Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.
Spoilers: Through Season Three.
Author's Notes: There are a couple flashbacks in this part and they are in italics. Telepathy is in centered italics and is never a big block of text. Hope that isn't too confusing, but I couldn't find a better way to transition the flashbacks!

Rose released a heavy sigh. Even if the button did work and they could get to the other universe, what would they do when they got there. They would have nowhere to go. She might be able to crash with Shareen or another friend from the estate, but how would she explain the comatose time traveling alien? The Doctor needed to recuperate and she had no idea how long that was going to take. Besides, Hope might be safe in the TARDIS, but they couldn't leave her behind.

First things first. She need to get through to him somehow. She carefully tilted the mug of tea and wafted it under the Doctor's nose. Nothing. Not that she had really expected it to be that easy this time. She took a sip of the tea herself and felt her fears eased slightly by the fortifying warmth. Placing the mug back on the tray, she scooted closer to him and gingerly lifted his shoulders, tugging him until his head rested in her lap.

Rose trailed her fingers across his forehead, brushing aside the ragged fringe of hair. She remembered the first time she'd try to talk to him about telepathy. There'd been a sticky encounter with a telepathic plant and after the requisite long shower she'd been determined to find out what the Doctor had hinted at while saving her.

"Can't you teach me?"

"Not a skill you really need. That's the only telepathic plant on the ship. Well...the only one that thinks humans are a particularly tasty snack."

"What if we ran into one?"

"They only grow in the swamps of Bacacaraly. We just won't go there. And we'd only really be in trouble if we ran into a pair of them. Reason why I've only got one onboard. I don't know how it managed to escape the nursery. And why'd it decide to hide in the library? Sudden craving for ink and paper?"

"I'm not really askin' so I can protect myself from plants." She skirted the edge of the console, carefully approaching him. "You're telepathic."

"Right." He stared at her with wide eyes for a moment and then switched his attention back to a group of dials. "How do you feel about visiting someplace warm next? Maybe a beach. Oh! With little shops. Sarongs, flip-flops, sun tan lotion, oversized sunglasses..."

If he was even mentioning shopping, the situation had to be far more serious than she had thought. "You said I had potential. S'why the plant went after me."

"Maybe it just thought you smelled nice or...had a preference for blondes. Though you're not a natural blonde. Maybe plants can't tell."

"Doctor..."

Finally, his gaze returned to her as he spoke quietly. "It's potential you shouldn't have, Rose." He grinned. "Crystal dunes of Aral. Now that's a beach. Except we'll have to visit in the evening when the heat is more temperate."

She reached out and covered his hand where it rested on the console, stilling him and preventing him from finishing the coordinates.

"Sounds lovely. Maybe later."

She'd pestered him for weeks and just when she thought his determination might actually be stronger than her own, he'd accidently pulled her into a nightmare. She'd reacted on instinct, protecting him from the terrors that lurked in his mind. They woke together in a tangle of sheets, both more exhausted than before they'd fallen asleep. Rose with the throbbing headache she'd come to associate with mental strain. The Doctor immediately announced it really would be best to take precautions.

"Right." He was pacing in long strides across the kitchen. "Emotions. Those are the easiest. They're naturally strong so it's easier to project them."

"What about you?"

"Well, I can do all sorts of fancy useless things really. Very flash. Not terribly practical."

"Like what?" He hesitated and she held out a hand to beckon him closer. "Show me."

Of course, then he'd always been the one to enter her mind and facilitate the connection. But she'd managed to do it once and maybe she could do it again. He needed help and it seemed to be the only way.

"Right. Somethin' simple first."

She touched her fingers to his temples and focused her thoughts. In his delirium he had forgotten she was returned to him and she needed to let him know that he was defended. That he was safe. She concentrated.

He sighed and she could see his features relaxing, the lines in his forehead disappearing. She grinned, feeling elated for the first time since they'd rescued him. The Doctor must have sensed her happiness through their connection, as he turned his head to brush her thigh with his nose. She guided his head back to the center of her lap and tangled her fingers in his hair.

Then everything went black.

It felt like she was being drawn into a black hole, tumbling into a vast expanse of nothingness. Flashes of images brushed past her, but there was nothing tangible she could grasp. Flickering glimpses of...memories. His memories. She was in his head.

She'd never delved into his mind like this before. They'd shared emotions and once or twice the Doctor had created what he'd termed a projection. One of his fancy tricks that he'd been loathe to show her. She'd never found out why.

Now she was entirely lost and beginning to feel like maybe her initial opinion that this was a bad idea had some merit. She hadn't felt this useless since he regenerated.

Suddenly, it was Christmas again. She was in the guest bedroom of the estate flat, complete with murky beige walls and the painting her mum had bought at a junk shop but told everyone was from the mediterranean. She turned slowly, taking in the room and how the floor stopped just beyond the bed, the edge of it blurred and fading into darkness. There were flakes of snow drifting past the window above the bed. She wrinkled her nose. It hadn't been snowing that day. But it hardly mattered since in the midst of the rumpled satin bedding lay the Doctor in the striped pajamas she had seen him in many times since.

She rushed to his side and clambered onto the bed beside him, far more comfortable now with his new body than she had been then. She shook him gently, kissed his cheek, squeezed his hand, tried more tea when a mug of it appeared and even considered slapping him. But nothing worked to rouse him from slumber. She settled for taking his hand and curling up against him, the steady drumming of his hearts easing her fear. Her presence would have to be enough.

Doctor. I need you.

When Rose finally drifted back to herself, she felt oddly disconnected from her sore limbs. Wincing, she readjusted her legs so that they were stretched out parallel to the Doctor's body. Light spilled through the cracks in the window blinds which meant she'd been otherwise occupied for hours.

"Rose..."

Startled, she whipped her head back to find a pair of wide brown eyes slowly focusing on her. "Yes! It's me, Doctor."

"I can't...I can't think...focus..." he stuttered hoarsely. "Rose..."

"I know." She ran her thumbs lightly down the edge of his jaw and he sighed. "Is there somethin' I can do to help?"

"No. I..." He blinked at her in disbelief. "You went into my head."

Rose shyly averted her eyes. "Yeah. I didn't know how to help you. You were suffering and... Did it...help?"

A cool hand stroked her cheek until she looked down at him again. "Yes. Thank you." His smile was sincere. "You were brilliant. Are you all right?"

"'Course I am."

"Good." He nodded and then shivered, gritting his teeth. "Are we safe?"

"Yeah. For now. We're in the mansion." She took a deep breath and her apology tumbled out as she let it go. "I'm sorry I couldn't reach you sooner. I couldn't save you. Not this time. Not before they..."

"I've been through worse," he intoned with a grim smile. "The TARDIS...she's gone. Hope..."

"Yeah," Rose whispered.

"Our universe."

"What?"

He groaned and his tone became frantic. "Have to go back. They're..."

Rose cradled his head in her hands, trying to soothe him as his discomfort manifested once more. "What, Doctor? What is it?"

"Jack. Talk to Jack."

"Jack?" Rose gaped at him. "Cap'n Jack?"

"He's not really a..." He gasped. "Rose, I need...I need to rest. That's all. Finish healing."

"Can I..?"

"No. You've done enough," he interrupted sternly. "Just...Cardiff. Go to...Cardiff." His eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed, what energy he had regained spent.