CHAPTER 1

The Doctor grinned as he opened the Tardis door, "Here we are then, Venice the city of light," he frowned as he glanced at the people across the river, "Oh, looks like we've arrived in the 18th century rather than the 21st Century" he rubbed his ear thoughtfully as Rose came to stand beside him.

"You really should let me navigate sometime, can't do any worse than you" she teased

"This has nothing to do with me, it's the Tardis"

Rose chuckled, "Typical man, blames his tools"

"Rose, you know very well that…"

Rose shook her head, "I'm only teasing"

"I knew that" the Doctor muttered and cleared his throat, "So as we're here, it wouldn't hurt to have a little look around" he grinned as he spotted a passing gondola, "I've always wanted to go on a gondola. What do you say Rose, 18th Century Venice?"

Rose sighed, the Doctor was wearing the smile that made her melt inside, a smile that she could never say no to. "I guess it could be interesting," she glanced at the women in their dresses and grinned, "I guess that means I'll have to dress the part"

The Doctor nodded, "you should find everything you need in the wardrobe," he turned to glance at Rose but she'd already retreated into the Tardis.

Rose came out a while later to find the Doctor leaning against the Tardis looking thoroughly bored, "Rose, how long does it take to change into a dress" he grumbled as he turned to face her. As his eyes took in Rose his eyes opened wide and he smiled, "Hello" he said simply.

Rose giggled and twirled, "Do you think I'll fit in?"

The Doctor nodded dumbfounded. Rose stood before him wearing a rich blue silk dress. He stared at the large wide skirt made up of layers of rich fabrics and petticoats; he brought his eyes up to her waist, pulled in by a corset, and up to her breasts lifted high. Her hair was hanging down in ringlets, she was stunning.

"Well Doctor," Rose said, wondering why the Doctor was so quiet, "is it too much?"

He coughed and tried to keep his eyes level with hers, "It's fine, fine" he quickly looked away as a blush spread across his cheeks.

Rose shook her head disappointed, she'd hoped for a better reaction other than 'fine'. She looked at the familiar pinstripe suit and the white trainers that the Doctor always wore, "What about you Doctor, won't you be getting changed?"

The Doctor looked at the flamboyant dress of the era, stared at the men in their brightly coloured coats, the breaches and the stockings and he shook his head, "This suit will do, timeless this is"

Rose giggled, "Aah, I was looking forward to seeing you in a pink suit and a nice pair of stockings"

The Doctor shook his head, "I don't think so Rose"

She stared at him doubtfully, "What about blending in?"

"I told you Rose, this suit is timeless"

Rose shook her head and the Doctor took her hand, "Right Venice"

"18th Century Venice, the pleasure capitol of Europe" The Doctor held Rose's hand as they slowly walked along the narrow streets, "it is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, even the galaxy" he turned and winked at Rose as he continued in lecture mode, "the city stretches across 118 small islands, there are 400 bridges connecting the city together…"

Rose held back a yawn and interrupted, "Doctor…"

He stopped and looked at her with a frown, "am I rambling?" she nodded, "ah well," he said with a shrug, before resuming to walk on "its this new mouth of mine Rose forever going on, once I start talking I can't seem to.." Rose giggled and he smiled as they stopped in the centre of a bridge and turned to look over the canal.

"It's so beautiful," sighed Rose as the Doctor squeezed her hand, "Thank you bringing me here"

The Doctor shrugged, "I'm only sorry it isn't the 21st Century"

Rose leaned her head on his shoulder, "I'm not sorry, this place is beautiful, and it's nice being here with you"

The Doctor gave her a hug and noticed something in the distance. He stepped back from her, "Stay here a minute Rose, I have an idea"

"Doctor?"

The Doctor squeezed Rose's hand before walking off. Rose shook her head, it wasn't any use trying to reason with him when he was all fired up. She stayed on the bridge and watched as the gondola's glided on by.

Suddenly Rose found herself knocked onto the floor. "Hey," she muttered.

"Sorry, sorry" said a familiar voice as a hand reached down to help pull her up onto her feet. She brushed herself down and stared at the man in front of her puzzled, "Doctor?"

The Doctor stood in front of her in blue britches, light blue stockings and an over shirt, "you changed your mind about the clothes," she grinned, and reached out to touch his hair slightly ruffled and out of place, it was not the spiky look she'd gotten used to, "the hair's different too"

He bowed before her took her hand and placed a kiss against it. Rose chuckled as the man stood and gave her a flirtatious grin, "My lady, I apologise and beg humbly for your forgiveness"

Rose shook her head amused at the Doctor's new mood, "And I give it gladly sir" she giggled and the man raised an eyebrow and bowed again taking her hand and kissing it once more, "My name is Giacamo Casanova, you've surely heard of me?" He stood up took a step closer and took hold of her arm in and started to run kisses down to her elbow. Rose pulled her arm back laughing, "Doctor, don't be so silly"

The man stood up in front of her and smiled, "I'm not Doctor, but for you I can be if that is what you wish" he bent forward and whispered close in her ear, "I have been known to play doctor in the past" he stepped back and winked saucily. A sudden shout from the distance had him turn and glance behind him, he turned and bowed to Rose again, "My beautiful mysterious angel we will meet again," he paused and glanced anxiously over his shoulder at a man running towards them, "For now my lady I must go and hide, I'm afraid I have an angry husband to avoid" Rose stared in shock as the man kissed her full on the mouth and then ran off into the distance.

