Whelp, I'm at it again. This is an idea I had for several months and now I've gotten around to getting out of my head. 'New Beginnings' should hopefully be updated soon, but this story has kind of eaten up quite a bit of my attention lately.

Story takes place sometime after 'The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit'.

As always, I don't own Doctor Who.

The jungle was calm. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees casting everything in a greenish light. Birdsong and the incessant buzzing of insects filled the air.

Then all was silent.

An unusual wind picked up ruffling the plant life, causing birds and other wildlife to scatter. A few stray leaves were picked up and tossed around.

The sound of metal against metal cut sharply through the air. An eerie wheezing, groaning noise that stopped almost as abruptly as it started as a blue wooden box that would have looked more at home on a street corner in London in the 1950's phased into existence.

The sounds of jungle life resumed as the door to the box opened and Rose Tyler stepped out, her jovial smile fading into a confused and slightly exasperated expression.

"Doctor, I don't think this is Barcelona, either."

"What?" A male voice called out from inside the doors. The Doctor popped his head out the door and frowned. "But I double – no – TRIPLE checked this time!" He retreated back into the surprisingly cavernous depths of his box and circled the TARDIS console trying to figure out why they had once again landed in the wrong place. He really wanted to bring Rose to the planet Barcelona. He'd been promising since before he regenerated and really wanted to get it right for once. He just wanted something more on the relaxing side, especially after some of their recent adventures. They both needed a bit of a break, and Barcelona was supposed to provide it. But it just wasn't happening. The TARDIS seemed to have a mind of Her own lately (well, She was sentient after all) and landing them where they didn't intend to be wasn't helping his sour mood. It was supposed to be perfect! He had actually planned something for once. Well, tried to at any rate. More fair to say he had an idea of what he wanted to do.

He flipped some switches with more force than was strictly necessary and started up a diagnostic on the internal circuitry and found nothing. No fault. He had indeed punched in the correct Space/Time co-ordinates for Barcelona in the year 5006 but they'd somehow landed elsewhere.

"What are you up to, eh?" The Doctor grumbled at the TARDIS. "Why can't you just listen to me for once?" His ship stayed resolutely silent, save for the small electrical shock She gave him when he reached for another control panel to re-set the co-ordinates. He quickly jerked his hand back with an unmanly yelp and placed one slightly singed finger in his mouth. Oh, She was really testing his patience today!

The sound of Rose's laughter reached his ears along with her calling: "C'mon, Doctor you have to see this!" and he sighed. Okay, so they'd missed Barcelona. Again! But something about this place made Rose happy. Maybe that's why the TARDIS brought them here. Rose seemed to have a special connection to his ship, especially since she looked into the heart of Her. He walked towards the doors and grabbed his large brown overcoat he had hung haphazardly over one of the coral struts and shrugged it on before walking outside.

Just as he reached the door, however, he had to grab on to it's edges as he suddenly felt off balance. It wasn't just a shift in his equilibrium. It was far deeper and something that could only happen to him. Something was pulling at his time-sense! He tried to focus inward to pinpoint exactly what it was, but as soon as he felt like he was getting close, the feeling stopped.

He took several deep breaths to center himself. That was just weird. But not completely unheard of. It wasn't uncommon for him to feel such disturbances when he knew when time was in flux, but this one just hit him like a ton of bricks.

He also hadn't slept for nearly three weeks, which could also explain it to a degree. That was pushing it, even for him. Maybe when this trip was over he would get some well needed shut-eye.

"You comin' then?" Rose called again.

"Yeah!" He finally exited the TARDIS and ambled over to her.

This place was beautiful, he noted somewhat absently. The verdant plant life was punctuated by fragrant and colourful flowers. And bugs. Like the large mosquito buzzing in front of his nose that he promptly swatted away. Rose was laughing and pointing at a huge purple blossom twice the size of her head.

"Ever see a flower this big before? It's gigantic!"

That seemed to snap him out of his funk.

"Ooh! That's a Juujii flower! Incredibly rare! They're only found on one planet: Qatruccia. We've gone way out!" The Doctor finally cracked a smile as he came up to inspect the flower closer. Throwing his dark-rimmed glasses on, he focused on the petals a moment and pointed to movement deeper inside. "And look at that! A colony of Parrapal ants. Absolutely fascinating creatures! They have a really complicated social structure that rivals that of some civilised planets! And they're just itty-bitty bugs driven by instinct! Isn't that amazing?" Rose just nodded knowing full well he was in full geeky lecture mode and probably wouldn't grant her a word in edgewise. And he did indeed ramble on with hardly any hesitation, or even a breath of air for that matter.

