The first time they communicated telepathically, it wasn't really their choice.

Not that either would have said no anyway.

They were bound and gagged, and separated. The Doctor was in a small cell, and Rose was in another small cell, only 5 rooms down. And Rose had the sonic. Which, really, looking back, wasn't at all a clever thing to do. But the Doctor had thought it was a good idea at the time, and, as usual, they were running, so Rose didn't protest.

The Doctor was trapped. Completely, utterly, and Rose had no idea. She still thought he'd save her.

Which he would, of course.

But then, (if the Doctor was being honest) the prospects of them escaping were looking quite dull. So he did the only thing he could think of. Which, if he was being honest (again), he had been kinda avoiding.

For a Timelord to telepathically reach across a corridor, find a human mind 5 rooms down, and then communicate with said human wasn't particularly hard. Of course, it required far more concentration, and exposed his mind until the link was formed, which is why the Doctor preferred to have physical contact. Physical contact with Rose… He'd really have to keep those thoughts in check.

For Rose, the telepathy was odd, to say the least. Though she had no idea what was going on, she recognised the consciousness that had just entered her mind instantaneously. And, as she had no experience with mind-sharing, every thought that flickered through her mind, however brief, was felt, heard and seen by the Doctor.

He quickly explained (without thinking a single word, because that's how telepathy works) that if she wanted him to not see anything, she just had to imagine a closed door. He wouldn't pry. Not that he was looking through her memories, or anything. Just a simple reassurance that they were going to get out (as soon as he 'said' this, Rose was already thinking how she was reassured simply by him being near her. Which did make the Doctor mentally blush slightly - behind his own closed doors) and some instructions. Rose needed to take the sonic, put it on setting 54, use the setting to free herself from both the ropes and the cell, then come down and get him out. He withdrew from her mind faster than Rose would've liked.

After another close escape, the two were happy to get back to the TARDIS.

And so begins the second telepathic incident.

After their lovely little adventure, the Doctor decided that Rose should get used to telepathy. It could prove very useful on future (or past, or present) trips. He also did want to get in her mind again, though that thought was sealed behind some very strong doors. She had welcomed him, had liked him in there. And before he left, he got the impression that she wouldn't mind him back. Which was a change, because normally telepathy was done with the other party not quite enjoying it, and feeling very invaded.

They started on opposite ends of the console room; Rose had protested, but the Doctor explained that when you weren't used to it, telepathy could feel very invasive, and that having some space between them might help with that.

The Doctor's mind was much gentler this time around. Due to the almost-panic of last time, the Doctor had been a bit rougher than he would've liked to be. So this time he entered her mind gently, mentally caressing her, and Rose couldn't stop a few stray thoughts from flicking across her mind. She blushed, both physically and mentally, but the Doctor just chuckled and told her that he could help with that. The next thought (which, as they were thoughts, overlapped the first, but still was slightly separate) was that he would be helping her with the telepathy. Nothing else. Rose blushed again, and firmly denied that she'd want that kind of help from him. Even though some thoughts quite deep in her mind contradicted that statement. The Doctor chose to ignore this.

After a while, Rose had begun to get the hang of telepathy. Of course, being human, she could never create her own link with someone, but at least now if something got in her head, she'd probably be able to lock them out. At least until the Doctor arrived. And they both agreed that the link between them could stay, but only faintly. Just so that, if need be, Rose could contact the Doctor. They both knew the risks of sharing something like that; the Doctor had mentioned things like accidental dream sharing (not that it was very often that they were both asleep at the same time) and that some particularly strong thoughts or emotions could leak through.

The third time was accidental.

Rose had almost died, five times, in the space of an hour. And the Doctor had no idea. They had agreed to meet back at the TARDIS - the Doctor had wanted to look at some exotic banana-like fruit, and Rose wasn't interested. It wasn't the Doctor's fault that on the way Rose was kidnapped three times, almost assassinated once (the killer was a very bad shot), and ran into an almost-deadly booby trap on her way back to the TARDIS. When she finally made it, the Doctor took one look at her and could already see that something was wrong. She was scared.

He took her inside the TARDIS and they embraced, Rose not wanting to let go.

"I thought I'd lost you, for a moment there." He whispered to her.

And then the walls broke down.

