This is the last chapter for the rewrite of the Doctor Who episode "Rose." It turned out to be a bit more difficult than I thought it would going in. Making the Doctor human and taking away his TARDIS means no space and time travel, no aliens, and no sonic, which means a lot of changes and no easy fixes. I did have fun writing it, well, once I figured out what I was going to do, lol. I'm not sure if I should continue. Let me know what you think. :)


"There's Finch's," Jackie said as she poured their tea. "I 'eard 'e needs someone since Lucy trotted off with that bloke the next town over."

"Oh, great, the butcher's," Rose sighed.

"Well, it might do you good. That tavern was giving you airs and graces," Jackie replied as she sat down at the table. "You've got to do something now that you're out of a job." She sighed as she stirred her tea. "I can't believe Wilson didn't leave you anything."

"I told you," Rose retorted.

"If you ask me I think Gavin was lying. Little weasel."

"Mum," Rose snapped. "His dad just died."

"That's what I mean. 'Es dad's not even in the ground and there's the son selling off the tavern. It's not right."

"Right or not it's his decision."

A knock at the door interrupted them. Rose stood up and crossed the room. She hoped it wasn't Mickey. He knew how her mum felt, but he'd been on about the Doctor. She wasn't an idiot. She knew how he felt about her, but she didn't feel the same.

She opened the door to reveal a sandy haired boy who looked to be about ten. He held a jacket in his hands. She didn't recognize him and glanced around for someone else, but the boy was on his own.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Here," the boy said, shoving the jacket in her hands.

"Who is it?" Jackie called from the kitchen.

"A boy," Rose said, taking the jacket.

It'd been patched in a few places. She recognized the patches. It was Mickey's jacket. What was this kid doing with Mickey's jacket?

"A boy? What boy?" Jackie yelled.

"I don't know," Rose called back. "Where did you get this?"

"From a soldier. He told me to tell you to bring the man you were with last night to the cove by midnight."

"Tell 'em to bugger off, we don't have extra," Jackie called.

Rose ignored her mum. The soldiers must have grabbed Mickey and sent this boy to her house with her friend's jacket as proof they had him. They must have seen her today and followed her to find out where she lived. She shook off the shiver that ran up her spine.

They knew where she lived, but they didn't come there. They didn't capture her because…because…they didn't want her, or Mickey, it was the Doctor they wanted.

She glanced down intent on questioning the boy, but he was gone. She stepped out and looked down the street. He must've run because she couldn't see him.

"I'm going out," Rose called.

"Out where?" Jackie asked.

"To Finch's," Rose lied, not wanting to get into it with her mum. There wasn't time.

"Good," Jackie said. "Nice to see you taking my advice for once."

"Right," Rose opened the door. "See you later."

She closed it and hurried down the street. She wasn't sure where the Doctor was, but she knew where that cove was and she had to save Mickey.

The sun was beginning to set as Rose neared the cove. She had a plan, well, sort of a plan. On the way she stopped by Mickey's. She hated lying to his gran, but she had to pick up the money she'd been saving. She gave it to Mickey to hang on to because if her mum knew about the money it would already be spent.

The Doctor said those soldiers were in it for the money. She didn't have much, but she hoped it would be enough to buy Mickey's life. That was if she could convince them that she didn't really know the Doctor and if her friend was even alive.

He could be dead for all she knew. All they needed was his jacket and once they had that they wouldn't need him anymore. What if he was dead? What if all this was for naught? What would she tell his gran? A twig snapped, stopping her in her tracks. Her stomach knotted at the sound of footsteps. She balled her hands into fists. They weren't going to take her easily.

"Midnight stroll through the woods?" a voice asked.

She released the breath she was holding and dropped her arms. She recognized the Doctor's voice before he stepped out of the shadows.

"What're you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," the Doctor replied.

"They took Mickey," she said, brandishing the jacket as proof.

He glanced from the jacket to her.

"Ricky? Who's Ricky?"

"His name's Mickey," she snapped, more worried than she'd ever been over her friend.

"Right, sorry if I forgot some kid's name - "

"He's not a kid!"

"It's because I'm trying to save the life of every stupid person in this town, all right?"

"All right!"

