Title: A Normal Life
Rating: T
Set: Just over a year after 'Rose'
Spoilers: Anything's game
Pairings: Beginning of Doctor/Rose relationship

Author's Note: I wasn't going to write a sequel to 'Outside In' but I've had this plot bunny which just seem to work better in a situation where the Doctor and Rose were a new couple. There's no need to have read the previous story to understand this though, just in my mind they follow on from one another.

Part One

"That's it! I've had it!" Rose cried huffily as they re-entered the TARDIS, sitting down in the chair in the console room with a heavy thud, "I'm going home!"

The Doctor looked more than a little startled at that outburst as he followed her inside, securing the door behind them.

"Don't be an idiot," he said, with a mildly irritated frown, "It's not the end of the world."

"Bloody well is."

She was fuming at him, glaring furiously. He'd barely ever seen her this cross.

"It's not like I meant to do it," he pointed out in his defence, realising that he would never understand humans or women. It was such a silly little thing and yet here she was, insisting that he take her home because of it.

"I can't believe you're leaving me over something so stupid," he mumbled, part cross and part upset.

Rose twirled round to look at him with a confused frowned on her face, "Okay I'm talking about going home to replace the trainers you just ruined. What are you talking about?"

Oh. Right.

"Trainers," the Doctor agreed hurriedly, looking a little shifty.

Her look was sceptical but she didn't push it any further.

"I just need to pop back for an afternoon," she said reasonably, a little calmer now, "See my mum and pick up my other pair of blue trainers. That's not too much to ask is it?"

The Doctor's face screwed up at that thought.

"Can't you possibly live without blue trainers?"

"No," she stated firmly, "And I'm not going to take advice on shoes from bloke who seems to only have one pair. Trust me on this, I need another pair of blue trainers and I need my own ones out of my own wardrobe cos they're comfy, alright?"

He shrugged, "All I'm saying is you don't really 'need' blue trainers. You just 'want' blue trainers. Philosophically here's a big difference."

Rose glared at him accusingly, "Who just ruined my other pair by dragging us through a swamp?"

He had the good grace to appear a little apologetic.

"Short cut back to the TARDIS my arse," she continued in a furious mutter, "You're lucky I've got another pair of jeans or you'd be taking me shopping too."

The Doctor stood up, resigned to defeat.

"Fine. I'll go start her up then, shall I?"

She grinned at him sweetly, "Good boy."

Rose only loosened her grip on the TARDIS console when she was sure it had come to a complete stop. As much as she loved this machine, she wasn't so keen on its rather erratic and bumpy way of travelling, nor its less than textbook landings. Still, it was a small price to pay for everything else it gave her.

"So," she asked, tucking her hair back into place and stepping up beside the Doctor, "When did we land?"

"Exactly three weeks after your last visit," he said, after quickly consulting the display.

She grinned, patting him on the back, "You're getting better at this."

"Yeah," The Doctor muttered, apparently not as pleased by the fact she was, "We don't need to stay for too long, do we?"

Rose let out a weary sigh. Sometimes his fear and loathing of anything approaching domestic was a real source of annoyance to her. Sometimes it made her wonder what the point of being with him was if he didn't seem interested in doing the things that couples were supposed to want to do. Then he showed her some new, wonderful planet or simply took her hand in his and she forgot all her doubts. He was such an annoying git sometimes.

"It's just a quick visit," she reassured, "I need to pick up my trainers and make sure I see my mum. I don't like to think about her worrying."

"I don't like to think about her at all," he replied, only half joking.

Most of the time Rose could easily brush off the snide comments about her mum, half the time she actually agreed with them, but right now, in the state of mind she was in, it just didn't seem funny.

"Fine," she said tightly, "You stay here and sulk. I'll be back later."

The Doctor had grabbed her arm before she had even passed him.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "It's just a bit….you know?"

Rose shook her head, "No, I don't."

"Well," the Doctor explained, looking vaguely embarrassed, "Last time I saw your mum I wasn't sleeping with her daughter."

She smiled slightly. Was that it? He was worried her mum might found out Rose had had sex with him? God, he really was most idiotic genius she'd ever met.

"It's alright," she said with a teasing grin, "I don't think she'll be able to tell."

"You sure?"

"Yes," she reassured, before adding with a cheeky smile, "Unless you plan on taking me on the living room floor or something."

The Doctor smiled too, "The thought hadn't crossed my mind, no. Although now you mention it, might be worth it just to see the look on her face."

Rose whacked him on the arm, "Just you behave, alright? As far as I'm concerned I could leave quiet happily without having told her about us."

"What?" he said, a teasing twinkle in his eyes, "You ashamed of me?"

"Very. And I could do without the hassle from her, thanks. I'd never hear the end of it."

When Rose opened the door to the flat that strange little feeling passed over her like it always did when she came home. The feeling that told her she had something new to hide from her mum, that something had changed in her since the last time she was here. This time it was something pretty big though and she did feel a little bad about keeping it a secret. Not as bad as she would undoubtedly be made to feel if her mum found out though, that was for sure. Maybe they would tell her when her first grandkid was on the way. She might look on it more favourably then.

If the Doctor wanted kids of course. She hadn't really thought about it. Did the TARDIS have a nursery? Were 'kids' even possible? He was an alien after all. They might not be compatible like that, even though physically he was just like any other man.

"Mum?" Rose called out, stepping inside, the Doctor close behind her, "Mum, you in?"

She frowned in surprise as a fluorescent-coated policeman stepped out of the living room.

"Afternoon," he said with a polite nod, as the pair of them moved aside to let him passed. He tried to hide the disapproving look on his face as he glanced between them, but he didn't quite manage it.

