Okay I am so sorry. I really don't have much of an excusehere. I just stopped writing because I was drowning in merthur feels and needed to read/write myself to death. Still drowning but I found the time to finish this chapter for you. I'm gonna get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Expect some drama between Rose and the Doctor, the return of River Song, some more Amy and Rory fluff and of course how the hell are they gonna deal with the master?

Chapter 11.

Rose leaned against the doorframe to the teacher's lounge, John sat alone looking upset. She sighed and walked over, sitting beside him and taking his hand. He looked up and smiled, his hand squeezing her own.

"Something on your mind, Doctor?"

"Just worried is all, I'm a good worrier." He tried to laugh it off but it came out flat and Rose frowned.

"Oh, Doctor, It's all ok. Just a new principle." Rose tried. "River'll be back soon."

"Ya," He didn't sound like he believed her.

"Doctor?"

"Ya, Rose?" He still looked worried.

"I like you." She grinned as he blushed and smiled shyly. He dipped his head and she reached out and tipped it back up so she could see his eyes.

"I like you too, Rose Tyler." He leaned forward and stole a quick kiss that left them both grinning.

"Mr. Smith?" A blonde girl poked her head in.

John looked over and frowned, of course the day had to get worse.

"Yes Reinette?" He replied with a fake smile.

"I was wondering if you could help me with, uh, my homework?" She sounded sweet, sickeningly so. John wanted to roll his eyes but no matter how obnoxious the girl was she was still his student and that meant he had to be professional.

"Lunch is about to end, you should have asked me sooner." John replied, his hand playing with Rose's fingers under the table.

"What about tomorrow, before school?" She asked hopefully, her long nails clicking on her binder and her eyes narrowing at Rose.

"Sure, Reinette, that would be fine." John agreed. "But do try to finish it at home."

"Of course, Mr. Smith." She bit her lip and smiled before turning and leaving the room.

"Who's that?" Rose asked, never having been told of the troublesome student.

"Reinette, my student."

"She likes you."

"Well that must be difficult for her, seeing as how I like you."

Rose giggled and kissed him again just as the bell rung. They both pulled away reluctantly and sighed.

"Plans after school, Ms. Tyler?"

"Yes actually, with a gorgeous science teacher." She grinned, tongue between her teeth.

John couldn't function with her smiling so beautifully at him; his heart was working over time. He might need to get a second one just for her, The Rose Tyler heart.

"Yes you do, so don't be running off after the final bell rings."

"Of course Mr. Smith" She grinned cheekily before leaving the room in a quick movement of blonde hair and pink trainers.

"Hey, Doc!" Jack called as he ran to catch up with John before he got to his classroom.

John stopped and turned to Jack just as he slowed from a jog to a walk.

"Ya?"

"Drinks after work?" He looked hopeful, like his eyes were begging.

"I have plans, Jack, sorry."

"Oh." Was he disappointed?

"Do you wanna talk about something?" He must, Jack always wanted to go drinking but this was different. Jack never got disappointed if John said no because he could always ask Amy or Clara and it was always a yes from at least one. Jack loves John most but he can function without him, so why does he look like a kicked puppy?

"Doesn't matter, I'll ask Amy." And he was jogging away. John can already feel the guilt twisting in his stomach but he can't say yes, he can't ditch Rose. Amy'll just have to deal with whatever it is on her own.

The rest of the day went by at a slug's pace, the clock inching by and the students (and John) watching it go. It was brutal. He just wanted to take Rose out, although he didn't know where yet.

His brain keeps swinging between Rose and Jack. He felt awful about choosing Rose over his best friend but sometimes he needs to put what he wants over what his friends need from him, and that's ok…so why does his stomach keep churning with guilt?

John tried not to dwell on it, choosing to finish class and begin planning his date with Rose.

"Mr. Smith?" It was Dean, standing awkwardly in his doorway. It was seventh period and John should ask why Dean isn't in class but he doesn't.

