A/N: The previous parts to this are Weeds, Pains and Hearts. Must be read!

And so we're back to this incomprehensible mess. I wish I knew what the heck was going on. Try and work this one out. Seriously. I dare you.

Part One

The Doctor woke to the rousing smell of a mix of fried bacon, the musty after-smell of a vacuum cleaner and the crisp smell of freshly changed sheets. Through a doorway he could hear a television – Jeremy Kyle, he recognised – over the sound of quiet murmurs of idle chat.

He pulled open his eyes, but the bright light made his snap them shut again. Instead he moaned and raised his arm to shield his eyes, but instead smacked himself in the head with something hard on his wrist, sending waves of pain straight through his brain.

He opened his eyes again, ever so slowly, to see his wrist was in plaster cast. His leg was also propped up on something below the covers, and as he looked down he realised he had no shirt on, and the right side of his ribs were blackened beyond belief. He was further bruised up his arms, amongst various cuts and lacerations. What had...

"Doctor!"

He looked up and found Rose standing there, holding two dirty mugs. "Rose?" he croaked.

She smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," he replied.

"I'll bet," she said, moving forward as Jackie appeared in the doorway, looking concerned. "D'you remember what happened?"

The Doctor frowned, struggling to recall anything before he had woken up. Something about a weed? No. A car. He'd been hit by a car. He'd had the shopping, then hadn't looked both ways before he crossed the road. Why did he think it was something about a weed?

"Got run over," he said quietly, his brain spiking with pain at every slight movement of his head.

She nodded, sitting down on the bed and brushing back his hair from his eyes. "First time you've made sense for a while."

"I'll go and get him some water," Jackie said, and was gone in a flash.

"How long since I got hit?" he asked.

"Four days," she replied.

He thought about that, and then was suddenly panic-stricken as he realised... "My exam!"

"Taken care of," Rose told him. "You're resitting in January. They wanted to make you do it in hospital but we managed to kick that one out."

"... I was in hospital?!" he garbled out, panicked.

"You don't remember?"

"No!"

"You were freakin' out every five minutes, talkin' about some weird stuff about some TV show I think. The nurse said it was probably the painkillers – you were high as a kite. But the University guy took one look at you and scheduled a resit on the spot," she answered, laughing. "Work know too – you're completely covered. So just lie back and rest, yeah?"

Jackie reappeared with a glass of water, placing it on the bedside table. "Doctor Holvey's comin' in half an hour."

"No," the Doctor said immediately. "No doctors. Please."

Rose cast a glance at her mum, who sighed sadly and left out the door, before looking back at the Doctor. "Doctor, you've been hit by a car. You have a concussion. This is the first time you've woken up and not asked for your spaceship. He knows about you, he's not going to do anythin', and besides, we'll be here, yeah?" She leant forward and kissed him gently on the lips. "Lookin' after you."

He smiled at that. "Thanks."

She giggled at him. "You're welcome. Now come on, budge over, Friends is on," she said, jumping into bed next to him with a TV remote in hand, hitting standby.

"Hey," the Doctor suddenly said as she wrapped an arm around him.

"What?"

"I love you."

"I know," she replied with a cheeky grin, her tongue between her teeth, before leaning forward to kiss him. "Love you too."

"Let's start with the basics," Doctor Holvey began kindly, leaning forward with a notepad in hand. "What's your full name?"

The Doctor stared at her, unblinking. Rose could feel how tense he was just from the grip of his hand. "John Harry Smith, but everyone calls me the Doctor."

"When's your birthday?"

"25th December, 1985."

"So your age is?"

"I'm twenty."

"What's the date today?"

"Around December 1st."

"Around?" Holvey queried.

"I've been unconscious, I've sort of lost track," the Doctor pointed out a little sarcastically.

"Excellent point," Holvey admitted, laughing. "Where do you work?"

"Peckham Library, I'm part time."

"What's your hourly wage?"

"£4.45."

"What do you study?"

"Biological Sciences at Imperial College."

