Time and the Trickster

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-Five: Wedding of Rose Tyler: Restoring Balance

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Rose stepped outside the TARDIS slowly, but a soft gasp escaped her as she looked around. The TARDIS had landed on a massive platform suspended high in a massive tree. All around Rose branches turned upward and the blueish leaves created a wall to one side of her while another area was open. She could see out of the tree and over a sweeping view of blue treetops, violet sky and strange birds flying.

"Wow," Rose breathed as a smile spread over her face.

She turned after taking in the view for a few minutes and then gasped again as she properly looked at the platform. Three hanging bridges, much sturdier looking than rope lead off from three of the platforms side. Where they came to trees, they either curved around branches, using them as supports or were fixed to the thick trunks of the tall trees. Rose could see small structures throughout the branches now that she was looking.

Some were similar to what she was used to and could have passed for an earth tree house if not for the dark green bark of the trees and the blue of the leaves. Other structures were more like cocoons, tucked between branches while others were sphere made of sticks and leaves that hung from the largest branches. It might have looked like a random mix if not for the soft blue lights that made each structure shine softly and unified the picture.

"Wow," she sighed again making the Doctor chuckle behind her.

He stepped up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, letting her lean back against him. "Welcome to Grasnor," he told her, "Notable as the home of the Blue Guardian."

Rose nodded carefully, having almost forgotten why they were there. "Right," she said, squeezed the Doctor's hand. "The Blue Guardian."

The Doctor squeezed her hand in response and stepped back from her, pulling on Rose's hand gently. She followed him across one of the bridges, surprised by how little give there was despite it looking like a weaving of vines. The Doctor wasn't bothered by it at all and kept holding her hand as she followed him closely across. Rose could hear soft voices all around them as they passed by a cluster of the hanging sphere structures. In the soft bluish light she could see the silhouettes of humanoids slightly smaller than herself.

The Doctor brought her to one of the more treehouse like structures with a bright blue door, almost TARDIS blue, and two large arched windows in the front. Squeezing her hand again, the Doctor used his free one to knock twice on the door. It opened a moment later and Rose found herself looking into large bright blue eyes that were filled with compassion and a hint of amusement.

"Hello Rose Tyler," the Blue Guardian greeted with a smile.

Rose took the Blue Guardian quickly, not wanting to stare. She was roughly six inches shorter than herself with deep blue skin with small white dots running along the arches of her cheekbones, brow and jaw. Long dark blue hair that was much coarser than a normal humans was pulled back tightly in a bun, revealing more white dots along the hairline. Rose briefly wondered if they were cosmetic or natural. The Blue Guardian wore a long pale blue dress with a white sash around the waist. It was simple looking and when teamed with her barefoot, she looked very relaxed and informal, helping Rose relax slightly.

"Come in," the Blue Guardian told her, stepping back so Rose could duck through the door which was a little too short for her.

Thankfully the inside of the building had a slightly higher roof which meant that Rose was fine, but the tips of the Doctor's hair were touching the ceiling. Rose smiled slightly and silently hoped that he didn't roll on his feet or jump around inside. It was a cozy building, only one room with a long, surprise blue curtain, separating the back half from view. Two tall backed chairs with cushions sat next to a table with a third chair tucked to the side.

"Doctor," the Blue Guardian said, turning to him. "It is not wise for you to remain."

Rose expected him to argue with the Blue Guardian, but he sighed softly and nodded his understanding. Stunned, Rose didn't react when he leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. "I'll be right outside," he promised before vanishing out the door.

"You don't need to be so surprised," the Blue Guardian chuckled. "The Doctor knows me well and knows that I would not harm you. Having a telepath too close… it is not wise when seeking to remove all outside influence from a mind." The Blue Guardian sat down in one of the chair and gestured for Rose to sit in the other. "I am the Blue Guardian, but my name is Ariana."

"You have a name?" Rose asked before she could think better of it, having known the other two guardians simply as the Black and White Guardians for years. "Uh sorry…."

"Yes I do," Ariana explained as she reached towards the table and lifted a domed cover off a tray to reveal a pretty pottery tea set. "It depends on the origin of the Guardian. The White and Black Guardian were creations to embody good and evil, order and chaos, but the rest of us emerged through various circumstances in the history of the universe."

The Blue Guardian poured a cup of tea, added something from one of the small bowls and handed it to Rose before pouring one for herself.

"How many Guardians are there?" Rose heard herself ask, still looking down at the cup of tea with some concern. Briefly she wondered just how many humanoid species drank something like tea or this was just for her benefit. "I've only met two."

