Chapter One:

"So where are we again?"

"The third Greco-Roman empire of Paxil."

"Paxil? Like the anti-depressant?"

"Like the colony world you lot settled on one of the moons of Persus after the Earth got a bit too crowded." The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and breathed deep. "It's amazing this used to be devoid of life, totally unlivable, and with a bit of jiggery-pokery here and there, you turn it into this." He swept his arms wide, as if to embrace the lush landscape around us, his black leather whipping in the breeze. He grinned at me, blue eyes twinkling. "Sometimes you humans are absolutely brilliant!"

"Good to have around, eh?" I nudged him with my arm, grinning back. He took my hand in his and I smiled as I squeezed it. Ever since we ran into Captain Jack during the Blitzkreig and the Doctor witnessed a rival for my affections other than Mickey, he had become more attentive with me. Maybe that's why we got the former Time Agent to safety after his ship blew up and promptly dropped him off on the Pleasure Planet (his choice of locale) instead of inviting him along on our adventures. Not that I minded. I rather liked having the Doctor all to myself. "So are we going to see lots of people in togas?"

"Not hardly. It's the third Greco-Roman empire in name only. It's more of a title than a standard of living," the Doctor said, ushering me along the path leading to what I presumed was the main city. The colony worlds generally make up the rules as they go along, not too concerned with historic references."

"Here I was looking forward to a toga party," I joked.

As we neared the town, I was more than a little surprised. Instead of Greek or Roman columns, the buildings looked more like they came from the Americas old West, with a bit of China and Japan's architecture thrown in. The people wore long kimono-like robes over loose trousers. Spaceships roared overhead while the people walked, rode bicycles, or took what looked to be mass transit.

"It's like they took a bunch of time periods and mixed them up in a blender," I said.

A matronly looking woman noticed my gawking and smiled. "You be offworlders then?" she asked, her accent a hint of Scotch and Irish.

"That's us, a pair of travelers," the Doctor said. "I'm the Doctor, and this here's Rose Tyler."

"Come to trade in the market, I suspect," the woman said with a smile. "I'm afraid it's closed for the holiday, but it'll reopen tomorrow bright and early. The tavern should be able to put you and your wife up for the night."

The Doctor blanched. "She's not my wife."

"Here, you don't have to sound disgusted by that," I said.

"Och, begging your pardon, sir, you and your daughter, of course."

"No, no, she's not my wife or my daughter. She's just my traveling companion."

"We're friends," I put in, not wanting to sound like an employee or work colleague.

The woman looked taken aback. She looked me over. "You mean to say that you are unclaimed, child?"

I shrugged. "I'm not married or anything no."

"You're not a doxy either from the look of you." She took my arm and lowered her voice. "Here, you be careful, girl. There's men in this town that'll be looking to take advantage, regardless of whether you're an offworlder or not."

"You've never been down to the pub on a Saturday night," I laughed. "I'm used to a bit of manhandling, I can hold my own."

"Never you mind that, you keep a steady eye out," she said. "You without a Champion"
With a tsk-ing noise, she bustled off.

"There's an odd duck," I said to the Doctor. "They not get a lot of unmarrieds 'round these parts?"

"I expect not," the Doctor said. "This is still a colony world, and there's still trying to settle this world. That means repopulation, and women are probably a minority here."

"So I'm going to be popular," I said. "After all of these years..."

"Let's go 'round to the tavern, shall we?" he asked, holding an arm out.

I took it. "Let's."

Chapter Two:

The tavern seemed to be the place where all of the townspeople gathered, the rich and the poor. It was packed to overflowing, and all eyes turned to stare at us as we walked in. Apparently, strangers were a rarity around these parts.

The Doctor went up the tavern wench manning the bar. "We'd like a meal and two rooms, please."

The woman barely looked up at him. "We've only got the one room left upstairs. Besides, what you needin' two rooms for, your servants?"

"No, one for me and one for my companion." The Doctor gestured to me.

"All's we got is the one," the woman said.

The Doctor sighed. "I'll have to park the TARDIS in the room anyway, so I suppose it'll have to do. I'll make sure not to run the engines to disturb you, Rose."

"You're too kind," I said, a little miffed that he didn't even entertain the idea of us even sharing the same bed. It's not like he ever slept...

"And how you going to be paying?" the tavern wench asked.

"What's it say here?" the Doctor asked, holding up the psychic paper.

The woman read it and then looked over the Doctor's shoulder. "Oi! Prefect Tennyson, these two say to put their food and lodging on your tab."

I took in a deep breath as a gorgeous man made his way to us. He had wavy blonde hair, eyes bluer than the Doctor's, and built like Captain Jack. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"What's this tell you?" The Doctor held up the psychic paper again.

The gorgeous man read it and looked up at the Doctor, then back down at the paper again. "Chancellor Smith, of course! It is our pleasure to have a representative from the Horsehead Nebula here to visit. But you'll not stay in a common place like this, you'll stay at my home and dine with me."

The barmaid harrumphed at the notion of the tavern being common.

The Doctor grinned. "You're a good mate, Prefect Tennyson," he said, slapping him on the back exuberantly.

