A/N. Thank you all immensely! :)

Glimpse into the Future

Chapter Three

"You should tell her," Jack was not about to let the subject go. It was not often he found the chance to meet two people so incredibly ignorant of the obvious… And the chance to make them open their eyes at once was very appealing. If there was one thing he was capable of doing – this was the least he could do to help. Several ideas were running through his mind. "In all honesty, Doc..."

"I think you should just shut up."

"I might," the Captain shrugged at him. "Or I might just talk to Rose."

The Doctor glared at the intolerable human. Every moment spent with this self-assured brat could only give him more problems. "Don't you dare."

It's not that Rose would have any feelings for him. She understands he could not- and she hadn't really left Mickey, after all… Having realised his thoughts were becoming strangely Rose-centred, the Gallifreyan pushed the traitorous thoughts away.

"So…" the ex-Time Agent was enjoying this small chat to no end, the Time Lord's annoyance being just what he wanted. "The plan is as follows: she comes, I leave, you two have a proper chat, and-"

The Gallifreyan shook his head. Unlike his brilliant companion, Jack had no decency. About anything. The Doctor believed only the risk of being thrown into the vortex kept this man from the future from trying to seduce Rose. He kept awing at the fact the fair-haired human never really fell for the Captain's charms. But the Time Lord was not taking chances. The main reason of Jack staying on board was but one – Rose the impossible-to-refuse Tyler.

"Our Rose-policy remains the same, I think?" Jack was rejoicing, watching the Doctor trying to remain calm. He was very good at it, as always – but the once-Time Agent could read faces. "No attempts to seduce her. I know and remember. As little flirting as possible. No need to be jealous, Doctor!"

"Jealous?!" it was clear now the Time Lord was furious. "How do you think? Every time Rose meets one of her pretty boys, it leads us all to trouble. Leads her to trouble I must fix." Jack smirked, having heard quite different versions from Rose. Rose, who was always placing the Doctor first and foremost in every conversation they had. However, letting him know this small observation was out of the question at that moment.

"Definitely jealous," Jack rolled his eyes at him.

The Time Lord glared back. "I'm leaving. You tire me, Harkness." With that, he left the room, his thoughts once again returning to his blonde companion.

The said companion was easy to spot, clearly bored. However, a huge smile appeared on her face the moment she saw the Doctor. "How did the conversation go?" This question made him sigh dramatically. However, Rose seemed genuinely interested. "You do know he was never among my favourite people."

"Yeah?" The girl smiled at him encouragingly, feeling the Doctor wanted to talk to someone about it – and she was always right there.

"He suggests I- never mind, Rose. The Captain and his mind in the gutter," he grimaced.

"It has something to do with you and me, doesn't it?" Rose shrugged. Jack was a good friend, but some of his ideas were indeed making her shudder. "What does he suggest this time?" Some wicked plan to get us together? Employing some kind of a 51st century invention? She was unwilling to as much as consider the countless possibilities the Captain could have had in his mind, usually something too shocking for even a mind as open as hers.

"Well, clearly. He thinks I should kiss you."

Rose sighed inwardly, her hazel eyes glued to his blue ones, the gaze so intense the Doctor was the first to turn the look away. "Okay… How, I pray, is this gutter?" Her words were slow and disbelieving. She even seemed hurt.

"Really. My bad. It isn't… But you must realise the insanity of this suggestion?"

"I don't see how this is improper, considering it was Jack who-"

The Doctor sighed in relief. "Yes, Jack and his-"

"Do you think we should grant him the satisfaction?" Rose interrupted, this little question, one meant as a tease rather than something serious, unexpectedly breaking some of the safely hoisted barriers in the Time Lord's mind. The look in his eyes was suddenly frighteningly helpless, and she hurried to fix the situation. "I mean- he would love that," Rose rolled her eyes, hoping this was enough.

