Hey now, I am back to updating my stories. Don't know if anyone will read them, but I always love the dialogue and sharing stories!

Enjoy,

Gabrielle

Living and Searching

Just a few long weeks after the mistaken identity encounter, Rose found herself almost falling asleep at work. She was so thankful that Richard had helped her find the job as the bank secretary, but it was rather dull. Especially after her years of running with the Doctor.

"I'm going down to the chippie for lunch," one of her coworkers said to her as he passed her desk, breaking Rose out of her stupor. "I can pick something up for you if you'd like."

"Can I come with you?" Rose found herself asking, needing an excuse to get up and out of the dank office. "I was just about to take my lunch break anyway."

"Fine by me," Charles said, shrugging on his coat and turning to face the blonde. "Finally got someone in this office I don't have to run orders for."

Rose stood up as well and got ready to leave, watching Charles out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't remember what his job exactly was, but assumed he was an assistant of some kind judging by his young age. "I always thought errands were a secretary's job," Rose wondered aloud as she exited the office with Charles on her heels.

The short walk to the chippie was filled with comfortable conversation. Although Rose had only spoken to Charles a few times, she felt a lot more comfortable with him than a lot of people she had met here in 1969. He treated her like an actual person, not just looking at her in pity for being an abandoned single woman in London. Perhaps once the Doctor came and got her she would let him go on an adventure with them as repayment. However, remembering all that had happened with Adam when she had offered him a trip, she rethought it. Instead he could just be a good friend while she was here.

Only halfway listening to the story Charles was telling her about his adventures the weekend before, she thought about what she would do after work. It was sort of awkward being at the house since she thought it would be inappropriate to retreat from the family to her rented room and she didn't know where else to go She really didn't get along that well with Lisa even though she lived at her house and appreciated her hospitality. And something about Richard gave Rose the creeps lately, but she didn't exactly have enough money to rent a place of her own yet. Of course Rose enjoyed playing with Pamela and her enthusiasm, but she was a little girl and not someone you could confide in.

Before she knew it she was settled in with a healthy serving of vinegar laden chips across from Charles, listening to him go on about how he expected to find a higher paying job when he graduated from university last year. Instead he was stuck being an assistant making not much more than Rose did as a secretary.

"So why don't you go somewhere else?" Rose asked the obvious question, eating a chip as she waited for him to answer, finally getting a work in.

"I like the people I work with," Charles muttered, leaning onto his elbows on the table as he looked at Rose with a very obvious expression that she hadn't seen in a while.

Immediately Rose froze, wondering what he meant by that. She barely even knew Charles, they had only spoken a few times outside of work and she just tried to be friendly. And, of course, she was just getting excited about being proper mates and now he was acting like she was a prize to be won. Looking at Charles with his piercing blue eyes and curly blonde hair, Rose was sure he was used to getting what he wanted in the romantic department. But she was just stuck in 1969 until she found the TARDIS and there was the Doctor, so she couldn't let this poor bloke think he had a chance with her at all.

"I never really expected to work myself," Rose admitted, hoping that Charles would take the bait and change the subject.

Charles scrunched his eyebrows together, probably trying to understand Rose's topic change before he responded. "Why didn't you?" he asked politely. "I thought every woman nowadays was excited to start working."

"I guess so," Rose wondered aloud, curious if that was true. "But John always said I wouldn't have to since he's a doctor and all."

"John?" Charles asked, realization filling his eyes.

"He's my husband," Rose answered, trying to act casual about talking about a fake husband. She just hoped that Charles would now change the topic away from relationships.

However, Charles was more forward than she expected him to be. "Did something happen? I noticed you aren't wearing a ring."

Eyes widening, Rose remembered that she had forgotten about that entirely. She should have bought a cheap ring somewhere and passed it off as a wedding band to avoid situations like this. "Umm," she muttered, worrying her bottom lip. "About a month ago or so we got separated somehow and I don't know what happened to my ring. I lost about a week of my memory apparently," Rose lied easily. "We were just in the process of moving to London when it happened so I don't really know where he is right now or have a way to contact him."

"Wow, I'm sorry," Charles responded. "But why don't you just contact his family or something? Surely you could find him."

"We both don't have anyone else," Rose admitted, wishing she hadn't agreed to this lunch just because she was craving some good chips and fresh air. "But London isn't that large and I know he is looking for me so I'm just staying put," she paused. "And obviously I needed to get a job until we find each other again."

With an expression of pity, Charles retorted. "Rose, have you contacted the police to make sure…you know."

"You know what?" Rose said quickly, clearly not wanting to discuss what he was alluding to. She couldn't imagine that of the Doctor. Of course he was okay. He had to be. When they had been investigating the creepy house the Doctor had told her not to blink, obviously knowing something about the ominous looking stone angel she had sworn she saw move. Since he knew what those creatures were, he surely knew how to find her. It was just his driving skills that were causing him to be a little late in picking her up. She just hoped he wouldn't be off in his driving for a year like the first time he brought her back home.

"Something may have happened when you lost your memories…" Charles explained, oblivious to Rose's red face.

Stuffing the last chip into her face, Rose stood up suddenly with a tight expression on her face. "We should probably get back to work," she told her lunchtime companion in a clipped voice.

