"I can't believe you're still working for that CEO, Rose," Mickey remarked as they walked to join their friends at the pub around the corner of Mickey's flat. "He just seems so arrogant."

"Mickey, he's fine," Rose replied, rolling her eyes. "You don't play the overly protective best mate card with him."

"I'm not overly protective!" Mickey protested.

Rose laughed. "Yes, you are. I've seen the way you act around guys I've dated."

"Whatever," Mickey shrugged, dropping the subject. "Shireen texted me. We'd better hurry to the pub. She's getting impatient."

Rose wasn't a huge fan of that particular pub they were headed to, disliking how she always felt as if she was going to get pickpocketed. Even after the incident near Jack's pub, she felt safer there, knowing Jack was keeping an eye out for her. However, the incident there was certainly not like the robberies near this pub. It made Rose shiver to think of that night. It was no random mugging, and the men there were not amateurs.

"You alright babe?" Mickey asked, feeling her shiver, slipping his arm around her waist.

Rose brushed off his concern, giving him a small smile. "Yeah, 'M fine, it's just a little cold tonight."

"Come on, then, we're almost there," Mickey said, leading her into the warm pub.

They quickly found Shireen and her latest boyfriend, who waved them over to the booth.

"I thought you two would never make it," Shireen complained as they sat down.

"Sorry, Rose's boss doesn't seem to care that people have plans on Friday nights and he kept her late today," Mickey replied, unable to resist the opportunity to express his dislike for John Smith.

"It wasn't that late!" Rose retorted, annoyed by Mickey's disapproval.

The truth was, she could've made it to her flat and gotten ready in time for Mickey to pick her up if she hadn't spent a good half an hour joking around with her boss.. In the month that she had been working there, she was presently surprised by the atmosphere at the top level of Gallifrey Consolidated's building. It wasn't stuffy and boring like the lower levels where she held her previous assistant position, where people were less friendly and more work oriented. No, unlike everyone on those levels, the people at the highest floor weren't competitively vying for the top positions, because they were already there.

She couldn't help but look forward to going to work everyday. In between scheduling meetings and answering phone calls, she'd bonded with Sarah Jane and John Smith. Even though they were both extremely accomplished, the brother sister duo never made her feel inferior. Rose felt as if they truly enjoyed her company.

"Why'd he keep you late?" Shireen asked. "Did you have to work with his PR team for damage control on his latest conquest?"

"John isn't actually the lothario the press thinks he is," Rose defended.

John's inability to notice womens' advances and his impressive ability to put his foot in his mouth made him a frequent target of the tabloids. They were constantly boasting exclusive interviews with disgruntled women John had supposedly wronged. When Rose first came to work at Gallifrey Consolidated, she had to admit she was a little wary of John Smith. But after coming to work as his EA, she realized that John was unaware of his behavior, which could be perceived as extremely flirtatious.

"Sorry, Rose, but his actions show otherwise," Shireen commented, unconvinced. "That man must have a serious complex. He has no shame about what people think about him!"

"John's much nicer in person! Once you get to know him, you realize that so many of his actions are mistaken and people get offended!" Rose said angrily.

Shireen smirked at Rose's outburst. "Huh. It seems like somebody may have a crush on her boss."

Rose scoffed. "Of course not. That's completely unprofessional."

Shireen merely raised an eyebrow. "No, no. I get it. It's kinda hot, thinking about screwing your boss. Although he seems like a total wanker, I get the appeal. You know, slim and a little bit foxy."

Rose blushed at Shireen's assumptions. The warm air of the pub that Rose had appreciated earlier became uncomfortable. "Shireen, I don't think about him like that."

"Really, Rose? Because you've been referring to him as John. Isn't that a little unprofessional as well," Mickey teased.

Rose laughed, realizing that her friends didn't really think she had a crush on him and were merely teasing. "But, really, you guys, I don't understand why you two hate him so much."

"Rose, everyone at the estate is surprised you don't hate him too," Mickey replied. "He's bought out so many companies near the council estates that everyone's losing their jobs."

