A/N: Good Lord if this fic were a child I would have long ago been hauled away for neglect. This thing has been sitting on my hard drive for ages waiting for me to get around to finishing it and I fully admit I have no excuses for why it's taken me so long, but it's finally done now.
This story takes place after 'Last Christmas' but before 'The Magician's Apprentice'. In terms of events that happen in the 'Discovery 'verse' this is the last story. That doesn't necessarily mean that this is the last story ever for this verse. As of now I don't have any solid ideas for more stories in this verse but as there is quite a big time gap between this story and the last story should I find myself with inspiration there's plenty of room for me to play around in.
Sitting in the wheelchair that her family had insisted she use for the journey out there Rose, holding a small urn on her lap, stared at the spot in the ground where the beautifully ornate blue box holding a portion of her love's ashes had been buried. He'd wanted to be cremated in accordance with Time Lord custom but he'd also wanted his friends and family to have a place that they could visit and pay their respects as was human custom. So after several emotional discussions on the subject it had been decided that they'd both cremate and bury him. Of course not wanting to be ordinary the Doctor had insisted that he not be buried in a cemetery but in a place of personal significance. So with that wish in mind the family had found themselves gathered under the very tree under which Rose and the Doctor had made the first tentative steps towards their new lives together.
The simple ceremony had finished up some time ago but Rose couldn't bring herself to leave just yet, there was an invisible force holding her in place telling her to 'wait, just wait'. Not quite understanding but out of respect the family had retreated and given her her space for the time being. Knowing that her family wouldn't be patient for much longer Rose let out a sigh about to call for someone to come help her back to the house when she felt it or rather felt him. It'd been a little over seventy years since she'd last felt his presence but she would know it anywhere. She didn't know how it was possible and didn't care, all that mattered to her was that he was there. Glancing around she couldn't see him but she knew, knew without a doubt, that he was near by.
"I know you're there." Rose decided to call him out, too old and too tired to play games.
It felt like an eternity, before Rose heard the sound of someone coming up behind her. She resolutely kept her gaze forward not quite ready to look at him - she wasn't sure if she was ready to handle it if he still had the same youthful, wonder filled face that she'd fallen for all those years ago so soon after losing James.
Rose knew she couldn't prolong the moment any longer when the Doctor finally came to rest at her side, laying a caring hand on her shoulder. Taking a calming breath she finally turned to look and couldn't help the small pang of relief that flooded through her at seeing that he had regenerated since they'd last met.
"Still not ginger I see." Rose let a wistful smile ghost across her face as she eyed the silver hair that now adorned the Doctor's head.
"No." The Doctor couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Still rude?"
"Depends on who you ask." The Doctor shrugged. "Most would probably say yes though...Ruder even."
"And you're Scottish now too."
"Lot's of places have a Scotland." The Doctor tried puffing up in a serious manner but it didn't last long before he and Rose were grinning at the shared inside joke.
"How many….?"
"Twice….two new faces since last we saw each other." The Doctor ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not sure how long after the last time we met I regenerated the first time. I was doing a lot of running and hiding back then, couldn't really be bothered to keep track of my own personal timeline, a year at least probably more. The last one was just a little over a year ago with a good number of centuries in between….." he trailed off not wanting to think about Trenzalore.
Silently Rose grasped the Doctor's hand giving it a comforting squeeze. She didn't need the details to know that a lot of those years weren't good ones, she could see it in his eyes. Her heart broke to see that the man who'd already lost and sacrificed so much before he'd ever even met her was still being forced to carry such a heavy burden on his shoulders.
Inhaling deeply the Doctor gave Rose's hand an appreciative squeeze back before gently letting go. "Things worked out for the two of you then." The Doctor hadn't missed the simple yet elegant ring on Rose's left hand. "He did well by you, gave you the life you deserved?"
"It wasn't easy and there were quite a few stumbles out of the starting gate. But yes we had a very comfortable and fantastic life together. We were never what you would call rich, that was one of the few things he put his foot down about; no financial aid from anyone if we were going to make a life together we were going to do it on our own just the two of us. And that was ok neither one of us was very materialistic so between his teaching salary and my Torchwood salary and later our writing salaries we did well for ourselves."
"Teaching?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow, "He didn't go to work with you at Torchwood?"
