Rose looked at the Doctor in complete disbelief, as an irrepressible grin took over her face. " You're such a liar.!"
He looked hurt, and a little offended. "It's true.!"
Rose reeled in her wide smile and tried to take him seriously. The Doctors ego was a delicate thing, and she didn't want him sulking.
"You knew Elvis.?" She lifted a sceptical eyebrow
"Yeah." He replied, full of conviction.
"Ok. So what was he like then.?" She asked, still not sure she believed him.
" He was fantastic." The Doctor said. "But he couldn't dance - useless... two left feet."
Rose's mouth fell open in astonishment. "That's mad."
"What he needed was a gimmick you see. He already had the talent and the looks. Bit like me in fact."
Rose rolled her eyes.
"But." The Doctor continued. "He needed something more. That's where I came in."
"You.?" Her doubts on the credibility of this story were sky rocketing.
"Who do you think taught him his hip swivel.?" The Doctor asked. His sudden grin lighting up the room with his brilliance. Then as if to prove his point, he demonstrated a full ' Elvis The Pelvis' gyration for her viewing pleasure.
Rose shrieked with surprise, but quickly put a hand over her mouth to contain any further giggles.
"Has that effect on most women." The Doctor said with a definate hint of pride. Then, turning his back on Rose he headed over to the TARDIS console and began messing about with the controls again.
Rose followed in a second or two, after she had regained her composure. "So... dance teacher to Elvis huh.? You'll be telling me next that you can... ice skate." She teased.
The Doctor glanced up. "Not at a professional level."
Rose looked surprised. "Seriously, you can ice skate.?"
"Well." The Doctor began, with as much modesty as he could muster. "I'm not the type to blow my own trumpet, but you hang around the universe for 900 years, you pick up a hobby or two."
"Such as.?"
He shrugged. "Fishing, cooking, painting, rock climbing, bell ringing... knitting."
"Oh my God. You'll be telling me next you collect stamps."
"No !" The Doctor exclaimed. "Now that." He said firmly. "Is for saddos."
Rose giggled, her smile widening. "Shame really."
"Why's that.?"
"Mickey used to collect stamps."
The Doctor grinned from ear to ear. "My point entirely.!"
Rose's laughter softened as she leant in close, the Doctors arms coming to hold her gently as he drew her slowly to him. She tilted her head back to gaze up into his eyes as he in turn looked into her very soul. Rose held on to every last moment, afraid it would end too soon - as it always did. It seemed that whenever she got too close he would pull away. Although lately he was holding her in his arms, more and more. And when he did, she would feel heart beats, hear them, all three. She almost imagined she could feel the movement of time... maybe she could when he held her close like this. It was spellbinding.
She wondered if he knew that she loved him. She wondered if there would ever be a time when he... no. She was being stupid. He didn't think of her like that. He never would. She was just going to have to face up to the fact that they were too different. It was like her Mum said, 'what could a Time Lord have in common with a shopgirl'.?
Finding strength from somewhere deep inside herself, Rose slowly moved out of the Doctors arms, stepping back.
"Um... I think I'll just..." She looked into his face. "I... I... need to freshen up before we land." Then she turned on her heel and vanished through a rear door that led off toward a maze of corridors.
The light dimmed in the Doctors eyes as he watched her leave. He figured he'd held on to her too long. Again. It was just that letting her go was getting more difficult every time. He knew he'd have to be more careful, or he was going to scare her. She might start thinking he was some kind of old letch... which technically.
Pushing his hands deep into the pockets of his leather jacket, he groaned inwardly. He tried not to dwell on the whole age gap thing, it depressed him too much. So, he did the only thing he could - he kicked the TARDIS console. HARD.
They emerged from the TARDIS, walking out into a bright and pleasingly warm new world. A lush green expanse of soft grass and wild flowers covered the ground, and the air was filled with a sweet honey like scent. The vast trees that were growing everywhere were covered with heavy rope ladders, and high above the ground, as Rose looked up, blinking in the fierce sunlight, she could see what looked like rope walkways or bridges running from tree to tree, many of which were thick with creeping vines, heavy with exotic looking flowers. But through all of this, what she noticed most of all was the Doctor. There was something odd about the way he was...
"Why are you limping.?"
