Title: Women

Rating: K

Summary: Set post School Reunion and during Series Three. The Doctor learns that his companions are hard to please.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I only saw the Christmas special a few days ago!

Author's Note: This is a little idea that I've had for a while. It's a bit OOC, and possibly AU since I don't know what happens in Series Four (don't tell me!).

Women

While Mickey was off exploring the TARDIS, the Doctor tried to distract Rose.

"So where do you want to take Mickey for his first trip?" he asked casually. "Antarctica? Barcelona? I never did take you to Barcelona…"

"Doctor," said Rose seriously. "We need to talk." The Doctor gulped.

"Right," he said. "About what?"

"I think you know," said Rose. "Yesterday I found out that I wasn't the first. That this thing you do – taking people on board and travelling with them – is something that you've been doing for a long time before you met me." The Doctor nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?" The Doctor scratched his head.

"I never really thought it would enter into conversation," he admitted. "I didn't think you really needed to know."

"Didn't need to know?!" exclaimed Rose. "Didn't need to know that I wasn't special? Didn't need to know that you do this sort of thing all the time? Didn't need to know that when I'm gone, you're just going to forget about me?" Rose blinked back the tears that were coming to her eyes, while the Doctor looked on. Once it was clear that Rose couldn't go on, he held her arms and looked into her eyes.

"Rose, listen to me," he said. "You are special. And while each of my companions has been special in their own way, that doesn't make you any less special. I love having you here and spending time with you. And just because I never mentioned Sarah Jane doesn't mean I forgot about her, just like when we part, I'll never forget about you." Rose sniffed and looked up at the Doctor.

"I just need you to tell me these things," she said through her tears. "I don't want to be taken for a ride."

"Metaphorically speaking, I take it," said the Doctor. Rose let out a small laugh and nodded.

"If you could be more honest with me, it would mean a lot to me," she continued. "I want to know about your other companions. I don't want to think I'm the only one if I'm not. Is that okay?" The Doctor nodded.

"Of course Rose," he said. He then enveloped Rose in a hug. As he held her, he swore to himself that he'd never make this mistake again.

"Well, wasn't that fun Martha?" said the Doctor as they got back from an alien planet.

"I would have preferred somewhere a bit more tropical," admitted Martha. "Like, with a temperature above freezing point?" The Doctor smiled to himself.

"Rose used to say things like that," he said. "She liked the warmth of the sun on her skin. You should have seen the number of bikinis she had…"

"I can imagine," murmured Martha. "And I'm sure she's not the only one who doesn't like to be frozen stiff."

"Well, that's true," confessed the Doctor. "I remember one time with Sarah Jane. We'd been planning on going to the beach, she had her swimmers on and everything, then we arrive on this desolate planet with dry freezing winds. She yelled at me about it for hours afterwards."

"Uh huh," said Martha. There was silence for a few moments, then the Doctor spoke.

"Jamie's legs must have gotten quite cold," he stated.

"Huh?" asked a confused Martha.

"When we arrived in Tibet," said the Doctor, as if it was obvious. "And I don't even know if he had anything on underneath that kilt…"

"Alright Doctor, enough!" cried Martha. The Doctor's eyes widened.

"Something the matter?" he asked timidly.

"Yes!" exclaimed Martha. "I'm tired of hearing about all your previous companions! It's like you don't even care that I exist!"

"What do you mean Martha? Of course I care," said the Doctor.

"Well you've got a funny way of showing it!" continued Martha. "It's always Sarah Jane this or Romana that, and Rose, Rose, Rose! I get that you travelled with other people. You don't need to keep reminding me! Besides, I don't want to think about it. Sometimes I just want to imagine that I'm the only one and this is my special privilege. You wouldn't like me to rave on all the time about my ex-boyfriends, would ya?" The Doctor bit his lip.

"Martha, we're not…" he began.

"I know, believe me," said Martha. "But it's the same idea. Now if you don't mind, I'm off to have a nice hot shower." With that, she left. Meanwhile, the Doctor just stood there scratching his head.

This is impossible! he thought. Rose wanted me to be honest, Martha doesn't want to know about it, so what am I supposed to do? As he struggled with his dilemma, he could only say one thing.

"Women."

The End

Hope you liked it! I don't know if I'll be posting anything in the near future, as I've got trials after the holidays.