Chapter 2

Rose stuck her head out of the Tardis and looked around; she smiled to herself as she saw the familiar blocks of flats, boarded up shops and graffiti. She was home, only it didn't really feel like home anymore, this funny blue space ship felt like home, and the mad man called the Doctor felt like home, this just felt like where her mum lived, and Rose had to admit that was a bit sad.

She looked back and grinned

"You coming then?" she asked the doctor as she opened the door fully

"What and miss the great home coming?" he said with a sigh flicking off one more switch and crossing to the door and following Rose outside into the late night air

"Recon your mum has any hobnobs?" he asked as the crossed the courtyard to the block of flats that Rose had grown up in

"Nope" Rose said turning to smile at him "She knows you love them so she wont have them in on principle" she said laughing as he started to mutter about ungrateful humans "But she will have the kettle on, and some choky bicies" she told him consolingly, linking her arm in his and laying her head on his shoulder for a brief moment

"Thanks" was all she said, earning herself a huge grin from the Doctor

"Just remember I don't do Domestic so you get one day only" he said trying to sound annoyed but failing, pleased to have Rose's arm in his but never willing to admit it to her or himself.

They walked the last few feet in companionable silence, each enjoying the others company and nearness, each getting strength from the other. Rose pulled her Arm out of the Doctor's as they arrived at her mother's door, neither acknowledging the twinge it caused them to separate.

Rose knocked on the door, not willing to use her key at such a late hour and when her mum didn't know she was coming, they didn't have to wait long before the door was pulled open and Jackie stood there

"Rose!" she said pulling her in and hugging her daughter tightly, she glared over Rose's shoulder at the Doctor still standing in the doorway, with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face

"See, I didn't get her killed" he told Jackie cheerfully, walking in, past the two women and sitting down in the living room, Jackie following

"Yet" she said glaring at him "Sit down and make yourself comfy" she added on sarcastically, making the Doctor smile again

"Thanks, I will" he said with a cheeky grin, causing Rose to shake her head at him in despair

"Can I have a cuppa tea mum" Rose said, sitting on the arm of the chair that the doctor occupied, "We ran out of milk again" she said shooting the doctor an annoyed look

"Yeah and hobnobs" the doctor added on looking imploringly at Jackie

"Well you can have a cuppa but I don't have any biscuits at all, Mickey was over earlier and ate them all" she said smiling at Rose before shooting the doctor a dark look before she turned and headed for the small kitchen

"Mickey was over" the Doctor mimicked in a parody of Jackie, his head bobbing side to side as he said it, causing Rose to hit him hard.

"Behave" she told him whispering "Or I'll tell her you nearly got me killed on …" she started but never finished as his hand shot out and covered her mouth

"You do and she'll kill me and then I might regenerate into some miserable old git, that wouldn't want to put up with you and your mother" he muttered darkly before flouncing back into the chair to sulk. Rose turned away to hide her grin as her mother walked in with a tray holding three mugs of tea and a plate of cookies

Jackie glared at the Doctor as his eyes lit up, and his mouth opened to make a retort about no biscuits

"Cookies aren't biscuits, there cookies" Jackie said as if it was the most sensible logic in the world, the Doctor grinned and nodded as he reached for one.

…………………………………………………………..

The Doctor and Rose walked slowly back to the Tardis, there arms casually linked in each others, the visit with her mum hadn't gone too bad, thought Rose a small smile on her lips, remembering the way the Doctor and her mum had both kept snipping at each other like a couple of kids in the playground. It was really annoying at the time but it seemed kind of funny know that she wasn't having to referee them

"What are you grinning at?" the doctor asked unexpectedly, his face puzzled as he looked at her in the gloom cast by the street lights

"You" Rose answered cheekily "and my mum" she added pulling her arm from his and jogging ahead then turning to walk backwards so that she could watch him

"I think you like her really" she said grinning

The doctor watched her quietly for a moment then nodded, a schoolboy grin on his face

"Yep, you got me, I like her a lot, almost as much as I like the cybermen" he said his eyes twinkling, Rose narrowed her eyes at him

"Yeah right, bet they are really nasty badies" she grumped, stopping and waiting for him to catch her up

"Don't have to like her" the doctor said after a moment's silence placing his arm over Rose's shoulders and hugging her close to him for a moment

"Just have to put up with her for you" he said quietly, before grinning again

"Let's go find a late night shop and get some hobnobs" he said quickening his pace and leaving Rose staring after him, until he turned and flashed his grin

"Keep up" he called out, causing Rose to run after him.

…………………………..

Rose dawdled behind the doctor finishing the bag of chips off and throwing the empty paper into the bin as they rounded the corner to where the Tardis stood, she smiled to herself at seeing the sight, the place she called home now. She heard the Doctor muttering as he searched his loaded pockets for the key and then she noticed the figure detaching itself from the wall next to the Tardis.

"Doctor" she called out quietly, causing him to look up at her and then over to where her eyes were looking; his hand pausing in mid action at the figure standing in the shadows; a long black wool coat with a large concealing hood covering the face but not hiding the fact that it was a woman.

"Hello Doctor" the woman said softly, a smile in her voice "you look good" she added whistfullywith an inclination of her head, slowly pulling off her hood.