Night fell before they made it back to the TARDIS, the square all but empty after the crowds of the afternoon.
"Oh, this ship is impossible! It's superb." Margret said as they entered the ship.
Margret made a slow walk around the console room, marveling at the TARDIS like a predator sizing up its prey. It made Rose deeply uneasy. She didn't want any harm to come to the old girl, but she knew how things had to play out. That extrapolator would be important later, and Margret deserved her second chance.
"How did you get the outside around the inside?" Margret asked the Doctor.
"Like I'd give you the secret, yeah." The Doctor answered in a low sarcastic voice.
"I almost feel better about being defeated." Margret replied, not sounding like a woman who was just captured with no escape. She was right where she wanted to be and Rose hated that. It disgusted her. "I never stood a chance. This is the technology of the gods."
"We're not gods." Rose spat, unable to help herself. She was so careful thus far, but something about Margret was ticking her off. The whole situation was flooding her with anger, but she knew she couldn't let that dam break.
"How we doing Jack-a-boy?" The Doctor called to Jack, eager to change the subject. He could sense her anger and anxiety, she could tell. He could read her almost as well as she could him.
"This extrapolator is top of the range." Jack said, plugging it in to the console. He turned to Margret and asked, accusingly, "Where did you get it?"
"I dunno, some airlock sale." She replied simply.
"Must've been a great big heist. It's packed with power."
"But we can use it for fuel?" The Doctor asked him.
"It's not compatible, but with a little work it should knock off 12 hours. We'll be ready to go by morning."
"So, we're stuck here. Overnight."
"I'm in no hurry." Margret chimed in.
Rose scoffed. Honestly, future knowledge was a bitch if you asked her. She couldn't count how many times she wanted to scream and shout at the Doctor, at Jack, at anyone who would listen to her. She knew how to stop these things but she could never tell. The catastrophe it would cause to all of time and space was enough to keep her mouth shut, but with great difficulty.
"You're quite eager to soak your hands in my blood." Margret snapped at Rose.
Everyone in the TARDIS was looking at her. Margret, looking actually quite angry, no longer the stoic mask of hidden plans she was. Jack and Mickey looked at her confused, like they couldn't believe what she'd just done. And the Doctor, his face was a mix of shock and disappointment. Their stares were adding weight on Rose's chest. She couldn't breathe properly. Her eyes stung. She was going to cry, she could tell. Before anyone could say anything, she marched out of the TARDIS.
The door slammed behind her. She tried to breath, stop the flood gates from opening. She couldn't allow that dam to break. She stood in front of a large monument, hugging herself tight. The door creaked open again and someone touched her arm. She was not going to cry in front of any them, she promised herself, she was determined not to cry. But, when she turned, she saw the concern on Mickey's face and the dam broke. She jumped into his arms, burying her face into his chest.
"Hey, it's alright. Shhh, you're alright." He comforted, stroking her hair. "I get it, it's hard to be tough all the time."
She just continued to cry into his shirt. Rose knew she wouldn't be able to stop for a while. The tears brought clarity, though. This was never just about Margret; this was about what comes after. They had only days before the Game Station. Soon, the Doctor would die. Soon, she would become Bad Wolf. She knew she couldn't stop it, such a fixed point in time, she knew there was nothing anyone could do that would change it.
The tears didn't subside, but they lessened after a few minutes. She sucked in a breath and pulled back to face Mickey. She didn't know what to tell him. How could she possibly explain this one? She was absolutely broken up inside and now it was showing.
"All this stuff with the Doctor, it's been weighin' on you hasn't it? I told you, wherever he goes, there's death and destruction."
"Mickey…" he started in a small voice, but he stopped her.
"Please, Rose. I don't like seein' you like this. Promise me if it gets too much, if it feels too wrong or things get too dangerous, you'll get out."
Rose didn't know what to say. It wasn't the Doctor's fault; it really wasn't anybody's. Rose had a weight she had to bear, secrets to keep, she just couldn't open up to Mickey, not matter how much he meant to her. It suddenly hit her how much she sounded like the Doctor. She was holding everyone at an arm's length to keep her secrets. Rose knew she wouldn't be able to keep it up.
"Mickey. Can we go somewhere private?"
The Doctor stayed inside the TARDIS, much to his dismay. He was checking up on Rose via the monitor, not in a creepy way, just wanted to make sure she didn't attract any trouble, jeopardy friendly as she was. Mickey had run out right after her, so he knew someone would be there, but it was Mickey the Idiot, so he had to check. He watched her closely, just to make sure she was alright.
Then, all of a sudden, she started crying. He was ready to bolt out the doors and take her in his arms, but he stayed firmly still. He gripped the console tight as he watched Mickey the Idiot hold her and stroke her hair. It kind of irked the Doctor, being jealous. It irked him even more admitting himself that he was jealous.
He couldn't deny it any longer. He'd fallen and fallen fast for the human girl. Every single thing she said and every single move she made drew him in farther and farther. She was intoxicating and he was more than happy to succumb. Right now, however, seeing her so sad made him crack inside.
Then, she finally stopped crying, took Mickey's hand, and together they walked off into the distance. He couldn't help but feel hurt. Sure, she said he was her ex-boyfriend, but there was history there. Not to mention he was young and her species.
"so, what's on?" Jack asked softly.
"Nothin', just…" He answered quickly, but he couldn't think of what to say. "Nothin'."
He couldn't just tell Jack, even if he could, he wouldn't dare say any of that in front of Margret. So, he let it go. Well, more accurately, he let it sit. Let it fester.
A/N: I finally return! Jeez, took a while to find a way to get this episode so i could continue my work. But, nonetheless, it's finally finished! We're nearing the end of season one and I'm very excited and afraid to touch onto Bad Wolf. Hope you've enjoyed this! Any comments you may have, feel free to leave them. I read them all repeatedly and gush over how much I love you guys!