A/N: New story. I wasn't expecting this to be done today, but here we have it! So yeah, my first time publishing a Doctor Who fanfic. This story is set to have ten chapters (though it could be cut down to less, or increased, I'm not 100% sure just yet.) I hope you enjoy it.

Christmas Eve had been quite the eventful day.

A bride had disappeared half way down the aisle, the groom had betrayed her for the sake of a big red spider, and the Thames had been drained.

When evening came, though, a mysterious man in his blue box had swooped in and saved everybody. Not for the sake of heroism, but purely because he had the courage and the strength to put an end to what was wrong. In the end, however, it was his companion who helped to save the day. She was the one who told the man to stop; that enough was enough. They had survived, celebrated and now was the time that they had to go their separate ways.

In the midst of a street bedded with snow, the bride stood in front of the mysterious skinny man and his extraordinary blue box. "Am I ever gonna see you again?" asked the bride. Deep inside, she already knew the answer.

This was their goodbye.

"If I'm lucky," replied the man.

"Just... promise me one thing. Find someone."

"I don't need anyone," the Doctor said.

Not only did he want to convince the bride, but he was determined to convince himself that he was better off alone. Of course he missed the company, but considering what had happened to Rose, he didn't want anybody else to get hurt. Or worse.

Also, he couldn't bear to replace her. Nothing compared to the connection he had with the blonde, intelligent girl he had travelled with.

"Yes, you do," pushed the bride, because this was the lovely, yet plucky Donna Noble. She would never back down until she got things her way. "Because sometimes, I think you need someone to stop you."

"Yeah," The Doctor paused, then put on a brighter expression. "Thanks then, Donna - good luck - and just... be magnificent.

"I think I will, yeah," agreed Donna, displaying that little spark of self-confidence that she had discovered during their adventure that day.

With a farewell nod and a smile, the Doctor retreated back into the TARDIS.

"Doctor?" Donna called him back.

The Doctor opened the TARDIS door with an expression of mock exasperation on his face. "Oh, what is it now?"

"That friend of yours, what was her name?"

A solemn look instantly washed over the Doctor's face. He felt a lump in his throat at the very thought of the girl he lost, not so long ago. "Her name was Rose," he said.

With that- knowing that he was seconds away from shedding a tear- he closed the TARDIS door and headed towards the console.

He flicked a few switches, though he lacked the enthusiasm he usually had when he was headed towards the wonderful mysteries of the universe. Instead, the mourning look remained on his face. He may have been alone in his time machine, but he was still desperate to remain emotionally stable.

Rose was gone. He still could not bring himself to believe it, or accept the fact that he was never going to see her again. She was trapped in another universe and for once, the Doctor could not swoop in and save her. The universes were sealed and if the Doctor even dared to attempt to reopen the breach, the two universes would collapse entirely.

"You miss her, don't you?" A voice intruded the Doctor's thoughts.

He recognized it instantly. He turned his head to see the girl who had haunted him ever since they had been separated.

And yet, it was not her. She was merely a ghostly image— a hologram. A voice Interface that was linked into the TARDIS, that appeared every so often to remind the old, lonely man just how old and lonely he was. After a mere glance, he could not bear to look at her for any longer.

She had the same blonde, shoulder length hair. The same light blue hoodie and trousers that she was wearing when she had vanished. It sounded like her, it looked like her, and it acted like her. Yet it was not her. And that drove the Doctor insane.

"Do you ever leave me alone?" he snapped. His words were spiteful.

Feeling the tears coming, he clutched at his hair, burying his between his hands.

"Don't you think that the mourning period is over?" she sighed, frustrated. She sat herself down on the raggedy, pale-brown chair next to her, "I'm tired of the sulking. You should go out and have adventures again. Like the good old days. It's what Rose would have wanted."

The Doctor yelled in torment down at his knees. He pointed his finger accusingly at the ghost in front of him, his nostrils flaring and his eyes wide. "You, little madam, are not even real. I will not take orders from you."

"True," nodded the Interface. She glanced up at the ceiling, and tapped her fingers against the chair in thought, "but then again, I am. I'm a rough combination between the very real TARDIS, the very real Rose Tyler and your very real and antagonizing thoughts. So that must mean, subconsciously, you want me here."

"Well that's where you're wrong. I don't want you here at all. I want to be alone, thank you very much."

The Interface stood, wiped the dust off her jeans, and rolled her neck back with a groan. "Fine," she said with a sigh. She began to walk away from the Doctor, looking over her shoulder and keeping eye contact with him. "Guess that means you don't want to hear the massive, mind-blowing big news, then," she teased.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow, almost curious as to what the playful Interface had to say. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's impossible," he retaliated.

