A/N: I actually wrote this one quickly. Editing was another matter... But, becuse the last chapter was so short, I thought i'd post this one early. I don't want to give it away, but it seems like my muse has decided to give Rose and John a break. I hope it lasts!

John was waiting outside of Rose's trailer when she arrived on set the next day. He looked nervous, and she couldn't help but think that he deserved that discomfort. She had just about resolved herself to ignore him, maybe even 'accidentally' push him as she walked by, but as she drew nearer she found that she just couldn't be that mean. He already looked like a kicked puppy, and she was never one for animal cruelty.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled it, looking down at his shoes.

Stunned, Rose froze, "Excuse me? What did you just say?" She was almost certain she hadn't heard him correctly.

He huffed, blowing his hair out of his face, and looked up, finally. "I..." And then he too, froze. "What is it about you?..." He trailed off.

Rose began to take offense, she was sick of getting blamed for his dysfunction. "Look, I don't know what your problem with me is. God knows I've tried to figure you out. I've tried to be your friend, I've tried to not be your friend, I've even tried avoiding you. We have to work together! You were quick to tell me all about how you're the professional here, so bloody start acting like it!"

With that she did try to push past him, needing the violence to release the tension that he always seemed to stir in her.

He caught her shoulder as she bumped into him. "Rose wait."

"Let me go."

"Please, just hear me out."

"We have to get started, we don't have time to argue right now."

His shoulders sagged, "I don't want to argue, not anymore. I'm done fighting." As he said it, he realized he was talking about no longer fighting his feelings for Rose. Something inside him loosened, and suddenly he felt like he was more in control, more calm, more focused. It didn't occur to him until that moment just how much energy it took to fight what he felt.

Rose had stopped trying to get past him so he took it as sign to continue. "Look, I know I've been impossible, and I'm so sorry. I wish I had a good explanation but I don't." He paused, but she didn't try to interrupt or make any move to stop him. "You're right, we have to work together, but I'd like to try to do that as friends."

"You said we weren't friends."

He closed his eyes at that, mentally kicking himself for being an idiot. "I know, and that was me being an arse." He looked for a reaction from her and thought he caught her almost smiling. It gave him hope. "What do you say Rose Tyler, will you be my friend?"

"John, I-"

"Thank goodness you're both here!" Martha shouted as she ran toward them. By the time Martha had straightened herself out the day before, both John and Rose had left for the day. She had decided to continue to protect the watches for the night, rather than try and seek out Rose and John.

"Hi Martha," Rose shifted her attention from John at Martha's exclamation. Taking in her haggard appearance, she began to worry. "Is everything all right?"

Martha didn't really know how to respond. On the one hand, NO, EVERYTHING WAS NOT ALL RIGHT! But on the other, she couldn't exactly explain it without sounding completely bonkers. So she hesitated, catching her breath as she thought of what to say. As she panted, she noticed that John seemed tense.

"Am I interrupting something?"

John hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath, waiting for Rose to respond. He had seized up a bit and was slightly red. Expelling a breath, he tried for nonchalance, "Yes... No! Not really, no. Well, sort of yes, but no. I just... I just asked Rose to... well.. I asked her... a question... Yes! Rose and I were having a conversation and I asked her a question."

Martha shook her head slightly and looked at him like he had three heads.

John didn't care though, because Rose was smiling THAT smile at him.

Martha realized that the pendulum that was John and Rose's relationship had swung back to more friendly terms.

And once again, Martha was invisible. Sighing to herself, mostly because she knew they wouldn't notice, she walked back to the set, consoling herself with the fact that she had found them, and that they were safe.

John was still staring at Rose, a smile tugging at his own lips. Feeling brave, he glanced down to her hand and, before he could think better of it, laced his fingers through hers. Still looking at their entwined hands, he softly asked, "So, what do you say?"

She waited for him to bring his eyes to her again. Wanting to try to make sure he was being sincere. She knew he could probably fool her easily, but she needed to try to detect the truth. When he finally raised his gaze to hers, it was open and vulnerable, scared, but hopeful.

"Come on Rose, you're killing me here." He tried to laugh the tension off a bit, but failed.

"Okay." She had barely whispered.

"Okay?" He questioned, smiling more.

Rose bit her lip and nodded, slowly and deliberately.

John let out a sharp bark of a laugh before grabbing Rose in a tight hug, lifting her off the ground and swinging her around.

The air being squeezed out of her lungs caused Rose to squeak which snapped John into realizing what he was doing. He froze, still holding her off the ground, waiting for her to push him away. She didn't.

"Well, I guess this proves that we'll be able to do the turns in our waltz this afternoon!" Rose said brightly.

Disbelieving, John set her down carefully, and pulled back a bit, not enough to actually release her, but enough to see her face, which was still grinning that tongue touched, Rose Tyler, smile. He smiled back, impossibly wide and full of teeth.

x13x