneous Fics:

No One's Gonna Love You *

David x Billie RPF

Main Tags: Infidelity, First Time, Intoxication, takes place in 2023

Length: Currently 19k

Tiny Lights Below *

Tentoo/Rose - Ten/Rose OT3 (heterosexual, absolutely no anal or Tencest) 💖

Main Tags: Slow Burn, Romance, Action/Adventure, First time(s), Whump, OT3, Eventual Happy Ending, Het, Threesomes

Length: 160k

Chapters: 18/19

Dead Dove; Do Not Eat fics:

AKA my Martha stuff. I have an alt account for the rest of my Martha fics — DM if you would like a link.

The Purpose of Repose *

! Ten/Rose AND Martha !

Main Tags: Angst, Friends With Benefits, Complicated Relationships, Dark!Doctor, Trauma and Grief, Romance, Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort

Length: 180k

Chapters: 20/25 (or 1-2 more)

Can’t Shift the Tide *

(Companion piece to The Purpose of Repose)