“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”
-:-
Dave closed the door to his room, where Ewan and Evie lay sprawled on his bed, much like they had the night Rita had died — only now Lucy and Paul were missing. He padded down the hall to the lounge that all the residents of the guest wing could use. It was a nice room, but it lacked the warmth of people actually living there.
Rose was sitting on the sofa, her legs tucked beneath her. There was a bottle of wine on the coffee table in front of her, as well as two glasses.
“This isn’t a date, Rose,” he said, standing by the arm of the sofa, digging his toes into the smooth wooden floor.
“I thought you’d like some to unwind,” she said.
“I’d rather… oh well,” he said, slumping onto the sofa, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. It was long past midnight, and the children were finally asleep. He’d left Lottie with Paul, in case he woke. It was the first chance he’d had all evening to talk to Rose about what they had found in the park.
Rose smiled gently and poured each of them some of the rich red wine. It sparkled in the room’s gorgeous light. She looked beautiful as well, the warmth of the light bathing her in the sunset-like glow. If it was a psychological trick to calm the room’s occupants, it worked.
“I’ve handed over the case to Mickey,” she said after they had sipped their drinks.
“What?”
“I’m too close to you, I couldn’t…”
“You’re giving over responsibility to your colleague? Isn’t this your mess to clean up?” he asked, the anger that had been bubbling inside him all night finally erupting.
Rose looked at him aghast. Then her expression hardened. “The recovery of the Sheeryan ship was Mickey’s case, so technically, this is still his case,” she explained calmly.
“So he decides what happens when… to Paul?” Dave asked, his voice strained. He wanted to yell at her, to scream and to cry. What had he done to deserve all this?
“No. Dominic decides. He’s the doctor.”
“What is it with you and doctors, hmm?” he asked, staring at the wine in his glass.
Rose took a deep breath. “I trust him.”
“That’s easy. You trusting him with my son’s life!”
“Exactly! That’s how much I trust him! He put me back together again after you’d saved me,” Rose pointed out, her voice rising. She put her glass onto the table with an audible clink. “He’s the best for the job. Even Canary Wharf doesn’t have better doctors.”
“If that’s supposed to make me feel better it’s a pretty lame attempt,” Dave said. His anger was a tight little ball in his throat, making it difficult to breathe and speak, much less think.
“Well, it’s all I can offer.” They were quiet for a while. “We have contacted the Sheeryan regarding the test globe we found in the park. It contains an agent that works as an inoculation for their people, but would make humans sick. That’s what happened to Paul. The fact that his hand healed so quickly is a positive side effect.”
“Is it contagious?” Dave managed to ask. He needed to stay calm. Rose was honest and trying to help. And he needed her help; she was the only one who could help him.
“That’s the good news. It isn’t, not in humans.”
“Is it... I mean... will he recover?” It was hard to get the words past the lump in his throat.
“We can’t say,” Rose said, meeting his eyes. “It’s never happened before.”
Dave lowered his head. He didn’t want to dwell on the prospects too long – if the Sheeryan couldn’t help... How could they be so sure then that it wasn’t contagious? He was so tired. He propped his elbows on his knees and closed his eyes. “What happens now?”
“We wait for the Sheeryan medics to arrive. In the meantime all Dominic can do is treat the symptoms,” she explained. “I know it’s not much, but we are in contact with Aquiouk all the time. We can ask him anything.”
“How long until he arrives?” Dave asked. He tried to focus on the practicalities for as long as he found it difficult to process the idea that an alien was travelling in his space ship to Earth to help his sick son. That an alien was actually willing to help. That Rose talked to him. “It is a… he?”
Rose smiled. “Yes. He’ll be here by Sunday night. It’s a long journey.”
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he said, picking up his glass of wine.
“I understand.”
They sat in silence for a while.
“I’d still like to be there for you. Now that I’m not in charge any more I’d love to help by being there for you.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. The children…”
“…need you strong. Who’s looking after you, hmm? I… I’d hoped that it could be me. I love you, Dave.”
Dave looked at her. He appreciated the offer, but he was so confused and angry. He just didn’t know what to make of her any more. She seemed a completely different person, one who hunted aliens for a living. She had defeated the Cybermen, for heaven’s sake! She was Rose Tyler, Vitex Heiress, Time Traveller and Protector of the Earth. He was David Michael Tiler, photographer and father of five. Their worlds couldn’t be any more different.
“I… Thank you, Rose.” He stood. “I’d better check on Lottie and Paul now. Good night.”
“Good night, Dave,” Rose said softly.
Then he left.
Chapter 32
Tears threatened to fall as Rose stared into her wine glass. Dave’s response to her declaration of love had spoken volumes, and she had a hard time being not being hurt by it. He was distraught and worried about Paul; he had the other two to care for. She could also understand his anger at Torchwood’s oversight because she wasn’t any less angry. This was the kind of mistake that mustn’t happen. She hadn’t lied to him when she’d said that technically, it was still Mickey’s case, but Dave’s mistrust ran deep, and she wondered why. Mickey or Jake would have brought it to her attention if he had been involved in an earlier case.