"Hello, Dean, sit down." John gestures to the desk in the front of the class and they both go to it. Dean doesn't sit in the chair, instead leaning against the desk and looking at his shoes, John wasn't used to Dean being so silent. Dean was loud and annoying when it came to class, making everything into a joke-whether or not the joke was dirty was depending on the grade of the class. John frowned and sat on the desk beside Dean.

"You okay, Dean?" John asked carefully. "Did you find your dad?"

"Actually ya, I talked to him." but Dean didn't sound too happy about it.

"And he's ok?"

"Ya, he's fine." Dean replied as if that wasn't even a question, kids always think their parents are fine and Dean was no exception. "We have to move next week though, he was looking for an apartment out west someplace."

"He's taking you out of class before the quarter even ends?" John knew the Winchesters had a long history of moving randomly during the school year, the kids' records were miles long and each school said they just up and left. John should ask, it was a strange situation, but he knew he wouldn't get an answer, no one ever had before.

"Yep, no biggie just thought you should know." Dean shrugged and looked up at John with that stupid cocky smirk. He was hiding and John knew it but he let it go. Dean wasn't his kid and he had no right to question how they were raised.

"Gonna miss you kids, some of my favourite students." John squeezed Dean's shoulder before standing. "Anything else?"

"Nope, better get going." And Dean was out the door before John could even say goodbye. The situation left too many questions and not enough answers and John struggled to understand why.

The bell rang and John sucked in a breath as his last class started filing into the room.

"Going to tell me where we're going, Doctor?" Rose asked. They were in his little blue car, heading down the highway as the sky grew dark and the starts started to twinkle. Rose had on some top 40 pop music that John would never admit to liking but he did to her, both of them belting out the lyrics at different tunes that were both just as off. Rose had her feet on the dash, pink trainers with scribbles of cartoons random words, like a girl in junior high and it made John oddly giddy. Rose was so childlike at heart just like he was, maybe that was one reason why he enjoyed her company so much.

"Nope, gotta be patient, Rose Tyler." He loved say her full name, like a sweet he could eat over and over.

She fake pouted before unrolling the window and letting in a blast of cold air. It smelled fresh and clean and John couldn't wait to get out of the car. It was only another half hour before John was pulling over and parking beside a large field and a small farm house. Rose looked confused but she didn't question him, just followed as he grabbed a blanket from the car and led her out into the field. When they had settled and John leaned back and Rose followed he felt lighter than air, happier then he could ever remember being. He reached out and took her hand before pointing up at the sky.

He watched as an expression of awe took over her face. Her eyes were sparkling almost as bright as the stars above, so clear and bright. John used to come out here all the time and just watch the stars, dreaming of exploring them.

"It's beautiful." Rose whispered and John grinned.

"I wanted to show you what I mean when I call you beautiful." He spoke softly, already feeling the blush taking over his face and climbing high on his ears.

Rose rolled towards him and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips, smiling and cuddling against him.

"I used to want to be an astronaut." She said after awhile.

"Ya?"

"Ya, when I was younger I always wanted to know what was in the sky. Of course then I wanted to be a teacher and English just called out to me, forgot all about the stars." She sounded nostalgic and John pressed a kiss to her temple.

"I wanted to be an astronaut up until I was 15 and I blew up the chem lab at my school. Chemistry just seemed so much more fun after that." He laughed and Rose giggled and shook her head.

"You're nuts."

"Only for you."

They stayed out in the dark, holding each other for warmth, until nearly 3am. Rose started falling asleep so John huddled her in the blanket and led her back to his car. The ride back was long and quiet but comfortable and John felt his feelings for Rose grow but the second. This amazing, beautiful, and brilliant woman was with him and the thought was astounding to him. He didn't deserve her and yet he wanted nothing more than to be with her.

She stayed at his house, cuddling in his bed and whispering secrets from their childhoods as they fell asleep.