"Nope," Rose popped her p in a very familiar fashion.
"Good." The Doctor gave a small nod of approval. He didn't need to know the details as to why just that his duplicate hadn't, he didn't think he could handle it if his other self had spent years working for that organization. He resolutely ignored the fact that for some reason it didn't bother him that Rose had worked for Torchwood; to acknowledge it would make him a hypocrite after all. "So what'd he teach physics, history, science?"
"Engineering actually."
"Engineering?" Again with the eyebrow.
"Yep. Oh he was more than willing to tutor and help students with those other subjects, but no he taught engineering." Rose's voice filled with pride as she talked. "He loved tinkering with things, getting his hands dirty taking things apart learning how they worked and then trying to find ways to put them back together so that they would work better than before."
"Hmm," Yeah he always did enjoy a good tinkering session. It was one of the few things every one of his former selves had had in common.
"I'm certain that he gravitated towards it because it served as a way to channel all the excess energy he had building up inside that wasn't being burned up by running across the cosmos anymo-"
"Mum," The Doctor glanced back at the unexpected voice. Standing a short distance away was an elderly man in his late sixties if the Doctor had to guess. "We're ready to head back to the house now."
"It's alright Jackson, you go on a head John will see to it that I make it back." Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Mum?" The man hesitated eyeing the stranger next to his mother.
"Really Jack it's ok, John is a very old and dear friend of mine and your father's, he'll take good care of me." Jack still seemed hesitant but did as his mother said turning to head back the way he'd come.
"That….that was…." the Doctor felt tongue tied suddenly not having the words he needed.
"Our son yes, Jackson was our second." Rose smiled fondly.
"You had children? Together?"
"Yes three of them, three beautiful, wonderful children. Two boys and a girl; Tyler Sigma, Jackson Peter, and Donna Jacqueline. "
"And he was the father….biologically?"
"Of course he was the father!" Rose pinned him with an icy glare.
"Right of course he was, sorry I guess it just never occurred….I didn't think…."
Rose let out a soft chuckle, "Yeah it didn't to him either right up until he felt that first spark of life growing inside me. Then of course instead of telling me about it he just silently started freaking out and falling to pieces."
The Doctor could easily see in his mind's eye how his counterpart would have reacted to the thought of fatherhood again. 'Probably very similar to the last time' the Doctor thought as memories of Jenny and the way he'd reacted to her raced through his mind.
"Donna, I've been a father before."
"What?"
"I lost all that a long time ago, along with everything else."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me? You talk all the time, but you don't say anything."
"I know. I'm just. When I look at her now, I can see them. The hole they left, all the pain that filled it. I just don't know if I can face that every day."
"It won't stay like that. She'll help you. We both will."
"But when they died, that part of me died with them. It'll never come back. Not now."
"I'll tell you something, Doctor. Something I've never told you before. I think you're wrong."
Softly shaking those memories from his mind the Doctor returned his full attention back to Rose.
"...He came around eventually though and before you knew it we had two more running around. Along with them we have eight wonderful grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren and our first great great grandchild born three weeks ago. I'm pretty sure she's the reason he held on as long as he did, didn't want to miss getting to meet that beautiful little angel."
"He really did get to live the one adventure I never could." The Doctor spoke more to himself than to Rose. Inhaling sharply he tried to steer the conversation back to a less emotional topic. "You said something about writing?"
"Yes, it was something I started after I left Torchwood." Rose saw right through the Doctor, knew exactly what he was doing, but decided to humor him any way. "Once the kids started coming into the picture we both decided that Torchwood wasn't the place for a mother with young children so I retired. Problem was I was going bonkers just being a stay at home mum I needed something to challenge me intellectually on an adult level and I was not going to go back to working in a shop how could I after everything I'd experienced."
"No I don't suppose you could've."
"So James, bless his heart, encouraged me to start writing. Said I was always great at telling stories first to Tony and his friends and then to our own children so why not see if I could make a go of it." A ghost of a smile graced Rose's lips. "And a go of it I did. I wrote a very successful series of books with help from James of course. Not Harry Potter level successful mind you, but successful enough to live comfortably."
"What'd you write about?" The Doctor was genuinely curious and wanted to know everything about Rose's life that he'd missed.
