"I can't believe we didn't see this stall last time."
"We didn't come round this part. And we didn't think to ask," the Doctor replied. "Now come on, choose. What'll it be for the 'congratulations on getting the job' dinner?"
"I haven't tried any of these before," Rose said, looking along the rows and rows of fish. "So I guess I don't mind—well, nothing with tentacles, but otherwise anything."
"You're not local, then?" the stall owner said, looking at them in interest.
"Nope. Just arrived. Everything new," the Doctor said with a grin. "What do you recommend?"
"We have a special deal on mixed shellfish today. A very successful catch this morning, we're overflowing with the stuff."
"Fancy shellfish?" the Doctor said to Rose. "Wait, caught this morning? That's fresh. Are we near the coast?"
The owner looked at the Doctor as if he was trying to be funny. "Where did you think we were?"
"I don't know," the Doctor replied honestly. "We only just got to this planet and we're not too sure where we landed."
"This is Slogv."
"Slojev?"
"Slow-jev," he repeated, slower. "The coast's about five miles east."
"Is there a beach?" Rose said eagerly. "I've always wanted to live on the seaside ..."
"What am I, a fishmonger or tourist information? Yes, there's a beach, miss. Now, what'll it be?"
Shortly afterwards, the pair left the market with a small yellow fish, a bag of mixed shellfish and some edible seaweed that the Doctor promised tasted of more than just salt. They made a detour, thinking it was about time to get some maps, and once home, the Doctor started cooking fish pie.
"We've probably got enough there for four people, Doctor," Rose pointed out.
"Even better, no need to cook tomorrow. Want to try some glanire?"
Rose took a hesitant bite of the crispy seaweed, and almost choked. "I thought you said it wasn't salty!"
"No, I said it tasted of more than salt. Did I mention it's an acquired taste?"
"No you did not."
"Oh. Sorry."
A comfortable silence stretched, the only sound being the sauce bubbling in the saucepan. Rose gazed round the room, wondering what they could do to it to make it feel a bit more like home. The fridge had a nice hum to it that reminded her of the TARDIS, but otherwise the flat still felt like a temporary place to stay. It was foreseeable that they would be there for a long time.
They could check the contract and see if a lick of paint was allowable. If not, a throw or rug would add some more colour to the place. And a couple of plants, not to mention some thick curtains, for the window would hopefully not be too expensive. The Doctor was bound to amass some unidentifiable knick-knacks over time, no doubt they would make the place look more lived-in.
Rose missed the TARDIS, but realised the Doctor must be feeling the pain of separation far more than she was. So far he seemed to be taking it all in his stride, but she was sure that at some point it would hit home. She would just have to be prepared to help him when it happened.
"Mum says hi," Rose said after hanging up, just as the Doctor was taking the fish pie out the oven.
"Hope you passed my regards onto her."
"She also says you'd better look after me properly, or so help her she'll find a way to get here and slap you all the way back to the twenty-first century."
The Doctor shuddered. "I wish I could say I didn't believe her."