Again With Feeling

Chapter 6: Today for you…

The Doctor headed back into the TARDIS ahead of Rose Tyler. She had said "yes". It had been centuries since he had last felt this light. For a moment, it was like a light had cracked his oppressive darkness that made up his soul. It brought his thoughts back to the last few minutes, after he asked her to come with him. He thought, for one terrifying second, she would tell him 'no'. He watched the light in her eyes die when Mickey spoke to her, saw her shoulder slump in defeat and his hearts had stopped. She could never know how much just the idea hurt him. Long legged strides took him up the metal ramp to the console with ease. Grinning a little, he let himself dance his mad dance around the center as he waited for her to bid Mickey a fond farewell.

Flipping a few switches, he had actually thought about asking the human male to come too. He had been helpful, cool under pressure, and protected Rose. He would have been a good companion alongside her. That is until he tried to keep Rose from coming to him. That darkness in him growled possessively. To hear someone call him "a thing", was infuriating. Rose never once looked at him like he was a thing. She did not seem to fear him. His precious golden girl was fantastic, he thought with a smile. That made him stop circling, freezing in place, one hand over a knob. She was not his. She was a companion, maybe. He would give her one trip, just one. Then he would see how they matched up after that, he resolved. He would not be taken in by a pair of seductive brown eyes, or a beautiful smile that begged to be kissed. He was a Time Lord, she was a human, it was forbidden.

Slumping his shoulders, the Doctor dragged his hands over his face letting out a low groan. Yes, it was forbidden to engage with lesser beings. It was a rule of the Time Lords. And he was the last of them, the last Time Lord in the universe. Was it testing him? Or maybe Rose Tyler was the form of his universal punishment for committing the war crimes of double genocide? Sighing, he tried to pull his thoughts out of the downward spiral they were heading into. He had to bury it deep, not let her see. Fixing a smug, arrogant smirk on his face, he moved around the console again, leaning back with crossed arms and ankles, waiting for his new companion to join him.

Rose Tyler spoke to Mickey quietly outside, beyond the Doctor's superior hearing. What could she possibly need to tell him other than 'bye'? Then again, it was rather odd, he thought. The boy had not once screamed or panicked at the whole ordeal. He didn't even really react to his magnificent ship. Before the Doctor could follow that train of thought, he heard the sounds of her foot falls running towards the TARDIS.

Running back to him.

Hearing it, his fake smirk became a genuine smile as she entered the TARDIS. Around him, he could hear the old girl singing her joy, welcoming the human girl. That made him chuckle internally.

"Right then, Rose Tyler," he beamed, pushing off the console, "you tell me. Where do you to go? Backwards of forwards in time? Hm? What's it gonna be?"

The smile she gave him, melting a little more of the ice of his soul, that cute little pink tongue of her's peeking out between her teeth as she studied him. Nodding, she decided.

"Forwards."

"Alright, how far?" he tested her, curious what she would say. Even as he waited for her answer, he was moving around the console, flipping switched and turning knobs.

"Ten thousand!" she laughed as his brows winged up, blues eyes glittering at her in amusement.

Ambitious, he thought with pride. "Nice number," he nodded at her, setting the coordinates with quick, well-practiced movements.

The TARDIS shuddered, almost like she growled at the pair. The engines whirred to life, the rotor danced up and down in the center of the room. The room shook and rocked, like Rose was used to. Her good hand gripped lightly on the console, legs bracing her so not to fall. The Doctor was absolutely beaming away at how quickly Rose was adapting. Then the room jerked suddenly to the right, throwing to two of them with the sheer violence of it. Rose let out a surprised cry as she stumbled against the railing that surrounded the center platform of the main chamber. The Doctor hit the worn leather jump seat, looking just as surprised as Rose. He was about to ask the TARDIS what was the matter with the room rocked to the extreme left. The Doctor was thrown hard off the jump seat, but was able to get a grip on the console. Rose on the other hand was thrown to the metal grating hard, her head bouncing a little and her bad wrist becoming a burning throb when she landed on it. It hurt enough that she let out a scream of pain.

