A/N: Here's the finale, kids! Thank you to all who reviewed, followed, favourited or just read and kept quiet. Each of you are fabulous. Sorry this chapter ended up a bit of a beast. It was either that or split it in half and then not update for another month. But anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

The Little Grey Pikachu in Cells

The journey away from the warehouse was far more subdued than the one there. Worn out from their sprint and now more worried than ever, Jackie seemed to be able to do little more than relay the directions. This calmer Jackie agitated the Doctor. Their back and forth released some of the pressure that was building inside of him. With her so quiet he was left to think over everything in the hopes that he could spot a clue to who was doing this to them. He tried to bat away the voice telling him was trying to remember every detail of Rose, just in case he never saw her again, but the silence made it difficult.

"Wherever she is, she knows." The Doctor tore his mind from his morbid thoughts and saw Jackie was regarding him softly. "She knows so don't worry."

He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel needlessly and checked his mirrors before nodding.

"Used to think you was just using her, y'know?" she chuckled when it became clear he wasn't going to respond. "What could an alien bloke want from a girl like her? But you proved me wrong, Doctor. Not often I admit that."

The Doctor scoffed.

Jackie pointed them off a main road. Oddly enough, Jackie's words were a comfort to him. Not so much their content - none of it was a revelation to him, after all - but the way she said them. It was as though she truly believed Rose was okay and waiting for them, where as he could almost feel his thoughts taking a eulogised quality to them against his will.

He'd seen so much death, caused so much death... It was hard not to let his mind wander down that dark road sometimes.

"She's probably trying to argue her way out as we speak," the Doctor laughed as he turned.

"Talk for Britain, that girl."

"She has," the Doctor reminded her. "And the planet."

"Her geography teacher said she would one day."

"And probably meant it as an insult, the fool."

"Wish I'd known all this come parents' evenings."

"If you'd told him an alien in a blue box and would unlock her potential then he'd likely have rang social services."

It wasn't her usual cackle but Jackie was laughing and the Doctor joined in. It wasn't until the Doctor heard stories from before he'd met Rose that he realised what a miracle it was that they had crossed paths, let alone be where they were today. If something small had changed then she could have walked out of Henrick's without being given the lottery money. He could have missed her and left her to the autons. He might have died in his TARDIS with Donna in the heart of Davros' ship having never met Rose in his current body.

And yet, out of all those almost never weres and very nearly wasn'ts, they were building something together that by rights he should never have got to experience. Happy endings weren't things that were handed out to those who deserved them; they were earned. Maybe this was another payment he had to make to show he was even a little worthy of Rose Tyler?

"She's one of kind, my girl," Jackie said into the quiet of the car.

"Yeah." The Doctor hesitated as he pulled into a large car park. "Probably something to do with the force of nature that raised her," he finally added without looking at Jackie.

Once he'd parked and turned the engine off, he glanced at Jackie and saw she was smiling at him. He wished he hadn't said anything. It was unnerving. He nodded awkwardly and fiddled with his seatbelt in the hopes that she'd be distracted by something by the time he was finished.

"She'll say yes one day, Doctor."

"What?" His fingers slipped on the buckle. He sucked them into his mouth to stop the stinging and saw that Jackie was holding a small, velvet covered box out to him. For one wild moment that likely took years off his already tiny life span, he thought she was proposing to him. Then he noticed how familiar the box was. "Where did you-"

"Fell out your pocket when you climbed the fence," she explained before smirking. "And I'd guessed."

"Really?"

"'Course."

While winning the staring contest he was having with Jackie would have proved... something, the idea that she'd known about his failed proposals was disturbing enough for him to look away. He took the box, checked the ring was still in there on reflex and pocketed it with a sigh. It wasn't the safest place for it, but he didn't want Rose finding it. She hadn't seen it yet, probably didn't think he'd even bought one, and he hoped it would be a surprise for her the day that she said yes. He hadn't wanted her to know how much he wanted it all so that she didn't feel obligated to marry him. Or maybe knowing all the effort he had gone to would be a good thing? Let her know he was taking this seriously and it wasn't just a whim?

Human relationships, he reflected, were even more complicated when you were in one.

"Stop pulling that face," snapped Jackie, pulling unsuccessfully on her door handle. Apparently her capacity for a heartfelt one to one had ran dry. "You're an idiot if you she's anything but mad for you now take the bleeding child locks off."

With a roll of his eyes and a flick of a switch, the pair of them were able to exit the car. Once he had straightened up, the Doctor noticed that they were once again in front of large and empty building; this time a cinema. With none of the lights on inside, the obnoxious neon signs and posters on the outer walls were the only things blinking at him through the darkness. The other difference this time was that there was only one other vehicle in the car park.

