PART 1: Finding Rose

Chapter 1

" Doctor!" Her last words still rang in his ears, the last time he would ever see her, hear her, and love her. He closed his eyes, leaning against the cold hard wall, breathing heavy as he thought of the time they'd spent together, and learned to love each other. The adventures they'd had, the ones they were going to have. He'd loved her. More than she could have ever known. He thought of the first time he saw her. He was a different man then. Of course he was. It was impossible for a man not to change when they were around her. Her smile. The way she laughed. The way he felt when she was near him. And to think, he never got to tell her. So many regrets and wishes that went unfulfilled. He closed his eyes and pictured her, perfect, brilliant, amazing, blonde.

Rose. How many memories her name brought up. A wave of emotions and thoughts overwhelmed him. No. He couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. They would only hold him back. He needed to focus. Not on Rose. On the world, because the world needed him more right now.

He strolled through the deserted TORCHWOOD in an eerie silence. Something was missing. A part of him had just died. A part so irreplaceable, so precious that he doubted it could ever be replaced. He was left with a void inside of him. Funny, he thought, Rose is gone and I have nothing left to live for. Its as if a part of the void lived inside of me. He chuckled to himself before being overwhelmed with guilt at his extreme disrespect to Rose. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.

He rounded the corner of the 3rd floor as he ran into the only human in sight. A scrawny little man, an intern most likely, who dashed around him in a frantic rush, probably suspecting him to be a leftover cyberman. By the time he turned to ask the man a question he was gone, already around the corner, probably running for his life. But he didn't care. He ran in the direction the man went, yelling as he went.

" 'Ey! 'Ey! " He rounded the 5th corner when he slammed into the small, peevish man. The man tried to run, but he grabbed him by the coat collar, "Wait. I need to ask you something!"

"Who…who are you…?" His voice was shaky almost has if he had a stutter, " You're not one of them are you… you're human right?"

" Not quite…"

" No… they told me about you. You're the man. The greatest man whose ever lived," He looked up in a new sense of admiration, " You're the doctor."

" Yes, and right now I need your help."

" 'Ey! How 'bout that. The doctor. Needing my help. What do ya need sir." The man stood up straighter and began fidgeting, trying to seem professional. It wasn't working.

" I just need you to tell me where my TARDIS is." The Doctor was starting to get annoyed.

" Oh it'd be an honor sir!" He went on jabbering in his chipper way, "Its in sub-basement 2. Should be at the end of a long hall. We weren't sure how to get into it so we just left it there."

As soon as the Doctor heard the floor he ran off towards the stairwell preparing for his descent. His hearts pumped as he flew down the stairs, for with each step he was closer and closer to Rose. He took the steps six at a time, bounding downwards at momentous intervals.

When he finally reached the bottom it was with a great relief to see the door was open and a blue light shone out from behind the door. The Doctor opened it slightly, but was blinded by the light coming from the TARDIS.

"Its good to be back." He caressed his hand against the outside of the TARDIS, pulling out the key from his inside pocket. He cringed thinking of its pair, already in a parallel world by now. He fought to hold back tears as he slowly turned the key over in his hand. He slowly reached towards the TARDIS doors, the cold metal of the key in his soft warm hands as he placed it in the lock and turned it, hearing it click. A wave of satisfaction engulfed him as he slowly pulled open the TARDIS door.