What, Where, & When

By Sonic Jules

A/N: I own nothing Doctor Who, and you should be grateful - I don't think I'd share well with others if I did.

So many thanks as always to Catharticone, who never ceases to amaze me with her brilliance.

Chapter One: What

The Doctor stood over the main console, scratching his head, much to the amusement of Rose. She stood by the TARDIS doors, folding her arms in front of her.

"So, I take it we're not on Sdralinka, after all?" she asked, a little grin forming on her lips.

"What?" he asked, casting a sideways glance at her before returning his eyes to the console.

"We didn't land there?" Rose answered the Doctor's question with her own.

"What - um ... no, 'fraid not," he spoke distractedly, turning buttons and pushing knobs as the frown grew on his face. "For some reason, we haven't left the Vortex. Bit odd ..." His voice trailed off as he continued on with his assessment.

"Odd - what?" Rose asked, then sighed, noting the Doctor's attention was clearly not on her. She removed the jacket she'd donned for their trip, setting it across one of the columns as she walked towards him, her interest piqued. After all, it wasn't very often that the TARDIS didn't materialize somewhere. More likely than not it had been the wrong destination lately, but still, not landing anywhere was a bit ... Different.

The Doctor stopped what he was doing and looked at Rose where she stood and frowned. "Have you been playing with the controls?" he asked, his tone and his expression almost, but not quite, accusing.

"What?" Rose asked, a bit stunned. "No - I, no ... I haven't touched anythin'. Why?"

The Doctor's face quickly changed to a look of confusion. "Just wondering, that's all. Maybe the old girl isn't feeling up to a trip abroad at the moment."

"What, is she sick?" Rose asked, suddenly concerned.

"Oh no, nothing like that," he said by way of of explanation.

"What is it like, then?" she asked, her curiosity raised.

"What?"

"What's wrong with the TARDIS?" she asked, her hands suddenly landing on her hips.

"Who said anything was wrong with her?"

"I thought you did," Rose answered, looking away so he wouldn't see the roll of her eyes that was surely going to come next.

"No, not at all. I merely mentioned that she might not feel up to a trip somewhere," he answered her, his tone a bit condescending.

Rose turned back to face him. "When doesn't the TARDIS feel like goin' somewhere?"

"What?"

Rose stared at the Doctor for a moment. "What, what?"

"Rose, you really aren't making any sense at the moment," he looked at her with curious eyes that moved from her feet all the way up to her brows. "Are you feeling all right?"

"What?!" she asked incredulously.

"Maybe the TARDIS senses something not right with you. Maybe that's why she's not willing to leave the Vortex. I should have a look at you," he said calmly.

"What? There's nothin' wrong with me! It's you who's not makin' any sense here," she answered him as calmly as she could. Since when had this conversation gone from the TARDIS not acting well to her being sick?

"Now Rose, you really should calm down. Getting upset is not good for the blood pressure, you know," the Doctor stated, a slight grin on his face as he turned his attentions from her back to the console.

She was vexed. Was she over reacting? Was she losing it? What had just happened here? "I'm goin' to my room," she told him as calmly as she could.

"All right. Maybe you need a bit of rest. You'll probably feel better," he said, his eyes meeting hers as he smiled thinly.

"What?" Rose stared at him for a moment, then took a step closer to the Doctor. "Maybe you're the one the TARDIS is worried about. How are you feelin', Doctor?" Her tone was a mixture of curiosity and worry.

"That's preposterous! There's nothing wrong with me, Rose Tyler." He stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable to her eyes. "You, on the other hand, look a bit pale," he began, stepping into her personal space. He raised a hand to her forehead, touching her gently with his fingertips. "Your temperature's normal."

Rose stepped back from him, watching his hand fall back down to his side slowly. "Doctor, 'm fine. But I don't think you are," she said, her concern very clear. His fingers on her forehead had felt very cool on her skin, and looking closely at him now, she noticed the flush of his face - just a little more rosy than usual. And his eyes - they seemed rather dull compared to the brightness and fire she was used to seeing in them. "Doctor," she began, taking his hand, "I think somethin's wrong with you."

"What? Don't be absurd. If there was something wrong with me the TARDIS would ..." He paused, turning away from her for a moment to look at the console before turning back and meeting her eyes. "Oh no ..."

The Doctor opened his eyes and looked around, a bit confused as he recognized his surroundings. He was in the Infirmary and, if he wasn't mistaken, the lump of warmth beside his left hand was breathing. Raising his head up just a little, he looked down to find someone sitting beside the gurney he was on, their body bent and head resting on an arm beside his hip. He absently ran his fingers through the blonde hair as he tried to remember how he'd gotten here.