"Then you've met a third of us," Ariana informed her with a smile and a nod. "And I now make half. We are six in number: Gold, White, Black, Blue, Red and Violet."

"And you are the Guardian of Equilibrium?" Rose inquired, taking a tentatively sip of the tea. It was sweet, but the warmth of it on her tongue was very soothing. She almost felt like curling up with the teacup to sleep. The notion sent a jolt of alarm through her.

"The tea is to help lower the mental barriers," Ariana assured Rose gently, picking up on her though telepathically or guessing, Rose wasn't sure which. "It is necessary. I'm sorry I should have explained that better than I did. I forget the differences between…" Ariana stopped herself and shook her head quickly. "Yes, I am the Guardian of Equilibrium. My job is keep or restore balance between opposing forces."

"Opposing forces?" Rose repeated slowly, setting the teacup down. "What does that mean on the universe level?"

"It means many things across the universe: light and dark; pain and pleasure or life and death. Sometimes I seek to balance major forces and sometimes it is small things on one planet. Equilibrium has no requirements for size or importance."

"Isn't that a huge job?"

"Occasionally," Ariana answered with a chuckle. "But the Guardians are beyond the confines of time. We can be many places at once if we need to be." She paused and laughed. "Besides the universe runs mostly on its own without too much trouble. The biggest problem are the occasional threats that your Doctor usually rushes to resolve."

Rose couldn't stop the smile on her face this time, both at the description of the Doctor and the Guardian calling him hers.

"So Black is Chaos and Darkness and White is Light and Order and you're Equilibrium, who are the others?"

"The leader of the Guardians, the Gold Guardian is Life and Possibility. She has the most power, but it her ability to use it is fairly limited by circumstances. Since she guards all life, she has to be careful about stepping on the self-determination of species, even those she doesn't like." Ariana leaned back in her seat slightly. "The Red Guardian is Justice and Morality which keeps him rather busy, but he seems to like it. He seeks to right wrongs and correct moral crimes. Help events unfold in the best way possible. The Violet Guardian is Dreams and Memory. Her domain is the most elusive of us all and she has a habit of expanding her power to all sorts of areas. I suppose she could be considered the Guardian of what makes an individual who they are."

Nodding, Rose turned the information over her mind and trying to imagine how the Black and White Guardians would interact with such a diverse group. She could see the White Guardian getting along with the Red Guardian, at least a little, but it was such a strange mixing of areas of power. Honestly Rose was left with the impression that the other four probably got along just fine and ignored the White and Black Guardians as much as possible. She was so distracted by the thoughts that she nearly missed Ariana reaching for her face.

"It is alright," Ariana assured her kindly, pulling her hand back slightly. "This won't hurt and won't take long."

Rose allowed her to set her hand on her temple and tried to feel the sensation of her mind being entered into. But there was nothing, her skin felt a little cooler when Ariana was touching her and then suddenly the slight pain that she'd been carrying for months was gone. Her eyes widened as the Blue Guardian pulled her hand away and smiled at her shocked expression.

"That's it?" Rose demanded.

"This was an easy fix," Ariana replied gently, looking pleased with herself. "I am the Guardian of Equilibrium, I remove that which does not belong and restore balance. What the Silver Lord put in your head was very distinct and foreign to your mental landscape." Ariana paused and tilted her head. "And you have not developed any mental defenses just yet. Give that time. I'm certain when you're ready that your Doctor will help you."

Still gaping at Ariana, Rose managed a small nod and set down the teacup. Ariana stood up and gently tugged Rose up by the arm. "Time to return you to your Doctor I think."

Then she was standing by the Doctor and he was grinning at her. The Doctor thanked Ariana and Rose finally managed to thank the woman, still hung up a bit on just how… easy it had been for her. Seeming to sense her discomfort, the Doctor took her hand and gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb before guiding her back across the bridges to the TARDIS.

…

The TARDIS shook violently as she came to a halt, throwing the Doctor back. He jumped up and started checking the time machine over carefully.

"Is she okay?" Rose asked as she climbed to her feet.

"She'll be alright," the Doctor promised her with a smile. "The TARDIS doesn't like temporal distortions, probably took a lot of out of her to make sure that we got you to the healer at the right time."

Rose smiled and nodded, reaching out a hand to stroke the edge of the console. The Doctor watched her with a slight smile, rubbing the ring on his hand. She observed the gesture with a flutter in her stomach, she'd never asked the Eleventh Doctor about the ring he wore but it was now very clear.

