Disclaimer: I own the right to let you know that I do not own the rights to Doctor Who.

A/N: Nine/Rose. Set any time after "World War III" and before "Empty Child". Introduces a character we heard a lot about and never met, which is such a shame, because as you're going to read, it might have been nice to see those two through someone else's eyes. Sorry it's been so long since I last updated, so here's your reward for being so patient. Enjoy!

Through the Eyes of a Best Mate

Shareen leaned heavily on the windowsill, chin in her hands. She was so bored, she'd taken to gazing out the window at the empty Powell Estate. Even blocking out Jackie's chatter as she made them tea had lost its fun. She perked up when the building's doors swung open. She hoped it was Mr. and Mrs. Again from below. Their spats were always entertaining. But, no…she started pouting again. Just another couple looking too happy.

They made her feel lonely until the woman tucked her hair back, and Shareen realized she knew her. Rose Tyler, her best mate in the whole world. She was back. Happiness bubbled in her, spilling over into a wide grin. And she was holding hands with a man. Holding hands with an older man. A tall, dark, mysterious stranger with an affinity for leather. Shareen giggled and jumped excitedly to her feet.

"You didn't tell me she was seeing someone," Shareen shouted as she rushed past the kitchen. She shot out the front door and down the hallway. At the top of the stairs, she could hear ascending footsteps and voices arguing. She listened.

"No way," Rose was laughing. "I saved you this time."

Hearing her best friend's voice triggered something akin to impatience in Shareen, and she galloped down the stairs, meeting the couple two landings down. She launched herself at a startled Rose. It took her friend a moment to recover before she was hugging her back.

"Shareen." Completely surprised.

"Where've you been?" Shareen was surprised to hear tears in her voice. She'd really missed Rose.

"Travelin'. Just travelin'." Rose's voice was muffled, but Shareen could hear she wasn't the only one crying.

They stood there a minute until someone cleared his throat. Oh, right, the new man, she'd forgotten. Shareen pulled back and wiped her red eyes just as Rose did. "You've got so much to tell me," she chided, eyeing the big-eared leather fellow.

Rose chuckled. "Not as much as you think," Rose retorted. She turned towards the man. "Doctor," she began. "This is my best mate, Shareen."

"Charmed." He reached a hand out to her.

"Shareen, this is my-." She paused, and Shareen threw her a suggestive glance. "This is the Doctor," Rose decided on.

Shareen's eyebrows rose as he returned his shake. "Oh yeah?" Doctor of what?"

His brow had the audacity to furrow, and he cleared his throat.

"Well, of…Of …Well," Rose was stuttering.

"Well," he paused. "Of everything." He answered as if he'd only come to the conclusion.

"Right," Shareen was skeptical. She linked her arm through Rose's, and they trekked upstairs.

Jackie was waiting for them at the door to the flat. "You're back!" Sharen had to duck out of the way to avoid getting slapped when Jackie's arm swung around Rose to envelop her in a hug.

"Hi Mum." Rose was bemused.

"And you!" Jackie then surprised Shareen immensely when she threw her arms around the protesting mystery doctor.

He patted himself off indignantly when an oblivious Jackie finally let go. "Come on, come in," she tutted. "We've got tea on and everythin', don' we, Shareen?"

"Don't we just?" Shareen smiled amusedly when Jackie took the man by the elbow and practically dragged him to the couch.

Rose was right on their tails when Shareen pulled her back. "We'll get the tea, Jacks." Shareen shouted over her shoulder as she dragged a protesting Rose with her to the kitchen. Looking back, she saw the man was looking straight at Rose with pleading eyes, as if begging not to be left alone with Jackie. Rose's eyes were apologetic, but they didn't leave his until they were out of sight. Shareen mentally shook her head.

As Rose poured the kettle water into four tea cups, Shareen spoke as she took out the milk and sugar. "All right. Spit it out already." Rose gave her a confused glance. Shareen rolled her eyes. "Who is he? How'd you meet him? What's he like? Tell me everything."

"Well," Rose began slowly. "We met at Henrik's. Remember the night it exploded?"

Shareen nodded.

Rose smiled absently, but brightly. "He saved my life." Shareen nearly swooned at the bright look in Rose's eyes she'd never seen there before. "I've been travellin' with him ever since."

"And a Doctor no less." Shareen giggled. "Get you, tiger." She began to pour the milk.

"Oh." Rose said suddenly. "He takes his wif' a bit of milk, two sugars."

Shareen wiggled her eyebrows. "I bet he does."

Rose looked up sharply at her tone.

"What kind of kisser is he?" Shareen asked excitedly. "A two? A three? Oh, don't tell me a one."

