Doctor Who_ The Stone Rose - Jacqueline Rayner [2]
Rose laughed delightedly. ‘But that’s brilliant!’
He shrugged, embarrassed again. ‘Well, there’s you off doing good all round the universe – just thought I’d do a bit at home, that’s all.’
The Doctor was approaching them now. ‘Don’t tell him,’ Mickey hissed.
Rose sighed, exasperated. ‘Yeah, ’cause being a nice person’s so uncool, isn’t it?’ But she couldn’t help reaching up and giving Mickey a quick peck on the cheek. ‘You old softy.’
Jackie joined them, her postcard hunt having proved unsuccessful, and the four of them made their way out into the sunshine.
‘Well, bye for now. Take care. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t,’ said the Doctor as they reached the bottom of the museum’s wide stone steps, holding out a hand to Mickey.
‘What, you off already? Barely give me time to say hello to my only daughter before you’re dragging her away again!’ complained Jackie, hands on hips.
‘We’d love to stay,’ said the Doctor insincerely, putting a hand on Rose’s shoulder. ‘Love to. Love to. Love love love to. But I’m afraid we have a date to keep.’
‘We have?’ said Rose.
‘Would have thought that was obvious,’ said the Doctor. ‘You and me are off to ancient Rome.’
‘Hang on!’ Jackie called after them. ‘I’ve seen that Rome on telly! You just watch yourself, my girl. The things they get up to.’
Rose laughed. ‘Keep your toga on, Mum! I can look after myself.’
* * *
Rose stumbled into the control room as the T ARDIS lurched to one side. The Doctor was dashing round the giant bronze mushroom in the centre, pushing a button here, pulling a lever there, doing something energetic with a pump somewhere else.
She took a hesitant step forward as the time machine seemed to settle down – but it must have been waiting for that, because the instant she moved it lurched the other way. The bed sheet that had been draped over her shoulder fell to the floor, but it at least broke her fall as the next TARDIS tremor came.
‘We’ll be able to find somewhere to stay,’ the Doctor said, looking down at her from his still‐upright but fairly precarious position. ‘No need to bring your own bedding.’
‘It’s for wearing, not sleeping,’ said Rose. She sighed. ‘I went to a toga party once, but I can’t remember how to tie this thing around me.’
The Doctor grinned. ‘Nice girls don’t wear togas,’ he told her.
‘They don’t?’
‘Nope. And even if they did, they probably wouldn’t have one with Winnie the Pooh on.’
Rose looked more closely at the sheet. In one corner, Winnie the Pooh sat eating honey, Piglet by his side. ‘I didn’t notice,’ she said. ‘But nice sheets you keep. You know, if any toddlers happen to come on board. So what should I wear, then, O Roman god of fashion?’
He waved a hand. ‘Oh, there’ll be something back there. Look under R for Rome. Or A for ancient.’
‘And what about you?’ she asked. ‘C for conspicuous?’
The Doctor was dressed in a resolutely twenty‐first‐century suit with blue shirt and plimsolls, not the sort of thing that would blend in several millennia ago.
‘I’ll find something,’ he said, leaning over to twist a dial.
The TARDIS spun too as Rose tripped towards the doorway, dragging the sheet behind her. ‘It’d be a lot easier if you fixed some stabilisers to this thing,’ she called back.
‘Sailors keep their feet through worse than this!’ he retorted happily, performing a few steps of a hornpipe to prove his point.
Rose groaned. ‘Yeah, well, I couldn’t half do with a tot of rum myself.’ She staggered off again.
* * *
The TARDIS finally landed. Rose was now wearing a n ankle‐length dress in pale blue – clashing slightly with the greenness of her still‐nauseous face – with a dark blue shawl draped over her head, hiding hair that was now elaborately curled and scraped off her a e. The Doctor wore a plain white tunic that ended at the knees, his sonic screwdriver stuck absurdly in his belt.
‘Let’s hope we are in ancient Rome,’ said Rose. ‘You’ll get lynched if you hang round the estate dressed like that.’
‘I’m sure you’d rescue me,’ said the Doctor.
He opened the doors and they stepped out – that first step into an alien