The Doctor was facing another night on the sofa. He'd have been more at home tinkering with his ship and roaming the corridors but Jackie's living room was the limit. It was only for a few more nights, he'd have his own place on Saturday, well a place to share without being watched like a hawk.
Rose had gone to bed but she couldn't sleep for thinking about what he'd said, about finding a way back himself. She still couldn't get her head around what he'd told her, that she would meet him in six months and he'd look different when she did, yet this one would still be here. She had come to the conclusion time travel had to be involved somehow. The man who was in the living room was from the future, that much had been established and he needed her help to get back where he'd come from. She had a few questions for him.
The Doctor was surprised when she stood in the doorway so he turned off the TV.
"Sorry, I told you I don't really sleep."
He moved his legs and she sat down beside him.
"Are you a time traveller?"
"Yes and you used to travel with me, well both versions of me."
"Are you a sort of shapeshifter?"
"No, I'm a Timelord, I regenerate when I'm in danger of dying. It's a way of cheating, we just change."
"So I'm gonna meet you, before you changed?"
"Yes. Are you ok with that?"
"Yeah. So you have a time machine then or did you just get sent back?"
"I got sent back, I told you. These creatures called the weeping angels, one touch and they zap you into the past. I got caught and here I am."
"How did you get caught?"
"I was trying to find out why people were disappearing."
"Did they all come here then?"
"No, to a time before they were born, it could be any year but because I didn't belong there either, they didn't know where to send me. I was caught out, I wasn't paying attention."
"So you got sent here? That was lucky then?"
"Yeah. To be honest Rose, I don't think it was luck. They just sent me back to when I came back to earth, I'd been away for a while."
"When you say away? You mean not on the planet?"
"No, I was just sort of wandering around, I come back in six months."
"You said earlier, you might find another way."
He could wait six months, there was only a very slim chance he could come up with another idea. He'd done three months of being human recently and at least there were no 'Family of blood' after him but what else had lurked on earth before his arrival? How long had the Nestene consciousness been around? Maybe they'd just arrived when he did? If he remembered correctly, he'd suddenly made the decision to do something about it before they turned everyone to plastic.
He'd have to somehow get Mickey involved, to make things happen but he'd do that when the time was right.
"Just wishful thinking Rose, I was thinking out loud. I'm stuck, well and truly and I really do need your help."
"You're not just saying that Doctor?"
He reached for her hand and stroked it.
"No, I'm not just saying that. You're taking all this very well. What else do you want to know?"
"Just one thing. You're not from Earth are you? It's ok, if you're not."
"You are very clever to work that out. Yes, I'm a Timelord, from the planet Gallifrey. Now, you should go to bed and tomorrow, I am going to try a few schools and colleges before they resume after the holidays."
"Ok but I want another goodnight kiss. Tomorrow night, why don't you stay in my room for a while, we can do some kissing."
"Your mother might have something to say about that."
"You could sneak in for a while?"
"She warned me about that too."
"Did you take any notice of her before, when you were here?"
"Well, actually, no. You wanted to know how I got caught by the angels? I missed you Rose, I missed you a lot and I was thinking about you. I was travelling with someone else, trying my best not to miss you but it didn't help."
"Well I'm here now. If you missed me?"
"Yes you are. Ok, tomorrow night, I will sneak in your room but if your mother kicks me out, you're to blame."
"Aw, don't worry Doctor, I'll make it worth your while. Night then?"
The goodnight kiss lasted a bit longer than the earlier ones, Rose seemed reluctant to bring it to an end. After breakfast the next morning, Rose went off to work and the Doctor went out on the pretence he was looking around his new school. He'd been looking in the local paper and scribbled some addresses down of a few. He had decided he could talk his way into a high school not far away from where he was going to be moving to and after convincing the school's caretaker to admit him found the head teacher's office.
"Yes, come in," a deep male voice announced.
"Ah, headmaster. I'm the Doctor, I've come about the vacancy."
"A doctor? So, where have you worked before?"
