Thank you very much, all of you, for the encouragement, thoughts, and ideas. I much appreciate them all. They even help get me excited about writing upcoming chapters! I also am sorry for the long wait, as always! Chronic lateness is my middle name. Or should be. Hopefully, I've somewhat made it up to you by creating a longer chapter here, and one with some interesting happenings.

As for why I brought Alexa in. The simple answer is that I wanted to. I wanted an antagonist to stir things up in an already dramatic moment and cause both Rose and the Doctor to have to think and feel outside of their comfort zones. It made it easier to explore (okay, exploit) this angle. If I had made it all a completely happy, fluffy, lovey-dovey reunion with nothing upsetting at all, this would have been a fluff story, not an angst-based one.

Again, thanks for the feedback!

Please be kind and review. :)


Alexa turned her too bright smile on Rose. "He was kidding." He really wasn't. "He likes to joke like that." She laughed. Rose looked skeptical.

"So, how do you know the Doctor?" Alexa asked, knowing nothing about her other than her name and the fact that the Doctor was fascinated by whoever she was.

"He never mentioned me?" Rose asked quietly.

"No. Never." Alexa said honestly. She enjoyed the way Rose didn't seem to like that at all.

"I'm Rose. Rose Tyler. I...Used to travel with the Doctor. Like you do now?" She looked up at her.

"Yeah. I'm Alexa." She wasn't very big on making nice with people, and Rose was no exception. But she could be semi-polite when it called for it.

"You and the Doctor...You seem..." Rose struggled to find the right word. "Close." She said, shifting her position slightly.

There it was. An opening. Alexa could see Rose was uncomfortable with the idea of her being close to the Doctor, so she played right into that weakness.

"You're right about that! He and I are as close as two people can get. We share everything. Oh, the things we've done!" She was smiling and looking away as if recalling the most thrilling of memories.

"He did seem...Very...Happy to be near you." Rose said softly.

"You think so?" Another bright smile from Alexa. "He does have trouble keeping his hands to himself when he's around me." She lied. It wasn't like the Doctor was here to stop her and she doubted this Rose girl would have the nerve to mention any of this to him.

Rose looked down. "Yeah..." Why was it when she was traveling with him, she felt he didn't look at her twice that way, yet here he was with Alexa, looking and touching and kissing? She tried not to think about it.

Even if Alexa was somehow the Doctor's love, it didn't mean he didn't care about her. He had come after her, hadn't he? She consoled herself with that.

He could just as easily have left her out in the cold to die. But he didn't. Though it wasn't in his nature to leave anybody to die like that. When she told him what she'd done, what would he think? She was terrified that he would truly hate her.

She would live with him loving someone else. It looked like she would have to. But she couldn't live with him hating her.

"You live around here?" Alexa asked. She was checking out her own nails to see their condition. They were polished with gloss and looked manicured.

How anyone could keep up with the Doctor and still have time for that sort of frivolous care taking was a mystery to Rose. No companion who pulled her own weight would ever keep nails and makeup looking that put together and still be able to run with the Doctor.

Seeing such perfectly groomed fingernails on the other girl, Rose tugged her hand free of the blanket and tucked it out of view beneath it. Her own fingernails were chewed down to the quick. They were ragged and dull. Her hair was a mess. She was far too thin, and she didn't even have any decent clothes now.

"Yeah, just outside here." She spoke in a defeated voice.

"You should get on home soon then, your family is probably missing you. Or is there some place we can drop you before we leave?" Alexa asked bluntly.

Rose frowned. "No. I can go on my own." She confirmed resolutely. "I'm only here to tell the Doctor something and because he insisted I stay."

Alexa's smile was back. "He's such a softie for the poor and sickly. You look like you've seen better days."

For the first time, Rose noticed something. Alexa was pretty damned rude.

As terrible as Rose felt both physically and emotionally, Alexa's words sparked something in her.

"Yeah, well, I'm not poor and I'm not sickly. I'm just having a hard time is all, but I'll pull out of it." She defended herself, surprised at her own strength considering everything.

It was one thing if this girl had a relationship with the Doctor, it was quite another if she was going to be insulting.