"It's true you know. Just last week my dad lost his job," Shireen added. "I know you haven't heard a lot of the gossip around the estate since you moved to be closer to work, but I'm surprised your mum hasn't said anything."

Rose shrugged. After years of listening to her mum gossip, she'd learned to tune out most of it.

"You see, Rose he may be nice to you, because you're in his circle. But people like us," Mickey said, gesturing at him and Shireen, "We're nothing to him."

Rose stared at her friends, beginning to see just how much they were struggling because of companies like the one she worked for. There was some truth to their words. John Smith was friendly and helpful to her, because he personally knew her. And sure, he went to charity events, but they were mostly the ones that most businessmen used as opportunities for good press.

"But hey, let's not talking about this anymore. It's just putting a damper on a perfectly good evening," Shireen said, jumping up and grabbing Rose's hand. "Come on, let's go play pool."

Rose smiled at her friend's attempt to salvage what had become a rather disheartening evening, allowing Shireen to lead her towards the pool table.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

For the first time since Rose started working for John Smith, Rose was reluctant to come in Monday morning. She had even called in to tell John she would be a little late. What Mickey and Shireen had said Friday night had stuck a core with her. Maybe John truly didn't realize how much his company was affecting average people, but that didn't excuse it.

Rose felt as if she was on autopilot as she attempted to balance a cup of coffee, a banana, and the daily newspaper to bring into John's office.

As she walked in he gave her a large grin, that despite her newly discovered wariness towards him, she couldn't help but reciprocate.

Rose moved to place the items she was carrying on his desk, before sitting at the chair across from him. She pulled out her planner out of her bag for the daily routine of going over his schedule.

John started eating his banana as Rose went over the meeting he had to go to and the events he was expected to attend throughout the week. John hardly paid attention, as usual, but this time, he was paying more attention to Rose. She was acting differently today. She wasn't exactly cold, but she wasn't her normal warm and friendly self either.

About halfway through the schedule, however, Rose's overly professional demeanor broke and she smirked.

"Oh and Christina de Souza's assistant called me this morning. She wants to know what color her dress should be for the gala next week so you two can match. She also wants you what restaurant your reservations for dinner beforehand are and what time she should be there."

John groaned. "Did you tell her we aren't actually going together? That when I discovered that we were both coincidentally going to the same event and when she told me she looked forward to seeing me there, that my response of 'it's a date' did not actually mean that it would be a date," John said, his agitation causing him to ramble.

Rose looked at him innocently, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh, I was under the impression that it was going to be a date. So I made reservations for that new posh restaurant. It's closeby so you two can easily get to the gala at the museum after you eat."

John sighed. "Rose, please, that woman is way too forward. She's just bad news. The press will be all over her story about how I seduced her only to dump her right after."

"Sorry, John, I can't cancel. How would it look if she told the press you canceled your date last minute?" Rose said, secretly enjoying how uncomfortable he seemed.

"Well, can't you find a way that I don't have to go with her?" John pleaded, giving her a sad look, before his eyes light up. "I know! You can come with me!"

Rose laughed at his desperation but John couldn't find it in him to be annoyed. She was becoming more like herself as he became increasingly eager to find a way out of a date with Christina. He would gladly let her tease him about his dilemma if it meant she was smiling.

"Oh, so do you want her to tell the tabloids that you not only canceled your date, but decided to attend with your assistant instead? Because they would have a field day with that."

John sighed heavily and sunk back in his chair. Rose began to pity him a little. "Hey, it's just one date. You'll be fine."

He frowned at her before somewhat dramatically turning to the newspaper to unfold it. "I suppose you're right," he said dismissively.

"Before you start reading the newspaper I have to finish telling you you're schedule," Rose said, looking back at her planner.

"Better yet, look at this," John said, sliding the newspaper over to her.

"Masked vigilante costs CEO millions," Rose read aloud, looking at the front page. "Haven't you done business with the Nestene Company before? Are you worried about this vigilante stealing for Gallifrey Consolidated?"

"I don't know. There are some nasty folks over at Nestene. If the masked man really is a vigilante, I can see him having a legitimate excuse for going after them," John said.

