Much to the Doctor's delight, the innkeeper did indeed have a few bananas. He promptly began working his way through them while praising the benefits of potassium between mouthfuls. Jackie looked on apprehensively as he finished his third and started on a fourth.

"Now that I've only got one heart, I have to take extra good care of it. Potassium is excellent for the ol' ticker, Jackie!"

"Sure it is, but you probably only have one stomach now too, you plum! Don't start moaning when your belly starts to ache, you hear? And you better not even think about getting sick on that car ride!"

"I've only ever had the one stomach… Who told you I had two?" asked the Doctor, immediately turning to Rose who shrugged and shook her head.

"No one, but who knows what all you used to have two of… I asked Rose once, but she didn't seem too keen to share. Never did get a proper look when they got you in Howard's jimjams… "

Rose choked on her tea, cheeks flushing red.

The Doctor stared at the two women, confused. Deciding he would never understand half of the things those two got on about, he shrugged his shoulders and went back to eating his banana.

Jackie seemed to have awoken quite refreshed and in her usual talkative mood. As the miles stretched on, she told the Doctor all about her new life; the perks of being married to a multimillionaire, all the new charity functions she regularly attends, and of course, her son Tony.

The Doctor smiled, nodded, and ooh and ahh'ed at all the appropriate times but his mind was really on the woman sitting beside him. Rose had become quiet and withdrawn again, mostly staring out the window at the passing scenery.

Reaching across the empty seat between them (Jackie had chosen to sit up front, claiming even he wasn't skinny enough for all three of them to fit back there comfortably) the Doctor covered Rose's right hand with his left. She emerged from her thoughts long enough to glance over at him and give a small smile. Looking down at their hands, Rose flipped her palm over in order to intertwine her fingers though his.

"You ok, Rose?"

"I'm fine, Doctor," she replied softly and turned away again, continuing to look out the car window.

They both knew she wasn't fooling anyone with that response, but he decided not to prod and Rose was grateful for it. Instead, the Doctor gave her hand a gentle squeeze which she reciprocated. The last forty five minutes were spent in relative silence, with the exception of Jackie's conversation with Pete on her mobile.

They arrived at the airstrip ahead of schedule, so while they waited for the zeppelin to finish being readied, Rose excused herself for a quick trip to the loo. The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels as his gaze followed Rose into the terminal nearby.

"You're doing fine, Doctor."

His attention snapped back to Jackie. She was wearing a knowing smile on her face.

"She's been so quiet since we left Bad Wolf Bay, it feels like she's slipping away again, Jackie."

"Doctor, the last time you two were separated she insisted on waiting five and a half hours by that wall at Torchwood. She was convinced you would come back for her. Pete and Mickey had to drag her away kicking and screaming when it came down to it –"

"Jackie, you have to believe me, I would have-"

"I know, love, I know. But what I mean is that I think part of her wishes she were still back there, waiting. Leaving today must have been as hard, if not harder, than leaving that wall all those years ago. I think the only reason she's even here now is thanks to you. "

"He won't though… come back, I mean. You know that, right?"

"I know, and as much as I hate seeing her go through this again, I certainly hope he doesn't ever change his mind. You're what's best for my daughter now, not him."

The Doctor was taken by surprise. He was still in awe at how accepting of him she was being.

"Oh don't look so surprised! I know you can give Rose what she deserves, half alien and all. I am grateful the other you realized that and put Rose's happiness before his own. I will always be indebted to him for that."

"As will I, Jackie… I just hope I'm enough for her."

"You will be, sweetheart. Just keep on doing whatever it is you've been doing. She just needs some time."

A few minute later Rose was walking back towards them and Jackie decided she better go badger the pilot to see what was taking so long. It would be a seven hour flight, so the sooner they got going the sooner she would be back home with Pete and Tony.

"Where'd mum go?"

"To yell at the pilot, I expect… "

Rose shook her head, a slight grin on her face.

"Poor bloke… Mum hates traveling by zeppelin. She's going to be unbearable until we get back home."

