"This is because of her isn't it?"
"-But I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on with Cara. That's the curse of the Time Lords. But Rose you need to stop."

Mickey had horrible timing. He knew he did, but this might just have topped it. He'd just been walking past the console room after the TARDIS showed him his bed room. And there. He'd only been on the TARDIS a few hours and Rose and the Doctor were already having a go at each other.

"I-I just don't understand, Doctor!" Rose shouted, making him wonder how he didn't hear them soon. "A total stranger who just happens to be part of the Timelords who were apparently meant to be dead, just comes in and suddenly you're just—"

"What?" The Doctor asked unlike Rose his voice was levelled. Almost chillingly calm. It worried him, far more than his normal reactions.

"Different!"

The Doctor sighed, rubbing his face with one hand, the other still resting on the console. It was no surprise to Mickey who they were talking about. He was just happy that Cara was asleep. "Rose-

"No, don't Rose me. She-she changed everything. Us, Doctor…I thought we were-" Rose paused, shutting her eyes taking a few deep breaths. "And know I sound crazy-"

"Yes! Yes you do," the Doctor cried out, his calmness dropping slightly. "She is a child, Rose. A child. You don't think, she doesn't know. You don't think, she doesn't sense your hostility? You have no idea, what she has been though. But no, instead of trying to talk to her, to show her kindness, you Rose Tyler. You showed her cruelty, because of your own petty jealously." The Doctor said, pacing around the console.

Rose huffed, turning around shaking her head, not meeting his gaze. Mickey could see her resolve failing.

"Now I can't change your feelings, but I suggest you evaluate your behaviour." The Doctor continued. "Cara is my child, she my priority, my responsibility, which means nothing and no one is more important than her. You are my friend, Rose but don't for a second thinks that gives you a free pass."

Rose swallowed hard, turning around facing him again. "Did I do something wrong? Is that why?"

"No. I made my decision that Cara would come first no matter what…" the Doctor said, Mickey ducking behind the wall, as not to be spotted by him.

Usually he wouldn't do something like this, but he had grown quite fond of the small child, who delivered Jackie's cookies after Rose left.

"You know, she was worried about you. About her being here." The Doctor said quietly. "She didn't want to get in the way."

"A thirteen year old child, a two year old by Timelord standards was ready to go back to being in pain and alone because she thought she'd be a burden. And she didn't want to be a burden." The Doctor said bitterly.

"Time Tots, Rose are one of the most precious things in the universe," the Doctor said, meeting her eyes, his unwavering. "They require large amounts care and love to survive. If she stayed on Earth any longer by herself. She'd have died. Would have burned up from the inside, she'd have been dead before she was sixteen."

"Is that why you did it?" Rose said sharply. "Just because she was the last one? Because she would have died if you hadn't."

"No!" The Doctor shouted, sounding almost disgusted. "I only found that out after I ran the deep scans. I took her in because she needed me."

"She needed someone. And even if she wasn't a Time Tot, I would have taken her in. Because she's just a child Rose. She's just a child. My child." The Doctor breathed out, running his fingers though his hair. "Cara is my child, Rose. Whether you like to not: she's not going anywhere. I can't say the same for you." he said his voice going hard.

"What?!" Rose gasped, wide eyed, the colour practically draining from her face.

"You recent toxicity affects everybody in this ship, Rose. Especially Cara. And of late, it's been affecting her a lot." the Doctor replied, folding his arms, looking at her with distaste.

"How-"

"The mental block. With Queen Victoria and the werewolf? Cara was with you, yes?" he asked. Rose nodded.

"Whenever I couldn't connect with her telepathically it was because she was subconsciously blocking me. Out of worry, out of fear." The Doctor said, gesturing his sonic to Rose. "She didn't want to hurt you, hurt your feelings. She doesn't even know she's doing."

"So that's my fault?" Rose snapped.

The Doctor sighed again, turning around in a circle, making Mickey duck again.

"Cara needs love, care, support for her to grow." The Doctor said softly. "I'd think, very long and very hard, about your actions, Rose Tyler. Before they get you left back home."

Rose stared after him, the Doctor turning around not giving her second glance as he walked down a hallway.

Rose made a noise of irritation, something between a growl, an 'urgh' and a cry, she turned around storming off in his direction.

Mickey skidded down the TARDIS hallways, before walking towards her; whistling as if he didn't hear anything.

Rose passed him, not giving him a single look before making a noise, like a choked sob, before running down the TARDIS hallways and out of site.

Mickey groaned, running his hands over his face and hair. "Great."

It was rare Cara would seek out the Doctor.

Usually it was he who would jump out and drag her to places, but for some reason today she had the strangest urge to find him. He seemed…troubled almost. She could feel it dimly, but she could tell he was hiding it from her.

'Huh, maybe I am getting a hang of this Time Tot stuff….' she thought to herself, walking through the TARDIS corridors.

She didn't really know where she was going, but at the same time she knew exactly where. She knew where the Doctor would be.

Turning a left, then a right, then another left, to more rights, down a straight corridor, then another two rights, one more left and then one final right. Cara opened the door, walking inside.

It was a big room (like all rooms in the TARDIS) filled with things: keepsakes as far as she guessed. Large robot heads, strange markers, books (lots of them) and on the side a strange wooden crib.

"That was mine." The Doctor said suddenly, walking out from within the room, sliding off his large pair of protective goggles. "It's pretty," Cara said, trailing her fingers along the crib, over the markings. "What do they say?"

"Just doodles, a few words mostly, and my name."

"And what's that?" Cara asked, glancing up at him. "What's what?"

