Character/Pairing: Ten/Rose
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The BBC owns all, I am merely borrowing.
Spoilers: Through Age of Steel.
Author's Notes: This part has been edited for content. You can view the unedited version on my livejournal which you can find a link to on my profile. Also, last part for this story! But still more to come in this series. Next up, all about the danger of telepathic plants. :) And I've caught up with all the archived parts of the story, so updates will now be once a week.

The Doctor was in such a hurry to reach his ship that he even soniced open the door to the flat, rather than wait for Rose to find her key. As they rushed past the kitchen Jackie tried to intercept them, but the Doctor interrupted her. "Not now, Jackie."

The console room led directly to the infirmary and the Doctor hurried his companion inside.

"Have a seat. I just need to locate the subdermal applicator and then you'll be fixed in a jiffy." He tossed the soiled handkerchief in the bin and began opening cabinets. "Jiffy? Not sure I like that. Posthaste? Forthwith? Pronto?" He turned with a small metal disc in hand. "Your arm?"

Rose offered it to him without question and winced at the brief stinging sensation that followed a flash of blue light.

"The other one." Another flash of blue light and he brushed his thumb against the newly healed skin. "Any other injuries, I should know about?"

She shook her head.

He set the device aside, but remained standing in front of her. "Well, I should check you over. Just to be sure, you understand. Maybe you missed something. And I'm...very observant."

"I've noticed." Her tongue made a brief appearance at the edge of her smirk. "Think you'd better examine me then."

Waking beside the Doctor was a rarity still new enough to be treasured. Rose stretched slowly, careful not to disturb him. She reveled in these stolen moments when she could observe him so unguarded. And possessive, if the long limbs wrapped tightly around her were any indication. For someone who rarely slept, he certainly took advantage of every opportunity to sleep beside her. Or maybe the strain of the last several adventures had simply caught up with him. Their little holiday should have been a respite, but instead their relationship had faced new challenges.

This time, she would actually be relieved when they could get away from the estate. When it could be just her and the Doctor again. Running across the universe with no need to conceal their relationship among strangers. She felt horrible not telling her mum.

Suddenly, Rose bolted upright. "My mum!"

There was a muffled groan from the other side of the bed. "What about her?"

"I slept here. Not in my room."

"You haven't since the first time I shagged you senseless," the Doctor stated reasonably.

Rose rolled her eyes. "No, I mean in my old room. I don't sleep onboard when we visit my mum. Never."

Slowly opening his eyes, the Doctor turned to regard her, entirely flummoxed as to what she was suggesting.

"Mum is going to notice."

"Ah." Swallowing hard, he shifted to sit up, resting his back against the headboard. "You know, I bet the TARDIS is almost ready to fly. Why don't you just go and tell your mum and then we'll..."

Rose was already half dressed. "You're comin'."

"Right. Of course. How silly of me," he muttered, searching for his own clothes. "Can you at least go out first?"

When they emerged from the TARDIS, they found Jackie already seated at the table, mug of tea in hand. "Kettle's still warm," she informed them, not looking up from her tabloid perusal.

Rose gave the Doctor a small push toward the kitchen, before he could cause any trouble, and then seated herself across from her mother.

As soon as the alien was out of sight, Jackie set the tabloid aside. "Are you happy, sweetheart?"

Rose blinked. "Um, yeah."

"Good." Jackie returned her attention to the tabloid, slowly turning a page. "Suspect you'll be leavin' soon."

"Yeah. Um, the Doctor said we can go whenever. The TARDIS needs to rest in the vortex for a short bit. But then she'll be fine."

"Are you?" Narrowing her eyes, Jackie scrutinized her daughter. "What happened last night? I might've been a bit sloshed, had a few drinks with the girls, but m'not blind."

Biting her lip, Rose desperately tried to concoct a viable excuse that would distract her mother. For once in his life, that jerk Jimmy Stone might actually save the day. "Ran into Jimmy."

"Oh, Rose..." Jackie set the tabloid aside and embraced her daughter. "I heard he'd gotten out, but I didn't think he'd come back 'round here. I didn't think I needed to warn ya."

Rose sighed in relief. "S'all right. The Doctor..."

"Oh, I hope you let 'im get a good swing in. Skinny alien that he is, still could do some damage I bet. Not so much as that bastard deserves though." Jackie leaned back in her seat. "Still, better'n nothin' I suppose.

They were interrupted by the shrill whistle of the kettle and a moment later the Doctor reappeared. "Tea! Piping hot, so be careful." Sitting in the chair next to Rose, he reached for sugar bowl only to have his hand slapped by Jackie.

"None of that," she admonished, wagging a finger at him. "I'll not have you on a sugar high again. You half scared my neighbors with your crazy card tricks."

"Oh, no need to fret, Jackie," he remarked, flexing his injured hand. "No cards on hand, well, possibly in one of my pockets. But I'd really have to dig and it probably wouldn't be an Earth standard deck. Besides, the TARDIS is almost ready to fly, so..."

"Yeah. The Doctor's got to..."

"Recalibrate the navigation system," he supplied, nodding. "I can do it myself though. If you want to stay. Spend some quality time alone with your mum. I can come back in a few days. Time machine and all that."

Rose frowned. "But I want to come with you."

"Rose, really, it's all right if you don't want to..."

"I do. Want to."

The Doctor beamed. "Lovely." He swallowed the rest of his tea and hopped up from the table. "I'll just warm up the engines. See you in a tick." He leaned forward to kiss Rose, but caught himself just in time, propelling back so fast he knocked over his chair. "Yes! Engine. Won't be a moment."

Once he'd vanished, Rose hurried to finish her own tea, well aware that the Doctor's patience prior to lift-off was practically nonexistent.

"Careful, sweetheart," Jackie admonished. "He's not gonna leave without you. Alien or not, that's the look of a bloke with only one thing on his mind."

Choking on the tea, Rose sputtered, "Wha?"

"See! You'll choke you keep drinkin' it that fast. Or burn your throat. Did I tell you 'bout Abby downstairs? Well, she'd an awful time of it after a hot coffee incident. Lost her voice for a week. Hadta keep writin' everythin' down so people'd know what she meant."

"Oh."

"It was just dreadful." Jackie sighed, staring into the depths of her empty mug. "Need a bit more, I think. How 'bout you, Rose?"

"Um, no. M'fine."

"Just me, then." Jackie smiled and headed for the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, "Your duffle's under your bed, I think. Oh and there's a few things still in the dryer."

Rose studied the floral pattern on the mug for a moment, her thumb tracing over the leaves and petals. She couldn't quite summon the courage to tell her mum just yet. Besides, they lived in a time machine. They could be back in no time. She took one last sip of tea and then raced to her bedroom to pack.