What hurt most, however, was his rejection of her love and her support. He had made it quite clear that he didn’t want her here although it was obvious that he needed her. All three of his children needed him and it was up to him to decide who got his full attention at any given moment. If Rita had still been alive they’d at least would have been able to divide their time up between them. Rose knew that this was a time when the kids wanted their mother most, no matter how close they were to their father. Some things only a mother could fix.
She couldn’t — and wouldn’t want to — be a substitute for Rita. It would be presumptuous of her that she would be able to even try, even if she and the children had known each other for a long time. Rose knew that it was far too soon for the kids to accept their father having a new partner. The kids weren’t ready yet to contemplate another woman winning their father’s heart, no matter how often they might have seen it happen in other families. Rose knew only too well how hard it was to accept someone new — it had taken her quite a while to get used to the idea that it wasn’t just her Mum and her, that Jackie might fall in love. True, Rose had been a baby when her father died, but Jackie had kept him alive for her in so many ways that someone else in her mother’s heart seemed inconceivable. And then she’d fallen in love with Pete Tyler from this universe.
Rose drained her glass and went to her room in the staff suite. It was late and she’d had too much to drink. She didn’t feel like going back home, to the bed she had shared with Dave. The handprints on the wall would be too painful to look at. Since this wasn’t her case she’d have the weekend off, but she knew that she’d spend it at Torchwood anyway.
Sleep, however, wouldn’t come when she lay in her bed, the orange glow from the lights on the other side of the river filtering into her room through the gap in the drapes. She tossed and turned, trying to shut out images of Dave as he was angry and distraught and… sometimes he had that expression in his eyes, of co
nfusion and want.
Rose sat up with a start as the grey of the early morning bled into the orange of the city night. It had suddenly occurred to her how confused he must be by her revelation. He had known her simply as Rose, as Rose Tyler the Vitex Heiress, and as Rose of the National Heritage Trust. How would she feel if he told her that he worked for some relatively secret organisation? It wasn’t only about him, it was also about his children, and it was only natural that he’d want to protect them — if he couldn’t be sure who she was, then how could he possibly introduce her to the children?
The alarm clock read shortly past four as she fell back into the pillows. She wasn’t sure how long she’d slept — if she’d slept at all. The images and thoughts had been replaying themselves in her mind’s eye over and over again. She decided that she’d drive herself mad trying to get to sleep, so she gave up and took a cool shower to wake herself up.
When she checked on the children she found Lottie curled around them. She spread a spare blanket over her. Dave must have sent her to bed after he’d left. He probably was in the infirmary keeping watch by Paul’s bedside. She could do with a cup of coffee, and she thought he could too. Rose went to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee, figuring that Frankie or Dominic — she had failed to ask who had the night shift – could as well. It occurred to her that they needed to hire more medical staff; it wouldn’t do to have just one nurse and one doctor on duty in cases like this.
She bit her lip. Paul wasn’t a case.
And that was the problem, wasn’t it? She didn’t see Paul as a case. He was Dave’s son, and Rose knew how terrified Dave was of losing another family member. Would it be a good idea then, she wondered as she filled three mugs with coffee, to call Lucy and have her brought here? She remembered Dave telling her that their relationship was strained and that she had left Hillingdon Drive angry. Rose knew that part of it was her fault as well because she had encouraged Lucy to find out about life with her birth father — and in that way she had taken one of his children.
Bringing her here might be a good idea or a bad one; there was no telling. Considering the way things were between them at the moment she decided it would probably be better not to call Lucy. Dave didn’t know that Lucy was already involved in the case… and this was certainly not the best way to tell him. He’d feel betrayed, not only by Lucy, but also by her. It might very well be the end of their relationship. And that was an idea that Rose couldn’t bear contemplating.
-:-
“Dad.”
Paul’s soft voice roused him from his slumber. Dave had curled up on the sofa after he’d nodded off sitting by Paul’s bedside several times, giving himself a crick in the neck. The sofa was marginally more comfortable, but it hadn’t been too good for his neck and shoulder muscles either. He pushed himself into a sitting position. “Aye? How are ye feeling?”
“Not so good. I need to go to the loo,” Paul said. “But I…”
Dave stood and crossed the distance between them in a few strides. “Here, I’ll help you.” Dave caught him before he hit the floor when his legs gave out under him as he tried to get up off the bed. Paul seemed to be more than a little wobbly. “Are you sure you can manage?”
Paul wrapped his arm around his waist for support; it was obvious how hard he was trying to force his legs to do his bidding. “Just a wee bit weak from everything,” Paul reassured him, putting on a brave face like he had at Rita’s funeral.
