The Doctor sat by the window and watched as Rose cuddled their son. He studied her, looking for signs that she wasn't recovered from whatever had attacked her and, finding none that he couldn't live with, he walked to the bed and held out his arms. "I'll just take Jake to Jackie and be right back. Bring us a cuppa too, all right?"

Rose frowned and held Jake tighter.

"Rose, he's fine, he'll stay fine. I'm not going to let anything happen to him, or you." The Doctor reached for the baby and smiled as Rose gave in. "That's my girl. We need to talk and I'd rather Jake not hear."

She snorted. "He's three months old, Doctor."

"He's telepathic, Rose."

She smiled. "Point taken."

He returned to find Rose in pajamas, hair damp and face scrubbed, huddled against the headboard. She looked impossibly young and utterly beautiful. His hearts clenched at the thought of what had happened today; he'd almost lost her.

He clamped down on his emotions and handed her a cup of tea before sitting beside her and taking her hand. He sighed, hating having to dredge up the horror she'd experienced. "Rose, tell me what happened at the café."

Her whiskey brown eyes met his over the rim of her mug. "Not sure really, there was this … this black, shadow thingy." Her eyes twinkled with mirth when he raised his eyebrow. "Yep, that's a Rose Tyler technical term."

He smiled and shook his head. "Continue your description of this thingy, Miss Tyler."

Her amusement faded and she clung to his hand. "Okay, well I noticed the black shadowy thingy and it started to move towards me." She grimaced and rubbed her temples. "My head was pounding, I mean it had been hurting since I woke up but it really, really started hurting when I saw that thing."

She shrugged. "Anyway, I was scared and was gonna grab Jake and run to you but then …" She looked up at him, indecision clear in her eyes.

The Doctor squeezed her hand. "Go on, Rose, why didn't you run to me?"

She looked away, setting her mug down. "Um, the uh, the Tardis. She told me to leave Jake and just run."

The Doctor gasped and dropped her hand. He swallowed several times before he found his voice. "Wha … what do you mean, the Tardis told you?"

Rose sighed. "I can't explain, not really. I've heard her before …"

The Doctor studied her bowed head for several moments, debating pursuing Rose's ability to communicate with his ship versus hearing more about the alien encounter. He huffed and leaped up, pacing.

The question of Rose's telepathy, her understanding the Tardis … he had wanted answers to those puzzles for some time now but, as usual, something else had happened to take precedence.

He turned toward Rose and sighed. "Rose, I want to … no I don't really want to," he shook his head. "No matter, tell me the rest of your incident with this shadow." He held up his hand when she started to speak. "Make no mistake though, we will return to this chatting with my Tardis matter."

Rose smirked. "Yeah, been able to avoid it so far. 'S drivin' you spare, isn't it?"

He quirked an eyebrow and motioned for her to continue.

"So, I didn't want to, but the Tardis insisted I run, so I did." She frowned. "Was weird though. When I hesitated to run, I looked around and everyone was still."

She raised her eyes to his and bit her lip. "Doctor, I can't explain what happened but it was like everyone but me was frozen …"

The Doctor nodded. "They were. Frozen I mean. Time was somehow stopped."

A look of confusion clouded her face. He tugged on his earlobe and pursed his lips. How to explain Time Lord senses to a human ...

"I was standing in line when my time senses alerted me to an anomaly." He smiled at her frown. "Time Lord, Rose. I'm sensitive to time and manipulations of time. I was frozen too but not unaware of it happening, like everyone else was."

"So, Mum and Dad, they didn't know that happened, yeah?"

He nodded.

"What about Jake? Was he aware of it too?"

The Doctor paused. His Rose, always asking good questions.

"You know, I'm not really sure. If I had to guess I would say no. He's sensitive to time, or he will be, but Gallifreyans don't usually develop their time senses until puberty, around the age of eight."

Rose blinked. "Your people reach adolescence at eight?"

He grinned. "In some things, Miss Tyler. Superior physiology, remember?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, how could I forget?"

The Doctor started, surprised by the edge to her voice. Something was bothering his pink and yellow girl … he sighed acknowledging that yet again there was no time.

He clapped his hands and strode across the room to join her on the bed. "Right then, what happened when you ran from your shadow thingy?"

