Disclaimer: I do not own the Doctor, Rose or the TARDIS; though I wish like hell that I did. I must also apologise to anyone who is reading this and thinking "Hey, that sounds just like my fanfic!" I read other fan fics in order to gain inspiration for my own. I did/do not intend to lift or copy anyone else's storylines or characters.

Credits: Many thanks to the following people for much inspiration - occultmagic, YamiKITG, Ark Led, Ineluctability, king cogidubnus, moonbean, Smego Baggins, EbonyBeach, FireOpal.

Deep

Prologue

The corridor was dimly lit by flickering torches hung on the wall, which cast playful shadows in the gloom. A scrawny looking boy, dressed in a grubby tunic, stood outside the Chancellor's chamber, his head pressed up against the door, listening intently to what was going on inside.

"And you're saying that you have no idea where he is?" said the frustrated voice of the Chancellor.

"No sir. We've searched the whole city. No one has seen him," replied the guard. The boy smiled knowingly.

The Chancellor collapsed into his seat, cradling his head in his hands. "This is all too much, Marcus. I mean, we are supposed to be hosting one of the biggest planetary events of the year, and the heir to the throne goes missing," he said frowning. Marcus nodded in response. When the Chancellor regained his composure, he poured himself a large glass of a dark liquid, from a decanted on his table, and downed it in one. He pulled a face, and Marcus chuckled.

"I shall inform you immediately of any changes in the circumstances," he said to the Chancellor, before bowing stiffly and turning abruptly towards the door.

The boy quickly ducked behind one of the ornate pillars supporting the great stone building, as he heard foot steps approaching the door. Marcus stepped out, checked that the corridor was clear, and marched off down towards the steps at the end of the passage.

The boy re-emerged from behind the stone column. His eyes twinkled with excitement.

They have no idea.

Chapter 1

Rose sat in the TARDIS, winding a strand of hair around her finger. She looked up at the Doctor, who was rapidly tapping coordinates into the computer, with a frustrated expression on his face.

"What is it?" she asked. She didn't get an answer. Beginning to get impatient, Rose got up from where she had been sitting on the platform. She walked over to the Doctor and peered over his shoulder, trying to see what he was looking at. On the screen was a 3-d map of a planet.

"Where's that?" she asked pointing to the rotating sphere on the monitor.

"Theodrian Coinadra," replied the Doctor.

"Theo what?"

"Doesn't matter." Rose frowned. She hated it when she couldn't pronounce something and he could. She tried to sound the name out phonetically.

"Theo…theo-dri-an-coin-a-dra?" The Doctor nodded, "Yes!" Rose shouted as she jumped up and down. The Doctor grinned at her. It reminded him of the time that she finally managed to pronounce Raxacoricofallapatorius.

"So, is that where we're going then?"

"Yep," he replied, "the year 5042 or there abouts."

"And why are we going there?"

"The capital, Xanadi, is holding some sort of event. I thought that we'd go and check it out," replied the Doctor casually.

Rose walked behind the Doctor and climbed up into his chair. She tucked her legs underneath her as she watched him work. After a while, she started yawning. She felt as if she hadn't slept for days. As she listened to the gentle humming of the TARDIS, she felt her eyelids getting heavy. Sleep washed over her.

The Doctor, meanwhile, was becoming restless. He turned to Rose.

"Could you just – " he stopped when her saw her curled up in his seat, her face bathed in the blue-green light of the central column. Rose. He went over to her, and stroked her face. She stirred. He took off his jacket and covered her with it. As he did, she snuggled into the comforting warmth and smell of the leather. The Doctor leant over her and kissed her softly on the forehead; then he turned back to the console.

Rose woke to discover the TARDIS shaking violently.

"What's happening?"

"We're entering the planet's atmosphere," replied the Doctor.

"Oh. That'll explain all the turbulence then," commented Rose as she clumsily got up from the chair. She watched the time rotor move rapidly up and down.

"Come on, come on," murmured the Doctor as he studied the computer screen, whilst pulling various levers, and pressing the odd button. There was a thud as the TARDIS landed on the ground.

"Ready then?" asked the Doctor. Rose smiled and nodded to him in reply.