Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.
Spoilers: Through Season Three.

A black unmarked van was waiting for them in the front circle. Out of habit, Rose led the way, climbing into the front seat. Reluctantly, the Doctor sat in the back. He was fine with taking the backseat really. Not a problem. Rose had earned a position of authority and he was incredibly proud of her. Defender of the Earth. Splendid. It would just take some time to become acclimated.

"Mickety-Mick-Mickey! Hello. Good to see you again."

"And you, boss." Mickey Smith turned to smile at his backseat passenger. "Rose, why didn't you say it was the Doctor?"

Brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Rose looked out the window as the car pulled out of the drive. "You never know who might be listenin'."

"Yeah, I guess," Mickey affirmed, even though he appeared confused by Rose's statement. "So, what kind of aliens we dealing with?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Dunno. Humanoid. Blue. Twelve pairs of eyes. Very sentimental about photo albums."

"Photo albums?"

"He got decked over a photo album," Rose explained.

"Oi! I merely gave the appearance of being unconscious so that he would feel less threatened by my superiority and reveal their master plan," the Doctor retorted indignantly.

Rose snorted and rolled her eyes. "Right. 'Course he didn't say anything. And they took the photo album."

Rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, the Doctor muttered, "Yes, well, can't say that it worked out exactly as I planned."

"Never does," Rose murmured. "When they appear again we need to ambush them. Get some proper answers."

"They just took some photos?" Mickey shook his head. "Strange thing to nick."

"Yeah. Sooner we find out what they really want the better."

The Doctor entered the Torchwood headquarters at Canary Wharf with considerable trepidation. He had many bad memories associated with the companion building that had once existed in his universe. After the destruction caused by the Cybermen and Daleks, that building had been bulldozed for a subdued memorial. In this universe the building still existed, a facsimile in practically every detail. Even with the reality of Rose's presence beside him, he found it hard to believe that this building could bring about anything but despair.

Sensing the Doctor's unease, Rose reached out and slipped her hand into his. He returned the gentle pressure and smiled, but she could see the apprehension lurking in his eyes. She had had several years to acclimate to the identical layout of the building, yet she could never set foot in what had been the ghost shift room. It now held the accounting department and the large white wall was covered in calenders and spreadsheets. Hardly a threatening environment, but she always shivered whenever walking past.

Their hands remained interlocked as they followed Mickey to the lift. The Doctor began a detailed explanation of how he could make the trip faster with only a toothpick and a handful of currency from the planet Maxclix 5. He was halfway through describing the complicated process, when they arrived at the appropriate floor. The doors slid open and Mickey hurried away to retrieve the latest update. Politely dodging questions from her colleagues, Rose led the Doctor down a long hallway and through a door emblazoned with her name. She paused in the doorway, letting the Doctor pass her and enter the room. She watched him in silence for a moment and then asked, "Think you can keep outta trouble?"

"Rose, honestly. Picture of innocence, me." He was leaning over her desk, no doubt skimming the papers spread across it. "Why?"

She gestured at her evening gown. "I needta change out of this dress."

He looked up abruptly. "Why would you do that?"

"'Cause I can't run in it."

"But it's...a lovely dress. Very lovely, in fact," the Doctor said, gaze lingering over the curves and folds of the dress.

Rose couldn't stop the tinge of pink that spread across her cheeks. "Yeah, um, I'll be right back. No trouble."

The Doctor held up his hands and utilized his best expression of innocence. He doubted that Rose believed him based on the shake of her head as she left. Not that he really expected her to.

As soon as the door shut he embarked on a detailed exploration of the room. The opposing wall was occupied by a series of windows, the view completely blocked by tightly closed blinds. Yet a warm glow filled the room, radiating from a singular standing lamp. A large metal desk with a glass top dominated the center of the room and several cluttered shelves lined the walls. Various objects of alien origin were scattered between neatly stacked books. The Doctor smiled as he read the titles; 'The Complete Collected Works of Charley Dickinson', 'Practical Theories for this Universe and Beyond', and 'Area 34: What Really Happened' among others.