Rose scanned the newspaper, quickly reading the article of the masked man who threatened the CEO to send funds to families he'd swindled. The masked man apparently told him he would drain his accounts if he didn't. Of course, the CEO didn't listen and the vigilante managed to do exactly what he'd threatened. Rose paled slightly at the CEO's description of the vigilante. Black leather jacket, jeans and a northern voice. He had to be the Doctor, the same man who saved her.

John studied Rose's face as she read the article, gauging her reactions. "So what do you think of this vigilante?"

"Well, if he actually did give the money he stole to the families that were affected by the company's misdeeds, he can't be that bad."

"You really think that?" John asked her.

Rose stared at him, trying to tell if he disapproved. Afterall, he was the owner of a large business too, and he could easily side with the Nestene. After failing to decipher the expression on John's face, Rose suck with her belief. "Yeah, I do think that. Is- Is that a problem," Rose asked, unsure if John would be angry.

"Not at all," John said quickly.

"Good," Rose replied. "Besides, maybe you and other CEOs can learn from him."

"And what exactly do we need to learn from a vigilante," John asked without malice, only curiosity.

"A...friend once told me that anyone can be a hero. That man, whoever he is, is trying to help ordinary people who are struggling to make ends meet. No offense, but CEOs like yourself aren't very sensitive to the needs of the average people that work for you. You guys are in the perfect position to do what the vigilante is doing and really help people. And most businessmen do nothing."

Again, Rose felt like she had said the wrong thing, and that she may have offended him. John was so easy to talk to that she often forget that he was her boss.

After a long moment, John smiled at her. "Rose Tyler. That's quite brilliant."

"You think?" Rose said, almost shyly.

"Oh, yes," John said, his grin widening once she returned it.

After a moment of them smiling at each other, Rose remembered once again that he was her boss, and they really needed to finish going over his schedule. When she left his office twenty minutes later, she felt much better than she did before. Maybe Mickey and Shireen were wrong. Maybe John was beginning to realize how many people were negatively impacted by his business and would do something to change that.

Later that night, Rose sat on her small balcony, with a cup of tea and a new book, ready to spend her evening relaxing.

Just as Rose was getting settled, a car honked a few times. Rose glanced down at the parking lot below her balcony and gasped. It was the TARDIS. And leaning against the bright blue car with arms crossed was the Doctor. He looked exactly the same, his lanky frame cover by the bulky leather jacket, with a mask that covered the top half of his face.

Rose scrambled inside, stopping only to pull on a jacket, before racing down the stairs to the Doctor.

"You're here," Rose said as she approached him.

"I am."

"I thought I was never gonna see you again," Rose admitted.

"I told you I'd see you around," his rough northern voice sounding mildly offended. "Rose Tyler! You gave up on me, didn't you?"

"Rude," Rose remarked. "I saw you in the paper today."

"Ah, yes. The Nestene are a nasty bunch. You should know."

"What do you mean?"

"Those men that tried to go after you that night? Those were henchmen of the CEO. They do a lot of dirty deals and you just happened to interrupt one."

"Oh," Rose said shocked.

"Anyway, I didn't come here to tell you that it was the Nestene that tried to attack you," the Doctor said, unfolding his arms and pushed off the TARDIS to stand up straight. "I was wondering if you wanted to help me out."

"What? Be your accomplice?" Rose asked in disbelief.

He shrugged, "I wouldn't say accomplice. More like sidekick. Better yet, companion."

Rose stared at him. He tapped his fingers against the car impatiently, possibly nervously, waiting for her response. "Is it dangerous?"

"Yes."

"Tell you what though, you'd be helping a lot of people. The person I'm dealing with tonight has hurt a lot of people through shady deals," the Doctor explained.

"Is this part of your whole 'anyone can be a hero' thing?"

"It is," the Doctor said simply. "But tonight I don't want just anyone. I want you to help me. So what do you say, Rose Tyler? Come with me?"

Rose stared at him for a long moment, while the Doctor shifted slightly. Then she smiled. At his answering grin, she raced over to the passenger seat and stepped into the TARDIS.