A/N: Another two months have passed. Just as I have feared, it seems this has become my new update schedule. Of course I will always try to be faster than that, but when life doesn't leave me any other chance I have to comply.

As always, thank you so much to every single reader - to those who just stopped by, those who followed, favourited and especially to those who reviewed. Your feedbacks make my day, and I do hope that you'll like what has taken me entirely too long to write.

Have a fantastic week, everyone!
TiaKisu

additional: I'd just like to point it out that I do not mean to advertise any make of car. All I did was search for the most common brands in England and randomly choose one of them. Just in case anyone wondered.

Chapter II-4: Jeopardy friendly

„What do you mean it's gone?"

The wheels of the little blue car grated against the kerbstone as Rose had it take a sharp turn - stirring it with expertise through the traffic, using side-lanes and short-cuts whenever possible.

"I mean it's disappeared, vanished. Into thin air. Or need I spell it out to you, Tyler?" Rodriguez' voice sounded even harsher than normal, the wireless connection distorting it slightly. The senior agent let out a huff of frustration but she knew better than to take that personal.

"Any idea how it could've escaped," she asked levelly, with a glance at the satnav. There were only so many streets leading away from the tiger's last known position.

"Went straight into a dead end, there is no way out."

"But it must've gotten out of there somehow," Rose muttered more to herself than to anyone else, wincing a little as Emmanuel Rodriguez snorted.

"You think I don't know that. What's the CCTV say?"

His half-barked question was more of a command and it had Elizabeth report immediately. "Blind angle I'm afraid. Closest ones are at Moorgate and Lothbury but no sighting there."

As soon as she had informed everyone at Security of the Doctor's program she had received the order to see to the official surveillance system – track the new target if it got out of sight. Accessing the cameras was easy enough, but on days like this one it seemed pointless.

Rodriguez groaned. "Just brilliant. Any more good news?"

"Depends. We're near St Helen's." Deliberately ignoring how her colleague didn't stint on sarcasm Rose smiled. Half the time Emmanuel didn't even mean the things he said when he was in this mood but losing control of a situation was something he really couldn't stand.

Barely even acknowledging her statement the older agent started the engine of his motorbike and gave instructions to those under his command, sending them off to follow different routes before he snapped, "Symes, any little kitten you see I want to know and make sure we've got the police radio, too. We can't let this one run wild in the city."

Though she wasn't cut in via video, Liz nodded. "Understood."

"And you Tyler," Rodriguez took a breath then let it out in a sigh. "Do what you do best."

"Which would be?"

Jumping a little at the unexpected interjection that was coming from her left, Rose gripped the wheel just a bit tighter.
Ever since their earlier argument the Doctor had been silent, scrutinizing her every now and again without ever saying anything. And while his quietness was not exactly unsettling she had yet to fully shake off the effect that fighting with him had always had on her (it occurred to her that - strangely - they had never truly argued when he had been his younger-looking self, but whether that was good or bad she didn't know to tell).

"As it happens I'm good at searching them," she explained nonchalantly. Only the way she repeatedly looked at him out of the corner of her eyes belied the nervousness that lay beneath. "Been chasing after so many with you, it seems I learned a thing or two."

Tentatively quirking her lips, she felt herself lose some of the tension when he crinkled his nose and hummed good-naturedly.

"I'd rather think you're a natural. Didn't even know what the Nestene Consciousness was but you found it. Jamie, the Wire... Happened rather often, in fact."

There was the unmistakable hint of seriousness in his tone and it had Rose smile gently while she manoeuvred past an especially audacious cyclist.
"Couldn't have done it without you though," she pointed out and when he just shrugged she added, "I guess that means we make a good team then."

Pale blue eyes flickering sideward he considered her for a long moment before at last his features, too, relaxed. "Yeah."

"As glad as I am that this is settled, have you seen anything?"

Rose had effectively forgotten that the headset was always activated when she was on a mission so when Emmanuel reminded her of the fact and that, consequently, he could still hear everything she automatically blushed.