"I should let you get back to your Rose," she observed, stepped back from the console.

The Doctor nodded and grinned at her, "Yeah, wedding reception to soothe Jackie's irritation at there not being a proper wedding."

"Plus the companions," Rose added, sighing softly. "I wonder how long I can avoid them."

"Probably until you get home," the Doctor replied with a sympathetic grimance.

Nodding, Rose moved toward him and leaned forward to kiss him softly. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, gently running his fingers over her hairline with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. Rose moved her hand over his chest to feel the beat of his two hearts, reassuring herself that she was with the right person. An uncertain amount of time later, Rose stepped back and smiled softly at the Doctor.

"Until next time," she whispered.

"Until next time," he agreed in an equally soft voice.

Walking towards the door, Rose didn't look back at him despite wanting to. It would be too easy to stay in the TARDIS and not go back to England, but then the timelines would be in danger. Instead she opened the TARDIS door and stepped out, nearly walking into someone.

"I always hoped that you'd throw yourself at me one day," a very familiar voice teased. "Of course I kind of hoped that the Doctor would agree to join in."

Blinking in surprise, Rose looked up and met the warm eyes of Captain Jack Harkness. Jack grinned at her, exposing his perfect teeth and giving her his best seductive look which didn't work, but cheered Rose up instantly. Head thrown back, Rose laughed loudly before launching herself at Jack. The "captain" caught her around the waist, lifted her off the ground and spun her around before stopping and hugging her properly.

"Oh Rosie," he sighed softly, "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help."

"You helped enough," Rose assured him, looking back over her shoulder as the TARDIS dematerialized from its spot. She didn't bother to take in their surroundings before swinging her eyes back to Jack. "The Doctor told me what you two had planned. Thank you."

"Anything for you," Jack told her warmly, setting her back on her feet. "And I have something for you."

It was then that Rose noticed the odd bag slung over Jack's shoulder which he promptly moved to the front and tugged off his shoulder. It was her own well broken in black bag.

"My bag?" Rose asked curiously as she took it from him.

"I swung by to grab it from Ace and Shareen, poor Sharon and Sarah Jane were trying to calm down your mother."

Rose grimaced in sympathy, she'd have to make that and a whole lot more up to Shareen and Sharon when she got home. Opening the bag, Rose grinned when she found her passport and wallet along with her mobile phone.

"Oh and I got your phone super charged on my way here," Jack told her with a wink.

"With the Doctor at a different point in time?" Rose asked as she tucked everything away and slung the bag over her shoulder.

"Something like that," Jack answered slowly with an amused smile.

Rolling her eyes, Rose shook her head and sighed, "Fine, keep your secrets."

Grinning, Jack threw an arm over her shoulder and gently tugged her with him. "Come on, you need some food and rest." Jack paused and looked down at her with a tender expression. "How are you? Really Rose?"

"I'm…" Rose sighed and shook her head. "I'm angry, I'm embarrassed, I'm sad and I'm… I don't even know. Something went into my head and put something that wasn't me there. Violated doesn't even come close."

Jack was silent, shifting his arm from her shoulder to rub her back gently. "I know," he finally said in a soft voice. "When we first meet… well I'd had some of my memories erased and I didn't know why. I didn't know who did it, but I suspected the Time Agency who I worked for of doing it to me. I didn't know what had happened for two years of my life. I didn't know if I'd done something horrible or if something horrible had happened to me." Jack looked down at Rose, meeting her wide eyes. "I get it Rosie and you're right violation is too simple a word for what something so vital to who you are being changed."

Nodding, Rose swallowed and tried to keep tears from welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry Jack," she whispered, completely lost for what else to say. "Did you ever…"

"I found out who took my memories and why," Jack answered her silent question. "They had a good reason and I forgave them." There was a note of finality to his voice that kept Rose from asking any further questions. Finally he added, "I know it seems insane to think you'll get over this Rose, but you'll move forward. I promise you that."

Holding back a sigh, Rose finally looked around only to stop suddenly in her tracks as she took in the cobblestone square in front of them and the large stone buildings. A statue stood in the center of the square with people moving around it and pointing at things. She heard cars driving through a narrow section of the square far to the left and in the distance she heard thunder.

"We're not in China are we?" Rose asked with a small smile.

"No," Jack laughed. "Welcome to Prague." He pointed up at a hall building next to them with a grin. "Famous clock and everything."