He only knew of one organisation that could make a black van look so innocuous that it was suspicious.

"That's a Torchwood van, right?" Jackie asked him quietly and he nodded. It proved his point if even Jackie could spot them. They might as well make TORCHWOOD INSTITUTE bumper stickers come as standard.

"So she's here," the Doctor said, looking around for signs of anyone else. "Or she was, at least."

"But her phone's definitely here?"

"Yeah."

Through the large windows at the front, the Doctor could clearly see that there was no one in the main lobby or any signs of a disturbance. Deciding it was better to enter the building through a door he knew didn't have a surprise on the other side, he retrieved his sonic and used it to get in. Once inside the multiplex, he realised how long a full search of the building could take and was grateful they still had the tracker with them. Thankfully, nobody came to greet them and they were free to swiftly cross the lobby, following the tracker's instructions.

"This thing says she's down that way," Jackie said, pointing down one of the long corridors that led to the screens. She took a step towards it, but the Doctor held her back.

"Jackie, do you hear that?" he asked softly.

She tilted her head as though it improved her hearing and frowned. "Hear what?"

"There's no alarm."

"That's good, right?"

The Doctor met her eye and she stepped back. He wondered what he must look like to her, on full alert, all-encompassing rage vibrating just beneath his skin. "It means someone has disabled it. But why?"

Jackie, for possibly the first time in her life, had nothing to say. She moved once more towards the screens but the Doctor pulled her towards a door labeled 'Private'.

"But she's this way, Doctor," she protested. Though the usual certainty was gone from her voice, she was still fighting for what she thought was right. As someone who got involved with situations like this nearly every day, the Doctor sometimes forgot that not everyone was used to this sort of thing. He had to admire how well Jackie was coping, especially given how personally invested she was.

"Yes, it looks as though she's in one of the screens," he explained more patiently that he normally would. "Whoever is in there will be expecting someone to come through one of the doors." He leaned against the door and it swung open. "So let's surprise them a little bit."

He smirked as Jackie grinned and followed him through into the staff area. Automatic lights flickered on revealing a windowless corridor that led to a set of stairs.

"Bingo!" he cried before bounding over to the stairs. He paused at the bottom and turned back to Jackie. "Er - don't tell Rose I said "Bingo"."

Jackie rolled her eyes and shoved him up the stairs. Despite having vastly different functions, the back area of the cinema was startling similar to the warehouse. Admittedly there were more old film posters and thoroughly depressing sign saying "If you see a customer without a smile - give them one of yours!" here, but it still had that unloved feeling that most work places had. He remembered that Rose had once been another face in a crowd of minimum wage ghosts and how it was all just a funny story to her now. Donna had even more tales of idiotic managers and members of the public who probably shouldn't have been allowed out on their own. And yet they were two of the most incredible people he had ever met who would have surely found their potential without him and his centuries old quest to defeat loneliness.

Humans, the Doctor had decided, were amazing and, even if he hated the whole body odour issue and quite frankly abysmal hormone regulation systems, he was proud to almost be one now.

"Is it just me or does it smell weird here?" Jackie asked once they were through the door at the top.

Of course, amongst the Roses and the Donnas, there were the Jackies, who took the life they were given and were happy about it. The Doctor always wondered how they saw the world in a sort of boggled and slightly scared kind of way.

The room they were in now had several doors leading from it. The Doctor knew what he was looking for, but wasn't sure which door it would be through. A few of them clearly led to offices so he ruled them out immediately. He hated being in his own office, let alone someone else's.

"Oh my God!" cried Jackie, flinging a door to her right open and darting in.

Images of her finding Rose's body or being shot down before he could reach her flooded the Doctor's mind and he scrambled after her, trainers squeaking on the lino. He was over the threshold before he had thought of what he was going to do and slammed straight into Jackie's back, nearly sending both of them to the floor.

"Watch it!"

"Jackie! What happened?" They were thankfully alone in what appeared to be a stock room.

"Look at all these!" She pointed to the shelf next to her. Now he wasn't worried about one of them dying, the Doctor saw it was filled with boxes of sweets and chocolates.

"The cinema having cinema snacks isn't my biggest concern right now, Jackie," he bit out.

She looked down guiltily, but then looked back at the sweets. "Couldn't hurt to take a bag or two for the journey?"

"Your daughter is being held hostage!"

"Yeah, and what will cheer her up more than a bag of Magic Stars?" she countered.

The Doctor had to admit that there was very little in the world that could cheer Rose up more than Magic Stars. Unfortunately for Jackie's plan, things that did cheer her up more included being rescued from hostile beings.

"Jackie Tyler, you are a millionaire! I'm not letting you steal a pound bag of sweets!"

"At a cinema?" Jackie sniffed. "Try about £3.50, mate."

