Disclaimer: Obviously and unfortunately not mine

Standing in the rain

Harry Saxon was a patient man. He had spent ten years building a life for himself (albeit a fake one), even going so far as to marry poor Lucy Stone and starting his own business. He quite liked his little human life, playing the part of devoted husband and dedicated business man, although it was nothing like his former life. Here he was safe, hidden away from his past and the rest of his kind, playing with the stupid apes like they were pieces in a chess game.

He liked this world, everything about it appealed to him, except of course that blasted Torchwood Institute, run by Pete Tyler. He had been involved in the whole Cybermen incident, as had many others (including Harry himself), but unlike most, Pete Tyler had managed to rise from the ashes victorious and as a national hero. He and that insipid wife of his had even reunited and procreated.

Torchwood was investigating him, he knew that much already, even before he had gone into politics. Pete Tyler was apparently quite a suspicious man and he didn't trust Harry further than he could throw him (he had said so himself at a party). This posed quite the problem for Harry, who was reading himself to be the next President, but with Torchwood as a potential enemy this would be almost impossible. Barely a year after Torchwood has launched its (secret) investigation into his life they had become the very centre of his frustration and hate!

It seemed Harry's only true joy was a young woman, Johna Smith, who he had met accidentally, when she emptied a glass of red wine on his favourite jacket at a party for the current President, one Harriet Jones. Johna was pretty, a bit blonde, but pretty nonetheless, and smart. Oh she was not book clever, but she was so smart that Harry had been infatuated the minute she opened her mouth. They started to spend time together, when Harry wasn't at the office. He knew he wasn't supposed to let some silly girl deter him from his goal, but he just couldn't help himself, Johna was… well, just perfect, really! She even believed him when he spoke of the greater galaxy and the fact that humans were not the only ones out there. Johna told him about her rather unusual name (her father wanted a boy so bad and when she was born a girl she was named Johna instead of John), her upbringing with a distant mother and an even more distant father and how she didn't feel anyone understood her besides him.

It wasn't until later Harry truly understood how easy it had been for Rose Tyler to play him for a fool. He had discovered her true identity purely by accident; her mother had left a voicemail on her phone and that had been all he needed to know. He had been beyond furious after that and ready to deal with her, but somehow she had managed to escape his grasps. Actually, it was like she had just disappeared into thin air. Later he would learn the truth, but not before Pete Tyler emptied his gun into Harry's chest and left him for dead in his office and then disappearing as well.

He had kept his human name, Harry Saxon. It suited him and he had grown attached to it. He didn't appreciate having to start over in a new dimension, but he knew a second chance when he saw one and this was his opportunity to get revenge. Currently he was standing outside a small apartment complex, apparently the new home of Rose Tyler. He had been able to sniff her out, her scent was unlike any other's. But there was something else that worried him, something that made him cautious in taking action; a distinct smell of Time Lord was practically surrounding the complex, the whole city actually, and it confused Harry to no end. So for now he resigned himself to following Rose Tyler and hoping she would bring about some clues that could shed light on the situation.

"We should go out.""Gwen, I'm not going out" Rose said for the fifth time.

"Why not, a girls night out is just what we need" Gwen said. "Isn't that right, Tosh."

"I really don't care" came Tosh's rather uninterested answer.

"Look at the two of you. You look like old ladies, just sitting here waiting for death to come and claim you. All you need is something to knit."

"Actually, it is getting colder, I could use a scarf and some mittens" Rose said.

"Would you listen to yourselves? This is pathetic. I bet the boys are out, right now, having fun!"

"Then go join them" Rose argued. "We're busy wallowing in our own self pity." Tosh nodded in agreement.

"Oh come on, it'll be good for us. Go out, get drunk, dance dirty on the bar tables…"

"Will it make you shut up" Tosh asked in a tired voice.

"Yes!"

"Fine, fine…. We'll go" Rose said.

"But I'm not taking my top of this time" Tosh said as they left Rose's apartment.

"This is… Nice." Rose sounded unsure as she looked at her surroundings. The bar was the seediest place she had ever been and that was saying something for an estate-girl.

"Owen comes here sometimes" Tosh said and sipped her beer. She really wasn't a very strong drinker and she had to be careful with the amount she consumed. Rose and Gwen, on the other hand, were working on their third beer and Gwen had just ordered them a round of shots.

"When are you going to do something about your crush on him" Gwen asked and swallowed half her beer.

"I… I don't have a crush on Owen" Tosh spluttered, which caused Rose to break into a loud laugh. When both Gwen and Tosh shot her dirty looks she turned her gaze to her beer and mumbled a quiet "sorry".

"Tosh, really, it's obvious that you fancy him…"

"And I think it's also quite obvious that the feeling is not returned" Tosh said and suddenly felt the need for alcohol to manage through this conversation.

"What do you mean" Rose asked.

"Owen apparently prefers welsh women who are already committed" Tosh mumbled and emptied her glass before ordering another one.

"Tosh…" Gwen started. "It was never really like that…"

"No? Sure seemed like it. Or was it just something to pass the time? Make Jack jealous?"

"I'm not sure I'm following" Rose said and looked confused.

"I slept with Owen!" It came out so much louder than Gwen had intended and a few of the bars patrons turned around and sent them curious looks. "Several times" Gwen added in a whisper.

"Oh…" Rose said. There was a few minutes of silence where the bartender served Tosh a new beer and they emptied their first round of shots. "I slept with the Doctor" Rose suddenly blurted out. She immediately clasped both her hands over her mouth.

