"Well, it is just," Rose said, expression contorting around the thoughts and emotions. "I dunno. Its like I'm not even there."
And Mickey, damn him, laughed.
Rose grabbed a napkin off the table. A quick balling up of it and a launch straight for her ex-boyfriend's face and she felt her point was made.
"Oww, hey. Hey now." Mickey raised a hand in fending but couldn't wipe the grin from his face. "Come on Rose, ya got to admit..."
Rose settled back in her chair, gaze drawn as if by a lodestone to the laughing duo standing by that piano thingy that sounded entirely too high pitched. A harpsichord. Who on earth needed a harpsichord anyway?
Much less a harpsichord in a new music room.
A music room that the Tardis had inexplicably manifested where before there'd been a nice little blue room before. With flowers. And a cute little fountain.
But, no. Now there was a music room. With a harpsichord. And a penny whistle that the doctor was gesturing with as a prime point to some story.
A story that he was telling to a woman other than ... well. Other than Rose.
"Admit what?" Rose said eyes still drawn away.
"S'a little ... I dunno. Whatcha call it? Ironic, yeah? You talking to me feeling all put aside cause the Doctor's paying attention to another woman."
Rose shifted uneasily, "It isn't not like that."
"Oh, no," Mickey shifted as well, leaning back in his chair. "Just cause Reinette is beautiful, smart, compassionate, talented, thinks beyond her time..."
"Shut up," Rose grumbled and reached forward to for more stringent measure of annoyance display. Mickey laughed and dodged to the side. His hand reached for hers and dark fingers found her slim wrist.
"Na, really. Cause here's the thing, Rose. You're all that too. Her being what she is? Doesn't change that." Mickey was looking at her with those dark eyes. Despite herself Rose found herself caught by the sudden earnestness on his face.
"Mickey..." she said quietly, almost warningly.
"No. No, jus' listen." Mickey said rapidly, "Okay? And... and just cause he likes talking to her? And...even if maybe... she understands him at this... this basic level that they just knew..." His voice was getting more high pitched as comfort given became something more than that. "...doesn't mean that... that what you and the Doctor had isn't just as... strong. That it won't grow any more. That..."
"That I'm useless..." Rose finished gently for him.
Mickey swallowed hard.
Rose smiled and leaned forward again. "You know what, Mickey? You're right." She kissed his cheek softly. "You are absolutely right."