His successor's words were suddenly echoing in the Doctor's mind. Maybe it really was the only reasonable step to take, while they still had the time. Not that he would attempt to without her consent, after all, he did not wish to frighten the courageous little human. "Do you?"

Rose smiled at him – the Doctor could swear the expression bore more sadness than happiness in it - yet she said nothing.

"Rose Tyler. You know I'm not one for games."

"You're leaving me anyway," she noted dryly.

"Yes, but not now! It might be in three years' time, for all I know," the Time Lord winked at her, happy the conversation took a different turn, sad as it was.

The companion averted her eyes. Clearly, the Doctor was upset about whatever Jack had told him. Too bad Rose was now upset as well. Just a tiny bit… Just enough for the emotion to be seen.

"Could you not be angry at me?" He sighed, obviously defeated… defeated by a plain human girl. "You see, the Captain was not the only one to have suggested this."

"Yes?"

He could but slap himself mentally. "Well – could we let go of it already? You're a human, I'm a Time Lord. What is even worse, you are my companion. It's all against the rules."

Rose grinned at him knowingly. Almost a year together has had quite an impact on her ability to understand some of the things the Doctor was unwilling to tell her.

"What kind of rules?" As the very last of his kind, he could very easily have made an exception. Unless… The grin on her face seemed firmer than before.

The Doctor eyed her searchingly. "What's so amusing?"

"Rules, ha!" She was aware, both from the Time Lord's talkative periods and from some of the books the TARDIS was always more than keen of providing her whenever the Doctor found one reason or another to be involved in something not meant for her or any other of the stupid apes to understand, that her Doctor was breaking every single rule of his people. On purpose, too.

"The moment you start following any of the rules against your will, I won't be needed on the TARDIS any more."

The Doctor smiled widely at her. "You are so clever, my Rose, I could almost kiss you."

Okay, it was all games and teasing from now on, judging from the gleeful expression on the Doctor's face. "Almost?" She wondered if that other version of him has ever kissed her. Almost kissed her, most likely. But… new everything. And if the next version of the Doctor truly loved her – what about her version of the Time Lord?

Oh, wait… She shouldn't even think about the foreseeable future with the man who is, and yet is not, is not yet- Rose shook her head at the unwelcome thoughts.

"For as long as you wouldn't object to it, of course."

Oh. Blimey. This was just superb. "Object to what, exactly?" The blonde companion felt completely lost. Were they still talking about what she thought they were talking about, or has there been a silly misunderstanding from her side?

She took a breath and chose to simply tell him the truth. "I'm completely lost at this conversation, sorry."

If this even was a conversation. Probably not.

The Doctor grimaced, wishing, yet unable to fully hide his disappointment. "Don't worry, Rose. So am I."

"I mean- I'm not exactly... You said you could almost kiss me. Yes?"

Not lost in the slightest. "Because you're just so incredibly brilliant."

Rose sighed heavily, already hating herself for taking place in this. "Brilliant, or almost brilliant?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her. "What exactly are you expecting to hear, Rose Tyler?"

"Do I hear a quarrel?" Jack has somewhat happened to suddenly find himself in the middle of what sounded like the start of one.

"Absolutely not," Rose hurried to speak. "If you don't mind, Jack, could we please finish the chat undisturbed?"

The Captain raised an eyebrow, but did not get the chance to speak.

The Doctor did not bother with formalities. "In other words, Harkness – get out."

Ah. He gave them both an approving look and left – neither of the two cared whereto.

"So, Rose?"

This time, she remembered perfectly well what the question was, but answering it was out of the question. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

The Time Lord eyed her searchingly, knowing he was not ready to hear an honest answer from her, but unwilling to mess the already somehow complicated talk any further. Luckily, as was often the case between them, the companion was the one to resume speaking.

"Other than Jack, who was it?" Rose was genuinely curious and felt she had the right to know who else was either unaware or close enough to suggest something so personal. No one came to mind. She eyed him searchingly, a small smile on her face. "Who was that other person?"

A/N. This makes me so very happy... XD What do you think? :)