The Moment - Rose

The smell of the forest was just what Rose had needed. She had gotten up fairly early, and decided she needed to stretch her legs. She slipped on some clothes, and reminded herself that she needed to go shopping later for some more "comfortable" clothing. She missed her jeans, and t-shirts, and wanted something other than nice dresses, and heels to wear on the weekends. Rose walked along the pathway, and glanced behind her to make sure no one would see her shift into the arctic wolf. It took all of ten seconds for her to shift, and did it feel wonderful. It had been a while since she allowed herself to shift, and she had needed it. Rose's nose hit the ground, and she sniffed around to see what smells she could pick up. She could smell squirrels, and other mammals. She could also hear them scurrying about on the ground. Rose walked around for a few minutes, stretching her legs out before she took off into an all out run.

Rose loved running in her wolf shift. It was exhilarating, and a great stress reliever. Sure, she could run in human form, but her senses weren't as heightened as they were now. She could hear every crunch of leaves, and feel the cold wind against her fur, and not get chilled. Rose could run for hours as a wolf, but she knew she couldn't. Rose had duties as a teacher now, and had papers to grade, and lessons to plan. Sometimes she missed being free, and unattached to any type of duties. This wasn't to say that she didn't love her job because she did. She just missed when she traveled, and didn't have to worry about getting up the next day for classes.

Once Rose reached a safe place, she started to shift back. She savored the feeling of her shift, and sighed once she had regained her human formed. She felt refreshed, and felt like she could use a little walk on human legs just to wake them up a bit. As she started walking along the path, someone ran right into her. Rose fell to the ground in a bit of shock. "Oi, watch were you're walking!" Rose wasn't terrible mad, in fact she thought it was rather funny that fell on her bum, but she would never let this person know. Rose picked herself up, and brushed herself off. When she glanced up at her "attacker" for the first time, she looked at him oddly. He seemed familiar, but she was sure she didn't know him. Rose knew he worked at the school, that much was obvious. She FELT like she knew him from somewhere else though. "Do I know you from somewhere other than here?" Rose frowned at the way that question sounded, but shrugged anyways.

Rose took the hand that was offered to her, and spoke "I imagine you are quite sorry. It's rude to knock a lady down while doing your little invisible thing there," as she was saying this, Rose smiled. It was quite funny, and her luck. She'd find the one invisible man in the forest to run into. It was like a cosmic joke, really. Rose glanced him over as he spoke about not knowing her. She was sure she had seen him somewhere other than the school. Maybe she had seen someone who looked like him then. Rose couldn't be certain, not with all the traveling she had done. Plus, having memory manipulation, Rose remembered almost everything. "Oi! You traveled too? Where have ya been?" Rose quite liked hearing about the travel stories of others. Especially if they knew how to tell a good story.

She glanced over towards him, and squinted her eyes slightly. It took everything in her power not to laugh, but she did anyways. "Well, looks like you've met the slim probability of a memory manipulator. Not that I can say I've done anything with yours," she smiled sly at him. Well, she knew she hadn't done anything to his memory if they had never met before a few months ago. "Doctor. Huh, I quite like that. It has a ring to it. I'm Rose Tyler," and took his hand. As Rose took hold of his hand, she heard a rather loud noise. Well, not really a noise, but what sounded like wind. She furrowed her brow, and looked around. That was when she noticed a rather large bird like creature standing not to far from the two of them. It was a Griffin. A bloody Griffin was standing before her, and looked rather pissed.

Rose dropped the Doctor's hand, and stood there with her mouth open. She limply pointed towards the creature before it started flapping it's eagle wings. It was getting air, and was soon hovering in the air above them. "It wouldn't attack us, would it?" Rose turned to the Doctor with wide eyes. What a way to meet someone, she supposed.

