Author's Note: This was written as a character exploration and fits within my 'Stranger Than Fiction' AU. Co-written with sss979.

Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to Doctor Who or characters associated with it.


The music coming from the control room - or rather, the beat of it that was vibrating the walls - was distracting. Rose hadn't even realized that the walls could vibrate like that. It had to be coming from the control room, but all the way down the hall, around the corner, and to the left to the fourth door on the right, she could hear the beat from her lounge chair by the pool. Curious, she set her book aside and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her waist in spite of the fact that her bathing suit had dried off some time ago. Running a hand through her still-damp hair to shake it out, she padded barefoot down the hallway, listening with interest as she came closer and made out the song.

The Doctor was at the console, not under it. Head bobbing just slightly in time with the heavy beat, he was studying the scanner with intense interest. He didn't even notice her as she came in.

"Doctor?"

She knew she wouldn't be heard, but she tried anyway. Then she came closer and waved to get his attention. He looked up and smiled, immediately returning his eyes to the screen, reaching out to the volume knob.

"Sorry. Bothering you?"

She raised a brow, amused. The music was still loud, but at least they could hear each other. "You know, I never would've taken you for a Rob Zombie fan."

He smirked, but didn't look up at her. "Great music to have sex to."

She blinked, surprised. The loud music must have made her hear that wrong. "What?"

"You heard me." He took his eyes away from the screen just long enough to flash her a perfect - and completely innocent - smile.

She opened her mouth to speak and immediately closed it, having no idea where to start. There he was, admittedly listening to music that's great to have sex to, flashing her a smile that did... things to her, and he was clueless. Taking a deep breath, she took a couple steps forward as she blew it out.

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Why not?"

He was looking at the screen again. But as she approached, still barefoot, she saw nothing of any particular interest. At least, nothing she could read. Whatever he was looking at, it was written in the same circle script as his scribbles on the sticky notes posted on the edge of the monitor. Her whole body vibrated from the bass pumping through the room. She could feel it from the soles of her feet, all the way to the thumping in her chest and the way her vision blurred just slightly. Good thing that if he blew her eardrums out with this, the TARDIS could fix them.

"So did you just randomly pick out songs, or is there a 'Songs to Have Sex To' playlist in the TARDIS?"

"Could be."

"Seriously?"

He smirked.

She frowned, but it was short lived. She couldn't help grinning back at him. It was infectious. Besides, as strange as it was that he was listening to it, she could see - or rather, feel - he had a point. This music wasn't really her style either... but it made her think all sorts of things. Of course, that smirk he was wearing with the tousled hair and the slightly wild look in his eye didn't help.

"Is it all this loud and fast?"

"Find out."

He nodded to the little screen embedded in the console - the backup for the systems interface if anything happened to the main monitor that the scanner worked from. He'd told her that once before. She was learning her way around the TARDIS quite fluently...

Scrolling through, she found everything from classical to hard rock to music she was sure came from other planets. She found one that sounded like nothing but Morris Code, causing her to raise a brow at the Doctor - who only continued to grin - before moving on. Smiling, she stopped on an artist that had been a favorite of hers during her clubbing days.

"Oh, Pink! I love her!"

He glanced sideways at her, and as if he was just seeing her for the first time, raised a brow at her "outfit".

"You're not planning on going out like that, are you?

She couldn't tell if the way his eyes raked her was deliberate or accidental, or if it had more to do with his question or the music genre coming from the TARDIS walls all around them. She returned his raised brow.

"I was by the pool in the library when I was practically vibrated out of my chair." She took a step toward him, slowly running her hand along the console. "Why? We goin' somewhere?"

He turned to face her, swinging the monitor aside. "Well, I can think of at least a hundred places we probably shouldn't go unless we want to be arrested on charges of indecency. Capitol offense on some planets." He leaned his hip on the console, arms crossed loosely as his gaze raked her again, a bit more blatantly this time.

Placing a hand on her hip, she cocked her head to one side and smiled, tongue between her teeth, allowing her eyes to travel the long distance up and down his body before meeting his gaze.

"See something you like, then?"

"Maybe." He took a half step forward, grabbed the towel tucked around her waist, and pulled it free. Then he smirked at her again as he returned to his pose against the console. "There, that's better."

Gasping at the sudden chill of the air and his audacity, she made a grab for the towel, though she knew he wouldn't give it back. Giving a mock glare, she put her fists on both hips. "Not fair! Do you have any idea how chilly it is in here?"

His eyes lingered on her top as he held the towel behind him, out of her reach. He was grinning like the cat that ate the canary. "Yes, I can see how chilly it is."

Taking a couple of steps, she closed the gap between them. Folding her hands behind her back, she smiled up at him. "May I please have my towel back before I turn into a Smurf?"

His smirk softened a bit, into a more relaxed smile, and he swung the towel around her shoulders. Still holding the ends of it, he pulled her close, until her body was flush against his.

"It's not really that cold in here, is it?"

Sliding her arms loosely around his waist, she nodded, pouting slightly. "Yes, not that you'd notice with all these layers." Gently pulling the back of his shirt out of his trousers, she slid her hands onto his lower back.

