They are sitting in the cafe drinking tea. Rose can't quite process what she has been told or why she is still listening. Eventually she breaks the silence.

"So...you're an alien."

"Yes, that's right. I'm a Time Lord."

"What planet are you from?"

"I don't know," he sighs. "Amnesia. I can't remember its name. There's...fiery orange and red. Oh! And silver, yes."

"Okay. I can't...No, sorry, but this is just bonkers! I mean, why should I believe you?"

"Now that's a good question," the Doctor grins. "I understand your hesitation, Rose, I do. Early 21st century: the human race hasn't fully accepted that aliens exist yet. But you believe in life on other planets, don't you, at least in theory?"

Rose nods. She's not ignorant enough to assume that Earth is the only habitable planet in the entire universe.

"Believing is simple until you're faced with the evidence."

"Yeah, I just...I need proof. You look pretty to me." As soon as the words leave her lips, she blushes, horribly embarrassed. "Human! I meant you look pretty human to me."

"You look Time Lord to me," he says, then considers her request for a moment before smiling triumphantly. "I have two hearts!"

Rose looks around the crowded cafe, full of people who are now giving them odd stares. The Doctor seems oblivious to anyone else in the room. He offers his hand, and Rose places her fingers on his wrist so she can feel the rapid beat of his pulse. It's fast, really fast, probably double the rate it should be. Two...hearts?

"Maybe it's just an...echo or something." This is her brain's futile attempt to rationalize the impossible.

"I don't think so."

Anger surges through her, because her world is changing and she can't keep up. "Is this what you do, then, Doctor? Tell girls you're an alien just to wind 'em up?"

"Why would I do that?" He sounds genuinely curious, as though it's a possibility that hadn't occurred to him before.

"Well I don't know! For a laugh, I suppose. And what kinda name is the Doctor, anyway?"

No answer. He doesn't appear to be listening now, which only frustrates Rose more. His hands begin shaking as he quickly draws a rough sketch on his napkin. She watches him, forgetting both her anger and her cold cup of tea. The picture looks like a pepper pot with a plunger stuck on. He writes one solitary word, in beautiful script.

Dalek.

"What's a...Dalek?" Rose asks.

"Not sure. The image appeared in my mind, just for a second. I think..." the Doctor replies after a while, "It's the worst thing in all of creation. It has one sole purpose and that is to kill. No emotions, no mercy, no fear. Just...hate. A Dalek is cold screaming hatred."

She glances at the sketch again. "It don't look very dangerous."

"Looks can be deceiving, Rose. After all, you said yourself I look human."

When they exit the cafe, she tells him that she needs time to get back to the real world after being swept up in all this madness, aliens and murderous pepper pots. The Doctor smiles, looking down at his shoes. She does feel a bit guilty for leaving him lost and alone without his memories. There is a deep sadness in his eyes neither of them understand.

"Will you be okay?"

"Of course, Ms. Tyler," he says, and gently kisses her hand.

Rose returns to the flat she shares with her mum. Jackie demands to know where her daughter has been all day. The only excuse she can manage is that she lost track of time.

)O(

She decides the Doctor must be mental. That's pretty obvious. Never mind that he is also undeniably attractive and clever; he won't reveal his proper name and he thinks he's an alien. None of this, unfortunately, explains the two hearts thing.

"You've been so quiet, sweetheart," Jackie says. "Somethin' bothering you?"

Rose doesn't know how to tell her mother that she's tumbled down the rabbit hole and she can't get out.

Before Rose can disregard the comment and say everything's fine, the phone starts ringing. Jackie answers it.

"Yeah? What? No, I'm her mother, an' who are you then?" A pause. "Right..." She eventually gives the phone to her daughter. "It's for you. Some bloke, says he met you today in a cafe. Dr. John Holloway, apparently. What have you been up to when you should be lookin' for a job? Givin' your number out to doctors..."

She trails off, wandering into the kitchen to make tea. Once she is alone, Rose puts the receiver against her ear and whispers: "Doctor? Is that you?"

"Lucie? No, I'm sorry. Rose! Yes. Yes, it's me." His sounds nervous and a bit uncertain.

"How'd you get this number?"

"You're listed in the phone book. Jackie and Rose Tyler of the Powell Estate." Well, all right. She can't really be upset with him for that.

"Hmm. How's the memory?" she asks sympathetically. Lunatic or not, he's clearly having a rough time of it.

"A little better, I think. Some details are coming back to me. But it's all jumbled up..." The Doctor stops talking. London traffic roars in the background. "There's...red grass. These Dalek things. I know I had a blue box, my...spaceship. But I can't find it. Her."

"Do you wanna...come over for dinner?"

"I'd like that," he answers softly. "You have been so kind to me. I don't deserve it."

"Don't be daft. Think you can get here without getting lost?"

"Of course. I have an excellent sense of direction. I'll just use my super Time Lord powers of asking strangers which way to go."

Rose laughs. Logically, she shouldn't trust this man. The Doctor is probably mental, yes, but he seems like a nice bloke, a harmless madmen. Then again she's known a lot of blokes who seemed nice. Jimmy Stone, for example. And yet...something is compelling her to let him into her life.

The Doctor turns up at her door nearly an hour later, missing one shoe.