"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it." Alexa quickly back tracked as she slowly circled around Rose, looking literally down at her. "It's just traveling with the Doctor has opened my eyes to things. I've seen people worse off than you, but," She sighed, as though it was painful for her to say such things. "And I'm not telling you this to be mean, but only to let you know...You look pretty bad, Rose. Like a walking corpse."

Rose felt a flash of heat across her face. "Excuse me?" She was about to go off on her. She was feeling something she hadn't felt in a long time. She was angry. She stared up at the girl who kept slowly circling her like some kind of vulture.

Alexa smiled condescendingly, but meant for it to look sympathetic. She failed. "Really, I can see why the Doctor is so concerned. He did mention something about you looking just horrendous." Lies were always fun to Alexa. She'd heard the Doctor lie before so she felt justified.

Rose paused. "He did?"

"Well, I'm sure he didn't mean for you to hear about it, but this is just between us girls. You know how men are. They can be shallow about appearances. So when someone looks particularly...Unhealthy, they're not very appealing to them."

She stopped in front of Rose, still staring down at her. "After we last kissed, he mentioned a few things. He said he was disgusted. He kind of wanted you to leave the second you're not near death, but like I said, he's a softie. He did say, and I'm being kind here, but you, um, probably should get a good soak in a bath."

Narrowing her eyes, Rose glared up at her. She was going too far. No matter what else happened, Rose knew the Doctor too well to believe he would ever say such awful things like that about her behind her back. If anything, he was more likely to tell her right to her face that he was disgusted and that she smelled. Which she didn't!

"The Doctor wouldn't talk like that. You're lying." She accused thinly.

Alexa shrugged, all pretenses vanishing. She knew mentioning that kiss would get to Rose, but hadn't expected her to be anything but a pathetic weakling who broke when she bluntly told her such mean things about herself. She was very surprised to find the blonde she thought was such a weakling, might be stronger than she first suspected. She was annoyed that she hadn't been able to manipulate Rose as easily as she thought she could, and this threw her off.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Alexa snapped. "I'm only trying to help you. The Doctor did ask me to look after you while he stepped out. But if you're not into bathing, I can see why he abandoned you. Maybe if we dumped you into a septic tank you'd smell a little nicer." She spat the words out viciously.

That did it.

"Oh yeah?" Rose reached out and grabbed the circling Alexa by an ankle. She pulled with all her weight behind it.

Caught off guard, Alexa fell backwards, landing hard.

"Ow!"

"Right well deserved 'ow' too!" Rose muttered, getting even more of her fire back.

This Alexa wasn't all that she seemed. She may have been beautiful on the outside, but inside she was disgustingly ugly.

Alexa crawled forward on her hands and knees and reached out as if to slap Rose. It took some energy, but Rose grabbed her wrist mid-slap and twisted it backwards making Alexa cringe. Rose's own hands were shaking with the effort. But she had survived wars and invasions and losing all that she loved. She wasn't about to let a girl like this get the better of her. "You try it, and it'll be the last one you ever get in." Rose threatened.

Alexa yanked her arm away and rocked back. She wasn't the physical fighter sort of person unless there was a weapon handy. She was great with knives and guns, but the Doctor hadn't let her keep anything like that on the TARDIS.

She got up and started to work on fixing her outfit and putting her hair back into place.

"You're an animal!" She muttered to Rose. "No wonder he left you in the first place."

"He didn't leave me!" Rose exclaimed. She shakily climbed to her feet. The blanket stayed wrapped around her.

"No? Could have fooled me. He's been perfectly happy without you around." Alexa took particular pleasure in the painful look that crossed Rose's face at her words.

Rose didn't know what to say to that. She just stood there feeling stronger from the anger, but weaker from the truth of things.

The Doctor really didn't seem to need her. He was happy here without her. His life wasn't in ruins without her. Sure, she'd heard that there were changes he had gone through, but he didn't seem any worse for it. He was the same old Doctor.

Alexa made Rose think about Adam. The guy hadn't been unkind, but he'd been deceitful and selfish. The Doctor wanted nothing to do with him from the start. He had instincts about such people.

