It was supposed to be a happily ever after. When the TARDIS disappeared off that beach in Norway, their forever together started then. They had expected a long and happy life together. Happy, it was; long, it was not. Sure, they had their rough patches like any couple. And in the beginning, it was especially hard as the half-Time Lord adjusted to life with one heart and mostly human biology, not to mention life in a strange universe with no TARDIS to escape the domestics. But with the love of his now significantly shorter life by his side, both adjusted to life on the slow path. They loved each other fiercely. And when their daughter was born three years later, their love grew to include their newest family member.

It wasn't supposed to end the way it did. It was supposed to end in their bed together, with gray hair and wrinkles and evidence of a life well lived, with their children and grandchildren by their side. It wasn't supposed to end after only 7 years since that day at Bad Wolf Bay. I wasn't supposed to end inside the family's car on a wet road with blinding headlights as their last memory of life together.

Rose was no stranger to loss and it seemed this universe was just as determined as her last universe to separate her from the love of her life, to tease her with happiness only to rip it away and leave behind a gaping hole that could never be healed or whole again.

Rose couldn't remember that first month without them. She supposed there was a funeral. She imagined there were visitors and casseroles and I-am-so-sorry-for-your-loss-es, but she couldn't remember any of it. And she was glad for that. It's easier to survive the grief when you can't remember it, she'd decided.

All Rose could remember was waking up a month and a day after the accident and walking into Torchwood as if none of it had happened. And by none of it, she didn't just pretend that the accident hadn't happened. She pretended like the last 7 years hadn't happened. The Director, who was also her parallel universe father, had hesitated in allowing Rose to return so soon and without a full psych evaluation, but he simply couldn't tell her no. What kind of father would he be if he said no to his daughter?!

And so, for two years, Rose threw herself into her work - not the work she was doing before the accident. She had moved to a desk job after her daughter was born, training agents and coordinating missions from headquarters. No, she couldn't return to that life where her husband and little girl were safe at home at the end of the day. Instead, she returned to the work she did before the stars went out. She rejoined the field team, took the dangerous missions, and put herself on the front lines each and every time as commander of the elite team of Torchwood agents that protected the Earth from alien threats. And when she wasn't working, she was in the training gym.

Physically, her body was stronger and leaner than it had ever been. But she didn't care about how much weight she could bench press or how quickly she could knock out an opponent in a sparring match. She just wanted to exhaust herself enough so that she could sleep at night and avoid the nightmares – the headlights, the screeching wheels, and the silence. When she arrived home late in the evenings, she bypassed the living room full of happy memories and went straight to the guest room where she slept deeply until it was time to get up and do it all again the next day.

Weekends were tough. Eventually her mum stopped trying to drag her out of the house for shopping or spa visits. Who needs to shop when you wear the same black field uniform every day? Instead, she reluctantly agreed to Sunday evening dinners at the mansion, just to get her mum off her back.

Her little brother, Tony, was the only bright spot to her days. His face lit up when she walked in the front door on Sundays. He would immediately drag her off to check out his latest experiment. He was so much like their father - inquisitive and energetic. And sometimes his boundless enthusiasm reminded her of the Doctor, which always brought a smile to her face. Rose had no doubt that his "daft schemes" would one day be just as successful as his dad's. And on rare occasions, Rose would babysit Tony or be called in to pick him up from school when the nanny was unavailable. With Tony, Rose could almost forget about the two precious loves missing from her life. But the reality of it all came crashing back as soon as Tony said goodbye, with a hug and a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

Rose caressed her cheek as she walked into work that Monday morning, remembering Tony's laughter from the night before, as she made her way passed the security checkpoint at Torchwood HQ.

"Commander Tyler?" Rose heard as she neared the lift. Rose turned her head to see her father's assistant hurrying to catch up. Ianto Jones was an attractive young man, with a soul behind his eyes decades older than his face. As always, he was dressed impeccably in a suit and tie. He was her father's right hand and his coffee was the best in the universe (and Rose would know).

"Good morning, Ianto. And please, you know you can call me Rose" she answered with a small smile.

"Yes, of course, Rose. I just didn't want to damage your tough reputation in front of that group of new recruits down the hall" He tilted his head towards a group of nervous looking young newbies obediently following Debbie from HR on their first day tour of Torchwood HQ.

