Once dinner was ready, the Doctor did the honours and carved the turkey, Rose holding the plates and handing them around. Emily was looking daggers at her sister, who had claimed a seat just to the side of him. While Jackie and Emily were clearing the plates and getting the Christmas pudding, Emily was asking her mother questions.

"Did I really sleep through all of it?"

"Well I wasn't there either you know, I got left behind when they went off in that Tardis thing. You both had me worried to death, Mickey carrying you down to it and then it being carted off, to that bloody great big spaceship. Didn't you see any of it?"

"You know when I woke up Mum. I'm surprised at him taking Rose off like that, to get Christmas dinner."

"Well at least you're here for this one. You've no idea what it was like for us this time last year."

Emily could imagine they hadn't had an easy time of it but she'd only been away for a few days, well not even that, how was she to know he'd land them a year out? Why should she apologise for his driving skills and now, she had to get to know him all over again, if it was actually him. In the back of her mind she still wasn't that sure another Timelord hadn't taken his place. She'd only half believed his explanation over dinner.

"I imagine you have all kinds of questions for me?" the Doctor had asked her.

"A few like what the hell happened while I was asleep?"

"You're changing the subject Emm," Rose told her. "I'd like to know what happened to you Doctor, you said something about cheating death? Is that how Timelords do it?"

As the Doctor explained as simply as he could, Emily was watching Rose pay close attention to him and the jealous look on Mickey's face was a picture though she could imagine her own looked like that at present. So when her mother had suggested she helped since Rose had done most of the hard work, she'd jumped up and was now bringing a tray of dishes and a jug of hot custard that looked a bit watery since she'd not been watching what she was doing.

Rose was still fascinated with what the Doctor was telling her about the places he'd been before he'd met Emily and also the people he'd travelled with. Emily had not gone into such details, she'd not wanted to know who had been travelling with him, she'd not really cared as long as she was the current one but now, she was going to have a job persuading him not to bring her sister along, Rose would surely ask as since he was now the centre of attention, he was most likely to agree to it.

"Who was my favourite past companion?" he asked, repeating Rose's question.

Emily was losing her cool. "That's a bit of a stupid question Rose, how do expect him to pick one out? Am I not you favourite one so far Doctor?"

The Doctor would have blushed if he'd been able to.

"Now Emily, it's a fair question, you know some of the people who have travelled with me. To answer Rose, I'd say Sarah-Jane Smith, she was with me in my third and fourth regenerations. She was a reporter and she was brilliant but I had to go back home and humans weren't allowed there back then."

"So are they now?" Rose asked innocently.

The Doctor's mood darkened. "My planet is gone Rose, that's why I keep travelling. I have no home now."

"You've got Earth, this could be your home."

"Yeah, I sort of adopted it, it's the place I keep coming back to and why I have people with me."

"So you're not alone?" Rose asked, reaching for his hand and seeing a warning look on Emily's face.

Jackie came back in and picked up a handful of Christmas crackers, Rose and the Doctor breaking contact but him thinking this was what it should be, her holding his hand.

"Oi you lot, quit being miserable and pull some crackers will ya? Anyone would think we just escaped an alien invasion."

Rose took a red and gold cracker and handed the other end to the Doctor, who smiled and pulled his end towards him, a loud 'snap' being heard. He got the bulk of it and took out a pink paper hat and handed it to Rose, who beamed at him, accepting it and putting it on her head, the Doctor reaching out to straighten it. Emily wasn't going to be outdone and held one out to him, the Doctor accepting it as Jackie pulled another cracker with Mickey.

The Doctor won again, this time getting a red paper hat and put it on his head, much to Emily's annoyance. Their attention was broken when the phone rang and Jackie picked it up.

"Hey Mo, yeah, we're all having a great time. Yes, Emily's home. No, I didn't take much notice of what's been on the news, we've all be busy. Think I'll put the TV on and catch up, those two can do the cleaning up between them."