Surely the Doctor's instincts hadn't failed him on this particular girl. It was blatantly obvious that she was rude, mean, and probably a lot of other things the Doctor would not want to be associated with. So, why was she here? Why hadn't the Doctor seen her for who she truly was and kicked her out of the TARDIS like he had done with Adam?

He'd even made Mickey prove himself worthy before inviting him along in the TARDIS. Rose couldn't imagine Alexa being capable of convincing the Doctor she was worthy of anything as incredible as traveling through time and space with him in the TARDIS.

Had she misjudged the Doctor's lack of changes after all? Was he missing essential elements of himself that weren't automatically obvious? Had he lost his ability to tell decent people from low ones like this Alexa?

Normally, Rose would try to be more compassionate, even if she was jealous. But she was protective of the Doctor even if he wasn't hers anymore. She couldn't see letting this girl take advantage of his kindness.

"The Doctor isn't going to let you stay." Rose finally spoke up, her voice unusually calm.

Alexa laughed and smiled as she continued to fuss with her clothing. "Excuse me, but you're the intruder. He and I have been fine until you fell through the door. You're just a charity case. Once he's sure you won't keel over dead, he'll dump you right out that door and we'll be off again."

Rose cracked a smile. Alexa's own smile wavered. Seeing that smile on Rose's face unsettled her. She swallowed around a lump in her throat.

"Doesn't matter if I stay or go." Rose informed her. "You're still going."

She walked over to Alexa and stood before her, staring her down. Rose was trembling from weakened muscles, but she stood her ground. "You can be rude all you like. You can dress as attention-seeking as you like. You can kiss the Doctor, distract him, do what you want. Doesn't matter. Because in the end, he'll never let you stay." I'll see to that, Rose thought.

Even if the Doctor were somehow blinded to Alexa's manipulative nature, Rose would wake him up to it. Even if he hated her, she wouldn't leave without making sure someone like this girl couldn't use him. "Sooner or later, he leaves everybody. But you," She pointed directly at her. "He's going to leave sooner."

Alexa looked scared for a fraction of a second. Then her eyes narrowed. "Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?"

Rose shrugged. "It's just what's going to happen."

Alexa looked at this weak creature before her. Even though fighting without a weapon was hardly her style, she couldn't see someone in her condition really winning. Besides, the blonde had dared stand up to her which she found threatening. Her hand was suddenly striking roughly across Rose's cheek. It left a red streak as well as a cut from her sharp fingernails down the side.

Rose staggered back a pace, catching herself on a wall. Her knees were barely keeping her upright, but after all she had already lost, Alexa had picked the wrong girl on the wrong day to mess with. Watching her standing there all self-satisfied only made her angrier. Stronger.

She'd warned her.

She caught her breath and pushed herself off the wall, using it to throw herself at the other girl. She grabbed onto her and both tumbled to the floor, Rose atop of Alexa.

"How dare you! Get off of me!"

Alexa was in the midst of wrestling free while Rose attempted to smack her.

Rose raised a menacing hand.

"Rose!" The Doctor's sharp tone caused Rose to jerk. Alexa stopped all movements and chose this exact moment to lay still, looking as helpless as possible. It wasn't very convincing considering she was heavier than Rose and healthier.

Rose dragged herself off of Alexa and looked down, quickly making sure her blanket was still snuggly wrapped around her. It had loosened but luckily was still in place.

She kept her eyes glued to the floor, terrified of seeing a look of disapproval on the Time Lord's face.

"Sorry." She muttered. It seemed all the fire in her burned out in that instant.

Alexa's eyes filled with tears. "She...She attacked me! I-I offered to help her get cleaned up and changed and she said you would..." She let out a small sob for effect. "Throw me out of the TARDIS and abandon me and take her with you instead." She lay there still trying to look like some wounded creature in need of care.

The Doctor's usual swagger came into play as he moved across the floor and over to the two young ladies. He had bags in his hands. He set them down and went to kneel before Rose.

Alexa stared. "Doctor? She hurt me!" She whined.