There wasn't anything wrong with the room, in fact it was exactly what one would expect to find in an office. It just wasn't very...Rose. Her room in the TARDIS, apart from being pink, had always been filled with photographs of her family and friends. Her personal effects had been scattered across the floor and furniture without any sense of order. He could remember various occasions when running for their lives had been delayed because Rose was having difficulty locating a complete pair of shoes. On one rather memorable occasion he had overheard her muttering about missing knickers. All in all, he found her office very disconcerting in comparison. Cold and sterile were adjectives he had never ever considered associating with Rose.

The Doctor sat heavily in the swivel chair at the desk and tested the rotational axis of the seat. Noticing the navy blue coat slung over the chair back, he slipped his hands inside the pockets. He smiled triumphantly as he retrieved the familiar leather wallet which contained his old psychic paper. He placed it back in the pocket and turned his attention to the desk drawers. After several unsuccessful applications of his sonic screwdriver and a few well aimed kicks, the Doctor had to admit defeat. He really should spend some time programming his sonic screwdriver to cope with deadbolt seals.

"Knew you couldn't resist."

The Doctor looked up sharply to find Mickey standing in the doorway holding a large metal device.

"It's a large office. Quite a nice view too, I'd imagine," the Doctor said as he spun in the chair to face the covered windows.

"Rose is the Director. She didn't tell you?"

"Haven't really had a chance to talk yet."

"I lead her team. Hand picked of course." Mickey hefted the contraption he was carrying onto the desk. "Appeared near the rift in Cardiff a couple of days ago. Started glowin' right before they arrived. Then it just stopped."

The Doctor turned the chair back around and immediately recognized the purpose of the device. "Transmitter. Never seen one quite like it though." He narrowed his eyes as he studied it more closely. "Don't recognize the energy source either."

"Think it's connected?"

"Could be." He pulled out his glasses and peered closely at the markings on the metal. "Looks like a sequentially rotating multiple dial mechanism."

"What's that?"

"Combination lock. It's not though. Just looks like one."

The door opened and Rose stepped inside, now attired in a black top and jeans. Placing the transmitter on the table, the Doctor tucked his glasses away.

"Um, I'll just see if we've gotten a lock on those aliens yet," Mickey said, darting out the door as fast as he could.

Rather suddenly, Rose found herself overwhelmed by a wave of shyness. "Hello," she said softly.

"Hello."

"So, Mickey showed you the..." Rose inclined her head toward the device.

"Yeah." The Doctor glanced at the transmitter for a moment and then returned his focus to Rose. "Absolutely no idea what it does. Yet anyway. So...this is your office."

"Yeah."

"It's nice. Very...clinical. Never pictured you as clinical." He tugged at his ear absently. "Sorry, that was rude wasn't it? Director." He pointedly emphasized the distinction.

"A bit." Rose grinned and then looked away. "Can't be too careful."

"Right." The Doctor nodded for a moment as though in agreement and then frowned. "Why's that?"

Receiving the full force of the Doctor's intense scrutiny, Rose found it was impossible to come up with a convincing lie. It was a question she had no intention of answering yet and she was relieved when Mickey burst back into the office.

"We found 'em. And you're not gonna like it, Rose." Mickey handed Rose a printout and the Doctor noticed immediately how her eyes went wide and her skin paled. He could sense the quickening palpitations of her heart and the adrenaline rushing into her system.

Looking up, she said, "We leave now."

"Meet downstairs, then?" Mickey asked, already halfway out the door.

Rose nodded, grabbed her coat from the back of the chair and donned it in a rush. "Doctor. Stay here. Find out what that...thing does."

Catching her before she could leave, the Doctor rested his hands on her shoulders. "Rose...I don't want you going on your own."

"I'm not. There'll be Mickey and the rest of the team."

"You know what I mean."

"I've been in situations like this before. On my own."

"But you don't have to." He slid his hands down her arms and took hold of her hands. "I'm here."

Rose looked at him skeptically. "How many times have I been in danger even with you there?"

"You always wander off," he accused, his voice just above a whisper.

"Well, sometimes maybe I want to."

The second she spoke, Rose regretted it. The Doctor stared at her blankly, but released her hands. She knew he didn't mean to sound so overprotective. He just wanted her safe and she couldn't blame him for it. Not after they'd been torn apart.

"If it's connected to them arriving we need to know. You know more about alien tech than anyone," Rose explained carefully, imploring him to understand.

"Different universe," he stated, jaw clenched tight.

"Some things don't change." Rose walked past him and out the door, calling over her shoulder, "Be back before you know it."