Rose groaned slightly before raising her head, her hair now amusingly ruffled. She looked up at him and suddenly the blank expression on her face drew into one of concern.

"Hey - how are you feelin'?" she asked, grabbing his hand into her own, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"What happened? Why am I in the Infirmary?" he asked as his eyes showed his mild confusion.

"I think you're sick, Doctor. And I didn't know what to do to help you, so I brought you here," she said with a hint of sympathy in her voice.

"That's ridiculous," he answered warily. He stared at her for a moment, then lowered his eyes to their joined hands. "I feel all right," he said quietly, still staring at their hands.

"Do you remember what happened?" Rose looked at him with a face showing her growing concern. He had to be all right. He was the Doctor, and she knew in her heart he was going to be okay.

"Um ... No." Well, there sank her confidence. She shook her head slightly.

"Well," Rose began as she stood, ready to start walking about when she felt the grip of his hand tighten around hers, prompting her to stay put. "We were standin' at the console when you fainted. Just like that," she said, snapping the fingers of her free hand to emphasize her point.

"What? That's just nonsense, Time Lords don't faint," he stated, his tone disbelieving.

"Well, I'm no doctor, Doctor," she grinned slightly at that, "but that's what it seemed like. Had to drag you in here to the Infirmary - that would've been a sight for anyone to have seen, 'm sure. Oh - and even better would've been me tryin' to lift ya up here on this couch. Still not sure how I got that done m'self, but none the worse for wear, yeah?" And she felt right proud of herself, too. She'd not only dragged this man down the corridor to the Infirmary, but had also hefted him up upon the closest gurney and hadn't done any permanent damage to him. That in itself was definitely something to be proud of in her opinion.

He stared at her for a moment, and she felt a little uneasy, waiting for him to speak. But he didn't. "What?" she asked him gently, a little unnerved from his lack of talking.

"What?" he asked distractedly, still staring at her.

"Well," she said, trying to hide her nervousness. "How do you feel?" Something was just 'off' about him, though she couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what.

"I feel fine, I think," he answered, then sat up, still holding her hand. He smiled at her when she smiled at his words, looking relieved when he sat up on his own. "I do have two questions, though," he said, his grin fading ever so slightly.

"What are they?" she asked.

Rose jumped slightly when the Doctor hopped down from the gurney, standing tall in front of her. He held their hands up in front of them both. "Who are you, and what are you doing on my ship?"

"What?" she asked, her smile fading. He had to be kidding, right? No way the Doctor didn't know her.

"Don't you 'what' me young lady. Is the TARDIS translator not working properly? I asked you two simple questions. Now I suggest you answer them," he said evenly, his tone a bit harsh.

"You're hurtin' me," she spoke clearly and softly, looking at their joined hands. The Doctor's hold had tightened when he spoke, and just as quickly, he let her go. "Don't you remember me?"

"Obviously not. So why don't you answer my questions."

"Doctor?" Her voice wavered slightly, her uncertainty clear, admitting to herself that this was no game. She couldn't believe it. Could it be true that he really didn't recognize her?

"Tell me." His voice was cold and demanding.

"What?"

"Who - or what - you are. And what you're doing here. What's the plan, eh?"

"I'm Rose. Don't you remember?"

"You are an intruder on my vessel."

"What? No!" Rose said, backing a few steps away from him. "You invited me - I've been travelin' with you more than a year now. We're, we're friends." He was her friend. Surely she could get through to him, she just knew it.

"What?" The Doctor almost laughed. "That's absurd. I would certainly know if I'd been traveling with you all that time. Now tell me the truth, woman, or I will confine you to the brig."

It was obvious he had no recollection of her, whatsoever.

Rose took a deep breath. She'd show him no fear, and maybe he'd recognize that. "There's no brig on this ship, Doctor," she said, raising her chin in defiance. "And I'm no stranger here. Ask her! Ask the TARDIS! She'll tell you the truth." Rose conveniently took another step away from him as she spoke. The Doctor was standing tall and he looked every bit a threat to her at the moment.

"Now you listen here, young lady - if you could get into the TARDIS without my knowledge then you very well could have manipulated her somehow. Don't think I don't know that. And it's obvious you don't know this ship as you think you do, Rose - or whoever you are. Because I do know for a fact that this ship has a brig - and you're very well going into it until I get to the bottom of this."

"You can't do that!"

"Oh yes I can; you'd be surprised at what I can do," he told her confidently.

"What? But - Doctor, you're not well. Please listen to me. Please?" It was useless trying to talk to him, of that she was quite sure of now, as she watched him approaching her. So Rose Tyler did the only thing she could think of - the only thing her instincts told her to do as the Doctor ascended on her.

She ran.

Chapter Two: Where ... Coming Soon...