Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.
Spoilers: Through Age of Steel.

The console sparked and the Doctor yelped, jumping back and brushing glowing embers from his tuxedo jacket. "Brought her back from the grave and look at the gratitude I get!" he exclaimed, before sticking his sore fingers in his mouth. At this rate he really was going to lose another hand. "Honestly, that was a terribly close call. Don't you think so, Rose?" he mumbled, words garbled around fingers. "Rose?" He turned around and found the room was empty. "Ah." He leaned back against the console, stroking the edge with his other hand. "Where is she, old girl?" He winced when she scolded him and shot him a glimpse of Rose distraught. "Can you manage in the vortex a little longer?" The ship hummed an affirmative and he turned a dial to stabilize their coordinates.

He was directed to her bedroom where Rose was curled up in the middle of the bright pink duvet, tightly hugging her pillow, the starched fabric of the maid uniform crumpled around her body. The bed dipped slightly from the added weight as he sat beside her. Rose buried her face in the pillow to hide her tears. She hated being so vulnerable, so emotional, especially in front of him.

With gentle determination, the Doctor shifted closer. "Rose..." he murmured, squeezing her shoulder before trailing fingers down her arm to thread through hers. She turned into his embrace and he cradled her against his chest, coaxing her to relax with gentle touches and whispered endearments. "Hush, luv."

She shuddered, choking back sobs until she was left hiccuping for breath. "I...I never got to tell 'im."

"I know. I'm sorry," he consoled in earnest. Mickey had in fact proven his capabilities amidst the zeppelins and tin robots. Well, mostly.

"And then...my mum...and...and my dad..."

He sighed. "Rose, they weren't..."

"I know...I..." She sniffed, rubbing at her eyes. "Really, I do. S'just seemed so real."

"Yeah." He hugged her even closer. Losing her was a constant threat, but for her to leave him for a temptation, a gingerbread house, was far more terrifying. The second they'd come across that poster of Peter Alan Tyler, alive and oh so successful, all of his tentative thoughts about a future, Rose, had spiraled into chaos. As they'd masqueraded as staff and her face lit up at the sight of Pete in the flesh, his hearts had hammered within his chest so irregularly that he had begun to seriously consider whether he would survive the trip. But he had. They had.

He lifted one hand to stroke slowly up and down her spine until she quieted against him, her breaths slow and steady. Carefully, he started untangling his body from hers.

"Don't go," she murmured into the damp fabric of his shirt.

"I won't," he promised, brushing a kiss against her forehead before sitting up to discard the tuxedo jacket and his chucks. He noticed she was still wearing those slick knee high boots and no matter how sexy they were, he'd been distracted more than once despite all the cybermen, they couldn't be that comfortable. She didn't say anything as he slid a hand up the leather, unzipping the boots and easing them down her legs one at a time. He stroked his thumb up a long tear in her stocking, tracing the lovely curve of her leg, stopping himself before he went too far. Rose shivered.

He kissed the back of her knee and reached for the waistband of her stockings, rolling the sheer material down past her ankles. The bow of the apron had loosened at her waist and he pulled it undone, tossing the scrap of fabric aside. With only the dress left, he decided he'd gone far enough. He settled behind her and wrapped an arm about her waist to draw her close. "Thought I'd lose you," he said softly next to her ear. "Lose this. And I..." He swallowed hard.

"M'not gonna leave you," Rose mumbled, words slurred with exhaustion.

The Doctor kept his doubts to himself, lightly brushing his fingers across her temple instead. "Rest."

Rose woke to dull pain in her head and an unfamiliar coolness beneath her cheek. She groaned, trying to lift eyelids that were still heavy with sleep. Whatever she was lying on moved slightly and then something skimmed across her shoulder in a slow caress. Finally managing to open her eyes, she blinked in confusion at the white dress shirt she was resting against. Then she remembered. The parallel universe. Her dad...her mum...Mickey, oh...

The Doctor continued to trace circles along her shoulder and she looked up to find him staring up at the ceiling, hair sticking up at the ridiculous angles that usually meant he'd been frustrated by some immense problem. She wondered if he'd been at it all night, restlessly pondering while she'd slept. His gaze flicked down to her as she shifted to sit up.

"How are you feeling?"

"Awful," she admitted, rubbing her eyes. "You?"

"Oh, I'm fine," he said breezily, jumping up from the bed. "Shower. Plenty of hot water. It'll help clear your head. Evict all those cobwebs." He kissed her lightly and then headed for the door. "Meet me in the console room when you're finished."

Rose sat on the edge of the bed for a moment and then walked slowly into the en suite, shivering at the chill of the tiles against her bare feet. Regarding her reflection in the mirror, she wondered if perhaps it was the reason behind the Doctor's hasty exit. She looked a fright. Her hair was crinkled at odd angles and her mascara was smeared rather unattractively from all the crying. She was still clad in the horrible dress from the maid's uniform and she hastened to discard it as if that would help her forget the previous day. Her hands shook as she hurried to undo the tiny pearl buttons that ran down the front of the dress. The black fabric pooled on the tile floor as she stepped free of it at last, reaching to turn on the tap and ducking into the shower.

No matter how long she stood beneath the scalding hot water, she couldn't get rid of the chill of their adventure or the pain from losing Mickey to another universe. There was a fluffy pink towel waiting for her when she exited the shower and as she wrapped herself in the comforting softness she noticed that the black dress had vanished. Smiling, she silently thanked the TARDIS for her tactfulness. Feeling a tiny bit better, Rose applied makeup and dressed in a comfy hoodie and jeans before heading to the console room.

The Doctor had changed back into his usual suit and his hair was better behaved, still slightly damp from his own shower. He moved slowly around the console, making small adjustments as he went. As Rose stepped into the room, the ship settled with a bang and the Doctor secured the hand brake.

"We've landed?" Rose asked, surprised that he'd set a destination so quickly.

He nodded, continuing to check over the controls.

"Where?"

"Go outside and see."

Rose slipped through the door to find they had landed in the exact middle of the living room of her mum's flat. Directly in front of a bewildered Jackie Tyler. Dashing forward, Rose threw her arms around her mother, hugging her as tight as she possibly could. "You're alive..." She buried her head in her mother's shoulder. "Oh, mum. You're alive."

"Well, I was the last time I looked..." Jackie mumbled in confusion.

The Doctor cautiously emerged from his ship, waiting to see if he'd made the right choice. While Rose had slept, he'd debated a very long list of destinations that might cheer her. But despite his determination, nowhere had seemed more appropriate. He leaned back against his ship, taking solace in her quiet hum as Jackie gave Rose the comfort he couldn't provide.

"What is it? What's happened, sweetheart?" Jackie shot an accusatory glance at the Doctor. "What's wrong? Where did you go?"

He took a deep breath. "Far away. That was...far away."

"Where's Mickey?"

He grimaced. Trust Jackie's laser instinct to pinpoint the heart of the problem. "He's gone home."

Jackie had yet to find a way to circumvent the Doctor's cryptic answers. She'd tried to loosen him up with liquor at New Years, but it only added a healthy glow to his cheeks. Entirely rational, he'd watched with amusement as mother and daughter celebrated and had even tucked an inebriated Rose into bed. The next morning he'd been so chipper that even Rose had snapped at him, tossing a well aimed piece of toast in the process.

"Tea," Jackie determined. "That's what you both need. Come on. No hiding away, Doctor. It'll do you good as well."

The Doctor glanced longingly at his ship, before shuffling after them into the small kitchen.