"Yes, it is!"

She glared at him. He was infuriating! She knew he was trying to help the people in her town, but she was trying to save her friend's life. Why couldn't he understand that? And where had he come from? What was he doing skulking about the woods in the middle of the night?

He's probably one of them. Mickey's words came back to her. Was her friend right?

"Are you a pirate?" she asked.

He seemed to mull the question over for a moment, as if he wasn't sure. How could he not know? You were either a pirate or you weren't.

"I suppose I am," he admitted.

"Like them," she asked, nodding toward the cove.

"No, I'm not like them."

He said he was trying to stop them, but why? What made him follow them?

"Are you with them? Or were you?"

"No. I'm trying to stop them. Besides, why would I blow up their ship if I was with them?"

Right. That's the same thing she told Mickey.

"But you are a pirate," she continued.

"Yes," he eyed her. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah," she replied with a grin. "So, what are you doing here?"

He didn't accidentally stumble on the cove. Although, the way he behaved, maybe he did.

"Some girl called Betsy told me about this place and I thought, secret cove, pirate ship." Rose rolled her eyes. Of course it was Betsy. Biggest gossip in town. "What're you doing here?"

"Some boy came to my house, gave me Mickey's jacket and told me to come here."

"Saving your boyfriend then," the Doctor dismissed.

"He's not my boyfriend," she insisted.

"Why would they take your boyfriend?" he asked, drawing his hand to his mouth in thought.

"He's not my boyfriend," Rose repeated. "They said they'd let him go if I got you to their ship by midnight."

"Me?" His brows drew together. "Why would they think you could get me to their ship?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know."

"They must've seen us together at the market," he mused, then took her hand. "Right then. Let's go."

"Wait. You're just going to give yourself up?" Rose asked. She wanted to save Mickey, but she couldn't let them kill the Doctor. "I thought you were going to stop them?"

"I am," he replied, pulling another package with a fuse from his pocket.

"What is that anyway?"

"It doesn't have a name yet, but I call it a bomb," he replied with a grin as he slid the package back into his pocket.

"A bomb," she repeated and then grinned. "I like it."

"Me too."

They raced through the clearing and onto the beach. The light from the full moon made the soldiers standing on the beach visible. They ran toward them, but were stopped before they reached the shore.

"Who goes there?" One of the soldiers called, pulling a sword from the scabbard hanging at his waist.

"The Doctor and Rose Tyler," the Doctor returned.

"What are you doing here?"

"I…" Rose paused, glancing at the Doctor who nodded for her to continue. "I was given this," she held out Mickey's jacket, "and told to bring him here." She nodded toward the Doctor.

"Grab them," the soldier ordered.

The other three soldiers stepped forward.

"What're you doing?" Rose demanded when one grabbed her by the arm.

"You'll both be seeing the captain."

"No, but I was supposed to trade him for my friend."

The soldier ignored her as the others shoved her and the Doctor into the rowboat.

"Good job. You've captured two people giving themselves up," the Doctor snarked. "Your captain will be so impressed."

"We'll see if you still have a sense of humor once you're onboard," a dark haired soldier retorted before punching the Doctor in the stomach.

He gasped, grabbing his stomach.

"Stop!" Rose yelled.

The soldiers began rowing. The dark water lapped at the sides. Rose looked out at the horizon. She could see the ship anchored near the inlet. It seemed huge in comparison to the small boat she was sitting in. Was Mickey on board? Was he alive?

"Can you swim?" the Doctor whispered.

"Yeah," she replied, wondering why he was asking.

"I'll create a distraction and you jump over."

"Why would I jump over?"

"So you can escape," he replied as if she were an idiot.

"I'm not going anywhere until we rescue Mickey," she insisted, folding her arms.

"Don't be an idiot. Mickey's probably dead."

"Don't say that!" she snapped, louder than she met because next thing she knew she got a boot to her chest.

She gasped at the pain that exploded like white fire.

"Stop that!" the Doctor yelled, making to stand up, but receiving his own boot for his effort.

"No talking!" the one who seemed to be in charge shouted.

A few minutes later the rowboat docked alongside the large ship. A rope ladder was rolled down. The Doctor went first then one of the soldiers grabbed her arm and pulled her into a standing position. The ladder was shoved into her hands.