Rose's eyes grew wide as he started talking about his travels. Funny enough, they had visited some of the same places. She was sure it was just a coincidence, but she didn't believe in those. There was still something off about him, and she just couldn't put her finger on it. "Looks like we may have visited some of the same places! Which was your favorite? Wait, don't answer that. It's too hard," She was kind of going on about nothing, but when Rose got excited, she got excited. Rose looked at him for a moment, and said, "If you go to the Mayan Ruins, give me a ring, ya? I've been wanting to go there for a while." How great would it be to go? Pretty great, actually.

She couldn't help but to laugh. She supposed she would remember if she had altered someone's memory. She didn't do it often. Well, she didn't erase memories often. Though, she did help people find lost memories. It had been a part time gig she did back in London when she was going to school for teaching. Rose had needed to earn money somehow, and human's rarely believed in the stuff anyways. Most of the time they thought she was just making up some jibberish. Well, little did they know that she indeed had helped them realize the lost memory or whatever she was doing for them. "I suppose I would, especially since I don't alter memories often. It can be a hassle trying to sort though them." That was the truth.

Rose stared up at the Griffin with fascination and horror. She certainly did not want to become it's next meal. She'd prefer to see another day. For a moment, everything stilled, and she saw a head to the chances of taking on the Griffin versus fleeing. The first choice was probably not the best idea. Between the two of them, they'd both be looking like rag dolls by the time it was through with them. "Nice to meet you Rose Tyler, now run for your life!" Rose looked confused for a moment, and vaguely felt his hand in her own when something was set off in her mind. Images played across her vision all most blinding her entirely. Rose had never experienced this before, but it needed to stop. She had to find somewhere for them to hide.

Rose threw up a wall in her mind, stopping the images from playing in her mind. She ran with the Doctor, and kept a look out for a hiding spot. To the left of her she saw a small cave, and jerked the Doctor towards the cave with her. She went into the cave deep enough, and hopefully they had lost the Griffin. But, as soon as she broke concentration on her block, the images and visions came rushing back even harder than they had before. Rose dropped to the ground, and held her head in her hands, and her eyes shut tight. She managed to slow the flood of memories down to a pace where she could actually reach out, and grab one.

Rose had been sitting in a cafe when a strange man approached her. She didn't know who he was, but they began talking. Come to find out that they both were supernaturals, and crazy enough, they were both shifter/specialist hybrids. It had been a small world. He began talking to her about his travels, and the places he had been. Oh, how Rose would have loved to travel like that. Then, something magical happened. He asked her to travel with him. Just one trip, and he'd bring her home. Rose couldn't do that. It was crazy to travel with a man she had just met.. right? Not crazy enough..

Concentrating, Rose threw up another wall to block the army of memories that were trying to assault her. She turned to look at him. The Doctor. The man she had traveled with for so long, and had forgotten. But why? Why did she forget him? Why did he forget her? "Doctor.. My Doctor," she whispered quietly.

Rose was more than confused. She was bewildered by what was happening. First, she bumps into this John Smith fellow, then a griffen attacks them, and now she had secret memories hidden away? Was that even possible? For the memory manipulator to forget her own memories? Rose tried to stay focused on the task at hand, which had been finding them a place to hide. Rose didn’t think she could take much more than this. Sure, she was a strong willed woman, but there was nothing like surprising herself with new memories.

When they had arrived in the cave, Rose could no longer keep the temporary wall up. The memory was too strong, and forced it’s way through. It needed to be seen. Rose could feel the urgency of this memory, and that it was important. Rose could vaguely hear the Doctor call her name. She couldn’t focus on his voice though she tried to desperately. Rose began rocking back and forth, and muttering about nothing really. Well, it was probably something, but she couldn’t tell, and she was sure that the Doctor couldn’t.

Her thoughts were everywhere. She wasn’t sure what was real, and wasn’t. It was puzzling trying to piece everything together when she didn’t have all the important pieces. She could feel the migraine coming on from this. Once the new wall was up, Rose sat back on her bottom, and held her head in her hands for a few moments. When she had looked at the Doctor, she couldn’t help what she had said. It was an instant reaction to seeing him after the memory. It was weird to think that they knew each other, but they hadn’t remembered. Rose knew it had been her who had tampered with her memories, but why? What had been so important that she steal memories from herself?