She switched on the TV which thankfully hadn't been destroyed the night before. Rose wasn't paying much attention as Mickey was determined he was going to win as he pulled the last cracker with Rose but the Doctor grabbed her wrist and laughing, they pulled on it together and Mickey almost lost his seat.

"Ha! We win," Rose cried with triumph, retrieving the hat and yet another tacky trinket, a plastic gold ring with a green stone.

Emily walked up to them and claimed the hat. "Thanks Micks, I'll take that."

"Hey, that should have been mine, those two cheated."

"Shut up you lot and watch this," Jackie told them.

"That's Harriet Jones," Emily declared, forgetting her annoyance Rose and the Doctor were making nice with each other.

"No, I have no idea where these ridiculous suggestions are coming from, I'm perfectly capable of remaining in my office, thank you very much," Harriet was saying, being harassed by all the reporters.

The phone rang again. "What? Look outside? Hey you lot, get your coats on and go outside," Jackie told them, hanging up.

"What for?" Emily and Rose asked together.

"Just go."

The Doctor took off his specs, which Rose had thought made him look all cute and sexy though where that had come from was anyone's guess. Why was she even thinking such a thing? He was Emily's friend, not hers but the last few hours, it had just felt natural, talking to him and asking questions about where he came from.

They all dashed to the remains of the balcony, seeing what looked like snow falling. Mickey was just about to grab Rose's hand when the Doctor beat him to it and he dragged her off, Rose looking behind at Mickey and Emily and laughing.

Emily hung back with Mickey.

"I don't like this Mickey, just look at the two of them, they're as thick as thieves."

"Yeah, makes me want to throw up just watching them. Whatcha gonna do about them Emm?"

"Well I'm not gonna stand by and watch him ask her to go off in my place, that's for sure. You have to talk to her Mickey, I can't let her come with us."

"Do you think she would?" he asked as they followed Jackie, who was half a staircase behind Rose and the Doctor.

That's what Emily was afraid of, that Rose would jump at the chance of travelling in a time machine. So far, she'd not shown any interest but now the Doctor looked like some actor she'd seen recently on TV during one of her rare visits home, the prospect of sharing him was even more likely.

The Doctor and Rose burst through the door and into the courtyard, Rose looking around and having snow thrown in her direction.

"It's not snow," the Doctor declared, looking upwards and seeing what looked like green shooting stars.

"Yeah, guessed as much, it's that ship breaking up, isn't it Doctor?"

He let go of her hand as the others joined them, Emily had already noticed and was getting more livid by the minute. The Doctor carried on staring into the night sky as Emily approached him.

"Does this mean you're ready to go?" Emily asked, unsure as to ask him if she could still go with him.

"Yeah, you know me, same old life."

"On your own?"

"Well no, I was hoping you'd still come with me?"

"You still want me to?" Emily asked. "I thought 'cos you'd changed, you wouldn't want me to."

"Oh. I thought because I'd changed you wouldn't want to come with me? Rose said you weren't sure it's still me."

Emily could trust her sister to say something like that.

"I'd still love to go with you."

"Yeah, right, of course you can come with me, I'd love it." He turned as Rose was about to go back upstairs. "Rose, what about you?"

Rose turned back. "What about me?"

"I'm asking if you want to come with us?"

"Really? I can come with you?"

"Well yeah, you were a big help up there today Rose, you threw me that sword and don't forget, you tried to spare me from facing the Sycorax."

"She did what?" Jackie asked.

"You have a very brave daughter here Jackie, do you know that? She was prepared to speak for the planet."

"She could have been killed."

"I'd never let that happen, I was watching the whole thing, she was never in any danger."

"You let me get in danger," Emily chipped in, stubbing her shoe on the ground.

"Jeopardy friendly you are but Rose deserves a trip with us, after what she did. What do you say Rose?" he asked, holding out his right hand this time.

"Oh, I'm not too sure about that hand."

The Doctor smiled and wiggled it. "It's fine, it's still me."