The very weak, very faint telepathic connection between the two of them was opened up in a blaze of emotion. Rose's mind hit the Doctor's like a tidal wave, and their consciousnesses swirled around together. Rose realised what had happened slightly too late, and began to pull out of the Doctor's mind on automatic, apologising as she went. But the Doctor stopped her, almost pulling her back in.
It's okay, He told her in the odd mind-language that wasn't words or feelings, or a language at all.
Really? She replied. She remembered what the Doctor had taught her, and hid her subconscious and the lower levels of her conscious from him. The Doctor smiled proudly, and Rose felt it. And then she realised that she was in the Doctor's mind, not the other way around. She was shocked, because she never imagined that he would let someone so close. The Doctor's thoughts became hesitant.
Is that okay?
Rose just let her emotions reply (which is really what she would have done anyway). Their minds were like waves in a bowl, turning and splashing twisting with each other.

So they stayed still, enjoying each other's proximity. Rose's mind whooshed through the Doctor's head, looking at everything he'd let her see. She knew that for someone else, hearing about this, it may seem rude or invasive, but she also knew that the Doctor wouldn't let her see anything he wouldn't say aloud. She wasn't learning anything new, but she was experiencing it differently. She was experiencing him differently.

At the same time, the Doctor and Rose had thoughts that made them both glad their mental doors were shut. But the feelings still leaked through. It was something new in their combined ocean of thoughts. Something untraceable, but definitely there. They both tried to dismiss the feeling as just friendship, but more leaked through until it got more than friendship, more than the very best of friends.

After a few minutes of telepathy, they both understood the feeling. They both knew that the other knew as well. But neither would address it. They stayed like that as long as they could manage, knowing all too well that this rather blissful moment would have to end.

In the conversations after, the two never settled on whose thought it was. Rose was sure that it was the Doctor's thought that changed things between them. The Doctor, of course, vehemently denies this.

Either way, the thought was thought, and that's what matters. Three words flickered through their minds - or at least, the closest thing you could get to words in telepathy.
I love you.
And suddenly, Rose jumped on the Doctor, kissing him forcefully. She felt his surprise - both through his physical reaction and his mind - but it only took a second before he returned the kiss. Rose let all her carefully constructed barriers down, even though she knew the Doctor wouldn't.
Sorry, He told her, but Rose didn't mind. She didn't need to tell him that she accepted that some thoughts were his and his alone. He already knew.
Rose, He said, thinking her name clearly, we should stop. This is wrong, wrong, wrong, and you know it. She did know it, unfortunately. But she could also feel that the Doctor was enjoying it, so she pushed that fact in his face, and continued the kiss.

It didn't take long for the Doctor to give up on his rules, and Rose was glad when he did. The kiss changed, and their thoughts changed. The Doctor unlocked some of his doors, to Rose's surprise, and she hesitantly but gladly searched through them. At the same time, the Doctor kissed her back properly. He was no longer standing still, shocked, but instead his hands wound up her back and he pulled her closer, a feat Rose didn't think was possible.

The kiss ended, as all things do, and the pair pulled apart, leaving their hands entwined. The Doctor flicked a few switches on the console, then turned to face Rose with a glint in his eye.
"Where to next, Dame Tyler?" He asked, his thoughts echoing the question.
"Somewhere adventurous, Sir Doctor." Their voices sounded odd after such a long telepathic conversation.
"Well then." Images of thousands of planets flickered through the pair's mind; Rose stepped back, shocked. "Sorry, that's bit too much information at once for you." He said, grinning. His thoughts added, I'm not used to… well, this. I'll have to be careful how much of my amazing Timelord brain I use now. He didn't mention she was only in a small part of his mind, seeing only a tiny fraction of what he was actually thinking at that moment. The important fraction, mind you. Though, Rose being Rose and oddly good (for a human) at searching through his mind, she probably already knew that.
"Oh, shut up." Rose said aloud, at the same time mentally asking if she could pull the 'go' lever. The Doctor grudgingly conceded (only because of that kiss, Rose Tyler) and finished putting in the last of the coordinates. He stepped back, allowing Rose to walk over to the console. She shared the mental equivalent of an excited smile, then dramatically pulled the lever. "Aaand, off we go!"

Hello! Oh, another short story that I shouldn't be writing. Oh well, hope you liked it.
Bit different to what I normally write - no dialogue! (well, close enough)
And a proper Ten/Rose kiss! Don't think I've ever written that before.

Anyways, remember to review, please!