As sudden as it began, it ended. The Doctor was at Rose's side just as quickly, helping her into a sitting position, glaring at the ceiling for the rough ride. He would check the monitors in a moment, right now he wanted to make sure his passenger didn't earn herself a concussion on her first real trip with him. A check told him she did not have a concussion but she might have a lump. What worried him more was the way she was curling around her wrist.

Her wrist.

The Doctor's eyes widened and he slapped his palm against his forehead loudly.

Idiot. The TARDIS sniffed in his mind, disdainfully.

'You could have just reminded me,' he shot back as he was helping Rose to stand up.

"Sorry," he offered with a shy, silly grin. "Forgot 'bout that. Let's see what I can do, right?"

Rose looked at him, sniffling at the pain, tears in her eyes and resisted the urge to roll them at him. For a being as smart as her Doctor was, there were time he was a complete idiot. The TARDIS hummed her agreement, very exasperated with her driver for the time being.

"Please," Rose asked, letting him lead her down one of the three halls that branched off the main room.

"I'll give you an official tour later," he was saying as the rooms shifted around so the medical bay was closer for them. "It's pretty big, near endless. The TARDIS will help you if you get lost. Or make it worse, depends on the old girl's moods."

Rose opted to not question that last statement right now. It wasn't like she didn't know what he meant. Walking into the med bay, she blinked in shock. It was different than she remembered. The one in her memories was not so posh looking as this one. The one she knew was almost like a Frankenstein lab, pieced cobbled together and somehow they worked. The old fluffy couch was gone, and so were the mixed matched chairs that made up the exam chairs and tables. Now, it was clean, sterile. Very future looking, very Spock, Rose thought with amusement. Despite the coral like struts surrounding the room like trees branching up to the ceiling for supports, and the soft golden tan of the walls, it was very much like your favorite doctor's office. The floor wasn't metal but a warm polished wood that matched the counter tops. The cabinets and equipment, however, were all white.

"Not what I expected," Rose commented as she hopped up on one of the three beds against a wall.

"What did you expect?" the Doctor asked. He had to know.

"Honestly? Something that looked like your console," she grinned that smile he was falling in love with, when her tongue peeked out and curled up over a tooth. "Something McGuvyer would be proud of."

He just shot her a dirty look and growled at her under his breath as he turned to grab a hand scanner. "Yeah, yeah, keep laughing," he threatened, but the glitter in his eyes told her he wasn't really mad. Insane, yes, angry no.

Rose resisted the urge to blow him a kiss, instead pasted an innocent look on her face. The Doctor just shook his head, not believing that for a second, before taking her injured wrist in hand. Carefully, he unwrapped the brace, pulling it off. Rose hissed in pain as it rubbed against the once again swollen flesh. She really did a number on it down in the underground against the Consciousness. Pressing his lips together, the Doctor ran the scanner over her wrist, looking over his shoulder at a computer screen that sat properly on the counter a few feet away. Studying the images, he focused the scanner in two areas.

"Looks like there are two breaks," he told her. "One clean, the other a fracture. Not too bad, considering."

Setting the scanner back where he snagged it, the Doctor turned to riffle through the cabinets, searching for something. Rose just sat there, her broken wrist resting on her lap. Swinging her legs, she tilted her head to the side, just enjoying herself to watch the Doctor and his fantastic bum in those tight black jeans.

The Doctor had the strangest feeling crawl up his spine, like he was being studied, not just watched. Warmth flowed over him and a soft scent hit the air of the medical bay. He paused for a moment, taking in that scent. He had smelled it once before just a few hours back. Taking another deep breath, he let himself enjoy the intoxicating scent that was Rose. Shivering a little as he felt his own body reacting again, he took a deep breath to calm himself. He was no randy teenager, him. He was over 900 years old and he was not turned on by soft eyed, pale skinned, brave human teenagers. Humans did not make Time Lord's hard as iron. Snatching what he had been searching for out of the cupboard, he nearly slammed the door closed. Turning, he gave Rose a bright smile and held up some cream and a roll of blue colored bandages. Her eyes snapped to his face and she returned his smile with a soft blush.

