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

"This is never gonna work. She's a light sleeper. I mean, really light. A fallin' leaf could wake her." Mickey added pointedly, "You should know that."

The Doctor and Mickey had moved to the lounge and were standing behind a large artificial tree, conversing in hushed voices. Rose was still sleeping on the couch, blissfully unaware of the plan being developed.

"Mickey, I think it's advisable that we refrain from sharing our mutual knowledge of Rose's sleeping habits." The Doctor focused on studying the ceiling for minuscule cracks. "Besides I can guarantee she's sleeping very very deeply."

Mickey's eyes widened at the implication. "If you messed with her 'ead she's so gonna kill you."

The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "She was having a nightmare and I eased her out of it. Just gave her a small nudge. Tiny. Minute. She'll never know. Probably the best sleep she's had in years actually."

"Whatever you say," Mickey muttered with obvious skepticism. "So, how we gonna do this?"

"Right." The Doctor rubbed his hands together. "You bring the car around and I'll carry Rose downstairs."

"You sure about that?" Mickey regarded the Doctor's thin frame with more than a little disbelief. "Stamina is one thing..."

"Oi! I'm considerably stronger than I look," the Doctor replied with a hint of arrogance. "Superior Time Lord physiology after all."

Mickey rolled his eyes. "Sure. Um...meet you downstairs then."

They managed to transport Rose to the Tyler residence with few complications. Walking across the precisely trimmed lawn, the Doctor halted Mickey before they reached the front door.

"All right. You distract Jackie and I'll bring Rose into the TARDIS."

"Why do I hafta distract her?"

"She's less likely to slap you," the Doctor stated.

Mickey nodded. "Good point."

"Now you go in the front, I'll sneak around the back and--"

The front door swung open and Jackie Tyler's shrill voice emanated across the lawn. "What've you done to my daughter this time!?"

The Doctor looked up with a grimace. "Ah. Plan B, then."

"What's that?"

"Run," the Doctor said solemnly.

"Don't you go runnin' off on me! D'ya hear me you lousy alien? Rose is unconscious and if ya don't tell me what's goin' on right now, I'll--"

"Shhh!" the Doctor hushed frantically, adjusting his grip on Rose. "Jackie, she's sleeping. Just sleeping."

"What d'ya mean? She can't be sleeping. Woulda woken up by now." She waved an accusatory finger at the Doctor. "I knew if you ever came back somethin' would happen."

"This is not my fault. Why do you always blame me? Honestly. It could be Mickey's fault!"

"You're the designated driver," Mickey pointed out.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Mickey."

"Any time," Mickey said with a smug grin.

Jackie shook her head. "Typical. You men are all the same. Never stoppin' for directions and always assumin' you know better'n everyone else. That's my daughter and you'll tell me what's going on right now."

"Jackie, for the last time, I am not even remotely human."

"You're human enough from what I've heard," Jackie muttered.

"What?"

"Erm, Jackie we should really b'going..." Mickey interrupted. "Hope..."

Jackie paled. "What is it?"

"It's under control. Right, Doctor?"

Regardless of his confusion, the Doctor nodded in agreement. "Right. Under control. Perfectly under control. Everything's...under control."

Jackie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and quietly said, "Go on then. Do what you have to."

The Doctor frowned at the sudden change in Jackie's attitude. He didn't see what could have possibly caused the rather remarkable transformation. He had been pretty certain there was another slap with his name on it.

"Come on, Doctor," Mickey urged, leading the way.

"Right." The Doctor collected himself and followed Mickey into the mansion. "We'll be back soon, Jackie."

Once safely inside the TARDIS, the Doctor recommended that Mickey get some shut eye while they traveled to their destination. Mickey agreed with a large yawn and stumbled deeper into the ship in search of a bedroom. Alone in the console room, the Doctor tenderly placed Rose on the jumpseat. He stroked the console and carefully set the coordinates. "Be gentle, old girl," he whispered. "Just this once."

Rose woke slowly, her mind clinging to the peaceful rest it had been enjoying. Her last moments spent asleep were filled with a familiar hum and a comforting golden glow. When she opened her eyes to find the golden metalwork of the TARDIS arching above her, she decided it must still be a part of her dream. She stretched languidly and was unnerved by how real the cracked leather of the seat felt against her skin. As this observation sunk in, the Doctor's excessively cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts.

"There you are. Rise and shine! Busy day ahead. Well, afternoon anyway."

Rose blinked slowly as the reality of her new location finally hit her. "The TARDIS...We're in flight!" She jumped off the bench and whirled to face the Doctor. "You said she couldn't fly. Twenty-four hours, yeah?"

"I can't travel to the other universe. Quick little space flight around here though, easy," the Doctor replied calmly, seemingly unruffled by Rose's escalating panic.

"Please tell me you at least told my team you were kidnappin' me."

"I didn't kidnap you and of course I did," the Doctor retorted. "Look! I even brought Mickey." He pointed at the man in question, who was just emerging from the depths of the ship.

"We there yet?" Mickey asked, stifling a yawn.

