Abandonment Issues

Tears and Fears

Disclaimer: I own less than nothing. My soul is a vast desert of bleak candy floss and sparkling demons. ...Savannah should probably get some sleep soon...

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears: Sad. No, really, sad. :( You have been warned.

Rose was crying. The Doctor was on the verge of falling into tears himself, and even the TARDIS had a more sombre tone to her humming. The only one not crying was the baby, asleep in Rose's arms.

"It's not safe." The Doctor whispered to her, eyes moving from Rose to the child and back, one hand on her shoulder. "We knew that, Rose. What happened today-"

"I know!" She kept her voice just quiet enough to not wake the little girl. "I know. But she's ours, Doctor, our little girl! And you want to just-"

The hand on her shoulder tightened. "I don't want to. But Rose, the TARDIS was captured, almost destroyed, we barely got free in time to save them." His voice broke towards the end, but he continued. "We have to."

They'd been through this conversation more times than were countable since the subject came up; standing over the little cot and wondering aloud if it was safe for the baby to stay with them.

Rose sniffled and nodded, clutching the child to her so hard it squirmed it its sleep. The Doctor woodenly moved to the controls, setting in the coordinates; if he didn't do it now he never would. Rose moved to stand beside him, and he wrapped his arms around her, chin resting on her shoulder, staring down at the slumbering baby.

The space/time ship landed softly, as she'd been doing since they'd found out Rose was pregnant.

No one moved for several moments.

Then they pulled apart just enough for Rose to shift the girl to one arm, then took his hand, and they walked silently out the doors. When they returned - in what felt like centuries to everyone involved - they closed the doors behind them just as quietly, and the TARDIS put herself into the Vortex.

The couple stood beside each other, hands entwined, for some time until Rose let out a sob. The Doctor turned to hold her as she broke down into tears, his own shoulders shaking as tears fell down his own face.

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears: I'm giving this it's own story because I love you all and because the plunnies were getting too bit for 'What If'. :) Reveiw!!