Rose scoffed at the Doctor’s words. “Please, Doctor. This is serious. We know each other, we just don’t remember how, or why we can’t remember.” Rose looked at her own hands, and fiddled with them. “We met at a cafe, and you asked me to travel with you.” She rubbed her temples lightly with her fingers. She wanted to unlock the rest of her memories, but she knew how dangerous it could be if she did that right now. Rose knew that the Doctor would be skeptical of her claim, and that she needed to unlock his memories as well. She didn’t want to unlock them in a cave, that was for sure. “Doctor, I have to unlock my memories, but I can’t do that here.” she trailed off. They needed to get out of this cave, and away from the griffen. “Please tell me you’ve got an idea on how to get us out of here. Perhaps a magical blue box you can fly, or perhaps invisibility,”Rose was starting to babble. “We just need to leave, and I need to figure out what the hell is going on with my memories.” Rose took a deep breath, and looked at the Doctor with hope.

Rose knew that what she was saying didn’t make any sense to the Doctor. Hell, it didn’t even make any sense to her. Rose couldn’t understand what was so urgent that she had to erase this man from her memories. Had he done something to her? There were so many questions that needed to be answered, and the only way that was going to happen was if they could get out of the cave. She ran a shaky hand through her hair before standing up to face him. Everything about this day was strange.

A smile came to her lips when he laughed at her joke. She would be quite surprised if he had a flying blue box, but then again nothing could surprise her at this point. She watched as he stood up, and dusted himself off, and held his hand out to her. Rose hesitated for a moment before grabbing his hand. This felt normal. It felt right to her. He pulled her against him, and a small smile crept up to her face. Rose nodded to his advice, “Right, breathe normally.” she muttered.

Rose looked up to the Doctor’s face, and watched as he closed his eyes. Rose had to remember to keep breathing normally. It was quite hard when her body was sucked into whatever it was. It didn’t take terribly long, and had felt only somewhat uncomfortable. She glanced around his apartment, and felt him move away from her, but kept a hand on her shoulder. Rose frowned slightly. Shouldn’t she be feeling dizy if this was her first time. Well, she felt a little wobbly, but nothing like he was describing to her. “I feel.. I think I’m okay,” she told him, but sat down in the chair he had offered her anyways. She would need it for what was next.

Rose looked over to the Doctor, and gave a nervous smile. “I’m going to try to explain what I’m about to do with the best of my abilities,” she took a deep breath, and looked to the floor. “I am going to access my hidden memories, and it is essential that you don’t disturb me while I do this. Any little thing could permentaly damage the memory, or worse.” Rose didn’t want any sort of brain damage or amnesia. “I’m not sure what will happen after I unlock them, so prepare yourself,” she told him calmly.

With a deep breath, Rose sat back against the chair, and closed her eyes. She found the memory that had just revealed itself to her, and reached out to touch it. Once she had grabbed hold of it, and tugged on it until everything came tumbling back to her. It started with the original memory that had come to her, and quickly went through memories that she had hidden. Her and the Doctor traveling together. Them seeing new places, and meeting new people. It was beautiful, and she couldn’t understand why she would hide this from herself until the last memory. This was the last time she had seen the Doctor. They had gone to a small village in Italy, but they hadn’t been welcomed because they were hybrids. Rose had no choice. Any outcome she saw ended up with their death except one. So, she took his memories, and then took her own.

“Rose Tyler, I-”

That had been his last words to her. He hadn’t even had a chance to say it to her. A tear rolled down her cheek, and with a gasp of air, Rose jumped up from her chair, and stared at the Doctor. “Oh, Doctor.. I’m so sorry,” she whispered to him. He didn’t know what she was talking about.. yet, but he would. “You need to know what happened,” she said quietly. She gestured for him to sit in the chair that she had just jumped out of. Would he hate her for what she had done?