Imagination -- 10/Rose

[A Moment In Subtext]

Doctor Who
Imagination
By. A Moment In Subtext

The first thing the Doctor was aware of was the throbbing in his head. He had one hell of a hangover. Funny, he couldn't remember what he'd been drinking, or why he'd been drinking it. Which, come to think of it, probably was why.
The second thing he was aware of was the scent. It was fait, and sweet in a distinctly human way, and so familiar he was suddenly aware he had eyes by the slight stinging behind them. He was still drunk, he realized. That was all it was. Rose was gone, but if he was drunk he could pretend she wasn't. But if he was drunk, why did he feel the hangover already?
"I think he's awake." A familiar voice said, but that couldn't be Jackie Tyler, because Jackie was gone, too. The eyes he was barely aware of flew open and struggled for a moment to focus on the person standing beside him. Who, by some strange twist of fate, did indeed appear to be Jackie Tyler.
He must be really drunk if he was imagining Jackie before imagining Rose.
"Are you alright?" 'Jackie' asked.
He blinked at her, his mind working to remind him of the sensation of sound. His headache was fading, and he still couldn't remember actually getting drunk. In fact, his last clear memory was of an ocean-liner doing the impossible and piercing the Tardis' walls.
"You can't be here." He said after a moment, remembering speech. His mind was fuzzy, like an insect coming out of a cocoon, but he knew that much.
'Jackie' snorted.
"Pompous git," she said, in a tone that made it clear that she didn't really really mean it, "I live here."
"No." He protested. "You're gone. You, and Rose, and Mickey, and Pete-"
"Pete's dead, Doctor." Jackie cut in. "Are you sure you're alright?"
The Doctor touched his head gently. "No, actually. You're not supposed to be here."
"Imagine that. My own bedroom and I'm 'not supposed to be here.'"
"Exactly!" The Doctor said emphatically. "You're supposed to be in the parallel world."
"The what?"
"Um. . .nevermind. What's the date?"
"Its Christmas day, Doctor! Don't you remember?"
"I'm not sure what I remember." He admitted. "But if you're here. . .Is Rose here?"
"Of course I'm here! Waiting for you to notice me." Rose said from the doorway.
The Doctor jumped up in surprise and elation, but only managed a few steps before he fell back on the bed.
"Rose." He whispered.
"What is it?"
"What's the last thing we did?"
"Last thing we did? We, uh, we left satellite five an' you did. . .this." She motioned toward him.
"That's it?"
"Um. . .yes?"
"No cyberman invasion?"
"Never heard of thim."
"Parallel universe?"
"No."
"Werewolf?"
"Nope."
"Sycorax?"
"Who?"
"Aw, man, you mean I didn't really save the world with a satsuma?"
"Um. . ."
"No, don't answer that. Who's the prime minister?"
"Why, Harriet Jones is. You put her there, you could at least remember her name!"
"The name 'Harold Saxon' mean anything to you?"
Rose shook her head.
"Just to recap, then, its still just after my regeneration?"
Rose and Jackie rolled thier eyes.
"I'll take that as a yes, then. It was all a dream?"
"Doctor?"
"Two years, Rose. I had a dream that lasted two years. And you got stuck in a parallel universe with Mickey, and the Master was still alive and. . ." He trailed off at the confused looks on their faces. "I. . .have a very vivid imagination."