Rose dashed across the street, searching for her Doctor. She looked around as she saw a glimpse of a pinstriped suit. The Doctor was leaning in the shadows with a smirk across his face. Rose shook her head and smiled at him.
"What do you think you're doing?" she whispered as he came into the sunlight.
"Hanging out. Watching the students go by," he shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. Rose walked over to him and sighed.
"So, you saw it again?" she whispered, getting straight to the point. The Doctor grimaced and nodded, looking across the campus. "Did you lose anyone?"
"No, no, nothing happened yet. Saw that young bloke from earlier, though. He's in my astrophysics class. His name's Alfie. Seems to be a freshman," the Doctor informed as Rose nodded lightly.
"Did he see the angel again?"
"Yes, he was with me when I found it again. He's a bit shaken up, and I promised that I would explain myself later over coffee," he informed as Rose started to laugh.
"Are you going to follow through with that?" she teased as he rubbed the back of his neck. She frowned and leaned on her hip. "You're going to explain yourself to this bloke you hardly know? Don't you know how risky that is? For you? For me?"
"I know, but I feel this deep connection with this boy. Like maybe my other self met him in the other universe," the Doctor argued as Rose shook her head.
"I don't think that is a good idea at all," he whispered as he sighed. He also knew that it was risky, since he had no idea who the person was. He could be a spy, thief, future politician. Alfie couldn't be trusted, but the Doctor did trust him. He couldn't explain why he felt that way towards Alfie, but something told him that he should.
"Maybe we could pop by his house later. Speak to his parents," the Doctor thought as Rose started to laugh, hiding her irritation.
"That's an even worse idea," she hissed as the Doctor looked away again.
"Rose, I don't know what to tell you. And the Angels also seem to be taking a great interest in him, since we've only seen them when he's around. Maybe we should talk to him," the Doctor suggested as Rose bit her lip.
"That's true," she murmured, looking at the ground before turning her attention to him again. "But you can't tell him that you're from another universe or tell him that you're part Time Lord. We need to keep some of this confidential."
"I'll only tell him about the Angels and that we think that they're... what?" he asked, wondering what a good cover story this would be. Rose grimaced and shook her head.
"I don't know. Telling him that they're aliens probably wouldn't go over well," she replied as he nodded. "Alright, tell him whatever makes sense, but keep away from the alternate universe at least. That's too much information for him to handle."
"You're not coming with me?" the Doctor asked as Rose shook her head.
"Nope. This is your deal. He doesn't know me. He doesn't want to talk to me. He wants to talk to you. Only you can explain this. Why would I come, anyway?" Rose replied as the Doctor looked over the horizon and shrugged.
"I don't know. I'm not good at dealing people all on my own. You've said that I'm rude on a number of occasions. And having a part of Donna in me doesn't help anything," the Doctor explained as she rubbed her forehead. It was true that he was rude on occasion and that he also inherited Donna's spunky attitude, but she didn't want to go with him.
"I'll be in the back of the coffee shop, how about that? I'll come in a little earlier and sit down. Have a cup of coffee. I'm not meeting him, though. I'm just going to make sure that you don't screw up or anything," Rose bargain as he smiled.
"Alright, it's a deal," he replied as she turned away. "Oi! Where are you going?"
"Around. Call me when you've got a time and place for that coffee meeting. I want to get there a few minutes before you and Alfie," Rose informed as she continued down the street. She had a brilliantly mad idea, and one that only her Doctor would approve of. The Doctor shook his head and headed back inside to make sure that he didn't have another lecture planned.
~~A~~
Alfie sat down in his next class with his head in his hands. He couldn't begin to comprehend what had just happened, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. A statue had just tried to kill him. He smiled, realizing that he wasn't going to be able to sleep for months. He looked up to see if his professor had arrived, but he hadn't yet. The class was nearly full, but the seats next to him were vacant. Not that he particularly cared. People usually avoided him because they thought he was weird and way too smart for his own good. He rubbed his face as a familiar blonde girl sat next to him, yet he couldn't place her. She looked nice, but he learned not to judge a book by its cover.
"Can I sit here?" she asked with a smile. Alfie nodded, moving his backpack so she could sit down. "Thanks. I'm Rose. What's your name?"
"Alfred Owens," he replied politely as she smiled.