Rose looked up, craning her neck to see the large round face of the famous clock. The overlapping circles reminded her of the Gallifreian messages that she'd seen around the TARDIS and the Doctor had written for her. Near the bottom of the clock were beautiful colors of orange and dark blue to represent dusk, dawn and the dark of night. Both numbers and roman numerals lined the out edges of the clock as gold on varying shades of blue.

"He is a terrible driver," Rose whispered to Jack with a soft giggle.

"That he is," Jack agreed, but Rose barely heard him over another roar of thunder. "Oh, here it comes."

The sky opened and fat raindrops began to fall on the square. People screamed and rushed for the nearby covered patio café or the variety of restaurants and tourist shops that surrounded the square. Sighing, Rose tilted her face back and felt the drops of rain slide over her skin. Jack chuckled warmly and took her bag before linking their arms. He tugged Rose forward gently, heading for the covered patio restaurant on the far side of the square where soft music was echoing out from.

Enjoying the rain, Rose took in the square with a smile and enjoyed the feeling of the cobblestones, feeling a bit silly for not noticing them earlier. A man in a rather old fashioned outfit complete with a long green velvet coat, waistcoat and cravat was standing near the statue. He didn't seem bothered by the rain, even as it flattened his long brown curls.

They were almost at the restaurant when the volume of the music was turned up to presumably drown out the sound of the rain. Stopping, Rose hummed softly with the instrumentation that she sort of recognized and started swaying softly. Jack chuckled and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"I'll be at a table Rosie," Jack told her, releasing her arm and leaving Rose in the rain.

Tilting her face back, Rose spun slowly trying to remember where she'd heard the song. A fat raindrop landed right between her eyes making her giggle as it slowly trickled down the bridge of her nose. Inhaling deeply, Rose took in the rich sharp air and felt her tense muscles relaxing as she spun with a laugh, holding out her arms.

"May I have this dance," a warm British accent asked from behind Rose.

She turned to see the man in the velvet coat standing with a hand extended towards her. Stormy blue-grey eyes met hers and Rose sucked in a quick breath. It was silly, she knew, to be able to recognize the Doctor in different forms, but there was a spark in the eyes that she… just knew. However, he showed no signs of recognition and kept smiling in amusement at the odd girl dancing in the thunder storm. Behind her, she heard Jack muffle a laugh and gave her hand to the Doctor. Quickly she identified him as the Doctor's eighth incarnation. She hadn't met anyone who'd traveled with him, yet at least, but she'd gotten a few details from the Doctor about his more… dashing form.

"You may," Rose replied with a widening grin.

The Doctor carefully tightened his hand around hers, adjusting it to a sideways grip as she moved closer to him. His hand went to her hip, holding her carefully as he began to lead her in a waltz. It was a bit awkward on the cobblestones and Rose hadn't waltzed much since a few lessons in school, but she forced herself to relax and let the Doctor glide her around the square.

"I've always been fond of the Sleeping Beauty Waltz," the Doctor informed her with a wide smile as they found their rhythm and Rose fought to keep a silly grin off her face.

"Sleeping Beauty huh…" Rose repeated thoughtfully. "I suppose that's why it sounds familiar." She managed a slight shrug. "I'm afraid I've never had much time for music," she told him regretfully. "That was one thing I would have liked to study more in school."

"What did you study?" the Doctor questioned warmly. "If not music then what do you like to do."

Rose chuckled softly, enjoying the spark of curiosity and amusement in the Doctor's eye; no doubt enjoying the chance to calmly interact with a member of his favorite species. "Honestly I tend more towards taking computers apart and traveling," Rose answered him with a barely contained smile. "And driving my professor around the bend. I paint when I find the time."

The Doctor laughed a soft and gentle soft compared from the deeper and more manic laugh that would follow. Her lips curved further into a smile as the Doctor spun her gently before bringing her back to face him. The music changed to another classical number that was a little faster, but the Doctor made no effort to change from waltzing.

"What about you?" Rose asked him, realizing that she was acting far too comfortable. "Who are you when you're at home?"

"A traveler," he informed her with a mysterious little smile before twirling her again. "I go from place to place, just to see what those places are like."

"Sounds fantastic," Rose replied with a grin.

They lapsed into silence, the Doctor shifting the pace of the dance slightly to match the faster pace. Rose pulled her away from his shoulder to push the wet hair from her face as her long blonde hair tried to stick to her face. The Doctor laughed once again and pushed his own damp curls back earning a giggle from Rose.