With that Rose whirled around, wanting to get back to work as quickly as possible and avoid any more awkward conversations about her and the Doctor. After all, she didn't even understand their relationship herself. Ever since they had left the parallel Earth without Mickey the Time Lord had been uncommonly affectionate with her. He had even been patient with her Mum, following her advice and going to investigate the house that led to their separation. But Rose couldn't forget what had happened with Reinette, the bloody mistress of the King of France a month back. The Doctor had pranced after her like a lovesick schoolgirl and looked absolutely crushed when he came back from the fireplace alone. She had never brought it up to him, she was actually scared to hear what he had to say about their whirlwind relationship. Another part of Rose's mind reminded her of when she went to her old friend Shareen's party and the Doctor had surprisingly agreed to accompany her. While there he had scarcely left her side, not correcting anyone when they assumed that he was her bloke. And then…that night. But Rose couldn't bear to recall it now, it only made her miss the Doctor more.

…

The Doctor had been without the TARDIS for three hours already and didn't have a plan yet.

In fact, for one of the few times in his life, he technically had a detailed plan already drawn out for him. A few months back, while in the middle of a hatching adventure with Rose, he had literally received a folder with everything he needed to do in order to get the TARDIS back. Sally Sparrow she had said her name was. He hadn't bothered to even look through the folder yet, he was scared it would say something he didn't want to hear. That Rose wasn't with him. That Rose had to wait years to find him again. He could scarcely think about it, but his mind continued to conjure up images of the Weeping Angels succeeding in consuming Rose's life force. Of his pink and yellow human aged and bitter once he found her again.

"Oi!" called out a stern man with a moustache as the Doctor accidently bumped into his shoulder as he ambled down the crowded street. "Watch where you're going!"

"Sorry," the Doctor halfheartedly offered the man as he continued on his trek. "I always told her to wander off, just never imagined I couldn't find her when she did…" he rambled to himself under his breath as he walked on.

Deciding that he'd rather not be cited as a raving lunatic, he veered off into a nearby shop, glancing around at everyone around him hoping he'd catch a glimpse of Rose. Although he had been sure when he touched the Weeping Angel that he would appear right next to Rose, now he wasn't so sure. What if she had been transported through space and was in a different country right now? Sure he could with the TARDIS, but he was a part of the events now so he would be breaking a rule. Not that he really cared when Rose was at stake, but it still wasn't ideal and he didn't even have the TARDIS option right now. The scenario the Doctor didn't want to think of was Rose arriving years before him in that dirty alley, waiting expectantly for him to arrive and believing he had abandoned her.

Seeing a rack of newspapers in the corner of the shop, the Doctor hurried over to see the exact date. He knew it was the beginning of Autumn of 1969, but he needed to know more. Ignoring the glance of the shop owner clearly expecting him to buy the paper, the Doctor observed the date, September 1, 1969. Well, he was close, but now he needed to know when or if Rose had arrived here.

He knew what he had to do, but had been avoiding it for obvious reasons. With hopeful hearts he had sat in the alley for an hour, deciding that Rose was merely late to arrive. However, when he realized that was not the likely possibility he had begun to wander the streets of London. Every time he saw a familiar blonde head he had, as discreetly as he could, made sure it wasn't his companion. But, as the sky began to darken, he had to find Rose. The last thing he wanted was for her to have nowhere to sleep tonight. Although he technically didn't have the TARDIS or a place to go once it was night either, he would make sure she was safe overnight. Though he wasn't a human the Doctor was well aware that Rose was an attractive woman and who knows what would happen if she was alone in the middle of London with no one she knew to help her.

But, in order to relax fully so that his plan would work, the Doctor didn't want to be standing in the middle of a crowded shop. Ignoring an annoyed huff from the owner, he headed out again on a quest for the closest park where he could sit down and concentrate.

It was already quite dark by the time he reached a park and settled down next to a tree and his nerves were at full force. It was no secret that he protective of Rose, even though he had often let her run off on her own or she had wandered off. The difference between then and now was that he was confident that he could work it all out in the end, but he felt so vulnerable stuck here without his TARDIS.

"Come on," the Doctor whispered to himself as he closed his eyes, mentally steeling himself.

Being a telepathic Time Lord, the Doctor would be able to sense if Rose was nearby since he knew her telepathic fingerprint quite well. He had beat himself up after he had momentarily allowed their minds to connect only the previous day, now he was thankful for his spontaneous decision. He would be able to find her. And, if he was very lucky, he may be able to find out where she was as well. However, he would have to lower all of his mental barriers and he hadn't done that in years. The closest he had been was when he had to check Reinette's mind, and that had been an intimate enough moment. But with Rose he couldn't even imagine how blissful it would feel to let her into his empty mind again. It was all his traitor hearts wanted to do when she flashed him a tongue in teeth smile. And he knew how amazing the sensation was, he couldn't imagine not getting drawn in to her again. He had killed his race and he didn't deserve having that connection, even for a few moments more, with Rose.

Gritting his teeth, the Doctor allowed himself to be immersed into the sensations of opening up his abilities. At first it was all static with all the humans in London pressing upon him. However, the slight annoyance was expected as he scrunched his eyes tighter and recalled the exact signature of pure Rose. Groaning, he cautiously reached out with his mind to Rose's bright mind. Just like he expected there was no response from her, after all she was a human and it was long range. If they had been touching…he couldn't bear to remember it. Because with his heightened abilities he could feel her in his mind, could easily bind them together like he did in his dreams. He had almost done it last night, had been on the brink. But when he looked down and saw Rose's hazel eyes, so human, he stopped himself, he couldn't do that to her. But now he had a logical reason for doing this and he doubted Rose would appreciate the action without her knowledge or consent.

So, praying it would work, he called out to her: "Rose"

Dum Dum Dum...suspense!