"Climb," the one in charge ordered.

It was hard work, but when she reached the top the Doctor helped her over the side and onto the deck of the ship. It was the first time she'd been on a ship and the movement made her legs unsteady. She tried to ignore the feeling as she glanced around the ship. There were five soldiers on deck. Three more were still climbing the ladder from the boat below. There was a cabin at one end so there could be more below.

"That's the captain over there," the Doctor said, nodding to a man standing near the cabin.

"Well, then, pull out that bomb thing and let's go," Rose said.

"And blow the ship up with us on it? That's likely," he replied. "Besides, I've got to give them a chance." He stepped toward the captain before she could argue. "I seek an audience with the captain of this ship."

The shaggy haired man stepped forward.

"I'm the captain and you're my prisoner," the man sneered. "The girl kept her word so," he wrapped on the cabin door with his knuckles. The door opened and another soldier stepped on deck pulling Mickey out with him. "As promised."

Rose raced across the deck toward her friend.

"Oh, my god, Mickey!" she exclaimed. The soldier tossed him on the deck toward her. "It's me!" She helped him up. "It's okay. It's all right."

"The soldiers. They're…they're pirates," Mickey stammered, his eyes darting around the ship in terror.

"You're stinking," Rose said, wrinkling her nose. "Doctor, he's alive."

"Yeah, that was a possibility," the Doctor replied.

"You knew that and you never said," she snapped.

"Can we keep the domestics on shore, thank you?" The Doctor asked before eyeing the captain. "You infiltrated this town dressed as pirates, pillaged and murdered. May I suggest you move on?"

The soldiers began shouting, calling for the Doctor's head, yelling that he destroyed their ship, that they should kill him before he killed them.

"I am talking!" the Doctor shouted. The shouting ceased as every one of them, the captain included turned their attention to him. "You're soldiers. All of you," he glanced around the deck. "When you became soldiers you took an oath to protect your people."

"That was a long time ago," the captain dismissed.

"This town," he continued, ignoring the captain's words. "These people. They're your people. What you're doing. You're not protecting them. You're exploiting them and for what? For a few shillings?"

"I've heard enough," the captain said.

Two of the soldiers drew up behind the Doctor and grabbed him.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled.

One of the soldiers spotted the bomb and pulled it out of the Doctor's pocket.

"What's this?" the captain asked.

"It's, er, just a package," the Doctor stammered. "Had to pick up some dried meat on the way over."

"Meat with a fuse?" the captain asked, glaring at him.

"It's just for insurance. I wasn't going to use it!"

"You who speak of peace and oaths. You would board my ship with such a weapon?"

"No…I wasn't - "

"Kill him! Kill them all!" the captain shouted.

"No! Stop!" The Doctor yelled, trying to pull away from the soldiers holding him. "I was a soldier! Like you! You don't have to do this!"

"Stop!" Rose yelled and would've run to help him, but Mickey grabbed her arm and pulled her back as soldiers advanced on them. "Let me go! I have to help him!"

"Go Rose," the Doctor called. "Jump! Get out! Just leg it now!"

The soldiers drug the Doctor toward the side of the ship.

"Come on Rose," Mickey said, glancing at the other side. Rose looked around the ship. She had to do something. She couldn't let them kill him. "Just leave him! There's nothing you can do!"

"Please…please just listen to me," the Doctor tried. "You don't have to do this!"

"Come on, Rose," Mickey begged, pulling her toward the side of the ship. "He's done for. We have to save ourselves."

Rose glanced around the ship for something anything. She was terrified, but not just for herself. For Mickey and the Doctor and everyone who would die at the hands of those soldiers if they weren't stopped. For the first time in her life she saw the big picture. She saw what she assumed the Doctor must see. That if someone didn't do something to stop people like that everyone suffered. That sometimes you had to make a stand, you had to do what was right no matter the cost.

"Just leave him!" Mickey insisted.

She spied a rope dangling from the mast and it gave her an idea. When she was a kid she and Mickey used to meet in the woods to play so no one saw. So her mum wouldn't find out. Once they brought ropes. She climbed up the trees and tied them to branches so they could swing on them.

