A/N: Okay, I didn't like the last chapter, so I've changed it a little bit. I found it a bit hard to lead off from, so here's take two.
It hadn't been easy. Heck it was the hardest thing Rose Tyler had ever had to do.
"I wasn't going to, but I'll come see ya," the Doctor had told her.
After his departure, Rose had locked herself in her room, refused to come out and cried for days. 'Now what?' she kept asking the air. Everything on earth seemed so mundane compared to her life with the Doctor. Her heels had begun to itch once she calmed down and Rose began to think of going back to school. Uni in the states might be just what she needed. And, once she thought about it, the prospect became more and more thrilling.
IOIOIOIOI
Paul Simon's first day of college couldn't have started any crappier. First, he'd made the mistake of wearing a suit and blazer while every other freshman was wandering around in jeans. Secondly, he'd gone into the girl's dormitories mistaking it for his. At least he'd seen some cute girls. And, lastly he'd gotten off on the wrong foot with his roommate. Although they'd eventually patched up. However, Paul wasn't keen to repeat another mishap like that and pushed the memory from his mind. So, suffice to say it, Paul had one friend, and no clue. And on top of that, his timetable had gone missing!
IOIOIOIOINow, as for Rose's first day, it had gone as well as could be expected. Although, her roommate Mel and herself had hit it off, within seconds of Rose introducing herself, Mel had mocked Rose's accent. It didn't bother her though and she told herself to get used to it. In fact, with all this going on, Rose had nearly forgotten about the Doctor when she broke down.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong? D'you get homesick or something?" Mel comforted.
Rose shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes," No, it's not that, It's just this is my first trip without him."
"Oh so your guy's back in England?"
Again Rose shook her head. "No, we sorta broke up, he-he was involved in a murder trial, and for witness protection, and we parted ways." Well, it was sort of true. "Thanks for lending an ear. It's been bottled up for ages.
"NO probs, now lets go find that cutie, who left his time table behind."
Rose laughed and Mel - who seemed to know the campus already, went to find the guy.
IOIOIOIOI
Paul jumped at the loud rapping at his door. To his amazement, two girls were standing there. One with a boyish nature and the other… she was the most beautiful girl Paul had ever seen. 'Rachel Bilson eat your heart out.' His stomach did flip-flops and he stole one more look at Rose. (Somehow, he'd absent-mindedly had a conversation with them) and closed his door, his heart floating.
"Mate, that's love," his roommate Christian said.
"Yeah," Paul said breathless.
IOIOIOIOI
"Oh my God Rose, he so eyeing you," Mel squealed. "Dare you to go and get his number."
"No!" Rose said adamantly.
"Yes!" Mel squealed again pushing her back towards Paul's room.
Rose and Mel playfully fought each other until Mel went back and his number for Rose.
"I can't believe you just did that!" Rose cried.
"Believe it. There you go. He looked thrilled too."
Rose blushed and took the number from Mel. She'd forgotten all about the Doctor, and was on too much of a high to feel guilty, at least not yet. Besides, what could Paul offer her that the Doctor couldn't?
IOIOIOIOI
"Welcome to World History. Please find your assigned seats and we'll begin with a short trivia game. Just to test how much you all really know about world history," Rose's lecturer declared. "Okay, now who can tell me what important document was signed in 1512 and what it accomplished?"
Rose's hand was the first in the air.
"Yes you."
"The document was Magna Carter and it brought down feudal society. "
"Yes, quite correct."
Suddenly a flustered and quite distressed Paul curst through the door.
"Sorry I'm late," he puffed.
"Yes now take your seat. I believe there's one next to uh, Miss Tyler."
Rose blushed as Paul took his seat next to her and secretly wished she wasn't sitting next to him. It was awkward enough being in a class that she'd lived and next to the man she was considering dating when the Doctor was probably out there somewhere moping.
"Hey," he whispered. Rose just smiled back.
"Now that Mr Simons has started class let's get back to our lesson. What controversially challenged plague swept London in the middle of World War II?
There was a buzz of confusion in the class, but Rose smirked and raised her hand again. The room fell silent.
"It was 1941…"
IOIOIOIOI
"Rose! Rose!" Paul called out to her.
"Rose whipped around," Yes?"
"That was some story. How did you know about it? I mean, I thought UNIT covered it up," Paul said. Then realising who he'd just mentioned he clamped a hand over his mouth.
"My great-uncle, he was there. Told me stories. He actually worked for UNIT. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you know. It's not as secret as Torchwood anyway," Rose mock whispered smirking at Paul and making his heart melt. "How do you know about them?"
"I-I Googled it on the Internet. I'm into aliens and things. Especially this one bloke, the Doctor. Have you heard of him?"
Rose just stared at Paul in disbelief. She thought back to when she'd met Clive and his conspiracy website.
"Rose? Have you heard of him?"
"Uh yeah, I have."
"Wow, you're the first. All my friends think I'm crazy and girls just think I'm weird. You know, for believing in the unusual. Aliens and things. C'mon, I wanna show you this website."
Rose felt a lump rise in her throat as she began to realise it would be Mickey's website.
" Paul muttered as he typed in the URL. "Heard the guy who was running it died. Suicide or something.
Paul clicked around until he came to the photos. See, that's him. Hey, this is a new one…"
Rose gulped as Paul went to enlarge the image. She could see already it was the one Jackie had taken on their wedding day. How Mickey got a copy she'd never know.
"Hey," Paul laughed," she looks like you."
Rose smiled weakly and began to feel nauseous. However it passed momentarily and the tears began to sting at her eyes.
"Rose?" Paul studied her, then looked back at the photo," it's you isn't it? In this picture?"
She nodded and let herself cry on his shoulder.
"Rose, what's going on?" Paul, I think you'd better get comfortable…"
And so, Rose recounted how she knew the Doctor and their relationship to an awestruck Paul.
" Wow, I was gonna ask you to dinner, but I think it would be a bit insensitive, I mean, you're obviously in love with someone else."
Rose smiled and gave Paul a hug. He really was quite cute. What with the heart melting brown eyes and long ruffled brown hair. Rose saw something familiar in Paul, something she trusted and was about to agree the proposed date, when suddenly a familiar sound rang through the air – the TARDIS. Rose said a quick goodbye to Paul and ran out to find the TARDIS.
Students were milling about the TARDIS curious as to how it materialised out of thin air when Rose barrelled through them and literally jumped on the Doctor. When he put her down, he said," Hey, how are you?"
"I'm great. Well as great as I can be without you. What are you doing here?"
"Well I did say I'd come see ya. And I want you to come back. I miss you more than you can possibly imagine."
"Doctor, you know I lo – "
"Hi, I guess you're the Doctor. I'm Paul, Rose's friend," Paul cut off.
"Paul, can you give us a minute please," Rose asked quite peeved. He bowed out.
"Now, where were we? I think I remember," the Doctor said smiling at her. He kissed her gently, then with more passion as Paul watched on jealously.
Okay, so there we go. I'll leave it there rather than complicate things more with ten showing up. Sorry 'bout that folks. Next update up soon.
