The Green Soul

Chapter 3

As Rose made her way to the console room, she found the white heeled slippers she'd put on were remarkably comfortable and she didn't even feel as though she were about to trip.  She made sure to be careful when she got to the grated floor, however, not wanting to get caught in one of the holes in it.

The Doctor was sitting on the jump seat when she entered, having already landed them.  He didn't look up from the TARDIS manual he was reading, but acknowledged her entrance with a "one of these days, I'm going to see something I don't like in here and have to throw this out."

Rose giggled.  "That would be something you would do," she said.  "Don't know what you'd disagree about with the TARDIS though."

The Doctor grinned, snapping the manual closed.  "Oh, believe me, Rose, I'm sure I'd think of something."  He finally looked up from his task and Rose didn't miss the moment where his jaw went completely slack.  He cleared his throat and his eyes drifted decidedly northward to her face.  "You look lovely," he said seriously.

Rose snorted and walked around the other end of the console with her suitcase.  "For a human, I'm doing okay," she replied, no anger in her voice, only a teasing tone that somehow filled the Doctor with dismay.

"Rose, when I said that, what I meant was-"

He was cut off by the TARIDS dropping a suitcase for the Doctor at his feet with a loud "whump".  He heard the warning hum she gave him.  Now was not the time to say things like that to Rose, the TARDIS was telling him, best to do it when they weren't about to run headlong into danger, it would distract both of them.

The Doctor sighed, mostly because he knew his ship was right, but his thoughts were turned again when Rose giggled at the TARDIS's sudden shock for the Doctor.  He picked up the suitcase and flashed her a smile.  "Well, I guess I'll be dressing the part for a few days after tonight, hm?"  He walked around to her side of the console and stuck his arm for her.  She gave him a brilliant smile and linked her arm through his.

They exited the TARDIS into the middle of the town of 1869 Wales, and Rose nudged the Doctor, delighted.  "You got the date right," she teased.

He arched an eyebrow down at her.  "Laugh all you want, but the point still stands that I did, in fact, get it right.  You should be thanking me."  He paused for a moment.  "Profusely.  You should be thanking me profusely."

They were lost in themselves until an old woman passed them and muttered "scandalous."

Rose's attention snapped to the woman who was bustling away from them.  "Oi," she said softly, "What was that for?"

The Doctor exaggerated turning around and looked at the TARDIS behind them.  "I can't imagine, Rose.  It's almost as if a dashing young man and a beautiful woman didn't just come out of a small wooden box."

Rose meant to suppress her laugh, but couldn't quite manage it.  "Alright, you've made your point," she said consolingly.  She smiled up at him.

"What?"

She shook her head.  "Nothing."  It wasn't nothing in her own mind, though, because all she could think about was the fact that that was the second time the Doctor had complimented her appearance in this short of a time.  So instead of dwelling on it and reading into it where it didn't belong, she cleared her throat and changed the subject.  "So, how are we going to get the Glassers to let us into their home?  Especially with... I don't know, what you just said, about the, well, the box thing."

They started walking, the Doctor fishing in his pocket with his free hand.  "You know, you've got a point there, hang on.  But to answer your question, we'll get let in by telling them we're getting demonic readings in the area.  You mentioned they were religious, they'll want to keep the devil at bay.  And hopefully the devil is not the devil at all, but something we can control and get rid of before July 14th."  He pulled whatever he had been searching for out of his pocket, clutching it in his fist.  "As for our situation..."

He held out his hand as though he made to drop something, and Rose steadied her palm under his hand.  The Doctor shifted his fingers and dropped a small gold band into her palm.  "That's that," he said cheerfully, moving his arm around hers to slip a thicker ring onto his left ring finger.

Rose held the little piece in her palm, staring down at it as if she expected it to pop up and bite her  on the nose.  They were going to play married couple.  How on Earth was she supposed to pretend to be indifferent towards the Doctor with this on her hand?  And in turn, they'd be sharing a room, as a married couple, a professional couple mucking about in the supernatural.  It was almost too much for her, but she swallowed harshly and slipped the ring onto her finger.  Better to pretend that she was find with the whole thing, and not at all thinking about... Things she shouldn't be thinking about.

Oh, God.  What kinds of nightclothes had the TARDIS packed?  If it was anything silky, she was done for.

"Rose?" The Doctor asked worriedly, and Rose realized he had been talking.

"Yeah, sorry," she rushed out.  "How do you know where they live?"

The Doctor furrowed his brows.  "I just explained that, Rose.  I researched them for a bit after you went to change, found their address in some of the records in the TARDIS.  All up in here," he tapped his head.  "By the way, I'm thinking about going by James Smith this time, spice things up a bit," he waggled his eyebrows at her.

She shook herself from her distracted state, deciding she really didn't want him to keep asking her if she was alright.  "Doctor James Smith," she said slowly, letting the name roll off of her tongue.  She nodded in satisfaction.  "I like that."

"And you'll be Mrs. Rose Smith, but you're not quite ready to get your Doctor's degree, even though you want to.  So, I'm teaching you all kinds of things, and that's why you're working with me," he explained.  "That makes sense, right?  No... Holes I should be worried about?"

Rose bit her lip, trying not to fixate on the 'Mrs. Rose Smith' part of the conversation.  She nodded.  "Right," she agreed, "I think that'll be fine, no one should question it," she paused, thinking for another moment.  "I'd believe it, if I were from around here."

The Doctor smiled at her.  "I'll bet you would, Rose Tyler.  Or should I say, Rose Smith."  He winked and she suppressed a shudder, forcing a grin instead.

She took a moment to take in her surroundings.  The horse drawn carriages brought her a special form of delight, some part of her that was still very, very young at heart growing giddy at the thought of riding in one.  The Doctor noticed her expression and nudged her shoulder with his.  "Maybe some evening we'll take one out."

Rose looked up at him, the surprise clear on her face.  "Really?"  she asked softly.

"Really," he replied.  "Is your arm getting tired?  I could carry your suitcase."

She looked down at her arm and lifted her suitcase a bit before hanging it back down.  "No, I think that's alright."

The Doctor nodded.  "Well, we're almost there anyway."  He nodded his chin in front of them and Rose looked up.  She gasped when she saw a giant manor looming in front of them at the end of the dirt path they were walking up.  "Wow," she breathed quietly, in awe of the massive home.

"Well, I say let's get to overstaying our welcome," the Doctor said cheerfully.  They walked up the rest of the path to the door, the Doctor put his suitcase down, threw Rose a completely manic grin, and knocked.