I apologise for my absence. I have been incredibly busy wrapping up some of my university studies (I'm nearly done!) but I am back now. This will begin to break away from canon events after this. I may include some episodes, but not likely in their entirety. That's not to say that they aren't happening in between some chapters, I'm just not too keen on doing another full series rewrite episode by episode. I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

xxx

'You reached into my mind,' he replied quietly. 'Not many can do that'.

'I don't get it. That was your mind?'

He nodded with a thoughtful frown. 'Are you absolutely certain your father's human?'

Rose sniffed. 'He was, I'm sure of it'.

Looking at the sad expression on the blonde in front of him, the Doctor decided not to push the subject. Clearly her father was a tender subject, and he would be sure to approach it cautiously should he ever mention it again.

'Anyway, I better get going,' she hurried over to the door. 'You will come back, yeah?'

The Doctor saw the worry in her eyes and nodded. He had no idea why he did though. He had gotten used to not waiting for anyone. His life wasn't meant to be shared with others. He'd decided that after ending the war but looking at Rose he found he had to make an exception. He could say it was because he was bored or because she was interesting. Both reasons were true, however he could not help but think selfishly of how amazing it felt to have someone in his head again. Not many races were telepathic like that, at least not to a useable level. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't considered seeking out a companion with such abilities, but he'd decided against it. They'd leave him too soon for him to risk losing that connection again. Yet here she was, a fascinating little human with far more to her than originally met the eye.

'I'll see you soon then, yeah?'

'Yeah,' he replied with a smile.

Rose spent the rest of the day with her mother, trying to calm her nerves. Jackie did not see the wonderful side of their discover and Rose was unlikely to convince her.

'I just don't understand it, sweetheart,' Jackie sank further into the cushions of the lounge, almost losing her cup of tea in the process. 'Those things were made of plastic. They can't come to life. Now the news is blaming it on some sort of prank'.

'But you saw that creature, mum,' Rose reminded her gently. 'You know it's not just people mucking about'.

'What about that Doctor then? What did he have to do with any of it?'

'He was investigating it,' Rose explained calmly for what felt like the thousandth time. 'He saved all of us'.

'You did. He even admitted it'.

Rose smiled. 'Well I guess we make a good team'.

Jackie looked over at her with a worried look. 'You're not thinking of going somewhere with him, are you? He looks in his forties and he's an alien! What would people think? What about Mickey?'

Rose went to speak but thought the better of it. She didn't know what she was going to do. She didn't care what people would think, that's for sure, and Mickey…well Mickey would be fine. Their relationship had always been built from their friendship. Sometimes Rose hardly felt that they were more than friends anyway. He was sweet and he was loving, but sometimes she worried that she was only with him because he was safe. She had been burned in the past and perhaps she was just desperate for security.

'I'd like to, of course I would,' Rose replied calmly. 'Just think, how many people get the chance to see the stars?'

'But it's dangerous! What if you got stuck out there and you couldn't come back?'

'I won't though,' Rose laughed quietly. 'That's the same with going anywhere. You could always get lost on holiday and end up stuck in a foreign place'.

'That's not the moon though, is it?!'

'Mum'—

'I know, I know, you're an adult. Just please think about your safety before you go flying off in his spaceship'.

Rose sighed. 'I dunno what it is, mum. It just feels right. I don't have a job; I don't have attachments. I'd come back and see you and Mickey all the time, you'd see'.

'And what are you going to tell himself then?'

'I'll go and see him in a bit,' Rose nodded. 'I'll explain everything and tell him I'm going for a bit. I'll tell him…I'll tell him not to wait for me'.

'Rose,' Jackie sighed. 'That would hurt the both of you so much. Just don't go'.

'I've got to,' Rose replied simply. 'I know you don't understand it, but I do. I've got to help him'.

'That's not your job. Can't he go be with his own people, wherever they are?'

'No, he's all alone,' she shuddered at the thought of being so isolated. In his mind there had been this constant echo, like an empty space where so many voices once were. She didn't need to ask him. She knew that somehow, he was left all alone, and whatever had happened caused him more grief and guilt than she could stand to feel.

After managing to settle her mother down for the time being, Rose made the short walk to Mickey's apartment. She didn't exactly know what she was going to say. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, but maybe a clean break would make things easier.

'Hey, bout time you came around,' he answered casually, leaving the door open for her to follow him inside.

'Yeah, sorry about that. I had a lot of explaining to do. Mum got kidnapped by aliens and…how stupid does that sound?' she laughed.

Mickey's eyes grew wide. 'By that man in the box?'

'No,' Rose waved a hand. 'No, he helped'. She walked over to the couch and moved some grubby clothes to the side to sit down.

'So he's a proper alien then? That wasn't just some trick?'

Rose shook her head. 'No, he's a proper alien with a spaceship and everything'.

There was silence between them for a few moments while Mickey attempted to process that information. She didn't blame him. It was a completely ludicrous idea. In fact, she surprised herself with how calm she was about it. It just felt as though there was some strange force that was drawing her to the Doctor and his ship. She just had to tell Mickey what was going to happen.

'Mickey,' she started seriously. 'I know that you and I are…well that we've been close for a while'—

'You're not dumping me for an alien, are you?' he burst. 'I may not be able to give you the open universe, but I'd like to think we've had a good time together'.

