Rose and Ten one shots.

The common cold, a Time Lord's worst nightmare.

(Author's note)

Here it is, the promised fic. It's based on the idea that the Doctor doesn't know about the common cold. Yes, I'll admit that he probably would know about it, but I'm pretending he doesn't for the purposes of this fic. Hope you like it! I know it's not my best, I may edit it later. Maybe put in some fluff or something, I don't know. I prefer writing angst to fluff though, which is bad news for my readers I guess... Oh well. Thank you all for reading!

(End author's note)

"So Miss Tyler, what shall we do t- Are you alright?"

It's early morning in the T.A.R.D.I.S., and the Doctor has just deemed it an acceptable hour to wake his companion. She seems less thrilled than normal about this, and appears extra tired. Sitting up, she pushes her tangled hair out of her eyes, and speaks in a quieter voice than usual.

"Actually Doctor, do you think I could skip the adventure today?" The Doctor steps back, aghast. Rose has never no to an adventure before, they're practically her favourite! Something must be terribly wrong! He flips a switch, and the lights flicker on.

"Um, yeah, that's fine, of course that's fine, is everything ok?"

"Yeah, I just- could you turn those lights off please?"

"Of course!" He turns them off quickly. Overly concerned now, he walks over and perches on the edge of her bed. "What's wrong?" Coughing into her arm a few times, she replies.

"I just don't feel well. I expect it's just a cold though." The Doctor, not fully listening, is looking more concerned by the second. He puts a hand on her forehead, taking her temperature.

"Hmm, you have a slight fever. You say you don't feel well?"

"Yeah." She smiles slightly. "No need to look so worried, I don't feel that bad. And like I said, I'm sure it's just a- cold." By the end of this sentence, he has already left the room. Gone to the infirmary to gather supplies, determined to figure out what ails the fragile human companion that he has grown so attached to. Returning shortly with a load of medicinal products and equipment in his arms, he sets it all on the floor. Grabbing a scanner, he begins to use it on her while trying to glean more information.

"What exactly feels bad?" She replies, rather amused with the look of barely concealed panic on his face.

"The usual, scratchy throat, headache, coughs, you know. But D-"

"You said the usual? You mean you've experienced these symptoms before?"

"Well, yeah, but-" He finishes the scan, and interrupts her again.

"No signs of poison, internal bleeding, brain damage, concussion, strangulation, suffocation, blood loss, clotting, allergic reactions, pregnancy, broken bones, mental trauma, heart failure, narcolepsy, hearing loss, blindness, liver failure, internal combustion, bullet wounds, insomnia, or amnesia..."

"Doctor, stop it, I'm fin- Did you just say 'internal combustion'?!" Temporarily distracted from the present crisis by the opportunity to sound clever, the Doctor elaborates.

"Yes, internal combustion. It's a rare disease, contracted by licking a raw Devil's-Hearth berry. The toxins in the berry cause all of your internal organs increase in temperature slowly, until it cooks you from the inside out. Very nasty." Rose sighs.

"Sounds like it, but why would you scan me for that?"

"You can never be too careful Rose Tyler! Anyway, we still don't know what's wrong with you."

"Doctor, I've been trying to tell y-"

"I mean, I've run nearly every test imaginable on you! I don't understand-" Rose interrupts him this time, tired of being cut off.

"Doctor!" Her outburst brings on another bout of coughing. The Doctor stops his rambling, and directs his full attention to her.

"Yes?" She regains her breath, and speaks.

"I've been trying to tell you, I'm fine! It's just a cold!"

"Is it serious, what's the cure?" Rose attempts to look sombre.

"I'm afraid there is no cure." The Doctor replies, shaken.

"What?! There must be something-" Feeling guilty for worrying him, she drops the act and smiles sheepishly.

"There is no cure, but I should be fine in a couple of days. Are you sure that none of your previous companions ever got a cold?" He nods, looking relieved.

"Not ever! Is this a common thing on earth?" Rose nods.

"Yeah, it is. We even sometimes call it 'the common cold.'." Looking fairly embarrassed that he didn't know something so normal about his favourite planet, the Doctor changes the subject.

"Oh. Is there anything I can get you?" Deciding to take advantage of this moment, she nods.

"A book would be nice..."

"As you wish, M'lady." He leaves the room and returns with a large stack of books in his arms. He sets them down on her nightstand, and sits in the comfy chair next to her bed. Taking a book off the pile to read himself. Rose takes one as well.

"You don't have to stay in here you know. You can go on an adventure without me if you want, I don't mind." He looks up and smiles at his companion weakly.

"Actually, I think I'd rather stay here if it's all the same to you. I've had quite enough adventure for one day."

(End note) So, there it was. Not the most exciting one shot, and the ending was rather weak, but I thought it was a cute idea. If anyone reading this likes the idea of it, writes fanfiction, and thinks they can do a better job at it, by all means go for it. Just please send me a link to the finished product so I can read it and love it. Oh, and please comment about whether I should leave mine as it is, or add fluff. That is, if you have an opinion. If you don't particularly care, than just ignore this. Thanks! (End of end note)