Then the music changed again and the Doctor smiled. "Moonlight Serenade, an orchestra cover. Very nice."

Rose was about to say something about his musical knowledge when a voice spoke up behind them. "Excuse me," Jack called his voice bright with amusement. "I think you'll find that this is our song."

"Of course," the Doctor replied with a small bow releasing Rose's hip before she could say anything. He turned back to her and raised the hand he was still holding to his lips to kiss it gently. "Thank you for the dance Miss…"

"Rose," she told him quickly with a beaming smiling. "And thank you. Take care in your travels." He didn't offer a name; he merely smiled, released her hand and stepped away. Jack moved closer to her and tugged her closer. Rose looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Our song Jack?" she repeated in a doubtful tone.

"I think you'll find that Moonlight Serenade is definitely our song," Jack informed her with a chuckled. "Even the Doctor doesn't argue with me dancing with you when this song comes on."

"And do you make sure it comes on often?" Rose asked with a smirk.

Instead of answering, Jack gripped her by the hips and raised her up into the air. Rose squealed and laughed, throwing her head back and letting the rain rinse off the last of her worries. Over the music, she heard the echo of the TARDIS dematerializing.

…. …..

The cab pulled up on Bannerman Road in front the Tyler house and Rose let out a slow breath, fighting back the churning fear in her gut. Up in the front the driver made a small sound that spurred rose into action. She quickly paid the man and grabbed the small suitcase that she'd purchased in Prague for the clothing she'd 'had' to buy for the two weeks she'd hidden out across Europe. Stepping out of the cab, Rose risked a glance back towards Sarah Jane's house. She'd considered calling Spock to order him not to reveal when she got back to Bannerman Road, but had ultimately decided against starting issues between Sarah Jane and the Xylok.

"Rose!" her mother's voice called from the front door, relief and eagerness clear in her voice.

Eyes widening, Rose barely had time to look at her mother before Jackie threw her arms around her. "Oh sweetheart," her mother cried softly. "Thank god you're home."

"Uh hi Mum," Rose managed carefully, barely managing to set down her suitcase. "I'm glad to see you too."

"Picking up the phone wouldn't have killed you," Jackie scolded as she pulled back.

Flushing softly, Rose nodded nervously. "I sent messages and postcards," she muttered, scraping her trainer against the sidewalk. "Mum… I just needed some time to myself." Rose licked her lips and looked back at her mother whose expression had changed again. "Did Benton tell you what happened?"

"A bit," Jackie admitted. "But Sharon and Shareen told me the whole story." Rose doubted that, but wasn't going to argue as her mother reached out and touched her face gently. "Why did you take off?"

"My friend the Doctor took me to see a mind healer," Rose explained quietly. "I needed help Mum, it hurt so badly and then…" Rose swallowed, her chest feeling tight. "Mum they put something in me that wasn't me. I needed to be alone for a little while. I saw another friend of mine for a couple of hours, but then I just wandered a bit and thought about things."

Jackie was silent for a long moment before she gave Rose a watery smile. She stepped forward and wrapped Rose in her arms again, her hands rubbing Rose's back and stroking her hair. "I could've killed them," Jackie whispered.

A stray tear slipped from the corner of Rose's eye. "I know Mummy," she sighed. "Thank you."

Jackie ushered her inside and made her a cup of tea. Rita Anne gave her considering look and muttered something about aliens and secretive grandsons before excusing herself from the room. To Rose's surprise her mother pulled out the stack of postcards that Rose had sent her during the last two weeks and asked Rose questions about each place. The last few postcards hadn't arrived yet, but Rose told her mother about Prague and some of the great tours in the city. Jackie was a bit bored when Rose talked about the Berlin museums, but was eager to hear more about Paris.

A knock on the door distracted them both and Rose quickly stood up to answer it. Sarah Jane Smith was waiting on the doorstep with a tight smile, a mixture of worry and impatience. "Welcome back," Sarah Jane greeted her a bit tightly.

"Hello Sarah Jane," Rose sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "I'll be over in an hour."

Sarah Jane looked ready to argue, but after a moment of struggling with herself she nodded. Rose watched her go until she reached the gate before she closed the gate.

"Who was it?" Jackie asked when she returned to the kitchen.

"Sarah Jane," Rose answered as she sank back into her chair. She frowned and looked back at her mother. "Uh what else did Benton tell you?"

"Sarah Jane knows this Doctor," Jackie huffed with a frown. "Wouldn't tell me much about him beyond what you already explained. Benton wasn't much better, not much of a boss."