He glared at her.

"Fine," she relented. "But if I get a shot at an Ice Blast I'm having one!"

All the tension and fear that had been pumping through veins was suddenly overtaken by the desire for brightly coloured ice. "Deal."

Ice Blasts were Ice Blasts, after all.

Once back on the main landing, the Doctor hurried over to another door and peered through the window. He almost growled with frustration when he saw another stock room and rushed the next door.

"What are you looking for?" Jackie questioned him. "How is this helping Rose?"

The Doctor found what looked like the staff room and kicked the door before answering. "If I can find-"

"Doctor!" Jackie interrupted, apparently not all that interested in the answer to her own question. "I think I've found an alien thing!"

He was at her side so quickly that he almost knocked her over again. Jackie was tense, but clearly proud of her discovery, as the Doctor hastened to sonic the lock. As soon as the door was open, the fell across the threshold in an attempt to beat the other one inside.

"Where?" the Doctor asked, still staggering as he looked around, seeing nothing but sacks of kernels and large bags of popcorn. Nothing in the room screamed 'alien' to him, although the safety equipment was similar to the G'rities version of fast food workers' uniform. Although how would Jackie know about the surprising tasty h'yrite burgers and their galaxy famous, yet highly corrosive, seasoning?

"That!" Jackie pointed out, keeping her back to the wall as though the large machine against the far wall might come to life. "What is it, Doctor? Is that what they used to take my daughter? Is it their spaceship? Is she in there?" Jackie gasped and lunged for the machine. "ROSE!"

Before she could cause any damage, the Doctor caught her around the waist and pulled her back. "Jackie, keep it down!" She pressed her lips together, no doubt holding back a loud comeback. "Rose isn't here. all right? That-" He gestured to machine that started this latest episode of Jackie hysteria. "-is nothing to worry about. It isn't alien at any rate."

"How do you know?" Jackie challenged.

"Because it's the machine they use to make popcorn," he explained, pointing the peeling sticker on the front that said Popmaster 3000. Jackie opened her mouth to ask what could only have been an annoying question so he hastened to convince her once and for all. "Look, you put the unpopped kernels on this tray bit which heats up, causing them to expand. Then you add the flavouring and... Ah yes, bag it from these funnels at the front."

He gestured to each bit individually, knowing full well that he was making half of this up, but his guesses were usually accurate. Surely any self-described genius could work out how to work such basic machinery?

"Thought they had to use a giant microwave or something?" Jackie asked uncertainly, still eyeing the contraption with apprehension. "Are you sure? What if they put Rose on it, Doctor? You're all right but I've seen what some of them aliens do and it's horrible and-"

"Okay, okay," said the Doctor, holding one hand out while the other rooted around for his screwdriver. "I'll prove it to you quickly and then we can find Rose." He whipped his screwdriver out and pressed the button, but nothing happened. "Stupid thing," he muttered as he shook it. It burst to life with its familiar buzzing. "There we-"

The Doctor's triumph was interrupted by the shelves housing the popcorn kernels falling, causing them to land on the popping machine that was now whirring into life.

"Oh no."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Attempting to remain calm as to not panic Jackie, he tried changing the setting in the hopes of turning the machine off so he could remove most of the kernels. However, the toaster components had had a rough ride all evening and decided to change it to its maximum setting instead. Before the Doctor could lament his trusty old screwdriver, the sacks of kernels began to expand at an alarming rate.

"Doctor? What's happening?"

"We're leaving."

Before he could take step closer to the door, the sacks exploded, filling the small room with popcorn.

"What did you do?" shrieked Jackie from where she had been knocked to the floor.

"Increased the functionality by 238%."

"What's that mean?" Jackie tried to stand up but struggled. The popcorn was already level with her knees.

The Doctor waded through to help her, still pointing his screwdriver ahead of him. It only made the noises coming from the machine louder so he put it away. "It's going to make about - ooh - a month's worth of popcorn in thirty seconds."

Jackie seized his forearms to steady herself and shook her head. "You useless, bloody-"

"Yes, yes, we all know the speech," snapped the Doctor. "Let's just go, shall we?"

Going proved much more difficult than intended. With popcorn up to his waist, the Doctor was struggling to walk, while Jackie could barely move.

"How is it still working?" she cried, looking as though she was trying to do breaststroke. "Doctor, help!"

By this point, help was something the Doctor needed more than he could give it. He had never been more grateful that the full Time Lord version of himself couldn't see him now. Or anyone else he'd ever met, in fact.

"Ooh, I know!" Jackie called over the constant rumble of machinery. "We can eat our way out!" With only one arm still above the popcorn, Jackie lunged forward, mouth wide open, and attempted to eat as much popcorn as she could. Once that mouthful was done with she repeated the action. The whole thing was highly reminiscent of Jaws and the Doctor wondered how he'd never made the connection before.