"Impossible? No. You'd say that it's impossible, but in fact, it is one hundred percent feasible."

"Go on then," encouraged The Doctor. He folded his arms, leaning sideways on the console, "enlighten me."

The Interface beamed, excitement brewing inside of her. "Say there was an opportunity to bring Rose back. You'd do anything, wouldn't you?"

"Anything at all," nodded the Doctor. "but it's impossible."

Interface Rose's smile shone was bright. "That's where you're wrong. In fact, there is a tiny little gap in the midst of the breach," the Interface squinted her eyes and made a half-inch gap between her thumb and forefinger to emphasize the size of the opening, "The tiniest little space is still open. It gives you the opportunity to fly the TARDIS straight through," the Interface made a whoosh sound effect, "grab Rose Tyler and fly back out again. You'd be back in time for tea."

"If this is a wind-up-"

"Nope!" beamed the Interface. "I swear on Rose Tyler's life."

All of a sudden, the realization dawned on the Doctor. Was this really happening? Was there a chance for him to be reunited with Rose?

He was completely at a loss for words. A hopeful look softened his features. His cold, hard memories of being so lost and alone were demolished as the blissful memories of travelling with Rose replaced them.

The Interface was delighted at the sight of the cheerful Doctor. "Better hurry though," she pressed, "the rift closes in approximately—" She checked her watch, "twenty-eight seconds."

The happiness faded from the Doctor's face and was replaced with a look of determination. He staggered around the console breathlessly. There, he stumbled over his own feet to flick the switches and press the buttons that would change everything. He hadn't been this excited in an extremely long time.

Once he was reunited with his Rose, every day would be an adventure again.

"Fifteen seconds," urged the Interface.

She refused to lose faith in the astonishing man. With this amount of determination, she did not doubt for a second that he would ever fail to save the one he loved.

The TARDIS smashed into the void; into the alternate universe as the machine squealed in agony. She knew that she did not belong and that her being there was wrong, but the Doctor ignored her. It was too late to give up now.

Frantic, the Time Lord tripped over his own feet as the TARDIS threw him across the room.

Being merely a ghostly projected image, the Interface remained on the seat as it glided along the floor. She gazed down at her watch. "Ten seconds," she reminded him.

"Locking on," announced the Doctor, his voice full of pride. He tapped on his keyboard, flicked the odd switch or two, before finally pulling out the classic timeworn hammer and attacking the console to steady its rhythm. "COME ON, YOU BEAUTAY!" he cried.

An intense, blinding flash of light appeared in the TARDIS, forcing the Doctor to shield his eyes with his arm.

When the light faded, and the Doctor's eyes adjusting back to normal, he noticed that the Interface had disappeared. In her place, there stood a blonde, her back turned. A real person. Not an illusion, not an interface. The one girl the Doctor would have given his right arm to be reunited with.

And she was standing right in front of him.

"Rose," he uttered, breathless. He couldn't believe that he was addressing her. The real her. The whole scenario was one that had only occurred in his fantasies.

The blonde hair tossed, and her face was revealed. The very sight of her made the Time Lord's hearts melt. Her brown eyes displayed confusion and disorientation, but the second she locked eyes with the Doctor, her eyes widened in shock.

"Doctor?" she asked.

"It's me," he said, "It's really me. I'm here."

Seconds passed as they just stared at each other in bewilderment. Neither could fit together what was happening, nor think of what to say.

"How long since…?" The Doctor began.

"Six months," replied Rose, "a bloody long six months, too."

The Doctor laughed. "You—You look well."

Rose couldn't contain her laughter at the Doctor's attempt of small-talk. "Look at you. You're exactly the same."

"And you're…" The Doctor briefly examined her. She was wearing a dark pink t-shirt, a denim jacket, jeans and brown boots, "Well, you look wonderful."

Without another word, she ran into the Doctor's arms, and they embraced each other. The Doctor lifted her up, holding onto her for dear life.

Rose giggled amid a sob. She could feel tears of joy welling up in her eyes.

The Doctor may have been a grumpy old man who spent his time trying to prove that he was smarter than everybody else, but Rose Tyler was the girl who kept him young. The girl whom he showed to universe. The girl who was brave enough to keep on travelling, well aware of the dangers ahead.

Now everything was back to normal.

The Doctor and Rose Tyler, in the TARDIS, as it should be.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Feedback is most welcome!