A/N: Sorry this chapter is shorter than the last. It's just that this bit got into my head and wouldn't leave until I wrote it down! I also know how naughty I've been not updating my other stories. I honestly will do it, but everything that's popping into my head at the moment seems to be for this one! Thank you again for your continued, wonderful reviews. I can't help but notice though – I've had tons of emails saying I've been put on story alert, but not nearly as many reviews. So... please, please leave me just a teeny, tiny message. It makes me very happy! As do your story alerts, obviously! Ta.
xxxx
Much to her dismay, Rose awoke several hours later to find that her alarm clock read '01:17'. Amazingly, that was the first thing she noticed considering the dead weight that was draped across her body. When she tried to snuggle further under the duvet and found she couldn't move, she turned her head and found the Doctor fast asleep, his hair sticking up every-which-way possible and his mouth slightly open. She smiled and tried to gently roll him off enough so that she could move. However, the slight movement was enough to jolt him awake, and he jumped so violently that for a second, Rose thought he was going to hit the ceiling. He spun round to look at her, wide-eyed and panicky.
"Rose! What is it? Are you all right?" he said, putting his hands on her arms and staring intensely into her eyes.
She couldn't help but smile. "I'm fine. I was just trying to pull the covers up. You were laying on me."
The Doctor blushed slightly, although Rose couldn't see it in the near darkness. "Sorry," he replied sheepishly.
"S'okay." She paused for a second, then said, "thank you."
"For what?"
She reached out for his hand and squeezed it gently. "For looking after me."
The Doctor shuffled up closer to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Anytime."
She stayed leant against him for a few seconds before getting up and making her way towards the door.
"Where are you going?" the Doctor asked, instantly alert.
Rose smiled again as she pulled open the door, the dim light from the hall spilling in and giving his face an eerie glow.
"Relax. I'm just going to the bathroom."
He eyed her suspiciously. "You don't feel sick again, do you?"
Rose got rather defensive at this. "What do you mean?"
"Rose..."
She gave him a look and then backed out of the door. "I'm just going to the toilet."
The Doctor sighed and watched her go, relief washing over him when he heard no tell-tale signs of her being sick. But, when she failed to reappear after about five minutes, he started to worry again. Pushing himself off the bed, he made his way to the bathroom and put his ear against the door.
"Rose? Are you okay?"
He heard her breath catch in her throat as she called back, rather shakily. "I'll just be a minute."
He frowned. "Can I come in?"
No answer.
"Rose?"
A muffled sob alerted him to the fact that she was not okay at all. Not one bit.
"Rose, I'm coming in."
Thankful that he hadn't yet fixed the lock on Jackie's bathroom door, he slowly pushed it open to reveal Rose sitting on the lid of the toilet and crying into her hands.
"I'm-I'm sorry," she stuttered, not looking up at him.
"Hey, come here" he said softly, coming to kneel in front of her. She choked back a sob as he took her hands and pulled her forward into his arms. "Don't be sorry, Rose. You're grieving. Never be sorry for that."
"But -"
The Doctor put a finger to her lips to silence her. "Don't."
Rose calmed down slightly, and perhaps it was because the Doctor's finger lingered a little longer on her lips than it should have, or because his face was in such close proximity to hers, but the next thing she knew her lips were on his... and that was when it happened.
The rest of her world and the last of her dignity came tumbling down around her.
The Doctor pushed her back and with wide eyes he stared at her, clearly shocked.
"Rose..."
Rose was vaguely aware that her mouth was slowly opening and closing, but no sound was coming out. She briefly thought about how dumb she looked, before the horrifying reality of what she'd done finally set in.
"Oh, God..." she breathed.
She stood up quickly, the Doctor going with her.
"Oh, God," she said again, her hands flying to her mouth. She backed out of the bathroom door, her eyes never leaving the Doctor's as he continued to just stare at her. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and she turned and fled.
The Doctor finally managed to kick himself into gear and he ran out after her.
"Rose! Rose, it's okay – it doesn't matter!"
He ran into the living room, just in time to see Rose stumble and reach out her hands to the edge of the sofa for support. She sounded breathless, like she had been winded.
"Rose...?"
She turned slowly to look at him, and it was then that he noticed the cold sweat that was covering her face.
"Doctor," she whispered, as she let go of the sofa and tried to walk towards him, "I don't feel well."
The last thing she saw as her legs gave way was the Doctor running towards her, arms outstretched.
Then everything went black.