"Sorry, no. Nothing-," she hurried to reply, only to be interrupted by the Time Lord who noticeably angled his head and frowned.

"Actually, if you're searching for a Neo-Smilodon fatalis..." As was often the case he didn't care to elaborate, just stared upwards where in front of a clear sky a shadow jumped from one building to the other.

It took Rose less than a second to follow his gaze, and she gasped. "It's on the roofs. It must've climbed!"

On the other end of the line Rodriguez swore unintelligibly into his microphone – clearly he had not expected the creature to be this agile either; then he hissed. "Where are you now?"

"Throgmorton Ave, it's heading East." Eyes half glued to the Visitor and half on the street, Rose barely spared her passenger a glance when she shouted. "Hold on to something!"

Making use of the brake she forced the Vauxhall around a corner, ignoring the red light and half using the sidewalk for the turn. From behind angry cries of horns and people assaulted the daring blue vehicle but she paid them no heed, knowing she had made sure not to endanger anyone with the move.

Over her mobile she heard Emmanuel announce that he was on the way, the sound of his voice however was quickly replaced by a distinctly perturbed Northern rumble that came from next to her.

"Rassilon, who taught you to drive like this?" Both his hands on the dashboard, the Doctor appeared to be less than impressed with her skills, though that was probably just for show. Rose had teased him about his own talent for bumpy rides so often - she really didn't put it past him to complain just because he could.

Thus, in spite of herself, she shrugged. "Mickey."

"Mickey the idiot, I might as well've known." He grimaced slightly and if anyone else had taken a look at him now they would have thought he was harbouring true dislike for the man mentioned. Only, his companion knew to hear what lay below the surface.

"Yeah, well, he's not an idiot," she countered but her tone was light, "Think we established that a while ago."

As if of its own free will her mouth stretched in a smile. He was reaching out to her, in his own peculiar way, offering to shed the weight of their earlier confrontation and tread familiar ground again when it was much needed.

Before he had regenerated into a man with a billion words at his disposal playful banters had always been their means of communicating and he was just inviting her to resort to that again.
She had worked for Torchwood long enough as to not have personal matters distract her when she was out in the field, but having him make an effort to dispel the lingering echo of their argument felt like she was relieved of a burden. It also meant more to her than she could actually process right then.

"And 'sides, he did tell me you invited him after the Slitheen already. You're busted." Adrenaline started to circulate in her system and she grinned. All the while, her gaze was constantly switching back and forth between the skies above and the street in front, trying to calculate which direction to take.
It wasn't too long until rush-hour and already the traffic was thickening but if at least she could keep on the Visitor's tail long enough for her colleagues to trace it she was doing her job well.

In the pillion, the Doctor raised an eyebrow and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'traitor' before – without a warning – he practically bolted upright in his seat.

Left with no chance to react to the sudden shift in demeanour, Rose could only make sure she stayed in control of the car while he scowled at some point in the distance.

"What do they think they're doing," he hissed, his muscles going taut in sudden agitation. Almost he blocked her view of the road with how he leant forwards, causing her to frown.

Chancing a glance at whatever it was he was seeing she was surprised to find it was a helicopter which had him grouse. "Police must've sent it. What's the problem?"

The question was innocent enough, but to her dismay it had the Time Lord's features harden - a definite sign that something was going very wrong.

"Problem is they're shooting at it!"

The very instant he said this she looked up, and it was then that Rose noticed the silver flares among pale blue.

"It's probably just tranquilizers," she reasoned absent-mindedly, though whether that was just to calm him down a little she didn't know and had no time to fathom either.
"Liz, there's a helicopter chasing after the tiger. Who is flying that thing," she all but cried into the micro of her headset, knowing that sedative or not any intervention from outside Torchwood usually meant loads of paperwork to see to afterwards.

On the other end of the line it took Elizabeth just a moment to confirm the suspicion, her voice accompanied by the tell-tale sound of hectic typing. "It's coming from Bishopsgate. I'm trying to connect to them."

"A little faster, please. Tell them to stop it right now!" Rose really didn't mean to push but in between keeping them alive while speeding through the City and not losing the creature out of sight she was beginning to feel a little stressed.