"You do know the calorie content of popcorn, right?" he inquired, still frozen in place after her fifth mouthful.

Jackie's head shot up, bits of popcorn covering her face. "'S'not that bad for you! It's just popcorn!"

"Jackie, the average bag of sweet popcorn has about five hundred calories!"

She spat out what was in her mouth. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I am! This is me telling you!"

"You know I've got that gala next month!"

"I just told you!"

"Since when did you care about stuff like that, anyway?"

The Doctor avoided Jackie's question. It reminded him too much of Rose finding it hilarious that he kept feeling compelled to diet despite - in her words - looking like a lamp post. "We should be able to climb on top of the popcorn and crawl across if we distribute our body weight-"

"Enough of the science," she snapped. "Just give us a hand."

With great difficulty, the Doctor managed to lift Jackie until most of her was above the sea of popcorn and instructed her to lie flat across it. Once she looked safe for the time being, he clambered up next to her. The whole process was exhausting and lead to him touching parts of Jackie Tyler he liked to pretend didn't exist. With the popcorn level still rising, albeit more gradually, the pair were able to shuffle over to the door where there was a lot less of the once-loved snack and they could wade through.

It took both of them to pull the door open and another struggle to get it closed again, but eventually they were free. They took a moment to compose themselves and straighten their clothing, the machine still an audible hum in the background.

"We never mention this again." The Doctor tried to give Jackie his best Oncoming Storm glare, but he suspected the whole thing was undermined by the crumb he could see stuck in his fringe.

"Five hundred?"

"Salted's worse." The Doctor inspected the next door and found he could see nothing but darkness through the window. He carefully got his screwdriver out, as though it could explode at any moment, and pointed it at the lock.

"What about butter?"

"What do you think happens to the nutritional value of food when you slather it in butter?"

"Marge?"

He spared her a withering look before unlocking the door and being met with a long, almost pitch black corridor. "Aha!"

"Oh no, I definitely seen this in a horror film," said Jackie, backing away. "They all wander in there, calling out and there's a madman hiding!"

"It's just the projection booth, Jackie. Nothing to worry about," he told her softly. Normally he wouldn't hesitate to scoff at Jackie's reaction but she did have a point. There was something unnerving about the stillness. He stepped inside, motioning for her to follow, and his eyes adjusted to the lack of light. While still creepy, he could now make out the notice board with jokes printed off from the internet stuck on it, along with an empty Pot Noodle. It helped to remind them this was just another room, even if it was windowless, dark and appeared to go on forever.

"Why are we here?" Jackie whispered, not helping the creepy atmosphere at all.

The Doctor edged forward, glancing at each of the silent projectors as he passed them. "From here we can see into every screen in the cinema," he explained. "We can find the one Rose is in and get an idea of what we're facing without being seen ourselves."

Jackie nodded and joined him in checking the small windows next to each projector on the opposite side to him. With only the ghostly emergency lights on, he could make out the white screens and the outlines of the seats but very little else. He was so close to Rose now that he could almost feel it. Adrenaline was mixing with his anxiety, and it was all he could do to stop himself running through the projection booth and giving them away. After all, he still had no idea what he would be up against. There was no telling how sensitive their hearing would be.

Even with this reminder to be sensible echoing in his mind, he knew that within seconds he'd find Rose or at least a clue to her whereabouts. Dread threatened to overcome him, but he forced himself to remain positive. No one had tried to stop them so far and he had seen no indication of a struggle or injury. He had no reason to fear the worst.

And yet-

"Doctor!" Jackie hissed.

He dragged himself out of his morbid thoughts and saw Jackie was pointing to one of the projectors. It was identical to the rest of them but with one major difference; it was currently turned on.

Pressing a finger to his lips, he approached the viewing window next to it and urged Jackie to stay back. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, before peeking out into the screen.

The first thing he noticed was a film was currently playing, a romantic comedy by the looks of things. The sound was dulled through the wall but the American accents and pop music were still distinguishable. He scanned the room and saw something that made his hearts - no, heart - skip a beat.

Silhouetted against the bright light of the screen, he could make out a person sat in the middle of the screen. It didn't matter what universe or body he was in, the Doctor would recognise that outline anywhere.

"Rose," he breathed once his lungs started working again.

It was then that he heard her shriek and everything else became unimportant. He could only see her head dipping forward and hear the echo of her voice as he threw himself forward and squeezed through the small window and fell onto a ledge. Without bothering to fully stand up, he scrambled over the edge and landed sprawled across the back seats. It was a bigger drop than anticipated and he let out a very manly yelp, if he didn't say so himself.

