Rose was waiting outside the doors, at request of the Doctor, who was fuming when he found out what Jack had asked her. The Doctor shut the 'Pull to Open' doors and walked up to the console. The following "discussion" between the two men went something like this:

"No, Jack! You can't just go around flirting with whoever you like, whenever you like! You act like you have staked a claim to every being in the cosmos! As long as they are alive, and are kissing material, you go for it!

The Doctor's face was grotesque with rage. Jack was surprised. He tried to lighten things up a bit.

"Well, I remember one time, there was a lipless-"

"No, Jack! Just stop being cheeky for ONE minute." He took a deep breath, trying out compose himself. ROse,of course, was just outside. He started again, this time in a deadly quiet voice. "Rose is with me. If you get her into trouble in any way with your antics-"

"Doctor! I was just making conversation! Gosh, I didn't know you had a thing for her. I'll back off, ok?"

This fueled the Doctor's rage even "'Thing for her'? What are you on about, now?!"

Jack sighed. "Well, it's obvious you care for Rose. I mean, jeez, you won't even let a harmless guy like me," he paused to make an innocent face and wink," ask her how her day was."

"We both know that is NOT what you were talking about."

"Look,ok, I'll admit it; I was flirting a bit. But, she's a pretty girl! It would take a better man than me not to flirt with her."

Jack's excuse dampened the Doctor's anger a little. The timelord looking down at his folded hands, then back up, a little grin playing on his lips.

"Ya, she is kinda gorgeous, isn't she?"

"Look, Doc. You can't not see the way she looks at you. You're her whole world now!" The room became still, and the Doctor's smile faded.

"No, Jack, I couldn't... I couldn't let myself... It's complicated, okay?" He began immersing himself in the control console, obviously not wanting to discuss it.

"Complicated? You haven't even hear complicated until I tell you about the time I hit on a dwarf. So, shoot."

"I don't know... Rose might be eavesdropping."

"Listen, I'm not letting Rose back in the TARDIS until you tell me." The Doctor looked up at him, annoyance sparking in his eyes. And Jack could see it, so he kept persisting. "Come on! Tell one person how you feel about the girl who makes everything better." At this the Doctor reluctantly relented.

"I don't know how to start.."

"Just spit it out already!"

"Okay, okay! I don't know. Rose is... She keeps me from... I'm this monster, you see, this beast! And she finds me. She brings the angel out of me. She's my angel." Silence followed this statement. "But i could never tell her this... And neither could you, Jack!" The Doctor pointed at him, "If I confess my.. love," he stumbled over the word and frowned, "I would never be able to let her go. I need her so much, Jack. If I lost her... I don't think I could bear it. Physically, mentally, or emotionally."The Doctor sighed and fell into the seats near the console. "I don't know wat I'm going to do, Jack. I haven't for a while now."

"You should take her on a date."

"What?!"

"Ya! Take her to Valentine's Day, 1954, Paris, Venice, somewhere nice, somewhere romantic! You have to tell Rose how you really feel. Because if you don't it will hurt you both."

The Doctor nodded silently, understanding what he had to do. He took a deep breath, stood from the pilot's seat, and walked towards the TARDIS doors. He took one nervous look back at Jack, then pushed the doors open to the awaiting girl.

The Doctor was going to tell her.