"Your name, or am I not allowed to ask that?" Cara asked unsurely, it was strange but the Doctor's name was never a question that surfaced often to her. It was like a feeling, like she already knew, but didn't.

It was something known, but wasn't known.
It was confusing.

The Doctor smiled at her. "You already know." he said simply. Cara paused, thinking about this deeply. "Do you know mine?" she asked after a few seconds of warm silence.

"Yes."

"Is it good?" Cara asked. The Doctor smiled, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "It's beautiful." he replied. Cara sighed, smiling to herself before looking up at the Doctor. "Are you okay, Doc? Really?"

The Doctor stared at her, his face reflecting back in Cara's warm eyes. "No." he said. Cara nodded, slipping her hand into his. "Its okay, it's okay to not be okay."

The Doctor nodded slowly, watching her gaze at the crib. The silence was warm and comfortable, like its own invisible hug.

He hadn't felt that in a long time.

"I want ice-cream." Cara said suddenly, getting up. "You want ice-cream? We should get ice-cream."

Not waiting for his reply, she walked to the kitchen dragging the Doctor (who she was still holding onto tightly) behind her.

"Chocolate, Mint Chip, Vanilla. The best, hands down." Cara announced, eating a spoon full of mint chip.

"Strawberry, Cookies and Cream, Schoolizeberry. Are the best in the universe." the Doctor countered, taking a spoon of his Schoolizeberry.

"Impossible!" Cara giggled out, shaking her head.

"Oi, Shoolizeberry is-

"It sound like that weird fruit in the BFG. Doc, it sounds like a Snozzcumber." Cara said, grinning at his shocked expression. "Well, try it, just try it."

Cara glanced down at the yellow and hot pink ice-cream, before back at the Doctor. "If it tastes like a Snozzcumber, I'm so going to kill you." she said, taking her spoon and taking a bit of it.

The Doctor watching her eagerly. Cara put it onto her mouth, still keeping s eye on the Doctor for signs if he was pranking her.

"Oh my-! How does it taste salty and sweet?" she cried out, staring at the bowl. It was delicious. It was shocking. The Doctor leaned back on his chair, a knowing look on his face.

Cara smiled, taking another spoon of her ice-cream. "Doc?"

"Hmm?"

"Is…" Cara licked her lips, unsure if she should voice her thoughts. Usually communication in her head was easier, easier and oddly enough far more natural to her. But talking…talking sometimes made things real. The Doctor paused, leaning forwards slightly. "Cara, you can talk to me."

"I know…bu...It's…" Cara shut her eyes, taking a breath. "Is the reason you sad, because of Rose? Cara asked, the Doctor going complete still. "And me?" she added quietly.

The Doctor said nothing, scratching his ear.

"I'm not an idiot, Doc." Cara said sadly, taking his silence as her answer.

"No. You're not, and that's not it, Cara you didn't do anything. Believe it or not, but not everything on this ship is your fault." he said lightly.

Cara let out a sigh, nodding. "Yeah."

"This…this was between me and Rose. And I know, you feel responsible, but you're not, Cara. I understand, you're not used to been taken care of like this. But, I'm here to take care of you." The Doctor said, sternly. "I'm the adult, more importantly I'm your parent. You're the child, you're meant to be running around, have fun. No need to worry about all this." The Doctor said gesturing around the room with his spoon. "That's why I'm here."

"But I do worry, not just about Rose." Cara said, swirling her spoon around the bowl. "I worry about you too." she whispered.

The Doctor would have been the biggest liar in the whole entire universe if he was those words didn't make his heart swell three times bigger. Both of them.

The Doctor nodded, pretending like what she said was no big deal. "Yeah," he said copying her swirling in his own bowl. "How about, we just worry and take care of each other?" he suggested.

Cara paused her swirling, making the Doctor's hearts almost drop out of his chest.

"Okay." Cara said after a couple seconds of deep thought, eating another spoon of her ice-cream. The Doctor smiled, leaning back, shutting his eyes letting out a sigh.

Progress.

Cara watched the Doctor sigh to himself, taking her chance she quickly stuck her spoon into his ice-cream stealing a bit and putting it into her mouth.

The Doctor picked up his spoon, glancing at his bowl then at Cara who had her mouth full of Schoolizeberry. "You little thief!" the Doctor laughed out.

"I hafve not ifea what you talking bout." Cara replied, making the Doctor let out a loud laugh. Cara swallowed her ice-cream. "You just…ate it too fast." she lied, making the Doctor laugh harder.

Sliding the bowl in the middle the two began eating from them both.

"Mmmm, okay, mint chip it gets on my list."

"See!"

Mickey smiled at them, just passing by when he caught the two having a deep conversation about ducks and geese over their ice-cream.

"Mickey! Why you loitering by the door?" the Doctor shouted out, catching him watching.

"Come have ice-cream with us." Cara said, waving her spoon around. Mickey shrugged, ('what the hell? he thought') and walked over sliding in a seat next to Cara.

"Now as I was saying ducks are better because they are so much nicer! Geese are just jerks!"

Hiya!

Once again, so sorry for the wait. Life is just crazy, and ugh. So, here's some fluff to brighten ya day! :)

Like I said, there's gonna be a wild ride for the next few chappy's, so...yeah (evil laugh) take the fluff while ya got it!

Thank you all for the support, despite my late updating!

Thoughts?

Thank you all for reading, reviewing, faving and following!
As usual please comment, review, fav, follow, PM, ect. :)

Thank you for all the faves, follows and reviews!

Till next time…