"Found it," he said, ignoring her blush, walking back to her side. "The cream here will help with the pain and swelling. The bandages will help with the rest. You'll be good as new in no time."

"Right," Rose smirked at him, earning herself another mock glare.

With infinite gentleness, he took her broken wrist into his hand once again. The coolness of his fingers made Rose shiver, but it felt wonderful against the heated skin. He had already opened the tube of cream before touching her again. The Doctor lifted his eyes to her, silently asking her permission for treatment. Rose only nodded, dropping her whiskey orbs to watch him work. Carefully he rubbed the cold cream into her skin, massaging as he turned her hand over. The first contact made her hiss through her teeth.

"Breathe," he instructed absently, working the medicine into her skin methodically.

Pushing out all inappropriate thoughts of just how soft her skin was, or how alluring her scent was, he forced himself to think of her as a patient and nothing more. A patient he was treating. A patient who really needed to stop squirming. As gently as he could, he tightened his grip on her, icy blue eyes throwing her another stern look, making her stop. He muttered his thanks, and ignored her blush once again, continuing to work.

Once he was satisfied that the cream was doing its job, the swelling and discoloration was already going down, the Doctor let go of her hand and put the cream aside. Rose was watching him intently, curiosity was all over her expression as he worked. It made him grin. His eyes flicked to her face, waiting for the questions to come. Of course, she would just look at him back with an innocent look, blinking and tilting her head to the side like a kitten. A knowing smirk on her lips as she watched him. He wanted to laugh again, something he was going a lot since he met her. She wouldn't play his game, asking questions unless she needed to. Cheeky minx.

"The bandage will keep the wrist straight and supported," he started his lecture. "Between the ointment they were soaked in and the cream, you should be fully healed in about four hours. Bones are harder to heal."

Rose just nodded at him, smiling as he wrapped her hand with continued gentleness. She could have mentioned that if she had been whole, she could have healed it already. But alas, when she was brought back from where ever she was to now, she was more incomplete than she initially thought. Here, she never looked into the Heart of the TARDIS, and has yet to be the Bad Wolf fully. As a result she was still achingly human, and healed human slow. Of all the gifts she got from the Heart, that one was her favorite.

Especially with how jeopardy friendly she was, will be, and has been.

After about ten more minutes, the Doctor let go of Rose and stepped back with a wide smile. "Good as new," he declared.

"You think?" Rose returned drily, holding up her bandaged hand.

"Okay, refurbished a little," he laughed at his own joke as she poked him in the side, pouting at him cutely. "Now then, how about that trip?"

Her face lit up and Rose hopped off the table and darted excitedly to the door. The Doctor followed more slowly, enjoying the way she was bouncing down the hall back to the console room. He was pretty sure it was illegal on a few planets he knew for a woman to bounce like that. It was distracting. Chuckling at her enthusiasm, he pushed aside once again the rather cruel thoughts that cluttered his thoughts about her bouncing, under him or over him. None of that now, he chided himself.

Reaching the console room, the Doctor was very relieved to notice that the lights were at their normal level and the low growl he was hearing in the back of his mind where the ship resided has gone away. Rose had taken the spot she had been at before, her small hands on the console panel, almost stroking it. Her whiskey and brown orbs were on him and him alone though. Smiling that manic grin of his, she laughed with delight. Moving to the monitor, he was not surprised to see that they were simply floating in the Vortex. Glancing at Rose, he threw a red lever dramatically, the room jerked but not as violently as before.

Rose gripped the panel, watching with adoring fascination as the rotor in the center moved up and down, the whirring and wheezing that was the engine coming to life and filling the large domed room. As soon as it begun, it stopped and she let go, looking back at the door then to the Doctor, waiting.