Her lips quirked. "Well, I ran, obviously. Got far enough ahead of it that my headache lessened …" she grimaced. "But it made me careless. I saw a hiding place and ran toward it without checking where the thing was and ran straight into it."

The Doctor sucked in a breath. "Rose! You could have been … I mean … we don't know what it is – Rasillon, Rose! It could have killed you."

She raised a shaking hand and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Well, it didn't kill me but felt like it was gonna." She shuddered. "Pain was awful. Like it was electrocutin' me or something. I … it started to shimmer and then the shadow became a man dressed all in black."

She looked up, eyes wide. "Oh God, Doctor, it … he …" she gulped. "He was leaning over me, his face was so close to mine … I don't know what he was planning on doing but it looked like …" Rose bit her lip and looked away.

"Rose? What did you think he was going to do?"

She fidgeted for several minutes and then met his gaze. "I know it's gonna sound silly but … it seemed like he was gonna kiss me!"

"WHAT?" He snorted. "You think an alien being manipulated time just to steal a kiss from you?"

Rose's mouth dropped open and then snapped shut. She scowled. "And you think that is ridiculous because?" She arched an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest.

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck, sure he had put his foot into it with Rose but unable to figure out exactly how. "Uh … hmmm." He glanced at Rose and, not liking the emotions he saw brewing on her face, leapt to his feet and started pacing again.

"Right then, moving on. The alien was, uh, close to your face, right?"

She managed to glare at him before he averted his eyes. "No, he was trying to kiss me –"

"Whatever," he waved his hand in dismissal but didn't miss her stiffening. "Semantics. Did he do anything else?"

He heard Rose emit what could have been called a growl but decided to plow ahead anyway. "How were you feeling at the time? Pain in your head still there? How about the electric shock?"

"Yes, and I was still in horrible pain."

He whirled around at her clipped tone. Bollocks! She was definitely in a snit. What the hell had he said? He cleared his throat. "Uh, Rose could you be more specific?"

She straightened her spine and raised her eyebrows. "No Doctor, I can't. I seem to jump to ridiculous conclusions, stupid ape that I am, so I think I should just state the facts."

He gulped. Okay, very miffed Rose. He wracked his brain, running over their conversation but unable to find what could have set her back up. He sighed. "All right, Rose. It's obvious I've angered you. Want to tell me why?"

She snorted. "Nope."

He gritted his teeth. Bloody stubborn female. "Then how do you propose we continue?"

She sniffed. "I really couldn't say, inferior species and all …"

"Rose Tyler!" He dragged her to her feet. "What is all of this about stupid apes and inferior species?"

She looked over his shoulder, mouth set in a firm line.

He sighed and grasped her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You're being ridiculous –"

"Oh! Of course I am!" She jerked from his arms and stalked across the room to stare out the window. "It was ridiculous that an alien might find me attractive so why wouldn't my behavior also be –"

He laughed as realization dawned. Couldn't help it really, despite her anger and distress. Typical female. He shook his head and walked over to her, intending to tease her mercilessly.

She whipped around to stare at him and the hurt in her eyes stopped him cold. He reached out, drawing her stiff body into his embrace.

"Rooose." He nuzzled her neck with his chin. "Are you really – I mean."

She stiffened further and tried to pull away. He grinned and tried another tactic. Dropping light kisses along her neck and collarbone he murmured. "I, being a superior alien of the highest sort, would certainly find kissing you a worthwhile reason to stop time."

"Yeah?"

He smiled as she relaxed a bit and tilted her head to give him better access to her neck. "Oh yes!"

He pulled away to look into her eyes. Seeing the soft look in hers he pressed a kiss to her lips and then leaned his forehead against hers. "However, I really don't think that was the intent of your shadowy thingy." He paused, considering. "At least, it better not have been."

Rose giggled. "I was bein' kinda silly, huh?"

He chuckled and released her enough to guide them both back to the bed. "A bit. But, you're my precious girl so I'll make allowances."

She snorted. "Magnanimous of you, M'Lord."

His lips quirked but he held back his laughter. "So, care to elaborate now?"

She frowned. "On what?"

"I asked if anything else had happened and you said, yes. So, what else did the creature do?"

