Rose spent the next few hours wandering around the maze that was the TARDIS, her mind running over what the Doctor had said and how the TARDIS had reacted. When her legs had gotten tired of walking, she'd ended up in the library easily losing herself in her favorite book Pride and Prejudice.

She'd just gotten to the part where Elizabeth refused Mr. Darcy's addresses when she heard uneven footsteps, one with an obviously heavy limp.

"That's a good book that," the Doctor commented lightly as he lowered himself into a rather comfy looking armchair. "I've never met Jane Austen-Oh! We should go meet Jane Austen! When did she live, the 18th century?"

Rose placed the book in her lap and listened patiently to the Doctor's rambling. "How are you feeling?" she asked with a laugh in her voice. It warmed her heart to see that he was feeling better, better enough to prattle away like normal.

"Better, still a bit sore but I suspect I'll be as good as new by tomorrow," he answered, picking up the book and flipping through it. He grimaced as his foot throbbed painfully at him.

"Why are you wearing shoes?" Rose asked. She'd seen the grimace and her eyes had wandered down to the foot which she had expected to see still wrapped but had seen shoes instead. It was then that she noticed that he was fully dressed.

"I can't go around walking barefoot now can I? The TARDIS may be my home but the metal put grating of her floors are not that comfortable."

"And why are you dressed? Are you going somewhere?"

The Doctor looked down at himself then raised his head again to look at her, confusion and indignation in his face, "What this is comfortable? Doesn't it look alright?"

Rose laughed, "No it looks fine but we aren't going anywhere. You could be comfortable in pajamas and without shoes." She scooted off the chair to kneel down before him, her fingers nimbly taking the shoe off his right foot again.

He jerked his leg as she ripped the shoe off but she held his leg firmly. "Sorry," she apologized as she pulled the black sock off as well. Keeping her touch feather light, she ran a hand over his bruised and swollen foot.

Relief swept past her when she felt no new damage but she could tell that her touch was still painful for him. "Why haven't you met Jane Austen?" she asked absently as she sat back down in her own chair.

"Dunno. I've never felt the urge I guess," he flicked her book shut and handed it back to her. She nudged a chair towards him and like the genius he is, he took the hint and put his injured foot on top of it. The position wasn't exactly comfortable for his knee but it did help with the throbbing in the hurting limb.

"I don't know that I've ever had the desire to meet her come to think of it," Rose admitted as she perused the book. "I just sort of picked it up and began reading it. It's good, bit old fashioned though."

"Oi watch it, that book's younger than I am."

"I said that the book was old fashioned," she explained putting extra emphasis on the word 'fashioned', "and since when were you sensitive about your age?" You look bangin' for your age, she added silently.

"Oh, well I suppose you're right it is old fashioned but that was just the way things were then," he answered, a faraway look in his eyes.

"Was this how things were back home?" she asked, mentally slapping herself for even asking the question.

"No," he answered absently, "things were stricter." He blinked and shook his head as if to dispel the memories and images her question had drug up.

"Has the TARDIS said where we're going?" she asked hoping to distract her friend.

"Not yet, I expect she's taking her sweet time." He looked around the library, eyes wandering and thoughts far away.

"So," Rose began hesitantly, wondering if she should ask her next question. In the end her curiosity got the best of her and she gave in. "What happened when you were, you know?"

The Doctor's eyes focused on hers like a hawk focusing on a predator and his muscles tensed in preparation to fly away. "It was a long time ago."

Rose waited for more, hoping he would continue. When it became obvious that he wasn't going to, she decided it was best to let it go, her mind reminding her of the TARDIS' reaction the last time the subject was breached.

"Are you hungry?" she asked as she felt her stomach growl at her. She frowned as she realized that she couldn't actually remember the last time she ate.

The Doctor cocked his head slightly to the side in thought. "You know now that you mention it, I could definitely go for a banana, some chips and a cup of tea."

Rose's mouth watered at the thought of chips, perfectly golden, lovely chips. She smiled at her friend, "What are we waiting for?"

He returned her smile with an infectious one of his own. A loud pop sounded throughout the enormous library as he bent his leg to get it off the chair.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked lightly concerned.

"Yeah," the Doctor eased himself to standing, grimacing slightly when his foot gave a throb in protest. He frowned, sat down, took off his other shoe then stood back up. Rose raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him. "I felt daft walking around in one shoe," he explained off handedly.

An idea popped into Rose's head. She wondered if the man next to her would actually want to do it though. A hum of encouragement filled her and she smiled as she realized the TARDIS was saying, Do it!

"Do you like Harry Potter?" she asked absently as she bustled around the kitchen, heating up the fryer and grabbing the chips from the freezer.

The Doctor smiled. "Good ol' JK," he said by way of an answer.

"I don't know about you but I'm knackered and could use a night of nothing," she began almost hesitantly. She thought that if she made the offer sound like it was for her, the Time Lord would be more willing to go along with the plan. "How about I make us some sandwiches to go along with our chips? Then we can sit down in front of the telly and fall asleep to the sounds of Harry wizarding his way around London eh?"

A smile of something Rose could only assume was pure contentment crossed the Doctor's face. "I think that sounds lovely."

"Great, why don't you go get the telly set up while I make the food?" she suggested. "Oi and make sure you pick a couch big enough for the both of us."

The Doctor frowned, "Oi I'm not that big."

"Why is it no matter what planet they're from, men are always worried about their appearance?" Rose grumbled underneath her breath. "I meant one that you could stretch out on but still have room for me."

"Oh," he replied in realization, "right then. See you in a few."

Rose smiled in adoration and amusement as she poured the chips into the fryer oil then went about making cucumber sandwiches. She actually laughed when he yelled down the hallway, "And don't forget the tea!"

The two sat on the biggest couch both the Doctor and the TARDIS could find. It comfortably held Rose who was curled up in one corner with a throw pillow beneath her head and the Doctor who occupied the other corner with his long legs stretched out on the soft cushions and a pillow beneath his foot.

Two empty plates sat on the coffee table in front of them. Left over bits of sandwiches and chips littered the china but neither one cared about it. A pot of cold tea sat in the middle of the table with two teacups on either side of it. The Doctor's was, of course, empty but Rose's still held a fair amount in it.

Harry Potter flew around the telly screen on his broom, chasing the golden Snitch while a crowd of people cheered below him but neither Rose nor the Doctor heard it. They were sound asleep, comfortable with each other's company not to bother trying to move to bed.

The TARDIS hummed quietly in the back of their minds, singing soothing songs from both Gallifrey and Earth, keeping them in their dream filled worlds. She wanted to raise the temperature in the room so that Rose was comfortable but since her Time Lord had a lower body temperature he would find the increased heat too much and would wake up. She guessed that it wasn't necessary anyways since the human currently had a heavy throw draped over her.

Dimming the lights and lowering the sound of the telly, the TARDIS watched over her occupants with the protective love of a dear friend. She would keep them safe and comfortable forever. Or at least until they landed again.

~fin~

AN: I'm not sure if I should continue this story or end it here. What do you all think?

AN2: Okay so I've decided to leave it there. It's a good ending. I hope you all enjoyed it! Thanks so much for reading!