He took her hand and held it, Rose's fitting in it perfectly and him thinking more and more he was meant to travel with her.

"Not you as well Rose?" her mother asked. "Doctor, don't take both of them?"

"But Mum, he told me he can take us places and we'd be back in what's only a few minutes for you."

"Like when Emily went missing for a year?"

The Doctor looked sad again. "In my defence Jackie, that was the old me and it was a genuine mistake."

"Well I don't see what all the fuss is about."

"You should see it out there Jackie, all those stars and planets, I've not see them all yet and not with these eyes. So, are you both coming?"

"You're asking me if I mind if my sister tags along? Seriously?" Emily huffed.

"If it causes any bother, I won't come," Rose said, disappointedly.

"No, Rose, it's no bother, honestly. There's plenty of room for both of you and your bedroom's a bit of a mess," he grinned, holding out his hand she'd let go of after seeing her sister's face turn green.

Rose turned to her mother. "I'll never get another chance like this Mum, I'm going and we'll all be back before you know it, won't we Doctor? So, where are we going first?" she asked, squeezing his hand and noticing Emily was keeping her distance.

Still holding onto Rose, he pointed up at the night sky. "How about that one?" he asked, pointing to a bright star.

"That one?" Rose asked, grinning back at his infectious smile.

"Hang on a minute, what about his hand?" Emily asked, it suddenly dawning on her what had just been said.

"He lost it in a sword fight," Rose told her as Emily shook her head.

"What the hell did I go and miss?" she asked.

Mickey shrugged his shoulders and put his hand on hers. "I'm sure they'll tell you while you're on your travels Emm."

"Well you could all at least stay the night," Jackie objected.

"My room's a mess Mum," Rose reminded her.

"Well we'll find you a new one, won't we Emily?" the Doctor insisted as he opened the door. "You can go back for your things tomorrow, there's a huge wardrobe inside if you need anything and the Tardis will have already put a few things in a room for you."

"You were expecting me to go with you then?"

"Well the old girl seems to have taken a liking to you already and she doesn't often do that."

Emily knew she wasn't going to win this one – he'd already made his mind up when he'd asked her to go with him earlier to get the food.

"Oi you two, who's gonna clear everything up?" Jackie wanted to know.

"Ask Mickey, I'm sure he will," the Doctor smiled, allowing Rose and Emily in first.

Jackie huffed and dragged poor Mickey back upstairs as Rose once again stood in the doorway, the Doctor taking off his coat and throwing it over another strut.

"Don't you use the coat hanger?" Rose laughed as he stepped up to the console and Emily sat on the battered seat.

She managed to step towards him and carefully leaned on the console, being careful not to touch anything.

"I'll just park us around the back then you can get what you need in the morning. Emily, why don't you help Rose find her room?"

Emily remained where she was, she had this feeling in her stomach and knew it was her jealousy getting the better of her.

"Don't I get to choose one?" Rose smiled.

"The Tardis will have picked one out for you and tried to make you feel at home, I'm sure you'll like it, it's probably done out in pink, like your room at home."

"The Tardis never picked one out for me," Emily objected, still remaining where she was. "You said go find one so I did. Why did you never tell me?"

"I can't remember everything," the Doctor answered, shaking his head and flipping a few switches.

"So, how does this ship move then? How does it travel in time?" Rose wanted to know.

Emily shook her head, she'd heard it all before so she got up and wandered back to her room – this was going to be a long night. As she went towards her room, she could hear the Doctor laughing at something. Whatever friendship they'd had before was gone, things were never going to be the same now Rose was on board. She should have known the last few times she'd been back that Rose was getting curious about where she'd been and she'd been stupid enough to tell her sister and her annoying sometimes boyfriend all about it and even the names of some of the species she'd met or heard about.

Worst of all, Rose had been there in Cardiff and met Jack, though she would never see the American time agent again, she'd rather fancied him until the Doctor had implied his shoe was on the other foot, so to speak.