Turning back to the controls, the Doctor flipped a few switches. "Just about."

"Where are we goin'?" Rose asked, steadying herself against a strut as the ship violently shuddered.

"We found their ship, Rose. It's in orbit 'round the Earth." Mickey shrugged as though that explained everything. "The Doctor offered to drive."

Rose frowned and her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Wait. But the TARDIS was back at the mansion. How come I didn't wake up? You woulda had to carry me--"

"Here we are!" the Doctor announced hastily, hitting one last button as the TARDIS settled. He grabbed his coat, slipped into it unaided and briskly led the way out of his ship.

With a look of sympathy, Mickey indicated for Rose to go first and then followed her out. The TARDIS had landed in what appeared to be a control room. There was a window that spanned the entire length of one wall, revealing the star dotted sky beyond. Monitors and sleek technological apparatus covered the rest of the available space.

"It's so quiet," Rose observed.

"Nobody home." The Doctor keyed into a display and tapped the results on the screen. "They're back on Earth. Followed an escape pod. Why would they do that? It's got to still be here. Not like it sprouted legs and wandered off, is it?"

"I'll radio Torchwood," Mickey said, turning around to slip back inside the TARDIS.

"We have to find it before they do," Rose murmured. "We have to."

"Rose..." The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and released his breath slowly, before focusing his gaze on her. "I know, you're hiding something."

"No...No, I'm not," Rose stuttered.

"You are. You're hiding something." His voice took on a sharp edge. "What is it?"

"Not important," she said quietly, feeling the last vestiges of her resolve melting.

"Fine. Capital. Tip-top. Swell." He winced at his choice of words. "I'll just...go look over there." He gestured vaguely toward a door. "On my own." Shoving his hands deep in his coat pockets and squaring his shoulders, the Doctor left the room.

Rose watched the Doctor leave, her heart heavy with everything she hadn't said and all the damage it had caused in such a short period of time. She felt wretched for wedging a rift between them. She knew it couldn't have been easy for him to make it back to her. She had desperately tried herself with all of Torchwood's archives at her disposal. She couldn't imagine what he might have had to sacrifice to cross the void. And here she was pushing him away. As soon her daughter was found, she would explain everything. After all they had been through together, he deserved to know the truth. Even if it meant the end of everything they shared. She didn't notice Mickey was standing beside her until he spoke.

"Go after 'im."

The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver and waved it around the hallway with considerably more effort then was necessary. He was substantially irritated that Rose continued to dodge his questions. He had noticed that her evasions were becoming more tenuous, but still she clung to them. He glanced inside a few rooms that abutted the hallway, but discovered nothing of particular interest. Trudging into a storage closet, he donned his glasses and began reading the labels on stacked canisters and boxes.

"They must really like spinach," he muttered.

He heard a faint shuffling noise and his attention shifted to a grouping of metal cabinets at the back of the closet. "Hello? Someone there?" The hinges on the first cabinet screeched loudly as he opened the door and peered inside. What sounded like a gasp drifted out of the last cabinet in the row. Cautiously, he approached that cabinet and flicked open the already ajar door.

Sitting inside was the little girl he had seen in Rose's nightmare. She was tucked against the back of the cabinet, clutching her knees. Her pajamas were rumpled and her disheveled appearance looked like it was probably the result of a struggle. She watched him carefully over the top of her kneecaps.

"Hello," he said in a gently persuasive tone. "I'm the Doctor. What's your name?"

"Not suppose to talk to strangers," she said, voice muffled against her knees.

"Right. Good rule to follow in general. I never do. I'd probably get in a lot less trouble if I did." He tugged on an ear absently. "I'm not a stranger, though. I'm a friend of Rose's."

She raised her head and determinedly met his gaze. "Prove it."

As the Doctor charmed her with a few of his happiest memories of Rose, the little girl smiled, the tip of her tongue just peeking out between her teeth. "And when she's especially pleased, she sticks her tongue out...just like that." Sensing he had done enough convincing, he reached into the cabinet and offered her his hand. "You can come out now. It's safe. Well, relatively safe. They've gone."

She paused for a moment, giving him one last appraisal before scooting forward. She slipped her small hand into his and the Doctor felt a surge of connection at the back of his mind. Something he had thought he would never ever ever feel again. She knew what it was like to feel the spin of the Earth and she was his. His child. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. She looked up at him and hugged her stuffed koala closer to her chest.

"I see you have a friend," he said finally. "A koala, if I'm not mistaken."

She nodded and added sagely, "Phascolarctos cinereus. I call him Herbert."

"Right. Hang on."

He dug in one of his pockets and pulled out a branch with a few leaves. Her eyes lit up at the seemingly magical procurement. He held out the branch and she took it, studying it carefully.

"Brilliant. Knew I'd need that one day. As an herbivore, he should consider it quite a delicacy. Only grows on two planets in the universe as it's very difficult to culti-"

"Hope," she said, so quietly that he almost missed it.

"Sorry?"

"S'my name. Hope Tyler."

He smiled softly and used his free hand to put his glasses away. "Well then, Hope Tyler, let's go find your mum."