So I introduced Rose in this chapter - woohoo! Also, the idea of Rose in the plastic bag was something I took from Toy Story 2, where Jessie doesn't want to go back in the box because she has horrible memories of being shut in storage. I imagine this would be a really terrifying experience, so I thought I'd work it in. Also, the "no-one is getting replaced" quote from Toy Story. I couldn't resist :P

Sarah-Jane ran into the room clearly in some great hurry. The Doctor saw her chuck a plastic bag down on the bed, right at the edge of his field of vision, knocking the TARDIS onto the floor in the process. He could not tell what it was, but he was certain that it was a toy of some kind. He remained still until Sarah-Jane had run out of the room again, shutting the door behind her with a bang. The first thing the Doctor did once the door had closed was to glance at the clock. It read half past six. Of course, dinner time.

In the short seconds it took the Doctor to register this fact, the room had become filled with the sounds of the toys, dragging themselves out from drawers, climbing down from shelves and talking like there was not tomorrow, only one topic of conversation on their minds – the bag on the bed.

Knowing that he had to stop things getting out of control, the Doctor leapt off the side of the bed, landing with bump on the floor and standing up, holding out his hands towards the mob of toys to make them stop.

"It's fine everyone, new toy, it's just a new toy." He waved his hand, anxious to get everyone to carry on with their business. "Oh, and no-one is getting replaced." It would've annoyed him how often he had to reassure the rest of the toys that they would continue to get played with, but the fact was that without being played with, the life of a toy really wasn't that interesting.

Slightly reassured by the Doctor, the toys slowly dispersed, clearly curious but keeping a lid on it until the Doctor had gone to investigate. He took his usual route up the handles of the drawers in the bedside table, stepping onto the pillow and taking a look around. He was met with the sight of a white plastic bag, twisted at the top where Sarah-Jane's hands had gripped it. He could see movement in the bag, and remembered the feeling of claustrophobia that came with being stuck in a bag or a box. Most toys felt it, some more than others, and the movements inside the bag were getting more and more frantic. The new toy would have to get back in the bag when Sarah-Jane came back, but in the meantime the Doctor was anxious to make sure they were alright.

The Doctor ran over to the bag, bouncing on the springy mattress as he went. He dragged the white plastic aside, reaching in and finding a hand, which he grabbed onto like it was a lifeline. He pulled, pushing the bag away as he did so and eventually helping a coughing and spluttering toy out of its plastic prison.

"Are you OK?" asked the Doctor, stepping back and giving the toy room to breathe. At second glance it was clear that the toy was a woman, wearing jeans and trainers and a purple t-shirt. She had soft blonde hair that covered her face and, unlike Barbie, who was sitting in the corner of the toy box and couldn't move her arms and legs very well, this toy had joints in her elbows and knees.

The new toy coughed again, before raising her head and peering up at the Doctor from her position sprawled on the duvet. She had big brown eyes, not unlike the Doctor's own, but slightly lighter and, in his opinion, infinitely more entrancing. She had a beautiful face, which broke into a dazzling grin that made him feel as though he must've done something wonderful to deserve being looked at like that.

"Fine, thanks," she replied, with a false confidence that the Doctor could not help but notice, scraping her hair back from her face and peering around the room. "Where exactly am I?"

"You're in Sarah-Jane's room," the Doctor told her, "you'll like Sarah-Jane, she's great and she treats us really well. I'm the Doctor by the way." He extended a hand, both as a form of greeting and as a means for her to pull herself to a standing position. She took it, wobbling for a moment on the unstable mattress before finding her balance.

"Doctor what?"

"I get that a lot. It's just 'the Doctor.'" He put his hands in his pockets and grinned at her. "What's your name?"

"Rose."

"Ooh, good name." The Doctor wondered why he had chosen this moment to begin vomiting out random sentences without bothering to filter them for idiocy first. Jack often said that when the Doctor started rambling it was best just to hide and wait, there was absolutely no stopping him once he got going.

Rose smiled, looking around the room as she did so. "So this is a bedroom? Interesting."

"Where did you come from, Rose?" He enjoyed using her name, it was bright and mysterious and wonderful. He really hoped she didn't notice how much he enjoyed saying it.

Rose considered for a moment, as though she couldn't really remember. "It was a little shop, I think, I wasn't really paying attention – you know how it is, you're sort of dazed until you're picked up and bought, I suppose. Anyway, I was picked up and shoved in a plastic bag and brought here. I've got other clothes and everything." She kicked the plastic bag with her foot, trying to sound enthusiastic when really she seemed a bit out of her depth.

"It's OK," said the Doctor, reaching forward without thinking and grasping her hand in his own. Her plastic hand was soft and supple, even more so than his own, and it fitted with his perfectly. "Everyone feels like this at first, it's a lot to take in. Don't worry; it won't take long for you to settle down."