"They also share a symbiotic relationship with the plant. Y'see, the ants live inside it collecting food for themselves from the surrounding area – they're impressive gatherer's and can carry seven-hundred percent their own body weight in one go. Kind of like you do after running around a shopping centre with an unlimited credit stick and my psychic paper… or rather me as you get me to be your… um… carrier… y'know me bein' all… manly and whatever… – and the flower uses some of the food the ants bring it to boost its… its… Rose, you're staring at me." He trailed off his ninety-mile-per-hour rambling as he finally noticed that Rose giving him a funny look.

"Nothin'." Rose smirked at him. "Just you."

"What about me?" Straightening his posture, he removed his glasses and went to adjust his tie, before remembering he wasn't wearing one that day as it was, as he dubbed it 'No Tie Tuesday' (even though it was technically Friday, and frankly he couldn't be fussed with a tie that day anyway). He settled for running his hand roughly through his hair before stuffing his hands into pockets of his pinstriped trousers. Rose regarded him for a few moments longer with a funny glint in her eye.

"It's just… I mean, one moment you're pouting because we landed off course and the next you're beaming away and givin' me an surprise lesson on alien flowers and the little bugs that live inside 'em. And oh by the way: you volunteered to carry my bags as I recall." She pointed and laughed at him and he just rolled his eyes and tugged nervously at his ear.

"Only 'cause you looked like you were going to collapse under all that… that… stuff!" Rose laughed even harder at his indignation.

"Anyways, it's so daft and crazy and why I love…" she dropped her gaze from his momentarily and bit her lip. "Why I love travelling with you." She finished in a rush, her heart hammering uncomfortably in her chest and her cheeks feeling slightly too warm. She looked back up at him and hoped he didn't notice her tripping over her words.

A slow genuine grin spread across his face that didn't stop until they crinkled the corners of his eyes.

"Me too."

Rose had always felt there was this something simmering beneath the surface between them since day one. An easy friendship developed quickly between them. They had their occasional argument, especially when he was all Northern and brooding. Harsh words were thrown about and once he even threatened to leave her behind in 1987! But they always made up as neither one of them seemed capable of staying mad at the other for very long. They were the best of friends. But recently, maybe something more? Perhaps? It couldn't just be her imagination.

Could it?

After a lot of coaxing, and a bit of flustered explanation from on his part, Rose finally learned the full circumstances surrounding his regeneration. He literally kissed the time vortex out of her after she absorbed it! What was she supposed to do with this information? When she had Cassandra running amok in her and used her body to snog him senseless (which didn't count in her mind), she recalled hearing his "yeah, still got it!" remark quite clearly.

Then there was what happened in Rome, the only time he made any kind of move on her since regenerating. They didn't talk about that one. Even if it was a spur of the moment release of pure gratitude because she saved his life when he was truly helpless, Rose hoped it reflected how he truly felt about her.

Plus, she couldn't help but notice how the Doctor just pulled her into hugs for seemingly no reason whatsoever and held her hand when they walked, or more often ran. They did that since they first met. But ever since they found themselves on the impossible planet orbiting a black hole and their encounter with a creature that called itself the Devil, Rose felt there had been a subtle unspoken shift in their relationship. Their hugs lasted just a bit longer than strictly necessary and they held on just a bit tighter. He held her hand slightly different too. It wasn't the palm-to-palm grip she had gotten used to. He slotted his fingers between her own now and his thumb would often caress hers. It was different. Good different, if she wanted to be honest.

He was still gazing at her with that goofy grin on his face. The same one he always had even before he changed. Must be a 'Doctor' thing she reasoned.

"So then, Rose Tyler!" (Oh, and there was the way he would pronounce her name that always sent shivers down her spine! Yup, definitely added to her list!) "Fancy a look around?" He waggled his eyebrows at her and predictably offered his hand to her, wiggling his fingers invitingly.

"I think I would, Doctor." Rose affected a posh accent and gave him her signature tongue touched smile as she interlaced his fingers with her own, and he started walking with her in a random direction. "Bit humid here though…" she commented, suddenly noticing how her hair had gone slightly frizzy.

"Weeeell, we're in a jungle after all. It's got to be…" Whatever the end of that sentence was is anyone's guess as an ear-piercing scream cut through the air causing them to jump. The Doctor broke out into a run in the direction it came from, dragging Rose behind him. The path through the trees was tricky. If it wasn't for the Doctor's strong grip on her hand she certainly would have tripped and fallen over the thick tree roots and vines scattered all over the ground.

Another scream, this time sounding even more urgent.

The Doctor skidded to a sudden halt as they entered a clearing and reached a river bank. He noted the murky fast moving water and caught Rose roughly around her waist before she tumbled in herself. He pushed her back away from the river as his eyes darted around trying to find a safe way across.