"What the-?" he heard Rose say. She sounded shaken, but it confirmed that she was at least vaguely okay. It would have caused him to sigh with relief if he hadn't just winded his annoying fragile part-human body.

Unprepared to waste any more time edging through across the row and down the aisle, the Doctor stepped onto the back of the seat in front of him. He wobbled dangerously before finding his balance. Eight rows on from of him he could just see Rose had turned to face him and he grinned widely. The lighting wasn't good enough to fully assuage his worry, but she was conscious and moving and alive. Once again he marveled at how she always seemed even more beautiful each time they were reunited.

Well, he could barely see her at the minute, but it was all but guaranteed, really.

"Doctor?" she gasped and the sound of her name on her lips sprung him into action. He stepped forward onto the backrest of the next seat and promptly tumbled into the next row.

"Rose!" he cried as he pulled himself back up. Abandoning his plans to walk over the chairs - something he definitely used to be able to do - he opted to simply flinging himself over them like a cross between a dolphin and a crazed puppy.

He could honestly say that he had never been so glad to have already convinced Rose to love him because if she had still been on the fence at this point he would have lost all hope with her in an instant.

Finally - finally - he made it to row directly behind Rose and was able to cup her cheeks, making sure she was real. "Rose! Are you okay?"

Instead of answering, she gripped his forearms, twisting in her seat to see him properly and stared at him as though he had just descended from the ceiling unannounced. Which, of course, he sort of had.

"You're all right!"

"Well-"

"I knew you'd be okay!" he pressed a kiss to her forehead. When he pulled back she was frowning at something near his hairline.

"Doctor, you're bleeding!"

"Bleeding?" He dropped his hands to her shoulders, his muscles tensing in fury. "Where? What did they do to you?"

Rose pushed his hands away to press her shirt sleeve to his temple. "Not me - you!"

"Doesn't matter." The Doctor pulled her hand away from his head and held it against his chest. He still wasn't used to his palms feeling sweaty and warm next to hers, but it added a whole new dimension to the Rose Tyler Hand Holding Experience so he didn't mind. " Are you okay? Where are you hurt?" he asked, his eyes taking in every tiny detail of her appearance as the film continued to play. This close he could see she was still in her Torchwood field uniform and seemed to be uninjured. By the looks of things her captors had left her unrestrained, which was odd.

Did they expect Rose Tyler to just sit and not escape? Rose Tyler? The woman who would probably wander off with her ankles tied together and explicit instructions not to. Whoever had taken her would never have just left her.

"'M'not. What are you doing here?"

Not trusting her word for a second, he held her head still so he could check her eyes were focused. He'd seen this woman face almost certain death with a shrug and a joke. It wouldn't surprise him if she'd had her legs broken and wasn't telling him in case he worried. "You look shocked," he continued to babble, taking in her wide eyes and open mouth. "Are you in shock?"

"Doctor, I-"

"Okay, calm down, Rose," he soothed her, pulling her towards him. He breathed in her scent and closed his eyes and, despite not even being close to being out of the woods yet, truly believed his next words. "It'll be okay now."

"Yeah," he heard her say, sounding as though her mouth was smushed against his shoulder, "this is all really calming."

Now she was in arms and the pain in his shin was starting to lessen, the Doctor focused on the confusing circumstances instead. While Rose's heartbeat was a little above average, she seemed perfectly content otherwise. It didn't match up to the hurried call for help he'd received nearly two hours ago now. There was something he was missing... Something had happened to Rose. Something...

Needing extra information, he pressed his tongue against her cheek and licked her face.

Rose recoiled and wiped his saliva off. "For the- we've been through this, Doctor!"

"Bleh! Foundation..." The Doctor waggled his tongue out of his mouth, hoping the air would cleanse him of the awful taste of chemicals.

"And I'm the one with a dog named after me."

Once again ignoring Rose's protests, he retrieved another sample from her neck. She squeaked and pushed him away.

"Doctor!"

He analysed his findings and frowned. "You haven't been drugged," he concluded, baffled.

"Have you?" she asked seriously. She gripped his neck and brushed her thumb against his jaw, causing him to look her in the eye. He saw more concern than he would have expected. "What's happened? Why are you being so weird?"

"You say I'm always weird and that's why you love me."

"Well, yeah," she admitted and he grinned smugly. All these months later and it was still a novelty to be able to say the words and not be overcome with guilt and grief. "But this is weird for you."

Rose looked as though she sincerely didn't understand what was happening which only made him worry more. Could they have wiped her memory? Trying to remain outwardly calm, he decided not to overload her with information. "I'm saving you," he said slowly. "Don't you remember?"

For a moment, Rose looked as though she was forming a reply but then her expression froze. Before he could fully grasp what was happening, his own distress was being mirrored back at him.

