All rights for Doctor Who are the BBC's. I own nothing.

AN: Inspired by that scene in Fear Her where Rose sees the cat... You know the scene!

"Look at him, Doctor," Rose raised the ginger cat, displaying him to the Doctor. For some reason, the cat didn't resist, though it meowed in disapproval. "How can you not love him?"

The Doctor looked back at the cat, pouting. Was it just his imagination, or the cat was just as fond of that idea as he was? The cat meowed again and the Doctor shook his head, still pouting.

"No," He said definitively, "We're definitely not taking that cat in."

"Come on, Doctor." Rose put him back down on the pavement, but the cat immediately moved to cuddle against her feet, looking up at her almost pleadingly. Rose bit her lower lip and looked up at the Doctor again, just as pleadingly as the cat looked at her. "Look at him. He's so alone."

"Yes, well, so was I," He grumbled unhappily, eyeing the cat suspiciously. "Besides, Rose, of course he's not alone! He's too fat to be a stray. You should know."

Rose frowned down at the cat, considering. "That's true," She admitted. "He doesn't really look like a stray. But he doesn't belong to anybody; look, he doesn't have a collar." The cat meowed again, and Rose immediately started petting him, mumbling soothingly, "Who's a pretty boy? Yes, you are. You are."

The Doctor winced. He hated that cat more and more with every minute that went by. "Maybe he just lost it," He mumbled, so quietly that Rose barely heard him. She rolled her eyes but didn't bother responding. "You know, I don't think the Tardis would like him," He added, brightening up as a new idea came to his mind.

But Rose wasn't moved. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind," She said, still focused on the cat, who was now purring happily as she scratched behind his ears. "You've taken in loads of creatures before; Sarah Jane told me."

Making a mental note to himself to strangle Sarah Jane the next time he sees her, the Doctor shook his head decisively, his voice turning darker. "No pets," He said for the third time in less than fifteen minutes. They've been arguing about it ever since Rose saw the bloody cat. "No pets in the Tardis. Ever."

"You wanted to bring that horse in," She reminded him before laughing when the cat licked her hand. She then looked up at him, her face once again pleading. "Please, Doctor? I'll look after him, I promise. You won't even notice him."

If it were up to him, the cat would've remained right there on Earth, where he belonged. But looking back at Rose, the Doctor knew he couldn't say no to her. Not even when the cat started meowing at him, saying smugly, "She likes me more than you." Not even when he wanted to throw the cat into a black hole.

Rose wanted him.

He sighed, giving up. "Fine," He said eventually. Rose squealed in delight, jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. The Doctor smiled to himself as he hugged her back. Maybe it was worth it after all.

He regretted bringing the cat in at least half a dozen times over the next four hours. As soon as the Doctor said yes, Rose picked the cat up and carried him to the Tardis. In the next few hours, everything she did was about the cat. She made him a collar, with the help of the Tardis – the Doctor sent her an annoyed mental shockwave, only to receive a stronger one in response – and his own bowl for food. She brought several blankets to her room and made up a tiny bed for the cat, right next to her own bed. She even asked the Doctor to make a stop at the nearest pet store, where she could get the cat some food.

All things considered, the Doctor was one hundred percent certain it was a mistake to let the bloody creature in.

"Rose, would you leave him alone already?" He asked, annoyed, as he stopped in the entrance to her room. He came to see if she wanted to go somewhere else, but she was still busy with the stupid cat, petting him and talking to him like he was her child.

"Why do you care so much?" She retorted, clearly not caring about the answer. He had to admit that she looked happy. As in, really happy.

"Don't you want to keep travelling?" He tried, hoping she couldn't hear in his voice just how much he wanted to strangle the creature.

"She prefers me," The cat said smugly, looking at him with clear green eyes. Rose, of course, couldn't understand what he was saying, so, hearing him meowing, she simply assumed he wanted more attention and pulled him into her lap. The cat purred and licked her face, making her giggle.

"Shut up," The Doctor growled, forgetting Rose couldn't understand the cat.

Rose frowned up at him. "I didn't say anything."

Slowly, he could feel his cheeks turning red. He tugged at his tie. "I was talking to the cat," He mumbled, embarrassed. Rose opened her mouth to speak, but he hurried to continue, not letting her say anything. "We could go anywhere. There's an amazing eclipse in the Centre of the Seven Suns; we could go and see it. Or maybe, we can see the Frozen Nebula – it's not really frozen, of course, but—what?" He cut himself off, seeing her doubtful expression.

Once again, Rose looked down at the cat. "I don't think we should leave him alone so soon," She admitted worriedly. "It's so new to him."

The Doctor growled in frustration. "We can't stay here with him all the time!" He said, annoyed.

Rose moved the cat away and got up. "Just for a couple of days," She requested, "Until he gets used to the Tardis. Then we can keep going." She bit her lower lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Please, Doctor?"

He sighed. How did she know just what to do to make him give up? "Fine," He said, still unhappy. "Just a couple of days, yes?"

She smiled happily and hugged him for the second time that day, and he let himself enjoy the fact he'd just made her happy.

"Just a couple of days," She promised.

Three days later, Rose was still focused on the bloody cat. The Doctor was going from frustrated to angry to downright furious.