"Ten thousand years in your future," he beamed. "Step outside, it's the year 12005, the New Roman Empire."

"You think you're so impressive," Rose teased him, her voice turning slightly husky in a flirty way.

"I am so impressive," he growled back at her in a throaty tone, instinct taking over then. He was grinning at her, daring her to push this time.

"You wish," she laughed. And push back she did.

With a large smile, those icy blue eyes dancing, he pointed at her, his Northern burr turning downright dark and promising.

"Right then! You asked for it!" Never taking his eyes from her, he entered the dates quickly. Dancing between two panels, he told her, "I know exactly where to go, Rose Tyler. Hold on!"

The sound of the engines kicking to life and the resulting laughter from the old girl, drowned out the low moan that slipped from Rose as he caressed her name, sending shivers down her spine and heat straight to her core. If this kept up, she thought, she would not be responsible for her actions when she just jumped him.

For the Doctor, he could hear the laughter of the TARDIS in his mind, but then another feeling. He had felt it a few times before in the last few hours. It was the warmth of another mind brushing against his, the heat of an arousal sprinting through him and causing him to harder in anticipation. Thankfully for him, the jerking motion of the TARDIS in flight through the Vortex and the noise of the engines hid his soft grunt of need. Then the thud of the landing came, and the room stilled.

"Okay, where are we?" Rose asked him, still gripping the panel, but smiling like the sun. "What's out there?"

The Doctor just smiled at her and motioned for her to go find out. Rose turned instantly and was halfway down the ramp when she stopped and looked back at him.

"Wait," she looked a little confused. "If this is another time, am I going to be okay?"

"What do you mean?" Okay, that confused him.

"Well, I mean I'm dressed in 21st century clothes," she pointed out. "While you may have a timeless look, I guess, what about me? Is the way I'm dressed gonna be a problem?"

That made the Doctor blink a few times and mutter, "I hadn't thought of that."

Rose just rolled her eyes at him and waited. He was watching her, finally conceding she had a bloody point. Damn it. "Okay, fine. There's a wardrobe through there. First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, it's the fifth door on your left. Go on!"

He thought he had finally gotten a one up on Rose Tyler as she stared at him like a deer caught in headlights. After a few seconds, she ran down the hallway he pointed to. He had to laugh now to himself. Before when she rapid fired her questions off like that, he has not been prepared for it. This time, he had been. And oh was it worth it to see the cheeky minx confused and hushed. He knew he wanted to do that more often.

Alone in the console room now, he leaned against the center controls and crossed his arms. He had a chance to think, without having to look impressive or anything. The room was quiet, except for the soft song that was the ship herself. That feeling of warmth was gone now. It gave him the chance to get his body back under his control and will the aching cock caged in his jeans back to sleep. That was the second time in a handful of hours he had become aroused and wanting in her presence. A dark thought passed his mind that if he can't stop doing that, he may have to take her home. The thought made his chest hurt and the hard on become nothing once more. In all truth, the last few hours had been just plain different. Neither Rose nor the idiot with her seemed all that scared or afraid of the Autons. The night he met her all those weeks ago, she had been terrified. Then, she was not.

Then the idiot, Mickey he thought the kid's name was. He didn't ask any questions, didn't even react to the situation at all. He had just went with it. The boy had been kidnapped, duplicated twice, then dumped in the middle of a highly volatile situation and what does the boy do? Jump to Rose's side and try to protect her, no questions asked. As the Doctor attempted to follow this train of thought a voice drew him back to reality.

"Doctor?"

And he felt his hearts stop beating for a moment.

Rose was standing before him in an ankle length cigarette style dress. It hugged her curves perfectly, hinting at the glories the TARDIS-blue sequin-covered fabric hid. She had tied her hair back into a messy bun at the base of her skull to show off the plunging back, and no bra. It was elegant, it was breath taking, and he thought it would look a thousand times better on the floor of his bedroom. Stop that!

