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[Rose has the day off so she's spent it being lazy: caught up on her sleep, read her book, watched TV, took a bath. That sort of thing. She's finally decided to venture out for some chips and maybe a milkshake. She's got her mp3 player and her ear buds in so it takes her a little while to see what's going on. When she sees it the first time, her throat goes dry and for an instant she thinks maybe it's a coincidence. Or maybe the Doctor is having a laugh. She steps outside with some trepidation, looking for another one. It's there scrawled on the sidewalk in front of her. Her heart beats faster and her breath is coming in strangled pants as she breaks into a jog, looking for the next one. She doesn't have to go far. It's been spray painted on a brick wall. She stops, turning in a circle, realising that it's everywhere. Overnight, the City has been covered in Bad Wolf graffiti. She jerks the ear buds out of her ears and fumbles for her device, flipping it on.]

Something's happenin'. Don't know what yet but you all ought to be careful. Be aware. Stay inside.

[She quickly puts in some filters and makes some requests locked to individual people]

[To Cinna]

Stay inside, okay? Don't open the store and...be careful. Just stay inside.

[To Percy]

You've got defensive magic, yeah?

[To Dawn]

Any chance I could get my hands on a coupla weapons? Promise to use 'em for good.

[To Jack, The Doctors, and Donna]

[At this point, she's just scarcely keeping the panic out of her voice.]

Doctor! Jack, Donna, we need--have you looked outside?

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Another you. Crossing the timeline like that -- then again, been crossing my timeline for months now and time hasn't blinked.

Donna was going on about glowing lights and the TARDIS.

I think it's Daleks though. Not another me. I don't think-- [Right, she's going to have to explain what happened.]

There was a whole fleet of Daleks. You tricked me, sent me home in the TARDIS. I couldn't let you--I had to save you so...I broke into the TARDIS console, looked into the heart of the TARDIS. The messages are me, muckin' 'bout with time lines and dimensions, leadin' me back to save you. I lead myself there and I also scattered 'em for later, when you lost me again, so you'd know I was comin' back. [Pause. She might as well tell him everything.] And I think I had somethin' to do with a crack in the universe at Bad Wolf Bay, so you could tell me goodbye later and probably with the crack that let me break through dimensions to find you again.

[Deep breath.] And it was burnin' me up inside. It's how you--'least I think it's how you...y'know. And I'm the reason Jack is immortal. I brought him back to life but I didn't know what I was doin' and my head hurt so much and I knew I was runnin' out of time....

[In a very, very quiet voice.]

Sorry.

[Except that she's really not. She'd do it all over again to save him.]

I just wanted my Doctor safe.

[ Well, that takes a minute to sink in. ]

Now, the Captain told me his new ability was your fault, but he left quite a bit out, looks like.

[ He's quiet for a moment, and then he sighs. ] Shoulda known better than to send you off on your own, shouldn't I? You always just get into worse trouble. [ That was said affectionately, though. ] A regeneration's worth getting you out of it. Even if I do end up with that hair.

So something big's coming. Daleks or the heart of the TARDIS -- both are terribly dangerous without something to keep them back, so we'd better start warning people and getting ready.

M'not sure how much he knows. I know the you with the hair told him somethin' at some point. I was already gone though.

[She gives him one of those apologetic smiles where she bites her bottom lip while she's doing it.] Never works out when you leave me alone. Ought to remember that. [And then she smiles for real.]

Oi now! Leave off the hair. [It's teasing though and a little sad. She hates that he had to use one of his regenerations to save her. There are so many other things he could have used it for.]

Yeah. That's what I've been tryin' to do. [And a pause. He's not quite as non-violent as his future self.] 'm workin' on gettin' some electro-tech weapons that might help if it is Daleks. If it's the heart of the TARDIS, m'not sure how to prepare.

[ At the mention of weapons, a bit of a guilty expression crosses his face. It had seemed like the sensible thing at the time, but looking back at the way he'd dealt with the last Dalek, the way he'd pointed a weapon at her and at that stupid, half-dead thing... he's not proud of it. But he's still a war veteran. He's still himself, as amazing as terrible as that is. He'll take up arms to defend them if he needs to. He'd just be glad she'd be on his side, this time. ] Let me or future me see what you find. It's got to pack quite the punch if you're going to get through a Dalek's armor.

As for the TARDIS... well. She's a good girl at heart. Wouldn't try to hurt anyone, even if she does. Maybe we'll be lucky there.

[It's different this time. She doubts what comes through and warrants this kind of warning is going to be a broken Dalek. Even in that moment, she hadn't been scared of him, despite the fact that he was scary.]

Yeah. I will.

[The slight smile she gives is audible in her voice.] Yeah, could do worse. Maybe she just wants to be sure we have a proper Welcome for her.

And once everything starts -- if it does -- I want you at home, out of the way. Safe. You saved me then, now it's my turn. [ He's attempting sternness. ]

[She catches her breath.] Doctor, I can't do that. M'one of the few people here who know how to deal with this sorta thing. I'll be careful. Promise.

[She presses her lips together, trying to decide how honest she is with him.]

I don't want anythin' about my life here to change. I don't want to die and I don't want to put either of you two through that. 'm goin' to be careful.

Edited (dialogue consistency for the win) 2012-04-05 02:37 (UTC)

[ He doesn't like it, but he can't say he's at all surprised. ] How careful is careful enough, with Daleks? No such thing.

I've got two of you here. Nothin's goin' to happen to me.

[There it is, her complete and total faith in him.]

[ Oh, that faith. It hurts and helps. ]

We'll do our best to keep that true. Cross your fingers.

[She's not capable of anything else.]

Fingers crossed and you'll check in regular, yeah? 'm texting Donna every hour to let her know 'm all right.

Course I will. And you'd better send me texts back, or I'll come looking for you, electrical weapons or no.

Wouldn't expect anythin' less. In fact, I'd count on it.

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