"Doctor, tell me why you're here, okay?" She smiled and her hand slid down to cover his heart. What with all the running and panicking he'd done recently, she could likely feel it hammering against her palm. On reflection that was probably why she'd done it. She was checking him over, like he had her. He should probably have been more offended by her coddling, but mainly he was proud.

That was his Rose, after all. Always so smart and compassionate, putting other's needs before her own.

"Doctor, stay with me!"

Right. He probably shouldn't have smiled at her like the love struck fool he was half the time when she was making sure he was in control of all his faculties.

"Rose, I'm fine," he chuckled, wrapping his fingers around her wrist. "There's a simple explanation to all of this but first we really need to-"

"OI! Don't you run off and- ROSE!"

The Doctor's neck nearly snapped he turned so quickly. Rose's hair whipped him in the ear as she did the same thing. Before he could explain why Jackie Tyler was currently standing, hands on hips, on the ledge in front of the projection booth, he felt her grip on the front of his shirt tighten.

"My mum's here?" she whimpered.

"I tried to leave her behind," the Doctor implored. "If you know the first thing about me, Rose, then you will know that I tried to leave her behind."

"Hey!" Jackie shouted, waggling her finger at him. "You'd still be in that warehouse if it wasn't for me and my bra!"

Apparently oblivious to the effect her words had, Jackie edged towards the front of the platform and sat, ready to lower herself down.

"Rose." The Doctor shook her a bit in the hopes that her stunned expression would change to something a little more impressed by his heroics. "I can explain that horrid mental image and everything else just tell me you're okay," he finished, noting the hint of pleading now in his voice.

Rose blinked once. Twice. Then inhaled deeply, went to speak and blinked a third time, just to be sure that what she was seeing was actually what was happening. "I was until, like, three minutes ago."

"Where are they?" Jackie asked, making her way down the aisle. "Are they coming back?"

"Who?"

Jackie rolled her eyes. "The baddies!"

"Oh," Rose frowned before pointing over her shoulder. "Them?"

The Doctor looked behind Rose and saw in the wheelchair space at the end of the row were four grey creatures, roughly the size of small dogs, with pointed ears, ambling around a small cage of dull, purple light. He recognised the cage as an invention of his own that he'd given to Torchwood. It emitted a telepathic field that calmed the occupant while keeping them painlessly confined, making it a better way of restraining rouge aliens than the previous method of shooting them. Even as he processed this new information, one of the creatures rolled onto its back and waved its stubby legs and long tail in the air.

"They're Jilkes," he stated, nonplussed.

"Yeah," Rose replied slowly. "You know what they're like. Break in anywhere they know there's food. Thankfully it was only these few, but we had to check the entire cinema." She reached into the seat next to hers, where a small bag of popcorn sat. The Jilkes' ears perked up at the noise of the bag rustling, their noses sniffing the air hopefully, and Rose chucked a handful at them. It passed through the cage with a small buzzing sound and was pounced on immediately. Within seconds the food was gone and the chubby Jilkes went back to being idle.

"They look like those things from that thing on the telly," Jackie observed as she joined them. "You know? That cartoon all the kids went mad for a few years back? Mo's kid had all the toys."

"Pikachu?" Rose laughed as she watched them fondly. "They do a bit."

"Really lazy Pikachu," the Doctor mused as one walked into another, fell onto its side and curled up on the floor.

"Yeah, took a while for me and Neema to catch them all-"

"Nice," the Doctor cut in proudly.

Rose grinned. "Couldn't resist. Then, while we were waiting the live capture van, got an emergency call and she had to shoot off and help. You know how short staffed Greg's stag do has made us? Anyway, I had to wait with these little guys. Stuck on a film so I wouldn't be bored."

"What?"

"Oh, it's dead simple," Rose said, helping herself to popcorn. "It's just like a DVD really. None of those old reels like you see on TV."

"Shame, that," Jackie commented with a sigh. "'Spose everything's going digital, ain't it?"

"Excuse me," the Doctor said loudly, "but can we mourn the death of cinematic magic later? Hmm? I want to know why you told me about a code sixty three! Because being captivated by the plot of this drivel-" He nodded to the screen. "Does not count."

"It's had good reviews, actually," Jackie said, folding her arms.

Rose, sensing that he wasn't in the mood for any more jokes, ignored her mother for a change. "I told you there was a code sixty three because there was a code sixty three."

"Right, so where are the kidnappers?"

"What? Code sixty three is breaking and entering from suspected extra-terrestrial," said Rose, nodding to the Jilkes. While the Doctor felt the colour draining from his face, Rose's eyes were shining, as though she was putting two and two together and annoying reaching four. "You said kidnappers."

Why, when the place was closed and the customers had left hours ago, did the owners of the cinema feel the need to make the screens so damn hot at this time of day?