'We have,' Rose agreed with a smile. 'Look, I'm not dumping you for anyone. Honestly, I'm not. I just reckon we might be better as…you know…friends'.

'So now you're friend-zoning me?'

'No!' Rose sighed. 'I just think that if we were both being honest, we're not as much a couple as we are good friends'.

Mickey didn't look convinced, and Rose hated to see him looking so sad. How does one explain that they are going to travel the stars with an eccentric alien in his fantastical spaceship?

'I'm going to go travelling for a bit and I don't want you to be alone,' she continued. 'I do care about you a lot, you know? And I do love you'—

'But you're not in love with me,' he finished quietly. 'Don't worry, I get it. How could I stand a chance against some impressive alien fella? Just do us a favour and be careful, wherever you end up. Your mum would be devastated if something happened to you'.

'I will,' she replied with a soft smile. 'And I'll come back. You'll see, I'll bring you both back a chunk of the moon or something'.

Mickey snorted. 'What would I do with that?'

'I dunno,' she grinned with her tongue between her teeth. 'Remember me?'

'You sound as though you're leaving for good'.

'No,' she shook her head. 'Just a little bit'.

After hanging out with Mickey for an hour or so, Rose made her way back to their flat with her phone in hand. Should she pack a bag? Was it too presumptuous? Probably. Maybe she'd better just go as is until he decided whether he let her come for longer. Oh, she couldn't wait to explore the universe by his side. Again, it just felt right. It was undeniable, like fate or something. She took a deep breath and hit dial.

'That didn't take you long,' the Doctor answered.

'Shut up,' Rose laughed. 'I've just got to pop in and see mum, then I'll be ready'.

Rose hung up the phone and hurried inside the flat.

'There you are,' Jackie called from the kitchen. 'I was beginning you think you'd left'.

'I was just talking to Mickey,' Rose replied calmly.

'So?'

Rose swallowed and sat down on the arm of the couch. 'Yeah, him and me are just gonna be friends. It's just, I don't know what my future holds now, and we weren't really getting anywhere anyway, so…'

Jackie came out of the kitchen and stood in the doorway with her arms folded. 'Not that I mind, because it's your life and it's your future, but I can tell it hurt you to do that. So why did you? Why has this Doctor coming along made you think we're not good enough for you?'

'Mum,' Rose gasped. 'I never want you to think that. Mickey and I are just different people who want different things. I promise, even if the Doctor hadn't come along, it wouldn't have lasted'.

Jackie sighed. 'I just want you to be happy, Rose'.

'Then trust me,' Rose begged. 'I have the chance of a lifetime here'.

Jackie gave her strained smile. 'When are you leaving?'

'The Doctor will be here in a little bit'.

'Are you gonna pack a suitcase then?' Jackie sniffed.

Rose shook her head. 'It's just a trial. Who knows, we might hate each other in a day'.

Jackie sighed. 'I doubt it'.

Rose went into the kitchen and quickly grabbed a leftover piece of pizza from the fridge. She hadn't realised just how hungry she was, and she didn't know what kind of food the Doctor was likely to have on his ship. Jackie watched her from the sitting room and Rose tried to ignore the worried looks she sent her direction.

She then made her way to her bedroom and put a few things into her backpack. She didn't want to come off presumptuous by packing a suitcase, but a few things would ensure that she was prepared. Jackie gave her a teary hug in the corridor and Rose promised she would be back before she knew it. Jackie didn't look entirely convinced by that, but Rose was much too excited to notice.

The Doctor was waiting in the doorway of his ship when she reached the bottom of the steps. Rose made eye contact with him and grinned.

'Took you long enough,' he called when she tossed her backpack at him. 'You got a map, Dora?'

Rose frowned. 'How do you know what that is?'

'I know a lot, I do,' the Doctor winked.

Rose rolled her eyes and led the way up the ramp.

'Well then,' the Doctor skipped around her and over to the console. 'I suppose introductions are in order'.

'Introductions?'

'Yep,' he grinned and patted the pulsing cylinder in the middle of the console. 'This magnificent ship is called the TARDIS. Stands for time and relative dimension in space'.

'Right, so what does that mean though really?' Rose asked, walking up to touch her fingers to the cylinder. She felt the gentle hum in her mind intensify as she touched the smooth surface.

'It means that I can travel anywhere in time and space. Henry the eighth, grumpy fellow. Florence Nightingale, genius'.

Rose shook her head in amazement. 'So you can travel in time too? Why didn't you tell me that?'

The Doctor shrugged and then gave her a smug smile. 'I had a feeling you'd want to come anyway'.

'And how'd you know that?' she grinned that same grin with just the tip of her tongue sticking out. The Doctor's eyes flickered briefly to it before returning to her eyes.

'I dunno,' he breathed out a shaky breath. 'Just a feeling, I guess'.

Rose took a deep breath and hesitated for a moment before speaking. 'As much as I'm looking forward to you showing off your time ship, I need something first'.

'Name it,' he replied, his gaze intense.

'I need to know what's wrong with me. You thought that my parents were aliens but they're not. Why am I different? I need to know, Doctor'.

'Okay,' he nodded calmly.

xxx

Things will change a lot from here. So if that's not your cup of tea, this may not be for you. I just want to take these characters on a new adventure. Thanks for all the support!