Author's Note: This is my first fanfic, so I appreciate any constructive criticism. I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine, but I tried to get it as perfect as possible. I am labeling this complete right now, but I am debating making this into a series w/ each chapter over a different episode.

Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly.

Spoilers: The first series of the re-vamped show. Really just the first and last episodes.

Reflections of a Time-Traveling Box

She was old, older than he even. And while he had "borrowed" her from another, her original pilot, she had somehow always belonged to him. Old or young, hair or none, he was her Doctor, and she took care of him, celebrating his successes and mourning his losses right alongside the Time Lord that loved her. When he laughed, her lights were always brighter. When he was hungry, the kitchen always managed to be right around the corner. The TARDIS was mother, sister and friend. That soft presence in the back of his mind that poked and nudged him when needed and at times offered the only comfort he would accept.

When the dark Doctor with the funny ears cried for his lost race and for the blood on his hands, her soft humming wove around him like a comforting embrace. She sought to bring relief, to stop the downward cycle of her Time Lord, who had seen and done too much and who refused to reach out for fear he'd lose again.

The TARDIS began to realize she that she was going to need help. He had been alone except for her for much too long and he was in a place so dark even she couldn't reach him. At this rate he would get himself killed for real, and that was not acceptable. Not on her watch. But there was hope, she saw it even when he couldn't. He needed a shock to the system, and she knew exactly what it should be. She saw opportunity in the golden girl, the rose blooming in London in the twenty-first century. The one the con man would declare was worth fighting for. The one who would look into her heart and become a force more terrifying than the Doctor himself, though she doubt he'd ever be willing to admit that. Yes, she'd lose this Doctor, but first the girl would save him, and that was the only thing that mattered right now.

Getting him there wouldn't be a problem. He barely paid attention to where or when she went anymore. She could drop him in the middle of a bloody revolution and he'd barely blink. Luckily it seemed the girl in question was a magnet for trouble, the TARDIS took a moment to appreciate how perfect that made her for the too often bored Doctor. Something was happening around the girl, and he needed to be there to save her. He needed to be there because the TARDIS was absolutely sure he'd see exactly what she did in the British shop girl who was so much more.

The TARDIS lights flickered in her version of a chuckle as she realized how easy it was going to be for the Doctor to find the girl, she had wandered straight into the heart of the problem. She loved when a plan came together, humming as she set herself down in the proper place and nudged the Doctor out for some "fresh air."

/

It was a subdued TARDIS that took the Doctor away when the girl refused. She had thought, she really had, that this girl would be the one. A spark had ignited in the Doctor's eyes, fueled by a close call with death and admiration for the ingenuity of the little human girl and the TARDIS had begun to hope.

But it was already fading, the light in his eyes was returning to the dull sheen she'd been desperate to rid him of. It wasn't fair, the rose was supposed to save him, was supposed to light his way when the TARDIS couldn't. Hmm, now she was whining like a child. Her, a centuries old time-traveling box built by arguably the most brilliant, and truly the most arrogant race the universe had ever seen. This was unacceptable.

No.

The Doctor stopped in his tracks, his slouched shoulders straightening imperceptibly. It had been a while since the TARDIS had put the effort into speaking, normally their psychic connection needed no words. The Doctor winced, normally he was a little bit better about chatting with the old girl; he'd just been so tired.

What was that?

No. She is special. Ask again.

Confusion laced the Doctor's features. Yes, the TARDIS was not exactly quiet when it came to her opinions on his companions, but she never picked them. Or maybe she did, and he had never noticed, that was definitely a thought for another time.

Why?

She is special, she needs you, you need her. Ask again.

The TARDIS was getting a tad annoyed. Normally he wasn't this thick, and this was more important than any time before. She added the 'she needs you' part because this one had a bit of Earth's medieval honor in him, couldn't leave the damsel in distress behind, at least that's what she was counting on.

The Doctor flinched, he wasn't sure how anyone could need him right now. He wasn't exactly in top form, but the bit about needing the girl needled him. She was just a human, if 'just' was a word that could be used with Rose Tyler. She was special, any idiot could see that. The TARDIS snorted at 'idiot' and he took the time to shove a bit of his annoyance her way. Couldn't let the TARDIS get too full of herself, but maybe she had a point, this time anyway.

Interfering old girl? Well, I suppose you deserve a bit of input into who you're stuck with. Just this once at least. Any advice?

I'm a time-traveling box, you'll come up with something.

The Doctor ignored the smug tone of the TARDIS and popped his head out the door as soon as they landed again.

The smirk on the Doctor's face after Rose agreed to travel with them warmed the TARDIS' circuits. He was back. Rose was coming with them and he was back. She was graciously choosing to ignore the 'just this once' part of his statement in her happiness. His next shower was going to be this side of glacial though, couldn't let him get too full of himself after all.