"Nice to meet you, Alfred," Rose said as she held out her hand. He shook it hesitantly, thinking that a rather formal gesture. She pursed her lips. "Sorry. I forget that people don't handshake as often. I've been doing a lot of it lately."
"Why?" Alfie asked, slightly interested. He was bored, and this was a distraction.
"Don't you recognize me?" Rose asked as he shrugged. She glanced around and leaned towards him. "I'm Rose Tyler. You know, Pete Tyler's daughter?"
"Oooh, I know you you are now! I knew I've seen you before," Alfie smiled, whispering for her convenience.
"That's why I when I greet people, I give them a handshake. I have to meet all those big shot businessmen. Also, my friend John tells me it's polite," Rose explained, making Alfie smile.
"What are you doing at a minor university like this? Shouldn't you be at Oxford or something?"
"Do you really think I want to live off my father's money? Or with my fame? It's smaller towns like these that I can blend in. Be a normal person again," Rose answered with a bit of attitude, but not of the kind that you would normally get from a filthy rich girl. "I used to live without my father's fame, so I know what normal life feels like, and I miss it."
"Really? 'Cause I know a lot of people around here that would kill to have the amount of money that you do," Alfie smiled, leaning on his hand. Rose shrugged and looked past him.
"I know, but having money wasn't ever really my thing. It's not like I'm ungrateful, but I just wish that I could live a more private life," Rose whispered, glancing back at Alfie. He sighed and shook his head.
"Can't you run away?"
"Actually, I do that every once in awhile, but I can't just abandon my family. That's too much to ask. I'd rather deal with the publicity than hiding in the shadows," Rose reasoned as Alfie agreed.
"Hiding in the shadows isn't much fun," Alfie added, thinking that's what he had been doing for most of his life.
"What's your story?"
"What?"
"Your story. Everyone has a story. Don't you?" Rose prompted as Alfie sat up.
"Of course I do. It's just not very interesting."
"Well, tell me anyway. There's got to be a reason why no one else is sitting next to you. Tell me your story," Rose pressed, hoping to get some information out of the kid. Alfie sighed and looked at the table.
"Well, I've always been incredibly smart and clever. Probably too much for my own good. Anyway, people think I'm just a smart ass or showing off. I don't mean to, it just sort of... happens," Alfie started as Rose gave him her full attention. "That's why no one sits next to me. It's because I don't have any friends or even acquaintances. Unfortunately, news travels fast here, and so does gossip. I'm surprised you haven't heard this before."
"I like to keep a low profile in public. Keep my head down, keep quiet. I don't get to hear the latest gossip," Rose winked as Alfie started to chuckle. "You seem like an alright guy. Why don't the people like you? Did you do something in particular?"
"I am also quite the debater at times. When people think they're right, but I know they're wrong, I will talk until my point is made. People don't like to be proven wrong time after time again. People who were once my friends abandoned me and started rumors that I was proud and cocky, but I was just trying to let them see the truth. After a while, I learned to keep to myself and stay quiet. If I don't talk to anyone, then nothing comes out to offend anyone," Alfie explained as he shrugged. Rose bit her lip, thinking that Alfie was probably just as clever as the Doctor.
"Well, you don't have to keep your mouth shut around me. I have a friend like you. Too clever and smart for his own good," Rose smiled comfortingly. Alfie was going to point out that it was unlikely, but bit his tongue instead. It had been a while since someone outside of his family and teachers actually wanted to talk to him. "Have you met him?"
"Who?"
"His name's John Smith. I'm sure you've heard of him," Rose insisted as Alfie lowered his eyebrows at her.
"Dr. John Smith? The astrophysics professor?" Alfie asked as Rose nodded, pursing her lips together. "You have some good connections, Rose. Is that why your dad let you come here? So Dr. Smith could watch you?"
"Of course not. I brought Dr. Smith along because I wanted him here," Rose insisted, her eyes flashing.
"Why?"
"Because... because hesmyboyfriend," Rose whispered, too soft for Alfie to hear. He leaned in closer as she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Because he's my boyfriend."
"Isn't he a little old to be your boyfriend?"
"No. I told you that he was extremely smart and too clever for his own good, remember? He made it through college when he was eighteen," Rose fibbed, making the Doctor seem credible. Alfie smiled and laughed, thinking that the Doctor did look too young to be a true professor. Just as Alfie was going to reply, their current professor showed up, ending their conversation.
