"Well, so far everything seems fine," Owen tried to assure Rose, who had been allowed in. "I wish I had more information for you but we're in the dark over Human/Timelord physiology."
"Great," John mumbled while he fastened his shirt buttons. "So you're going to learn from me?"
Rose gave him a frown.
"Owen's only tryin' to help," she reminded John. "So he's nothin' to worry about?" she asked Owen.
Rose had noticed Martha seemed to have disappeared, which was a good thing considering John had left one behind in the other universe.
"Come back and see me in a few month's time," Owen replied. "In the mean time, take things easy."
John finished getting dressed, then they went up to Pete's office, staying silent on the way until Rose had to say something.
"Ya should take it easy John. Ya could help them get the cannon working again if ya want? If we got through once, we can do it again."
"Rose, it was Dalek Cahn who was manipulating everything, remember?" John reminded her.
"Yeah, well he did me a favour, didn't he?" Rose replied as she looped her arm in his. "I got you back."
"Well partly," John grinned, patting her hand.
"Don't say that," Rose insisted as they neared the top floor where Pete had his office. "This floor still gives me the creeps."
"I can imagine," John agreed as the lift doors opened.
"It's all been cleared out and offices were made," Rose assured John as they stepped out. "It doesn't help though. Hi Debbie, my dad's expecting us. This is John."
"He said he was expecting you, Jake's already in there," Debbie, Pete's secretary told them.
Jake and Pete had been talking while they were waiting, Jake having gone to Pete's office when Rose had gone in to join John.
"Do you think they'll find anything wrong?" Pete had asked Jake.
"Hard to say? I mean Rose thinks he's still the real thing," Jake replied.
"You can't really blame her I suppose?" Pete wondered. "She wanted to find him so badly. I don't know what she would have done if those devices hadn't started working."
"Maybe now, she'll settle down?" Jake hoped.
"Well Jackie will be relieved if she does," Pete smiled as the door opened.
After they'd talked for a while, John went off with Jake to get his ID and to arrange a bank account and establish that he belonged to his new world.
"Did Rose have to go through all this?" John asked as his fingerprints were registered.
Jake just grinned back.
"Yeah, she wasn't happy," he laughed. "Right, give me a few days, meanwhile, here's a company credit card, ya can get cash out with it as well."
"I'll try not to spend it all at once," John assured him. "I don't expect physic paper works around here?"
Rose and Pete were discussing what role John should take up now he'd been cleared by medical to work.
"Start him out helping you?" Pete suggested. "Then you can keep an eye on him without him knowing."
"He'll know," Rose told him. "I was thinking maybe he'd enjoy going through all the artefacts we know nothing about? At least we'd know if they were safe or dangerous."
"Well I'll see what he says and arrange it then," Pete agreed. "Unless he insists we get the cannon working again without outside help?"
That was what Rose had been dreading, that he would be tempted to go back, especially if he was still convinced there was something wrong with him.
"I'll talk to him," Rose offered. "What happened to it anyway, once the Dalek's plan failed?"
"It stopped working, what do you think?" Pete laughed. "We all thought we were going to lose you and your mother until a technician noticed an odd reading, up in Norway. Then I knew The Doctor must have brought you both back. Your mother called me before I could call her."
That made Rose laugh.
"I bet she was dying to say who was with us," Rose told him.
"I had a hard time figuring that out," Pete joked back. "Take the day off, take him shopping or something, on Torchwood. Jake was giving him a credit card until he gets his own."
"Oh, I could do with a nice dress to go out celebrating we got him back," Rose smiled at the thought of an unlimited credit card. She had her own but that one was limited, though she got a generous amount.
Over the next few days, John was going around trying to figure out what he wanted to do and ended up in Rose's office, his feet on the corner of her desk.
"You can have Mickey's old office," Rose suggested as he messed with his hair. "So have ya decided what you want to do?"
"You know the answer Rose," he insisted. "We have to at least get the cannon working again. I'll safeguard it so the Cybermen or anything else can't take advantage of it."