"You." Rose tried to deadpan but couldn't keep the grin off her face.
"Me?" And there went the eyebrow yet again. Rose needed to remember to tell him to be careful with those things before they attacked somebody or something.
"Yep," another popped p. "Started out writing about our adventures together and then with help from James started writing about adventures you'd had while we were apart. Then later after he retired he started writing stories about all the adventures you'd had before meeting me." Rose let out a soft chuckle. "It's funny we pretty much wrote your whole biography up to the Meta-Crisis and not a single person on this planet knows it, all think it's just a bunch of sciences fiction stories. I'm told there's even talk of a tv show being developed."
"Yeah well isn't that all we really are in the end, just stories." The Doctor smiled ruefully, thinking back to a time when he'd said a similar thing to another former companion as he crouched down to get a better look at the memorial plaque at the base of the tree . "The important thing is that we make them good ones." He ghosted his fingers over the very familiar circular patterns that ran around the edges.
To everybody else the flowing circular script would just appear to be decoration something to make the plaque beautiful and unique, nobody could see the incompleteness of it all. It was obvious to the Doctor though, with the way that sentences were cut off that the plaque was incomplete as if it'd been cut in half. He could tell that it was designed to be larger and he of course didn't have to guess as to who the other half would be designed for.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" It was hard to miss the pure pride in Rose's voice. "Our youngest created it herself. Of our three she was the only one able to grasp written Gallifreyan. They can all speak it fluently and the boys can sort of read it to varying degrees in it's most basic forms, but D.J. is the only one able to read and write it fluently."
"They know and understand Gallifreyan, your children?" The Doctor sounded as if he could hardly believe that.
"Yes. We weren't sure at first if it would be possible for them to learn it in any form but turns out there was just enough time lord in each of them and it probably didn't hurt that he insisted on trying to teach them before they were even out of the womb. Was constantly babbling away to my stomach in your native tongue every chance he got during each pregnancy."
Dropping his hand the Doctor lowered his head briefly before looking back up at Rose "Did he ever tell you….?"
"Your name, no." She shook her head, a look on her face that the Doctor couldn't quite decipher. "He wanted to, tried several times in the beginning but just couldn't as much as he wanted to."
"Not even after you married?"
"Never got married, not officially anyway."
"Really, never?" the Doctor raised a dubious eyebrow. "But you're wearing a wedding ring…."
"Never let it be said that we did things conventionally." Rose gave a slight shrug, a ghost of a smile on her face. "Yeah the name thing may have kinda secretly irked me a little in the beginning, but ya know after Tyler was born it didn't seem to matter all that much anymore, funny how kids can change your perspective. Suddenly he was just Dr. James Thete Foreman caring and devoted father and lover and that was all I needed to know. We talked about marriage a few times over the years, even gave each other rings that first Christmas after Tyler was born." Rose raised her left hand slightly, her right hand moving to grasp the chain around her neck holding her TARDIS key and a man's wedding band. "Had a private moment that was as close to a Gallifreyan wedding as we could get under the circumstances according to James and that was it. We just never got any farther than that didn't do anything that would have been seen as legally binding any where on Earth. And honestly by that point it didn't really feel like it was his secret to tell anymore, so I never pushed and he never offered."
Rose paused thinking how to phrase her next words. "I think maybe subconsciously it was our way of drawing the line in terms of domestication. We could handle the getting a mortgage, getting a proper house with doors and carpets and things, could even handle the nine to five jobs and the kids, but official legally binding marriage that was where we drew the line in the sand. That was okay though we didn't need some little piece of paper or all the pomp and circumstance of a wedding to tell us that he was my forever and I his."
"Oh I'm sure your mother was thrilled about that." The Doctor teased. "No big extravagant wedding to throw, would've been the social event of the season I'm sure."
"Actually she wasn't overly bothered by the lack of a wedding, it surprisingly was Pete that got twisted up about it."
"Really?" He'd only met Pete a few times, but somehow he hadn't struck the Doctor as the extravagant social event loving type.