Above she could see the Sabre-tooth rear in alarm, ready to dash to the right when suddenly one of its hind legs gave way and it almost lost its balance. Everything after happened in a blur: The Doctor shouting out, the large furry shape haring towards the edge of the roof in obvious panic and the car pulling out of the side road right in front of her.

Jamming on the brakes and jerking the wheel violently she barely registered how the other driver did exactly the same, both of them narrowly avoiding the crash. Focus solely on the street, it was only in the periphery of her vision that she saw the tiger tumble – kicking limbs trying to claw at anything remotely solid yet finding nothing but thin air, the squirming shape disappearing somewhere between tall buildings and concrete.

Wordlessly she cursed, the squeaking tyres drowning out anything she could have said. Driving left the next chance she had Rose entered a smaller lane and pulled over, bringing the Vauxhall to an abrupt stop.

"Can it have survived?" Her breaths came short and accentuated, courtesy of the near-accident. Instead of receiving an answer however she merely saw the Time Lord exit the car in one fluid movement, his mind already set on something he had yet to voice out to her. "Doctor?"

This time he turned and although he still had not spoken a word it was enough to make her unfasten her seatbelt as well, ready to join him when he was probably waiting for her to get moving. Indeed, the very moment her feet touched the ground he set off.

With four long strides he had rounded the car, muttering distractedly. "Could be, it's a cat." And then, to her surprise, Rose found a large hand winding itself about her right one.

The sensation was curious, warm and thrilling alike – causing her lungs to suck in air. As if on auto-pilot her feet immediately fell into a long-practiced rhythm, her body responding of its own accord, accessing old pathways and making it easy to keep up with the fast pace he was setting.
Blue eyes on where they had seen the tiger fall it seemed he didn't really act consciously either. He was instinctively keeping her by his side, like he always had, and in that very moment, for one brief instant, she felt like she was nineteen again.

Blood began pumping through her veins, whistling in her ears, flushing her skin, making her giddy in a way that she had believed she could never be again. Somewhere deep down inside she noted how there was a stark contrast between the purposeful speed that was leading her now and the animated sprints she had come to know after his regeneration, but she couldn't care less.

Pushing aside any thoughts of what had come to pass and what they might encounter once they reached the Visitor Rose smiled. Running with him was madness; it was adventure and freedom – a glimpse at a life she once used to lead and she revelled in the reminder.

All around sirens howled as police drove by, the noise however was but a quiet murmur to her and almost she would have missed Emmanuel's alarmed call.

"Tyler, what's going on?"

Clearly, what little he had heard over the connection wasn't enough to fill him in on what had just happened and she had to concentrate to break through the tantalising pictures of her past and answer him.

"Visitor's been shot. It's likely down in the streets again. We're almost there." Keeping it as short as possible, Rose's hand flexed a bit in the Doctor's. She didn't want him to slow down on her behalf.

Over the phone Emmanuel groaned, telling his subordinates to follow her signal before he informed her that he would activate the tracer that was installed in the phone of every agent.
The necessary codes to access the devices were in the possession of especially chosen team leaders - to be used only in case of an emergency or situations like this one. It was a sensible procedure although at times it made her feel monitored in a way she didn't appreciate too much.

"And Tyler," Rodriguez' disgruntled addition cut into her thinking and had her listen up, "Don't do anything stupid!"

At this Rose would have very much liked to call the man out on the stunts that he himself had already pulled while out in the field but she had not even opened her mouth when she froze. Without any consideration of where she was she stopped dead in her tracks, her hand slipping from the Doctor's due to the momentum.

There, right next to the Tesco's was something she recognised and yet didn't: A shadow, pale, hardly visible weren't it for the bright amber orbs that stared at her.

Hidden where a tiny backstreet lead to the main road a creature stood still – proud and tall, just like the one at Torchwood had. Same stance, same intense gaze that was as beautiful as it was haunting. And once again the latter was directed at her. Unreadable yet overbearing in how it seemed to search for something she was not to know.

