She woke up early the next morning and was surprised to see that he was still asleep beside her. He was laying on his back, mumbling slightly in his sleep and seemed distressed. She rolled over and gently stroked his hair.

"It's okay calm down," She said softly.

"Rose," He whimpered.

"Hey sleepyhead. Time to get up and get ready for work." She smiled.

"I don't have to, the boss gave me the day off." He said as he turned over to towards her and snuggled down deeper into the blankets and proceeded to hide his face.

"Really did you run that past him."

He lifted his head just enough so she could see his eyes as he pouted at her.

"Oh, all right. I'll let him know" She laughed.

His eyes drifted closed again and within moments he was asleep again. She carefully climbed out of bed and headed upstairs to get breakfast. Pete was in the kitchen sipping coffee when she entered.

"Morning Daddy," She said cheerfully and kissed him on the head. "The Doctor is taking another sick day."

"Is he okay?"

"Just tired I think." She replied. She took a shower and ate before pouring two cups of tea and then headed back downstairs.

-DW-

He awoke again as Rose came back down the stairs. He sat up in bed and took the tea from her as she climbed back into bed and leaned against him. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close as they sat quietly for awhile enjoying each other's company. He was actually thankful she had listened to him and didn't try anything last night. He didn't know whether or not he would have been able to go through with it. She had once told him that she had wanted to hurt him but realized how hurt he actually was, but she never knew the full extent of it. He needed to touch her and be close to her. It had been that way since he had regenerated, but the thought of going further terrified him in a way he didn't think was possible. That was part of the reason he had given her complete control. If the control was in her hands, he couldn't be afraid that he had pushed her to far, too soon.

"Did I ever tell you, I was thinking of you when I regenerated." He asked as he rubbed her back gently.

"No," She said softly and sat her tea down before turning over to bury her face against his chest.

"I was. I wanted to be someone that you could be happy with and love."

"I loved you with the big ears." She mumbled.

"After what happened, you tried to hurt me and I tried to push you away while at the same time trying to hold on to you tighter than I ever had before. That is why I wanted you to tell Jackie. I knew she wouldn't let you come with me anymore." He admitted. "Then you were gone, if it hadn't been for Martha, I don't know what I would have done. She made me talk to her. Then I drove her away."

"How did you drive her away?"

"It doesn't matter right now."

She nodded in acceptance "She must have done you a world of good before that though, you never were this open. "

"Oh, she did, she fancied me." He chuckled as she playfully slapped him. "But part of talking to you was your mum's idea. She told me on some planets it is how people communicate."

"Does mum know?" She asked concerned.

"Not unless you told her. Anyway, after she left, Donna came with me and was one of the best friends I ever had and made me feel alive again. Oh she was brilliant. But even after all we did, I saw you and I only wanted to make things right."

"But Rose, lying to each other isn't going to make it right and you pretending to be drunk, doesn't help things either."

"You knew?" She asked as she felt her face growing hot.

He kissed the top of her head. "I really hoped you would get over it, but if it made you feel safe." He shrugged.

"I can't believe the whole time you knew." She sounded indignant. "So where do we go from here?"

"I don't know. But I would like to try to find out. I meant what I said on the beach about wanting to spend your life with you."

"I would like that, but first lets try dating and see where it goes."

"Dating?"

"Yeah, it is what humans do to get to know people." He sat his tea down finally and wrapped his other arm around her, laying his head down on top of her head. As he breathed in her scent he wondered again what he had gotten himself into.