A/N: It's funny how I originally thought that these four chapters were all going to fit into one chapter. That would have been a long chapter!

It's almost midnight here now and this is my second update of the day (and the longest chapter to date.

This is the last part to the four chapter story linked in with the episode 'Rose'. There will be a mini chapter in between to fill in the gap between the end of this chapter and the start of the part of their school life linked to the episode: The End of the World.

Once again reviews would be appreciated!

- CHS -

"What did you do to him, John?"
"Who said I did anything to him?" "Well you know something. Please, Doctor. He's my friend. Just tell me what you know."
"No one ever acknowledges it. It's right in front of them but they never acknowledge it. Keeping their heads down, pretending it's not happening because they're too cowardly to get involved."
"What is it, Doctor?"
"It's happening even now but no one bothers to step in and help."

- CHS -

Rose couldn't help but feel a little terrified now. The Doctor was acting different, Mickey had disappeared and terrible thought were spinning around inside her head. What if he dead? Or badly injured? "What is it, Doctor?" Rose continued to ask the same question, her heart pumping fast now.

"Did you know that nearly thirty percent of the world's students are bullied in schools?" The Doctor asked her, talking quickly and staring right at her once again. "And one hundred and sixty thousand kids stay home from school every day in fear of being bullied and still no one does anything about it."

"Are you saying that Mickey was being bullied?" Rose asked in disbelief, staring at the Doctor in shock.

"Could explain why he was off yesterday," the Doctor shrugged, returning to his normal self as if he didn't care about Mickey's well-being. "And it looked like it from where I was standing."

"Hold on! You were just ranting about how no one does anything to help those being bullied and you just stood there and watched it? You hypocrite!" Rose exclaimed. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The previous day had been the best day of her life. That day felt like the worst day of her life. She had been warned that morning that the Doctor was dangerous and hadn't listened, she was beginning to agree with Clive and she wished she had listened to him. But it was done now and she couldn't turn back time.

"Rose!" The Doctor called after her as she turned and stalked off. When he called her name she didn't slow down so he ran to catch up with her. "Listen to me. I tried to help him, you have to believe me, I did! I figured out what was happening and told him I could help. He didn't want any help. He said he could stand up for himself and he didn't need me sticking my nose in and making it worse!"

"How long ago was this?" Rose asked, not slowing down and refusing to look at the Doctor.

"A couple of weeks ago," The Doctor replied, matching her strides.

"And you didn't say anything?" Rose queried, confused as to what was going on. Her head was spinning and nothing seemed to make sense.

"He asked me not to," The Doctor told her again. Rose didn't reply and continued to walk.

"Rose, stop!" The Doctor jumped in front of her, forcing her to stop. "Listen, I'm sorry for not helping him but," he hesitated, glancing at the floor then returning his gaze to her. "This isn't exactly the best topic for me. I've lost…" The Doctor returned his eyes to the ground, unable to finish his sentence.

"Doctor," Rose began softly, reaching out for his hand. She felt like she needed to comfort him but she had no idea how to.

Before Rose could say anything else, the Doctor's head shot up, his eyes shining brightly now. He was almost like a completely different person, "You're going the wrong way." With that, he walked back the way they had just walked. The bell rang but he ignored it. They were only missing English and Miss Smith would let them off when she found out why they had been late.

"Doctor! The bell has gone! We have English! We're going to be late!" Rose called after him.

"I thought you wanted to find Mickey," The Doctor called back.

"I thought you didn't want to get involved," Rose shouted.

"Miss Smith won't mind us being late once we explain why," The Doctor reminded her before breaking into a run. "Come on!"

Rose sprinted after him, grateful that he was helping her find Mickey. She would need to make that clear to him once they'd found Mickey. She'd most probably buy them both something of their choice from the canteen at lunch.

The Doctor led her around the back of the school. Somewhere she hadn't been before and would hopefully never go to again. The whole place was filled with bins, litter covered the floor and it stank! The Doctor climbed on top of the closest bin. "Stay there!" He instructed Rose. She nodded and watched as he jumped from bin to bin before stopping. He reached out for the bin with a blue lid opposite it. The lid had piles of cardboard boxes on top of it, weighing it down. The Doctor worked quickly, knocking the boxes off the lid, obviously not caring about making a mess. The floor was already covered with cans of coke and paper so it didn't really make much of a difference.