"Your mother, unbearable? I can't imagine what that must be like…"

Rose looked up at the Doctor and found him grinning down at her, eyes twinkling with mischief. She smacked his arm lightly and had to suppress a snicker.

The Doctor started to reach for her hand when Jackie called out to them from the zeppelin boarding dock. It was time to go. Rose's expression closed off as she looked over her shoulder back in the direction they had come from. She gave her head the slightest of shakes, almost imperceptible, and then turned towards the zeppelin and started walking. The Doctor clenched and unclenched his empty hand a few times, took a deep breath and followed.

Once aboard the zeppelin, Rose disappeared. He saw her go down a long corridor and was about to follow when a hand caught him on his forearm.

"Let her be for a little while, Doctor. She'll join us when she's ready. "

Jackie steered him in the opposite direction and began showing him around the airship.

"It's going to be a long trip so I may as well show you around, yeah? That way if missy back there decides to hole herself up for a while you'll know what else there is to do onboard other than just sitting in the main cabin."

The Doctor didn't need a tour, of course. He would much rather do the exploring on his own, but Jackie has been so kind over the past twenty four hours that he supposed it wouldn't be so bad, letting her show him around. Just this once, of course.

Room by room Jackie prattled on about this or that, explaining how Pete had had this world's poshest zeppelin made for her, in the hopes that she wouldn't hate them quite so much. It hadn't worked, of course, but she tried not to complain as much when they traveled… at least not to Pete. Everyone else, well, they were fair game.

"They're just so slow! Back home it would take under two hours to make this trip! It's so odd that this world is advanced in so many things yet so behind in others. Gives me a headache, it does."

"Ah, but where's your sense of adventure, Jackie? Think of all the little differences out there just waiting to be discovered! This is a whole new world, this is! I didn't get to explore much of it last time but now…"

Caught up in his excitement the Doctor left his statement hanging in the air as he walked over to windows of the promenade and looked out in silence. Jackie could see the excitement building on his countenance as he planned who knows what crazy escapade in that alien mind of his.

"Well, I'm gonna go have a lie down. You stay out of trouble, yeah? Don't go breaking anything!"

The Doctor turned around looking scandalized.

"I would never. Honestly Jackie, your mistrust wounds me!"

Jackie rolled her eyes and walked off muttering to herself. The Doctor couldn't help but smile at this woman who could be so gruff at times but who was equally as loving and protective of those she cared for as well. His first day of life would have been completely different, and not in a good way, without her acceptance and encouragement. It was no wonder Rose had grown into the amazing woman she was with a mother like Jackie Tyler. Not that he would ever admit that out loud…

As his thoughts turned back to Rose, the Doctor tried not to let his newfound insecurity take hold. Apparently he had inherited this particular character trait from Donna, although not quite as pronounced. He had no doubt he was still absolutely brilliant, half human and all, but when it came to his future with Rose, all that confidence faltered.

Walking back to the main deck, he wondered where Rose had gotten off to. His instinct was to go in search of her but he remembered Jackie's counsel to give her some space. It had worked last night, so he forced himself to be patient and wait for her to come to him. In the meanwhile he needed to keep himself busy, so he wandered over to the library off the main deck and began thumbing through a collection of this new universe's literature.

Three hours later, Rose made her way to the library after not finding him on the main deck or in the galley. When she did locate him, her stomach gave an involuntary flop as she observed him quietly from the doorway. He was lounging on the couch, brainy specs on and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he read. She had come upon him in this very same position countless times, only in a different library. The incongruence of the situation pained her but much like the previous night, she needed to be near him again after spending some time alone.

The Doctor looked up from his book when he felt Rose's presence. Putting it down, he sat up and gave her a hesitant smile.

"Hello."

Rose walked over and plopped down on the couch beside him. She hoped her eyes weren't so red and puffy that he would notice.

"Hey… so what do you think?" she asked gesturing at their surroundings.

"Oh, it's fantastic! Weeeell, it's no TARDIS, but I don't see why your mother hates it so much, other than the speed. Quite comfy really!"

