I can never apologise enough for this awfully long hiatus this story has undergone. I do have good excuses but still, I'm sorry.
Anyway, I'm slowly updating all of my ongoing stories and I'm currently working on part two of this very chapter, so, hopefully, I'll be able to post again soon!
Anyway, enjoy!

BBC owns Doctor Who

This story hasn't been beta-read and English isn't my mother tongue so all mistakes are mine. (I'm working on that.)

Also, thank you everyone for your nice reviews/comments! You guys are the best!

Old Enemies Part.1

"Mum, come on, we have to move!"

They were in an extremely large warehouse, or maybe a factory, it was hard to tell in the darkness that surrounded them. They couldn't see the walls around the place, and they knew it would take them a while to find the exit. If there was one. Flashes of light would illuminate the place every now and then, and Rose inwardly flinched after each of them, knowing what they meant. Her mother had seen what was happening too, and she nearly jumped out of her skin everytime there was a flash of light. Enormous cylinders were everywhere, forming a labyrinth in the gigantic place, each separated by only a couple of meters. There were people too, Rose and her mother weren't alone. But those people weren't themselves, and Rose had learnt that the hard way. And there were those things too...

Rose grabbed her mother's hand and started to run as fast as she could. The two women made their way through the maze of huge barrels with difficulties, trying not to cross anyone else's path. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of those places where one could navigate freely, and Rose ended up face to face with the thing she wanted to hide from the most. She froze, her mother stopping right behind her.

"Rose..."

But Rose couldn't speak. Fear had made her heartbeat accelerate, her throat felt dry as she swallowed and she was paralysed. The thing -there was no other word for it, Rose thought- stood before her for a moment as if analysing the situation, and extended a silvery hand towards her as it spoke with a metallic and uneven voice.

"You will be deleted. DELETE."

Three hours earlier.

"Where to, next?"

"Doctor, I want to go home."

Silence fell on the room, and the Doctor's smile immediately faded.

"Ah, I see," the Doctor said, barely able to hide his disappointment. "I'll take you there. Give me a minute and you'll be back home, safe and sound!" He turned around, purposely hiding his face from his companions. Rory was wide eyed as he looked from Rose to the Doctor. Amy however was frowing.

"Doctor," Rose called as the Time Lord started entering the coordinates with the typewriter included in the console of the TARDIS. "Doctor," Rose called again when he didn't respond. She walked up to the console and placed her hand on his, stopping him in his movements. The Doctor looked up, and Rose saw in his eyes just for a second, sorrow and loneliness, before he put his maskof false joy back on and smiled.

"Doctor, I just want to see my Mum. I left without saying goodbye, and I have to talk to Mickey too."

The Doctor's eyes widened in understanding for a second and his smile became more genuine. "Ah, yes! Of course! Hang on, then," the Doctor started to run around the console with more energy when Rose removed her hand from above his and smiled.

Amy and Rory, relieved that Rose didn't want to leave them, clutched at the closest railing they could find. Rose grabbed at the console and the TARDIS lurched forward, leaving the first alien planet Rose had visited.

During the short ride -though as bumpy as always, Rose was starting to wonder if the Doctor really knew how to fly the ship- the Doctor talked about new planets they should visit with renewed enthousiasm. Everyone laughed at the Doctor's antics like any other day. But Rose still had worries at the back of her mind; what will she tell her mother before leaving again, how will she tell Mickey they can't be together anymore? Rose's laugh was a bit forced, but luckily nobody noticed.

Once the TARDIS stopped with its usual 'thud' noise, Rose turned to the three other occupants of the ship.

"Well, knowing my Mum I'll be away for a couple of hours so-"

"That's okay," the Doctor cut in. "We'll go visit some place and come back for you. When do you want us to pick you up? In a couple of hours you said?" the Doctor pushed a button on the console.

"Doctor," Amy cut in before the Time Lord could continue any further. She crossed her arms and glanced at Rose. She was used to tell the Doctor to listen when he was obviously distracted. "How about you let her finish her thought?"

"Right, sorry," the Doctor fixed his bowtie and walked around the console to face Rose.

