Rose felt as though she'd been slapped. "That's not what I want," she began.

"It's what I want," the Doctor said, still fiddling with the controls.

Before she could respond, he continued. "I don't want you to worry about your mother while we're away. We'll get you a new phone so you can keep in touch with her. You can stop in an' see her for a while, too. Maybe spend the night, sleep in your own bed."

"An' what'll you do? You won't stay in London."

"I might. But whatever I do, I'll be here when you're ready to leave."

Rose's tension melted away in a huge grin. She hurried toward the door as soon as the ship materialized then glanced back at the Doctor. "You should come, too."

"Don't really fancy another slap," he said with a mock frown.

"See you later—coupla hours, yeah?"

"Yeah. An' when you get your new phone, be sure to get a good long distance plan."

Rose waved at him as she stepped outside in the wan London sunshine.

"Mum!" she called, turning the doorknob. "It's me!" She reached into her pocket but realized that she'd left her key in her room in the TARDIS. "Mum!" She knocked at the door.

The newspaper in front of the neighbor's flat was the Saturday edition, and the clock on the console had shown at it was 10:00 in the morning in London. Jackie should be at home, languishing over a late breakfast and catching up with her friends on extended phone conversations.

"Mum, come on! I came a long way to see you," she said, tapping at the window.

She peered inside, but she could not see her mother. Her eyes swept through the living room. Whatever Jackie had been up to, she'd left a mess. The couch pillows were strewn about on the floor, and the cushions were in disarray. Rose had the rather disturbing idea that her mum had been entertaining a man…

However, as she continued to look through the window, her thoughts quickly turned in another direction. Everything that she could see was knocked over or pushed aside. Rose's stomach knotted with fear again.

"Mum!" she cried, pounding on the door. She tried the knob again. It turned half-way in her hand then stopped. She grabbed it with both hands and wrenched it around. Something cracked, and the door swung open.

Glancing down, she saw that the door hadn't been locked; it had simply been jammed, the bolt slotted partially into the frame. For an instant she wondered how her mother had managed that. But as she got a good look at the complete disorder of the room she understood with finality that her mother had not been responsible.

A potted plant lay smashed on the floor, next to the wall. Rose recognized the plant as one that usually sat near the telly. It was clear to her that Jackie had hurled it across the room, probably trying to defend herself from someone. Rose hurried through the rest of the flat and found that most of the commotion had occurred in the living room. Jackie's coffee lay spilled on the kitchen table; it had grown cold some time ago.

Rose swallowed the panic rising in her throat. She had to remain calm; she had to find out what had happened. She forced herself to walk, albeit briskly, next door and knock on Mrs. Simmons' door. The elderly neighbor answered and greeted her warmly.

"'Ow've you been, dear?" she asked, taking Rose's arm to urge her inside.

"Fine, Mrs. Simmons, but I—"

"Come in, dear. Let me make you some tea."

Rose gently pulled her arm back. "I can't right now. I need to know if you heard or saw my mum today."

Mrs. Simmons thought for a moment as she adjusted her glasses over her nose. "She was watchin' a show early, when I woke up."

"Watchin' a show?"

Mrs. Simmons nodded. "I could 'ear it through the walls. Loud, it was. Lots of yellin' and throwin' things about."

"That was this mornin'?"

"Seven or eight. I was jus' puttin' on the kettle for m' mornin' tea."

"An' did you look outside? Did you see anything?"

Mrs. Simmons looked a bit remorseful. "Y' know I like your mum, Rose. But sometimes she's not as quiet as she could be. I was goin' t'go over an' tell her—ask her to turn down the telly."

"An' did you?"

The woman shook her head. "I was just about to go out when m' daughter called. Annie, remember her? She's livin' up in Edinburgh now, teachin' little 'uns."

"Mrs. Simmons, please. Did you see anything?"

The older woman sighed. "Some salesman, I think 'e was. Or maybe one of them religious folk who go round tryin' to convert people."

"He was here? At my mum's?"

"Saw 'im just outside the door. Big fellow—could've been a rugby player, 'e could."

"An' my mum was with him?"

"Oh, I don't know, dear. I started talkin' to Annie an' didn't look out again."

"Did you hear anythin' else?"

"Just 'er telly—but she must've turned it down just after that fellow left."

Rose nodded curtly then turned away. "Thanks, Mrs. Simmons."

"Rose." The neighbor reached out to grab her arm.

"Yeah?"

"You look tired, dear. Your mum said you'd been travelin'—"

"Jet lag," she replied briefly, then she hurried away.

She had to find the Doctor. He would know what to do. She ran down the stairs two at a time, barely keeping her balance in her haste. Six stairs from the bottom, she stumbled. Rose grabbed for the rail, managing to break her fall enough to prevent serious injury. Still, her knee slammed down hard on the edge of the stair. She struggled to regain her feet, glancing at the steps as she did.

Something on the ground just under the bottom stair caught her eye. Rose made her way down then bent to pick up a bracelet. It was a cheap piece of costume jewelry: a gold-plated band with rhinestone hearts all around it. She recognized it immediately as Jackie's.

Rose stood still for a moment to look around. She didn't see anything else belonging to her mother, but she did notice a button on the sidewalk. She picked it up to examine it. It was metal, maybe brass, but otherwise nondescript. Still, she tucked it into her pocket then ran to find the TARDIS.

Rose nearly cried when she found that the police box was gone. She hadn't heard it dematerializing, but perhaps she'd been inside her mum's flat at the time. Admittedly, she'd been a bit preoccupied. But the Doctor had promised that he would return and be waiting for her when she was ready to come back. She'd only been gone a short while; he must have thought she would stay with Jackie longer. And she would have if…

Rose shook her head to clear it. Until the Time Lord returned, she was on her own. She would have to begin searching for her mother without him. She only hoped that she could find her soon. Her stomach was aching with fear, and, despite what the Doctor had told her, she knew without a doubt that her dream, at least at some level, had become real.