Rose couldn't help but feel a bit offended. She had devoted how many years of her life to The Doctor? Five? Six? She couldn't even remember, time was difficult that way.

For about two years she had traveled with him, not that she hadn't liked it, anybody could see that she loved it more than anything- the traveling... and him. Then they got separated and she had devoted every waking moment searching for a way back. She knew that The Doctor had told her that it was impossible, but since when was anything really truly unattainable? Heck she had taken the time vortex into her mind and had lived to tell the story (well not really 'cause she couldn't remember it, she only knew it because The Doctor had told her about it). Three or so years she had spent trying to develop safer dimension jumpers.

But here she was; standing on that stupid beach with that man's... clone? She was more than grateful for the opportunity The Doctor had given her, to grow old with him, but that didn't change the fact that she felt a sudden urge to slap the oncoming storm straight into his next regeneration.

All she wanted was to finally say goodbye to him, they both needed that. It would leave some closure for them, for her at least, to tie up the loose ends. It would help her move on, they would finally be certain that they would never see each other again. But maybe that's why he left before she could try saying it, so that he would still be able to hope that he could be with her some day, even if he knew it was impossible.

Rose looked over at the man beside her and smiled when she saw him watching her. He looked worried, like he was scared she would turn him away. She sighed exasperatedly and grabbed his free hand with hers, entwining their fingers as she spoke to him almost as if she was scolding him,

"Stop looking so scared! You're mine now, we're finally together again, just like we both wanted. You might not be the exact same man as him, but that doesn't mean I don't love you, you big idiot. I think you might even be a better man than him, you said what he couldn't, you were braver." She smiled at him gently, squeezing his hands slightly.

He frowned slightly and furrowed his brow a little in the way that she knew meant that he was trying to find the right words to express his thoughts, and then he started slowly,

"Rose, that doesn't make me a better man than him. If anything it makes me a worse man, a more selfish man." He said softly and lowered his eyes from hers and down to their hands, examining them as if they were the most fascinating things in all of time and space. He felt guilty, she remembered what The Doctor had told her, that was him, the last him. They both were born in blood and battle, both felt as if they held the weight of the universes on their shoulders, she could see the similarities now and just like she helped him before she could help him now. She wanted more than anything to help him now.

"No, you just like thinking badly of yourself. Look, you're not running away now, you're facing this head on, a life without TARDIS, a life standing still, heck, a life living on the same planet as my mother!" He laughed a little and she continued on speaking, "I won't let you speak badly of yourself. Nobody has the right to do that, especially not you. So what do you think? Want to have this new life?"

Handy grinned at her and asked energetically,

"New, new life?"

Rose laughed and smiled softly as she looked off into the horizon, where the water met the sky. She was actually happy, truly, truly happy for the first time in years. She couldn't be angry with the man who gave her this; a loving hand to hold, a man to grow old with. A man who would live this new adventure with her.

"New, new life."

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! This is my first published story, I hope you enjoyed it and take the time to leave a review for me to read!