"Okay," Rose responded with a slight nod before reaching for her suitcase. "I got some things for you."

Jackie's posture relaxed a little, but the worry remained in her eyes and Rose knew that things weren't back to normal just yet. Sill it was a start and her mum was trying to be patient. Giving her mother a real smile, Rose pulled out the first box and handed it to her mother.

….

"You're late," Sarah Jane huffed as Rose reached the attic only to get a sharp look from Rose.

"My mum needed some time with me," Rose replied with a raised eyebrow. "I did take off to recover from being…" Rose didn't say mind rape, uncomfortable with the term even though she had yet to think of a better description. "And I needed to see her." Rose added.

Guilt flashed over Sarah Jane's face and she nodded quickly, standing up from her desk. She stepped closer to Rose and looked over her carefully. "How are you?" Sarah Jane asked gently.

"I'm not going to break," Rose answered with a soft smile. "I'm not great yet, but I'm okay."

"I'm sorry," Sarah Jane apologized, stepping forward to hug Rose tightly in a warm hug. "I just don't cope with waiting for answers well." The statement made Rose laugh and she nodded in understanding before looking towards Spock.

"Hey Spock," Rose greeted before looking around for K-9. "Where's K-9?"

"Over at Clyde's house with Luke," Sarah Jane explained quickly. "Now Spock will you please inform the others that we're ready."

"Wait the others?" Rose asked just before Spock's screen changed, splitting into multiple smaller split screens with the different companions all appearing. Everyone from Ace to Victoria was looking at her, some in their pajamas and others in daytime clothing. "Oh… bugger."

Everyone started shouting questions all at once causing Rose to flinch back. It wasn't often that she thought about outright running away, but at the moment it seemed like a good idea. This was definitely a good time for running.

"Enough!" Ace shouted to the others, causing everyone else to quiet down. "One at a time." Ace huffed slightly and looked at Rose through Spock's webcam. "I think the first question we all have is why you didn't tell us about your relationship with the Doctor?"

Rose felt a little better with Ace being the one to ask that question. The woman had pretty much told her that she suspected the relationship a year ago. Straightening up, Rose stepped forward closer to the screen.

"It wasn't your business," Rose answered as calmly as she could. "What is between me and the Doctor is complicated by time travel, regeneration and a universe that seems to have plans for me. I didn't want to make it even more complicated by bringing our friends into it."

"You are aware of the age difference?" Ian asked speaking up from the right of the wall of faces with Barbara next to him.

"I am," Rose assured him with a slight nod. "And I've met most of his previous forms at this point. I am very aware of just how long lived he is and how little time I've actually been in his life in the grand scheme of things." Rose glanced over the assembled faces. "But even Time Lords change and what they want changes."

"How long?" Tegan questioned with a sigh, a slightly defeated expression on her face.

Rose thought about the question for a moment, she didn't think it was a good idea to say when she was eighteen and things had been so weird after they slept together. Instead her mind went to pattern of seeing each other they'd worked out over the last two years.

"About two years," Rose told them a moment later. "After I started at Cambridge we started seeing each other sometimes."

"You mean like dates?" Jo asked with wide eyes before she started laughing. "Honest to goodness dates? He does date?"

"Yes dates," Rose sighed resisting the urge to roll her eyes and defend her significant other. "When Donna visits her family he comes to see me."

"Wait," Ace interrupted, holding up her hand. "Donna? But that's further in his future."

Rose paused and could have kicked herself. "I did say it was complicated. You're right, I'm dating the Tenth incarnation of the Doctor, but I'll be traveling with the Ninth when I leave school." Rose saw worried looks all over the companion's faces. "I'm fine," she insisted quickly. "I not dead or anything, I've even met myself after I come back. I just… gone for a bit."

"So he went back in your timeline to date a younger you," Polly said slowly with a dubious expression.

"Like I said," Rose sighed, rubbing her head as a headache threatened to overwhelm her. "Complicated."

"You still should have told us," Barbara scolded.

Raising an eyebrow, Rose glanced towards Sarah Jane who grimaced slightly. "Right…." Rose said slowly, drawing out the word. "How would you have started that conversation?" No one answered and Rose smirked, "Like I said, complicated." Feeling a bit bolder, Rose crossed her arms and added. "And thanks to everyone for asking how I was feeling."

Next to her, Sarah Jane burst out laughing, making Rose grin in response. After a moment everyone was laughing and Rose thought she just might survive the rest of the summer.