A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. This chapter is based around our favourite tin dog, Mr Mickey Smith. Enjoy, and please review :)

'The hardest thing to do is watch the one you love, love someone else.'- Anonymous

Mickey Smith first met Rose Tyler when he was five, and she was three. They were down at the park, and their mothers were chatting about what had been on the telly the night before. Mickey was fed up with playing on the swings, and his ice cream had been devoured in two seconds flat. He didn't fancy her back then, of course. The only thing he was interested in was the latest 'Hot Wheel' car sold in the shop down the street. He vaguely remembered glancing at her, and she returned his look with a huge, toothy grin. He giggled back, and trundled over to the wispy blonde.

"Wha's your name?" Rose asked curiously, clutching a pink teddy bear.

"Mickey Smith," He replied shyly.

"Hello," She waved a chubby hand in his face. Mickey plonked himself down on her playmat and dug his toy car from his pocket. With his sticky fingers, he pushed the car around the grass, occasionally making car noises. "Wha's that?" Rose asked, pointing down at Mickey's car.

"S'car," He responded.

"Can I play?"

Mickey nodded, and handed the toy over to Rose. She pushed it around, laughing gleefully and blowing raspberries. She handed it back to Mickey.

"That was fun."

Mickey began to really like Rose Tyler.

When he was six and she was four, Mickey remembered that Rose was worried about starting school. Mickey's mother forced him to hold her hand, which he did with much disgust. Rose's hand was clammy and he felt stupid clutching it.

"Are you worried?" He asked her. Rose shook her head indignantly.

"Nope," She lied. Mickey left it there, as they had arrived at her class. "See you later!" She trilled, masking her fear with a cheerful expression. Mickey watched her stumble into the classroom, her eyes betraying her reservations.

Mickey had realised how brave she was at that moment.

When he was ten and she was eight, she held a birthday party at Jackie's flat. Rose wore a bright pink dress and balanced a wobbly tiara on her blonde hair. Mickey was invited, along with his father. They'd both been through a rough time since Mickey's mother had scarpered; packed up quietly one night and left the country without warning.

Mickey could remember Rose's face as he entered the flat. She greeted him with as much vigour as usual, her eyes lighting up at the sight of him. Whilst her friends were playing musical bumps, she sat aside with him.

"You OK?" She whispered, tucking a blonde strand behind her ear.

"Yeah. 'M fine," he assured her.

"D'ya wanna play?" She offered, jerking her chin at the busy living room. Mickey nodded with a smile and they joined in with the rest of the party. He noticed that she kept a watchful eye over him throughout the party.

Mickey then realised how kind and compassionate she was.

When he was fourteen and she was twelve, Jackie was going clubbing with her mates. Jackie had invited Mickey round to keep Rose company, as long as there was no 'funny business' between them.

They watched the telly and laughed together, despite the small age gap. Mickey found Rose witty and mature for her age, meaning hanging out with her was easier than hanging out with his other girl mates. He was dating Marcia Marks at that time, so Rose quizzed him about her.

"What's she like?"

"She's nice. Pretty."

"How pretty?"

"All my mates fancy 'er."

"So quite pretty then," Rose deduced.

They hardly spoke after that. Mickey wondered why. Was Rose jealous of Marcia? No, that couldn't be it. She was twelve, and he was fourteen. He was practically an adult, and she was still a little kid. Wasn't she? And he didn't care if she did have a crush on him.

Mickey then realised that he fancied Rose.

When he was sixteen and she was fourteen, he eventually asked her out. To his delight, she agreed almost immediately, and they dated for almost two years.

Before Rose met Jimmy.

He knew it was over when Rose had texted him, asking to meet up in the park. He'd seen her lusting after Jimmy, a handsome musician that dim Mickey Smith couldn't compare with. He'd been strong as Rose sobbed, desperately sorry for dumping him. He'd told her it was OK, but it really wasn't. He was breaking in two, leaving a part with her that he could never get back.

She came back to him a year later, torn up over Jimmy and her feelings for him. They resumed their relationship, and everything was back to normal.

Mickey knew it couldn't last.

Because then the Doctor waltzed into Rose's life. Clever, witty, and charismatic. How could Rose not travel with him? He whisked her away, and Mickey had to stand behind and watch. Because that was all he could do.

Throughout the years he'd known the Doctor, he'd seen how much Rose loved this mysterious man. Once again, he couldn't measure up.

Mickey had lost a lot of things in his life. His parents had abandoned him, he had no other family, he lived in a poky flat in a council estate.

But the hardest thing he'd ever had to do was to watch Rose, the woman he loved, sprint into the TARDIS like he meant nothing to her.