"So, think of a good title then," she teased him. "Ya can go back to being called Doctor, if ya want?"
"I don't think I should," he hesitated.
"Well you're just as qualified for the title as he is," Rose further insisted.
"Am I?" John questioned her.
"Well everyone thinks you are," Rose replied, getting up to hug him. "What's wrong with it?"
"Plenty," he added.
"Don't put ya self down," she told him as she held him close. "We can find a place of our own, if ya want? We don't have to live with my mum and Pete."
"We had this conversation before," he tried to cheer up.
"Well we don't have to get a mortgage, we can rent," Rose smiled back at him.
"Well, I suppose I can live with that," he agreed.
They spent a few weeks looking on various letting agents' websites and viewed some of the rental properties but Rose really wanted one that overlooked the river and they were lucky enough to find one not far from Canary Wharf that had been put out for rent as the owner was moving overseas.
"Wow, it's perfect," Rose remarked as they'd been shown around by the agent, who to John thought was looking a bit too smug with himself he'd get a nice bonus.
He couldn't find fault with it though, since it had everything they needed. So they agreed to take it, paid the deposit and Rose had only to change a few things since it was fully furnished. They invited everyone to the flat-warming party and got to know the other occupants on their floor and the doorman, since it had controlled entry.
That turned out to be just as well when John started work on his project and couldn't tear himself away at finishing time. Three months had gone by when he started staying late and Rose had tried to talk him out of it. She had no luck so she went to see Pete.
"Rose, I'll try but I can't promise," Pete was telling her. "He's got full control over the project, you know that."
"Yeah, don't remind me," Rose replied. "I don't get what his rush is."
"Maybe it's because he thinks the longer he leaves it, any chance of getting it working will disappear?" Pete suggested. "If you're worried he's overstretching himself, get Owen to give him another medical."
"I can see that going down well," Rose admitted.
"Well Owen has the last say on who works and who doesn't," Pete reminded her. "No point in asking him to be discreet about it though," he laughed.
So Rose went off to discuss it with John, who wasn't happy about it.
"I'm fine now Rose, really I am," John told her. "It was with all the changes before."
"Well if ya sure?" Rose was still worried. "Ya will say if anything changes?"
"Sure I will love," he tried to assure her. "Thanks for worrying about me though and I'll try and cut down, just for you," he promised.
Meanwhile, down in the small town of Sandbrook, Tess and Alec Hardy were already squabbling, which had led Tess to seek comfort with another married senior officer.
"He doesn't care about you," Dave Harris was telling Tess over drinks at an hotel out of town.
"I already know that Dave," Tess replied. "He's always working late, it makes me think he's having an affair."
"Do you think he really is?" Dave wondered.
Tess had caught sight of a newspaper headline on the next table as a man folded it in half.
"Just look at that Rose Tyler," Tess prodded Dave. "Who does she think she is?"
"Someone with too much money?" Dave laughed. "Well at least your Alec isn't seeing her, she's way out of his league."
"Don't underestimate him," Tess replied. "What's she doing in the headlines again? Doesn't she see enough of her face in them?"
"I can't read it from here Tess," Dave grinned. "Buy the newspaper if you want to know. So, is your Daisy at her grandmother's and Alec's working late again?" he wanted to know. "We can go park in the woods by that new estate. Your car or mine?"
"That's all you think about, Dave Harris," she told him.
Alec had noticed Tess had already sneaked off early. Why was she when their daughter went to Tess's mother after school? He thought with a bit of luck she'd taken up a new hobby but knowing her, it was probably another man. No, no-one else would put up with her like he himself did.
The following Sunday though, all hell broke loose when two young cousins went missing on the new estate and Alec regretted being partnered with Tess when they got assigned to the case. As if they didn't argue enough, Alec had thought when they finally got home that night and Tess was going to take Daisy's school things round to her mother's.
"Maybe we should both go?" Tess suggested.
