Rose jumped up and took three steps towards the door before the Doctor grabbed her wrist and stopped her. "Rose, wait. What do you think is attacking the ship?"
"I don't know! Daleks? Slitheen? Cybermen?"
"Guess."
She frowned. "Daleks use lasers, which wouldn't rock the ship like that. Slitheen use...electric... things. Which also would not rock the ship. Cybermen, er, I guess it could be Cybermen. That sounds possible."
"Go see who it is, what they want, and why they're shooting at us."
"That was my plan, you know." She grinned and ran to the control room. The ship pitched again and she went sprawling. "TARDIS, attempt to establish radio contact with whoever's doing that!"
There was a hum, and Rose shouted, "Hello? Hello, can anyone hear me?"
"Sorry about the jerking around," a voice called over the connection. "Could you please tell your ship not to do that?"
She staggered towards the door and looked out into space. There seemed to be no other ship. "Who are you, and why are you shooting at us?"
"I'm not shooting at anyone! That's not my fault, either! Your ship is doing it!"
"The TARDIS isn't doing anything! Who am I talking to? And why is it shaking like that if you're not shooting at us?"
"I don't know! Ask her!"
"Ask—what? You know about the TARDIS, you say you aren't shooting at us, and you won't explain yourself. Who are you?"
"Rose! I can't get into your ship unless I can get near, and I think she's sending out shock waves, which probably explains the shaking. Tell her to let me dock!"
"I hear music," Rose said, frowning.
"I don't hear any music," called the Doctor from somewhere behind her. "Turn the volume up. And who's attacking us?"
"I'm not entirely sure we're being attacked," said Rose. "How do you know my name?" she added to the radio.
"Will you just tell the Doctor to come here? I know he's there, I just heard him. And would you like me to make the music louder?" This was followed by the faint music she'd heard becoming a lot louder. "Better?" shouted the voice on the other end.
"Jack? Is that Jack?"
"Who else? Will you please fetch the Doctor?"
"He can't come talk. I'll make her stop. TARDIS, let Jack here, silly girl."
The radio went dead. Several seconds later, there was a violent tremor that made sparks fly from the TARDIS console and Rose fall to the floor. She heard a thump and the Doctor shouted something that sounded like "They've got cannons!"
The doors opened and Jack Harkness stepped into the TARDIS. "Did I just hear something about cannons?"
"Er—yes--'s what's it sounded like," said Rose, rather distractedly.
"TARDIS not working?"
"No, no, she's fine! She wasn't working yesterday, though, all the lights went out and we were floating about, and there was no air—but she's better now."
"Why've you stopped in the middle of space, then?" He seemed a bit confused.
"I had to shut her off—couldn't fly her—I'll explain in a moment--"
"Have they called a ceasefire?" The Doctor stepped into the hallway to look at them curiously. "What's he doing on my ship?" he added, open hostility in his voice.
"Go to sleep, Doctor," Rose told him automatically. He vanished.
"In a bit of a weird mood, isn't he?" asked Jack, now utterly bewildered.
"He's—not well," said Rose, and quickly explained the past few days.
"Well, I'm useless, then," said Jack. "Sounds like a pain. Wish I could help."
"You can stay here," said Rose. "Run errands. Cook. Tell me I'm not going insane. Stop me from throwing myself into space when it's too much."
"Right-o. Wait, cook? Me? Rose, you have no idea how much you do not want me cooking anything. Really, really not a good idea. But I'd be happy to stop you from throwing yourself into space."
"Ro-ose! Can I get up pleeeeeeease?"
"No," Rose shouted. "You're supposed to be asleep."
"But I have to strangle Jaaaaaaack."
"No, you don't," she said, biting back laughter at the terror on Jack's face. "Ignore him, he's out of it and doesn't know what he's saying."
"I know very well what I'm saying, thank you very—ooh, stars..."
Rose doubled over with laughter. Jack grinned and leaned against the console. The Doctor called, "If it's daytime, why are there stars?"
"Stay here," said Rose, glaring at Jack. She marched to the Doctor's room. "Doctor, are you... alright?"
He looked at her, and his face lit up. "Rose! Rosy rosy Rose." He laughed. "Did you miss me?"
She laughed. "Miss you? I was only down the hall, silly!"
His face fell. "You didn't miss me?" Suddenly he brightened again. "Look, Rose! Stars!"
She frowned, concerned that he was so distracted and...well, silly. "Yes, stars. I think you should go to sleep, Doctor."
"But I don't want to go to sleep."
"Why?"
"You know how they say rest is the best medicine?"
"Yes."
"Well, if I go to sleep, I might get better."
"That's...a good thing, Doctor."
"But then you wouldn't come in here so often."
"Well..."
"And you wouldn't bring me tea."
"D'you want some tea?"
"Oh, yes, that sounds fantastic. I like tea. Tea is good."
With a slight smile, Rose turned to go get tea. But she couldn't go more than a step. She looked at the Doctor. "Will you let go?" she asked, somewhat exasperated.
"No. If I let you go for ten seconds, you'll wander off and get into trouble..."
Great. Now he didn't even know they were in the TARDIS. "Jack," she called, "will you go pour some tea for us?"
"...care that it's your own fault, oh, no, if you come back with a scratch on you, I'll be the one who regrets it!" the Doctor was saying. "I swear, Rose Tyler, your mother is more terrifying than all the aliens I've ever fought. Combined. If a Dalek laid a...er...plunger on you, she could get rid of the whole army, by scaring them off with her death glare! Daleks aren't easily scared, either. Nor am I, but Jackie scares me. And Daleks. Daleks are shiny. So are stars. And your eyes. Your eyes are shiny, Rose, did you know that?"
Rose had to laugh, as worried as she was. As he rambled on about this and that and nothing in particular, she was glad to hear the sound of his voice.
A/N: Ooooh! YESSSSS!! Haha, I just watched the regeneration episode. "New teeth...that's weird." I now am filled with excess Doctor Who energy, and so I'm very hyper, and very EXTRA obsessed, so I'll probably post, like, five chapters of, like, everything tonight.
About this chapter—Meh, I don't really want Jack there. Actually, I can't decide if I do or don't want him there. I brought him in because he's pretty cool, I guess, in a weird, Jack sort of way, but I'll probably kick him out soon because I don't like him in a I'm-waaaaayyy-too-10Rose-centric-to-put-up-with-Jack-Harkness sort of way.
I also came up with the ending for this story. It's not for a while, yet, though, so don't expect it soon! All I'll say is, it's REALLY good. I can't wait!
If anyone guesses how it ends, I will award you the title of Best Predictificator in the Sandstorm Awards. After I flay you alive for ruining it. And give you cookies for knowing Doctor Who and me well enough to guess.