He tensed slightly at the cool fingers on warm skin, then let one hand drift to her hip, trailing lightly over the edge of the bathing suit, watching her eyes. Then he smiled broadly, stepped back, and he was suddenly gone, leaving her holding the towel. He shrugged his shoulders out of his jacket and tossed it to her as he walked to the other side of the console.

"So! Where do you want to go? Somewhere warm?"

Catching his jacket, she tossed it onto the jump seat and dropped the towel before following him around the console. Music still thumped through the room as she came up beside him and leaned back against the console until she was sure he could see her. Watching him, she realized he wasn't going to look at her. He wasn't going to get away with this. Not this time.

"Why do we have to go anywhere? I'm having plenty of fun right here."

He glanced at her - very definitely at her face - and raised a brow. "Night in?"

She heaved a very obvious deep breath - had she ever tried this hard with Mickey? - and shrugged. "Day, night, don't think it much matters."

Now he really did look confused.

Rose slumped against the console slightly, her head falling back in frustration. Blimey, he was hard work. This had better be worth it. Deciding on a new tactic, she stood and turned toward him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she turned him toward her, making his eyes meet hers.

"Doctor, we're on a timeship; as you've reminded me several times, there is no day or night in here. So, it doesn't much matter if it's a day or night in," she slid her arms around his neck as she stepped into him. "Just as long as it's with you."

He tipped his head back and laughed. "Oh, that's it?" He smirked at her, setting his hands on her hips lightly. "Is my music having an effect on you?" He could never quite be rid of that egotistical "Time Lord" tone when he said things like that. But there was nothing mocking or offensive in the look he was giving her.

She smiled. "Yeah, but it's not the only thing." She stood on tiptoes and brushed her lips across his. "You weren't exactly shy about the way you were lookin' at me."

"Hmm." He tipped his head back just slightly breaking the contact. "You're worth looking at."

She couldn't help the blush that she was sure went clear down to her toes. Licking her lips, she smirked slightly. "You're not so bad yourself." She cringed internally; was that really the best she could come up with?

He smiled and finally leaned in closer to kiss her. But it was only a tease. He pulled away before she had a chance to pursue it and nuzzled her affectionately. "Would you like a closer look?"

She raised a brow, not sure exactly where he was going with that question. Any normal, human bloke, she'd know it was a pickup line. But knowing the Doctor, if she said yes, he may just take a few steps back, do a twirl, then go back to piloting the TARDIS. Swallowing, she nodded slowly, her eyes on his.

Holding her gaze, he smiled with that look that always made her wonder what he was thinking. Then he found her hands with his and moved them from behind his neck, over his shoulders, down his chest. He used her hands to finish pulling his shirt free from his slacks. The smirk on his lips said he knew a secret. The look in his glittering eyes suggested that he might just be willing to share it with her. His tongue ran over the edge of his teeth, and he left her hands with his bunched up shirt as he ran his fingertips lightly up her sides, barely touching her skin.

"Keep your eyes on mine."

Clenching his shirt tightly, her breath hitched as his fingers ghosted over her skin. A shiver ran down her, but it had nothing to do with the chilliness of the room.

He smirked, eyes locked on hers as he traced the edge of her top, between her breasts, up to the straps that went over her shoulders. His touch was feather-light, barely firm enough to feel.

"You smell good."

Her voice caught in her throat. "Ta. So do you." A mix of her hearts and the bass from the music thrummed in her head. She had no idea what the song was. Didn't matter. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes never leaving his, still wondering what was going through his head.

"Do you want to see?"

Unable to find her voice now, all she could do was nod. She didn't know what he was going to do, but she did know that if he left her hanging now, he was in for one hell of a slap.

He moved his hands slowly from her shoulders to her temples, never breaking that steady, intimate eye contact. Then, suddenly, he was there. In her mind, behind her eyes. The sensation was overwhelming, almost painful. It made her dizzy and disoriented, and she staggered a step back on instinct alone, nearly tripping. But he followed, sliding an arm around her back to support her.

"Easy... Don't look away." He waited for her to regain her balance as she fought her way through the distinctly unpleasant sensation of confusion and overload.

Her eyes grew wide but never left his, mostly because she was afraid of what might happen if they did. Her hands twisted into his shirt more, as much for comfort as support. Breathing ragged, she waited to see what he did next.

"That's it..." He was watching her eyes for an indication of her tolerance. As he withdrew slowly, the confusion faded and she relaxed. He smiled. She could still feel him there, pricking at the edge of her senses. But the feeling was no longer unpleasant. A brief image flashed across her mind of a creature she'd never seen and she knew, instinctively, that the thought was not her own. The Doctor smiled as he watched her reaction. "Better?"

She blinked a few times and swallowed. "Yeah. Wow. What'd you do?"

"Just trying to find the right pathway. Preferably a nice narrow one." He smiled as he moved his hand slowly down to her neck, caressing gently, eyes still on hers. "I don't need you passing out on me."

She smiled, almost in a state of euphoria. She still had no idea what he'd done, but now that the initial pain and confusion had subsided, it was actually rather pleasant.