Rose shook her head, "That's just it, she just hates how slow they are. I don't think she minds the accommodations, she just thinks that with how advanced most stuff is on this world, flying should be more efficient."

"Well, I don't disagree with that, but life on the slow path must have its benefits, wouldn't you say?"

Rose looked up at the Doctor and saw in his eyes a mixture of amusement and raw honesty. The air of insecurity she felt from him at times was unsettling, although not quite unpleasant. Just… different. Her Doctor never let on to any sort of doubts or worries, but she could clearly see that this one was preoccupied and not too sure of his footing when it came to her. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Not quite ready to venture into any serious conversation, Rose pretended to be oblivious to his meaning and redirected her comments towards her mother.

"Not when you're Jackie Tyler and the slow path is what's standing in the way of you and your husband and son!" she said with a laugh. "She must be going bonkers… come to think of it, where is she? I expected her to be talking your ears of or something."

"Oh… well, I'm not entirely sure, actually. After she gave me the grand tour she said she was going to have a lie down. Haven't seen her since."

Rose stood and started walking towards the doorway. "Well, I'm hungry… what do you say we go find her and have some lunch? Unless you ate already? I… I didn't realize how long I'd been… you must've been starving."

The Doctor grinned, "Well… I did go back to the galley for a more, let's say, comprehensive tour. May have gotten into the biscuits too, but I'd love to have lunch with you Rose."

He stood up, straightened his suit and took off his specs, folding them carefully and putting them back into his jacket's inside pocket. When he looked back up he caught Rose giving him an odd look.

"What is it Rose?"

"Oh nothing… I just never realized you had a spare set of glasses is all. I'd never even seen that suit…"

"These? Oh yeah, I've got loads of them… well, had, I suppose. You have to have spares when constantly dashing about saving the universe, you know! Things tend to… break. As for the suit, well…"

Rose watched as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"What, Doctor?"

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he looked down at the floor. "Well, you see… after I lost you… there were so many things… that is, to say… certain objects or places… they reminded me of you, and… it was… too hard. I felt like I needed a bit of a change..."

Rose found herself walking back towards him, stopping only an arm's length away.

"You mean you were trying to… forget me?" She couldn't quite manage to keep the hurt out of her voice.

Eyes snapping up to hers he closed the distance between them and took both her hands in his.

"Oh, Rose… I could never forget you. Never ever."

A sad smile crossed her face and she replied, "You once told me to never say never ever… remember?"

"I do… but Rose, I would never try to forget you. I guess I was just-"

"Trying to distance yourself from the pain?"

"Precisely."

Rose gave his hands a little squeeze and stepped a bit closer, though there was hardly any room between them already.

"I did too, you know… had to change, I mean."

"Yes, I can see that. You're even more brave, and strong, and beautiful. You never cease to amaze me, Rose Tyler."

As he said her name, in that way that always made her insides turn to mush, she knew she was failing miserably at keeping a safe distance from this man. Back in her room aboard the airship, she had spent a few hours trying to figure out how she was going to handle this situation. Knowing what his presence did to her, she had vowed to keep things from escalating between them until she had had enough time to work through all her conflicting thoughts and emotions. They needed to get to know one another. Not as slowly as two strangers would, of course, but definitely with some sort of caution and restraint.

"Doctor, I…"

She let go of his hands and instead rested them on his chest, her right one placed directly over his heart. The Doctor's now empty hands slowly came up around her waist and anchored her gently against him.

Unable to meet his gaze and terrified of what she might do if she did, Rose bowed her head and rested it against his right shoulder. As his arms tightened around her, she turned slightly inward so that her face rested just under his chin.

"I… I missed you."

Emotions, stronger than he had ever felt them, assaulted the Doctor and his eyes clouded over. Pressing a kiss tenderly on her forehead, he managed to whisper, "I missed you too, Rose. So very, very much."

For a long while they just stood there quietly, holding onto one another and allowing their emotions and tears to overflow.