Challenge Accepted

"Morning." He smiles up at her from whatever it is he's fiddling with on the table. There's a cup of tea by his elbow and one on the counter top waiting for her.

"Morning." She sits across from him and twirls the tea bag nervously. She hadn't exactly thought this through. Nonetheless, Rose forges on. "Doctor?"

"Hmm?" He's not paying her much attention. He's got what looks a lot like an eyeglass kit laid out in front of some alien Rubik's Cube.

"How many languages do you speak?"

"Far too many to count."

"To me then?" His hand freezes but his attention doesn't leave whatever it is the Doctor's working on. Rose leans forward, hands clutching her mug.

"What's this about?" He looks up at her slowly, his clear blue eyes somehow guarded.

"People keep asking me and at first I didn't know what they meant but..." She nervously brushes a strand of hair from her face. "You're not always speakin' English, are you?"

"No."

"But I hear English, 'cos the TARDIS translates it for me, yeah?"

"Yes."

"How come?" He looks puzzled for a moment.

"Thought I explained telepathic translation back on Satellite One."

"No, I mean how come you're speakin' another language when everyone we talk to speaks English."

He shrugs nonchalantly but doesn't answer. Rose doesn't know why, but it causes butterflies to dance in her stomach.

"Is it like, a secret language or somethin'? Code words for dangerous situations and all that?"

"Yes." She doesn't know which part of the question he's answering but maybe it's both.

"Is it from Earth?"

"No."

"Are you being vague on purpose?"

"Yes." He ducks his head again, tinkering with the item on the table in an effort not to look at her. He's tried to make it a policy not to lie to her but this was pushing his limit.

"Can you teach it to me? This secret language of yours?"

"Not enough time in the universe." He looks up belatedly, the very tips of his ears flushing pink. He hurries to soften the unintentional insult. "I mean to say that it's a very complicated language that most species can't comprehend."

"No, I got it. Inferior humans and all that." The Doctor sighs and drops the pieces onto the table. They make a dull clinking sound.

"I can teach you something else if you'd like."

"Like what? Pig latin?" Rose asks, a little annoyed.

"Candzoon." She eyes him skeptically.

"Did you just make that up?"

"Primary language on 16 planets in the Khahorintz system. Fallen into a bit of disfavor following the 8th Uprising but still worth a try. Shouldn't be too hard to learn."

"How's that gonna work if the TARDIS is always translating?" The Doctor rolls his eyes. "Right, silly question. Guess she'll just, I dunno, stop?"

"Something like that."

"Alright then, Doctor. Impress me."

The smile that breaks across his face is contagious.