Disclaimer: Doctor Who (c) BBC Television

Rose.

Five and a half hours. Five and a half long, excruciating hours, living on hope alone. Hope and trust. Hoping the Doctor would come back for her. Trusting that the Doctor could find a way back, because he always did. He always made things right, he always fixed every problem. Every adventure had a happy ending, in Rose's mind. But then came Reinette. The Doctor's happy ending.

Rose leaned against the consul unsociably as Madame de Pompadour made her entrance, skirts sweeping gracefully over the metal grill of the floor, eyes bright with wonder and awe. Rose had her arms crossed, slouching back against the consul, knitted brows, and a scowl on her face. Every aspect of her body language screamed to the aristocrat 'I Don't Want You Here.'

What was she supposed to think, with the Doctor bringing a beautiful French girl like Reinette onboard? It was obvious that she was being replaced. And she simultaneously wanted to pound on the walls and burst into tears at the revelation of it. Reinette was even blonde as well. She didn't know if that made it worse or better. After all, Sarah-Jane was a brunette, but she hadn't felt anything but friendship towards her after they had sorted everything out.

Rose sincerely doubted it would be as easy to sort everything out with Reinette. The way she was hanging on the Doctor's arm and looking around the TARDIS bright-eyed were behaviours far too familiar to Rose to be ignored. Rose had felt the same way. She ached to still feel that way, to be the one on the Doctor's arm, to bask in his glow and the wonders of the TARDIS. Starting from now on, she would probably just be excess baggage. Mickey would have to scoot over- there was another tin dog in town. She glanced over to Mickey, who was still looking pretty miffed that he had been left on a godforsaken spaceship with no clue as to how or if he would ever get off of it for five and a half hours. She switched her gaze back to the happy couple...

She saw the Doctor explain to Reinette some of the workings of the consul opposite from Rose. Of course, Reinette's eyes were focused not on the TARDIS consul, but on the Doctor's lively face. There was no doubt in Rose's mind that Reinette wouldn't even be able to comprehend the TARDIS controls, but the French girl was obviously having a good time just smiling along with the Doctor.

'That used to be me,' Rose thought sadly. That made a small voice flare up inside her.

'Used to? Why am I using past tense? The Doctor hasn't kicked me out yet. I'm still here. And I won't be replaced... I won't.'

"Oi, Rose, think you could help Reinette find a room?" The Doctor's voice snapped her out of her musings. He was smiling that smile that made her stomach turn somersaults.

"Sure, 'course I can!" Rose plastered on a smile and turned to Reinette, who smiled in reply.

"Thank you for assisting me, Rose," Reinette replied elegantly.

"Yeah, well, it's just this way." Rose pointed down the hall, then started off. When had her voice sounded so... un-cultured?

Rose walked down the long hall, Reinette trailing along behind. She knew there were hundreds of suitable rooms on the TARDIS, but as with every passenger who came onboard, one of the doors would just feel right for that particular person... She stopped in front of a door that seemed to look like every other in the hallway. She turned the knob and pushed the door open, poking her head in. Yeah, this was the room for Reinette. Behind her, she heard Reinette gasp.

A huge four-poster bed adorned with lace comforters was the main feature of the well-lit, airy room, but there was also an armoire, a standing wardrobe, a coffeetable, and a chaise-lounge. Reinette strolled into the room, looking around in wonder.

"This is quite amazing... It looks almost like my sleeping quarters back home... Although I never would have put a coffeetable in a sitting room," she stated. "I suppose it's there because this is intended to be sleeping quarters and a sitting room combined. What a charming idea," Reinette smiled.

"Erm, yeah, well, you'd know more about that than me. So..." Rose bit her lip, trying to think of something intelligent to say. She knew she had all this 21st century knowledge in her head, but that didn't help to make her feel any more refined compared to le Madame de Pompadour. "My room's just down the hall, so if you need anything, just ask." 'More like, just don't ask.'

Rose turned to go, but Reinette spoke up. "I have a question."

Rosed turned back around, impatient to leave this frilly, lacy, dollhouse-looking room. "Yeah?"

"Where's the Doctor's room?"

Rage flared inside Rose. It was such a simple, innocently spoken question... But it made Rose want to throttle her. Why does she want to know where the Doctor's room is? Did she plan on sneaking in there at night? Maybe she would pretend to have a nightmare, or say that Big Bad Rose wasn't being helpful enough, or something... Meanwhile, Reinette was still looking at her expectantly, a sweet smile on her face, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she sat on the chaise-lounge.

'Get hold of yourself, girl,' she thought. She took a deep breath, then spoke, faking a smile. "Um, I'm sure that if you ever need to know... Someone will tell you. ...Er, bye!"

Rose left, shutting the door behind her. She let out a breath, then walked hurriedly back to her own room. She locked the door securely, then proceeded to throw herself on her bed, muffling her frustrated screams by the pillows.

'Why, Doctor?! Why her?! You left me for her?! How could you just leave me like that in the first place?! You'd give up everything, just for her? You'd just ditch me on some spaceship millions of years in the future with no thought as to how I'd get out, just for her? Do I mean that little to you?! Why, Doctor?! Why'd you bring her onboard... Why?! You know I can't compare to her! She's just so...' Rose sniffled, burying her mascara-streaked face into the pillows once more.

...perfect.'