The blonde smiled at Amy in gratitude and continued. "I thought that maybe you could all come for some tea, Mum's tea is the best of the estate. You could also help me explain why I'll be leaving after that," Rose shrugged.

The Doctor frowned, surprised that Rose would even suggest something like that. "I told you I don't do domestic."

"Yeah Rose, you should be careful too. One day the TARDIS materialised in our house and then flew right to a space ship with dinosaurs, and my dad was with us!" Rory said, making Amy laugh at the memory.

"Dinosaurs on a space ship? You'll have to tell me all 'bout this story!" Rose laughed.

"It wasn't my fault," the Doctor said, frowning at Rory, and Amy who was still laughing.

"You were happy with your 'gang' anyway, weren't you?" Amy added in between laughs, and Rory snorted. His father had accepted the idea of traveling through time and space easily enough -he had been thrown into adventures with the Doctor, he hadn't really had a choice- but how would it go with Rose's mother?

"Come on then, Doctor, it's just some tea," Rose walked up to the Doctor and circled her arm around his own, ready to pull him with her if necessary. The Doctor pouted.

"It'd be good for us too, we haven't breathed Earth's air in awhile," Amy added. And that was true; they had visited an alien planet before crashing on Earth, in Colchester where the Doctor met Rose -and there, Amy and Rory hadn't been able to walk out of the TARDIS-, then there had been this alien in the TARDIS and their latest adventure on Runthèsi. To be honest, Amy missed her home planet sometimes.

"Well, the atmosphere on Runthèsi is approximately composed of the same elements. Just five more percent of oxygen, a bit less of nitrogen and you have it. So-"

"Doctor," Rory interupted him. "You know what she means."

Rose smiled as the Doctor sighed. Of course he had known what Amy had meant, but he had tried to get away with some babbling. As per usual. Rose had to admit that the Doctor was really stubborn, but so was she.

"I don't like when you do that," he said. Three pairs of eyes turned towards him.

"Do what?" Amy asked innocently.

"The... Joining-all-together-against-me thing," the Doctor complained as he gestured his hand around.

"But you'd be bored if we weren't here," Rose remarked. She had a point and the Doctor knew it.

"Alright, but no more than two hours," the Doctor agreed. "Because you know, I can materialise the TARDIS around us and poof! We disappear out of here! Or I can use the-"

"Understood!" Rose interrupted. "Now come on."

The Doctor and his companions walked out of the TARDIS, Rose's arm still around the Doctor's. "Welcome to the Powell Estate," Rose declared with a smile at the couple, before turning to the Doctor. "How long was I gone?"

The Time Lord looked at his watch. "Around three hours."

Amy leaned close to Rose to whisper, "If you trust his driving skills."

Rose laughed, ignoring the Doctor's curious look. "It's amazing though," she said, her eyes bright with excitement and the Doctor listened. "I discovered more of the TARDIS and we fought off an alien, we landed on an alien planet and we helped Tyaina get back on the throne. All of that in three hours! I can't believe it!" She spoke with such joy and enthousiasm that the Doctor was surprised at first. But then he smiled at the blonde human, promising himself to find new things to amaze Rose Tyler.

"That's time travel for you."

"Rose," Amy asked, looking at her, curious. "How long have you lived here?" Rory was right beside her, looking at Rose too.

"All my life. My parents bought that flat when they got married. After my father's death, Mum stayed here, in the same flat."

"Oh, your father...?" Rory started.

"He's gone, yes," Rose nodded to answer the unfinished question. "Car accident when I was a baby." She had told this story to Amy when they were still in prison on Runthèsi, but neither the Doctor nor Rory knew. Upon hearing that, the Doctor unconsciously walked closer to Rose.

"I'm sorry," Rory said sincerely.

"S'okay. I didn't know him, but Mum's told me many stories so it's a bit like I grew up with him anyway," Rose forced a smile. They talked about unimportant things for another minute until they were facing the door to Rose's flat.