"What mark did you get in your last module?"

"A first."

Holvey persisted with that smile. "Okay, your long term and short term memory seem to be fully intact. How would you rate your pain, on a scale of one to ten?"

"One, I'm fine," he said instantly.

"Doctor," Rose warned him immediately.

He glanced at her, and looked back at Holvey. "Six."

"I will prescribe you some more of your painkillers," he replied, pulling out a form from amongst his notes and scribbling something down. "Your injuries seem to be healing at a spectacular rate. Is there anything you'd like me to know?"

"No."

"Okay, well plenty of bed rest, eat well and drink regularly," he finished, still smiling despite the callousness of the Doctor's replies. "Hope to see you up and about soon."

Rose smiled and got up, taking Holvey to the door and slipping out behind him.

"Sorry," she said quietly, apologetically as she closed the door. "He doesn't like doctors and hospitals very much."

"I didn't think so," Holvey admitted, laughing. "He's very well, will be back on his feet very soon."

"Thank you," Rose said sincerely, and passed back through the door to the Doctor as Jackie appeared from the kitchen, a plate and tea-towel in her hands.

"Everythin' okay?" she asked.

Holvey nodded. "Very much so. He is a very extraordinary young man. I've never seen injuries so severe clean up so quickly. Is this another trait of his... differences?"

Jackie's eyes immediately narrowed, and didn't reply directly to that. "So is there anythin' I need to know about 'is care?"

"Just clean his wounds and change his bandages on a daily basis. I've also prescribed him more painkillers," he said, tearing off a bit of paper and handing it to Jackie. "I believe he's in more pain than he's letting on, so if he needs any more don't hesitate to call me. Oh, I'll also be adding his accelerated healing capabilities to his notes. Amongst the other marvels," he finished, laughing. "He really is a wonder. If there's ever a case for evolution on an incredible scale then he is it. It's almost like he's not human."

Jackie's grip on the teatowel had dramatically escalated, her knuckles turning white.

"Can I ask, why is he so afraid of hospitals and doctors?" Holvey queried.

Jackie didn't move an inch. "Did you cancel every appointment to come and see him today?"

"I had a clear..."

"No, you didn't," she interrupted smoothly. "You saw his records and didn't even finish your coffee. You were already out the door, out to see the two-hearted wonder, weren't you?"

Holvey flinched, blushing slightly. "He's very unique."

"That's what they all say. All you people want to do is study 'im, stare at 'im like some circus show freak. He's had it 'ard enough as it is – he doesn't need you lot constantly proddin' things into 'im!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Ms Tyler..."

"Don't gimme that. When he was sixteen he 'ad a bad allergic reaction, I got him to 'ospital. I saw him three hours after, linked up to every bloody machine on the planet. I asked the doctors what each one did. They admitted they weren't needed, they just linked 'im up to see what the monitor would show. It's no wonder he bloody hates all of you."

"I understand your feelings," Holvey insisted. "The NHS would be welcome to any complaints of conduct, that's maybe something for his parents to be told about?"

Jackie's eyes narrowed. "If you bothered to read past the first line you'd know his parents are dead. He was raised in a Children's Home. I've been his legal guardian since he was fifteen."

"Oh, I'm sorry..."

"And part of bein' 'is legal guardian is to tell you lot to take a hike. He's a sweetheart, never a bad word, not single bad bone in his body, with a brain bigger than a mountain. But that's all you lot are interested in - bones and brains. 604% bone density they told me, like I care. All I care is he's John, he's not had much 'appiness and now me and Rose are fixin' the damage. When he gets a home visit in Thursday I want Doctor Wilson, like I asked. Good bye, Doctor Holvey."

Holvey knew it would be unwise to say anything further, so collected his bag and left.

Jackie sighed, locking the door behind him before going to make dinner.

The Doctor was in a no place, the world around him dark and distorted. He couldn't move, utterly paralysed and staring ahead at a figure in the distance – a person, he realised. But she was shining so brightly he could barely look at her for hurting his eyes, and had to snap them shut.

