Sorry It took me a little longer than last time to update, I've had the flu :(

This is a nice long chapter that spans an unpleasant long time for our unhappy ex time travelers. Yeah I'm sure you've guessed at some of the contents of this chapter now lol.

Disclaimer: I was in need of spending money for xmas gifts so sold Doctor Who. It aint mine :(

Difficulties

I hadn't wanted to worry him. That justified things, Rose was sure of it. She hadn't told the Doctor about her visit to Argon's because she hadn't wanted to worry him.

It wasn't that she didn't trust him to figure the dream out. It was just, when she had seen that brochure lying in the waiting room at the job centre she had been so tempted by it. She had wanted answers and she had wanted them there and then. Of course his theory seemed to make sense, but Rose had her doubts, it had to be more than what Argon said. Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe, normal enough cases like these still existed in her life after all.

I didn't want to worry him.

Rose however knew that was only part of the truth. Ever since the dream started the Doctor had been worrying over her like a father. She didn't want him to be her father. So she had pushed him away from her in that sense, and sought help of a professional kind. She would miss his reassurance but she would have to do without it. Now she would continue to see Argon and try to get this sorted whilst pretending to the Doctor that the dream was gone. Then they could settle down to their life together. Not that it was going to be perfect, after all they were living a life in cadge.

She was due to start her training in a weeks time, she was going to train to become a police officer. Not her dream job but it had it's advantages. At least she wouldn't be working in a shop. She could never go back to that.

PC Tyler, how strange did that sound?

The Doctor meanwhile was joining a research team, trying to find quicker more efficient methods of space travel. That was way out of league Rose thought. It was a pity because she wouldn't be spending the whole day with him.

They were both sitting at the small kitchen table, eating pizza. All these years into the future and they still had pizza Rose thought with a smile. It was nice to know little things like these had survived. Pity it was so expensive.

"So," the Doctor started between a mouthful of pizza, "We have an entire week, anything you fancy? A tour of 32nd century London perhaps?"

"Yeah I guess we could do that, is there anything interesting to see?"

"Hmmm, well by now they will have completely decontaminated the Thames, built the world's largest clock tower Big Ben five, and we are just in luck, in three days time a genetically engineered mammoth will escape from the zoo."

"Seriously, a real mammoth?"

"Yup, big, hairy and has mood swings like a teenager."

"Sounds fun."

The Doctor had bought a whole pile of books to read, he had nothing else to do while Rose slept. He didn't mind, reading was what he usually did when he nothing to tinker with and his companions were in bed. He liked reading. So why then, was this book failing to capture his interest.

Oliver Twist was one of his favorites. A classic that would last until the end of time. However he just couldn't seem to get into the story. Maybe this regeneration isn't so fond of Charles Dickens, he thought.

A whimper from Rose's room gave the Doctor his answer, he was so worried about her. He just couldn't concentrate on anything else. Mornings were fine, but now, now he was alone with his thoughts. And his thoughts were of Rose.

Getting up from the sofa he placed the book down on the coffee table. He walked up to rose's door and slowly pushed it open. He padded gently towards her bed. Every so often she would whimper and turn in her sleep.

What the hell am I doing, the Doctor wondered as he sat on the bed and slowly crawled under the covers. He shuffled up so he was right beside Rose and her wrapped his arms around her protectively, drawing her closer to him.

She is gonna kill me when she wakes up, the Doctor thought as he slowly did something her hadn't done properly for years. The last time he had done this he hadn't liked it, maybe this time he would.

The Doctor pressed a gentle kiss to Rose's forehead before he closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Rose breathed a sigh of relief as she plunked herself, rather unceremoniously, down on the couch. What a day. Those kids just didn't know when to stop. She had passed her training and been at this job for a week and was already stressed out by it. The Doctor on the other hand could come back laughing about his job, and the clueless humans that work there. Well the Doctor didn't have to go on patrol with a rather handsome but irritating partner and the Doctor didn't need to rush back tonight to get ready for an appointment.

"Shit!"

She was going to be late for her appointment with Doctor Argon, not that they were working, she was still having the damn nightmare. At least she was able to pretend to the Doctor that she wasn't. Sometimes though, she got the feeling he could see right through her and it made her wonder if she was just being an idiot.

She hurriedly got into the shower, she needed it after the day she had just had.

She was just about to leave the flat when the Doctor came in. Rose blushed as she walked right into him.

"Um, sorry I was just, just..."

"Where you running off too then?"

"Um Carrie's," she lied, "We're going to uh karaoke, it's karaoke night."

"Oh, I didn't think you..."

"I promised, " She refused to meet his eyes, Rose was finding it harder and harder to lie to the Doctor about this. They had been here for three months now and everyday it seemed to get emotionally worse. It wasn't bad every minute. But something would always come up that reminded Rose of what they used to do and how they used to be.

