Doctor Who | songs from the vortex [Songfic Collection]

I Don't Want to Be Your Friend

Summary: After Bad Wolf Bay, Rose finds a way back to her universe and her Doctor.. only to find he has a new companion.

Note: Series 3 AU feat. dimension-hopping Bad Wolf!Rose Tyler. Set during The Shakespeare Code.

Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler, one-sided Martha Jones/Tenth Doctor

Song: "I Don't Want to Be Your Friend (I Just Want to Be Your Lover)" by Pat Benatar

Originally Published: 29 November 2013

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Did you see me last night?
I was there in the dark.
I saw her look at you
The way I used to do
When I still had your heart.

Rose, hidden back in the shadows, felt her heart clench as she saw the Doctor walking down the crowded London street with his new companion: a pretty, dark-skinned woman a few years older than Rose. Upper-middle class, too, judging from her clothing. Martha Jones, she'd heard him call her.

Doctor. Rose took a step forward, the name on the tip of her tongue. It died when she took in the look on Martha's face, one full of adoration and longing. A smile was on her face like she was inwardly laughing at something he'd told her.

He's mine! Leave him alone! Rose leaned forward, one arm braced on the brick wall of the alley, and her foot hit an empty rubbish bin. The resulting noise had her darting back into the shadows just as the Doctor whipped his head round. His brown eyes were wild, haunted, as he searched the shadows.

Was he looking for her?

Part of her was pleasantly surprised at the thought, while another part was torn. How could she have known what her being trapped in the parallel universe had done to him?

His expression was hopeful, expectant, cautious, and full of longing all at once. How he could feel all that, show it, and not go mad she had no idea.

Maybe he had. Maybe the only reason he had Martha as a new companion was to keep him somewhat sane, to stop him before he went too far. Rose had had to do it herself, especially when she'd first encountered a Dalek in Henry Van Statten's museum.

She still didn't like the way Martha was eyeing the Doctor, though.

The Time Lord took a step in her direction, and Rose wondered just how well he could see in the dark. His lips moved, and she swore she heard him from fifteen meters away:

"Rose . . ."

Slowly, oh so slowly, she inched forward until she was partly out of the shadows.

Then Martha stopped walking, looked back, and called after the Doctor. He didn't move; he was still staring at Rose, eyes wide. Martha gave him a hard look and called his name again. Reluctantly, he turned away and followed his new companion.

Rose wasn't sure how long she would be here, but while she was in her home universe she might as well keep an eye on them.

She tried to tell herself it was because she wanted to protect the Doctor and not because she was jealous of Martha—Rose had run with him first, after all.

But she was a horrible liar and couldn't even lie to herself.

Silent as a cat (but not a cat-nun), she detached herself from the alley and padded after the Time Lord and his human companion.

Just who was Martha Jones, anyway? It was clear to Rose that the other woman either had a huge crush on or was in love with the Doctor, but it didn't seem as if he noticed. As they walked down the street the Doctor wouldn't take Martha's hand. Every so often he would look back over his shoulder, and each time Rose had to duck for cover.