Author's Note: This follows on from Lena86's Loose Ends (itself a sequel to Burning up a Sun) and is set several months after that fic. Both Burning up a Sun and Loose Ends should be read first in order for this to make sense.

'No. Definitely not. Not happening.'

The Doctor stared at her, watching as she folded her arms over her chest, thought better of it, and extended them so she was blocking the TARDIS doors.

He sighed. 'Rose, I'm not going to idly stand by and let the Arachni destroy that village. I'll be perfectly safe.' When she didn't move he raked a hand through his hair, beginning to pace by the console.

'Then let me come with you.'

'No!' he said, wincing as he heard how forceful his own voice sounded.

'I'4m not just gonna let you go out there on your own. You said it yourself, they are vicious creatures, bent on destruction,' she said, doing a passable impression of him.

The Doctor rocked back and forth, deep in thought. 'Ah... Yes... I do recall saying that, but...' He looked to his shoes. 'You know me Rose,' he continued in a softer tone. 'I have to help. It's who I am. Plus I'm brilliant. And it will be simple, just need to make them realize who they're dealing with and they'll run away like the bullies they are. An hour - two tops – and the three of us'll be gallivanting through time and space again.' He'd been walking towards her while he spoke and now came to a stop just in front of her, bringing his hand up to rest against her stomach.

As he did, Rose felt the baby move. She smiled but it vanished quickly. 'This doesn't feel right,' she murmured.

'We'll go somewhere nice next,' he said quietly. 'Promise.'

'With you drivin'? We'll end up in the middle of a warzone. Again.'

'Oi!' he said, stepping back and dragging his coat from the support strut. 'For that little piece of sarcasm, Rose Tyler,' he gently moved her to one side, 'I'm not bringing you anything back.'

\/\/

He'd been gone for seven hours. An hour or two, he'd said, and he'd been gone for seven.

'Right,' she said, ostensibly talking to her stomach. 'Let's go and find him, shall we?' As she pulled her coat on the time rotor oscillated and the console room lights dimmed. 'Don't you start,' she murmured as she headed for the doors.

She made her way through the forest heading for the village. When she'd been walking for nearly twenty minutes there was an explosion off to the right. 'Sounds like daddy,' she murmured, picking up her pace and moving towards the source of the explosion.

When she finally made it out of the forest she in front of her was a town in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the large blue trees of the forest. Rose could see a plume of smoke rising from the centre of the town. She could hear sounds of civil unrest coming from the same direction. 'Oh that's definitely where he is,' she muttered, heading purposefully towards the smoke.

He was being held in a town square of sorts, looking annoyed, frustrated and more than a little grubby. His guards were holding him tightly and must have grabbed the back of his coat to waylay him- it was hanging off one shoulder. Rose watched for a moment, her mouth hanging open.

'Take him away and lock him up!' One man – the mayor, judging by his outfit - shouted.

'Stop!' Rose stepped forwards, pushing through the crowd until she was standing beside the Doctor. 'This man is the father of my child!'

'Ah… you wish to punish him yourself?'

'What? No! Our child is about to be born and he must be present. It is the law of our people.' She glanced sideways at the Doctor. 'I thought you were helping these guys?' she hissed.

'I did!' he whispered back furiously.

'And…'

'And… I blew up the town hall. A bit.'

'This man is a terrorist!' the mayor shouted, apparently

'You have no idea,' Rose said, shooting the Doctor a dark look.

'I beg your pardon?'

'I mean you have no idea what you're talkin' about. With respect,' she added hastily. 'He's an explosives expert from our planet. Knows all about controlled explosions and stuff.'

'What planet is this?'

'Uh... New Krypton.' She ignored the look of utter disbelief the Doctor sent her, instead focusing on the mayor and attempting to project an air of honesty.

'New... Krypton? You', he asked the Doctor, 'are from Krypton?'

The Doctor blinked. 'Oh, yes. Tall buildings in a single bound, that's me! Always. Well... Might need a bit of a run up. If I'm having an off day.'

'Yeah. An' if you don't let me take him with me you'll be contravening the... Primary directive. A father must be present at the birth of his offspring.'

'He used an explosive device to demolish our town hall!'

'Oh come on! It's still standing!' Behind the Doctor the last wall crumbled, sending out a cloud that covered the crowd in white dust. 'Bits of it,' he continued, barely faltering.

'Please,' Rose said sincerely. 'I'll take him away and you'll never see him again. I promise.'

Just as the man opened his mouth, his expression clearly stating that the Doctor was going nowhere, Kryptonian primary directive or no, Rose felt pain shoot through her. She gasped but kept her eyes on the leader of the group, silently begging him to let them leave.

The man stepped back, eyes widening. 'Release him!'

The Doctor was shoved forwards. Just about managing to maintain his balance, he pulled his overcoat onto his shoulder properly.

'Doctor,' Rose said warningly as he opened his mouth to berate the crowd. 'Run?'

He swept his gaze over her. 'No,' he said quietly. 'Walk. Quickly.'

He took her hand and led her away from the crowd, back the way she'd come. As they reached the edge of the forest he chuckled.

'What?'

'Nothing,' he said, his tone too innocent.

'Doctor...'

'It's just... A century of time and space travel and you come out with Krypton?'

She was about to retort when he sobered abruptly. 'What is it?'

'I think our friends have some questions about New Krypton. Like how we can be from there when it doesn't exist. Well... Not for another hundred years or so. I think we'd better get back to the TARDIS. We need to run.'

Rose nodded, but as soon as she went to move the pain rippled through her body again, this time a little stronger. She almost lost her footing and was only kept upright by the Doctor's quick reflexes.

'I can't run,' she said, the words coming out in a whisper.

'You were all for it a minute ago...' he said, looking around for an escape route.

'Yeah but...'

'But what, Rose? What's changed in the two minutes since the town square?'

'The baby… I think it's on its way.'

The Doctor froze, holding her gaze. He knew that the TARDIS was far, too far for Rose to make it to safety before they were found. 'Rose,' he began, but was interrupted by the branch just above his head exploding. He glared at it, clearly offended. 'Shooting at a pregnant woman. That's just-'

'I'll call the TARDIS here,' Rose said desperately.

'What?' he asked, still looking around.

'You know,' she said, 'Bad Wolf.'

He took hold of her shoulders, forcing her to look up at him. 'No, Rose. I have no way of knowing what that would do. To you or the baby. No.'

'Then what?' she demanded hotly.

'We need to split up.'