"There!" Rose pointed to a boulder sitting in the water. For a split second he looked at it blankly. How would that help? They couldn't jump to it from this side of the bank and… uh-oh! They may not be able to get there, but someone certainly found a way to get to it from the other side!

A terrified looking child stood atop the boulder staring at the fast moving water.

The Doctor quickly removed his overcoat and tossed it in Rose's general direction and bolted up the riverbank towards the trapped child. The water didn't look that deep to him and he began wading in, knee deep at first but then as he got closer to the boulder the water nearly came to his hips – easily deep enough to sweep this small child away. The child reached out to him, desperately grabbing hold of his wrist. The Doctor shook his head. He would need his hands to climb out of the water. Wrenching his hand out of her grip, he turned his back toward the child.

"Climb on!" He shouted over the din of crashing water. She seemed to hesitate. "Please! I can help you!" She then secured her arms around his neck and legs around his ribcage with surprising strength.

"Doctor!" Rose called out from the other side of the river. The side opposite from where they came from.

How did she…?

It didn't matter at that point. The Doctor took a small step towards Rose, then another and another, the child secured firmly on his back. Just when he thought he could make it without any difficulty he stepped into a stronger current that swept his feet out from under him. He was able to keep his head above water as he was carried several meters downstream, the child screaming the entire way. Screaming was fine at this point, even if it hurt his ears. It meant she was still there. Still alive. He grabbed onto a hanging vine and tried to climb it. But the current was too strong, and his hands slipped and he fell further into the river. The Doctor involuntarily gasped, but got a lungful of water instead. His foot once again made contact with the riverbed, and he thought he could stand, but his feet were once again swept out from under him. Now, fully submerged, he lost which way was up. He tried to engage his respiratory bypass to stay under long enough to get oriented, but the water he accidentally swallowed made it impossible. There was simply too much water in his lungs to make it work.

His hearts were pounding, and without his bypass he felt like his lungs were going to burst. Any moment now, he felt like he could black out.

Then, he felt pressure on his wrist and his entire body getting pulled against the current. He looked up, and saw a hand clamped around his arm.

Rose!

He reached out blindly and she grabbed his other hand as his head broke through the water. He coughed and sputtered a few moments as he exchanged the water in his lungs for precious oxygen. With Rose's help he climbed out of the water, slightly awkwardly as there was an unusual weight on his shoulders, and the sound of coughing in his ear that wasn't his.

The child!

Somehow, throughout that entire ordeal, she held on tight! Rose carefully extracted her from his back and settled her on the riverbank as the Doctor rested on his hands and knees still trying to get his breathing and heart rate back under control. He turned his head towards Rose and saw her tending to the little girl. Her skin was pale almost violet in colour, but her breathing was deep and steady, so that must've been her normal complexion.

The Doctor pulled himself into a seated position.

"You okay?" He asked, still slightly breathless, nodding towards the little girl, who still looked terrified. She bolted towards the Doctor and buried her face in his chest, grabbing fistfuls of his jacket and shirt and promptly started to cry.

"I guess that's a 'no' then." Rose sighed, "What's your name, sweetie?" The girl peeked up at her rescuers.

"Yarli." She hiccupped. "M' name's Yarli."

"Yarli, that's a lovely name." The Doctor replied, his voice gentle. "I'm the Doctor, and this is my good friend Rose. How'd you get to be out on that rock?"

She looked down shyly.

"Was chasing the metal man. My mummy says he's not real. But I saw him! I really did!"

The Doctor shared a worried glance with Rose. Metal man? Could be trouble. Just their kind of trouble, actually. Fantastic!

"You believe me, right?"

"Course we do!" The Doctor said a little too brightly, belying his worried thoughts. But it was enough to make Yarli finally smile. "But it's probably best you keep the chasing of metal men to the professionals, like me and Rose here. Don't want you getting swept away in the river now, do we?"

She shook her head vigorously.

"Where'd you come from?" Rose asked.

She pointed towards the sky.

"You came from up there?" Rose followed Yarli's finger and saw nothing but the canopy of trees above them. "Did you fall?"

"No. I'm from Gaart."

Rose shook her head fondly, but the Doctor's eyes widened in understanding. She wasn't from this world either.

"I meant, where are you living now? Your mummy must be worried about you."

Yarli pointed towards the trees and the Doctor saw smoke rising in the distance signalling some kind of settlement. He stood and the little girl grabbed his hand and started running towards the trees. His water filled trainers squeaked a bit as he began to run with her and Rose trailed along close behind.

More to come soon. Please review and tell me what you think so far. :)