The Doctor frowned. He reached out to Rose's downturned face and gently took her chin in his hand. He lifted her head and studied the cut across her cheek. His free hand lightly grazed across the injury. Rose flinched, but didn't pull away. The Doctor's eyes flashed with something Alexa didn't recognize, but Rose did. Guilt.

"You're not injured, Alexa. I know when your tears are real. Get up." He spoke coolly to her, but not as coldly as Rose would have liked.

Assuring himself that Rose was alright, the Doctor let go of her face and reached into one of the bags. He handed her some chips, fish fingers, and a protein drink he thought she could do with.

"Eat." It was more of a command than a request. Rose decided not to argue. Nor to explain exactly what had occurred between her and Alexa as he seemed well able to see the girl for what she was, after all.

Even knowing that, he still wanted her? Rose thought with a sick feeling in her heart. She ate a chip and started munching on one of the fish fingers as the Doctor got up and walked over to the console.

"Alexa, come here." He calmly spoke, both hands resting against the console.

Tears dried up as quickly as they appeared. The minute she realized they weren't working, in fact. She sighed, shot Rose an annoyed look, and got up to walk over to the Doctor.

"It's true, you know. She told me I wasn't going to be staying with you." That part was true and she looked at him, imploring him to believe. "You're going to throw me out, aren't you?" There was actual fear in her voice, although it was buried beneath her usual false pout.

The Doctor turned slowly to Alexa. The girl was a problem on more than one level.

"I'm not going to throw you out." He sounded...Defeated. Rose stared up at the pair of them, listening closely.

"Really? So everything is okay?" Alexa flashed a bright smile again. The Doctor didn't return it.

"No, everything is not okay." He looked almost sad as he faced her. "I'd hoped the best for you, Alexa. Truly, I did." He didn't bother to add 'But you attacked Rose and ruined any second chances I may have been previously willing to give you.'

"Hoped?" She eyed him. What did he mean by that? "Look, I didn't do anything wrong. She attacked me first!" She protested. "You saw her, she was on top of me, holding me on the ground like some kind of animal!"

At the word animal, the Doctor reached out and took hold of Alexa by the shoulders. He dragged her over to the railing and pushed her against it. Not roughly, but firmly.

His eyes pinned her in place. His voice was low, but verging on threatening. "What did I tell you when I invited into my TARDIS?"

Rose saw that for the first time, Alexa looked genuinely scared. She wasn't used to the Doctor's aggression being directed at her. She sighed and looked off to the side, then back at him. "You said you were inviting me along, but that I shouldn't doubt that you know who and what I am. Whatever that means."

"It means, Alexa, that I've been watching you. I've seen you torment people for fun. I've watched you steal, lie, manipulate, not to help anyone, but yourself. I've seen you do this for pure amusement."

"So? Another lecture? Really, Doc, this is getting old." She tried to wiggle loose from his grip, but he wasn't having it.

Rose had polished off the chips, sipped the protein drink, and started in on the rest of the fish fingers, watching with wide eyes at the exchange happening before her. The warmth and the food was putting some color back into her cheeks and a light back into her eyes. But her pulse was racing at the Doctor having grabbed Alexa in that way. He'd never been so...Physical with people before. Not in a violent or aggressive way. Not very often anyway, unless he was backed into a corner.

She would never admit it, but it felt good to know he wasn't as enamored with Alexa as she previously thought. She silently lectured herself for having believed he would ever really fall for someone like her.

"I agree." The Doctor sounded disgusted. "You haven't changed. I know Rose, and I know you. She didn't start this, you did. Whatever else you may have done in the past, I'm willing to forgive, but not that." He pointed over at Rose's swollen, scratched cheek.

That Alexa dared lay a hand on Rose, infuriated him. He knew she wasn't trustworthy around things like money or telling the truth, but he hadn't expected her to resort to hurting Rose.

Sure, it was just a scratch, but Rose had clearly already been through hell. She was weak and hadn't the motivation to start anything with Alexa. Had Rose done anything to the other girl, the Doctor knew it had to have been provoked by his newest companion.

