I feel so cruel but this is just what came out. I blame it on watching too much Buffy. Please let me know what you think as this would have to be my least favourite chapter so far. Only one more to write now so hopefully it won't take me too long.

Angelic Ninja

Holding on, 'till you come back home

Holding on, without you I'm alone

Holding on, 'till I breath you in

Holding on, to be with you again

And I won't let go

Alex Lloyd – Holding On

He had tightened bolts, rewired systems, replaced light bulbs until he could find nothing else to do. It had been nine hours, thirty-nine minutes and fifty-four seconds but she was still to return. He glanced to the door as it opened and watched Jack stumble in from his position below the grating. With no sign of Rose behind the Captain he returned his attention to the TARDIS and finding something he could fix.

"She's not back then?" The Doctor only responded with a glare ignored by Jack above him. "Okay, care to tell me why our little visit to 2006 came about then?"

"She wanted to see her mother." He pushed himself further under the grating and away from Jack's scrutiny.

"If she wanted to see her mother, why is she out getting 'pissed', as she so elegantly termed it, with Shareen?" The Doctor sat screwdriver in hand, staring at the wiring before him. "More importantly why is her mother so happy about it?"

"Its her birthday, I landed right for bloody once."

"That explains why I'm drunk, why aren't you?" The Doctor looked up to see Jack's head hanging over the edge of the grating. At the Doctor's face Jack let out a sigh, "Did you think to apologise?"

"Why?"

"Well usually it is your fault. What did you say this time? Don't give me that look, last time it was her inability to speak Guinatron which is a language no human has ever gotten correct even with your ship in their heads, our mouths just aren't made for it. Only reason I didn't screw it up was I know better than trying to say more than two words at a time, which is something you should have told her. Before that it was her stupid backwards ape biology unable to handle the food from Alpha Prime in the Pegasus Galaxy. Oh and lets not forget that turned out to be an an allergy to go old Earth pears which you knew about in the first place. Do you really want me to continue?"

"No thank you I got the picture." The Doctor pulled himself from the crawlspace and sat next to Jack, but couldn't meet his gaze.

"So what is it this time? No let me guess," Jack held up a hand to stall the Doctor. "She wanted to keep one of the cats from Delta Nova. You said no, but she kept one anyway."

"How did you know?"

"Cat told me of course," he gave a sly smile. "That and I helped her to smuggle it on board."

"She said she was thinking of staying." The Doctor stood and tried to find something on the console to distract him. "I don't think I can do this without her." He turned suddenly, launching the screwdriver at the far wall of the console room. "I told her I didn't want it! Why can't she just listen for once!"

"Is it really that important, she's a twentieth century girl for Christ's sake! She just wants someone to love, who will love her back. I know you 'don't do domestic' and all that cods wallop, but could you make an effort for her? If you need to show your dominance do it in the bedroom, don't make her doubt herself."

"Why, you not dominant enough for her?" Jack pushed himself up to stand his full height before the Doctor. "Jack the conquistador giving me his scraps, should I feel privileged?"

"You're an idiot, she's only ever wanted you. The number of times she's cried over something you've said. You make her feel stupid, no wonder she keeps coming back here. At least here she's loved and wanted."

"As entertaining as this has been, your flower is about to walk in." The Doctor spun and growled at the cat on his console as the door opened behind him. It just ignored him and made its way to Rose who was leaning heavily on the door for support. "In with you then, you need to sleep young flower." The cat head-butted her leg before heading back into the depths of the TARDIS. Rose took an unsteady step in, Jack catching her as she lurched forward.

She pushed him off and straightened herself, "Give us a minute will you Jack."

"Rosie you don't want to do this now, sleep it off, confront him in the morning."

"I want to do it now!" Jack just shook his head before following the path the cat had taken. "I think its time I left, my mum was right." She took a step back when her only response was a snort from the Doctor. "Jack was right, I don't want to do this. I just thought it would be polite to let you know. I should go, Shareen's waiting." When there was still no response from the Doctor she felt her anger flare. "Would it kill you to look at me? Let me say goodbye to your face rather than that bloody leather jacket!"

"Yes! I turn around and you're really there, you're really leaving, and I'll have to make you stay!" Without looking at her he left the console room, Rose fell to the ground, sobs shaking her body.

