A/N: This isn't beta-ed. Anyone offering? Usual disclaimer. Set very soon after Nine regenerated into Ten. 'Cuz we all love Ten, don't we? I love reviews almost as much!!!
The Doctor watched Rose silently as she counted the five pound notes laid out before her on the table. Then he watched the notes. Funny little bits of paper, they were, that meant so much to humans. It was just paper, after all, with a bit of metal and fabric woven in there. Money meant so much to all of them though, on Earth. Silly humans. In fact, Earth was the only planet that used up as much paper as it did. Money, books, forms- Rassilon did the humans have a form for everything. Still, they weren't as bad as the natives of Sar-
"Doctor?" Rose's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Mm?" he asked, not looking up, or lifting his head from where it was resting in the palm of his hand.
"You alright? It's not like you to be so quiet. At least I don't think it is." It wasn't a jibe, really, though it'd almost have been easier to take if it was. Rose still was having trouble trusting him- she hadn't taken to this regeneration like he'd have wished. She was still adjusting, still clinging to the way he used to be.
"Nah, I'm fine," he said, folding his arms on top of the table and leaning forward, "Just thinking." He did not say that he wasn't talking on purpose; didn't mention that this regeneration had a tendency to babble on about things better left un-babbled; didn't tell her what he was hiding. He missed the days he had better control of what came spilling out of his mouth. There was less spilling back then- more deliberate revealing of things.
"Well whatcha thinking about?" Rose asked, and the Doctor shifted again, leaning back in his chair.
"Where we should go next," he lied. Rose had liked his old body better. If he could just go back- but that was impossible. Maybe she could like this body. He started listing differences. He had more hair this time, he was thinner, his hands were slimmer too, and his ears weren't nearly as big. Granted, he was rude now, and-
"Where's that?" Rose was adamant in her attempts to get him to answer with more than one sentence. The new him was stubborn though, too. If he just let himself talk, he run the risk of admitting to Rose that he loved her, which was something he wasn't sure he could fully admit to himself yet. Falling in love with a companion- a human companion was just bad. It was terrible. Humans got old. They died, while he lived on, and on, and on.
"…Doctor?" Rose prompted him gently.
"Sorry! I was just thinking we should go to Qualdan- you'd love the locals there! Well, I say love, but they're 'bout eight feet tall and-"
It just wasn't worth passing up a chance to be with her. Well, that and he didn't know how much longer he could keep quiet.