Rose was suddenly blushing furiously. "No, wait, wait, wait, wait, it isn't like that."

Shareen's thoughts came to a screeching halt. "Like what? So he's a four. Big deal. Just needs practice."

Rose rested her forehead in her palm. "No, I mean, it's not like that. At all." She emphasized with her hands. "He and I…we're not…we're not. We're just friends."

Shareen could have won the award just then for most unbelieving scoff of the century. "Come off it, Rose. You're my best mate. I can tell when you're completely bonkers for a guy."

Rose's smile was beginning to get on Shareen's nerves, like she was a naïve little kid who knew nothing about the world when clearly Rose was the one so out of it. Rose laughed now. "I swear it, Shareen, we're not datin'. We just travel together, that's all. As friends," she emphasized.

"Doesn't look like travelin'."

Rose rolled here eyes again, picking up the tea tray. "It's really, really not like that."

Shareen watched her friend leave the kitchen smiling and shaking her head. She was on a mission now. She was determined to get the details. Thinking through it, the look on her friend's face, she would have begun to believe Rose had she not walked into the living room to see Rose passing the tea out, then heading to the arm chair when the Doctor's arm shot out, took Rose's hand and pulled her to sit beside him. Shareen blinked. True, this move separated the Doctor from Jackie who'd been inching forward but friends didn't usually have to sit so close. Shareen hid a smile and took her chair, cradling her tea. And she watched.

"And so I say to Andy, I tell him that you could probably help him with the problem," Jackie was rattling off about her new boyfriend, apparently a physics professor at some university.

"I'm sure I could," the Doctor said in an arrogant tone, or maybe she was being harsh. The thought surprised her. Was she subconsciously railing against the man for taking her best friend away, boyfriend or not?

Jackie had jumped up to fetch some papers. When she was out of sight, the man began to stand. "Right, been here long enough."

Rose laughed and pulled him back down by the arm. Her hand stayed where it was, Shareen noted. "Not yet, and that's an order." Another laugh, but he looked like he'd do anything she told him to.

"So how long have you two known each other?" Shareen asked, leaning forward.

"Um," Rose seemed to genuinely be thinking. She turned to him for help.

"Seven months, two weeks and three days." He told Shareen cheekily.

She stuck her tongue out at Rose, but Rose wasn't paying attention. "Really? 's been that long?"

"Time just flies, doesn't it?"

They shared a smile that hid some secret, and Shareen couldn't help but feel that little twinge of jealous when you learn your best friend might just not be yourbest friend anymore.

Rose blinked, shaking her head, finally taking her hand off his to reach for her tea. "So what've you been up to?"

"Oh, no." Shareen shook her head. "Nothing interesting. I want to know all about you two." The Doctor didn't seem to catch the tone of her voice the way Rose did. "Where've you been travelling?"

"Oh, all over!" Rose answered happily. There was that secret smile again.

"You name it," he spoke up. "Cardiff, Utah, Greece."

Shareen was genuinely impressed. She met Rose's gaze and smiled sadly. "We always said we were going to get out of here. Travel the world. So many different plans. Glad one of us did."

"Yeah," Rose said wistfully. "We were always comin' up with crazy schemes to get away."

"Bet you didn't bank on this one." The Doctor's murmured with a smile that disappeared when Jackie shoved a fistful of papers in front of his nose, giving Shareen no time to ask what he'd meant.

"Well?" Jackie demanded.

"Kid's play," scoffed the Doctor. He handed Rose his tea and started right in scribbling with a pen.

Rose inched her way off the couch and joined Shareen, sitting on the chair arm. She looked a bit downcast. She stared at her nails. "I'm sorry I haven't been around lately."

Shareen forgot all about her questions and leaned her head against Rose's shoulder. "Don't you dare. I'm fine. Don't apologize to me cos' you're happy."

Rose smiled, tongue between her teeth, then nudged Shareen's leg. "Really, though, what are you up to?"

Shareen looked down, embarrassed now. "Don't laugh," she warned Rose.

"Never," and she almost sounded serious.

"I'm back at school." There was a pause during which Shareen flinched.

Rose threw her arms around Shareen's neck happily. "What are you so ashamed of? That's perfect."

"You think?"

"Well, one of us has got to be clever, and it's not going to be me."

Shareen tsked. "There are different kinds of clever, Rose." A glance up, and she saw the Doctor was staring into space. Clearly he was working on calculations in his head, but she followed his gaze directly to Rose. "Rose, be honest now," she told her friend in hushed tones, so only the two of them could hear. "You two, what are you?"

"Friends," Rose answered again, and there was no doubt in her voice.

Shareen gasped suddenly.

"What?" Rose demanded.

"Oh my God. You don't know. You really don't know."

