A/N: Sorry, this has taken so long to update. I was over thinking it.

Thanks for the reviews so far. xx

There was an awkward silence, and the two friends could hardly look at each other. The Doctor leant against the kitchen counter and rubbed his eyes. Neither of them knew what to say next. What could be said? The silence was killing her, so she trudged to the door. Fearing the worse, the Doctor moved away, and pushed the door closed before she could leave.

"I promised your mother I would keep you safe". There was a sadness in his eyes that she had never seen before. He took a deep breath, almost like he was bracing himself. "So, yes in that respect, I'm glad it was Toby and not you".

She nodded. The Doctor's hand slipped from the door and she hurried out the room, not looking back.

Rose ran to her room and slammed the door behind her, a little too hard. She didn't mean it but there was so much frustration in her system and she needed to take it out something. The Doctor's statement had completely thrown her. His brutal honesty, not only shocked her, but scared her.

She examined around the room and saw the broken lamp in the corner. Knowing that she needed something to distract her for a second, she bent down to pick up the pieces.

"Do you still believe in him?" said a chilling voice behind her.

Rose spun around to see Toby leaning against the wardrobe. Rose saw the smug expression on his face, it made her feel sick.

"Is this another dream?" She asked.

Toby ignored the question and glanced around the room. Rose followed his gaze, wondering what his eyes were searching for.

"How long do you think this will last?" he said indicating the room.

"What?"

"Do you think you will be with him forever?" Toby's voice was dry and emotionless. "You are living on borrowed time, child. The ghosts of the Doctor's past are catching up with him. You will be caught in the crossfire"

Trying not to panic, Rose pinched her arm, hard, hoping it was a dream. That her fight with the Doctor was a figment of her imagination and that he was in the next room reading a book, safe. She looked back up and Toby hadn't moved. There was a red mark on her skin, but Rose didn't want to take her eyes off Toby in case he moved for the door or towards her.

"This isn't real" she stated "this is my mind playing tricks on me, making me see things"

"Is that what you hope?"

"I know it. You're not here, Toby, and I am truly sorry for that. It wasn't your fault".

Toby scoffed, and stepped towards her old dressing table. He picked up a photo of Rose and the Doctor. It was a picture of them just after he regenerated, both of them with Christmas hats on, grinning with their arms around each other. The Doctor didn't want to take the photo but she had insisted. Rose smiled at the memory.

The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon.

"You never answered my question, do you still believe in him?" Toby asked, turning to her.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, the Doctor was pacing. He had a tendency to run his hands through his hair when he was stressed or trying to think of a solution, but at the moment looked like he had been dragged through a hedge backwards, his hair pointing in every direction.

If you talk to Rose…

He marched towards the door, his hand hovered over the handle, but he hesitated.

… tell her…

He hesitated for the second time today.

He didn't like that, he didn't like that at all.

… oh, she knows.

But she didn't, not really, he thought. The Doctor opened the door and headed for Rose's room.

He peered in to see Rose on her bed, sitting on top of the covers with her legs crossed. Her eyes were red from where she had been crying. The Doctor could have kicked himself. The last thing he would ever want to is hurt her. But then his eyes lowered to her hands, they were shaking, not from being, cold but of sheer fright. What could have her so scared?

Before he could say anything, Rose spoke, staring at her legs. Looking at him right now, was too much to bear. "Please leave".

"Let me explain"

"I don't need you to explain, I need to you to go"

The Doctor closed the door behind him but kept his distance from the bed and leant against her wardrobe.

"Do you want me to send you home?"

"What?" Rose said, finally looking up.

"Always your choice. If you don't want to stay, I won't force you" he said, praying to Gods he doesn't believe in that she doesn't take the offer.

"I don't know" Rose replied.

The Doctor's hearts sank. He had to fix the situation, living like this was unbearable for a few minutes, let alone if it was to last for hours. Rose watched him carefully as he moved nearer to the bed, but she didn't push him away. The Doctor took this as a good sign. He knelt in the space that had previously been covered by broken pieces of lamp.

"Cleaned up then?" He said, smiling.

"Yeah, I had to. Knowing my luck I would have cut my foot open"

"Weeell, health hazard. Although you hopping instead of running would have been fun to see"

Her lips twitched, trying not smile. A glimmer of hope.

"Was that a smile?" He quoted himself, grinning.

"No"

"That was a smile."

"No, it wasn't" she said, trying to regain her composure.

"Yeah, it was" He beamed at her, but Rose shook her head, trying not to lose.

She lifted her head, and then bit her lip so she wouldn't scream. Toby was standing behind the Doctor, with a finger to his lips.