"Rose!" her mum's happy but surprised voice proceeded her into the hallway.

Moments later she found herself being yanked into a tight hug. She hugged her mum back for a moment before she pulled away, confusion still on her face.

"What were the police doing here?" she asked worriedly, motioning back towards the door which the Doctor was closing behind the officer.

Jackie shook her head vaguely, brushing the matter aside, "The flat below us was burgled last night. They wanted to know if we'd heard anything."

Rose ignored the use of the words 'us' and 'we'. Now was not the time to point out that this wasn't actually her home anymore.

"Really?" she asked with concern, crossing over to the door and inspecting it critically, "You wanna make sure this lock and chain's alright. You've had it since I can remember. Maybe you should get someone to put a new one in for you. I'm sure Mickey'd do it."

"Oh don't fuss," Jackie scolded, "I can look after myself."

Rose doubted that but she had the good grace not to disagree.

"So what you doing here?" her mum continued, "Do you want a cup of tea?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice," she said a little absently, following her into the kitchen.

"How long you staying for this time?" she asked in conversational tone, filling the kettle up and plugging it in.

"Not long," Rose admitted, leaning back against the counter, hands in her pockets, "Just wanted to pick up a few things. You would not believe how quickly I get through shoes."

Jackie laughed slightly with a fond smile, "You always did."

Then her face went sad and she turned away to get mugs and teabags from the cupboard.

"Er, you only got two mugs," Rose pointed out a little awkwardly.

Her mum glanced briefly at the Doctor, "I didn't think he'd like tea. He's an alien, isn't he? Shouldn't he be drinking battery acid or something?"

"He drinks tea, mum," Rose said with a weary sigh, suddenly very pleased that they weren't staying long.

Jackie huffed and turned to face him with a falsely sweet smile on her face, "Would you like a cup of tea, Doctor?"

"No thanks," he replied equally cheerful, a bright grin on his face.

Rose glared at him murderously.

"Why don't you go and watch tele or something?" she suggested, making it clear from her tone what she expected the answer to be.

He shrugged and disappeared into the lounge. Moments later she heard the TV playing loudly and the Doctor laughing to himself at the antics of Tom and Jerry.

She allowed herself a small, fond smile.

"So what did you come back for?" Jackie asked, interrupting her little happy moment, picking up the kettle as it finished boiling, "I don't s'pose he's come to his senses about taking you away from your friends and family and has brought you home."

"Mum…" Rose warned. They'd had this conversation at least a dozen times before and she thought she'd finally accepted her decision. If this was going to happen every time she came home then maybe she'd have to make her visits less frequent. She could do without the stress.

She briefly wondered if it would help if her mum knew about her and the Doctor, if it would ease her mind knowing how happy he made her, but she quickly decided that that was a very bad idea.

"I just don't trust him, Rose," Jackie said with a deep sigh as she absently stirred a mug of tea, "He's dangerous. Look what happened last time he was here."

"Well I do trust him, okay?" Rose reassured, "I know he won't let anything happen to me. Not if he can help it."

Jackie looked at her daughter darkly as she passed her a mug of hot tea.

"Yeah. That's what scares me."

Rose sunk into the sofa next to the Doctor, laying her head wearily onto the worn headrest and staring up at the yellowing ceiling. She sat herself as close to him as she dared without being so close it would arouse her mum's suspicion. She had this desperate urge to reach out and grab his hand for comfort, so she quickly sat on her own to prevent herself from doing so. It was ridiculous really, that two adults - well one adult and one nine hundred year old - had to sneak around like naughty teenagers. She thought she'd grown passed this stage.

"How's your mum?" the Doctor asked, interrupting her thoughts, his attention strangely held by 'Neighbours'.

She could tell by his tone that he wasn't really interested. He was just asking because he thought he should. Well, it was a start at least.

"She's making dinner," she replied a little hesitantly, knowing he wasn't going to like this in the slightest.

"That's nice," he replied with a grin, "I'm sure she'll enjoy it."

"For the three of us," Rose corrected firmly.

He frowned distastefully, turning to look at her, "Now what makes you think that sounds even the slightest bit appealing?"

"Doctor-" Rose said with a pleading sigh, running her hands over her face. Why did the two people she loved most have to conspire to make her life so difficult? Couldn't they just get on? Just this once?

"And I bet she can't cook," he added with a mutter, ignoring her, managing to pull the kind of sulky face that a nine hundred year old alien shouldn't really be capable of.

"She's bound to poison me. Hardly a fitting end, is it? The last of the Time Lords wiped out by a dodgy lasagne."

"I'm not asking for much," Rose pointed out, "You've just got to eat dinner, make nice small talk and be on your best behaviour. Can't you do that for me?"

"Depends. Is your mum going to be on her best behaviour?"

"She's not sleeping with your only child," she reminded him dryly.

The Doctor held her gaze for a long moment.

"Okay, you win," he said looking away with a resigned sigh, wishing he hadn't told her about that mild paranoia now.

"But," he added, turning back to point a warning finger at her, "If she says anything about the nice boys she's met that would be perfect for you, I'm telling her all about what you did when you drank that Kaliguim wine"

Rose blushed, her eyes widening, "You said you'd never bring that up again."

He grinned wolfishly, "Desperate times call for desperate measures".

Then she smiled too, feeling like she was doing it for the first time since they got her, and kicked him gently in the shins. He glared at her mildly before turning back to watch the tele and Rose found herself fighting the urge to stroke her hands affectionately up and down his back. She liked this; them in a home, sitting on the sofa, watching TV. They never did this in the TARDIS. This was almost domestic. Almost a normal life.

She wondered if they'd ever have this again.

She wondered why she suddenly wanted it so much.