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Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6,Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14,Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22,Chapter 23
Chapter 24. Damage Control
The Doctor sat in the bedroom he shared with Rose and tried to conquer his overwhelming sense of grief as he watched Rose sleep. He had moved her to their bedroom after he and Jack had treated her in the infirmary. He charted each rise and fall of her chest, concentrating of each sign of precious life, rather than the flowing scarlet blood and death that taunted him every time he closed his eyes.
He knew he would never be able to forget the first few moments after Rose’s arrival. As she had fallen to the TARDIS floor, legs sprawling, the bright red lifeblood staining her thighs had stood out terrifyingly against the alabaster of her skin. It had been Jack, not him, who had rushed to Rose’s side, lifting her carefully and rushing her towards the infirmary. He had been paralysed, the summation of his worst nightmares playing out in reality before him. Only the TARDIS’s urgent and angry entreaty had galvanised him into action, forcing him to move past his fear and do something.
Sprinting to the infirmary, he had found Jack tenderly laying Rose on a bed. Propelling himself to her side, he had taken command, hooking her up to monitors and hurriedly scanning her abdomen. A careful scan revealed a minor placental abruption. The Doctor was able to cautorise the internal wound and stop the bleeding. To his immense relief he had also ascertained that there was minimal risk of further tearing so long as Rose was subjected to no further physical distress. The abruption was clearly the result of maternal trauma, as attested to by Rose’s dislocated shoulder, the spiral fracture of her right radius and the distal radius fracture of her left. The Doctor’s hands had shaken as he’d treated the overt signs of injury, terrified by what they signified.
While Rose showed signs of sustained abuse and electrolyte imbalance, the baby appeared healthy; Rose’s body had clearly protected the foetus by prioritising the functioning of the placenta to the deteriment of Rose’s own health. While not a long-term solution, the scarifice had brought them time and now that the strain on Rose’s system could be relieved it would be possible for him to prevent any harm to the child and further harm to Rose.
The Doctor had charted each cut, graze and bruise as he’d treated her, trying not to imagine how they had got there. His hands paused for the longest over the finger shaped bruises on her arms, breasts, thighs and cheek and the vicious teeth marks on her breasts and shoulder. He’d had to let Jack take over for a while while he reined in his anger and stilled his trembling. He catalogued her injuries and secured them in his mind, along with the rage they induced. When he found whoever had done this to her he would let that rage out, vent the nightmare of possibilities that tormented his imagination. For now, he focused on his mate, watching her gentle breathing, revelling in her living presence, and waiting for her to wake. Jack sat in one of the room’s armchairs, giving them some space but steadfastly refusing to leave until he knew Rose was okay.
The slight change in her breathing alerted the Doctor to her growing wakefulness. He moved closer, hand caressing her hair.
‘Rose?’
He could see her eyes moving beneath her lids and braced himself. Now he would discover how she really was and what had happened to her.
‘Rose?’ He could feel Jack drawing closer to the bed as slowly Rose opened her eyes.
‘Doctor?’
He smiled, reaching for her, stilling in horror as she flinched violently.
‘Oh, God! I’m sorry!’ Her face crumpled as he retracted his hand rapidly, letting it fall to the bed between them.
‘It’s alright, Rose, it’s alright. You’re home now. You’re safe.’ He tried to reach for her again, almost breaking as she flinched away from his touch once more. She curled herself into a ball, sobbing desperately.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she murmured, over and over again. ‘Did I kill her? I did, didn’t I? I killed her? I didn’t mean to, it was the only way to reach you. I’m sorry, I tried, really, I tried, but he was going to …’ her voice faded as violent little sobs erupted painfully.
He frowned before comprehension dawned, ‘No, Rose, flower, the baby’s fine. You didn’t hurt her, you kept her safe. She’s alive, I promise. Rose? Can you hear me, she's alive.’
Rose showed no sigh of having understood him. His hearts beat frantically in his chest. What had they done to her? Fear was clawing at him. Why wouldn’t she let him touch her?
‘Rose? Please, flower, the baby’s fine.’ He looked up, desperately, into Jack’s concerned eyes.
‘Rosie? It’s Jack. Can you hear me?’ Jack reached out for her, touching her back. Rose shrieked, shooting away from him, scrambling up the bed until she hit against the headboard.
‘Don’t touch me!’ She screamed.
‘Christ!’ Jack cursed. He knew the fear that was polluting his mind was the same that haunted the Doctor. He looked at the Time Lord. ‘You’ve gotta calm her down, Doc. Try telepathy, maybe she’ll hear you then.’
The Doctor nodded, reaching out to her tender synapses. Here, at least, there was no ambiguity. She recognised him and flung her mind towards him frenziedly.
Rose?
Rose, it’s the Doctor. I need you to calm down and listen to me. Can you do that?
He felt Rose still slightly. Reassured, he continued.
Listen to me, Rose, you’re safe. You’re back on the TARDIS. The baby is fine. Do you understand me? Our Baby is fine.
He felt her tentative nod.
I need you to calm down, okay? He paused, feeling her relaxing slightly.
Neither Jack nor I will touch you if you don’t want us to, but you need to calm down before you hurt yourself, okay.
Again, a fragile nod.
It’s alright, Rose, you’re safe. No one can hurt you now.
Slowly he withdrew from her, coming back to reality. Rose stared at him from the head of the bed, wide-eyed but coherent.
‘Rose?’
Then she said the words he’d been dreading.
‘I need a shower.’
His hearts froze and Jack’s face grew ashen at what those four innocent words implied.
Chapter 25
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