Rose woke suddenly when the room lurched as the TARDIS engines sprung to life. Her head thumping as she looked around, the lights dimming automatically to reduce the pain they caused. Switches on the console flicked and moved of their own accord. She dragged herself to her feet gripping the railing to stop herself from ending up back on her butt. There was no sign of the Doctor and no indication that he had started them moving. The TARDIS was still lurching violently so she held on to the railing knowing there was nothing else she could do until it decided to stop. She heard his footsteps, his curses as he made his way towards her. She shook her head, not towards her, he thought she was gone. She watched the shock on his face as he looked directly at her, "What the hell did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, you know as well as I do this bloody ship hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," he paused looking her over before rushing to the console. "What happened then?"

"I don't know, I passed out, woke up when the engines started." She watched as he started to race around the console, hands flying over the controls in order to correct the flight path.

"If I'm going to straighten you out I need some bloody light." The lights brightened suddenly and Rose let out a yelp of pain, hands covering her eyes to block the sudden onslaught. "Not that bright!" Before Rose could find her grip again the TARDIS lurched and she was thrown from the ramp landing heavily against the floor below. She could feel a warmth spread down her back. Trying to reach around to find what she had broken in his precious machine, she only to felt pain at the movement.

"Doctor!"

"Little busy here Rose." The TARDIS lurched again suddenly and Rose couldn't help the scream that left her lips. She heard the engines come to a stop and the Doctor's feet as he ran towards the ramp above her.

"Sorry Doctor, think I've bled on something important." She let out a strangled laugh which quickly led to a wet coughing.

"Oh God, Rose!" He was at her side instantly, hand hovering over her stomach as if he was afraid to touch her. "Jack!"

She reached up brushing the tears from his eyes, "That bad huh?"

"Hold still, you'll be fine." He turned from her looking towards the corridor once more. "Jack!"

"What? Stupid TARDIS wouldn't let me find the console room. Doctor, you in here?" Rose could see the underside of his boots through the grating.

"Shut down everything but the vital systems and bring me the toolbox next to the console."

"What no please?" Rose could tell by Jack's tone that he was annoyed at the doctor, but watched as he did as told. "Where are we, and why was the trip so rough? I could swear that it felt like the stabilisers were on the fritz and we replaced them two days ago."

"We jumped forward 24 hours, now hurry the hell up!" Jack's head appeared in Rose's line of sight and she watched as panic suddenly overtook his face.

"What the hell happened?"

"TARDIS didn't want her to leave." Rose began to cough again as Jack landed heavily beside the Doctor.

"Oh yes I can tell that, what with her impaled on the bloody vortex navigation systems. How the hell do we get her off without damaging the TARDIS?" The Doctor ignored him and pulled his screwdriver from the toolbox and running a scan over Rose.

"I'm sorry I made a mess of things again," she coughed wetly, "bet you're glad I'm leaving now before I make things worse, yeah." She let her eyes drift closed, wanting nothing but to sleep.

She felt his hand lightly tap her face, "Rose stay with me. You have to stay awake."

"Tired," she smiled up at him before letting unconsciousness take her.

When it came to Rose he felt it hard not to count passing time, each second had a meaning. Nineteen hours, twenty-two minutes, fifty-six seconds since she lost consciousness. Sixteen minutes and twelve seconds for him and Jack to pull apart the navigation systems so that they could get her to the infirmary. One hour, two minutes, nineteen seconds to heal her wounds and clean her up, her favourite shirt now in pieces. Thirty-one seconds after that he had taken her hand as he sat beside her and had not let go. Six seconds and two microseconds after her eyes had drifted open before he was standing over her. Tears at his eyes that he blinked back quickly as she smiled weakly up at him. "She doesn't hate me, you say?"

He couldn't help but laugh, "Maybe she's just a little jealous."

"Can't see why, bet she's got Jack's undivided attention at the moment." He helped her sit up knowing he shouldn't let her, should make her rest, but he was too glad that she was still with him to care. "Will you be able to fix her?" He watched her eyes and seeing what she really wanted to ask.

Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze he smiled at her, "I can fix anything, me." Turning from her he bent and scooped up the cat before placing it on her lap. "Rose, I'm sorry." He lent down kissing her forehead softly before stepping back from her. "I should go check on Jack." She nodded in understanding making his smile grow bigger.

"Good to see you awake, young flower."

"You know I'm still not used to that." She pointed at the cat who head-butted her hand in response.

"You will get used to it eventually but for now you need to rest Rose." He helped her lay back down, the cat making itself comfortable beside her. He waited until her eyes drifted closed before leaving her to sleep, knowing the TARDIS would make sure he was at her side before she woke once more.