Work finally settled and I'm back! Got this one to put out and then I'm going to be updating the others. This is another Eleven/Rose. I'm just not ready to let go of him. What can I say? :)

Rose in this is more like she was in series 2, just so you know.

The Doctor just dropped Amy and Rory off after saving them…again. Although the honeymoon had been his idea, but he saved them in the end and everyone else aboard the starliner. He set the coordinates for a planet in the Dundra system where a new constellation was forming only the TARDIS seemed to have other ideas as she gave a few pitches that had him grabbing onto the console before materializing.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

As if in answer the console sparked beneath him, making him jump.

"What?"

She seemed to want him to go out. Did someone need his help? He reached for the monitor to run a quick scan, but another biting spark told him he wasn't allowed.

"What's wrong with you?" he demanded and was answered by a rather nasty spark. "Fine!"

He spun on his heels and stalked to the door.

"I'm going. Happy?" he snapped, opening the door.

He poked his head out, carefully. Afternoon. Sunshine. Slight breeze. He stuck his tongue out. London. Early 21st century. A few years off from when he dropped Amy and Rory. It was a…he eyed the time rotor.

"It's a Sunday. I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring."

The console sparked, making him roll his eyes. He stepped out, reluctantly and closed the door. She landed in a park. A park. On a Sunday. Middle of the afternoon. Brilliant! He sighed.

She wasn't going to take him anywhere until he investigated. Only he didn't know what he was looking for. Something out of place, obviously. Out of place on a Sunday? He shook his head. Well, he'd give it a show at least.

He strolled across the park and as he did so he heard the unmistakable sound of the TARDIS cloaking. He turned back. Yep. Gone. Well, not gone just invisible. He turned back and continued his stroll.

He passed two boys playing Frisbee. A woman walking a dog. He said hello, but she became unsociable when he began talking to the dog, Oliver, although she insisted on calling him Fluffy, which he pointed out. Two men jogged past him and there was a family having a picnic. Nothing at all out of the ordinary or strange.

He noticed a pond to his right and walked over to it. Wondering if it might be harboring some alien creature. He pulled out his sonic as he drew close, paused on the shore, pointed it at the water and pressed the button. It emitted the familiar warble and a moment later he looked at the reading. Nothing, well, there were fish, bacteria, pollutants, and a few other nasty things, but nothing out of the ordinary. Definitely not for swimming though.

A laugh from his left stopped him. The laugh was familiar. It tugged, not only at his memory, but his hearts as well. He turned toward the sound wondering who it was and stopped. Completely and utterly stopped. He was fairly sure both his hearts stopped at the same time.

She was there. Right there. Inches from him. Staring at him. Well, not at him at his sonic, but not in a I know what that is sort of way. More a what is that funny thing sort of way. Then she caught his gaze and she smiled. SMILED. God, he hadn't seen that smile in far too long. Years. Lots of years.

He should leave. Definitely, should leave. This was bad, really not good. She didn't recognize the sonic, which meant she hadn't met him yet. He couldn't stay. He really, definitely couldn't stay. Only, he couldn't move.

"What're you then? Some sort of parks person? Or is it the water?" she asked with a grin. THAT grin and it was all he could do not to grab her and hug her or kiss her or both. "What's that then?" she indicated his sonic. "Some sort of scanner? Like a water scanner or something?"

Scanner? He glanced from her to the sonic and then back.

"Whydoyouthinkitsascanner," he replied, the words coming out all together, which made her grin wider.

"What to try that again?" she teased and he couldn't help the goofy grin that slipped into place.

He cleared his throat.

"You said scanner. Why do you think it's a scanner? Bit science fiction don't you think?" he asked.

"It's a bit Spock, yeah, but then you're a bit Spock."

"Sorry?" he asked, but couldn't help as the goofy grin returned. Spock. It'd been too long since he heard her say that.

"Standing here, scanning the pond like it's hiding some alien life. It's not is it?" she glanced at the pond as if she hadn't seen it before.

"No, um, no," he stammered, staring at her. She was the same, but she wasn't. Like she was when he first met her, but just a bit not right. "It's fine. Normal. No aliens."

She laughed and he closed his eyes, just listening to the sound of it.

"'S good."

Was she teasing about the aliens? She had to be. Wait. What did that mean? Teasing him? She wasn't flirting was she? No, no she had Mickey.

"So, um," he rolled back on his heels trying to think of something to say. He should go, definitely should, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her. Not yet. A few minutes. After everything he'd been through, everything he was being forced into, what with River and all, he deserved a few minutes with the only woman…no, no best not even think that. It hurt too much. Instead he glanced up at the sky. "Nice day."

Stupid. Stupid Doctor. Why would you say that? It was the most cliché thing in any universe.

"Yeah, it's, um, nice," she replied, looking around as if she hadn't thought about it. Then she caught his gaze again and smiled. The goofy grin slid into place. "I'm Rose, by the way. Rose Tyler," she introduced, holding out her hand. For a moment he just stared at it. He absolutely, definitely shouldn't touch her. It was all he could do not to…no don't even think that. "And you are?"

"Um…" he glanced from her hand to her eyes and knew he was sunk. He took her hand. "I'm the…" can't say Doctor. Nope. Not to past Rose. Oh, this was really not good, but her hand felt so right and her skin was so soft.

"Just the or is there something to go along with that? If not it might get a bit confusing if I say the pond or the flat and you think I'm saying it's yours or something," she teased.

"John," he offered, pulling out the first name that came to him, his old reliable.

"The John or just John?"

He grinned.

"Just John."

"You don't really look like a John. Anyone ever tell you that?"

"Really?" he asked, curiously. "What do I look like then?"

"Um…" she gazed at him as if really assessing him. He felt the need to straighten his bowtie, but then realized he was still holding her hand and he couldn't bring himself to let go. So, he just stood there. "Huh. I don't know, just…"

"Different?" he asked, remembering what she said to him after he regenerated.

She grinned.

"Yeah, different."

"But not John."

She wrinkled her nose and it was all he could do not to pull her closer and kiss the bridge of her nose and her…Stop that!

"Nope, definitely not John."

"So, um…" he should go, definitely, absolutely should go. "Is there a chip shop nearby?"

He knew there was, but he didn't want her to know he knew. It was where they had their first date.

"Just down the street," she said, thumbing behind her.

"Well, then what're we waiting for?" he asked, lacing his fingers in hers and then set off at a dead run.

She raced alongside him, laughing. He glanced at her, knowing that this was definitely, absolutely, really not good, but that didn't matter because she was there. Rose Tyler. Running and laughing, his hand in hers and he would gladly pay the price, no matter what it was.

Thank you to all my brilliant readers!

Reviews are always welcome. :)