"It's just a scratch! Geez, I'm sorry, okay?" Alex's eyes rolled upwards and she tugged free finally of his grasp. He let go, but didn't move out of her space.

"Not okay. I told you to do no harm inside this ship. Not ever."

It was then that Alexa truly grasped that Rose meant more to the Doctor than she ever could have thought conceivable. He'd never been so adamant about enforcing any of his rules before now. And Alexa had done some things that were far worse than scratching someone's cheek in his presence!

She folded her arms across her chest and frowned. This was hardly fun. "You've changed." She accused. "Take me home then if you don't want me around." She dared him, in her best pouty voice.

Rose wondered what Alexa meant by saying the Doctor had changed. Changed how? He seemed like the same Doctor he ever was.

"You don't have a home." He reminded her.

"That's right, I don't. You're not going to throw a girl out into the cold." Alexa gave a small smile. "We've had a lot of fun adventures, you don't mind me that much do you?"

The Doctor didn't answer her. He looked over at Rose who was staring at him. "You okay?" He asked, not approaching her again.

She nodded and yawned.

"You need sleep."

"But I'm feeling better." Rose sat up straighter.

"From the food and warmth, yes, but your body still needs rest. Sleep."

Rose looked from him to Alexa and back. She shouldn't have doubted that he had the girl under control in one way or another. She felt an odd sense of contradicting feelings.

Confident in his abilities, yet useless herself to him. What good could she be? What more could she possibly offer him that he didn't already have? Had he ever really needed anyone? She used to think so. He'd said to be brave and find him. Hadn't she done that? What more did she possibly need to do?

"Rose." The Doctor prompted.

"It's fine, I'll go change and nap." Rose sounded nearly as defeated as the Doctor had moments ago. She struggled to her feet, clutching the blanket.

She felt stronger, but the Doctor was right. She needed rest to regain more of her strength. She moved sluggishly toward the stairs and clung to the railing to help boost herself upwards.

She glanced over her shoulder. Alexa didn't move and was just staring at the console with a frown. The Doctor, too, seemed to be staring at the console. Though he was quite alert to Rose's every move.

"When are you going to stop being so mad at me?" Alexa asked the moment Rose was out of earshot.

"I'm not angry with you. Not anymore." He sounded sad again, which only made Alexa worry.

"But you said everything isn't okay?"

"It's really not." He looked at her. "You never were meant to survive, Alexa. You shouldn't be here."

"But I am here." She pointed out.

"Yes." He spoke softly now, turning back to fuss with a spinning dial. He could have done something. He thought about deliberately saving her from her fate. She wasn't a fixed point and the world wouldn't collapse into a paradox were he to do so. However, the damage she was capable of, didn't escape him. It wasn't changing. He'd been working on her for a while and he couldn't find the heart in her.

As much as it hurt, he knew what he would have to do. He had to seal her fate by allowing it to happen.

Upstairs an exhausted Rose dragged herself into a warm shower. She'd managed to find some of her old clothes. Surprisingly, the Doctor had kept them around. She allowed herself to sink to the floor of the tub, just enjoying the feel of the hot water washing over her cold skin.

Alexa didn't know what the Doctor meant, and she didn't like it. She moved to sit back down in a chair, thinking things over.

That Rose brat had attacked her, all because she couldn't stand the competition. She considered a way to be rid of her once and for all, but everything she could think of, only lead to the Doctor's kicking her out of the TARDIS or worse in the end anyway. There was no way she could do anything to Rose right now and get away with it.

"Why is she so important to you anyway?"

The Doctor didn't look up. "What?"

"Rose. What is it about her?" Alexa sighed, sounding sad, but the Doctor knew better.

"Jealousy becomes no one, Alexa."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"No, it doesn't." The Doctor walked to Alexa and stood before her. She turned to look up at him questioningly. "But, then, I don't really owe you an explanation, do I."

Before Alexa could respond, the Doctor went on. "You know, what you said about us and fun adventures isn't true. I've never actually liked you, Alexa. You're not very nice, and you use people."

Alexa's eyes met his. "I only do what I know how to do. It's the way the world works."