"Oh! Right, well, nothin' really, he was getting close to kissin' me but I guess he saw you and got scared. He muttered something and then he faded away."

She looked at him and frowned. "Guess you know better what happened after that since I was tryin' not to pass out."

The Doctor frowned. "Uh, Rose, I never saw the creature …"

"But … it was you that stroked my cheek and put your fingers on my forehead—no, wait!"

She pulled her legs underneath her and grabbed his hand. "It's kinda fuzzy but there was this … this woman I guess. All I remember are deep red eyes and a female voice whispering something."

She closed her eyes and cocked her head, concentrating. "I can't remember what she said either …" she sighed. "I'm sorry, Doctor."

He studied her for a few minutes. "There might be a way to jog your memories …" he squeezed her hand letting the matter drop.

He'd avoided contact with Rose's mind the entire time she traveled with him though he'd longed to do it. Then, as now, he was unsure if, once merged with her consciousness he'd find the willpower to leave. No, best to continue avoiding that particular intimacy.

But, with her new found telepathic abilities … he slammed the door on that thought and shook his head.

"We can talk about jogging your memory later. For now, I'm more interested in identifying this thingy."

He left the bed, pacing and tugging at his hair as his brain flew through all of the creatures he knew were capable of changing shape. There were many but they couldn't also manipulate time.

He could think of only one race with both of those abilities but … "Impossible."

He sighed and flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. His genius brain was nagging at him, prodding for him to accept the impossible. A cold chill ran down his spine, he refused to even think the word.

"Doctor?"

He jumped as Rose placed a hand on his arm. "Hmmm? Just thinking, Rose."

It couldn't be, it was impossible; therefore he needed to start over, review the facts again, and look for what he had missed.

He rolled over and smiled at Rose. "Let's go over this again, shall we?" He grinned as she rolled her eyes. "You might have left something out."

"I told ya everything –"

"Yes, but what were you doing before you saw the shadow in the park? Maybe something you did drew it to you …"

She shook her head. "Back to blamin' me for attracting trouble?" She flashed her tongue touched smile. "Sorry to disappoint ya, Doctor, but I wasn't doing anything. I was just sitting with Jake, you know, just thinking while we waited for you."

He groaned and scrubbed his hand over his face, mumbling to himself. "Thinking. Thinking … accidently trip some alien tech? Say some forbidden word in front of an ancient relic of Madrelass? Nah, that's nonsense."

He looked at Rose and studied her face while he ran through more seemingly absurd hypotheses. A faint hint of pink was creeping up her neck and spreading across her cheeks and she was avoiding his eyes.

He cocked an eyebrow, what had she been doing?

"Rose …, something you want to tell me?"

Her head snapped up. "What? No! No, I told ya, I wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, just rocking the push-chair and … and thinking about stuff."

"Hmm, thinking about what?"

She huffed and looked down at her hands. "Just stuff, Doctor. I promise it was nothing to do with this shadowy guy."

"Weell, if it was just stuff, you won't mind telling me, will you?" He nudged her clasped hands with one of his. "You know, so I can eliminate all variables?"

She blushed bright red and shook her head. Now that was intriguing. "Rose? What were you thinking about right before you saw the creature?"

He grinned. "You know I'm not going to let this drop …"

Her shoulders slumped. "I'm tellin' ya –"

"Rooose, I can keep this up all night, next day too –"

"Oh fine!" She glared at him. "I was thinking about us, if you must know!" She swatted his arm. "Happy now? Told ya it had nothing to do with this thing. Now can we please get back to –"

"What about us?" His smile widened as her face flamed again. Oh, this must be good. His mind flashed back to the night Jake must have been conceived. Was she thinking about picking up their relationship were they left off, taking it further? He certainly hoped so!

"Nothing! Nothing about us, I mean … there isn't any, I mean we're not –"

He stiffened. There wasn't any them? He begged to differ. "Ah, Rose? We have a child together. I would assume there is, in fact an us unless …"

Rasillon! Did she not want a relationship with him now? She'd said she loved him, maybe she'd changed – no that was just ludicrous.

He frowned and exhaled. "Rose? What is going on in that head of yours?"

She wriggled off of the bed and stalked away from him, heading toward the door. "I … I don't want to, I mean … there is nothing going on in my head. Stupid ape, remember?"

