SUMMARY: Picks up after JE. Rose and her new Doctor face the challenge of building a life together in the parallel universe. Guilt imprisons their happiness, and the original Doctor keeps getting pulled back. REVIEWS ARE LOVE! Rose/10.5, with bits of 10 and Jack.
RATING: T for now. M in later chapters.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Doctor Who characters. I am only borrowing them for a romp down FanFic Lane.


In what might have been silence, save for the crashing of the waves, Rose and her new Doctor stood staring at one another. This was a new beginning; a symbol of real Doctor's promise. But in her mind, she knew he was a copy. Even as they stood there, she missed the sounds of the TARDIS and the distant thrills of anticipation before being whisked off to a new world. This "Doctor"—so much the same and yet so different—who was he? She wondered how things would be; if he would be her perfect lover, or more like a child who would follow her around listlessly. She was, in those immediate moments, a bundle of nerves fraught with sadness.

The Doctor held her gaze with transfixion. He was trying desperately to read her expression. In all his cleverness, he could easily imagine all of the things that Rose was feeling, justifiably so, and it scared him. He was more scared than he could have ever imagined. Here, in this parallel universe, there was no way out. There was no TARDIS. No chance of adventure to pass the time. No escape.

It's not that he felt he wanted to escape. He wanted to run and laugh and leap for joy, for there he was on a beach in Norway standing with the love of his life; his long, long life. And yet everything was so new. His mind, his feelings, his emotions, they all felt impossibly new. The skin on his bones felt new, and yet in his soul he felt the weight of age and time. It was so strange to possess memories that he could navigate in his mind, but which his senses did not relive. How odd to only know, for example, the smell of cinnamon, but to not be able to recall it with one's nose. But he was excited. Oh yes was he excited.

But there was Rose. His sweet, precious, funny Rose, staring at him with all the uncertainty in the universe.

The wind suddenly picked up, tousling their hair. The Doctor swallowed and Rose cast her gaze downward.

"Well then, come on you two!" shouted Jackie Tyler, just down the way. "I've gone and called us a cab. Should be here in twenty minutes or so. But then I don't imagine he understood a word I said, so we could well be here until tomorrow. Bleedin' Norway!"

"Yah, mum. We're comin'," Rose called. She looked back at the Doctor.

Suddenly a huge, familiar grin appeared on his face. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "Right then! A whole lifetime with you, Rose Tyler." The way the "ler" in her name came out as a cheeky "lah" sound made the corners of her mouth turn up a little.

She took his hand in hers again and started to walk toward the road. After a few paces, his smile disappeared and he stopped. Rose looked at him questioningly, worry still clouding her eyes.

He spoke very seriously. "It's funny, travelling between universes. Always wanted to see you, knowing I never could. And here—There's something I—I suppose we always wanted since…" The Doctor pulled her into a hug. It was different than those he could remember; new, yes, but with more meaning. She clung to him tightly. He bent so his mouth was by her ear and whispered, "It's gonna work out, Rose. We're gonna be fine."

"Come on, you lot!" Jackie shouted. "You don't want them to just leave us here!"

Rose stepped back, putting on a forced smiled. "Better not keep her waiting. Mum does like to be prompt or she'll take a boot to y'."

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I've got some learning to do. Get along with the family."

"Yah."

They walked together back to the road to wait for the cab.


In the cab, Jackie sat up front with the driver and Rose and the Doctor sat in the back."

"Where's home then?" asked the Doctor.

"London," Jackie answered. Rose stared out the window.

"How long's it take to get there?"

"Well we're heading to the airport. Should take more than two hours."

"Got money then, have you?"

"Pete will take care of us once we get there. He's done very well for himself here, you know. He was very supportive of us going off to find you. It's been a bit of an adjustment, but life here is good. Wouldn't you say so, Rose? Life is good."

"Fantastic," the Doctor said cheerily, stealing a glance at Rose. She merely sighed. His face went solemn. He picked up again. "Things pretty much the same there?"

"Mostly, yeah. We been living with Pete closer to the center of London. It's much closer to Torchwood, now that's where Rose works. It's a lovely home. Lovelier than—"

"Mum, would you just stop it?" Rose suddenly interjected. The Doctor stared right at her with a concerned expression. She let her chin hang slightly and her eyes conveyed annoyance. Jackie had turned around in her seat. "Sorry," she said finally.

The journey continued on in silence, with Rose sleeping off her fatigue whenever possible. The Doctor, feeling oddly youthful, wandered off to explore whenever opportunities presented themselves. After seeing everything—or at least remembering everything—to pass time in one place, so relatively unchanging and yet so new and fascinating, was going to be a delicious challenge. His imagination kept his spirits up.

A meal and a short flight later, the family arrived at the house in London. Pete came out to greet everyone. He stared at the Doctor in wonder.

"Hullo, Pete!" the Doctor said, extending his hand. Pete shook it gingerly and glanced at Jackie.

"I said I would explain it to you on the phone. Don't be rude!" Jackie chastised. The couple went off into the house.

Rose stood at the end of the walk staring off at the cab as it drove away. The Doctor joined her.

"I am glad you're here," she said quietly. "I just—"

"You don't need to finish that sentence."

She turned to him. "But you're—"

"The same."

"But he's—"

"I know." The Doctor closed his eyes, tightening his lips. "Just don't. It's—He's—"

"Still out there," Rose finished.

"But I am here." They stood in silence again for a moment, and then the Doctor said, setting a new tone, "Rose, would you like to go on a date with me." He slapped on his usual goofy grin that she loved so much. "It's not going to be like New Earth or anything, but it's a start."

Rose finally smiled. "Yah, Doctor. I think I would like that."

His grin grew wider as they turned to walk together into the house.


More to come! Please R&R 3