After glancing back at the group, Rose let out a brief sigh. "They look so young, Yan. As if we needed another reminder of our age..."

"Speak for yourself, Rose," Ianto huffed. "I age like fine wine. I get better every year. And I know you'll disagree, but I can say the same about you."

The lift dinged and they both stepped inside with two Torchwood scientists in white lab coats. Ianto spoke up as the lift began to move. "Commander Tyler, the Director wants to speak with you first thing this morning. He's in his office waiting for you."

Rose's jaw tightened slightly at his words. As much as she loved her dad, she tried to avoid interactions with Pete Tyler as her boss. Oh, he was a great boss, but he also had the authority to force her to work on projects with departments that she wanted nothing to do with, like R&D. There were too many memories that she wanted to avoid being reminded of in various corners of the building, especially that one. Rose nodded her head at Ianto in acknowledgement.

A few moments later, Rose walked into the Director's office, prepared to make excuses about reports and training that needed to take priority over whatever he was going to ask her to do.

Pete looked up from his desk and his face lit up at the sight of his daughter. "Good morning, Sweetheart." He walked over to her to grasp her shoulders and kiss her cheek.

"Hi, Dad," Rose responded with a soft smile. "Ianto said you wanted to see me. I've got a pile of reports to review and new agent training to prep for..."

"Don't worry, Rose," Pete interrupted. He motioned to a small sitting area off to the side of his office. "This won't take long. Have a seat and I'll buzz Ianto for a cup of coffee". Before he could even finish his sentence, the office door opened with Ianto carrying two cups of coffee, just the way they liked them.

Rose grinned in amusement at Pete's surprised look. He still wasn't used to Ianto's superhuman powers of anticipating his needs. If Pete didn't know any better, he would think Ianto was an alien who could read minds or see the future. But no, he was just really really good at his job.

Pete settled down in an armchair near Rose and got straight to the point. "Rose, when was the last time you took a vacation?"

Rose's brow furrowed in confusion. "Vacation?" Rose was unsure where this was heading, but dreading it.

"Yes, you know. Time off and trip outside these walls and outside your flat? I reviewed your records from HR and you've been working six, sometimes seven days a week since..." Pete stopped and corrected himself "...for the last two years. It's time you took some time off to get out of London and have some time for yourself."

Time to herself? That was the last thing she wanted. Pete, her father, knew that. Rose couldn't go traveling and exploring. Not without the half-Gallifreyan who made travel an exciting adventure no matter where they landed. Rose sighed heavily and tried to remind him of this "Dad, you know I can't do that...I just can't..." The words got stuck in her throat.

But Pete, her boss, had higher authorities to answer too. "Listen, Rose, you can't keep working like this. You'll burn out soon and I can't have my best agent in the field not be in the best shape psychologically and physically. You have to take time off and if you won't do it for your dad who loves you and worries about you, then as your boss, I'll have to force you to take some time off. I've already had to make excuses to HR and it's only a matter of time before the Board gets on my case about it."

After years of alien negotiations, Rose recognized when her argument was lost. But she had to try one last time "But I've got reports and a whole new class of agents to start training. I can't take a vacation now. How about in a couple of months? I promise I'll take vacation then." She argued with as much confidence as she could muster.

"Your reports can wait and Jake has already agreed to train the new agents. Consider today your last day for at least the next two weeks." Pete said resolutely.

Rose took a long drink from her coffee and resigned herself to this turn of events. If she was grateful for anything, it was for this cup of liquid warmth that helped her escape reality, if only for the 2 seconds it took to swallow it down. She stood up from the sofa and walked dejectedly toward the door. As she reached for the door handle, Pete called out to her and she turned to face him.

"And Rose, when you decide where you are going, I know your mum would appreciate a call to know where you'll be since you won't be home for Sunday dinners for a while."

"Sure, Dad... I'll call her."

"Thank you, Rose. Have a nice trip." He added with a gentle smile. Pete's expression revealed that he knew how hard these next few weeks would be for her, but his eyes held hope that perhaps she would rediscover some of the joy for life that died two years ago with her husband and daughter.