A/N: For over a year, I've been getting emails telling me what the word of the day was and I've done absolutely nothing with them. But then I wrote my story "Comeuppance" and people liked it so much that I decided to write a whole series of one shots, each based on an unusual word. Now, where could I find a list of very unusual words just waiting for me to use them? Yes, you guessed it. So, here's the first installment of Word of the Day. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: Let's see, I'm getting the rights to Doctor Who for Christmas, but since it's not Christmas yet - no, I don't own Doctor Who.

Word of the Day - Animalcule

Animalcule – (n.) a minute or microscopic animal, nearly or quite invisible to the naked eye

"So, Rose Tyler, where do ya want to go today?" the Doctor asked, looking over at the aforementioned Rose Tyler who was leaning against the TARDIS console.

"Oh, I don't kn- oh! I've got it!" Rose exclaimed with a mischievous smile, her tongue poking out from between her teeth. "How 'bout Hollywood, 1953? That would be so much fun!"

The Doctor scowled. "No, absolutely not! I might run into Marilyn Monroe again and if I meet Marilyn one more time, I won't be able to escape her! I can't believe you would suggest such a thing- well, I can but I'm trying to think better of you."

Rose burst out laughing and the Doctor joined in. After a couple of minutes, Rose calmed down enough to ask the Doctor a question.

"Alright, Doctor, if ya don't want to go to Hollywood, then where do you want to go?"

"Well – let's go to the … the- oh! The Shenprinika Animalcule Zoo! It's this zoo on a 72nd century human colony where all the animals are absolutely tiny, only about two inches long – which means that the name is actually rather misleading because animalcule implies that the animals are practically microscopic and they're not …" the Doctor shook his head, as if trying to clear it and went back to the original topic. "The way zoo came about is actually really interesting. You see, this scientist decided that he absolutely had to go to the zoo even though he was carrying around this super important shrinking-concentrate-prototype vial in his pocket. You know, that almost sounds like a craving! I wonder if you can have cravings for places … anyway, he visited the zoo after hours and -"

Rose watched the Doctor fondly as he continued on animatedly about the scientist tripping, the vial breaking, and the entire zoo shrinking. Ah, there really wasn't anyone like her Doctor, was there? And he was her Doctor. It was a simple fact – she loved him and he loved her. Even though he had never told her so, she could tell every time he looked at her, every time he held her hand. He was just too bashful to say those three little words aloud. Or he thought the universe would implode if he did. Or he thought he was protecting her by staying silent.

Honestly, Rose didn't really care why he was holding out on her. No matter what the reason was for the Doctor's silence, it was time to end it. Her Doctor didn't need to be alone anymore.

Rose moved closer to the Doctor (with the TARDIS egging her on) till she was right up next to him. There wasn't any perceptible change except for the fact that the Doctor somehow managed to change the subject of the conversation to bananas and seemed rather flustered.

Rose tugged on the Doctor's sleeve and then spoke. "You're babbling," she said quietly, looking up at him mischievously.

Looking down into Rose's deep, soulful eyes, the Doctor gulped. "I- I am? Well, um, you know, babbling is really a very interesting word. It's-"

"No, no, Doctor. It really isn't."

"It isn't?"

"No."

It was so silent in the TARDIS after they both stopped talking, you could have heard a pin drop. Rose thought she could hear the Doctor's hearts beating abnormally fast. Her tongue poked out from between her teeth and the Doctor grinned at her. They stood there just smiling at each other, Rose all beautiful and pink and yellow; the Doctor all skinny and slightly foxy with his messy hair and brainy specs.

And Rose couldn't take it anymore. She had had a plan of attack, where she'd gradually break down his defenses, but after seeing that smile, she couldn't wait. Feeling very Cassandra-esc, she grabbed the Doctor by the lapels and pulled him in for a deep snog.

Then she didn't feel like Cassandra at all because with Cassandra, it had been all about sexual attraction. This was different. As the Doctor slipped his arms around Rose's waist, she knew this was right. This wasn't just about physical attraction – this was about two people that absolutely belonged together.

But then the Doctor pulled away and Rose began to have some qualms of doubt. He loved her, but maybe it was against the rules to- no, rules never bothered him much. Maybe Time Lords didn't do this kind of thing. And now I've ruined everything!

"Rose," the Doctor said quietly, looking at Rose's frozen form. Rose, on the other hand, was praying to anyone who could hear her. Please don't let him send me away! Please, oh, please! I'll do anything!

"Rose," he repeated, "I probably should have said this earlier. But as much as I talk, I couldn't find the right words. I still don't quite know how to say it-" He just gave up and with a growl, pulled Rose in for a deep kiss.

When they broke apart again, they didn't pull away from each other; the Doctor actually pulled Rose in closer to him.

"I love you," Rose whispered, looking soulfully into the Doctor's eyes.

"That's it!" the Doctor exclaimed. "I couldn't figure out how to translate how I felt into English, but that will do nicely, although what I want to say would be much more precise in Gallifreyan. But, anyway, I love you!"

"What would you say in Gallifreyan?"

The Doctor whispered the very special phrase in Rose's ear that encompassed every ounce of love and affection and longing that he felt. He was right, it was so much more precise. She felt as if he was letting her look at his soul and she shivered in delight.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Rose asked, still shivering slightly.

"I-" the Doctor paused, looking down, "I was afraid you'd leave me."

"So, if I'd never said anything, you never would have?" Rose sighed. "I suppose that I have to do everything myself, don't I? I mean, it's-"

The Doctor silenced Rose with a deep snog and swept her off her feet, carrying her to the depths of the TARDIS. "If I didn't shut you up, you'd still be talking and we'd never get around to some deliciously naughty things. Do I have to do everything myself?"

A/N: So, I hope you like it. Please review! It helps keep the muse alive ... And watch out for the next installment!