Author's Note: This is a prologue of sorts, so don't fret over the shortness of this chapter. This takes place after 'The Satan Pit' (2.09). Rose and the Doctor go to visit Jack in Cardiff and Jack tells the Doctor to wise up and tell Rose how he feels. Each chapter is a step towards their impending relationship.

Mentions of Torchwood in this chapter, but no real know-how of the show needed. There will probably be about 6 or 7 chapters. Rating may change for the last chapter.

Unbeta'd. Sorry for any mistakes.

How Do You Make a Woman Believe She's Beautiful?

Chapter 1 – The Beginning

It had all started with a visit to Jack in Cardiff.

Rose had been off with Gwen and Tosh, Torchwood 3's female workers. The rather subdued, fantastic tea making Ianto Jones and the brash Owen Harper had joined Jack and the Doctor for a drink. Jack and Owen popped open a few beers while Ianto and the Doctor stuck with tea.

"So, Doctor, how have things been?" The Doctor grimaced at the question and Jack smiled, knowing that the suited man hated domestic talk.

"Just fine." The Doctor said, raising his teacup to his lips and taking a long sip.

"How's Rosie? She looked a bit more… tried than usual."

"She's fine." The Doctor said a bit too quickly. Jack eyed him over the lip of his bottle. They stared at each other, seeing who would break first.

"How is she really?" Jack asked. When it came to Rose, he wanted to know the truth. The blonde girl held a special place in the captain's heart and he found himself worrying about her often.

The Doctor sighed, giving in. "She's shaken up." He put his cup down and fidgeted for a moment. "We got stuck on this planet, Krop Tor, it was called. There was a… a force there that called itself Satan and it said she would die in battle." He paused before breathing in deeply and going on, "I told her it was rubbish. It was a basic mind trick to get her to panic. I can tell she's still a bit worried about it, though."

The Time Lord looked up and was surprised to see that Jack's eyes were angry.

"And you let her worry?" The Doctor frowned in confusion and Jack snorted. "That woman loves you and I know you love her. Why are you sitting around and letting her worry about dying in battle or whatever when you could be, oh, I dunno, comforting her?"

The Doctor clenched his jaw. "I can't, Jack."

Jack, expecting this answer from his friend groaned. "You are a stupid man." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Owen," The dark haired man perked up, wondering why he was being dragged into an obviously private conversation, "Rose is beautiful, is she not?" Owen looked from the Doctor whose jaw was still clenched to Jack whose face was set in determination.

"I suppose, yeah."

"No, don't suppose. What do you really think? Ianto?" Jack pushed.

"I think she's lovely." Ianto supplied politely, knowing that his boss had a penchant for getting in trouble. He just wanted to stay out of this row.

"Yeah, I suppose she is… She's got a great figure and-" Owen was stopped when the Doctor slammed his hand down on the table.

"Have you a point to prove?" The man was obviously trying to keep from raising his voice and lashing out at Jack who stared at the Doctor blankly.

"Yes. My point is that if you don't do something, she will be swept off her feet by someone else. On the outside, she's beautiful. But if some guy got the chance to get to know her, they'd be hooked. And Rose might pick them just because they'd give her the attention she deserves. She's quite a catch, my friend." Jack put down his empty beer glass and reached for another one. "I know she loves you and it's probably hurting her that you don't even bother." The blue-eyed man took a long swig of his drink before going on, "That is why you're stupid. Any man would be lucky to have her and I know you want her. Hell, you may even be the only man in the universe who deserves her." Jack fixed the Doctor with a intent stare, "So, stop being stupid. It doesn't suit you."

The Doctor tapped the table with his thumb before looking at Jack. "I can't."

Jack rolled his eyes before sobering up. "Tell her how beautiful she is before someone else does. Because they will."

The Doctor felt Jack's words weigh heavily on his mind.

There were so many reasons why he shouldn't go there with Rose.

He would see her die, eventually. Knowing her so intimately then watching her die would break his hearts.

But to experience her love and feel her would even out that pain. Wouldn't it?

He threw down a piece of wire and closed his eyes. Why was he actually contemplating this? Rose wasn't meant for him in that way. She was supposed to be his best friend, his confidant, his healer.

Something inside his mind whispered that a lover could be all those things. He groaned and dug the heels of his palms into his eyes and took a few deep breaths. The Doctor stood, deciding to give up on his current project of fixing the temporal projector in favor of an hour of sleep.

As he passed Rose's room, he heard the low sound of sobbing. He tensed, wondering if he should enter or not. The door creaked open of its own accord, and the Doctor was left with no choice but to sate his anxiety by entering. The Old Girl wanted him to, anyway.

Rose, his pink-and-yellow human, was entangled in her sheets and there was a thin, shiny sheen of sweat on her skin, causing her hair to stick to her skin. The Doctor bit his lip, a habit he had picked up from Rose, before sitting down on her bed. He cautiously reached out and pushed her hair from her face, letting his cool fingers linger on her heated skin. As if she knew he was there, she moved closer to him until his palm was cradling her cheek. The Doctor's eyes fell closed and his mind calmed as he heard Rose's crying slow.

"Oh, sweet girl. What am I going to do with you?" He asked, knowing he'd receive no answer from her sleeping form.

But really, what was he going to do? Should he make that leap and hope for the best; hope the universe would be kind to them?

He looked down at Rose, huddled under her duvet and now slumbering away calmly.

The answer was yes; yes, he should take that risk.

Because she was so damn beautiful in every aspect and he didn't ever want to have to give her up.