Rose had finally run out of questions, the Doctor joking she'd asked more than Emily had done the whole time she'd been travelling with him, he knew Rose was just naturally curious but she'd gone all sad on him when he'd told her he was the last of the Timelords.

"I'm sorry Doctor. So there's no-one else? No chance any of them escaped or were somewhere else?"

The Doctor shook his head and finally stopped leaning on a strut and sat beside her.

"You know I've got two hearts?"

"Yeah, Emm sort of told us. Apart from that though, you're just like a human?"

"Weell, a bit different I hope, not that there's anything wrong with humans, my best friend is a human."

"You have a best friend?" Rose laughed. "You mean Emily?"

The Doctor tried to look serious but soon burst out laughing, nudging her.

"No, I meant you and Emily of course though she seems to have gone off me, can't think why, can you?"

"She thought you were a different Timelord, just standing by waiting to take your place."

"I told her there was no-one left, how could another one be waiting?"

"Well have you ever thought about it, that someone got away?"

"Don't Rose, I know you are trying to help but I would know, Timelords always do."

"Even if they were hidden?"

"What? Have you even thought what that would imply Rose?"

"Well can they hide?"

"Well yes, they can if their lives are in danger and they can't regenerate but everyone got the call to go home, even I couldn't ignore it, everyone went back, no exceptions."

"Even if they didn't know they were a Timelord?"

The Doctor stared at her, how could she possibly know about that? All she knew was what he had just told her and then he'd left some things out, things he wasn't proud of, such as being responsible for destroying his own people and the entire planet to stop the war. Had he somehow missed something? Every Timelord who had been killed during the war had been resurrected to fight again and it would have continued had he not put an end to it, it had been the worse decision of his lives and his punishment was he got to live and remember doing it.

Rose was looking at him and took his hand with her other as he stroked one of them with his thumb.

"I've got no-one Rose."

"You have me."

"Yes, I do, don't I? Can I tell you something Rose?" Rose nodded. "I get the strangest feeling I already travelled with you, like it was meant to be you and not Emily."

"Why do ya think that?"

"I don't know, I just do, like that day, in the store basement, it was meant to be you there, you were the one I rescued and you saved me from the Nestene Consciousness or to you, the plastic shop window dummies."

"Was Mickey there?"

"Fat lot of good he was," the Doctor remarked.

"He never said much about it but I had this feeling he was and I got that other feeling as well, like I was meant to go with you."

"Instead of your sister?"

"Well not exactly but that time in Cardiff with that Slitheen, she seemed to know who I was and Harriet Jones, she thought I was Emily and we don't look that much alike. Why is that Doctor?"

"I can't explain it Rose, I wish I could. Promise not to laugh?" Rose nodded again. "I think somehow I'm in an alternate reality."

Rose couldn't help but giggle.

"You promised me you wouldn't laugh Rose," he said seriously.

"I know but it's so funny, I thought that as well."

"Really?"

"Yeah, when you took me to get the food earlier and you said allons-y to me, I got this strange feeling you were going to say it would be fun if you met someone called Alonso."

"I've always wanted to say that. Time to go find your room Rose, do you want me to help you?"

He got up before she could answer him and led her down the corridor and stopped outside a pink door.

"Seems like this is yours," he told her, pushing the door open. Rose stared at what she saw, her perfect room, all pink and white. She turned to the Doctor, unsure if it was ok to give him a hug or not but he noticed.

"Ah, come here Rose," he told her as he held his arms out.

Emily hadn't been asleep and had heard the two of them talking as they had walked past her room so she had got out of bed and putting on her robe, had seen them stop a few doors down. Then she had seen the Doctor holding his arms out and fold them round her sister, Rose leaning against his shoulder. She closed the door quietly and flung herself on the bed.

Why had he gone and changed into prince charming and Rose was the princess, not her?

A/N: In response to the 'Review' just posted, there are going to be a few other 'Twists' to the story and things will work out in the end but if you don't like where this is going, please wait until the end before accusing me of writing the Doctor as 'Not caring' because there is a point to all this.