"He felt like getting to walk me down the aisle, give me away, and to dance with me at the reception was his last chance to be a proper father to me. He didn't get to be there for my first word, first steps, first day of school, you know all of those important milestones in a child's life and wanted to make that up to me by giving me a wedding fit for a queen, couldn't understand why I wouldn't want that. It took some time and a lot of heart-to-hearts but I think I was able to finally convince him that I didn't need those things to prove that he loved me. He was the best father a girl could ask for, allowing me into his life and loving me as his own was enough." The Doctor nodded in understanding. "Now enough about me, what about you?"
"Me?" The Doctor shifted back so that he was sitting on the ground next to Rose's wheel chair, shaking his head slightly. "Oh you don't want to hear about little ol' me. I'm just an idiot with a box, nothing special there, quite boring actually."
"Oh hush you!" Rose gave him a playful swat. "You couldn't be boring if you life depended on it, now spill."
"Well you know me, did a little of this, a little of that, lots of running, met a lot of new people, some nice some not." The Doctor shrugged. "Got married myself….well previous me did…."
"River Song?"
"He told you about her?"
Rose nodded, "Yes I know it bothered him quite a bit that he never quite got to solve that puzzle."
"Oh I'm sure it did." the Doctor chuckled, he'd always hated not having an answer to things. "Turns out she was the future daughter of two of my future companions. Who was kidnapped as a baby and brain washed to kill me, but didn't, then did...but not really….it's all very complicated and-."
"Wibbly wobbly." Rose supplied.
"Timey wimey, yes." The Doctor gave a sheepish smile.
"I….I'm glad that you were able to find happiness…." Rose ducked her head slightly. "Able to find someone you were willing to bond with…."
"Rose-"
"No, no it's okay Doctor really…. James, he explained to me how things differ between humans and Time Lords in the romance/intimacy department. Explained why it probably wouldn't have worked out between you and I."
"He was right it wouldn't have." The Doctor sat up so that he could gently cup Rose's cheek guiding her to look at him. "Not because I didn't love you, but because I did. When I was him I feared that I wasn't emotionally stable enough to open myself fully, to let another in that deeply again. And you know what? I was right. After losing you both times my grief sent me to a very dark place and I did things, terrible things that a Time Lord should never do. I shudder to think about what I might have done had we actually been bonded when I lost you. It took me regenerating into a new man before I was able to start putting that grief behind me. It was gradual, but over time that deep grief began to fade till it was just a dull ache and it showed me that maybe, just maybe I was stronger than I thought and I could survive letting someone in deeper."
"River and I…." Pausing, the Doctor took a moment to try and choose the words that would explain him and River best. "...were complicated. We were both time travelers, never met in the right order; her past was my future, my past was her future. Never lived the day to day together, just always seemed to pop up when the other needed us and then moved on, the occasional romantic interlude in between. Most people would look at us and think that our relationship was completely and udderly bonkers, but it worked for us. Gave us the freedom to be our own independent selves and yet provided us both with the close intimacy that we needed."
"I won't sit here and try to pretend that it didn't hurt knowing that I wasn't enough for you, but I really do mean it when I say I'm happy you were able to find someone who was." Rose smiled genuinely. It really had hurt in the beginning hearing James tell her that she never would have been enough for the full Time Lord, had almost derailed her happiness with James in fact. It had taken time but Rose had learned to come to peace with that fact and even to realize that the full Time Lord Doctor wouldn't have been enough for her either in the long run.
"Rose…" The Doctor briefly lowered his head breaking eye contact, before squaring his shoulders and looking Rose back in the eyes again. "It's wasn't that you weren't or wouldn't have been enough…..I was just too much of a coward back then. I just wasn't emotionally in a place where I could try and let someone in that deeply. I thought that if I just kept you at arm's length, kept you from getting too close it would hurt less when I eventually lost you. I was so very wrong, it only made things worse, but by the time I realized that it was too late and I had to learn to live with it. And then by the time River came along she already knew practically everything about me, knew how to get around my defences, knew how to drag me out of my emotional darkness kicking and screaming….She was a child of the TARDIS….how could I not fall in love with her?"
"Doctor, stop" Rose lifted a hand to cup the Doctor's face. "Really it's okay I understand. I'm not angry or upset with you, well not any more any way. I made my peace with how things turned out and it may not have been you you who gave me this wonderful life I've lived these last seventy odd years it was still you." Rose glanced at the plaque on the tree in front of them. "James was you in every way that truly mattered and I know that he loved me just as you would have had it been you by my side all these years. So for that I will always thank and cherish you."