The Doctor got his psychic paper out and reeled off the names of the schools he'd passed as a teacher and twenty minutes later, they had agreed on his salary and he would take a six month's post. He told the headmaster he would give his personal details when he started, he'd probably just use Rose's bank account, it wasn't worthwhile opening an account of his own. At least he wouldn't have to depend on Rose or UNIT.
He had wondered how the clever Tardis had integrated him into that military academy and there he was, doing it on his own. Well Rose would be pleased and Jackie would be happy he had gainful employment but he thought back to last night, how had it gone from him getting a place to suddenly sharing? He didn't exactly object to sharing, they had spent a lot of time together onboard the Tardis but there, she'd never asked him to be her boyfriend and kiss her goodnight though he had to admit the kisses were nice.
After tea that night, Jackie was off out to play bingo, leaving Rose and the Doctor with the usual 'You two behave while I'm out' lecture.
"Tell me some more Doctor," Rose asked as she got him to move over in the chair. "You told me not to go with you the first time you ask, why's that?"
"Ah, that was because you said you had to look after Mickey."
"You mean I went back to him?"
"Well he was still around, maybe you were still friends?" he lied, knowing he couldn't tell her more.
"After the other day? He must do something to get back in my good books then?"
"I expect he does then. What else do you want to know?"
After telling her about where he came from and that the planet was gone, he knew she felt sorry for him.
"So, there's only you then? So when I meet the other you, I'll be able to talk to him about it, yeah?"
"Yes, after I go back where I belong. It won't change anything Rose, you'll still go on to travel with me. You just can't say anything about me until I say. The first time you meet, like I said before, you can't tell him about me. That's the reason I can't tell you about anything we did together."
"I still have questions but they can wait. Can we do some more kissing?"
They were still kissing and cuddling when the Doctor, with his sharp hearing heard the door opening and got Rose to sit up while he tried to fasten his top two shirt buttons, Rose trying not to giggle.
"Leave them," she whispered, leaning on his shoulder. "She'll expect something to have gone on."
"We don't want to disappoint her, do we?"
"Come to my room tonight? Say you're just gettin' a clean shirt for morning."
Jackie was making as much noise as she could in the kitchen, opening the hatch.
"Did I interrupt anything?" she asked.
The Doctor wondered what had come over her, maybe it had been his other self that had made her hostile but just wait until Rose went missing for a year, Jackie Tyler would not be so friendly then so he may as well make the most of it. After Jackie went to her room, Rose shushed him and they crept to her room, which she had tidied, not that he'd seen much of it when he'd arrived back after regenerating.
He put his jacket on the chair and let Rose unfasten a few more buttons on his shirt and his button-down undershirt he always wore. He could think of no valid reason why this time around, they couldn't get a bit closer, thinking about her had brought him here by accident, why should he waste it? Before either of them knew it, Rose had gone to put her pyjamas on and he lay on the bed waiting for her return having taken off his shirt, to avoid creasing it, he'd told himself.
"Are you staying on top of the covers?"
"Now Rose, what's the rush?"
"You'd better be out of here by morning you know?"
"I get the message," he replied as she lay her head on his chest.
When the time came for them to move into their own place, Friday night, Rose was packing.
"So you'll get the keys and then come back and wait for me?"
"That was the plan Rose," he smiled as she ran her fingers through his hair after she stopped what she was doing and he put his arms around her.
The last few nights they had got closer and Rose seemed contented. It assured her help when the time came for him to leave but was this going to make it more difficult for both of them? Rose had it to look forward to and as long as he didn't tell her how he had changed, she was none the wiser and then when he did, maybe she'd persuade him to see things her way and go along with the idea they'd already made a start.
He had now taken to actually getting into her bed, Rose still wore her pyjamas but he only had a pair of boxers and a t-shirt on but that night, Rose went to sleep on him for the first time. He knew when they got moved, he'd have a difficult time reminding her there were two bedrooms.
The Doctor got Jackie to help him downstairs with most of the things, a taxi waiting for him even though it wasn't far. When Rose had gone out that morning, she had agreed it would be easier for him to get it over with and her to go directly there since it was on the bus route. Rose said she would call at the local shop and get the basics and they'd get a take out and go shopping the next day.