Rose looked up at him, worry in her eyes, and just opened her mouth to reply when another voice floated up from the far side of the bed.

"Am I missing a party?" shouted Jack, dragging himself up onto the duvet and jumping to his feet. To be honest, the Doctor was surprised Jack had managed to stay away for this long. As one of the leading toys in the room, the Doctor was the one who dealt with new arrivals, but Jack was never far behind, always eager to get a look at the latest addition to Sarah-Jane's toy box.

The Doctor pulled his hand out of Rose's, hoping that he did not imagine the flicker of disappointment cross her face. "Jack, this is Rose. Rose, this is Captain Jack Harkness."

Jack took Rose's hand and kissed it, fixing her with his blue eyes and causing Rose to blush. The Doctor sighed, rolling his eyes. Here we go again.

"Hi, Captain Jack Harkness, and who are you?"

"Give her a second, Jack, she's only just got here."

Jack sighed and took a step back, grinning at Rose as he did so. "Apparently I can come on a little strong – personally I think he's just jealous that I give other people all my attention."

"Jack, this is Rose," said the Doctor, ignoring the smug look on Jack's face, "Rose, this is Jack. He will continue to flirt with you and then break your heart, but once you get past that phase of the relationship he makes an excellent friend."

They all laughed at that, the Doctor noticing that Rose had relaxed a bit more. She didn't seem to have liked being stuck in that plastic bag, a sentiment he could definitely relate to – over the years he had grown used to being shut up in the dark in cramped spaces, but he still hated it with a vengeance. He had noticed her shaking a little when he had grasped her hand to pull her out, but she had definitely calmed down now. What the Doctor didn't notice was the way Rose's eyes crinkled up when she smiled, or that her giggle was sweet and beautiful and made you glad to be alive. Of course he didn't.

"Rose," said Jack suddenly, his expression twisting into one of mischief and glee that was subtle enough that Rose didn't detect it, "you're going to need someone to take you under their wing, as it were, show you the ropes and everything. I would volunteer myself, but Sarah-Jane dropped me down the back of the desk yesterday, so I doubt I'll be of much use." He gave such an obvious gasp that the Doctor resolved to chuck him into the lego box and shut the lid the next time he got the chance. "Doctor, why don't you show Rose around the room, help her to get settled and everything!"

"Jack," the Doctor said smoothly, folding his arms and looking unimpressed, "I always help the new toys out, I don't know why you would bother to even offer your services, and don't," he added as Jack opened his mouth to make some sort of innuendo about just what his "services" had to offer.

"Well Doctor, I'd love it if you'd show me 'round," said Rose, eyes seeming to light up at the prospect, "though ditching Jack first is probably a good idea. She grinned and looked at Jack, who pretended to be affronted before sauntering off and sliding down the duvet to the floor. The Doctor smiled at Rose, his impulses taking over as he grabbed her hand and told her to run.

They were catching their breath on the bedside table, the Doctor explaining to Rose the mechanics of being able to climb up and down the furniture quickly – one of the most important things that Rose had to learn was to be able to get back to her position in the room in a very short space of time – when the Doctor picked up footsteps on the stairs.

"Positions everyone, she's coming!" he shouted. Rose covered her ears, but the Doctor pulled her hands away and kept hold of one, practically dragging her back the way they had come.

"Rose, you've got to get back in the bag," the Doctor panted, stopping next to the bundle of white plastic and turning towards Rose.

She looked uncertain, hiding under a mask of bravery that was doing nothing to conceal the fact that she was scared, though the Doctor respected her so much for trying to keep herself calm. "Doctor," she almost whispered, "Doctor, I don't think I can. I couldn't breathe in there, I—"

The Doctor, aware of the footsteps getting closer to the bedroom door, took Rose by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Rose, listen to me. I promise I will get you out again. Now go!"

Rose held his gaze for a moment, and the Doctor recognised trust in her expression. She climbed back into the plastic, the Doctor quickly pushing the remainder of the bag back into place. As he threw himself down next to it he felt something digging into his side. He looked down and saw that Rose's hand was pressing through the plastic. For once not thinking about the fact that Sarah-Jane was about to burst through the door, he Doctor reached over and took the hand. It felt wrong, with none of the same texture or warmth that he remembered from holding her hand only a moment ago, but he gripped it anyway. Rose needed all the reassurance she could get.

There might not be loads of chapters to this fic, I plan to make it into a series, so there should be a few shorter stories rather than one long one. Still, you never know :P Review if you want, hope you enjoy it - my tumblr url is donna-and-her-spaceman. Just in case you were curious...