You do realise you're jealous of a cat, right? The Tardis teased him that morning, as he sat in front of the console, repeatedly tapping it with his fingers. You are jealous, of a cat!

The Doctor glared at the console. What's so funny about that? He retorted angrily. If the Tardis had a voice, he had no doubt she'd have started laughing.

You're jealous of a cat, The Tardis repeated, as though it was all the explanation anyone needed.

That's not funny! That's really not—hang on, He cut himself off, realising what he was thinking, I am not jealous of that creature! It's loud, and it's annoying, and we've been stuck here for three days because of it!

You absolutely are! The Tardis was now annoyingly delighted.

"I am not jealous of the bloody cat!" He yelled at the console, not even realising he was once again talking out loud.

Of course, with his luck, that was the exact moment Rose walked into the console room.

"You sound like you are," She said casually, coming to stand next to him.

All the blood drained from his face. He stared forward at the console, his Time Lord brain gone into over-drive trying to find a way to undo that last minute. Not that it was any use, of course; he couldn't erase it. Even though he'd have killed to.

"I'm not jealous," He mumbled eventually, still staring ahead. He couldn't bear to look at Rose. She must be thinking he's an idiot. Or worse, she knows how he feels! That cat was stealing Rose from him and now she was about to leave and—wait, what?

You got it, The Tardis said, still smugly.

Slowly, his thoughts sank in. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to reorganise his thoughts. Everything made sense now. It was all that stupid cat's fault, stealing Rose from him like that. She never looked at him like she looked at the cat. She adored the creature. And for nothing! But still, she loved him.

"I hate that cat," He growled, forgetting he wasn't alone.

Hesitantly, Rose sat down next to him. "Why?" She asked quietly.

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter," He mumbled, looking away.

She nudged his shoulder. "Come on, Doctor," She said, her voice still quiet and gentle. "Tell me." He shook his head again. "Best mates, right?" She asked, nudging him again.

"It's nothing," He mumbled, shaking his head even more.

"Tell me, Doctor."

"It's just… you… He's stealing you!" He blurted eventually, blushing deeply. To his surprise, Rose started laughing. He blushed even deeper. Surely, if it keeps going, he would die and regenerate on the spot. "What… Rose… it's not funny!" He managed, turning to look at her.

She shook her head and forced herself to stop laughing. "I'm sorry," She said, biting her lower lip to stop herself from so much as smiling. "I just can't believe you think a cat could steal me from you."

He looked away again, his embarrassment turning into anger. "You're always petting him," He growled, "You're always with him - we've been stuck here because you wouldn't let him out of your sight! You keep feeding him and caring for him…"

"So, you want me to pet you?" Rose still sounded annoyingly amused.

"Never mind," He growled as he got up. "Forget it."

"No, seriously, Doctor." He could hear Rose getting up behind him, but he started walking away, distancing himself from her.

"Seriously." He snorted. "I'm glad you're finding this amusing."

"Doctor-"

"Great joke, very funny," He continued, ignoring her. "The Doctor is jealous of a cat. Great. Can we move on?"

"I'm serious."

"You haven't been serious since the moment you-"

"Doctor, would you shut up already?" Rose burst out, now sounding just as annoyed as he felt. He paused in surprise, and she took the opportunity to speak. "What do you want, damn you?!" She growled, her fist hitting the Tardis' console when she finished speaking.

He whirled around angrily. "I want you to love me!" He growled back at her, his brown eyes focused on hers.

For a long moment, there was silence in the console room. Then, clearly still angry but forcing her voice to remain calm, she said softly, "But I do."

Slowly, the Doctor opened his mouth. Then he blinked and closed it, only to open it again. Then, eventually, he managed, "What?"

"I thought you knew," She replied quietly, looking down at the floor.

"You thought I knew?" He repeated, dumbfounded.

"You're a Time Lord," She continued quietly, as if she didn't hear him. "I'm a human. We age and we die, while you regenerate. Wasn't that what you said?"

"Yes, but…" He took a shaky breath, and then reached out and hooked his finger under her chin. Slowly, he raised her head up, until she was looking back at him. Her eyes were filled with tears, and the sight broke his hearts. "But I also said… 'Imagine watching that happen to someone you love.'"

Rose's breath hitched. She stared at him for a long moment before whispering, "Love?"

Slowly, a smile appeared on his lips. A soft smile, which slowly took over his face, filling his eyes with tenderness. "From the moment I took your hand," He confessed quietly.

Just as slowly, she started smiling as well. "Me too," She admitted.

He chuckled. "I'm glad," He said softly. Then, somewhat hesitantly, he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. Without a moment's hesitation, Rose's arms wrapped around his neck and she returned his kiss.

When they broke the kiss, the Doctor looked down at Rose, happiness filling his hearts. She was so beautiful, looking up at him. There was such happiness, such love in her eyes, that he could have sworn both his hearts did a summersault in his chest.

Then, suddenly, another thought came to her head.

"What about the cat?" She asked, frowning.

He looked at her for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Forget the cat," He mumbled, "I couldn't care less about him." With that he pressed his lips back to hers, stopping whatever else she had to say.