Eventually, the Doctor was able to lift the lid up. "I said I didn't need your help!" A voice from inside snapped. Rose sighed in relief when she recognised the voice: Mickey's.

"Oh yeah! Of course you don't need my help," The Doctor muttered sarcastically. "I'll just be off then!" He closed the lid again then sat down on top of it, just waiting for Mickey to take back what he had said.

"Doctor," Rose shook her head, sending him a disapproving look. The Doctor just responded with an innocent grin.

"Are you okay in there, Ricky or do you need a hand?" The Doctor called out, load enough for Mickey to hear him.

"It's Mickey, not Ricky," Came Mickey's muffled response.

"Just let him out, Doctor!" Rose sighed, fed up with the Doctor's immaturity now.

"But he said he didn't want my help," The Doctor protested, remaining where he was.

"Doctor!" Rose snapped, growing impatient. She didn't want to miss too much of English. The lesson wasn't too bad on a whole. "Who's being the bully now?"

There were a few seconds of silence before the Doctor slid off the lid, allowing Mickey to open it and scramble out of the top.

"You idiot!" Rose cried, running to Mickey and tackling him with a hug. "You should have told me!"

The Doctor watched the exchange from afar and felt a strange sensation in his stomach when he saw Rose and Mickey hug. It was something he hadn't felt before and he was confused.

"Are you okay, Doctor?" The Doctor's thoughts were interrupted by Rose. She and Mickey had now stopped the hugging, which the Doctor was grateful for.

"I'm fine! Fantastic in fact," The Doctor grinned. "We'd better get to English, Rose!"

Rose nodded in agreement. They had already missed ten minutes and getting to the classroom would take about five minutes considering they were currently on the other half of the school grounds to the English department. That would be a quarter of the lesson that they were going to miss. At least the Doctor seemed to like talking. Rose just assumed that someone who liked talking would also be good at talking themselves out of trouble. "What have you got, Mickey?" She asked Mickey as they began to walk, spread out in a row of three with Rose in the middle.

"Geography," Mickey replied after checking the timetable in his blazer pocket.

"That's right by English!" Rose exclaimed in delight. "We won't have to walk far to meet each other afterwards. It's early lunch today. Something about exams. We're getting something from the canteen. All on me! Anything you like!" They began to make their way across the courtyard towards the main building which both the English and Geography classrooms were situated in.

"Shortbread!" Mickey declared quickly, a large smile on his face. Rose laughed, she had already known what Mickey's order would be. Nearly everyone knows Mickey loves shortbread! What the Doctor would order was more of a mystery but she guessed he'd go for flapjack.

"What about you, Doctor?" Rose queried, turning to the Doctor on her right now.

"A banana!" The Doctor ordered. Rose stared at him, unsure if he was being serious or joking. "Banana's are good, Rose. Word of advice, Ricky, Rose, this is important." The Doctor lowered his voice to a whisper. "Always take a banana to a party!"

Rose laughed as they reached the main building, "A banana it is! We have to get through the rest of English first though!"

A loud cough behind them caused all three of them to freeze in their tracks and glance at each other hesitantly. "What have we got here? Students out of lessons?" The Doctor groaned when he heard Saxon's voice behind him. Together the three of them turned to face Saxon and the fate he would give them.

The Doctor, however, was not going to give up without a fight, "Let me explain," He began quickly but wasn't quick enough and Saxon cut him off by raising his hand.

"Ah, now let me see: John Smith, known troublemaker," the Doctor scowled at this but remained silent, glaring at Saxon. "Mickey Smith, more of the silent type and the new girl, Rose Taylor?"

"Tyler," The Doctor corrected, when he saw Rose was about to retort.

"Silence!" Saxon snapped. "You can all explain to me what your we're doing out of lessons in detention today. Twelve-thirty. Don't be late." Saxon finished then stalked off.

"That's the shortbread and banana gone," The Doctor sighed as the trio watched Saxon walk off. "Don't worry Ricky, he will pay for this!" The Doctor added jokingly, or at least that's what Rose hoped.