That night though was going to change everything for the next six months as Rose decided to wear just a vest top with her pyjama bottoms and he was already in his room and thought she might change her mind despite hanging all her things in the large wardrobe.
"Want to talk about this?" he asked, pulling back the duvet.
"Nope, do you? You stayed with me last night though you were gone this morning."
"I may act tough but if your mother had caught me?" he laughed as she got in and turned out the bedside lamp.
"Tough guy. We can just sleep if you want? I still want my goodnight kiss."
"That I can do. Come here."
The goodnight kiss turned into a full-blown snogging session as Rose was panting for breath.
"You're not even out of breath and I didn't want to say anything Doctor but have you got two hearts or something 'cos I swear if you haven't mine's going double time."
"Yes, I have two hearts. I can also hold my breath longer than you can so you'll have to be the one who takes a break from kissing. I've not put you off have I? Only this is very enjoyable."
"No, it's not put me off, it's just a bit strange, that's all. I won't tell anyone my boyfriend is an alien. This is just like a film plot."
"Well I can assure you, I'm not that actor you used to think I looked like."
"What actor? Did I say that? Sorry."
"It's quite alright Rose, I should have been flattered I suppose but we never spoke of it much. See, I can tell you things like that, just don't ask me what we did or where we went and things will work out just fine. I can answer some of your questions though such as do you want me to be here in the morning when you wake up?" he asked as she snuggled into his shoulder.
"Yeah, will you stay?"
"I can do that and I'm sorry, for the other night when I said I could maybe work out a way of getting back on my own, it was thoughtless of me. The truth is, I was in denial, I thought if I got out of here sooner it would be easier on you but it won't, it will only make things worse. Who says this isn't how you spent the six months before the other me arrived?"
"I can think of worse ways Doctor," Rose giggled as she glanced up at him in just the light coming from outside.
"Yeah? Like spending six months with Mickey the idiot?"
"Why do ya call him that?"
"My other self used to call him that but don't worry, I insulted everyone except you. You should hear me go on about your mother's cooking though to be fair, it's not half as bad as I remember."
"Well you'll just have to get used to mine and I promised her we would go round for lunch every Sunday, just to keep her happy. You don't mind do you?"
"No, if that's what you want? I never thought I'd be doing this Rose, getting all domestic. We sometimes talked about what would happen if I got stranded somewhere with you."
"You did? What did you tell me?"
"We sort of shied away from the subject. Rose, this isn't going to be easy you know? If you want to back out?"
"No Doctor, I don't want to back out. You need someone yeah? Well I'm here so don't think ya gonna get rid of me that easily. You said I go off with you to goodness knows what and you change at some point so how's that work?"
"Timelords have this trick to cheat death, we regenerate. This is my tenth, you meet me in my ninth but I can't tell you how or when I do change, I just do."
"Then if you know me in the future, why are you here now and why were you thinking about me? Do I leave you?"
"Not by choice but I can't tell you how or why Rose but trust me, neither of us wanted to, there were some very unusual circumstances and you didn't leave without a fight. I made a mistake of thinking it was for the best but it wasn't, I know that now. I made a lot of mistakes and trust me, I won't be making them again."
"Good, I must have made mistakes as well but you know what they are. So are we gonna talk all night then?"
Rose moved slightly and went for the hem of his white t-shirt. What harm was there in getting a bit closer he thought as he let her pull it over his head and she lay her head on his bare chest, listening to his two hearts beating. He kissed her forehead and put his arm around her as she kissed his neck.
"Why didn't we do this before Doctor?"
That was a very good question and what was there to stop them now, at least for the next six months or so but was it fair they got close and intimate then he just dumped her with his former self and leave her wondering if they could pick up where they left off? This was going to make it difficult for both of them to part but this time, Rose had the advantage. She could tell both versions of him what they had shared and hopefully, neither his former self or his present one would be stupid enough to turn her down this time but what if her feelings for him only developed when he'd changed?
That was something that would only come to light when he'd gone back to 2007 but would he remember what they'd had together if he let something happen? Rose would remember and that could only be a good thing, couldn't it? If she went to the other universe knowing what he felt for her, that had to be better than leaving her wondering, didn't it?