Disclaimer: Doctor Who is not mine. I am only a fan with an overactive imagination.
Two. That was the number of times the Doctor had kissed his pink and yellow companion, Rose Tyler. The first time had been just before his last regeneration. But Rose had been under the influence of the time vortex and would therefore not remember the feeling of his lips against hers. The second kiss happened on New Earth in the hospital. But Cassandra had infiltrated Rose's body and the kiss had come from her, not Rose. So technically in both instances he had kissed Rose, but also not. And because of this he often wondered what a real kiss from Rose Tyler would be like.
At the moment that these thoughts were running through his head, the Doctor was tinkering with the TARDIS and said kissable companion was dozing in a chair. He looked up at her, cocking an eyebrow. He could just do it. Walk over, cup her face in his hands, and plant one on her. But that would just be like the others; kissing Rose, but not kissing Rose. No, if he was going to kiss her she was going to be awake. He stopped with his toying and walked confidently over to where she slept.
Only a few steps away he stopped abruptly and his eyes went wide.
"No!" he accidentally shouted. He clapped a hand over his mouth as Rose began to stir.
"Doctor?" she croaked. Her mind was still groggy with sleep and her eyes struggled to stay open.
"Oh, uh, hello," he laughed nervously. "Good to see you awake. You need something?"
"You were shoutin'. Are you okay?" She stretched out, her limbs stiff and cracking. The Doctor internally slapped himself for his foolishness.
"Yes, yes, perfectly fine. More than fine. Better," he rushed. She smiled sleepily before nestling back into a comfortable position. The Doctor sighed heavily before resigning to kneel down in front of Rose, grasping her hand and stroking his thumb over hers.
"Rose," he whispered, gazing at her beautiful face.
"Mmm," she acknowledged without opening her eyes. The Doctor cupped her cheek with his other hand and leaned in to join his thin lips with her plush ones. This one was not passionate like the second kiss, but more like the first, though this time he could feel her lips pushing back slightly on his. It was very nice. When he pulled away she grinned lightly in her sleep. The Doctor grinned too.
"Mickey," Rose murmured. Grin gone. Face in a pout, the Doctor let go of her hand and moped back to the flashing lights and buttons he had been messing with.
"Third time most definitely not the charm," he muttered to himself, picking up on where he had left off. But then a thought occurred to him, a thought that caused his lips to pull up into a smile.
"Looks like an opportunity to try again another day."
If you liked this, go check out the sequel, One More Time With Feeling! Constructive criticism is always helpful. Thanks!