"No, it's the way your world works because you choose to work it that way. But it's not the way the world works and it's not the way it has to be." There was a moment of silence as they stared each other down.

"Get up." He turned away from her after issuing the command.

Alexa hesitated. "Why?" She watched him stop, his back to her.

He rolled his shoulders back slowly before speaking. "I've watched you trick people out of money, jewelry, and even worse, affections." He turned a bit to glance back at her. "I've tried to show you the beauty and wonder that lay out there, but you miss it. I've laid the Universe at your feet, Alexa, and you've turned your back on it in favor of expensive shoes and hair ribbons. You're petty and refuse every offer I've given you to be better. The only reason I've allowed it is because I thought I could help you."

He turned fully now, facing her again. "But you know what? I can't. Seeing Rose again helped remind me that I need to see the bigger picture. And Alexa, you're so, so small."

Alexa's eyes narrowed. "Hey, you're no angel, Doctor. Or do I need to remind you?" She accused knowingly. "And you're the one who invited me along!" She scrambled to her feet in annoyance and trekked across to stand before him with a glare. "You said we'd have adventures and fun and nothing more. You said nothing about changing me! You never even said anything like this until she showed up!" She accused.

"You're right, I didn't." He started moving forward. Alexa found herself having to back up to prevent a collision. "But you've been using me."

There was no way the Doctor would be able to explain to Alexa that he'd tried to fix her and he had long since realized that wouldn't happen. But he'd not wanted to give her up for a couple of reasons, the main one being that giving her up would have meant being alone. Sure, he could have found someone else to tag along, but he didn't want to allow himself to get close to another. Not after what happened with Rose. Keeping Alexa around had made it easier to stay distant for just such a moment as this.

"I suppose, in the end, you could say I've been no better than you." He said with a cold smile.

"What do you mean?" Alexa felt herself bump into the wall next to the door.

"Well, I've been using you, too." His hand moved past her and she felt a sudden warmth across her side as the door swung inwards.

"Doctor?" Alexa sounded scared and unsure as she frowned up at him. "What are you doing?"

"It's warm and sunny out there, you see. We've moved. Just a bit, really. Enough so you won't freeze to death." He gestured toward the open door.

"But, you said you wouldn't throw me out! And…You used me?" If he wasn't mistaken, Alexa looked genuinely hurt. "How? Why? What's going on?"

"It was mutual. You used me, too, remember?" The Doctor stepped back. "I promised you adventures and fun and nothing more, you say? I've given you that. Adventures and fun and nothing more. It's time for you to go now."

"But-"

"Do I really need to throw you out?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Alexa stood stock still and stared at him. She thought she'd get to stay with him for a long time. She'd been with him a while so far. She hadn't expected this sudden turn of events. "Please, Doctor, don't? I don't have a home, you said so yourself! I have nowhere to go!"

"There are plenty of homeless people out there, Alexa. Besides, I don't have a home either. This isn't a home. You know how to take care of yourself. Go. Enjoy whatever time you have, because it is limited."

"I...I don't-" Alexa truly regretted ever messing with Rose, and she resented that Rose ever showed up to begin with.

The Doctor spared her a dark look.

Experience had taught her that from the Doctor, looks like that could not be negotiated with.

"I thought you were my friend!" She said tearfully.

"And I thought you were mine." He retorted calmly. "Leave now. I won't ask again." He threatened.

"Wait until she finds out the truth about you!" Alexa spat the words out at him. But she couldn't let him see her being all pathetic and crying like that Rose girl. Instead, she quickly scurried out the door, slamming it heavily shut behind her.

The Doctor whirled around and went straight to the console, quickly maneuvering the TARDIS far away from the girl he couldn't save. He couldn't risk her around Rose.

He refused to feel guilty about it. Alexa had been broken long before he ever found her.

He had other things to feel guilty about though.

The Doctor was deep in thought when he heard a short scream and then a soft thump from upstairs.

"Rose?" He called loudly, rushing toward the stairs.

There was no answer…


Up next chapter: Some hurt/comfort. Also, what secret is the Doctor hiding from Rose?