"Doctor!" a woman cried from a long distance. The voice was so familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. "Doctor, oh God, I found you, you've gotta listen, the Tardis has taken my mind so she can fight the weed, but I think the weed has yours to fight back. Please don't make me and the Tardis hurt you, we don't want to hurt you. You have to fight this. Whatever place you're in it's not real okay? Don't let the weed win..."

The Doctor jerked awake, jolting and opening his eyes to find himself still in bed, on his side with one hand under the pillow and other cradling his own face. His fingers were wet. It took him a few seconds to realise that he had been crying. Crying in his sleep?

A hand suddenly moved on his chest, fingers trying to clutch at his shirt. He looked over to find Rose there, sighing contentedly as she repositioned to press against him more. He gently took her hand, holding it in his own.

"Doctor?"

He looked over to see her awake, gazing at him below heavy eyelids. "Did I wake you up?" he asked, turning over with a wince.

She shook her head, frowning a little at him. "You're cryin'. Are you okay?"

"Had a strange dream."

"What about?"

"I..." he suddenly stopped, frowning. "There was this..." But as he tried to describe it it was already slipping away. "Can't remember."

She giggled at that. "You okay, though?"

He nodded, kissing her on the forehead and wrapping his arm around her. "Go to sleep."

She closed her eyes again, drifting off almost immediately. For a while he gazed at the ceiling, trying to recall what he'd been dreaming about.

By the time he was asleep, he still couldn't remember it.

The Doctor stepped into Peckham library two weeks later at 9am on a Saturday morning. He made his way to the desk, smiling at a brunette girl at the computer.

"Doctor!" she realised, smiling. "We weren't expectin' you for a bit. Are you okay?"

He gestured to himself, the only marks of his accident being a bandage around his left hand covering several terrible cuts that just refused to go away, and some small bruises to his cheek. "Almost perfect, thanks," he told her with a grin.

She giggled, her expression a picture of relief, and gestured in the vague direction of the boss' office. "Angela wanted to see you."

"What does she wants?"

She laughed again. "How would I know? She probably wants to promote you."

He rolled his eyes, giving her a farewell wave as he went up the stairs to Angela's office. He hovered outside the door for a few moments, before finally knocking and Angela's voice came from behind the foreboding wood to acknowledge entrance.

She looked up when he entered, extremely surprised. "John," she said, his eyebrows somewhere near her hairline. "I was just about to call you..."

"You wanted to see me?" he asked, still standing in the doorway.

"Yes... take a seat," she said, gesturing to the chair. The Doctor closed the door and sat down in the proffered chair, putting his bag on the floor. "I won't beat about the bush, John – your sickness absence left a massive hole in our staff. We had to bring in another person. They started a week ago."

The Doctor frowned. "What are you saying?"

"We can't afford another assistant. Your services are no longer required."

"But they can't do that!" Jackie yelled forty minutes later back in the flat, absolutely furious.

"I know," the Doctor muttered into his cup of tea.

"It's illegal! It's unfair dismissal! You were there first! Did ya tell them that's illegal?"

"What use would that have been?" he asked seriously. "The know it's illegal. I'm a part time library assistant, I've been working there for six months. No one cares."

"You've still got rights! You could sue 'em for that! Tracy got twenty thousand pounds when she had this!"

"Tracy only gets jobs for maternity pay," he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing," he dismissed. "Look, I'll just find another job. I don't want the stress."

"But you were happy there!"

Suddenly his phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out.

Usual place for lunch? R x

He stood up, texting Rose back as he did. "I'll find another job," he repeated, pressing send.

"It's not like the old days, Doctor. You can't just get walk into another place and get a job on the spot! Go get yourself on Jobseekers!"

"Something'll come along," he persisted, draining the last of his tea.

"Where are you goin'?"

"Meeting Rose."

"Good. Maybe she can convince you to sue the 'ell out of them. I'll get onto the police, find out what your rights are, okay?"

