Baines pulled Rose onto all fours and pushed himself against her. "Now scrub maid," he commanded in a tone that made her flesh crawl. She was forced to oblige if she wanted to keep her job. This was the third time this week she had been fondled by Baines, and her body shook with rage. "BAINES WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" came John Smiths angry shout. His eyes were dark with anger.
"Do I really see you with your hands on Miss Tyler?! What the hell gives you that right, to attack a member of the staff?"
"But sir, she provoked-"
"How so boy? From what I saw she was doing her job. To the headmasters office now. If I find you didn't go, I'll make you wish you had," came his dark reply. Rose knew better than to talk to him when he was like this as the Doctor, nut as a human he was unpredictable. She simply murmured a "thank-you" and continued her scrubbing. His features softened as he looked at her.
"Rose, are you alright? He didn't hurt you did he?"
"No sir, he didn't. He never does."
"You mean to tell me this was not the first occasion?"
"No sir. But it's not really important, I'm only a maid after all," came her reply. John crouched down and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. The look he was giving her surprised Jenny, but not nearly as much as what he said next.
"Don't ever let anyone tell you that you don't matter Rose. You are brilliant, and anyone who can't see that is a bloody fool. I've met a lot of people in my time, and I have yet to meet an insignificant person." with that he stood up and left the girls to their work. The headmaster had instructed them to have the place in top condition for the arrival of a new teacher later that evening.
The girls were scheduled to work the dinner in the teachers dining hall. They had cleaned all day by the time dinner finally rolled around. Rose walked up the stairs towards the Doctors' room to call him down as he had requested. She knocked on the door and waited for permission.
"Come-in"
"Sir, you asked me to fetch you when dinner was ready. The headmaster has required all teachers and staff to attend the dinner, so I'm afraid there is no gettin' out of this one"
"I know," he sighed. "I'll walk you down to the hall. Are you working tonight?"
"Yes sir... I wanted to thank you properly sir."
"For what rose?"
"Earlier today, with Baines. I guess I was just used to know one caring what he did to me. I was a tad bit ungrateful. So thank you." by the end she was blushing, and John thought that she had never looked more beautiful in her life. He was a fool if he tried to deny her beauty. But he was too smart to act on his feelings.
"Quite right. Shall we?" he held out his arm for her as they continued their journey to the hall.
"Of course sir. Who am I to deny you anything?" Rose asked with a tongue in teeth smile that melted his heart. He looked at her for a moment with a blush creeping onto his face that was so un-doctor like that it snapped her back to the reality that this was not her doctor. This was her and him on another adventure, only he had left her to deal with it alone. The man before her may look like her Doctor, but he was John Smith now. Human, and not at all the man she had grown to love so fully. But every moment that she spent with him made it harder to see the differences. They were just so similar it killed her. As the two companions came to the doorway of the dining hall, Rose released his arm and moved toward the kitchen.
"Goodnight Miss Rose," John called to her.
"Goodnight Mr. Smith,"
"Call me John,"
"Alright. Goodnight John," and with that they parted ways, him to his seat at dinner, and her to work the kitchens as the waiting staff for the evening. Always the kitchen, she thought as she entered the bustling room.