Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to the BBC and I respectfully borrow it.

N:B: A Ripperologist is someonewho has committed to several years of study of the murders of Jackthe Ripper

ACommitted Ripperologist

The peace of the TARDIS was shattered by Rose's screams and curses. The Doctor's head impacted solidly with the body of the consol as he tried to wriggle out from under it too quickly. His curses mingled with Rose's as he rushed down the corridor to her room. The shouts had taken form now and her words made his blood run cold.

"Ow, ow, ow, get off me, that hurts!" she wailed desperately.

Could something have stowed on board, had Rose picked some parasite up off a recent planet. The Doctor didn't waste anytime getting to her room. The Doctor rounded the door of Rose's room, ready to throw Rose's assailant against the nearest wall and not care how much mess was left, only to be greeted by the most ridiculous scene he'd ever witnessed. Rose lay on her bed clad in a pair of shorts and a vest top, with white strips hanging in various states from her legs, her skin red and sore and blotched with solidifying wax. The Doctor struggled to contain his laughter. Clearly Rose's assailant was now clutched between her fingers, bearing half the skin off her leg as well as what it had been intending to remove.

"What are you sniggering at?" hissed Rose, not looking over at him and instead inspecting the damage to her legs.

"Rose of all the ridiculous things to do in the universe. Waxing your legs? Ugh you humans really do enjoy self punishment don't you?" said the Doctor sitting next to her, using the sonic screwdriver to melt away the remaining wax and remove the strips painlessly from her legs.

"I wanted to look my best, I've been neglecting myself recently and what with the wedding and all…"

"What wedding?" asked the Doctor, utterly bemused. Rose had the decency to blush and look sheepishly at the floor.

"I was gonna come and tell you," she said, "My mum called, my cousin Poppy is getting married and my aunt wants me to be a bridesmaid. I was going to ask if we could go home for a bit, you don't have to come to the wedding, just let us go back for a couple of days."

The Doctor wanted to protest but a pleading look from Rose left him with little choice in the matter. He opened his arms to hug her and she accepted gratefully, knowing it was his silent affirmative. He always enjoyed these moments, little blips in time where everything seemed perfect for once. He'd never know how Rose did it but for some reason one embrace and she could make him forget everything. The girl in question was quietly smoothing down the lapel of his leather jacket, contented at the familiar closeness.

"Thank you Doctor," she said softly, "Means a lot. I pretty much grew up with my cousin so it'll be nice to see her get married."

"Weddings are always good, plenty of free booze," said the Doctor.

"Is that your way of inviting yourself?"

"Well usually it would seem far too domestic but you in a frilly pink bridesmaid dress is something that me, or a camera should never be allowed to miss."

"I doubt it will be frilly and pink, my mum's picking it out and she has got some taste you know."

The Doctor's raised eyebrow earned him a playful slap on the cheek, Rose's hand lingering against his stubble afterwards. He turned his face into her palm and pressed a kiss to the cool skin.

"Come on then, let's get to Earth and your mother's. I'm sure she'll be so chuffed to know that I'm coming."

"You're terrible!"

"I'm fantastic."

It was a day of Rose screaming, mused the Doctor as he sat on Jackie Tyler's sofa, trying again not to laugh at his friend who stared, wide eyed at a pink and lace dress straight from the nineteen eighties that lay one the dining room table. It was similar to the dress Jackie had worn at the wedding Rose and the Doctor had attended when they had met her father. A cold chill went through him at the remembrance of that day but the comedy of the scene before him soon pulled him back from his memories.

"I am so not wearing that," said Rose, "Not on your life."

"But Rose darling its lovely and you'll look lovely in it," soothed Jackie, "and I don't know what you're laughing about Doctor, if you're coming you need to look fairly presentable for once."

"Oi, I always look presentable."

Mickey sat chuckling in the corner, hoping against hope that the coming threat Jackie had would put the Doctor off coming but so far all it had earned him was a wonderful Time Lord death stare.

"You'll be wearing a proper suit Doctor, can't have you showing us up.I'm sure we'll be able to hire you something before we leave," said Jackie, "and you'll be wearing that dress Rose, and you'll behave yourself at the wedding."

