Rose dumped herself onto the jump seat. "I'm knackered."

The Doctor flopped onto the seat with equal weariness, staring at the grating on the floor.

She knew when he wouldn't look at her or prattle on that something was going on in that big Time Lord brain of his.

He rested his elbow on the back of the seat and propped up his jaw in his hand. His eyes were tired.

She remembered this look. She remembered it from when they traveled to ancient Rome, when Ursus transformed her into the marble statue, when she was able to gift the vial to the Doctor from behind the not-Rose Fortuna. She remembered the look of helplessness on the Doctor's face.

She imagined how he must have felt this time around, with her face having been stolen by the Wire. She wanted to make him smile, so she gently touched his forearm and offered, "Just curious, did you travel back in time while I was gone? Maybe popped back to watch the first filming of Come Dancing?"

He chuckled at this, and there was the smile she was after. She grinned.

"Ha, no." He finally met her eyes with a little of that sparkle she loved so much. "I had good reason to leave you in Rome."

"Aw, I know, Doctor."

His smile and his eyes softened. "I couldn't—I couldn't leave you today."

She picked up on his more serious tone and drew her lips together in a soft line.

"Rose, they brought you into the station with a blanket over you. I could see your pink skirt," he gingerly placed a hand on her thigh, "and I didn't want to believe it was you. Then they pulled the blanket off—" He couldn't continue. His eyes searched her face.

"Then what, Doctor?"

"The Detective Inspector told me how they found you." He met her eyes again. "They, erm, they told me they found you in the street. You were just standing in the street. That thing stole your face," his voice caught, "and Magpie chucked you out in the street. Rose, you weren't breathing."

Rose knit her brows in compassion.

His voice caught more. "Your heart wasn't even beating. Your body was just standing there." He cleared his throat. "When I visited Magpie's this morning, I saw your face on the screen. You were shouting my name."

"Your name was the last thing I said before I lost consciousness."

"Rose, she tried stealing my face."

Tears filled her eyes. "Doctor—"

"Rose, it was painful, her trying to strip my consciousness from me. I have an extra high tolerance for pain, but for you it must have been so much worse." His voice caught again, and his jaw clenched. "Rose, you were in pain, and I wasn't there to stop it."

She tenderly stroked one of his lapels. "I didn't feel any pain once I lost my thoughts."

"You were calling out for me, and I wasn't there." A tear trailed down his cheek.

She reached out a hand to brush his tear away. "You had to leave the house to follow the police. You were calling for me, and I didn't follow you. You couldn't lose them. It's not your fault. You had to save them, the people. Doctor…" She moved to sit in his lap, needing to feel close to him.

His arms immediately encircled her waist, clutching her to himself. He buried his face in her neck. "I'm so sorry, Rose. I wasn't there," he cried.

She placed both of her hands on his chest, one clutching at his breast pocket. "Doctor, it's okay. You're here now. I'm here. I'm right here."

He breathed her in, and she shivered at the sensation. He pulled back to search her face again. "She stole your face." He cupped her cheek and stroked her skin with his thumb.

She closed her eyes to savor the feeling, her skin tingling from his light touch.

He began to tenderly trace her features. His thumb stroked along her brow and slid across her temple. His index finger gently traced the curve of her ear as he delicately pushed her hair behind it. He cupped the nape of her neck.

She could feel his nose and lips graze her other cheek, and he kissed both of her eyes with such tenderness that she cried.

His parted lips trailed one of her tears until he reached her jaw, and she could feel the bridge of his nose follow the line of it until he reached her chin.

She parted her lips to take in a slow breath. She felt his hand tighten around the nape of her neck, and his lips followed along her throat, and she tilted her head back slightly. She could feel the ghost of his breath under her chin until he reached just below her lips.

He pulled back to look at her once more.

Her eyes fluttered open. She found his gaze on her lips, and his thumb traced her bottom lip slowly, back and forth, and she kissed it.

He took that hand and reached just under her skirt to hold her knee. His other hand moved from her waist to cup her neck, and he pressed his forehead to her cheek. She felt him breathe slowly and deeply.

She clasped her hands behind his neck and grazed his lips with the tip of her nose. "Doctor…" Her lips hovered close to his, her eyes half-lidded.

"Rose," he breathed, and then tenderly enfolded her waist again. His lips brushed hers and he pulled back slightly. "Rose," he breathed again, just a whisper.

She savored his breath on her lips. She cupped his cheek, thumb stroking his sideburn. She felt him lean into her touch. She whispered, "Doctor," once more and took his bottom lip in hers, and he completed the seal.

He took control, and she opened to him willingly. He needed to explore her, to taste her, hungry to know she was really there with him.

He sensed Rose needed a moment to catch her breath, so he kissed her jawline to the spot just below her ear.

"Doctor." Her chest was gently heaving.

"Rose," he said and pulled back to meet her eyes. It was the first time they'd really connected via sight in a few moments, and his eyes filled with tears again as he took in hers. He lost himself in her eyes often, but after seeing her without them, it was like taking in the Grand Canyon for the first time, disorientating and feeling small in the majesty of its grandeur.

"Doctor, stay with me tonight," she offered, brushing a few strands of his hair from his forehead that had left their perch in his coif.

Rarely had they shared the same sleeping space up to this point in their traveling together, but Rose could tell he needed it, and she wouldn't mind the closeness herself.

He nodded, and obediently followed her when she hopped off his lap and laced her fingers through his. She led him to her room. She opened the door and he almost stumbled when the scent of her overwhelmed him. He followed her to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Doctor, you get yourself ready for sleep. I need to change out of this dress. I'll see you in a mo', okay?"

He nodded again. He shed his jacket and tie and Oxford and laid them over the arm of the nearby sitting chair. He also unlaced his trainers and toed off his socks. He laced his fingers together behind his head and laid back on one of her pillows, crossed his feet, and closed his eyes. He waited for her.

He heard the door to her en suite open, and after a moment of silence, he opened his eyes and saw Rose watching him from the side of the bed. He patted the space next to him. "Come on, then."

She giggled and flopped onto the bed and curled into his side.

In one deft move, which took her by surprise, he rolled on his side towards her. He threaded an arm underneath her and pulled her flush against him, his fingers splayed on the skin of the small of her back. His other hand drew up her thigh, and she threw her leg over his, so they were tangled together.

"Hello," he grinned down at her.

She giggled in return and rested her hand on his arm. "Hello."

"Gods, I missed you, Rose."

She rested her hand on his cheek. "I'm here now."

His face softened and he moved his hand to her chest to feel her heartbeat. "That you are." He wrapped his arm around her to join the other and nestled his nose in her neck.

He savored the feel of her fingers in his hair at the nape of his neck, and he hummed in contentment. His breathing slowed as he transitioned to sleep, and she followed soon after.