Not sure that he had the words in him to properly express himself further on the matter the Doctor let go of Rose's cheek and sat back trying to put some emotional distance between them. Rose watched silently, letting the Doctor put the distance he needed between them. They'd both said what they needed to say on the matter there was need to drag it out further. In the past it would have bothered her seeing him run away like that, but she was older and wiser now and had a much better understanding of the man in front of her.
"Right, well…" The Doctor moved his hand to tap his fingers against his own chin. "Now let's see what else major happened….? Oh I got to be president of the Earth for a bit….it was rubbish, hated every minute of it."
Rose gave him a look that clearly stated that she knew he was lying about that last little bit; he hadn't hated every minute. "President of Earth how'd that happen?"
"It was a thing with the Cybermen and the Master…." He paused glancing at Rose questioningly. She gave a small nod, she new who the Master was. "Who by the way is a woman now calling herself Missy short for Mistress."
It was strange for a man who didn't really like talking about himself, the Doctor found that once he'd started talking he couldn't find reason to stop. Maybe it was because it was Rose he was talking to, an impartial party to the things he'd done and experienced in the years since they'd parted. He told her more about River, about Amy and Rory, about Clara and Missy, about how he hadn't really destroyed Gallifrey but hidden it away in a pocket dimension and then forgotten about it until late into his previous form due to more timey wimey stuff. He told her that even with that knowledge he still couldn't find Gallifrey, told her that he was scared that he couldn't find it because maybe deep deep down inside he wasn't sure that he actually wanted to find it and did that make him a terrible person? The two sat there talking for what seemed like ages as the sun sank lower and lower.
"I should be getting you back, it's starting to cool off." The Doctor didn't miss the shiver that ran through Rose. "Plus your family is probably wondering what's happened to you." Standing up he began brushing himself off, moving to grip the wheel chair handles.
"I want to see her." Rose laid a hand on the Doctor's forearm halting his actions.
He didn't need to ask for clarification, he knew who she was. "Rose I don't think-."
"Doctor please," Rose pleaded. "One last trip….just one more, please."
"I….yeah ok..." 'Rassilon even after all these years I still can't deny this woman.' Nodding he began pushing Rose towards where he'd parked the TARDIS.
As the TARDIS finally came into view Rose couldn't help but sit up a little straighter. "You gave her a new paint job." No longer was the outside faded and worn looking, now the TARDIS sported a bright vibrant coat of blue as if it was brand new off the showroom floor.
"Yeah well….." The Doctor shrugged shyly as he fished his key out to open the door.
Entering the TARDIS for the first time in a very long time Rose couldn't help the small shiver that ran through her, the outside wasn't the only part of the TARDIS to get a makeover. Gone were the organic coral struts and golden hues, replaced by a more modern and sleek mechanical look. This new control room felt darker and less inviting than the one that she'd been accustomed to and yet she couldn't help but think that it suited this new Doctor; she didn't know if she should feel sad about that or not.
"So where to?" The Doctor started nervously fiddling with the console controls. "Barcelona, never did get around to taking you there before. Can't guarantee it'll be the same in this universe but we can go find out."
"No." Rose shook her head still taking in her new surroundings. "Orbit, just take me into orbit that's far enough."
"Orb-." Watching her absently rubbing the urn in her hands it suddenly hit the Doctor what it was exactly that Rose wanted to do. Time Lord tradition called for a Time Lord's ashes to be spread somewhere of meaning to the deceased and what better and more meaningful place than among the stars that he'd loved, above the planet that he'd held dearly in his heart even though it technically wasn't the one of his birth. "Right, one trip into orbit coming up." He started moving around the console, flipping switches and levers.
"Thank you." Rose stopped the Doctor, gripping his hand, as he came within reach.
She'd originally planned on making one last trek back to Bad Wolf Bay to spread his ashes there, knowing that while she'd rather never step foot there again there really was no more meaningful place on this planet Earth to her Doctor. But now that the Doctor was here she had the ability to lay her love to rest in the most meaningful of all places to him short of Gallifrey itself.
Giving an understanding nod the Doctor went back to his choreographed dance of flying the TARDIS. A moment later the Doctor stepped away from the main console headed for the doors. Throwing the doors open he took in a deep breath, "here we are."
