Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.
Spoilers: Through The Satan Pit.
Author's Notes:Desperate to save Rose from a body snatching spirit, the Doctor resorted to establishing a forbidden bond between them. Now, he's just as desperate to keep them apart. When they visit a starlight festival for a little fun, he might very well get his wish. The much requested sequel to The Moonlit Cotillion.

The market was similar to many they'd visited throughout the universe, a congested arrangement of stalls with draped roofs of elaborately patterned cloth. The narrow alleys between sellers were bustling with cheerful shoppers in as great a variety as the wares on display. Most were holding umbrellas as protection from the particles drifting in the air.

Despite the crowd, the Doctor managed to guide them with ease, meandering between stalls that piqued his interest. But Rose could tell he was distracted, picking up objects at random rather than with his usual purposefulness. He paused to inspect what looked like a coconut when the crowd suddenly swelled, forcing Rose against his side. She grabbed his coat to anchor herself and the Doctor stiffened, coconut tumbling from his grasp to land with a thunk on the dusty ground below.

"Oi! You'd better pay for that if you've broken it!" bellowed the alien grocer, shaking his sizable fist in their direction.

"Er...yes. Of course. But...no harm done. See?" The Doctor scrambled to retrieve the coconut from where it had fallen and tossed it to the irate alien. "C'mon, Rose! Plenty more to see." He grabbed her hand and hurriedly tugged her in the opposite direction.

Rose stumbled after him, struggling to remain beneath the umbrella as she matched his quick pace. They pushed through the throng of shoppers, passing so many that after awhile all she could register were similarities. "They all look so...happy. I mean, everyone."

"Nice day. Lovely shopping. Festival tonight. Something to look forward to. What's not to enjoy?"

"But...everyone?"

"Well..." the Doctor started, falling silent when he realized her prognosis was absolutely correct. He chastised himself for not noticing it sooner. Rose was proving a more ample distraction than he'd anticipated. Especially when she was concentrating and her nose wrinkled just like that...

"La-tah-kar," she pronounced, reading one of the many signs above the stalls. "What is it? S'not translated. Is it old, then? Like on that impossible planet?"

He shook his head. "Nah. The TARDIS translated it phonetically. She just couldn't find an equivalent word in your language."

"What about in yours?" she asked tentatively.

The Doctor remained silent, rocking back on his heels, eyes darting over the signs.

"They've all got it," she continued. "In drinks an' food an' sweets. Just the kick you need, it says."

"Who'd want to be kicked?" Handing Rose the umbrella, he stalked over to the closest stall advertising the unknown substance and rapped his hand against the counter. "Must be an additive of some kind. Hello? What's latakar?"

"Oh, c'mon. Don't be daft." The alien behind the counter rolled all five of his eyes in unison. "Everyone's takin' it."

"Everyone?"

"'Course. It's an enhancer."

"And it enhances..."

"Makes ya' happy. Just a little jolt, y'know. Not dangerous."

"Mmmm..." The Doctor donned his glasses, leaning so close to the clear jug on the counter that his nose brushed the glass. "Looks...benign," he determined, straightening. "Still. Better have a real test. I'll take one of your...pints, yes."

"That'll be eight beans."

"Oh, right. Payment. Money." He patted the front of his suit and then buried both hands in his coat pockets. "Aha!" he exclaimed, one hand emerging with a small plastic package. "An' look! Got a bit left over."

Rose looked at the package with skepticism. "Aren't those...?"

"Kidney beans? Yep." The Doctor paid and the shopkeeper poured him a tall glass of the brew. "Lovely. Bottoms up!" Without hesitating, he lifted the glass and took a large gulp.

"So?"

"Exactly as the man said. Slight mood enhancer. Only a little more effective than caffeine." He grimaced and stuck out his tongue. "Bleh. Bit bitter though." Setting the glass down, he perked up as he noticed a particular building at the edge of the market. "Ooooooo! Look, Rose! Hot springs!"

"Really?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh, yes. They're everywhere on this planet. So common the locals find them positively boring. Originally, all that heat, all that steam, provided power for their burgeoning industries. Now, just a tourist attraction." He knew she was interested by the excitement that effervesced from her skin. Now all the more tangible with the connection the necklace provided. He needed space to breathe; to stop being so very distracted. "You should take a dip. Relax. Unwind. I'll just...pop into a saloon or two. Get the gossip. Meet you in front in an hour."

She bit her lip, eyes flickering between him and the building he indicated. "You sure?"

"Positive."

She nodded slowly. "All right. In front in an hour."

"Splendid. You'll love it, Rose. Just the thing to relieve a bit of tension." He cheerfully ushered her to the brightly painted door and gave her a generous handful of the beans. "Just don't get too waterlogged!"

Stepping through the door, Rose suddenly had a sinking feeling that she should have stayed with the Doctor. The exterior of the building had looked inviting, but the pleasant atmosphere did not continue in the room beyond. The battered floorboards creaked as she entered and the sound caught the attention of the balding man seated behind the front desk.

