Alrighty guys, currently we're on page 50 of 70...if that gives you any inclination to the length of this ridiculous explosion of my imagination that went for so SO much longer then I meant it too. So, I'm sorry but you guys are gonna have to put up with my stop start approach to posting for some time. Hope it's worth the bother.

Thank you all you shiny people who keep reviewing and alerting this fic, makes a girl feel wanted (and remember that she's keeping nice people waiting unnecessarily).

I don't own Doctor Who or a cowboy hat.

Last time on Doctor Who:

"I knew I missed you so much for a reason- you're good at escape plans."

Rose laughed following him down the stairs, "Aaw I bet you say that to all the girls, Captain."

Rose kneeled down and looked closely at the thing behind the bars, "Well this is a little-" the weevil leapt at her banging against the bars and growled. Rose fell back on her butt "disappointing?" She finished sounding doubtful.

Jack chuckled and sat down beside her on the concrete floor, "They're not all bad…just not great to look at, and really grumpy when they haven't been feed on time." He glanced at his watch and grimaced, "How'd you like to feed one?"

Rose looked unsure, "If you think I'm getting in a cell with that thing…"

"I would never put you in any danger." Jack assured her, he slung an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "You can use the 'feeding stick'."

She grimaced, "Oh, classy. So what is this thing? Just a large pole – probably a converted broom or something – with a shovel end to hold the food?" she asked shrewdly.

Jack helped her to her feet, "Oh ye of little faith."

Rose dusted herself off, and then rested her hands on her hips. "Alright then impress me with your technological advancements for the age old 'feeding the angry critter in a cage' problem." She challenged.

Jack smirked, "You're such a jaded little thing aren't you?" Rose laughed and wacked him on the arm. Jack cried out theatrically and took off at a run further down the hall. "Violence never solves anything!" he called over his shoulder.

She chased him, "Says the man with the laser pistol strapped to his waist."

The reached the end of the hall and Jack effortlessly reached down and picked up a long handled shovel, he swung around and held it before him like a sword. Rose came to a halt in front of him, "Let me guess, the 'feeding stick'?" she scoffed, breathing hard. She giggled, "You know if we had two…"

Jack used a fingerprint scanner to open a nearby panel and pulled out another one and tossed it to Rose, never taking his eyes off her. "That what you had in mind?"

"En guard." Rose challenged, striking a fighters stance and brandishing her 'weapon' in front of her.

Jack mirrored her, "You think you can take me? The great Captain Jack Harkness?" he taunted good-humouredly.

Rose removed a hand from her 'weapon' and gave him the come here gesture, "Bring it on, Captain." She retorted. Her body already humming with adrenaline from the run, she shifted weight between her feet and tried to remember every combat lesson she'd ever had- a friendly game it may have been, but she didn't want to lose. Not to Jack, that was almost as bad as losing to the Doctor.

Jack struck a testing blow towards her leg and she parried it easily, deflecting it wide. He grinned, "Look who's been having lessons." He chuckled happily. Dodging a thrust from Rose and spinning he sighed, "Still, you're no match for me, and my experience."

They circled each other, looking for weak spots. "Now, now Captain. It's hardly fair of you to call it already. You haven't even struck a blow." Jack chose that moment to strike a blow towards her shoulder; she dipped her body and swung out at his leg. His strike missed and he tried to dodge hers, she connected with his calf.

"Ow!" he exclaimed in disbelief "Rosie!"

She winced and bit her lip, "Hey, stop trying to make me feel guilty. You're superman now. My very own Wolverine, sans the claws." Rose argued.

Jack pouted at her, rubbing his leg and noticed she'd put her guard down. His blue eyes sparkled and he lunged forward with his 'weapon'; Rose brought hers up in an arc just in time to deflect the body shot. She scowled at him, "I'm sorry is someone feeling bad at getting beaten by a girl? Want me to go easy on you?" Her brown eyes shone at him, Rose was enjoying this just as much as he was.

"Don't you dare." He said sternly. Shaking the shovel a little and testing the weight Jack edged closer. Rose shifted back, watching him closely her shovel held close to her body.

"One of us has to lose." Rose warned.

Jack nodded, "True." He pursed his lips. "Only one of us can have the title of 'feed stick' champion."

They both got back into stance and Rose narrowed her eyes, "And that would be totally worth all the bodily harm we could do to each other." She replied with a completely straight face.

"With our shovels." Jack added. Their eyes met and they both held onto their amusement as long as possible, refusing to look away. A giggle escaped Rose and she bit her lip to hold back any more that might follow.

She watched as Jack turned a little red, he looked like he was holding his breath. "Honey, it's not a competition. You can laugh." She encouraged.

"No, I'm right." Jack choked out. Rose rolled her eyes and struck out at his legs; he tried to elude it and tripped, falling towards her. Rose shrieked and tried to get away but found the wall right behind her, Jack's weight pulled her down and they ended up in a tangle of arms and legs on the cold concrete floor.

"Oof" Rose groaned "Jackie you are heavy." Jack pulled his head up from resting on her arm and shifted so not to crush her with his weight, he propped his arms on either side of her head and looked down at her.

"Sorry, but we can't all be 150 pound blondes."

"What does being blonde have to do with anything?" Rose asked taking in a nice lungful of air. "Ooh, the floor is cold." She complained.

"And you're nice and warm." Jack replied with a smirk. "I'm actually quite comfortable." He raised his eyebrows at her, his eyes dancing "I could do this all day."

Rose laughed, "The Doctor would come find me eventually."

"Oh I don't doubt that, sweetheart." He chuckled.

Rose narrowed her eyes, "Well if you're not gonna let me up, will you at least agree that I won?"

Jack scoffed, "Hey, who's on top?"

Rose frowned, "Oh please, I knocked you down. I win. You're delusional."

"So, this is what winning looks like?" Jack asked in mock seriousness.

Rose freed an arm from underneath him and brushed back some stray hairs from her ponytail, "How clever of you to let me trip you over."

"Wasn't it just."

Rose giggled, "Getting crushed for the second time today was kind of worth it to see your arms pin wheeling. Your face!"

"If I didn't know better I'd say something was going on between you two." Said the Doctor dryly from the other end of the corridor. Jack cleared his throat and scrambled off Rose, easily pulling her to her feet with him.

I'm always up for a little Jack/Rose flirting, it's harmless fun and I think it shows how comfortable they are together. So of course the Doctor has to interrupt. That's just natural. I went a little hijinky (if such a word exists) in the next chapter. Poor Doctor.

Oh and 'sword' fighting, can you believe I wrote this before I got into Merlin (the show where if you don't have a sword your either female or Merlin)? I had no idea how to write such a scene and still don't...but it was just a bit of fun with all the lead up and everything. I actually can't remember WHAT weevils look like...it's been so long time since I watched my one and only Torchwood episode.

Saw the end of ten and was disappointed plot wise about the 'End of Time' P1 & P2 it was like crazy crazy fanfic. Still cried tho. DT can work with anything. And Rose...she deserved more then 2 minutes at the end.