Fic: There's No Place Like Home

[ilia]

Title: There's No Place Like Home
Author: Lady Yueh
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: Ten/Rose.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not my property and no infringement is intended.
A/N: [Response to the Unusual First Line Reunion Challenge] at time_and_chips.] I can't believe I'm writing this. Comments?
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"Wait. Did you just say ruby slippers?"

The Doctor snapped out of his daze, watching Rose explain her presence on the TARDIS without actually listening. Unable to truly grasp--or even comprehend--that she was truly here (and that the universe was still mostly in tact).

He looked down to confirm that adorning Rose’s feet were a pair of glittering, fire-engine red heels. They clashed horribly with her purple top.

Rose frowned. “Weren’t you listening? Jus’ had to tap my heels together, do a little chant: ‘There’s no place like home’, and POOF here I am. How comes you never told me these things actually worked?”

“They don’t!” he protested. The mystery was enough to snap him out of his bewilderment and into action as he wielded his sonic screwdriver over the seemingly innocuous shoes.

“Where did you get them?” he questioned.

Rose was silent.

“Rose?”

He looked up to see a frightening sight. Time had a way of gilding memories so that he’d quite forgotten that expression. The one that declared that Rose was angry and someone--usually a certain Time Lord--was going to pay dearly for it. If he were a more romantic man he would say that he’d missed even that, but since he was no such thing he admitted he would rather not have had to face that expression ever again. For the sake of his health, at least.

“I can’t believe you!” He winced at the shrill tone.

“What?” What had he done now? He hadn’t done anything! Had he?

“I do the impossible, I cross the Void for you and all you can ask is where I got Dorothy's ruddy, ruby slippers?!”

Oh.

That look in Rose’s eyes was familiar as well. Some things could never be forgotten and with instinct born of experience he ducked and dodged the spiky heel that was aimed at his head.

“Oi! You could have put an eye out!”

“Oh, I’ll put something out! You just watch me!”

“Rose! Please, I was kidding! Ha-ha? Put the heel down, Rose. You can’t cripple the last Time Lord in existence, can you?”

“I can’t? Is that an order? Or a challenge? ‘Cause I can and I will!”

“Rose!” He almost sighed with relief when he saw that the shout had caused her to pause. “This isn’t just about the shoes, is it? Is something wrong? Are you--do you regret…” he trailed off because no words were needed.

Rose’s shoulders relaxed and a blush colored her cheeks, but she met his gaze with her own without flinching as she answered.

“No, I don’t regret it,” she paused before finishing in a rush. “I just thought you might do more than stare at me like I’ve dribbled on my shirt or ask me where I did my shoppin’ after being gone for years! A hug, at least!” Her tone, her smile, her very stance delivered an unspoken challenge.

He could never resist a dare.

A smile, languorous and suggestive, appeared on The Doctor’s face as he advanced on his provocative companion.

“Rose Tyler, I think I can do better than that.”

And he did.

Comments

[kawaiispinel.livejournal.com]

Awwwww! Just... Awwww! Those two are such adorable dorks in the best possible way. And Rose trying to kill The Doctor with a pair of pumps is just the most amazing mental image ever.

“Rose! Please, I was kidding! Ha-ha? Put the heel down, Rose. You can’t cripple the last Time Lord in existence, can you?”

*dies* XD

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

*is happy*

*glomps you*

They are adorkable aren't they? I'm like a dork queen with these two.

Hee! Rose has a mean arm.

[seldra.livejournal.com]

Hee! Oh this is fantastic! So cute! I love it :)

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

I live to bring the cute!

Glad ya liked it!

[harpinred.livejournal.com]

This was adorable!

::snicker:: gilded memories indeed. :D

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

*cheers*

Thanks! ^_^

[souleswanderer.livejournal.com]

“They don’t!” he protested. The mystery was enough to snap him out of his bewilderment and into action as he wielded his sonic screwdriver over the seemingly innocuous shoes.

Never one to let anything but curiosity get in the way of a reunion :) Wonderful!!

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

I think he found the mystery easier to deal with than the reality of the reunion. 'Cause he's emotionally immature and all that.