"Know what?" Rose was dumbfounded by Shareen's sudden change in composure.

"You're completely oblivious, the both of ya."

"To what?" Rose asked in annoyance.

"You're both completely bonkers over each other, and you don' even know it."

"Thas' it." Rose stood and grabbed Shareen's hand and dragged her over to her room. The Doctor's eyes followed them curiously, and Shareen had the faintest suspicion he'd heard their entire conversation. Rose must have thought so too, for she closed the door and dragged Shareen across the room to the corner by the closet. She dropped her hand but clenched her shoulders.

Speaking in a furious whisper, Rose said, "For the last time, Shareen, he and I…we're. Not. A. Couple."

Shareen looked at Rose's grip on her shoulder. "I know," speaking as if Rose was dense. "But you don't."

Rose's arms dropped to her side in defeat. "What?"

"No, maybe you're not a couple, but," Shareen paused dramatically. "Maybe you don't realize it, but it doesn't mean it's not there."

"What is?"

"Oh, don't be so stupid." For the first time, Shareen sounded cross. "You two…you're completely mental for each other, and you've got no clue."

Rose was exasperated. "But I'm tellin' ya, it's not like that. It's different. I don't see the Doctor that way…romantically." She seemed hesitant of using the word. "It's nothin' like it was wif' Jimmy."

Shareen's turn to scoff, hands at her forehead. "Course it isn't, Rose. That boy had no sense of what it means to be romantic. Being in love…he didn't know a thing about it. Its' not about datin' and sex and makin' your girlfriend work to bring in the money because you're too lazy." Shareen's voice had risen at this point, and Rose looked almost shocked. Shareen had never expressed this before about Jimmy.

"It's about being there for each other. It's about holding hands. It's about being incapable of not smiling when you think of 'im. It's about loving to be with someone so much that you'll leave your entire life behind, mum, best friend, boyfriend, just to stay with them." Shareen blinked back tears.

Rose was looking sorry but stubborn still. "I said I'm sorry, Shareen, and I really am, but it does'' mean I'm going to amuse you on this. It's like you said…I've got a boyfriend, and his name is Mickey."

"What's in a bloody name, Rose?" Shareen exclaimed. "You might call Mickey your boyfriend, but you don't half smile at him the way you do Mister." She gestured towards the hallway. "And you two might be 'just friends' but no one ever said you couldn't be in love with a friend. Tell me none of that's true…what I said about being in love…tell me none of it's true, and I'll leave it alone.

Rose pursed her lips stubbornly.

"Well?" Shareen crossed her arms.

"It's different." Rose argued.

Shareen sighed. "In what way?"

Rose sat down defeatedly on the edge of her bed. "Because…he's not my boyfriend. He's.." She seemed to be thinking of the right words. "He's so much more than that."

Shareen sat down heavily beside her. "Whoa." She let out a long breath. "Wasn't so hard, was it?"

Rose crossed her arms. "You're still wrong."

"Oh, shut up." Shareen snorted and rested her head on Rose's shoulder. "Sorry for giving you a hard time. It's just…You're so happy. I don't want you to lose whoever it is what makes you smile so much."

"Yeah," Rose murmured distantly as she gazed blankly at the wall.

Later, they were watching the telly, the news to be specific, and nothing was really happening. At least not out in the world. Here, in the tiny little flat, Shareen was learning a lot about somebody who she'd thought she'd known everything about, her best friend.

Rose was sitting close to the Doctor on the couch, her legs crossed and her head resting tiredly against his shoulder. His hand rested casually on her thigh. Shareen was amazed. Here they were doing things only couples did, and they were completely oblivious. They didn't seem to get that only lovers should gravitate towards each other the way they did; whenever she leaned away just a tad, he moved his entire body subconsciously in the same direction. When they weren't close, their eyes sought each other out. Even Mickey, who'd arrived awhile ago, seemed unconcerned, used to it, as if iti should be the stranger absently stroking Rose's hair, as if Rose should be lacing her fingers so intimately with the Doctor's.

'Oh well,' Shareen thought sadly. 'They're madly in love, and everyone knows it but them. Poor things'll probably be the last to know. Just hope it's not too late when they do.'

The Doctor knew Rose was asleep against him. He also knew she shouldn't be because she should be in Mickey's arms, not his. But how could he care when it felt so right? He knew he shouldn't be the one to lift her gingerly and carry her to her bed, but he did it anyway. And as he did, he saw the knowing and accusing look in the friend's eyes. Shareen, wasn't that her name? Yeah, that was it. Shareen. He wanted to tell Shareen that she was right. Absolutely and irrevocably. Instead, he turned around and walked away. He'd wait for Rose in the TARDIS. No matter how long it took her.