"Afternoon," he greeted, barely glancing up from the newspaper spread across the desk. "Here for a dip in the spring?"

"Yeah," she confirmed, taking in the faded wallpaper and dusty furniture.

"Visiting by yourself?"

"Um...yeah," she lied. If the apprehension in her gut was any indication, there was trouble brewing and she didn't want to reveal her cohort just yet.

"Well, I'll have Ann take you in back then." Reaching across the desk, he firmly pressed a button embedded in the wood.

"Thanks. Um, how much is it?"

He smiled and returned to his perusal of the newspaper. "Pretty girl, like you? On the house."

Before Rose could insist, a meek girl in a black dress appeared in the curtained doorway beside the desk. She said nothing, but gestured for Rose to follow. Taking a deep fortifying breath, Rose stepped through the doorway and allowed the girl to lead her further inside the building.

The hallway beyond was equally drab with decor that reminded Rose of the cheap horror films she used to watch on dates with Mickey. The complete silence of the girl was certainly not helping ease her trepidation.

"Seems pretty quiet," Rose observed, determined to coax the girl into a conversation. "No one visiting for the festival?"

"They're all here for the fireworks," Ann replied softly. "Ever been to a hot spring?"

"No."

Ann nodded and stopped in front of another curtained doorway. "There's a changing room in there. Bathing attire and towels on the shelves. The spring is just through the door at the back."

"Right. Thanks."

Nodding once more, Ann hurried away, disappearing around a corner a few yards away.

Cautiously, Rose lifted the corner of the curtain and peeked into the room beyond. It was tidier than what she'd seen so far and she began to doubt her initial fears. She'd been traveling with the Doctor for so long that she saw trouble lurking in every shadow. In every dusty corner.

With a sigh, she decided to ignore her apprehension and enjoy the hot spring. After a brief struggle that tested what remained of her gymnastic flexibility, she managed to loosen the corset. Her chest still hurt when she breathed too deeply, but the Doctor had assured her she'd be fine. "No shouting or marathon running," he'd instructed.

She giggled when she found the simple chemise and bloomers meant to serve as bathing attire. No doubt she'd cause a riot in the bikini she usually wore swimming. She briefly wondered what the Doctor would say if she paraded into the console room wearing only that. Before their last adventure, she'd have thought he wouldn't notice. But now they were married. Married.

The Doctor had saved her life like he always did, only this time he'd had to go a step further in order to succeed. A bonding, he'd called it. In his culture that meant they were married. Although it was quite possible marriage meant something entirely different for Time Lords.

So far, the only thing she'd noticed was the Doctor's new tendency for being easily startled. Touch had been an integral part of their relationship from the very moment he grabbed her hand in the basement of Henrik's. But in the market, he'd jumped whenever she got close. He was acting like a nervous teenager on a first date, not the nine hundred year old alien who wasn't the least bit interested in her.

Biting her lip, she paused in front of a mirror, touching the necklace that symbolized their new relationship. It shimmered softly in the warm light and for the first time she noticed a faint engraving. She wondered how old it was that the design was almost completely worn away. Considering the Doctor's age, it could be centuries old. Millennia, even. She might not be the first to wear it.

She wished she could ask the TARDIS for help keeping the Doctor stationary long enough to answer her questions. She wouldn't let him ignore this and pretend it had never happened. He needed to tell her the truth this time.

Deciding she could ruminate further in the spring, she grabbed a towel and stepped outside. The first thing she noticed was the humidity. The air was thick and sticky and the stones beneath her feet were slick with moisture. She'd entered a small enclosure surrounded by a tall wooden fence that was desperately in need of repairs. There were several scraggly trees close to the fence and a stone walkway lined the perimeter. All of this surrounded a deep pool of pink water.

Pink water.

No wonder the Doctor hadn't been interested. Cautiously, Rose edged closer and dipped a foot in the water. It was pleasantly hot, not quite scalding, and it left her skin feeling slightly tingly. Grinning, she sat at the edge of the pool and eased her body into the water. She had just settled and was beginning to relax when she heard footsteps on the walkway. Quickly turning to face the door, she discovered it was only the girl that worked at the spring.

"Thought you might like some tea," Ann explained, carefully setting a tray at the edge of the pool.

"Oh. Thanks," Rose mumbled, embarrassed at having ever thought the girl might be a threat.

Ann nodded and hurried away, sandals slapping on the wet stones.

Scooting to the edge of the pool, Rose lifted the small tea pot and poured a cup. Taking a sip, she grimaced at the bitter taste. It burned her throat as she swallowed and the unpleasant sensation continued all the way to her stomach. Coughing uncontrollably, she dropped the cup and the pottery shattered. She tried to climb out of the water, but discovered her limbs were strangely unresponsive. She felt feverish, her vision blurring as the world refused to remain stationary. Finally, she managed to drag herself onto the walkway and collapsed against the rough stones. She gasped, desperately fighting the darkness that threatened to pull her under, shouting his name even though she knew he wouldn't be able to hear. "Doctor..."