Funny how things change.
A year ago she'd worked in a shop. Had a boyfriend. A home. A pink bedroom. Shireen.
She missed Shireen.
They had been twelve when they had made the pact in the playground to be best friends forever. Shireen had seen her through Jimmy Stone. That said something. BFF.
Rose's eyes flicked over the Doctor when she was sure that he wasn't looking. He wasn't... she licked her lips, well he wasn't what Shireen would go for -- not her type at all. Which was a good thing really.
Shireen liked her blokes to flash the cash. Take her out... dancing. Maybe even buy her a drink with an umbrella and a cherry in it.
That was so not the Doctor.
The Doctor didn't really understand money. Dancing was... well, did aliens dance? An' as for drinks with umbrellas and cherries in them, Rose could just imagine trying to explain that one to the Doctor. He'd think she was pulling his leg, especially if she told him some of their names.
'Sex on the beach', Doctor? Rose grinned -- oh he'd choke on his tea for sure!
Okay, there were the ears, and the mental patient grin, and the whole U-boat captain look... but there were worse looks. Rose had sneaked a peak at the photo album, so she was just happy the multi coloured coat had gone to the charity shop years ago, along with the absurd scarf.
Her smile drifted a little. There had been other girls in the photos too. That had made her feel... odd. But it wasn't as if she didn't have a past. Everyone had ex's... anyway they weren't ex's... they had just been companions. The Doctor had said so. Several times.
"Well he would say that," her Mum had scoffed. "They all say that." Which wasn't strictly true, but Rose hadn't dared to correct her. Then she'd topped it off with the damning. "He's an alien Rose, you can't trust him."
She could though. Trust him. She did. Right from, 'RUN'!
Mickey had given up rolling his eyes. Good job too. Not attractive. Not that she thought about Mickey that way anymore, she hadn't in a long time. Poor sod, he deserved better. Maybe one day he'd find it.
Like she had.
Shireen had been the best though. They'd gone to the pub one night and Rose had had one too many, or maybe six too many. They'd caught the last bus home and... well, she'd told her. Everything.
Shireen's face had been a picture. "Your boyfriends an alien?"
"He's not my boyfriend," Rose had pointed out. Well he wasn't -- not for the want of trying on her part though. Some men/aliens just couldn't/wouldn't take the hint.
"You mean like one of those illegal aliens?"
Rose had just nodded, speech had been something she'd pretty much lost control of. Oh yeah the Doctor was plenty illegal.
"Where's he from then?
"Gallifrey." Oh God shut up mouth. Shut up!
"Oh." Shireen had nodded wisely. "You can get fantastic package deals to there from the travel agents on the high street." Then she had stared out of the bus window and gone quiet for a bit, before adding in a dreamy voice: "I need to do that, go on holiday to somewhere exotic an' meet a good looking illegal alien."
Rose had rang the bell then, she'd felt very sick, and at the same time she'd really wanted chips.
They'd walked back to the Powel Estate in a very not straight line, eating hot chips with lots of salt and vinegar and burning their mouths.
Shireen had asked how Rose was feeling.
Rose had kept on saying 'Fantastic'.
They had giggled all the way home.
The next morning Rose had panicked and phoned Shireen, to pour water on the whole alien boyfriend story.
Shireen didn't remember anything except giving her number to Colin from the chippy. Nightmare!
Rose sat and smiled broadly at the memory, then she noticed that the Doctor was looking at her. How long had he been doing that for?
"What?" her eyes shone brightly with all her secrets.
"What you thinking about?" he asked.
"What do you think I'm thinking about?"
He grinned and set the co-ordinates on the console, a complicated dance of levers and cogs and dials.
"Chips. It's always chips... coming right up," he said.
Rose grinned at him. "Must have read my mind."
She stared at him and she understood something. She had a new BFF.
And he was fantastic.