She glanced about her dazed as the 'husband' ran past.

"Rose" Rose turned to stare at the man behind her

"Doctor?" she muttered staring in surprise at the Doctor as he stood before her in his familiar pin stripe suit and the spiked hair, "but" she turned and glanced into the distance where the man had disappeared, "You were here.." she looked back at the Doctor and pointed to the ground, "right here"

The Doctor shook his head and frowned as he noticed her smudged lipstick, "What have I missed?"

Rose frowned at the Doctor's puzzled expression. "What are you playing at Doctor?"

He shook his head, "I'm not playing anything Rose," he pointed to her lips, "why is your lipstick smudged?"

Rose quickly took out a mirror from her pocket, "you should know," she muttered fixing her lipstick.

He shook his head, "I wouldn't be asking if I did"

Rose sighed, "Whatever Doctor, whatever game your playing quit it, really it's not funny" and she turned her back on him and looked over the canal.

The Doctor scratched his ear in thought and shrugged, she'd tell him what happened in her own time. Human females were peculiar things and over time he'd learnt if you don't mention a subject the female would usually bring it up later. "So, moving on don't you want to know what I've been up to?"

Rose gave him a funny look but said nothing

He grinned and took her hand, "I've arranged for us to take a trip on Gondola, come on they are waiting for us" and he pulled her away from the bridge.

Later Rose was in a better mood, although she hadn't quite forgiven the Doctor for his earlier joke but she thought she'd deal with it later. She walked back inside the Tardis and breathed a sigh of relief as she changed out of the dress and corset. She pulled on a denim mini skirt and a tight T-shirt and smiled at herself in the mirror grateful that the corset was no longer in fashion in the 21st Century.

The Doctor stood outside the Tardis staring at the beautiful city. He thought about Rose's strange behaviour earlier that day and wondered how he was going to get her to talk about it. He frowned as he watched a young man run towards him and, then run and hide behind the Tardis. The Doctor went to see who it was but the man hissed at him, "Don't look my way," the voice was familiar, "if they ask you haven't seen me"

The Doctor shrugged and watched as a group of men ran towards him,

"Giacomo Casanova," one of the men approached the Doctor, "we've found you at last"

The Doctor frowned, "I think there's been a mistake"

The man laughed, "Giacomo I am not blind, nor stupid, you have escaped us before but this time" he chuckled, "there is no escape" the man gestured to two men in uniform, "Arrest him"

"For what?" cried the Doctor as the two men grabbed him.

"for offences against the government and church"

The Doctor was led away mouth open in shock, for once speechless.

Rose opened the Tardis door and stared as the Doctor was led away, she went to call his name but a hand came over her mouth and prevented her from calling.

"Don't say a word" came a familiar voice from behind her.

"Doctor?" she turned and stared at the man she'd seen earlier that day,

He smiled with delight; "aah if it isn't my beautiful mysterious angel" he bowed once more.

"Doctor?" She said again and then stared over to where she'd seen the Doctor being led away, "but, you were over there, I saw you in the suit" Rose shook her head bewildered and confused, "I don't understand"

Casanova took her hand in his, "I believe there has been some confusion. Your friend the Doctor and I share similar looks, of course" he said with a wink, "I am the better looking one don't you think?"

Rose tried to try not to smile at his obvious charm, "So you are not the Doctor?"

Casanova shrugged, "No, as I said before I'm not a Doctor, but if you wish I could be for you," he shrugged, "but my name, as I said before, is Giacomo Casanova"

"Casanova?" she bit her lip gently, "as in the world's greatest lover?"

He smiled, "Is that what they say? I admit am quite infamous in Venice and I can assure you everything they say is true"

Rose lifted an eyebrow, "really?"

He shrugged, "Well one should never boast but it's quite okay to state the facts" he raised a hand to Rose's cheek, "I can introduce you to a few ladies who would confirm that I do indeed live up to my reputation" he paused and leaned in, "but of course a more enjoyable time would be had if I just showed you"

Rose pulled away and stared at him with a smirk, "I don't think so," she sobered as she suddenly remembered the Doctor, "So where is he, the Doctor, where'd they take him?"

Casanova shrugged, "I believe this 'doctor' was arrested"

"Why?"

"They thought he was me"

Rose stared at Casanova, "Why what have you done?"

