I watched the Doctor Who series 6 season finale last night, and was generally unimpressed (the same way I've felt about the whole series). So I went back and watched Doomsday for the billionth time, and cried for the billionth time. And then I wanted to write the after-story of Rose and TenToo. I know I will just be one of many many authors who has done so, but since I'm writing it, I figured I would post it. Legal blah blah blah: these characters are owned by BBC and the writers and all that, I am just writing this because they won't. ;)

I also just realized that I posted this on 10/2 - TenToo!

Rose looked up at the Doctor's clone, staring at his eyes, trying to believe it was him. But after only a moment, she tore her eyes away, looking back to the vacant spot where the Tardis had stood. She felt his eyes on her still, watching her watch the man she loved leave her. At that moment, four hearts were breaking.

Jackie hung back, ringing Pete to get a lift home. She was worried for Rose; the first few months they were here, she had barely said a word. Jackie didn't know if this human Doctor would help or hurt.

Rose pulled away from the still-unfamiliar man-she wasn't even sure what to call him-and just stood in the spot where the Tardis was. She thought she could feel it enveloping her, and in fact, she was right. There was the slightest bit of energy leftover, just for her, for Rose Tyler-the girl that had once been one and the same with the heart of the Tardis.

The Doctor looked at her, smiling sadly, reaching out to feel the energy for a moment before whispering, "She liked you, you know."

Rose startled at his voice, so like her Doctor's voice. "W-what?"

"The Tardis. She said so, she liked you. She would do anything for me, but so would you."

There was another long silence, then the Doctor realized Rose was shaking with silent tears. One thing he did not share with his maker was a deep connection with Rose's emotions, so he did not know if or how she wanted to be comforted. He finally went with his instincts and walked around, pulling her into him, her face buried in his chest. She stayed balled up for a few minutes before grasping his suit, holding on for life.

He rubbed her back with one hand and stroked her hair with the other, kissing the top of her head repeatedly. How many times had he wanted to kiss her?

They stood in the energy for an eternity, Rose crying and stopping and crying again. When she finally stopped, really stopped, the Doctor pulled back, producing a tissue from inside his jacket pocket. She took it, wiping away the remnants of tears and makeup, looking up at him questioningly.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, taking her breath away. "I love you, Rose Tyler."

Her eyes darted down again. She loved... him, the real Doctor.

"You love him, I know," he said sadly. "That's okay."

Rose felt a pang of guilt at that. "It's not okay," she said quickly, then whispered, "but thank you."

He kissed her forehead and she pulled herself up by his lapels, kissing his lips softly. He wrapped his arms firmly around her lower back, picking her up off her feet, finally eliciting a giggle.

"Rose?"

"Mm?"

"What was the first thing I said to you?" he said, with a mischievous grin.

She eyed him, and said, "'Run'... why?"

He winked and repeated the word, grabbing her hand and taking off. She yelped in protest but ran along with him. He ran her all around the beach, through the high tide, around rocks, past her bemused mother. Once they were far across the beach out of Jackie's view, he stopped suddenly, her momentum pulling them down in a heap on the side, limbs strewn about haphazardly.

He disentangled and laid on his side next to her, head propped up on his hand, fingers pushed into his wild hair. It really was great hair, she mused, staring at it for a second too long. He gave her his signature grin and she pulled her eyes away, blushing.

Rose rolled onto her back, staring up at the perpetually grey sky. "This place is so gloomy," she sighed.

He frowned at her tone, and shifted onto his back. "Wellll," he started, trying to come up with a scientific reason for it. Science was comforting for him, and it could at least distract her for a moment. But he couldn't come up with anything.

Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "You sound so much like him."

He took care not to wince, visibly at least, and resisted the urge to repeat that he was him.

"I'm sorry," Rose said, frowning. "I'm really sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be. It's a lot to take in all at once."

"It's just... y-you're here. And I want you to be him, even though you are him. But he's out there somewhere, right now, without me. And this time, there's no building a dimension cannon to go back. To see him. So what do I do now?"

The Doctor procured the piece of the Tardis from his pocket, holding it up. "The Doctor and Rose Tyler in the Tardis. Just as it should be. I'll teach you how to grow a Tardis. In fact... the energy she left back there. We can use that." His eyes lit up with excitement, and Rose couldn't help but smile.

"Energy?"

"You felt it," he said certainly. "She left a little bit behind, for you."

"For me?" Rose asked, bemused. "Not for you?"

He nodded. "For you. She knew you needed it."

Rose smiled again. "So... growing our own Tardis."

"Growing our own Tardis..."

Her hand slid over to take his, squeezing it. He rubbed the back of her hand softly and they laid in silence, waiting to go home.