Rose watched as the Doctor heaped sugar into his fourth – or was it his fifth – cup of tea, and then proceeded to raid the biscuit barrel. She sighed, wrapping her hands more tightly around her own cup. She loved the thrill and adventure of travelling with him, but sometimes a little bit of domesticity was welcome.

The Doctor plonked himself down next to her, draining half his cup in one go. Rose could tell he was watching her. Looking up, and finding herself the subject of those wonderful brown eyes, she blushed.

"What?"

He adopted a lop-sided grin. "Nothing."

They sat there in companionable silence until Jack returned, and predictably headed straight for the still-open biscuit tin.

"Sorted?" the Doctor said expectantly.

"Yep. That thing ain't getting out of here in a hurry." Jack helped himself to some coffee. "I gotta get me one of those things." As Bella came to lean against the doorway, he indicated her large rucksack.

The Doctor made no comment. Rose wasn't quite sure that he approved of Bella's gadget; whatever it was, it had enabled Jack and Bella to imprison the Healdon in the Tardis. Brain waves, or something, they'd said.

"Tea?" the Doctor said.

"Errr, no thanks…" Bella used her two left arms to hitch the clearly heavy rucksack onto her shoulder. "I… I'd better be off…I'll see you in the morning, yeah?" With that she left.

The Doctor looked after her for a moment, slightly puzzled, then shrugged and returned to scooping the sugar out of his tea.

Rose woke suddenly, without knowing why.

She rolled over and closed her eyes again, listening to the gentle background hum of the Tardis. Only to jerk awake again a few minutes later.

She was just jittery after the day's events, she told herself. Probably just the Doctor tinkering with the Tardis…. At bloody 4am, she thought. But all the same, her curiosity was roused.

The console room was empty. She padded sleepily back down the corridor, wondering what to do next, when something moved.

"Doctor?"

Now that wasn't her imagination, her brain said stubbornly. Rose knocked, a little tentatively, on the Doctor's bedroom door, before opening it. He was flat out on his back, still in his suit. It was so rare to see him asleep that her doubts resurfaced, and she wondered if she should wake him at all. He did look sweet like that.

Her decision was made for her when he suddenly opened his eyes and jerked upright. "Rose? Something wrong?"

"Umm..." Now she felt really stupid. "It's just… I think I saw something," she said lamely.

The Doctor stopped in the middle of ruffling his hair and looked at her more seriously. "Saw what?"

Seemingly anticipating her fears, the Doctor went straight to check on the Healdon. But as they turned the corner to the cell, he suddenly held his hand out, silently stopping her. Light poured from the room ahead. "Stay here," the Doctor murmured, going to investigate.

There were definite signs of activity. And no Healdon. But what interested the Doctor more was the machine registering brain waves lying on the workbench. It was halfway through its bi-cerebral cycle, he noted. And whoever's brain waves they were, something was wrong.

"DOCTOR!" Rose's yell diverted his attention. He ran to her side, but before she could even explain he heard the footsteps.

"It ran right behind me…"

"Footsteps," He said softly. Rose looked at him questioningly as they started down the corridor.

"I smell a rat. Well, not literally, I mean, 'cos the Tardis – sorry, I'm babbling again aren't I?"

Rose nodded.

"That thing isn't the Healdon. It doesn't have footsteps."

"What do you mean, of course it does, I heard them earlier when it changed– "

His eyes darkened. "It can't change now. Not after what Bella did to it. She may have damaged its metamorphosing brain processes permanently in imprisoning it. I should have stopped her…"

"So…if its not…who is it then?"

"That's what we've gotta find out. Rose, go and check on – no, actually I'll come with you. The Healdon is still around here somewhere."

"But if it can't get a body, then what, it is like…floating around, or something…" Rose didn't like that idea at all.

Something banged ahead of them. Something which they both knew was the Tardis's front door. The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand, and they both ran.

Flinging the door open, the Doctor ran outside. The square, glowing with night-time lights, was empty.

The Doctor sighed. "No use. Whoever it was, they'll be long gone by now."

Rose began to feel uneasy, without knowing why. And then she felt a chill that wasn't the draught from outside. That prickling sensation was familiar.

"Doctor…" Her brain seemed to be very, very slow at processing this phrase. So cold…

"Yeah?" the Doctor replied absently, still staring disappointedly into the distance. A midnight chase though the streets would have been fun, he thought.

When Rose didn't continue to demand his attention, he turned around. She was standing, very still, in the doorway, a slight wind ruffling her hair. Staring at him.

"Rose?" She blinked once, slowly, as if it was an effort.

The Doctor found it very hard to stay calm when Rose was in danger, but somehow he managed to keep his voice level. "Can you hear me?" Gently he manoeuvred her back inside the Tardis, closed the door. Every second her eyes remained locked with his.

He took her hand, running his thumb over her palm, and cupped her face in his other hand, searching her eyes.

And without warning she hit him so hard that he was thrown backwards into the door.

After many weeks of stressful exam revision this chapter originated on the back of my CHD biology notes. What a cheerful topic that was. Anyway, now that this story is finally back on track, please tell me what you think!