With a sad smile on her face Rose began the laborious task of hauling her ninety five year old body out of her chair. Remembering his manners the Doctor rushed back to Rose's side reverently helping her to her feet and over to the wide open doors. With silent thanks Rose began trying to get the lid off the urn but found that her arthritic hands weren't up to cooperating with her. Unexpectedly a second set of hands covered hers, glancing up Rose could see genuine desire to help in the Doctor's eyes. Not needing any words between them the Doctor and Rose opened the urn tilting it to allow the ashes to float out freely.
They watched fondly, both lost in their own thoughts, as the ashes gently flew away as if carried by a gentle breeze. Rose only spared a moment to wonder how that could be since there was no atmosphere in space to generate a breeze - she was sure that the TARDIS must have had something to do with it. Just before the last of the ashes floated out Rose replaced the lid, reverently pushing the urn into the Doctor's hands.
"For when you return to Gallifrey." Was all she said at the Doctor's raised eyebrow.
Nodding in understanding the Doctor gently set the urn aside in a place where it wouldn't be in danger of getting lost or damaged. As the last of the dark grains floated from view Rose felt an overwhelming need to be held, so wrapping her arms around the Doctor she ignored the way he tensed up, slow to wrap his arms around her, and clung to him for dear life.
She needed to be connected to someone who could understand at this moment the depths of emotion coursing through her and while she loved her family very dearly none of them could truly understand. No the only other one capable of that was standing right next to her and while he may not have been her Doctor any more he was still the same caring, honorable, generous man that had shown her the stars and allowed her to run with him. Rose hoped like hell that the Doctor knew just how truly blessed he was and never took for granted the time he had left however long that may be.
What felt like an eternity later Rose pulled back, "Come sit and stargaze with me." With the Doctor's assistance Rose sat down in the TARDIS doorway legs dangling over the edge, the Doctor next to her. "I think moments like this are what I missed most. Sure the adventures were fun and exhilarating, but it was always the quiet down times just the two of us, no concerns no obligations that I always cherished the most."
"I enjoyed those moments as well." The Doctor couldn't help the small lopsided smile that formed. "It was nice having someone to enjoy those little moments with again. I'd been alone for what felt like an eternity before you came along and showed me how to live again." Leaning over he gave Rose a loving kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for that."
"You're welcome." Rose leaned her head against the Doctor's shoulder, the two of them falling into a comfortable silence. "Doctor….?" Rose broke the silence some time later.
"Hmm." The Doctor pulled back slightly to look down at Rose.
"What is it you're running from?"
"What...I'm not-"
"Yes you are." Rose met the Doctor's eyes. "You may have a new face now, but I can still read you like a book. You're running and it's not your usual normal random running, this is running with a purpose."
The Doctor opened his mouth as if to protest, but seeing the look of steel in Rose's eyes stopped short. Slumping his shoulders he took a moment to carefully choose his words. "Ok yes you're right, but Rose it doesn't matter, it's not important. Right here, right now the only thing that's important is you, me, the TARDIS, and the stars."
"You can't run forever." Rose leaned her head back against the Doctor's shoulder again. "Eventually someday you'll have to stop and face whatever it is you're running from."
"Yes but not now, not today." The Doctor draped his arm over Rose's shoulders in a sideways hug. "Everything else, everything going on back home it'll all still be there when I go back, it's not going anywhere. For right now I just want to rest and enjoy a little peace and quiet with a near and dear friend. Is that too much to ask?"
"No….no it's not. And Lord knows if anyone deserves it, it's you."
"Absolutely, now shush we don't have a lot of time before the TARDIS turns back into a pumpkin and I'd like to enjoy every moment we have before I have to take you back."
"You're Cinderella now are you?" Rose teased.
"Oi I'm the Doctor I can be whoever I want to be." The mega watt smile that lit up Rose's face was one of the most beautiful things the Doctor could ever remember seeing.
"Seriously though Doctor how long can you stay before you have to go back?"
"As long as you need me." Leaning over the Doctor tenderly kissed Rose's temple. "Speaking of going back though, it's probably about time for me to take you back home. I'm sure you're family is starting to worry."
