Just a little something to make up for the absence. Enjoy

Chewing Gum

The Doctor, with a gleam in his eyes and disheveled hair, bounced into the control room and right up to Rose. She could tell by the look in his eyes he was up to no good and this was proven by the words that came out of his mouth.

"I was wondering if I could get a piece of gum?"

It sounded like an innocent enough question, if it had been anyone but him asking it. She narrowed her eyes at him "you know what happened the last time" she replied, indicating the no he knew would come his way.

"You can't hold that against me. I didn't know it would do that" he exclaimed.

"For a person with higher than average intelligence, you sure don't know a lot of things" she replied in a calm tone.

He gave her a look that spoke volumes about what he was thinking in regards to that comment. Knowing it was going to take a bit more than just asking for the gum, he took a different tactic.

Taking the old adage of getting more flies with honey than with vinegar he gave her his widest smile, instantly raising her hackles.

"Is that a new jumper? It looks nice" he complimented, trying to change the subject of gum.

"I got it the last place we visited" she replied, temporarily distracted "thanks." She leaned against the control panel and placed her hands in her pockets. He edged a little closer to her on the pretext of adjusting a few switches.

She watched him closely as he moved from switch, to dial, to knob and then back again.

"Anyplace special you want to go, anywhere?" he asked, and she shook her head "your not getting the gum" she said, leaving her hands in her pockets to protect the pack of gum he knew she kept in there.

Though he could usually talk himself out of, or into, anything, he didn't think this was the time to exercise his vocal abilities. Instead he tried to think of how he could get at the gum without it.

Suddenly struck with an idea, and on the pretext of reaching for another dial, he pinned her against the console, an arm on both sides of her, effectively trapping her.

She looked him in the eye and noticed the gleam was back, along with a hint of mischief.

"And what do you think your doin Doctor?" she asked him.

"Oh, nothing" he replied, while his hands slowly made their way to her sides.

She held strong with the gum in her pocket, hoping he wasn't going to do what she thought he was going to do. She knew she was in trouble when his smile widened and she felt his hand reach her side.

Suddenly she was writhing where she stood while he enthusiastically tickled her side. It took all her strength, but she managed to keep her hands in her pockets as she began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Doctor stop" she gasped through her laughter.

"Give me the gum" he replied, stopping momentarily to allow her to catch her breath. He gave her a minute and then repeated his demand "can I have the gum?"

She held her hands tight in her jumper pockets and shook her head. Just as he was about to assault her with a second round of tickling she broke free of his grasp and ran out of the console room and into the wardrobe, the Doctor close on her heels.

She jumped the closest step and ran for the nearest rack, but he was too fast for her. Catching her he pinned her to the floor and attacked her sides once more.

She screamed in laughter as he once again began to tickle every spot he knew would send her in a fit of giggles.

"Gonna give me some gum?" he asked as he continued his torture. She shook her head and he decided to get a little more evil.

Knowing her ultimate tickle spot he kept her pinned to the floor, sat on her bum, and began to pull off her shoes. She began to wiggle enthusiastically when he pulled off her sock and ran a finger down the instep of her foot.

"No no no no no no" she began to cry between fits of laughter.

"Say when" he yelled above the ruckus as he continued to drag his fingers across the bottom of her foot lightly.

"I give, I give" she yelled back and he stopped tickling her, but remained seated on her bum.

"I said I give" she said, expecting him to get up and let her go.

"I don't see any gum" he stated, looking back at her and raising an eyebrow. She huffed "I really don't think you should…" she began, but was stopped when he began to attack the bottom of her foot again.

"Alright, alright" she yelled, pulling the gum from her pocket and chucking it at his head "take the bloody gum already."

He grabbed the pack, pulled out a piece and shoved it in his mouth before getting off her and heading out of the room.

She stayed on the floor for a moment more, gathering her breath back before following him out. She made her way to her room while he went to the console room.

She knew he probably wanted the gum to put together another one of his inventions, apparently to him it was a great way to attach one bobble to another and call it good.

She was lying on her bed reading a magazine when she began to chuckle, remembering the sight of his first experience with the sticky stuff. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard tapping one her door.

"Come in" she said with a slight chuckle, still looking at her magazine. She heard the door open but he didn't say anything.

Rose looked up from her magazine and her chuckle turned into a laugh.

Standing in front of her was the Doctor, an expression of mild embarrassment on his face.

"Are you going to help me with this, or just stand there and laugh at me?" he asked with indignation.

"I'm going to laugh at you, and then help get the gum off your face…and out of your hair…and off your jacket…ooo…and you even got it on your eyelashes" she said through tears of laughter.

He couldn't help himself when he too began to laugh. Maybe avoiding the sticky pink stuff wasn't such a bad idea after all.