The Doctor knew there was no convincing her otherwise. "Okay. I'll see you later."

"And you'd better have a job when you do!" she yelled, before realising what she'd done, and her expression fell as she quickly reached out to hug him. "Sorry, sweetheart. Go and meet Rose."

He nodded. "Thanks, Jackie," he said, and left out the door.

Rose was already sat at the fountain when he arrived, having picked up the sandwiches and snacks on the way. She waved to him when she saw him, but quickly registered that something had happened.

"What's wrong?" she asked immediately as he took a seat.

"I've been fired."

"What!?"

"Chicken or ham?" he asked, holding the two sandwiches up in each hand.

"Never mind that!" she dismissed. "You've been fired? Why?"

He sighed, dropping his hands. "They hired someone I while I was off sick. Now they can't afford another assistant."

"But you were there first! That's not fair!"

"Please don't," he said seriously. "I've already got an earful off of Jackie this morning."

She couldn't help but laugh at that, reaching forward to hug him. "I get it. Sorry," she said, and pulled back. "Chicken."

"What?"

"Sandwiches, idiot," she said, laughing again.

"You don't want the ham?" he asked, sounding a little deflated.

"Fine, I'll have the ham," she said, plucking it out of his hand.

"But..."

"Doctor," she interrupted smoothly. "You just got fired, if havin' chicken sandwiches makes you happy then I'm fine with that."

"Fair enough," he supposed with a sniff, and started attacking his chicken sandwich.

"They're idiots if they fired you anyway," she said through a mouthful of ham. "Straight A student, super clever, not a black mark anywhere, you're sexy, and you make everyone's lives better. Screw 'em."

"I make everyone's lives better?" he repeated.

"Well, you made mine better."

"What?"

"D'you remember how we met?"

"Err..."

"In the shop by school, remember?"

"You were with Jimmy Stone."

"Yeah. I was tryin' to pick some sweets, and you told me the Kinder Bueno's tasted weird and I shouldn't buy one. I ain't bought one since."

He laughed at that, ramming the last of his first sandwich into his mouth and picking up the second. "I made your life better by telling you not to buy Kinder Bueno?"

She grinned, continuing the story. "Then you kept bein' in the shop after school."

"Strange, that," the Doctor grinned.

"Then I broke up with Jimmy and we started goin' out. I mean, god knows what would've happened if I stayed with Jimmy. He got another girlfriend after I left him, she got pregnant, dropped out of school early and now he's in jail. And now I'm goin' to uni. Me, at uni. Not a great uni, but still a uni."

He laughed. "It's all right."

"I weren't exactly Oxbridge material I guess," she said, smiling. "You were that. Didn't they offer?"

He nodded.

"Why did you reject it?"

"I was never interested in Oxbridge. Load of stuck up upper class politicians."

"... You didn't just stay in London for me, did you?"

He looked at her, swallowing the last of his second sandwich. "Did you hear what I just said?"

"All right, I'll believe you," she said, rolling her eyes before sighing loudly as she finished her sandwiches. "S'pose this means mum's gonna be goin' mental about money again."

"I'll find another job."

"She's relying on you, y'know."

"For what?"

"You're the clever one. To her you're s'posed to get the really brilliant job and buy us all a mansion in Chelsea."

He snorted with laughter, nearly choking on his crisps. "Yep, I'll get right on that."

"I'm serious," she insisted.

"I don't doubt it," he said honestly.

"Me either," she replied, reaching forward and hugging him tightly, kissing him. "You're brilliant."

"I know," he said, and she laughed again.

"Better get back to work," she supposed, checking the time on her phone. "Hey, you could come."

"What?"

"Be a loitering customer that asks me an endless stream of annoying questions."

"Err..."

"Or, you could go back to the flat."

He stared at her.

"To Mum."

He blinked.

"She's probably already on the phone to some tribunal."

"Work's is this way, isn't it?" he said quickly, jumping up and pointing.

Rose laughed, jumping to stand up next to him. She grabbed his hand, and together they left to Henrik's.