Inspired in part by Fayth3's "Hyperthermia" (Fiction Rated: T -- s/3202807/1/ added to fanfiction home page address) and can be viewed as a prequel, but is in no way officially so. 'Iciclon' and similarities are used with Fayth3's permission.

The Doctor, Rose, and the TARDIS are clearly not mine and borrowed for the sole purpose of harmless entertainment. Well… mostly harmless.

"I can, too, skate!"

The Doctor's had asked Rose where she wanted to go next, and when she had stood there, leaning against the console with one arm and seeming to not be coming up with an answer any time soon, he had offered her several ideas. Rose had considered them while her eyes idly followed the curves of one of the artistic, angled pylons that supported the large dome of the TARDIS' console room. One of the places he mentioned was all frozen and icy, and it gave Rose the idea of ice skating. When she had mentioned it to him, the Doctor had pulled a face that implied he was more than a little disinterested in the idea.

At first, Rose had backed off, but when his sulky attitude had remained, she could tell he was still thinking about it. Rose had then narrowed her eyes and accused him of not wanting to go because he couldn't skate.

"Really, I can. Brilliantly, actually. I skate loops around the best of them. Mind you," the Doctor's prideful boasting took pause, "I haven't had any experience in this regeneration, but I'd pick it up quick, no doubt."

"So, we're going, then, yeah?" Rose bounced on the balls of her feet.

The Doctor made that face again, wrinkling his nose up in a lopsided grimace. "Rose, why do you wanna go skating?" He produced the word like it was boredom defined. "With all the things to do in the universe, you want to go tottering around on some big frozen puddle?"

"Honestly?" Rose planted her hands on her hips and fastened a glare on him. "I think it would be nice, for a change, to do something fun. Something that doesn't require running for our lives, saving the world we happen to be on, or blowing up some ravenous alien."

Hands in pockets, the Doctor's expression fell into a rather insulted-looking frown. "That's not fun?" he mumbled meekly.

Rose pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at him again, now appearing apologetic. "That's not what I'm saying. I mean, I wouldn't use the word 'fun'. It's exciting and all that, and I wouldn't miss it for the world, but I want to do something, just you and me, that's safe. Just for once, you know? We can go back to exploding space stations tomorrow."

"Safe?" The Doctor scoffed, and then launched characteristically into tirade mode. "Safe? I'll have you know skating is highly dangerous. Boring, yeah, but very, very dangerous! I can't believe parents let their kids zip around on shoes with blades sticking out of them. Some kid falls down, trips another, and he loses valuable brain matter! Really, Rose, I can't believe you'd actually suggest it."

Rose pulled her arms up to weave together across her chest. "You just said you were a master at it! Why would you spend so much time at something you think is stupid?"

The Doctor mimicked her stance and crossed his arms, peering at her as if she were daft. "I told you, it's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. I have experience, and as such, I'm telling you, it's bloody boring!"

"Nah," Rose let her arms flop and was shaking her head, a grin growing on her face. "You can't do it. You're just talking rubbish 'cause you figure if we have a go, I'll see that you're worse than I am."

"Oi!" The Doctor's stubborn frown made Rose giggle. She knew it! Sometimes, it was so easy to see right through him.

Rose pounced, tugging at his sleeve. "C'mon, we'll have fun!"

"All right, all right," he ceded through his teeth, sounding annoyed. "If that's what you wanna do, we'll do it." The Doctor tore his arms apart and pointed at his chest. "But I pick the spot." He moved to hover over the console and started throwing switches and smacking buttons, his tone turning more cheerful. "If we're going somewhere frozen, we might as well do it right. Iciclon, beautiful place. Longest winter in the universe. Nice and safe. Stay away from the snow cones." He turned to shake a finger at Rose. "I'm going nice and easy on you, so stay with me. I won't have your inexperience 'causing you to break your head, all right? I like you better with both eyes."

I'm eager for reviews, no matter how short. Reviews are chapter fuel.