Rose hummed making no effort to move, "time machine remember? You can just pop us back to a few moments after we left, they'd never be the wiser."
"True," the Doctor agreed moving to his feet, offering a helping hand to Rose. "But it's still been a long physically and emotionally draining day for you and I'm sure you could use a nice cuppa and a nice long kip in your own bed."
Hearing the wisdom in his words and knowing that he was right Rose accepted the Doctor's aid in getting on her feet and back into her wheelchair.
Rose didn't question it when the Doctor pushed her out of the TARDIS onto her front walkway, didn't bother to wonder how the Doctor had known where to find her home. The house was a quaint modest thing built on the very edge of what had been Pete's (now Tony's) property (the land given as a not wedding gift) that way they could be close to her parents if they ever needed anything but still far enough away to have their own space and privacy.
Upon entering the home the Doctor politely faded into the shadows as Rose lovingly but firmly kicked the various members of her family out. As the Doctor had said it had been a very long and emotionally draining day and she just wanted some peace and quiet. Once the last of the stragglers had left Rose let out a soft sigh, she loved her family she did but sometimes they could be a bit much and right now she was just too old and too tired to put up with them.
The Doctor didn't miss a beat as he once again appeared at Rose's side silently helping her to her room and to ready for bed. Rose had to give a small chuckle in her head if it had been anyone else helping her in this manner she would have balked and insisted that they stop treating her like a small child, she was old not an invalid, but for some reason it being the Doctor treating her this way didn't bother her at all, 'Compared to him I am a small child.'
"You won't leave, right?" Rose questioned grabbing the Doctor's hand as he finished tucking her in.
"Promise, I'm here as long as you need me." The Doctor kissed the back of Rose's hand pulling away only long enough the grab the chair by the window and drag it closer to the bed.
The Doctor sat by her bedside one hand held in hers as he spoke of everything and nothing, randomly switching from English to Gallifreyan and back, knowing that it wasn't so much the words but tone of his voice that she was listening to. It wasn't long before Rose drifted off to sleep. He watched her chest rise and fall, counting each breath. The Doctor didn't miss the way her breathing became ragged, didn't miss the way it would hitch and stop for a brief moment then start roughly again. He couldn't help the wistful smile on his face, that was his Rose always fighting to keep going even when she didn't have to. He wondered how many nights had his precious Rose lain here fighting to keep going? Fighting the urge to go after her beloved husband just so that her family could have just a little bit more time with her?
"It's ok Rose you can let go now, they'll understand." Running a hand over her hair the Doctor leaned forward placing a gentle kiss to Rose's forehead. "Rose Tyler Defender of the Earth your duty is complete, you can stand down now. It's time for you to go and be with him again, grab his hand and run." As if finally receiving the permission she'd been waiting for Rose's breathing hitched once more and the Doctor held his breath waiting to see if hers would start again - it didn't.
For a second time in as many days the Doctor found himself hidden among the trees as he watched a grieving family lay a loved one to rest. He waited until the last of the family had left before making his way over to the tree that now had Rose and his twin lying under it. Crouching down he once again ghosted his fingers over the now completed memorial plaque.
He started with the English parts first:
Doctor James Thete Foreman Rose Marion Tyler
1981-2081 1986-2081
Beloved Lover, Father, and Grandfather Beloved Lover, Mother, and Grandmother
Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased.
Next he moved onto the Gallifreyan script:
Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity, for love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space.
Knowing that it was time to be moving along the Doctor hauled himself back up on his feet and began the short trek back to the TARDIS. Pausing in the TARDIS doorway the Doctor sighed giving a longing look over his shoulder as he shoved his hands into his pocket, the fingers of one hand wrapping around a small vial holding a small portion of Rose's ashes (If he was going to lay a portion of his twin to rest on the planet of their birth it only seemed fitting to lay a portion Rose to rest on the one of hers as well).
The fingers of his other hand wrapped around the Confession Dial with in the opposite pocket. Rose was right, it was time for him to stop running - yeah like that was ever going to happen, the day he stopped running was the day he died for good, but he owed it to her to at least try. Shaking his head the Doctor finished making his way into the TARDIS and over to the control console. Flipping various levers he mentally started making plans to insure delivery of his Confession Dial to the proper hands once he returned to his universe.