The Prefect turned to me. "Call me Seth, please. And Chancellor, aren't you going to introduce me to your lovely wife?"

"This is Rose Tyler, and she's my companion, not my wife or my daughter," The Doctor said, as slight edge to his voice as the Prefect bent at the waist to kiss my hand. I felt myself blush.

"Welcome, Rose Tyler. A beauty such as you remains unclaimed?"

"Just lucky I guess," I quipped.

"Lucky for me," Seth said, and tucked my arm into his. "Come. Let me take you to my home."

Chapter Three:

The Doctor had glowered all through the five-course meal. Seth was a witty conversationalist, and I found I was enjoying myself despite Mister Stick-in-the-Mud next to us. Really, if the Doctor wanted to be jealous, then he was going to have to "claim" me as these people said. He had made it abundantly clear that we were just friends, that there was no attachments between me and him. Then if some hot man on a distant planet found me attractive, the Doctor would just have to deal with it.

"So I said, 'That's not a horse, that's a zebra!" he said, and laughed. I joined in, not exactly getting the joke.

The Doctor cleared his throat and stood up. "If you would excuse us, Seth, I have some calibrations to run on my ship."

"Why don't you move your ship onto my grounds?" Seth said. "I won't mind and then you can still inspect the market in the morning."

"Alright." The Doctor walked over to me. "Come on, Rose."

"I'll keep Miss Tyler company, don't you worry about her," Seth said jovially. "I know how women can get underfoot on a ship."

I stifled a glare when I saw how put out the Doctor was that Seth was trying to keep me away from him. "Rose?"

I smiled. "I'll be fine. You only ever want to fix the TARDIS by yourself. Go have fun tinkering about."

With one last jealous glance back, the Doctor stalked out of the room.

Seth gave me a smile. "Your traveling companion is a strange man"
"You have no idea."

He laughed. "How long have you been traveling with him?"

I shrugged. "Hard to say. Feels like forever, feels like only a few days."

"Do a lot of traveling on strange worlds?"

"Very strange."

"And the Chancellor always seems to know everything about them?"

I laughed. "Sounds like you've been traveling around with 'im."

"All of us politicians are the same. Act like we're the fount of knowledge of the cosmos. But what I don't understand about him," he leaned forward. "Is how he can travel for forever or only a few days with someone as lovely as you and not claim them."

I blushed. "He isn't interested in claiming me like the way you mean."

"He prefers the company of men, then?"

"No, he's just...not interested."

"But to not lay any guardianship claims at all..."

"I'm 19!" I said defensively. "I don't need a guardian!"

He smiled wolfishly. "So you are a free agent then?"

Something about his tone put me off. "I suppose so."

"Excellent."

Before I knew it, he was grasping me around the shoulders and kissing me, hard. I pushed back, trying to escape his clutches. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You have no father or brother to broker a claim with, nor are you already claimed by a man, so you are a free agent to do with as one wishes. You're not even a doxy to negotiate funds with."

"It doesn't work like that, you just can't have your way with someone because they're not married or have relatives!" I said hotly. "And I'm no submissive little mouse like you're apparently used to on this world."

His wolfish smile widened. "I'm counting on it."

He grabbed me by the hair of the head, trying to pull me to the ground. I screamed as I felt hair rip out and did the one thing every woman knows to do in this kind of situation - go for the goods.

He screamed and crumpled to the floor. I stood up, holding onto my hair.

"Some wankers just won't take no for an answer," I said.

"What the bloody hell is going on in here?" The Doctor stood in the doorway, dark blue eyes blazing.

"This sodding git decided to take advantage of the fact that I've got no man," I said.

"Well, she does, she's got me," the Doctor said to him.

The Prefect got up, still holding himself. "But you haven't laid any claims to her. Therefore, I lay claim to Rose Tyler."

"Well, you can't."

"By whose account?"

"On account of I saw her first!" the Doctor said triumphantly. "I'm the one who found her, I'm the one who she's been traveling around with, and I've saved her life multiple times! If she belongs to anybody, it's me."

"Here, I saved your life the first time we met!"

He looked at me. "No, I saved you from the autons the first time we met. Then you saved me."

The Prefect frowned. "Then you are challenging me for the claim of Rose Tyler."

"Yes."

The Prefect bowed. "Then we will duel in the towne square for all to bear witness. I assume swords are acceptable?"

The Doctor nodded.

Then we will convene in one hour. Good day to you, Chancellor Smith. Rose Tyler." He bowed and walked out the door.

I clutched the Doctor's arm. "Let's on the TARDIS and get the hell out of here before you get yourself killed"
"What's that supposed to mean?" He looked affronted.

"You can't fight a duel!"

"Why can't I?" His eyes were turning a steely blue.

"You're not a fighter, for one!"

"Are you saying you don't trust me to fight to defend your honor?" Now he looked angry with me.

"Have you gone off your nut? Fight to defend my honor, what the hell does that mean? Let's just get out of here."

His hand clamped down on mine. "We're not running and hiding. We're facing this head on. The both of us." And with that, he turned and walked out, taking me along with him.