A/N: Right, so, so sorry people for the long wait! Hope it's worth it...

6. Cocca

The Doctor was still laughing when Harla appeared. The older woman shot him a confused look, which quickly turned to shock as she realised that half his face was stained black and purple. With a startled gasp, she rushed over, and began to fuss.

"Oh, look at you!" She scolded with a loving, almost maternal tone to her voice. He winced as she gently examined the bruise.
"Now Harla," He said as she continued to fuss over him, clearly uncomfortable. I watched with a satisfied smile on my face, all thoughts of escape having flown from my mind. "This isn't necessary"-

Harla took no notice of him. "This is a nasty bruise, master, and you've got a small cut on the back of your neck that quite deep. It's too shallow for stitches but will need a bandage"-

I choked back a laugh as a faint pink spot appeared on the Doctor's good cheek. It deepened in colour when he caught me watching.

"Er, really now- shouldn't you be taking more care over our guest than me?" It seemed that Harla hadn't noticed me before the Doctor pointed me out, and the moment she realised she transferred her fussing over to me. I flinched in surprise as she ran a critical finger over the small gash on my hand, and took half a step backwards. Harla frowned, annoyed.

"Really, Miss Tyler." The old woman scolded. "We are not here to do you any harm; if we were don't you think we would have done it when my master brought you here unconscious instead of waiting for six hours until you were awake and stronger?"

I couldn't argue with the woman's cool logic, so I muttered a sheepish. "I guess so." And then paused, my eyes narrowing at the younger Doctor, who returned my gaze easily.

"Why are you calling the Doctor 'master'?" I asked, and Harla shot me a patronizing glance.

"I rather thought the master of the house is always referred to as 'sir' or master." Harla replied. "Or are you in disagreement with tradition, Miss?"

I blinked and then looked over at the Doctor incredulously. "Wait a minute, you own this place?!"

"Every inch of it." He grinned smugly. I couldn't get the shock off my in face. "There's no need to look so surprised, Rose."

"What do you want with a house?" I spluttered. "You always said you hated living in them!"

He frowned. "When did I say that?"

I bit my lip, hard- I hadn't meant to say that. "I-I don't know." I lied quickly. "Must have imagined it."

He didn't seem to buy my lie, but didn't say anything more to me. Instead, he turned to Harla and his voice automatically took on a more commanding tone. "Harla, would you please alert Miss Angeletti that there is a smashed vase in the hallway."

With a dutiful nod, the woman scuttled off, and as soon as she had gone he shot me a sheepish look.

"I hate ordering them about, but Harla refuses to call me Doctor or speak if I don't 'give her permission' first." He said, and I smiled. Underneath, my Doctor was there, just in a slightly younger body.

Without meaning to, I shivered, remembering again that I was wearing nothing but black and red lace. I felt my face heat again as I saw the Doctor glance at me, his gaze fiercely locked on my face, as if he was determined to help me retain the most dignity I could in the situation. He half-smiled as I shivered, and without a word shrugged out of the red robe coat thing he was wearing. He tossed the red material at me and I gratefully draped it over my shoulders, the heat of the young Doctor's body making the shivers instantly quell. I glanced over at him as I rolled the sleeves up and noticed he was wearing a deep red shirt with black underneath- the sheer oddity of seeing the Doctor in normal- well, normal-ish;the clothes were oddly eighteenth century -clothes made me speechless for a second; something that made him smile. "It's pay by the minute to stare in public." He joked and I realised I'd probably looked like I was slobbering over him. I averted my eyes and stared around at my surroundings instead.

It was a large entrance room with a pair of large double doors leading to the living room. They were flung open- showing the room behind- and made from polished oak. The doors were opposite the front door- which was equally large, if not bigger; and made from the same wood. Two staircases with mahogany handrails flanked the living room doors, sloping upwards to the second floor, which continued in both directions. Everywhere the carpet was deep red- although it faded to a golden cream colour in the living room; there were also several very expensive-looking silk rugs draped over the floor, all of them rich green or pure blue, contrasting nicely with the red.

