DW Oneshot: Served by Silence

[jesterladyfic]

Title: Served by Silence
by Jesterlady
Rating: PG
Summary: Set in S2 between GITF and Age of Steel. I think there was another reason why the Tardis went to the parallel world. Mickey contemplates his life in the Tardis with the Doctor standing by.
Disclaimer: I don't own DW. The title is by Henri Nouwen



Served By Silence

Rose had gone to bed. Mickey was glad of it. It was odd, but it used to be that he could never wait for a time when Rose was awake and with him, now the only times he felt complete were when she was asleep. The universe kept exposing him to more wonders than just that what the Doctor and the Tardis could show.

The Doctor was repairing the Tardis. Mickey sat and handed things when asked with a
grunt and a pointing finger. Times like this gave him the opportunity to think about
their lives, to ponder the observations he got to make from his shadowed position.
Even if the Doctor didn’t talk as much when Rose was gone, Mickey still liked it
because the Doctor would notice him. It was all he asked for really, to be noticed.

He’d asked to come in the Tardis because he’d finally realized his worth and grown
into it. He wasn’t complete yet, he knew that. But he knew he wasn’t the tin dog
and he wanted a chance to prove himself, to grow beyond the little boy that clung to
Rose whenever anything strange happened. The last time the Doctor had asked him to
come, but he wasn’t ready yet.

Then he was ready, but everything had changed. The Doctor was changed, the old Rose
was gone. The two of them seemed closer than when he used to be jealous of them.
This time, he didn’t mind as much, so long as they didn’t forget he was there. Even
if they did, well, he knew it would happen, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t bring it
to their attention.

“I figured it out, you know,” he said, offhand, not really expecting the Doctor to
answer.

“What’s that?” came a muffled voice.

“Why those Droids wanted her.”

“Reinette?”

The Doctor’s voice grew tighter as it always did when Reinette was mentioned, which
wasn’t often. Rose and Mickey were quick learners, if for different reasons.

“Yeah. It was the ship’s name. I messed around on my laptop after; using that
upgrade you gave me. Something you didn’t figure out while you were off on the slow
path. When you left us there for five hours.”

“Mickey, don’t be that way. I told you; always wait at least five hours.”

“I’ve got no problem waiting, but you should’ve seen Rose’s face.”

“Why?” The Doctor’s head popped up from the grating. “I told her goodbye, I told
her what to do.”

“Oh, I know. Get in the Tardis, emergency protocol one would take us home. Got all
that. But she’s not as sensible as I am. And no smart remarks.”

The Doctor’s face grew quiet, as it rarely did, even in anger.

“Wouldn’t dream of it. I’m sorry about that. But it couldn’t be helped.”

“I believe you. You’re the Doctor, after all.”

“And never forget it.” The Doctor chucked Mickey under the chin with his
screwdriver. “I have to think about more than just my Companions. And that’s all I
have to give.”

“Then be real clear about that. You don’t have to as much with me. I got that from
the get go and sometimes I don’t even know why I get as much as I do, even if I
deserve more, but she’s…attached. She’d only just figured out you did love other
people, yeah, I said it, love. With Sarah Jane. Then you dump her for Madame du
Pompadour and it’s probably good for her, but you don’t have to be all alien about
it.”

Mickey had never thought he’d see that look on the Doctor’s face. It was a keeper.
But it was an expression that spoke of a great struggle within and for a moment,
Mickey wasn’t sure he wouldn’t get thrown out of the Tardis right there.

“I’ll think about it. Certainly never hurts to think more. Ooh, except in the case
of the Great Frontal Lobe of the Kroxian Empire. Messy ending, very much so,
wouldn’t take my advice.”

The Doctor slipped back to his work, avoiding and changing the subject, rambling on
and finishing the story.

Mickey half listened. He loved hearing about the Doctor’s adventures so long as they
were coming from the Doctor and not Rose. It was his life now too and he knew he
couldn’t change it. He’d seen the universe and it was like Rose said, he couldn’t
come back. The Doctor had shown him a better life. But he was now realizing that it
couldn’t stay like this. He couldn’t sit backseat and watch them anymore. Watch
them forget him. He wasn’t sure how that was supposed to happen. He couldn’t go
home now. He couldn’t go just live his life like he had. But he didn’t think he
could stay with them.

He sighed and looked up at the great coral struts supporting the Tardis. It felt
like his desire for something to do with his life was greater than the bigger on the inside ship. It was bursting out from him.

Then he shivered because, as impossible as it seemed, he felt like someone heard him. He felt like someone understood his mind. He looked at the ship, the Tardis. He felt like someone was telling him they would find a way.

Comments

[counterattack.livejournal.com]

This was great ^^ A nice little snippet, I do like little things like that that explain little other canon things, and the speech was so right for them, I could hear and see it all perfectly. A Job well done :)

[jesterladyfic.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was happy with the idea myself. I'm glad you liked it!