It sent a shiver down her spine.

"Not alone then after all." There was no recipient to her whisper, no one to share this finding with. Momentarily the world around her seemed of no importance, the Doctor and Emmanuel just a distant notion in her mind as the only thing she perceived were those eyes, watching and assessing her.

She blinked, had to, and they were gone.

"No, wait!" Instinctively she reached out, all but stumbled as she tried to get to where she had seen the figure be - only to have the wind knocked out of her.

Out of nowhere something, or rather someone, slammed into her when she had barely set one foot in front of the other. Held in a death-grip she hurtled sidewards; her head firmly tucked under what seemed to be a chin, nose suddenly buried in worn leather. Strong arms clasped her almost too tightly and finally an onslaught of sound and pictures registered in her head, violently reminding her of her surroundings until she fought for air.

Right before her, where she had stood but a heartbeat ago, the Sabre-tooth was darting down the pavement: teeth bared, eyes wild and frightened as three clawed paws left deep marks in the ground. One leg was dragged behind, either broken or numb, but the observation was quickly forgotten as the animal's yowl mingled with the Doctor's bellowing of her name and the pained grunt he released when he twisted and hit the street lamp first.
The tremor of the impact travelled all the way through him and into her every bone until she realised with a start that she must have been right in the tiger's path.

In all likelihood it would have crushed her in its frenzied flight. She hadn't even noticed it coming.

Her chest heaving with a dry cough Rose angled her head as much as she could; trying to look the Time Lord over. "Blimey, are you okay?"

The apology she probably owed him for having let herself get so thoroughly distracted was quickly swallowed by a rather instant and intense sense of worry, her voice cracking when he let go off her and wheezed.

"Funny... just wanted... to ask you the same."

His mouth was slightly contorted, as if he attempted a smile but couldn't quite muster it. Rolling his right shoulder he grimaced, releasing a string of melodious syllables that somehow she knew belonged to his language but were probably of the less dignified type. It took him far longer than it should have to catch his breath but at last he straightened up.

"Two years on your own, and I thought you would've become less jeopardy friendly."

The half-groused mockery had her furrow her brows. It was just like him to not answer the question but at least from the way he was holding himself she could tell a nasty bruise was probably the only price he had to pay for her lapse.

"Tough." Risking to crack a tentative grin, Rose hoped he knew that she was sorry.
Being an agent for Torchwood she had received her training; had visited foreign dimensions and dealt with quite a few aliens. She had done well.
Back when she had first met him it had had to be expected that she needed to be looked after, now though she felt she should have known better than to let her guard down in the first place - no matter the reason. Curiously, she found nothing of that sentiment in his gaze.

Coming to think about it, she never had.

"You good to go on?" Not anticipating him to say no even if he weren't Rose was already turning. The Visitor had by now disappeared from view. Just the same, maybe they could still catch it.

"Never been better."

The word liar flashed up in her mind (and she knew he was trying to fool her - she could hear the strain in his voice), but she decided to humour him. Starting at a slightly slower pace she headed towards where people filtered out of the stores, bewildered and distraught – much like they had just seen a ghost run past; went at full tilt again when the Doctor overtook her. Show off.

Dodging the crowds he jogged down the lane, his companion always right beside him. At the next junction he stopped short for a second, listened, then was off to the right. Had the roar not been as audible even over the noise of the traffic Rose might have been inclined to think he still had his superior hearing, as it was though even she couldn't miss the foreign cry.

Rushing around the corner just like he had, she barely caught him race into a blind end and not needing any kind of invitation she followed swiftly – yelping as she ran straight into him.

Albeit he was breathing heavily he stood stock still, the Sabre-tooth pressed into the wall before him. The tiger arched its back and snarled, making a feature of its distressingly long upper canine teeth while it raised its left front paw menacingly.

"Don't move!" For once, the Doctor brooked no dissent and Rose found herself held back by an outstretched arm. "Neo-Smilodon isn't even half as dangerous as it looks but this one's terrified. If it thinks we're a threat it might attack."