"How do you afford all of this?" I asked, still gazing about in wonder- everything was clearly expensive, and I was almost positive that the painting's hanging on all of the walls were probably priceless originals. The Doctor had never mentioned that he'd been filthy rich to me- but then again he'd never really mentioned much about his past life. The younger Doctor interrupted my thoughts with a short laugh.

"Oh, I don't live here." He answered, smiling as he directed me into the living room. "I sort of… inherited it and the servants from a close friend of mine. Varen decided he would try the quiet solitude of a TARDIS, so he left this to me. I'm sort of... keeping it, at the moment."
"So you don't own it." I argued, my voice smug- I had an unquenchable urge to annoy him for a bit, after his smugness before at finding me straddling him. He shrugged emotionlessly, as if he had guessed my whim and was refusing to let me annoy him.

"Personally, no- but it's my name on the deeds and I pay the money to keep it running- it's my name on the letters addressed to the house and when people ask for the master of the house it's me they're asking for. So technically, Rose Tyler, I do own it."

I quickly hid my annoyance at his smart reply, and instead looked at my fingernails in disdain. I saw him smirk at me and I hissed silently. Damn him and his young cockiness.

I frowned with frustration- why couldn't I ever best him, even when he's younger?!

"So, Rose Tyler, are you hungry? Because I know I am." The young Doctor asked, his voice mild, and I noticed how his gaze lingered on me for a moment too long. I smirked- he has a thing for me, I thought as I watched him swallow and look away out of the corner of my eye.

Oh Doctor, you are so not going to hear the end of this when I see you again, I thought evilly; treating myself to an internal cackle.

If I ever see you again.

Just as before, my fears returned and I glanced around, confused. Why weren't we getting attacked by Reapers? I was meddling in history just by being here, and still it was going unnoticed. Maybe it had something to do with being on a Gallifrey; the centre of Time itself, more or less.

I noticed him looking at me again, and tried to swallow the fear that I could feel building up inside me. If it hasn't happened already, I tried to tell myself, it won't happen at all.

If only I could believe that.

"Ahem." The Doctor coughed impatiently, and it was all I could do not to smile- even this young he was just the same. "I believe I was enquiring about the subject of sustenance?!" He said poshly, and then relaxed into a grin. "Come on- the kitchen awaits."

* * *

Ten minutes later and I had a huge plate of something that looked and smelled delicious placed in front of me. I tried to control the grumble from my stomach (I wasn't even attempting to curb the mouth-watering) but failed completely, and I shot the Doctor an apologetic look.

"Don't worry about it- you haven't eaten in a while I'm guessing." He laughed and pushed the plate further towards me, and I groaned, picking up the fork next to my hand. I knew better than to think there would be anything harmful in the food or water- this was the Doctor, after all. Young or old, he was still the same person. Hesitantly, I placed a forkful of whatever it was on my tongue experimentally.

And almost purred with taste pleasure at the taste- let's just say, it was mere seconds before the plate was clean. I had to resist licking the plate, and only for dignity reasons. The Doctor's eyebrows rose.

"Like it?" He remarked lightly, and I nodded tiredly. He smiled with approval and motioned to the two people standing by the door.

"Thank you, Yeri." He said softly as the woman picked up my empty plate and took it away. I murmured my thanks and she smiled at me as she walked away. "And Allias," He turned to the man. "Could you please get us the usual."

"Of course, sir." I caught the Doctor's pained expression and grinned.

* * *

The 'usual' turned out to be Cocca; a drink that faintly resembled coffee, but it tasted more like hot chocolate with a sweet fruit aftertaste. Allias brought us one each, and I instantly fell in love with mine from the first sip. Warmth had spread from my stomach to my fingertips in one tingling wave, and I finished mine quickly.

"Here," The Doctor smirked after he caught me eyeing his mug. "Have it." He pushed it towards me and I snatched it quickly, oblivious to the rudeness. He didn't seem to mind though, only smiled as I drank.

"So," he said when I finished the second cup, licked my lips and settled into the softness wool of the woolly blanket I had wrapped around me. He looked at me steadily, and I returned his gaze sleepily.

"Why don't you tell me at what point in my future you crop up, Rose Tyler?"