She only said his name once, to let him know she was there. His jaw dropped at the sight of her, and she blushed happily. Not giving him a chance to say anything, her hurried past him and down the ramp. He could only stare at her back as she opened the doors and stepped out into the new place her brought her. Following behind her at a more sedate pace, he wanted to give himself time to face her again. Guilt swam through him as he thought about it. She was expecting a great adventure, and he brought her here. The smile he had when this started faded as he stepped from the TARDIS, pulling the doors shut.

Walking down the steps of the observation platform, he came up beside her. The Doctor gave in to one urge, letting his hand come up and caressed the skin of her warm back. Rose shivered at the feel of his cool fingers touching her in such a feather light caress, but she did not pull away. In fact, she leaned into him with a soft sigh. Together they looked out at the Earth before them, quiet and turning.

"You lot," he began in a soft voice. He was speaking for her ears alone. "You spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible. That maybe you survive. This is the year five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years in your future. And this is the day…" he pauses a moment, looking at his watch, Rose's face tipped up to watch him. "Hold on."

He nods to the window and she turned to watch as the sun flares up brightly, expanding and burning a deep crimson red. "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the World, Rose Tyler."

He expected her to pull away from him now. Or to demand what he was thinking bringing her here. Instead, she surprised him yet again, drawing in closer to him, her arm slipping around his waist. She said nothing as she watched the planet below them, her home, and the pulsing Sun. The Doctor never stopped to think, he just drew her closer to him as they stood together.

"Shuttles five and six now docking," a female computerized voice called out, making them turn towards the doors, an arm still wrapped around each other. "Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine. Followed by drink in the Manchester Suite."

The Doctor offered Rose his arm and she accepted with a giggle. "Why thank you."

He grinned at her as they started down a corridor, walking close to her, just enjoying her scent and closeness.

"When it said guests, does it mean people or aliens?" Rose asked, looking up at him again.

"Depends on what you mean by people," the Doctor laughed.

"Well, are they earthlings or from farther out?" Rose clarified, her nose wrinkling cutely as she thought about that. "Or would I be the alien since I am from 21st century Earth?"

Another laugh came from the Doctor as he pulled them to a stop, putting his hands on her exposed shoulders. He allowed himself to indulge a bit, his thumbs caressing the soft skin. Her dress had a high collar, going to her neck, but left her shoulders and the sides of her breasts open for view.

"They will be aliens to you," he clarified. "You will just look like a human to them. Don't worry so much."

"What are doing here then? This isn't a spaceship. It seems to me more like an observation desk. So what's this all for?"

"Blimey, you and the questions," he grinned down at her, bumping his forehead against her affectionately. "The great and good are gathering to watch the planet burn."

Rose sighed softly as his forehead made contact with her, "For what? Fun?"

"Exactly. Let's go meet the other guests," his smile was aching beautiful as he pulled away from her again, taking her arms once more and escorted her to the main observation gallery.

"When you say 'great and good', you mean rich, right?" Rose asked as they entered the massive room. It was as beautiful as Rose remembered it, all the marble and arches. It always reminded her of a very Roman like structure. There were a few things she did not remember being there, such as a few paintings from varying planets and some display cases that were tastefully placed around the room in little alcoves.

"That's right," he beamed down at her, thrilling as she answered his smile.

"You know," she stated, trying to sound proper and educated, "I read once about this very thing. They said that the time it would take the sun to expand to this level would take thousands, if not millions of years to accomplish."

He would have believed it, if he didn't already know her and they look of pure mischief in those beautiful brown eyes.

"That is true," he answered in kind, strolling with her to the massive observation windows. "You see those little things out there? Gravity satellites holding the sun back. The planet has been property of the National Trust for many years."

"Alas," Rose giggled, "the money has run out. Shame."

The Doctor let his head fall back as a bark of laughter escaped him. "And in a half an hour, the planet gets roasted."

Sharing in his manic and slightly warped glee, Rose leaned her head against his shoulder. "I thought that the continents moved. So why does it look like that? Did the Trust move them back?"

"Exactly. That's a classic Earth, right there."

