Ch 17

"Is that what you came to tell me?" John asked, his voice as cold as his hands, "that I should have worn a coat?"

"No, don't be silly, but you really should have," she raised his fingers to her mouth and blew a hot breath on them, attempting to warm them up.

He tried to remove his hands from hers but she held on tightly, surprising him with her strength.

She paused, clearly looking for the right words. John steeled himself, waiting for the awful truth to come out he couldn't look her in the eyes as he tried to keep the outward appearance of calm.

"I'm sorry I called you by the wrong name," she started, "you reminded me so much of him in that moment, and it just slipped out. I've never been good with names, I used to call all my boyfriends 'stud' so I didn't have to worry about keeping them straight," she laughed nervously at this and stole a glance at John hoping he would laugh to but his expression was a blank mask as he stared into space.

Rose sidled in closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, "but that doesn't mean I don't love you," she felt him take in a sharp breath at this and so wanted to see if his stony mask had slipped but didn't think this was the time, "if he, The Doctor, was here, right now and I had to choose between the two of you, I'd pick you. No contest."

This time she did look up, but he was still rock still and unmoving, "in the end, no one stays with him, it's like a rite of passage for a select few. You travel a bit with The Doctor, while you're with him you're the most important person in the universe, but then he moves on and gets another companion, and leaves us behind."

"I would never leave you," John almost whispered.

She put her arm around his waist and pulled him in tight, "and I don't want you to. If you did I'd probably get married off to one of Pete's high society pals and become a social climber like my mum."

His laughter was sweet music to her ears, and he finally looked at her, "now that would be a sight," he smiled, "I can see you in one of those sparkly dresses, hair piled up..."

"Oi!" she smacked him playfully on the arm, "I could pull that look off!"

"If you do wear one of those dresses," John leered comically, "I'll help you pull it off."

Rose grinned at that imagery, making up her mind to 'borrow' one of her mum's collection to accomplish this scene.

"Promise me you won't call me 'stud'," John laughed.

"You have definitely earned the title," Rose joked, "but I promise," she made a vague gesture of crossing her heart. Then her expression changed to a frown, "please don't ever run off on me like that again, even though I've only known you for a short time I can't imagine my life without you."

John held out his free hand, "I swear that I will never leave you, unless you tell me to."

She shook his proffered hand, "deal," then raising herself up a bit she planted a passionate kiss on his lips, "sealed with a kiss," she chuckled and then settled back into his arms.