"I knew it" Gwen said triumphantly and took another shot.

"Don't turn my life into a drinking game" Rose said as Tosh followed Gwen's lead. "This is serious. If my mum ever find out she'll kill me."

"Then tell us, not her" Gwen said.

"It really was an accident…"

"How do you sleep with someone on accident?" Again Gwen's booming voice attracted several curious glances.

"It just sort of happened. We were talking and then we were kissing and then there was no shoes, no shirts, no…"

"I think we get it" Tosh intervened. "But… I though you had an argument, a fight. That's why he left."

"We did. He really wasn't feeling it the morning after" Rose said and took her last shot.

Gwen turned around to the bartender. "We are gonna need a couple more of these!"

"It was pathetic!"

"What? The sex? Maybe he was just shy" Tosh said.

"No not the… sex" Rose almost whispered the word, like Jackie was lurking around somewhere just waiting for Rose to say the magic words so she could step in and lock her up forever. "The morning after. Complete mess!" Rose took another shot and immediately slammed her head on the table. "I feel bad…"

"That's just the vodka talking" Gwen said.

"Did you sleep with Jack as well" Tosh suddenly asked.

An eerie silence fell over the table as Rose closed her eyes and fought the oncoming nausea. Maybe drinking in her state was a bad idea? And Gwen had found a sudden interest in her nails.

"Honestly? Both of you?"

"Actually, I had a boyfriend back then" Rose rambled. "Mickey…. Mickey the Idiot. He was my boyfriend"

"You're not making any sense" Gwen said.

"Well, you're avoiding the question" Rose fired back.

"So are you!"

"I didn't sleep with him. He wasn't interested in me, he wanted the Doctor."

"Really?" Gwen was a bit shocked, but after a second though. "Well, I kinda understand him…"

"What?"

"Yeah, the Doctor, albeit a bit weird, is… He's quite nice. Don't you think, Tosh?"

Tosh looked a little embarrassed. "Yeah he is. Bit pompous maybe, but definitely nice.""Shut up! The guy shags me then dump me because he doesn't like "what I've become" and then he practically flees the Milkyway to get away from me. And you two think he's nice?"

"His nose is big" Tosh blurted out. "Very big!"

"You should've seen it before" Rose said. "This is nothing!"

"Well, his hair is completely ridiculous" Gwen said. "Honestly, what grown up looks like one of the Backstreet Boys?"

"Yeah and pinstripes?" Tosh made a funny sound and Gwen chimed in.

"Thanks" Rose said. "I really thought he loved me. After everything we went through, everything that happened. I spent three years pining away, waiting for him and when I finally returns he just… scolds me like I'm a little schoolgirl. And I'm left there, just standing in the rain wondering why he won't love me, if it's me, if there's something wrong with me since he won't love me! It feels like he just ripped my heart out and stepped on it. Stupid git!"

"Pompous idiot" Gwen agreed.

"But now all I can think about is how I made this huge mistake by forcing him to confront his feelings. He doesn't do domestics, he said so himself. I'm so stupid!"

"Rose, you're not stupid" Tosh said and gently stroked the back of Rose's head.

"I am… I could've just gone with him, waited until he was ready… But I was so stubborn, I pushed him away. And now I don't even have a phone number so I can call him and say I'm sorry."

"Good! 'Cause you shouldn't be" Gwen said in a stern voice. "That pinstriped Backstreet Boy should be apologizing to you!"

"I need to throw up" was Rose's reply.

"Jack's nice" Rose said, her head resting on the toilet seat.

"So it's Jack now" Gwen asked, trying to keep the jealous tone to a minimum, while still holding Rose's hair.

"No not like that… It's just… I can understand why you'd want to be with him. He's nice, really nice."

"And hot" Tosh said. Both Gwen and Rose looked incredulously at her. "What? I'm not blind, Jack's gorgeous! Just because I'm not hanging on his every word (she shoulder-bumped Gwen who almost tipped over in the small booth) doesn't mean I haven't noticed!"

"Toshiko Sato, as I live and breathe! I never thought I'd see the day you actually admitted that you're a woman of lust" Gwen laughed.

"Gwen" Tosh almost whined. "Shut up, I'm not! I'm just…"

"Appreciative" Rose offered from her position on the floor. "I appreciate a lot" she laughed. "We should call Jack!"

"And Owen" Gwen said and fumbled for her phone.

"And Rhys" Tosh asked.

"Nooooooooooo" Gwen yelled with a smile. "I'm dumping that bastard!" They all laughed at that. "But maybe we should get you cleaned up first?"

"No, I wanna call Jack and Owen" Rose almost yelled and grabbed Gwen's phone. "Jack" she yelled into the phone. "I just threw up!"

"Silly bint" Gwen laughed and took her phone back. "Hello sexy" she greeted Jack. "You should come down and have a drink with us, we're at Dirty Dicks" she laughed and promptly hung up before handing the phone to Tosh. "Call Owen!"

"Hello, Owen? It's Tosh…" Rose started to laugh again. "We're just having some drinks at Dirty Dicks, why don't you join us?" Before she could say anymore Gwen had snatched the phone.

"What about Ianto" Tosh asked.

"Ianto hates me. Did you know that" Rose asked.

"Yes" Gwen said. "I'll text him, he hates that."

"Good" Rose said with a smile.