Warning - none of this belongs to me, except the butterfly in line 3. nods That's mine!
Summary - Rose and the new Doctor discuss a few things.
Saving Lives.
"Rose?"
"Yes Doctor?"
"I've been wondering…" A butterfly fluttered by, swooping dangerously close to his nose.
"Yeah?"
"How many times have we saved each other's lives now?"
"...Why?"
"Oh, just wondering." The Doctor grinned harmlessly, propping himself up on his elbows to survey the peaceful sunny landscape around them.
"Dunno," she replied thoughtfully. "I saved you from them Auton things,"
"And I saved you too - one all." the Doctor replied. "Then I saved you from that sun filter - honestly Rose, I've told you a thousand times not to go wandering off!"
"Oi!" she replied, thumping him playfully. "They knocked me over the head first!"
"True. What's next? Oh yes, I saved you from the Gelth..."
Rose shivered. "God they were creepy. But Gwyneth gets some of the credit."
The Doctor picked a particularly beautiful flower from the grass next to him and held it up to the sun in mock-toast. "To Gwyneth!"
Rose shook her head, grinning. "Right, then you saved me from those Slitheen,"
"But you saved us all by thinking of going into that cupboard, Rose. Don't sell yourself short," the Doctor replied honestly, and she smirked.
"OK then, I saved you from those cords on Satellite Five, remember?"
"I really have to teach you how to use the sonic screwdriver properly - you almost blew me up next time I was repairing the circuitry!" the Doctor complained. "My turn next - I saved you twice from the Raptors."
"True," Rose sighed slightly wistfully, before bounding back. "I saved both you and Jack from gasm-mask people though, so that should count as two."
"No it shouldn't!" the Doctor protested, turning over onto his stomach, grass tickling his chin.
"Should!" she retorted playfully, lounging happily across the ground, hair glinting in the sunlight.
"Fine then - I saved you from Margaret."
"That was the TARDIS!"
"Which is my ship." he smirked. "What's the score? 7-5 to me."
"Only 'cause you cheat." Rose mock sulked.
The Doctor carried on. "I saved you from the Daleks too..."
"I saved you from being Anne-Droided!" Rose exclaimed.
"OK, you get one for that."
"And for using the power of the vortex," she added smugly. "8-7 - looks like I'm catchin' up."
"I thought you didn't remember that?" he asked, suddenly serious.
Rose shrugged. "I get bits - enough to know I saved your life."
"But I had to save you from the vortex, so 9-7 to me, still winning."
"Just because you can regenerate!" she protested, folding her arms over her chest childishly.
"Rose," the seriousness in his voice made her look up. "If I was human, I would still have gladly given my life for you, any time."
"I know," she replied softly, with a smile. "Me too."
There was a short companionable pause.
"If the TARDIS counts for you, then Mum spilt tea onto the TARDIS, which counts as me savin' you."
"I saved your whole ruddy planet in that sword fight!" he answered back, waving his right hand at her.
Rose shivered at the memory of watching it grow back. "That's just freaky." she muttered.
"True, pretty freaky." he agreed. "But you're missing one in this score."
"Oh?" Rose asked, puzzled.
"You saved my life when you joined me, and you save me every day." he replied frankly, staring into her eyes. "Just by being you." he fell back onto his back as she digested that information. "Looks pretty even to me."
By instinct, she moved across and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his chest so she could hear his heartbeats. Then, deliberately, she reached up, kissed him on the cheek, and resumed her comfortable position, grinning.
"You're one up and me now," he complained quietly, and she giggled.
The sound of happy laughter floating on the breeze was suddenly cut short as the Doctor rejoined the contest.