"I've got no boyfriend," she said as she dodged the soldiers trying to grab them. "No job," she raced over to the mast, "No future," she jumped, "But I'll tell you what I have got," she grabbed the rope and ran back scrambling up on the side of the ship, "An unladylike reputation!"

She ran down the side of the ship and jumped toward the Doctor. She swung out, kicking one of the soldiers that was about to toss the Doctor overboard. He flipped the other one after.

"Rose!" the Doctor yelled, but she was already swinging back.

The Captain grabbed for her, dropping the bomb in the process. She twisted in the air kicking a lantern attached to the mast. It shattered, the wick dropping near the bomb.

"Now we're in trouble!" the Doctor yelled as he raced across the deck, grabbing Rose and then Mickey before pulling them over the side of the ship.

The cold water hit Rose with a shock, making her lose her breath, but the Doctor pulled her further under. She was jarred by the sound of a loud explosion. He released her and she fought her way above the surface. The moment her head broke the water she pulled in a breath.

The ship was aflame. Debris littered the water. She glanced left and then right. She seemed to be alone.

"Doctor! Mickey!" she choked out between coughs.

A moment later Mickey's head appeared. He coughed.

Mickey!" she exclaimed.

"Rose!" he returned.

"Fancy a lift?"

Rose turned her head toward the voice. The rowboat appeared through a billow of smoke with the Doctor seated inside. She had no idea how he'd gotten to the rowboat so fast, but she couldn't help the grin that appeared.

He drew up next to her and helped her inside. Followed by Mickey.

"You're completely mental," Mickey coughed as he landed on the floor of the boat.

"A simple thank you would suffice," the Doctor retorted. Mickey just glared at him. The Doctor shrugged. "Suit yourself."

The Doctor rowed them back to shore. The minute they were close enough Mickey scrambled out of the boat and raced onto the shore while the Doctor helped Rose step out. She walked over to where her friend was standing.

"Pirates?" the Doctor asked, snapping his fingers. "Easy."

She giggled, turning to look at this man who seemed to have dropped out of the sky. A man who saved her from being killed last night, but she returned his favor by saving him. Something she never thought she would do.

"Fat lot of good you were," Rose teased. "You were useless on that ship. You'd be dead if it wasn't for me."

The Doctor stared at her for a moment.

"Yes, I would. Thank you," he admitted. "Right then. I'll be off," he paused, glancing at Rose, "Unless…I don't know," he glanced at the water before returning his gaze to her, "you could come with me." Could she? Could she really just leave? "I have a ship, just round the bend." He gestured down the Thames, "It goes anywhere free of charge."

"Don't," Mickey insisted. "He's a pirate Rose. He's dangerous!"

"He's not invited," the Doctor said, nodding toward Mickey. "What do you think?" It was too much. First she almost died, then Mickey was kidnapped, then she had to save him and she was almost killed again. "You could stay here, fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go anywhere."

It was tempting. To just go. Just leave.

"Is it always this dangerous?" she asked.

"Yeah," he admitted.

Mickey wrapped his arms around her as if she were keeping him from drowning even though they were on dry land.

"Yeah, I can't. I've," she sighed. "I've got my mum and someone's got to look after this stupid lump, so…"

She wanted to. She really wanted to, but who would be there for her mum and Mickey and Mickey's gran? Who would watch out for them if she left?

"Okay," the Doctor nodded. Her heart fell. "See you around."

He sat down and began rowing. She watched him for a minute with Mickey's arms still wrapped around her. Why did it have to be her? Why did she have to always be the responsible one? She sighed, that was that, then she turned with Mickey and headed up the beach.

"Come on, let's go," she said, regretting her decision more than she ever regretted anything, "Come on." She wrapped her arm around Mickey. "Come on."

"By the way," the Doctor called. Rose turned around and found that he rowed back. She grinned. "Did I mention that I've been to the New World?"

She glanced at Mickey.

"Thanks," she said.

"Thanks for what?" Mickey asked.

"Exactly," she replied and then kissed his cheek.

She ran toward the rowboat grinning more than she had in a very long time.


Thank you dear readers. You guys are brilliant!

Reviews are always welcome. :)