"I- I may have done."

Rose was now full-on smirking. "Code thirty six is kidnap, Doctor," she said, clearly straining to keep from laughing. "As you know, because you paid attention in your Torchwood training."

She had a very good point. She also had a very tight skirt and had worn it for that day of his training. It was the kind of skirt you shouldn't unleash on a being who wasn't fully used to human hormones if you wanted him to concentrate on anything else. It was also the kind of skirt you shouldn't mention being distracted by in front of the wearer's mother so the Doctor opted for his trusted back-up of talking until someone changed the subject for him.

"Of course, but it's good to keep on top of these things, isn't it? You shouldn't be on your own during missions. That's definitely against protocol! And I know this because I paid attention to my training. Very important, training. Training, training, training. Training. Did I ever tell you about-"

"Shut it, you plonker," Jackie snapped, turning to her daughter with a much softer look in her eyes. Although that didn't say much considering she looked like she was seriously considering putting him in a cage with the Jilkes. "Does this mean you're okay, Rose? No one is trying to hurt you?"

"No, mum," she smiled in response. "Well, he's probably going to send me to an early grave, but nothing I can't deal with."

"That's not fair!" the Doctor protested over Jackie's hissed insults. "There were other reasons to worry! Your phone's turned off!"

"Is it?" Rose stretched in her seat to reach her pocket and checked. "Battery must have died. You know what these stupid Torchwood issue ones are like. Stand under a zeppelin and it conks out."

"But... but your text!"

Rose shrugged. "Yeah?"

"Stuck with the killer?" he quoted and Jackie nodded. Everything else had just been further evidence to back up the message. If any of them had happened independently he would never have reacted in such a way. Well... maybe. But he'd have definitely have thought to double check his Torchwood training manual (currently being used as a doorstop in the kitchen) if it hadn't been for those four chilling words.

"What?" All humour left Rose's smile. Through all of the embarrassment, the Doctor knew his fear was showing and only now did she understand how severe it had been. "I said something about being home late because I was stuck looking after the Jilkes..." She trailed off, looking at the keypad of her phone. She mouthed some random letters and then blushed. Biting her lip, she looked back at him and smiled apologetically. "Ah. Auto-correct."

"You're kidding," Jackie exclaimed, snatching the phone from her daughter to double check.

The Doctor didn't need to. He could see it perfectly in his mind. Rose only half paying attention to her texting as she worked out how to work a projector and not realising that most people don't regularly use words that referenced aliens. While it was very narrow-minded of phone companies it was something Rose had moaned about before. In fact, he'd been working on a way to upgrade her phone to include every Pete's World language he knew just in case. She'd have sent the text and hunted down some popcorn, before making herself comfortable and waiting for her colleagues and hoping he wasn't too annoyed with her for abandoning him.

All the terror of the past couple of hours was slowly morphing into anger. How could she be so thoughtless? Before it could manifest itself as anything more than a scowl, he felt a warm hand touch his cheek. He met Rose's eyes and saw the apology there for everything that she had unwittingly put him through and he accepted it. They both knew the anxiety of the other being in trouble and the pain of being separated. Though they joked about many things normal people would find terrifying, they drew the line there.

Some things, no matter how well the wounds healed, would always hurt.

"But that last bit?" the Doctor whispered, leaning into her touch.

"The I-L-Y-X?"

He nodded. "I-I thought you'd had your phone taken from you and couldn't finish the message in time."

Rose smiled softly. "I love you, kiss."

As a reflex, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. "But what did it mean?"

"Oh..." Jackie gasped. "You muppet!"

"What? What have I done- Oh." Realisation may have replaced the confusion but it didn't make him feel much better. "How am I a muppet?" he fired back. "It's your daughter that can't text!"

"Hey, I was working!" Rose said, shoving him. "Not meant to be on my phone at all!"

"Punctuation, Rose, that's all I'm saying. Punctuation. And full sentences," he added.

"It's just an abbreviation! Everyone does it!"

"Not me! If I want to say something - especially something as meaningful and important as that - I would take the time to press a few extra buttons. It's not the sort of sentiment that should be cheapened by - by - LOL culture!" Once he had finished his impassioned rant, the Doctor sat back in his chair with a harrumph.

"I think your worth the few extra buttons," Rose said, nudging his knee. "Hashtag sorry."

"Hashtag fine."

"Hashtag really sorry."

With a sigh, the Doctor turned to face her again. He wasn't really mad, but had he been, her contrite expression would've evaporated it instantly anyway. "Hashtag can we stop hashtagging now because I'm nine hundred years old and shouldn't act like an ASBO hoodlum?"

Rose's answering smile drove away all of the residual unpleasantness of the evening like only it could and the Doctor wrapped an arm around her.

