The Doctor was brooding in his bedroom. Hours ago, he'd sent Rose to show Adam to a room. One reason why it seemed to be taking so long was stuck in the Doctor's head. The thought of his Rose in that boy's arms was making his stomach reel in disgust. He could always just check… no! If he was right, he didn't want to see.
And for that matter, since when was she his Rose. What was the Dalek on about, 'woman you love'? And what was that incident in the control room earlier…
He has to know. He just had too. The Doctor walks towards the room he'd told Rose to give to Adam. Finding the door shut, and no noise from within, he opens it quietly and peeks in. The boy appears to be asleep, in bed, alone. Thank the gods! So where was Rose?
He'd made sure Adam's room was far away from hers, he didn't want any night-time 'pops across the hallway'. Her door is closed too, and, not wanting to wake her (or alert her to his presence) he opens it without knocking.
Rose is perched on her bed, watching a large television screen intently. The TARDIS had obviously provided that for her. She is wearing a thin cotton singlet top and tiny pink silk shorts. She smiles.
"Hey"
"Hey" he said back, standing awkwardly at the door.
"Do you wanna join me? Movie just started," she asks, becomingly.
Yes, yes, yes! "Ah…"
"Come on," she said, patting the bed, "Room for two"
He moves awkwardly to the side of her bed. Feeling dreadfully uncomfortable, he tries to change the subject. "Why? Where's your boyfriend?"
Rose sighs, exasperated. "Stop it! He's not my boyfriend, Doctor"
"Well, he seems pretty interested in you"
She snorts. "Don't I know! Tried to make a pass at me earlier… god, couldn't wait to get out of there"
"What!?" the Doctor sits up, alarmed, "… if he touched you…"
Why did she tell him that? Rose questioned her actions. What kind of reaction did she want?
"No! Of course not. Now, come on, get under the covers!"
He hesitates but slips off his shoes and jacket before climbing in beside her. She was hot, beside him, radiating in heat.
"It's called Secret Smile, this movie. S'my favourite. The TARDIS knew"
"She's good like that, my wonderful ship. She wants you to be comfortable."
"And I am. But you're not"
"No?"
"You're all tense… have you been thinking about Van Statten's?"
Among other things, thought the Doctor. Rose moves behind him, placing her hands on his back, massaging slowly.
"Here… you need to relax…"
He gulps, trying to suppress a groan of delight that would be entirely too embarrassing. He turns his attention to the movie.
"Brandon scares me," she says, still massaging his shoulders, "Reminds me of my ex"
"Jimmy?"
"That's the one. Biggest mistake I ever made"
The Doctor recalls an earlier conversation, in Paris. "What happened?" he asks, pressing her for details.
"You won't let up, will you?" Rose eyes him.
"Nope! So you might as well tell me"
"Alright," she smiles, "So, like I said, I was seventeen when I met him, Jimmy was twenty-one. And I spose I fell pretty hard, moved in with him after a couple of months, left school, you know. Course, might have been partly cause I'd had a fall out with mum, over a bloke of hers, but…"
"I thought I loved him. Thought he loved me too, but I guess, like mother like daughter hey? Pretty soon he started coming home drunk and getting violent, and then one night he wouldn't take no for an answer. So I left him"
The Doctor felt he'd been punched in the gut. "Oh Rose, come here," he said, crushing her to his chest.
"It's just, there's some scenes in here… like when Brandon is all over Miranda… sort of reminds me, you know"
"Sshh…" he said, rocking her quietly. "Thank you for telling me"
"You're the first person I've ever told"
They lie in silence. Rose falls asleep in his arms, mumbling contentedly. The Doctor asks the TARDIS to turn off the TV, and lower the lights. He thinks, as he follows her, she should be shown that not all relationships are like that…