The Doctor was waiting for them when they all finally returned to the house. All of the people from Torchwood had been invited back for a post funeral party. If party was the right word. Some of the more brazen people sought to talk to the Doctor. To see if the things Rose had said about him were true. Mickey cut them all off.

"Not a good idea, Jennifer," Mickey said to the woman in question who had gone from sturdy and sensible to flighty in face of the Doctor's good looks.

"I just want to talk to him," she objected, glancing at the Doctor over Mickey's shoulder.

"I know. But that's not a good idea right now. You'll flirt with him – you won't mean to! But you will. Just a little. Cuz he's a handsome bloke. And then he will take your head off. Trust me, he's very big ears right now."

She shot him a confused glance, then cocked her head to the side as she considered his words. "You're right. I'll leave him alone. Thanks, Mickey."

She wandered off and Mickey turned to the Doctor, studying him for a moment. Night had fallen and the Time Lord stood before one of the great bay windows, a forgotten drink in his hand as he stared up at the stars.

"Where is it?" Mickey asked, coming to stand next to the Doctor.

"Hmm?" The Doctor never took his eyes off the sky, but he did tilt his head slightly towards Mickey to show that he was listening.

"The TARDIS. Where is it?"

The Doctor paused, and his gaze on the sky turned calculating. Then he pointed at the floor, his arm forming a slight angle so a line drawn from the tip of his finger wouldn't quite pass through the Earth's core.

Mickey's gaze followed the hand until he was blinking in confusion at the linoleum. "It's underground?"

"No." The Doctor dropped his hand and took a sip of his drink. "The bridge is just in the stars on the other side of the planet. Wrong part of the night sky. Six months from now I could point out the galaxy for you. But the sun is in the way right now."

"Wait, if the TARDIS is on the bridge, how did you get here?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor lifted one shoulder in approximation of a shrug. "Same way all the other aliens do. By starship."

Mickey scoffed lightly. "Hard to imagine you in a starship, mate. You and that box have always been together."

"Yes." The Doctor said, his voice gentle. "We have."

There was a pause, then Mickey rounded on the Doctor, his face intent. "Take me with you."

That managed to pull the Doctor's attention away from the sky, and he stared at Mickey with wide eyes. "What?"

"When you go. Take me with you," Mickey said earnestly.

"What about your grandmother? Didn't you stay to be with her?"

"Yeah. But Gran passed away a few months back. Jackie's all married with another kid, and with Rose gone – well. There's nothing for me here anymore. So. Take me with you?"

"Mickey…I don't really want any company right now." The Doctor said reluctantly.

"I know. I knew that when I asked. What? Don't look so surprised, 's all over your face. I'm not asking to travel with you. I just want a ride back. See?"

"Yes." The Doctor nodded his head slowly. "Yes, I see. I can do that. Mickey," he clapped the other man on his shoulder. "I'll take you home."

ooOO00OOoo

They stayed a few days more, giving Mickey the chance to pack up a few things and say goodbye properly. Then they were on their way. The trip back was a little awkward because it was painfully obvious that Mickey was not the intended passenger, and also that the Doctor had held high hopes for his first few days spent with Rose. It was with relief on both their parts that the Doctor dropped Mickey off at Cardiff. Though Mickey had something to say on the matter.

"Cardiff! Why Cardiff? I wanted London!"

"Yes, well. You forget Mickey, you've been missing for almost five years. Can't just expect to waltz back into society and pick up a job. There'll be questions."

"And there won't be in Cardiff?" Mickey asked dubiously.

The Doctor shrugged. "I know a guy." Then his gaze turned sly. "So do you."

"Me?" Mickey scoffed. "Five years, remember?"

"Yes. Now off you trot."

"What?" Mickey shrieked as the Doctor put hands to his shoulder blades and pushed him towards the door. "But you haven't told me anything! Who's the guy you know? How do I find him? D-Doctor!"

The Doctor gave Mickey some extra oomph just as they reached the door to the TARDIS and Mickey stumbled upon touching pavement. He turned around to find the Doctor lounging in the doorway.

"Just hang about. He'll find you," the Time Lord said, and moved to close the doors.

"Now, hang on!" Mickey objected, putting a hand out to stop them from closing.

"You'll be fine!" The Doctor insisted dismissively. "Have fun!" Then he shut the doors in Mickey's face.

"Why you rotten – hey! I'm talking to you!" Mickey raised a fist to beat on the doors, but the dematerialization sequence had begun and his fist hit nothing but air. The TARDIS faded back in, then out a few more times before vanishing entirely.

"Ain't that just like him." Mickey muttered angrily, staring at the place the TARDIS used to be. " 'Just hang out,' he says. 'He'll find you,' he says. What a bunch of – "

"Mickey? Mickey Smith?"

Mickey turned to see a familiar figure stepping off a street corner towards him. "Well! If it isn't Captain Tight Pants!"

The two embraced briefly. Then the Captain grabbed Mickey by the shoulders, held him at arms length, and gave him a once over. "Look'n good there," he said with a leer.

"Hey, none of that." Mickey took a step back, pointing a finger at the Captain reprovingly. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be off schmoozing the ladies somewhere. Or the guys."

"I could say the same of you! The Doc told me that you and Rose were in a parallel world! Is that why he didn't stick around? Him and Rose having 'private time'?" Jack wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

And suddenly Mickey knew why the Doctor had been so keen to get Mickey out the doors quickly. "Coward," Mickey mumbled. "Such a coward."

"What's that?" Jack asked, slinging an arm around Mickey's shoulders and leading them back the way he'd come.

Mickey shook his head and braced himself for the conversation to come. "About Rose…"

ooOO00OOoo

So, I realized that I'll be out of town Saturday when you're supposed to be getting the next chapter. So you'll get it Thursday instead. But you'll still have to wait for the following Tuesday to get the one after!