"Right, three hours you said. That's enough time to drive from Essex to here. I just have to explain to Mum why I left. And I have to call Shareen too." Rose was already making stories in her mind to explain her departure, when the door was jerked open from the inside.

A blonde woman in her early forties stood there, shock obvious on her face. Her hair was tied in a messy ponytail, and she looked tired. Her face lit up as she stood face to face with Rose. "Oh my God, Rose! I knew I wasn't dreaming, it was your voice!" The next second, Rose found herself in her mother's arms, air knocked out of her lungs with the force of the hug. She let go of the Doctor's arm that she had been holding all the way, and hugged her mother back.

"Yeah, it's me, Mum. But you're strangling me."

Jackie Tyler let go of her daughter, but stood close, her hands on Rose's forearms. She completely ignored the people around her, her attention only focused on Rose. "Sweetheart, where were you? I was so worried! I was ready to go outside and stick those 'missing person' papers all over the estate!" As if feeling worried all over again, Jackied hugged her daughter close.

"Mum, how long was I gone?" Rose asked, confused. The Doctor said she was gone for three hours, nothing to make her mother worry that much.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Rose pushed her mother away gently, frowning in confusion. Behind her, she heard the Doctor fidget. So, were the Doctor's driving skills that bad? "Shareen called me three days ago, saying you had disappeared! Without even saying goodbye! You can imagine how worried I was!"

Three days then. Rose inwardly sighed in relief- at least it wasn't a year or something. That would have driven her mother mad. But Rose wouldn't forgive the Doctor that easily. "I'm sorry Mum." Rose glared at the Doctor, who had the decency to look guilty. She saw Amy also glare at the Doctor, next to Rory who looked unsurprised.

"But where were you? What were you doing? And who are these people?" Jackie asked question after question, never giving Rose an opportunity to actually answer. Once she had slightly calmed down, Rose took a step back and stood between the Doctor and the couple.

"I met some friends, and we, uhm, we traveled. Not very far though, yeah..." All of the stories Rose had mentally prepared were found useless and Rose was at a loss. "This is the Doctor," she pointed to her right, at the Doctor who flashed a grin that was met only by a disapproving frown from Rose's mother. "And this is Amy Pond and Rory Williams," she pointed to her left this time, and the the couple greeted the older woman. After a few seconds of inspecting all three of them up and down, Jackie invited them inside. They all settled around the table in the living room where the TV was turned on. Except for the Doctor who stood, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He seemed so out of place that Rose would be laughing had the circumstances been different.

Jackie quickly asked more questions, glancing at the mysterious doctor from time to time. "Traveled? What do you mean by traveled? Why didn't you call, sweetheart?" She had her hands atop Rose's, hoping the contact would help Rose feel more at ease.

"Well, the Doctor has this uhm, car, and he drove us to new places, it was amazing!" Rose's tone changed from unsure and quiet to enthousiastic and cheerful.

"What's his name then?" Jackie asked, nodding at the Doctor. He was the one who had taken her Rose away, and she wasn't ready to forgive him just yet.

"I'm the Doctor," the Time Lord replied, speaking for the first time since they had arrived at the flat.

"But Doctor who?" Jackie pressed.

The Doctor kept a straight face, although he was amused to hear once again this question. "Just the Doctor."

Jackie looked at the man, perplexed. If he wasn't going to give his name, she wasn't about to trust him, much less let her only daughter leave with that man. She leaned close to Rose to whisper. "I don't trust him, Rose." The Doctor heard and frowned.

"Mum, it's alright," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"If that helps, Mrs. Tyler," Rory started. "We've been with the Doctor for awhile, and we can assure you that Rose is..."

"Safe. With us." Amy finished Rory's statement with a smile.

"You can trust me, Mum." Rose's determined tone made her mother hesitate for a second. Finally, the older wonam nodded.

"I trust you, sweetheart," Jackie nodded. "So, a cuppa for everyone?"

"Would love one," Amy replied, glad that things were settled between Rose and her mother.

"Yes please," Rory added as Jackie got up and walked through the door into the kitchen, but not without throwing a glare at the Doctor on the way.

