It was the happiest day of Rose's life. Granted, he'd stepped out of a red phone booth, like from Bill and Ted's excellent adventures. And his suit was purple, like the Joker's. But it was the Doctor. All brown eyes, crazy hair, hands in pockets, looking like he'd accomplished a great thing.

She'd been getting a quick bite to eat from a street vendor when she saw him stepping out, grinning in the bright afternoon sun. The moment she saw that grin, she handed the vendor the money and the hotdog back, and made a dead run for the phone booth, laughing insanely.

The moment she hit the pavement, the heel broke off of one of her shoes, causing her to drop her attaché case in the gutter. She left it. There'd be time to come back for it later. A few more steps and a taxi almost hit her. Leaning over the hood, kicked the annoying proper 'grownup' shoes off and made it the rest of the way across the street, waving wildly. "Doctor!"

He was walking away from the phone booth, like he hadn't even heard her.

Tripping over the curb on the other side of the street, she stumbled a bit, but called out for him again. Practically losing the last of her breath, she grabbed onto the hideous magenta sleeve. "Doctor."

With an arched eyebrow, the tall, lean man looked down at her. "Can I help you?"

But he looked so much like… "Doctor?"

"Dentist."

"What?"

He tugged on his suit jacket, then brushed the portion her hand had touched. "Dentist. And you would be?"

Rose let out a laugh that was somewhere between hysterical and embarrassed. "Rose Tyler. I saw you step out of that phone booth, and I thought maybe it was TARDIS…." She blushed. This was…bizarre. What were the odds?

A half-smile broke out on his lips, and he at least appeared to be amused by her. "TAURUS. And if you saw me step out, the perception filter must not be working, or more likely--you've dealt with my kind before."

The Doctor said 'other' Time Lords in parallel universes were not possible. But… "I knew a Time Lord once. Called the Doctor. He looked very much like you."

He rubbed his chin. "Perhaps we have met. Or we will meet. You seem to remember things about me. Sort of."

"Sort of?"

He gestured to the box behind him. "I'm the Dentist. That is my TAURUS. Terra-Analog Resource for Underachievement and Sterility. Goodness. I don't know what a Time Lord is, but they sound like… stuffy things. I'm a Time King. From Gallabee. But I thank you for your interest. Now if you don't mind…"

Rose's jaw dropped.

She blinked three times.

Then she began laughing.

Laughing so hard that she ended up doubled over on the street corner, red faced and head-pounding, like her eyes would fall out of her skull at any moment.

Sniffing with great dignity, 'the Dentist' stood up straight, bouncing once on his heels. "If you're quite finished."

It took a few moments but she managed to wipe the tears from her eyes and stood up straight. "Sorry. Go on."

"That was all."

Trying not to bust out laughing again, Rose looked him in the eye. "No. No. I'm good. Get on with…whatever you're doing." Biting her lips together, she folded her arms over her chest, trying to hold it all in.

He opened his mouth to say something, be it admonishment or something else, but he closed it again. "Well, I have some yo-yos to trade. It's a very time-sensitive matter, you understand. I'll just be…seeing you."

Rose didn't realize she was holding her breath, while he walked away, she just kept waving.

Eventually she got a little dizzy and almost passed out.

THE END.