They were at it again. Flirting unconditionally. Once they would start talking, they wouldn't stop. They'd even forget Rose was in the room with them. It was often unbearable for her to watch. Of course, she was happy for them. She had wanted this for her cousin ever since she realised that she was in love with the Doctor. 

"Thought you might be here." She gazed up to find Rose, standing at the edge of the bench. "I can't stop thinking about him either."

She sat down next to her. "I'm just so worried about him."

"Same." She stared at her cousin. "I understand-"

"No, you don't." protested Willow. "You may have been with him longer, but you don't understand how much he means to me."

She paused, hesitating on what to say next. "You really do love him, don't you?"

"What?" She backed away, standing above Rose. "No way! I don't lo-"

"It's ok." She took her hands, calming Willow. "I think he likes you too."

Suddenly, a feeling of embarrassment flusters as she started to feel herself blush. "No chance now."

"You never know."

The Doctor and Willow just sort of clicked from the moment they met, it was unusual. She thought she would have a closer relationship with him because Rose had travelled with him a bit longer, but something drew those two together somehow.

Sometimes she would notice them whisper to each other as if they had something to hide from her. It was hard to admit but she wanted to know these secrets too. She and Willow once told each other everything but now, at points, she feels like a mere acquaintance to her than family. The Doctor had certainly left a lasting effect on both of them.

If she could recall to when she first met the Doctor, her life was relatively average. She was like any other person, not confident to do anything life-changing that would change their world. If the Doctor hadn't returned for her a second time and asked whether she wanted to travel with him again, Rose would have been in regret for a long time.

At first, she thought it was just going to be her and the Doctor until he asked Willow to come with them. While she was happy that she was coming with them, Rose couldn't help but feel irritated. She had held that feeling of irritation for a long time or perhaps it was long term envy for what her cousin had achieved.

Growing up, Willow didn't realise how lucky she was. She had a mother and a father to look after her while she only had Jackie. She excelled in school, made friends easily yet Willow considered herself to be lonely. But she never was, it was Rose who felt loneliness in her life.

All her life she had strived herself to be as good as her cousin, tried her best to support her mother and her grades until she dropped out of school for her ex-boyfriend. After that relationship went downhill, she was the one who had to gradually pick up the pieces of her life but Willow was also there to help her up as well. Without Willow, she would have never gotten a job at Henriks or fell for Mickey.

She did love Willow, she was always like a big sister to her. They did everything together mostly. When she was a teenager, Willow once took her to a gig to see her favourite band even though she didn't have much money at the time. Once, she stood up for her when she was being bullied as a little girl. 

To be honest, Willow had the ability to make any girl jealous because Rose had always thought she was beautiful. No wonder the Doctor fell for her, instead of Rose. She had originally liked him but after learning of Willow's crush on him, she didn't dare pursue him for both her and Mickey's sake.

Now she had no one in her life. Jack was gone, Mickey was in a parallel universe and Johnny Stone was locked up in a prison cell. Perhaps one day Rose would find someone to love in this universe or another, until now, she was to be the third wheel for her cousin's relationship.

"You ok, Rose?" She hadn't realised that they had stopped flirting and were now glaring at her.

Breaking out from her ignorant daze, Rose smiled at them. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seemed a little quiet."

"Oh, no, no..." She said, shaking her head in defiance. "I was just daydreaming that's all. Do continue."

Oh, how she wished she was Willow; with hair like fire and deep sapphire eyes. Since she learned Willow was adopted, Rose had always asked herself why would someone give up a child who would grow to be so beautiful?

***

A little perspective change to gain a little insight into Rose's life in the TARDIS and around the new couple. I thought it would be interesting to discover how Rose reacted to the Doctor and Willow getting together.

The next interlude is from the perspective of the Doctor, so stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed this interlude.

- Alice ❤