The city of Razaenfar on planet Grinessfall was beautiful, despite what tourists said.
"Aah," breathed the Doctor, pulling in the scents of freshly grown-yes, grown- bread from a nearby farm and the night sky.
"See, Rose? This isn't too bad!"
Rose rolled her eyes and nabbed his swinging hand, smiling at him in the corner of his eye. Her touch made his hearts jump a little. Tonight was the night.
"Sure, Doctor, whatever you say," she said condescendingly, swinging their joined hands this way and that.
He grinned lopsidedly down at his companion, pushing back the nervous, flighty thought of a ring box in his pocket.
"Let's go to the little shop down there, yeah? Just you and me?" Rose suggested, her tongue poking out from her grinning teeth.
The Doctor laughed, and they weaved in between the crowd, never letting go of each other's hand.
•••
"That," Rose sighed happily, "was quite possibly the best food I have ever eaten!"
The Doctor grinned over his meal of liquid spaghetti, which was not quite finished.
He hoped Rose wouldn't notice. He hoped she'd look up and exclaim at the beauty of the huge stars above.
But of course she noticed. They always noticed.
"Loss of appetite, Doctor?" She questioned, concerned, gesturing to his half-full plate.
"Hah, no, Rose. It's disgusting, really! But don't tell the chefs! They'll be after me!" He added in a hushed whisper, glancing about dramatically.
Rose laughed, and the Doctor laughed, and all was seemingly forgotten about his half-finished meal, though the Doctor was sure he saw his lovely companion glance back at the plate as he paid.
Shaking his head slightly, the Time Lord reached out his hand, wiggling his fingers.
"Come on! I've got something to show you!"
Rose would love the fields of landstars he'd found.
•••
"This - was not - the night out I had in mind!" The Doctor yelled, running fast and competing for words and air.
"I didn't think so!" Rose shouted back, panting and struggling to keep up with the long-legged Lord.
The Razaenfarians screamed bloody murder, quickly gaining on the pair because of their incredible stamina ("Beautiful endurance creatures, the Razaenfarians," the Doctor had said).
"I knew you shouldn't 'ave insulted their looks, 'Ose!" The Doctor puffed, pulling her along hopelessly.
"Oi! How was I 'upposed to know they 'ould look like lizards?"
As this conversation unfolded, the Razaenfarians sent a separate group to stealthily cut the quarreling companions off.
Rose gasped and lurched to a stop, windmilling her arms, and the Doctor shrieked (which he would later deny).
Sensing victory, the Razaenfarians closed in and immediately cuffed the Doctor. Cursing in what seemed to be Gallifreyan, he struggled against the bonds as Rose was manhandled across the alley to stand by the Razaenfarian leader.
He murmured something in his language, which translated to "Nice pet, this beauty."
Rose looked disgusted at the hand that patted her hair, but wisely said nothing.
The Doctor hissed.
"We will execute her for her crimes against us. We offered you peace, yet you come to our land and insult our people. This pet seems to be fond of you, mortal man, and so she will be seated next to you as a temporary comfort until we locate The Axe. We Razaenfarians are strict, not cruel."
The Doctor cried out, yelling, "No! You can't! She's all-she's all I've got left! Rose hasn't done anything!"
The leader ignored the straining Time Lord and escorted Rose the short distance to the Doctor. She sagged against his familiar shoulder slightly, but straightened suddenly, as if she'd had a grand idea.
The Doctor, meanwhile, had been flipping between self-pity, anger at the Razaenfarians, anger at his idiot self for bringing his dear Rose here, and trying to figure out a plan.
He shook his mop of hair. He needed to focus, to-
"Doctor!" Rose hissed, bumping his shoulder with hers. "Doctor, your sonic!"
The Lord's eyes snapped wide open and he blinked down at her, motioning as much as he could for her to secretly slip his hand into his breast pocket where he stored his screwdriver.
"Brilliant, you!" He whispered empathetically.
Rose grinned a tiny grin, then quickly snatched up the sonic, but not before her fingers brushed a small, velvet box. Rose brought it out to investigate, but was interrupted by the Doctor shuffling frantically in front of his companion as the Razaenfarians found The Axe and began to lumber over.
Rose jumped and pressed on the sonic, hoping for the right setting. Happily, luck was with her and the cuffs popped free.
The Doctor rubbed his sore wrists before grinning wildly and snatching up Rose's hand, taking off running.
They sprinted toward the Tardis, panting out oxygen-deprived breaths and lurching ungracefully over objects in the way.
Snapping his fingers frantically, a tip he'd picked up from (apparently) his future self, the Doctor and Rose hurtled into the blue box, slamming the door only just in time.
They smiled hugely at each other, then the Doctor's grin faded as he saw what Rose had a death grip on.
"Oh, Rose," he sighed, reaching a tentative hand toward the box. "This was the night."
Rose's heart lurched happily.
"Doctor, is this for me..?" She questioned, gazing up at him and puffing slightly. Exertion made her cheeks flush, and the Doctor thought she looked beautiful as ever.
The Time Lord smiled a gentle smile, tucking a stray bit of golden hair behind her ear. He took the box slowly.
"Rose Tyler. My Rose Tyler, the pink-and-yellow girl. You travel with me, you run with me, you laugh with me..."
Rose's eyes shone. Her lips quirked up in a small grin.
"Oh, Rassilon, I'm horrible at this. What I mean to say is...I love you. I think I've loved you for a long time now. Rose Tyler, will you marry me?"
The Tardis hummed and the Doctor shone and the doors shook from bombarding aliens and all Rose Tyler could say was "Yes!"