He grinned, "I slept with a few wives and now their husbands invent charges to get me out of the way," he ran a hand through his hair and Rose automatically thought of the Doctor, "I was doing them a service"

Rose chuckled, "a service?"

"They love their wives, I love their wives ergo happy wives not so demanding on husbands"

Rose lifted an eyebrow, "I can see them really agreeing with that" she said with deliberate sarcasm.

Casanova chuckled, "Yes, well they are a bit narrow minded, maybe if they spent more time with their wives…"

Rose shook her head, "Interesting as your reasons are we need to go help the Doctor!"

Casanova pulled Rose into his arms, "I can think of more enjoyable things we could be doing right now," he said huskily, his lips close to hers.

Rose jerked away, "The Doctor..."

Casanova sighed and regretfully stepped back, "There isn't a lot we can do"

"Of course there is, we can go and explain the mix up"

Casanova shook his head, "I don't think so," he rubbed his neck thoughtfully, "I'd rather not go to jail"

"We can't leave him there!"

Casanova looked at Rose with sudden understanding, "Are you and he?" he paused and looked her up and down sadly, "No, you haven't been with a man for a long time" Rose's eyes looked at him in disbelief, "I can tell" he muttered as he ran a finger over Rose's cheek, "but you want to; with him" he paused and smiled, "If the Doctor is exactly like me then I can assure you it will be very good for you, we're very well endowed"

Rose slapped him,

"What did you do that for?" Casanova rubbed his cheek and stared at Rose in disbelief.

"Is that all you can think about!"

He smiled at her, "When in the company of a woman as beautiful as yourself what else could I think about?"

Rose shook her head, "We need to help the Doctor"

"We?" he shook his head, "What makes you think I will help you?"

Rose rolled her eyes to the sky in desperation, "Because it's your fault"

"There is that of course," he paused and placed a finger on his chin before turning to Rose, "I may be intrigued to meet this Doctor, whom you hold in high regard, to see just how much alike we are"

Rose sighed, "So you'll help"

Casanova sighed, "I will, but before we go anywhere," he reached out to her and pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his tongue gently slipping into her mouth, tasting and teasing her lips. Rose sighed as he pulled back, "That was very nice" he said standing back to look at her.

Rose stood there bewildered, "Err so we can go now"

Casanova shook his head, "I think you need to put some clothes on first, we can't have you running through Venice naked, people will talk" and he grinned at Rose's legs.

"Oh…" Rose suddenly realised the unsuitability of her outfit, "I'll just go get changed"

"Would you like a hand?"

Rose shook her head, "I can manage thank you," she turned to the TARDIS, but quickly turned and pointed at Casanova, "you can wait out here" she turned to go in but Casanova shook his head, "Surely you haven't the room to change in there?" he pointed to the Tardis

Rose shrugged, "It's a long complicated story, so don't ask. Wait here" she went to go inside and then turned, "You'd better be here when I get back"

He smiled and winked at her, "I'm not going anywhere"

Rose stepped out of the Tardis dressed as she had been that morning frowning as she tried to adjust the top of the dress.

"Beautiful," muttered Casanova as he looked her up and down.

"Lets go" Rose started walking away going down the same street where the Doctor had been taken earlier, Casanova shook his head "Not that way," he walked up to her and took her hand in his and started pulling her in the other direction, "I know a friend who can help get us in the prison"

They reached a palatial villa and Casanova carefully approached the house picking up a small stone before throwing it at one of the windows. The window quickly opened and a beautiful woman stuck her head out. She smiled as she caught sight of Casanova, "Giacamo my lover, is it that time again?" she smiled as she noticed Rose, "you brought a friend along to join us?"

Casanova chuckled as Rose glared at him, "Gabriella, I wish it was that time, but" he turned to look at Rose and he raised an eyebrow, "I cannot, I have pressing matters that need attending to"

The woman pointedly stared at his breeches, "I will gladly help you sir,"

Rose rolled her eyes, "Please, does it always have to be about sex!"

The woman looked over at Rose with pity, "Someone's not getting any"

Rose opened her mouth to say something but Casanova put a hand over her mouth, "Gabriella, your husband has arrested this young lady's friend"

Gabriella put a hand on her mouth and yawned, "This is not my problem"

"They think her friend is I, he looks like me, well almost" said Casanova thoughtfully

Gabriella sighed, "I thought my husband was up to something," she shrugged, "I'm sorry, I don't see how I can help you"

Casanova raised an eyebrow, "I'm sure a beautiful woman like yourself could come up with something"

"Well, if you were to come up here maybe we could come up with something together…"

Casanova grinned and turned to Rose, "I'm just going to see Gabriella, she can get us access to the prison"

"Can't she come down here?" asked Rose confused

Casanova waved at Gabriella, "I need to go upstairs and err convince her to help us"

Rose sighed as Casanova cheerfully climbed up the side of the villa into Gabriella's room. She heard them giggle together as she sat by a tree on the ground, her thoughts on the Doctor hoping he was alright.