"I don't understand half the things you two come out with, I don't," muttered Jackie from beside the Doctor. "Pass us some of that popcorn, Rose. I still haven't had dinner thanks to someone."

A few minutes and couple more sharp words between Jackie and the Doctor later, Rose had finally lost her patience and told them to both just shut up and enjoy the film. Eventually the narrowed eyes and curled lips also stopped.

The film wasn't too bad from what the Doctor had seen, though he had no idea who was meant to be who. Although that probably made it all the more interesting in a way - especially when two people he thought were siblings shared a heated snog. In the back of his mind he felt guilty - this was a bit like stealing after all - so he asked Rose if she'd like to come and see a film another time. That way he could sneak three tickets worth into a till and take that small load off his conscience. The suggestion made Rose snuggle into him more so clearly it had been troubling her as well.

While he was wondering if he could convince Rose to watch a documentary instead of some of the insipid nonsense she usually made him watch, the scene in front of him showed a group of woman picking out wedding dresses. After several dresses that did not suit the actress in the slightest she was now wearing a rather beautiful one and her mother was crying. Over a dress. She was crying physical tears over a dress. A collection of silk and lace and she was crying about it. It made zero sense. If he ever got to see Rose in a wedding dress would he be expected to cry? Well, he'd already seen her in a wedding dress but that was an undercover rouse so probably didn't count.

The Doctor fidgeted in his seat. Maybe he'd better do more research into 21st century human weddings before he was a part of one...

"Do you reckon I should get one like that?" Rose whispered, playing with a strand of her hair, still watching the film.

"What?"

"The dress," she elaborated. Her eyes flicked to his to gauge his reaction. "Should I get one like that?"

"A wedding dress?"

"Yeah," Rose continued, with her full attention back on the screen. She bit her lip, apparently unaware that he had stopped breathing about ten seconds previously. "Not sure about the whole off the shoulder thing though."

"For a wedding?"

Maybe it was that he didn't answer her question or maybe it was the crack in his voice, but something made Rose look at him as though he was shoving marshmallows up his nose.

"Nah, for the next time I go paintballing with the team."

The corner of the Doctor's mouth twitched. "You're thinking about wedding dresses?"

As though she had only just realised the implications of her query, Rose turned back to the screen, but not before he'd spotted her blushing. "A bit," she mumbled.

She tried to make her reply casual and, as a result, it was anything but. It made his smile spread across his face and he made a content noise in the back of his throat. Hearing the noise, Rose glanced at him and blushed harder.

"Shut up."

"Don't suppose you've had any thoughts about the groom?" he teased.

"Hmm-mm," Rose nodded.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he needs to stop fishing."

"I am trying to watch this," complained Jackie.

"Sorry."

The Doctor settled back down, wishing there wasn't an armrest between him and Rose. She was thinking about it. She was really thinking about it. Despite her reassurances, the rejections had still stung. It was hard not to start thinking that maybe she didn't want him and was waiting for the full Time Lord or another, better, option to come along. She always went out of her way to let him know that wasn't the case but dark thoughts were never alone in his head and they liked to egg each other on.

But she was thinking about dresses. She was planning it in her head, planning the day she told him and the rest of the world that she would spend the rest of her life with him because she wanted to.

It was enough to make him see why people might cry over something as silly as a wedding dress.

Jackie sighed, breaking him out of his thoughts. "The dress is beautiful."

Rose hummed in agreement and threw another handful of popcorn at the Jilkes.

"Pockets, though?" Jackie continued loudly and the Doctor was thankful there weren't any other customers. "What's that about?"

"I like it," shrugged Rose. "Could come in handy."

Jackie carried on about how practicality should never be a consideration when dress shopping, but the Doctor wasn't listening. He was too busy kissing Rose's temple and nuzzling his nose against the side of her head.

"Big fan of pockets?" Rose giggled quietly.

"Oh yes."

Though she looked baffled, Rose was still chuckling when she turned to give him a quick kiss. If only Jackie hadn't been there...

"What's taking your backup so long to get here?" Jackie asked, holding her hand out so Rose could pass her some popcorn. "Must have been at least an hour."

Rose gave Jackie the bag, looking unconcerned. "Everyone's tied up dealing with this break-in at a warehouse. Alien tech was used, but nothing was stolen. Weird, right? And then there'd been all these reports of a speeding car causing havoc on the roads. I lucked out, really," she added with a laugh. "Sounds like a nightmare."

The Doctor and Jackie shared a look and silently agreed that there was no way that they would be able to get away with it forever, but there was no need to own up yet. Unbeknownst to Rose, they both nodded and turned back to film, faces as blank as possible.

"Yeah."

"Some people these days."

Thanks for reading!