"It does not need both out us," Alec objected, since he had a headache. "Just drop them off."
"Well I might stay and see my mother for a while," Tess saw her chance of calling Dave.
"Well I'm making something to eat," he told her, looking in the freezer.
"Well it's a good thing we have ready-made meals for emergencies," Tess retorted.
Alec just ignored her and took one out, since they were from a better class supermarket.
"What was it with you and Harris today?" he then asked as he squinted at the display on the microwave.
"Can't work the microwave," Tess hinted. "Since you only warm your mug of tea up in it."
Alec wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of replying.
"Don't change the subject Tess. I expect you to behave professionally whilst working, not looking at him every five minutes. Is there something I should know?"
"Don't start on me Alec, just because we got that case," she told him. "If you ask me, those parents are hiding something and where was the older girl's father?"
"And you say I take no interest in Daisy," Alec stated as he folded his arms and leaned back on the counter.
"Well you don't," Tess reminded him. "I'm off, I'll get something while I'm out, those meals are no good for you."
Alec was about to say they were better than her cooking but kept quiet. Was she going to sneak off and meet with Harris? Was he even bothered if she did? The following day, Alec had to step up the investigation and give a statement to the press.
Rose knew nothing about it as she woke up the next morning and John was missing. She put her robe on, tried the bathroom door but it was locked so she went to make a drink. When John hadn't come out, she knocked on the bathroom door.
"Come on John, why are ya taking so long?" she asked him. "Ya only off to work ya know?"
"Rose, I'll be out in a minute," he called back a few seconds later, which made Rose suspicious.
"Are ya okay?" Rose called back, trying the door handle.
She thought about opening the lock from the outside, since the designers had seen fit to add a more modern lock. Then she heard the 'click' from the other side.
"John. Ya look awful," she told him. "You're as white as a sheet. Come and sit down and I'll make some tea. Why the hell didn't ya say anything?"
"I started feeling weak when I got out of the shower," he admitted. "I didn't want to worry you."
"Well I'm worried now," she replied as she felt his forehead. "You're all clammy. I'm gonna call Owen and tell him, see if he recommends I send for our own doctor."
She got hold of Owen and started to tell him John's symptoms.
"Can you get him here?" Owen wanted to know. "If not, I can send one of our private ambulances we have access to for emergencies."
Rose covered the phone while she asked John, who was now wrapped in a blanket because he was feeling cold.
"I think I'll be okay with you, we're only five minutes away," John replied.
"Well maybe but I can't drive and watch you at the same time," Rose insisted. "Owen, I'll get him dressed, you send an ambulance. How long will it take?"
"I'll get it there as fast as I can," Owen promised her. "If not, I'll send a car for you. How's he doing?"
"Shivering," Rose gave John a weak smile. "I'm really worried."
"Yes, I can imagine," Owen told her. "Let's just get him here then? I'll let your stepfather and Jake know, I'll have Jake meet the ambulance."
"I knew something would go wrong," Pete told Jake when he heard. "He's been working two hard and I let him."
"Don't blame ya self," Jake told him. "He'll be okay."
"I hope for Rose's sake that you're right Jake," Pete replied. "How was John doing as regards to a breakthrough? I want his team to carry on, just in case."
"In case of what?" Jake asked.
"Why do you think Jake? In case we have to find his twin," Pete told him. "The Doctor is the only one who really knows his twin but from what Rose said, there had never been a metacrisis before so if Owen can't do anything?"
"We'd best not even think about it," Jake suggested. "I'll go wait downstairs for them."
John was laid down in the private ambulance that was more like a stretched car, a medic sat with him and Rose just in front.
"Just relax," the medic tried to tell John.
John was helped out of the ambulance and the medic sat John in the chair Owen had sent up for his arrival along with one of his assistants and Martha. Rose noticed the look on John's face when he saw Martha.
"Why does he keep staring at me?" Martha wanted to know as they walked to the lift, Jake having overridden it so they could get straight in.
