John Smith is a strange thing.

Sure, she'll wait on hand and foot for him, however in her defence she loves him. No, wait. Not John Smith, the man he once was, the Doctor. In a way caring for John Smith is like caring for the Doctor's pet. She'll get him what he needs. Keep him healthy. But she can't see the Doctor's pet as the Doctor.

Rose really shouldn't call him a pet.

John can be so adorable though. It's too easy! She can manipulate him like any typical human bloke. He can get jealous, Time Lords don't get jealous, Rose. Flustered by her brash behavior. And the best of it is, he even comes with common manners. It's like seeing a new side to the Doctor.

Except it's not.

And that's when she's not exactly sure what John Smith is.

There are moments he acts in time with the Doctor. Cool. Collected. Calculating.

Then the next he's tripping over his own words. And she laughs at the stark differences. However sometimes it's nothing humorous at all. How he wields a rifle. Then has a child mirror his movements. Murder the 'enemy' on the 'battleground'.

No one in this era understands why it's wrong. She can't tell him why it's wrong. She knows he thinks it's right. Although that doesn't keep her from trying.

"Know a thing or two about the gun, do you?" Rose asked bitterly, entering his room with the day's meal.

He hummed an affirmative, and began to eat. "It's a skill the young men will find quite handy should the need arise."

"They're children." She stated. "Do they even know the value of a human life to take one? Why do you have to go out there and teach them this? Why can't someone else do it?"

"Rose," his voice was low and dangerous. "That skillset is part of the reason why I have this job now, and I will not discuss my decisions for this position with you."

Rose took a deep breath. "Fine," she responded tightly. "Sod the moral high ground. Your glorious job is so important, far be it for me to judge, Mister Smith."

"Yes it is." He replied hotly. "So is yours. So I suggest you stick to it."

There are times Rose wishes John Smith acted more like the Doctor. He is his own person, she knows, so why change him? Perhaps for company. His human mind can only comfort her for so long before she longs for familiarity.

It's that line of thought that has her speeding this along. The TARDIS is on emergency power, but Rose visits her religiously. Raiding the libraries for every and anything on the Family of Blood. Maybe some way to track them. Prevent them. Get rid of them early.

Rose doodles notes of important information here and there. Pictures stick to her better than words.

The Family of Blood are incorporeal aliens. No bodies. Greenish-intangible-masses that possess the living to live themselves. For that Rose colored a green marker over the ink dotted outline of a human. Then, feeling satisfied with her description, Rose adds examples off to the side. The Family are short lived without a host, like mayflies or an alien leech, so that's what she depicts. Although poorly in her haste, but she ignores the sloppy lines, cartoon eyes, and moves on.

And two or three weeks of studying aliens who can possess living beings naturally, then one week of distracted curiosity to learn how Cassandra did it on New Earth, had her head spinning. Literally. Rose passed out on the job. Mentally and physically drained, energy drinks now useless against her fatigue, Rose decided to focus more on unwinding. Make the TARDIS her personal playpen, with the occasional book to study here and there. One week of rest, she told herself, then back to her research.

"And twenty three." The Doctor's recording reiterated as she played it on repeat. "If anything goes wrong, if they find us, Rose, then you know what to do. Open the watch."

She paused there, sitting back in the pilots seat. Such a serious message. Couldn't he have smiled at least once? Staring at his 'we're at war' face, didn't do much to lighten her spirits. Maybe she could trick John into wearing a pinstriped suit. Tweed, she decided, doesn't suit him. And if anything, John could learn a thing or two from the Doctor.

...But as John stands gaping inside the TARDIS doors... and she's in a camisole and sweat pants... and that's very much him running away, Rose sort of squashes that thought dead.

A/N

As I graffiti Bad Wolf wherever possible, I wonder, do those that live in Norway graffiti Dalig Ulv? Is this a thing?

geogirl2014: Okay :s thank you for the review! And that adorable little love muffin is none other than Ten. A wild Ten in his natural habitat. Such grace. Such beauty. And if you squint, you'll witness the subtle courtship dance of the Ten as it spots a Rose in the wilderness. -And I am so sorry! That got away from me! XD

MirrorFlower and DarkWind: Sweet! Because it's about to take a tumble. As always, thank you for the review!

Curry: Yeah, I think a bit more of the Doctor would have bled through if Rose had still been around. And I am incredibly glad you caught that about Rose because -well- this chapter! I'm actually surprised you caught that. Most others would have blown it off as only humor. Keen eye. Thank you for reviewing!

GriffinGirl8655: What? Stalk? Follow? Noooo, John doesn't do that! He's just worried about Rose. I mean, look at the way he hides behind that tree so she doesn't notice him. He is concerned for her safety. Yep. I'm sorry, it seems I'm on sarcastic mode today, but hopefully you got the joke xD Thank you for reviewing!