The Doctor winced as he took another couple of steps. "Long story." He dismissed.
Rose frowned. "So give me the short version."
"Stubbed my toe."
He was ahead of her now, standing at the base of a tree, one hand on the first rung of a rope ladder that trailed down. He looked back at her and gave that mad grin of his. Roses heart skipped a beat.
"Come on then." He encouraged. "Last one to the top is a stamp collector.!"
Laughing, Rose ran toward him.
Rose didn't know how long they had been climbing, but it seemed like forever. "Are we there yet.?" She asked hopefully, even though she hated herself for doing it.
The Doctor looked over his shoulder to her and smiled, winning a bet he'd made with her half way up. "Nearly. It's worth the climb, honest."
"It Better be." Rose grumbled under her breath.
"It will be.!" The Doctor enthused.
Rose sighed, she had forgotten about his ears. "Ok. So, where are we again.?"
"We're up a tree Rose."
"Doctor.!"
"Sorry." He gave her another wild silly smile and she forgave him. "Couldn't resist it."
"Well?"
"The planet Harku. Rich, fertile, warm, and vibrant. Think paradise Rose. It's people worship the land, the seasons, the elements, the Great Goddess Harku."
"Great Goddess.?" Rose asked.
"Mother Earth." The Doctor translated. "They're like...tree huggers to the power of 10." He smiled.
"Sort of New Age then."
"New to you humans... but to the Harkuns their way of life is as old as the begining of time. The Great Goddess breathed new and wonderous life into a dead world. She blessed it's people, bringing them to life again. In return they swore an oath to protect this world forever."
"Nice story." Rose said distantly.
Another four or five steps upward and she bumped into the Doctor, who had apperantly stopped climbing. "Why are you...?"
She looked just beyond him, and saw that they were almost at a wooden platform that was connected to one of the rope bridges she had seen from the ground. At last she was going to be able to stand up, or better still sit down.
"Thank the Goddess that's over.!"
The Doctor took Rose's hand, pulling her up and onto the platform. As he steadied her, Rose stepped quickly onto the walkway so that she was standing beside him. He still held her hand.
"You ok.?"
She nodded. She couldn't speak. He'd been right, the view was... incredible. They were standing in a jungle of branches that stretched out for miles. Everwhere she looked were similar rope walkways running from tree to tree. Further away she could see mountains and valleys, and as she looked up she saw a giant rock face framing the right side of the trees, and down this jagged rock crashed the most amazing waterfall. She was lost in all of this for a moment, then she looked to the Doctor again. He was looking into her eyes, not at the view. She told herself it was because he has seen it before, he'd known how amazing it was... but still she couldn't help the faint blush that crept into her cheeks under his constant gaze.
"You just love it when you're right, don't you.?"
She slipped her hand out from his and moved to the side of the bridge, looking over the edge. The Doctor joined her and peered over too. They were both silent as they contemplated the ground far below. Rose was the first to speak.
"So, how high up do you think we are.?"
"Let's just say that if you fell..."
"Yes.?" Rose said.
"It wouldn't end well."
She laughed, she couldn't help it. No-matter how hard she tried to stop her feelings from getting out - they found a way.
The Doctor reached across and took her hand, holding it protectively in his. "But I would never let you fall, Rose Tyler."
She pulled her hand free, and tightly gripped the rope she was leaning over. "I know." She said, trying to make her voice sound normal, while inside her heart was breaking for the love of him. "So, what are these... Harkuns like then.?"
Deep within himself, the Doctor screamed for his weakness. So much for not scaring her he thought. He knew he had to bluff it out somehow, and so he tried to steady his voice.
"They're an extremely hospitable race. Warm and friendly. Generous to a fault, and completely welcoming."
Rose moved away from the Doctors side. "I think you need a new guide book."
The Doctor turned around. Rose wasn't making any sense. But then he saw what she was staring at and he understood. Somehow they were now surrounded by a group of perhaps twenty Harkuns, each one standing with spears pointed directly at them.
"Oh and another thing." The Doctor glanced over to Rose, his manner unchanged, almost as if he hadn't noticed their current situation. "Phyically they're alot like Humans, except for their..."
"Tails." Rose finished for him.
He grinned broadly. "Well observed.!"