Well, I had a job interview today. That was fun… maybe… I don't think I'm going to get it, I was never an optimist, and, as a writer, I am not really a people person. I think they wanted someone fun and bubbly.
Anyway, thanks for reviews. Thank you to new reviewers and people who put my story on their favourites. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Yeah… I also read my AN's from my last chapter. The things you come up with when you can barely keep your eyes open… I liked it. I'm happy to say that after posting that chapter I went to bed and conked out – totally losing my Monday, as well. See? The universe all works out when you let it.

Rose went out to lunch with Sim. She wasn't in any type of position to refuse an offer of friendship.

"You ready?" Sim asked her as he walked into her empty office a few minutes after it had been vacated in favour of lunch. Rose looked up at him and smiled.

"You bet." She said, making a sincere effort for the first time in years. There was something about Sim that drew her to him – something strange and soothing, and she didn't want to lose this feeling any time soon. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"Oh. I know this fancy café that you'll love."

OIOIIOIOI

Rose did like the café. She had walked past it often enough and had wanted to go in with somebody corporeal.
It was the awful, soul-piercing stares that she didn't like. She ordered a coffee, but Sim shook his head at the offer of a drink. They waited patiently for the coffee as they searched the menu and chatted about work. After a few minutes of watching her forced smile, Sim leant across the table.

"Is there a reason why so many people are staring? It's kind of disturbing." He mumbled to her. He probably meant it as a joke, but Rose was sick of it. With an exasperated sigh, she stood up and abruptly left the table. She walked right out of the café, leaving the staring customers, the coffee she hadn't received and Sim.
Sim caught up with her after a few minutes. He grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"What was with that, Rose? I had to explain why you left the coffee without even paying for it. Why did you leave, anyway?"

"I'm sick of being treated like a freak." Rose told him.

"A freak? Why?" Sim was genuinely confused, and rather than answering him, she just shook her head, turned and walked faster.

"I might see you some other time. I want to be alone now." Rose told him forcefully. Sim nodded sadly and dropped behind, leaving her with her own thoughts and longing for The Doctor to show his comforting - although imagined face once more.

OIOIOIOIOIIOI

That evening, when Rose was packing up for another night of listening to her crazy tapes, Sim showed up once more.

"You wanna come with me?" He asked her. Rose frowned at him.

"After what I did earlier today?" She questioned.

"I want you to tell me about it." He told her softly. Rose didn't answer, she just continued to pack up her desk, ready for another day of work tomorrow. "What?" Sim exclaimed suddenly. Rose looked up into his startled face and realised that maybe this wasn't one of her most lucid days at all.

"Nothing." She said quickly and guiltily.

"You know that you can tell me anything, right?"

"What! Sim, I barely know you."

"Yeah, but I feel like I know you." Sim told her sincerely. "Something about you makes me want to know you better." Rose bristled at the comment.

"Or…" She began spitefully. "You've just got some kind of bet going with the people here who say that I don't make friends with anyone here. You just want to prove how good you are to whatever new friends you've been making."

"It's true what they say! You don't seem to want to connect with anyone." Sim countered. "You are mental, Rose Tyler."

"You're right!" Rose yelled back at him. "I'm mad, crazy, insane; a complete nutter. You heard me earlier. I said something strange, and you know what? I don't even know what it was I said. I wasn't aware that anything had come out of my mouth. I don't know if you were just taking the mick when you said they didn't tell you what was wrong with me, but if you want to know. I AM MENTALLY ILL!" Rose stormed out of the office, wondering why she had reacted the way she had. She had never really admitted to anyone but herself that there was anything wrong with her at all. She just let them judge her state of mind for themselves. She was never really one to worry about anyone's opinion of her. She had let people's stares get to her in the café, and was ashamed. Sim had made her do it.
He was different. He disarmed her and brought down the barrier that she had carefully kept up since the last time she had seen The Doctor. It was worrying her, so she wanted to see The Doctor, get him to tell her it was okay, that she could move on with her life and he would still be in her heart and even in her crazy mind. She needed to hear The Doctor say it because she didn't trust anything in her mind any more.

This chapter wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be. I lost my notes for this chapter - a basic outline and some good parts of conversations… oh well, it's the way of the world, after all. Everything of mine becomes lost at some point.
It's also funny how I could write a longer chapter when I was dead tired, but I struggled to get this one out while I'm not. Well, I'll try to do better for next time. Please review. I don't need them, but I loooove them. :)

Mikkifavo