"Mum and Pete went back to London with Tommy and the dog after we last saw you. Didn't seem much point in staying hidden," Rose explained. "Pete carried on setting up Torchwood there with Mickey travelling back
and forward to help. Mum's gona meet us at the office. I haven't seen her in a few weeks. Not properly anyway." She was babbling and she knew it. "You gona be ok seeing them?"
"Of course, I'm fine." He shot her a sideways look that told her the truth.
"Yeah, try a little more conviction next time," Jack smirked as he and Mickey strolled to the TARDIS doors.
"You want a couple of minutes?" Mickey asked.
"Yeah," Rose answered before the Doctor had a chance to even open his mouth.
Jack gave a small salute and Mickey nodded as they exited the ship.
"Listen. None of us have told mum about….. you know; the bar. She just knows things went wrong and you had to leave to try and sort it out. She's been worried about you, like always. We all have."
"I'm sorry," he muttered, looking at the console.
"That wasn't a dig. I promise." She reached out and touched his face, feeling his jaw tense and his breath catch as she did. When he finally looked at her she saw such uncertainty in his eyes. "What is it?"
He shook his head and frowned. "Nothing. Come on. Let's go see her."
"No, tell me. What's wrong?"
"Nothing important." He strode out of the TARDIS, hands stuffed in his pockets, leaving Rose puzzling after him.
XxXxX
"Oh my god! What the hell happened to you?!" Jackie exclaimed as the Time Lord emerged.
"Good to see you too," the Doctor snorted.
"Well just look at you! Sweetheart. You need to take care of yourself better!" She flung her arms around him and squeezed causing the Doctor to whimper.
"Mum! Leave him alone," Rose admonished. "He's hurt all over."
"Anything I can help with?" A familiar voice called.
The Doctor's head snapped up. "Martha Jones. What brings you here?" he smiled.
"Got a call from Jack about a new branch of Torchwood. Figured they could use a medic," she shrugged. There was a pause before she smiled broadly and squeezed his hand. "It's good to see you."
"You too."
"Oh god, not another one," Mickey groaned.
"Two for two huh Micks?" Jack teased.
"Hey, I hugged you on arrival, Mr," Martha told him with a wry grin.
The Doctor looked back and forth between them, noting the glint in their eyes. "Oh! Are you two….?"
"Catches on quick when he wants to," Mickey quipped.
"Smith and Jones." The Doctor grinned for the first time in what felt like ages. "Brilliant."
Jack looked over at Rose and saw her trying to smile. He sidled over. "Tell me."
"He's just… he looks happier to see her than he was to see me."
"He doesn't think he's wronged her. There's no expectations. You know he loves you. He's told you, that's not changed."
"Be nice if he'd let me me hold his hand. Something, anything. He tenses up the minute I get near him. He barely even looks at me."
"Didn't you guys talk at all after I left?"
"No. We just kinda sat there until Mickey came in."
Jack sighed. "You two are a nightmare." He stepped forward. "Sorry to break up the reunion guys but I really think we need to start trying to find the Valeyard."
"Jack's right. Plus I've got to start work on the TARDIS," the Doctor sighed.
XxXxX
The Doctor programmed Torchwood's computers to search for any signature that was similar to his own before heading into the TARDIS. He needed to make a way of opening the heart up quickly.
Rose watched as he stiffly moved round under the grating. "Have I done something wrong?" she asked.
"What?"
"Have I upset you?"
"Why would you think that? Pass me that spanner, will you?"
"You won't look at me for one. You don't touch me or even hold my hand but you'll hold Martha's and smile with no hesitation. I know you'd rather have Jack in here than me," her voice cracked and she hated it.
She was met with silence before a heavy sigh. "It's not you. I'm just trying to get through one crisis at a time without falling apart at the seams," he told her wearily.
Rose bit her lip and nodded, while the Doctor's hearts ached. He wanted nothing more than to curl up and hide with her but he didn't know where he stood with her any more. He'd told her he loved her but the declaration wasn't reciprocated. Did she still love him or was the damage too deep?
"You don't have to stay cooped up in here you know. Thought you wanted to see your mum?"
"I did. I mean I do but…."
"But what?"
"Well, we're busy."
"I'm busy," the Doctor corrected. "You're babysitting me. I'm not going to disappear, Rose. Go on. You'd rather be with her."
Rose frowned. "Fine. Don't hurt yourself," she muttered, stalking out of the TARDIS.
"Too late," he sighed. Groaning he pulled himself out from under the grating and tossed the spanner aside.
"You ok?" Jack's voice sounded as the TARDIS door closed.
"Sent you to babysit now, has she?"
"No. She stomped out in a snit so I thought I'd come and check on you."
"I've been on my own for months, I can cope with working on the TARDIS myself."
"Yeah, you look great by the way," Jack snorted.
The Doctor glared at him.
"Tea?" Jack asked, gesturing to the corridor.
XxXxX
Jack placed two mugs on the kitchen table and sat in front of the Doctor. "So, what upset Rose?"
"Not having my undivided attention apparently," the Doctor sighed, playing with the handle of his cup.
Jack frowned. "What did you say to her?"
"I pointed out that she didn't need to stay and baby sit me, that she could visit her mum- which is what she wanted to do anyway. I'm not going to force her to hang around with me all day." He raked his finger through his hair.
Jack wiped and hand down his face. "Doc. What's going on in there?" he asked pointing at the Doctor's head.
The Doctor frowned.
"You've just got back after months away and you don't want to spend time with your girl? I know things are awkward, you've got this whole guilt thing going on, and I know you feel violated but we can't help if you push us away."
The Doctor winced at Jack's choice of words. "I'm not pushing anyone away. I'm giving them the space to go."
"What are you talking about? You love her, right?"
The Doctor stood. "You really have to ask? Doesn't matter how I feel if she doesn't feel the same," he said, walking out the door.
"Wait!" Jack got up and ran after him. "What do you mean?"
"Doesn't matter. I got the message."
"What message? What are you talking about? You know Rose loves you!"
The Time Lord stopped and look at him. "Does she? Still? After everything that's happened?"
"Of course. You KNOW she does."
"Mmm," was all the Doctor said before returning to his workspace under the grating.
Jack sat on the jump seat thinking back through the events since the Doctor's return.
"Didn't you guys talk at all after I left?"
The Time Lord didn't reply.
Internally Jack groaned. The Doctor opened himself up to Rose, as much as he could at the moment and he felt abandoned by the one person in the universe he trusted the most. She hasn't said it back!
"Doc, you gona be ok on your own?"
"Always am," he replied, causing Jack to wince.
"Holler if you need help," Jack called before stalking out of the TARDIS.
XxXxX