"What happened to the people?" Looking up at him, she let the worry color her eyes.

"All gone," he smiled down at her and pressed a kiss impulsively to her forehead. "No one's left."

"Who the hell are you?"

The question was asked suddenly of the two by a blue skinned man with gold slitted eyes. The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the man, and pulled Rose tighter to his side.

"Oh, that's nice. Thanks," the Doctor grinned, even as it never reached his eyes. Rose could imagine them turning that steel blue-grey of the Storm.

"How did you get in?" the blue skinned man demanded, looking part annoyed and part panicked. "This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now."

"That's us," Rose chimed in with a winning smile. The man, apparently the Steward, blinked at her and started to say something back.

"Look, we've got an invitation," the Doctor swiftly cut off with that same smile on his face. "Look. There you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus one. I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler. She's my plus one. Is that all right?" The last part was said on a slight, well hidden growl. He did not like how the man was looking over Rose in her blue dress.

"Well," the Stewart turned from panicked to just plain rude, with a poor attempt at an apology. "Apologies, et cetra. If you are on board, we'd better start. Enjoy." With one last quick look at Rose, the Stewart strolled away towards a podium.

"Arse," Rose muttered, looking away and back to the Doctor. An arched brow was the only indication she had a question.

"Psychic paper," he whispered into her ear. "Shows them what I want them to see. Saves a lot of time."

"He is still an arse," she whispered back. Her cheek made him grin down at her again, easing up his grip a little.

"We have in attendance the Doctor and Rose Tyler," the Stewart announced, then clapped his hands. "All staff to their positions."

The pair watched as a crowd of smaller blue skinned people entered the room and took their places around the large hall. "Hurry now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along," the Stewart urged his staff. "And now, might I introduced the next honored guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees. Namely Jabe, Lute and Coffa."

Rose smile brightened seeing Jabe again. Like her memories, the tree woman was a beautiful as ever in her red gown. The two males at her sides as are tall and intimidating as well. The Doctor glanced down at Rose and smiled at her thrilled expression.

"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace," the Stewart announced, Rose's eyes snapping up to the Doctor. "If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon."

Rose leaned up to whisper to the Doctor before the first guest reached them, "Did you bring anything to give as a gift?"

The blank look on his face and the sudden panic in his eyes told her the answer to that. The Stewart kept announcing the other guests. Rose glanced over at the door as the Adherents of the Repeated Meme was announced. She would have to deal with them later. Turning her attention back to Jabe, Lute and Coffa as they approached, she offered them a smile in greeting, her arm still looped with the Doctor's.

"The Gift of Peace," Jabe smiled at them, taking a small sapling in a cup from Lute, "I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather."

"Yes, thank you," the Doctor released Rose, much to her amusement to pat himself down.

"As a return gift," Rose stepped forward swiftly, "I give you in return, air from my lungs."

As Rose blew gently on the tree woman, then the two males with her, the Doctor looked at Rose in shock. The trio closed their eyes and breathed in, letting out little shuddering breathes in return.

"How," Jabe breathed, watching Rose closely, "intimate."

Rose swallowed down the flirty retort when she spotted that Storm of jealousy in the Doctor's eyes. Instead, Rose gave the trees a wink and a warm smile. As the three passed by, the Stewart announced another guest, drawing Rose's attention for a second.

"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe."

For a second, Rose would have sworn the giant face in the jar looked at her and winked. Blinking a few times, Rose tried to remember if she ever interacted with the Face of Boe before. The Doctor's voice broke her out of her musings and her eyes widened a second as she noticed the Moxx of Balhoon was in front of them.

"The Moxx of Balhoon," the Doctor greeted with a daft grin.

Unfortunately, the Doctor failed to notice Rose inching behind him.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance," the Moxx greeted graciously. "I give you the gift of bodily salivas."

And he promptly spit in the Doctor's face.

"Thank you for such a thoughtful gift," Rose struggled with not laughing as she stepped out from the safety behind the Doctor. "I gift you in return the air from my lungs."

