Disclaimer. Don't own Doctor Who.

Chapter 16.

Rose was getting a bit fed up. It had been just over a week since she had come back onto the TARDIS and as yet they had had no adventures whatsoever. The Doctor was treating her as though she would break if she so much as lifted a finger. If she got out of bed she would have to answer twenty questions as to how she was feeling. It was near impossible to shut him up once he got going. It was because of this that Rose had sneaked from her room when he wasn't looking and was currently hiding out in the depths of he TARDIS. She needed to play a prank on him and soon if she was to retain any semblance of her sanity. Luckily, a week of unwilling bed rest and bad cooking (the Doctor was not going to guest star on Ready Steady Cook anytime soon), had given her plenty of time to think up her revenge on him. Rose left her hiding place to set up her prank.

The Doctor was growing worried now, he had been searching for Rose for two and a half hours and had yet to find her. Even the TARDIS could not pinpoint her location, or perhaps would not would be more accurate. Knowing that the TARDIS could locate anyone on board he figured there was a fault in the circuitry and had promptly dismantled the main control panel in search of it. Nothing he tried had worked though so he was resigned to the fact that the TARDIS would not help him in his search. He headed off to take a shower while pondering the whereabouts of his companion. As the Doctor stood in the shower he closed his eyes, content to allow the water to cascade over him.

Okay, he was not going to shout, or scream or cry, no really he wasn't. Honest. He was just going to call for Rose so that they could discuss what had happened calmly and diplomatically. He walked to the door and opened it slightly. "Rose? Could you come here for a minute please?" Right, phase one of his plan complete, although he was having real trouble with the whole not crying, screaming or shouting part. He moved back to his original position in front of his mirror and waited. He didn't have to wait long it turned out, as he looked into the reflective glass he spied Rose creeping silently into the room behind him.

"I suppose you think this is funny?" He asked, astonished at his ability to speak calmly considering that she had put orange dye in the shower head and green dye in his shampoo.

"Funny?" Rose responded innocently. "Why would I find this funny?" With that, she couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.

"Rose, I look like an Oompa Loompa. Now I want to know two things. Firstly, the reason why you chose to make me look like an Oompa Loompa and secondly the best way to get me back to normal." The Doctor fell silent as he realised his voice had gone from authoritative to sulky in the space of three sentences. He settled for looking at her expectantly.

"Well, the first I can answer for you, see we haven't done anything for the last week and I've been getting a little bored with TARDIS daytime telly. I needed a bit of excitement. As for your second request though, I'm afraid I can't help with that, the dye lasts about a week. I do have something that might cheer you up though."

"And what might that be?" The Doctor asked aghast at the fact he would look like this for another six days.

Rose simply extracted an object from her pocket and offered it to him. "Orange?"