The Doctor is confused. He doesn't understand what Rose wants to do for Valentine's Day.

This story takes place after the events of "New Earth" in Season 2 of Doctor Who.

Warning: This chapter contains pure fluff! ;)

A Half-Baked Valentine

Two pinstriped legs were the only things visible under the TARDIS console when Rose entered.

"Ohhhhh, Doctorrrrr?" she called out in that voice. That voice meant that she wanted to do something, something that he probably wouldn't want to do. He also knew that whatever it was, he would probably do it anyway – just because she asked. Therefore, he just sighed and called back out in return.

"Yes, Rose?"

"Mum just called and …"

His heart sank. She wanted to go home again. But why? He had just taken her home for two days - two miserable days where he had sat in the TARDIS and just waited for her to come back because Jackie had been in one of her moods. Why would Rose want to go back so soon? Was she just trying to get away from him? He sighed again. Maybe he was just jumping to conclusions. That didn't really sound like his Rose, at all.

"…she said it was Valentine's Day back home!" Rose finished saying – her voice breaking into his musing.

"Valentine's Day?" the Doctor poked his head out from under the console to blink at her in disbelief. "You want to go home to Jackie for Valentine's Day?"

"What?" she asked, sounding a little confused. "No! Why would I want to do that? We were just there."

A smile raced across his face at her words and he finished pulling himself out from under the console to stand in front of her. Then confusion set in again. "So… if you don't want to go back home, then what do you want to do?" He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment as he suddenly figured out what he thought that she wanted. "Do…you…want to go out somewhere?"

"Aw, Doctor…are you asking me out on a date?" she smiled coquettishly at him and even fluttered her eyelashes a bit. Therefore, he could tell that she was making fun of him a little.

That threw him a bit. Wasn't she supposed to want to go out on Valentine's Day? "Um…do you want to?" he asked uncertainly.

"No. Not really." She said lowering her voice seductively. "We go out all of the time." She moved in closer to him and reached out to adjust his tie. "What I really want to do is to stay in…" She leaned in and looked into his eyes "…and heat things up a little!"

"Wha…what do you want to do?" The Doctor practically stammered. He was quite perplexed. He knew that Rose liked him and quite possibly felt more than that, and he returned those feelings. However, they had never even really kissed (the ones that happened when she was Bad Wolf and possessed by Cassandra didn't count!) so she couldn't really be suggesting that they…

Then she was speaking again a low, sultry voice that made him want to loosen his collar – and perhaps other articles of clothing, as well! "I want to…" here she leaned closer to his ear to whisper "…bake!"

"Bake?" he whispered in complete bewilderment as she leaned back from him, grinning.

"Yep!" she said in her normal voice and popped the "p" like he always did. "I always used to make biscuits at Christmas and Valentines. However, I didn't really get to bake at Christmas this year because of…" here she paused and made a gesture pointing from the top of his head to his feet "…well, you know. That and the Sycorax invasion, of course! And who knows where we were last Valentine's Day? Somewhere up to our necks in trouble with Jack, probably. Therefore, it has been such a long time since I have…" here she paused again to wink saucily at him and then continued "… baked and I really want to get back into the…" another pause and grin here "…kitchen!"

He shook his head at her, but couldn't help grinning at her obviously intended innuendos. If you can't beat them, join them! he thought with anticipation. "Well, Rose Tyler, if you plan to bake…" he said in what he considered to be a super sexy voice, "…then I get to preheat the oven!"

He must have misgauged the power of the voice, however. Instead of being affected in a physical fashion (as he had been), she almost collapsed from the force of her giggles, instead!

"Preheat the oven?" The giggles turned into full-fledged laughter at this point. "Really, Doctor, that's the best you could come up with?"

Rose's laughter at his expense was bad enough. However, after a moment, he also felt the amusement of the TARDIS practically infusing the atmosphere of the console room, as well.

"I'm glad that I can entertain you ladies," he said petulantly. He had thought that it was a pretty good line!

"Oh, Doctor! Don't be like that!" Rose said as she headed off towards the kitchen. "Come on with me and I will let you lick the spoon," she called back suggestively over her shoulder before she dissolved into giggles again.

He followed her down the corridor, shaking his head. He knew one thing for certain. After over 900 years of traveling through time and space, he still didn't understand women – not a bit! At least he was going to get some fresh baked cookies out of the deal, though! With that comforting thought, he headed off down the corridor behind that spunky blonde woman who had come to mean such a great deal to him! He was glad that he was the one with whom she wanted to share her Valentine's Day!