Chapter 1B: The Trouble With Saying Yes
"Unless, uh, I don't know. You could come with me."
She could go. With him. He's asking her, boring old Rose Tyler who hasn't done anything exciting since inciting the school choir strike years ago, to go and travel with him. Across the universe.
"Don't! He's an alien. He's a, he's a thing!"
Mickey's right. She can't just go with him. She's spent the past two days dealing with exploding buildings, headless rampaging bodies and attacking shop window dummies. And she had to save his life. How can she expect to be safe if that's the sort of life the Doctor normally lives, and yet he can't even keep himself alive without help?
"So, what do you think? You could stay here and fill your life with work, and food, and sleep. Or you could go... anywhere."
"Is it always this dangerous?"
She has to ask, because maybe it wouldn't be that bad. He had given the Nestene Consciousness a chance, and maybe most of the time the bad guys take it. Maybe they're not so bad after all and it'll be fun. He's right. It'd be better than work, food, sleep, repeat.
"Yeah."
Mickey throws his arms around her, looking for all the world like a small child about to lose his mother. Poor Mickey's already lost his mum and his gran. She can't go. Can't possibly leave Mickey behind, and even if he was invited, he wouldn't go, would he?
They've got a dinner planned on Thursday with Sue and Shireen. And she still hasn't finished his application for that new mechanic's shop. The papers are in her room, on the dresser, under the lamp, her mobile phone bill and a teddy bear. Even if she told him exactly where it is he wouldn't find it, and if he did, he wouldn't know what to do with it.
Her Mum's expecting her home for dinner. They're supposed to watch East Enders and pig out on ice cream. She's got those papers from the police station too for her to look at. Compensation, how ridiculous. But she did take the time to go down, so she really should at least look at it.
Then tomorrow is that interview at Spencer's. And she was supposed to call Sue back about the position at the hospital. Not that she particularly wants to be dishing out food to doctors and nurses who think they're better than her, but she's really got to get a job. She still owes her Mum 300 quid.
Maybe if stupid Jimmy Stones hadn't screwed things up she could go. Could run for it like her legs are begging her too. She can feel it in her gut. In her heart. Go.
"Yeah, I can't. I've got to go and find my Mum. And someone's got to look after this stupid lump so..."
Mickey looks up at her and he actually looks grateful. Doesn't even care that she's just said that. It's rather pathetic. Shouldn't be thinking things like that though. He's a good guy. Always looking out for her and taking her back.
She forces a smile to fight the sinking feeling that's telling her she just passed up the greatest opportunity that may ever come to her. The Doctor nods and that's it. All over.
"See you around." He smiles at her hopefully and she can't even return it. How could she do that? Just said no, for what?
To stay and take care of Mickey, who should have learned to fend for himself years ago?
For Mum, who will spend the night hassling her about getting money out the whole Henrick's situation and getting a job at the butcher's?
For her friends who she barely sees since they're all so busy working?
For work and bills and stupid, bloody East Enders?
The door closes and the wind picks up. She hears that same strange, unearthly sound she heard the last time he disappeared off the estate and then he's gone.
She gave it all up for nothing.