His eyes widened. That was the second time in as many minutes that she had called herself that. Angry, he jumped up and grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him. "Why are you – I haven't called you that since my last incarnation and even then –"he took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down.

"Rose, I don't think you are stupid in any way, shape, or form."

She struggled in his grip and then huffed when he refused to relinquish his hold. "Maybe not, but I'm still an ape, a human."

He blinked. "Yes, what's your point?"

She scuffed her foot against the area rug, refusing to meet his eyes. "My point?" She laughed, though no humor filled it. "My point is, I will wither and die, Doctor. Nothing has changed and really, I don't expect … I mean …"

Wither and die? He cursed his runaway gob. He rubbed the back of his neck, hoping the mouth that got him into this would oblige and get him out. "Um, thing is …"

Bollocks! Never any words when he needed them. "Rose, I …"

She sniffed. "S'Okay Doctor, you don't have to say anythin'." She swiped at her cheeks and he stifled a groan. Great, he'd caused yet more tears.

He cupped her face, thumbs stroking her across her cheek bones and wiping away the moisture. "Rose … I should have never said that …"

She shook her head, dislodging his hands. "No, but you were right." She straightened her spine and met his eyes. "I'm human, yeah? Can't expect … I – you have Jake now so once he's grown up a bit you'll have the perfect companion, no need to bother with my lot."

She turned from him, absently straightening the duvet and avoiding his gaze. "And really, that's good! I'm so hap—"her words ended on a sob as she collapsed onto the bed.

The Doctor stared at Rose for several seconds until his mind caught up and he hurried to draw her into his arms. He murmured nonsense and rocked her but his brain was in over drive. What the hell was she thinking? He shook his head and waited until she quieted.

"Rose?" He nudged her with his chin. "You're not making much sense, love."

He stroked her hair and waited until her breathing calmed. "Come on now, tell me what –"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're going to have to explain what you mean because, Time Lord brain I may have but I'm still male and frankly, that little ramble of yours made no sense."

She gulped and buried her head in his chest. "Just forget it, yeah? I don't know what came over me. Guess I'm just tired."

He snorted. "Forget it? Not on your life, Tyler." He gave her a little shake and bent until he could look her in the eyes. "You were nattering on about humans, companions, and Jake. From what I can make out, you seem to be under the assumption that I'll be traveling with our son and not you." He quirked an eyebrow. "That about the gist of it?"

She nodded and ducked her head. "'S just …" she sighed and met his gaze. "I keep remembering how you acted when you thought Jake wasn't a Time Tot."

She shook her head when he started to interrupt. "DON'T! Don't deny it, Doctor. I saw you and I … I felt it." She tapped her temple. "You didn't want to accept him as your son and then …" a sob cracked her voice. "And then, when I lowered his mental shields you were … you accepted him then."

He stiffened, ashamed that she had noticed his initial hesitation and alarmed that she'd gotten passed his shields enough to sense his emotions. He should have known, really. Rose had always seen far too much where it concerned him, telepathic abilities or not.

He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. What could he say? She was right, he hadn't wanted to get too close to Jake until he'd discovered the child was more Gallifreyan than human, but telling her that led right back to his stupid lecture on Time Lord curses.

He looked down and found her glaring at him. "You don't deny what I'm saying which means I was right!" She scooted away from him, crossing her arms over her chest, a hard look in her eyes.

"Just tell me, if Jake hadn't been like you …"her voice broke and she shook her head. "If he'd been human, like me. Would you have … you wouldn't be like you are now with him, would you?"

He gulped. "Rose, it's not what you think." He looked away, unable to meet her accusing stare. "I … I love our son. I'm happy he's here, I plan to be a father to him, isn't that enough?"

She sucked in a breath, drawing his eyes to her face. "Enough? I suppose it is, for Jake, but where does that leave me? I mean, if you're so … so prejudiced against humans that you'd have rejected your own blood –"

"Prejudiced! Rose Tyler, of all the stupid –"

"Ape things to say! Yeah, I know, I'm … we're tolerable, amusing even. But compared to another Time Lord?" She snorted. "I'm under no illusions as to my worth, Doctor."

