Thank you for all the new follows. I'm sorry it's been a few days, but this is proving a bit difficult. I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far!


Mickey waylaid Rose on her way home. She seemed lost in thought, but then she was like that a lot. She'd always been a smart one. Her stint with Jimmy Stone aside. She had a soft spot for a pretty face, but he couldn't fault her for that. Every woman he knew, besides his gran, seemed to have that downfall.

All day he heard rumor after rumor about what went on last night. He was sure Rose would know the truth or, at least, be able to see through the fairy tales.

"No work today then?" he teased with a grin, dismissing the frowns of passersby.

It wasn't acceptable for him to speak to people like Rose outside of business, but, as she liked to say, they could all sod off. She glanced up and he could see worry etched across her brow.

"All right there?" he asked as she drew up next to him.

"Ya," she lied. "Um..no…I don't know."

She wrung her hands, which told him that something definitely wasn't all right.

"Is it about last night?"

"No," she glanced away, "I mean yes, but I can't talk about it."

"Can't?" he asked.

He never knew Rose to bite her tongue. Worry creased his own brow as he took her arm and led her into the alley away from prying ears. There was something going on. Something she didn't want to talk about, which meant it was pretty bad.

"What is it? What happened? Are you in trouble?" he continued.

"I can't," she insisted, shaking her head.

He was determined to find out what happened. Not for the gossip, that thought was shooed away by the worry he now felt. If he allowed himself to admit it he loved her. Of course nothing could come of that, but it was the truth.

They grew up together, played together as children that is until her mum started buying into the gossip about them turning into more than friends. Even then he and Rose would sneak out to see each other. When his gran took a spill Rose was there, helping him take care of his gran, joking with her, helping her get back on her feet. Her mum allowed it because she considered it charity.

"Look, Rose, if you're in trouble - " he began.

"No, it's not like that," she interrupted. "I can't talk about it though because if anyone finds out what happened they could be in trouble, killed even."

Killed? It definitely sounded like she was in trouble.

"Hey, this is me you're talking to. I won't say anything."

She sighed, brushing her hair out of her eyes. He knew she would tell him. Sometimes it took a while, but she always told him everything.

"I was there, Mickey," she finally admitted.

His eyes widened. She was there? How did she get away?

"You were there when Wilson was killed?" he exclaimed.

"Shhh!" she hissed, glancing around even though they were out of earshot.

"You could've been killed!"

Rose could've been killed the same way Wilson was. That was more than he could take.

"I know and I honestly thought I was going to be, but there was this man and he got me out. He saved me." And there it was, that love struck look. Mickey rolled his eyes. "It's not like that," she insisted, punching his arm, but her cheeks betrayed her with a tinge of pink. "I would've been killed if he hadn't been there."

"Who was he then?" Mickey asked, failing to keep a bit of jealousy from his voice. He knew they could never be anything more than friends no matter what he wished. "This great hero?"

"He calls himself the Doctor." Mickey snorted, interrupting her. She glared at him to shut him up. "I don't know who he is really, but he's the one who blew up that ship."

Wait. The ship on the Thames and blew up last night? That was no good at all. She was getting herself mixed up in things best left alone. He had to stop her from getting herself involved with another pretty face that would leave her heartbroken. Or worse, killed.

"Rose, he sounds dangerous," Mickey insisted.

"He's not!" she paused. "I mean, I guess he is, sort of, but he did it to stop them."

He knew from her tone that there wasn't anything he could say to change her mind about this doctor. He wanted to find out how much trouble she was in so he decided to change tactics.

"Who were they then? The ones who killed Wilson?"

"They were dressed like pirates - "

"Pirates! I knew it!"

That was one of the stories he believed. Maud, or maybe it was Lucy, either way one of them told him that it'd been pirates. Mr. Lawry told her that he saw the ship before it was blown up and he was sure it was a pirate ship.

"No, they weren't pirates," she replied, shaking her head. "They were soldiers."

Wait. What?

"Soldiers dressed like pirates?" he asked, skeptically.

"Right," she nodded.

That didn't make any sense.

"Why would soldiers dress like pirates?"

"For money."

Mickey rolled his eyes. Soldiers were well paid. Everyone knew that. They wouldn't dress up like pirates then rob and murder people. They worked for the king and if they were caught they would be executed. It must be some story that doctor concocted. He was probably with them, which told Mickey that the man was more dangerous than he first thought.

"Is that what he told you?" he asked.

"Ya."

Just as he thought!

"It sounds made up. I bet he was part of it."

She folded her arms and glared at him. He knew he was in for it, but he didn't care. He needed to make her see the truth before she got herself killed.

"No, he wasn't," she insisted.

"Ya, and he made up this whole story when he saw you."

"Why would he blow up his own ship?"

She had him there, but he couldn't give up. There was something definitely off about that doctor and the fact that he just happened to be at the tavern when she was almost attacked. It seemed set up.

"He's a pirate. Who knows why they do anything," was all he had.

"He's not!" she insisted, stamping her foot.

"How would you know?"

"Because I do!"

He wasn't getting through so he decided to try to reason with her.

"But, Rose, you said yourself you don't really know him."

"You're being an idiot, Mickey Smith," she snapped and then turned around and strode off.

"Rose! Wait!" he called, but he didn't get more than a step before rough hands grabbed him. One clamped over his mouth to keep him quiet.

He glanced at the men holding him. They were soldiers. He tried to struggle, but they held him fast as they drug him further down the alley.


Thank you to all my brilliant readers!

If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)