Family Matters

"They keep trying to split us up, but they never ever will."

"Never say never ever."

Rose looked up at the sharpness of the Doctor's tone. He looked at her, almost wistfully, and then looked at the sky, which was dark with clouds; that and it was half eleven at night.

"A storm's approaching…" He said cryptically, as the pair walked up Dame Kelly Holmes Close, hands intertwined.

Rose was silent, before letting out a high-pitched yelp as a drop of ice-cold rainwater hit her skin. Three seconds later, it was pouring down so much they couldn't see two meters in front of their faces.

"Told ya!" The Doctor yelled, straining to be heard of the thuds of fat raindrops hitting the metal bins that stood outside every home on the close.

"Urgh! 2012 and the weather doesn't ever get any better!" Rose said, zipping up her demin jacket before wrapping her arms around her small body to try and conserve some heat, even thought the street was getting slightly warmer than it was now the Isolus was gone.

"Let's go!" The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand, tugging her to the TARDIS to get out of the rain, Rose only too happy to oblige. The rain was quickly soaking her thin jacket and the Doctor's suit wasn't exactly thick either. They reached the TARDIS within a minute and bundled in, rain dripping from both of them. The TARDIS whirred in indignation as water was dripped over her.

"I'mma go have a shower, Doctor," Rose muttered, too cold to speak as she walked towards her bathroom. The Doctor only nodded as he programmed the TARDIS to fly into the vortex, making the whole ship shake as she dematerialised. He quickly followed suit of his companion, walking as briskly as he could to his bathroom, the TARDIS thankfully not appreciating having water dripped over her and moved his bathroom closer to the control room. He placed his hand on the wall in silent thanks before disappearing into the room.

--

"Well, can we go somewhere dry please, because I really don't want to get wet again. I'm going to get a cold at this rate, and imagine what Mum would do if she knew you landed us somewhere where I caught a cold?" Rose said, showered and dry as she sat opposite the Doctor in the kitchen, both holding cups of steaming tea. The tea was making Rose sleepy, but she was reluctantly to give into sleep, enjoying the quiet company of her travelling companion too much.

"I can imagine," The Doctor said, a small smile appearing on his face as he took another sip of tea. Ever since Rose had come stumbling back to Jackie after the Cybermen/parallel Earth incident, Jackie had become extremely overprotective of her daughter (more than she was beforehand) and insisted on calling Rose at least once a day to make sure she wasn't in a danger. "I don't want my daughter stranded on some moon a million light years away, Doctor, all alone like poor Mickey!" She would screech, not letting the Doctor breathe, never mind tell her that he certainly wasn't intending to let someone as special to him as Rose was stranded on a moon, and that it was Mickey's choice to stay in the parallel Earth.

"Do you want to go now, or go to sleep?" The Doctor asked, noticing that her eyes were heavy.

"Later, I'll go the sleep. I'll just finish this tea first."

"No point letting good tea go to waste!" The Doctor joked, but his wit was wasted on a sleepy Rose, who was in no state to laugh or acknowledge he was speaking. She was at the point where she was asleep in her chair. He silently laughed. Every so often she did this, staying up until her body physically demanded sleep. She did well without it so often, and was used to staying up for 36 or so hours, but even the Doctor knew that sleep caught up with her at some point.

Ever-so-gently, the Doctor picked up Rose; her head lolling to the side to rest on his shoulder, unaware the Doctor was carrying her to her bedroom. He bounced the door open with his hip, still carrying Rose, careful not the wake her. Placing her in the bed he took off her shoes, and laid her cover over her. He pressed the lightest of kisses on her forehead, before disappearing into the door on the other side of her room, the connecting door to his room. Truth be told, his energy was rather drained after being stuck in a picture for a long time. His mind was frazzled. He quickly changed into pyjamas, sliding under his covers, closing his eyes. His mind quickly switched off, grateful for the rest as for the first time in month, he slept.