He jumped up and grabbed her arm. "Don't." He ground out from between clinched teeth. "Just don't." He looked into her eyes. "You are wrong, dead wrong Rose Tyler. I can't believe you'd think—"

He released her and stalked to the door wanting nothing more but to escape the uncomfortable conversation. He turned the door knob but stopped as her words reached him.

"Running again? Not surprised, it's what you do best, yeah?"

His anger wilted at the muted sound of her crying. Everything within him said stay and talk, stay and tell her how he felt but years of doing just what she'd accused him of were fighting just as hard for dominance. He took a step through the doorway …

"Just promise me …" she choked on her tears and drew a ragged breath. "Promise that you won't let him forget me."

He went rigid and his eyes opened wide. Rasillon! She thought … He turned, slammed the door, and stalked across the room, dragging her into his arms. "Rose! How can you think –

He dragged a hand through his hair. "Blimey love, you don't think very highly of me, do you."

"Wha—what?"

He kissed the top of her head and rocked her gently. "Rose, am I right in thinking that you've somehow convinced yourself that I plan on taking Jake away from you?"

He felt her head move a tiny bit and couldn't help but give her a little shake. "I'm trying hard not to be insulted."

He inhaled and forced long overdue words from his tight throat. "Rose Tyler, I can see that I've made a right mess of things. I just assumed … right then."

He nudged her far enough away from him so he was looking in her eyes. "I seem to recall running out of time during a highly crucial conversation with you …"

She sniffed. "Yeah?"

He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "And I suppose, though I fervently pray this is not the last chance I have to say it. Rose Tyler, I love you."

Her smile lit up the room. He pulled her closer and kissed her, pouring every bit of love he felt into it. They lay back on the bed, fondling, whispering endearments, and indulging in soul shattering snogs.

Minutes later he moved to let her breathe and pressed kisses along her jaw and up to her ear, whispering, "Now then, no more thinking I'm abandoning you, taking our son and swanning off, or the like, hmm?"

He sucked in a breath as she laughed and wriggled closer, her hips nestled close to a part of his anatomy that was rapidly reminding him how long they'd been apart. He gulped and tried to summon control of his wayward body, barely catching what Rose was saying.

"'M sorry. I knew at the time it was silly to think that you'd … that you'd, you know. Even the Tardis scolded me! But I couldn't seem to help it, every time I pushed the thoughts away they'd creep back to the idea that you wouldn't want me now and that you'd dump me on Earth as soon as Jake could look after himself."

He straightened as her words penetrated the haze of arousal fogging his brain. He rolled away, putting distance between them so he could think. The shadow had appeared as Rose was thinking but she was telepathic in some form or another so what if?

He stiffened, not liking where his logic was taking him but acknowledging that she was new to telepathy and, though she'd somehow shielded their son's mind it wasn't a given that her own shields were all that strong or consistent.

"Rose? You've mentioned that you can hear the Tardis and you have a mental bond with Jake. Have you ever connected with anyone else? Even by accident?"

She met his eyes and frowned. "Umm, not that I know of." Her brow furrowed. "I've been hearing the Tardis for a long time –"

"What? How long?"

She bit her lip. "Well, before Canary Wharf …"

His mouth dropped open. "What! Why didn't you … you never thought to tell me?"

She bit her thumb nail and shrugged. "Didn't really know. It was just this music, yeah?" She motioned to her head. "Like a song in the back of my head, really quiet … though sometimes –"

"Sometimes what?"

"A couple of times I'd get a sense of … emotion maybe? Like when we lost her on Krop Tor. I remember feeling really sad and afraid and the song got louder for a few minutes and I felt like something was trying to reassure me that it would be all right. And when I lost my face? I swear she sang to me."

She met his eyes and wrinkled her nose. "Silly, huh?"

He shook his head. "No, that's how the Tardis interacts with me."

He dragged a hand through his hair. How was the Tardis communicating with Rose back then? Since learning about her telepathy he'd been convincing himself the ability was a side effect of carrying a Time Lord child but now …

"Rose, you said the Tardis scolded you today while you were thinking negatively, right? Did she sing to you again?"

Rose shook her head. "No, she didn't sing, she sent me … stuff you'd said to me in the past. Reminding me, I guess."

He tensed. The Tardis had never done anything like that to him. "What specifically did she send to you?"