"Wouldn't do much for the mood, would it?"

"Now." He dropped his head a fraction and smiled at her. "You were wondering what was on my mind." Before she had a chance to question him, that space in her head that had been suddenly and completely consumed by him was full of images - her and him, hands and mouths and sounds of ecstasy, darkness and bright light, and at least one flash of his fingers wrapped through the grate of the floor she could feel beneath her feet. She could feel the intensity of that image more than she could see it. A feeling like release, a wash of pure pleasure. The Doctor was smiling at her darkly.

Letting go of his shirt, one hand wrapped around his tie, pulling him down to her as she crashed her lips into his, while the other snaked up into his hair and tugged hard. She ran the tip of her tongue along his lips, demanding entry.

He smiled into the kiss, pulling her lower lip between his teeth. She could feel his satisfaction as he moved his hands slowly up the center of her back. And she could feel him prodding into her mind, poking at her fantasies as their tongues swirled together.

As her hands worked to divest him of tie and shirt, she let him see all the things she'd imagined them doing on those lonely 'nights': her back pressed against the console, buttons and switches leaving their mark as he left his; on her knees on the jump seat, knuckles white as she gripped the back of it, moans and screams echoing off the walls. And that was just this room. There was the pool, her legs wrapped around him, hands buried in his hair. And don't even get her started on the many uses of a ridiculously long scarf she'd found in the wardrobe. Before she knew it, his shirt was gone and her hands had moved to the clasp on his trousers. She pulled away from their kiss and started making a trail along his jaw and down his neck, scraping her teeth across his throat.

He laughed darkly. "You've kept your imagination quite busy, haven't you?" He turned and pushed her back towards the jump seat, pulling the tie that held her top and cupping his hands around her breasts.

She gave a short laugh as she made her way back up his neck and pulled his ear into her mouth, nibbling slightly. "You're one to talk. And here I thought I was the only one with a dirty mind."

Falling onto the jump seat as her legs hit it, she looked up at him and grinned evilly as she tugged his trousers down. Eyes never leaving his, she ran her hands up the backs of his thighs, grazing them with her nails. As her hands reached his bum, she cocked an amused eyebrow.

"Commando, eh? I had you pegged for a boxer brief kinda guy."

He grinned. "That makes twice in one night you were wrong about me."

Smirking, she wrapped her hand around his shaft, slowly stroking it and running her thumb over the tip. "Be kinda boring if I knew everything about ya, wouldn't it?"

His eyes rolled back and he groaned softly. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that." Claiming her mouth with his again, he curled his fingers under the edge of her bottoms and she lifted her hips as he pulled them down. As soon as they hit the floor, he set his hands on her knees and pulled back to look at her as he opened her legs wide, almost to the point of pain. Cool air hit her heat, and the fact that his eyes were locked on hers did very little to cover the exposed feeling that filled her.

He laughed quietly, leaning forward and brushing her ear with his lips. "You like that, don't you? Wide open and waiting for me to fill you..."

Running her hands up his chest, fingers splaying through the soft hair, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, hooking one leg over a hip. Lips on his again, tongues sliding against each other, she buried her hands in his hair, making sure he knew just how much she loved to do that.

He groaned at her touch, leaning against her hand as he pulled her hips forward and slid easily into her heat. The wash of sensation - hers and his flowing together in her confused mind - made her dizzy for a moment. But unlike before, this wasn't the least bit unpleasant.

Gasping, her eyes rolled up as her head fell back, nails digging into his scalp. Wrapping her leg tighter around him, she arched her back, rocking her hips to match his rhythm. One hand slipped out of his hair to grasp onto the front of the seat, giving herself better leverage.

He rocked against her, in time with the music that was still echoing off the high ceiling, setting a slow, steadily building rhythm. He watched her eyes as he thrust into her, drawing from her pleasure and feeding her his own. But then his eyes rolled back as muscles in his abs tightened involuntarily, pressing him deeper into her, and he moaned her name.

"Oh...god..." Pushing up into him, the pain of the grating digging into the sole of her foot somehow adding to the pleasure, she clenched around him, eliciting a deep growl that resonated through her head.

He released inside of her with a cry, and she felt the explosion of beautiful, blissful sensation in her mind. He buried his face in her neck as he ground his hips on hers, breathlessly whispering her name over and over as his weight rested heavier against her.

Wrapping her arms around him and letting her leg drop, she took deep breaths as they both came down. Eyes closed, she nuzzled against him, reveling in the afterglow.

His breath was hot against her neck as he braced himself on the jump seat, careful not to crush her. As if on cue, the song ended and a much more mellow, relaxing melody played around them. The Doctor smiled.

"Feel good?"

Her eyes opened slowly as a lazy smile spread across her face. "'Good' is a bit of an understatement. Bloody brilliant is more like it. You?"

He laughed softly. "I think so." He pulled away slowly, and nuzzled her before kissing along her cheekbone to the bridge of her nose. She felt him slowly receding from her mind, hands moving slowly along the outside of her thighs. "I love you."