The Doctor was scowling as he wiped the spit from his face, glaring at Rose as she blew air in the direction of the Moxx of Balhoon. He turned to say something to his plus one, when she paled slightly and took a step back. Looking up, he noticed the Adherent of the Repeated Meme had come to them.

"Ah! The Adherent of the Repeated Meme," the Doctor greeted, taking a small step forward. "I bring you air from my lungs." And he exhaled rather obnoxiously towards them.

A large, clawed metal hand came up, holding a metal ball. Rose took another step back and shifted to once again be shielded by the Doctor's broad form. "A gift of peace in all good faith," the robed creature intoned.

The Doctor nodded his thanks, taking it. He watched them pass by before turning slightly to Rose to make sure she was okay. All the other aliens in the room didn't seem to phase her, the spike of fear from her caught his attention. Slipping his arm around her waist again, drawing her to his side, he offered her a smile. She returned the smile, taking the metal ball from him. She almost looked like she wanted to throw it as far as she could for a second.

"Representing the Torchwood Repository of New Arcadia," the Stewart announced, drawing both the Doctor's and Rose's attention immediately. "The Curator, John Noble. The Torchwood Repository was kind enough to donate the artifacts and artwork displayed in today's historic event."

Rose kept her eyes on the new comer as he entered the room. He was an elder man, with a thick mop of white curly hair and a wide, toothy smile. He had familiar, warm blue eyes that swept the room and a prominent nose completed the look of a rather daft old man. He walked with a cane, but it was like the man seemed to vibrate with hyper energy that reminded her greatly of the last Doctor she knew. Also, his name put her on alert. He called himself John Noble, and she had for a second felt a jump in her pulse that it was someone she knew. But instead, this older gentleman wearing a large almost antique looking brown coat and his cane had entered. This was not the John Noble she knew.

Was it a coincidence that this man shared the same name as the part Time Lord she knew and who he represented? Rose had lived a long time to know, there is no such thing as a coincidence.

The Doctor watched as Rose shifted her attention to the man called the Curator. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to figure out what about this man would capture her attention so completely. When he saw the man however, his grip tightened on Rose's waist on reflex. Eyes widen as icy blue meets warm blue ones, the Doctor's breath caught in his throat. He knew that face. This was impossible. The other man smile widened at the Doctor's reaction. And the name of where he was from. New Arcadia. That name echoed in his mind. That was not possible either.

There was no such place as New Arcadia.

Looking down at Rose, she turned her face to him. She looked as shocked and off balance as him, only more so. She was trembling under his fingers. Swallowing down his own panic and suspicions, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. He wasn't sure if it was to calm him or her. Frankly, he didn't care much right then.

The pair continued to accept gifts from the brothers Hop Plyeen, Cal Spark Plug, Mister and Mrs. Pakoo, and the Ambassadors from the City of Binding Light. Rose had relaxed again as the guests circled. She greeted them with a smile, like an old pro who belong in the circles of the great and rich. The Doctor took over gifting the air from their lungs at this point as it had become a bit of a joke for him. All too soon, however, the Curator was before them.

Without wasting a second, he reached out and took one of Rose's hands into both of his. His smile turned downright flirty as he lifted her small hand to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles. The Doctor pressed his lips into a thin smile. He wanted to snatch Rose's hand back and growl at the man, Mine. If the Curator noticed, he only grinned more.

"My Lady Tyler," the Curator beamed. "Always a pleasure to see you again. You look lovely tonight."

Rose stiffened for a second. This name knew her, but she had no idea who he was. If possible, that grin of his got bigger. As she was about to respond to him, she felt a familiar brush against her mind and her eyes fluttered a fraction of a second. She knew that mind anywhere. That warmth, that age. Instantly she relaxed. Removing one of his hands from her, he dug into a pocket and brought out a white paper bag, and offered it to her.

"Jelly baby?"