She grimaced. Even half as dangerous was still a bit too much for her liking. "Can't say I'm too keen on that. Any idea how to calm it down?"

"One, actually." His focus still on the creature he frowned, his free hand sliding into his coat pocket while he continued to speak in an overly calm way. "Its kind is bred on Zella Centauri. One day in the future you lot decide your pet animals aren't fancy enough so you bring back extinct species. Use the most docile for mating and you get them all cuddly and devoted after a couple o' generations. They don't even know how powerful they are, domesticated you would say. A best seller among the rich."
Rummaging in the endless depths of the trans-dimensional fabric he glanced at the feline out of the corner of his eyes.
"Usually a bit spoiled, too. Aha!"

Opposite to them, the tiger hissed as the Doctor began to twitch. Whatever he had been searching for, apparently he had found it. Slowly extricating his hand he took a tiny step forwards.

"Fun fact, Rose Tyler: most of them are born with an innate love for peppermint."

"And you happen to carry that around," she concluded matter-of-factly.

In lieu of a reply he just grinned.

"Why am I not surprised?" There was a hint of exasperation in her tone, yet her eyes sparkled. When the Sabre-tooth growled though, she sobered. "Just be careful."

She hadn't planned on saying that but now that it was out in the open it hung in the air between them and for one long heartbeat the Doctor's expression changed into something surprised, something warmer. Then it was gone again, the confident smile back in place – and he advancing.

"There now," he cooed, holding the leaves out to the scared mammal, "here's something you like."

The tiger bristled, large brown eyes going back and forth between peppermint and human face. It huffed, curling up at first before, at last, it sniffed.

"You know what this is. Go ahead, it's fine."

Even to Rose the Time Lord sounded soothing and she watched in wonder how the Smilodon stretched hesitantly, its nose not far from the Doctor's hand anymore. A pink tongue peeked out of the giant cat's mouth and then the peppermint disappeared between white teeth.

"There's a good-" the Doctor tilted his head slightly, "girl."

While she chewed, carefully he extended his other hand as well, gently placing it right on top of the sturdy head. The alien flinched under his touch but when he began ruffling her fur, she relaxed visibly. Even, she pushed forward and into his caress.

"She likes you!"

Much to his chagrin his companion sounded rather astonished saying that, her gasp causing him to mutter, "That so unbelievable?"

Nose screwed up, he looked slightly scandalised but something in his voice told Rose that in reality he was amused.
Petting the Neo-Smilodon he moved just a bit, leaning over so that he could assess what had happened to the cat's hind leg without startling the still nervous creature. What he saw didn't seem to be too bad and already Rose wanted to ask him for a diagnosis when at the sound of a motorbike braking hard she stiffened.

Almost she had forgotten about her colleagues.

"No, it's fine." Quickly, she whirled around with a placating gesture, certain to know who it was that had just arrived. "It's alright! The Doctor's got it under control." From behind she could hear the Time Lord start to whisper to the frightened animal, calming it down when the disturbance had it withdraw and growl anew. "It's just scared."

She could see Rodriguez was about to argue, his dark eyes narrowed as he considered the scene before him. After a while he took off his helmet.

"Twelve people were hurt; one of them is a child." His expression was grim and for a moment Rose worried about what kind of conclusion the senior agent might have reached since she had last talked to him over the phone.

Already she tensed, willing to object to him, but then he conceded. "We're lucky it's just some scrapes and broken bones. Most of 'em will be out of the hospital by tomorrow." Dipping his chin in the Doctor's direction, Emmanuel's gaze zeroed in on the young blonde. "You think he can make it enter the transporter?"

If she had wanted to answer however, the Time Lord beat her to it. He grunted. "As long as there's no one stupid enough to corner her, yes, I think I can."

The brusque response had the other man furrow his brows but in the end he still turned away, giving new orders; and releasing a breath she hadn't known she had been holding Rose sighed.

She had the uncomfortable feeling that these two wouldn't exactly be fast friends.

A/N II: Bishopsgate is one of three stations of the City of London Police. The Headquarters at Guildhall Yard East not counted.