To be fair, I'd be curious about the slippers too!

[souleswanderer.livejournal.com]

Wonder what would happen if he was to try them? Would you mind if I friended you?

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

*pictures Ten in Dorothy's ruby slippers*

*snickers*

They'd make a nice substitute for the red/maroon converse!

I definitely wouldn't mind being friended. The more the merrier. *friends you*

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

The dialogue in this is funny, but I'm completely confused by the three different types of footwear referenced - whether it's a Brit-English v US English I'n not sure.

In UK English:
Slippers = footwear worn indoors.
Pumps = trainers, sneakers, running shoes

And you also mention spiky heels - they'd be high-heels or court shoes.

So I'm honestly not sure what she's wearing...

[shengirl.livejournal.com]

Pumps are high-heeled shoes, the ones with a thin heel. I had NO idea you guys called tennis shoes/trainers pumps. Learn something new every day, I suppose. ;)

[maypanic.livejournal.com]

I think "slippers" is more of an old-fashioned usage than an Americanism. Cinderella wore a "glass slipper". Dorothy in Wizard of Oz wore "ruby slippers" - thus the usage here. Both are usually depicted as fancy shoes with a heel.
In modern usage a slipper is usually a house shoe- but not ruby or glass slippers. ;)

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

*sheepish*

Oh the vagaries of reconciling such similar languages! maypanic did a splendid job at explaining, I was going with the prompt and I think of Dorothy's shoes, despite having a heel, as ruby slippers. I did go back and nix the pumps though and tried to do something about the 'slipper' thing so thanks for the heads up!

If anything, I learned something new!

Though, maybe the shoes just morph. *nods* Yuppers. Magic Ruby [insert choice footwear here]. Rose was just undecided as what to wear. She thought trainers because she knew she'd have to run as soon as she met up with the Doctor but as soon as he opened his mouth she needed something suitably pointy and limb-threatening to toss. *nods*

Thank you for pointing that out! And I hope it was cleared up, if only a little.

[bytheseaside.livejournal.com]

Very cute! Love the way they interact.

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Though I really can't take the credit for their cuteness, I just try and harness just a little bit of what I see on screen.

[shengirl.livejournal.com]

I start giggling anew every time I think of the Doctor kneeling at Rose's feet, starting to look up at her, with a TERRIFIED expression. And Rose's look of utter Tyler ire before she kicks at him with her Pumps 'o Travel and Death. XD (Which he totally deserved). Good fic!

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

*laughs*

I can totally see that image. The Doctor at her feet, recognizing her expression, and slowly realizing that this might not be the best position to be in if he wants to keep all his bits and parts.

Pumps 'o Travel and Death

*snorts*

Nice one! and yes, he would deserve it. Letting her explain how she got there instead of snogging her senseless at the first available moment? Tsk tsk.

Thanks!

[maypanic.livejournal.com]

Absolutely adorable. He would stick his foot in his mouth as soon as she appeared, wouldn't he?

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

First of all, thank you for your impressive and comprehensive lecture on shoes and stuff. I definitely couldn't have done better.

Secondly, thank you (again) for commenting!

Ten and Rose could just...I dunno appear on screen without sound and do nothing and yet still be adorable so most of the credit goes to them.

And, yeah, I can appreciate the reunion!fics where Ten makes some sweet, suave gesture but in my reality he's just an adorable dork that has no clue what to do/say in that kind of situation (and I love him for it).

[sarah-120.livejournal.com]

'And he did' - best line ever! lol

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

Hee!

*cheesy grin*

Thanks!

[danu-mactire.livejournal.com]

XD! Someone used one of my lines! I love it! most definitely going in my faves.

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

Well, thank you for the great line and I'm very happy that you liked it!

[radiotardislive.livejournal.com]

A smile, languorous and suggestive, appeared on The Doctor’s face as he advanced on his provocative companion.

“Rose Tyler, I think I can do better than that.”

Ok, I absolutely adore that description of the Doctor's smile, as it is so perfect, and I can see it so clearly! Great job! :D

[ladyyueh.livejournal.com]

*grins* I can picture that smile too and it never fails to make me grin.

Thanks!