Dave wanted to tell him no, that he needn’t be strong now, but he remembered how terrible Paul already felt about being ill and he decided to let the matter drop.
They had just made it to the small bathroom when Paul fell to his knees and threw up into the toilet. Dave tried to sooth him, rubbing his back and wetting a flannel for him to cool his ashen face when he was done throwing up. Paul slumped against the wall as he ran the flannel over his face. His eyes were watering and he ran the flannel over his face. “It hurts,” he whispered, rubbing his sternum.
“I know, Paul. Here rinse your mouth,” he said, passing him a glass of water.
“It tastes vile. I’d really like to brush my teeth.”
Dave nodded and pulled him to his feet so he could brush his teeth. Again, he noticed how shaky his son’s legs were, but he chalked it up to what had just happened. Nevertheless, he stayed propped against the door frame to keep an eye on him. “You know, when this is over, I’d like to take you all on a trip round Scotland. We could go and see granddad too,” he said eventually. He hadn’t broached the subject of his working holiday to the kids yet.
“Can Lucy come too?” Paul asked through the white froth of toothpaste.
“Sure, if she wants to,” Dave said more cheerfully than he felt. She had mentioned something about a trip to Venice with the Quinlans as she’d applied for a passport. It had been in the post that morning… well, the morning before. It was half past four already.
“Dad?”
“Aye?”
“I can’t… I can’t,” Paul stammered before dropping his toothbrush into the basin.
“What?” Dave pushed himself away from the door, ready to jump in. Paul’s legs buckled and gave way beneath him, and he crumpled to the tiled floor, limbs flailing as another convulsion overpowered his body. All Dave could do was pull him out of the small space to make sure that he didn’t hurt himself.
“I’ll get help,” Rose said from the doorway. When had she arrived?
“Quick!” he urged her, shoving his hand beneath his son’s head to prevent injury.
Again, all he could do was watch as Paul’s body tensed and trembled. He felt his whole body turn into ice as he remembered Rose’s words. They had no idea if Paul was going to be all right, or if the Sheeryan would arrive in time to help him.
“Can you keep holding him?” Dominic asked as he dropped to his knees beside them. He took the syringe Frankie was passing him and managed to grab Paul’s arm to inject it. Paul’s body went almost instantly still and his head landed heavily on his hand. Dave exhaled slowly but didn’t allow himself to relax.
“You can put him back to bed now. If you want,” Dominic added, sitting back on his heels, returning the empty syringe to Frankie.
“Why isn’t he coming to?” Dave asked, looking from Dominic to Paul, who was very still and very pale.
“Let’s get him back to bed first, shall we?” Dominic said, standing.
Somehow Dave managed to pick Paul up and carefully lay him down in his bed, which Frankie had quickly straightened out a bit. He glanced anxiously at the monitor above the bed. Paul’s heartbeat was strong and regular, but he didn’t regain consciousness.
“Why was he out of bed?” Dominic, putting on his stethoscope.
“He said he didn’t feel too good so I took him to the bathroom. He vomited. He seemed very shaky, weak,” Dave said, running his hand through his hair and stepping aside for Frankie to wipe Paul’s mouth. It was still white with the toothpaste. “It’s toothpaste,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, it is,” Frankie said softly.
“We’ll need to examine him. Why don’t you get a breath of fresh air? Rose has made some coffee. It’ll do you good,” Dominic suggested kindly.
“I…” He didn’t want to leave Paul. He was still passed out.
“Dave,” Rose said from the door.
He ran his hand through his hair again and realised that he wouldn’t be of any help here. He might as well get some fresh air and some coffee. “You really can’t do anything at the moment. We’ve got him, yeah?” Frankie said.
He nodded and went with Rose, glad for the mug she gave him. At least it was something he could hold on to. He followed her silently until they were in the small garden in the courtyard, where she sat on a silvery wooden bench. The sun was just beginning to rise, trying to force its way through the dark clouds. The chill of the early morning brought him back to his senses and he sat down to take a sip of his coffee. It was perfect.
“That was awful. I could
n’t do it,” Rose said.
“I doubt that,” Dave replied, pursing his lips. “I think that… never mind. You’d be very good at this. I mean, you must have seen so many things…”
Rose’s expression darkened a little as memories flitted across her face like some of the clouds above. She stared at the mug she was holding in her hands. “Yeah, but nothing was as bad as this.”
Dave sighed. “Our lives are so very different. I don’t… I find it difficult to imagine you with the children. On a daily basis, packing lunch boxes and getting rid of nits, checking their homework. That kind of thing.”
“I’m an only child. I’d have no idea,” Rose admitted softly. “Mum had to work a lot. Your children are really lucky.”
“They’ve lost their mother. And now this…” He tightened his grip around the mug. “God, I feel so helpless.”
Bigger on the inside: Space, Time Travel, Alien Criminals (A Space Time Travel Mystery Book 1) Page 35