"Um, when we met Sarah Jane and you said I could spend the rest of my life with you … and then when… when I promised you forever and you said you were honored –"

"Honored to have your forever." Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her, tracing his tongue along the seam of her lips and then plunging inside when she opened for him. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "I meant it you know."

He squeezed her gently and kissed her nose. "Don't ever forget it, hmm?"

She giggled. "Keep kissin' me like that and I'm not likely too. Then again, the Tardis wouldn't let me forget either."

He grinned. "Nice to know I have back-up."

She grinned and nudged him. "You finally got to ask me about talkin' with the Tardis. Time Lord nosiness satisfied now?"

"Oi! Scientific curiosity, not nosiness." He rolled onto his back, pulling her down across his chest. "And no, I'm not nearly satisfied," he peered at her, eyebrows raised.

"Or over the fact that you hid this ability from me … but! We'll have that discussion another day. Right now, I need to concentrate on this being that attacked you."

He stroked her hair and ran through all that she'd told him, once again stumbling over thinking the name of the being all evidence was pointing to. He rammed the door on the thought and felt a sharp mental slap.

Oh! Now you decide to talk to me, huh?

The slap returned, harder this time, followed by the Tardis equivalent of a snort.

Rose laughed. "What are you doing that is ticking her off?"

He blinked. "What?"

"The Tardis, she's kind of grumbling in my mind but it isn't directed at me, I'm guessin' it's you she's mad at?"

He shifted, sitting up against the headboard. "Rose, how did you know she just deigned to communicate with me?"

Rose shrugged. "Don't know."

He frowned. Rose might well be able to talk with his ship but she shouldn't be able to … he mentally assessed his shields and found them as strong as ever.

"Rose? Ask the Tardis why you can hear her talk to me."

"Okay, but why don't you –" he frowned at her.

"Okay, okay, I'm asking!" Rose stilled and closed her eyes.

The Doctor smiled at the look of concentration on her face. It seemed to take quite a bit of effort for Rose to connect. He'd have to work with her, help her strengthen her abilities and maybe see what else she was capable of.

Perhaps they could even bond – no! He buried the thought and the longing driving it. Slightly telepathic or not, that type of bond with Rose could only end with more heartache for him and Rasillon knew the future held enough of that for him.

He shook himself and focused on Rose as she blinked and then frowned. "Huh. She says the time has not arriv –Ooh!" Rose's eyes widened.

She sat up and bounced on the bed. "Doctor! That's what the lady said! I remember now."

He stilled her, smiling at her excitement. "Not following, love. What lady?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "The lady with the red eyes, yeah? The one that chased the black shadow guy away. The Tardis said the same thing. The time has not arrived." She cocked her head. "Pretty enigmatic, wouldn't ya say?"

He snorted. "Yes, and that's my line."

Rose giggled and then yawned. "I still can't remember what the guy in black said, though I can see the cruel look on his face." She shivered and snuggled closer to the Doctor.

"I can feel his anger, his hatred. But then the lady came and he disappeared. I couldn't see anything but her eyes, I remember thinking they were shining like rubies and she was stroking my face, murmuring in a language I couldn't understand …"

Rose looked up at him. "Why didn't the Tardis translate?"

His lips pressed into a firm line. More evidence pointing toward a conclusion he emphatically did not want to reach.

Rose yawned again and rubbed at her eyes.

"Time for you to sleep." He shifted until the covers were free and then drew her into his arms, pulling the duvet up around her.

"Sorry Doctor, me and my human needs."

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Hush you."

Rose giggled. "Wonder who that lady was. Think she was a Mandrelassian?"

Rose snuggled closer and drifted off only to mutter, "Wish you'd have seen her, Doctor. She was like an avenging angel or somethin' …"

His head jerked up. Avenging? "Rose, what do you mean?"

"Don't know, didn't feel like she was comin' to my rescue because she cared about me or anythin', the feeling was more like that was what she did, you know, like defendin' things was her job. Can't explain it really …" her voice trailed off and the Doctor saw that she'd fallen asleep.

He sank back against the pillows and allowed his mind to wander over the puzzle pieces again; adding in the information Rose had just given him. He gritted his teeth and allowed the voice in his head to speak the words he'd been actively ignoring: Guardians.