"Rose?" He was concerned now, "are you alright."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." She pushed past him and made her way to the lift. She was not in the mood to go up or down twelve stories on foot.

The Doctor was worried, Rose was acting, well kinda funny. She hadn't been the same since she started having those nightmares. However the nightmares didn't seem to be affecting her so much these days. Whatever she said she was still having them, but they didn't seem to be as violent. He liked mysteries but this one seemed unsolvable. There was one thing he could do, however it was very risky. His emotions had gone haywire last time he'd gone inside someones head. Because she had found her way into his and so many old memories had been resurfaced. That was why he didn't allow himself to dream that night he had climbed into Rose's bed.

Was Rose worth the pain.

"Yes." It was a simple answer.

But was it worth it for Rose, she would see so many horrors in his head, ones that could never compare to her nightmare. Then what would she think of him? He would have to put all his concentration into wiping out her nightmare. He wouldn't be able to put up any mental blocks.

Rose tiredly shut the door of the flat, well that was a total waste of time, maybe she would just stop going.

It was ten o' clock. She was starving, having not eaten since twelve. First things first though. She got her mobile out of her pocket, going over to the sofa she sat down and selected her mums number. She could here the shower running.

"Good I'll have some peace to talk to mum without the Doctor getting in the way."

Her mum answered almost immediately,

"Rose! Oh sweetheart, I thought you had forgotten to call tonight."

"I wouldn't forget mum."

"Oh sweetheart how are you, you sounded upset yesterday, is it the Doctor, is he behaving himself."

"Yes, he's fine, It's just tough, this life."

"What about that dream, you said you were having strange dreams."

Rose had a choice, either lie or tell the truth, she hated lying, she had lied enough already to the Doctor. "I'm seeing someone, trying to get it sorted."

"You mean a doctor, a proper doctor."

"Yes." But was she seeing the proper doctor?

"Oh sweetheart."

"Mum don't worry about it, I'll be fine, now I wanna hear what your doing."

"Are you sure I mean-"

"Mum!"

"Oh alright, just make sure the Doctor takes care of you. As if he hasn't got you into enough trouble already. Anyway, Howard asked me out again."

"Really? How come?"

Rose was glad in the change of subject however she found she couldn't really focus on what her mum was saying as her mind kept wandering back to her dream and her visits to Argon and mostly, what her life had become.

"OK I'll phone you tomorrow, love you."

"Bye sweetheart."

Rose hung up the phone and went into her room. She paced it on her bedside table, sighing.

She really was rather hungry, time to decompress another meal she thought miserably.

Rose was in the kitchen area when the Doctor came out, he was wearing his pinstripe suit, he didn't really fancy sleeping tonight, he was going to find something more fun to do. It was a big city, there was surely something he could meddle with, maybe Rose would like to come, he hoped so.

"Hey Rose!" He said walking up to her.

"Hey." She didn't sound to happy.

"Are you gonna tell me what the problem is?"

she suddenly spun round to face him with an angry look on her face, "What is the problem? What is the problem?"

Her voice had taken a rather high pitched tone that worried the Doctor.

"I'll tell you what the damn problem is. This," She waved the packet of Compressed Roast in the air, "this is fucking problem. This life! I get up every damn day at six o' clock, eat a bloody rushed breakfast and go to work, my boss is pink, I spend my day, seven in the morning till seven at night dictating and enforcing a law that I barely get myself to whatever bunch of space age hoodlums are running riot on the streets! Then I come home and I cook a bloody Compressed Roast and I go to bed! I do this "she began to bang the roast on the counter every syllable, "every single damned day!"

"Rose."

"This isn't what I want to do! This isn't what you want to do! So stop bloody pretending it is and bloody do something!" With that Rose chucked the Compressed Roast at the Doctor, hitting him in the head. She then turned heel and stormed off to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Needless to say the Doctor was furious, but shouting back at her wasn't going to help. They needed to talk. Otherwise this wasn't going to work.

The Doctor sighed and rubbed his, now rather sore, head. She was right though, he didn't want this to work. That wasn't to say he wanted to leave Rose and go and do his own thing. If this situation was the only one available of course he wanted things to work out. He would rather have seventy odd years before he was well and truly alone. What he really wanted to work though, was their old life. Traveling, having adventures, home in time for tea.

He bent down and picked the Compressed Roast up off the floor, he then walked over to the garbage dispenser, dropped the packet in and disintegrated it.

"I am not eating that again."

He was going to talk to Rose, sort things out and then they were going to have chips. Good old 21st century style chips.

"Greasy, fattening and with too much salt and vinegar, lovely."

Oh dear, whatever is going to happen next...

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Chibi Nightmare