The first thing Rose noticed when she woke up was the lack of a sting as she moved her right hand. The Doctor must have removed the IV while she was still asleep, which must be a good thing.

She slowly started shifting on the bed and scrambled away the blanked that had been draped over her. When she pushed herself up to rest on her elbows and look around her arms protested with the exhaustion it brought.

Even though she must have slept for a long time her body seemed to resist the idea of having to get up, at least the most of it. Standing on shaking legs she shuffled slowly over to the bathroom by the infirmary. When she was done with her business she splashed some water onto her face and looked at herself in the mirror. She felt pretty manky and one look showed her she was right to do so.

Even though it would take longer and would be more exhausting, Rose decided that she would prefer using her usual bathroom to the one here. While hers was cosy and luxurious this one was all set up for physical therapy and even though it had all the amenities one would hope for in a bathroom- including a massage shower and a small sauna for some reason- she decided that she would feel more normal if she used her usual bathroom. Therefore, she started to slowly make her way to her room.

The Doctor was nowhere to be seen which was just as well. She could only imagine his fussing right now and frankly she just wanted some quiet time to herself.

After she had showered, she changed into a new set of pyjamas. She'd expected to feel hungry when she was done with her morning routine, but quite the opposite was true. The nausea, probably because of the exhaustion, had kicked back in and the bed started to look very appealing. `That isn't an option though.`she told herself. If she got straight back into the next bed available the Doctor would only start worrying again. Carry her off to the infirmary for more tests and any hopes of going out today, even if it was just to some solitary beach would be squashed.

Therefore she dismissed the idea quickly and went off to the garden room. Armed with a towel to sit on and one of the magazines she'd picked up last time they were in London she settled underneath the shade of a pine tree. After she'd learned all about Tom Cruise's marriage and the reunion of some Pop group she'd never heard of the reading started to become exhausting. She settled on watching her surroundings and enjoying the artificial sunshine. She'd never noticed how much live the TARDIS harbored within her walls, almost like an ark shielding them from the rest of the universe. Around her butterflies and bees where flying from flower to flower and when she listened carefully she wondered if she could hear the rustling of leaves as a deer or rabbit made it's way through some bushes.

The idea of the Doctor sustaining and nurturing live in the TARDIS made her smile quietly to herself. He was the universes ultimate protector and when it came down to it he would be there for her. He'd taken her into his 'ark' and see her through all trouble. She needn't be afraid.

All of a sudden, a call pulled her out of her reverie. "Rose? Are you alright?"

He made his way over to his elusive companion with fast purposeful strides.

"There you are! I've been worrying. I came back to the infirmary just to find the bed empty and no sign of you. You can't just run off like that."

"I was just getting a shower and decided to relax here.", Rose defended herself, a bit at a loss as to why he was so upset about her moving around the ship.

"Rose, you know I wasn't joking when I said that your condition is serious." He said sternly.

"Of course,…"

"Then why are you out here?" He hissed and grabbed her by the forearm to pull her back to the door.

Rose wasn't having any of it and pulled herself free.

"Doctor, stop. What's going on? You can't just come out here and drag me wherever you want."

He turned back to her on the spot and watched her with a calm expression. "As I said before Rose, you don't seem to realize the condition you're in. It is my responsibility to keep you safe and see you through this. You're immunosuppressed, which means you're very susceptible to all kinds of disease and germs. This" he made a gesture to their surroundings, "is a fully functioning ecosystem with all the germs and animals it needs and you just put yourself into a lot of danger."

Rose opened her mouth again and tried to formulate a good response. But none came to her.

As she struggled to come up with something the Doctor took a deep breath.

"Look Rose, I'm sorry I shouldn't have overreacted like that. I've been searching for you for over two hours and I've been imagining all kinds of horrible scenarios. I'm worried and it all came out wrong." He said with a regretful tone. Slowly he put his arms around her and embraced her in their safety. It seemed this was taking as much out of him as it was out of her. And he didn't have the safety net of someone standing by his side to tell him he was doing fine and he'd taken the right decision in one thing or another.

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to worry you." She whispered in his embrace.

"I know" ,the Doctor whispered as he pulled back to look into her eyes. "But the point still stands, Rose." He said in a louder, sterner voice. "As your Doctor you're to listen to my prescriptions and follow Doctor's orders. Right now it's all a bit much so you need to let me take care of you. Which starts with having a good breakfast to get back your strength, alright?"

After she'd been served a big bowl of granola with banana slices and a tall glass of orange juice, Rose's stomach felt uncomfortably full. Afterwards he pulled he up and carried her back to bed. She expected him to take her to the infirmary but to her surprise he set her down in her normal but.

"No hospital bed for me tonight?" She asked in a relieved tone.

"Nope, thought you might enjoy your own bed tonight and I don't think you're strong enough to receive any medicine tonight anyway. But I'd like to give a quick once over before you go to sleep."

Rose groaned, it would have been too much to ask to get away without him poking and prodding for one night.

"Don't have to look so disappointed. I'll make it quick and afterwards I'll read you something or we could watch a movie, you choose."

As promised the Doctor only insisted on scanning her with the screwdriver and listen to her heart and lungs.

Tonight, Rose's body acquiescenced to the Doctor's wishes. He'd not found any signs of infection from the garden and her TB didn't seem to have progressed. She simply lay contently propped up against his chest as her respiration and pulse slowed and she slipped into a deep sleep.