" But Mum!"

"No buts, now get ready. We'll have to leave soon if we're going to get the Doctor a suit and catch the train to Edinburgh this evening."

"Edinburgh?" said Rose, "You never said anything about the wedding being in Edinburgh!"

"Well its where they met, at university. They're getting married in some big old castle just outside the city. It'll be lovely. That's how I picture your wedding Rose, some lovely big castle."

"Eew no thanks!" said Rose shooting a desperate glance at the Doctor, silently asking him if he could make an alien disaster happen on command. She noticed however that he was growing paler by the second, despising the thought more and more of a thoroughly domestic wedding. The words that left his lips came therefore as a great shock to her.

"I have a suit on the TARDIS and why on Earth are you talking about getting a train when I have the fastest mode of transport in the known universe parked outside? I DO NOT get on trains."

"I'm not going in that thing!" cried Jackie, "It can't be safe."

"Its perfectly…"

"Doctor," warned Rose, not wanting to be embarrassed by his waxing lyrical about his precious ship.

"Ok, ok its relatively safe," said the Doctor, "cheaper and quicker than the train I can promise you. If it gets me to and from this ordeal as quickly as possible I'm willing to take you."

Rose moved over to the Doctor and gave his shoulder a brief squeeze, "Thank you," she said softly letting her fingers toy with the back of his hair, "I assume we have rooms at the castle thing, don't want our TARDIS getting all domestic."

"God he's got to you and all," hissed Mickey, "Our TARDIS!"

"We've got rooms," said Jackie, "All separate, of course."

"Good," said Rose, "Because this one snores like a trooper."

Any retort from the Doctor died on his tongue as he contained his laughter at Jackie and Mickey's shocked expressions.

Several threats, screams, lurching space ships and rumbling landings later Mickey and Jackie stumbled gratefully out of the TARDIS, parked gracefully next to a shed in the garden of the castle. Rose had to admit it was beautiful in the Edinburgh twilight, she looked over to the Doctor to see his face stony. Facing Daleks was one thing for her Time Lord but a human wedding was about to seriously test his resolve. She took his hand gently and led him towards the main entrance. Little knowing that the gesture she gave him would soon become more of a comfort to her than him.

Having grown up with her cousin Rose wasn't prepared for the difference university had made to her, she was all airs and graces. She sneered at Rose's enthusiastic talk of travelling as Rose met up with family she hadn't seen since she had joined the Doctor. The reception was intended to unite the families before the wedding the next morning but Rose was beginning to feel as alien as her companion. Mickey of course was taking every opportunity to get her on her own, even hinting that Rose leave her room for his sometime that evening. Feigning a headache, Rose soon took her leave and went to bed, glad of her rooms sanctuary after the days trials.

Knocking roused her from her slumber. She checked the clock beside her to see that it was all of three in the morning. She cursed under her breath and decided to feign sleep once more but the knocking persisted.

"Go away Mickey!" she said, "I'm trying to get some sleep."

"Rose?"

She was out of bed and unlocking the door in a second. The doctor stood before her in his trade mark black clothes minus the leather jacket, something about him told her he'd dressed in a hurry. He looked harrassed and Rose needed no further prompting to pull him inside the room and close the door behind him. She pulled him into a tight hug, not needing to ask why he'd come to her. Since their encounter with the Dalek she had found out about his nightmares. So often she would find him joining her in her room on the TARDIS, silently slipping under the covers and seeking out her embrace. She willingly comforted him and never spoke of the nightmares in the cold light of day. It was a small price to pay for all her gave her.

"Do you want to stay here tonight?" she said, pulling back to look at him.

"If that's ok with you, I mean if Mickey…"

"No, I'm alone. I missed you to be honest. Usually we only have a wall between us, not an entire floor."

"I think your mother might be behind that," said the Doctor, slipping off his shoes, jumper and jeans and climbing into the bed, "I haven't slept off the TARDIS in a few decades so it's a bit weird."

Rose got in and turned to face him, close but not touching, "I miss her too," she said softly, "Anywhere else just isn't home anymore." She reached out a touched his cheek, "No more nightmares ok? Good night Doctor."

"Good night Rose."