The Doctor then sat down on the empty chair next to Rose. "I don't think I'm welcome here, I should go."

Rose reached for the Doctor's hand. "No, you're not going anywhere. I still have to tell Mum I'm leaving again after that. And you," Rose let go of the Doctor's hand to point a finger at his chest. "Are goin' to help me explain."

As if on cue, the bell rang and everyone turned to the door. Jackie left the water boiling in the kitchen and went to open the door. A man was standing on the other side, young, dark skinned and Rose immediately recognised him.

"Mickey!" Jackie exclaimed as she hugged him and hurried him inside. "You'll never believe it! Rose is back! She's safe!"

Mickey's eyes widened when he walked in the living room and noticed the group sitting around the table. There were three people he didn't recognise, but he had only eyes for Rose anyway. She was back! "Oh my God, Rose!" Rose smiled in return and stood up when Mickey ran to hug her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and squezzed her tight. "What happened? We were so worried! People thought I had somethin' to do with you going missing, somehow..."

Rose patted her friend's back and pushed him away gently. "I'm here now, it's OK. I traveled around for a bit, that's all."

"That's what he says," Jackie added with a glare to the Doctor.

Mickey seemed to finally notice the strangers around and stood protectively close to Rose. "Who are they?"

"I'm the Doctor, hello," the Time Lord said with a wave.

"I'm Amy," the redhead said before pointing to the man next to her. "And that's my fiancé, Rory."

Mickey greeted them warily in return, if they had something to do with Rose going missing, could he really trust them? His attention quickly returned to Rose. "But why didn't you call? Where were you?"

"I still haven't gotten an answer to that," Jackie added. She walked up to the Doctor, standing close and glaring straight in his eyes. "I swear if you've gotten my daughter into trouble, I'll slap you back to where you come from." She looked at the two other strangers.

The Doctor took a step back, surprised at the sudden threat, and Amy would have laughed had she not been at the receiving end of the threat. Rose placed a hand on her mother's arm to reassure her, just when the tea kettle whistled. Jackie went to prepare the cups of tea and silence fell upon the living room. What should Rose say to explain her leaving again? And she needed to talk to Mickey privately.

Sensing that they weren't welcome anymore, Amy and Rory excused themselves and left the apartment after saying goodbye. Mickey used the opportunity to leave the tense atmosphere of the living room and went to talk to Jackie, leaving Rose and the Doctor alone.

"See, that's why I don't do domestics," he said to Rose.

"What, because you mess up everything?" she replied bitterly. It wasn't the Doctor's fault though, Rose was mad at herself. She should have called her mother, let her know that she had left. But again, what exactly would have she told her mother?

The Doctor stood close to Rose and smirked. "Well, aren't you going to tell her you ran off with a mad man in a blue box?"

Rose slapped his arm playfully. "Shut up!" But she was smiling, and that was all the Doctor wanted. "Mum's gonna slap you though, if you say anythin' like that."

"Well that wouldn't be nice!" he pouted, placing his hand on his face as if he really had been hit.

"Oh, where's mister mighty Time Lord?" Rose teased, smiling her signature smile with her tongue peeking through her teeth.

While standing so close, the Doctor couldn't help but smile back as he looked down at Rose. And all threats from her mother were far away from his mind as he felt captivated by her brown eyes. The Doctor had only known her for a couple of days, but he felt something he had never felt before. A deep connection with this blonde human, who had been able to open his old and battered heart and let herself in. Would she be able to fix it? He dared not hope.

The moment was broken when Mickey cleared his throat. Rose turned around so fast her hair flew around her head as she did so. How long had he been here?

"Jackie says the tea's ready."

The Doctor stepped back and Rose nodded. "Mickey, I have to talk to you."

Down the streets of the Powell Estate, Amy and Rory were walking together hand in hand. The streets were quiet and fog was starting to blur their view. Intrigued, Amy looked around.

"Well now, the weather's not so different from Leadworth."

Rory was about to nod his agreement when strange, metallic step-like noises were heard.

"Okay. That's different," Amy continued.

And the only answer she received was Rory's piercing scream.