"You have a double where he comes from," Rose told her. "It didn't end well from what he told me."
"No wonder," Martha remarked.
"Sorry to disappoint ya Martha," Rose replied. "Ya know he's spoken for anyway. You have no idea how long it took me to find him so forget it."
"Is that a warning?" Martha dared ask Rose, making Jake grin, since he loved a cat fight and it was heading for the cat fight of the decade.
"Hey, no fighting you two," John managed to tell them. "I can't abide fighting, especially over me."
Rose leaned down to kiss his cheek.
"I'm only gonna fight to keep ya," she told him, making Jake grin again.
"My money's on Rose," Jake then laughed, getting him a look from Martha.
"You seem sure of that," Martha told Jake as they reached the basement.
"Oh, trust me," Jake told her as he laughed even more at the thought. "I wouldn't bother if I were you Martha."
Martha just huffed and opened the medical bay door, where Owen was waiting with Pete, who thought Rose would need some support.
"What's going on?" Pete wanted to know as Rose and Martha looked daggers at each other.
"It's under control Boss," Jake tried to convince him.
"It had better be," Pete warned. "John is more important than any squabbles going on."
"Tell that to Rose," Martha hissed, whether Pete was the boss or not.
"Martha, drop it," Owen then told her. "Come on John, let's get you on the examination bed, no visitors for now," he looked directly at Rose. "I'll keep Martha occupied," he then grinned.
"I know my job, Owen," Martha was annoyed. "What's your problem Rose?"
"I said leave it," Pete warned again. "Jake, get Rose a drink will you?"
"Sure Pete. Want something to eat Rose?" he turned to a worried Rose.
"Just a drink, thanks. I couldn't eat anything," Rose told him as Pete led her to sit down and John went off with the medical staff.
"Don't worry, Martha won't turn John's head," Pete tried to assure her as Jake returned with fresh coffee.
"Nah, forget it Rose, he's right," Jake agreed.
"Sorry. I'm just worried," Rose told them as she drank her coffee.
"We all are love," Pete told her. "Want me to call your mother?"
"Let's wait and see what Owen says," Rose replied, trying to keep calm. "What could have happened to him Dad?"
Jake went to sit at the other side of her and patted her arm.
"Thought he had superior biology to us?" Jake joked.
"Has he been hiding something all this time?" Rose then wondered. "How could he hold something like that back?"
"Just calm down eh?" Pete suggested. "The main thing is he's getting medical attention. Maybe I should warn your mother?"
Rose agreed after Pete promised he wouldn't let Jackie come and join them.
"Jackie, he'll get all the treatment he needs," Pete assured his wife.
"Well goodness knows what his twin or the one before him put me through that time," Jackie referred to when Rose was missing for a year. "Then that time they came back without Mickey," she added.
"I know Jackie. I'll let you know what Owen makes of him," Pete promised her.
They sat for another half hour before Owen came out, Rose trying to judge what the outcome was. John had remained calm while being examined then another scan.
"I might have to refer you to a specialist," Owen had warned John.
"You can't, remember who I am," John warned him. "I'm still unusual to them."
"I know but we have contacts in the medical profession who know what we deal with," Owen tried to assure him. "We can do most of the tests and we can get them to come here. We have to find out what's causing your problem."
"I can tell you that," John replied. "You'd best break the news to Rose but if all fails, she'll have to cross over to her old world to find my twin or whatever he is now, if he's changed."
"Did you get somewhere with that cannon device?" Owen wondered.
"I'm so close," John admitted. "I was almost ready to test it but don't go telling Rose."
"You'd have gone without her?" Owen grinned.
"No, I wouldn't dare, I'm not that brave," John tried to laugh without it hurting. "Now, she may have to go back on her own. How can I ask her to do such a thing?"
"She'd do anything for you," Owen assured him. "Anyway, let's reserve that for now. Someone else will have to work on it, you're grounded."
John wished him good luck, others had tried and failed to hold him down but Rose was the exception.