The Doctor was sure he was about to have a hearts attack right then. His eyes darted to Rose. First she had tensed up then relaxed just as quickly. Now she was smiling at the walking paradox that called itself the Curator like he was an old friend. Or beloved one. This made the Doctor frown at that other man.

"Are there any pear flavored ones?" Rose asked with a grin, her nose wrinkles a little. The way she asked, the sheer familiarity of it.

"Never!" the Curator scoffed. "Nasty things, pears."

Rose laughed now. Her hand released, she reached into the bag and withdraw two of the sweet treats. Both orange. Sticking her tongue between her teeth, she told the Curator, "Orange. The best flavor."

"I couldn't agree more, my dear," he agreed.

As he turned without his return gift, his eyes caught the Doctor's again. He winked again and reached up, placing his index finger against his large, pointed nose. To add to the confusion and suspicion that Doctor was laboring under, the Curator flicked the digit over the tip of his nose and then swanned off.

What. Just. Happened.

Rose turned to the Doctor now, drawing his attention away from the retreating Curator's back. With a sweet smile, he was pleased to note that she had yet to give anyone else, she held up one of the two orange flavored Jelly Baby to his lips. His face relaxed again into a daft grin as he leaned forward and nipped the treat from her fingers. The overwhelming intimacy of the move was not lost on him. With a tongue touched smile, Rose popped the second one into her mouth and leaned her head against his shoulder again.

It did nothing to ease his suspicions.

Both noted that the Face of Boe did not join the circuit but took up a spot in the back of the room near the podium where the Steward announced the last guest. The Doctor tightened his grip around Rose's waist as he felt her tense up with the announcement. He personally was more concerned with the creature in the jar at the moment. It had to be his imagination that the Face of Boe was watching the two of them a little too close for his comfort.

"And last but not least," the Stewart called, ever the master of ceremonies, "our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the Last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."

Rose swallowed the growl that rose from in her throat and the want of the wolf to show herself as Rose glared at the piece of skin that was hung on a rack. The Doctor let go of her waist to run his cool fingers up and down her spine, calming her. The pair of them felt for a half of a second the brush of another mind, full of amusement then it was gone.

"Oh now, don't stare," the proper voice came from the skin. Bright, gorgeous deep blue eyes swept over the assembled. "I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin and dainty I am. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me, moisturize me."

The two surgeon looking men with Cassandra moved to spray the talking skin graft with water as she smiled coyly at the room.

"Truly, I am the last Human," she lamented, making Rose tense all over again. "My father was a Texan, my mother from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth, and there they were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honor them, and say good bye." Cassandra's voice broke a little. The sound of a snort covered by a cough came from somewhere in the room, missed by Cassandra. "Oh no, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From the Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg."

Cassandra trailed off on some nonsense about it being a fire breathing giant before making a quip about one of her many ex husbands. Rose leaned up again, letting her lips tease the curve of the Doctor's fine ears, "Do you think she even knows her own history? Fifty feet? Seriously?"

Across the room, the Curator snorted. Multiple pairs of eyes were drawn to him. He waved them off, drawing a hankie from his inner pocket, making the motions of blowing his nose. Cassandra ignored him.

The Doctor grinned at Rose, turning his face to her, too caught up in each other to pay the Curator any mind just then. They were inches from each other like this. Both were smiling, once again looking like a loving couple as they whispered back and forth with each other. Cassandra watched the pair with narrowed eyes, her tone never changing as she spoke of her second gift for the occasion, a 1950s juke box and called it an 'iPod'. The human looking couple seemed to giggle at that. The old man with the tacky coat snorted again then coughed as well. The female of the two, a low born looking blonde with a mouth that was far too big for her face, in Cassandra's opinion, stuck the tip of her tongue out, blushing as the male in that ridiculous leather jacket leaned in, whispering something in the female's ear.

Refusing to let the three rude people get to her, Cassandra concluded her practiced speech and declared, "Play on!" as the song 'Tainted Love' rang out over the hall.

"Refreshments will not be served," the Stewart announced, "Earth death in thirty minutes."